Washington’s F-15 offer “pure speculation” says Taiwanese MoD | Wilson slams Boeing over Pegasus delays | RAAF declares IOC on its P-8 Poseidons

by Padraig McCarrick | Mar 22, 2018 | Daily Rapid Fire

Americas * Boeing’s KC-46 Pegasus tanker program has come under fire after Secretary of the Air Force Heather Wilson took the firm to task during a House Armed Services Committee hearing on Tuesday, Flight Global reports. During the hearing, Wilson criticised...

Army wants THAAD and Patriot connected by 2020 | Pentagon offers F-15 lease to curb Taiwan’s talk of F-35 | Navy wants pricing on two-ship carrier buy

by Padraig McCarrick | Mar 21, 2018 | Daily Rapid Fire

Americas * Shipbuilder Huntington Ingalls has been asked by the US Navy for a detailed pricing on the cost of two new Ford-class aircraft carriers as the service looks to see what possible saving could be made on a multi-vessel buy. Over the last several months the...

Did the F-35i Adir make a secret combat debut? | India to finally call winner on MANPAD competition | Kratos’ F-35 “wingman” given US export license

by Padraig McCarrick | Mar 20, 2018 | Daily Rapid Fire

Americas * Kratos Defense’s Mako High Performance Jet Tactical Unmanned Aerial System has been given clearance by the US State Department, allowing for the export of the UAS to certain European and Asian Pacific partners. In a statement announcing the approval,...

Seoul mulls more Apaches for sorties across the DMZ | Japanese-assembled F-35s costs more than US imports | USAF gears up for B-52 re-engine plan

by Padraig McCarrick | Mar 19, 2018 | Daily Rapid Fire

Americas * A request for proposals to re-engine the US Air Force’s B-52 strategic bomber is expected for the first quarter of 2019, documents released by the service last week state. According to the document, the contract for re-engining the USAF’s 76...

Sikorsky-Boeing team defiant on FVL first flight delays | Saab GlobalEye flies for the first time | India’s fighter procurement needs change, again

by Padraig McCarrick | Mar 16, 2018 | Daily Rapid Fire

Americas * The Sikorsky-Boeing team developing the SB-1 Defiant are rigorously testing the coaxial helicopter demonstrator before its maiden flight, officials from both companies have told Defense News. Defiant is likely to fly in the latter part of this summer, Randy...