Americas
Tony Landis of the US Air Force Materiel Command History Office recently detailed the remarkable history of aircraft 62-12200, the McDonnell YF-4E Phantom II. Now housed at the National Museum of the United States Air Force (NMUSAF), this aircraft, though often overlooked, played a pivotal role in advancing fly-by-wire (FBW) technology, setting the stage for the development of modern fighter aircraft. Originally developed as a Navy F4H-1, the aircraft was adapted for the US Air Force under the designation F-110A Spectre, later reclassified as the F-4C. Serial number 62-12200, initially a YRF-4C reconnaissance aircraft, underwent extensive modifications throughout its service life. Notably, it transitioned from its original role to become the aerodynamic prototype for the F-4E program, receiving the YF-4E designation in 1967.
The US State Department has cleared Canada’s plan to purchase hundreds of AIM-9X Sidewinder tactical missiles from RTX. With an estimated value of $265 million, the potential foreign military sale (FMS) includes 120 Sidewinders in the Block II configuration and 48 in the more advanced Block II+. Ottawa is also requesting 96 training missiles, 20 guidance kits, active optical target detectors, and engineering and logistical support.
Middle East & Africa
Hamas has claimed it was behind a bomb explosion in Tel Aviv on Sunday night which Israeli authorities say killed the suspected attacker and injured a civilian. A statement from the armed group said it had been a “martyrdom operation” carried out in co-operation with Palestinian Islamic Jihad. It also warned that suicide attacks would “return to the forefront” if Israel continued what it called “massacres” of Palestinians.
Europe
The US State Department has approved a potential foreign military sale to Denmark involving the purchase of Precision Guidance Kits (PGK) and associated support elements, with an estimated value of $85 million. Denmark’s request includes up to 5,832 M1156 Precision Guidance Kits, which are designed to enhance the accuracy of 155 mm artillery shells by turning them into precision-guided munitions. The package also includes ancillary items, compatibility testing, technical assistance, and training, among other logistics and program support elements.
Asia-Pacific
A classified interim report from the Australian Defense Flight Safety Bureau (DFSB) has shed new light on the tragic MRH-90 Taipan helicopter crash that claimed the lives of four Australian Army airmen near Hamilton Island in July 2023, ruling out mechanical failures and pointing to potential pilot disorientation as a key factor in the incident. The report, which has been selectively briefed to various stakeholders, indicates that just two minutes before the crash, there was a transfer of controls from Lieutenant Max Nugent to Captain Danniel Lyon, adding a crucial element to the timeline of events leading up to the disaster.
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