Americas
General Atomics won a $35.9 million deal, which procures spares necessary for the successful operational capability of the Marine Air Ground Task Force Unmanned Aircraft System Expeditionary Medium Altitude Long Endurance MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper air vehicles, ground control stations and ancillary equipment for the Navy. Work will take place in California, Massachusetts, New York, Virginia, Florida, South Carolina and Canada. Estimated completion will be in December 2026.
New students who graduated to fly the B-52 bomber this fall will be operating the eight-engine aircraft with four crew members instead of the usual five. The bomber has two pilots, one navigator, a weapon systems officer operating the radar, and an electronic warfare officer. When downsized to four people, the navigator, weapon systems and electronic warfare seats can be filled by any of the two non-pilot air crew. The switch to a four-person crew now is necessary as the bomber will be structurally modified to fly with only four people in the future. These current batch of graduates will be ready to assume the role of instructors when the modifications are rolled out later this decade.
Middle East & Africa
Egypt’s defense minister has expressed his wish for a closer military partnership with the US during a meeting with the commander of American forces in the Middle East. Mohamed Zaki met Gen. Michael Kurilla of US Central Command in Cairo to discuss cooperation, weeks after ships from both countries’ navies held training exercises in the Mediterranean.
Europe
The E1-79 Pegasus II has been flight tested. The unmanned air vehicle is produced by Hellenic Aerospace Industry (HAI) and has been in service with the Hellenic Air Force since 2005. It took off from JKH/LGHI Chios island National Airport for a short low test flight over Chios Strait.
The Polish Ministry of National Defence has sent a letter of request to the United States government to buy 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the nation’s armed forces. Deputy Prime Minister and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz B?aszczak unveiled the planned purchase following a meeting with his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which took place on September 8 in Ramstein, Germany.
Asia-Pacific
The Philippine Navy plans to acquire more modern warships in the next five years to be on par with neighboring countries in Southeast Asia. According to Rear Adm. Caesar Bernard Valencia, the country expects the arrival of seven additional Acero-class gunboats in the next few years. It will also procure new offshore patrol vessels, construction landing docks, and next-generation corvettes.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Hellenic Air Force UAV Pegasus II short test flight from Chios island National Airport.
