Americas
During an Employment Concept Exercise in Spain, the US Air Force’s KC-46A carried out the first operational refueling of a foreign aircraft on April 18. The aerial refueling tanker passed fuel to Spanish Hornets during the flight. Four KC-46A tankers are deployed to Moron Air Base for this Employment Concept Exercise.
The US Air Force announced on April 26 that it had selected the Boeing E-7 Wedgetail to replace its Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft. The USAF plans to award a contract in fiscal year 2023 and requested $227 million in research, development, test, and evaluation funds for the programme starting in its FY 2023 budget.
Middle East & Africa
The EU’s foreign policy chief, Josep Borrell, said that the bloc will wind down some of its training of Mali’s forces. This casts further doubt on the future of EU and UN peacekeeping missions in the region. Borrell grounded the decision in the lack of guarantees from the transitional Malian authorities that Russian Kremlin-linked mercenaries would not interfere with EU operations.
Europe
In a historic move, lawmakers in Germany have given the official green light to send “heavy weapons and complex systems” to Ukraine. But many of them also criticized Chancellor Olaf Scholz for not being in Berlin. The petition passed on Thursday, with with 586 votes in favor, 100 against, and seven abstentions.
British Defense Secretary Ben Wallace said, he was not “rattled” by Vladimir Putin’s nuclear threats Thursday because NATO allies “outgun” and “outnumber” the Russian president. “I don’t feel rattled,” Wallace said, speaking to LBC radio. “We have strong armed forces and a nuclear deterrent and we’re part of a NATO partnership of 30 nations who outgun him, outnumber him and have potentially all the capabilities at our disposal.”
Asia-Pacific
The Philippine Air Force accepted the Spyder Philippines Air Defense System (SPADS) Simulator – Training Center at Basa Air Base on April 26. The training center will help prepare future missile operators to handle real-world challenges.
Today’s Video
WATCH: Finally! US Air Force to buy E-7 Wedgetail to replace E-3 Sentry or AWACS.
