DefenceTalkThe F-35 program has accomplished the final developmental test flight of the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the program. “Completing F-35 SDD flight test is the culmination of years of hard work and dedication from the joint government and industry team,” said Vice Adm. Mat Winter, F-35 Program Executive Officer. “Since the first […]https://www.defencetalk.com/f-35-completes-most-comprehensive-flight-test-program-in-aviation-history-71632/

DefenceTalkThe Air Force, the Navy, and the Marine Corps had gaps between the actual numbers of fighter pilots and authorizations (i.e. funded positions) in fiscal years (FY) 2013 through 2017. In FY 2017 the Air Force’s gap was the widest at 27 percent of authorizations (see fig. above) and is projected to continue through FY […]https://www.defencetalk.com/military-personnel-dod-needs-to-reevaluate-fighter-pilot-workforce-requirements-71626/

DefenceTalkThe U.S. Air Force will this summer begin testing a laser that will be mounted on an F-15 warplane, an official said Monday. The Pentagon last year awarded a $26 million contract to Lockheed Martin for a laser program called SHiELD (Self-protect High Energy Laser Demonstrator). The idea is to put a laser system on […]https://www.defencetalk.com/u-s-air-force-to-begin-fighter-mounted-laser-testing-this-summer-71579/

DefenceTalkChina will continue to improve and upgrade its cutting-edge J-20 stealth fighter jet, giving it more capabilities than merely penetrating an enemy’s air defense networks, according to its chief designer. Yang Wei, a deputy director of science and technology at Aviation Industry Corp of China and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, told […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-to-enhance-j-20-stealth-fighter-capabilities-71570/

DefenceTalkGerman lawmakers are set to hear about how Germany’s military, the Bundeswehr, has access to less than 50 percent of many major weapons systems. The findings are the latest to underscore problems in the armed forces. Many primary weapons systems in the Bundeswehr are not available for training exercises or deployment, according to a new […]https://www.defencetalk.com/limited-number-of-weapons-in-german-military-ready-for-action-report-71514/

DefenceTalkCanada said Thursday it was allowing Boeing to submit a bid to replace the country’s aging F-18 fleet, after an earlier trade dispute between the American manufacturer and Ottawa. The announcement came a month after the US International Trade Commission rejected a complaint filed by Boeing against its Canadian rival Bombardier, demanding nearly 300 percent […]https://www.defencetalk.com/canada-to-accept-bid-from-boeing-for-new-fighter-jets-71501/

DefenceTalkChina is upgrading its Western Theater Command in order to confront any threat from India, a Chinese military specialist said after photographs of a J-10 jet flying over the high-altitude plateau in western China were released by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) during the Spring Festival holiday. The pictures posted on the English version of […]https://www.defencetalk.com/china-upgrades-airspace-defense-in-west-to-counter-threat-from-india-71495/

DefenceTalkEIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska: During the F-35 Lightning II’s pre-Initial Operational Test and Evaluation, Airmen from the 3rd Air Support Operations Squadron had the opportunity to work with all three variants of the Joint Strike Fighter. Tactical Air Control Party Airmen coordinate air support with joint and international platforms, making this a unique opportunity […]https://www.defencetalk.com/battlefield-airmen-integrate-with-f-35-improve-air-ground-dominance-71487/

DefenceTalkMOSCOW: Russia’s MiG Aircraft Corporation has completed factory trials of its next-generation MiG-35 multirole fighter jet, the corporation’s press office told TASS on Friday. “The factory trials of the MiG-35 multirole fighter jet produced in the interests of the Defense Ministry of the Russian Federation have been completed. The certificate of the trials completion was […]https://www.defencetalk.com/mig-completes-trials-of-new-generation-fighter-jet-71485/

DefenceTalkDeputy Defence Minister Yuri Borisov checked the implementation of missions of the Ministry of Defence at the Irkutsk aviation plant. “This year, the program of production includes 24 aircraft: 10 YAK-130, 12 aircraft for Aerospace Forces and for the Navy Forces – 2 SU-30SM”, said Yuri Borisov in an interview with reporters during a visit […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russian-armed-forces-to-receive-14-su-30sm-fighters-and-10-yak-130-aircraft-71449/