Flight trials have begun for a Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules transport aircraft equipped with a Northrop Grumman Litening sensor pod. Mounted on a pylon underneath the wing of the Hercules, the AN/AAQ-28(V) Litening pod is capable of recording video in day and night-time conditions, and includes a Forward Looking Infrared (FLIR) camera. Air […]

DefenceTalkA number of United States Air Force (USAF) B-52 Stratofortress Bombers have arrived at RAAF Darwin to participate in Enhanced Air Cooperation. RAAF Base Darwin is hosting the bombers while they take part in training activities with the Australian Defence Force in designated military airspace near RAAF Base Williamtown until early April. Enhanced Air Cooperation […]https://www.defencetalk.com/united-states-air-force-b-52-bombers-arrive-in-darwin-71603/

DefenceTalkA Royal Australian Air Force electronic warfare plane caught fire on takeoff during an exercise in the United States Saturday (Jan 27) but there were no serious injuries, the military said. Australia’s Department of Defense confirmed “an incident involving an EA-18G Growler at Nellis Air Force Base during Exercise Red Flag”. It said RAAF personnel […]https://www.defencetalk.com/australia-warplane-catches-fire-during-us-training-military-71368/

DefenceTalkThe Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) and Airbus today signed a research agreement to further develop the RAAF KC-30A’s capabilities. The agreement strengthens the industrial partnership between Airbus and Australia’s defence force, and will help to define the evolution of the KC-30A fleet as it reaches operational maturity and expand its capabilities. This will result […]https://www.defencetalk.com/royal-australian-air-force-and-airbus-partner-on-kc-30a-future-capability-roadmap-69377/

DefenceTalkMinister for Defence, Senator the Hon Marise Payne, today welcomed the first EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to the Royal Australian Air Force. Flying into the Australian International Airshow at Avalon from Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in the United States, the Growlers are a potent and technologically advanced new capability for the Australian Defence […]https://www.defencetalk.com/australia-receives-first-ea-18g-growler-69333/

DefenceTalkThe Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed to Guam to participate in Exercise Cope North 2017—a high end air combat and humanitarian assistance exercise. Up to 12 F/A-18A Hornets from Number 3 Squadron at RAAF Williamtown have all been assigned to Exercise Cope North and will be operating alongside aircraft from the United States […]https://www.defencetalk.com/raaf-to-test-skills-in-high-end-air-warfare-exercise-69269/

DefenceTalkAustralia’s Super Hornets have undergone their first major upgrade. The job was finished on budget and two weeks ahead of schedule by the Electronic Attack Enterprise team, consisting of Air Force, Defence’s Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group, Boeing Defence Australia and Raytheon Australia. The work was the first stage of the Super Hornet Spiral Upgrade […]https://www.defencetalk.com/australia-completes-first-super-hornet-upgrade-68592/

DefenceTalkThe Royal Australian Air Force took a significant step forward in airlift capability when two giant RAAF aircraft conducted air-to-air refueling for the first time. The refueling trials took place during a two-hour sortie off the Queensland coast, between a KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport (MRTT) and a C-17A Globemaster III cargo aircraft. The aircraft […]https://www.defencetalk.com/first-successful-air-to-air-refueling-contact-for-raaf-kc-30a-to-c-17a-67412/

DefenceTalkThe Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has deployed 14 aircraft and approximately 410 personnel to Exercise Red Flag 16-1 in the United States. Held at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada from January 19 until February 13, Exercise Red Flag 16-1 will involve 6 F/A-18F Super Hornet aircraft from RAAF Base Amberley, 6 F/A-18 A/B […]https://www.defencetalk.com/royal-australian-air-force-nevada-exercise-red-flag-66466/

DefenceTalkA Royal Australian Air Force KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft has used its air‑to‑air refueling boom for the first time on operations while refueling a RAAF E-7A Wedgetail last week during a Coalition mission above Iraq. The air-to-air boom refuelling process involved two large aircraft, military versions of the Airbus A330 and Boeing 737-700, approaching […]https://www.defencetalk.com/raaf-kc-30a-refuels-e-7a-wedgetail-above-iraq-65691/