Platforms & Systems

First In‑Flight Trial of VK‑800 Engine on Yak‑40 Testbed Advances Baikal Program

First In‑Flight Trial of VK‑800 Engine on Yak‑40 Testbed Advances Baikal Program

Novosibirsk, Russia – A Yakovlev Yak-40 flying laboratory lifted off from SibNIA’s Yeltsovka airfield on July 14, logging the first airborne run of UZGA’s new VK-800 turboprop. The 15-minute sortie reached roughly 700 meters and about 340 kilometers per hour. Test crews reported smooth spool-up, steady power delivery, and no abnormal vibrations as the nose-mounted propeller drove the veteran trijet around the circuit.

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U.S. Space Force Selects Boeing for .8B Secure Strategic Communications Program

U.S. Space Force Selects Boeing for $2.8B Secure Strategic Communications Program

The U.S. Space Force has selected Boeing to build the first two satellites of the Evolved Strategic SATCOM program, issuing a $2.8 billion fixed-price-incentive contract that includes options for two more spacecraft. The decision, announced late July 3, positions the company to deliver the future backbone of nuclear command-and-control communications well into the 2030s.

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Royal Australian Navy Welcomes HMAS Arafura as New Arafura-Class OPV

Royal Australian Navy Welcomes HMAS Arafura as New Arafura-Class OPV

The Royal Australian Navy has added a new hull to its order of battle. On 28 June the service commissioned HMAS Arafura, first of the Arafura-class offshore patrol vessels, during a ceremony at Fleet Base West near Fremantle. Defense officials confirm the ship is now on the active list under pennant 203 and ready to start work while post-commissioning trials continue.

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E-7 Wedgetail Scrapped by Air Force Over Cost Overruns and Vulnerability Risks

E-7 Wedgetail Scrapped by Air Force Over Cost Overruns and Vulnerability Risks

The U.S. Air Force has decided to halt the E-7 Wedgetail airborne early-warning and control program, ending a three-year effort to replace the aging E-3 Sentry fleet with a more modern, radar-equipped 737 derivative. Defense officials disclosed the move during the FY-26 budget rollout, noting that expected unit cost had climbed from about $588 million to roughly $724 million and that the aircraft lacked the resilience needed in a highly contested battlespace.

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Weapons Tester Cites Further F-35 Challenges (excerpt)

Weapons Tester Cites Further F-35 Challenges (excerpt)

The Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation has sent fresh shockwaves through the F-35 community. His memo to senior leaders says the Joint Strike Fighter remains far from its promised combat edge even though the U.S. Air Force just marked the jet “ready for war.” Engineers still chase hundreds of software defects, the 25 mm gun refuses to shoot straight, and the off-boresight missile link misbehaves whenever pilots swivel their helmets too far off center.

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Aviation Week Reader Comments Above Story

Aviation Week Reader Comments Above Story

Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program has drawn thousands of reader remarks on Aviation Week since the aircraft reached initial service. The most pointed thread this week grew out of a comment by retired Marine officer Don Bacon. He noted that “150 to 160 modifications” sit between many early-build jets and the Block 3F standard that the U.S. services need for combat. His remark sparked fresh debate about concurrency, spiraling costs, and schedule risk.

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