DEFENSE-AEROSPACE

Exclusive: Retired RAAF Fighter Jets Could Be Sent to Ukraine (excerpt)

June 6, 2023

The Royal Australian Air Force keeps 41 de-commissioned F/A-18A/B Hornets in climate-controlled hangars at RAAF Base Williamtown. Canberra, Washington, and Kyiv are now in formal talks that could move a portion of that fleet to Ukraine instead of a scrapyard.

Missiles / Drones / Directed Energy

Cost Surge Hits UK Protector Drone Plan

May 4, 2023

The United Kingdom faces fresh budget pain round its next-gen Protector RG Mk 1 drones. Latest figures show the bill jumping forty per cent above first plan. Ministers stay quiet on why the math went off, yet insiders point at fast-shifting specs

Helicopters

Australian Chinook Helicopter Refuels Abrams Tanks

April 11, 2023

The Army pushed a dusty run at Townsville this week, hooking a Chinook’s fuel lines straight into three Abrams. Blades kept spinning, hoses hissed, and heavy armor rolled off topped up. Roads in those scrub ridges stay rough, so air-pump beats truck

Contracts & Deals

Underpowered Powerplant: The F-35’s Engine Can’t Do the Job

April 11, 2023

The single-engine F-35 keeps dragging the Pentagon into deeper trouble. Early budgets spoke about $233 billion for building the fleet. Today the ledger shows roughly $412 billion for 2 470 jets. Money keeps pouring, yet the fighter still can’t fly at full

Defense Budgets / Policy

Romania Submits €10 Billion Military Upgrade Plan to Parliament

March 27, 2023

Romania’s defense ministry has asked lawmakers to clear a modernization package worth just over €10 billion. The request, sent earlier this month, covers new air-defense batteries, tracked fighting vehicles, NATO-calibre artillery, air-to-air missiles, and a first batch of Abrams tanks. Lt. Gen.

Latest

Exclusive: Retired RAAF Fighter Jets Could Be Sent to Ukraine (excerpt)

Cost Surge Hits UK Protector Drone Plan

Australian Chinook Helicopter Refuels Abrams Tanks

Underpowered Powerplant: The F-35’s Engine Can’t Do the Job

Romania Submits €10 Billion Military Upgrade Plan to Parliament

Authors

Julien Mercier

Clara Nguyen

Priya Shah

Michael Adler

Lena Kovacs

Diego Ramos

Peter Johansson

Lucas Meyer