DefenceTalkThe Philippines has scrapped an order for 16 Russian military helicopters, an official confirmed Wednesday, following reports former president Rodrigo Duterte decided to cancel it due to US sanctions on Moscow. Manila — a longtime Washington ally — agreed in November to pay 12.7 billion pesos ($228 million) for the Mi-17 helicopters, as it seeks […]https://www.defencetalk.com/philippines-cancels-russia-helicopter-deal-over-us-sanctions-79196/

DefenceTalkNorway cancelled a contract Friday for 14 NH90 military transport helicopters from a European consortium that includes Airbus, citing delivery delays and spare parts woes. The Norwegian government said that despite signing the contract with NH Industries more than 20 years ago, only eight of the 13 aircraft that have been delivered were fully operative. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/norway-scraps-deal-for-nh90-military-helicopters-78941/

DefenceTalkTaiwan has opted out of purchasing anti-submarine helicopters from the United States because they are too expensive, its defence minister said Thursday. The island was planning to buy up to 12 Seahawk choppers but the deal has been scrapped as Taipei prioritises lower cost, more mobile weaponry to counter any threat from China. Local media […]https://www.defencetalk.com/taiwan-scraps-deal-to-buy-us-anti-submarine-helicopters-78780/

DefenceTalkAn additional $800 million drawdown package of security assistance is on its way to Ukraine. Efforts to get the newly authorized equipment and supplies to the Ukrainian military will begin immediately, said Pentagon Press Secretary John F. Kirby. “As you’ve seen [it] go in the past, from the time the president authorizes drawdown until the […]https://www.defencetalk.com/howitzers-helicopters-humvees-headed-to-ukraine-78680/

DefenceTalkOCCAR (Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation), on behalf of the French and Spanish Armament General Directorate, the DGA (Direction Générale de l’Armement) and the DGAM (Dirección General de Armamento y Material) has awarded a contract to Airbus Helicopters for the development, production, and initial in-service support of the Tiger MkIII attack helicopter upgrade program. The […]https://www.defencetalk.com/france-and-spain-launch-tiger-mkiii-helicopters-program-78282/

DefenceTalkLockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) will produce 12 CH-53K heavy lift helicopters for Israel under a U.S. Navy Foreign Military Sales (FMS) agreement. This production announcement is for the first four of 12 aircraft for Israel and is on the heels of a contract to produce nine more aircraft for the U.S. Marine Corps. The signed […]https://www.defencetalk.com/lockheed-martin-to-build-ch-53k-helicopters-for-israel-77998/

DefenceTalkThe DARPA Aircrew Labor In-Cockpit Automation System (ALIAS) program completed a first ever flight of a UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter without anyone onboard. Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, completed 30-minutes of uninhabited flight with the optionally piloted vehicle (OPV) over the U.S. Army installation at Fort Campbell, Kentucky on February 5th. An additional uninhabited flight […]https://www.defencetalk.com/alias-equipped-black-hawk-helicopter-completes-first-unmanned-flight-77866/

DefenceTalkThe State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of Israel of CH-53K Heavy Lift Helicopters with Support and related equipment for an estimated cost of $3.4 billion. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale today. The Government of Israel […]

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkEGLIN AIR FORCE BASE: Approximately 3,000 feet above Eglin Air Force Base, the HH-60W Jolly Green II connected with a HC-130J tanker for the inaugural aerial refueling by the Air Force’s newest combat search and rescue helicopter, Aug. 5. The connection marked the start of two weeks of developmental testing of the aircraft’s aerial refueling […]https://www.defencetalk.com/jolly-green-ii-continues-tests-completes-first-aerial-refueling-76161/

DefenceTalkDefenceTalkThe prototype of Airbus Helicopters’ VSR700 unmanned aerial system (UAS) has performed its first free flight. The VSR700 performed a ten minute flight at a drone test centre near Aix-en-Provence in the south of France. This is a significant step in the programme following the first flight in November 2019 when the prototype was tethered […]https://www.defencetalk.com/vsr700-prototype-performs-first-autonomous-free-flight-76095/