DefenceTalkThe Airbus A400M new generation airlifter has achieved a new decisive milestone after the certification of its Automatic Low Level Flight capability, offering a unique in its class capability for a military transport aircraft. The certification campaign, performed in April above the Pyrenees and central France, involved operations down to 500ft, including transitions from low […]https://www.defencetalk.com/airbus-a400m-achieves-automatic-low-level-flight-certification-75685/

DefenceTalkThe C-17 Globemaster III aircraft fleet currently uses winch cables made of steel to pull pallets, vehicles and other items onto the aircraft from the ground via the aft ramp. The current steel cable experiences dangerous snapback upon breakage, which can injure personnel and damage aircraft. The synthetic cable eliminates that danger since it does […]https://www.defencetalk.com/afrl-creates-safer-than-steel-synthetic-winch-cable-for-cargo-aircraft-74277/

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 […]

Embraer and the Brazilian Air Force (FAB) signed today a memorandum of understanding which enables the study of the potential development of a new light military transport aircraft. The study seeks to identify alternatives and solutions to meet FAB’s operational needs, especially in the Amazon region and austere environments, including unpaved, short and damaged runways […]

The Portuguese Government announced today a firm order of five multi-mission airlifters Embraer KC-390 as part of the process to modernize Portuguese Air Force capacities to support national Armed Forces operations and increase readiness in missions of public interest. Deliveries are scheduled to start in 2023. The KC-390 is designed to set new standards for […]

DefenceTalkUkraine has suspended a joint venture with Saudi Arabia to produce the An-132 military transport aircraft. President of Ukraine Antonov State Company, Alexander Donets, which manufactures the aircraft, announced on Friday that the company will continue to build the vehicles but with a new partner. “In the framework of this project, an An-32D was built […]https://www.defencetalk.com/ukraine-suspends-joint-venture-with-saudi-arabia-to-build-an-132-aircraft-72294/

DefenceTalkThe Russian Defense Ministry will get the first serial Il-76MD-90A military transport plane next week, Russian aircraft manufacturer and design bureau Ilyushin said on Thursday. “The first serial plane is fully ready. It is expected to be handed over next week,” a company source told reporters. The company confirmed that no Il-76MD-90A planes have been […]https://www.defencetalk.com/russia-to-get-first-upgraded-il-76md-90a-transport-plane-72228/

DefenceTalkA screen shot shows the mysterious aircraft featured in a nine-second video by Aviation Industry Corporation on Tuesday. China’s largest domestically-developed transport aircraft, the Y-20, recently conducted its first joint airdrop training with the country’s airborne troops, marking another boost for China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force’s long-range delivery and combat capabilities, PLA air […]https://www.defencetalk.com/chinas-homegrown-transport-plane-y-20-conducts-1st-airdrop-drills-71667/

DefenceTalkThe first structurally complete airframe for the new BelugaXL rolled out from its assembly hangar in Toulouse, France this month. Once operational, a fleet of these next-generation airlifters will be used to transport completed sections of Airbus aircraft among the company’s European production sites and to its final assembly lines in France, Germany and Spain. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/first-beluga-xl-transporter-rolls-off-assembly-line-71033/

DefenceTalkThe United States has expanded a runway at a northern Syria air base to accommodate the large C-17 military plane needed to help with logistics for the push to retake the IS stronghold of Raqqa, a US defence official said Tuesday. The huge military air freighter will play an essential role in supplying the Syrian […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-expands-northern-syria-airfield-for-huge-cargo-plane-69665/