The event saw the company’s flight test team conduct functional checks of the system before its launch.

The plane will undergo additional live assessments as part of the program’s primary evaluation phase this autumn.

Boeing will also send the aircraft to another center that will finalize the hull’s livery outfitting.

“This safe and systematic Functional Check Flight is an important step for Boeing and the RAF as part of our rigorous and extensive testing and evaluation,” Boeing VP and E-7 Program Manager Stu Voboril remarked.

“Our team is committed to ensuring the E-7 delivers the safety, quality, and capabilities we’ve promised to our customer as we prepare for delivery of the UK’s first E-7 Wedgetail to the RAF.”

‘Significant Milestone’

Boeing accepted the contract to build five E-7s in 2019 to replace the British government’s decommissioned E-3 Sentry fleet, which operated for the same purpose since the 1990s.

The $1.98-billion planes are set to achieve operational capability by 2025.

“This first flight marks a significant milestone for the programme and for our team who have worked tirelessly with our partners to progress what is a hugely complex endeavour,” UK Defence Equipment & Support Director Richard Murray commented on the latest trial.

“We are moving forward and will be delivering this critical capability to the RAF.”

Local E-7 Development Centers Now Ready

The UK’s Wedgetail initiative involved the construction of hangars in Lossiemouth, Scotland, last year to support the Wedgetail’s in-country engineering works.

The site will house works for the three upcoming E-7s as well as other military aircraft once the program concludes.

London announced the inauguration of the $103-million center in September 2024. It will be managed by over 175 on-site personnel at the project’s peak, according to the government.

“We’re proud of the robust E-7 modification line we’ve stood up in the UK to deliver the RAF’s future Airborne Early Warning & Control fleet,” Boeing UK, Ireland and the Nordics President Maria Laine commented.

“We are committed to delivering this crucial capability to support the UK’s national security and contribute toward regional stability.”

Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail

The E-7 Wedgetail has a 34-meter (112-foot) fuselage and a 36-meter (118-foot) wingspan.

It is flown by two pilots, with functions run by up to 10 mission personnel. In 2022, the UK’s first E-7 platform received its main sensor suite.

The Wedgetail is powered by turbofans for a range of 6,500 kilometers (4,039 miles), a speed of  853 kilometers (530 miles) per hour, and a service ceiling of 12,500 meters (41,011 feet).

The post Boeing Completes Maiden Flight of Future British Wedgetail Early Warning Aircraft appeared first on The Defense Post.

Tokyo seeks to acquire nine more KC-46As, along with 18 turbofan engines, 16 radar warning receivers, and 33 infrared countermeasure suites, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announcement.

The request includes missile warning sensors, identification friend-or-foe transponders, and communications equipment to be integrated into the aircraft.

The potential deal will also cover spare parts, personnel training, training equipment, and engineering and logistics support services.

Once finalized, it will expand Japan’s KC-46A fleet to 15, complementing the four currently in operation and the two additional aircraft already ordered.

Boeing, Pratt & Whitney, RTX, and Northrop Grumman will be the principal contractors.

‘Supporting National Security Objectives’

Powered by two high-bypass turbofan engines, the KC-46A boasts a fuel capacity of 212,000 pounds (96,161 kilograms) and can refuel most fixed-wing aircraft.

It has a refueling boom driven by a fly-by-wire control system for seamless transfer of fuel mid-air.

It is also equipped with a sophisticated self-protection system to allow it to perform its missions in contested environments.

According to the DSCA, the expansion of Tokyo’s KC-46A fleet is expected to support the national security objectives of the US by bolstering the security of a key ally in the Indo-Pacific region.

It will also improve the Asian nation’s aerial refueling and passenger transport capabilities, contributing to a stronger deterrence against current and emerging threats.

The post Japan Cleared to Buy Nine Additional KC-46A Tanker Aircraft for $4.1B appeared first on The Defense Post.

Announced at the International Defence Industry Exhibition in Kielce, company senior director Tim Flood said the 47F Block II version would support Warsaw’s defense needs with its ability to transport 31 combat troops and up to 16,000 pounds (7,257 kilograms) of cargo.

It would also help enhance the country’s cooperation with allied forces, as the chopper is operational in nine NATO member states.

“The Chinook has been a key part of the European defense and humanitarian relief missions for more than five decades,” Flood said. “[It] would deliver additional benefits to Poland through job creation … and greater autonomy for the Polish defense industry.”

Powered by two Honeywell engines, the CH-47F Block II can achieve a maximum speed of 302 kilometers (187 miles) per hour and a service ceiling of 20,000 feet (6,096 meters).

Potential Competitor

Although Boeing has already publicized its offering, Poland has yet to decide whether to purchase this option or initiate a tender to explore other alternatives.

But if a competition occurs, Lockheed Martin is expected to participate with its CH-53K King Stallion.

This would be a repeat of the battle for Germany’s next heavy-lift helicopter, where Berlin chose to purchase 60 Chinooks over the Lockheed-manufactured choppers.

Originally developed for the US Marine Corps, the King Stallion can carry 34 soldiers or up to two light armored vehicles not exceeding 27,000 pounds (12,247 kilograms).

Unlike the Chinook, the CH-53K is powered by three turboshaft engines that enable it to reach speeds up to 315 kilometers (196 miles) per hour.

The post Boeing Pitches CH-47 Chinook as Poland’s New Heavy-Lift Chopper appeared first on The Defense Post.

The F-15EX is flown by the US Air Force while the F/A-18E/F is operational with the US Navy.

The upgrade includes modernizing the computers’ electronics hardware and software for increased processing power and cyber and product security, along with addressing obsolescence issues.

“Our advanced flight-critical solution ensures that these platforms will maintain fleet readiness now, and in the future, as well as provisions the aircraft to support the integration of new functions,” senior director of Military Aircraft Systems for Controls and Avionics Solutions at BAE Systems Corin Beck said.

The F/A-18E/F flight control computers will also receive an additional processor to support future capability additions.

Flight Control Computers 

The computers manage flight by “processing pilot inputs, monitoring real-time aircraft movement conditions via on-board sensors, and transmitting commands to actuators that move the control surfaces,” according to BAE.

“The advanced fly-by-wire flight control computer allows the pilot to focus more on the mission and less on flying the aircraft,” the company explained.

The upgrade will take place at BAE’s facility in Endicott, New York.

The post BAE to Upgrade F-15EX, F/A-18E/F Flight Control Computers appeared first on The Defense Post.

“The proposed sale will improve the Republic of Korea’s capability to meet current and future threats by providing a credible force capable of deterring adversaries and participating in regional operations,” the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement.

The sale will improve “the security of a major ally that is a force for political stability and economic progress in the Indo-Pacific region,” the statement said, using the US foreign policy term for the Asia Pacific region.

The State Department approved the possible sale of the helicopters to South Korea, and the DSCA on Monday provided the required notification to Congress, which still needs to sign off on the transaction.

The principal contractors for the deal will be Boeing and Lockheed Martin, the DSCA said.

The announcement came on the same day that Washington and Seoul began major annual joint military drills, with new exercises aimed at containing the nuclear-armed North.

The Ulchi Freedom Shield exercise runs until August 29 and will involve thousands of military personnel.

The post US Approves $3.5B Apache Helicopter Sale to S. Korea appeared first on The Defense Post.

Jim Bryan, director of integrated air and missile defense at Boeing, revealed to Breaking Defense that the company is now preparing its proposal for the upcoming army competition.

Though he did not provide specific details, Bryan said the Virginia-based firm already has a team in place conducting trade studies and weighing the benefits of using non-traditional rocket motors for its offering.

“Are you more interested in an exotic new design, or… do we stick with what’s proven and known?” he asked the army.

Anduril, meanwhile, is pondering whether to bid as a prime contractor or team up with a major defense firm that would need a solid rocket motor for their proposals.

The California-based company is known for its rocket motors that power defense and space launch systems. Earlier this year, it was awarded a $19-million contract to build second stage rocket motors for the US Navy’s Standard Missile-6.

Competitors

In January 2023, the US Army announced plans to acquire a second cruise missile interceptor amid increasing threats from adversaries.

Like the first interceptor known as the AIM-9X Sidewinder, the second weapon should be compatible with Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2 (IFPC Inc. 2) launchers.

According to program executive officer Maj Gen. Frank Lozano, the new program is scheduled to begin next year and has already secured funding for a five-year period.

Though the competition is expected to attract more participants, Boeing and Anduril will have two sure competitors in Lockheed and Rafael.

In January 2024, the two companies declared their interest in the program, with the Israeli firm planning to offer a “subversion” of its Tamir interceptor.

Lockheed has yet to reveal its proposal, but said it has the expertise to deliver the product.

It remains unclear if RTX, the manufacturer of the first interceptor, will submit a more capable solution to match the threat of supersonic cruise missiles.

The post Boeing, Anduril to Join US Army’s Second Cruise Missile Interceptor Program appeared first on The Defense Post.

Poland has sharply accelerated the modernization of its armed forces since Russia’s full-scale invasion of neighboring Ukraine in 2022.

“This is the landmark purchase by Poland for its armed forces of… 96 state-of-the-art AH-64E Apache attack helicopters,” Defence Minister Wladyslaw Kosiniak-Kamysz told reporters.

“Today we are taking a milestone in the transformation and equipping of the army,” he added, speaking at the Inowroclaw air base where the Apaches are to be stationed.

The deal is the latest in a string of contracts signed by Poland with the United States in recent days.

On Friday, Warsaw announced a deal to buy hundreds of AIM-120C AMRAAM air-to-air missiles. On Monday, there was a contract to build 48 launchers for the US-designed Patriot air defense systems.

‘Insurance of Our Freedom’

Poland, a staunch ally of Ukraine, has announced it would spend more than four percent of its annual economic output on defense this year – twice NATO’s target of two percent.

The Ukraine war has also solidified the relationship between the United States and Poland, a country on NATO’s eastern flank that sees Washington as one of its main allies.

The Apache helicopter sale was approved last year by the US State Department and Congress.

The deal “changes the face of the Polish army’s operations and complements” previous purchases, Kosiniak-Kamysz said, pointing notably at the Abrams tanks that Poland bought in the past years.

According to the Polish government, the Apaches are designed to work with the Abrams.

“For the Abrams, the Apache is an essential element,” Kosiniak-Kamysz said.

In 2022, Poland bought 250 Abrams in a modern M1A2 variant, which are expected to be delivered later this year. It will be the first country outside the United States with the tanks.

The attack helicopter agreement also envisages providing the Polish army with maintenance equipment, technical and training support, flight simulators, and spare parts.

“Offset, purchase, leasing, pilot training, technology, armament – it was all negotiated together. It’s a historic day for helicopter aviation,” deputy defense minister Pawel Bejda said.

”These 10 billion dollars are the insurance of our country, the insurance of our freedom,” Bejda added, saying that the Apaches would serve the Polish efforts to “deter those who have evil intentions.”

The first US-made helicopters are to be delivered in 2028, but some Polish pilots have already begun training on the US-made helicopters.

The Apaches will replace outdated Russian Mi-24 helicopters.

The post Poland Signs $10B Deal for US Apache Attack Helicopters appeared first on The Defense Post.

The investment is part of Canada’s broader Industrial and Technological Benefits policy to boost the nation’s local industry as it procures 16 P-8As from Boeing through a US foreign military sales framework signed in February 2024.

The program is expected to support 3,000 roles and yield about 358 million Canadian dollars ($260.7 million) annually for the country’s economy in the next decade.

Research and Development, Training and Employment

The Virginia-based company said that 48 million Canadian dollars ($34.9 million) of the latest investment will be utilized to establish research and development capabilities at Boeing’s facility in Vancouver.

Future solutions at the site incorporate data analytics technologies, complex modeling, and machine learning platforms to enhance program management and sustainment of the Canadian military’s aircraft fleets at lower costs with higher performance results.

The remaining 13 million Canadian dollars ($9.4 million) will be allotted to construct a manufacturing competency center for aerospace firm COTA Aviation in Parksville.

The infrastructure will increase and diversify the workforce across the region by training up to 10 personnel annually with next-generation manufacturing equipment and robotic automation, with COTA aiding qualified workers in job placements at the end of their courses.

“This collaboration is a testament to Canada’s strength in the aviation industry and reflects Boeing’s commitment to the country where we have driven innovation for over a century,” Boeing Canada President Al Meinzinger stated.

“It’s wonderful to forge greater partnerships and growth in British Columbia where our journey began back in 1919, symbolizing our enduring dedication to shaping the future of aerospace in Canada.”

Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft Program

Ottawa’s ongoing P-8A Poseidon acquisition, also called the Canadian Multi-Mission Aircraft (CMMA), is an effort to replace the Royal Canadian Air Force’s CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft operational since the late 1970s.

The service’s intent to commission the 129.5-foot (39.4-meter) spy plane was unveiled in February 2022. A procurement decision with Poseidon developer Boeing was then finalized in November 2023.

“Our incoming fleet of up to 16 P-8A Poseidon aircraft will provide our aviators with the tools that they need to protect our sovereignty – and at the same time, it is creating economic growth and good jobs for Canadians,” Canadian Defence Minister Bill Blair said during the recent British Columbia investment announcement.

“As our government invests more in defence, we are ensuring that these investments deliver real value for the Canadian Armed Forces, the Canadian economy, and Canadian workers.

“I thank Boeing for its work to deliver this new fleet of aircraft to Canada – and I welcome its major investments in British Columbia’s aerospace sector.”

The post Boeing Invests in British Columbia for Canadian Poseidon Aircraft Program appeared first on The Defense Post.

The agreement with Boeing is worth 400 million zlotys ($102 million), covering maintenance support and training, according to Reuters.

Meanwhile, the 530-million-zloty ($135 million) agreement with GE is in support of maintenance, repair, and operations (MRO) facilities for the T700/CT7 engines, powering the Apaches and other Polish military helicopters.

“The Polish Army is about to acquire these helicopters, which will really strengthen our readiness, our security in the face of what is happening beyond the borders of the Republic of Poland, I mean the war in Ukraine,” Reuters quoted Deputy Defense Minister Pawel Bejda as saying.

Collaboration With Local Firms 

Polish aerospace firm Military Aviation Works (Wojskowe Zakłady Lotnicze NR 1 S.A. or WZL-1) will provide the MRO services under agreement with GE in Deblin.

The Military University of Technology in Warsaw (Wojskowa Akademia Techniczna or WAT) will manage training, including engine training and training to prepare future engineering staff for the Polish Armed Forces.

The agreement will provide high-value local jobs and help enrich the Polish defense industrial base with new areas of engine MRO technology, training, and technical assistance.

“These collaborations with WZL-1 and WAT will be the key to ensuring Poland has the right capabilities and resources to support Poland’s growing fleet of GE Aerospace’s T700/CT7 engines,” VP of Global Sales & Business Development at GE Aerospace Rita Flaherty said.

“Both partners perfectly complement the Polish Armed Forces’ requirement for in-country capabilities, and GE Aerospace looks forward to working with these Polish companies as they support the T700/CT7 family of engines.”

Warsaw’s Helicopter Buying Spree

The US State Department approved Poland’s purchase request for the Boeing helicopters in August 2023. 

Warsaw intends to replace its Soviet-era military helicopter fleet with the Apache in the wake of the Russian invasion of Ukraine.

The country is also borrowing eight Apaches from the US, with delivery expected from 2024.

Additionally, Poland is negotiating the purchase of around 32 S-70i Black Hawk helicopters from the US, after acquiring 32 AgustaWestland AW149 helicopters for $1.83 billion in 2022.

The post Poland Signs $237M in Apache Offset Deals with Boeing, GE Aerospace appeared first on The Defense Post.

The Load Adaptable Modular (LAM) pylon is designed to carry a range of existing and emerging weapons with a seamless transition, the service stated in a press release.

It has been tested with a 2,000-pound (909 kilogram) GBU-31 in February and is qualified to carry a 5,000-pound (2,272 kilogram) GBU-72 Joint Direct Attack Munition advanced penetrator. 

The B-1’s Conventional Weapons Role  

According to Boeing, the pylon could carry weapons as heavy as 7,500 pounds (3,409 kilograms).

A B1 could carry 24 Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missiles (an air-breathing, air-launched weapon) internally and 12 on LAMs.

Similarly, it could theoretically carry 36 AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles and an equal number of Long-Range Anti-Ship Missiles.

It is pertinent for the B-1 as it was stripped of its nuclear role in 1994 following the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty, with the physical conversion taking place between 2007 and 2011.

Hypersonic Testbed

Boeing pitched the LAM pylon-fitted B-1 idea to the US Air Force last year as a replacement for the B-52 bomber as a hypersonic testbed.

The B-52 has been used to test the hypersonic AGM-183 Air-launched Rapid Response Weapon.

Since then, however, the B-52 fleet has been reduced by eight aircraft due to scheduled upgrades and another dozen or so for repair and other requirements, creating a security issue, as the bomber has a nuclear deterrence role.

“The whole point of this … is for the B-1 to become the hypersonic testbed for the Air Force,” Air and Space Forces Magazine quoted Boeing’s director of bomber programs Jennifer Wong as saying in May last year.

“Because of all the modernization efforts on the B-52, we can actually not take away from what we’re doing on the B-52 today to have it test hypersonics,” Wong said. “So we will be doing hypersonics testing on the B-1.”

Load Adaptable Modular 

Boeing developed the LAM with its own money while the air force shelled out some congressional add-on funds for its testing.

The air force said that the pylon could be modified for attachment with other aircraft as well.

Each pylon features adjustable mounts and two attach points that can be changed on the flightline based on the weapon type, according to Air and Space Forces Magazine.

The post US Air Force Tests Boeing Modular Weapons Pylon on B-1 appeared first on The Defense Post.