The military responded by scrambling fighter jets and issuing radio and flare warnings, Minoru Kihara told reporters.

“We confirmed today that a Russian Il-38 patrol aircraft has violated our airspace over our territorial waters north of Rebun Island, Hokkaido, on three occasions,” he said.

“The airspace violation is extremely regrettable and today we lodged a very serious protest with the Russian government via diplomatic channels and strongly urged them to prevent a recurrence.”

Top government spokesman Yoshimasa Hayashi also said on Monday that “we will refrain from giving any definitive information on the intent and purpose of this action, but the Russian military has been active in the vicinity of our country since the invasion of Ukraine.”

Japan has supported the Western position on Ukraine, providing Kyiv with financial and material support and sanctioning Russian individuals and organizations after Moscow’s invasion of its neighbor.

Kihara said the new incident was “the first publicly announced airspace incursion by a Russian aircraft since June 2019,” when a Tu-95 bomber entered Japanese airspace in southern Okinawa and around the Izu Islands south of Tokyo.

In 2023, an aircraft believed but not confirmed to be Russian entered Japanese airspace, according to the defense ministry.

The Japanese foreign ministry meanwhile said that Prime Minister Fumio Kishida met Monday with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in New York, where both leaders are visiting for the UN General Assembly.

Zelensky thanked Kishida for his support since Russia’s invasion, especially as G7 chair last year, and conferred upon him a top Ukrainian order of merit, a readout said.

Earlier this month, Japan had to scramble fighter jets when Russian aircraft flew around the archipelago for the first time since 2019.

The Tu-142 planes did not enter Japanese airspace but flew over an area subject to a territorial dispute between Japan and Russia, Tokyo said.

Russian and Chinese warships recently held joint drills in the Sea of Japan, part of a major naval exercise that Russian President Vladimir Putin said was the largest of its kind for three decades.

Japan scrambled fighter jets in August after the first confirmed incursion by a Chinese military aircraft into its airspace, with Tokyo calling it a “serious violation” of its sovereignty.

Then last week, a Chinese aircraft carrier sailed between two Japanese islands near Taiwan for the first time. Japan called that incident “totally unacceptable from the perspective of the security environment of Japan and the region.”

China said the passage complied with international law.

The post Japan Protests Airspace ‘Violation’ by Russian Patrol Plane appeared first on The Defense Post.

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.

The delivery comes just five months after the country received its penultimate GlobalEye aircraft at the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi.

According to Saab business area head for surveillance Carl-Johan Bergholm, completing the delivery in under 10 years underscores the company’s position as a “leading provider” of AEW&C platforms.

Deliveries of the GlobalEye to the UAE began in 2020 after five years of production and flight testing.

‘Multi-Domain Platform’

Saab is pitching its GlobalEye as an “advanced, multi-domain solution” capable of long-range threat detection and identification.

It features active and passive sensors that provide real-time information to units on the ground, at sea, or in the air.

The aircraft can operate for up to 11 hours at 35,000 feet (10,668 meters) while detecting threats as low as 200 feet (61 meters).

Its primary goal is to enhance the situational awareness of military units in high-threat environments.

Currently, the UAE Air Force is the only confirmed operator of the AEW&C aircraft.

Sweden has placed an order for three aircraft, with deliveries expected between 2024 and 2029.

The post Saab Concludes GlobalEye Early Warning Aircraft Deliveries to UAE appeared first on The Defense Post.

The upcoming test will reportedly utilize Lockheed’s new vertical launch system called the Quad Launcher, which will allow the missiles to be fired from medium and large surface vessels.

The company recently showcased a model of a generic vessel equipped with four JAGM Quad Launchers, indicating its readiness for the much-awaited integration.

Lockheed did not provide a specific date for the planned live-fire demonstration.

If successful, the test could allow for the official integration of Quad Launchers on surface vessels to defeat maritime threats.

“We are still in the development phase of the vertical launch capability and demonstrating to [the] US [Department of Defense] is our near-term goal,” said Patrick Sweeney, Lockheed’s senior manager for international business development.

Potential Applications

The sea-launched JAGM test is part of a broader initiative to transform the munition into a multi-domain weapon system capable of addressing a wide variety of threats.

It can be used to engage uncrewed surface vessels and drones, similar to those used by Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea.

Currently, the US Navy employs AGM-114 Longbow Hellfire missiles for targeting small surface vessels.

The existing version of the JAGM only allows for launch on aerial platforms, such as the AH-1Z Viper attack helicopter.

Lockheed plans to offer the sea-launched JAGM to the US military and the Australian Defence Force.

The post Lockheed Braces for First Sea-Launched JAGM Missile Test appeared first on The Defense Post.

Further details from US officials are expected early this week.

While the package would also include air defense missiles, rockets, and artillery weaponry, the AGM-154 glide weapon equipping Ukraine’s F-16s is considered crucial for Kyiv, considering recent Russian advances in the east.

With a range of over 70 miles (112.6 kilometers), these weapons would allow Ukrainian pilots to target enemy troops and armor from a safer distance.

This US military donation would be the largest provided to Ukraine since May and could be the last before the US presidential elections scheduled for November 5.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is currently visiting the US to present his war “Victory Plan” to be discussed with President Joe Biden, and both presidential candidates Kamala Harris and Donald Trump.

The post US Considers Sending AGM-154 Glide Weapon for Ukraine’s F-16s appeared first on The Defense Post.

Requested for fiscal year 2025, the initiative aims to advance plans to replace the service’s aging Lockheed EP-3 Orion fleet.

The new system is expected to boost the military’s signals, jamming, and support capabilities, matching the force’s effectiveness against modern electronic warfare threats.

The initial budget for Japan’s upcoming platform was revealed in 2023 at 14.1 billion yen ($98.1 million).

During the first funding request, the Japanese Ministry of Defense highlighted that the new fleet would be utilized for complex electromagnetic scenarios across multi-domain operations.

／
#１枚でわかる防衛省・自衛隊 ！
＼
第42回目は「電磁波領域の動向について」の第二弾です
防衛省では電磁波領域の優勢を確保するため、相手方のレーダー利用や通信を無効化する能力を有する装備品を整備するなど、電子戦能力の強化に取り組んでいます。#電磁波 #電子戦 https://t.co/cTSWv1Vn2c pic.twitter.com/mCbSrbNcZb

— 防衛省・自衛隊 (@ModJapan_jp) March 28, 2024

The P-1 Patrol Aircraft

The Kawasaki P-1 entered into service under the JMSDF in 2013. Unlike the military’s previous aircraft, the maritime patrol plane was purpose-built without other civilian counterparts.

The P-1 is operated by three pilots and up to an eight member mission crew. It measures 38 meters (125 feet) long and has a wingspan of 35 meters (115 meters).

Alongside its main electronic countermeasures, sonar, and radar suite, the platform can be armed with air-to-ground close support and air-to-surface anti-ship missiles, depth charges, mines, sonobuoys, and anti-submarine torpedoes.

The P-1 is equipped with four IHI F7 turbofan engines for a top speed of 996 kilometers (619 miles) per hour and a range of 2,500 kilometers (1,553 miles).

The plane has a maximum takeoff weight of 79,700 kilograms (175,708 pounds) and a service ceiling of 13,520 meters (44,357 feet).

Airborne Fleet Expansion in Japan

Japan’s P-1 development follows the US State Department’s $4.1 billion foreign military sale of KC-46A Pegasus tankers to the country in September.

American aerospace company Boeing received a contract one year earlier to equip advanced electronic warfare systems aboard Tokyo’s locally made F-15 Eagle fleet.

In May 2023, the US Special Operations Command announced a potential teaming strategy with the Japanese military to co-develop a C-130 transport aircraft in a maritime configuration.

The East Asian government awarded a separate contract to Boeing in December 2022 to produce two additional KC-46A refuelers.

The post Japan Announces More Funding for Next-Gen EW Aircraft Based on Kawasaki P-1 appeared first on The Defense Post.

Since its unveiling in December 2022, the company reports that the stealth bomber now undergoes up to two test flights per week, demonstrating its commitment to making the warplane operational as soon as possible.

Northrop also currently possesses three Raiders in various configurations, of which two are for ground testing and one for flight trials.

Recently, the B-21 assigned for ground testing completed a static test, verifying its structural design.

The one designated for flight trials also conducted fatigue testing that simulated real, long-term flight conditions.

“We’re really starting to strike up quite a cadence,” Northrop President of Aeronautics Systems Tom Jones said. “I think we’re well on the way to delivering a kind of asset that can be that daily flier for US warfighters out there.”

From flight test to production, our continued progress on the B-21 Raider is backed by its digital ecosystem and high-fidelity models. Learn more: https://t.co/zDE7sBzYRt pic.twitter.com/6jvICwNeBQ

— Northrop Grumman (@NGCNews) September 18, 2024

Preparing for Tomorrow

The B-21 is the world’s first sixth-generation aircraft, featuring a significant leap in capability beyond fifth-generation fighter jets such as the F-35 and China’s J-31.

It is designed to defeat the most sophisticated threats in modern warfare.

The plane incorporates stealth technology to minimize its signature, making it harder for adversaries to detect and counter.

It is also capable of carrying both conventional and nuclear weapons.

The US Air Force said it plans to procure at least 100 B-21s to replace its older B-1 and B-2 bombers.

“The progress we’ve made on B-21 in the last 12 months is remarkable,” Jones stated, adding that this development “gives us additional confidence as we look ahead to delivering on B-21.”

The post Northrop Stepping Up B-21 Stealth Bomber Testing, Production appeared first on The Defense Post.

However, each aircraft must remain within 30 minutes of a safe landing zone as part of “a mission planning issue,” AFSOC Commander Lt. Gen. Michael Conley and a command spokesperson said.

At the AFA Air, Space & Cyber Conference, Conley stated that the two CV-22B Ospreys in Japan and England “are almost back to full mission readiness,” and will be deployed in remote locations in a few weeks. 

The lieutenant general declined to name the locations but noted that it would not be in Europe or the Indo-Pacific. 

About 60 percent of the command’s 51 CV-22B aircraft have already returned to full flying status, and the rest should be back by late 2024 or early 2025, he added. 

This announcement comes after the decision to ground the fleet in early December following a fatal crash off the coast of Japan in November 2023, killing eight airmen. 

V-22 Osprey’s Troubled History

The Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft, which can fly like a helicopter and a plane, has been involved in more than 10 deadly crashes since 1991 with 62 fatalities. 

In the past two years alone, four accidents were recorded. 

Failed gear was determined as the cause of the most recent November 2023 crash, according to the Air Force Accident Investigation Board headed by Conley.

In August 2023, three US Marines died during a drill in Australia after their plane went down. 

In 2022, four US Marines lost their lives in Norway when their aircraft crashed during NATO exercises in March, while five were killed in an accident near Glamis, California, in June.

The aircraft’s mechanical and safety issues over the years have raised concerns about the recent plan to resume operations.

“To be blunt about it, I would not put the men and women of AFSOC back on the plane if I wasn’t confident that it could do what we needed it to do,” Conley said.

“As part of my Accident Investigation Board duties, I spent time with families after the report came out, and that’s hard,” he continued.

“Those families are still grieving, and I appreciate that. They were all gracious to me and my team as we met and spent time with them. I owe it to the families to make sure that we’re giving [Airmen] the safest aircraft we can. And I wouldn’t put them in harm’s way if I didn’t have confidence in it.” 

The post AFSOC to Deploy CV-22 Ospreys Soon After Grounding Fleet appeared first on The Defense Post.

The ICC (P) is set to drive the service’s modernization plans for rapid collaboration and integration and continue developing a framework for its transition as a permanent institutional command by 2025.

Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall observed that the service’s current processes aren’t competitive enough to face the dynamic threat environment. 

“This organization is a key part of the competitive ecosystem we are creating to reoptimize for Great Power Competition. With other [Department of the Air Force] organizations, ICC will ensure the Air Force keeps pace with our pacing challenge, China, and acute threat, Russia,” he said. 

Integrated Capabilities Command

One of its initial tasks as a provisional command is to set up teams at existing Air Force centers known for their expertise, bringing together specialists in military operations and planning.

The command will test different military strategies, develop alternative force structures, identify requirements to stay ahead of threats, as well as coordinate science, technology, experimentation, and industry needs.

“We will bring together experts from across multiple fields into one organization to drive rapid collaboration that results in a coherent demand signal to industry. This will be essential to driving capability development at the pace our security environment demands,” said ICC (P) Commander Maj. Gen. Mark Mitchum.

The command will work with the service’s Materiel Command Integrated Development Office to determine the feasibility of requirements generated by technical and acquisition experts.

Full operational capability as a permanent command will be reached once a three-star commander is nominated and confirmed, a unit manning document is approved, and the strategic basing process is completed. 

“We are going as fast as we dare to build the Air Force we need from the beginning so we remain competitive into the future. We must be integrated from the start to stay ahead of the threat,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David Allvin during the 2024 Air and Space Force Association’s Air, Space and Cyber Conference on September 16.

The post USAF Sets up New Command for Improved Threat Response appeared first on The Defense Post.

Ankara intends to replace its aging fleet of Northrop Grumman T-38 jet trainers and F-5 light jets with the Hurjet, originally designed as a jet trainer.

“We look forward to further deepening our defense partnership with Turkey, a key NATO ally,” Bloomberg quoted an official from the US Embassy in Ankara as saying.

The Hurjet

The in-development aircraft is fitted with modern avionics, air-to-ground missiles, and guided munitions.

It features a service ceiling of 45,000 feet (13,716 meters) and a maximum speed of Mach 1.2.

The single-engine, tandem-seat aircraft has a payload capacity of around three tons (3,000 kilograms/6,614 pounds).

F101 Engine

Additionally, Turkey is seeking GE Aerospace F110 engines for its fifth-generation Kaan fighter jet project.

Both engines are considered to be interim solutions, expected to be replaced with domestic versions at a later stage.

Turkey’s relations deteriorated with the US after it purchased the Russian S-400 air defense system in 2019.

However, relations have started to improve after Ankara ratified Sweden’s NATO membership bid earlier this year.

The post Turkey Requests US Approval to Buy GE Engine for Domestic Jet appeared first on The Defense Post.