FlightGlobal
• Greg Waldron
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force confirmed that one of its three Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawks crashed in the Sea of Japan off Tottori Prefecture after the service lost contact on Sept. 15. The accident is the tenth reported loss of a Global Hawk variant.
UAV Development & Drone Programs
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BAE Systems has introduced Shadow EW, a family of three compact electronic warfare systems designed for small airborne platforms. The company says the systems can equip both crewed and uncrewed aircraft, bringing lower-cost EW capabilities to a broader range of platforms and supporting rapid software upgrades.
Saudi air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone south of Mecca before it entered prohibited airspace over the holy city, according to the Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen. Riyadh warned that attacks threatening the area would cross a “red line” as regional fighting spreads.
Japan’s Air Self-Defense Force confirmed that one of its three Northrop Grumman RQ-4B Global Hawks crashed in the Sea of Japan off Tottori Prefecture after the service lost contact on Sept. 15. The accident is the tenth reported loss of a Global Hawk variant.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Russian drones attacked Moldovan airspace on two occasions while he was traveling through the country aboard his aircraft. The disclosure underscores the spillover risk to civil and government aviation from Russia’s ongoing drone operations near Ukraine and neighboring states.
Anduril executives said the company cannot start work on a production contract for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft without funding in the fiscal 2027 budget. The company expects production assets to be moving through its facilities in 2027, but says internal investment alone is insufficient.
The U.S. Air Force has designated General Atomics’ CCA as the FQ-42 Vengeance and Anduril’s aircraft as the FQ-44 Fury. The service plans to field at least 500 semi-autonomous combat aircraft by 2032, with an FQ-44 production mock-up displayed at AFA Air, Space & Cyber.
High activity
JetZero has started upgrading the Pratt & Whitney engines intended for its Jet 1 blended-wing-body demonstrator. Separately, a UK-developed turbojet designed for drones and larger aircraft has advanced from concept to production and flight testing in seven months.
High activity
Pratt & Whitney says its F-35 engine enhancement has passed a risk-reduction design review, advancing improvements in longevity, thrust and fuel efficiency. Separately, the company has licensed Hermeus to manufacture the F100-PW-229 for its Quarterhorse Mk 2, supporting the hypersonic aircraft developer’s next phase of development.
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