Exercise Pitch Black 2022, the largest air combat exercise in the southern hemisphere, was notable for several events but perhaps none more so than the debut of the fifth generation Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter.

An early victim of the previous government’s quest to find almost $10 billion of savings in the Defence budget was Project Air 7003 – the only pathway to the acquisition of an armed Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) drone.

Centred around RAAF Bases Darwin and Tindal in the Northern Territory, Exercise Pitch Black 2022 was the largest in the biennial series to date, with around 100 combat aircraft from 11 nations taking part.

A French A330 MRTT refuelled a C-17A for the first time during Exercise Pitch Black 2022, in a sign of military ties warming post-AUKUS.

Northrop Grumman Australia has successfully completed a demonstration of its fifth-generation Joint Air Battle Management System (JABMS) proposed solution.

RAAF aviators experienced complex combat missions and deployed operations with the United States Air Force during Exercise Red Flag Alaska from July 28 to August 12.

RUAG Australia has signed on with Honeywell International to become a Maintenance, Repair & Overhaul (MRO) Authorised Service Centre for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Wheels and Brakes program in the Asia-Pacific region.

Lockheed Martin Australia’s Research and Development team, STELaRLab, the RAAF and DSTG successfully tested Integrated Air and Missile Defence decision support capabilities using a live, virtual, constructive training system.

Atturra Limited has extended the terms of a strategic business transformation and decision support project with the RAAF's Air Command.

Pacific Airshow Gold Coast, the major international aviation event announced in April has further announced that the inaugural show will take place from 18 to 20 August 2023, with tickets to go on sale later this year.

As the Royal Australian Air Force prepares to deploy a number of its Pilatus PC-21s to New Zealand to train Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTAC), Defence is planning to replace the aircraft in that role with an off the shelf solution.

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) will deploy aircraft and personnel to New Zealand for Exercise RAVEN KAHU which will occur from 8 to 19 August 2022.

Boeing Defence Australia will commence major maintenance, repair, and overhaul work on the Royal Australian Air Force’s fleet of P-8A Poseidon aircraft this month, following upgrades to the hangar at RAAF Base Edinburgh.

Defence has signed a new $109.7 million training services contract for the F/A-18F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler at RAAF Base Amberley with Raytheon Australia.

Raytheon Intelligence & Space, a Raytheon Technologies business, will equip Australian border surveillance aircraft with its latest SeaVue Multi-Role radar under a contract with Cobham Special Mission.

South Korea’s indigenous KF-21 Boramae (Young Eagle) fighter jet has made its maiden flight on the 19th of July, marking another step in the East Asian nation’s efforts at developing its own arms industry.