ARLINGTON, Va. — An AV-8B Harrier II based at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, crashed May 20 near Cherry Branch, according to May 20 and May 21 releases from 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing Strategic Communications. The pilot…
Navy, Boeing Studying Block II Version of EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack Aircraft
ARLINGTON, Va. — Boeing is in the wrap-up stages of a trade study and architecture assessment of an upgrade — called Block II — to the Navy’s EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft. The upgrade is an effort to enable the…
Navy Mk38 Gun Systems Gaining Co-Axial Small-Caliber Machine Gun
ARLINGTON, Va. — The Navy is installing a co-axial 7.62 mm machine gun on the mounts of its Mk38 chain gun systems, a Northrop Grumman official said. The Mk52 7.62 mm is gas-operated and uses recoil to eject spent cartridges…
First Navy CMV-22B COD Aircraft Delivery Set for Late 2019
ARLINGTON, Va. — The first two fuselages for the Navy’s CMV-22B Osprey carrier-onboard-delivery (COD) aircraft have been detailed for final assembly, the aircraft’s program manager said. “First delivery is later this year,” said Marine Col. Matthew Kelly, joint program manager…
Navy’s Next Tomahawk Missile: Block 5
ARLINGTON, Va.— Raytheon Missile Co. will build a new block upgrade of the Tomahawk cruise missile for the U.S. Navy even as the company takes older missiles into a recertification program to return them to service. “Tomahawk has returned to…
Marine Corps to Procure Naval Strike Missile
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — Using the congressionally approved Other Transaction Authority with the Marine Corps Systems Command, Raytheon will integrate the Naval Strike Missile (NSM) into the Marine Corps’ existing force structure. In recent years the Corps has determined a…
Boeing’s Service-Life Modernization of Navy Super Hornets Underway
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The first seven of Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornet strike fighters have been inducted into the service-life modernization (SLM) at Boeing’s St. Louis, Missouri, facility, while next month the company’s San Antonino facility will induct its…
MQ-25 IOC ‘As Soon as Possible,’ Navy’s Unmanned Aviation Chief Says
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Navy’s admiral in charge of unmanned aviation said that the Initial Operational Capability (IOC) of the MQ-25A aerial tanking unmanned aerial vehicle is “as soon as possible.” Speaking May 6 to an audience at the…
Marine Corps Looking at Future Light Helicopter Replacement
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Marine Corps and the Army are running an analysis of alternatives (AOA) to see whether the two services can meet the same requirements for Milestone A or B start in fiscal 2021, a Marine helicopter…
Milestone C Decision Expected in Late May for Presidential Helicopter
NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. — The Navy expects to reach a Milestone C decision in late May for the VH-92A presidential transport helicopter. Such a decision would mark approval for the helicopter to enter low-rate initial production. Speaking to an audience…
