Going through my @DefenceIQ #IFC2025 notes ahead of the anticipated launch of the #GCAP full development and design phase, and a very interesting conops has the aircraft acting as "the perfect parasite"...1/4 Speaking under Chatham House Rule, an official said that the goal is to mimic the conops of the MiG-29, of all things, in that it should be able to use any and all base infrastructure, weapons, etc, wherever it happens to be operating from. 2/4

In my excitement at hearing even more #Germany defence news today, I jumped the gun with my earlier pronouncement on #PEGASUS first flight (always best to disclose an embargo at the start of the call rather than the end, I find)... 1/6 Partners @hensoldt, @Bombardier, @LHTechnik announce that maiden flight of first of three Global 6000 biz-jets to be provisioned for, but not yet fitted with, the PEGASUS SIGINT mission system took place out of Wichita in September. 2/6

.@MDHelicopters (MDH) seeing lots of Eastern European interest in MD 530 #CayuseWarrior (#LittleBird) light attack and scout helicopter - company spox tells me at @DefenceIQ #IMHelicon. 1/7 Ukraine war driving interest. Spox did not name the prospective Euro customer(s), but those flying ageing #WarsawPact-era airframes inc Bulgaria, Poland, Romania, Slovakia, & Czech Rep possible contenders. Not inconceivable #Ukraine itself might be recipient. 2/7

As heralded, #UK, #Italy, and #Japan have merged their #Tempest and F-X future fighter projects into the Global Combat Air Programme (#GCAP). With a @JanesINTEL story inbound, a short thread of some key points... 1/7 While the UK led Tempest and Japan drove F-X, the GCAP will have no lead nation or company. Programme will be a 'partnership of equals', with @BAESystemsAir heading up development on behalf of the UK, @Leonardo_live for Italy, and @MHI_Group for Japan. 2/7