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News archive: BAE Systems plc

Every Bulletin story and press release covering BAE Systems plc, newest first.

Whole archive

25 items

21 May If the prototype phase proves successful, the MOD aims to field an operational version of the system by 2030.

Army gives Apache drone wingman programme £10m backing

Autonomous systems are being developed to support Apache crews with reconnaissance and electronic warfare missions without direct pilot control.

9 April Masami Oka, GCAP Agency Chief Executive, and Marco Zoff, Edgewing CEO, formalise the programme’s first international contract under the Global Combat Air Programme.

Edgewing edges ahead with £686m GCAP award

The international venture GCAP will deliver a next-generation stealth combat aircraft, supporting defence industries across the UK, Italy and Japan to address evolving global threats.

29 January Four suppliers will be selected in March 2026 to develop prototypes for fielding by 2030.

British Army selects contenders for autonomous helicopter ‘wingmen’

Project NYX has advanced into its development stage with BAE, Leonardo and others invited to design AI-powered support drones for Apaches.

11 September 2025 The first system will focus on electronic warfare and attack missions.

Lockheed and BAE form uncrewed systems partnership

The collaboration was launched at the DSEI global defence conference in the UK and will focus on developing modular uncrewed platforms with electronic warfare and attack capabilities.

24 July 2025 More than 300 hours have been flown in a bespoke simulator by test pilots and engineers.

BAE reaches full-scale Combat Air Demonstrator design milestone

The UK’s first piloted supersonic demonstrator in four decades is now two-thirds structurally complete with wings and tail fins in build.

9 January 2025 Vertical's VX4 prototype eVTOL, which completed its first piloted thrustborne flight manoeuvres.

Vertical Aerospace advances eVTOL testing with AI tools and flight milestones

The company has partnered with Monolith to optimise AI-powered testing and has completed its first piloted thrustborne manoeuvres, with wingborne tests next on the agenda.

19 December 2024 The new joint venture will be accountable for the design, development and delivery of the next generation combat aircraft.

GCAP partners agree to go ahead with next gen combat aircraft

The new joint venture will have operations and joint teams working in each of the partner nations. It will be headquartered in the UK.

12 December 2024

European nations invest in BAE Systems' fighter pilot helmet

The Striker II HMD is said to be one of the world’s most advanced fighter aircraft helmets which uses the latest technologies to integrate its all-digital night vision system and daylight readable colour display.

24 October 2024 Rob Bray - Engineering Co-Founder, Hyflux (Left), Prof Rod Badcock, Victoria University of Wellington, Robinson Research Institute (Centre), and Dr Gareth Smith - Chief Operating Officer, Hyflux (Right) at the EFATS Conference in Netherlands.

HyFlux partners with researchers to develop zero-emission aircraft engine

This collaboration unites HyFlux’s cutting-edge innovations in superconducting motor technology with the world-class research expertise of the Paihau-Robinson Research Institute, led by Professor Rod Badcock.

24 July 2024 The combat aircraft, set to be in service in 2035, will be one of the world’s most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighter jets in service.

Partners unveil new concept model of next generation combat aircraft

A new concept model was on display at Farnborough, revealing a much more evolved design with a wingspan larger than previous concepts to improve the aerodynamics of the future combat aircraft.

7 February 2024 Malloy's uncrewed, heavy lift quadcopters are capable of lifting payloads from 68kg to 300kg over short to medium range missions.

BAE Systems acquires UAS expert Malloy Aeronautics

Last year the companies announced the successful demonstration of T-600 electric uncrewed demonstrator aircraft achieves significant milestone at NATO exercise during a large NATO exercise, known as REPMUS.

21 December 2023 Three nations agree.

Italy, Japan and UK governments agree on the next generation GCAP

The joint GCAP government HQ will be hosted in the UK and the first CEO will come from Japan. In addition, the future business construct will also be headquartered in the UK and the first leader will be from Italy.

21 September 2023 Eurofighter Typhoons (Crown copyright).

BAE Systems calls on Collins for Typhoon touch-screen display

The Large Area Display will serve as a pivotal tool for pilots, consolidating critical flight data, sensor inputs and tactical information into a single, easily accessible interface.

24 August 2023

BAE Systems agrees $5.55bn deal to acquire Ball

Ball Aerospace is a provider of spacecraft, mission payloads, optical systems and antenna systems with decades of proven success, and BAE Systems sees it as a highly complementary fit.

19 July 2023 BAE Systems’ PHASA-35 aircraft during its first stratospheric flight.

Solar electric UAS reaches 66,000ft over New Mexico

The PHASA-35 programme sits within FalconWorks, a new centre for advanced and agile research and development within BAE Systems' Air sector, working on cutting-edge combat air capabilities.

27 April 2023

Leonardo delivers prototype radar for latest Typhoon

The ECRS Mk2 will equip pilots with the ability to locate, identify and suppress enemy air defences, a powerful combination of capabilities that will increase the Eurofighter Typhoon's lethality and survivability

20 April 2023 The Tempest.

UK MoD invests to progress technology for Tempest

The UK Tempest partners, working in close collaboration with the MoD, will now progress the maturity of more than 60 cutting-edge technology demonstrations, digital concepts and new technologies.

14 December 2022 The horizontal tail assemblies produced by Magellan are used on the Conventional Takeoff and Landing variant of the F-35.

BAE continues Magellan contract for F-35 tail assemblies

The horizontal tail assemblies produced at Magellan's facility in Winnipeg, MB, will be used on the Conventional Takeoff and Landing variant of the F-35. The company hopes eventually to produce more than 1,000 ship sets.

14 December 2022 Conceptual images of the next-generation fighter.

UK, Italy and Japan combine for future fighter development

The programme will build on progress already made by BAE Systems, Leonardo UK, MBDA UK, Rolls-Royce and the UK Ministry of Defence as Team Tempest, as well as MHI's proposed future fighter aircraft (F-X).

20 July 2022 The demonstrator aircraft will fly within the next five years.

UK lays out plans for next generation combat aircraft

Engineers at BAE Systems in the north of England are leading the design, test, evaluation and build, bringing together digital engineering technologies such as synthetic modelling and model-based systems engineering.

4 August 2021 The Ministry of Defence contract officially marks the start of the Tempest programme’s concept and assessment phase.

BAE gains contract to progress with Tempest design

Tempest will pioneer cutting-edge technologies, including those assisted by AI, machine learning and autonomous systems to meet the challenges of future conflicts, and be operational in the mid-2030s.

1 July 2021 BAE Systems is providing additional EW systems, retrofit kits, and spares for the F-35 – delivering critical situational awareness and survivability capabilities.

BAE Systems boosts EW production for Lightning II

BAE Systems has so far delivered 800 state-of-the-art AN/ASQ-239 electronic warfare/countermeasure systems for the F-35 jet, providing it with critical situational awareness and survivability capabilities.

17 December 2020 Magellan and BAE Systems have been working together to produce horizontal stabilizers for the global F-35 program since 2009.

Magellan delivers 200th horizontal stabiliser set for F-35

The milestone has been reached eight years after the first delivery, but production is now at full rate and Magellan hopes these are just the first of up to 1,000 ship-sets over the program lifetime.

25 August 2020 The Tempest has already been through supersonic wind tunnel testing.

Tempest digital design process picks up pace

Design processes that typically take months have been completed in days using BAE Systems' digital twin concept, as the next generation Tempest aircraft takes shape.

28 July 2020

Avcorp F-35 outboard wing deal extended to 2022

The Carrier Variant of the F-35 needs foldable wings in order to fit into the ship's hangars. Avcorp assembles the outboard section, and reckons these are some of the more complex aircraft assemblies made in Canada.