China has successfully completed the first flight of its large unmanned 'mothership' aircraft, Jiutian, which is designed to carry dozens of smaller drones. The platform can deploy up to 100 UAVs in flight and has a range of several thousand miles.
Russia has delivered two modernized Tu-160M strategic bombers to the Russian Aerospace Forces, according to Defense Minister Andrei Belousov. The delivery is part of a larger effort to replenish and upgrade Russia's long-range aviation fleet, which has been used extensively in cruise missile strikes during the war in Ukraine.
The Royal Australian Air Force has declared final operational capability on the Block 8.1 upgrade program for its C-130J Hercules fleet, operated by No. 37 Squadron at RAAF Base Richmond in New South Wales. The upgrades, performed by Lockheed Martin and Airbus Australia Pacific, encompass critical improvements to aircraft systems, safety-critical software and hardware, and enhanced communications and navigation suites.