Military aircraft news around the world, with the Australian Aviation editor Adam Thorn

In this episode of the Defence Connect podcast, aircraft expert and Australian Aviation editor Adam Thorn joins senior journalist and host Robert Dougherty to discuss recent international military aviation news from the Middle East, over the South China Sea, and in Australia.

The pair discuss:

• The Australian Defence Force’s MH90 Taipan helicopter fleet at career’s end, with a recent fatal crash during Exercise Talisman Sabre and previous struggles with a number of technical issues.
• The United States Department of Defence reports detailing close encounters, release of flares, and dangerous manoeuvrers of People’ Liberation Army fighter jets near US reconnaissance aircraft over international waters.
• Australia’s launch of repatriation flights in the Middle East as conflict continues between Hamas and Israel. The Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules and C-17A Globemaster heavy transport aircraft have both been deployed.
• Finally, the pair wrap up the podcast with some lighthearted analysis of the recently US-published 2023 Annual Report on Unidentified Anomalous Phenomena from October this year.

Enjoy the podcast,The Defence Connect team