April 08, 2011 Military Aviation News

India Secures The Seychelles

04/08/2011

India is sending a Dornier 228 maritime reconnaissance aircraft to the island nation of Seychelles, to help in dealing with Somali pirates. This aircraft will remain for at least two years. Last year, India had offered to give Seychelles a Dornier 228 and two Chetak helicopters for anti-piracy duty, but tiny Seychelles preferred that India simply operate this equipment on their territory until the Somali piracy threat is gone.

Safety Investigation Board convenes for A-10 crash

04/08/2011

A Safety Investigation Board tasked with investigating the A-10 Thunderbolt II crash that occurred April 1 in a field outside Laufeld, Germany, a town north of Wittlich convened here April 5. The team, led by Col. Michael Winters, the 100th Air Refueling Wing vice commander and SIB president, will take investigative control of the crash site and begin the board's inquiry into the cause of the crash.

Norway is buying four F-35 jets

04/08/2011

Norwegian F-16 aircraft are ripe for replacement after 31 years of service. Norway's 72 F-16 aircraft were delivered between 1980 and 1984, while two attrition aircraft was delivered in 1989. Acquisition of the four planes is an important step to maintain a satisfactory operational combat aircraft capacity in the transition phase between the F-16 and F-35, says the defense minister Grete Faremo.

Jordan joins Libya mission in non-combat role

04/08/2011

Officials said Jordan's military was transporting non-combat equipment as part of humanitarian missions in Libya. They said the Jordanian role would continue indefinitely. On April 5, the Royal Jordanian Air Force transported 10 tons of medical and humanitarian supplies to Libya. Officials said two unidentified air transports arrived in the Libyan city of Benghazi, which has been under rebel control.

Libya forces David Cameron to rethink defence cuts

04/08/2011

The Prime Minister is “actively engaged” in a reassessment of Britain’s military capabilities and planned reductions in equipment and manpower, sources have disclosed. The rethink has raised hopes that some of the cuts to military aircraft and ships in the Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) could be postponed or even reversed. Insiders said it was not too late for a change of mind on the decision to cut the number of RAF Tornados and scrap surveillance planes. Some Royal Navy frigates

Eurofighter back in Danish jet competition

04/08/2011

The Eurofighter consortium wants back into the race to outfit Denmark's armed forces with a new fighter jet. "What we're saying is that while there is no official Danish tender at present, Eurofighter wants to participate in such a competition when the new tender is launched," military news Web site Defensenews.com quoted Eurofighter spokesman Marco Bonelli as saying.

Navy releases names of 2 killed in CA jet crash

04/08/2011

Navy officials on Thursday identified the two pilots who were killed when their fighter jet crashed in a field near a Central California air base. Lt. Matthew Ira Lowe, 33, and Lt. Nathan Hollingsworth Williams, 28, died when their F/A-18F Super Hornet went down during a routine training flight Wednesday, officials said. The jet crashed in a grassy field about a half-mile from the Naval Air Station in Lemoore.

Probe into Russian Su-27 jet crash could take 30 days

04/08/2011

It would take Russian investigators at least a month to establish the cause of an accident with a Su-27SM Flanker fighter jet that crashed in Russia's Far East on Wednesday, a military source said. The jet crashed during the landing at an airbase near Vladivostok after a routine training flight. The pilot ejected successfully and was hospitalized with minor injuries.

Nato 'apologises for hitting Libya rebels'

04/08/2011

Nato said it was investigating the incident, noting that the area where the attack occurred was "unclear and fluid with mechanised weapons travelling in all directions". Meanwhile, a different rebel spokesman said Thursday's fatal air strike was carried out by pro-government forces rather than by Nato. "This was not a Nato air-strike; on the contrary, it was conducted by Gaddafi's brigades using SIAI Marchetti SF-260 planes," Col Ahmad Bani told al-Arabiya television.

All Articles