September 19, 2011 Military Aviation News

Dassault close to UAE deal on Rafale jets -paper

09/19/2011

Dassault Aviation is expected to put an offer to sell about 60 Rafale fighterjets to the United Arab Emirates this month, in a sign that negotiations are progressing, Les Echos newspaper reported on Thursday. Last month another French newspaper said an agreement could be reached between September and the end of the year.

Northrop, BAE To Team for USAF T-X Work

09/19/2011

BAE Systems is teaming with Northrop Grumman to propose its Hawk trainer for a forthcoming U.S. Air Force competition to replace the T-38C fast-jet trainer. The team plans to announce their partnership on Sept. 19 at the annual Air Force Association conference, according to industry officials. Competitors are likely to include Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries’ T-50 and Alenia Aermacchi’s M346.

Turkey parachutes food, water into Libya

09/19/2011

A Turkish military cargo plane was attacked by anti-aircraft weaponry after parachuting humanitarian aid into Libya on Sunday. Turkish and National Transitional Council, or NTC, executives had decided to parachute the aid into Waddan, south of Sirte and near Libya’s border with Niger, early on Sunday. The two cargo planes took off from Benghazi Military Airport and when they reached Waddan, one of them became the target of anti-aircraft fire.

US to upgrade Taiwan F-16s, not sell new ones

09/19/2011

The Obama administration has decided to upgrade Taiwan's existing fleet of F-16 fighter jets but not sell it the new planes it also wants, congressional staff said. The administration gave a briefing on Capitol Hill on its decision Friday, but has yet to issue a formal notification of the intended deal. An announcement is expected by the end of this month.

Pakistani officials say troops, Taliban militants clashed over downed drone

09/19/2011

Pakistani troops battled Taliban militants Sunday morning to win control of the remnants of a CIA drone that crashed in the nation’s borderlands, according to Pakistani security officials. The cause of the crash of the unmanned Predator aircraft, among the drones the CIA uses to fire missiles at Taliban and al-Qaeda hideouts in the rocky region bordering Afghanistan, remained in dispute hours after it was downed in Zangarha village in South Waziristan.

Soon, Rs 2,900cr deal for trainer jets for rookies

09/19/2011

India is swiftly moving towards inking another major deal for training aircraft to teach rookie pilots the intricacies of combat flying before it stitches up the over $10.4 billion (Rs 42,000 crore) project to acquire 126 top-notch fighters. The Rs 2,900 crore deal for acquiring 75 Swiss Pilatus PC-7 turbo basic trainers is in the final stages now, with the "note" prepared for the Cabinet Committee on Security being "vetted" by the finance ministry at present, say defence ministry sources.

Romania cannot afford F-16 jets: president

09/19/2011

Romania cannot afford to purchase second-hand F-16 combat aircraft unless granted a long-term financing plan, Romanian president Traian Basescu said on Sunday. "We have no money and we cannot commit ourselves to such a contract without a long-term financing scheme," Basescu said during an interview on private TV channel ProTV.

Marines train with Russian aircraft

09/19/2011

Marines in Arizona will soon duke it out with a crop duster and a Russian helo in a new effort to understand enemy tactics and weaponry. The Antonov An-2, built after World War II, and the Russian Mi-24 Hind, a 1980s-era helo, will be flown at the biannual Weapons and Tactics Instructor course aboard Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.

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