November 22, 2011 Military Aviation News

Eurofighter, Rafle extend dogfight from India to UAE to win commercial tender

11/22/2011

Eurofighter and Rafale, the two finalists in the fray for India's big combat jet order, have extended their dogfight to the UAE to win another commercial tender.

U.S. says giving, not selling, F-16s to Indonesia

11/22/2011

The United States is giving, not selling, two dozen second-hand F-16 fighter planes to Indonesia to strengthen security ties with an "important U.S. partner," the Defense Department said on Monday. The F-16 C/D models are decommissioned and no longer part of the U.S. Air Force inventory. Retooled and upgraded, they will contribute to Indonesia's "interoperability" with the United States, Navy Commander Leslie Hull-Ryde, a Defense Department spokeswoman, added in an email to Reuters.

USA uses Australia to make China play by the rules

11/22/2011

The USA intends to use the ANZUS Treaty (Australia, New Zealand and the USA) against China. Barack Obama visited Australia's capital Canberra to mark the 60th anniversary of the alliance. Obama met Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard and agreed to considerably strengthen the defense cooperation with the country. Particularly, it goes about a tenfold increase of the US military presence on the green continent.

Ten years since first deadly drone strike, industry gathers in London

11/22/2011

Ten years earlier and almost to the day, the first known lethal drone strike took place, in Afghanistan. The precise date is still a US state secret, since the CIA carried out the killing. The most likely first target was Mullah Akhund, the Taliban number three, who was attacked by a drone some time around November 8 2001. Akhund survived but others were reported to have died.

National Guard makes case to keep citizen-soldiers operational, relevant

11/22/2011

The chief of the National Guard said Friday that after 10 years of war, the Guard is stronger than it's been in its 350-year history. With those wars drawing down, he said he's trying to make the case inside the Pentagon that the Army and Air Guard shouldn't get left behind by budget cuts.

Aquino asks South Korea for military hardware

11/22/2011

President Benigno Aquino III on Monday asked visiting South Korean President Lee Myung-bak for aircraft, boats and other hardware to help boost the country’s military, amid rising tensions with China over the Spratly Islands. Mr. Aquino said he and Lee discussed their respective regional security concerns, which for the Philippines was the situation in the disputed West Philippine Sea (South China Sea), where China has been accused of bullying.

Hollowed out military or empty threats?

11/22/2011

In the budget clash over national defense, the money is in the billions but the rhetoric soars even higher. And the gloom-and-doom forecasts of possible military cuts seem to get more alarming by the day. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta has warned that additional cuts would erode national security and even lead to war, encouraging America's enemies to attack.

Air Force issues potential $7.4 billion contract for F-22 upgrade

11/22/2011

The Pentagon announced that it awarded a contract worth as much as $7.4 billion to aerospace giant Lockheed Martin Corp. to upgrade the Air Force's fleet of problem-plagued F-22 Raptor fighter jets. The announcement said that the Bethesda, Md., company would “add new capabilities and enhance the performance" of the aircraft.

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Advanced Airborne Border Surveillance in Europe

11/22/2011

During a recent European exercise, Lockheed Martin demonstrated advanced border surveillance capabilities from an optionally piloted vehicle. Lockheed Martin and its team showcased how traditional defense focused integrated airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities can be quickly adapted to address dynamic border protection as well as maritime search and rescue needs.

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