March 06, 2012 Military Aviation News
03/06/2012
India's medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition has all the hallmarks of a classic Indian love story, Bollywood-style. In the late 1990s the Indian air force loved its French Dassault Mirage 2000 aircraft, and in 2001 said it favoured buying 126 more. But India dithered, Dassault decided to pitch the Rafale instead, and in 2004 New Delhi decided to tender, with five other suitors emerging to woo its air force.
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03/06/2012
Amidst growing concern and criticism about the rising cost and delays, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program received a welcome vote of confidence last week from the United States and eight other nations during an international meeting sponsored by Canada. The attendees made it known that they fully support the continued development of the controversial aircraft.
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03/06/2012
The Boeing Company has selected Elbit Systems to provide advanced avionics systems for its fighter aircraft, including the upgraded versions of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-15SE Silent Eagle. Both are currently competing in several modern fighter tenders in Asia and Latin America. Elbit Systems Large Area Display (formerly known as Cockpit NG) was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show 2010.
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03/06/2012
Hollywood is going back to "Top Gun" school with its upcoming sequel to the 1986 film, but hotshot pilot Maverick won't be flying any killer robot drones. Instead, Tom Cruise is set to return in the starring role as a test pilot for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter — a plane that could well be the last manned fighter aircraft made in the West.
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03/06/2012
STATE-OF-THE-ART air assets will soon fly the country’s skies, a boost to the country’s defense against external threats, as a number of projects have been lined up for acquisition.
Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto G. Okol in a press release yesterday said that "more advanced aircraft are expected in Phases 2 and 3 where PAF related components are grouped into what it calls ‘Horizon Programs,’ with Horizon 2 expected to begin in the 2012 to 2016 time frame."
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03/06/2012
Arizona Sen. John McCain called for American-led airstrikes on President Bashar Assad's forces in Syria. McCain says the goal of the U.S.-led air strikes should be to establish and defend safe havens for delivering humanitarian and military aid in Syria. "Providing military assistance to the Free Syrian Army and other opposition groups is necessary, but at this late hour, that alone will not be sufficient to stop the slaughter and save innocent lives," McCain said. "The only realistic way to do
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03/06/2012
Japan recently made its first public announcement that it may cancel its big order for Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter planes if the company adds to the pre-decided price or extends the delivery period of these planes. The cancellation can potentially wipe out more than $5 billion that Lockheed is expected to earn from the deal.
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03/06/2012
Russia and China may soon sign a $4-bln contract on the delivery of 48 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets to the Chinese air force, Russia’s Kommersant business daily said on Tuesday. “The sides have practically agreed on the delivery of 48 Su-35 multirole fighters, worth $4 billion, to China,” Kommersant said citing a source in the Russian defense industry.
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