March 18, 2012 Military Aviation News
03/18/2012
Russia’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) finally awarded the Russian Aircraft Corporation a firm order for 24 MiG-29 carrier-capable fighters. MiG will deliver 20 single-seat MiG-29Ks and four MiG-29KUB two-seaters between 2013 and 2015. The Russian Navy stated its intention to introduce the MiG-29K two years ago, but the order was not confirmed until now. Currently, Russia’s sole carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, is equipped with Sukhoi Su-33 fighters modified from the original Su-27 design.
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03/18/2012
It’s true that the fly boys of Thunder over Utah widen our eyes as they streak across our skies, it’s true that we are awestruck and entertained, and it is true that thousands coming into town to enjoy the show ought bring a weekend boost to our local economy. But when you stop and listen to more than the roar of those jets, you find that these fly boys and the fine crewmen that accompany them are here on a mission, a mission that echoes from their proud calling.
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03/18/2012
An expert on Communist China says the United States could be making a grave mistake by cutting back on defense spending while China is doing just the opposite. Beijing recently announced a new defense budget of approximately $106 billion, which equates to an 11.2-percent increase. Cheng says this increase coupled with last years 12.7 percent increase means that China is now spending more on its military than all other Asian nations combined.
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03/18/2012
A top U.S. Air Force official on Friday disputed the conclusions of an Ohio Air Guard captain that have caught the attention of the Pentagon and Congress - its assertion that the service inflated the lifecycle costs of its C-27J Spartan in order to justify killing the aircraft. Congress has repeatedly questioned service leaders about the analysis done to justify the cuts made to the Air Guard in the service’s 2013 budget submission.
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03/18/2012
The Canadian Forces hope to save $90 million a year by pulling out of NATO programs operating unmanned aerial vehicles as well as airborne early warning planes, according to documents obtained by the Citizen. Defence Minister Peter MacKay gave U.S. officials a heads-up last year about the withdrawal, pointing out that it will free up 142 Canadians assigned to NATO for new jobs, the documents show.
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03/18/2012
Drone crews protect U.S. ground troops by watching over them 24 hours a day from high above. Sitting before video screens thousands of miles from their remote-controlled aircraft, the crews scan for enemy ambushes and possible roadside bombs, while also monitoring what the military calls "patterns of life." Only rarely do drone crews fire on the enemy. The rest of the time, they sit and watch. For hours on end. Day after day. It can get monotonous and, yes, boring. It can also be gut-wrenchin.
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