March 21, 2012 Military Aviation News

US F-16 fighter jet crashes in South Korea

03/21/2012

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed into a South Korean rice paddy Wednesday, about 150 miles south of Seoul, near Kunsan Air Base. The fighter jet crashed after the pilot safely ejected, and no injuries were reported, according to a 51st Fighter Wing news release.

F-22 fighter jets retrofitted after Alaska crash

03/21/2012

The Air Force is replacing handles that engage the F-22 Raptor fighter jet's emergency oxygen system after pilots reported feeling lightheaded and the death of a captain whose $143 million aircraft took a nosedive into a mountain range in Alaska. Capt. Jeffrey Haney was killed in November 2010 during a night mission about 100 miles north of Anchorage.

Deal for mid-air refueller aircraft in last phase

03/21/2012

The deal for procuring six mid-air refueller aircraft for the Air Force has entered its last phase with the IAF completing the field trials of the planes on offer. Airbus Military, one of the contenders of the deal, on Wednesday said the winter trials of the aircraft were concluded by the end of the last year during which the IAF checked the planes against all its specific requirements.

British business pins Gulf hopes on mega fighter jet deal

03/21/2012

As the British defence sector prepares to submit what could be one of the most significant deals in defence contracting with the UAE Air force, the British government is stepping up efforts to court its Gulf partners.

Pentagon’s Iran Buildup Call for Adding Laser Weapons

03/21/2012

The U.S. Central Command plans to bolster military capabilities against Iran by fielding new laser target-trackers for machine guns, enhanced sensors for underwater vehicles, improved protection against drone attacks and upgrades of U-2 spy planes. The Tampa, Florida-based command, which is responsible for U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf region, also wants to shift $5.5 million in previously approved funds to buy Gatling guns for Navy coastal patrol craft, according to budget documents.

Korean Air delivers rewired F-15 fighter

03/21/2012

Korean Air on Tuesday made its first delivery of a rewired U.S. fighter plane from its Busan Tech Center under a $400 million order it won from the U.S. Air Force last September. Under the deal, Korean Air will work on 60 F-15 fighters stationed in the Pacific region by 2016, replacing their tail wings and re-wiring them in line with the U.S. military’s project to improve its combat strength. Korean Air will also carry out maintenance work.

Aquino says US drone strikes banned, more US troops welcome

03/21/2012

The Philippines is allowing US drones to conduct reconnaissance flights over its territory but strikes from the unmanned planes are banned, President Benigno Aquino said Tuesday. "For reconnaissance," Aquino told AFP in an interview when asked if US drones were operating in the southern Philippines where hundreds of American troops have been helping to contain an Islamic militant threat for a decade.

Troops who 'telecommute to the war zone' feel its effects

03/21/2012

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.

Russian Air Force Adopts New Cruise Missile

03/21/2012

A new cruise missile has entered service with the Russian Air Force’s strategic long-range arms division, Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov said on Tuesday. He did not provide any details, only saying it was an air-launched long range missile. AF chief Col Gen Alexander Zelin previously said the new cruise missile was developed by the Taktitcheskoye Raketnoye Vooruzhenie (Tactical Missile) defense corporation and that its specifications were secret.

Russia Agrees to Pay More for Crimea Airbase

03/21/2012

Russia has offered to pay $2 million a year for the use of a training airbase in Ukraine’s Crimea, up from $700,000, the Kommersant-Ukraina newspaper reported on Tuesday. Ukraine said last April that India and China were showing interest in the training facility, after which Russia offered to pay more in rent.

Boeing Statement on Death of Former McDonnell Douglas CEO Sandy McDonnell

03/21/2012

“The people of Boeing extend our deepest sympathies to the McDonnell family, and join them in mourning Sandy’s passing. Sandy’s commitment to his colleagues and customers, his country, and his community during his 40-year career and throughout his lifetime, was extraordinary,” said Boeing Chairman, President and CEO Jim McNerney.

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