August, 2012 Military Aviation News
08/31/2012
The Free Syrian Army (FSA) claimed on Thursday that it had shot down a government MiG-23 fighter jet in the northwestern Idlib Province, Al Arabiya TV reported. A video, “exclusively obtained” by the TV channel, shows the aircraft falling from the sky and billowing smoke. Two pilots, who safely ejected, are also seen descending by parachutes.
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08/31/2012
Nine Indian air force personnel were killed on Thursday when two Russian-designed military helicopters apparently collided in mid-air, the military and police said. Air force spokesman Wing Commander Gerard Galway said the two Mi-17 helicopters were "flying in close formation" over a firing range in the western state of Gujarat when they crashed. "It is likely it was a mid-air collision," Galway told AFP, confirming that all nine on board the two aircraft had died.
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08/31/2012
A hypersonic vehicle meant to deploy satellites into orbit is based in part of the Su-27 series of Russian military aircraft, documents reveal. Russia's state-run news agency RIA Novosti reports that it obtained documents from the space design bureau of research agency NPO Molniya that reveal plans for a hypersonic booster called Hammer.
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08/31/2012
Airbus Military has delivered to Vietnam the first of three C212-400 maritime patrol aircraft ordered by the Vietnam Marine Police. The aircraft, manufactured in Seville, Spain was handed over at Gia Lam (Hanoi) at the end of a 10-day ferry flight from Skavsta, Sweden following installation of its mission system. It was formally delivered last year prior to the conversion work in Sweden.
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08/31/2012
Plans to deliver the first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets to Nellis Air Force Base early next year hinge on uncertain defense budget cuts and potential layoffs at the manufacturer, Lockheed Martin. Three dozen of the stealthy warplanes are supposed to be based in Southern Nevada.
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08/31/2012
Northrop Grumman Corp, maker of the B-2 spy plane and the Global Hawk unmanned drone, will demonstrate a smaller, cheaper surveillance plane this week it hopes will be attractive to budget conscious U.S. law agencies and foreign countries. The new Air Claw system marks Northrop's latest effort to expand its overseas revenues and move into new non-military markets at home given the expected decline in U.S. military spending after a decade of sharp growth.
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08/31/2012
Uzbekistan has said it will not host any foreign military bases or other military objects on its soil, Foreign Minister Abdulaziz Kamilov said on Thursday before the Senate. "There will be no foreign military bases or [military] objects in Uzbekistan," Kamilov said, adding that there would be no "operative groups" allowed either in the Central Asian country.
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08/31/2012
Boeing has begun a five-year fatigue test on the wing of a U.S. Air Force B-1 bomber to validate the predicted life of the bomber fleet, currently forecasted to be 2050. The test also will reveal potential areas of concern for which Boeing and the Air Force can develop maintenance and repair plans.
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08/31/2012
A winged version of the Boeing [NYSE: BA] Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) that will triple the weapon's glide range to more than 40 miles is a step closer to production after completing wind tunnel tests at a U.S. facility in June. Developed in partnership with the Commonwealth of Australia, the 500-pound JDAM Extended Range (JDAM-ER) features a modular add-on wing kit that will unfold in flight. The kit can also be coupled with other modular enhancements, such as laser sensors.
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08/30/2012
The Swedish and Swiss governments have signed a framework agreement to cooperate on the Saab Gripen E/F, with their air forces to potentially acquire up to a combined 82 of the new-generation combat aircraft. Signed in late August, the pact is the result of discussions conducted between the nations since Switzerland selected the Gripen E/F last November for a planned 22-aircraft deal to replace its Northrop F-5 fighters.
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08/30/2012
The U.S. Navy's defenses were built to counter large, powerful targets—not small, asymmetrical ones such as a flotilla of small, explosive-laden boats. A new system by defense contractor Raytheon aims to spot those boats from above and target them with small bombs able to attack moving targets.
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08/30/2012
The Indian military is close to purchasing a major American combat-weapon system for the first time in decades. Despite a history that might suggest otherwise, India is betting on American reliability as an arms supplier. India has bought a considerable amount of military equipment from the United States in the last decade, but very few of its purchases were combat-weapons systems.
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08/30/2012
FARS is reporting that a senior Iranian air defense commander underlined that the country's Armed Forces are “fully capable of repelling enemy threats, adding that Iranian air defense units are closely monitoring US bases in the region round the clock.” "At present, we are monitoring all military bases around Iran 24 hours a day.
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08/30/2012
The commander of Russia’s famed Strizhi (Swifts) aerobatics team is suspected of illegally selling team emblems, the Lifenews.ru portal reported on Tuesday. Valery Morozov is believed to have forced a Moscow region businessman to pay him 5,000 rubles (about $160) a month for the right to use the team logo on t-shirts and other items he sold.
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08/30/2012
Boeing has received an $85 million Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) contract for continued support of U.S. Air Force F-15 mechanically scanned and Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radars. The new PBL contract replaces three previous support contracts with one overarching agreement.
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08/30/2012
The Royal Moroccan Air Force (RMAF) is set to receive three of the 24 Block 52 configuration of the F-16C/D aircraft which will form a central part of its modern fleet of fighters. The Kingdom of Morocco purchased the aircraft in 2008 and is acquiring the tailored Block 52 configuration of the F-16C/D aircraft to meet the specific requirements of the RMAF. The sale included the aircraft, mission equipment, support equipment and a spares and technical support package.
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08/29/2012
The high-tech, state-of-the-art Sentinel R1 aircraft of No 5 (Army Cooperation) Squadron and Shadow R1 aircraft of 14 Squadron have each clocked up 10,000 hours on Operation HERRICK. While based in Britain aircraft from both units have been permanently patrolling the skies above Afghanistan since 2009 gathering vital intelligence on insurgent activities.
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08/29/2012
Bolivia announced it is finalizing a new law that will allow the security forces to intercept drug trafficking flights, although such "shoot-down" strategies have been implemented in Bolivia before and didn't do much to radically change the dynamics of the drug trade. On August 27, the Bolivian Ministry of Defense announced that it was finalizing two new initiatives that will allow the government to intercept and shoot down planes suspected of drug trafficking.
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08/29/2012
Since the 1950s, engineers worldwide have been trying to create the ideal airplane that possesses the ability to perform short takeoffs and vertical landings while maintain speed and missile capabilities. The first generation of these aircraft only achieved advanced speed over previous airplanes, while the second reached supersonic speed and the ability to carry missiles.
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08/29/2012
An Israeli reconnaissance plane crossed into Lebanese airspace over the southern border town of Alma al-Shaab at 7 a.m. local time (0400 GMT) on Tuesday, according to a statement issued by the Lebanese military. The remote-controlled aircraft made surveillance flights over several areas in southern Lebanon and Beirut before it left Lebanese airspace at 2:15 p.m. local time (1115 GMT) while flying over the village of al-Naqoura, which is situated 91 kilometers (57 miles) south of Beirut.
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08/29/2012
When Japanese activists scrambled ashore on a disputed island chain in the East China Sea this month, one of China's most hawkish military commentators proposed an uncharacteristically mild response. Retired Major General Luo Yuan suggested naming China's new aircraft carrier Diaoyu, after the Diaoyu islands in the East China Sea. It would demonstrate China's sovereignty over the islands known as the Senkakus in Japanese, he said.
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08/28/2012
Neil Armstrong, former US Navy and NASA test pilot who became the first person to walk on the moon, has died at the age of 82. In addition to the Apollo 11 flight that made him famous throughout the world, Armstrong was a noted aeronautical engineer, recognized within the test pilot community for his airborne achievements.
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08/28/2012
Indonesia is taking advantage of a scramble by major powers to boost their influence in the Asia Pacific to build its defense capabilities, analysts said. After Russia sold Sukhoi jet fighters to Indonesia and Jakarta announced plans to jointly produce C-705 antiship missiles with Beijing, Washington says it will sell air-to-surface guided missiles to equip Indonesia’s growing fleet of US-built F-16 fighter aircraft.
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08/28/2012
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) budget program director Mark Thomson says the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets will provide the RAAF with combat capability from the retirement of the F-111 until the arrival of the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). On Friday, Defence Minister Stephen Smith said 12 of the 24 Super Hornets would be equipped as Growlers, giving the RAAF a very advanced electronic warfare capability of a kind the US only fielded in 2009.
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08/28/2012
India’s indigenously developed Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) is likely to win its final operational service clearance, following testing as part of an air exercise in February. The single-seat, single-engine supersonic fighter will be put to the test during the “Iron Feast” exercise to be held in Pokhran in the western Indian state of Rajasthan.
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08/28/2012
Rebels shot down a Syrian army helicopter on Monday while it was bombarding the Damascus neighborhood of Jobar, as heavy fighting broke out in the district between rebels and troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad, witnesses said. Syrian state television said in a news flash a helicopter had crashed in Damascus, but offered no further details.
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08/28/2012
Russia’s servicemen will join efforts with their U.S. and Canadian colleagues during the Vigilant Eagle 2012 military drills to repel a hypothetical terrorist attack on a passenger airliner, the Russian Eastern Military District’s press service reported on Monday. “The Vigilant Eagle 2012 exercises will be held on August 27-29.
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08/28/2012
Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin repeated his appeal on Monday for Russia to develop a hypersonic aircraft for its PAK-DA long-range bomber requirement. "I think we need to go down the route of hypersonic technology and we are moving in that direction and are not falling behind the Americans," he said on Rossiya 24 TV. "We will use this technology when developing a new bomber."
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08/28/2012
Boeing and Team Apache suppliers worldwide are applauding the news that the U.S. Army AH-64 Apache helicopter fleet has surpassed 3.5 million flight hours. The Army's aviation program office said that the milestone of endurance and reliability was reached in June as Apache crews flew combat missions in Afghanistan, participated in exercises in South Korea, and trained with the new AH-64D Apache Block III. Apaches began operating in 1984.
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08/27/2012
Problems that have imperiled pilots of the famed F-22 Raptor fighter jet are being fixed, a senior Air Force leader said this month. Not everyone, however, is reassured. Count Joanna Tinsley among the nonbelievers. In July 2008, her husband, veteran F-22 pilot Brig. Gen. Thomas "Pugs" Tinsley, committed suicide. Tinsley, who was 45, commanded Elmendorf Air Force Base in Anchorage, Alaska.
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08/27/2012
Addressing questions raised over the process of selecting Rafale fighter planes, Government is going ahead with the procurement of 126 French combat aircraft and effort is being made to complete the deal within this financial year. Contract negotiations for the multi-billion dollar deal will resume soon, Government sources told PTI here.
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08/27/2012
First fully modified aircraft for indigenous Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems landed on Indian soil at Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS), Bangalore, a DRDO laboratory) at HAL airport on yesterday. Aircraft was received by enthusiastic crowd from CABS, its work centers, Centre for Military Airworthiness and Certification (CEMILAC) and IAF members. The aircraft and the flight crew was received by Dr Christopher, Program Director and Dr K Tamil Mani, Chief Executive, CEMILAC. The aircraf
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08/27/2012
Leaders of the Mexican air force has taken deliver of the first four of six Beechcraft T-6C+ military trainer aircraft ordered from the Hawker-Beechcraft Defense Co. in Wichita, Kan. The remaining two aircraft are to be delivered by next month. The T-6C+, an enhanced version of the T-6 military trainer aircraft, can carry external stores and deliver practice weapons for training, It will replace the Mexican air force aging PC-7 fleet.
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08/27/2012
How often do three helicopters crash at a go? Soroti Flying School, 2kms northeast of Soroti town in eastern Uganda, was on the morning of August 12, a bee-hive of frenetic activity as army pilots jumped onto waiting helicopters while their top brass waved excitedly and gave interviews and photo-ops to excited journalists.
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08/25/2012
Russian Defense Ministry rejected on Friday the accusations about the alleged violation of Finnish airspace by aircraft of this nation and for that referred to the parameters of its control structures. On the eve, the combat air force of the Russian Military District of the West did not make any flight in that area, noted the spokesman of the unit, Colonel Andrei Baburin.
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08/25/2012
Engineers at the Raytheon Co. Missile Systems segment in Tucson, Ariz., are making plans to upgrade the U.S. military's AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile to extend the weapon's range and address existing obsolescence issues.
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08/25/2012
The 69th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron, Minot Air Force Base, N.D., took to the skies of Australia's Northern Territory Aug. 2 to 18 as the lone U.S. Air Force unit flying in Exercise Pitch Black 12. With more than 2,200 personnel and up to 100 participating military aircraft, Exercise Pitch Black 12 is the Royal Australian Air Force's largest and most complex air exercise.
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08/25/2012
President Barack Obama's administration has proposed to sell air-to-surface guided missiles and related gear to equip Indonesia's growing fleet of U.S.-built F-16 fighter aircraft. The sale, valued at $25 million, would be the latest U.S. move to boost security ties with friends and allies in a region stirred by China's growing military clout and territorial assertiveness.
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08/25/2012
U.S. company Cirrus Aircraft reports its SR20 and SR22 single-engine aircraft are to be used in training pilots of the French armed forces. Cirrus Aircraft, a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd, said the planes were selected by Cassidian Aviation Training Services of France in a public tender for the French air force and navy.
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08/25/2012
Russian military aircraft has allegedly violated the air space of Finland. The incident occurred in the Eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, Finland’s frontier service reported on Friday. Border guards have begun to investigate the incident.
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08/25/2012
Warships, warplanes as well as S-400 missile defense systems will be deployed to protect the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum during a summit in Russia's Far East next month, an official said on Friday. The summit will be held in the port city of Vladivostok on September 2-9.
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08/25/2012
The United States is concerned with the issue of safety of chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria and views it as one of the areas of importance in dealing with the conflict-hit country, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said. Speaking to journalists in Washington, Panetta said that one of the serious concerns is the “whole threat of chemical and biological weapons. There are sites in Syria. We're concerned about the security of those sites.”
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08/24/2012
Australia will upgrade half of its frontline warplanes with sophisticated American jammers to become the first nation outside of the United States to use the system, the country's defense minister said on Thursday. Australia is a close U.S. ally and last year agreed to host 2,500 U.S. Marines in the northern city of Darwin under President Barack Obama's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific.
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08/24/2012
Syrian military planes crossed into Iraqi airspace on Thursday in order to carry out air strikes against the border town of Albu Kamal, which is held by rebel forces, Iraqi officials said. "Syrian combat aircraft crossed into Iraqi airspace at about 8:00 am (0500 GMT) for about 15 minutes, and targeted Albu Kamal in Syrian territory," a lieutenant colonel in the Iraqi border guards said, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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08/24/2012
The much-awaited indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will now be put to test in the forthcoming air exercise "Iron Feast", to be held in February next year in Pokhran of Jaisalmer. The Tejas will display its capabilities in the exercise, where its lethality, endurance and precision will be tested, Air Marshal Anjan Kumar Gogoi, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South-Western Air command, said at a press conference here.
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08/24/2012
Russia's United Aircraft Corporation is interested in the creation of a major international alliance of aircraft-makers including companies from a range of countries, its president Mikhail Pogosyan said on Thursday. UAC wants to move from participation in joint projects on an individual basis to creation of a united alliance for integration into the world aerospace industry, he said.
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08/24/2012
A buzz of rotors from the mountainside heralded the appearance of a fleet of four Z-9WZ helicopters, state-of-the-art Chinese military aircraft. Without disrupting its formation, the fleet ascended abruptly at a 90-degree angle, turned sharply, descended to within a hairbreadth of the ground and flaunted their hovering capability.
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08/23/2012
Lockheed Martin is cutting about 550 jobs at its Marietta plant as it slows production of its primary aircraft line. The move, announced Wednesday but already underway, is a blow to the sprawling Marietta plant and poses concerns about the future of the company's C-130 Hercules cargo plane. The program's production line in Marietta is the longest continuously operating military aircraft production line in history.
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08/23/2012
A senior Russian official has hinted that India could cancel the results of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender and refloat it. A report in the The Hindu newspaper quoted Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Vyacheslav Dzirkaln as saying that India and France had failed to reach agreement on crucial issues including technology transfer and financial terms.
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08/23/2012
Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 “Snipers” out of Yuma, Ariz., visited Cherry Point, Aug. 7-16, for the first time in nearly 18 years to conduct training with Marine Attack Squadron 223. VMFT-401’s primary mission is to train military pilots in air-to-air combat utilizing the F-5N Tiger II tactical fighter and attack aircraft.
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08/23/2012
CAE today announced that it has won a series of military contracts valued at more than C$55 million. They include a contract from Airbus Military to develop a C295 full-flight simulator (FFS) for the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), a contract from BAE Systems to provide maintenance and support services for the Indian Air Force's Hawk training devices, and contracts from the UK Ministry of Defence to upgrade C-130J and Lynx simulators.
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08/22/2012
Two insurgent rockets struck the vast Bagram airfield early Tuesday (local time) with one causing damage to the C-17 used by General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, who left the base using another plane, his spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said. Shrapnel from the rocket struck the door of the plane while it was parked on the runway, with two American maintenance crew suffering minor injuries in the attack, Colonel Lapan said.
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08/22/2012
Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc., an aerospace/defense services contractor that offers tactical aviation services, aircraft maintenance, and other aerospace/defense services to the United States and Foreign militaries, is pleased to announce that it has signed a letter of intent (the "LOI") to acquire, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TADF, 100% of Northrop TF5-1 Corp. ("Northrop"), a military aircraft holding company.
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08/22/2012
Kazan Aviation Production Association (Russia, Tatarstan) hopes that the assembly of An-70 military transport aircraft at the plant will contribute to the revival of its production and ensure personnel recovery.
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08/22/2012
Test flights of U.S. MV-22 Osprey military aircraft, initially planned for later this month, won't start until early September at the soonest, according to government sources. More time is required to verify the causes of two recent crashes involving the tilt-rotor transport aircraft, the sources said Tuesday.
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08/22/2012
Military drones are only slightly cheaper than manned warplanes, and data indicates the remotely piloted aircraft also are more prone to mishaps, a new report says. The Pentagon has since the onset of the post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan wars substantially ramped up its use of drone aircraft. Recently, Obama administration officials have acknowledged a U.S. drone mission in Yemen, the newest major front in the struggle against al Qaeda.
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08/22/2012
Russian Helicopters’ Ulan Ude factory will build Mi-171E multipurpose helicopters under a recent contract with China, a high-ranking defense industry source said on Tuesday. Moscow and Beijing signed a contract in late July on the delivery of 55 Mi-171E helicopters to China. The cost of one unit in its basic configuration is estimated at $10-12 million.
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08/22/2012
Russian fighter maker Sukhoi's T-50 fifth-generation stealth fighter has completed initial approach trials to a flight refuelling aircraft, the company said on Tuesday. The second prototype, T-50-2 is currently conducting a range of flight trials to test the new plane's flight envelope in subsonic and supersonic regimes and in different configurations. The aircraft, T-50-2, made approaches to an Il-78 tanker in company with a Su-25UB trainer/strike aircraft.
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08/21/2012
Data link systems and ISR suites for use on King Air 350ER aircraft are being sought from the United States by Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said sale of the 10 Link-16 capable data link systems and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, along with associated equipment, is worth an estimated $257 million.
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08/21/2012
Egypt is set to put tanks and aircraft on duty in Sinai for the first time since its 1973 war with Israel in a bid to tighten security in the region. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv has installed its Iron Dome anti-rocket system near the Egyptian border. The plan was first voiced by President Morsi after an August 5 attack blamed on Islamist militants that killed 16 Egyptian border guards.
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08/21/2012
India is getting ready to order 22 heavy-duty Apache helicopters for around $1.4 billion, in what will be yet another big defence deal to be bagged by the US. The US has already made military sales worth over $8 billion to India over the last few years, despite it having lost out to France in the almost $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to supply 126 fighters to IAF, which is in the final commercial negotiations stage.
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08/21/2012
George Hickman, one of the original Tuskegee airmen and a longtime usher at University of Washington and Seattle Seahawks games, has died at age 88. His wife, Doris, confirmed Monday that he died early Sunday morning in Seattle. Hickman was one of the country’s first black military pilots and ground crew members who fought in World War II.
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08/21/2012
The Marine Corps has flown its last mission using Vietnam-era CH-53D heavy lift helicopters. Pilots with Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, under the direction of Miramar Marine Corps Air Station command, made the last flight over the skies of Helmand province in Afghanistan on Thursday. The squadron started using the model in 1969. The twin-engine helicopters are being phased out in favor other versions of the CH-53 that have three engines.
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08/21/2012
Russia and Ukraine signed on Monday a protocol on amendments to an agreement on the rent of facilities on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula for training of Russian carrier pilots. In line with a 1997 bilateral agreement, Russia occasionally uses the Nitka Naval Pilot Training Center in Ukraine as the only training facility for its carrier pilots.
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08/20/2012
Air Vice Marshal Arvind Walia (Retd), Sikorsky’s Regional Executive for India and South Asia, told India Strategic that the Tatas had already supplied 15 airframes to the US company, which is fitting them with Cockpit, engines, systems and rotors. These completed helicopters are then ready for supply to global customers.
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08/20/2012
The initial version of a fighter plane, being jointly developed by India and Russia and tipped to be one of the most-advanced in the world, will be unveiled in India in 2014. The Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) with stealth features is slated to be inducted in the Indian Air Force by 2022.
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08/18/2012
The U.S. Navy is stepping up its ocean surveillance capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region, with new manned aircraft arriving within the next year and preparations for next-generation drones beginning as soon as October 2013.
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08/18/2012
The late Steve Jobs said it best: "Most of the time, people don't know what they want until you show it to them." Well, after taking a tour of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft factory in Ft. Worth, Texas, I believe yet another advancement in aviation is about to grace Yuma’s presence that will make us wonder for many years to come how it came to be.
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08/18/2012
A Taiwanese military spokesman denied media reports that Taiwan is pursuing a reduced order for F-16C/D jet fighters after being refused the purchase last year. The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense said there is no truth that Taiwan recently proposed to the United States that it buy 24 F-16C/D aircraft instead of the 66 it originally sought to purchase.
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08/18/2012
There are those who call it a “strike,” while others refer to it as an “operation.” What exactly it will entail no one really knows, although most assessments stress that there will be surprises – and lots of them. Either way, when Israel decides to launch an attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities it will be looking to inflict as much damage as possible with the aim of preventing Tehran from rebuilding its nuclear program for years to come.
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08/18/2012
Germany’s top court ruled yesterday that the military may conduct combat operations within the country’s borders in case of a terror attack of “catastrophic proportions”, ending a post-war taboo. The Federal Constitutional Court said the Bundeswehr armed forces could deploy under strict conditions in case of an assault with the potential for scores of casualties, in a decision largely welcomed by the government.
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08/18/2012
Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro helps streamline the use of navigational information for airlines, fractional business jet operators and military fleet programs. Jeppesen says its FliteDeck Pro also enables significant weight savings and reduced fuel burn through regulatory authorization to remove paper content from the operation and improved safety through increased situational awareness.
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08/17/2012
A group of Chinese female pilots have recently made their first solo flights in the J-10 combat aircraft, becoming the first female air force pilots capable of flying the multirole aircraft - the country's most advanced fighter jet. The five female pilots completed solo flights and missions navigating the J-10 on July 29 and 30, the PLA Daily reported on Wednesday.
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08/17/2012
Residents of the Comox Valley are familiar with various military aircraft passing overhead and perhaps wonder what roles they play in Canada’s air defence or rescue capability. Recently I had the opportunity to observe one aspect of their role. I was permitted to fly on one of the CC 130 Hercules tankers out of Winnipeg Squadron 435, used to refuel other aircraft while in flight, as part of the biannual RIMPAC Exercise 2012 in Hawaii.
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08/17/2012
The Canadian Forces is planning to spend $755 million on a new fleet of aircraft for its Snowbirds aerobatics team, according to documents obtained by the Citizen. The Snowbirds will need new planes by 2020 and the Royal Canadian Air Force is now examining various options.
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08/17/2012
Syrian rebels are redoubling their efforts to acquire portable anti-aircraft missiles following government airstrikes on cities and towns in the north of the country.In the latest such strike, a Syrian Air Force jet bombed the rebel-held town of Azaz near the Turkish border, killing at least 50 people and wounding more than 100.Rebel commanders and activists say their buyers are now scouring the arms black markets in the region to get the shoulder-fired missiles that can counter the government.
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08/17/2012
A Russian Army Mil Mi-28N, one of the force's newest machines, crashed on Thursday at its base in Mozdok, North Ossetia. The two-man crew was not injured according to preliminary information. "An Mi-28N made a heavy landing while on a training flight," a source in the Southern Military District said. "The crew was not hurt and neither was anyone on the ground. The cause is being investigated."
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08/17/2012
As Boeing marks the 50th anniversary of delivering the first H-47 Chinook military helicopter, the company is nearing completion of a $130 million renovation of its production line near Philadelphia that will help it meet global demand for the latest model, the CH-47F.
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08/16/2012
A single CN-235-300M medium-range twin-turboprop transport aircraft destined for the Yemen Arab Republic Air Force has been undergoing flight-testing at Airbus Military's facility at Seville San Pablo airport. Jon Lake reports.
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08/16/2012
Not words you want to hear from a man in a flightsuit, controlling a plane on which you're flying. That is, unless it's Wayne Hanna, who spends his work days in American Airlines aircraft maintenance and his free days as a KC-10 Extender Flight Engineer with the U.S. Air Force Reserve.
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08/16/2012
An unmanned experimental aircraft failed during an attempt to fly at six times the speed of sound in the latest setback for hypersonic flight. The X-51A Waverider was designed to reach Mach 6, or 3,600 mph, after being dropped by a B-52 bomber off the Southern California coast on Tuesday. Engineers hoped it would sustain its top speed for five minutes, twice as long as an X-51A has gone before.
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08/16/2012
Kenyan emergency teams searched for a third day Wednesday for five personnel still unaccounted for after three Ugandan military helicopters crashed at the weekend, officials said. "Search and rescue operations are underway and our teams are on the mountain," said Simon Gitau, a senior warden with the Kenya Wildlife Service, which is assisting in the rescue operations.
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08/16/2012
In the 100 years since the Romanov family established the Russian air force, it has served in both war and peace and survived both the creation and collapse of the Soviet Union. The Russian air force is 100 years old. In 1912, Grand Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov declared: “The Russian air force should be stronger than that of our neighbors.
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08/16/2012
A new C-130J Super Hercules for the Sultanate of Oman successfully conducted a test flight last week at Lockheed Martin's Marietta facility in the US. It is the first of three C-130Js on order for Oman and is scheduled for delivery later this year. Oman currently operates a fleet of three C-130Hs purchased in the early 1980s.
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08/15/2012
It is reported that Taiwan has more than halved the number of F-16 fighter planes it requests from the United States government, from sixty-six down to twenty-four. The China Times based in Taipei quotes a supposedly authoritative military source on the matter.
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08/15/2012
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) debuted the fighter aircraft (F-15SG) and Gulfstream 550 airborne early warning aircraft (G550-AEW) at the biennial multilateral air combat exercise in Darwin, Australia. Codenamed Exercise Pitch Black, the exercise is being held from July 27 to Aug 16. It is attended by around 2,500 personnel and 100 aircraft.
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08/15/2012
Poland is planning to replace its obsolete Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-22 strike aircraft with an unmanned strike aircraft (UCAV) system, Deputy Defense Minister Waldemar Skrzypczak told TVN24 television on Tuesday. "We are looking at possibly swapping some of our Su-22 fleet for long-range pilotless systems with high strike capability," Skrzypczak said on the Poland and World program. Skrzypczak has responsibility for defense procurement.
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08/14/2012
Flight tests with actual combat employment of the Su-35S super-maneuverable multi-purpose fighter aircraft are currently being held under the State Joint Tests (SJT) program at the National Flight Test Center of the Russian Air Force. The resulting technical and accuracy characteristics of the surveillance-aiming systems and combat modes are largely consistent with the stated technical specifications.
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08/14/2012
One Ugandan military helicopter made an emergency landing and two others came down hard and went missing while being deployed to strengthen peacekeeping troops in Somalia, a Ugandan military spokesman said Monday.
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08/14/2012
A superfast jet that could fly from L.A. to New York City in less than an hour may be one step closer to reality after a key test this week. The X-51A WaveRider, an unmanned aircraft that could reach speeds up to Mach 6 will be launched from the wing of a B-52 bomber high above the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reports.
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08/14/2012
A Japanese government mission left for the United States on Monday to verify the safety of the Osprey transport aircraft in response to mounting public concerns in Japan over the deployment of the controversial military aircraft. The team headed by Parliamentary Vice-Defense Minister Hideo Jinpu is to be briefed by U.S. officials on the crash of an MV-22 Osprey in Morocco in April.
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08/14/2012
Syrian rebels have claimed to have shot down a military fighter jet in eastern Syria near Iraqi border, but the Syrian state media says it crashed due to "technical problems." Video footage uploaded online by the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Monday shows an aircraft that looks like Syrian air force's Russian-built MiG-23 fighter jet bursting into flames amidst the sound of gunfire, reports say.
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08/14/2012
A NATO civilian worker arrested last week on suspicion of espionage in western Germany has been linked to Russian intelligence, The Times reported on Monday. The 60-year-old NATO employee at the Ramstein Air Force Base, whose name was given only as Manfred K., was offered over $10 million by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for access to classified information, the paper said citing a German journalist.
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08/13/2012
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. Congress Aug. 6 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for follow-on support and services for the Royal Saudi Air Force at an estimated cost of $850 million.
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08/13/2012
German customs have seized two shipments of military airplane engines from Russia on the grounds that they violate the country's stringent arms trading rules, a news report said Sunday. Customs stopped the shipment of four turboprop engines for Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft destined for India and a shipment of MiG-29 fighter jet engines en route to Algeria because they lacked the necessary permits, the weekly news magazine Spiegel reported.
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08/13/2012
Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) completed painting its first T-34C Turbomentor Trainer aircraft for a California-based detachment aligned under Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific (CSFWP) July 31. FRCSE painters completed the aircraft’s unique paint scheme by applying primer and a white topcoat with blue and black markings to protect the airframe from water intrusion and corrosion.
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08/13/2012
Su-family combat aircraft have been exported since 1964. More than 2,500 Su-7, Su-17, Su-20, Su-22, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, Su-30 aircraft and their modifications were delivered to the Air Force of more than 30 countries for all these years.
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08/12/2012
Addressing a crowd of people today at an air show at Zhukovsky just outside Moscow marking the air force's 100th anniversary, President elect Vladimir Putin, said the military will receive more than “600 new combat planes and 1,000 helicopters by 2020.” "I'm sure, each of us will feel pride for the country, for the people who build such aircraft and pilot them," he said smiling.
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08/11/2012
US military sales to Pakistan since 2001, including in-process supply of F-16 combat aircraft, are collectively worth about $5.4 billion, accordingly to a newly-released report from the Congressional Research Service (CRS). Major US arms sales and grants to Pakistan since 2001 have included not only items related to counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, but also a host of big ticket platforms more suited to conventional warfare.
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08/11/2012
Becoming a fighter pilot is still a hotly coveted goal at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. But slowly, a culture change is taking hold. Initially snubbed as second-class pilot-wannabes, the airmen who remotely control America's arsenal of lethal drones are gaining stature and securing a permanent place in the Air Force.
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08/11/2012
The Russian Air Force will receive some 180 brand new planes and helicopters by the end of the year, the Air Force Commander in Chief Major General Viktor Bondarev said. The country’s air force has already received several new Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback warplanes and will get another 12, along with Kamov Ka-52 Alligator and Mil Mi-28 Havoc helicopters, as well as trainer jets including 15 Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten aircraft, Bondarev said in an interview.
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08/11/2012
Russian President Vladimir Putin will attend on Saturday a spectacular air show near Moscow marking the 100th anniversary of the Russian Air Force, the Kremlin’s press service said.
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08/11/2012
An investigation by Turkish authorities found no evidence that the Turkish reconnaissance aircraft that crashed on June 22 was shot down by Syrian air defense, the Turkish newspaper Hurriyet reported on Friday.
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08/10/2012
Chile is seeking U.S. government information for possible purchase of additional Black Hawk helicopters for the Chilean air force, industry sources said. Chile has been aiming to modernize its armed forces but has been hamstrung by budgetary constraints and divergent opinions within the military establishment on options available to the country and the competitive edge of rivals to U.S. suppliers.
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08/10/2012
The embattled F-35 fighter program, amid a myriad technical problems, quietly keeps racking up wins as Pentagon officials try to protect America's lone active tactical jet program from big cuts.
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08/10/2012
Becoming a fighter pilot is still a hotly coveted goal at the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colo. But slowly, a culture change is taking hold. Initially snubbed as second-class pilot-wannabes, the airmen who remotely control America's arsenal of lethal drones are gaining stature and securing a permanent place in the Air Force.
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08/10/2012
Draken International in Lakeland, Fla. has been selected as the winning bidder for nine Aermacchi MB-339 tactical jet trainer aircraft from the New Zealand government. The fleet will complement the company's already expansive and highly capable fleet of fighter aircraft, with capabilities in all mission sets including air to air and air to ground.
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08/10/2012
Indonesia will buy no more Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia, opting instead for U.S. F-16s, Air Marshal Eris Herryanto told Flightglobal aviation news portal on Thursday. The Indonesian Air Force has 10 Su-30 and Su-27s with six additional fighters on the way. Money is being made available to accelerate the refurbishment of its existing fleet of 15 Lockheed Martin C-130s, as well as buy four C-130Hs from Australia and upgrade them, and purchase more Indonesia Aerospace CN-295 transports.
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08/09/2012
Draken International has signed an agreement with the New Zealand government to purchase eight Douglas A-4K Skyhawk strike fighters formerly used by the Royal new Zealand Air Force. Draken has already received the necessary approval from the US State Department and expects to have the aircraft operational by the first quarter of 2013. In the 1990s these planes formed the New Zealand strike force. They flew until 2001, when the unit was disbanded and its aircraft put for sale.
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08/09/2012
As the role UAVs in the US military expands, the demands placed on these unmanned platforms grow as well. One of the most important new abilities these autonomous fliers must have is the ability to land atop a thin strip of tarmac rolling on the high seas. And that's just what the new Northrop Grumman X-47B will do.
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08/09/2012
India, which has emerged as a major importer of American military hardware, is verifying reports about "faulty spare parts made in China" being used in defence equipment sold by the US to other countries. In a written reply in Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, defence minister A K Antony said the entire issue of Chinese spare parts being used in US weaponry was being examined. "There have been media reports in this regard which are being verified," he said.
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08/09/2012
The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency reports that Saudi Arabia has requested follow-on support and services for its military aircraft. The deal, if approved by Congress, would include support and services for aircraft, engines and weapons; publications and technical documentation; airlift and aerial refueling; support equipment; and spare and repair parts.
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08/09/2012
Russia’s Sukhoi aircraft maker has started tests of a new onboard radar system for its 5th generation T-50 fighter jet, the company said on Wednesday. The new X-band active phased array radar has been installed on the third prototype of the T-50 fighter and showed a stable and effective performance comparable with the most advanced existing radar systems.
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08/09/2012
Russia’s Sukhoi aircraft company is carrying out state acceptance trials of its Su-35 advanced fighter jet at the Russian Air Force’s flight test center, the company said on Wednesday. The aircraft has already undertaken more than 650 flights as part of the trials. The Air Force will accept another six Su-35s before the end of the year.
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08/09/2012
A new C-130J Super Hercules for the Sultanate of Oman conducts a test flight at the Lockheed Martin facility here. This is the first of three C-130Js on order for Oman and is scheduled for delivery later this year. Oman currently operates a fleet of three C-130Hs purchased in the early 1980s. The new C-130J will be used to support internal country operations where its ability to operate out of remote austere airstrips will be invaluable.
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08/09/2012
Boeing has delivered production units of a smaller, lighter version of its Tactical Compact Communications Relay (TCCR), which allows a small unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) to function as a tactical, range-extending communications repeater for military handheld radios.
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08/09/2012
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) has ordered 193 F110-GE-129E engines to power 84 new twin-engine Boeing F-15SA aircraft. With the order the RSAF becomes the largest operator of F110 engines other than the U.S. government. This follows earlier RSAF orders for 156 engines to power 71 re-engined F-15S aircraft.
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08/08/2012
The suspicious military aircraft which penetrated Kuwait's airspace recently and flew low near the border area was seen by border security personnel at the Al-Squihah center contrary to earlier reports which had said the aircraft was detected by the radar of the General Administration for Border Security, reports Al-Shahed daily.
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08/08/2012
The United Nations has counted 64 reports of foreign fighter jets, helicopter and unmanned aerial vehicles operating in Somalia over the last year, most of which violated the 1992 arms embargo against Somalia. In its Report of the Monitoring Group on Somalia and Eritrea, the United Nations said that it had received a growing number of reports of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) flying over Somalia.
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08/08/2012
The Republic of Korea has selected BAE Systems to upgrade the avionics and electronic systems for its fleet of F-16 aircraft. The Korean Government will deliver a Letter of Request (LOR) for BAE Systems' U.S.-based Support Solutions business to be the sole source systems integration contractor for upgrading more than 130 F-16s. The work will be contracted through the U.S. Department of Defense's Foreign Military Sales program.
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08/08/2012
It appears that Canada is getting involved in the drone arms race. According to a report in the Ottawa Citizen, the Harper government recently approved a military 'request to aerospace firms' to provide details about the types of drones now available in the marketplace. The 'request' pointed out the need for the unmanned aircraft to operate in the Arctic. The aircraft should also be able to carry precision-guided munitions, the government said.
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08/08/2012
Two F-15 fighter jets intercepted two small airplanes that strayed into President Barack Obama's airspace during a campaign visit to Connecticut and New York on Monday, military officials said. One of the pilots was questioned by local law enforcement.
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08/08/2012
The legislation, introduced by Sens. John McCain of Arizona and Bill Nelson of Florida, would transfer surplus aircraft from the U.S. Department of Defense to the U.S. Forest Service for use in fighting wildland fires. Saying federal officials lack adequate air power to fight fires from the sky, Riverside County Supervisors Bob Buster and Jeff Stone, are urging the U.S. Senate to support legislation to convert excess military air tankers to help fight wildfires nationwide.
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08/08/2012
Lockheed Martin Procerus Technologies’ new, lightweight, Perceptor™ dual-sensor gimbal packs the capability of a large camera system in a small, compact package designed to provide high-quality video surveillance for small and micro unmanned aircraft systems.
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08/08/2012
A modified Boeing Blended Wing Body research aircraft – designated the X-48C – flew for the first time today at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The remotely piloted X-48C aircraft took off at 7:56 a.m. Pacific Daylight Time and climbed to an altitude of 5,500 feet before landing 9 minutes later.
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08/07/2012
Serial production of a new fifth generation frontline aircraft will start in Russia after 2015, Air Force Commander, Major-General Viktor Bondarev said. Compared to previous generations of the frontline aircraft, the new one will be a combination of as fighter and attack plane. It will be provided with new an active phased array radar system and new avionics.The latter will include an "electronic pilot", which will reduce the workload on the pilot to allow him to concentrate on his combat task.
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08/07/2012
India will buff up its combat edge next year with the induction of a new set of warfighting capabilities sourced from the US under contracts totaling more than $6.2 billion (Rs 34,720 crore).
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08/07/2012
Embraer Defense and Security has today delivered four light attack and tactical training A-29 Super Tucano aircraft to Indonesia’s Air Force at a ceremony held in its facility in Gavião Peixoto, São Paulo, Brazil. Indonesia is the first operator of Super Tucano in the Asia-Pacific region. These four A-29 Super Tucano are from the initial batch of eight aircraft purchased by the Indonesian Air Force (IAF) in 2010.
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08/07/2012
Hercules C-130 transport planes operated by the Air Force can be refitted as tanker aircraft, which can beef up the country’s air defenses in the event of war, military officials said recently. Although the Air Force has no tanker aircrafts, the C-130 is spacious enough to be turned into a tanker aircraft if it is equipped with refueling equipment such as oil tanks and hoses, the officials said.
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08/07/2012
The US is helping the Philippines to modernise and improve its military capability in the face of a growing confrontation with China over supremacy in the South China Sea. The Americans have already agreed to transfer two naval vessels to an underpowered Philippine navy, and deployment of fighter jets, a coastal radar system and even increased numbers of American troops on the ground in the Philippines are under discussion.
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08/07/2012
Boeing and the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory (JHU/APL) have demonstrated that an operator on the ground, using only a laptop and a military radio, can command an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) "swarm." Despite limited flight training, the operator was able to connect with autonomous UAVs, task them and obtain information without using a ground control station.
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08/06/2012
Of Taiwan's military aircraft, the C-130 transport plane can be refitted as a tanker aircraft, which can beef up the country's air defenses in the event of war, military officials said recently. Although the Air Force has no tanker aircraft, the C-130 is spacious enough to be turned into a tanker aircraft if it is equipped with refueling equipment such as oil tanks and hoses, the officials told CNA.
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08/06/2012
FARS news agency reported on an effort by Iran to overhaul and upgrades it’s tactical MiG29 fighter jets. Which the article says is necessary to maintain combat readiness in the face of a probable "pre-emptive U.S. military strike" against both civilians and military targets.
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08/06/2012
The United States military, the world’s most technologically advanced force, paradoxically fields some of the oldest weapons’ platforms on the planet. At least five aircraft, still in US military service, are already more than 50 years old. And, they are set to serve for three to four decades more.
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08/06/2012
Two F-16 fighter jets intercepted a small airplane near Washington, D.C. Saturday after the pilot failed to respond to radio communications, military officials said on Sunday. The aircraft was later allowed to proceed when contact was established.
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08/06/2012
Russia’s Baltic Fleet battleships and combat aircraft will take part in large-scale tactical drills in the country’s westernmost exclave of Kaliningrad on August 8 to land marines in rough terrain, the press office of the Western Military District reported. The drills will be held at the Baltic Fleet’s Khmelyovka firing range ahead of the celebration of the Russian Air Force centennial on August 12 and will involve 500 servicemen, warships, support vessels, combat aircraft and gunships.
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08/05/2012
The U.S. Air Force is training more drone “pilots” than those who will be at the controls of traditional aircraft, according to the Air Force chief of staff. To date, there are reportedly around 1,300 people controlling the Air Force’s arsenal of Reaper, Predator, and Global Hawk drones, and the Pentagon plans to add about 2,500 pilots and support crew by 2014, according to an article in published August 3 by The Times of London.
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08/05/2012
Even after 28,000 hours of flight time in Iraq and Afghanistan, the MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft had to undergo yet another test flight today to prove its safety and reliability to the Japanese and bolster U.S. strategic planning for the Pacific.
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08/05/2012
Two F-16 fighters were scrambled in the Washington metropolitan area Saturday after a small plane that ignored attempts at radio contact, was detected in flight, the US military said. The North American Aerospace Defense Command said the fighters intercepted the Beechcraft King Air airplane near the national capital region at approximately 7:00 pm (1100 GMT).
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08/05/2012
Air Chief NAK Browne today said the Indian Air Force (IAF) has identified a 'design flaw' with the Russian-made supersonic fighter aircraft Sukhoi-30 though nothing is wrong with its 'airworthiness'. "We have identified a Fly-By-Wire problem with the aircraft. It is a design issue and we have taken it up with the designing agency," he told reporters on the sidelines of a function held to mark Golden Jubilee celebrations of Armed Forces Medical College (AFMC) in Pune.
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08/04/2012
Northrop Grumman’s X-47B unmanned combat aircraft system demonstrator (UCAS-D) is about to begin ground maneuver trials at NAS Patuxtent River, Md., to evaluate deck handling procedures as it moves toward a landing on an aircraft carrier in 2013. The X-47B made its first flight from Pax on July 29, when air vehicle (AV) 2 completed a 36-min. flight over Chesapeake Bay, reaching 7,500 ft. altitude and 180 kt. airspeed.
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08/04/2012
An RAF fighter jet tasked with defending the Olympics against terror attacks was scrambled after an aircraft lost contact with aviation authorities, the Ministry of Defence has said.
The Typhoon was sent to intercept the aircraft after air traffic controllers lost contact. But the jet was able to return to its base at RAF Northolt, west London, shortly after taking off when communication was re-established with the pilot.
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08/04/2012
A Marine Corps F-18 fighter flying from Honolulu back to Iwakuni, Japan, made a precautionary landing on Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge early today after experiencing a mechanical problem, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service said. The fighter, which had been taking part in Rim of the Pacific war games in Hawaii, landed safely at Henderson Airfield on Midway’s Sand Island, the federal agency said.
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08/04/2012
Taiwan's Navy will take delivery of two U.S.-built P-3C submarine-hunting aircraft next year, according to local media reports. The military's plan to build a hangar at an air base in Pingtung County in southern Taiwan to accommodate the advanced anti-submarine aircraft, however, has remained on the drawing board, the reports said.
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08/04/2012
When President Obama called on the U.S. military to shift its focus to Asia earlier this year, Andrew Marshall, a 91-year-old futurist, had a vision of what to do. Marshall's small office in the Pentagon has spent the past two decades planning for a war against an angry, aggressive and heavily armed China.
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08/03/2012
A UK-led campaign to sell 12 Typhoon combat aircraft to Oman could succeed in securing a deal before year-end, according to Eurofighter partner company BAE Systems. "The Royal Air Force of Oman is currently reviewing the Group's commercial response for 12 Typhoon Tranche 3 aircraft, plus associated support and training facilities," the UK company said in its half-year results statement on 2 August. "Contract negotiations have commenced, with contract award possible in late 2012."
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08/03/2012
A white paper published by Japan’s defence ministry has shed light on Tokyo’s views of military aviation developments in China and its decision earlier this year to select the Lockheed Martin F-35A for its 42-aircraft F-X requirement.
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08/03/2012
Navy officials unveiled their new drone strike fighter this week, the UFO-like X-47B. This remote-controlled vehicle will ultimately be flying missions from the deck of an aircraft carrier at sea. This first demonstrator model, now undergoing trials at the Patuxent River Naval Air Station in Maryland, isn't armed with weapons yet, but officials say it will have that capability.
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08/03/2012
As the 100th anniversary of the Russian Air Force approaches us, an increasing number of celebrations are being planned. The most prominent Russian Military Analysts recently took part in a round table conference in Moscow devoted to the potential development of a new bomber for the Russian Air Force. However, while analysing the need for “aircraft of the future”, the specialists have differed in their views.
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08/03/2012
The United States has provided over $25 billion in direct overt aid and military reimbursements to Pakistan since 9/11 according to updates released by the US Congress Research Service to a report released in April this year. Of this, nearly $17 billion has been under various security related programs and over $8 billion for economic support programs.
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08/03/2012
Russia could deploy a "sixth-generation" pilotless strategic bomber aircraft after 2040, Long-Range Aviation Commander Lt . Gen. Anatoly Zhikharev said on Thursday. "That could be around 2040-2050," Zhikharev said. Russia's Tupolev design bureau is currently developing a new-generation strategic bomber aircraft, PAK DA, due to be in service around 2025. The new aircraft will replace the existing fleet of Tu-160, Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 bombers.
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08/03/2012
The Russian Air Force will take delivery of up to 400 modernized Mi-8 battlefield support helicopters by 2020, service spokesman Col.Vladimir Drik said on Thursday. “By the end of the year, up to 50 of the latest Mi-8 models will operate, and by 2020 the air force plans to have more than 400 new Mi-8s,” he said.
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08/03/2012
Boeing and a dozen of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet suppliers highlighted opportunities available to Brazilian industry at conferences on July 31 in Porto Alegre and Aug. 1 in São José dos Campos. A wide-ranging industrial participation program is part of Boeing's Super Hornet offering in Brazil’s F-X2 fighter competition.
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08/03/2012
Boeing will spotlight several unmanned systems that meet a variety of customer needs during the Association for Unmanned Vehicle Systems International (AUVSI) Unmanned Systems North America 2012 conference and exhibition. This year's event takes place Aug. 6-9 in Las Vegas.
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08/03/2012
Lebanon's defence force has called on the US Government to allow the sale of six Huey II helicopters and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support. US Congress has been notified of the request by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) which says the contract would be worth around $63 million to manufacturer Bell Helicopters
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08/02/2012
A German Luftwaffe fighter pilot who participated in the recent Red Flag war games in Alaska is claiming that the Eurofighter Typhoon was able to get the better of the U.S. Air Force's vaunted and super-expensive F-22 Raptor fighter in simulated close-range combat. "We had a Raptor salad for lunch," one German pilot allegedly said.
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08/02/2012
Air Force Secretary Michael Donley announced today that Luke AFB has been chosen as the location of the Air Force's F-35A Lightning II pilot training center. The base will receive 72 aircraft for a total of three fighter squadrons. "This is a great day for Luke," said Brig. Gen. JD Harris, 56th Fighter Wing commander. "Our selection for F-35 training ensures the long-term viability of our mission of training the world's greatest fighter pilots, which we've been doing at Luke for seven decades."
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08/02/2012
Two near misses involving military aircraft occurred over Scotland during Europe's largest military exercise, it has emerged. A Tornado GR4 jet and a Merlin helicopter were involved in the first incident over Skye and a Tornado and a C130 plane in the other over Moray.
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08/02/2012
The U.S. Air Force's premier air-to-air combat aircraft was just getting back to normal flight operations following an investigation into hypoxia-like (oxygen-deprivation) symptoms among pilots when it got more bad news: The F-22 Raptor is facing new questions over its vaunted air-combat capabilities.
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08/02/2012
Iran will withdraw its $4-billion lawsuit against Russia if it delivers S-300 air-defense systems to the Islamic republic, the Iranian ambassador to Russia said on Wednesday. Iran sued Russia’s state-run arms corporation Rosoboronexport in the international arbitration court in Geneva last April.
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08/01/2012
The Czech Ministry of Defense and Armed Forces will enter negotiations for continued leasing of Saab 39 Gripen aircraft. The Czech military flies 14 of the Swedish company's fighter aircraft under an agreement signed in 2004. A Swedish news report said the Czechs were balking over the cost requested to continue the arrangement.
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08/01/2012
The military dismissed conjecture that Beijing is preparing for war to defend national territory in the South China Sea, saying the PLA opposes any armed intervention in the region. Defense Ministry spokesman Geng Yansheng was speaking on Tuesday at a news conference on the eve of the 85th anniversary of the PLA.
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08/01/2012
Why have US military pilots been passing out at the controls of their F-22 fighter jets? That has been the mystery vexing Pentagon officials for more than a year. On Tuesday, they announced the results of a wide-ranging investigation into dangerous malfunctions surrounding the most expensive fighter jet in military history.
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08/01/2012
A new era of Anglo-French co-operation in military combat aircraft technology has been underpinned by a bilateral contract placed with Rolls-Royce and Snecma by the UK Ministry of Defence.
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08/01/2012
Syrian combat aircraft and artillery pounded Aleppo late into the night as the army battled for control of the country's biggest city, where rebel fighters said troops loyal to President Bashar al-Assad had been forced to retreat.
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08/01/2012
For the second time this year, the U.S. Marine Corps has approved the deployment extension of K-MAX Cargo UAS, the first unmanned helicopter to deliver cargo and resupply troops in a combat zone. By supplying forward operating bases with K-MAX instead of ground convoy or manned aircraft, the Marine Corps has reduced the threat posed to personnel by improvised explosive devices by thousands of hours.
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08/01/2012
Boeing today in Long Beach integrated the forward, center and aft fuselages and the wing assembly of India's first C-17 Globemaster III during the airlifter's "major join" ceremony. Embassy, senior Indian Air Force and local elected officials drove ceremonial rivets into the aircraft as they celebrated the achievement of this key program milestone.
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