December 29, 2012 Military Aviation News

Wedgetail No Longer A Project Of Concern For Australia

12/29/2012

Australia has removed the Wedgetail Boeing 737-based airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) program from its Projects of Concern list following delivery of all six aircraft and achievement in November of initial operational capability (IOC). The A$3.2 billion ($3.3 billion) Wedgetail program was added to the Projects of Concern list in January 2008 because of schedule delays and system performance issues. A remediation plan was agreed with Boeing in 2011, resetting IOC for 2012.

Russia to enlarge output of Sukhoi Su-34 bombers in 2013

12/29/2012

The Novosibirsk aircraft plant of the Sukhoi Holding (NAPO) will increase the output of Sukhoi Su-34 multirole bombers in 2013, a source in the defense sector told Interfax-AVN on Saturday. "In 2013 the Su-34 production at NAPO will be larger than in 2012," the source said. "While setting off batch production of Su-34, NAPO is constantly enlarging their output," he said.

2013 Forecast: Commercial Up, Defense Down

12/29/2012

Commercial production rising. Defense budgets falling. Economic uncertainties and regional instabilities that could affect both. That is the world the aerospace and defense industry faces entering 2013, and which is examined in detail in the pages that follow. But if there is one theme that recurs frequently through this latest edition of Aviation Week's annual forecast issue, it is China and its growing financial, industrial, political and military influence on aerospace and defense globally.

Fresno-based F-16s on "safety stand down" after crash

12/29/2012

The California Air National Guard in Fresno is not flying its F-16 fighter jets after a pilot crashed during a routine training exercise Thursday night. The F-16 military jet went down in Owens Valley in Inyo County. The pilot safely ejected from the aircraft. Pilots at the 144th Fighter Wing are on what's called a "safety stand down" day, meaning all flights are grounded as part of standard procedure following a crash.

US Scraps Afghan Cargo Plane Fleet

12/29/2012

The U.S. military is scrapping the Afghan Air Force's entire fleet of Italian-made cargo planes, the Wall Street Journal reported Friday. U.S. and Afghan officials told the paper that the Afghan military isn't expected to have an independent and fully functioning air force until around 2017, well after the withdrawal of most U.S. and international troops.

Russia Delivers Four MiG-29K Fighters to India in Dec.

12/29/2012

Russian aircraft maker MiG delivered in December a batch of four MiG-29K/KUB shipborne fighters to the Indian Navy under a contract concluded in 2010, the company said. With the delivery, MiG "has fulfilled all its obligations for 2012 stipulated in the 2010 contract with the Indian Defense Ministry,” the company said in a statement. In March 2010, Russia and India signed a $1.5-billion contract on the supply of 29 additional MiG-29K Fulcrum-D carrier-based fighter jets to New Delhi.

Russian Air Force Gets First Six Su-35S Fighter Jets

12/29/2012

The Sukhoi aircraft maker delivered on Friday the first six Su-35S fighter jets to the Russian Air Force, the company said. The acceptance documents were signed by Defense Ministry officials at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia’s Far East. “The Sukhoi holding has fulfilled its obligations on the delivery of this type of aircraft under the 2012 state defense order,” the company said in a statement.

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