February 12, 2015 Military Aviation News
02/12/2015
When Jordanian air force pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh ejected from his F-16 above ISIL-controlled Raqqa last December, his chances of evading capture — and thus of survival — began to diminish rapidly after an hour. Combat search and rescue veterans call this the “golden hour” after a pilot is downed behind enemy lines, when the chances for rescue and surviving injuries are greatest. But in truth, the Jordanian airman probably had even less time.
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02/12/2015
President Obama is requesting a three-year commitment for air and some ground forces to flush out Islamic State forces. What that means for Cherry Point air station, home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, remains to be seen. Cherry Point Public Information Officer Mike Barton said, “As a general rule, it would not be appropriate for us to speculate on how presidential and congressional level decisions would affect Cherry Point.
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02/12/2015
Boeing Co. is restructuring the way it designs weapons and other systems for the Pentagon, just as the giant aerospace and defense company finalizes its pitch for what many analysts view as the most important U.S. military contact in 14 years. The company BA, -0.01% is still smarting with problems uncovered last year in building new aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force that triggered a $425 million pretax charge and could leave it nursing a loss for the initial stage of the program.
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02/12/2015
As a child, Air Force Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal imagined flying among the stars, thousands of miles above the Earth’s surface. Today, she is one of eight female pilots ever to fly the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and the only black female pilot in U-2 history. A Bronx, New York, native, Tengesdal also is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing inspector general, and she was recently was selected for promotion to colonel.
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02/12/2015
It's delayed and incomplete, but light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas is still the most popular indigenous defence product after the Agni missile series. It will lead the Indian defence fraternity's 'Make-in-India' campaign at the five-day Aero India, entering its 10th edition. For the first time, its makers will be able to boast that their customer, Indian Air Force, has accepted it. LCA will fly in formation during the customary flypast, presided over by PM Modi, defence minister Manohar Parrika
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02/12/2015
A first export contract for the Dassault Rafale combat jet appears imminent, but it is not with India, where negotiations have dragged on for three years. Instead, according to multiple reports in French media this week, Egypt will acquire 24 aircraft. The deal will be part of a $6 billion package that also includes a French frigate and an MBDA air defense missile system.
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02/12/2015
F-35 test pilots are starting the aircraft's engine and simulating takeoffs in extreme cold temperatures with special arctic gear as a way to prepare the stealth fighter to perform in combat. The testing, which will finish up at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in March, assesses the ability of the aircraft to start up, launch afterburners and even function in short-takeoff-and-landing, or STOVL, mode -- in extreme arctic temperatures, F-35 test pilot Cmdr. Tony "Brick" Wilson said.
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02/12/2015
Developers of the fifth generation fighter aircraft AMCA (that is just off the drawing board) are looking out for a global aero-engine manufacturer with whom they can upgrade and co-develop the fighter’s engine. They bank on the discussions they have slated with two manufacturers during next week’s Aero India - General Electric of US and Klimo of Russia - a top military scientist said on Wednesday.
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02/12/2015
A Russian fighter jet Su-24 crashed near Volgograd prompting Moscow to suspend operations of all aircraft of the same model, as the fate of the pilots remains unknown. The tactical bomber crashed about 7km away from the runway in Russia's southern city of Volgograd near the Marinovka airport. An investigation has been initiated into the incident as Moscow has ordered that all the twin-engine frontline bomber be grounded.
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