March 24, 2015 Military Aviation News

Dozens injured when RAF plane nose-dives 4,400ft

03/24/2015

Dozens of military personnel were injured when an RAF transport plane on its way to Afghanistan nose-dived 4,400ft after the captain's camera became lodged alongside the aircraft's joystick. The Voyager jet was around five hours into its journey from Brize Norton to Camp Bastion when the Nikon camera, used by the captain to take photographs on board, got stuck between the arm rest and the side-stick controller when his seat moved forward.

F-35B tests to set stage for combat readiness

03/24/2015

The next step in getting the new Marine Corps F-35B ready for combat roles is scheduled for May off the East Coast. The Marine Corps will run its new F-35B Lightning II through weapons tests in sea trials during a two-week period, according to Maj. Paul Greenberg, of the Office of U.S. Marine Corps Communication. He said what is called Operational Test Period 1 is scheduled aboard the USS Wasp.

USAF releases T-X requirements

03/24/2015

The US Air Force (USAF) on 20 March released requirements for its Northrop T-38C Talon combat aircraft trainer replacement programme, known as T-X. USAF Secretary Deborah Lee James, the service's senior civilian official, has emphasised open discussions with potential T-X manufacturers to keep the effort affordable.

The battle to kill the A-10

03/24/2015

The Air Force is on the attack to eliminate the beloved A-10, insisting that the venerable Warthog is not the only airframe up to the close-air support task. To press the point, service leaders showcased a group of fighter pilots, who described their CAS missions in other aircraft. But opponents on Capitol Hill, and troops on the ground, aren't having it, and the service faces an uphill battle to cut the jet and bring its beleaguered F-35 online in time.

Russia’s return to Nicaragua worries many in Central America

03/24/2015

Russia is rekindling its once-strong ties to Nicaragua, possibly including providing the Central American nation with jet fighters, stoking unease as far away as the Andes in South America. Later this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will arrive in Nicaragua as part of a swing through four Latin American nations, the culmination to a series of high-level Russian visits to this Central American nation in the past year.

US, Coalition Forces Conduct 14 Airstrikes Against ISIL - Central Command

03/24/2015

The United States-led coalition against the Islamic State conducted 14 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, resulting in the destruction of tactical units, fighting positions, vehicles and machinery, the US Central Command said in a statement. “On March 22, Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct eight airstrikes,” the statement, released on Monday, said.

US Approves Sale of 17 Chinook Cargo Helicopters to Netherlands

03/24/2015

The Chinook sale will enhance the defense of The Netherlands and support NATO cooperation, according to the DSCA. The 17 Chinooks will supplement existing Chinook helicopters and eventually replace the Netherlands’ aging Chinook fleet.

Russia to Begin Serial Production of 5th Generation T-50 Fighters in 2016

03/24/2015

Russia plans to start production of fifth-generation T-50 fighter jets in 2016, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said Monday. As of now, the United States is the only country whose Air Force includes a fully-operational fifth-generation jet fighter. “We have plans to deliver the first series of fifth-generation fighter jets next year,” Borisov said during a visit to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant in the country’s Far East, where Russia is developing the PAK-FA fighter jet.

Finland Free to Decide on Its NATO Membership

03/24/2015

Finland’s Defense Minister Carl Haglund met his Swedish and British counterparts on board a US aircraft carrier Sunday in a sign of growing military cooperation between Helsinki and NATO.

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