Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Veterans Day recollections of fighter shootouts over Vietnam

11/10/2009

Capt. Steve Ritchie, left, piloted an F-4 Phantom in Vietnam with Capt. Charles DeBellevue as his weapons systems officer. The two shot down five MiGs together during the war. (Courtesy photo) “There are two saddest days in a pilot’s life,” says Chuck DeBellevue. “The day he walks out to an airplane knowing it’s his last flight and the day he walks out to an airplane not knowing it’s his last flight.”

Software prevents fatal crashes, scientists say

11/10/2009

An F-16 pilot takes aim at a ground target, losing track of just how steep and low his jet is. Too confused to eject, he crashes.

Northrop Grumman Highlights Global Security Capabilities at the Dubai Airshow 2009

11/10/2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation is participating in the Dubai Airshow 2009 where it will highlight its global security capabilities and programmes, including its world leading expertise in airborne early warning and control systems, fire control radars and infrared countermeasures.

Russia's Pacific Fleet suspends flights of its naval planes

11/10/2009

The Russian Pacific Fleet suspended on Saturday all flights of its naval aviation following the crash of a Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance plane in Russia's Far East, the fleet spokesman said.

USAF Europe And Africa Command Add Another Proven C-130J Super Hercules To Their Airlift Fleet

11/10/2009

Maj. Gen. Michael Snodgrass, chief of staff, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany, today accepted the seventh of 14 Lockheed Martin C-130Js to be based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany. The USAF Europe C-130Js based at Ramstein also support the airlift needs of Africa Command.

Boeing Awarded $72 Million JDAM Production Contract

11/10/2009

The Boeing Company has been awarded a $72 million U.S. Air Force contract for more than 2,900 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits.

Boeing Completes Key Tests of Self-Protection System Aboard Australian Wedgetail AEW&C Aircraft

11/09/2009

The Boeing Company announced today that it has successfully completed tests of the Counter Measures Dispenser System (CMDS) for Project Wedgetail, Australia's Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) system. The tests were conducted in September and October off the Washington coast and over Puget Sound, Wash.

Crew of crashed Russian Tu-142 did not use life raft

11/08/2009

There is no indication that the crew of a Russian military Tu-142 plane that crashed late on Friday made use of emergency equipment, a highly-placed Air Force source told RIA Novosti on Saturday.

Eleven people missing in Russian military plane crash

11/07/2009

There were 11 people on board the Pacific Fleet's Tu-142 plane that has crashed off Russia's Pacific coast, an Air Force source in the Far Eastern Military District said on Saturday.

Lockheed Martin Receives Contracts To Continue A-10 Modernization And Sustainment

11/07/2009

Lockheed Martin has received three contracts totaling $7.7 million from the U.S. Air Force for the continued modernization and sustainment of the A-10 close air support fighter jet.

Boeing Submits Small Diameter Bomb II Contract Proposal to US Air Force

11/07/2009

Boeing submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 5 for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II weapon system program, following the completion of a successful 42-month risk reduction program.

Boeing Team Delivers 1st Remote Aerial Refueling Operator Trainer for Japan Tanker

11/07/2009

Boeing and development teammate ACME Worldwide Enterprises delivered the first Remote Aerial Refueling Operator (RARO) Trainer to the Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) on Oct. 12.

Boeing Delivers 3rd Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet Ahead of Schedule

11/06/2009

Boeing today announced that it delivered the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) third F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet three months ahead of schedule on Sept. 30, after completing production on the multirole fighter at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' St. Louis facility.

The Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Master makes its 1,000th flight.

11/05/2009

The new M-346 Master advanced trainer designed by Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, has reached the symbolic 1,000-flight milestone.

Boeing Delivers Final Deeper Maintenance Program F-111 to Royal Australian Air Force

11/05/2009

Boeing today delivered F-111 A08-135 to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at a ceremony at RAAF Base Amberley. The jet is the 28th and final F-111 serviced by Boeing under the Deeper Maintenance program.

Raytheon Completes Free Flight of Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range

11/02/2009

Raytheon Company and the U.S. Navy completed the first free-flight demonstration of the Joint Standoff Weapon Extended Range air-to-surface precision guided missile.

Russian military plane crashes, 11 dead

11/01/2009

A Russian heavy-lift military cargo plane crashed on takeoff Sunday in Siberia, killing all 11 crew members on board, officials said.

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates First Successful Flight Test for paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bombs

10/31/2009

Lockheed Martin successfully completed the first in a series of flight tests of the paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) guidance kit. The paveway II Plus LGB uses an enhanced laser guidance package, significantly improving precision when compared to existing paveway II LGBs.

Boeing to Upgrade CV-22 Trainer With Virtual Reality Enhancements

10/31/2009

The Boeing Company, with partner Bell Helicopter, has received a contract from the U.S. Navy to upgrade the CV-22 Cabin Part Task Trainer (CPTT) with modifications including an Aircrew Flight Simulation (AFS) that deploys a fused reality system that fuses video images with virtual reality. The upgrade will be delivered to Air Force Special Operations Command, 58th Training Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, N.M. Financial terms were not disclosed.

Boeing Receives Follow-on Contract to Upgrade B-1 Bomber's Avionics Software

10/31/2009

The Boeing Company today announced it has received an $84 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for additional upgrades of the B-1 bomber fleet's avionics software.

Rheinmetall Defense and Israel Aerospace Industries to Provide ISR Services for German Armed Forces in Afghanistan

10/29/2009

Rheinmetall Defence and the German Federal Office of Defense Technology and Procurement (Bundesamt f?r Wehrtechnik und Beschaffung – BWB) signed a service provider contract today to provide the German Bundeswehr with intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities through the deployment of an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system. This bridges the gap prior to the “SAATEG (System zur Abbildenden Aufkl?rung in der Tiefe des Einsatzgebietes)” acquisition programme. Under the curren

Lockheed Martin Adds F-35 Program Managers To Ensure Smooth Introduction Into Each Service

10/29/2009

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II team has established three new leadership positions to ensure a successful F-35 Initial Operational Capability (IOC) and introduction into U.S. military fleets. The new program managers, one each for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps, will provide a direct link between Lockheed Martin and the individual services.

Boeing Donates C-17 Fuselage to US Army for Air-Load Training

10/29/2009

Boeing transported a 170-foot-long C-17 Globemaster III fuselage by tractor-trailer from its facility in Long Beach to Seal Beach, Calif., and then by ship to Fort Lee, Va. -- a monthlong journey that ended on Aug. 22.

NASA, Northrop Grumman Announce Initial Flight of Global Hawk Unmanned System for Environmental Science Research

10/28/2009

NASA and Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) today announced the initial flight of a Global Hawk unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to be used for environmental science research.

Alenia Aeronautica has delivered the last C-27J to the Lithuanian Air Force

10/28/2009

Alenia Aeronautica has delivered on the 21st of October 2009 to the Air Force of the Lithuanian Republic the last out of 3 C-27Js, as per the contract signed in June 2006, fully meeting time schedule.