Military Aviation News Archive

Boeing Rolls Out US Navy's P-8A Poseidon

07/31/2009

The Boeing Company and the U.S. Navy today formally unveiled the service's newest maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft, the P-8A Poseidon, during a ceremony at the Boeing facility in Renton, Wash.

Raytheon to Supply APG-73 Radar Spares for the F/A-18C/D Hornets

07/30/2009

Raytheon Co. in El Segundo, CA received a maximum $48.7 million firm-fixed-price sole-source contract for spare AN/APG-73 radar systems and parts for the U.S. Navy F/A-18C/D Hornet fighter aircraft. Raytheon will perform the work in California, Massachusettes, Mississippi and Texas. There was originally 1 proposal solicited with 1 response. The date of performance completion is July 2012. Defense Logistics Agency Procurement Operations in Philadelphia, PA manages the contract (N00383-07-G-700H-T

Lockheed Martin Awarded Customs And Border Protection P-3 Orion Fleet Maintenance Contract

07/30/2009

Lockheed Martin has been awarded an $821 million maintenance, repair, and overhaul contract for the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Orion fleet. The contract is for a base period of one year, with nine additional one-year options. CBP currently operates 16 P-3s, updated with a suite of modern surveillance sensors oriented towards conducting homeland security missions.

DRDO unit to develop low-cost radar system

07/29/2009

The Centre for Airborne Systems (CABS) at Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is all geared up to develop a low-cost indigenous radar system, which they claim can be similar or more advanced than the Israeli Phalcon Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS). This will reduce India’s dependence on Israel and create more business opportunities for the local industry.

U.S. pact speeds trials for India's $10.4 billion jet buy

07/29/2009

India will begin field trials in August to buy 126 fighter jets, defense officials said on Wednesday, moving forward on the $10.4 billion deal two days after New Delhi agreed a defense pact with the United States.

Italian Air Force Typhoon committed to the air policing task of the Albanian air space

07/29/2009

The Typhoons of the Gioia del Colle Air Base’s 36th Stormo of Italian Air Force have started their air policing task over the Albanian air space as requested by NATO.

Lockheed Martin Unveils First Stealth Fighter For U.S. Navy

07/29/2009

A ceremony today at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant marked the rollout of the U.S. Navy’s first-ever stealth fighter, the F-35C Lightning II. The aircraft will enable the Navy to possess 5th generation fighter capabilities at sea, extending America’s reach and reducing the timeline from threat to response.

Indian Air Force Will Not Decommission MiG-29s

07/28/2009

According to India Defence Online, the Indian Defence Ministry has clearly reiterated that the 67 MiG-29 aircraft with the Indian Air Force (IAF) will not be decommissioned. The Defence Ministry also stated that the Russians have furnished the reason for the crash of the MiG-29 in India in December 2008.

Saudis Increase A330 MRTT Tanker Buy

07/28/2009

In January 2008, EADS North America announced that The Royal Saudi Air Force will acquire 3 of EADS A330 Multi-role Tanker/Transports (MRTTs), equipped with both EADS centerline-mounted ARBS (advanced Air Refueling Boom System) for use with its F-15s et. al., and a pair of underwing hose-and-drogue refueling pods suitable for use with the Saudis’ forthcoming Eurofighter Typhoon Tranche 2s. The configuration is similar to that specified for the Royal Australian Air Force’ KC-30B refueling aircraf

Boeing Observes 45th Anniversary of Sea Knight Helicopter 1st Flight

07/28/2009

The Boeing Company today recognized the service of the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter, which completed its first flight 45 years ago this month. One hundred sixty-eight of the 624 aircraft originally produced remain in operation with the U.S. Marine Corps and are still maintained by Boeing.

Lockheed Martin Awarded $142 Million Arrowhead Production Contract

07/28/2009

The U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin a $142 million follow-on production contract for the Apache Arrowhead® system, the combat-proven, Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) for the AH-64D Apache attack helicopter.

Multinational Alliance's 1st Boeing C-17 Joins Heavy Airlift Wing in Hungary

07/27/2009

The first Boeing C-17 Globemaster III acquired by the NATO Airlift Management Organization and the Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) consortium officially joined the Heavy Airlift Wing (HAW) at Pápa Air Base, Hungary, today, as part of a ceremony commemorating the activation of a new airlift capability for 10 NATO and two Partnership for Peace nations.

Boeing Delivers 400th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to US Navy

07/25/2009

The Boeing Company today announced that it delivered the 400th F/A-18E/F Super Hornet to the U.S. Navy in June.

Northrop Grumman, Air Force Prove New B-2 Radar Meets Mission Requirements

07/24/2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Air Force have successfully demonstrated that the new radar developed for the B-2 stealth bomber can fulfill the performance requirements for its required missions, both conventional and strategic.

Northrop Grumman Contributes Expertise to Military Exercise Demonstrating Increased Sharing of Reconnaissance Information

07/24/2009

Northrop Grumman Corporation is playing a major role in Empire Challenge 09 (EC 09), a joint military exercise to demonstrate how U.S. and coalition forces can better work together to collect, analyze and share reconnaissance information.

Boeing Awarded Production Contract for US Air Force AWACS Block 40/45 Upgrade

07/23/2009

The Boeing Company today announced that it has received a $44 million Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) contract for the Block 40/45 upgrade of the U.S. Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet. The contract, awarded by the Electronic Systems Center at Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., marks the official beginning of the Block 40/45 production phase.

Austrian Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon fleet reaches 1,000 flying hours milestone

07/22/2009

The Eurofighter Typhoons in service with the Air Surveillance Wing of Österreichische Luftstreitkräfte, Austria’s Joint Armed Forces Command, have reached the 1,000 flying hours milestone.

Boeing KC-767 Tankers for Italy Complete Military Utility Observation

07/22/2009

Two of the KC-767 aerial refueling tankers that Boeing is building for the Italian Air Force recently performed a series of airborne boom contacts and fuel offloads in observation test flights with the U.S. Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base. The flights included KC-767 fuel transfers with a U.S. Air Force F-16 aircraft as well as from one KC-767 to the other.

Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet for Australia Takes Flight

07/22/2009

The first Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet takes off from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis July 20 to begin its initial flight. Boeing unveiled the aircraft July 8 at the company's Integrated Defense Systems facility in St. Louis.

U.S. and India Achieve Breakthrough on Key Defense Deal

07/21/2009

In a significant step that puts decades of Cold War baggage behind the world’s two largest democracies, the United States and India have achieved consensus on a key bilateral agreement that promises to bolster the U.S. and India as reliable partners for the long future in the sensitive areas of defense and security trade.

Revolutionary Aircraft Remains World's Most Powerful, Most Survivable Airborne Weapon System

07/20/2009

Twenty years ago today, the first Air Force/Northrop Grumman Corporation developed B-2 Spirit stealth bomber, a tailless, bat-like flying wing named The Spirit of America, lifted off for its maiden flight from Air Force Plant 42 here. That historic flight from Palmdale to Edwards Air Force Base lasted just over two hours, but it would alter forever the face and nature of modern air warfare.

US fighter jet crashes in Afghanistan; 2 crew dead

07/20/2009

A U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet crashed early Saturday in central Afghanistan, killing the two crew members, the U.S. military said.

RAF pair safe after Afghan crash

07/20/2009

Two RAF pilots are being treated in an Afghan hospital after their fighter jet crashed in the south of the country.

Boeing Delivers 12-Nation Strategic Airlift Capability’s 1st C-17 Globemaster III

07/14/2009

The Boeing Company today delivered the first Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) C-17 Globemaster III during a ceremony at its final assembly facility in Long Beach, paving the way for the advanced airlifter’s historic arrival at Pápa Air Base, Hungary, later this month. The SAC’s approach to shared use of the strategic airlifter is regarded as a model for the pooled acquisition and management of defense capabilities.

Lockheed Martin DAGR Rockets Successfully Fired From Airborne AH-6 Little Bird, Strike Targets

07/13/2009

Lockheed Martin has launched DAGR™ rockets from an airborne AH-6 Little Bird helicopter and successfully hit the target in two separate trials. This is the second platform DAGR has fired from in the past few months—Lockheed Martin also fired DAGR rockets from the AH-64D Apache helicopter in March.