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Saturday, February 28, 2004

Eurofighter Single-Seat Production Aircraft Airborne
The first single seat production Eurofighter incorporating an enhanced standard EJ200 engine made its maiden flight.

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DESIGN NEWS 'ENGINEER OF THE YEAR' AWARD GOES TO LIFT FAN INVENTOR AT LOCKHEED MARTIN
Design News magazine's Engineer of the Year award was given to Paul Bevilaqua, chief engineer of Advanced Development Projects at Lockheed Martin for his work on the shaft-driven lift fan.
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LOCKHEED MARTIN AWARDED $79 MILLION CONTRACT FOR JOINT AIR-TO-SURFACE STANDOFF MISSILE-EXTENDED RANGE
Lockheed Martin was awarded a $79 million development contract from the U.S. Air Force to continue developmen of JASSM-ER. It will have a range significantly greater than 500 nautical miles by using a new engine and increased fuel load.
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LOCKHEED MARTIN INTRODUCES NEW PAVEWAY DUAL MODE GUIDED BOMB AT ASIAN AEROSPACE
Lockheed Martin introduced its new Paveway Dual Mode Guided Bomb incorporating Semi-Active Laser (SAL) seeker technology with Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System (GPS/INS).
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BAE demands MoD share risk on cost overruns
BAE will now only take on projects if the MoD shares the risk, Mike Turner, chief executive said.
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LOCKHEED MARTIN SUBMITTAL OF JOINT COMMON MISSILE FINAL PROPOSAL REVISION EMPHASIZES RISK REDUCTION ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Lockheed Martin submitted its final proposal revision to the U.S. Army for a new air-to-ground Joint Common Missile (JCM).
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Sights & highlights
Going to Asian Aerospace? Here are some of the sights, simulators and souvenirs to check out.
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TECHNICAL snag attributed to Jaguar crash
The recent crash of a IAF Jaguar is being attributed to technical malfunction.
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Taiwan to make parts for new Bell military helicopters
Two Taiwan companies have signed a US$10 million deal with the Bell Helicopter to build tail booms and engine cowlings for Bell's AH-1Z attack helicopter and UH-1Y utility helicopter.
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House Armed Services chair urges unmanned drones for Iraq
US House Armed Services Committee Chairman Duncan Hunter, urged the Air Force to send more unmanned aerial drones to Iraq.
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Swedish armed forces may fire up to a third of staff
Up to a third of Sweden's 20,000 staff in its armed forces may be cut due to defence budget deficit.
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Hawaii training readies MANG for Mideast
Montana Air National Guard will be deployed for one month this summer to southwest Asia.
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Airpower highlighted in joint exercise
A joint Army-Air Force operation, Operation All-American Lightning, was conducted to demonstrate joint U.S. capabilities for rapid deployment and employment of forces worldwide.
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BAE Systems defensive about meeting aircraft carrier deadline
BAE Systems is likely to miss its spring deadline to design and cost the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers.
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Friday, February 27, 2004

First fleet of F/A-18C/Ds receive new displays
The "Vigilantes" of Strike Fighter Squadron 151, based in Lemoore, Calif., were the first squadron to receive the new Advanced Multi-Purpose Color Displays.
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Army: Warning Mishap Led to Copter Crash
A failure to relayed about worsening weather to a joint Army and Air Force weather network led to a helicopter crash that killed four U.S. soldiers in the Kuwaiti desert before the Iraq war.
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‘I Said, “Please, God, Don’t Kill Me”’
David Williams, an Apache helicopter pilot and a POW for three weeks in Baghdad, recounts being held in captivity.
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Luke defenders ready to go to bat for the base
Supporters of Luke Air Force Base are preparing to defend the base from closure.
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EADS to open research and technology centre in S'pore
European Aeronautic, Defence and Space Company (EADS) aims to open a research and technology centre in Singapore.
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BAE profit limited ahead of Eurofighter tranche 2
BAE Systems profits are limited until talks for Eurofighter tranche 2 were resolved.
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Helicopter's demise may be boon for Army's UAV program
$300 million of the billions of dollars set aside for the Comanche will now go to unmanned aerial vehicle projects, an Army spokesman said.
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Israel & India Unite In Fight In Global “War On Terrorism”
Israel and India are likely to sign a $1.1 billion deal for three Phalcon early warning radar systems within a month.
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Corsairs Of Akron Remembered
All former pilots, mechanics, designers and builders of Corsairs will be recognized at a special ceremony at this summer's Aero Expo air show, June 19-20, at Akron Fulton Airport.
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Lockheed F/A-22 could be basis for new bomber
US Air Force Secretary James Roche and his chief of staff Gen. John Jumper told the House Armed Services Committee, that a decision will be made in 2006 whether to commit on the development of F/B-22.
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Thursday, February 26, 2004

France Helps Dassault Aviation with Singapore Military Jet Competition
The French government sign a E659 million contract, that allows the Dassault Aviation to build an advanced version of its Rafale jet in order to increase chances of winning Singapore’s $2 billion tender for new fighter aircraft
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Raytheon: Non-U.S. sales may grow 10% a year
Raytheon said its annual sales growth outside the U.S. will reach 10 percent within a few years as Asian countries want to protect their borders from terrorism.
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Indian Air Force to rely more on indigenous planes; Krishnaswamy
Air Chief Marshal Krishnaswamy told reporters at the Asian Aerospace 2004 that the Indian Air Force will rely more on indigenous planes like the planned ''Tejas'', a light combat aircraft.
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Metal Storm to Weaponize Unmanned Aerial Vehicle for Demonstration in the U.S.
Metal Storm Limited is planning to live-fire its 40mm electronic-weapon system on an Dragonfly DP-4X UAV helicopter.
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Goodyear Radials Beat Competitor by 56% in USAF F-16 Test
According to results of the USAF performance shootout, Goodyear Flight Radials beat a Michelin radial tire design by 56 percent on the F-16 block 40 main landing gear.
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France wants Tiananmen-era ban lifted
China, which is seeking to buy French Mirage fighter jets, is renewing pressure on the EU to end a ban on arms sales imposed in the wake of the 1989 Tiananmen Square crackdown.
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Share know-how to secure deals here, says DSTA
Singapore's Defence Science and Technology Agency (DSTA) says that contractors vying for the A-4 Super Skyhawk replacement contract should 'at the minimum' ensure DSTA can 'upgrade, modify and integrate' the warplanes at reasonable cost in order to win.
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Iraq video clip killings trigger TV investigation
German broadcaster NDR will air a TV documentary showing a video of footage from a US Apache helicopter shooting apparently unarmed and injured Iraqis.
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USFK to complete chopper upgrade
A squadron of 21 Apache AH-64As, left for the United States on Tuesday to be converted into an advanced version of the Apache - the AH-64D Longbow.
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Navy plans demonstration flight at landing field site
The US Navy plans to hold demonstration flights on Friday at the site of a proposed practice landing field so residents of the area can assess noise from F/A-18 Super Hornet.
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Bomber called war hero
US Air Force Col. James M. Kowalski flew a B-1B based at the 28th Bomb Wing at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota into Long Beach for meetings with Boeing employees this week.
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IAF pilots score over Yanks
4:1 kill ratio in India's favour was what some India pilots said about the results of Cope India. Some more news on this topic here
Indian, US pilots share Gwalior skies, some tips
Indian jets battle US F-15s in mock dogfight
Indian, US pilots share experiences
USAF saves Gwalior from IAF 'attack'

Cope India 04
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IAF Jaguars for combat exercise in Alaska
The Indian Air Force will send its Jaguar fighter-bomber aircraft to the US later this year to participate in the 'Cooperative Co-Thunder04'.
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Northrop Grumman Engineers Honored for Innovative Contributions
Norm Sakamoto, leader of the Northrop Grumman team that designed the Global Hawk unmanned aerial reconnaissance system, has been named by San Fernando Valley (Calif.) Engineers' Council as Engineer of the Year.
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Weak dollar hits partners in F-35 fighter project
The weak US dollar has affected some consortium partners in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme.
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ENTERPRISE group trickles back to home ports
Aircraft based on the USS Enterprise began returning to Norfolk Naval Station Tuesday following a six-month deployment in the Persian Gulf
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RAPTOR program still flies
US Air Force officials said they will continue with the F/A-22 Raptor program after questions were raised about its future from the cancellation of Comanche helicopter.
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Wednesday, February 25, 2004

Pilot's not ready for 'real job'
This is an interview with Joseph Felock who is flying the F-15 aerial display at Asian Aerospace. Mr Felock also flies the Bird Of Prey previously.
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U.S. Helicopter Crashes in Western Iraq; 2 Killed
A U.S. Kiowa reconnaissance helicopter crashed in the town of Haditha, Iraq.
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Asian Aerospace 2004 Photos
Here are some photographs by Tim Chong and Vector Grafix.
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No back-up plan for fighter: ASPI
Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI) said that the Australian Defence Force (ADF) needs to adopt a contingency plan in case the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is delayed or fails to fulfil performance expectations.
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Cadets Visit London in Aircraft Carrier
HMS Ark Royal is sailing into London today. The warship will be moored at Greenwich for six days.
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Aircraft carrier costs may soar
The price of Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers could jump about 30 percent to four billion pounds.
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S'pore to join warplane scheme
Singapore is expected, in a month or so, join the multinational JSF programme as a security cooperation participant. Israel is currently the only nation involved at this level.
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'Battle' in the sky for $2b Mindef deal
The F-15 Strike Eagle and Dassault Rafale at the Asian Aerospace airshow will remain after the show for flight tests, these fighters are expected to be pitted against front-line aircraft of the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), like the F-16C/D and upgraded F-5 Tiger II, in a competition to replace RSAF's A-4 Super SKyhawks. The Eurofighter will arrive around June for the trials, in its first trip outside Europe.
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'Stealth' Films Aboard Vinson
Twenty crew members from Columbia Pictures was aboard USS Carl Vinson in late January to spend six days filming for the upcoming major motion picture “Stealth.”
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Strike Eagles make debut in Cope Tiger exercise
F-15E Strike Eagles from the 90th Fighter Squadron are participating for the first time in the Cope Tiger exercise’s 10-year history. United States, Thailand and Republic of Singapore, plus the U.S. Marine Corps is involved in this exercise.

F-15E Cope Tiger
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Army, Homeland Security plan for unmanned aerial vehicles
The US Army and Homeland Security Department plans to spend more on unmanned aerial vehicles. The Army will spend more on UAVs now that the Comanche helicopter program has been canceled
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Cope India brings out fighter ops
After two days of familiarization flights, the USAF F-15s engaged in a series of offensive counter-air and defensive counter-air engagements with India's SU-30K Flanker, Mirage 2000, MIG-29 Fulcrum, MIG-27 Flogger and MIG-21 Bison aircraft.

F-15 Cope India
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QATAR OFFERS MIRAGE FLEET TO INDIA
Qatar has offered India all 12 of the Mirage-2000 aircraft in Qatar's air force.
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EXERCISES planned at Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan
A Russian air base in Kyrgyzstan’s city of Kant is scheduled to hold an exercise in the second half of this year.
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CAE gets $8.5M U.S. Apache contract
A US$8.5 million subcontract to upgrade two combat mission simulators for the U.S. Army Apache helicopter has been awarded to CAE.
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UK Apache training laser system trials successWestland Helicopters, has successfully completed the Training Laser System ground and flight trial programme for the British Army’s Apache AH Mk1.
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LOCKHEED opportunity as Comanche chopper canned
The Pentagon's decision to cancel the Comanche scout helicopter may create more business opportunities for Lockheed Martin.
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Boeing Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing System Wins $66 Million Contract
Boeing got a $66 million contract for the fourth low-rate initial production of Joint Helmet-Mounted Cueing Systems (JHMCS).
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Teal Group Predicts Some 2,973 Jet Combat Aircraft Worth $142.4 Billion Will be Built in 2004-2013
Teal Group predicts a total of 2,973 combat aircraft valued at $142.4 billion (in 2004 U.S. dollars) will be built worldwide in the 2004- 2013 period. Its latest world fighter/attack production forecast was released during Asian Aerospace 2004.
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Asian Aerospace: Boeing promotes F-15E Eagle as it jostles European rivals
Boeing Company ramped up a public relations offensive on Tuesday for its F-15E Strike Eagle jet for a billion-dollar deal to replace Singapore's ageing A-4 Super Skyhawks.
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Timing poor, more at stake for Sikorsky
The cancellation of the Comanche program comes at a time when Sikorksy Aircraft is attempting to hold on to another key contract: manufacturing the fleet of Marine Corps helicopters that ferry the nation’s commander-in-chief.
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Seoul looks to boost air defenses
South Korea is to buy four early warning aircraft to beef up its defenses against North Korea. They will be delivered in 2011.
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Bulgaria Still Undecided over Russia's RSK Contract on MiG-29
According to Sofia Morning News, Russia's RSK MiG Vladimir Toryanin is to arrive in Bulgaria to hold talks on the contract for repairs and upgrade of Bulgaria's MiG-29 fighter aircraft.
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Tuesday, February 24, 2004

$62m upgrade for radar network
The Australia Government plans to spend $62 million upgrading the Jindalee operational radar network to detect even smaller ships and aircraft over a greater distance.
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USAF Has Big Weapons Plan
Aviation Week & Space Technology has a more detailed article about the recent announcements by Air Force Secretary James G. Roche at an Air Force Association gathering.
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Defense Department Eyeing More Schedule Changes For JSF
The first flight of the Lockheed Martin F-35 will be delayed from October 2005 to the spring of 2006 to allow Lockheed to address the weight problems.
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Boeing to Provide Harpoon Upgrade Program for Australia
Australian Defence Force will get Harpoon Block II missile retrofit kits from Boeing to upgrade their Harpoon Block I
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Send in the drones
This year's Asian Aerospace flying display will for the first time be opened by UAV from Israel.
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The hunks of Asian Aerospace 2004
Check out the hunks that will be flying in the daily aerial display at Asian Aerospace.
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Bigger venue in Changi North for Asian Aerospace in 2008
Asian Aerospace will get a new home in 2008 when it shifts to a new venue that is larger.
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U.S. Navy awards $849 mln for Osprey production
The U.S. Navy has awarded a $849 million contract for materials needed to make 11 V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft.
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Army Kills Comanche Helicopter
The most shocking aviation news today. The U.S. Army is canceling the $39 billion Comanche helicopter program, after spending $6.9 billion and 20 years devolping it, saying it had become obsolete and the money could be spent more wisely on other helicopters.
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Navy holding live-fire practice with U.S.S. JFK off Gulf Coast
The carrier USS John F. Kennedy, four other surface ships and a submarine began an aircraft carrier strike group exercise off the East Coast and in the Gulf of Mexico .
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PACAF's F-16 demonstration team showing its skills in Singapore
Capt. Keith Rockow, Pacific Air Forces F-16 Demonstration Team pilot will be performing 12 maneuvers in a 13- to 14- minute demonstration at Asian Aerospace.

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Lockheed Martin Awarded $70.8 Million Contract For JASSM-ER
Lockheed Martin was awarded $70.8 million from the U.S. Air Force to continue development of an extended-range (ER) version of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM)
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Monday, February 23, 2004

India's Surya Kiran aerobatic team to show its colours in Asian Aerospace
The Surya Kiran and Sarang team from the Indian Air Force will perform at the Asian Aerospace from tuesday.
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“Diamondbacks” land aboard USS Kitty Hawk
Lt. Cmdr. Stephen Higuera, with Capt. Joey Aucoin, Commander, Carrier Air Wing 5, in the rear seat, lands the first Super Hornet aboard USS Kitty Hawk.

F/A-18F
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USAF leaders outline new initiatives
Secretary of the Air Force James Roche and USAF Chief of Staff Gen John Jumper, unveiled plans to acquire a new stealthy transport aircraft for special operations forces and medium-lift personnel-recovery vehicle at the Air Force Association's 20th Annual Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida.
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Air crew tests chemical suits
Eight air crew members with the 523rd Fighter Squadron are testing a special flight suit that has a name tag but no rank or unit insignia.
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New Horizon For Lockheed
Washington Post Staff Writer Renae Merle takes a look at Lockheed Martin's future.
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Prowler squadron returning home
Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 137 is returning to Whidbey Island Naval Air Station on Thursday after a six-month deployment for duty in Iraq and Afghanistan.
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BAE in row over carrier budget
BAE Systems is threatening to sacrifice its prime contractor role in the UK Government's £2.9 billion aircraft carrier programme if it cannot agree to a budget with the Ministry of Defence.
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AF jets roar again on Osan runway
Osan(South Korea) runway has reopened and F-16s and A-10s are flying over the hills and rice fields there again
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More than 50 aircraft, helicopters set to steal show at Asian Aerospace
Asian Aerospace is set to kick off on Tuesday
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B-52 bombers arrive
Guam now have the continuous presence of B-52 bombers for the first time since Vietnam war.
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Sunday, February 22, 2004

'60 Minutes' to focus on 3 Patriot missile incidents
The CBS news magazine program "60 Minutes'' will feature the Patriot missile tonight, focusing on the 3 friendly fire incidents.
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UAE will receive its first F-16 jet fighters this year
The UAE announced yesterday it would start receiving US-built F-16 jet fighters before the end of this year, after a long delay due to technical and logistic reasons.
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Sandia Develops MiniSAR
Sandia National Laboratories (Albuquerque, NM) is working on a mini synthetic aperture radar (miniSAR) for reconnaissance that can be flown on miniature unmanned aerial vehicles (mini-UAVs).
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NATO planes collect reconnaissance data on Russia
A military expert told Itar-Tass on Thursday that flights of NATO E-3A AWACS over the territory of Lithuania and Latvia are aimed at expanding NATO opportunities for collecting reconnaissance information about the northwestern part of Russia.
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Battle for helicopter contract tests lobbying skills of Congress, companies
Rep. Rob Simmons of Connecticut worried that Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. in his home state was losing ground, called the head of United Technologies Corp., Sikorksy's parent company, to match Lockheed "dollar for dollar" on publicity.
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All-round radar
The world's first radar system capable of providing simultaneous 360 degree ground surveillance has been developed in Europe.
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Jam warfare
Unmanned aerial vehicles could be used to jam enemy air defence systems in future conflicts, following flight tests held in Germany.
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B-52s due to arrive at Andersen on Sunday
The first six B-52 bombers being deployed to Guam are to arrive Sunday at Andersen Air Force Base, the Air Force announced Thursday.
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Ceremony marks $32.3M hangar project
The U.S. Air Force broke ground yesterday for a $32.3 million aircraft maintenance hangar at Andersen Air Force Base.
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Get ready for a real treat
THE testosterone levels of aviation buffs will rage this week when the men from the aerospace industry flaunt their magnificent flying machines.
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