Friday, April 30, 2004
Carrier Air Wing 7 Continues Air Support of Combat in Iraq
USS George Washington�s (GW) (CVN 73) aircraft exerted pressure on anti-Iraqi forces in the Iraqi city of Fallujah April 28, with repeated bombardments from Strike Fighter Squadrons (VFA) 136 and VFA-131, and Fighter Squadrons (VF) 11 and VF-143.
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Lockheed Martin F-16's Capacity for Smart Weapons Is Doubled With New Weapon Rack
The "smart weapon" capacity of the Lockheed Martin F-16 has been doubled with the certification of the new BRU-57 multiple weapon rack. The F-16 now will be able to carry four, instead of two, 1,000-pound class smart weapons.
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Lockheed Martin KC-130J Given Approval After Intensive Testing By Marine Corps
The U.S. Marine Corps announced today that the commander of Operational Testing and Evaluation (OT&E) has "recommended full fleet introduction of the Lockheed Martin KC-130J for operational use."
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FAA, state oppose use of Kalaeloa for C-17 training
The Federal Aviation Administration and the state Department of Transportation are recommending against using the former Barbers Point Naval Air Station as a training base for Air Force C-17 jet transports.
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StarShipOne pilot keynotes awards lunch
Four awards, the outstanding test pilot of the year, outstanding Naval flight officer of the year, outstanding test engineer of the year, and Test Pilot School instructor pilot of the year were the highlights of the Naval Test Wing Atlantic luncheon.
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ZAF Pilots Perish in Chopper Crash
TWO Zambia Air Force (ZAF) pilots on a training exercise died yesterday morning when the helicopter they were flying crashed in Lusaka's Makeni area.
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Lockheed Martin Awarded $32 Million Contract for Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pods
Lockheed Martin received a $32 million order from the U.S. Air Force for Sniper XR(TM) (eXtended Range) advanced targeting pods.
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Brig. Gen Raaberg passes on WAFB torch
Col. Christopher D. Miller took over the command of the 509th Bomb Wing from Brig. Gen. Douglas Raaberg.
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Defense unit's best quarter buoys Boeing
Boeing Co.'s St. Louis-based military business had its best quarter yet, more than offsetting a continuing sag in Boeing's commercial unit and allowing the company to exceed forecasts for the first three months of the year.
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Chief test pilot takes command of Rotary Wing
Capt. John Hardison was relieved by Marine Lt. Col. Keith Danel, chief test pilot for HX-21 as commanding officer of Air Test and Evaluation Squadron 21.
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Turkey, Pakistan discuss joint defence ventures
Pakistan and Turkey on Wednesday discussed setting up defence joint ventures, including a project to produce unmanned aerial drones.
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New Mexico senators want stealths to stay
New Mexico�s two U.S. senators want the Pentagon to delay its planned retirement of ten stealth fighters at Holloman Air Force Base.
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TPS, SETP symposia papers highlight T-45, Wright Flyer, V-22
The Society of Experimental Test Pilots' 20th annual East Coast symposium and the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School's 56th annual reunion and symposium was held recently.
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Thursday, April 29, 2004
Navy fighter pilots train hard for war
The Navy SEAL had a big problem, and Lt. Cmdr. Mike Kraus had the solution hanging on the wings of his F/A-18 Hornet.
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Casual worker killed as MiG 27 skids off runway
One casual worker was killed when a MiG 27 fighter aircraft made an emergency landing at the Jodhpur Air Base, India Wednesday morning.
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India, Britain set up group to oversee Hawk jet sale
Indian and Britain Wednesday announced the setting up of a special group to monitor the 795 million pound deal to sell 66 Hawk jet trainers to the Indian Air Force (IAF).
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Three crewmen die in South Carolina Black Hawk crash
An Army helicopter and its crew of three soldiers were found Tuesday night, nearly 22 hours after they seemed to vanish into a swamp.
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MILITARY CRASHES
More than a dozen South Carolina-based military aircraft have been involved in accidents over the last decade, resulting in 11 deaths. Few of the accidents occurred in South Carolina.
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Airborne surveillance system gets go-ahead from NATO
The NATO alliance this month approved long-held plans to purchase an airborne surveillance system to give it the sort of eagle eyes the United States initially peered through during the Persian Gulf War.
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PM defends new fighter jet project
Australian Prime Minister John Howard defended plans to spend up to $16 billion to buy new F-35 fighter jets from the United States despite reports of delays and cost blowouts in the project.
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Norway may snub Lockheed, buy Gripen fighters
Norway is looking at the Anglo-Swedish Gripen combat jet to replace its U.S.-built F-16s because of disappointment over a lack of sub-contracts in developing a new U.S. fighter, a senior parliamentarian said on Wednesday.
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Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Showcases Award-Winning Performance
Lockheed Martin's C-130J Super Hercules demonstrated impressive performance, mission-effectiveness and reliability in Exercise Combined Strength, the first-ever airlift competition featuring only C-130Js.
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Kitty Hawk Says "G'Day" to Successful Australia Visit
More than 5,000 Sailors assigned to the USS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Strike Group departed the port of Fremantle, Australia, April 27, after a five-day visit.
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Wednesday, April 28, 2004
China's Weapons Buildup Seen Posing Growing Challenge To U.S.
China's aggressive pursuit of new weapon systems over the past decade is starting to yield a modern force, posing growing challenges for U.S. military planners.
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Lockheed Profit Up 16 Pct; Raises Outlook
No. 1 U.S. defense contractor Lockheed Martin Corp. on Tuesday posted a 16-percent rise in first-quarter profit.
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Brothers by blood, siblings by stealth
Capts. Brad and Brian Cochran are the first brothers in the Air Force to become certified as B-2 Spirit pilots. Brad is assigned to the 325th Bomb Squadron and Brian is assigned to the 393rd BS.
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Probe Blames Flight Crew, Officer For Jet Falling Off Connie
Navy officials said Monday that a San Diego-based squadron commander and a flight crew were to blame for causing a jet to tumble off the deck of an aircraft carrier last April.
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Tuesday, April 27, 2004
Guam bids for carrier strike group
The Pacific Island of Guam is fighting hard to get the U.S. Navy to base an aircraft carrier there.
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Make-or-break time for Raptor
Beginning later this week, the F/A-22 will begin roughly four months of operational tests that will determine whether it is ready for battle and whether the $72 billion program can go into full-scale production.
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Northrop Grumman Leads F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Team in Weapons Loading Demonstration for United Kingdom Users
Northrop Grumman Corporation and its partners on Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter team continued laying critical groundwork for the aircraft's operational effectiveness by conducting a weapons-loading demonstration with military ordnance crews from the United Kingdom.
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Raytheon Awarded $36 Million Contract Modification for Tactical Control System Software
Raytheon will provide modifications to its Tactical Control System (TCS) software and product support for the Navy Fire Scout helicopter.
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Queen Flies in for Invincible Visit
The Queen of United Kingdom visited HMS Invincible in the English Channel, off Portland Bill, Dorset.
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Monday, April 26, 2004
Military Trainer Market Will Increase, Report Says
Military fixed-wing trainer deliveries will rise steadily in the next 10 years, according to a new global market overview from Forecast International (FI).
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THE DAWNING OF A NEW MILITARY ERA...
The Typhoon Eurofighters will soon be flying from RAF Coningsby.
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Blue Angels release pilot for undisclosed medical reasons
The Blue Angels have released one of six air show pilots for undisclosed medical reasons, the Navy's precision flying team disclosed Friday.
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Marine who died in California crash was AA pilot
The pilot of the F/A-18 Hornet that crashed recently at Miramar Marine Corps Air Station in San Diego has been identified.
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Engine Arrives at AEDC
The first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter engine has arrived at Arnold Air Force Base for the beginning of an eight-year, $200 million test series.
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Saturday, April 24, 2004
Spangdahlem units troubleshooting new F-16 upgrades
Two F-16CJ squadrons based in SPANGDAHLEM AIR BASE, Germany are the first overseas units to get the Common Configuration Implementation Program, or CCIP upgrade.
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FAA certifies new GE engine
The U.S. Federal Aviation Administration has certified new models of General Electric Aircraft Engines' CT7-8 turboshaft engine which power variations of the Sikorsky S-92, AgustaWestland EH101 and US 101, NH Industries' NH90 helicopters, and the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk.
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Singapore armed forces to train in India
In October, five jets from the Singapore Air Force will exercise in Gwalior and may also carry out live firing at the Pokhran range, where the Indian Air Force also conducts its exercises.
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B-1 bomber gets final prep for trip to WR aviation museum
A proud B-1B bomber, tail number 069 will be added to the Museum of Aviation's collection some time next year at Robins Air Force base.
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Airbase set to close when Jaguar retires
RAF Coltishall, the last operational Battle of Britain station will be closed in five years time when the Jaguar is retired.
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Navy will cut sailors and ships, official says
In a move to size and shape of its forces, the U.S. Navy will build a fleet of 12 aircraft-carrier-sized cargo ships with flat decks that could launch large cargo planes to deliver equipment to forces ashore.
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Friday, April 23, 2004
Aviacom Miscellany
Aviacom photographer, Jamie Hunter, has recently been airborne with Hercules C5s from RAF Lyneham and the recently disbanded 800 Naval Air Squadron from Yeovilton. Here is a selection of images from these sorties. Images by Jamie Hunter,
Aviacom Copyright
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Blonde's top RAF con
A BLONDE conned her way into RAF Valley and lived there for over FIVE months. Attractive Kelsey McMillan, 35, posed as an Army captain.
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Boeing Awarded Navy/ Marine Corps C-130 Avionics Modernization Program Contract
The U.S. Navy awarded The Boeing Company a $3.4 million contract to begin the process of modernizing its fleet of 48 U.S. Navy and Marine Corps Reserve C-130T and KC-130T aircraft.
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New Blue Angels� Commanding Officer Selected
Chief of Naval Air Training Rear Adm. George E. Mayer announced the selection of Cmdr. Stephen R. Foley to lead the Navy�s Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, for the 2005-2006 show seasons.
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XC-99 begins piece-by-piece trip to Air Force Museum
Several parts of a historic XC-99 aircraft located at the Kelly Annex to Lackland were hauled to the Air Force Museum near Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, recently.
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Taking a flight back in time: Paul Allen launches warplane collection
Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen will open his Flying Heritage Collection at Arlington Airport to the public soon.
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Keesler air show soars Saturday
After a four-year hiatus, the Keesler Air Force Base air show resumes on Saturday with flight demonstrations, static displays and vintage aircraft.
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F-16 fitted with Navy jet's fuselage
The front-end fuselage of a Navy F-16C was fitted on to an Air Force F-16C.
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Air Force pilot killed as chopper crashes in Uri
An IAF pilot was killed and another injured when a Cheetah helicopter crashed in Uri near Srinagar, India. The chopper was on a training flight when it spun out of control and crashed into a hill.
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Lockheed Martin Completes Integrated Testing of Major ABL Sub-System
Lockheed Martin today announced it has completed factory testing of the optical benches for the Airborne Laser's Beam Control/Fire Control (BC/FC) system.
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Crews locate wreckage of Marine jet in Imperial Valley desert
Search crews on Thursday located the wreckage of a F/A-18 Hornet that went missing in San Diego on Wednesday night.
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Thursday, April 22, 2004
SAUDI OPENS F-15 MAINTENANCE CENTER
Saudi Arabia has opened a maintenance center of its F-15 fighter-jet fleet.
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TURKEY CAN'T DECIDE ON COPTER PROJECT
Turkey cannot decide on an award for a $2 billion attack helicopter coproduction project. The competition for the Turkish project has pitted Bell Textron and its AH-1Z King Cobra against an Israeli-Russian consortium, which has offered the Ka-50-2.
Labels: Turkey Attack Helicopter
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Lockheed Martin BMC2 Team Demonstrates Advanced Cruise Missile Defense, Time-Critical Targeting Capabilities
The Lockheed Martin led team competing for the E-10A Battle Management Command and Control (BMC2) system this week demonstrated advanced capabilities for cruise missile defense and time-critical targeting (TCT).
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Raytheon inks deals with Britain, Switzerland
Raytheon Co. has landed a contract with Britain's Ministry of Defense worth $124 million to supply 64 Tomahawk land missiles.
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Switzerland to Purchase Raytheon AIM-9X Sidewinder Air-to-Air Missiles
The government of Switzerland and the U.S. Navy have executed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) paving the way for the manufacture and delivery of Raytheon Company's AIM-9X Sidewinder air-to-air missile system to the Swiss air force.
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Civilian court shelves case against Peruvian air force pilots who downed U.S. missionary plane
A Peru civilian court judge said Wednesday he had shelved criminal charges against two air force pilots who mistakenly shot down a small plane in 2001.
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C-130J Super Hercules Demonstrates Capabilities at International Exercise and Competition
The first-ever airlift competition involving only Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules airlifters began April 19 at this Royal Air Force base in England.
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German combat jets collide over seaside resort
Two German Tornado combat jets have collided over a North Sea tourist resort, killing two crew members.
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India says not yet to Indonesia plea
Indonesia will have to wait a while before India lends a helping hand in training in Sukhoi 30 multi-role fighter jets.
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KUWAIT SEEKS F/A-18 UPGRADE
Kuwait has been discussing the prospect of an upgrade for its F/A-18.
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The Air Force at 40
The Nigerian Air Force turns 40 this year.
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Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Eglin OKs high-rate production on new cruise missile
The U.S. Air Force will buy 4,900 Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missiles, more than twice the number previously planned.
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AWACS, F-16s to take on IAF in joint exercises
US Air Force F-16s and AWACS are set to take on the IAF during joint combat aircraft exercises to be held in Gwalior, India early next year from February 16 to 26.
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Search Underway for Men and Women Who Built the Corsair
A search is on for the surviving men and women who built 4,000 Corsair fighter planes at Goodyear Aircraft during World War II. They will be honored at a special Corsair Homecoming here on June 18th featuring many of the dozen Corsairs still flying.
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Pilots at Luke learn to call the shots as 'quarterbacks'
The 310th Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base is the only U.S. Air Force squadron that trains F-16 pilots to be forward air control airborne pilots.
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Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Helicopter deliveries delayed but contract for F/A-18s could still go ahead next year
Malaysia has postponed taking delivery of 10 Mil Mi-171 military search-and-rescue helicopters as a result of budgetary constraints although special cases may still be made for key projects to acquire airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) and multirole fighter aircraft.
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NATO takes major step forward towards putting Eyes in the Sky
The Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) consortium lead by Northrop Grumman won the contract to develop the Alliance Ground Surveillance aircraft.
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Northrop Grumman-Led Team Receives Contract to Develop Next Phase of Space Based Radar
A team led by Northrop Grumman Corporation has received a $220 million, 24-month contract to develop the first phase of the Space Based Radar (SBR) program, which is designed to provide integrated, global, persistent intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), as well as real-time support, to U.S. military and intelligence community operations.
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U.S.: Northrop hid accounting flaws
U.S. defense contractor Northrop Grumman hid major accounting irregularities in the late 1980s in order to remain eligible to work for the Pentagon, according to a published report Monday.
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Northrop Grumman Applies New Coating to Operational B-2
Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully applied a specially formulated coating developed to help improve the B-2 stealth bomber's combat readiness to an operational aircraft for the first time.
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Lockheed Martin Wins $7.8 Million Contract to Develop Survivability Software For U.S. Army Rotorcraft
Lockheed Martin was awarded a $7.8 million research and development contract from the U.S. Army to develop software to aid the survivability of manned and unmanned rotorcraft in combat situations.
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Monday, April 19, 2004
Boeing Unmanned Combat Aircraft Makes Aviation History
Following its success in releasing a 250-pound inert Small Smart Bomb
on the 24th last month, Boeing's X-45A unmanned combat aircraft made aviation history by releasing an inert Global Positioning System-guided Small Smart Bomb and hitting a ground target at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Range, China Lake, Calif.
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Radar array mounted above fuselage believed to be one option for surveillance contract
Northrop Grumman-led Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) team competing for NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) requirement is beli
