Saturday, April 24, 2004
Spangdahlem units troubleshooting new F-16 upgradesTwo 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 engineThe 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 IndiaIn 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 museumA 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 retiresRAF 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 saysIn 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 MiscellanyAviacom 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 conA 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 ContractThe 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 SelectedChief 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 MuseumSeveral 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 collectionMicrosoft 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 SaturdayAfter 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 fuselageThe 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 UriAn 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-SystemLockheed 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 desertSearch 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.
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Lockheed Martin BMC2 Team Demonstrates Advanced Cruise Missile Defense, Time-Critical Targeting CapabilitiesThe 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, SwitzerlandRaytheon 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 MissilesThe 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 planeA 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 CompetitionThe 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 resortTwo 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 pleaIndonesia 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 UPGRADEKuwait has been discussing the prospect of an upgrade for its F/A-18.
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The Air Force at 40The Nigerian Air Force turns 40 this year.
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Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Eglin OKs high-rate production on new cruise missileThe 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 exercisesUS 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 yearMalaysia 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 SkyThe 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 RadarA 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 flawsU.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-2Northrop 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 RotorcraftLockheed 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 HistoryFollowing 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 contractNorthrop Grumman-led Transatlantic Industrial Proposed Solution (TIPS) team competing for NATO's Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) requirement is believed to have offered options for a radical above-fuselage mounting for its radar array on an Airbus A321.
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Japanese Air Self Defence Force in Kuwait completes first rotationSome 70 Japanese airmen arrived in Kuwait over the weekend completing the first rotation of the Japanese Air Self Defence Force contingent that has been taking part in Tokyo's humanitarian mission in Iraq.
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US Military to Close Down Koon-ni RangeA controversial U.S. Air Force firing range, located about 50 kilometers south of Seoul, will be shut down in August next year after 54 years in operation.
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Helo crews practice for fast-paced situations Apache attack helicopter crews from a squadron based at Camp Humphreys, South Korea are practicing gunnery qualification at a range in South Korea.
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Air National Guard Base refuels nation's defenseMaj. Gen. Joseph Simeone, deputy adjutant general for the New Hampshire National Guard,believes Pease Air National Guard Base will survive the coming round of base closures.
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Sunday, April 18, 2004
Iraq's once proud air force re-emerging but without aircraft, for nowIraq's once mighty air force is being rebuilt from scratch but without planes for now and with just 100 men who are currently undergoing training in Jordan.
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Pentagon Faults Boeing NATO AWACS DealThe Pentagon's chief inspector found improper procedures in negotiating the price of a $1.32 billion contract with Boeing Co. to upgrade some NATO radar aircraft.
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