Saturday, October 09, 2004
William Tell competition resumes after eight-year breakThe U.S. Air Force’s first William Tell air-to-air competition in eight years takes flight at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., Nov. 8 to 19.
|
Boeing loses out on tanker dealA U.S. congressional committee voted to formally reject Boeing's deal to lease 767 jetliners to the Air Force as refueling tankers.
|
Boeing, U.S. Navy and Industry Team Successfully Complete MMA Design ReviewThe Boeing 737 Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) program passed a critical milestone on Sept. 30 with the successful completion of an in-depth three-day System Requirements Review (SRR) by the U.S. Navy.
|
Thailand picks Swedish fighters over Russia'sThailand has picked a Swedish/ British consortium over a Russian firm to replace its ageing fleet of 16 American-made F-5 fighters, a deal that could be worth $230 million, the Thai air force chief said on Friday.
|
Stunning aerobatics by ALH mark IAF anniversary celebrationsBreathtaking aerobatics by the indigenous Advanced Light Helicopters and a stunning display of air manoeuvres by jet trainers Surya Kirans, marked the 72nd anniversary of the Indian Air Force.
|
Army says no one was hurt in chopper crashU.S. Army Aviation Center at Fort Rucker said an AH-64-D Apache helicopter made a hard landing yesterday.
|
Indian body opposes any move by US to sell F-16s to PakAn Indian American body today opposed any US move to sell F-16 fighter aircraft to Pakistan after the Presidential elections in November, saying it would be detrimental to furthering Indo-US ties and fuel arms race in the region.
|
Fleet Week kicks offThe Snowbirds will perform in San Francisco Bay Area this weekend as part of Fleet Week celebrations.
|
Friday, October 08, 2004
Navy Retires AIM-54 Phoenix MissileAfter 30 years of highly accomplished service, the U.S. Navy retired its first long-range air-to-air missile, the AIM-54 Phoenix, Sept. 30.
Lt. West McCall, an F-14 “Tomcat” pilot from Deland, Fla., and Lt. Kimberly Arrington, a Radar Intercept Officer from King, N.C., both assigned to the “Jolly Rogers” of Fighter Squadron One Zero Three (VF-103), test fire a Phoenix air to air missile as part of the annual proficiency test during Exercise Mediterranean Shark. U.S. Navy photo by Capt. Dana Potts.
|
PAF units, Malaysia hold war gamesThe Philippine Air Force (PAF) and the Royal Malaysian Air Force (rmaf) recently launched a joint training program in Tawi-Tawi and Sulu as well as in Sandakan, Malaysia, to prepare for any possible accidents and sea mishaps for which they may be called upon to assist.
|
Eurofighter Typhoon nations attend Defendory 2004 ExhibitionA very strong combined government and industrial delegation from all four Eurofighter Typhoon nations is visiting this week's Defendory exhibition in Athens. The defence procurement Ministers from Germany. Italy, Spain and the United Kingdom have been joined by the Chief Executives of the Eurofighter partner companies.
|
Go-ahead 'imminent' for £9bn Eurofighter dealA £9bn order for Eurofighter aircraft - the biggest pan-European defence contract in history - could be sealed within the next fortnight, one of the lead companies involved in the programme said yesterday.
|
Pratt & Whitney Celebrates 25th Anniversary of F-16 Falcon European Participating Air Forces ProgramPratt & Whitney joins the countries of the European Participating Air Forces (EPAF) in celebrating the 25th anniversary of the F-16 Falcon EPAF program.
|
F-15 flights resume at KadenaThe U.S. Air Force in Japan allowed the 12th Fighter Squadron to resume flights of its F-15C fighters on Thursday following a mid-air accident earlier this week that drew local protests.
|
Global Hawk UAV Makes First Flight for the NavyThe first RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) slated for the Navy's Global Hawk Maritime Demonstration (GHMD) program made its first flight from Palmdale, Calif., to Edward’s Air Force Base Oct. 6.
|
Kadena shows F-15s damaged in collision during trainingKadena Air Base, Okinawa allowed members of the media to come on base Wednesday to view the damage to the two F-15 fighter jets that clipped one another in midair during training Monday.
|
Iran appoints new air force chiefIran appointed General Karim Ghavami, US-trained fighter pilot, as its new air force chief, the official Islamic Republic News Agency reported today.
|
Thursday, October 07, 2004
US101 HELICOPTER COMPLETES FIRST FLIGHT OF MORE POWERFUL GE ENGINES AND NEW COCKPIT DISPLAYS FOR MARINE ONETeam US101 has for the first time flown a US101 medium-lift helicopter equipped with more powerful, FAA-certified General Electric CT7-8E engines and new, large-screen cockpit instrument displays. Both the engines and the improved cockpit displays will be used for the Presidential Helicopter Replacement (VXX) program.
|
Lean Manufacturing To Cut V-22 Cost, Bell SaysThe cost of Bell Helicopter Textron's V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft will drop from its current price of about $70 million to about $50 million within the next five years because of lean manufacturing, according to the head of Osprey program partner Bell Helicopter.
|
Helicopter Firm Sale Set for Green LightThe U.K. Government today signalled the go-ahead for the £1.06 billion sale of helicopter maker AgustaWestland.
|
IAF set to induct indigenous Sukhoi aircrafts next yearIndegeniously-built Sukhoi aircrafts will be inducted into the IAF from next year.
|
Red tape binds IAF’s wings, hints Air chiefThe IAF plans to begin ‘buddy’ refuelling between Su-30 fighters by late next year. Some Su-30s are currently being integrated with the required refuelling systems.
|
B-52 aircraft to use AFRL hydraulic fluidsA fire-resistant hydraulic fluid Air Force Research Laboratory experts developed will now be used in more than 90 percent of B-52 Stratofortress bomber components, increasing the aircraft's survivability and operational safety.
|
Russia-China aerospace cooperationRussia-China aerospace industry cooperation has been gradually (but surely) improving the knowledge and skills of Chinese engineers and technicians, turning them into potential competitors in the world markets.
|
Missing pin caused copter crash: reportA missing cotter pin caused the U.S. Marine Corps helicopter crash on a university campus near the Futenma Air Station in Okinawa in August, according to a U.S. investigation report submitted Tuesday that laid the blame on poor maintenance.
|
India looking to buy more jets for air force:India is looking to induct more frontline fighter jets to bolster the capabilities of its air force, which is currently short of its sanctioned strength, the Indian Air Force (IAF) chief said.
|
Commander issues apology for F-15 mishapThe 18th Wing commander issued a brief statement Tuesday apologizing for Monday’s incident in which two Air Force F-15s made contact with one another while on a training mission more than 120 miles off Okinawa’s coast.
|
USS Nimitz Operational, UnderwayThe nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) returned to Naval Air Station North Island Sept. 24 after a successful Fleet Replacement Squadron Carrier Qualification (FRSCQ) five-day underway period.
|
Seoul officials to get a look at Apache copters' capabilitiesHigh-level South Korean defense officials are to visit the U.S. Army helicopter base at Camp Humphreys Thursday for a close-up look at the battle capabilities of the Army’s most modern attack helicopter, the AH-64D Apache Longbow.
|
Helicopter crews hail new technologySKMSS - Sea King Multi Sensor System, an infra red system is being installed on RAF Search and Rescue helicopters.
|
Raytheon's Complementary Low Altitude Weapon System Intercepts Cruise Missile DroneIn its second guided flight test, Raytheon Company's Complementary Low Altitude Weapon System (CLAWS) successfully intercepted a BQM-74 surrogate cruise missile target at White Sands Missile Range, N.M. All mission objectives were met.
|
Italian engines to power India's first air-defence shipIndia's first indigenous aircraft carrier will be powered by Italian technology and design.
|
Wednesday, October 06, 2004
Taiwan could buy HARM, says lawmakerThe United States government has agreed to offer High-speed Anti Radiation Missile (HARM) to Taiwan, a legislator has confirmed.
|
Airmen use GBU-38 in combatTwo F-16 Fighting Falcons recently performed a simultaneous GBU-38 release on the same target in central Iraq. The bombs precisely hit a two-story building with minimal collateral damage.
|
Carl Vinson Carrier Strike Group Successfully Completes COMPTUEXThe USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group successfully completed its 22-day Composite Training Unit Exercise, (COMPTUEX) Oct. 2 in the seas off the coast of Southern California.
|
Memphis Belle moves to Ohio Air Force museumThe historic B-17 "Flying Fortress" bomber Memphis Belle will move to the United States Air Force Museum in Ohio.
|
Dhruv to star in flypastThe IAF Sarang display team comprising three Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) Dhruv will do formation flying during the flypast on the Air Force Day on October 8.
|
Hoon for joint defence projectsBritish Secretary for Defence, Geoff Hoon is in India for a three-day official visit. Part of the agenda is selling the Eurofighter Typhoon to India.
|
Turbomeca’s keeps pole position in EuropeTurbomeca remains as the leader in Europe market, with 680 Turbomeca operators using 4,790 engines on 3,308 civil and military helicopters.
|
New Mi-38 helicopter built in TatarstanThe production of the new Mi-38 chopper will be launched in 2008.
|
Mirage aircraft crash-lands at Mauritius airportAn Indian Air Force's Mirage 2000, part of a team of six aircraft flying home from South Africa after taking part in a joint exercise, crash-landed at Mauritius airport after taking part in an air show in Port Louis on Monday but the pilot escaped unhurt.
|
Tuesday, October 05, 2004
SpaceShipOne Wins $10 Million ANSARI X PRIZESpaceShipOne and Mojave Aerospace Ventures, LLC. team reaches over 360,000 feet to win the $10 million ANSARI X PRIZE. Brian Binney, who piloted the flight broke the August 22, 1963 record set by Joseph A. Walker who flew the X-15 to an unofficial world altitude record of 354,200 feet.
|
Chirac to discuss fighter jet orders with SingaporeFrench President Jacques Chirac is to hold talks with Singapore's political leaders this week about supplying French Rafale fighter jets to the country, Chirac's spokesman said on Monday.
|
Raytheon wins deals worth £19mRaytheon has won a design, development and production contract from Thales UK in Belfast, for the Starstreak high velocity air-defence missile. The company will be responsible for the weapon’s guidance electronic modules and optical receivers. Also, Raytheon will supply GPS Aided Inertial Navigation System for the Enhanced Paveway II guided bomb.
|
JSTARS flies into Internet AgeAn E-8C command and control aircraft will fly into the Internet Age this month, using a form of communication developed early in the last century — high-frequency, single sideband (HF SSB) radio.
|
Ottawa delays signing helicopter dealThe Canadian government has agreed to hold off signing a multi-billion dollar deal for 28 Sikorsky H-92 Cyclones helicopters until the complaints of the losing bidder have been heard in court.
|
Irkut Becomes MiG's WingmanLegendary fighter jet maker MiG will merge with rival Sukhoi manufacturer Irkut, said Federal Industry Agency chief Boris Alyoshin. Under a proposed plan, which is backed by Alyoshin, privately controlled Irkut and state-run MiG, Sukhoi, Tupolev and Ilyushin would all be brought under one roof.
|
Two F-15s make contact during flight; no injuriesTwo U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagles brushed against each other during training in southern Japan Monday but landed safely, and there were no injuries.
|
Top guns to show their stuffThe Blue Angels are in Marine Corps Base Hawai'i for the Kane'ohe Bay Marine Corps Navy Air Show this weekend
|
Monday, October 04, 2004
Taiwan to test-fire cruise missile which could hit Shanghai: reportTaiwan is to test-fire a cruise missile which could hit the eastern Chinese city of Shanghai, it was reported on Sunday, after Taiwanese Premier Yu Shyi-kun threatened to retaliate should China attack the island.
|
Sniper Targeting Pod Attacks From Long Standoff RangesThe Sniper XR extended-range targeting pod is on a fast track to deploy with U.S. Air Force's combat forces as soon as possible.
|
Sunday, October 03, 2004
First batch of Su-30 to be handed over to IAF next month: HALThe first batch of multi-role Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft, would be handed over by their manufacturers Hindustan Aeronautical Limited over to Indian Air Force next month.
|
Air chief wants a leaner, meaner forceIndian Air Force Chief of the Air Staff S. Krishnaswamy has called for the downsizing of the IAF.
|
First 'Blue Angel' tells his story in new biographyLt. Cmdr. Roy "Butch" Voris, a World War II ace and founder of the renowned Blue Angels flight demonstration team released his new biography, "First Blue," recently.
|
Hurricane Hunters to fly new planesThe Hurricane Hunters next year will begin using the C-130J, however it would require improvements to the radar and propeller blades.
|
