Saturday, March 26, 2005
Orbital Completes Fourth Successful Flight Test For U.S. Navy's "COYOTE" Sea-Skimming Target MissileOrbital Sciences Corporation announced Mar. 25 that it successfully flight-tested the U.S. Navy's GQM-163A "Coyote" Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target (SSST) system for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on March 24, 2005. The flight test was the fourth consecutive successful flight and it demonstrated a 15-Foot low altitude performance and high-G maneuvers.
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THE US PRIVATE PLANE LEFT THE GREEK AIRSPACETwo Greek Air Force Mirage 2000 intercepted a small US private plane that entered the Greek airspace from Italy.
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Russian paratroopers complete major exerciseRussian paratroopers are completing a major five-day exercise by combat fire at the Dubrovichi range in the Central federal district of Russia supported by attack jets and helicopter gunships.
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Sigonella squadron resumes normal flight opsNormal flight operations resumed earlier this week for Sigonella, Italy-based U.S. Navy's Helicopter Support Squadron 4 that suffered a crash injuring four crew members last month.
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Westland £1bn helicopter deal angers rivalsU.K's decision to award a £1 billion helicopter contract directly to AgustaWestland, ignoring calls from rival manufacturers that the order should be put out to competition, has angered the competition.
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Marines Survey Industry For Tier II UAVThe U.S. Marine Corps is surveying industry for potential candidates to fill an urgent requirement for a Tier II unmanned aerial vehicle, one that would give commanders persistent surveillance out to about 50 miles.
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Fleet introduction team provides input to early MMA planningThe U.S. Navy's Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft Fleet Introduction Team consists of 10 technically qualified fleet personnel and civilian experts whose purpose is to provide continuity, liaison, training, guidance and related support to commands that are directly involved with the MMA acquisition.
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Osprey testing to begin soon (Registration Required)U.S. Marine test pilots and ground crews will soon begin a four-month series of exercises to see how well the Bell Helicopter's V-22 Osprey aircraft will perform in real-world military operations.
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F-15 crashes in NevadaAn USAF F-15 Eagle crashed at about 8:35 a.m. March 25 about 50 miles northeast of Nellis Air Force Base.
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Combat Talon undergoes risk reduction testingAn USAF MC-130E Combat Talon I completed the first risk reduction flight at Edwards Air Force Base March 15 after undergoing several months of improved avionics modifications.
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Guam wing wins Air Force-level safety awardThe USAF 36th Air Expeditionary Wing has just won the Air Force Chief of Safety Special Achievement Award.
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Changing policy, U.S. to sell F-16 jets to PakistanSenior U.S. officials said Friday that a deal to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan was approved and the United States will compete for contracts to provide India with the same jets.
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Friday, March 25, 2005
NASA and Navy Partner for Hawkeye Loads TestsNASA's Dryden Flight Research Cente is doing structural loads tests on a U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye. The plane tested at Dryden had its weight beefed up with metal plates to simulate an empty weight of about 45,000 pounds, mimicking the latest configuration of the upgraded E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
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Development of Prowler replacement proceedsBob Farmer, a Boeing official says the development of the EA-18G proceeds according to schedule toward an operational debut in early 2009.
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Helicopter version of Nag under wayIndian defence scientists are now working on a helicopter launched version of the anti-tank missile Nag.
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The Flawed Plane Congress Loves (Registration Required)The C-130J has so many flaws that it cannot fly its intended combat missions. It is unable to drop heavy equipment, operate well in cold weather or perform combat search-and-rescue missions. Yet powerful members of both the House and Senate want to spend $5 billion to acquire even more C-130J's for the U.S. Air Force.
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30-year Navy plan cuts subs, carriersThe U.S. Navy is considering shrinking its fleet of aircraft carriers to as few as 10 ships within the next 30 years, a move that would produce the smallest carrier fleet in at least a half-century.
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Raytheon Standard Missile-2 and Aegis Combat System Demonstrate Capability Against Subsonic and Supersonic Anti-Ship MissilesRaytheon Company Standard Missile-2s, launched from the USS Momsen (DDG 92) were fired against subsonic and supersonic targets in various configurations and in a littoral
environment. The tests achieved 100 percent success.
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RFP For Two Additional F-15Es Expected In Coming WeeksThe U.S. Air Force wants two additional F-15E aircraft, and prime contractor Boeing anticipates a request for proposals for the planes in the coming weeks.
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Lockheed Martin Delivers 64th AIP P-3C AircraftLockheed Martin has delivered the 64th P-3C aircraft modified under the Anti-Surface Warfare Improvement Program (AIP) to the U.S. Navy. Lockheed Martin will update a total of five P-3C aircraft in 2005.
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Future Lynx selected as the preferred option for land and sea helicopter requirements (PDF)AgustaWestland's new Future Lynx has been choosen by the UK Ministry of Defence’s as its preferred option for meeting the Land (Find) and Maritime (Surface) Attack elements of its helicopter requirement.
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EDO Receives $17.7 Million Contract for F/A-22 Aircraft Armament SystemEDO Corporation has been awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for continued production of its LAU-142/A AMRAAM Vertical Ejection Launcher, or AVEL, for the F/A-22 Raptor.
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Orion may top Navy chief’s talks with USWhen Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash meets U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld later this week, he is likely to tell him that while the Indian Navy is serious about acquiring a fleet of 10 P-3C Orions.
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Air Force receives last F-16USAF Brig. Gen. Jeff Riemer, director of operations at the Air Force Materiel Command headquarters, flew the last F-16 for the USAF from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth to Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
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Hercules 'sent distress signal'The RAF Hercules which crashed in Iraq killing 10 British servicemen sent a distress signal eight minutes after take off.
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Plenty of flak over the chosen fighterCritics of Australia's F-35 program says that Australia's strategic needs are better met by the F/A-22.
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Thursday, March 24, 2005
Northrop Grumman Delivers 17th and Final Joint STARS to the U.S. Air ForceNorthrop Grumman Corporation delivered the 17th and final production E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft to the U.S. Air Force Mar. 23.
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A-10s prove combat capabilities can save livesMore than 200 Afghanistan villagers were rescued from flood waters Friday as airborne A-10s from the USAF 455th Air Expeditionary Wing out of Bagram Airfield helped identify and report the victims’ exact location using its Litening II targeting pods.
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DOD's Revised UAV Road Map To Be Released In AprilThe U.S. Defense Department plans to release an updated version of its road map for unmanned aerial vehicles by the end of April.
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The Americans are going too farDouglas Feith, the U.S. assistant secretary of defense, alleged that the director general of the Israel's Ministry of Defense, Amos Yaron, had deceived him in the matter of spare parts for the Harpy.
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Army drops in for pit stop at NASCAR raceMore than 50,000 NASCAR race fans saw a U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment's MH-47 Chinook helicopter maneuver onto Atlanta Motor Speedway to drop off the pace car for the Golden Corral 500.
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Battle stepped up to save Redstone missile projectLockheed Martin officials, along with members of Congress, are fighting to save the Joint Common Missile. The missile is expected to help the U.S. Army reduce supply costs from two or three types of missiles now to one and, for the U.S. Navy, the missile will be easier to retrieve onboard when an attack plane lands.
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269 Ordnance keeps Gunrunners locked and loadedThe ordnance Marines of U.S. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 work 24 hours a day to ensure the squadron’s AH-1W Super Cobras and UH-1N Huey Helicopters are mission ready.
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German veterans on the warpath over law disowning Nazi pilot aceMore than 100 retired military officers, including many generals, have signed an open letter to German newspapers seeking to restore the reputation of Werner Mölders, who shot down 115 aircraft during World War 2.
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The Air Force's newest cargo carrier prepares for its first presence in HawaiiOn Monday, more than 60 Hawaii business, government and military leaders and 100 Boeing defense workers attended a ceremony at the Boeing plant in Long Beach, California to mark the assembly of C-17 jets that are bound for Hawaii.
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13th Air Force HQ leaving Guam for HawaiiThe headquarters of the 13th Air Force will move from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
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Navy turns down US' Hawkeye deal (Registration Required)The Indian Navy's Controller for Warship Production and Acquisition Vice Admiral J.S. Bedi said that weighing the pros and cons for over a year, the Indian Navy has decided to turn down the US offer of six E-2C Hawkeye 2000 carrier-borne early warning aircraft.
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Joint UK - US collaborative programme announced for unmanned combat air systemsThe U.K. Ministry of Defence and DARPA announced a collaborative programme to determine the military benefit of Unmanned Combat Air Systems for future coalition operations.
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RAF Chief to be next Chief of the Defence StaffRAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup will be appointed as the new U.K. Chief
of the Defence Staff.
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Medals for the helicopter heroes of BoscastleTwo winchmen of the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter squadron at Chivenor have been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air. One pilot has been awarded the personal Commendation of the Commander-in-Chief of Royal Air Force Strike Command.
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Major bidders complain of 'tough clauses' in chopper biddingThe official tender document for Turkey's competition for the purchase of 30 attack helicopters contains clauses that may ward off major Western bidders, particularly U.S. manufacturers, as the request for proposal asks bidders to provide preliminary government authorization for export licenses, a requirement US companies cannot fulfill under US regulations .
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Lockheed Expects U.S. To OK JSF Tech Transfer Eventually Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin general manager for the F-35, is confident the U.S. government will share Joint Strike Fighter technology with its key allies when needed
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Eurofighter partners ink 16 bln euros for financingPablo de Bergia, the head of the military division of the Spanish wing of EADS, told a reporter from La Gaceta newspaper during an interview that EADS "are close to an accord" with Singapore for the purchase of 8 Eurofighters.
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Official: F/A-22 likely to start full production (Registration Required)Michael Wynne, Pentagon's acting undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said up to 96 F/A-22 aircraft will probably be approved for full production later this month.
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Two Greek F-16 jets harassed two Turkish RF-4 jetsTwo Greek F-16 jets harassed two Turkish RF-4 jets during their routine training flight in the international air space in the southwest of the Greek island of Rhodes Mar. 21.
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ACC officials release Predator crash reportAccording to an Air Force report released by Air Combat Command officials March 23, crew error was the primary cause of an MQ-1L Predator crash during a training mission Sept. 22 at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field.
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Stealth jets to take wing in Alaska skiesElmendorf Air Force Base will soon be one of just two operational Raptor bases in the United States.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2005
T-50 Aircraft Completes Aerial Gunfire TestingThe T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer successfully completed ten test flights between Oct. 26, 2004, and Jan. 6, 2005 that tested its aerial gunfire capability.
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CSAF: Raptor, Eurofighter complementaryUSAF Gen. John P. Jumper, the only person to have flown both the Eurofighter and F/A-22, said the Eurofighter is both agile and sophisticated, but is still difficult to compare to the F/A-22 Raptor.
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Report On U.K. Helo Programs Finds Good News, Bad NewsA helicopter programs report by a United Kingdom Parliament committee found good news and bad news.
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Two Slovak Mig-29s to be under NATO commandTwo Slovak Mig-29 fighters will become part of the NATO joint air forces as of Jan. 1, 2006, Slovak Air Force commander Jozef Dunaj said.
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High success rate claimed for PatriotsThe Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND) claimed that based on a computer simulation, Patriot missiles have an 85 percent of chance of intercepting China's People Liberation Army's (PLA) cruise missiles.
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A failing flight plan?When a T-6A Texan crash last year. U.S. Air Force officials blamed on it on pilot error. But outside observers say sloppy procedures and a lack of monitoring are to be blamed.
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Predator to See More Combat (Registration Required)The new Predator B will perform real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as a secondary role, its primary role will be "hunter-killer" missions armed with up to 3,000 pounds of precision-guided bombs or missiles.
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Vought gains federal deal for seagoing aerial vehicleVought Aircraft Industries Inc. received a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contractto investigate the feasibility of a seagoing, unmanned aerial vehicle that could take off and land on water by modify an existing aircraft.
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New office seeks to improve UAV interoperabilityU.S. Air Force officials are putting together an office dedicated to developing better unmanned aerial vehicle tactics and procedures at Indian Springs Auxiliary Air Field, Nevada.
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Panel has little power over DoD’s BRAC listU.S. administration officials are making it increasingly clear they do not want or expect the nine people who will make up the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission to make changes in the Pentagon’s recommendations.
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Joint Red Flag bringing big picture togetherJoint Red Flag includes virtual training where crews participate in the exercise by using simulators at various locations around the country.
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Night crew greases with midnight oil at TRUEX 05-1Marines from U.S. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 go to work just as the sun goes down. Their job is to perform aircraft maintenance throughout the night.
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First F-35 fighter nearing completionLockheed Martin said it and its partners are on track to start the final assembly of the first F-35 joint strike fighter in May in Texas.
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MH-60R Weapons System Successfully Completes Technical EvaluationSubsurface and surface warfare systems developed for the U.S. Navy’s MH-60R helicopter by prime systems integrator Lockheed Martin have successfully completed Technical Evaluation, clearing the way for Operational Evaluation and fleet introduction later this year.
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VMFA-142 Gators put steel on target for 3/25A reserve U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron came to the aid of another reserve U.S. Marine infantry battalion in Iraq.
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Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Nighthawk talkStaff Sgt. Robin Walker (left) and Staff Sgt. Greg Slavik prepare an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter to launch for a Joint Red Flag exercise. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald.
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Fears for Red Arrows after 14 'near misses'The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority issued a report that revealed 14 infringements into no-fly zones by light commercial aircraft over the past three years. The no-fly zones are for the Red Arrows display team.
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Local Sukhoi joins IAFIndian Air Force Wing Commanders Sandeep Singh and George Thomas of the Pune-based Rhinos squadron test flight the first two indigenously built Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) plant.
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Pratt & Whitney’s F135 Program Surpasses 2,500 SDD Test HoursPratt & Whitney’s F135 program has surpassed 2,500 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) test hours. This significant milestone, represents the cumulative hours of F135 SDD testing, including both Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL)/Carrier Variant (CV), and Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) configuration tests.
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Boeing C-130 Avionics Upgrade Pre-Development Aircraft Takes FlightBoeing Company's C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) reached another milestone March 15, when a pre-Development, Test and Evaluation (DT&E) U.S. Air Force MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft achieved first flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
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Roving Sands involves five nations, new capabilitiesU.S. Army Forces Command kicked off a three-week joint training exercise March 15 involving coalition troops and aircraft in order to practice joint-interoperability air defense tactics, while incorporating lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. This year’s exercise is part of a much larger training event, Joint Red Flag.
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Monday, March 21, 2005
Eurocopter proudly announces the official acceptance of the first HAP Tiger by the Délégation Générale pour l’ArmementEngineer General Sandeau head of the Service des Programmes Aéronautiques (Aeronautical Programs Department) of the Délégation Générale pour l’Armement (French General Delegation for Armaments) was at Marignane on 18 March to officially deliver the first of its 80 Tiger helicopters to the French Army Air Corps (ALAT). Copyright Eurocopter / photo by G. Deulin
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Jaguar 90th Anniversary paint schemeRAF 16(R) and 54(F) Squadron Jaguar 90th Anniversary paint scheme. CROWN COPYRIGHT
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Military exercises are not to `practice a Chinese attack on Taiwan': GeneralExercise “Friendship 2005” a joint military exercise between China and Russia will involve Il-76 transport planes with paratroopers, Tu-95MS bombers firing cruise missiles at targets in the sea and Su-27SM fighter jets simulating coverage of ground forces.
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'Warthogs’ prove their mettle in AfghanistanThe USAF 23rd Fighter Group from Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, flying the A-10, are serving a four-month stint in Afghanistan.
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22nd MEU refines Tactical Air Control Party procedures with a bangForward air controllers and radio operators with the 22nd U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit recently braved the harsh North Carolina winter to perfect their skills guiding AV-8B Harrier II attack jets and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters through a series of close air strikes with practice bombs and rockets against targets aboard Camp Lejeune ranges.
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JCM project under the gunThe Joint Common Missile, a program targeted for termination in the Department of Defense budget, proceeds ahead of schedule, under budget - and under the gun.
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Defense shield built in TexasThe Sea-based X-band radar, or SBX, a semi-submersible radar platform being built atop pontoons on the Texas coast is scheduled to be at its home port of Adak, Alaska by end of the year.
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RAAF Hercules comes under fire in BaghdadA Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules was forced to take evasive action when a missile was fired at it over Baghdad on March 9. The Hercules is believed to have fired chaff and flares after receiving a "lock-on" signal from a surface-to-air missile system close to Baghdad.
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U.S. OFFERS CHEAPER PRICE FOR PATRIOT PAC III: MND REPORTThe United States has offered a cheaper price for the Patriot PAC III anti-missile system to be sold to Taiwan, according to a Ministry of National Defense (MND) report. The report said the U.S. military has agreed to deduct the research and development cost from the Patriot PAC III price to be offered to Taiwan.
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200,000 flock to air showDuring the past six days about 200,000 people flock to the Australian International Airshow.
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Blue Angels Striving for PerfectionAviation Week & Space Technology editor, William B. Scott, spent two days with the Blue Angels at Naval Air Facility El Centro, and flew one demonstration sortie in a two-seat F/A-18B. If you are interested in Blue Angels, check out
First Blue : The Story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels.
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Sunday, March 20, 2005
Northrop Grumman Completes First Fuselage Section for U.S. Navy's Next-Generation Electronic Attack AircraftNorthrop Grumman Corporation celebrated completion of the first fuselage section for the U.S. Navy's EA-18G next-generation, electronic attack aircraft at a ceremony before hundreds of employees in El Segundo, California.
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Marines receive award for heroismThree U.S. Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron-461 Detachment Bravo were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism during a training accident at Godoria Range, Djibouti, on June 22, 2003. During the incident, an 8th Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from Diego Garcia inadvertently attacked their position, killing a co-pilot, injuring seven others and destroying two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters.
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England expects to get Air Force job (Registration Required)U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon England, laying weeks of rumors to rest, acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that he is on track to be the next U.S. Air Force secretary.
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Boeing's CEO Search May Last for MonthsBoeing Co.'s interim CEO, James Bell, told employees Wednesday that the process to select a new chief executive officer for the aerospace firm will be "deliberate" and is expected to last for months.
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Texan gets warm welcome at VanceUSAF Vance Air Force Base held a official arrival ceremony for the T-6A Texan II on Friday.
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Finally, Senate panel approves 0-7 promotion listThe U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee approved 32 USAF nominations for brigadier general on March 17.
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Pacific Air Force bases feeling pinch as service faces $3 billion budget crunchWing commanders at U.S. Pacific Air Forces bases have been told to curtail spending in nonmission-essential areas to help avoid an Air Force budget crisis in the face of mounting war-on-terrorism debt.
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Defence admits problems with $1.1bn chopperProblems have emerged in extensive testing of Australia's squadron of 11 Seasprite naval helicopters costing $100 million each.
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Harrier jet shakes off past to prove itself in IraqSince the invasion of Iraq nearly two years ago, and especially after November's fighting in Fallujah, U.S. Marines say the Harrier has played a key role in the fighting in Iraq's Anbar province, and in ways few envisioned.
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China Lake Weapons Testing Team Working On F/A-22As the date for introducing the first F/A-22 squadron draws near, the F/A-22 Naval Air Systems Command Weapons Division (WD) team members looked back on innovative ways they saved time and money during the F/A-22 missile testing process.
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