Saturday, May 28, 2005
Russia To Submit UN Resolution On Weapons Ban In Outer SpaceRussia is preparing to put forward a draft resolution to the United Nations General Assembly on measures to ensure that the outer space is free of weapons.
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Marines honor two pilots killed in IraqTwo U.S. Marine pilots who died when their jets collided in Iraq were honored Thursday at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar.
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Roanoke firm works on cruise missile componentRoanoke-based Synchrony won a $1.4 million contract to design and develop an electric starter-generator that will be part of the engine of RATTLRS (Revolutionary Approach to Time Critical Long Range Strike). A U.S. Navy-sponsored supersonic cruise missile under development.
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In France, The Doors Are Open For Female PilotsThe French French Air Force is considering the possibility of allowing more females to train as fighter pilots.
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Edwards in line for millionsEdwards Air Force Base will get a new runway, additional housing and rocket technology testing under a $441.6 billion defense authorization bill passed by the U.S. House of Representatives.
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F-15s intercept small plane near EdwardsA small plane that repeatedly ventured close to restricted air space at Edwards Air Force Base was intercepted by two F-15 fighter jets Thursday and escorted to a local airport.
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Babcock confident of winning Navy aircraft carrier contractBabcock International, operator of the Rosyth dockyard, remains "confident" that the yard will win the contract to assemble and integrate the Royal Navy's two new aircraft carriers.
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Attack of the DronesWired Magazine looks at the various UAVs operated by the United States.
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Son of Minn. State Lawmaker Killed in IraqThe son of a Minnesota state senator was killed in Iraq when his helicopter was shot down.
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Speedy UUNS process cuts wait for needed materielThe Scan Eagle UAV is a product of the Urgent Universal Need Statement Process for Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
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Moldova Defence Ministry special commission flies to Air Force plane crash siteA special investigative commission of the Moldovan Defence Ministry is investigating a Vilga-35 aircraft crashed during a training flight at the Markuleshti Air Force base of Moldova on Friday noon.
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2nd ANGLICO long arm of allied air powerThe U.S. Marines of 2nd Air and Naval Gunfire Liaison Company, II Marine Expeditionary Force recently participated in Multi-National Maritime Engagement-2, or MNME-II, a NATO exercise held off the North Carolina coast.
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F-14 Tomcat revs up engines for flight to new DeLand homeOn Tuesday at 1pm, an F-14 Tomcat will fly into the DeLand Municipal Airport to take its place near the DeLand Naval Air Station Museum. Along the way to its final landing, the F-14 will do a flyover along Woodland Boulevard, then "showboat" in front of a bandstand at the airport.
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No pressure from US to buy F-16, says Air Force ChiefIndian Air Force Chief Air Marshal Shashindra Pal Tyagi said denied there was any pressure from Washington to buy the F-16.
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Finmeccanica may have 25-30 pct in Thales in defence alliance - reportFinmeccanica SpA may end up controlling 25-30 pct of Thales following a Franco-Italian link up in the defence sector.
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Algeria to buy Russian tanks and fightersAlgeria may buy one or two squadrons of Sukhoi Su-30-MKI fighters and three or four squadrons of cheaper Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-29-SMT air-superiority fighters.
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Kennedy Kicks Off Fleet Week New YorkThe aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy (JFK) (CV 67) pulled into New York City May 25 to participate in Fleet Week 2005.
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Charleston Air Force Base volunteers create mini C-17 replicaVolunteers from the Charleston Air Force Base's reserve 315th Airlift Wing build a 13.5-foot-tall C-17 replica.
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Friday, May 27, 2005
Ike, French Carrier Work Together During Multinational Maritime ExerciseA Rafale M jet performed landings, and an E-2C Hawkeye from the French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle trapped and launched from USS Dwight D. Eisenhower’s deck May 25 during Multi-National Maritime Exercise (MNME) 05-1. U.S. Navy photo by Airman Peter Carnicelli.
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India to order 200 choppers from IAIIndia's security establishment will be ordering at least 200 Dhruv advanced light helicopters.
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Israel formally inducts DhruvThe Dhruv Helicopter is formally inducted in the Israeli defence forces to ferry VIPs and defence officials.
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US denies deadline on arms purchasesThe Pentagon has denied imposing a deadline on Taiwan's decision on whether to purchase 12 P-3C anti-submarine reconnaissance aircraft.
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Exercise — and weather — test Kadena's battle preparednessA weeklong war exercise was held at Kadena Air Base, Japan recently.
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Former first lady opposed to moving planes to Arkansas baseU.S. senator Hillary Rodham Clinton doesn't want more C-130s moved to the Little Rock Air Force Base from the Niagara Falls Air Reserve Station in New York.
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Hawker de Havilland Awarded F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Work by Northrop GrummanAustralian firm Hawker de Havilland has signed a $70 million, long-term agreement with Northrop Grumman Corporation to produce composite parts and subassemblies for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter center fuselage.
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Plans to Boost Military Strength DetailedThe South Korean Defense Ministry plans to get hold of airborne warning and control systems and acquire or develop high or mid-altitude unmanned aerial vehicles by 2010. The next-generation surface-to-air missile project (SAM-X) will start next year.
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Northrop Grumman Helps U.S. Air Force Develop Technologies for More Efficient Supersonic FlightNorthrop Grumman Corporation is helping the U.S. Air Force develop propulsion technologies that could enable aircraft to routinely fly more than twice the speed of sound without the drawbacks of supersonic flight.
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ACT asks for Super HornetsAllies for Cherry Point's Tomorrow formally asked the Base Realignment and Closure Commission for F/A-18 Super Hornets based at Virginia Beach, be realigned to Cherry Point.
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Former Cannon commander promotedFormer Cannon Air Force Base commander Robert “Rowdy” Yates was promoted to the rank of brigadier general Wednesday at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia.
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Northrop Grumman Selected to Provide Link Middleware Software for Navy MH-60 HelicoptersNorthrop Grumman Corporation has been selected by Lockheed Martin to provide communications software for the U.S. Navy's new MH-60R and MH-60S multimission helicopters.
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IAF wants LCA programme to be faster: Air ChiefThe Indian Air Force is concerned over the slow pace of the development of Tejas and hope the supersonic aircraft programme could be speeded up.
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Kitty Hawk, CVW-5 Depart for Summer Underway PeriodUSS Kitty Hawk (CV 63), after completing almost two months of scheduled maintenance and three days of at sea training, departed its forward-deployed operating port of Yokosuka, Japan, May 23, for its summer underway period.
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National Historic Landmark Dedicated on Naval Air Weapons Station China LakeThe Navy held a dedication ceremony for the Coso Rock Art National Historic Landmark May 20 at Naval Air Weapons Station China Lake.
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Boeing, Lockheed Martin Proceed With DARPA/AF ISAT ProgramBoeing Co. and Lockheed Martin Corp. have been chosen to proceed to the next stage of the Innovative Space Based Radar Antenna Technology (ISAT) program.
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Scotland's RAF helicopters get infra-red technologyThermal imaging cameras are being fitted to the fleet of Sea King helicopters at the RAF Lossiemouth.
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Major Milestone Completed on Turkey's First Peace Eagle AircraftBoeing workers in Seattle, Wash. have installed a reinforced upper section of the fuselage on the first 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for Turkey's Peace Eagle program.
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Russia Successfully Tests Newest Cruise MissileThe Russian Air Force have successfully conducted a test of the X-555 cruise missile.
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UAV air demonstration set for JuneA day-long demonstration of unmanned aerial vehicles will be held June 27 at the Naval Air Station Patuxent River's Webster Field Annex.
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Two Dead in U.S. Chopper Crash in IraqA OH-58D helicopter crashed in Iraq after being attacked by small arms fire Thursday killing both crews.
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Thursday, May 26, 2005
Northrop Grumman Delivers Enhanced Radar for F/A-22 RaptorNorthrop Grumman Corporation has delivered a next-generation variant of the active electronically scanned array (AESA) fire-control radar for the U.S. Air Force's F/A-22 Raptor.
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Base-closure information still withheldInformation from the Pentagon on how it decided to close Ellsworth Air Force Base remained classified on Tuesday when it was supposed to be released May 20.
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Sling-load training a blast — of windTroops from the U.S. Army's 2nd Infantry Division underwent sling-load training at Camp Mobile, South Korea.
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India's defence far stronger than Pak: US ReportA report prepared by the U.S. Congressional Research Service (CRS) said that India has stronger air defense capabilities than Pakistan.
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AgustaWestland awarded £194M M-TADS Apache modernisation contractThe U.K. Ministry of Defence has awarded AgustaWestland, a £194m contract to upgrade the Apache AH MK1 sighting and targeting system.
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Laughlin’s U-2 pilots reuniting in Del RioU-2 pilots and their families from the 4080th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing are gathering in Del Rio and Laughlin Air Force Base this weekend to get reacquainted and to reflect on their place in history.
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Data on F-16 decision lackingA committee charged with keeping Springfield’s 183rd Fighter Wing in St. Louis are concerned about the lack of data provided by the Pentagon on its decision.
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Keeping an eye on the goalThree U.S. senators recently urged the Missile Defense Agency (MDA) to keep its eye on the goal -- the near-term deployment of missile defenses.
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RADOME SUCCESSFULLY INSTALLED ON SEA-BASED X-BAND RADAR (pdf)Sea-Based X-Band Radar's protective radome has been successfully installed.
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AIRBORNE LASER CONFORMAL WINDOW EXPOSED DURING FLIGHT (pdf)The Airborne Laser’s 1.7-meter-wide conformal window was successfully exposed during flight for the first time on May 17.
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Air Force, Marines train together in the sky The Colorado Air National Guard traveled to Miramar to train with the Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225, flying their F-16C Falcons against the Marines' F/A-18 Hornets.
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Pakistan seeks as many as 75 new F-16 warplanesPakistan has sought prices for buying as many as 75 new F-16 C/D Falcon fighter aircraft since the Bush administration announced it would resume sales.
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EDITORIAL – Widow-makerAn editorial from The Philippine Star about the recent crashes faced by the Philippine Air Force.
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Britspeak crashes flying Indians' prideThe biggest difficulty facing the six Indian Air Force (IAF) pilots flying the Hawk jets at RAF Valley was "the English language".
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Taiwan's military will fire blanksTaiwan's air force has enough munitions to last only two days in a war with China.
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US Deploying 15 Stealth Fighters to S. Korea15 F-117A Nighthawk stealth fighters from the 49th Fighter Wing will deploy this week to the Korean Peninsula.
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NAS Fallon says goodbye to F-14 fighter planesBy Friday, the last F-14 Tomcat will out of Naval Air Station in Fallon.
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Harpy UAV compromise with US: No upgrades for ChinaA compromise has been reached with the US over the Harpy attack unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), produced by Israel Aircraft Industries Ltd. (IAI), which were sold to China. The Harpies China sent to IAI for what was called "repairs", will not be upgraded, while the US has withdrawn its demand that Israel confiscate them.
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Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Upgrade of first Su-25UB attack plane begins in RussiaWork has started to upgrade the first Sukhoi Su-25UB two-seat combat and training plane to the Su-25UBM level.
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Flight tests of Su-25TM attack aircraft, fitted with Kopyo-25M radar, to start in JunePreparations for flight tests of the Sukhoi Su-25TM attack aircraft, equipped with the upgraded Kopyo-25M radar are being completed.
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Rogue pilot was scared for his life when he saw jet fightersThe rogue pilot whose plane strayed into restricted airspace around the White House on May 11 was very scared when he saw the two F-16s and a Black Hawk helicopter that were assembled to intercept him.
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Unsafe! India's airspace has many gaping holesThere are"many gaping holes" in India's radar network to detect intrusions by hostile aircraft or missiles.
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Lekota defends plane purchaseSouth African Defence Minister Mosiuoa Lekota said the purchase of A400Ms is for peacekeeping operations.
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Kalam discusses Sukhoi collaboration in RussiaIndia's President APJ Abdul Kalam discussed with Russian officials on the possibility of collaboration in the production of fifth generation Sukhoi fighter aircraft.
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Turkey helps rebuild Albanian military air baseAlbania has completed the reconstruction of an air force base with $5 million of financial assistance from Turkey.
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Army's New Attack Helicopter Takes to the AirThe British Army's Apache AH MK1 was declared fully operational May 24.
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BRAC commissioner tours Fort Bragg, Pope Air Force BaseRetired Adm. Harold Gehman, one of nine members of the Base Realignment and Closure Commission, toured Fort Bragg and Pope Air Force Base on Tuesday.
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Northrop Grumman's LITENING Targeting System Achieves F/A-18 Weapons Testing MilestoneA U.S. Navy F/A-18 Hornet aircraft successfully released an inert GBU-38 weapon while carrying Northrop Grumman Corporation's LITENING AT targeting system during a recent weapon separation test at Patuxent River Naval Air Station.
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Four dead in Philippines military plane crashFour Philippine Air Force officers were killed when their four-seater T41D trainer plane crashed in northern Luzon region.
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Northrop Grumman Radar for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Achieves Program MilestoneNorthrop Grumman Corporation's fire control radar for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has passed a key milestone in system integration testing by detecting airborne targets at the company's integration laboratory.
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We'll build more weapons like BrahMos, says KalamIndia's President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam said India and Russia would jointly build new weapon systems using the experience gained in designing the BrahMos anti-ship cruise missile.
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Lockheed Martin Delivers 65th Improved P-3C AircraftLockheed Martin has delivered the U.S. Navy’s 65th P-3C aircraft modified under the Anti-Surface Warfare Improvement Program (AIP). This aircraft represents the second of five P-3C aircraft Lockheed Martin will update in 2005.
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Lockheed Martin Selected for Continued Development of the Innovative Space Based Radar Antenna Technology (ISAT)The U.S. Air Force announced that Lockheed Martin has been selected to continue development of the Innovative Space Based Radar Antenna Technology, known as ISAT.
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India may use trainer as combat aircraftIndian Air Force Air Marshal S Bhojwani said that the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers it bought from Britain may be used in combat and he is not aware of any contract between the Indian government and BAe Systems, limiting aircraft use to pilot training.
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Boeing Laser JDAM Hits Moving Target in Flight TestBoeing successfully tested its 500-pound Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) for the first time against a moving target at Eglin Air Force Base. The laser sensor is a modular kit that is easily installed in the field to the front of existing JDAM weapons.
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First RAF Typhoon Squadron reformsRAF No 17 Squadron was officially reformed May 19 at RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire. The Squadron now acts as the Operational Evaluation Unit for the RAF's Typhoon.
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Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Mobile Super Hornet Simulator Gives Competitive Edge: BoeingA Boeing Co. mobile simulator for the Super Hornet fighter gives the company a competitive advantage by letting customers have a convenient hands-on experience and provide immediate feedback, a Boeing official says.
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U.S.-Japanese AMD system will not provoke arms raceChief of the Russian General Staff General Alexander Baluyevsky believes that the American-Japanese anti-missile defense system will not start a new arms race.
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Navy in line for US weapons systemThe Pentagon had announced the possible sale of three Aegis naval weapons systems to Australia to improve interoperability between RAN and USN forces.
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New ideas stimulate air-force simulatorIsraeli Air Force is relying on simulators to keep its pilot's skills top notch.
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System Planning Corporation Awarded Contract to Supply RCS Radar Imaging System for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Manufacturing TestingSystem Planning Corporation (SPC) announced that it has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company to supply an SPC MkVe Radar Cross Section (RCS) Radar Imaging System for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Program.
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Boeing Says Max Range Test Shows SLAM-ER Can Meet RequirementsBoeing says the recent maximum range test of the SLAM-ER missile demonstrates the missile's ability to meet or exceed U.S. Navy requirements.
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A 767 is Boeing's white elephantBoeing is considering scrapping or donating to a flight museum the 767 build for the cancelled U.S. Air Force tanker contract.
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U.S. Army Awards Raytheon $16.5 Million to Provide Multi-Sensor Payload for UAVRaytheon Company has been awarded a $16.5 million U.S. Army contract to provide the electro-optic/infrared/laser designator (EO/IR/LD) payload for use on the Army's
Extended Range Multi-Purpose (ERMP) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
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Luke losing Joint Strike Fighter training to FloridaLuke Air Force Base is expected to lose training instructors and maintenance operations related to the F-35 under the Base Realignment and Closure recommendations.
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Meteor changes planned to accommodate JSF fit MBDA plans adjustments to its Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM) to make it capable of deployment on Lockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
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Pilots Give New C-130J Aircraft Rave ReviewsUSAF pilots are excited about flying the lastest model of the C-130.
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Former top gun to take charge of the air forceFormer Mirage fighter and F-111 fighter-bomber pilot Geoff Shepherd has been appointed head of the RAAF.
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Armee de l'air ranges Louisiana skiesFour Dassault Mirage 2000 fighters from the Armee de l'air are at Barksdale Air Force Base for Air Warrior II.
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Helo makes emergency landing in IraqA CH-47 Chinook helicopter was forced into an emergency landing early Sunday south of Samarra, Iraq.
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Exercise Springhawk 2005 - The Public Display Authority.RAF Air Marshal Sir Joe French has approved the The Red Arrows 2005 flying display.
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Hurricane Hunters fly first operation WC-130J missionA WC-130J Hercules flew into an active hurricane recently. Making it the first operational WC-130J mission.
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Six IAF men graduate to fly Hawk AJTs in UKSix Indian Air Force pilots on Monday successfully completed their fast jet flying course in U.K. and graduated to fly the U.K.-made 'Hawk' Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) aircraft.
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Monday, May 23, 2005
TAIWAN HAS 9 DAYS TO BUY P-3C ANTI-SUB PLANES OR LOSE THE CHANCE: MNDU.S. has given Taiwan till the end of the month to buy a squadron of 12 P-3C anti-submarine aircraft; otherwise, they will be sold elsewhere.
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Senate bill prohibits Air Force from retiring stealthsLegislation prohibiting the U.S. Air Force from retiring any of the F-117A stealth fighters stationed at Holloman Air Force Base has been included in a massive defense measure.
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Futenma's functions may go to Kadena, IwakuniTokyo will propose to Washington that the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station in Okinawa Prefecture be relocated to Okinawa's Kadena Air Base and a base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture.
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Pak. upgrades Australian MiragesPakistan have successfully upgraded the avoinics and other sub-systems of Australian Mirage that Pakistan Air Force had purchased in the late 1990s. Pakistan has also rebuilt a number of Mirages out of over 30 jets the PAF had purchased from Libya last year.
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Show readies for takeoff``Aero Expo 2005: Defenders of Freedom Air Show'' show at Akron Fulton International Airport will feature the F/A-18F Super Hornet for the first time.
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India plans supersonic jet trainer facilityIndia is now considering the possibility of developing its own supersonic jet trainer and a multi-role medium range combat plane.
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Atsugi F/A-18 training draws noise protest from city officialsOfficials from Yamato city, located near Naval Air Facility Atsugi, asked U.S. Navy officials to not let F/A-18s train the same hours as notified night-landing practice hours.
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Thousands check out 'Amarillo's investment' at Bell open houseBetween 4,500 and 5,000 visitors were at the open house for Bell Helicopter Textron last Saturday.
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U.S - USAF national museum receives MiG-19 canopy from PAFThe National Museum of the U.S. Air Force recently received a MiG-19 canopy as a gift from the Pakistan Air Force to complete the display of the Museum’s MiG-19 aircraft.
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Analysis: China ready to counter U.S. space plansA leading expert on the Chinese space program told United Press International that China takes U.S. plans to boost its space military capabilities very seriously.
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Su-25 plane crash supposedly caused by tech faultA Russian Su-25 attack plane crashed near Dushanbe, Tajikistan on Saturday.
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Push button plane landing hailedBritish technology firm Qinetiq has developed a device that allows a modified Harrier aircraft to land on to the deck of the HMS Invincible without the pilot touching the controls.
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Guam's Andersen AFB eyed as home for new Global Strike Task ForceAndersen Air Force Base, Guam is to be U.S. Pacific Air Forces hub for a force of intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, strike and aerial refueling assets.
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Elmendorf base's 3rd Wing welcomes new commanderBrig. Gen. Michael Snodgrass relinquished his command of Elmendorf's 3rd Wing to Col. H.J. "Hawk" Carlisle.
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St. Louis’ loss of F-15s poses little threatIllinois, Arkansas and St. Louis will lack fighter cover when their fighters are moved elsewhere due to base closures.
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News not entirely bad for SheppardTwo courses, Specialized Undergraduate Pilot Training and Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals training, will be introduced at Sheppard Air Force Base.
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Odd-looking fleet coming to KirtlandThe 71st Special Operation Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base is set to accept six CV-22 Ospreys.
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Boeing Built First Italian Air Force KC-767 Tanker Makes First FlightBoeing test pilots took the first Italian Air Force KC-767A advanced aerial refueling tanker on its maiden flight May 21.
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Sunday, May 22, 2005
American Fighter Pilot
American Fighter Pilot was a TV series created by CBS three years ago but was axed after 2 episodes due to poor ratings. Coproduced by Tony Scott (Top Gun) and Ridley Scott (Black Hawk Down), it follows the training of 3 aspiring F-15 fighter pilots through a 110-day training course at Tyndall Air Force Base. Now released as a DVD, it contains 7 hours of footage showing for the first time the whole training process.
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No news today as I'll be heading out to sea for fishing. News will resume tomorrow.
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