Monday, October 31, 2005
Canadian troops to carry miniature spy planes on their backs by August
Canada's military is buying miniature spy planes that soldiers can carry on their backs .
They will be deployed with the troops in Afghanistan next year.
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Airbus Expects A400M Major Contract
Malaysia may announce its decision to purchase the A400M from Airbus at the Lima '05 in December.
Chile is also interested in getting three A400Ms.
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Human error cause of crash of Cyprus military aircraft
The crash of a Cyprus National Guard PC-9 on
Sept. 10 was primarily due to human error.
The crew diverted from the planned flight path and flew past a village at low level, it it a church bell tower and crash.
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Air Force’s tech chief to command USAFE
Lt. Gen. Tom Hobbins, Chief Information Officer of the USAF, will be promoted to general and become the new commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe.
He is an F-15 pilot.
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Fifth Generation Stealth Fighter Enticing ROK Air Force
Lockheed is keen to sell the F-35 to South Korea when it decides which aircraft to buy after 2008.
David M. Scott, vice president of Lockheed Martin’s international business development, compared the F-15K's price of $100 million per unit to the F-35's $45 million per unit as a selling point.
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Pentagon, Industry 'Working Hard' To Reverse J-UCAS Cut
The USAF, the USN, DARPA, the Office of the Secretary of Defense, Boeing and Northrop Grumman are all working together to defeat a proposal by Congress to slash funding for the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems program.
The U.S. Senate proposed to slash $200 million from the Bush administration's $350 million request for J-UCAS.
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Israel, Romania seal F-16 sale deal
Washington has given the green light for Israel to sell its old F-16A/Bs to Romania for $150mil.
Elbit Systems which has upgraded Romania's MiG-21 in the past will oversee the upgrading and maintenance of the fleet sold to Romania.
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Sunday, October 30, 2005
Pentagon resists air base cash demands
United States is unwilling to pay Kyrgyzstan $80m for the past use of it Manas air base.
The Pentagon has already paid the former regime for fuel and supplies but the new president alleges were siphoned out of the country.
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Lithuania Hands Over to Russia Crashed Fighter Jet Black Box
The black box belonging to the Su-27 that crashed in Lithuania has been returned to Russia.
The plane's armament, four air-to-air missiles, an aircraft gun, cartridges were returned on Oct. 26.
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Yokosuka expresses outrage at aircraft carrier deployment
Residents living at Yokosuka, where the U.S. forward deploys an aircraft carrier, are angry that the Japanese government allowed a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to replace the USS Kitty Hawk.
Vice Foreign Minister Shotaro Yachi said that the Washington has assured Tokyo that safety measures will be strictly enforced when the carrier docks.
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Nelson 'confident' military needs will temper drilling
U.S. Sen. Bill Nelson, Florida said that the need for training fighter pilots and testing missile systems will prevent oil and gas drilling near the coast.
The House Resources Committee recently adopted a budget amendment to permit drilling within 125 miles of Florida's coast.
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CBI starts preliminary probe into two defence deals
India's corruption watchdog CBI is opening a preliminary probe into the purchase of Israeli Barak anti-missile system.
The Barak is deployed on the carrier INS Viraat.
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German Air Force Air Defense Center gets new commander
The German Air Force Air Defense Center at Fort Bliss, Texas has a new commander. Col. Klaus Habersetzer transferred command to Lt. Col. Uwe Haenel.
Fort Bliss is the location of U.S. Army's Air Defense Artillery Center and School.
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Kadena F-15 drills to be transferred to five ASDF bases
USAF F-15s in Japan will move some of their training to the following JASDF bases : Chitose, Hokkaido; Hyakuri, Ibaraki Prefecture; Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture; Tsuiki, Fukuoka Prefecture; and Nyutabaru, Miyazaki Prefecture.
This will reduce the noise levels at Okinawa Island.
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AESA radar sale: US decision on Nov 21
The Bush Administration will reveal at a meeting on Nov 21-22 at the Pentagon whether to allow India to have the APG-79 AESA radar.
The radar will come togther with the F/A-18 Super Hornet that is being offered to the Indian Air Force.
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1st EMS Troops Build Joint Direct Attack Munitions for First Deployment of Langley F/A-22s
The USAF 1st Equipment Maintenance Squadron is helping the 1st Fighter Wing return back to an air-to-ground role.
The squadron send 10 airmen together with the 27th Fighter Squadron to Hill AFB. There they help deploy the 1,000 pound JDAM the first time for the Air Force.
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Air Force gives hope to Air NZ engineers
The RNZAF is willing to hire
Air New Zealand engineers that could lose their jobs as a result of the airline moving maintenance jobs overseas.
RNZAF has been hiring ex-RAF staff in an attempt to recover from long-term staffing shortages.
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Mobility Study Would Cap Buys Of C-17, C-130J By Decade's End
The Boeing C-17 and Lockheed Martin C-130J could end their production run by the end of the decade under a Mobility Capability Study from the Pentagon.
Closing the lines could also cede the military transport market to the A400M.
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Saturday, October 29, 2005
Singapore Light Weight Howitzer (SLWH) Pegasus
Singapore unveiled the world's first heli-portable 155mm howitzer with a self-propelled capability. Pictures show it in action with an RSAF Chinook helicopter.
The ground crew prepares the howitzer to be underslung by the Chinook.
The Chinook takes off and drop its at a new location.
The crew disembarks to deploy the howitzer.
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'Terrorists' planned missile attack on planes in France: report
French Islamic extremists planned to attack passenger airliners in France with SA-18s in 2003.
French newspaper Le Figaro reported that two SA-18s were reported missing in Europe and the missiles came from Chechnya.
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Bush admin. drops 'bunker-buster' plan
The Bush administration has stopped research for a nuclear bunker buster and will develop one using conventional solutions.
The nuclear bunker buster's funding has been dropped from the Energy Department's fiscal 2006 budget.
Last April, a National Academy of Sciences panel concluded that an earth-penetrating nuclear device would likely cause the same casualties as a surface burst if the weapons are of the same size.
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Wynne confirmed as Air Force secretary
The U.S. Senate has confirmed Michael Wynne as the next Air Force secretary. He will replace acting Secretary Peter Geren.
Wynne, who served as the acting undersecretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.
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Raptors return with insight, information
The USAF 27th Fighter Squadron has completed their deployment to Hill Air Force Base, Utah and is returning back to Langley Air Force Base.
The F/A-22s flew their last sortie over the Nevada desert on Oct. 26 against the simulated surface-to-air sites there.
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Greek defence ministry under fire over F-16 fighter purchase
The Greek government is under fire from the main opposition party over the cost of a planned purchase of
40 F-16s.
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Air Force choppers flex their wings
The Indian Air Force held its first helicopter aircrew competition at the Sarsawa air force station.
Eight helicopter units were tested in the following operations : hovering, search and rescue, under-slung operations, low level navigation and spot paradropping.
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General says Iraqis aren't ready to support their own fighter aircraft
Lt. Gen. Walter E. Buchanan, commander of U.S. Air Forces, Central Command, said the Iraqi air force is not ready to have their own fighter aircraft.
What the Iraqis lacked is the logistical capabilities to support fighters. The Iraqi Air Force will eventually have light attack capabilities but there are no plans to give the Iraqis MiGs or Mirages, he said.
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Rural area was site of FBI search
Noshir S. Gowadia, the engineer who sold secret B-2 information, may have given the data to eight foreign governments.
He also claims to be the father of the B-2's infrared suppressing propulsion system.
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Maiden flight for Hungarian Air Force Gripen
The first Hungarian dual-seat Gripen made its first flight in Sweden on Thursday. This is one of the two Gripen trainers Hungary will lease.
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They are flying high on Nat Geo
Three men and two women will take part in a reality show by National Geographic Channel to experience life in the Indian Air Force.
One person will get to fly in a fighter jet.
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'Friendly fire' pilot tells author he's victim of Pentagon coverup
USAF Maj. Harry Schmidt said in a new book that he is a fall guy in a coverup after accidentally bombing Canadian troops in Afghanistan.
Author Michael Friscolanti said the USAF realised that its command and control structure will be open to scrutiny and they needed a scrapegoat.
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Kalaikunda set for Indo-US exercises
IAF's Kalaikunda Air Force station is ready to welcome the USAF's F-16s from Misawa and Kadena Air Base for Cope India 2005.
Air Commodore A Saikia, commanding officer of the base, said that besides U.S. and Singapore, the U.K. is in discussions to bring their jets there for training as well.
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Friday, October 28, 2005
VF-143 Pukin Dogs Poster (Update)
This poster was created as the result of a collaboration between 3 people living at different locations, communicating via email. Yesterday it came back to me after traveling across the pacific ocean, across the west coast to the east coast of United States to NAS Oceana. Thirteen pilots from VF-143 signed the posters for Mike and me with the help from Gerry. Both Mike and I would like to thank Gerry and the PAO of Pukin' Dogs for making it possible.
Yank relinquish his command of Pukin' Dogs recently and we were lucky to have his signature on it.
We still have 8 copies of the same poster left for sale
here.
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F-117 Nighthawk tail no. 782 to retire after Edwards Open House, Air Show
F-117 Nighthawk, tail number 782 retires after flying at the Edwards Open House and Air Show.
782 was one of the five prototype F-117s that were hand-made in the ‘80s before full scale production.
782 was the first with a complete avionics suite and the first to be fully equipped with an Infrared Acquisition and Designation System.
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AMRAAM, KEI Imperiled By Hill Budget Proposals, DOD Says
Pentagon says that a reduction in fiscal 2006 funding by the U.S. Senate could affect the development of the AIM-120D.
The Air Force's Space Based Infrared System-High (SBIRS-High) will have to be restructed as well.
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U.S. Navy Announces CVN to Replace USS Kitty Hawk in 2008
Japan has allowed the U.S. Navy to deploy one of its Nimitz-class aircraft carrier in Japan to replace the USS Kitty Hawk.
The USS Kitty Hawk will return to the United States in 2008 to be decommissioned.
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Powerful and effective flyer
Two South Africa's Rooivalk attack helicopter proved its mobility recently in exercises.
They self-deployed over nearly 1 000km to a forward refuelling point, flew 100km from there to support a landing operation, and then launched an attack against a target 360km away from the refuelling point.
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P-8A MMA team members honored for excellence program continues on schedule
Two members of the P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft Program team were honored Sept. 21 for their exceptional performance in engineering.
Lt. Cmdr. Scott Ledig was named NAVAIR's Avionics Architecture and Systems Engineering Division (AIR-4.5.1) Military Engineer of the Year for fiscal 2005.
Mike Van Wie, P-8A software engineering manager and mission computing and display subsystem lead, was named the AIR-4.5.1 Civilian Engineer of the Year for fiscal 2005.
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IAF may follow US Air Force
The Indian Air Force wants to evolve itself into an 'expeditionary force' similar to the USAF.
While it does not have the ability to rapidly deploy and operate anywhere in the world, it will soon be able to deploy and operate from the Persian Gulf to the Straits of Malacca.
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Flying to a new high
Women pilots in the Indian Air Force are doing an outstanding job and in certain cases they outperform men.
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F-16 flys again — thanks to Hill group
A retired USN F-16 is stripped for parts so that two USAF F-16s can fly again.
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Israel weighs going straight to combat UAVs
Israeli Ministry of Defense officials and Israel Air Force commanders are considering alternatives to the F-35 as Pentagon still refuses access to the development.
One option is to go straight ahead and develop unmanned air combat vehicle (UCAV) and the other one favored by low-level officials is to purchase the Eurofighter.
However senior officials rejected the purchase as Israel has always depended on United States for its fighter needs.
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RAF Chinooks Ready For Action
The three RAF chinooks in Pakistan are ready to carry out their humanitarian missions on Saturday.
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“Gear Dogs” Hook Up TR With New Milestone
Lt. Jay Haddock, flying an S-3B Viking made the 160,000 recovery on USS Theodore Roosevelt.
The recovery was completed at 7:23 p.m. Oct. 25.
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N.C. base to be home to F-15E demo team
The U.S. Air Force F-15E demonstration team will be based at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base from November onwards.
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New processor makes Strike Eagle more lethal
The USAF F-15E Strike Eagle will be getting a new core processor next year to replace its original 1988 computer.
The first 15 aircraft should receive the upgrade by Sept. 30, 2006. The remaining jets will get the system by Sept. 30, 2010.
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B-2 Designer Accused of Selling Secrets
An engineer with Northrop Grumman Corp. from 1968 to 1986 and had helped design the B-2 gave classified information of the aircraft to a foreign country.
He faxed a document detailing infrared technology to a foreign official in 2002.
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Gripen fighter aircrafts ready for take off
South Africa's first Gripen will be making its maiden flight soon. The
two-seater will remain in Sweden until mid-2006.
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Lockheed Martin Receives $76 Million U.S. Navy Contract to Integrate Mine CounterMeasures Onto MH-60S Helicopters
Lockheed Martin has received a U.S. Navy contract to complete the integration and flight testing of five airborne mine countermeasures (AMCM) systems with the MH-60S helicopter.
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Thursday, October 27, 2005
F-16s deal is on, says FO
Pakistan’s Foreign Office has clarified that the purchase of F-16s from United States is still on but it will be delayed.
Earlier reports indicated that Pakistan may reconsider the purchase after the earthquake.
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Tuskegee Airmen return to war zone
Five Tuskegee Airmen visit the 332nd Air Expeditionary Wing, home of the Tuskegee Airmen’s alma mater, the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group at Balad Air Base, Iraq.
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Enterprise Crew Brings on the Ammo
USS Enterprise (CVN 65) completed a two-day ammunition on-load Oct. 24 from USNS Arctic.
1,173 lifts of ammunition was conducted with the help of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron 11.
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Grand Forks base tankers ready to return
The runway restoration of Grand Forks Air Force Base has been completed and the base's 319th Refueling Wing will return with their KC-135 on Sunday.
A FAA plane will check out the runway's instrument landing system today.
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RAF pilot grounded by driving ban
An RAF Nimrod pilot caught speeding at 109 miles per hour has been given a reduced driving ban of one month instead of the ususal four.
Sheriff Lindsay Foulis said the ban was reduced as it would cause inconvenience and could compromise the effectiveness of the Nimrod search and rescue team.
He also considered the fact that giving him a longer ban will bar him from driving operationally when the pilot deploys to the Gulf.
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Chinese exporter linked to missile scheme
U.S. federal prosecutors in Los Angeles have linked a Chinese state-run export company, China Xinshidai Group, to a conspiracy to sell surface-to-air missiles in the United States.
The firm wants to illegally export Chinese missiles to the United States through organized crime groups.
China Xinshidai Group owns China National Precision Machinery Import and Export Corp. which manufactures the HN-5.
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Indian Army on the process of evaluating bells LRH
The Indian Army is evaluating Bell's helicopters for its Light Reconniance Helicopter program.
Labels: Indian Army Light Helicopter
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Draft details realignment of U.S. forces
A draft Japan-U.S. agreement obtained by the Yomiuri Shimbun revealed the movement U.S. military aircraft under a realignment process.
Japan's Air Self-Defense Force will open up some of its bases for USAF F-15s to conduct training exercises.
Planes from USS Kitty Hawk will be based at Iwakuni Air Station. U.S. Patriot missiles will be deployed in Japan as well.
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F-15 part falls, damages carport, SUV
A USAF F-15E Strike Eagle had a TFOA during a mission on monday over South Carolina.
The 6-inch piece of metal tore a hole through a woman’s carport and damaged her Chevrolet Tahoe.
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Greece - F-16C/D Block 52+ Aircraft (PDF)
U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Greece of 40 F-16C/D Block 52+.
Other equipment include : 42 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems; 40 AN/AVS-9 Generation III Aviation Night Vision Goggles; 48 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals (MIDS-LVT); 3 Link-16 Ground Stations; 10 LANTIRN Targeting pods; 11 Reconnaissance pods.
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E-X Project Down to Two Bidders Again
Its down to Boeing and Elta
again for the South Korean E-X airborne early warning system.
Sources said Boeing's price was lower than last year while Elta raised its price a little, but the price difference between the two bids remains significant.
Boeing is more expensive but also more capable an Air Force insider said.
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Pilots eject after MIG 21 crashes
Two Indian Air Force pilots ejected from their MiG-21 trainer at the Bangalore airport Wednesday.
