Tuesday, January 31, 2006
Russia’s air force chief hits out at Sukhoi over spending priorities
Russian air force commander Gen Vladimir Mikhailov is unhappy that Sukhoi is spending too much time on the Russian Regional Jet instead of its T-50 next-generation fighter project.
He said the airframe’s configuration has been finalized and a prototype is expected to fly next year.
Labels: Russian 5th-generation fighter
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EADS likely to be admitted to bidding for US Air Force tanker contract - report
EADS, with its partner Northrop Grumman Corp, has good chances of being admitted to the bidding process for a US Air Force order for air refueling aircraft.
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Britain threatens to stop spares supply for navy aircraft
British High Commissioner to India Sir Michael Arthur said spares for Indian Navy's ageing Islander maritime aircraft will be cut if India sells the aircraft to Myanmar.
He said the supply cut will not affect the Sea Harriers and Sea King helicopters.
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Britain to conduct naval, air exercises with India
The Royal Air Force and the Royal Navy will be conducting exercises with India this year.
An aircraft carrier group will conduct an exercise with the Indian Navy in May while the RAF will send fighters in October.
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IAI unit wins $8m helicopter anti-missile system contract
Elta Systems Group has won the first order for its Self Protection System from a foreign customer.
It will be installed on military Mi-8 and Mi-17 helicopters.
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Major military exercise underway
The RAAF and the RNZAF are conducting an exercise from Monday to Feb. 10 in what is known as Exercise Ocean Protector.
It will be held in the Eastern Australia Exercise Area (EAXA) off the New South Wales south coast.
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'Hammer From Above' brings Marine aviation to the fore
Retired F/A-18 pilot, Jay A. Stout, details the U.S. Marine Corps aviation’s role in Operation Iraqi Freedom in his new book,
Hammer From Above: Marine Air Combat Over Iraq.
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Tories inherit Liberals' $1B chopper lawsuit
Canada's new Conservative government will inherit a lawsuit from the Liberals over the rejection of EH101 to replace Canada's Sea Kings.
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Request to place KC-130s at Iwakuni rejected
Tokyo has rejected request from Washingto that KC-130 tanker planes stationed in Okinawa be relocated to Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni instead of the JMSDF’s Kanoya base as initially agreed.
The Japanese government is concerned that partially revising an interim report the two countries agreed last October on the U.S. military realignment in Japan would result in the whole plan being revised.
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Six tough fighters vie for IAF pie
There are indications that the French may offer the Rafale for the 126 Multi-role Combat Aircraft competition for the Indian Air Force.
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Second Roosevelt flier marks aviation milestone
The commanding officer of VF-31 made his 1,000th cable-assisted landing at 12:39 p.m. Jan. 16 in the Persian Gulf.
Capt. William Sizemore, commander of Carrier Air Wing Eight, reached his 1,000th milestone in mid-December.
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IAF to exhibit firepower in March
The Indian Air Force will organise a three-day air show in March in Chandigarh.
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Ike Polishes New Pilots
USS Dwight D. Eisenhower hosted four training squadrons to help 32 both Navy and Marine student aviators get carrier qualified.
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Sick Jaguars to be back in fine fettle
The Indian Air Force is expected to get back seven upgraded Jaguars that were sent back for repairs after the upgraded components failed to meet the standards.
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VS-24 Scouts Take S-3B Viking to New Horizons
VS-24 now currently on board USS Theodore Roosevelt has a new mission besides conducting in-flight refuelling for CVW-8 and surveillance operations for Theodore Roosevelt Carrier Strike Group.
They are now flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions in support of British-led coalition ground forces in southern Iraq as well.
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Boeing signals intent to offer SIGINT development of 737
The U.S. Army will take a close look at Boeing's new 737 SIGINT in a six-month study following the failure of the US Army/Navy Aerial Common Sensor (ACS) program.
Labels: ACS
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Infrared laser jammer will identify missile type first
Australia’s Defence Science and Technology Organisation and Tenix Defence Systems are considering developing a closed-loop infrared countermeasures (CLIRCM) system.
Compared to existing DIRCM, a CLIRCM will identify the missile type to be jammed and transmits a customised IR jam code sequence that causes the seeker to break its lock on an aircraft.
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Missile defense in 2006: now more controversial than ever
If the United States is to launch an air strike against Iranian nuclear capacity, it will have to reinforce its missile defence forces in the region before doing so.
Iran is expected to retaliate with its Shebab missiles and the U.S. and its allies might find they need to defend nations in Eastern Europe or Central Asia.
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'Dazzling' F/A-18E/F radar marred by software faults
While the new APG-79 AESA radar for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet impressed the U.S. Navy crew, it sometimes frustrate them with multiple shutdowns and restarts during ongoing evaluations.
The report however states that Raytheon is expected to resolve the software stability issues before the radar enters operational service in late 2007.
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Turkish F-16 crashes
A Turkish F-16 crashed in the south eastern province of Diyarbakir on Monday just after take off.
The pilot ejected safely.
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Japanese lawmakers want F-15 flights suspended
The Okinawa prefectural assembly adopted a resolution Monday calling for the USAF to suspend F-15 flights after a recent crash.
The resolution said the crash could have been a disaster as the plane crashed into fishing grounds in the Pacific.
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Reporter extends apologies for war game folly
The following is News-Miner reporter Sam Bishop's first-person account of playing a missile defense war game with other reporters last week in the U.S. Congress.
Related Articles
US stages missile defense "war games" for Congress
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Singapore receives first Skyblade II UAV
The Singapore Army has received the first of four Skyblade II UAVs this month. Two more will be handed over in Feb. and one more in March.
The improved Skyblade II has an interchangeable payload module and an endurance of 2 hours.
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An aircraft carrier for China?
Analysts are convinced that China will have an aircraft carrier before the end of the decade.
They point to the efforts being done on the Varyag as an example.
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Monday, January 30, 2006
Yamaha Motor exported copter to army-linked Chinese firm
Yamaha Motor had illegally exported a remote-controlled crop-spraying helicopter to Poly Technologies Inc.
Poly Technologies Inc. is a Beijing-based company that produces, exports and imports weapons. Its is controlled by the PLA.
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Wind farm risk to low-flying jets
The British Civil Aviation Authority is concerned that windfarm planned for one of Scotland's most scenic areas could pose a risk to low flying aircraft including military one.
The wind turbines are over 400ft tall and commercial airline pilots and the RAF have voiced worries about turbine interference with flight radar.
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Labors of Hercules draw to a close
Hawaii Air National Guard's last C-130H flew its last mission on Tuesday last week. The mission involved transporting supplies for the Hawaii Air National Guard's 291st Combat Communications Squadron.
It was also the last flight for Lt. Col. James "Jim" Yuki and Lt. Col. Kevin Garcia before they retire this year.
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Prosecutor General dismisses electronic jamming as cause of C-130 crash
Iran's Prosecutor General Qorban-Ali Dorri Najafabadi dismissed reports that the recent crash of a C-130 in Tehran was the result of electronic jamming by foreign spies.
Iran's Interior Minister Ahmad Pour-Mohammadi had said recently that the crashes of two military planes in Iran were the work of United States, Britain and Israeli agents.
Related Articles
Iran accuses U.S., Britain and Israel of role in 2 plane crashes
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Ditched jet to stay on seabed
Five F/A-18s from USS Ronald Reagan were diverted to Brisbane International Airport on Saturday night after a Hornet ditched into the sea while landing on the carrier.
The pilots stayed overnight in Brisbane and returned to the carrier about noon.
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Yemen ready to return MiG-29 fighters to Moldova
Yemen is ready to return MiG-29s to Moldova which it bought in 1994. The deal has since been classified as illegal in Moldova.
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Revealed: UK's role in deadly CIA drone
Investigations by The Observer found that CIA Predator drones are sending back images to a secret base in the United Kingdom.
At RAF Molesworth in Cambridgeshire, staff at the American Joint Analysis Centre study the images and then decide what action to take.
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Boeing to showcase F-18 at Delhi
Boeing will bring a F/A-18 flight simulator to the Defexpo 2006 armaments fair at New Delhi, India.
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USS Ronald Reagan FA/18-C Aircraft Mishap
The USS Ronald Reagan has lost its first jet. A single seat F/A-18C Hornet from VFA-25 ditched into the sea while attempting to land at night.
The incident occurred approximately 120 miles south-east of Brisbane, Australia, Jan. 28 at approximately 4:17 a.m. PST. The pilot was safely recovered.
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Sunday, January 29, 2006
Iran warns U.S., Britain of missile response if attacked
Gen. Yahya Rahim Safavi, the chief of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, said on Saturday it would retaliate with medium-range missiles if attacked.
He also accused the United States and Britain behind bombings on Jan. 21 that killed at least nine people in the south western city of Ahvaz.
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MND opens bases to public during Chinese New Year
Taiwan's Hualien Air Base will be opened today to public. F-5s and F-16s will be on display.
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C-17 line could go on back burner
Boeing executives say that closing the C-17 line and mothballing the machinery for future production is a mistake.
They argued that suppliers not be able to financially keep up inventories and key technicians and workers would be lost as they looked for new jobs.
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ROC military targeted cross-strait flights, says Chinese language media
Chinese media reports suggested that the RoCAF carried out drills on commercial flights flying direct between Taiwan and China.
Chinese-language United Daily News said the F-16s and Mirages simulated launching missiles at the commercial flights in a drill in which Chinese planes were suspected of carrying biological weapons to be used on Taiwan.
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Surface-to-air missile test fired
India's Akash surface-to-air missile was tested twice yesterday from the Interim Test Range.
It was fired from a mobile launcher at 12:30 pm and then again at 12:35 pm.
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Saturday, January 28, 2006
Navy Establishes Trial Warrant-Officer-to-Pilot Program
The U.S. Navy is selecting 30 Chief Warrant Officers to be pilots and naval flight officers.
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Pentagon tanker study leaves time frame in air
The Rand report on the U.S. Air Force's tanker modernization plans recommends converting medium-to-large commercial planes to tankers but did not specify a time line.
The study, called the Analysis of Alternatives, recommends Boeing's 767, 777, 787 and 747, as well as the Airbus 330 and 340.
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Bell Helicopter’s Eagle Eye Vertical Lift Unmanned Aircraft System Achieves First Flight Milestone
The Bell TR918 Eagle Eye unmanned tiltrotor made its maiden flight on Jan. 26 and hovered for nine minutes.
The plane flew a second flight within 30 minutes of the maiden flight's landing.
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Iran accuses U.S., Britain and Israel of role in 2 plane crashes
Iran is accusing the United States, Britain and Israel for two military plane crashes in the last two months.
Tehran said the U.S, Britain and Israel's intelligence agents caused the crashes.
Related Articles.
Iran’s top military commanders die in plane crash
Iran blamed over Tehran air crash
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Ukraine scraps last strategic bomber
Ukraine has scrapped its last strategic Tu-22 Backfire witnessed by the U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst.
Under the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START I), Ukraine has voluntarily destroyed all it nuclear weapons and reduced strategic offensive arms.
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DOD Preserves Option of Future C-17 Buys
The Pentagon plans to disassemble its C-17 production line and store the tooling at an undisclosed site for future production.
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Fighter Jet Crashes But Pilot Ejects Safely
A South Korean F-16C from the 19th Fighter Squadron based in Chungju, North Chungcheong Province crashed at about 9:50 a.m. Jan. 27.
The pilot ejected to safety.
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New Chief Executive Appointed On Future Aircraft Carrier Project
Peter McIntosh, Managing Director of VT Shipbuilding, will be chief executive of the Alliance Management Team on the Future Aircraft Carrier (CVF) project.
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IAF refuses to fly new Jaguars
The Indian Air Force has refused to fly two Jaguars newly delivered by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited.
The IAF found that HAL used non-standard pipelines on the Jaguars and is concerned about who is responsible if it leads to a crash.
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Navy T-34 Crash Kills Two
A U.S. Navy T-34C crashed while conducting routine flight training near NAS Corpus Christi.
Both instructor and student were killed.
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Friday, January 27, 2006
JGSDF AH-64DJ 1st Flight
Both Tengu and Asagiri both send in links to the 1st Fuji AH-64DJ flight.
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Canadian plane-engine plant caught in squeeze
Pratt & Whitney Canada is caught in the middle of a spat between Washington and Venezuela over its aircraft engines.
The Bush administration is blocking the sale of C-295, CN-235 and Super Tucano that uses engines from Pratt & Whitney Canada.
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Japan protests alleged Russian intrusion into Japanese airspace
A Russian An-72 entered Japanese airspace late Wednesday and six F-15s were scrambled.
The plane entered Japan's airspace seven times between 7:07 p.m. (1007GMT) and 7:33 p.m. (1933GMT) Wednesday off the small island of Rebun in Hokkaido Prefecture.
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Tomassetti focused on VX-23 mission
U.S. Marine Lt. Col. Art "Turbo" Tomassetti is the new boss at VX-23. He was the lead government pilot for the
X-35 program.
Tomassetti was the VX-23 chief test pilot before assuming command.
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Aircraft maintenance standards questioned
The Thai House military affairs committee is concern over the number of crashes at the Air Force Pilot Training School.
The most recent crash occurred on Jan. 18.
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Thursday, January 26, 2006
Two Production RQ-4A Global Hawks Deploy in Global War on Terrorism
Photos of the first two production RQ-4A Global Hawks operating in an undisclosed location in Southwest Asia. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Mike Hammond
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Kyrgyzstan gives US new conditions for keeping airbase
Kyrgyzstan wants the United States to pay more rent for using its Manas Air Base in support of operations in Afghanistan.
Kyrgyz President Kurmanbek Bakiyev said last month that Washington should pay "tens of times more" for use of the airbase.
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AFRL breakthrough furthers space optics
U.S. Air Force scientists have developed a deployable optical telescope that is just 4 feet 10 inches in diameter.
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Computer problems shut down Boeing assembly lines
Production of Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornets were disrupted Wednesday due to a computer problem.
The first and second shift was affected but the third shift work as scheduled.
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Robins Air Force Base cited in potential breach of security
U.S. Air Force auditors have singled out Robins and Hill Air Force Base and two other installations for failing to wipe data from surplus computers before selling them.
Robins, Hill and Tinker along with Lackland manage and repair the vast majority of Air Force weapon systems, components and related equipment, including some containing highly classified software and hardware.
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'Smart' cable helps protect aircraft
The USAF Warner Robins Air Logistics Center came up with a Smart Cable that upgrades the missile warning system of aircraft flying in Iraq.
It has been installed on 400 coalition aircraft -- none of which have been hit by missile attacks.
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Pyongyang may hold secret info on missiles
Confidential information on Japan's Chu-SAM missile system could have been leaked to a pro-Pyongyang group in Japan back in 1995.
A Japanese Defense Agency official who briefed reporters claimed the data would not reveal the capabilities of the currently deployed medium-range SAM.
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Navy deal with Myanmar hits UK hurdle
Britain has warned India against the sale of a BN-2 Islander aircraft to Myanmar's military junta.
The British High Commission wrote a letter to the Indian foreign ministry ahead of Indian Navy chief Arun Prakash's visit to Yangon. The letter which was forwarded to him ask him not to continue with the proposed sale.
The letter hinted of future hitches in military sales if the sale continue. The Indian Navy wants to buy 10 second-hand Royal Navy Sea Harriers.
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'Banshees' prepare to prowl home
The USMC's VMAQ-2 is preparing to return home after six months of duty in support of Operation Iraq Freedom at Al Asad, Iraq.
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737 Spacious, Modern Replacement For EP-3
Aerospace Daily & Defense Report looks at the advantages of using the P-8A as a SIGINT aircraft to replace the EP-3E.
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New bird in the nest
A MV-22 Osprey is currently conducting cold weather trials at Grand Forks Air Force Base.
However the current warm temperature there could forced the Osprey to return next year in order to be certified for cold weather.
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Israel considers V-22 acquisition
The Israel Air Force is seriously considering getting the V-22 Osprey for its needs. It is sending its Chief of Air Directorate for Helicopters, Brigadier General 'Tamir', to fly the aircraft.
It wants the use the plane for special forces missions as well as search and rescue.
Labels: Israel V-22
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Arroyo pays tribute to Air Force pilot in Bulacan crash
Phillipine President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo paid tribute Wednesday to the late Air Force pilot Captain Aniano Amatong for steering his stricken plane from populated areas after encountering engine problems.
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Yamaha lied about GPS on helicopter
Yamaha Motor lied to Japanese customs authorities on the technology capabilities of an unmanned helicopter it planned to sell to a Chinese company.
The helicopter is equipped with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and other high-tech devices that can be used for military purposes.
The Chinese company also has close ties with China's People's Liberation Army.
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Israel Kicks Off Program to Improve Its F-16s and F-15s
Defense Industry Daily takes a look at the modernisation of Israeli Air Force's F-16C and F-15 A-D fleet.
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A right royal rescue
Pilot Vice Admiral Sir Roy Halliday and Air Gunner Norman Richardson recall how they were rescued by Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, sixty years ago.
Their plane was part of a large Royal Navy air strike on two Japanese-held oil refineries on Sumatra and was shot down by a Japanese plane.
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Russia, Algeria to Strike $4Bln Arms Sale Deal
Besides selling MiG-29SMTs, Russia is expected to sell 28 Su-30s and 8 divisions of S-300MPU2 air defense systems to Algeria.
Algeria may buy up to 50 Yak-130 combat trainer planes and about 30 Tunguska-M1 air defense systems in future.
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Red Team pushes for action on C-17
Long Beach's city council wants to push California governor, Arnold Schwarzenegger, to play a more active role in saving the C-17 production line.
"He (Schwarzenegger) should be running up to Washington, D.C., to use some of those muscles," added 7th District Councilwoman Tonia Reyes Uranga.
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Tanker talk could turn to Boeing 777s, 737s
Pentagon is expected to release the findings of last year's Rand Corp. study on the future of the USAF's tanker fleet today.
The DoD will hold a closed-door briefing for key members of Congress and there should be an announcement after the briefing.
Airbus is expected to be allowed to bid for the competition and the 767 will no longer be the USAF's number one choice.
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Military's newest cargo jet ready for action
The first U.S. Air Force C-17 to be based outside the mainland has flown its first flight last friday.
The "Spirit of Hawaii Ke Aloha" is expected to be handed over to Hickam Air Force base on Feb. 7.
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Wednesday, January 25, 2006
Police raid on North Korean association uncovered data on Japanese missiles
A Japanese police raid on a North Korean science-technology association in Japan last year uncovered data relating to its Chu-SAM.
The data contains a research simulation outlining the defense capability of the missile and was compiled by the Mitsubishi Research Institute on Apr. 20, 1995. The data may already have been leaked to North Korea.
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EADS Venezuela deal in jeopardy
Casa's plan to sell 10 C-295 tactical transports and two CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft to Venezuela is in jeopardy.
U.S. will veto the transfer of Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G and General Electric CT7-9 engines used on both aircraft.
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IAF not to fly `Dhruv' on R-Day
The Indian Air Force will not fly the Dhruv helicopter during the Republic Day parade on Jan. 26.
The IAF claims that the clearance certificate from HAL came too late because it has to carry out additional in-house checks.
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Boeing Introduces New 737 Signals Intelligence Aircraft
Looks like Greg got some serious updating to do on his
Battlefield Surveillance Aircraft page. Boeing is entering its 737 into the SIGINT market.
Boeing's new SIGINT aircraft concept is a variant of its 737-based P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft.
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IAF to shed redundant technology
The Indian Air Force could change the engines of the modernised MiG-21 Bisons from R-11 to R-13.
It is also phasing out the type 77 and type FL series.
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Beijing denies aircraft-carrier rumor
China's Taiwan Affairs Office of the State Council denied a rumor from Taiwan that China is rebuilding an aircraft carrier.
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Algeria to buy 40 MiG-29s
Algeria actually signed a contract with RSK MiG to acquire 40 MiG-29SMT multirole fighters and place options on another 30.
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Navy renews plan to cut carrier fleet, documents show
The Quadrennial Defense Review is expected to renew plans to cut the U.S. Navy's fleet of aircraft carriers to 11.
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France joins naval project for £140m
France has agreed to pay Britain as much as £140m to develop and construct an aircraft carrier based on the design of those being built for the Royal Navy.
France will pay Britain as much as £100m in three instalments over the course of this year for the rights to the British design.
In addition, France has agreed to put in another £40m towards the development of the carrier.
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Hello sailor: US aircraft carrier gets mixed reception
Australian environmentalists are not keen of USS Ronald Reagan's visit to Brisbane.
Brisbane is a nuclear-free zone but the port is outside the city's boundaries.
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Pilot steers falling plane away from village, dies
A Phillipine Air Force pilot steered his OV-10 Bronco away from populated areas and into a fishpond after encountering an engine problem. He was killed.
His co-pilot managed to parachute to safety.
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Congress: Keep helicopters simple
The U.S. Congress is warning the USAF not to buy anything fancy when it selects a new combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) helicopter this spring.
Language in the 2006 Defense Appropriations Act instructs the Air Force to "select an existing aircraft that will require minimum research and development to field."
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Helping pilots keep their heads
Designing the helmet that will be flown by pilots of the Eurofighter Typhoon won Sara Pullen the prestigious Young Woman Engineer of the Year award.
She works as a Crew Systems Engineer at BAE Systems, Preston.
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US stages missile defense "war games" for Congress
The U.S. Missile Defense Agency is hosting war games in Congress to allow lawmakers to better understand the complexity of the process.
During a simulation on Tuesday, one of nine interceptors failed to launch, allowing a nuclear-tipped enemy missile to hit Alaska's Aleutian Islands.
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UK MoD silent on report claiming Rolls-Royce, GE lose F-35 fighter engine deal
The U.K. Ministry of Defence declined to comment on a recent story that U.S. president George Bush has rejected an appeal from U.K. prime minister Tony Blair to refrain from scrapping the F136.
Related Article
Blair said to fail to win over Bush on F-35 engine
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India to float global tenders for Medium Range Combat Aircraft
When India opens its tender for 126 medium range combat aircraft, it will be open to all players.
Labels: MRCA
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Report: Annual missile defense spending could double in seven years
In a report produced by the U.S. Congressional Budget Office, the Bush administration could spend up to $19 billion by 2013 on missile defense.
The study also projects an average $13 billion per year cost for missile defense through 2024.
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Bell's Submission for Army's LUH Credited with Saving Tens of Thousands of Lives
Bell Helicopter's worldwide fleet of the 412 helicopter has saved tens of thousands of lives last year in its submission for the U.S. Army's requirement for a new Light Utility Helicopter.
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Tuesday, January 24, 2006
New J-10 nose wheel door
According to China Defense blog, the new batch of J-10s have changed to a new nose wheel door arrangement.
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Apache Helicopters Return
Three RSAF AH-64D Apaches have returned to Singapore after spending four years in Arizona.
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New MH-60R Introduced to the Fleet
HSL-41 introduced the new MH-60R Seahawk at a rollout ceremony held at Naval Base Coronado Jan. 19.
The MH-60R replaces the SH-60B and SH-60F.
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Reagan Carrier Strike Group Makes Port Visit to Brisbane, Australia
USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) arrived in Brisbane, Australia, Jan. 23 for a scheduled port visit.
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Boeing Receives Aircraft for Laser Gunship Program
Boeing has taken delivery of a USAF C-130H for the Advanced Tactical Laser (ATL) program.
Boeing is modifying the aircraft to enable it to carry a high-energy chemical laser and battle management and beam control subsystems.
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Greece’s HAI snatches stake in M346 trainer programme
HAI and Aermacchi have signed a MOU on the terms of Greek industrial involvement in the M346 advanced and lead-in fighter trainer program.
Aermacchi hopes to offer the M346 to Greece to replace its its Rockwell T-2C/E Buckeyes.
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Strain mounts on RAF transports
The RAF's air transport fleet will be further strain this year due to the expansion of U.K.'s military operations in Afghanistan.
The RAF may fly personnel into the region using civilian charter flights before completing their deployment using defensive aids system (DAS)-equipped transports.
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Wedgetail radar sails through test
Boeing and Australia’s Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) have conducted a successful 360° scan of the Wedgetail phased-array radar.
The test was conducted in the United States by a combined Boeing/DMO project team.
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F-22A Raptor flies first operational missions
The F-22A Raptor flew its first two operational sorties over the United States in support of Operation Noble Eagle Jan. 21 and 22.
Operation Noble Eagle provides air defense over the United States and Canada.
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Boeing begins CH-47F assembly
Boeing has started assembling the first new-build CH-47F Chinook under the U.S. Army’s cargo helicopter modernisation program.
The 're-new' design has attracted the interest of Canada and will be a strong candidate in Canada’s pending competition for a heavylift transport.
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Draft QDR: major special ops increase
The draft Quadrennial Defense Review tha was obtained by InsideDefense.com calls for the creation of a USAF unmanned aerial vehicle squadron.
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Israeli air force blunts prospects of finding Javelin launch customer
The Israeli Air Force has indicated that it is unwilling to be the launch customer for a military trainer version of the Javelin very light jet.
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is teamed with the USA’s Aviation Technology Group (ATG) to develop and market two military variants of the Javelin.
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European UAV makers urged to work together
Frost & Sullivan is urging European UAV makers to work together to narrow the technology gap that exists between them and their American counterparts.
To keep up with the USA on technology, European UAV manufacturers must form joint technology demonstrator projects that will eventually become development programmes, such as Neuron and EuroMALE.
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UK close to forging Future Lynx deal
A contract will be sign in the next few weeks for AgustaWestland to remanufacture up to 80 Lynx utility helicopters for the British Army and UK Royal Navy.
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RAF dismisses impact of Saudi Typhoon sale
RAF chief of the air staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup is not worried that the sale of 24 Eurofighter Typhoons drawn from RAF inventory will affect the introduction of the fighter.
The RAF determined that the situation is 'containable.'
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Cancellation is blow to Embraer's ambitions
The loss of the Aerial Common Sensor contract was a heavy blow to Brazilian aircraft maker, Embraer.
The company had wanted to expand its military aviation portfolio and the deal was expected to help it break into the North American market.
Labels: ACS
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Air force plans to buy jets that need shorter runway
The english language version of the RoCAF third-generation fighter story that was posted yesterday.
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Jet lets fingers do the flying
Members of the Association of Naval Aviation’s Hampton Roads Squadron were impressed when the JSF office brought a F-35 cockpit to Oceana last August.
Many of them were former naval pilots including Vice Adm. Dick Dunleavy.
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More F-35 fighter work tipped
Australia's aerospace industry is expected to win more work on the F-35, according to Northrop Grumman JSF deputy project manager Randy Secor.
He added that the quality and pricing of work coming out of Australia in the first phase of the program made it highly competitive against firms in the US and other parts of the world.
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Monday, January 23, 2006
Troubled Waters
Time Magazine takes a look at the issue of breaking up French aircraft carrier Clemenceau. Is it an economic opportunity or a floating toxic waste.
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US to Give Seoul Digital Map of Korean Peninsula
The U.S. National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) will provide the South Korean military a digital map of the Korean Peninsula to improve its surgical strike capability.
South Korea currently uses an outdated version of the digital map made in 1993.
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French ex-warship cleared to pass Suez Canel
Clemenceau has been allowed to sail through the Egypt's Suez Canal after a delay caused by worries it had hazardous materials aboard.
The carrier is on its way to a ship-breaking yard in Gujarat, India for breakup.
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空軍完成採購規畫 三代戰機 須有垂直起降能力
Taiwan's China Times is reporting that RoCAF plans to buy a third-generation fighter that has VTOL capability.
It is looking at the F-35 but the United States is not willing to sell them to Taiwan. Taiwan will like to upgrade its F-16 and Mirage 200 fleet as well.
Defence Minister Lee Jye said earlier that Taiwan hopes to buy second-hand F-15s but Air Force chief Liu Kui-li said the F-15 will not be a third-generation fighter.
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General prepares to shut down air-defense training
The U.S. Army is preparing to move its Air Defense Artillery Center and School from Fort Bliss to Fort Sill.
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Report: Yamaha raided over copters
Japanese police on Monday raided the headquarters of Yamaha Motor to investigate if the company had illegally export unmanned helicopters that can be converted to military use to China.
Yamaha allegedly sold an unspecified number of helicopters for pesticides sprinkling but these could be diverted to military uses such as spreading chemical weapons or spying.
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How B-2 data wound up in 787 program
Boeing engineers working on the 787 had taken data from B-2 technical manuals and copied straight into 787 technical specifications.
Using such borrowed knowledge is not allowed under federal International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) laws.
The engineers performed new tests and developed a fresh set of guidance data to replace the legally tainted B-2 data.
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France to press UK on carrier design deal - report
Britain and France are negotiating about how much the French has to pay in order to gain access work to the design of the Royal Navy's large carrier program.
The French industry needs access to the design data to assess potential savings in a co-operative program. It also needs to know the cost to adapt the CVF design to French Navy needs.
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New lease of life for Alphas
The RTAF will deploy its ex-German Alpha jets for artificial rain-making operations this year.
The aircraft will fire locally made silver iodide bullets at clouds. The air force bought 25 used Alpha jets from Germany and put 20 into use.
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Slovak plane crash investigators to question survivor
Investigators will begin questioning the only survivor of a Slovak An-24 crash that killed 42 people.
The army plane crashed into a snowy mountain in Hungary late on Thursday after starting its descent to land.
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Sunday, January 22, 2006
不具合？３機離陸中止／Ｆ１５飛行再開
A USAF F-15C was carrying out its safety check before take off when its engines were shut down and the plane towed back to hangar on Jan. 19.
Two other F-15s also aborted their take off later.
From Asagiri.
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空中給油機トラブル／嘉手納基地
A KC-135 took off from Kadena Air Base, Japan on Jan. 19 with its refuelling probe extended.
The plane retracted the probe and circled for 40 mins before landing.
From Asagiri.
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Firebrand strategist to head Iran’s Air Force
BG Hossein Salami has been appointed as the new commander of Iran's Air Force of the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps.
He will be in charge of the country’s ballistic missile development project.
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‘New and used F-16s may be bought’
The Pakistan Air Force is considering buying a mix fleet of new and used F-16s.
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U.S. military dropping firewood to parts of Afghanistan cut off by snowfall
The U.S. military has been able to bring down fire from the skies for decades. This month in Afghanistan, it’s delivering firewood.
Bundles of firewood are being air dropped to areas that are accessible only by air.
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Outgoing 18th Wing commander says farewell to Kadena
Brig. Gen. Jan-Marc Jouas flew his final flight in an F-15 as commander of the USAF 18th Wing on Thursday.
He will leave the post to become the vice commander of the Air Intelligence Agency, Air Combat Command at Lackland Air Force Base.
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Saturday, January 21, 2006
Chalit about-face over Russian jets
RTAF chief ACM Chalit Pukbhasuk is now willing to consider the Su-30 as a possible replacement fighter, this comes after rumours that he would be replaced if he failed to endorse the Russian-made aircraft.
The RTAF will now upgrade its 32 F-16s. It will also setup a panel to evaulate the Su-30, F/A-18 and Gripen.
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Air Force takes delivery of first production Global Hawks
The first of two production Global Hawks has started operations within hours of arriving in theater earlier this month.
The two UAVs are named AF-4 and AF-5. One day after arriving, AF-5 flew its first combat sortie for 24 hours.
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Gujarat keen to scrap 'toxic' Clemenceau
The Gujarat Maritime Board is asking the French to provide it with technical experts to remove toxic materials from aircraft carrier Clemenceau.
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One survivor of Slovak military aircraft crash in which 42 died
Only one person survived when a Slovak AN-24 went down on Thursday near the Slovak border.
The plane was flying troops home from a peacekeeping mission in Kosovo.
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AgustaWestland early front-runner in chopper contest
AgustaWestland's A129 Mangusta has emerged as the frontrunner for Turkey's attack helicopter competition.
One official said the A129 fits most of Turkey's technical specifications for the attack helicopter program.
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Boeing may use Antonov An-72 as platform for FCA bid
Boeing may introduce the Antonov An-72 as one of the options for the U.S. Army's pending Future Cargo Aircraft (FCA) competition.
The An-72, if Boeing were to offer it, would be the only jet-powered aircraft in the competition.
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Air Force Wants to Speed Tanker Program
Senior U.S. Air Force leaders want to kick start the competition to replace its KC-135 tankers in the coming months instead of waiting until several studies are completed next year.
Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne late last year said the service likely will push the program’s start to FY-07.
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Tough job lies ahead for Air Force's Suyanto
Indonesian Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshal Djoko Suyanto is expected to face opposition to his appointment as chief of the Indonesian Military (TNI).
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‘MiG-21 crashed after rocket went off in pod’
The recent crash of a IAF MiG-21 during a live firing exercise northwest of Jamnagar was attributed to a 55mm rocket that failed to fire and detonated in its pod.
The explosion damaged the aircraft forcing pilot Sqn Ldr J P S Bains to eject.
Related Article
MiG 21 crashes near Jamnagar, pilot ejects out safely
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Lakehurst races to upgrade 'brakes' for carrier landings
The arresting gear that brings an aircraft to a stop in seconds on an aircraft carrier has finally entered the digital age.
Researchers at Naval Air Engineering Station Lakehurst are using computers to control the arresting machinery. The computer will replace the hand crank to compensate for the weight of the aircraft that's about to land. It will also reset the cable after the plane lands.
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Blair said to fail to win over Bush on F-35 engine
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has failed to get U.S. President George W. Bush to save the F136 engine.
Sources close to the discussions said Blair left a video conference with Bush this week "empty-handed."
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VMFA-251, VFA-86 soar through first week at NAS Fallon, Nev.
VMFA-251 and VFA-86 were at Naval Air Station Fallon from Jan. 9-14 as part of the workout before their deployment as Carrier Air Wing 1.
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F/A-18C Crashes Near Naval Air Station El Centro
An F/A-18C from VFA-97 crashed approximately five miles north of Naval Air Station El Centro on Jan. 18.
The pilot, who was on a routine training mission, was killed.
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Friday, January 20, 2006
General Dynamics F-16 Flying Display at Asian Aerospace 1988
I recently saved this poster from the trash can and it was given out during Asian Aerospace 1988 where the F-16 made its first appearance at the show. I have scanned it into a pdf for free download. Sigh, it was called the
General Dynamics F-16 back then.
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Asian Aerospace 2006 Flying Display
Thanks to a friend, I managed to obtain a trade pass to this year's Asian Aerospace. The F-15 is expected to take part in the flying display. Click on the picture to zoom in.
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Successful Hellfire missile tests on Tiger helicopter
Pictures of the Australian Army’s new Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter testing the Hellfire on Dec. 7 last year.
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Algeria to get 70 planes under Russia deal
Another article on the arms deal between Algeria and Russia for 70 MiG-29s. The planes will be delivered in 2008.
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Reporting for duty
A group of USAF F-15Es left Seymour Johnson Air Force Base on Thursday morning for deployment to Iraq.
The 336th Fighter Squadron will be there for 120 days.
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Boeing to lay off 84 in Wichita
Boeing said that it plans to lay off 84 employees at its Wichita site as a result of Department of Defense program delays and budget issues.
Key programs in Wichita include design and upgrades for the KC-135 tanker, 767 tankers and B-52 Stratofortress.
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Advanced Light Helicopters airborne again: HAL
HAL has lifted the grounding of its Dhruv helicopter. It stress that the tail rotor problems were related to a batch of blades and not related to any design deficiency.
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Kadena mayor critical of flight resumptions in wake of crash
The mayor of Kadena, Okinawa criticise the USAF of resuming F-15 flights on Thursday, just two days after one crash into the sea near Okinawa.
Tokujitsu Miyagi said the resumption of flights at Kadena Air Base went against the feelings of local residents.
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Indonesia to buy more Sukhoi fighters from Russia
Indonesia plans to buy more Sukhois when President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono visit Russia in June.
State Secretary Yusril Ihza Mahendra said, "Indonesia wants to buy more Sukhoi jets from Russia. President Yudhoyono will visit Russia in June to discuss economic cooperation."
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Pilots say goodbye to favored trainer
The T-2 Buckeye will leave the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School sometime this summer after more than 30 years of service.
The T-2 was first introduced to the school in 1972 to replace the T-1.
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Airbus hoping to score on $4.6-billion transport carrier program
Airbus believes a Conservative victory could help its bid to replace Canada's C-130 fleet with the A400M.
The Conservatives have already said they would review the program if elected. The Liberal government announced on Nov. 22 for 16 new tactical airlifters that eliminate Airbus and Boeing from the competition.
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Night Vision Capability For Navy Seahawks
Australian Navy’s Seahawk helicopter squadrons will have night vision capability in two years time.
All 16 Seahawks will have their external lighting upgraded as well.
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Taiwan highlights Chinese threat
Taiwan’s defense ministry have released rare satellite images of Chinese military bases.
One Taiwanese military officer said Chinese Su-27s were deployed for the first time in July last year at Liancheng, in Fujian province facing Taiwan.
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Wedgetail could convert to exports
Boeing Australia is confident that the skills aquired during the conversation of 737s for the RAAF Wedgetail project will translate into significant export opportunities.
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Family will lay soldier to rest in Philippines
One of the two U.S. Army AH-64 pilots that was killed on Monday will be buried in the Philippines.
Chief Warrant Officer Ruel Garcia left the country twenty years ago to become a military pilot in the United States. He had served with the USAF for four years before switching to the Army after becoming a naturalized citizen.
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BMD Focus: The Missiles of Taiwan
Taiwan's decision to produce no less than 500 Hsiung Feng, or Brave Wind, 2E cruise missiles by 2010 may tempt China toward taking preemptive military action in the 2008-2010 period.
The massive cruise missile force, with its 360-mile range, deployed on Taiwan would put Hong Kong and Shanghai, the financial hub of China, in danger.
Labels: Hsiung Feng 2E
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Thursday, January 19, 2006
Last WC-130H departs Keesler
The last WC-130H has left the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron for Willow Grove Air Reserve Station.
The WC-130H has served the Hurricane Hunters for many years and the squadron has now fully transitioned to the WC-130J.
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Boeing Awarded Final Phase of CF-18 Avionics Upgrade
Boeing will upgrade Canada's 78 CF-18 aircraft with a data link system, a helmet-mounted sight system, new cockpit displays and a new flare-dispensing electronic warfare system.
This is the second phase of the program. The first phase equipped the CF-18s with new mission computers and radios, an APG-73 radar, a stores management system and a combined interrogator/transponder system.
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Surface-to-Air Missile Downed U.S. Chopper in Iraq
For the first time, Iraqi insurgents have successfully shot down a U.S. military helicopter using a surface-to-air missile.
Pentagon officials believe a SA-7 surface-to-air missile shot down a AH-64 on Monday.
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US helicopters in Iraq face menace of 'aerial bombs'
Insurgents in Iraq are deploying a new type of weapon against U.S. helicopters known to the Americans as 'aerial improvised explosive devices'.
The new home-made weapons are fired into the air from the ground and explode close to passing aircraft.
The bombs are placed along known flight paths and are triggered when insurgents see a low-flying helicopter approaching.
Insurgents are now targeting helicopters as they know it carries more passengers than road vehicles and that a crash is likely to prove fatal.
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Govt to examine Clemenceau on arrival
The Indian Government will examine former French aircraft carrier Clemenceau for toxic materials before allowing it to enter Indian waters.
The Central Pollution Control Board will inspect the ship.
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U.S. air base splits Nago voters / Futenma Air Station relocation key issue in Okinawan mayoral contest
The mayoral election in Nago, Okinawa Prefecture could influence the relocation plan of U.S. Marine Corps' Futenma Air Station.
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Friends Hold Vigil For Navy Pilot Missing For 15 Years
Fifteen years after Lt. Cmdr. Scott Speicher's F/A-18 Hornet was shot down over Iraq, his friends and those wanting the U.S. government to keep searching for him held a "Not Home Yet" vigil for him Tuesday night.
A joint Iraq-U.S. committee has just finished its work on determining his fate and the results will be announced by the Pentagon.
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MoD accused of 'superhangar' waste
The British defence ministry has been criticised by members of parliament for its decision to shut down a jet repair facility in south Wales just a year after it opened.
£100 million was spent constructing the super hangar which is now dubbed the White Elephant.
The facility is capable of accommodating up to 48 of the RAF's fast jets. A logistic review concluded that in future the jets should be serviced at their main operating bases rather than a single servicing centre.
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Northrop Grumman's Navy Fire Scout Gets Its Sea Legs, Completes First Autonomous Ship Landings
Two RQ-8A Fire Scout UAVs completed nine autonomous shipboard landings on board USS Nashville from Jan. 16-17.
This test marks the first time a Navy UAV has performed vertical landings on a moving ship without a pilot controlling the aircraft.
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F-15 crashes during training off Okinawa
Kadena Air Base has grounded all its F-15 flights after an F-15C from 44th Fighter Squadron crash on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, Okinawa City reacted strongly over the crash and an emergency city council meeting was held on Wednesday.
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F-15 makes emergency stop
An F-15 from the Oregon Air National Guard made an emergency landing at Medford airport after one of its engines failed in flight.
It was part of a four ship formation that was diverting to Medford airport due to snowy conditions at Kingsley Field.
Two of the planes were flown by student pilots.
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Indonesia leader taps air marshal to head military
Indonesian President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono has nominated Air Force Chief of Staff Air Marshal Djoko Suyanto to take over as armed forces commander.
Suyanto is the first air force commander nominated for the top military job. The air force is the least powerful of the three branches of the Indonesian military.
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Indian Navy's sureveillance capabilities get a boost
The Indian Navy has received one of its Il-38 that was sent to Russia for modernisation.
The updated aircraft carries the Sea Dragon patrol suite that can track over 30 targets at a time from a distance of up to 320 km.
A total of three aircraft are modernised.
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Lockheed Martin Awarded $18 Million For Israeli F-16 Flight Trainer
Lockheed Martin will provide Israel with a Flight and Systems Trainer (FST) for Israeli F-16I pilot training.
The F-16 FST provides flight, emergency procedures, aircraft systems operation, and tactical and weapon systems training.
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Wednesday, January 18, 2006
Aircraft purchase: IAF yet to take on wings with US firms
Lockheed Martin and Boeing wants the Indian Air Force to offer more flexibility in the terms and conditions for its fighter competition.
The Indians are already in the process of relaxing some of the stringent clauses.
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RAF Eurofighter crash lands
A RAF Eurofighter was damaged when its front wheel failed to deploy properly while landing.
The aircraft was returning to RAF Coningsby base in Lincolnshire, eastern England on Monday.
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Fifth generation Russian fighter plane to be ready in 2007
Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force Vladimir Mikhailov said that Russia's fifth-generation fighter plane will be ready in 2007.
Labels: Russian 5th-generation fighter
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Crashed bomber victim of technical problem - Air Force chief
The Russian Su-24MR that crash on Monday suffered from problems with its swing-wing configuration as it tries to land.
The wing could not move to its landing position and the crew made 20 attempts to land before ejecting.
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Meteor BVRAAM
Jane's takes a look at the current development status of the MBDA Meteor air-to-air missile.
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U.S. May Arm Subs With Conventional Warheads for Quicker Strike
The Pentagon wants to put as many as 96 conventional warheads for installation on 24 of the U.S. Navy's roughly 336 nuclear D5 Trident missiles.
This is to allow for quicker preemptive attacks on deeply buried enemy command centers or stockpiles of weapons of mass destruction.
The key question will be how Russian and Chinese missile warning systems are able to differentiate an attack on a terrorist target and a nuclear one aimed at both countries.
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Algeria to Buy 70 Russian MiG-29 Fighter Jets
RSK-MiG has signed a contract with Alergia to deliver 70 MiG-29s.
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New simulator training helicopter door gunners
The U.S. Army is using a new virtual helicopter door-gunner simulator to provide the first door-gunner training since Vietnam.
The user wears a helmet and visor with a 360-degree spherical view from the vantage point of a UH-60 Black Hawk or CH-47 Chinook crew chief.
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S-400 regiment to go on combat duty in 2006
A Russian S-400 equipped air defence regiment will go on combat duty in 2006.
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Turkey launches $400 million competition to buy jet trainers
Turkey has kicked off its competition for the purchase of basic trainers for the Turkish Air Forces.
The competition is open for turboprop models only and the Super Tucano, the KT-1, the PC-9 and the T-6A are expected to bid for it.
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Carrier’s fuel spill contained
USS Kitty Hawk leaked an undetermined amount of diesel oil while in the port of Yokosuka.
The U.S. Navy says the spill was minimal.
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Tuesday, January 17, 2006
Covers come off UK spy plane
BAE Systems has unvelied the U.K.'s first prototype stealth UAV known as the Corax, or as the Raven. BAE photo.
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MiG 21 crashes near Jamnagar, pilot ejects out safely
This just came in, a MiG-21 from the Indian Air Force has crashed during a firing exercise northwest of Jamnagar in Gujarat.
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Mission 15 years ago put Barksdale at tip of Desert Storm spear
One January morning 15 years ago, seven B-52s took off from Barksdale Air Force Base, flew around the world and fired the AGM-86C for the first time in combat.
Operation "Senior Surprise" but dubbed "Secret Squirrel" by the crews who were sworn to secrecy about it, for years was the longest nonstop combat flight in aviation history.
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Setback to India: Israel grounds Dhruv helicopter
Israel has joined India in grounding the Dhruv helicopter. The Israel Aircraft Industries use the helicopters to ferry VIPs and defence officials.
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Air force waits for arrival of delayed Lockheed C-130
The Philippine Air Force hopes to take delivery of a C-130 that has been in refurbishment at local maintenance company Asian Aerospace since February 2004.
Asian Aerospace says delivery has been delayed since initial servicing was completed in June 2004 because of funding problems.
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Lockheed to get U.S. spy-plane scrapping fees
Lockheed Martin is expected to receive contract termination fees for the cancellation of the Aerial Common Sensor program.
The U.S. Army said the aerospace company was not at fault in the scrapping of the initial, $879 million contract and the problems were too pricey to fix.
Labels: ACS
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Not losing pilots to airlines: IAF
The Chief of Indian Air Force denied claims that private airliners were luring away IAF pilots.
Air Marshal S P Tyagi said he has not received any request from any IAF pilot to relieve him of service to join a private airline.
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C-130 plan emerges, but it's not simple or easy
U.S. Air Force officials are carrying out multiphased plan to get grounded or flight-restricted C-130s back flying again.
Contracts have been awarded to Lockheed to have wing boxes replaced.
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Frenchman 'had Togo war planes'
Togo's army says it has seized two MiG-23s and two Mi-18 helicopters from a former French policeman living in the capital, Lome.
Togo suspects the planes are from the Ivory Coast and are escaping from an international commission investigating the origin of military equipment used by Ivorian forces in the bombing of a French base in Ivory Coast in 2004.
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F-22A declared ‘mission capable’
The U.S. Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center has declared the F-22A Raptor 'mission capable' for air-to-ground operations.
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Tories set to quiz Reid over Hercules crash
British Conservatives wants to question Defence Secretary John Reid over whether more could have been done to prevent the crash of an RAF Hercules in Iraq.
Shadow Defence Secretary Dr Liam Fox said he would now table parliamentary questions on whether self-defence systems could save the servicemen if they were installed on the planes.
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How reconnaissance flight turned deadly at 30,000 feet
Freeman B. Olmstead, the co-pilot of a RB-47H that was shot down over the Barents Sea in 1960, tells his side of the story to the Star-Gazette.
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Aircraft carrier for Hawai'i may be far off
The Quadrennial Defense Review is expected to forward-deployed more ships to Guam and Hawaii but not an aircraft carrier in the short term.
War costs, budget cuts and old-fashioned politics may mean a decision is not expected soon.
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Australian company snared in FBI technology probe
NTech Australia which is under investigation by the FBI for working with former B-2 engineer Noshir Gowadia in alleged illegal release of advanced infrared suppression technology was funded by the Australian Department of Defence.
Flight International show that NTech Australia received at least 10 contract payments for work on an advanced infrared suppression system (AIRSS) for the RAAF’s C-130Js.
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Clemenceau can’t enter till Feb 13: SC
India's Supreme Court has banned former French carrier Clemenceau from entering Indian waters till Feb. 13.
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U.S. Copter Crashes in Iraq, Killing Two
The United States is questioning the credibility of an Internet video that shows militants shooting down a AH-64 near Baghdad on Monday.
A AH-64 crashed on Monday and both crew were killed. Two militant groups claimed they shot down the helicopter. Neither claim could be verified.
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Philippines puts off fighter contest
The Philippine Air Force plans to acquire new attack and utility helicopters this year and put off getting new ground-attack and fighter aircraft.
The PAF plans to buy six night-capable attack helicopters and are evaluating used AH-1s and Russian helicopters.
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Pilot ejects as U.S. jet crashes
A U.S. F-15 has crashed around 0100 GMT this morning off the coast of Ikeijima island, part of the Okinawa island chain.
The pilot ejected safely.
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Russian Bomber Crashes in Far East
A Russian Su-24 has crashed at a Far East airport on Monday, both pilots are safe.
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Indian economy has a new guardian: IAF
The Indian Air Force is now concentrating on providing security for trade and energy installations of the country.
The growing Indian economy altered the focus of the Indian Air Force.
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Wedgetail Aircraft Delivered to Boeing Australia for Airborne Early Warning and Control Modifications
A 737-700 has been delivered to Boeing Australia for Airborne Early Warning and Control modifications under Project Wedgetail.
Two Wedgetail 737 AEW&C aircraft are modified by Boeing in Seattle, four are modified by Boeing Australia.
Delivery of the six AEW&C aircraft is scheduled for 2008.
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Monday, January 16, 2006
Hogs at Oceana
These A-10s from Maryland ANG were on their way to South Carolina and they spend the night at NAS Oceana.
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Report: IAF trained for Iran attack
Isreal's F-15I pilots have completed their mission training and the fighter jets have been prepared for an Israeli attack on Iran.
Col. [res] Ze'ev Raz, the former IAF pilot who led the Osirak mission, told Sunday Times that an aerial assault on Iran's nuclear facilities is possible.
Related Articles
Russian Expert Says Israel Likely to Bomb Iran in Spring
Getting Ready for a Nuclear-Ready Iran
The myth of an Israeli strike on Iran
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Head of 183rd says unit ready for change
The USANG 183rd Tactical Fighter Wing appears certain to lose its F-16s by the spring or summer of 2008.
The unit is trying to find new roles such as flying the F-15E or train foreign F-16 pilots.
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CBI joins battle to save Rolls engine contract
The British Confederation of British Industry and Conservative party has joined the government in lobbying on behalf of Rolls-Royce to save the F136 engine.
Dr Liam Fox, the shadow secretary of state for defence, will meet officials from the Pentagon in London this week in order to press Britain's case.
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TV digibox triggers 'SOS' rescue
The RAF Aeronautical Rescue Co-ordination Centre sent a coastguard helicopter to search for 'SOS' call Jan. 5 only to find that the signal came from a faulty TV digibox.
The helicopter spent two hours searching the harbour area. RAF spokesman Michael Mulford said the chances of sending out a signal from a digibox and sending out precisely and exactly on a major emergency channel are far more than 14 million to one.
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Russian Expert Says Israel Likely to Bomb Iran in Spring
Director of the Russian Political Research Institute, Sergei Markov, said that Israel could launch a missile attack on Iran in the upcoming spring.
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Sunday, January 15, 2006
Langley celebrates Raptor's initial operational capability
The USAF 1st Fighter Wing held a ceremony Jan. 13 to celebrate the F-22A Raptor's initial operational capability.
The 27th Fighter Squadron was officially declared IOC on Dec. 15.
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B-1B Lancers rotate into Andersen
B-1B Lancers from the 34th Bomb Squadron at Ellsworth Air Force Base have deployed to Andersen Air Base, Guam.
The Squadron took over the bombers from another Ellsworth Squadron which left their aircraft behind.
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Aerial Common Sensor still to fly though contract terminates
The U.S. Army will continue its efforts to develop the Aerial Common Sensor and it intends to recompete the contract as early as 2009.
Labels: ACS
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NAS Fallon outlines construction projects to runway, range
NAS Fallon's commanding officer, Capt. Scott Ryder has a list of five construction projects to improve the base.
He wants to make improvements to the B-20 range, lengthen and widen Runway 7-25, build a centralized air traffic control facility, combine the base's structure fire and crash fire equipment into one house and build a new central administration facility.
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Japan, U.S. to boost antiballistic info sharing
Japan and the United States will integrate their missile defense networks by the end of 2006.
Japan's advanced early warning radar system, FPS-XX, the FPS-3 fence protection system, radars on Aegis destroyers and the command system will be linked to U.S. early-warning satellites.
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U-2 fate up in the air
U.S. Air Force officials are refusing to comment on reports that the U-2 will be phased out by 2011.
"The Air Force has not released any official reports as the budget is actually sort of in its pre-decision stage, and won't be announced until February of this year," said Capt. Michelle Lai, an Air Force spokeswoman.
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New C-17 Globemaster III honors Presiden Reagan
Former first lady Nancy Reagan on Friday dedicated a March Air Reserve Base's new C-17 in her late husband's memory, former President Ronald Reagan.
The new C-17 is named the "Spirit of Ronald Reagan" in honour of the late president. It is assigned to Air Force Reserve Command’s 452nd Air Mobility Wing.
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Saturday, January 14, 2006
NAS Lemoore
Some good stuff from Gerry. This time he travelled to the west coast master jet base where the U.S. Navy's Hornets and Super Hornets are based.
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Sources: Airstrike may have killed bin Laden's No. 2
A CIA airstrike on a Pakistani village near the Afghan border may have targeted Osama bin Laden's top lieutenant, Ayman al-Zawahiri.
The strike killed at least 17 people.
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Schroeder Government Authorized Intelligence-Sharing on Iraq
The government of former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder authorized an exchange of intelligence information with the U.S. on civilian targets that were to be excluded from U.S. bombing raids.
Two members of Germany's Federal Intelligence Service, BND, were present in Baghdad before and during the war.
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Pentagon Accelerates Future Bomber Plans
The U.S. Defense Department will begin work this year on a next-generation long-range bomber.
The Pentagon will also terminate the Joint Unmanned Combat Air Systems. Both the Air Force and Navy will now independently pursue their own unmanned aircraft programs.
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Russia to deliver Tor-M1 air defense systems to Iran - Ivanov
Russia will continue to go ahead with the sale of Tor-M1 air defense systems to Iran despite the situation with Iran's nuclear program.
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US bars Spain from selling planes to Venezuela
Washington has refused to grant Spain an export license to sell 10 C-295 transport planes and two CN-235 marine surveillance planes to Venezuela on Thursday.
Spain said on Friday it planned to go ahead with the sale of planes to Venezuela, using substitute technology.
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Venezuela signs Spain arms deal
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Russia is not negotiating sale of S-300 missile systems to Iran - Ivanov
Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov has denied reports in Russian media that Russian intends to sell the S-300 medium-range air defense missile systems to Iran.
Labels: Iran S-300
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U.S. Army reconnaissance helicopter goes down in Mosul
A U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa reconnaissance helicopter may have been shot down in Mosul, Iraq, killing its two pilots.
Lt. Gen. John Vines, chief of the Multi-National Corps Iraq, said that there were indications the OH-58 Kiowa was shot down.
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Friday, January 13, 2006
U.S. airstrikes in Iraq could intensify
The air war in Iraq could intensify once American ground forces start to withdraw.
Some analysts are worried that Iraq's mostly Shiite Muslim and Kurdish army will use American and allied bombing missions for revenge attacks on the Sunni Muslim Arab minority.
U.S. Air Force officials say that only U.S. military teams embedded with Iraqi forces will be allowed to direct airstrikes.
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Downing Street refuses comment on Blair's Rolls Royce engine plea to Bush
Downing Street has refused to comment on a report that British Prime Minister Tony Blair has personally lobbied U.S. President George Bush to overturn a decision to cancel the F136 engine.
The Financial Times reported that Blair made a "very forceful" personal plea in a video-conference call between the two leaders, which came just days after Mr Blair sent a letter to Mr Bush outlining his case.
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Blair presses Bush on engine deal
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U.S. Air Force Awards F-16 Aircraft Ejection Rack Development Contract to Raytheon
Raytheon has been awarded a $2.1 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to design and develop an interface modification for the existing Triple Ejection Rack (TER-9A) to expand the munitions capability of the F-16.
The TER-9A will be modified to allow it to carry multiple smart weapons, including the JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition), the Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser, and MALD (the Miniature Air Launched Decoy).
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Chief test pilot gives brief on F-35
Joint Strike Fighter chief test pilot Jon Beesley gave a progress report on the development of the F-35 to the Naval Aviation Foundation Association of Naval Aviation Pax River Squadron Dec. 9.
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Northrop Grumman Completes Successful First Flight Tests of Distributed Aperture System Sensors for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter
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US Army Seeks $1.2 Billion To Replace War-Damaged Aircraft
The U.S. Army is seeking about $1.2 billion in emergency spending to replace war-damaged aircraft.
This includes aircraft losses from war-related training as well as combat. The money is part of the Army's request for supplemental funding in 2006.
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Mike Boehm: Honors for My Lai hero came much too late
Lost among the headlines about Iraq and secret detentions was the story of the death last week of a hero and a patriot: Hugh Thompson.
Army pilot Thompson and his two helicopter crewmen rescued 10 Vietnamese villagers who were about to be killed by American soldiers in My Lai, Vietnam, on March 16, 1968.
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Taking a Ride in Korea’s New Attack Jet
This reporter became the first civilian to fly in KAI’s newest supersonic attack jet, the A-50.
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AgustaWestland Awarded Major Contract Under Merlin Capability Sustainment Plus Programme
AgustaWestland has been awarded a major contract for the upgrade of 30 EH101 Merlin HM Mk1 helicopters.
AgustaWestland will replace existing hydraulic units with electrical actuators called Helicopter Electro Actuation Technology (HEAT).
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Parts suppliers gamble that C-17 will endure
Boeing and some of its suppliers are purchasing raw materials for additional C-17s that the USAF does not want, hoping that Congress will keep the program alive.
Some suppliers are making parts for planes beyond 35 that are to be build for the Air Force.
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Brazil says US aims to block Venezuela plane deal
Brazil sees signs the United States is trying to block a sale of Embraer Super Tucanos to Venezuela.
Embraer's aircraft contains U.S. technology and requires an export license from Washington.
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Contract Introduces Super Tucano Into International Market
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Ship sails murky waters
Egypt refused to let the decommissioned French aircraft carrier Clemenceau to pass through the Suez Canal for scrap in India.
The Egyptian Environmental Affairs Agency wants Paris to provided documents that proved the ship was not violating standards set in the Basle Convention on the cross-border trade in toxic waste.
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Aircraft carrier Oriskany heading for the deep
The decommissoned aircraft carrier the USS Oriskany will be sunk in the Gulf of Mexico by June 1.
It will become a fishing reef.
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T-39 Crash Site Found
The U.S. Navy has found the crash site of the T-39 Sabreliner that failed to return to Naval Air Station Pensacola Jan. 10.
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New Secretary of the Navy gets operator’s view of V-22
The new U.S. Secretary of the Navy flew in the cockpit jump seat of a V-22 flown by VMX-22 recently.
Col. Glenn Walters, VMX-22 commanding officer, piloted the Osprey with Navy Lt. Cmdr. Matt Rising.
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Army May End Lockheed Spy Plane Contract
The U.S. Army has cancelled Lockheed Martin's contract to build a new plane under the Aerial Common Sensor program.
The Army said it plans to continue the Aerial Common Sensor program but the Army's assistant secretary for acquisition and logistics, Claude Bolton, hinted that the Army and Navy may split and seek to build their own spy plane.
Labels: ACS
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Labrador helicopter now on display at Canada Aviation Museum
The first and last CH-113 Labrador helicopter ever to fly search and rescue in Canada has been put on permanent display.
Labrador 101 can now be viewed at Canada Aviation Museum in Ottawa.
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Nukaga confirms spy plane deployment in fiscal 2007
Japanese Defense Agency chief Fukushiro Nukaga has confirmed that Japan will deploy U.S.-made as early as 2007.
It will buy either the Predator or Global Hawk. Officials will be sent to Italy and Germany to study their operation.
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Gov't to develop unmanned spy drones
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45 selected for test pilot training
Forty-five pilots have been selected for the U.S. Air Force test-pilot program.
Most of those selected will attend the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base. One will attend the U.S. Navy Test Pilot School at Patuxent River Naval Air Station. One is slated for the French Test Pilot School at Istres Air Base.
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