歼—10战斗机批量装备部队 (J-10 Video)
Chinese CCTV's video coverage of the J-10's official induction. The footage includes air-to-air firing and aerial refueling.
＜陸自ヘリ墜落＞原因は燃料への異物混入 事故調公表
From Asagiri : It has been determined that fuel system contamination was the cause of a JGSDF AH-1S crash on Nov. 6. The fuel filter was blocked by a foreign object. This lead to a decrease in engine power.
India, Russia may join hands for stealth fighter
India is likely to joint hands with Russia to develop a fifth-generation stealth fighter jet. MiG and Sukhoi submitted their plans for joint development of the fifth-generation fighter with HAL in late November.
IDF性能提升 適形油箱首度現身
AIDC's upgraded F-CK-1 IDF fighter, 10005, has flown with conformal fuel tanks for the first time on Dec. 26. Picture available in the article. Related Articles
SDF bases to take on U.S. F-15 drills
U.S. Air Force F-15 fighter jets from the Kadena Air Base will have joint drills with the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force at six bases from next year. The six bases are Chitose, Misawa, Hyakuri, Komatsu, Tsuiki and Nyutabaru. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Nearly 200 O-5s, O-6s could be forced out next month
According to Air Force Times, 200 USAF lieutenant colonels and colonels could be jobless when the Selective Early Retirement Board convenes on Jan. 8. If the numbers remain unchanged, that means as many as 61 line colonels, four chaplain colonels, 130 line lieutenant colonels and three chaplain lieutenant colonels could be ordered to retire by the board. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Russian airliner arrives safely after 'hijack' drama
Last night over at Radar Vector, there was a news flash about an attempted hijack on an Aeroflot A320 which forced it to land in Prague. Two Gripen fighters were launched to intercept the airliner.
Assault helicopter crashes; woman-pilots escape death
A Philippine Air Force MG-520 helicopter flown by two women pilots crashed landed at the runway of the Zamboanga International Airport (ZIA) on Thursday in Zamboanga City. One of the two pilots was hit in the head by the rotor blade when she returned to the aircraft to shutdown its engine. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Su-25 attack aircraft to serve in Russian Air Force for 30 more years
Russian Air Force chief said the upgraded Su-25SM can accomplish three times as many tasks and could serve in the Russian Air Force for at least another 30 years. The Su-25SM features the Panther fire-control system with the Kopyo-25 radar in a rebuilt nose. It also has a redesigned cockpit with a new HUD and two large color LCD monitors. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Flying museum on way to Everett
1Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen's Flying Heritage Collection is moving from Arlington Airport to a new, larger space at Paine Field. The extra space available at Paine Field will enable Allen to display other planes currently kept in different locations around the United States and the world.
The exhibit is expected to be open in the new location by the end of 2007 at the latest. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Fighter jets scramble over airline terror alert
RAF Tornado F3s have been scrambling each month after 9/11 to shadow commercial airliners that behave oddly while in British airspace. Next July the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft will take over some of this role. Air Chief Marshal Sir Glenn Torpey, the Chief of the Air Staff, told The Times that after 9/11, heighten terrorist threat now means that any deviation from a strict flight plan tends to trigger an interception by a Tornado.
Before that there were no interceptions of airliners and that there had been a long period of "zero" Quick Reaction Alert operations after the end of the Cold War. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Carriers at risk, warns former First Sea Lord
Sir Alan West, the former head of Royal Navy, warned that the Ministry of Defence could axed HMS Queen Elizabeth and HMS Prince of Wales in order to save money.
'Bush should terminate Pak weapons deal'
Washington-based US-India Friendship has launched a campaign to get Indian Americans to approached their Senators and asked them to help block an arms package for Pakistan. The package includes the recently announced P-3C with Hawkeye 2000 warning system. External Link | | Permalink | |
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N.D. nuke site may reopen as museum
The State Historical Society of North Dakota is trying to raise $1 million in order to turn a former Minuteman missile alert facility into a museum. It has one year to do so or else the U.S. Air Force will demolished the facility. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Antony favours Brahmos model to develop world class defence products
Indian defence minister AK Antony told a large gathering of scientists, industrialists and service personnel at the BrahMos Aerospace Complex that he favours more BrahMos-type cooperation with industry to develop world class defense products for the country. Visiting the center for the first time, he wanted the air version of the missile to be developed quickly for its early induction into the Indian Air Force. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Thursday, December 28, 2006
RSAF pilot is top gun in Nato flight training
Flying high over the Canadian skies with combat veterans as instructors, air force pilot Lieutenant Jerrold Lim proved he was the top gun in dogfights and target shooting. David Boey, DEFENCE CORRESPONDENT 28 December 2006 Straits Times (c) 2006 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Flying high over the Canadian skies with combat veterans as instructors, air force pilot Lieutenant Jerrold Lim proved he was the top gun in dogfights and target shooting.
He did so well, he aced his flying course in Canada - which included pilots from North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (Nato) countries.
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) pilot not only topped his class as best overall pilot, he also bagged two of the four other prizes.
These were for his flying skills and for his proficiency in striking ground targets accurately.
Lt Lim, 24, a polytechnic graduate, trained for 10 months under the Nato Flying Training in Canada programme.
'The training in Canada was over vast open skies, with magnificent views. I also had the experience of flying in the Canadian winter, where the temperature can drop to minus 35 deg C,' Lt Lim told The Straits Times yesterday.
His course began in the deep and harsh Canadian winter in January and ended last month. His parents, both accountants, joined him at an airbase in Cold Lake, Alberta, for his graduation.
Lt Lim's coursemates were a fellow RSAF pilot, a Canadian and three Italians.
Both Singaporeans had previously flown RSAF S.211 basic jet trainers. In the Canadian course, they trained in Hawk 115 advanced jet trainers - fast, nimble jets used to train pilots in air defence and air-to-ground missions.
Lt Lim returned to Singapore on Nov 10 and is now at the RSAF's Tengah Airbase.
Reflecting on his time in Canada, he said: 'The instructors were very willing to share from their own experience, which was a great benefit to the learning process.'
Many of the instructors there had chalked up combat experience fighting wars for the Nato military alliance.
Singapore became the first country outside the alliance to join the Nato pilot training programme in 2000.
The programme is conducted in Canada to take advantage of the country's vast military training areas.
Lt Lim also values the exposure to training with foreign pilots.
'I was exposed to different flying techniques from various instructors and this helped to improve my flying skills. The course taught me to be more independent and self-directed, because in order to do well, I had to be proactive in studying and preparing for each flight,' he said.
Lt Lim graduated from Ngee Ann Polytechnic with a diploma in film, sound and video. Having eyed a pilot's job from a young age, his RSAF career took flight in 2003 after he was selected for pilot training.
He is due to join the United States-based RSAF detachment in Arizona. There, he will learn to fly F-16C/D Fighting Falcons. These F-16 variants are the air force's latest air defence and night-attack warplanes.
His father, Mr Eugene Lim, 57, said: 'We always knew he'd do his best because flying is what he's always wanted to do. I feel his achievement when pitted against foreign pilots speaks well of the RSAF.' External Link | | Permalink | |
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HAL in $700m JV with Irkut Corp
Hindustan Aeronautics has entered into a 50:50 joint venture agreement with Irkut for manufacturing the multi-role transport aircraft (MRTA). HAL plans to develop MRTA as a freighter aircraft for military use. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Test launch of Bulava missile fails third time this year - paper
Russia on Sunday test fired the R-30 Bulava (SS-NX-30) ballistic missile for the third time and it failed again. The latest test was carried out from the nuclear submarine Dmitry Donskoi in the White Sea.
There was no official announcement of the test, which is unusual. The two previous unsuccessful launches occurred September 7 and October 25.
Anatoly Perminov, head of the Federal Space Agency, was quoted as saying that the third stage of the missile had failed. Although it is unsure if he was referring to the October test or the latest one.
Ilyushin Co. to Construct Aircraft for China
Rosoboronexport has switched Tashkent Chkalov Aircraft Association to Ilyushin for constructing 38 Il-76 and Il-78 transport aircraft for China.
13 Acquitted in Attack on U.S. Troops
A Turkish court acquitted thirteen villagers of attacking U.S. troops with stones and eggs while they were retrieving an errant U.S. Tomahawk missile that fell near their village three years ago. The Tomahawk was flying towards Iraq when it landed in Turkish soil. It was the third U.S.-fired missile to crash into Turkey that week. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Canada missed chance for cheaper aircraft upgrade
Snow Aviation International says Canada missed a good chance to acquire cheaper aircraft specially designed for an Afghanistan-type war. They offered to overhaul Canada's C-130s with a new tail, engines, propellers and new wings. The length of the aircraft will be extended and the cockpit modernized.
MiG’s Case Passed for Further Probe
The Moscow prosecutor's office has dropped criminal charges against Sergei Tsivilev, first deputy director general of MiG aircraft corporation. Tsivilev had earlier been charged with attempting to sell sub-standard MiG-29 parts to Poland.
RAF awards medal to Nova Scotian pilot
Flight Lieutenant Christopher Hasler, who recently got awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross while flying for the RAF, was turned down when he tried to join the Canadian Air Force after graduating from high school.
U.S. Wants to Place More Radar in Japan
Pentagon wants to setup another X-Band radar site in southern Japan to monitor the Taepodong-2 launch site in northeastern North Korea. The U.S military has a X-band radar in in Aomori Prefecture, northern Japan. It was activated in September.
USS Eisenhower Air Wing Provides Support to OIF
Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7, embarked aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69), have been providing close air support, show of force and reconnaissance missions since Dec. 11 in support of troops on the ground participating in Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF).
RAF crew delivers Christmas cheer
An RAF Tristar from 216 squadron with a volunteer crew flew 36 hours to ferry more than 200 servicemen and women stranded in the Falkland Islands during the Christmas period. The chartered civilian 747 was damaged in an accident and there was no replacement. A team from RAF Brize Norton volunteered to give up some of their own time off from operations in Iraq and Afghanistan to mount an emergency rescue mission.
The aircraft, which was configured for a freight run, had to be stripped out and seating installed.
It made two refueling stops at Ascension Island on the outward and return legs of the 16,000-mile round-trip to pick up the people from the South Atlantic outpost. External Link | | Permalink | |
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'No aircraft engines to Pak, please'
Indian Defence Secretary Shekhar Dutt tried to dissuade a high-power Russian defence delegation from selling Russian engines for Pakistan's JF-17 at the Inter-Governmental Military Technical Cooperation Meeting last week. Russia is to supply 100 RD-93 engines for the joint China-Pakistan fighter program. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Contract awarded for 20 THL 20 turrets
Twenty Indian Armed Forces' Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters will be fitted with the THL 20 turret. Armed with a 20mm M621 cannon, the THL 20 will work in conjunction with a helmet-mounted sight.
BMD Focus: S. Korea's BMD plans
South Korea has now joined Japan and Taiwan in concluding that building a ballistic missile defense system is the only answer to countering strategic threats they face. And together with India starting to develop a similar program, a full-scale BMD arms race is about to begin in Asia. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Flying under the radar
Tsuyoshi Kawahito, a trained aerospace engineer, runs a one-man company called Third Wire Productions that churn out flight simulators every six months.
Two F-16s that flew 9/11 to be displayed
Two F-16s that flew combat air patrols over Washington D.C. after the 9/11 incident will be retired for display at North Dakota Air National Guard base in Fargo, and the McChord Air Force Base museum.
GMA okays P707-M Navy equipment deals
Two Philippine Navy Britten Norman Islanders will be repaired and upgrade next year by Hawker Pacific Pte. Ltd. to put them back in service.
Sikorsky Aircraft Selects CH-53K Main Engines
Sikorsky Aircraft has selected General Electric Aviation's GE38-1B engine for the CH-53K heavy lift helicopter. The GE38-1B engine planned for the CH-53K is a derivative of the CFE738 commercial turbofan engine and the US Navy T407 turboprop engine. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Sunday, December 24, 2006
BAE emerges from the political storm with MoD Tornado contract
BAE Systems won a £947 million contract to support Royal Air Force Tornados on Friday, the first significant piece of business the company won after London abandon a fraud investigation into the company.
米総領事「計画通り」／ヘリ・車両落下
From Asagiri : A USMC CH-53 jettisoned a light van that it was carrying into waters outside Miyakoya fishing port, Okinawa after encountering turbulence on Dec. 13. The van was meant for scrapping and was recovered on Dec. 20. External Link | | Permalink | |
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DoD extends Northrop, Lockheed space radar contracts
The latest research contracts for the Space Radar program handed out by the U.S. Air Force to Northrop Grumman and Lockheed Martin showed that the military failed to convince the U.S. intelligence community to pitch in. Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman each received $49 million dollar research contracts this week. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Germany Split Over Plane Deployment to Afghanistan
German politicians are split over the decision to send Tornados ECR to Afghanistan. The ruling party says there is no need for parliamentary approval. The opposition claims that the mandate approved by parliament only allow troops in the relatively stable north of Afghanistan. The Tornados will be deployed to Southern Afghanistan. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Kyrgyzstan threatens to evict Air Force
Relations between U.S. and Kyrgyzstan has become strained over the recent shooting of a Kyrgyz truck driver by a U.S. airman and the ground collision of a Stratotanker and a Kyrgyzstan commercial airliner. But experts say it is unlikely that the U.S. will pull out of Kyrgyzstan. The $150 million payed each year by Washington is a significant amount to Kyrgyzstan. External Link | | Permalink | |
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MiG Scandal Goes On
Poland has joined in the investigation into possible fraud of MiG-29 parts by MiG’s First Deputy Director General Sergei Tsivilev. A Polish National Defense Ministry’s spokesman said that no sub-standard parts has been delivered to Poland so far. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Judge faults Iran in '96 bombing
A U.S. district judge ruled that the Iranian government is liable for the 1996 bombing of Khobar Towers in Dhahran, Saudi Arabia. The bombing was carried out by the Hezbollah with support from the Iranian government. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Saturday, December 23, 2006
Ex SINDEX Video
A video from Singapore's Ministry of Defence showing the recently concluded SINDEX exercise between the Indian Air Force and the RSAF. Last part of the video shows the Base Central Debriefing Station where they do a debrief of the ACMI information.
