Special ops forces seek more intel, better communications
Maj. Gen. Donald Worster, vice commander of the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command, said the CV-22 is a potentially "transformational" system, but complained, "We can't seem to move that program forward. We're about to give up on it."
Air Force Fixes Glitches on F-22
The U.S. Air Force has provided more details on the F-22 software problems while it crossed the international date line. One pilot was able to contact contractor Lockheed Martin to troubleshoot the error during the flight while others attempted to reboot the system with no success.
They returned to to Hawaii with the help of aerial refueling tankers as a safety precaution. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Tajikistan denies plans for Indian military base
Major General Maruf Khasanov, head of the international cooperation department at Tajikistan's Defense Ministry, refuted some media reports that India will deploy its aircraft from a refurbished airbase in Tajikistan.
Spitfire legend Alex Henshaw dies
Thanks to Terence for sending in this. Alex Henshaw, chief Spitfire test pilot during WW2, passed away on Saturday. He was 94. He once flew a spitfire upside down along the length of Broad Street just 50ft above the ground. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Official doesn't expect Raptors to increase Okinawans' 'burden’'
Toshinori Shigeie, the Japanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs ambassador for Okinawan affairs, said the arrival of the F-22A would not be a permanent "burden" for Okinawa. Shigeie also announced the early March dates for the first joint training of Kadena-based F-15s with the JASDF. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Kalam to witness Canberra's final flight
India's Canberra bomber will make its final public appearance on March 7 as part of a 102-aircraft flypast planned for the President's fleet review. The IAF plans to phase out the bomber by the end of next month. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Korea Seeks to Sell T-50 Trainer Jets
Brig. Gen. Lee Hee-woo from the South Korean Air Force is in London at the international military flight training conference to publicize the T-50. He will speak on Wednesday during a session titled, "ROKAF T-50 Golden Eagle Advanced Training Program." External Link | | Permalink | |
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Tuesday, February 27, 2007
Pilot Receives Medal of Honor for Heroism in Vietnam
The President of United States presented the Medal of Honor Feb. 26 to retired Army Lt. Col. Bruce Crandall, 41 years after heroic actions in Vietnam. Photo Credit : Eric Draper.
Stealth fighters hit by software crash
Retired Air Force general Don Shepperd told CNN Television that F-22As that encounter software problems during their flight from Hawaii to Japan had to be guide back by their tankers under VFR. The fighter's onboard navigation, communications and fuel systems crashed while crossing the International Date Line.
The software had problems converting from 179.99W degrees to 180E degrees longitude. External Link | | Permalink | |
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US Navy still concerned about Bell H-1 helicopter
William Balderson, deputy assistant secretary of the Navy for air programs, told reporters on Monday that he remains concerned about schedule delays on the H-1 program. Balderson said he met with new Bell Helicopter chief executive Richard Millman for 45 minutes on Monday.
While the program is months behind schedule, he is confident that Millman's appointment and other efforts being undertaken by Bell will improve the situation. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Navy Details New Super Hornet Capabilities
The F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet will be able to find, deceive and, perhaps, disable sophisticated, radar-guided air-to-air, surface-to-air and cruise missiles at ranges greater than that of new U.S. air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons. The U.S. Navy while unwilling to provide numbers, admit that the fighter's APG-79 AESA radar can carry out electronic attacks at "extremely significant tactical ranges." External Link | | Permalink | |
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Officials review program after crash
Heres a picture of the ARH-70 wreckage at Mansfield's Walnut Creek golf course. The helicopter crashed during its maiden flight last Wednesday.
Vance AFB gets new fighter training squadron
The USAF 3rd Fighter Training Squadron will start their business this spring at Vance Air Force Base teaching the Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals course. In the past, T-38 students will go to Moody Air Force Base for the IFF course. But the 2005 BRAC exercise discontinued the training at Moody.
The 40-day IFF course teaches the students the basics of air-to-ground and air-to-air combat.
GAO urges DoD to seek new bids on combat helicopter program
The Government Accountability Office sided with Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky and said that the USAF did not evaluate life cycle costs properly for the CSAR-X competition. GAO recommended the Air Force amend its request for bids, hold new talks with contractors and then seek new bids. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Monday, February 26, 2007
US aircraft carrier has no plans to 'intimidate Iran'
Commanding officer of USS John C. Stennis, Captain Bradley E. Johanson, told AFP that his ship is in the Gulf currently to reassure Arab allies in the Gulf Cooperation Council. "We have received very explicit guidance that we will not assume any sort of escalatory posture with Iran," Johanson told AFP. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Boeing, Lockheed vie for satellite contract
Lockheed Martin and Boeing are in the race to build up to 32 next-generation global positioning satellites for the USAF. Bidding for the first phase of the contract will start in mid- to late March and a single winner announced by late August. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Jet fighter purchase under review
Royal Thai Air Force chief Chalit Phukphasuk said he is no longer under pressure to buy the Su-30 after the Thaksin government was overthrown by a coup.
US generals 'will quit' if Bush orders Iran attack
The Sunday Times, citing a source with close ties to British intelligence said, four or five U.S. generals and admirals will resign if President Bush orders a military strike against Iran. It says the U.S. Air Force is more willing than the U.S. Navy to carry out those strikes. External Link | | Permalink | |
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C-130J to be made in Marietta for long time
A question-and-answer session with Ross Reynolds, Lockheed Martin vice president for Air Mobility programs, on the future of the C-130J.
Vietnam Hero to be Awarded Medal of Honor
LTC (Ret.) Bruce P. Crandall, the UH-1 pilot whose heroic actions at the Battle at Ia Drang Valley were depicted in the Hollywood movie "We Were Soldiers", will received his Medal of Honor from U.S. President George W. Bush at a White House ceremony tomorrow.
Pilot broke rules when he buzzed Downtown
A FAA investigation concluded that an F-16 from the Air Guard's 178th Fighter Wing flew too low and too fast over Downtown, Ohio on Aug. 17 last year. The fighter was then carrying former Lt. Gov. Bruce Johnson. External Link | | Permalink | |
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UK selects Sniper pod for Afghan Harriers
Janes reported that the RAF will equipped the Harrier GR.7/9 ground-attack aircraft deployed in Afghanistan with Sniper pods this year. Eight pods could eventually be purchased to equip the eight RAF Harriers operating at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Bush carrier to carry Independence anchor
USS George H.W. Bush will be reusing the anchor from the USS Independence. It will be used together with a second, newer anchor.
U.S. developing contingency plan to bomb Iran: report
The New Yorker magazine reported in its latest issue that the Pentagon has created a panel to plan a bombing attack on Iran that could be implemented within 24 hours of getting the go-ahead from President George W. Bush. The March 4 issue said the panel was established within the office of the Joint Chiefs of Staff in recent months. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Israel denies report it is planning an Iran attack
Israel's deputy defense minister on Saturday denied a report by Britain's Daily Telegraph that Israel was in talks with the United States to use an air corridor in Iraq to bomb Iran's nuclear facilities. The paper, citing an unnamed senior Israeli defense official, said on Saturday that Israel had sought permission from Washington for permission to fly over Iraq to reach Iran.
MoD bungles safety refit on Hercules
RAF C-130s which were retrofitted with explosive-retardant foam in their fuel tanks had to be withdrawn for repairs shortly after the upgrade because they were found to be leaking fuel.
RAF sends airman's family £1,000 funeral bill
The Royal Air Force has been criticized for refusing to pay a £1,000 bill for flowers and tea at the funeral of an airman killed on operations in Afghanistan. Flight Sergeant Gary Wayne Andrews was killed in a Nimrod MR2 crash in Afghanistan in September last year.
His parents were told that the RAF were prepared to pay funeral costs of £3,249 but they were not prepared to pay a £425 bill for flowers or £606 for tea and biscuits at his funeral. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Abu Dhabi govt sets up UAV company
Abu Dhabi's government has set up the Abu Dhabi UAV Investment Company to design, manufacture and export UAVs.
Stennis Sends Aircraft Forward in 1st Combat Mission of Deployment
The USS John C. Stennis Carrier Strike Group (JCSSG) began conducting missions over Afghanistan on Feb 23. Operating in the North Arabian Sea, USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) launched an F/A-18C Hornet from VMFA-323, beginning the strike group's first combat mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Bell officials studying helicopter crash
Bell and U.S. Army officials are trying to assess the impact of Wednesday’s crash of a prototype ARH-70 Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter.
Cost of new fighters may 'blow out'
Australian Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) chief executive officer Stephen Gumley came back recently from the JSF chief executive officers' conference in the United States and was impressed by the capabilities of the F-35.
Unapproved missile warning test successful
The U.S. Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center made a mistake last year by testing a missile warning system aboard the A-10 without the oversight or involvement of relevant Air Force and Pentagon evaluators. But the testing of the AAR-47 missile warning system apparently went off to the Air Force's satisfaction. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Unmanned coalition aircraft crashes
A U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed Feb. 23 approximately 60 miles northeast of Jalalabad, Afghanistan at approximately 1 p.m. local time. Initial indications are that the crash was due to mechanical failure. There is no indication the Predator was fired upon. External Link | | Permalink | |
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Nimrods grounded in safety scare
All RAF Nimrod MR2 have been grounded as a precautionary measure after a routine safety check uncovered a dent in a fuel pipe. Some of the aircraft have already been cleared after checks. External Link | | Permalink | |
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UK-US in talks on missile defence
The BBC reports that London held high level talks with Washington on locating a missile defense system on British soil. Talks are going on between the National Security Council and Britain's top foreign affairs adviser Sir Nigel Sheinwald. External Link | | Permalink | |
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RFP for combat aircraft getting finishing touches
Officials from the Indian Air Force and Ministry of Defense is working hard to meet a deadline to release the RFP for 126 multi-role combat aircraft (MRCA). They aim to release it before Mar. 31.
Raptor debuts at Red Flag, dominates skies
Pilots from the 65th and 64th USAF Aggressor Squadron, including exchange pilots from the RAAF and RAF expressed their frustration related to flying against the F-22 at Red Flag. "The thing denies your ability to put a weapons system on it, even when I can see it through the canopy," said RAAF Squadron Leader Stephen Chappell, F-15 exchange pilot in the 65th AS. "It's the most frustrated I've ever been." External Link | | Permalink | |
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