Saturday, April 30, 2005
Fighter jet mech shares unique perspective of warSgt. Douglas Acero, a USMC avionics technician, shares his experience while attached to an infantry Marine unit in Fallujah last year.
| | |
|
Crews to get new night-vision gogglesUSAF aircrew members aboard AC-130 gunships and MC-130 Combat Talon will get new night-vision goggles that offer 95 degrees field of vision.
| | |
|
AAFB announces rotational deployment of F-15EsTwelve USAF F-15E Strike Eagles will be rotated to Guam for deployment from Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho.
| | |
|
UK Chinook Display Team receives Command approvalThe U.K. Commander of the Joint Helicopter Command, Air Vice Marshal Paul Luker, approved the RAF 2005 Chinook Display Team's display.
| | |
|
Pacific Air Forces pilot training trimmed in effort to offset costs of war on terrorU.S. Pacific Air Forces commander, Gen. Paul Hester, is concerned that the $50 million cut from the flight training program will hurt readiness.
| | |
|
NATO Member Slovakia Delays Replacing MiGsSlovakia will not need to replace its MiG 29s for at least 15 years, as the air force has kept them grounded due to lack of funds, the defense minister said on Friday.
| | |
|
Unique Integrated System Starts F-35 Engine in Joint Test By Lockheed Martin, Pratt & WhitneyLockheed Martin and Pratt & Whitney have successfully performed the first start of an F-35 aircraft test engine using a revolutionary integrated power package and engine-mounted starter/generator.
| | |
|
Friday, April 29, 2005
Fighting Blacklions VF-213 F-14D BuNo 164602Gerry had an outing with his EOS-10D and he took images of this museum bound F-14D from VF-213.
| | |
|
`Progress on intermediate jet trainer not satisfactory'Reports on the progress of India's intermediate jet trainer (IJT) has been unsatisfactory.
| | |
|
Airbus signs A400M deal with South AfricaThe South African government will buy eight A400M military transport aircraft in exchange for a role in the 18-billion-euro development project.
| | |
|
PMA-290 hosts fleet for strategy meetingsLeaders from the U.S. Navy's Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance community held a meeting to explore issues related to the current and future readiness of its Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance aircraft fleet.
| | |
|
Shaw Grounds F-16'sShaw Air force Base grounded their F-16 jets for a day following a crash last week.
| | |
|
Navy, industry celebrate start-up for E-2D Advanced HawkeyeA "Keel Start" ceremony for the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye was held on April 25 at Northrop Grumman's facility in St. Augustine, Florida.
| | |
|
TIPS Industries Receive NATO AGS Contract to Move Programme ForwardNATO awarded a contract to the TIPS Industrial Team for the Alliance Ground Surveillance (AGS) programme yesterday.
| | |
|
L-3 Communications Awarded $300 Million Korea Navy P-3 Orion Upgrade ContractL-3 Communications' Integrated Systems subsidiary has finalized a contract with Korea Aerospace Industries to provide system modernization and service life extension for eight Republic of Korea (ROK) Navy P-3 Orion maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft.
| | |
|
Former Thunderbird searches for PhantomsRetired Col. Gary Younglove, former administrative officer for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds is on a nationwide journey to visit each of the original F-4 Phantom Thunderbirds.
| | |
|
Ex-RAF base takes off as civil airportThe former RAF Finningley air base have been converted into the Robin Hood Airport at a cost of �80 million.
| | |
|
Lockheed Martin and Aerosonde Enter Strategic Alliance for Unmanned Aircraft System SolutionsLockheed Martin , Aerosonde North America, Inc, and Aerosonde Pty Limited are setting up a multi-national strategic alliance to provide Unmanned Aircraft System solutions for domestic and international markets.
| | |
|
Russian Missiles In Syria Pose Risk For Israel Civil AviationRussian anti-aircraft missiles sold to Syria would pose no danger to the Israeli air force, but to civil aviation aircraft if they fell into "terrorist" hands, an Israeli official said Wednesday.
| | |
|
US Air Force plans new $3 bln competition on C-130 upgradesThe U.S. Air Force on Thursday said it will hold a new competition for C-130 upgrades, following a recommendation by the Government Accountability Office.
| | |
|
Boeing P-8A MMA Aircraft Progresses toward Design PhaseThe U.S. Navy's P-8A program has successfully completed its second major review since contract award. It received approval from the technical review board to proceed toward the design phase.
| | |
|
Thursday, April 28, 2005
NAG ANTI-TANK MISSILEThe Indian government is in the advanced stage of developing and flight testing an aerial version of NAG anti-tank missile to be mounted on Advanced Light Helicopter.
| | |
|
Fort Hood simulates chopper crash for training exerciseFort Hood emergency teams are practising for a helicopter crash.
| | |
|
RAF pilot cleared of sex assaultAn RAF pilot accused of groping a female officer after a session of heavy drinking in a mess bar was cleared of indecent assault on Wednesday.
| | |
|
$60m plan for new air rescue fleetAustralia will get four Dornier 328 turbo prop planes to patrol its coastlines.
| | |
|
F-16's rough landing damages antennaLast week's
rough landing of a Vermont Air National Guard F-16 damaged an antenna at Burlington International Airport, making landing more difficult for any pilot arriving at the airfield.
| | |
|
GRAND FORKS AIR FORCE BASE: Tanker readies for moveThe last of the KC-135R Stratotankers stationed at Grand Forks Air Force Base is scheduled to leave for Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington in anticipation of the base's runway closure May 1.
| | |
|
Denel row will not affect defence deals: Air chiefIndian Air Force Chief of Air Staff S P Tyagi on Tuesday has ruled out any delay in procuring Israeli Airborne Early Warning And Control System (AWACS) and British Advanced Jet Trainer (AJT) because of the controversies related to South African arms major Denel deals with the Indian Army.
| | |
|
Air Force moves long-range weapons testing to gulf off PanhandleEglin Air Force Base's 46th Test Wing are using barges and remote-controlled speedboats as targets for experimental munitions in the Gulf of Mexico off the Florida Panhandle.
| | |
|
Indian pilots to fly F-16s in ThailandIndian Air Force pilots will fly the F-16s of the Royal Thai Air Force as part of an exchange programme. Thai pilots that are part of a 15-member delegation currently visiting India flew in the IAF's frontline Su-30 jets Tuesday and Wednesday.
| | |
|
IAF to continue flying over LebanonIsrael Air Force will continue its overflights in Lebanese air space after the Syrian troops depart.
| | |
|
IAF announces Court of Inquiry into sexual harassment chargesThe Indian Air Force announced a Court of Inquiry into allegations of sexual harassment levelled against its three officials by woman officer Anjali Gupta, who is facing a court martial separately on grounds of indiscipline, insubordination and financial irregularities.
| | |
|
JSF, E-2D, ICAP III Milestones Announced By Northrop GrummanNorthrop Grumman announced April 26 that it has finished building the center fuselage for the first F-35 flight-test aircraft. Northrop Grumman also said it has begun building the first of two E-2D test aircraft and delivered the third EA-6B equipped with the Improved Capability (ICAP) III radar-jamming system.
| | |
|
Indonesian Air Marshall Gets Honorary-Pilot WingChief of Indonesian National Air Force, Air Marshall Djoko Suyanto, was awarded the Royal Brunei Air Force Honorary Pilot Wing.
| | |
|
Wednesday, April 27, 2005
SF-37 Viggen at Czech Air Force MuseumJan Hermoch was at the Czech Air Force Museum at Kbely on Monday to catch the arrival of its latest exibit, a Swedish SF-37 Viggen.
| | |
|
Orbital Successfully Completes Final Developmental Flight for U.S. Navy's ''Coyote'' Sea-Skimming Target MissileOrbital Sciences Corporation announced that it successfully flight-tested the final development vehicle in the U.S. Navy's GQM-163A "Coyote" Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target (SSST) system for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on April 22, 2005. During this most recent mission, the GQM-163A vehicle achieved cruise velocity of Mach 2.5 while traveling approximately 15 meters above the sea surface.
Labels: SSST
| | |
|
India considering buying F-16s: IAF chiefIndia is waiting for a reply from F-16 maker Lockheed-Martin on the potential cost and delivery schedule, India's air force chief said on Tuesday.
| | |
|
US Air Force Eyes New Bidders For Rescue HelicopterBoeing Co.'s CH-47 Chinook helicopter may be the newest entrant to the Personnel Recovery Vehicle competition, the Air Force's program manager said in an interview with Dow Jones Newswires.
| | |
|
India test fires Trishul missileIndia on Tuesday successfully test-fired its home grown Trishul short-range surface-to-air missile from a military base in Orissa.
| | |
|
Toronto Aerospace Museum displays aviation artToronto Aerospace Museum will be holding an exhibition of over 30 paintings that recapture dramatic moments of flight from early balloons to state-of-the-art jet fighters and space vehicles.
| | |
|
Goldeneye-50 UAV Makes First Autonomous Transition FlightsAurora Flight Sciences announced that its GoldenEye-50 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) performed multiple autonomous transitions from vertical to horizontal flight, and back again, during test flights last week.
| | |
|
Hurricane Hunter aircraft visits CharlotteThe 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron of the 403rd Wing, U.S. Air Force Reserve Command gave U.S. Rep. Mark Foley, R-Palm Beach Gardens, National Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield, other local dignitaries and members of the media a flight on the WC-130J Hurricane Hunters.
| | |
|
US to sell bunker-busters to Israel?The Pentagon has notified Congress of a proposed sale to Israel of 100 GBU-28 guided bunker-busting bombs.
| | |
|
Turkey to Upgrade Lockheed Martin F-16 Fleet with Advanced SystemsThe governments of the United States and Turkey signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance (LOA) for the systems upgrade of Turkish F-16 aircraft at an estimated total value of $1.1 billion. Lockheed Martin will be the principal contractor for the program.
| | |
|
Cox away...and move over, Top GunDelta Jets in Gloucestershire gives you the chance to fly a Hawker Hunter T7, a two-seater fighter trainer decommissioned by the RAF in 1994.
| | |
|
America remembers Desert One heroesAmerica honored eight American servicemen April 25 who died attempting to rescue American hostages in Iran 25 years ago.
| | |
|
C-17s get state-of-the-art homeThe 8 C-17s that will arrive at 452nd Air Mobility Wing, March Air Reserve Base later this year will be housed in an environmentally friendly hangar that is larger than a football field and incorporates advanced construction technology.
| | |
|
Air Chief asks to prepare for star warsIndian Air Force Air Chief S P Tyagi said his force has mooted to the government the setting up of a Strategic Aerospace Command to prepare for future star wars.
| | |
|
Taiwan needs weapons to counter China buildupTaiwan urgently needs to buy submarines, missile defenses and patrol aircraft to counter the growing threat posed by China's rapid buildup of military forces, retired U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Mark Stokes says.
| | |
|
Italian Military Helicopter Crash Kills Five An Italian Air Force Agusta-Bell AB-212 crashed in the country�s northern Alpine region, killing five military personnel aboard.
| | |
|
Humphreys helo unit marks upcoming move to TexasCompany A � of the 2nd Battalion, 52nd Aviation Regiment, U.S. Army will leave South Korea for Fort Hood, Texas, where it will become part of the 1st Cavalry Division�s aviation brigade.
| | |
|
Carl Vinson Leads West Coast Carriers, Earns Battle �E�The crew of USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) was awarded the 2004 Battle Efficiency Award (Battle "E") for West Coast carriers April 18.
| | |
|
U.S., Japanese Airmen train together during air refuelingAmerican fighter pilots are helping Japanese airmen expand their F-15 Eagle combat capabilities during hands-on air-to-air bilateral refueling training in Japan.
| | |
|
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
VF-11 Red Rippers F-14 Tomcat and VFA-11 Super Hornet (Update)More photos from Mark Houpt of the #101 taken at Grissom. I also like to share with you all a comment written in the gallery.
From: Captain Jay Spurr, USN (Ret) (Fri 22 Apr 2005 07:47:51 AM MDT)
This my son (LT. Nathaniel Spurr, USN) and his RIO (LCDR. Rod Behrend, USN) delivering the LAST F-14 from Fighter Squadron ELEVEN, based in Ocean, Virginia ... To the air museum at Grissom ANGB, April 20, 2005.
| | |
|
Harris Corporation Awarded Initial Production Contract for U.S. Navy's MH-60R LAMPS Helicopter Hawklink ReplacementHarris Corporation announced that it has been awarded a one-year, $7.5 million contract by the U.S. Navy to begin production of the Ku-band data link system, or Common Data Link (CDL) Hawklink, for the MH-60R Light Airborne Multi-Purpose System (LAMPS) helicopter.
| | |
|
US air force cancels participation in Finland-based multi-national exercisesThe USAF has cancelled its participation in ADEX 2005, the multi-national air defence exercises held in Finland in May, complaining lack of funds, the Finnish air force headquarters said in a statement on Monday.
| | |
|
Army helicopter pilots get on board with Navy-style landingsBlack Hawk pilots from the U.S. Army 78th Aviation Battalion from Camp Zama, Japan, are training to land aboard the USS Curtis Wilbur for deck-landing qualifications.
| | |
|
SA moves closer to R11bn Airbus dealSouth Africa Air Force chief Lieutenant-General Carlo Gagiano has confirmed that they are closes to purchasing between eight and 14 A400M military transport aircraft.
| | |
|
SGI Has 'Eagle' Eye for DoD's Defense SGI has installed a supercomputer to help the U.S. Department of Defense simulate aircraft, weapon systems and battlefield scenarios more accurately than ever before at the Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) Major Shared Resource Center (MSRC) at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.
| | |
|
Missile command may be integrated into the Air ForceTaiwan may integrate its independent missile command into the Air Force less than a year after it was created in order to strengthen the Air Force's air defense capabilities.
| | |
|
Boeing Australia Unveils Advanced International Systems Analysis LaboratoryThe Boeing Australia Systems Analysis Laboratory (SAL) has been upgraded as part of the 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) Wedgetail program.
| | |
|
Avengers 'gun up' for Iraq dutyWhen the U.S. Army's 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment?s Air Defense Artillery Battery preparing to deploy knew its Avenger air defense vehicles weren?t built for ground combat in Iraq, the Cruise Missile Defense Systems Project Office and prime contractor Boeing stepped in to help.
| | |
|
Northrop Grumman Awarded Aerial Targets ContractNorthrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to provide BQM-74E aerial target systems to the U.S. Navy.
| | |
|
Boeing Awards LaBarge Contract for X-45C J-UCASThe Boeing Company has awarded LaBarge, Inc. a contract to provide engineering support and manufacturing services for its Joint Unmanned Combat Air System (J-UCAS) X-45C. The contracted is expected to exceed $1 million. LaBarge will manufacture wiring harnesses that distribute power and data signals throughout the aircraft.
| | |
|
Pilotless 'Lakshya' test flownAn upgraded version of India's Pilotless Target Aircraft 'Lakshya' was successfully test flown on Monday from the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur, defence sources said.
| | |
|
Raytheon Makes Push To Spark Foreign Sales Of SL-AMRAAMRaytheon Co. is making a big push this year to spark foreign interest in its Surfaced Launched AMRAAM (SL-AMRAAM), now that two U.S. military services are close to acquiring the air defense system, company officials said April 22.
| | |
|
LAFB student pilot nearing milestones2nd Lt. Jozsef Jonas, a Hungarian-born student pilot at Laughlin Air Force Base, has gotten two �outstanding� rating on check rides which may be unprecedented.
| | |
|
InterSense Delivers Cockpit Helmet Tracking System to Lockheed Martin's F-16 Mission Training CenterInterSense, Inc., has delivered to Lockheed Martin a helmet tracking system for use with the night vision goggle (NVG) capability on the U.S. Air Force's F-16 Mission Training Center (MTC) program.
| | |
|
Boeing Receives $14.5 Million Navy Contract For ScanEagle UAVsBoeing received a $14.5 million contract from the U.S. Navy for unmanned aerial vehicle services in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom and the Global War on Terror.
| | |
|
New chief may battle to get air force off the groundLt Gen Carlo Gagiano, South Africa Air Force's new chief says its air force problems are all short-term and the new air force will be in place over the next five to 10 years with new Gripen fighters and the latest generation of A400M military air transporters.
| | |
|
Monday, April 25, 2005
F-14B restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logos (Update)Mike Stephens have kindly shared his high resolution close up photos of #143 arriving at New England.
| | |
|
Czech GripenSome photos of Czech Republic's JAS-39C Gripens arriving in the country.
| | |
|
China to deploy cruise missiles: NSBA Taiwan National Security Bureau official said that China is about to deploy land-attack cruise missiles (LACMs) within striking distance of Taiwan on a large scale beginning later this year in an effort to bypass Taiwan's current missile defense capabilities.
| | |
|
Gulfstream Aerospace Delivers Four Special Mission Aircraft and Receives Order for One More in 1Q05In the first quarter of this year, Gulfstream Aerospace, delivered four new special mission aircraft � one to the Japan Coast Guard (JCG), one to the U.S. Army, one to the U.S. Navy, and one to the National Center for Atmospheric Research.
| | |
|
Bell Helicopter to build new Hueys for Marine CorpsBell Helicopter Textron has been chosen to build 100 all-new Huey light utility helicopters for the U.S. Marine Corps.
| | |
|
Putin says Syria missile sale no threat to IsraelRussian President Vladimir Putin on Friday dismissed concerns by Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon over Moscow's sale of anti-aircraft missiles to Syria.
| | |
|
Vets at Vietnam C-130 crash reunite (Registration Required)33 years ago, seven men went down in a Hercules C-130 transport plane, riddled with damage from North Vietnamese fire, into a rice paddy. Last Saturday afternoon at Little Rock Air Force Base, three of those crew members were reunited with seven of the men who descended into that Vietnam swamp and pulled them to safety.
| | |
|
BAE chairman returns to back seat after bust-upDick Olver, the chairman of BAE Systems, has agreed to step back from day-to-day running of the company after clashing with the company's chief executive Mike Turner.
| | |
|
Sunday, April 24, 2005
US donates 10 aircraft to ColombiaThe United States has donated to Colombia four airplanes and six helicopters including two Black Hawk and four UH-1N helicopters.
| | |
|
RSAF celebrates a decade of Chinook training in the USThe Republic of Singapore Air Force celebrated 10 years of Chinook training under the Peace Prairie programme in Texas on Friday.
| | |
|
Turkey's UAV deal with Israel raises eyebrows in WashingtonU.S. defense industry sources and officials think the U.S. contender for the Turkish UAV contract was unfairly disqualified.
| | |
|
CCAJN stirs up Hornet's Va. nestThe atmosphere in and around Virginia Beach has grown even noisier these days. But some of the loudest sounds are coming not from increasing numbers of Super Hornet fighter jets arriving at their new home base.
| | |
|
Air Guard seeks new missionSouth Carolina Air National Guard leaders want airmen from Shaw Air Force Base to train with the veterans of the Guard�s 169th Fighter Wing at nearby McEntire Air National Guard Station.
| | |
|
Saturday, April 23, 2005
JSF program hits milestoneNorthrop Grumman has completed the first center fuselage section for the F-35 joint strike fighter.
| | |
|
Lockheed Martin to Enhance Automated, Time-Sensitive, Target-Prosecution SystemLockheed Martin received a two-year, $1.1-million follow-on contract to further
develop the Time-Sensitive-Target, Dynamic-Decision Enabler (TDDE). The
program seeks to reduce to two minutes or less the time needed for military
Air Operation Centers (AOC) to prosecute time-sensitive targets.
| | |
|
Eurofighter considers new bid for Singapore contractThe Eurofighter consortium is considering resubmitting a bid to provide Singapore with combat aircraft.
| | |
|
Underfunding hurts airforceMedia reports that underfunding of the South African air force had caused the service to run down were correct, SA Air Force chief Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano said.
| | |
|
NAS Fallon UAV program ships outThe unmanned aerial vehicle research center established on a temporary basis at NAS Fallon nearly four years ago will close down next week and merge into a new Air Force UAV "Center for Excellence" in Southern Nevada.
| | |
|
Raytheon Rolls Out International SL-AMRAAM ProgramRaytheon Company made public its International Surface Launched, Advanced Medium Range Air to Air Missile (SL-AMRAAM) program during roll out activities this week in
Washington.
| | |
|
Global community watching Singapore's search for new-generation combat aircraftThe American Aerospace Industries Association says history and strategic considerations favour the F-15T for Singapore.
| | |
|
Aero Vodochody Wins Boeing Door ContractCzech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody won a contract from the U.S. aerospace giant Boeing Co. to supply doors for its F/A-18E/F jet fighters, the company said Friday.
| | |
|
Congressman says C-130 J-model will not be eliminatedU.S. Congressman Marion Berry told members of the Little Rock Air Force Base Community Council that colleagues of his on the House�s Appropriations Committee have assured him that the J will not fade into the sunset any time soon.
| | |
|
Warthogs to invade Terre Haute Air Fair '05The A-10 East Coast demonstration team will be one of the performers at the Terre Haute Air Fair 2005.
| | |
|
X-32B Joins Air Museum FamilyThe Boeing X-32B Joint Strike Fighter Concept Demonstration Aircraft joins the Lockheed X-35C at the Patuxent River Naval Air Museum.
| | |
|
Congressmen ask Navy to consider other OLF sitesThree North Carolina Congressmen have asked the Navy again to consider an alternative to the Washington-Beaufort site selected for an outlying landing field for F/A-18 Super Hornet pilot training.
| | |
|
Boeing targets Asia, Europe for jet fightersJim Albaugh, chief executive of Boeing Integrated Defense Systems plans to travel to Singapore in June to help close the F-15 deal.
| | |
|
TRADING PLACES - RAF PILOTS LIVE THE AMERICAN DREAMRAF Jaguar pilot, Squadron Leader Charlie Cooke, is currently on exchange with the 49th Fighter Wing, 9th Fighter Squadron flying the F-117.
| | |
|
Maintainers keep deployed C-130s mission readyC-130 Hercules maintainers with the USAF 774th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base are keeping mission-capable rates for C-130s as high as 15 percent above the Air Mobility Command standard.
| | |
|
C-130J testers accomplish first five-bundle sequential airdropDevelopmental test and evaluation on the J-model C-130 Hercules came to a head when testers successfully completed the first five-bundle sequential low velocity airdrop.
| | |
|
Senate Supports Chambliss On C-130J AmendmentThe U.S. Senate late April 20 approved a move sponsored by Georgia's two Republican senators to bar the Pentagon from spending funds included in the fiscal 2005 supplemental funding bill to kill the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules program.
| | |
|
Boeing Small Diameter Bomb Receives $18.5 Million Initial Production ContractBoeing received an $18.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force to begin low-rate initial production of the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB). Under this contract, Boeing will produce 201 SDBs and 35 carriages.
| | |
|
Friday, April 22, 2005
VF-11 Red Rippers F-14 Tomcat and VFA-11 Super Hornet (Update)Red Rippers Tomcat #101 formation photos with VFA-11 Super Hornet photos are up and Mark Houpt was at Grissom Air Reserve Base to capture its last flight on Wednesday too.
| | |
|
F/A-18 software development team achieves highest software ratingIn mid March, the F/A-18 Software Development Team at NAVAIR Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., achieved the highest rating possible on the Software Engineering Institute (SEI) Software Capability Maturity Model (SW-CMM). The team is only the fifth U.S. government organization-and the first in the Navy-to achieve that rating.
| | |
|
Sea King inquiry extendsThe inquiry into the Australian Sea King helicopter tragedy will extend beyond the cause of the crash and investigate the age of the fleet, the adequacy of its maintenance and the training of the crew.
| | |
|
Commander Seeks Alternate Uses for ICBMsThe commander of the U.S. Air Force Space Command denied that his 500 nuclear-armed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missiles are mere "Cold War icons" and said he is preparing alternative uses for the ICBMs, including arming them with conventional warheads to attack surface or deeply buried targets.
| | |
|
Civil Air Patrol gets preview of T-37 at Perrin AFB MuseumOn April 18, 2005, cadets, senior members and two prospective members of the Texoma Composite Squadron of the Civil Air Patrol, Auxiliary of the United States Air Force, were given a sneak preview of the newly acquired T-37 jet trainer now on display in the Perrin Air Force Base Museum.
| | |
|
Failed Iran rescue mission 25 years ago led to later successesU.S. Army, Navy, Marine Corps and Air Force veterans of Operation Eagle Claw, the rescue of American hostages from Iran, families of those who lost their lives and a support group are gathering this weekend for an anniversary reunion and remembrance in the Florida Panhandle.
| | |
|
Turkey Renews Deal for U.S. Military to Use BaseTurkey extended for another year an agreement allowing the United States to use its Incirlik airbase for planes supplying U.S. and allied forces in Iraq and Afghanistan.
| | |
|
Final flight delights spectatorsVF-11's Tomcat #101 arrived at Grissom Air Reserve Base at 12:12 on Wednesday and the pilot took it through a 25-minute display of maneuvers that showcased the plane's speed and maneuverability, including a barrel roll.
| | |
|
Jet fighter crash kills student pilot, teacherAn RTAF F-5B based at Wing 7 crashed after its engine caught fire after take off in southern Thailand yesterday, killing both pilots.
| | |
|
Thales Wins EUR 236M contract for Tiger Helicopter SimulatorsOCCAR (the Joint Armaments Cooperation Organisation) and Thales have announced the signing of a production contract worth EUR 236 million for 18 Eurocopter Tiger combat helicopter simulators. It calls for the supply of 9 full-flight mission simulators and 9 trainers, plus associated support systems and an option for a further 11 simulators.
| | |
|
No BAE Systems Lay-Offs Despite Singapore SetbackBAE Systems confirmed there will be no impact on its workforce after Singapore dropped the Eurofighter Typhoon from a list of three jets vying for a �1 billion military contract.
| | |
|
First IAF woman to face axeThe Indian Air Force (IAF) started court martial proceedings against a woman officer on Apr. 15. This is the first time that a court martial has been ordered against a female officer since the induction of women in the IAF 11 years ago.
| | |
|
US offers to put sale of F16s, F18s on fast trackLt Gen Jeffrey B Kohler, director of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency, the U.S. body that oversees foreign military sales, made a strong pitch to sell its F-16 and F-18 combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), saying the machines were ideal for the current and future defence needs of India.
| | |
|
Boeing Debuts Super Hornet with Advanced Radar SystemBoeing will debut the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet equipped with the revolutionary APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar system at a ceremony at Boeing's St. Louis facilities Apr. 21.
| | |
|
Pentagon keeps jet technology from IsraelU.S. Defense Department spokesman Lawrence Di Rita said that the Pentagon is refusing to provide Israel with some technologies used in the Joint Strike Fighter due to concerns that the information could be transferred to other countries.
| | |
|
Singapore dents Eurofighter hopesDefence analysts suggested that the unusual step of branding the Eurofighter as a loser before declaring a winner made the task of filling Eurofighter�s order book even harder.
| | |
|
AF Officials Working To Sell Lawmakers On Restructured Space RadarU.S. Air Force officials continue to meet with lawmakers on Capitol Hill to convince them to sign off on the service's restructured Space Radar program and its plan to launch two demonstration spacecraft in 2008.
| | |
|
Thursday, April 21, 2005
NEXT FIGHTER REPLACEMENT PROGRAMME (NFRP)
In response to media queries, MINDEF confirmed that it has narrowed down the selection for the next fighter replacement programme to Dassault's Rafale and Boeing's F-15. MINDEF has decided not to consider the proposal from BAE Systems any further.
The Typhoon is a very capable aircraft. However, the committed schedule for the delivery of the Typhoon and its systems did not meet the requirements of the RSAF.
| | |
|
Server failure.
The server had a critical hardware failure and the problem should be fixed now.
| | |
|
ScrewtopsAn E-2C+ Hawkeye, assigned to the "Screwtops" of Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron One Two Three (VAW-123), lands aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). U.S. Navy photo by Photographer's Mate Airman Christopher Molinari.
| | |
|
U.S. Army Awards $90 Million Hellfire II Contract to Lockheed Martin for Latest Battle-Proven ConfigurationThe U.S. Army awarded a $90 million contract to Lockheed Martin for continued production of the combat-proven HELLFIRE air-to-ground missile.
| | |
|
Reunion to honor Harrier Marines past, presentThe U.S. Marine Corps� Harrier community is planning to hold a reunion June 17 through 19 at the Havelock Convention Cente, MCAS Cherry Point.
| | |
|
Russia offers choppers to PARussia has reportedly offered to donate to the Palestinian Authority two Mi-17 transport helicopters for VIP roles.
| | |
|
Worldwide Military Trainer Re-Equipment Dogged By Funding ConstraintsA new study by Forecast International projects a gradual yet steady decline in deliveries of new military fixed-wing training aircraft over the next 10 years.
| | |
|
Singapore delivers blow to EurofighterWhile Financial Times says that Singapore has raised detailed questions about the ability to fit Singapore's advanced weapons on the Eurofighter.
| | |
|
MINDEF has dropped Eurofighter from fighter competition: reportJane's Defence Weekly reported that pricing was one of the issues that made Singapore has dropped the Eurofighter from its Next Generation Fighter Programme.
| | |
|
Parts drop off Kitty Hawk jets during training flightsA piece of composite metal from a dummy training missile�s fin on a F/A-18F Super Hornet and a boarding ladder EA-6B Prowler was missing when the aircrafts landed back at Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan.
| | |
|
Kazakhstan and Russia to Develop new Satellite Launching SystemKazakhstan and Russia have agreed on the development of a new civil satellite launching system using the MiG-31 and the Ishim missile as a platform from which to launch payloads of up to 200 kg into low earth orbit.
| | |
|
Denel wins order for pilot tracking systemsDenel, has won a R210m order from BAE Systems for 450 Head Tracking Systems (HTS) and 450 Helmet Storage & Drive Units (HSDU) for the Eurofighter.
| | |
|
Power, backup failed before F-16 crashedThe main power and backup power failed moments before an F-16 jet fighter crashed into the marsh on the Ashley River in Charleston, South Carolina.
| | |
|
IRAQ AIR FORCE FORMS 3 SQUADRONSThe Iraqi air force has formed three operational squadrons, with another squadron being prepared.
| | |
|
Raytheon Receives $44 Million U.S. Navy Award for F/A-18 Threat Protection SystemsRaytheon Company has been awarded a $44 million contract for production of its ALR- 67(V)3 radar warning receiver system for the U.S. Navy. The ALR-67(V)3, which is
the state-of-the-art radar warning receiver on U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F carrier-based tactical aircraft, recently completed a successful initial deployment in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
| | |
|
Senate votes to block scrapping of carrierThe U.S. Senate voted 58-38 Wednesday to block the Pentagon's plans to scrap USS John F. Kennedy, keeping the fleet intact - at least for now.
| | |
|
EADS welcomes German decision to participate in MEADSGermany, in collaboration with the USA and Italy, will participate in the development of the ground-based tactical air defence system MEADS.
| | |
|
F-16 Crash: New Pictures2 guys witnessed the
crash of an F-16 in South Carolina and took pictures of it.
| | |
|
Russia to Supply Engines for Chinese FightersRosoboronexport signed a contract with China on supplying 100 RD-93 engines for Chinese fighters FC-1 which China intends to export to Pakistan. However, to avoid complications in Russian-Indian relations the Russian engines will have to be removed from the fighters China plans to export.
| | |
|
Fighter plane's landing gear collapsesThe right landing gear of an F-16 collapsed as the plane was landing at the Burlington International Airport.
| | |
|
Reserve, active-duty pilots battle for air superiorityFor two weeks, F-15 �Gorillas� from Eglin Air Force Base�s 58th Fighter Squadron engaged their adversary, F-16 �Makos� from Homestead�s 93rd FS in a head-to-head competition for air superiority known as dissimilar aircraft combat training.
| | |
|
Boeing ScanEagle Demonstrates Net-Centric Technologies at Joint Military DemonstrationBoeing and a team of industry and academic researchers demonstrated a series of advanced network-centric technologies at a joint military exercise held at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico. The team used ScanEagle for the demonstration.
| | |
|
Wednesday, April 20, 2005
Two Helicopter Wings Merge Into HSCWINGPACThe former Helicopter Anti-Submarine Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet (HSWINGPAC) and Helicopter Tactical Wing have merged to become Helicopter Sea Combat Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet (HSCWP).
| | |
|
Carrier Ex-America Departs PhiladelphiaThe decommissioned aircraft carrier, ex-America (CV 66) departed the Navy�s Inactive Fleet Facility April 19 for its final and vital mission as a live-fire test and evaluation, and weapons effect platform for the next generation aircraft carrier.
| | |
|
E&S EPX-500 Selected for MiG-29 TrainerEvans & Sutherland Computer Corporation announced Apr. 19 that the company has been selected by Rheinmetall Defence Electronics to provide its EPXTM-500 visual system for the Indian Navy MiG-29 program.
| | |
|
Region could get all F/A18 Super HornetsCherry Point is on track to receive two of 10 squadrons of F/A-18 Super Hornets on the East Coast. However it could have all the squadrons if the Citizens Concerned About Jet Noise citizen action group has its way.
| | |
|
DOD Approves Lockheed Martin F/A-22 Raptor Aircraft for Full-Rate ProductionThe Lockheed Martin F/A-22 Raptor fighter aircraft has been given the green light by Department of Defense acquisition officials to enter into full-rate production.
| | |
|
Partnership could rival BoeingTwo aerospace industry sources said Monday that Northrop and European Aeronautic Defense and Space Co. will announce in the next few weeks their partnership for a multibillion-dollar Air Force contract to build a new generation of refueling tankers.
| | |
|
RAF jet pilot 'should have seen oil rig helicopter'An RAF Tornado and a Bristow Super Puma helicopter carrying North Sea oil workers missed each other by 50ft only.
| | |
|
Boeing Delivers Airborne Satellite Communication System to Air ForceBoeing recently delivered 16 airborne satellite communications systems, known as Combat Track II, to the U.S. Air Force that will enhance aircrew's real-time situation awareness in the cockpit.
| | |
|
Military Considers UAV for Monitoring West Sea NLLSouth Korea is considering the use of an Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) above the Northern Limit Line (NLL) in the West Sea in order to monitor North Korean naval forces and prevent any accidental military engagements between the two Koreas.
| | |
|
Tuesday, April 19, 2005
China Defense BlogPhoto from China Defense Blog showing a closer look of PLAN's Kamov Ka-28 Helix naval helicopters. The chinese words on the fuselage means "Sea Patrol."
| | |
|
Fighter-bomber to be retiredAn F-14B from the U.S. Navy's VF-11 Squadron will arrive around noon Wednesday at Grissom Air Reserve Base for permanent display at the Grissom Air Museum.
| | |
|
Czech Gripens have arrivedThe first six Czech Air Force Gripen aircraft have arrived in the Czech Republic on Apr. 18. Eight more will be delivered in August 2005.
| | |
|
Singapore drops Eurofighter from jet bid - sourceSingapore has dropped the Eurofighter from consideration as it prepares to announce the winner of a 1 billion dollar order, an industry source told Reuters.
| | |
|
Raytheon Receives $32.5 Million Contract Award for U.S. Air Force and Navy Towed DecoysRaytheon Company has received a $32.5 million contract award from the U.S. Air Force
Electronic Warfare Product Group, Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Ga., for the ALE-50 towed decoy system.
| | |
|
EADS CASA Defence and Security Systems Delivers the 100th Eurofighter Series Production Right WingEADS Defence and Security Systems in Spain has delivered the 100th series production right wing to the Eurofighter final assembly line at EADS Germany.
| | |
|
Aim to induct BrahMos into combat aircraft: PillaiThe Indian Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) was aiming to induct BrahMos cruise missiles into the SU-30 MKI before 2007, A Sivathanu Pillai, CEO and Managing Director of BrahMos Aerospace, has said.
| | |
|
Carrier group returns home no worse for wearDuring 23,967 flight hours, the planes in Carrier Air Wing Three on board USS Harry S. Truman flew 8,657 sorties, made 7,651 carrier landings and dropped 18 tons of ordnance over targets in Iraq. That is 2,300 hours greater than the five previous deployments.
| | |
|
Pilot Presents Flag Flown In Combat To SchoolAn American flag that was flown over Afghanistan during a combat mission Oct. 5, 2003 was given to a school in North Carolina.
| | |
|
IAF brass examine combat-readinessA five-day Indian Air Force commanders' conference, chaired by Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi and attended by heads of the seven commands, will look into long-term training plans, ways to achieve better synergy with Army and Navy, and acquisition of new platforms, capabilities and force-multipliers.
| | |
|
U.S., Russian Soldiers Hold Joint ExerciseRussian and U.S. military officers are conducting a joint computer simulation missile defense exercise in Russia this week.
| | |
|
Truman air wing returnsOn a sunny, clear afternoon, Strike Fighter Squadrons 37 and 105 and Fighter Squadron 32 from the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman touched down at Oceana Naval Air Station following a six-month deployment in the Persian Gulf.
| | |
|
Lockheed Martin Joint Common Missile Successfully Performs In F/A-18 E/F Wind Tunnel TestsLockheed Martin has successfully completed initial F/A-18 E/F integration wind tunnel tests of its Joint Common Missile (JCM).
| | |
|
Northrop Grumman's ASTAMIDS Program Increases Mission CapabilityNorthrop Grumman Corporation's Airborne Standoff Minefield Detection System (ASTAMIDS) program is being expanded, at the request of the U.S. Army, beyond its initial counter-mine mission to include reconnaissance, surveillance, and target acquisition (RSTA) and target designation applications.
| | |
|
Pentagon review board OKs funding for Global Hawk programThe Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board has approved funding to continue work on the Global Hawk unmanned spy plane program, the Defense Department said Monday.
| | |
|
KAI begins shipment of F-15K wings, fuselagesKorea Aerospace Industries Co. exported its first F-15K wings and front fuselages to Boeing recently. This is the first time that Boeing has allowed a foreign maker to produce wings and front fuselages for the F-15 fighter jets.
| | |
|
Thunderbirds have landedF-117A Nighthawk, German Tornadoes, F-15 Strike Eagles, F-16s and a B-1 bomber simulated the first night attack of Iraqi Freedom at the 2005 Holloman Air Force Base air show �Thunder Over the Basin: Liberty Takes Flight.�
| | |
|
Boeing Selects EMS High-speed Data Terminal For Broadband Satellite Communication And Safety Services For P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (PDF)Boeing has chosen EMS Technologies SATCOM's systems for its broadband satellite communication terminals in the U.S. Navy�s P-8A multi-mission maritime aircraft (MMA) program.
| | |
|
IDF and US wind up major joint military exercisesUnited States is expected to transfer out of Israel its equipment, including Patriot batteries, after winding up a major defense exercise with the IDF.
| | |
|
Change of command for Patrol Squadron 5 in SicilyCmdr. William D. Johns will assume command of USN Patrol Squadron 5 at Naval Air Station Sigonella, Sicily, from Cmdr. Sean C. Cannon Monday.
| | |
|
Turkey to buy $200m. of Israeli UAVsAfter six years of negotiations, Turkey is finally signing a $200 million deal on Monday to purchase the Israel Aircraft Industries� Heron drone and Elbit System�s ground stations .
| | |
|
F-16 fighter crashes in South Carolina; airmen escapeAn F-16 jet fighter based at Shaw Air Force Base crashed during a training mission on Monday. Both pilots ejected safely.
| | |
|
Boeing Team to Perform Navy P-8A MMA Fire- Suppression TestsA team led by Boeing will evaluate a variety of fire-suppression systems for the U.S. Navy's P-8A Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft.
| | |
|
Monday, April 18, 2005
Today in HistoryThe Doolittle Raid on Japan was carried out from USS Hornet on 18 April 1942.
| | |
|
Angel One helicopters sign off (Registration Required)Three HH-46 search and rescue helicopters based at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort will no longer provide service along Beaufort County's coasts.
| | |
|
RAAF chief new Defence headAir Marshal Angus Houston, the current RAAF Chief of Air Force, will be the next Chief of the Australian Defence Force.
| | |
|
Britain, U.S. investigating unauthorized Truman visitorThe U.S. Navy is investigating how a man managed to get on board the aircraft carrier Harry S. Truman without authorization while the ship was visiting Britain on April 9.
| | |
|
IAF's super spy planes on the verge of being phased outIndia Air Force is about to phase out its reconnaissance MiG-25.
| | |
|
Big market for fightersIndia is proposing to buy 18 F-16s outright and that the remaining 108 be built in India under a licensing agreement. This would be similar to arrangements Lockheed has made with Turkey, South Korea and a number of NATO countries.
| | |
|
F-14 Tomcat AircraftPrairie Aviation Museum in Bloomington is trying to raise $13,000 to get a F-14 Tomcat.
| | |
|
Sunday, April 17, 2005
F-14B restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logos (Update)Ken went to visit the Tomcat at Bradley International Airport and found that its demilitarized and will be moving to the Museum soon.
| | |
|
General: Air Force needs more cargo tankersLt. Gen. Bill Welser, commander of the USAF 18th Air Force, says the USAF must boost its fleet of cargo and tanker planes to continue providing U.S. troops across the globe the airlift they required.
| | |
|
Company in initial production on system, tells investors it will be a moneymakerTitan Corp. has begun moving from prototype development to initial production of a low cost cruise missile called Affordable Weapon System.
| | |
|
Three airmen get medal for support of 'ground pounders'3 Airmen from the USAF 25th Air Support Operations Squadron received the Bronze Star for service in Afghanistan and Iraq.
| | |
|
Ceremony remembers aircrew shot down by North Koreans in 1969Sailors from Naval Security Group Activity at Naval Air Facility Misawa, Japan held a ceremony on Friday to honor the 31 servicemembers killed aboard an EC-121 shot down by North Korean fighter jets 36 years ago.
| | |
|
U.S. planes may have dropped partsThe U.S. Navy found an F/A-18F Super Hornet without an aluminum fin and an EA-6B Prowler without part of a ladder after they returned to the Navy's Atsugi base in Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan last week.
| | |
|
VP-8 Assists in Rescuing Four Philippine FishermenU.S. Navy P-3 Orion aircraft from Patrol Squadron (VP) 8 played a critical role in the rescue April 10 of four Philippine fishermen whose vessel had been adrift in the South China Sea.
| | |
|
Crash pilot 'under the influence'An investigation into a U.K. army helicopter crash in County Londonderry has found the pilot was "probably under the influence of alcohol".
| | |
|
Special Agents and MiGs to Safeguard Foreign Leaders in Moscow on Victory DayAt least 20 Su-27, MiG-29 and MiG-31 fighter jets will be protecting foreign dignitaries during the WWII Victory Day celebrations in Moscow on May 9.
| | |
|
Saturday, April 16, 2005
�Diamondback� 50th anniversary paint schemeThe Diamondbacks held a 50th anniversary celebration in their hangar to show off their newly repainted Super Hornet. U.S. Navy photo by Journalist 3rd Class Matthew R. Schwarz.
| | |
|
VX-31 Receives 2003 Naval Aviation Safety AwardAir Test and Evaluation Squadron (VX) 31 was presented the Chief of Naval Operations 2003 Naval Aviation Safety Award.
| | |
|
Guardsmen charged with smuggling Ecstasy on C-5
Two Airmen from the New York Air National Guard's 105th Airlift Wing have been charged with importing narcotics from Germany to the United States.
| | |
|
Upgrades retrofit T-38 with latest technologyThe USAF 416th Flight Test Squadron wrapped up flight tests on software upgrades in an ongoing T-38 Talon avionics upgrade recently.
| | |
|
A Trail of Pain From a Botched Attack in Iraq in 2003A U.S. Air Force F-15E crew mistook an American artillery unit for an Iraqi missile battery and bombed it two years ago during the invasion of Iraq. An investigation report was released to families of the dead but not to the wounded.
| | |
|
GAO says problems justify rebidding C-130J contractThe U.S. Government Accountability Office recommended Thursday that the U.S. Air Force rebid the installation portion of its $4 billion C-130 avionics modernization contract with the Boeing Co. and study the possibility of rebidding the entire 3-year-old contract.
| | |
|
More problems for C-130 fleet at Pope AFBThere are more problems for the aging C-130 fleet at Pope Air Force Base. The base is now down to six C-130 Hercules cargo airplanes.
| | |
|
U.S. aviation forces on the moveUnited States Forces Korea announced that it will deactivate the 17th Aviation Brigade on June 16. One Apache battalion which was sent to the United States for upgrading will not return to Korea.
| | |
|
Gripen successfully completes air-to-air refueling campaign with NATO standard compatible tankerGripen has successfully completed an air-to-air refueling campaign with a South African Air Force Boeing 707 tanker at Saab�s facility in Link�ping, Sweden. A total of 19 sorties with the latest standard of Gripen, the Gripen C single-seat and Gripen D dual-seat was flown.
| | |
|
ROTC cadets 'flying high'
Lockheed Martin brought a F/A-22 cockpit simulator to Oregon State University for three days.
| | |
|
Technical talks with Qatar on Mirage deal likely soonA high-level team from Qatar will visit India soon to hold technical talks on the proposed sale of a dozen Mirage 2000-5 fighters.
| | |
|
Military jet teams set for air showThe June 4-5 Manitowoc County Airshow will feature combat jets, including the U.S. Air Force F-16 Flying Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt, along with a Marine-piloted U.S. Navy F-18 Hornet team.
| | |
|
Boeing hardsell reaches new highU.S. transport secretary Norman Mineta, who is visiting India now, is supposed to push the case for F16s and F18s on offer to India.
| | |
|
Rapid growth expected with UAV launchNorthrop Grumman Integrated Systems' Unmanned Services Center at Trent Lott International Airport is expected to employ 100 to 120 people when it begins production for the Fire Scout and Global Hawk UAVs.
| | |
|
Thune taps Pentagon for S.D.U.S. senator, John Thune and the other two members of South Dakota's congressional delegation will have to defend Ellsworth Air Force Base from the next round of military base closings.
| | |
|
Ex-SAF scholar jailed for trying to bribe DSTA officialEng Heng Chiaw, who tried to bribe a senior executive from the Defence Science & Technology Agency in exchange for information on tender bids for a multi-million dollar Singapore Naval Helicopter project, has been sentenced to eight weeks' jail.
| | |
|
Friday, April 15, 2005
VF-11 Red Rippers F-14 Tomcat and VFA-11 Super Hornet (Update)The Red Rippers Tomcat 100 flew with the VFA-11 Super Hornet in formation past the St Louis Arch Apr 14. Gerry told me these are exclusive photos for Alert 5. These photos were taken from Red Rippers Tomcat 101 which is painted with an old color scheme like the
Pukin Dogs one. Hopefully we can have photos of the 101 with the Super Hornet next week.
| | |
|
Chile's Minister of Defense and Air Force Commander View Country's First F-16 Aircraft at Lockheed MartinChile's Minister of National Defense, Mr. Jaime Ravinet, joined other Chilean and U.S. officials Apr. 14 in celebrating completion of the first F-16 produced for the Chilean Air Force, or Fuerza Aerea de Chile (FACH).
| | |
|
Raytheon Awarded Contract for CVN 78, Expanding Support to Navy's Family of ShipsRaytheon will be the industry lead for warfare systems integration of all
onboard weapons systems and electronics operations for CVN 78, the lead ship in the U.S. Navy's next generation of aircraft carriers.
| | |
|
Northrop-EADS team quits U.S. helicopter bidA team made up of Northrop Grumman Corp. and EADS 's North America unit said Thursday it had withdrawn from a planned competition to build a U.S. Air Force combat search and rescue helicopter.
| | |
|
Landing test has 'em hookedAn F-16 fighter tested a mobile arresting gear at Louisville International Airport.
| | |
|
Northrop Grumman Delivers Key Test Equipment for Testing of F-35 Joint Strike Fighter EngineNorthrop Grumman Corporation delivered four pieces of test equipment to Pratt & Whitney that will enable the aircraft-engine manufacturer to test key subsystems with the new propulsion system it is developing for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
| | |
|
US wins continued use of airbaseU.S. Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld has been given the green light for the US to continue using an airbase in Kyrgyzstan.
| | |
|
Hangar opens to uncertain futureA new �77m superhangar for repairing military aircraft has been officially opened at the Aerospace Wales St Athan business park, in the Vale of Glamorgan, south Wales.
| | |
|
NATO denies anti-missile program with RussiaNATO officials said on Thursday that the alliance had no plans for a joint anti-missile defense system with Russia. The denial comes just a day after Russian Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said his country would work with NATO to develop a theater anti-missile system.
| | |
|
US may sell missiles to AustraliaPentagon notified the US Congress Thursday of a proposed sale to Australia of Joint Air-to-Surface Stand Off Munition (JASSM) missiles and related gear valued at up to $US163 million ($209.7 million).
| | |
|
Dumping Eurofighter could cost billions of pounds, Lib Dems toldLiberal Democrat plans to cancel Britain�s Eurofighter order appeared close to collapse last night after it emerged that any savings made by such a move could easily be wiped out by a compensation bill running into hundreds of millions of pounds.
| | |
|
Air Force general demoted to colonel for falsifying ageThe former head of the Philippine Air Force logistics command, was demoted from major general to colonel after he falsified his date of birth to avoid mandatory retirement.
| | |
|
Air Force to Require Lockheed Cost DetailsThe U.S. Air Force will modify its C-130J transport plane program contract to gain more cost and pricing information from Lockheed Martin Corp.
| | |
|
President Commissions AGZ AircraftZimbabwe President Mugabe, yesterday commissioned six K-8 jet trainer aircraft bought from China for use by the Airforce of Zimbabwe at Thornhill Airforce Base in Gweru.
| | |
|
Carrier Air Wing 3 Returns from War on TerrorismNearly 40 aircraft and their air crews will return to the Norfolk area April 16-17 following a six-month deployment to the Persian Gulf aboard the aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). Marking their final deployment in the F-14 Tomcat are the �Swordsmen� of Fighter Squadron (VF) 32. Their arrival is scheduled for 1:15 pm.
| | |
|
Four crew killed in ASDF plane crash in NiigataA Japanese Air Self-Defense Force rescue plane crashed Thursday on a mountain in Niigata Prefecture after leaving Niigata airport shortly after 1 p.m., killing all four crew members aboard, the Defense Agency said.
| | |
|
U.S. Suspends Israel from Warplane Project - PaperThe United States has suspended Israel from joint efforts to produce the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, in protest at the Jewish state's defense dealings with China, an Israeli newspaper said on Thursday citing U.S. sources.
| | |
|
Thursday, April 14, 2005
Special Photography IssueThe latest issue of Code One Magazine is out and this issue is a Special Photo edition. Katsuhiko Tokunaga, my favourite photographer is featured inside.
| | |
|
Star Warriors make first trip to IwakuniVAQ-209 with their five EA-6B Prowlers arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan.
| | |
|
Lancers maintain air supremacyU.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan only permanent squadron is the Lancers of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 212.
| | |
|
New barracks eases housing crunch at Kunsan Air BaseNewly arrived airmen at Kunsan Air Base in South Korea will face shorter waits for a dorm room thanks to a new barracks now open for occupancy.
| | |
|
Last T-33 jet trainers taken out of serviceThe last of the Canadian Forces T-33 jet trainers touched down Apr. 12 afternoon at CFB Trenton.
| | |
|
New mbda facility openedGeoff Hoon, U.K. Secretary of State for Defence, visit to Stevenage last week to open a new �80m facility at MBDA Missile Systems.
| | |
|
Boeing Team Completes P-8A MMA High-Speed Wind Tunnel TestsA team led by Boeing recently completed 1,300 hours of high-speed wind-tunnel testing of the U.S. Navy�s Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft (MMA), which was recently given the designation P-8A. Photo Credit: Boeing photo
| | |
|
World Fighter Market Impacted by Major F/A-22 Program CutsProposed cutbacks in the U.S. Air Force�s prized F/A-22 fighter program could have a major impact on both the scope and composition of the world market for fighter/attack/jet trainer aircraft over the next 10 years, according to a new Forecast International market analysis.
| | |
|
Mugabe buys six jets to 'defend airspace'Zimbabwe has acquired six K-8 advanced jet trainers.
| | |
|
C-17 makes first polar airdropTwo USAF C-17 made a 12-hour, nonstop flight to airdrop about 10,000 gallons of fuel to scientists at the North Pole.
| | |
|
Top Naval Air Force Officials Come Together for 2005 Helicopter SymposiumA four-day Naval Helicopter Symposium, titled �Rotary Revolution, A Changing of the Guard,� was opened by Vice Adm. James M. Zortman, commander, U.S. Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet.
| | |
|
Russia Develops Drone Aircraft for Multiple Launch Missile SystemRussia have developed a drone reconnaissance aircraft that can be launched from the Smerch multiple launch missile system.
| | |
|
Geneva Aerospace Joins Forces with Vought to Study the Feasibility of a Sea-Going Unmanned Aerial VehicleVought Aircraft Industries will modify a Geneva Aerospace's Dakota UAV for water operations, removing landing gear and adding floats for the demonstration of the Kingfisher Jr.
| | |
|
Combined Defense Exercise with IndonesiaA combined maritime air exercise between the Indonesian Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is underway in the Timor Sea this week, an Indonesian Air Force B737 Surveiller aircraft and a RAAF AP-3C Orion would conduct a maritime surveillance exercise.
| | |
|
BAE SYSTEMS Achieves First Untethered Flight of Vertical-Takeoff Unmanned Aerial VehicleBAE Systems has achieved the first untethered flight of its second-generation ducted-fan unmanned aerial vehicle. The flight of the ducted-fan aircraft lasted seven minutes.
| | |
|
China held military drillChina reportedly held an anti-aircraft carrier drill last month to prepare for blocking US assistance to Taiwan in the event of a cross-strait war.
| | |
|
$5.1M for Research into LMSJ Jamming SystemsBAE Systems Information and Electronic Warfare (EW) Systems is being awarded a $5.1 million cost-plus fixed-fee contract modification to provide for additional work for the Lightweight Modular Support Jammer (LMSJ) 2005 Congressional Plus Up Program.
| | |
|
Russia has aerospace defence � chief of air force staffElements of Russia�s aerospace defence have been practically formed and are functional, said Colonel-General Boris Cheltsov, chief of the Russia Air Force�s Chief Staff.
| | |
|
Sikorsky opens project office for new Maritime helicopterSikorsky Aircraft and Canadian government officials have opened a project office at Sikorsky's main maufacturing facility in Connecticut to oversee the construction of Canada's new CH-148 Cyclone maritime search-and-rescue helicopters.
| | |
|
EGYPT TO DEPLOY HELICOPTERS ALONG ISRAELI BORDEREgypt plans to deploy combat helicopters along its border with Israel.
| | |
|
Wednesday, April 13, 2005
Lockheed offers no comments on bid controversy Lockheed Martin's Director of Communications, Mike Drake, said New York's two senators "have acted adequately" in addressing the recent flare-up over the US101 helicopter contract .
| | |
|
BAE SYSTEMS Delivers First Fully Functional Helmet-Mounted Display System for GripenBAE Systems has delivered to Saab AB the first fully functional Gripen helmet-mounted display system, including a high-speed optical head tracker. This event follows the May 2004 first flight of the mechanical Gripen helmet.
| | |
|
MiG-29s for Admiral Gorshkov to start arriving this yearMiG-29 fighters, for the retrofitted aircraft carrier Admiral Gorshkov, will start arriving in India by the end of this year.
Labels: INS Vikramaditya
| | |
|
Revamped USAF wing's mission solid (Registration Required)The USAF 615th Contingency Response Wing, only the second such wing in the Air Force, was activated in a ceremony at Travis Air Force Base. Its mission: to rapidly establish, expand and maintain airfields anywhere, anytime.
| | |
|
Goa naval base to be ready for MiG-29KsThe Indian naval base at Goa will be expanded to make room for the Navy�s largest fleet of MiG-29Ks that the force plans to acquire soon.
| | |
|
Eurofighter policy gaffe by Wallace provokes jobs wrathJim Wallace, the Scottish Liberal Democrat leader, was accused of putting up to 2,000 Scottish jobs at risk when he announced that a Liberal Democrat government would not buy any more Eurofighters.
| | |
|
European aerospace giant rules out arms salesEADS will not sell arms to China even if the EU decides to lift its embargo so as not to jeopardise its interests in the United States, co-chairman Rainer Hertrich said Tuesday.
| | |
|
Orbital Successfully Launches New Medium Range Target For U.S. Missile DefenseOrbital Sciences Corporation announced that it successfully launched a new Medium Range Target (MRT) vehicle for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA). The MRT vehicle is the first of a family of flexible targets being developed for MDA that can be launched conventionally from ground sites, air-launched from a U.S. Air Force C-17 cargo aircraft or sea-launched from the deck of a retired helicopter carrier.
| | |
|
Israel Air Force Noise Pollution WoesIsrael Environmental Affairs Ministry officials are beginning to measure noise-pollution levels generated by its air force aircraft around Hatzor in the Gan Yavne area.
| | |
|
B-2 crews adjusting to Guam rotationPilots of B-2 Spirit bombers from the USAF 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam are experiencing unique challenges, from rain-slick runways to fewer back-up airfields for emergency landings.
| | |
|
India 'restores' tsunami-hit baseJaguar and SU-30 fighter jets took off from the rebuilt Indian air force base on the island of Car Nicobar in an exercise to show the base is again ready for use.
| | |
|
Taiwan mulls new jet fighters on reports Dassault may sell aircraft to ChinaTaiwan Defense Minister Lee Jye said he had ordered a study on obtaining a new generation of jet fighters.
| | |
|
Military aircraft makes emergency landing at Tri-State AirportA U.S. Navy KC-130T was forced to land around noon yesterday at Tri-State Airport near Huntington, West Virginia.
| | |
|
Facing $3 billion budget shortfall, Air Force trims entertainment, other costsThe USAF is asking its people to tighten their belts to help pay for the war on terrorism.
| | |
|
Medals for chopper crash victimsAustralian Prime Minister John Howard said the nine Australians killed in the Sea King helicopter crash during a mercy mission in Indonesia on April 2 will receive humanitarian overseas service medals posthumously.
| | |
|
US offers to train Indian Navy for Adm GorshkovThe U.S. has offered to train Indian naval pilots in complex carrier-based operations to ready them for operating from INS Vikramaditya � formerly Admiral Gorshkov.
Labels: INS Vikramaditya
| | |
|
Sale of Mirages, gas to top Qatar ruler's agendaQatar Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani will discuss India's decision to buy 12 Mirage 2000-V fighter aircraft from the Qatar Air Force during his visit to India.
| | |
|
GFAFB confirms temporary KC-135 tanker relocation to Fargo, Washington stateGrand Forks Air Force Base officials confirmed that its fleet of KC-135 Stratotankers is relocating to Hector Field at Fargo International Airport and to Fairchild Air Force Base in Washington state for about six months starting in late April.
| | |
|
New wing to stand up at MildenhallThe USAF 501st Combat Support Wing will stand up at RAF Mildenhall this summer to handle issues ranging from operations to quality of life for the remote in England.
| | |
|
Three selected as PACAF�s top airmenU.S. Pacific Air Forces last week selected three airmen as the PACAF Outstanding Airmen of the Year.
| | |
|
L-3 Communications' Link Simulation and Training Division to Build F/A-18C/D Aircrew Flight TrainersL-3 Communications announced that its Link Simulation and Training (Link) division has been awarded a $12 million competitive contract and a $10 million program option to build two F/A-18C/D Aircrew Flight Trainers (AFTs) to meet the U.S. Marine Corps' Hornet aircrew combat training requirements.
| | |
|
Chinese national sentenced for role in missile export schemeA U.S. federal judge sentenced a chinese woman to 2 1/2 years in prison on Monday for trying to export missile and fighter jet parts to China. Her husband pleaded guilty to the same charges and also was sentenced to 2 1/2 years in prison in December 2003.
| | |
|
Taiwan to mass produce anti-ship misilesThe Chinese-language China Times said that Taiwan plans to mass produce the Hsiung Feng III supersonic anti-ship missile. The missile is expected to make its debut during the 2006 "Han Kuang 22" exercise.
Labels: Hsiung Feng 2E
| | |
|
Boeing Receives Contract for Additional PAC-3 Seeker ProductionBoeing has received a contract from Lockheed Martin Corp. for additional production of PAC-3 Missile seekers to be manufactured between 2006 and 2007.
| | |
|
Service plans include new role for B-52sThe Pentagon's plans to deploy a B-52 'stand off' jammer in 2013. And the new bomber would be called either the B-52 SOJ, for "stand-off jammer," or the B-52J.
| | |
|
MV-22 Program Adds Training Squadron, QuestionsBell Boeing Joint Program Office, Patuxent River, Md., is being awarded a $19.7 million modification to a previously awarded firm-fixed-price, fixed-price-incentive-fee contract for the procurement of one CV-22 aircraft flight simulator at Kirtland Air Force Base, NM.
| | |
|
No plans to buy more Apache LongbowsThere are no plans to purchase an additional six Apache Longbow attack helicopters or upgrade the older Apache models for the Israeli Air Force.
| | |
|
Air force fails to intercept Hizbullah UAVAccording to reports, Israeli Air Force warplanes and helicopter gunships were scrambled but apparently did not intercept the Hizbullah drone over northern Israel on Monday.
| | |
|
Turkey, Greece Agree to Air Base CommunicationTurkey and Greece have agreed to establish direct communications between two air bases in an effort to defuse tension over mutual allegations of air space violations over the Aegean Sea.
| | |
|
Deadly fighter plane to show its stuffThe F/A-22 Raptor will make a rare public appearance at this year's McDonald's Air & Sea Show at the end of the month.
| | |
|
Maritime helicopter contract taking flightGeneral Dynamics Canada is forging ahead with its part in the $5-billion contract awarded to Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. for 28 new maritime helicopters despite the legal challenge of losing bidder AugustaWestland Inc.
| | |
|
Tuesday, April 12, 2005
Updates
There was a problem with the
Gallery yesterday as I was configuring it to prevent
hotlinking. It was back to normal after a few hours. I have also added a comments option at the bottom of each article as well.
| | |
|
Return of SAF's Chinooks from SumatraSingapore's three Chinook helicopters, which were deployed to Northern Sumatra following the 29 Mar 05 earthquake, have returned to Singapore.
| | |
|
Eurofighter single-seaters in operational service with the LuftwaffeEADS Military Aircraft has handed over the first single-seater operational Eurofighter aircraft to Fighter Wing 73 (JG 73) "Steinhoff" in Laage near Rostock. This is the first of a further ten single-seaters that are still to be delivered to the operational wing in the course of the year.
| | |
|
Trial of former SAF scholar accused of corruption conducted in-cameraThe trial of a man charged with trying to bribe a Singaporean defense official for European Aeronautic Defence and Space will be conducted behind closed doors at the local Subordinate Courts.
| | |
|
Israel Accepts First AH-64D Apache LongbowsThe government of Israel accepted its first three AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters Apr. 10 from the United States Department of Defense in a ceremony held in Israel. The Israel Air Force designation for the aircraft is the AH-64D-I Apache.
| | |
|
Northrop Grumman Conducts First Flight of Endurance Hunter UAVNorthrop Grumman Corporation has conducted the first flight of a new configuration of the U.S. Army's RQ-5A unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) system called the Endurance Hunter.
| | |
|
DOD identifies Afghan helicopter crash victimsThe Pentagon announced the names of 14 soldiers killed in Afghanistan on April 6 when a U.S. Army CH-47 Chinook helicopter went down in a heavy sandstorm.
| | |
|
AIR FORCE TO FEEL THE PINCH IF CHINA BUYS MIRAGE 2000-9CSs: OFFICIALCommenting on a media report that said that once the European Union lifts its ban on arms sales to China, China will purchase 210 Mirage 2000-9CSs from France. Lt. Gen. Peng Sheng-chu, chief of staff at the Republic of China Air Force General Headquarters admitted that the ROC Air Force will face great pressure as the Mirage 2000-9CSs are believed to outperform the Mirage 2000-5 jet fighters that Taiwan acquired in the 1990s.
| | |
|
Pilot's 'incompetence' probedSouth Africa Beeld newspaper said that the trainee pilot who died in an aircraft crash at the weekend was undergoing his flying course for a second time, having earlier failed a solo control flight and an instrument flight test.
| | |
|
Hezbollah flies unmanned aircraft over northern IsraelLebanon's Hezbollah guerrillas flew an unmanned surveillance plane over northern Israel on Monday, a Hezbollah source said. An Israel Defense Forces spokeswoman confirmed the report.
| | |
|
India begins construction of aircraft carrierIndia on Monday began an eight-year project to build a 37,500-tonne aircraft carrier at the Cochin Shipyard in Kerala.
| | |
|
Ex-crews hope to honor the AmericaSailors who once served on the aircraft carrier America hope that the next nuclear-powered carrier, known now merely as CVN-21, will be named the America.
| | |
|
Joint fuels effort allows OEF airlift to keep rolling in UzbekistanKeeping USAF transports fueled up at Karshi-Khanabad Air Base, Uzbekistan takes a joint effort that includes U.S. Air Force fuels technicians, U.S. Army fuels distributors and civilian contractors.
| | |
|
Sukhoi Fighters to Be Armed Before End of YearThe Indonesian Air Force is targeting that its four Sukhoi fighter planes will be armed with rockets, guided missiles and bombs before the end of this year.
| | |
|
Air Force, Boeing Close Delta IV Heavy Probe, Begin FixThe U.S. Air Force and Boeing have formally closed the investigation into the premature engine cutoff that marred the first launch of the company's Delta IV Heavy Evolved Expendable Launch Vehicle (EELV) on Dec. 21, and have begun implementing hardware and software fixes that they say should not affect current launch schedules.
| | |
|
Study calls for restricted development near Arizona rangeAn Arizona state commerce department study has recommended that Yuma allow no residential development within a mile of the Barry M. Goldwater Range and that it manage density within three miles of the area.
| | |
|
Korean aerospace industries to debut T-50 'Golden Eagle' at Dubai 2005Korean Aerospace Industries will stage the international debut of its T-50 advanced trainer/fighter-lead-in-trainer November 20-24 at Dubai 2005.
| | |
|
Documentation spec makes DOD inroadsS1000D is a specification for the technical documentation associated with civil or military vehicles and equipment. The U.S. Air Force Global Hawk and the F-117A aircraft programs uses it.
| | |
|
Iran denies Ukraine delivered missilesIran's foreign ministry spokesman, Hamid Reza Asefi, denied that Ukraine had delivered to it AS-15 cruise missiles.
| | |
|
Monday, April 11, 2005
H400 radar for KS-1A SAMPhoto from China Defense Blog.
| | |
|
Rescue helicopters being returned to combatThe U.S. Army MAST, Military Assistance to Safety and Traffic, rescue helicopters at Fort Lewis that have saved many lives in the central Puget Sound area over the past 33 years are returning to a combat-only role, delivering a major blow to local search and rescue operations.
| | |
|
Russia marking Air Defense DayRussia is marking the Air Defense Day. The holiday has been celebrated every second Sunday of April since 1975.
| | |
|
Air Assault battalion makes 3rd Infantry Division historyThe U.S. Army 3rd Infantry Division will get air assault capabilities when the 101st Infantry Division�s 9th Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, with their Blackhawks, became the 4th Battalion, 3rd Aviation Assault Helicopter Regiment.
| | |
|
JFK Rolls Out Red Carpet for South American SubmarinersThe crew aboard USS John F. Kennedy (JFK) (CV 67) laid out the welcome mat and extended a warm �bienvenido� to a group of Sailors from both the Peruvian and Colombian navies April 7.
| | |
|
Sunday, April 10, 2005
Japan, U.S. agree to share use of Yokota baseThe Japan and United States have agreed on shared use of the U.S. military's Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, with plans for Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) Air Defense Command to move onto the base.
| | |
|
Missile Defense Agency Successfully Conducts Air-Launched Target Missile Test (PDF)A medium range target missile was launched from a U.S. Air Force C-17A transport aircraft approximately 800 miles west-northwest of the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai, Hawaii. The target missile was extracted from the rear of the C-17A aircraft by parachute.
| | |
|
Super Hornet waits in the wingsBoeing Co.'s F/A-18 Super Hornet has never looked so good to Pentagon accountants. The program is under budget, and deliveries to the Navy are three months ahead of schedule.
| | |
|
Medical readiness instructors receive new C-130 trainerThe USAF 381st Training Squadron's medical readiness flight received a C-130 Hercules that will be used for medical evacuation training.
| | |
|
Saab expects to sell 200 Gripen fightersSaab expects to sell 200 units of its JAS 39 Gripen fighter until 2015.
| | |
|
Shaw Air Force Base conducts emergency drillsAn emergency training drill at Shaw Air Force Base is helping military and Sumter county response units work together.
| | |
|
F-35's price tag may increase by billions (Registration Required)Lockheed Martin's F-35 joint strike fighter is approaching a critical internal review by the Pentagon amid reports that development costs may be $2 billion to $5 billion higher than previous estimates.
| | |
|
Air force trainee dies in crashA South African trainee air force pilot died when his aircraft crashed near Lichtenburg.
| | |
|
Group fights for Hornets' removalAs communities across the country fight to protect their military bases, a civic group upset about jet noise said Friday it will ask the federal base realignment and closure commission to move the U.S. Navy�s Hornet and Super Hornet jets from Oceana Naval Air Station to another East Coast base.
| | |
|
Five injured in helicopter crash in northern RussiaFive people received serious injuries and were hospitalised as a result of a Mi-2 helicopter crash near Vologda, northern Russia, on Saturday.
| | |
|
Greece rethinks EurofighterGreece is reconsidering a project by the former Socialist government to buy 60 Eurofighter .
| | |
|
Indonesia short of air defense equipment: Air Force chiefDuring a ceremony to mark the 59th anniversary of the Indonesian Air Force, Chief of the Air Force, Vice Marshall Djoko Suyanto, said that Indonesia did not have sufficient air defense equipment to guard its skies.
| | |
|
Saturday, April 09, 2005
Russian Plant Launches Production of New Sukhoi Tactical BomberThe Novosibirsk Chkalov Aviation Production Association (NAPO) is launching production of 5 Su-34 tactical bombers for the Russian air force.
| | |
|
Indonesia to increase Sukhoi planes to 16Indonesia plans to increase the number of Sukhoi fighters from 4 to 16 in the next two or three years.
| | |
|
Russian Air Force Commander Hopes New Kyrgyz Top Will Have No Grudges Against Kant Air BaseThe Commander-in-Chief of the Russian Air Force, hopes the new Kyrgyz regime will make no claims on the Russian air base in Kant.
| | |
|
Stevens Reassures on Lockheed FighterLockheed CEO Robert Stevens said Friday he believes the defense contractor can deliver the Joint Strike Fighter for the Air Force, Navy and Marines on budget.
| | |
|
Lockheed Martin, L-3 Communications Launch Legal BattleLockheed Martin Corp. and L-3 Communications Holdings Inc. launched a legal battle this week over allegations that L-3 shared proprietary P-3 airplane upgrades data with a South Korean company.
| | |
|
BAE wings in to land Eurofighter radar dealBAE Systems� has secured a �500 million contract linked to supply Captor radar systems for the second batch of 236 Eurofighter Typhoon that have been ordered by the governments of Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK.
| | |
|
BAE SYSTEMS To Build Navy EA-6B Low Band TransmittersBAE Systems was recently awarded a $17.1 million contract modification for the production of six low band transmitters (LBT) for the U.S. Navy's Electronic Attack-6B Prowler (EA-6B) aircraft.
| | |
|
IAF to inaugurate LongbowThe first three Israeli Apache Longbow helicopters will be officially accepted at Ramon air base in a high-profile ceremony this Sunday.
| | |
|
Royal Navy launches online campaign to recruit aircrewThe Royal Navy is launching a targeted email recruitment drive and online advertising campaign to promote opportunities within its fleet air division.
| | |
|
V-22's manufacturing defects are raising 'serious questions' (Registration Required)The Pentagon's Defense Contract Management Agency has criticized Bell Helicopter's quality controls at the company's V-22 Osprey plant in Amarillo.
| | |
|
142nd Fighter Wing planning on conducting training exercisesThe Oregon Air National Guard's 142nd Fighter Wing will be conducting a series of training exercises Saturday and Sunday.
| | |
|
Two IAF pilots join elite U.S. aviation hall of fame clubTwo Indian Air Force pilots -- Wing Commander S K Sharma and Flight Lieutenant A B Dhanake have achieved the rare honour of becoming the first Indian pilots to be inducted into the Smithsonian Air and Space Museum�s Hall of Fame in Washington.
| | |
|
Car Nicobar air base fit: TyagiThe Car Nicobar airbase of Indian Air Force would be formally declared as combat fit on April 14 by operating Indian Air Force (IAF) combat aircraft like Jaguars on that day.
| | |
|
Lockheed Martin Receives Ninth Annual ContractLockheed Martin received a contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) on March 31 valued at over $125 million to manufacture components for five additional F-2 production aircraft.
| | |
|
How arms dealers pampered SancoThe South African National Civics Organisation (Sanco) received millions of rands from Swedish arms manufacturers who were bidding to supply the South African Air Force with Gripen fighter aircraft five years ago.
| | |
|
Indian Air Force to hold exercises with US, France this yearThe Indian Air Force will be conducting major exercises with France and the United States this year, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said on Friday. He said while the Indian Air Force personnel would be travelling to France in June, the exercise with the US would be conducted in India in October-November this year.
| | |
|
USS America will be sunk, despite effort to create museumThe U.S. Navy confirmed that commencing Apr. 11 it will conduct a four to six-week series of underwater and above the surface explosions aboard the America which will simulate attacks by torpedoes, missiles, and perhaps a small boat suicide attack.
| | |
|
THE ADMIRAL KUZNETSOV TO SAIL TO ATLANTIC IN SEPTEMBERIn September, Russian heavy aircraft-capable cruiser, Admiral Kuznetsov, will make another cruise in the Atlantic ocean, Commander of the Northern fleet Mikhail Abramov told journalists aboard the ship on Friday.
| | |
|
F-16s deal with India may be long way off: USU.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has indicated that a deal with India on sale or co-production of F-16 fighter aircraft may be a long way off.
| | |
|
Airmen help improve B-2 aircraft maintenance in GuamAirmen from the 509th Bomb Wing at Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., are helping improve aircraft maintenance for future rotations of B-2 Spirit bombers worldwide during a deployment to Guam.
| | |
|
Italian Jet Fighters Intercept Suspicious Plane Hours After Pope's FuneralTwo Italian F-16 fighter jets intercepted a suspicious plane heading to Rome's Ciampino airport Friday, hours after the funeral of Pope John Paul II, and escorted it to a local airport, Italian news agencies said.
| | |
|
Renegotiation Of NORAD Agreement Prompts Look At New MissionsOttawa and Washington are renegotiating a 1958 agreement that established the binational command on NORAD. The agreement expires in 2006.
| | |
|
Friday, April 08, 2005
VF-11 Red Rippers F-14 Tomcat and VFA-11 Super HornetThe boys from VF-11 took these photos of their old Tomcat with their new Super Hornet.
| | |
|
Delivery of the first serial support helicopter UH-TIGER to German Army AviationThe first serial support helicopter UH-TIGER has been delivered on April 6 to German Army Aviation. The helicopter will start operations in the Franco-German Army Aviation Training Centre at LE LUC in the south of France.
| | |
|
Italian Government Fields Fighters and Heclicopters to Counter Air Threat During Pope�s FuneralThe Italian Air Force will provide F-16 ADF Fighting Falcon fighters, AMX multi-role attack fighters armed with air-to-air missiles together with Aermacchi MB-339CD advanced trainers equipped with cannons and missiles and Agusta HH-3F helicopters armed with machine guns to protect some 200 world leaders attending the funeral of John Paul II.
| | |
|
Senate Fight Over Marine One Stalls Bill (Registration Required)U.S. Senator Christopher J. Dodd, a Connecticut Democrat, tried introducing a measure that would likely have undermined the US101 deal. Dodd's measure would prohibit any foreign companies producing components of the US101 helicopter from doing business with states that sponsors terrorism.
| | |
|
NATO to send spy plane for Pope's funeralNATO will send an AWACS surveillance plane to Rome to protect Italian air space during the Pope's funeral, alliancespokesman James Appathurai says.
| | |
|
P-8A MMA to take P-3 roleThe Boeing Multi-mission Maritime Aircraft has been designated P-8A.
| | |
|
Aurora Flight Sciences Delivers Major Global Hawk AssemblyAurora Flight Sciences announced that it delivered the first aft fuselage for the new RQ-4B model of the Global Hawk unmanned aerial vehicle to prime contractor Northrop Grumman.
| | |
|
Vance officials: Flight pattern change helps enhance trainingThe circuit patterns of USAF T-37 and T-6 pilots fly at Vance Air Force Base have been shortened by a mile.
| | |
|
V-22 refuelling drogue under test on TA-4 jetA TA-4 aircraft belonging to Advanced Training Systems International tested out a new drogue, designed for use in air-to-air refueling of the V-22 Osprey.
| | |
|
MiG designer honoured by prestigious US aviation weeklyRostislav Belyakov, the designer of the MiG-29, has been honoured by Aviation Week & Space Technology for his outstanding contribution in the development of aviation technology.
| | |
|
AERO INDUSTRY: "SKY-X", ITALY'S FIRST UAV FLIGHT READYThe "Sky-X" unmanned aerial vehicle flight prototype built by Alenia Aereonautica is ready to fly.
| | |
|
Fluid leak starts fire on Osprey (Registration Required)Leaking hydraulic fluid triggered a fire in the engine compartment of one of the U.S. Marine Corps' newest V-22 Ospreys last week.
| | |
|
Osprey gets new 'off duty' protectionThe V-22 Osprey is getting new plugs and covers to protect areas of the aircraft engine or other parts of the fuselage.
| | |
|
Navy to name ship in honor of fallen AirmanThe U.S. Navy will rename one of its cargo ships April 8 after an Air Force combat controller from the 24th Special Tactics Squadron. A 670-foot cargo ship in the Navy's Military Sealift Command, currently named Motor Vessel Merlin, will be renamed MV Tech. Sgt. John Chapman.
| | |
|
Air Force honors 9 who died9 U.S. Air Force crew who died March 31 when their MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft crashed in Albania were honored in an hour long memorial service in an aircraft hangar at RAF Mildenhall.
| | |
|
Burns pitches Montana as home to stealth fighterMontana Senator Conrad Burns pitched the idea of bringing the F/A-22 Raptor to Montana in a recent meeting with Gen. John Jumper, the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, and Michael Dominquez, acting secretary of the Air Force.
| | |
|
Air Force chief defends F/A-22Gen. John P. Jumper, U.S. Air Force chief of staff, said that cutting the production of the F/A-22 Raptor fighter jet would require the U.S. Air Force to buy other legacy planes that could cost just as much.
| | |
|
Pentagon purchaser supportive of F/A-22 (Registration Required)Michael Wynne, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, issued a strong endorsement of the F/A-22 Raptor on Wednesday before a Senate Armed Services subcommittee.
| | |
|
Boeing CONECT Contract to Bring NCO Capability to B-52The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a $216.7 million contract to begin the system design and development (SDD) phase for the B-52 Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) program.
| | |
|
Navy's air arm flies high with fightersThe Indian Navy's aging air arm is finally getting its much-needed booster dose. It has embarked on a mix of mid-life upgrades, planned inductions and new acquisitions of aircraft.
| | |
|
Eisenhower Certified to FlyUSS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) (CVN 69) successfully completed flight deck certification April 5 � the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier�s second major milestone since completing a four-year mid-life overhaul.
| | |
|
Thursday, April 07, 2005
China Defense BlogHere are 2 photos of the latest Chinese classified aircraft programs. If you are interested about the latest military developments in PRC, visit the China Defense Blog. Photos posted with permission from China Defense Blog.
| | |
|
GAO faults relaxed arms-export controlsThe U.S. Government Accountability Office says U.S. companies reported 23 possible violations of export laws related to the Pentagon's Joint Strike Fighter Program. One involved the disclosure of radar-evading stealth and counterstealth technology, and another involved a foreign company releasing controlled U.S. technology to another foreign country.
| | |
|
England says F-35 issues resolved (Registration Required)U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon England told reporters while visiting Lockheed's Fort Worth assembly plant the F-35 joint strike fighter program appear to have resolved the weight and other technical issues.
| | |
|
U.S. Copter Crash Kills 16 in AfghanistanA U.S. military CH-47 Chinook helicopter has crashed in south-eastern Afghanistan, with 16 people dead and 2 unaccounted for.
| | |
|
The myth of an Israeli strike on IranThere is much talk these days of an impending Israeli strike against Iran's nuclear facilities, yet a careful examination of the various logistical, operational feasibility as well as geopolitical and regional aspects or consequences of this much-debated scenario leads to the opposite conclusion.
| | |
|
Fly like an EagleHis nickname is "Ice" for his calmness during pressure situations. But South Korean Air Force pilot Maj. Kim Sung Dae couldn't mask his emotions minutes before the unveiling of the first F-15K Strike Eagle fighter aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF).
| | |
|
Helicopter Company Wins Sea King Support ContractThe U.K. Ministry of Defence has awarded a �300 million contract to AgustaWestland for spare parts, upkeep and repair of the U.K.�s 102 Sea King helicopters.
| | |
|
Modernized Jayhawk In Revised USCG Deepwater PlanThe United States Coast Guard will upgrade and modernize its current Sikorsky HH-60J JAYHAWK helicopter to MH-60T will be fitted with a new state-of-the-art cockpit, new search /weather radar and Electro-Optics/IR units, upgraded engines and airframe.
| | |
|
CIS Air Defense Practised on Russia's Missile CarriersDuring a military exercise held on Tuesday, Russian Tu-160, Tu-95MS as well as Tu-22M3 from the 22nd air division were redeployed from Russia to Belarus, while simultaneously acting as a potential enemy for the Belarus air defense.
| | |
|
CVW-7 Arrives Aboard IkeFor the first time since 2001, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 7 personnel began to embark aboard USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (Ike) (CVN 69) March 28 for the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier�s flight deck certification, following a four-year mid-life overhaul.
| | |
|
Nimitz Strike Group Completes JTFEX 05-03USS Nimitz (CVN 68) arrived at Naval Air Station North Island March 24 after completing Joint Task Force Exercise (JTFEX) 05-03 off the coast of Southern California with Carrier Strike Group 11.
| | |
|
IAF pilots to fly F16s in joint air exerciseAt a meeting of the Executive Steering Group under the Indo-US Defence Policy Group (DPG), the Indian Air Force conveyed its desire to have E-3 AWACS take part in Cope Thunder this year.
| | |
|
F/A-22 Getting Software Fix For Flight Control SystemThe U.S. Air Force is modifying software on the F/A-22 Raptor to remove a glitch in the flight control system.
| | |
|
Sea King case going aheadCanada's Federal Court of Appeal has cleared the way for a full trial over Ottawa's handling of a $5-billion contract to replace the military's fleet of aging Sea King helicopters.
| | |
|
Boeing Completes SBSS Pathfinder Preliminary Design ReviewBoeing, in partnership with Northrop Grumman Mission Systems, has successfully completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) for the Space Based Space Surveillance (SBSS) Pathfinder system.
| | |
|
Air support unit becomes Air Guard's most decoratedThe 238th Air Support Operations Squadron has become the most decorated squadron in the Mississippi Air National Guard. The unit helps provide close air support, including surveillance, reconnaissance, airlift, electronic warfare, and special operations for U.S. Army combat forces.
| | |
|
Navy secretary, United Arab Emirates ambassador discuss F-16s (Registration Required)Alasri Saeed Al Dhahri, the United Arab Emirates ambassador to the United States, visited Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Co. with U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon R. England to receive updates on the F-16 program.
| | |
|
USS Carl Vinson F/A-18s Strike Insurgents in IraqStrike fighter aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, flying from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) in the Persian Gulf, attacked an enemy insurgent location east of Baghdad, Iraq, April 4.
| | |
|
Bulgaria Purchases Italian Aircrafts Within MonthBulgaria has chosen the Italian Alenia Aeronautica company for the purchase of eight C-27J Spartan, Defense Minister Nikolay Svinarov confirmed Wednesday.
| | |
|
Little Rock takes delivery of C-130-JThe second C-130J for Little Rock Air Force Base, home to the Pentagon�s basic C-130 training school and the largest fleet of C-130s in the world, has arrived.
| | |
|
Indo-US joint fighter exercise in NovemberBetween 8 to 12 USAF F-16s would be taking part in the exercise 'Cope Thunder Three' with India in November this year.
| | |
|
Wednesday, April 06, 2005
Czech military accepts Sidewinders from U.S.The Czech government accepted 80 Sidewinder missiles for use on their JAS-39 Gripen and L-159 jets.
| | |
|
SAF Facilitates Access by Others into Areas Affected by EarthquakeThe three RSAF Chinook helicopters have airlifted humanitarian aid supplies and rescue workers from various other armed forces and civilian rescue agencies in Sumatra. On 4 Apr 05, the Chinooks ferried a 13-member Royal Australian Navy (RAN) flying safety investigation team from Sibolga to the RAN Sea King helicopter crash site.
| | |
|
Black box recovered from crashed Australian navy helicopterAustralian investigators have recovered the flight data recorder from the wreckage of the Sea King helicopter that crashed during an aid mission to earthquake-stricken Indonesia last Saturday.
| | |
|
U.S. Drones Crowd Iraq's Skies to Fight Insurgents (Registration Required)In the skies over Iraq, the number of remotely piloted aircraft has shot up to more than 700 now from just a handful four years ago, military officials say.
| | |
|
Georgia Denies Entry to Russian Spy PlaneGeorgia denied a Russian A-50 (NATO codename: Mainstay) to over fly Georgia as a part of the maneuvers of the air forces of the Commonwealth of Independent State (CIS) member countries.
| | |
|
Secretary of the Navy announces decision to review status of Capt. SpeicherUpon review of an intelligence community report regarding the case of Capt. Michael Scott Speicher, U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gordon England directed the Chief of Naval Personnel to convene a board to review the classification of Speicher�s status as Missing/Captured.
| | |
|
JF-17 project launched: Minimum deterrence will be maintainedPakistan President Pervez Musharraf on Tuesday launched the JF-17 Thunder aircraft production project.
| | |
|
Iskander-E 'designed to counter Western TMDs' Russia's Iskander-E short-range ballistic missile is designed to defeat Western ballistic missile defence systems, particularly the Patriot Advanced Capability PAC-2/3 low-to-high altitude air-defence system, according to Uzi Rubin, former director of Israel's Missile Defence Agency.
| | |
|
Next-generation targeting pods give pilots even sharper eyes in the skyThe Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod, quadruples the zoom power of the equipment being used on most U.S. Air Force planes.
| | |
|
Quantum3D Announces Independence 2500 IG Solution Selected for B-2 Simulator ProgramQuantum3D�, Inc., announced that the Quantum3D Independence� 2500 Image Generator (IG) Solution has been selected by Northrop Grumman Corporation for use in the Pilot Evaluation Simulator (PES) for the B-2 Stealth Bomber.
| | |
|
Crew fatigue ruled out as factorAustralian Defense Minister Robert Hill has ruled out crew fatigue as a factor in the Sea King crash.
| | |
|
Raytheon Delivers 1,000th AIM-9X Sidewinder to U.S. Navy and U.S. Air ForceRaytheon Company celebrated the delivery of the 1,000th AIM-9X to the U.S. Navy and U.S. Air Force March 29.
| | |
|
Missiles to guard Pope's funeralIn preparation for a gathering of world leaders in Rome on Friday for Pope John Paul II's funeral, authorities in Rome are putting in place a defence shield that will include a no-fly zone and anti-aircraft missiles.
| | |
|
Joint Red Flag concludesThe first U.S. forces and coalition Joint Red Flag exercise concluded April 2.
| | |
|
Raytheon Awarded $200 Million Contract for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air MissilesRaytheon Company has received a $200 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for continued production of the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air missile (AMRAAM).
The contract, originally announced by the Department of Defense on Dec. 22, 2004, includes 434 AMRAAMs.
| | |
|
Israel, U.S. hold joint missile defense exercises, officials sayIsrael and the United States are conducting large-scale missile defense exercises, code-named "Juniper Cobra," aimed at combining systems from both nations. The tests include integrating the Israeli-made Arrow anti-ballistic missiles with the U.S. Patriot system to create a multi-layer air defense system.
| | |
|
Major Radar Upgrade Completed on U-S AWACS FleetBoeing announced the completion of the final Radar System Improvement Program, or RSIP, kit installation on the U.S. Air Force�s fleet of 32 Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft.
| | |
|
F-16: Air Force to be heardThe Indian Air Force brass found the F-18 to be on the heavier side and not quite in step with their requirements.
| | |
|
Tuesday, April 05, 2005
First RAF Typhoon squadron moves to permanent homeThe first Royal Air Force Typhoon squadron, 17 (Reserve) Squadron, has left BAE Systems Warton site for RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire, their first RAF base in the UK. Image is Crown Copyright.
| | |
|
State-of-the-Art Helicopter Arrives in IraqA RAF Merlin helicopter has arrived in Iraq following a 3,500-mile four-day journey from its base at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire for its first operational tour in the Middle East.
| | |
|
Air Force Updates EmblemThe South Korean Air Force said Monday it has revised its emblem Taeguk design on aircrafts after 57 years as part of efforts to instill a sense of pride in the country's Air Force. The new design added three solid bars, called kon, both sides of the Taeguk mark, replacing red lines both sides of the mark and blue outlines for the previous one.
New emblem
Old emblem
| | |
|
Howard, Yudhoyono lay wreaths for Sea King victimsIndonesia's President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, who's currently in Australia, and Australian Prime Minister laid wreaths for the nine dead Sea King victims at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier in Canberra. The Indonesian Government will bestow upon the 11 Australians, medals of honour.
| | |
|
Indian Navy hopes to acquire "blue water capability": AdmiralIndian Navy hopes to acquire "blue water capability" in the next 15 years with the addition of two Aircraft Carriers and more long range spy planes
| | |
|
Singapore and Australia in joint maritime exerciseThe Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) is hosting Exercise Singaroo, a joint maritime exercise involving the navies and air forces of Singapore and Australia. Australia is participating in the exercise with one P3C Orion aircraft. Singapore is participating with F50 maritime patrol aircraft, F16 and F5 fighters, and a E2C Hawkeye airborne early warning aircraft.
| | |
|
S. Korea may move up radar satelliteSouth Korea has announced plans to move up the launch date for a radar-equipped satellite, Arirang V, that can provide images at night and in clouds to 2008.
| | |
|
Boeing-led Industry Team Completes Sea-Based X-Band Radar IntegrationThe Boeing-led Sea-Based X-Band Radar (SBX) industry team has integrated the SBX radar onto its sea-going platform in Corpus Christi, Texas, marking a major integration milestone in the program.
| | |
|
San Antonio loses out on bid for Airbus plantFort Worth, Houston and Brownsville are three Texas locations EADS is considering for a KC-330 advanced tanker aircraft assembly plant.
| | |
|
Sea Kings' buyer welcomes groundingRetired Commodore Norman Lee, the former Australian Navy director who chose the Sea King helicopter for purchase about 30 years ago, says the move to ground the fleet is a sensible precautionary decision.
| | |
|
Belarus places anti-aircraft missile brigade on alertThe Belarussian air force's 302nd Anti-Aircraft Missile Brigade has been placed on red alert as part of military exercises.
| | |
|
Russian Officer Gets 4 Years for Fatal Helicopter CollisionA Russian military court has sentenced the deputy commander of an air force unit, Lieutenant-Colonel Gennady Golobchansky, to four years in jail after finding him guilty of violating air traffic rules that resulted in the collision of the two Mi-24 helicopters in August 2003. Six crewmembers were killed in the incident.
| | |
|
Turkey Interested in Mid-Range Chinese MissilesTurkish Air Force Commander General H. Ibrahim Firtina has said that Turkey is interested in the mid-range air defense missiles, produce by China.
| | |
|
Hornet squadron edges Tomcats out of the nestFor the pilots and flight officers of the VFA-211 "Fighting Checkmates," last Friday was the end of the beginning. For squadrons still flying the aging Tomcat, it was the beginning of the end.
| | |
|
French Mirage crashes in test flightA Mirage 2000-9 crashed in southern France on Monday during a test flight before its delivery to Abu Dhabi, military officials said.
| | |
|
Legislation to block F-16 sales soonUS Congressman Gary Ackerman will introduce a legislation to block F-16 fighter sales to Pakistan unless it allows American investigators to question A.Q. Khan, the father of Islamabad's nuclear programme.
| | |
|
Greens urge Schroeder to keep China arms banGerman Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's Greens coalition partners on Monday urged the German leader to end his support for lifting a European Union arms embargo imposed on China after Beijing's bloody crackdown on pro-democracy protests in 1989.
| | |
|
Safety query on crash helicopter seats (Registration Required)More of those aboard the Australian Sea King helicopter that crashed in Indonesia might have escaped before it exploded if it had been fitted with modern seats designed to absorb the impact, sources say.
| | |
|
DAB Will Meet June 7 On CVN-21 Aircraft CarrierThe Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) will meet June 7 to review the futuristic CVN-21 aircraft carrier.
| | |
|
Global Hawk Reaches 4,000th Combat Flight Hour Supporting the Global War on TerrorismNorthrop Grumman Corporation's RQ-4 Global Hawk reached 4,000 combat hours on March 23 during an operational mission in support of the war on terrorism.
| | |
|
Chopper crash gets Canada's attentionCanada's military is interested in finding out what happened to the Australian navy's Sea King that crashed Saturday on Indonesia's Nias Island.
| | |
|
Boeing to Modify C-130s for Special Operations MissionThe Boeing Company has been awarded a $134 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to begin the first phase of a program to modify 10 C-130 aircraft into the MC-130H Combat Talon II configuration.
| | |
|
Northrop Grumman to Perform Structural Inspection of U.S. Navy's P-3C AircraftNorthrop Grumman Corporation has been selected to inspect the wings of U.S. Navy P-3C Orion aircraft in order to identify and correct structural fatigue problems.
| | |
|
Monday, April 04, 2005
Lt. j.g. Meagan Varley, Public Affairs Officer for VF-213 'Fighting Blacklions' has kindly allowed me to publish her articles on the Blacklions, we look forward to more articles in future. Thank You Lt. Varley.
VF-213 and VF-31 are scheduled to be the last Tomcat squadrons to deploy before the aircraft is replaced with F/A-18 Super Hornets in 2006. Alert5 will try its best to keep you updated on the final days of the F-14 Tomcat.
| | |
|
VF-213 'Blacklions' hone bombing skills in Fallon
by Lt. Jg. Meagan Varley, PAO VF-213
The 'Fighting Blacklions' of Fighter Squadron 213 traveled to sunny NAS Fallon, Nev. to participate in Air-to-Ground Strike Fighter Advanced Readiness Program. From Feb. 12 to March 5, the Blacklions along with other members of Carrier Air wing 8 flew cross-country to take advantage the excellent live bombing ranges found in western Nevada. For three weeks the air crews worked on their proficiency as air-to-ground bombers completing more than 200 sorties and logging 297 flight hours.
The focus of the Blacklion's training was to prepare for their upcoming deployment at the end of the summer. With this in mind and despite unsupportive weather, 48 Strike Fighter Weapons Training events for individual air crew and 33 SFARP events were completed. In addition to this, multiple flights to complete Night Vision Devices qualifications were flown, and five new air crew were qualified.
Despite the weather and long hours the Blacklions maintainers worked hard to keep the jets flying and well armed with ordnance. Their dedication kept the jets running at peak performance and enabled the Blacklions to drop more than 53 tons of ordnance. Throughout the course of the detachment 116 MK-82s, 18 MK-83s and 617 rounds of 20MM were expended from the jets. This invaluable training was completed due to the hard work and long hours of the VF-213 maintainers and ground support.
VF-213 will continue to rely on the dedication of its troops on their upcoming training on board USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) to complete Tailored Ship's Training Assessment.
| | |
|
PM defends Sea Kings after deadly crashPrime Minister John Howard, Australian Defence Force chief General Peter Cosgrove and Opposition Leader Kim Beazley has defended the Australian Navy's use of Sea King helicopters after an accident that claimed the lives of nine Australian Defence Force personnel in Indonesia.
| | |
|
Ridge native lands damaged Navy plane safelyLt. Jason Weaver, VAW-126, was presented the U.S. Navy Achievement Medal last month when he successfully recovered an E-2C back on the carrier USS Harry Truman after its starboard engine died.
| | |
|
IAF finds major flaw in MiG, seeks help from Russian contractorsThe Indian Air Force has found flaws in the �first stage disc� of its MiG-27�s R-29B-300 engine.
| | |
|
A wave, then the chopper dived (Registration Required)Villagers on the Indonesia Island of Nias saw one of the Australian crew in the Sea King helicopter wave to a crowd below before it crash.
| | |
|
Attacking Iraq, from a Nev. computerWhile their Predator planes are in the Middle East, the USAF 15th and 17th Expeditionary Reconnaissance squadrons pilots who fly them operate from a low-slung command center in the Nevada desert, closer to the Las Vegas strip than to Baghdad.
| | |
|
Arms deal: those Hawk jets cost us double...South Africa's government paid more than double for its Hawk 100 fighter-trainer jets than the price of MB339FB preferred by defence force experts.
| | |
|
IDF unveils ultra-modern weaponsThe first three of the eighteen Israeli Air Force AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopters that will be known as "Sarafs" arrived Sunday.
| | |
|
Inquiry promises to solve Gagarin death riddleNearly 40 years after Yuri Gagarin's death in a MiG-15, Igor Kuznetsov, a former member of the State Institute of Exploitation and Repairs of Air Force Aviation Equipment, has demanded that the case be reopened.
| | |
|
Sunday, April 03, 2005
Singapore retires its A-4SU Super Skyhawks
On Mar. 31, the locally modified Super Skyhawk made its last appearance over the skies of Singapore when 12 TA-4SUs flew over Tengah Air Base with the Chief of Air Force being the last person to land. A-4SUs are still being used for Advance Jet Training in France. Photo Credit Viper52.
| | |
|
Marines to remember 19 who died in MaranaNineteen U.S. Marines who died five years ago when the MV-22 Osprey that was carrying them crashed in Marana, will be remembered in a memorial service today.
| | |
|
French and Italians in talks to be �12.5bn alliesWell-placed sources said that Thales, the French arms and electronics company, had held discussions with its Italian rival Finmeccanica.
| | |
|
USFJ, Japan agree to new guidelines for handling off-base aircraft crashesThe U.S.-Japan Joint Committee in Tokyo approved new guidelines Friday for handling off-base accidents involving U.S. military aircraft.
| | |
|
Boeing secures pact to upgrade B-52 bombersBoeing secured a $216.7 million contract from the USAF to design and develop key upgrades to its fleet of B-52 aircraft.
| | |
|
Nine Aussies dead in chopper crash: reportsA Royal Australian Navy Sea King helicopter have crash on the Indonesian island of Nias. Two on board the helicopter survived and were airlifted back to the HMAS Kanimbla for emergency surgery.
| | |
|
UAV crashes near Bikaner, no casualtiesAn Indian Army's UAV, on a "routine surveillance mission", crashed 28 km south of Bikaner in Rajasthan on Thursday night.
| | |
|
No Overhaul for USS John F. KennedyThe U.S. Navy cancelled the fiscal year '05 Complex Overhaul (COH) for USS John F. Kennedy (CV 67) April 1. Resulting from this decision, the homeport shift from Mayport, Fla., to Norfolk, Va., will not occur.
| | |
|
Saturday, April 02, 2005
Update on SAF Operations in Pulau Nias and MedanSingapore's Chinook helicopters continue to airlift tentages, food, water and medical supplies to Nias, as well as evacuate casualties to Medan for further medical treatment.
| | |
|
Overhaul of USS Kennedy canceledThe U.S. Navy canceled the 15-month overhaul on the USS John F. Kennedy Friday, but gave no final decision on whether the Jacksonville-based aircraft carrier would be decommissioned.
| | |
|
Inouye: Carrier likely for HawaiiU.S. Senator for Hawaii, Daniel Inouye said a decision could be made within a year on whether an aircraft carrier will be based in Hawaii.
| | |
|
Boeing Awarded $609 Million JDAM ContractBoeing received a $609-million contract from the U.S. Air Force for additional Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) tail kits.
| | |
|
Defence Move: IAF to fly with MiG-21s till '16The Indian Air Force (IAF), defended its ageing MiG-21 fleet, plagued in recent years by a string of crashes, and said the jets would continue to fly till 2016.
| | |
|
Do F-16s have an edge over French Mirages?According to information made available by the Indian Air Force�s Director General (Inspection & Flight Safety) Air Marshal Padamjit Ahluwalia, Mirage-2000H fighters operated by the Indian Air Force were the least prone to crashes by human error compared to Mirage-2000s in other countries and US Air Force F-16 jets.
| | |
|
Flight control problems led to near-catastropheOn Sept. 28 last year, a F/A-22 flew through the wake vortex of an F-16 Fighting Falcon. This caused the fighter to go into an uncontrollable series of violent maneuvers that resulted in $3.6 million in damage to the jet.
| | |
|
AJT deal progressing satisfactorily: IAFThe Indian Air Force on Friday denied that there were any problems in the deal with Britain for the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft and said the deal was progressing satisfactorily.
| | |
|
Combat Talon crashes in AlbaniaAn MC-130H Combat Talon II aircraft belonging to the USAF crashed while on a joint training mission with the Albanian military.
| | |
|
Friday, April 01, 2005
Wolfowitz Successor Picked(Registration Required)U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon R. England, is President Bush's nominee to become deputy secretary of defense.
| | |
|
With new jets, Navy pilots rely more on brains than brawnVFA-103 is the first squadron to train in Super Hornet simulators at Oceana Naval Air Station and in the skies over Oceana.
| | |
|
Naval aviation moves to a whole new planeThe �Fighting Checkmates� of U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 211 returns to NAS Oceana in their new F/A-18Fs, becoming the Atlantic Fleet�s first squadron to fly the Navy�s newest plane.
| | |
|
Air Vectors : UpdatesThe following Air Vectors articles were updated recently. The Lockheed Martin F-16 (v1.0.1), The Mil Mi-24 Hind & Mi-28 Havoc (v1.1.1), The Hawker Typhoon, Tempest, & Sea Fury (v1.2.1), The Douglas Globemaster & Cargomaster (v1.0.2) and The Vickers Valiant (v1.1.1) .
| | |
|
Raytheon Awarded $51.5 Million Contract for Patriot UpgradesRaytheon Company has been awarded a contract valued at more than $51.5 million to upgrade 163 Patriot PAC-2 missiles to the latest GEM+ configuration.
| | |
|
U.S. military airplane crashes in Albania and nine people believed deadA U.S. military C-130 airplane crashed in central Albania while on a training mission Thursday, and nine American personnel aboard were believed to have been killed, the Albanian Defense Ministry said.
| | |
|
Pratt & Whitney F135 SDD Program Successfully Completes Post Test Critical Design ReviewThe Pratt & Whitney F135 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) program has successfully completed the post test Critical Design Review (CDR) by the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) Joint Program Office (JPO). The JPO review found that the F135 propulsion system has met all review objectives and is on track to deliver the first flight test engine later this year.
| | |
|
Southwest Airlines Honors the Tuskegee Airmen for Their Contributions to America and Aviation HistorySouthwest Airlines honored 14 Tuskegee Airmen yesterday with a hero's celebration at the airline's Dallas maintenance facility. The event included a flyby of an F-16, T-6 Texan, and P-51 Mustang aircraft.
| | |
|
VSI's Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System Deployed on Hellenic Air Force F-16 FleetVision Systems International (VSI) announces that the Hellenic Air Force has added the company's Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System capability to its new fleet of F-16 block 52 aircraft, ordered as part of Peace Xenia 3.
| | |
|
GA awarded $68 million for new PredatorGeneral Atomics is being awarded a $68.2 million contract to build and demonstrate the MQ-9 Hunter-Killer drone, also known as the Predator B, for the U.S. Air Force.
| | |
|
New helicopters to replace ageing IroquoisThe Royal New Zealand Air Force's 14 Iroquois helicopters are to be replaced by NH-90 helicopters.
| | |
|
Air policing mission in the Baltic States to be taken over by Dutch troopsDutch F-16s will take over from Norway the air-policing mission in the Baltic States.
| | |
|
'Holistic Approach' Seen As Answer To Growing Cruise Missile ThreatThe threat from cruise missiles "is real and growing, but not unmanageable," according to a report from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments.
| | |
|
Submarine Force Tests UAV Technology to Enhance Force ProtectionThe U.S. Navy submarine force conducted a demonstration in February where a prototype UAV was launched and controlled by force protection personnel ashore to search out the waters ahead of the submarine as it entered port.
| | |
|
Aerospace in SA Looks to State for WingsSouth Africa aims to obtain contracts for local suppliers to provide components for the lifetime of the Airbus A400M.
| | |
|
Holloman's best preparing for the worstIn preparation for the April 17 �Thunder over the Basin: Liberty Takes Flight� air show, Holloman AFB personnel took part in a Major Accident Response Exercise on Tuesday morning to practice response to simulated aircraft crash involving spectators.
| | |
|
British take their leave from Goose BayIn a ceremony on Thursday, RAF officers handed over keys to its barracks and hangar in Goose Bay to Canada, bringing an end to a British presence that dates back to the Second World War.
| | |
|
F-16: US team due next monthA technical team would arrive in Islamabad next month to discuss specifics related to the sale of F-16s to Pakistan.
| | |
|
India for coproduction of fighter jetsIndia will insist on the coproduction clause in any future purchase of fighter jets, including the possible acquisition of advanced aircraft from the US, National Security Advisor (NSA) MK Narayanan said.
| | |
|
Dutch criticism as fighter plane costs shoot sky-highThe Dutch Labour Party is demanding that the U.S. Audit Office investigate delays and rising costs in the production of the Joint Strike Fighter.
| | |
|
Raptor backers gain victoryOn Tuesday, the Pentagon's Defense Acquisition Board, made up of senior Defense Department weapons buyers, voted in secret to ramp up production of the F/A-22 Raptor.
| | |
|
Mofaz hints UAV deal with China may be droppedIsraeli Minister of Defense Shaul Mofaz told Israeli journalists in Washington that he would not rule out the fact that the Harpy unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) deal with China might be abandoned under US pressure.
| | |
|
External Link | | Permalink | 