Day: March 24, 2024

Dragon Lady 1078 soars back into service

Posted on March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by alert5

A rare TU-2S recently returned to service after a nearly three-year repair odyssey. Aircraft 1078 suffered a wingtip damage in a April 2021 accident, grounding the plane and posing a unique challenge. Typically, U-2s undergo Program Depot-Level Maintenance (PDM) at a specialized facility in Palmdale, California. However, the damage to 1078 prevented its transport.

U.S. Air Force TU-2s Dragon Lady 1078 flies to U.S. Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California, where it will undergo normal Program Depot-level Maintenance (PDM) and be painted black, after almost three years of maintenance at Beale Air Force Base, California, Feb. 29, 2024. Aircraft 1078 was involved in an accident in 2021 that left it unable to move to Plant 42, and after passing low flight and high flight tests, was able to fly to Palmdale where Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Detachment 4 will oversee Lockheed Martin’s PDM of aircraft 1078. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexis Pentzer)

Saab gears up for Next-Gen Fighter with Swedish defense contract

Posted on March 24, 2024 by alert5

Swedish defense and security company Saab has secured a contract to develop concepts for the next generation of fighter jets for the Swedish Air Force. The contract, awarded by the Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV), covers a two-year period from 2024 to 2025.

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Japan to develop next-generation jet trainer with U.S.

Posted on March 24, 2024 by alert5

Japan and the United States are in discussions to co-develop a new trainer aircraft for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), according to Mainichi News. This would mark the first collaborative effort between the two nations for a trainer platform.

Hunini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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