Saturday, February 26, 2005
B-1 software, munition tests completedA B-1B Lancer test program that combined testing of software upgrades along with integrating the 500-pound Joint Direct Attack Munition, or GBU-38, wrapped up on Feb. 24.
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Boeing may shut 767 line, revive it if tanker deal fliesIf Boeing decides by midyear to halt production on its 767 assembly line in Everett, the line could be restarted upon winning a Pentagon contract for air-refueling tankers, Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher said. Boeing is also considering creating a dedicated military production line for the 767.
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Hawkeye IMC Up, Running and Flying at Point MuguThe much anticipated Integrated Maintenance Concept (IMC) at Point Mugu, Calif., became a reality last month with the first induction of the E-2 Hawkeye. The concept integrates the fleet and Depot maintainers to support the warfighter by working together on the E-2C.
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Chief of Austrian Air Force and Turkish Air Force Pilots Flew EurofighterEurofighter GmbH announced that Major General Erich Wolf, Chief of Staff Austrian Air Force, has flown Eurofighter at a visit to the Royal Air Force at BAE Systems in Warton on Wednesday 23 February. On Tuesday, 22 February, at the invitation of the Italian Air Force two pilots of the Turkish Air Force had the opportunity to fly Eurofighter Typhoon at Grosseto Base in a three ship formation with pilots of the hosting 4th Squadron.
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Russia’s Anti-Monopoly Service Opposes Creation of Aviation HoldingRussia’s Anti-Monopoly Service opposes President Vladimir Putin’s idea of merging warplane and civil aircraft makers because it would contradict basic market economy principles.
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Reward offered in shootdownRelatives and friends of four fallen Brothers to the Rescue fliers marked the anniversary of their deaths by offering a reward. The four were in 2 planes shot down by MiGs in international airspace near Cuba on Feb. 24, 1996.
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United Arab Emirates Award a Contract for Eight AB139 HelicoptersBell/Agusta Aerospace Company announced that the United Arab Emirates Air Force has awarded the Company a contract for eight AB139 medium-twin helicopters. Six aircraft will be configured for search and rescue operations, while the remaining two will be assigned to VIP transport.
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Friday, February 25, 2005
Boeing Rolls Out First KC-767 Tanker for Italian Air ForceBoeing officials and their Italian Air Force customers revealed the first KC-767A advanced aerial refueling tanker during ceremonies Feb. 24 at the Boeing site in Wichita, Kansas.
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GAO: Air Force Improperly Favored BoeingThe Government Accountability Office sided with Lockheed Martin Corp., BAE Systems and L-3 Communications Inc., that the U.S. Air Force improperly favored The Boeing Co. on a $4 billion contract to upgrade C-130 cargo planes.
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Blue Angels Seeking More Enlisted ApplicationsThe Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron (Blue Angels) is encouraging qualified Sailors and Marines to apply for the 2006 season. The application deadline is April 1, 2005, and selection results will be available June 1.
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BAE Systems protects US Army and Navy helicoptersBAE Systems has received a $7.2 million contract from the U.S. military to provide additional AN/ALQ-144A Countermeasures Sets. The ALQ-144 system protects helicopters from infrared-guided missile threats.
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Canada says no to missile shieldCanada will not sign on to the controversial U.S. missile defence program, Foreign Affairs minister Pierre Pettigrew announced Feb. 24, ending months of political ambiguity.
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Rolls-Royce's £65m MoD contractRolls-Royce plc has announced that it has won a £65m contract from the UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD). The contract extends and expands an existing agreement to support the Spey engines that power the Nimrod MRA2 and R1 reconnaissance aircraft.
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C-130J circumnavigates globeCrossing 33 time zones, and stopping in nine locations and seven countries, a Reserve crew from the 403rd Wing USAF circumnavigated the planet in a C-130J Hercules. This was a first for the new airlifter.
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Indonesian army plans to increase helicopter fleetsThe Indonesian army plans to build four helicopter squadrons as part of rejuvenation program in the army's military equipment, newly-appointed Army Chief of Staff Djoko Santoso said Thursday.
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Frigid chapter closes for C-141Another chapter closed in the storied aviation history of the venerable C-141 Starlifter as a 452nd Air Mobility Wing-based crew flew aircraft number 152 from the South Pole for the last time.
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Brazil's govt cancels tender for 12 new fighter jetsBrazil's government has canceled a tender for the acquisition of 12 new fighter jets worth $700 million, according to an official statement released Thursday by the Brazilian Air Force.
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Alegria keen to train air force pilots in IndiaVisiting Algerian Air Force chief, General Benslimani Mohammad conveyed his interest in training its air force pilots and servicing its fighter aircrafts in India.
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IAF to send Sukhois to France for joint exercisesFor the first time, India would be sending its much acclaimed Russian SU-30K fighters for joint exercises with the French Air Force in France in June this year.
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AEGIS BALLISTIC MISSILE DEFENSE FLIGHT TEST SUCCESSFUL (PDF)MDA announced Feb. 24 it completed a successful flight test of the Aegis Ballistic Missile Defense System.
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Pentagon looks to cut some NighthawksThe high-maintenance F-117A stealth fighter's days are numbered, and the Pentagon once again has proposed cutting 10 fighters to save money.
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Third UAV flight demonstration plannedThe third demonstration of multiple unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) systems will be held June 27 at the Webster Field Annex of Naval Air Station, Patuxent River.
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Israel planning air force 'umbrella' in evacuated GazaIsrael Air Force jets, helicopters and drones will patrol the skies of Gaza after Israel withdraws in the summer, in order to monitor militant activity, IAF commander Eliezer Shakedi said Thursday.
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Pilot to receive Distinguished Flying CrossCapt. Armando Espinoza, a U.S. Marines CH-46E Sea Knight pilot, will receive the Distinguished Flying Cross Friday at Camp Pendleton, Calif., for combat heroics in Iraq during the spring 2003 invasion.
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Deputy Defence Minister welcomes Australian Air Force ChiefChief of the Royal Australian Air Force Lieut. Gen. Allan Grant Houston and his entourage are in Ha Noi, Vietnam for a visit.
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Ex-Israel air chief's appointment fuels speculation over Iran strikeWith the appointment of Dan Halutz as new chief of staff, Israel has put the ideal man in charge of the military for any potential air strike against Iranian nuclear facilities.
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U.S. urges Nicaragua to destroy missilesU.S. officials pressured Nicaragua's government on Tuesday to destroy aging Soviet-made surface-to-air missiles they fear could be sold to terrorists in the black market.
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Defense seeks cash for two spy satellitesThe Israeli Defense Ministry has asked the treasury for a special budgetary allocation of NIS 400-600 million to build two new spy satellites.
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Lincoln CSG Returns Home from Southeast AsiaThe USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) Carrier Strike Group (ALCSG), including Abraham Lincoln and Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 2, returns home next week after an extended deployment to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.
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IAF for Su-30s to launch BrahMosThe IAF Su-30s will be ready to carry the BrahMos in about two years. Work has also begun on stiffening the Sukhoi’s wings so that they can carry the relatively bulky Brahmos missiles.
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Pilots are blamed in Black Hawk crash (Registration Required)An internal Fort Hood investigation blames last autumn's fatal crash of a Black Hawk helicopter in Central Texas on the two U.S. Army pilots, saying that they ignored regulations by flying visually during poor weather conditions.
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Thursday, February 24, 2005
VFC-12 and VFA-103Gerry has uploaded several new photos for VFC-12 and VFA-103 in the gallery.
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Boeing tanker prospects fadeU.S. Rep. Todd Tiahrt says any delays in a Pentagon decision to seek bids for refueling tankers may make it more difficult for Boeing Co. to compete with Airbus for the contract.
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US Army LUH: Agusta Westland Joins The Party With A-109Agusta Westland will offer its A-109 to bid on the US Army's upcoming Light Utility Helicopter programme.
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Northrop Grumman Pleased With Army Unmanned Aircraft Test Northrop Grumman Corp. said Wednesday its Hunter II unmanned aircraft performed well during a three-week test for the U.S. Army at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.
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RAF Still Adjusting Away From Cold War Stance; Too Many Airfields, Says UK Defence MinisterSpeaking at a meeting of the Air League at the Houses of Parliament, Geoff Hoon, the UK’s Minister for Defence believes that the RAF has had to adjust more that either the Army or the Royal Navy in order to transform from its old Cold War stance to one now focused on expeditionary warfare.
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Lockheed Martin Takes Delivery of Critical New Laser for JSF Electro-Optical Targeting SystemLockheed Martin's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) team received the first laser system for the aircraft's Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) from BAE Systems Avionics at a special event in Edinburgh, Scotland. BAE Systems Avionics, a subcontractor to Lockheed Martin on the JSF program, presented the high-powered laser on schedule.
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EADS seals $25bn UK air tanker dealEADS has won the battle to secure "preferred bidder" status for a contract to supply a $25bn (£13bn) fleet of air-to-air refuelling tankers to the UK's Royal Air Force.
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'No comment', says EADS on alleged Singapore bribeEuropean Aeronautic Defence and Space Company(EADS) declined Wednesday to comment on a Singapore court hearing looking into an alleged bribe to obtain information on a navy helicopter contract.
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Wednesday, February 23, 2005
USAF Thunderbirds 2004Check out the new album from Larry Grace in the gallery.
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BAE details sale of part of Saab stakeBAE Systems moved ahead on Tuesday with its plan to loosen links with Saab, announcing details of the sale of some 14 per cent of the Swedish defence group.
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Missile defense comments by Canada's new U.S. envoy spark uproarThe newly appointed ambassador to Washington triggered a row on Tuesday when he suggested Canada had signed on to be covered by the U.S. ballistic missile umbrella, a statement that runs contrary to Ottawa's claim that it has yet to join the program.
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Halutz next IDF chief; Ya'alon to leave post in JuneIsraeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz yesterday named IAF Major General Dan Halutz as the next chief of staff.
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New Apache Transmission Technology Offers More Power and CapabilityAn innovative transmission technology developed for rotorcraft applications including the Boeing AH-64D Apache Longbow helicopter has successfully completed 60 hours of operational testing.
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BrahMos set for final trialsIndia would soon undertake final trials of the 300-km range supersonic cruise missile BrahMos with live warheads.
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Wichita company featured in campaign to save the RaptorLockheed Martin produced an ad featuring employees of Wichita's Brittain Machine to illustrate the impact of a proposal to reduce the number of the new F/A-22 fighters that are ultimately built.
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GREECE BOLSTERS MILITARY NETWORK IN AEGEANGreece has bolstered its military search-and-rescue assets in the Aegean Sea.
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A 180 DEGREES TURN LED TO THE CHINOOK CRASH LAST SEPTEMBERThe Greek Chinook helicopter that crashed on September 11, 2004 killing all its 17 passengers, among them Patriarch Petros of Alexandria, made a deadly 180 degrees turn.
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Raytheon's ATFLIR -- The Navy's Premier Targeting Pod -- Begins Full Rate ProductionRaytheon Company's AN/ASQ-228 ATFLIR targeting pod has begun full rate production, marking a significant milestone in this already successful Navy program.
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MoF denial for more funds puts aircraft deal on holdIndia's quest for 126 new fighters were put on hold after the finance ministry turned down the defense ministry's request of 40% additional expenditure for defence purchases.
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Future use of Incirlik base depends heavily on IraqAmerican use of Turkish Incirlik Air Base is being negotiated between Ankara and Washington.
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USS Bonhomme Richard Chases Pirates Away from FishermenUSS Bonhomme Richard (BHR) (LHD 6) chased two pirate boats away from a group of fishing dhows in the Persian Gulf.
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16 Reconnaissance Copters Redeployed to USThe U.S. military redeployed 16 OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed reconnaissance helicopters back home from its bases in South Korea last year.
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Tuesday, February 22, 2005
Military Helicopter Makes Emergency LandingA British Lynx helicopter made an emergency landing just north of Sarajevo at around 1800 GMT. Three crew on board are all safe.
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Turkey pushes button for national UAV programTurkish Aircraft Industries (TUSAS) has been tasked with developing a UAV prototype 'that will have features similar to those of the US-made Predator.'
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US Air Force Selects Bell Huey II ProgramBell Helicopter, announces the sale of 24 Huey II Upgrades to the U.S. Air Force. The decision calls for the Huey II Upgrades to be delivered to the USAF over the next four years.
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Akash test-fired successfullyIndia's surface-to-air missile, Akash, was test-fired from a mobile launcher at the Integrated Test Range at Chandipur-on-sea, near Balasore, Orissa on Monday.
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Boeing Delivers Eighth C-40A Clipper to U.S. Naval ReserveBoeing on Friday delivered the eighth C-40A Clipper – a modified 737-700 "combi" airplane – to the U.S. Naval Reserve.
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Monday, February 21, 2005
1 year old!
Alert 5 is one year old today, I would like to thank all readers for the support. It started off as a blog which I keep articles I read and ballooned into a site with daily readership of about 700 people. If you have any fresh ideas on how to improve the site, you are always welcome to email me. Thank you for your support, especially those who have shop via Amazon and click on the advertisements. I would like to thank Larry Grace and Gerry Clark for their photos and Greg Goebel for his help.
Let's take a look again at the
first posts of this site.
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US team to brief India on Patriot missilesA US four-member team led by Edward Ross of the Defence Security Cooperation Agency will present "a technical brief" to Indian officials on the Patriot missile defence system.
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Military dismantling Cold War radar systems in Maine, Oregon The USAF Over-The-Horizon Backscatter Radar, is being dismantled.
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Sunday, February 20, 2005
Boeing CEO expects new-look US tanker tenderBoeing Co. Chief Executive Harry Stonecipher says he expects the U.S. Air Force to revamp requirements for its shelved $23 billion tanker plane program and that could mean Boeing offers its new 787 model.
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Helos back in skies over Futenma despite local politician's objectionsTwo U.S. Marine CH-53D Sea Stallion helicopters were to return to the air Futenma on Friday, drawing objections from the local mayor, who demanded a halt to all air operations following last August’s helicopter crash on the campus of Okinawa International University.
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Replacements for grounded cargo planes begin arriving at Pope AFBThe U.S. Air Force has started shifting C-130 cargo aircraft planes from National Guard units to Pope Air Force base, which last week grounded nearly half of fleet because of safety concerns.
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