Thursday, March 31, 2005
Air Vectors : The Mikoyan MiG-15, MiG-17, & MiG-19Air Vectors features the Mikoyan MiG-15, MiG-17, & MiG-19 for the month of April. The picture on the article shows a Red Bull sponsored MiG-17 that has an interesting night aerobatic flying display using pyrotechnics.
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Singapore extends humanitarian assistance for Sumatra earthquakeIn response to the Sumatra earthquake on 28 March, Singapore send 3 Chinook helicopters to Nias island.
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Lockheed Martin Awarded $37.8 Million Contract for A-10 UpgradesLockheed Martin received a $37.8 million contract to provide the U.S. Air Force with Precision Engagement production kits to modify A/OA-10 aircraft. The entire A-10 fleet will be modified over the next five years for an estimated total contract value of $168 million.
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Future Fighter Aircraft Requirements in Emerging EconomiesThe next ten years will see continued growth in purchases of new fighter aircraft, according to Marko Lukovic, Research Analyst at Frost & Sullivan.
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IBM Will Help Others Integrate Powerful 'Cell'IBM announced that it will offer new design services to help companies integrate its microprocessor known as Cell into image-hungry applications, in the aerospace, defense, industrial or medical segments.
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Navy pushing for addition of second aircraft carrier in PacificThe U.S. Navy wants to base a second carrier in the Western Pacific � either in Guam or Hawaii � but debate remains on when, or even if, that will happen.
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Car Nicobar IAF base to be ready soonThe Indian Air Force base at Car Nicobar Island in the Bay of Bengal affected by the tsunami will be operational shortly.
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Pilots give feedback on F-16 upgradeUSAF F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from Shaw Air Force Base, gave feedback to members of the F-16 Systems Group on the Common Configuration Implementation Program upgrade made to the aircraft.
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U.S. to Float Giant Missile-Defense Radar to AlaskaThe Sea-Based X-Band Radar is to be hoisted aboard its platform this week or next, depending on wind and weather in Corpus Christi, Texas, where it has been under initial sea trials.
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Second Predator crashes in IraqA USAF MQ-1 Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle crashed in Rawah, Iraq, at about 7 p.m. on March 30, officials said. The Predator is the second one to crash hin Iraq this week.
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Special Ops gets $9.5MThe U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment at Fort Campbell received a $9.5 million check from U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell, Tuesday for infrared suppressors equipment and a training pool.
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Cracks keep Hercules on groundSeven of the South Africa Air Force's nine C-130s have been out of service since February because of cracks in the wingspans.
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Aid plane to leave Brisbane for IndonesiaAn Australian Air Force 707 transport plane will leave Brisbane today to take a medical team to earthquake-hit Indonesia.
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Black Sheep soaring with gear upgradesOver the past two months, U.S. Marine Attack Squadron 214's AV-8Bs have been flying with an upgraded computer system, Open Systems Core Aviation Requirement, that lets them drop bombs such as the JDAMs and fire AMRAAMs.
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Wednesday, March 30, 2005
F-14B restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logos (Update)I've just obtained some more information, on March 15 while #143 headed for Connecticut, the rest of the last 4 Puking Dogs Tomcats flew to Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. That was the last F-14 flight for VF-143 and on 1st April, Pukin Dogs will be the second Tomcat squadron to transition to single seat Super Hornets.
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ATK Awarded $23 Million in Additional Contracts for AN/AAR-47 Missile Warning SystemsAlliant Techsystems has received contracts since January 2005 worth approximately $23 million to equip additional fixed-wing and rotary wing aircraft with the company�s advanced missile warning system, the AN/AAR-47, and sensor upgrade kits.
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Former 49er follows his calling -- missile defense system advocateRiki Ellison, a former linebacker with San Francisco 49ers, is the founder, president and chief promoter of the Missile Defense Advocacy Alliance.
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White Sands Targets Camera UpgradesThe oldest and largest missile testing range in the United States has improved its image-capture capabilities.
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US to hand over part of Afghanistan's second major airportPart of Kandahar Air Field, Afghanistan would be turned over for non-military use after refurbishments are completed next year.
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Cannon fighters taking part in joint exercise near El PasoA joint U.S. Air Force and Navy exercise called Roving Sands is being held at eastern New Mexico. It involves F-16s, F-18s and E-2C.
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BAE SYSTEMS Begins Flight Trials of Eurofighter Typhoon Helmet-Mounted DisplayFlight trials of the BAE Systems Striker helmet-mounted display system have begun on the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. The full development trial sorties marked the first flights of a binocular, visor-projected, night-vision-capable helmet on a fighter aircraft.
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Northrop Grumman Delivers Enhanced Internal Countermeasures Systems for Korean F-15 AircraftNorthrop Grumman Corporation delivered the first five production units of AN/ALQ-135 enhanced internal electronic countermeasures system to The Boeing Company for use aboard the Republic of Korea's Air Force F-15K, the latest version of the fighter aircraft that began flight testing in early March.
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Kitty Hawk Transfers Goodwill to Russian ShipUSS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) took part in a gift exchange with Russian Vishnya-class AGI ship Kurily (CCB 208) at sea March 20.
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India to spend Rs 3360 crore on defenceIndia's cabinet also approved the upgrading of Sea Harrier planes, the Sea Harriers would be fitted with the latest radars, air-to-air missiles and digital cockpit video recorders and most of the equipment would come from Israel.
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Singaporean in arms bribery scandal to go on trial next monthA Singaporean charged last month with offering 500,000 Singapore dollars to a Singaporean defence ministry official for details of a rival naval helicopter bid will go on trial next month.
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India to spend Rs 3360 crore on defenceIndia's cabinet on Tuesday cleared the proposal for price negotiations with Qatar on the purchase of 12 Mirage 2000-V.
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Tuesday, March 29, 2005
DoD takes control of major acquisition programsThe Pentagon has taken over 21 of the U.S. Air Force�s major acquisition programs calling it a temporary move �during this time of transition with a new acting secretary.�
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Pakistan likely to purchase 70 F-16sThe unofficial estimates based on previous fleet requirements of the Pakistan Air Force put the figure that it is likely to purchase close to about 70 F-16s of the latest Block 50/52 C and D type models.
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Hercules deal a real steal, U.S. firm saysLockheed Martin says it can give Canada a deal on leasing new C-130J Hercules transport planes at around the same cost the air force is now spending to keep its older aircraft flying.
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Hercules deal a real steal, U.S. firm saysLockheed Martin says it can give Canada a deal on leasing new C-130J Hercules transport planes at around the same cost the air force is now spending to keep its older aircraft flying.
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Air Force report blames Army for cargo plane crash in IraqA U.S. Air Force investigation largely blames the U.S. Army for failing to notify pilots of runway construction that caused the crash of a MC-130H Combat Talon II in northern Iraq during a night landing Dec. 29 last year.
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MQ-1 Predator crashes in IraqAn U.S. Air Force MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle crashed about 10 p.m. EST on March 26 in the vicinity of Balad, Iraq.
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Mother reclaims dead pilot's honourSince 2001, Indian housewife Kavita Gadgil has struggled to prove that a MiG-21 crash that killed her son was not his fault. On March 23, IAF Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, the chief of air staff, wrote to her, stating that her son "was not held blameworthy" for the accident.
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US to Upgrade Air Bases in AfghanistanThe United States is spending $83 million to upgrade its two main air bases in Afghanistan. Bagram Air Base, north of Kabul, and Kandahar Air Field in the south. A new runway is being built at Bagram, the biggest Afghan airfield used by the U.S. military.
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Lockheed Martin offers "exclusive" F-16s to IndiaMike Kelly, senior executive of Lockheed Martin, said that they are prepared to make upgraded F-16s to India's specifications with complete transfer of technology.
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Nellis jets back in the air after crash of F-15Flight operations by U.S. Nellis Air Force Base's 57th Wing were to resume after being stopped Friday morning following the crash of an F-15C Eagle.
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South Korean airmen get lessons in jets, Southern hospitalityEight visiting South Korean pilots and weapons specialists are learning more than just flight procedures for F-15 fighter jets during their visit to Seymour Johnson Air Force base.
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Truman Strike Group Heads Home, Vinson Strike Group Takes WatchUSS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) Carrier Strike Group concluded operations in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF) and maritime security operations (MSO) March 19, after being relieved by the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) Carrier Strike Group in the Persian Gulf.
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U.S. Nuke Chief Has Rank-Neutral BlogGeneral James Cartwright, the man in charge of America's nuclear arms, has a blog, according to a defense industry publication that summarized reports and commentary from military blogs.
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Monday, March 28, 2005
'India to consider buying F-16s'India's Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said it will consider an offer by the United States to sell it F-16 fighter jets.
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IAF chief brushes off fears over F-16 sale to PakistanIndian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi told The Indian Express that the Indian Air Force does not see the ongoing F-16 fighter aircraft offer to both India and Pakistan as the signal of a new era of warfare.
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Teets: Air Force's biggest challenge is recapitalizing the fleetDuring a roundtable discussion at the Pentagon March 22, the acting secretary of the Air Force, Peter B. Teets, discussed space, the F/A-22 Raptor and business ethics.
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Elbit Systems Completes the Acquisition of the Assets of Israel Military Industries� Aircraft Systems Division (PDF)Elbit Systems Ltd. announced Mar. 27, further to its announcment dated January 4, 2004, that its wholly -owned subsidiary Cyclone Aviation Products Ltd. ("Cyclone") completed the acquisition of the assets of Israel Military Industries Ltd. ("IMI") Aircraft Systems Division.
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Sunday, March 27, 2005
News will be late tomorrow, check after 1200 UTC
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Navy conducts training at Pinecastle Bombing RangeThe U.S. Navy will conduct bombing runs through next week near the Pinecastle Bombing Range, Florida. Fighter jets from the USS Theodore Roosevelt are completing routine training.
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Northrop Grumman Redelivers USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) after Successful Refueling and Complex OverhaulNorthrop Grumman Corporation has redelivered to the U.S. Navy the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) after completing its one and only refueling and complex overhaul in a 50-year life span.
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Air show returns to Edwards AFBWorld famous Edwards Air Force Base will open its gates to the public in October for a two-day open house and air show, the first in two years.
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Saturday, March 26, 2005
Orbital Completes Fourth Successful Flight Test For U.S. Navy's "COYOTE" Sea-Skimming Target MissileOrbital Sciences Corporation announced Mar. 25 that it successfully flight-tested the U.S. Navy's GQM-163A "Coyote" Supersonic Sea-Skimming Target (SSST) system for the Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on March 24, 2005. The flight test was the fourth consecutive successful flight and it demonstrated a 15-Foot low altitude performance and high-G maneuvers.
Labels: SSST
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THE US PRIVATE PLANE LEFT THE GREEK AIRSPACETwo Greek Air Force Mirage 2000 intercepted a small US private plane that entered the Greek airspace from Italy.
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Russian paratroopers complete major exerciseRussian paratroopers are completing a major five-day exercise by combat fire at the Dubrovichi range in the Central federal district of Russia supported by attack jets and helicopter gunships.
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Sigonella squadron resumes normal flight opsNormal flight operations resumed earlier this week for Sigonella, Italy-based U.S. Navy's Helicopter Support Squadron 4 that suffered a crash injuring four crew members last month.
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Westland �1bn helicopter deal angers rivalsU.K's decision to award a �1 billion helicopter contract directly to AgustaWestland, ignoring calls from rival manufacturers that the order should be put out to competition, has angered the competition.
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Marines Survey Industry For Tier II UAVThe U.S. Marine Corps is surveying industry for potential candidates to fill an urgent requirement for a Tier II unmanned aerial vehicle, one that would give commanders persistent surveillance out to about 50 miles.
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Fleet introduction team provides input to early MMA planningThe U.S. Navy's Multi-Mission Maritime Aircraft Fleet Introduction Team consists of 10 technically qualified fleet personnel and civilian experts whose purpose is to provide continuity, liaison, training, guidance and related support to commands that are directly involved with the MMA acquisition.
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Osprey testing to begin soon (Registration Required)U.S. Marine test pilots and ground crews will soon begin a four-month series of exercises to see how well the Bell Helicopter's V-22 Osprey aircraft will perform in real-world military operations.
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F-15 crashes in NevadaAn USAF F-15 Eagle crashed at about 8:35 a.m. March 25 about 50 miles northeast of Nellis Air Force Base.
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Combat Talon undergoes risk reduction testingAn USAF MC-130E Combat Talon I completed the first risk reduction flight at Edwards Air Force Base March 15 after undergoing several months of improved avionics modifications.
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Guam wing wins Air Force-level safety awardThe USAF 36th Air Expeditionary Wing has just won the Air Force Chief of Safety Special Achievement Award.
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Changing policy, U.S. to sell F-16 jets to PakistanSenior U.S. officials said Friday that a deal to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan was approved and the United States will compete for contracts to provide India with the same jets.
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Friday, March 25, 2005
NASA and Navy Partner for Hawkeye Loads TestsNASA's Dryden Flight Research Cente is doing structural loads tests on a U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye. The plane tested at Dryden had its weight beefed up with metal plates to simulate an empty weight of about 45,000 pounds, mimicking the latest configuration of the upgraded E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
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Development of Prowler replacement proceedsBob Farmer, a Boeing official says the development of the EA-18G proceeds according to schedule toward an operational debut in early 2009.
Labels: EA-18G
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Helicopter version of Nag under wayIndian defence scientists are now working on a helicopter launched version of the anti-tank missile Nag.
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The Flawed Plane Congress Loves (Registration Required)The C-130J has so many flaws that it cannot fly its intended combat missions. It is unable to drop heavy equipment, operate well in cold weather or perform combat search-and-rescue missions. Yet powerful members of both the House and Senate want to spend $5 billion to acquire even more C-130J's for the U.S. Air Force.
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30-year Navy plan cuts subs, carriersThe U.S. Navy is considering shrinking its fleet of aircraft carriers to as few as 10 ships within the next 30 years, a move that would produce the smallest carrier fleet in at least a half-century.
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Raytheon Standard Missile-2 and Aegis Combat System Demonstrate Capability Against Subsonic and Supersonic Anti-Ship MissilesRaytheon Company Standard Missile-2s, launched from the USS Momsen (DDG 92) were fired against subsonic and supersonic targets in various configurations and in a littoral
environment. The tests achieved 100 percent success.
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RFP For Two Additional F-15Es Expected In Coming WeeksThe U.S. Air Force wants two additional F-15E aircraft, and prime contractor Boeing anticipates a request for proposals for the planes in the coming weeks.
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Lockheed Martin Delivers 64th AIP P-3C AircraftLockheed Martin has delivered the 64th P-3C aircraft modified under the Anti-Surface Warfare Improvement Program (AIP) to the U.S. Navy. Lockheed Martin will update a total of five P-3C aircraft in 2005.
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Future Lynx selected as the preferred option for land and sea helicopter requirements (PDF)AgustaWestland's new Future Lynx has been choosen by the UK Ministry of Defence�s as its preferred option for meeting the Land (Find) and Maritime (Surface) Attack elements of its helicopter requirement.
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EDO Receives $17.7 Million Contract for F/A-22 Aircraft Armament SystemEDO Corporation has been awarded a contract from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company for continued production of its LAU-142/A AMRAAM Vertical Ejection Launcher, or AVEL, for the F/A-22 Raptor.
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Orion may top Navy chief's talks with US
When Indian Navy Chief Admiral Arun Prakash meets U.S. Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld later this week, he is likely to tell him that while the Indian Navy is serious about acquiring a fleet of 10 P-3C Orions.
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Air Force receives last F-16USAF Brig. Gen. Jeff Riemer, director of operations at the Air Force Materiel Command headquarters, flew the last F-16 for the USAF from the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth to Shaw Air Force Base, S.C.
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Hercules 'sent distress signal'The RAF Hercules which crashed in Iraq killing 10 British servicemen sent a distress signal eight minutes after take off.
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Plenty of flak over the chosen fighterCritics of Australia's F-35 program says that Australia's strategic needs are better met by the F/A-22.
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Thursday, March 24, 2005
Northrop Grumman Delivers 17th and Final Joint STARS to the U.S. Air ForceNorthrop Grumman Corporation delivered the 17th and final production E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) aircraft to the U.S. Air Force Mar. 23.
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A-10s prove combat capabilities can save livesMore than 200 Afghanistan villagers were rescued from flood waters Friday as airborne A-10s from the USAF 455th Air Expeditionary Wing out of Bagram Airfield helped identify and report the victims� exact location using its Litening II targeting pods.
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DOD's Revised UAV Road Map To Be Released In AprilThe U.S. Defense Department plans to release an updated version of its road map for unmanned aerial vehicles by the end of April.
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The Americans are going too farDouglas Feith, the U.S. assistant secretary of defense, alleged that the director general of the Israel's Ministry of Defense, Amos Yaron, had deceived him in the matter of spare parts for the Harpy.
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Army drops in for pit stop at NASCAR raceMore than 50,000 NASCAR race fans saw a U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment's MH-47 Chinook helicopter maneuver onto Atlanta Motor Speedway to drop off the pace car for the Golden Corral 500.
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Battle stepped up to save Redstone missile projectLockheed Martin officials, along with members of Congress, are fighting to save the Joint Common Missile. The missile is expected to help the U.S. Army reduce supply costs from two or three types of missiles now to one and, for the U.S. Navy, the missile will be easier to retrieve onboard when an attack plane lands.
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269 Ordnance keeps Gunrunners locked and loadedThe ordnance Marines of U.S. Marine Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 269 work 24 hours a day to ensure the squadron�s AH-1W Super Cobras and UH-1N Huey Helicopters are mission ready.
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German veterans on the warpath over law disowning Nazi pilot aceMore than 100 retired military officers, including many generals, have signed an open letter to German newspapers seeking to restore the reputation of Werner M�lders, who shot down 115 aircraft during World War 2.
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The Air Force's newest cargo carrier prepares for its first presence in HawaiiOn Monday, more than 60 Hawaii business, government and military leaders and 100 Boeing defense workers attended a ceremony at the Boeing plant in Long Beach, California to mark the assembly of C-17 jets that are bound for Hawaii.
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13th Air Force HQ leaving Guam for HawaiiThe headquarters of the 13th Air Force will move from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii.
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Navy turns down US' Hawkeye deal (Registration Required)The Indian Navy's Controller for Warship Production and Acquisition Vice Admiral J.S. Bedi said that weighing the pros and cons for over a year, the Indian Navy has decided to turn down the US offer of six E-2C Hawkeye 2000 carrier-borne early warning aircraft.
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Joint UK - US collaborative programme announced for unmanned combat air systemsThe U.K. Ministry of Defence and DARPA announced a collaborative programme to determine the military benefit of Unmanned Combat Air Systems for future coalition operations.
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RAF Chief to be next Chief of the Defence StaffRAF Air Chief Marshal Sir Jock Stirrup will be appointed as the new U.K. Chief
of the Defence Staff.
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Medals for the helicopter heroes of BoscastleTwo winchmen of the RAF Search and Rescue helicopter squadron at Chivenor have been awarded the Queen's Commendation for Bravery in the Air. One pilot has been awarded the personal Commendation of the Commander-in-Chief of Royal Air Force Strike Command.
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Major bidders complain of 'tough clauses' in chopper biddingThe official tender document for Turkey's competition for the purchase of 30 attack helicopters contains clauses that may ward off major Western bidders, particularly U.S. manufacturers, as the request for proposal asks bidders to provide preliminary government authorization for export licenses, a requirement US companies cannot fulfill under US regulations .
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Lockheed Expects U.S. To OK JSF Tech Transfer Eventually Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin general manager for the F-35, is confident the U.S. government will share Joint Strike Fighter technology with its key allies when needed
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Eurofighter partners ink 16 bln euros for financingPablo de Bergia, the head of the military division of the Spanish wing of EADS, told a reporter from La Gaceta newspaper during an interview that EADS "are close to an accord" with Singapore for the purchase of 8 Eurofighters.
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Official: F/A-22 likely to start full production (Registration Required)Michael Wynne, Pentagon's acting undersecretary for acquisition, technology and logistics, said up to 96 F/A-22 aircraft will probably be approved for full production later this month.
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Two Greek F-16 jets harassed two Turkish RF-4 jetsTwo Greek F-16 jets harassed two Turkish RF-4 jets during their routine training flight in the international air space in the southwest of the Greek island of Rhodes Mar. 21.
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ACC officials release Predator crash reportAccording to an Air Force report released by Air Combat Command officials March 23, crew error was the primary cause of an MQ-1L Predator crash during a training mission Sept. 22 at Indian Springs Air Force Auxiliary Field.
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Stealth jets to take wing in Alaska skiesElmendorf Air Force Base will soon be one of just two operational Raptor bases in the United States.
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Wednesday, March 23, 2005
T-50 Aircraft Completes Aerial Gunfire TestingThe T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet trainer successfully completed ten test flights between Oct. 26, 2004, and Jan. 6, 2005 that tested its aerial gunfire capability.
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CSAF: Raptor, Eurofighter complementaryUSAF Gen. John P. Jumper, the only person to have flown both the Eurofighter and F/A-22, said the Eurofighter is both agile and sophisticated, but is still difficult to compare to the F/A-22 Raptor.
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Report On U.K. Helo Programs Finds Good News, Bad NewsA helicopter programs report by a United Kingdom Parliament committee found good news and bad news.
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Two Slovak Mig-29s to be under NATO commandTwo Slovak Mig-29 fighters will become part of the NATO joint air forces as of Jan. 1, 2006, Slovak Air Force commander Jozef Dunaj said.
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High success rate claimed for PatriotsThe Taiwan Ministry of National Defense (MND) claimed that based on a computer simulation, Patriot missiles have an 85 percent of chance of intercepting China's People Liberation Army's (PLA) cruise missiles.
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A failing flight plan?When a T-6A Texan crash last year. U.S. Air Force officials blamed on it on pilot error. But outside observers say sloppy procedures and a lack of monitoring are to be blamed.
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Predator to See More Combat (Registration Required)The new Predator B will perform real-time intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance as a secondary role, its primary role will be "hunter-killer" missions armed with up to 3,000 pounds of precision-guided bombs or missiles.
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Vought gains federal deal for seagoing aerial vehicleVought Aircraft Industries Inc. received a U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency contractto investigate the feasibility of a seagoing, unmanned aerial vehicle that could take off and land on water by modify an existing aircraft.
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New office seeks to improve UAV interoperabilityU.S. Air Force officials are putting together an office dedicated to developing better unmanned aerial vehicle tactics and procedures at Indian Springs Auxiliary Air Field, Nevada.
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Panel has little power over DoD�s BRAC listU.S. administration officials are making it increasingly clear they do not want or expect the nine people who will make up the 2005 Base Realignment and Closure Commission to make changes in the Pentagon�s recommendations.
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Joint Red Flag bringing big picture togetherJoint Red Flag includes virtual training where crews participate in the exercise by using simulators at various locations around the country.
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Night crew greases with midnight oil at TRUEX 05-1Marines from U.S. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 163 go to work just as the sun goes down. Their job is to perform aircraft maintenance throughout the night.
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First F-35 fighter nearing completionLockheed Martin said it and its partners are on track to start the final assembly of the first F-35 joint strike fighter in May in Texas.
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MH-60R Weapons System Successfully Completes Technical EvaluationSubsurface and surface warfare systems developed for the U.S. Navy�s MH-60R helicopter by prime systems integrator Lockheed Martin have successfully completed Technical Evaluation, clearing the way for Operational Evaluation and fleet introduction later this year.
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VMFA-142 Gators put steel on target for 3/25A reserve U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron came to the aid of another reserve U.S. Marine infantry battalion in Iraq.
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Tuesday, March 22, 2005
Nighthawk talkStaff Sgt. Robin Walker (left) and Staff Sgt. Greg Slavik prepare an F-117 Nighthawk stealth fighter to launch for a Joint Red Flag exercise. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Kevin J. Gruenwald.
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Fears for Red Arrows after 14 'near misses'The U.K. Civil Aviation Authority issued a report that revealed 14 infringements into no-fly zones by light commercial aircraft over the past three years. The no-fly zones are for the Red Arrows display team.
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Local Sukhoi joins IAFIndian Air Force Wing Commanders Sandeep Singh and George Thomas of the Pune-based Rhinos squadron test flight the first two indigenously built Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) plant.
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Pratt & Whitney�s F135 Program Surpasses 2,500 SDD Test HoursPratt & Whitney�s F135 program has surpassed 2,500 System Development and Demonstration (SDD) test hours. This significant milestone, represents the cumulative hours of F135 SDD testing, including both Conventional Take-Off and Landing (CTOL)/Carrier Variant (CV), and Short Take-Off and Vertical Landing (STOVL) configuration tests.
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Boeing C-130 Avionics Upgrade Pre-Development Aircraft Takes FlightBoeing Company's C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) reached another milestone March 15, when a pre-Development, Test and Evaluation (DT&E) U.S. Air Force MC-130E Combat Talon I aircraft achieved first flight at Edwards Air Force Base, California.
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Roving Sands involves five nations, new capabilitiesU.S. Army Forces Command kicked off a three-week joint training exercise March 15 involving coalition troops and aircraft in order to practice joint-interoperability air defense tactics, while incorporating lessons learned from Operation Iraqi Freedom. This year�s exercise is part of a much larger training event, Joint Red Flag.
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Monday, March 21, 2005
Eurocopter proudly announces the official acceptance of the first HAP Tiger by the D�l�gation G�n�rale pour l�ArmementEngineer General Sandeau head of the Service des Programmes A�ronautiques (Aeronautical Programs Department) of the D�l�gation G�n�rale pour l�Armement (French General Delegation for Armaments) was at Marignane on 18 March to officially deliver the first of its 80 Tiger helicopters to the French Army Air Corps (ALAT). Copyright Eurocopter / photo by G. Deulin
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Jaguar 90th Anniversary paint schemeRAF 16(R) and 54(F) Squadron Jaguar 90th Anniversary paint scheme. CROWN COPYRIGHT
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Military exercises are not to `practice a Chinese attack on Taiwan': GeneralExercise �Friendship 2005� a joint military exercise between China and Russia will involve Il-76 transport planes with paratroopers, Tu-95MS bombers firing cruise missiles at targets in the sea and Su-27SM fighter jets simulating coverage of ground forces.
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'Warthogs� prove their mettle in AfghanistanThe USAF 23rd Fighter Group from Pope Air Force Base, North Carolina, flying the A-10, are serving a four-month stint in Afghanistan.
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22nd MEU refines Tactical Air Control Party procedures with a bangForward air controllers and radio operators with the 22nd U.S. Marine Expeditionary Unit recently braved the harsh North Carolina winter to perfect their skills guiding AV-8B Harrier II attack jets and AH-1W Super Cobra attack helicopters through a series of close air strikes with practice bombs and rockets against targets aboard Camp Lejeune ranges.
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JCM project under the gunThe Joint Common Missile, a program targeted for termination in the Department of Defense budget, proceeds ahead of schedule, under budget - and under the gun.
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Defense shield built in TexasThe Sea-based X-band radar, or SBX, a semi-submersible radar platform being built atop pontoons on the Texas coast is scheduled to be at its home port of Adak, Alaska by end of the year.
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RAAF Hercules comes under fire in BaghdadA Royal Australian Air Force C-130J Hercules was forced to take evasive action when a missile was fired at it over Baghdad on March 9. The Hercules is believed to have fired chaff and flares after receiving a "lock-on" signal from a surface-to-air missile system close to Baghdad.
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U.S. OFFERS CHEAPER PRICE FOR PATRIOT PAC III: MND REPORTThe United States has offered a cheaper price for the Patriot PAC III anti-missile system to be sold to Taiwan, according to a Ministry of National Defense (MND) report. The report said the U.S. military has agreed to deduct the research and development cost from the Patriot PAC III price to be offered to Taiwan.
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200,000 flock to air showDuring the past six days about 200,000 people flock to the Australian International Airshow.
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Blue Angels Striving for PerfectionAviation Week & Space Technology editor, William B. Scott, spent two days with the Blue Angels at Naval Air Facility El Centro, and flew one demonstration sortie in a two-seat F/A-18B. If you are interested in Blue Angels, check out
First Blue : The Story of World War II Ace Butch Voris and the Creation of the Blue Angels.
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Sunday, March 20, 2005
Northrop Grumman Completes First Fuselage Section for U.S. Navy's Next-Generation Electronic Attack AircraftNorthrop Grumman Corporation celebrated completion of the first fuselage section for the U.S. Navy's EA-18G next-generation, electronic attack aircraft at a ceremony before hundreds of employees in El Segundo, California.
Labels: EA-18G
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Marines receive award for heroismThree U.S. Marines from Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron-461 Detachment Bravo were awarded the Navy and Marine Corps Medal for heroism during a training accident at Godoria Range, Djibouti, on June 22, 2003. During the incident, an 8th Air Force B-52 Stratofortress from Diego Garcia inadvertently attacked their position, killing a co-pilot, injuring seven others and destroying two CH-53E Super Stallion helicopters.
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England expects to get Air Force job (Registration Required)U.S. Navy Secretary Gordon England, laying weeks of rumors to rest, acknowledged for the first time Wednesday that he is on track to be the next U.S. Air Force secretary.
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Boeing's CEO Search May Last for MonthsBoeing Co.'s interim CEO, James Bell, told employees Wednesday that the process to select a new chief executive officer for the aerospace firm will be "deliberate" and is expected to last for months.
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Texan gets warm welcome at VanceUSAF Vance Air Force Base held a official arrival ceremony for the T-6A Texan II on Friday.
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Finally, Senate panel approves 0-7 promotion listThe U.S. Senate Armed Services Committee approved 32 USAF nominations for brigadier general on March 17.
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Pacific Air Force bases feeling pinch as service faces $3 billion budget crunchWing commanders at U.S. Pacific Air Forces bases have been told to curtail spending in nonmission-essential areas to help avoid an Air Force budget crisis in the face of mounting war-on-terrorism debt.
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Defence admits problems with $1.1bn chopperProblems have emerged in extensive testing of Australia's squadron of 11 Seasprite naval helicopters costing $100 million each.
Labels: Super Seasprite
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Harrier jet shakes off past to prove itself in IraqSince the invasion of Iraq nearly two years ago, and especially after November's fighting in Fallujah, U.S. Marines say the Harrier has played a key role in the fighting in Iraq's Anbar province, and in ways few envisioned.
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China Lake Weapons Testing Team Working On F/A-22As the date for introducing the first F/A-22 squadron draws near, the F/A-22 Naval Air Systems Command Weapons Division (WD) team members looked back on innovative ways they saved time and money during the F/A-22 missile testing process.
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Saturday, March 19, 2005
New Look
If you notice, I've changed the banner on the top of the page. About 20 banners will be rotated randomly. Do check out
carrierbuilders.net a site that is dedicated to modelers with special interest in aircraft carriers, and naval aviation from any era, any nations.
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Japan Says It Won't Shoot Down MissilesJapan will use its future missile defense system to ward off an attack but not to shoot down missiles aimed at its allies, Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Friday.
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NATO and Russia to conduct joint Theatre Missile Defence ExerciseThe Joint NATO-Russia TMD Command Post Exercises - 'Collaborative Arrow 05' is held 14-23 March 2005 at Airbase De Peel, the Netherlands. The objectives is to practice procedures for TMD planning and coordination.
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Launch of NATO�s Active Layered Theatre Ballistic Missile Defence (ALTBMD) ProgrammeOn 11 March 2005 the North Atlantic Council launched the Alliance�s ALTBMD Programme, which will provide protection against the threat of ballistic missiles to NATO soldiers deployed on NATO missions.
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Joint Red Flag keeps Nellis busyUSAF Nellis Air Force Base hosts all four military services in a first-of-its-kind training exercise. The Joint Red Flag exercise begins Monday and runs through April 2.
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Navy To Redirect $300M From Carrier Funds This WeekThis week, the U.S. Navy will shift $300 million away from the aircraft carrier USS John F. Kennedy, Navy Secretary Gordon England said, because the ship is to be decommissioned.
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Crashing helicopter barely misses kids' playgroundFour air-crew members have survived a South African Air Force Alouette III helicopter crash.
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Officials release QF-4 drone accident reportFailure of an unmanned QF-4E drone to react properly to controller inputs led to its intentional destruction during a mission Sept. 8 over White Sands Missile Range.
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N.Y. Guard to get Predator squadronThe U.S. Air Force intends to place a Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle squadron in New York State.
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Helicopter concerns latest in defence sagaThe U.K. Public Accounts Committee said that there is an "alarming" shortage of battlefield helicopters, with the gap between the number of helicopters needed and those available to the U.K. Ministry of Defence are between 20% and 38%.
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B-52 fleet benefits from radar testTesters at Edwards Air Force Base discovered a problem with the B-52 Stratofortress� radar transmitter system that affected the entire fleet of bombers. By flying four sorties recently, they determined that the anomalies were both acceptable for current operations and could be improved.
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Ukraine admits it sold cruise missiles to Iran, ChinaUkraine's prosecutor general on Friday confirmed reports that his country had sold nuclear-capable Kh-55 cruise missiles to both Iran and China, but stressed that the deals were illegal and under criminal investigation.
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Predator fleet to expandThe USAF plans to expand the current Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle fleet to as many as 15 squadrons.
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Turkey considering joining Eurofighter frayA Turkish procurement official familiar with the fighter programs said that it may consider buying some Eurofighters for improved air superiority.
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F-16 crashes at NellisAn U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon crashed short of the runway, Nellis Air Base at about 8:30 a.m. on March 18.
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Friday, March 18, 2005
Boeing Rolls Out First F-15K for Republic of Korea Air ForceThe Boeing Company revealed the first F-15K Strike Eagle fighter aircraft for the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) Mar. 16 at the Boeing site in St. Louis, Mo.
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New F-16 sales may save Lockheed jobs (Registration Required)The jobs of hundreds of workers building F-16 fighter jets at Lockheed Martin's west Fort Worth plant could be saved if either Pakistan or India purchase the jets.
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Wedgetail has landed for RAAFThe RAAF Wedgetail will be installed at the RAAF base at Amberley near Ipswich.
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Japanese spy plane flies near islands disputed with S. KoreaOn Wednesday, a Japanese RF-4C reconnaissance plane flew as close as 16 kilometers (10 miles) from the chain of rocky isles controlled by South Korea but disputed by Japan.
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Joint Red Flag 2005 kicks off at NellisJoint Red Flag 2005 kicked off on Mar. 14.
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Lucinschi Says U.S. Pushed for MiG DealWashington put pressure on Moldova to sell its MiG-29 to prevent them falling into Iranian hands, the country's ex-president said of a deal at the center of a fraud case against a former cabinet minister.
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Air defense system automation opened in BangladeshBangladesh Chief of Air Staff Air Vice Marshal Fakhrul Azam Thursday inaugurated the air defense system automation at the Air Defense Operation Center (ADOC) of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) in the Dhaka Cantonment.
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Acting Air Force secretary to step downActing U.S. Air Force Secretary Peter Teets will retire by the end of this month after only two months on the job, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper said Wednesday.
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Early warning project unites Boeing, BAEBAE Systems Australia and Boeing have signed a joint venture to capture a potential $10.5 billion market for airborne early warning and control (AWAC) systems.
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E-2D Is Official Designation Of Advanced Hawkeye, Navy SaysThe U.S. Navy said the Advanced Hawkeye aircraft now in development will be designated E-2D. Its new electronically scanned array radar, the ADS-18, will replace the current APS-145 radar.
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No Concern Over Weapons PurchasesColombian Defence Minister Jorge Uribe said his government would purchase 22 combat and tactical support planes to replace its fleets of U.S.-made OV-10 Broncos and A-37 Dragonflies, at a cost of 234 million dollars.
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Repair shop for E-2 aircraft opens at AtsugiA new repair facility created by U.S. Naval Air Pacific Repair Activity and the Japanese firm Nippi Corp. opened last week that allows the Navy to do regular maintenance on E-2C Hawkeye aircraft in Japan, saving valuable time and cost.
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Lockheed Martin's JASSM Again Successful In Flight TestA Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), was successfully launched Wednesday from an F-16 aircraft and precisely navigated through its second verification flight test at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The missile successfully struck the target as planned.
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Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Hunter II Unmanned System for Army's ER/MP ProgramNorthrop Grumman Corporation recently demonstrated, through a series of ground and flight tests here, the capabilities of its new Hunter II unmanned system, the company's proposed system solution for the U.S. Army's Extended Range/Multi-Purpose (ER/MP) program.
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Thursday, March 17, 2005
F-14B restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logos (Update)She arrived at New England Air Museum and Ken Middleton was there to catch its last flight.
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F-16 fighter jets remain on alert near Ambalat oil blockFour Indonesian F-16 jet fighters remained on alert at the Sepinggan Airport in Balikpapan, East Kalimantan, Indonesia to assist the seven warships patrolling the disputed Ambalat offshore oil field.
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GAO Warns DOD Over JSF, E-10AThe F-35 (JSF) program "could use more time to gain knowledge before moving forward," the Government Accountability Office said March 15. It made a similar warning about the E-10A Multi-sensor Command and Control Aircraft, saying the program could move into production "before critical knowledge is acquired."
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Northrop Grumman to Team with Australian Defense Industries on Global Hawk UAV Ground SystemsNorthrop Grumman Corporation announced that it would team with leading Australian companies to develop an Australian ground system to integrate with the company's Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
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Military Presence Lures Aerospace Companies to Jacksonville, FloridaEmbraer will assemble the U.S. Army�s Aerial Common Sensor aircrafts in a 71,000 square feet aircraft assembly facility at Cecil Commerce Center, Jacksonville, Florida.
Labels: ACS
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Air Force Delays Plans to Upgrade Global HawkThe U.S. Air Force will delay some enhancements to the Northrop Grumman Corp. Global Hawk unmanned spy plane to curb cost overruns.
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'Israel not to use Indian chopper for military ops'Dhruv, the advanced light helicopter that India will lease to Israel, will only be used for civilian operations and not for military purposes.
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Locals win more fighter IT workThree Australian companies have won contracts to produce test equipment for the computer system to be fitted to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
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Lockheed Martin to Build WCMD Training Rounds in Carlsbad, CaliforniaLockheed Martin will build 18 Wind Corrected Munitions Dispenser (WCMD) inert training rounds under a $1 million direct commercial sale contract from The Boeing Company for an undisclosed international customer.
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Wednesday, March 16, 2005
F-14B restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logos (Update)This Tomcat left NAS Oceana on its way to New England Air Museum, it was given a farewell by 3 other PukinDogs Tomacts. If you live in Connecticut, she will be arriving on Wednesday at 2-3pm.
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Air force awaits advanced Apaches (Registration Required)The Israeli air force inaugurated a new helicopter squadron at the Ramon base in the Negev. Dubbed Tzira, or Hornet, the new squadron will operate the Apache Longbow attack choppers when it arrives this month.
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IAF 'curious', not keen on F-16s- The Times of IndiaSources in the Indian Air Force say it is very unlikely that the F-16 would ever form its fighter backbone.
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Lockheed may have an edge on rescue craftThe U.S. Air Force is expected to issue draft specifications to likely bidders for its personnel rescue vehicle within the next two weeks.
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Thunderbirds cleared to launchU.S. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John P. Jumper gave his approval to begin the Thunderbirds 2005 show season.
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EUROFIGHTER : Success in AMRAAM Guided Missile TrialsTyphoon DA4, piloted by BAE Systems Chief Test Pilot Paul Hopkins with Dave Sully in the rear seat, participated in a recent Advanced Medium Range Air-Air Missile (AMRAAM) guided firing trial.
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BRAC panel closerU.S. President Bush names a nine-member Base Realignment and Closure Commission to analyze the list of bases the Pentagon has targeted for closure or realignment.
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Machinists approve new pact after one-week strike against defense contractor Lockheed MartinLockheed Martin machinists who went on strike March 8 voted 1,532-573 in favor of ending their week-old strike.
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F/A-22 effective but needs work, Pentagon report says (Registration Requried)David Duma, acting director of the Office of Operational Test and Evaluation, wrote to U.S. congressional defense committees that Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F/A-22 "is operationally effective and survivable," but its "reliability, diagnostics and maintenance procedures need to be improved."
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Navy squadron deploys to IwakuniA dozen F/A-18C Hornet fighters from Naval Air Station Lemoore have been stationed at U.S. Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, since last year as part of a plan to integrate the tactical aviation mission of the two armed services under joint command
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General Atomics Completes ER/MP Fly-Off DemonstrationGeneral Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) of San Diego has completed its Extended Range Multi-Purpose (ER/MP) systems capability demonstration (SCD) as part of the first phase of a future Army unmanned aerial vehicle program competition, the company said.
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Report: US spy jets delayed Israeli missile testThe sudden appreance of a U.S. Navy P-3 maritime patrol aircraft and a U-2 spy plane, force Israel to cancel the planned test of a new long-range artillery missile.
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Kona runway planned for new cargo jetsThe U.S. Air Force plans to spend $15 million to construct an auxiliary runway at Hawaii's Keahole-Kona Airport to keep its C-17 pilots proficient in short takeoffs and landings on semi-improved runways used in places like Iraq and Afghanistan.
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Former Moldovan Official Accused of $10 Million Fraud
Valeriu Pasat, Moldova's former defense minister, has been arrested on suspicion of defrauding the government of $10 million in the sale of 21 MiG-29 fighter jets to the United States in 1997.
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Northrop Grumman to Team with Australian Defense Industries on Global Hawk UAV Ground SystemsNorthrop Grumman Corporation announced that it would team with leading Australian companies to develop an Australian ground system to integrate with the company's Global Hawk high-altitude, long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV).
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Global Hawk to fly from AdelaideUS defence company Northrop Grumman has chosen Adelaide to develop a high-tech ground system to support its Global Hawk unmanned surveillance aircraft.
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New commander may see roles for Kingsley growOregon Air National Guard could soon become the only F-15 training unit in the USA.
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New Hawkeyes to get upgradesThe next generation of E-2C Hawkeye command and control aircraft will be enhanced with stronger UHF radar antenna and other enhancements, earning the new designation E-2D Advanced Hawkeye.
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Centre promises to reinstate MasandFor the first time in the history of the Indian Air Force, an officer has been recalled from retirement and promoted to the rank of Air Marshal.
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Gannet wings into museum roleA Fairey Gannet Advanced Early Warning 3, XL 502, is the latest acquisition by the Yorkshire Air Museum.
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Aircraft put on a show of forceMore than 20 military aircraft made a spectacular appearance over Melbourne Mar. 14 to highlight the Australian International Airshow.
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Lockheed Martin Joint Common Missile Demonstrates Ability to Penetrate and Destroy Urban TargetsLockheed Martin successfully tested its Joint Common Missile (JCM) multi-target warhead and fuze in a series of warhead penetration tests at the Redstone Technical Test Center.
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Lockheed Martin Completes Successful Critical Design Review for Advanced Hawkeye Radar DevelopmentLockheed Martin recently completed a successful Critical Design Review (CDR) for the Advanced Hawkeye radar.
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Tuesday, March 15, 2005
More air time planned for ageing jetsAustralian Air force chief Angus Houston yesterday said the wings on the fleet of 33 F-111 were being tested - after cracks were found in some - to see how long they could continue to fly.
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U.S. to take part in Bright Star war gamesThe U.S. Air Force and Navy might play a bigger role in the biennial Bright Star war games in Egypt this year.
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Lockheed, strikers reach tentative dealLockheed Martin and its machinists union reached a tentative agreement Sunday in a
five-day-old strike affecting nearly 3,000 workers.
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India to get MiG-29K by 2007Russia will start delivering the first carrier-based MiG-29K multi-role fighters by 2007 to India, a year ahead of the schedule.
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Defence Ministry constitutes committee on MiG crashesThe Indian Defence Ministry has constituted another expert committee to recommend measures to check increasing MiG-21 crashes in the country.
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Eurocopter celebrates the 50th Anniversary of the maiden flight of the Alouette 2, the first turbine-powered helicopter to enter series productionOn 12 March 1955, the Alouette 2 prototype took to the air for the first time from the Buc airfield near Paris. It went on to become the very first turbine-powered helicopter in series production in the world.
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ScanEagle UAV Demonstrates New Software; Prepares for Joint Military DemonstrationBoeing and The Insitu Group recently demonstrated new autonomy software aboard ScanEagle, a long-endurance unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The software, imbedded in ScanEagle�s auxiliary processor board, allowed the UAV to autonomously map its route while in flight and complete a series of maneuvers.
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Monday, March 14, 2005
Navy planning for two new aircraft carriersThe Royal Australian Navy plans to buy two $800 million, 25,000 tonne amphibious ships by 2010 and secret discussions have been held with ship builders to give the vessels the capacity to carry eight or more so-called short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35 fighters.
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Trouble for jet fighter dealWhen Australia's defence chiefs meet at today's air force conference, the problem of replacing Australia's ageing air fleet should dominate the agenda.
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Defence deal cloud over Navy chief's US tripWhile the Indian Navy is keen on P-3C Orion, Defense Ministry officials are however interested in the Maritime Multi-mission aircraft (MMA) that US is developing.
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Northrop Grumman to Supply Infrared Countermeasures for Australian Multi-Role Tanker Transport AircraftA directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) system produced by Northrop Grumman Corporation has been selected to safeguard the Royal Australian Air Force's next-generation fleet of A330 Multi Role Tanker Transports.
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Revealed: Israel plans strike on Iranian nuclear plantIsrael has drawn up secret plans for a combined air and ground attack using elite Shaldag (Kingfisher) commando unit and airstrikes by F-15 jets from 69 Squadron on targets in Iran if diplomacy fails to halt the Iranian nuclear programme.
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Russia delivering copters to VenezuelaRussia arms manufacturers will deliver 10 helicopters to Venezuela, Russia's Interfax news agency reported Friday.
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Space command likely to network assets: IAF chiefThe Indian Air Force is planning to establish a strategic aerospace command to network its assets in space for defence purposes.
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IAF to begin exercise from A&N islands next monthIndian Air Force Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, told a media conference that he would lead an exercise in the Car Nicobar islands in the first week of April with a fleet of Jaguars and Sukhoi aircraft.
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Alaska Fighter Pilots Escape Cold for Exercises at Holloman Air Force BaseThe USAF 12th Fighter Squadron from Elmendorf Air Force Base is deploying sixteen F-15s at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico to escape the harsh Alaskan winter.
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Sunday, March 13, 2005
Specs dim Sikorsky's hopesU.S. Government specifications may keep Sikorsky Aircraft from winning a $10 billion Air Force contract, just as they did the Marine One presidential helicopter order. The specifications for the contract may require the ability to refuel in the air at 10,000 feet, something that Sikorsky's two-engine helicopter may not be able to do.
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Company unveils Hunter II, works to get Army contract for long-range UAVIn the past couple of months, a demonstration of the Hunter II and Warrior capabilities was done on Fort Huachuca.
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Converging U.S. Navy aircraft carrier groups in Middle East send strong message to Iran and SyriaThree U.S. Navy aircraft carriers are converging in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea and the Persian Gulf.
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Australia: Army Needs to Learn How to Translate Tiger Intelligence into ActionThe date for the Initial Operating Capability (IOC) for the first Australian squadron to field the ARH Tiger has been set as 2008.
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Airline CEO eyed for NavyDan McKinnon, who founded North American Airlines, is being considered as the next U.S. Navy secretary.
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Saturday, March 12, 2005
Bulgaria cancels helicopter fleet dealThe Bulgarian Defense Ministry said that the Elbit offer to upgrade the country's Russian-made military helicopter fleet with Israel's Elbit Systems "did not meet the previously announced requirements."
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Rice may announce F-16s supply resumption to PakistanThe United States has expressed its willingness to resume the supply of F-16 fighter planes to Pakistan and announcement in this regard is likely to be made by US State Secretary Condoleezza Rice during her two-day visit to Islamabad starting March-17.
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Minister fails to face staff hit by job cuts at RAF bases The U.K. armed forces minister infuriated representatives of communities affected by the cuts at Kinloss and Lossiemouth by cancelling a visit when he was to discuss their impact.
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Afghan officers honor Robins airmanSenior Afghan National Army officials paid a brief visit to Robins Air Force Base, not to meet the commander. Not to tour the massive maintenance complex. Not even to view the latest technologies. Instead, they came to honor a 24-year-old, senior airman who apparently made a huge impression during his recently completed four-month deployment to their country.
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Aging C-130s likely to force usage, manning alterationsThe U.S. Air Force is looking at long-term changes to manning and managing its C-130 Hercules fleet, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. John Jumper told Air Force Times.
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MiG tipping, not tension, at US base near IranAt a sprawling air base that lies close to the border with Iran. Life there is so slow that U.S. troops deployed there at times resort to "MiG tipping" -- a game that involves standing on the tail of one of the many wrecked Soviet-era planes and tipping its nose up.
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Corps may buy new unmanned vehicleTo complement its Dragon Eye and Pioneer unmanned aerial vehicles, the U.S. Marine Corps is developing a plan to buy a new UAV on an accelerated schedule.
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Air Force to modernize B-2U.S. Air Force will spend more than $5 billion between fiscal 2003 and 2011 to modernize its B-2 fleet.
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Ship builder may lose profit on carrierNorthrop Grumman Corp., may not make a profit on the latest U.S. nuclear aircraft carrier because of cost overruns.
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UAV upgrades eyed after Iraq successImprovements are being planned for Dragon Eye unmanned aerial vehicle by the U.S. Marines.
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Crashed American spy drone sparks chase between U.S. forces and insurgentsWhen an unmanned U.S. spy plane crashed in a farmer's onion field in central Iraq, American troops and insurgents went looking for it.
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Tigers key part of networked armyThe Eurocopter Tiger ARH will be part of Australia's army new hardened, networked force.
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Kitty Hawk to make Korea port callThe aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk will make a port call in South Korea for military exercises planned to start next week.
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Mechanical failure caused fatal June F/A-18 crashMilitary investigators are blaming mechanical failure for a
crash that killed a Canadian fighter pilot at Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station, S.C., last June.
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BAE chief fears 10,000 air jobs will goThe British aircraft and avionics industry will face a dramatic decline and the loss of thousands of jobs once the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft project is finished, according to BAE Systems chief executive Mike Turner.
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Labor seeks inquiry into jet delaysThe Australian Labor Party has called for a parliamentary inquiry into what it has called an emerging gap in Australia's air defences due to delays with the F-35.
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Wedgetail star among displaysThe RAAF's first Wedgetail airborne early warning and control aircraft will be the local star of a packed civil and military aviation program at this year's Australian International Airshow at Victoria's Avalon airport next week.
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MOD, Airtanker Still Have Questions To Answer In FSTA DealEADS-led AirTanker consortium still have hurdles to overcome despite being named as the preferred supplier of tanker/transport aircraft by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.
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Bombers vital at topWith the impending retirement of Gen. Donald Cook, the U.S. Air Force stands to lose its only four-star officer with bomber experience.
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Technicians use aircraft wreckage for testingA T-1A Jayhawk is being used as a test asset in the USAF T-1A aging and reliability program.
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VF-32 Prepares Tomcats for RetirementU.S. Navy Fighter Squadron (VF) 32 is preparing to say goodbye to the F-14 Tomcats as the squadron nears the end of their deployment embarked aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) later this spring. VF-32 will transition to the F/A-18 Super Hornet in October.
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Kirtland AFB prepares to activate V-22 training squadronThe USAF is to activate a new training squadron in May for the tilt-rotor V-22 Osprey aircraft, which is undergoing testing. The new unit will be called the 71st Special Operations Squadron.
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Friday, March 11, 2005
F-14B restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logosThis F-14B has been restored to 1972 color scheme with the Pukin Dogs VF-143 logos. It will going to an air museum in Connecticut. Gerry Clarke was there to photograph it.
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Eurofighter successfully concludes cold environmental trials in SwedenIn the afternoon of 9 March, a Eurofighter completed the up to now longest and most exceptional test campaign ever conducted away from its home site. Instrumented Production Aircraft IPA4 was stationed at Vidsel, close to the Arctic Circle in North Sweden, where it was exposed to the extreme cold.
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EADS supplies radar and weapon coordination systems for air defence in the NetherlandsThe Dutch ministry of defence has awarded a contract to EADS to supply technical systems for Future Ground Based Air Defence (FGBAD). FGBAD NL is the reconnaissance and command system of the future for the Dutch army�s anti-aircraft operations.
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Ban on Halon puts IAF fighters at riskDue to the Kyoto and Montreal protocols, Halon gas has been banned and with the absence of any ready alternative. The IAF is concerned about the safety of its fleet, as its installed reserves may not match up to the required purity.
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Car Nicobar air base to be fully operational by AprilThe Tsunami-battered Indian Air Force base in Car Nicobar Island will be made fully operational by the first week of April, Vice Chief of Air Staff S K Malik said.
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Helping AfghanisA group of soldiers at the Kandahar airfield, Afghanistan started a nonprofit organization, Operation Dream Seed, which collects supplies from schools in the United States for needy children in Afghanistan.
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$10.8M CONSTRUCTION CONTRACT FOR NEW ARMY HELICOPTER BASE IN NORTHERN TERRITORYThe Australian Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister for Defence, Teresa Gambaro and Member for Solomon David Tollner, Mar. 10 formally announced the decision to award a major construction contract for the 1st Aviation Regiment�s new base at Robertson Barracks near Darwin. The new facilities will enable the Australian Army�s 1st Aviation Regiment to relocate to Darwin from various establishments on the east coast, re-equipped with the new "Tiger" Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter.
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Helicopter Crash Near Grozny Kills at Least 14 ServicemenA Mi-8 helicopter crashed in Chechnya on Thursday, killing at least 14 federal servicemen and seriously wounding two others.
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Navy To Upgrade Mayport For Nuclear CarrierThe U.S. Navy backed its long-term commitment to Mayport with a decision Wednesday to upgrade the base to homeport a nuclear aircraft carrier.
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Stoppage of Tender Process for Helicopter Upgrade in BulgariaElbit Systems Ltd., reported that it received notification from the Bulgarian Ministry of Defense announcing the stoppage of the tender process for the Mi-17 and Mi-24 helicopter program. This follows the Company�s announcement on December 21, 2004 that the team led by the Company and Lockheed Martin was selected as the preferred bidder for the program.
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767 line unlikely to avoid shutdownBoeing will probably halt production of its 767 model while the U.S. Air Force decides whether to use the plane as a refueling tanker, interim Chief Executive Officer James Bell said.
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Boeing Sees Strong Arms OrdersBoeing Co. (BA) expects to win $25 billion in Pentagon orders in 2005, the interim CEO said on Wednesday, seeking to reassure investors that business is strong in the wake of the planemaker's latest boardroom scandal.
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Boeing to Modernize Avionics for Sweden�s C-130sThe Swedish Air Force has become the first international customer for the Boeing C-130 Avionics Modernization Program, signing a letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) to modernize its fleet of eight C-130E/H aircraft.
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Thursday, March 10, 2005
Formation flyingTwo P-51 Mustangs, a visiting F-4 Phantom II, and an F-15E Strike Eagle fly in formation at the 2005 Heritage Flight Conference here. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Jeremiah Erickson.
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Top Aces wins big dealA small aerospace consulting company from Pointe Claire, Top Aces Consulting Inc., announced this week it has landed a coveted, multimillion-dollar contract from the Canadian Department of National Defence to provide air-combat support training for the Canadian military.
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Kitty Hawk Strike Group Ends Eventful Hong Kong VisitUSS Kitty Hawk (CV 63) and embarked Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 ended a four-day port visit to Hong Kong March 1.
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Troops now reaping benefits from ACTD that improves the way military performs maintenanceU.S. Soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines currently deployed and working in the field are reaping the benefits of a computer-based long distance maintenance and training program designed to bring knowledge to the warfighter working on vital equipment.
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Raytheon Aircraft delivers 300th T-6AThe 300th T-6A trainer aircraft has been delivered by Raytheon Aircraft Co., say company officials, who called the mark "another milestone" in the program.
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IAF sparing no efforts to overcome ageing factor of fightersExpressing dismay over the
recent MiG crash, IAF Air Chief S P Tyagi said the Indian Air Force was sparing no efforts including induction of flight simulators to overcome the ageing factor of its mainstay fighters.
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Probe of January helicopter crash incompleteHostile fire has not yet been ruled out as a possible cause of the fatal January crash of a U.S. Marine CH-53E helicopter in Iraq�s western deserts, a top Marine aviation commander said March 7.
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NATO Troops Set to Fly in AntonovsRussian-built Antonov-124 cargo planes may soon be ferrying NATO troops to conflict zones, as a subsidiary of Volga-Dnepr airline looks set to clinch a deal potentially worth up to 700 million euros.
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U.S. PACIFIC COMMANDER CALLS ANTI-SECESSION LAW 'DISCONCERTING'China's proposed anti-secession legislation is disconcerting, Adm. William Fallon, the commander of the U.S. Pacific Command said Tuesday.
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Missile defense bases could be operational quickly, agency chief saysExperimental ballistic missile defense bases in Alaska and California can be switched to an operational mode - ready to defend against an actual attack - within minutes or hours, the chief of the Missile Defense Agency said Wednesday.
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JF-17 jets to be inducted by Pakistan Air Force next yearSix JF-17 Thunder, would be inducted in the Pakistan Air Force fleet in the middle of next year.
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Missile Defense Chief Disappointed by FailuresLt. Gen. Henry Obering, the U.S. general in charge of the Pentagon's missile defense program said on Wednesday he was very disappointed with two recent test failures, but promised another attempt to shoot down a target missile over the Pacific Ocean in coming weeks.
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KAI to export 60 trainer jets to UAEKorea and United Arab Emirates will sign a $2 billion contract for 60 T-50 jets by December at the latest.
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Military aims to replenish air force's trainer fightersTaiwan may buy up to 120 new military trainer aircraft, officials said as military experts evaluated the air force's needs for the next few decades.
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RAF HALE UAV Flight at WoomeraRAF scientist have started testing the solar powered Zephyr 3 HALE UAV at Woomera it has been confirmed by the United Kingdom�s Ministry of Defence
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Wednesday, March 09, 2005
Boeing 777-200LR, World's Longest-Range Airplane, Makes First FlightThis is not related to Military Aviation exactly but I really look forward to one day fly in this aircraft. I've also edited the photo to include a drop shadow which hopefully in future all photos on this site will be published.
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Now eyes are on short list of Boeing successorsSeattle Post Intelligencer has a list of possible candidates to be Boeing's next CEO.
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Northrop Grumman Reaches Milestone on George H. W. Bush ConstructionNorthrop Grumman Corporation reached a construction milestone by lowering the final keel section of the George H. W. Bush (CVN 77) aircraft carrier into place. The 700-ton lower bow unit was joined to the other keel sections in the dry dock and completes the length of the carrier, which is as long as the Empire State Building is tall.
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Chicago-Born Marine Makes Military HistoryChicago-born Marine Capt. Vernice Armour will be inducted into the Museum Of African-American Military History as the U.S. Marine Corps� first African-American female combat pilot.
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Wing warping could change shape of future aircraftAn experimental flexible-wing jet, a modified Navy F/A-18A, has embarked on a final phase of flights over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., to demonstrate wing warping performance advantages for future aircraft.
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Air & Sea gets a shooting starThis year's McDonald's Air & Sea Show, along Fort Lauderdale beach, Florida, will feature the USAF F/A-22 and Thunderbirds.
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Arms company rejects 'offset investments' claimsMedia reports that the Gripen arms deal is not delivering on its investment promises are factually incorrect, Swedish arms company SAAB said.
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Pilot dies as MiG crashes in BikanerIn yet another mishap involving accident-prone MiG-21 aircraft, an Indian Air Force fighter veered off the runway soon after landing at Naal Airbase in Bikaner and crashed into a building under construction killing the pilot and injuring eight others on the ground.
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The Navy's Changing Tide: Service floats ''sea base'' conceptU.S. Navy leaders contend that the �sea base� � a network of ships providing offshore artillery fire, air support, food, ammunition and even a place to sleep for ground troops � is about to replace the carrier as the centerpiece of the fleet.
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Boeing facing several tests after Stonecipher ousterThe sudden ouster of its chief executive for questionable behavior leaves Boeing Co. facing several short-term challenges in both defense contracting and its commercial airplane business.
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Lockheed Martin's Sniper XR Advanced Targeting Pod Team Chosen by Aviation Week & Space Technology as 2004 Laurels HonoreeLockheed Martin�s Sniper� XR� Advanced Targeting Pod program was honored for �lasting contributions to the advancement of aerospace� by Aviation Week & Space Technology magazine, which named Sniper XR a 2004 honoree in its 48th Annual Laurels Selection competition.
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Lockheed workers strike at Georgia fighter-jet plantLockheed Martin Corp. was hit by the third strike in three years at a fighter-jet plant as workers in Marietta walked off the job to protest planned cuts in health care for retirees.
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Fort Rucker AH-64D Apache Damaged during TrainingOfficials at the U.S. Army Aviation Warfighting Center at Fort Rucker confirmed Tuesday that an AH-64D Apache helicopter was damaged during routine training.
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Tuesday, March 08, 2005
Boeing CEO Harry Stonecipher Resigns; Board Appoints James Bell Interim President and CEO; Lew Platt to Expand RoleBoeing announced that its Board of Directors asked for and received the resignation of President and CEO Harry Stonecipher on Sunday, March 6. Concurrently, the Board has appointed CFO James A. Bell, 56, as president and CEO on an interim basis, with Board Chairman Lew Platt assuming an expanded role in his capacity as non-executive chairman. Stonecipher will also leave the company?s Board; all changes are effective immediately.
It is unfortunate that Boeing lost its leader at such a crucial time when it needs to make a decision on the KC-767 and the 747 Advanced in the coming months. Besides leaving the job of President and CEO, Stonecipher have to leave the Boeing's Board. While Stonecipher did gave some clues on those projects, we will have to wait and see whether his successor will carry them out.
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Airmen ready to snag an EagleThe Airmen of the USAF 386th Expeditionary Civil Engineer Squadron power production flight maintain and operate the mobile aircraft arresting system that stops problem aircraft on the runway.
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Europe may sell copters to Iran, ChinaNBC News recently aired a report on an air show in Kish, Iran which showed AgustaWestland showing off its helicopters to Iran.
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IAF spreads wings with Deesa baseAn Indian Air Force fighter base will start construction in April in Deesa area of Banaskantha.
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'No helicopters to back troops in Iraq'Australian troops to be deployed to protect Japanese forces in southern Iraq lacked adequate helicopter air cover and were at risk from Wahhabist extremists crossing the porous border with Saudi Arabia, Opposition defence spokesman Robert McClelland said.
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Lockheed Martin to upgrade 80 Turkish F-16 fightersLockheed Martin will upgrade an initial batch of 80 Turkish F-16 fighter jets. A second batch of 100 aircraft will follow. Turkey and the United States aim to ink the deal by March 31 when a U.S. proposal for the upgrade program expires.
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Korean special forces soldiers get �bombs away� language trainingU.S. Army Special Forces Detachment-Korea and and U.S. 7th Air Force spent two weeks teaching 30 elite South Korean special operations troops how to call in airstrikes in English and call in strikes with aircraft equipped with the joint direct attack mention, or JDAM.
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Lawmakers take hard look at Air Force fighter programsU.S. Lawmakers may have to decide whether the federal budget can sustain two of the Air Force's key aircraft acquisition programs as they debate the Bush administration's fiscal 2006 budget proposal, according to a defense analyst.
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Saving Super Sara, the 'U.S.S. Saratoga'A group of people who call themselves the U.S.S. Saratoga Museum Foundation hopes to convert the carrier into a museum.
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Hercules crash Board of Inquiry releases Interim ReportOn 7 March 2005, the U.K. Secretary of State for Defence announced to Parliament the interim findings of the RAF Board of Inquiry investigating the loss of a Hercules C130 in Iraq. The findings ruled out sabotage.
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Report: Saab, BAE Accused of ExaggerationsSwedish aircraft manufacturer Saab and British-based BAE Systems exaggerated planned offset investments in order to sell their Gripen aircraft to South Africa, Swedish Radio said Monday.
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General Moseley testifies on C-130 fleet, readinessU.S. Representatives questioned U.S. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley on the condition of the C-130 Hercules fleet during a hearing of the House Armed Services Committee subcommittee on readiness March 3.
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Level D Qualification for HELISIM's EC155 Full Flight SimulatorEUROCOPTER is pleased to announce that HELISIM was awarded the level D qualification for its EC155 simulator on February 8, 2005. Level D, which is the highest existing standard for Flight Simulators, authorizes � regardless of the type of training - the issue of a Type Rating (Qualification on Aircraft), based upon the Zero Flight Concept.
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Monday, March 07, 2005
MINDEF to decide on Fighter Replacement Programme over next few monthsSingapore's Defence Ministry will decide on the contract for its Fighter Replacement Programme in the next few months. Replying to MPs in Parliament on Friday, Defence Minister Teo Chee Hean disagreed with media reports that there had been a delay in the decision.
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181st Fighter Wing Recognition CeremonyThe Indiana Air National Guard's 181st Fighter Wing held a special ceremony that honors local soldiers who are still overseas, fighting in support of Iraqi Freedom and the global war on terrorism.
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U.S, Canada discuss missile defenseCanadian Prime Minister Paul Martin called U.S. President George Bush on Saturday to discuss Canada's decision to opt out of a U.S.-led anti-ballistic missile shield program.
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Air Chief happy with budget allocationIndian Air Force Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi said he was satisfied with the increase in the budgetary allocation for the Indian Air Force (IAF) for 2005-06.
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Jet fighters sent to patrol AmbalatIndonesia has sent F-16 fighter jets to a disputed border region with Malaysia.
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Sunday, March 06, 2005
Future of NORAD has some people worriedCanada's decision not to join the U.S. missile defense shield will affect its position in NORAD.
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Search-and-rescue Teams Recovered Bodies Of Two PilotsTurkish Air Forces Command said on Friday that search-and-rescue teams recovered bodies of pilots of an F-16D which went missing over northern city of Karabuk Mar. 03.
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Fighter aircraft; India watching Sino-Pak development keenlyIndia is keeping a close watch on the Sino-Pak joint development of JF-17 fighter aircraft said Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi. Chief of Air Staff, Indian Air Force.
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Long-lost Korean War pilot to get military burialOn May 3, U.S. Air Force Capt. Troy Gordon Cope will be remembered in a funeral and burial with full military honors -- 52 years after he disappeared during a Korean War dogfight with a half-dozen MiG-15 fighter jets.
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Pakistan air force chief to visit Sri LankaPakistani Air Force Chief of Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kaleem Saadat will be in Sri Lanka on Tuesday on a courtesy visit.
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Guard base losing C-130sTwo of the U.S. Air National Guard's 167th Airlift Wing's C-130 cargo planes were scheduled to be moved Friday to Peoria, Ill., as part of the local base's conversion to using larger C-5 jets.
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Soldiers drop in on familyThe "Nightstalkers," members of the U.S. Army 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment honor the third anniversary of Staff Sgt. Philip Svitak, who was killed in action in Operation Anaconda in Afghanistan three years ago, by making 2 flypast with three CH-47 Chinook helicopters over his parent's farm.
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B-52 bombers from Louisiana coming to Minot Air Force BaseThe Minot Air Force Base will be getting some B-52 bombers from Louisiana � as visitors.
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Saturday, March 05, 2005
Boeing�s Newest Fighter Aircraft Makes First FlightThe Boeing Company's newest fighter aircraft, the F-15K Strike Eagle, made its first flight in St. Louis. Flown by Boeing Chief F-15 Test Pilot Joe Felock and Chief Weapons Systems Officer Rick Junkin, the F-15K completed an aggressive speed run easily surpassing Mach 2, accomplished both engine shut-downs and restarts, and breezed through instrument and avionics checks of primary backup systems.
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Former crew sad Navy to sink USS AmericaThe U.S. Navy plans to sink the retired carrier USS America in explosive tests this spring. These explosions, both underwater and above the surface, would presumably simulate attacks by torpedoes, cruise missiles and perhaps a small boat suicide attack like the one that damaged the destroyer USS Cole in Yemen in 2000.
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Report examines Patriot missile problemsA report authored by a task force of the Defense Science Board, which advises Secretary of Defense Donald H. Rumsfeld on a range of issues, cites a number of problems with Patriot missile defenses and related systems which contributed to three friendly fire deaths during the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq. The report nonetheless says the Patriot was a "substantial success" during the fighting.
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Northrop Grumman's LITENING Targeting System Nears 10,000 Combat Flight Hours on Marine F/A-18sThe U.S. Marine Corps' fleet of F/A-18D Hornet aircraft is nearing 10,000 combat flight hours with LITENING AT targeting and navigation systems produced by Northrop Grumman Corporation.
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Two events to make debut at Lima�05The Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (Lima) 2005 in December will feature two new events � the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) show and an exhibition of corporate jets and tour ships.
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RMAF plans to sell seven of its F-5E fighter jetsHalf of the RMAF's existing fleet of 14 F-5E fighter jets will be disposed of, the remaining seven were being upgraded.
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Birkholz to be new H-1 program managerCol. Keith Birkholz will assume leadership of the Marine Corps' light and attack helicopter program at Patuxent.
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Lynx crashes during Gulf exerciseA Royal Navy Mark 8 Lynx helicopter from 815 squadron at RNAS Yeovilton, Somerset, crashed into the sea while on exercises in the Gulf. The three crew members survived the crash and were rescued by helicopter. The crash happened at 0400 GMT on Thursday, 0800 local time, around 120 miles east of Oman.
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IAF trainer aircraft crashes, pilot killedAn IAF Flight cadet, on just his second solo flight on the HPT-32 aircraft from the Indian Air Force Academy at Dundigal, suffered "fatal injuries" in a crash that took place around 11.30 am near Hyderabad on Friday morning.
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Lockheed Martin's JASSM Successful in Flight TestA Lockheed Martin Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM), the world�s first stealthy cruise missile, was successfully launched Thursday from an F-16 aircraft and precisely navigated through its first verification flight test at White Sands Missile Range, NM. The missile successfully struck the target as planned.
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C-130 Hercules cargo planes still face restrictionsC-130 Hercules cargo planes still face restrictionsThree weeks after the U.S. Air Force put 60 its C-130 Hercules planes on restricted flying status and grounded others because of structural concerns, it is still unclear whether the restricted planes will be able to fly with the same cargo loads as before.
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Nuclear Bunker Buster Revived in BudgetThe Bush administration is pushing Congress to support a $4 million Department of Energy study for enabling nuclear warheads to penetrate deeper underground before exploding. The U.s> Air Force is also asking for $4.5 million in the Pentagon�s latest budget request to help conduct the study.
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Air Chief Marshal Tyagi to review IAF projects in BangaloreThe IAF Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal S P Tyagi, is in Bangalore to review the progress on Tejas, the homegrown Light Combat Aircraft being built by ADE and the Kaveri engine for Tejas by GTRE and NAL's Saras, the passenger aircraft project.
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Friday, March 04, 2005
Aviation history has been made!After 67 hours and 2 minutes of flight, Steve Fossett set a great aviation world record for speed around the world solo, non-stop and non-refueled.
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Northrop Grumman Demonstrates Weapons Drop from New Medium-Altitude UAV PrototypeNorthrop Grumman Corporation successfully demonstrated the ability to release a weapon from a medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) demonstrator during flight-testing conducted Feb. 24 over Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
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Air Force to Lift Boeing Ban: OfficialsThe U.S. Air Force is set to lift an order that suspended Boeing Co. from getting satellite launch contracts since mid-2003, defense officials said on Thursday.
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Korean Crews Train On F-15 At Seymour JohnsonEight South Korean pilots and weapons systems officers have attended classes on flying the F-15E and will be at Seymour Johnson Air Force base until July, officials said. After that, the crews will receive training from Boeing instructors who will teach them about flying the new F-15K.
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US Navy Chooses General Atomics for Advanced Arresting Gear ProgramThe US Navy has selected a team led by General Atomics (GA) to perform the System Development and Demonstration (SDD) phase of the Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) Program. The AAG system will replace the current hydraulic arresting system used on aircraft carriers to capture tailhook-equipped aircraft landing on the deck.
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Northrop Grumman Delivers First Radar for F-35 Joint Strike FighterNorthrop Grumman Corporation has delivered the first AN/APG-81 fire-control radar for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter to prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company.
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Biggest plane to land on carrier joins Pensacola naval museumThe U.S. Marine Corps KC-130 which made 21 full-stop landings aboard the USS Forrestal in 1963 is the newest addition to the National Museum of Naval Aviation, Pensacola. The pilot, retired Rear Adm. James H. Flatley III, says the U.S. Navy is showing renewed interest 42 years later.
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Singapore delays $1 bln fighter contract until Q2Singapore is delaying a $1 billion contract for 20 combat jets by up to three months, people close to the talks said.
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Lincoln goes cruisin'206 civilians took a "tiger cruise" onboard USS Abraham Lincoln. Tiger cruises give families and friends of sailors a chance to experience Navy life at sea, and are usually done between U.S. ports.
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Flying was a lifelong aim for two soldiers killed in copter crashThe U.S. Army 2nd Infantry Division on Tuesday identified the two soldiers killed in
Saturday�s crash of an Apache helicopter belonging to 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment.
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Reports undercut F/A-22, JSF (Registration Required)The U.S. Government Accountability Office told a congressional committee that the original argument for the F/A-22 is "no longer valid," and schedule delays and increases in development costs render the mid-1990s business plan for the JSF "unexecutable."
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Daimler's Schrempp Says EADS-Thales Merger `Doesn't Make Sense'DaimlerChrysler AG Chief Executive Juergen Schrempp, whose company is the biggest shareholder in European Aeronautic, Defense & Space Co., said he opposes any merger between EADS and Thales SA.
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Bangladesh to purchase 8 more Chinese F-7 fightersThe Bangladesh government has finalised plans to purchase eight China made F-7 MG fighter planes for its air force.
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Defense Agency to upgrade fighter jets at Naha baseJapanese Defense Agency decided Thursday to replace in 2008 F-4 fighter jets at the Naha Air Self-Defense Force base in Okinawa Prefecture with F-15 fighters. Twenty-four F-4 fighters are expected to be moved from the Naha base to the Hyakuri base in Ibaraki Prefecture.
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Thursday, March 03, 2005
Airborne network to link sensors, shooters, decision makersUSAF Electronic Systems Center officials are working on a new airborne network that will revolutionize airborne communications and bring network-centric warfare to the air.
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Aircraft-carrier theme park goes bustMinsk World Industries Co Ltd, a company built around the commercial exploitation of a retired aircraft carrier, Minsk, from the former Soviet Union, declared bankruptcy at the request of the Construction Bank of China, one of the company's creditors.
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Carrier's cost rises $869.9 millionThe George H.W. Bush aircraft carrier needs $869.9 million between 2006 and 2008 to cover cost overruns and other increases encountered during the ship's construction, according to details of the budget proposal President Bush recently submitted to Congress.
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Scientists working on smart material for ALHScientists at the Indian Institute of Science and public sector aircraft maker Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) are working on a way to reduce vibrations in the advanced light helicopter (ALH) using smart materials.
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Blackhawk damaged, three escape injury, in Fort Rucker accidentA U.S. Army UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter was damaged but three aboard escaped serious injury when it came into contact with an electricity transmission tower and guy wires during a training flight
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Brunei�s Defence And Military Officials Tour Nuke-Powered US CarrierPehin Datu Singamanteri Col Dato Paduka Hj Mohammad Yasmin, the Permanent Secretary at Brunei's Ministry of Defence, and other senior officers from the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Royal Brunei Air Force and Royal Brunei Navy were invited to visit the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson off the coast of Brunei.
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Hooper man's firm fixes helicopter enginesNebraska Gas Turbine Inc., diagnose and repair engine problems in commercial and industrial helicopters for the U.S. Navy, the Royal Malaysian Air Force and the armies of Mexico and Thailand.
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Chinese air force commander leaves for three-nation tourQiao Qingchen, commander of the Air Force of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, left Beijing Tuesday afternoon for a three-nation tour.
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Joint South Korea-U.S. drill to be scaled downU.S. Marines will not be taking part in the korean peninsula's largest annual U.S.-Korean military exercise this spring. The aircraft carrier Kitty Hawk, the largest and oldest carrier strike group in the U.S. Navy, will be deployed in South Korean waters during the training.
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SAIC Demonstrates Live-Fire From Vigilante(R) VTOL UAVScience Applications International Corporation (SAIC) Mar. 02 announced the successful live-fire of four 2.75� unguided rockets from its Vigilante� VTOL UAV (Vertical Takeoff and Landing Unmanned Aerial Vehicle) system during flight testing conducted at the U.S. Army�s Yuma Proving Ground on December 13 and 14, 2004.
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Saab and Airbus signs contract for avionics equipment for A400MSaab has received an order from Airbus for development, production and support of the High Lift Control & Monitoring System for the A400M military transport aircraft. The contract could be worth 45 MEURO, depending upon the export potential of the A400M Aircraft.
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100th Eurofighter fuselage centre section deliveredThe 100th fully-equipped Eurofighter fuselage centre section has left the assembly station at EADS Military Aircraft's Manching site. Dietmar Schrick, Head of Programmes at EADS Military Aircraft, officially handed over the centre section to the Spanish partner EADS CASA.
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High-tech weapons help Europe to close military gap with USThe European Union is to develop unmanned drones, new armoured vehicles and advanced communication systems in a strategy to become a military superpower and close the defence technology gap with the United States. The programme involves setting up a joint EU fighter-pilot training programme and co-ordinating the testing of military equipment on proving grounds and in wind tunnels.
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Wednesday, March 02, 2005
Lockheed Martin Laser Guidance Systems Facility Wins Shingo Prize for Manufacturing ExcellenceLockheed Martin�s facility in Archbald, PA, with products including laser guided weapons systems for the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy, was selected as winner of the 2005 Shingo Prize for Excellence in Manufacturing. BusinessWeek magazine call it the �Nobel prize of manufacturing�.
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Israeli air force training for long-range bombing missionsThe Israeli air force is training its crews for long-range bombing missions, the wing comannder of an F-16I fighter-bomber group said Monday.
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Cubic Delivers Next-Generation Electronic Warfare Simulation System to the Royal Danish Air ForceThe Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) has become the first military to deploy a next-generation electronic warfare simulation system developed by the defense segment of Cubic Corporation. The High Density Signal Simulator (HIDESS) accurately tests an aircraft�s ability to tackle practically all known radar threats that allied forces might face in actual combat.
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Northrop Settles B-2 Suit for $62 MillionNorthrop Grumman Corp. has agreed to pay the U.S. government $62 million to settle allegations that it overcharged the U.S. Air Force on a contract involving the B-2 stealth bomber, federal prosecutors said on Tuesday.
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Air Force receives third OspreyEdwards Air Force Base, received their third CV-22 Osprey test aircraft Feb. 26 to join their Integrated Test Team.
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SGI Supports F-16 Mission Training Center Night Vision Goggle Simulation CapabilitySilicon Graphics has integrated the prototype night vision goggle (NVG) simulation image generation hardware on the Lockheed Martin F-16 Mission Training Center (MTC) program for the U.S. Air Force.
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Officials break ground for F/A-22 maintenance training centerSheppard Air Force Base is set to become the premier training center for F/A-22 Raptor maintenance professionals, officials said Feb. 18 during the ground breaking ceremony here for a $19.7-million training facility.
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General: Public should lobby for more C-130JsMaj. Gen. William Wayne Hodges, director, Global Reach Programs, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the U.S. Air Force for Acquisition, told a community council that they must carry the fight to keep C-130J production going.
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Israel, India agree to develop 3 new UAVsIsrael and India have signed an agreement to develop three models of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to be produced in India, �Defense News� reports in its latest issue.
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French minister queries Asia bribe case leaksFrench Defence Minister Michele Alliot-Marie raised questions Tuesday over "leaks" about a bribery case involving a Singaporean allegedly claiming to represent European aerospace giant EADS. She said she also discussed the Rafale fighter issue with the Singapore officials.
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Perry urges Air Force to put pilot school in TexasTexas Gov. Rick Perry is urging the U.S. Air Force to consolidate its primary flight training in Texas.
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Army investigates fatal Apache crash near DMZU.S. Army military officials continued investigating the weekend crash in South Korea of an Apache, which is part of 1st Battalion, 2nd Aviation Regiment, 2nd Infantry Division.
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Predator reaches initial operating capacityThe MQ-1 Predator unmanned aerial vehicle was officially declared IOC March 1 by Lt. Gen. William Fraser III, USAF Air Combat Command�s vice commander.
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Russian defense chief boasts about new missilesRussia will develop missiles impervious to any defense, Defense Minister Sergei Ivanov said Tuesday in an apparent allusion the nascent U.S. missile defense system.
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Wedgetail Aircraft Heading to Australia for First-Ever VisitBoeing announced that an airborne early warning and control aircraft for Australia�s Project Wedgetail will make its first visit to Australia at the Australian International Air Show in Avalon beginning March 15.
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Commander, Carrier Air Wing 1 RelievedThe commander of Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, Capt. Mark E. Mills, has been relieved of his command by Rear Adm. James W. Stevenson Jr., commander, Carrier Strike Group 12. Stevenson cited a �loss in confidence in the ability to command.�
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Tuesday, March 01, 2005
Air Vectors : UpdatesThe following Air Vectors articles were updated recently. The Martin B-26 Marauder (v1.1.1),The Lockheed Martin F/A-22 Raptor (v2.3.0), The AgustaWestland EH101 & NHI NH90 (v2.0.3), The Agusta Mangusta & Eurocopter Tiger (v1.0.2), The Antonov Giants (v1.0.2).
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Northrop Grumman Awarded $142M Airborne Laser and Sensor Contract By U.S. Missile Defense AgencyThe U.S. Missile Defense Agency has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation a $142 million follow-on contract for systems engineering, planning and logistics support for its Airborne Laser boost phase missile defense program.
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BUSINESSMAN HELD FOR ALLEGEDLY SUPPLYING MISSILE COMPONENTS TO LIBYAA Taiwan businessman was taken into custody by local district prosecutors Friday for allegedly supplying key Scud missile components to Libya.
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V-22 cleared for flight testingThomas Laux, the U.S. Navy�s program executive officer for air, anti-submarine warfare, assault and special mission programs, gave his approval last Thursday for the V-22 to enter operation evaluation (OPEVAL).
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Lockheed Martin Workers Prepare to StrikeLockheed Martin Corp.'s union employees in a 1,240-602 vote are preparing to strike, saying they are displeased with the proposed contract the company offered its employees.
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B-2 bombers headed to GuamU.S. Air Force B-2 Spirit bombers left Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo., Friday en route to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, as part of an Air Expeditionary Force deployment, according to a Pacific Air Forces news release.
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Overseas airlines may use RAF tankerAirTanker is sounding out continental European airlines about taking some of the "reserve" A330s aircraft on long-term leases. These planes will only be needed by the RAF in wartime.
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UK MoD launches public service regarding low flying military helicopter activityThe U.K Ministry of Defence will start a new freephone advisory service for members of the public enquiring about low flying military helicopter activity.
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Pak to get F-16 planes for sure: MinisterPakistan firmly believes the Unites States will supply F-16 aircrafts to it once the negotiations between two countries on the issue conclude, said Maj (Retd) Habibullah Warraich, the state minister for defence.
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EADS-led AirTanker selected as Preferred Bidder for British Tanker Aircraft ProgrammeOn Monday, EADS welcomed the announcement by Geoff Hoon, the U.K. Secretary of State for Defence, that AirTanker has been selected as Preferred Bidder for Britain�s Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (�FSTA�) programme.
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