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Military Aviation News

More drones but 80,000 fewer troops as US cuts defence spending

01/27/2012

The United States is to increase its fleet of unmanned drones by nearly a third and rely more on small, specially trained ground units as part of a slimmed down military. As part of massive cuts to its budget, the army plans to shed 80,000 soldiers over the next few years, defence secretary Leon Panetta announced yesterday.

'Autonomous' combat drones debated

Researchers say a drone aircraft being tested by the U.S. Navy that could conduct a combat mission without human involvement raises troubling ethical questions. The drone, designed to land on the deck of an aircraft carrier, operates not only with no pilot in the cockpit but with no pilot at all, raising the specter of a pre-programmed semi-independently operating machine capable of wreaking mayhem on its own.

F/A-18E/F contract brings DOD aircraft orders this week to 25 in deals worth $2.2 billion

U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) military aircraft purchases continued to roll along on Wednesday, with a U.S. Navy order of 15 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier-based jet fighter-bombers under terms of a $687.5 million contract modification. Wednesday's order brings this week's DOD combat aircraft orders to 25 in three separate deals collectively worth nearly $2.2 billion.

Boeing, Thales Select EC135 for Helicopter Aircrew Training System

Boeing subsidiary Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) and Thales Australia today named the Eurocopter EC135 as the preferred platform for their bid on the Australian Defence Force (ADF) Project AIR 9000 Phase 7 – Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS).

Russia to Modernize All Military Airfields by 2020

All of Russia’s military airfields will be upgraded and modernized by 2020, Defense Ministry spokesman Col Vladimir Drik said on Thursday. That includes airbases, flight test and training centers, army aviation sites, and other facilities, he said.

Hawker Beechcraft Issues Statement on 2012 State of the Union Address

Hawker Beechcraft today issued the following statement in response to President Obama's 2012 State of the Union Address. "The actions of the current administration do not align with the comments made by President Obama in his State of the Union address. He made very convincing statements that he wants to protect American manufacturing jobs and called for more highly skilled jobs in the U.S. and for more products to be made in America.

Philippines may allow greater U.S. military presence in reaction to China’s rise

Two decades after evicting U.S. forces from their biggest base in the Pacific, the Philippines is in talks with the Obama administration about expanding the American military presence in the island nation, the latest in a series of strategic moves aimed at China.

Analyst: Drone no longer in Air Force plans to replace U-2 spy plane

The Air Force wants to save money by scrapping plans to replace the Cold War-era U-2 spy plane with the high-tech Global Hawk reconnaissance drone, a defense analyst said Tuesday. Loren Thompson wrote in his blog that the Air Force plans to sacrifice the most common variant of the Global Hawk — the Block 30 — as a “bill payer” in its 2013 budget request, retiring those already in use and halting further production by defense giant Northrup Grumman.

Talk is Cheap in Washington When It Comes to Politicians and the U.S. Military

Last night, President Obama opened his State of the Union address by referencing the sacrifices and courage of America’s military personnel as they return home from combat. The President’s rhetoric was moving, but unfortunately, words are simply words and have not been fully backed up with action that supports America’s heroes.

New drone has no pilot anywhere, so who's accountable?

Military Prepares Realignment: More Drones, Special Forces

Ukraine Boosts Military Budget by 30%

U.S. Navy Testing Technologies to Refuel Unmanned Aircraft During Flight

IAF women pilots break altitude barrier

Air Force Leaders Say Strategy Calls for F-22, F-35 Capabilities

Air Force buys five more Boeing C-17 large military cargo jets in $693.4 million deal

U.S. military in Persian Gulf still necessary, welcome force

In the Shadow of Asia

South Korea sweetens pot in Israeli jet deal

U.S.-Japan Exercises Underscore New Strategy Guidance Focus

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