May 03, 2011 Military Aviation News
05/03/2011
A group of Canadian observers will begin a series of inspection flights over Russian territory under the Open Skies Treaty on Tuesday, a spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said. "The flights will be along the route coordinated earlier with Russian specialists, who will be on board of the aircraft monitoring implementation of agreements on the use of technical equipment for the observation," the spokesman said.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
An intelligence-driven U.S. operation in Pakistan killed al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden yesterday, President Barack Obama announced in a nationally televised address from the White House late last night. "Today, at my direction, the United States launched a targeted operation against that compound in Abbottabad, Pakistan," Prsident Obama said. "A small team of Americans carried out the operation with extraordinary courage and capability.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
A later Time piece puts the total number of helicopters on the mission at four, with two making the assault and two waiting in reserve nearby. It states that "about two dozen" SEALs and CIA "enablers" participated in the raid and speculates that a winged-gunship like an AC-130 might have provided air cover. The helicopters were "most likely … specially-outfitted CH-47 and UH-60 choppers." The U.S. team destroyed its malfunctioning CH-47 at the site of the raid, Time adds.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
Ambitious efforts to modernize Russia’s defense and industrial base undertaken during the Putin administration have been paying off—at least, in some cases. The Russian leadership uses arms sales for economic gain, but also as a tool of influence in the recipient countries. The Russian military-industrial complex, one of the few national industries that maintain some competitive advantage in comparison with the West, is a source of the Kremlin’s cash and prestige. Leftover stockpiles from the So
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
Diversified industrial manufacturer Eaton Corporation is a key component supplier for the Bell-Boeing-built V-22 Osprey, which recently surpassed 100,000 flying hours during a U.S. Marine Corps combat mission in Afghanistan. Manufactured under a 50-50 strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter and Boeing, the V-22 Osprey is a multirole combat aircraft using tiltrotor technology to combine the vertical performance of a helicopter with the speed and range of a fixed-wing aircraft.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
The Peruvian Air Force will receive next week three Russian combat helicopters intended for military operations against drugs trafficking and terrorism in the South American country, Peru's defense minister said. Last July, the Peruvian Defense Ministry and Russian state-controlled arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed a contract for the sale of six Mi-171Sh Hip transport and two Mi-35P Hind E attack helicopters to the South American country. The deal is estimated at $107.9 million.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
The second F-35C Lightning II carrier variant takes off on its first flight from Naval Air Station (NAS) Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base Friday, April 29. Lockheed Martin F-35 Test Pilot Bill Gigliotti piloted the jet on its first flight.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
The first of four C-130J Super Hercules for the Qatar Emiri Air Force has completed production at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta. The picture shows the aircraft leaving the paint hangar. The new Hercules are the longer fuselage or "stretched" variant of the C-130J and deliveries to Qatar will begin later this year.
(Read More...)
05/03/2011
The Boeing Company today announced that it has received contracts totaling $100 million for two types of Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) kits. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) on March 17 awarded the company an $8 million contract that represents the first major production order for Laser JDAM kits. The contract is for low-rate initial production of 700 laser sensor kits for the Navy’s direct-attack moving target capability weapons requirement.
(Read More...)
All Articles