July 14, 2011 Military Aviation News

Canada looking at building military bases in Arctic

07/14/2011

It is costly to operate in the vast and inhospitable Arctic. But the Canadian military is exploring a way to cut costs and speed up the movement of troops and equipment by building several new northern bases.

Libya rebels continue push to Tripoli

07/14/2011

Western Libyan rebels pushing towards Tripoli plan to attack a pivotal city within a week, a top commander said, speaking hours before his forces lost ground captured last week from loyalist forces.

Lexington Institute: Russian Military’s Decline Continues

07/14/2011

The past 20 years has been a tale of near-continuous decline for the ex-Soviet military. Once it was the largest military force on the planet. Of late it has fallen to a mere shadow of its former self. So low have the fortunes of Russia’s conventional military fallen that it was barely able to defeat Georgia in their short conflict in 2008. The Soviet Union was once known for its massive nuclear arsenal. Now it is barely able to maintain a viable force; most of its systems are obsolescent and ag

Feature: Finance and false economy in defence

07/14/2011

In a book published in 1983, Norman Augustine, a luminary of the US aerospace industry, drafted a series of light-hearted “laws”, 52 in alli. Law XVI reads: “In the year 2054, the entire defence budget will purchase just one aircraft. This aircraft will have to be shared by the Air Force and Navy 3-1/2 days each per week except for leap year, when it will be made available to the Marines for the extra day.”

Costliest fighter upgrade

07/14/2011

The government today approved the costliest military aircraft upgrade programme yet, gifting to France a deal that will see the Indian Air Force’s 25-year-old Mirage fighter planes being dressed up for more than Rs 200 crore a piece.

Russian president Medvedev tackles old military-industrial problem

07/14/2011

Russia's ambitious $730-billion rearmament program appears to be stalling amid skyrocketing prices, late deliveries and, in some cases, the sheer inability of Russia's military industries to deliver the goods.

Iraq looking to buy F-16 fighters

07/14/2011

Iraq seems to be moving forward on plans to buy up to 18 US F-16 fighter jets at a cost of $3bn - after putting off a potential sale several months ago - according to an American military spokesman who spoke to CNN yesterday.

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