October 03, 2011 Military Aviation News

India to Acquire Six More C-130J Aircraft

10/03/2011

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to acquire six more C-130J Super Hercules special operations aircraft in addition to the six already ordered. The IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, told India Strategic defence magazine (www.indiastrategic.in) that the aircraft had performed well in the recent earthquake relief operations in north-eastern India and that the IAF would utilize the multi-role capability of the aircraft as required.

Libya Sam-7's threaten civil aviation

10/03/2011

At first glance, it seems nothing unusual or hinting of danger - just a few wooden munitions cases piled up in the corner of a vast hangar on the outskirts of Benghazi in eastern Libya. But the cases' rectangular shape, their size - about that of a coffee table - and the yellow inscriptions in Cyrillic letters allude to their deadly contents.

Abu downed chopper? That’s a lot of hooey: PAF

10/03/2011

The Philippine Air Force yesterday described as "propaganda" the statement of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) that Abu Sayyaf terrorists shot down the Huey aircraft that crashed in Patikul, Sulu, last Saturday and left the pilot and two crew members dead.

Defence cuts: Our forces, brought to their knees

10/03/2011

When Lord West, former First Sea Lord and security minister in the Brown government, waved the flag for Britain last week, reminding the world that we are still a country to be reckoned with and “not like bloody Denmark or Belgium”, he presented Liam Fox with a gaping open goal. West, the Defence Secretary crowed, was guilty of crass insensitivity and should apologise. What about those plucky Danes in Afghanistan?

Plan for major Defence Force re-shape

10/03/2011

The entire Defence Force will be re-shaped by 2015 into what will be called a Joint Amphibious Task Force that will enable the Army to deploy more people for longer in combat situations. Defence Minister Wayne Mapp this morning launched the plan at Defence Headquarters, including some decisions on equipment and training as part of the Defence Capability Plan, the first in 10 years.

User trials of Light Combat Aircraft to commence by end of year

10/03/2011

The much-awaited user trials of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) would commence by the end of this year. The user trials, which will be conducted by the IAF’s Bangalore-based aircraft systems and testing establishment (ASTE), is a prerequisite before the LCA is inducted into the IAF.

Block 10 Sent Down To The Farm

10/03/2011

Earlier this year, the U.S. Air Force transferred its remaining seven early model (Block 10) RQ-4 Global Hawk UAVs to other government agencies. These UAVs began flying eight or so years ago and each has spent, on average some 3,000 hours in the air. Some have spent over 7,000 hours in the air, while others have mostly stayed on the ground. On average, these Block 10 aircraft flew once a week. But some 90 percent of hours flown were in combat operations.

Cheap and slick drones signal strategic shift

10/03/2011

The CIA drone strike that killed Anwar al-Awlaki, the US-born propagandist for al-Qaeda's rising franchise in Yemen, was one more demonstration of what US officials say is a cheap, safe and precise tool to eliminate enemies. It was also a sign that the decade-old US campaign against terrorism has reached a turning point.

Military testing smart devices

10/03/2011

As a Cobra attack helicopter pilot, Marine Capt. Jim “Hottie” Carlson was running support missions above Afghanistan last summer when it occurred to him that it was taking far too long to find where U.S. troops were under attack. “Do you have any idea how long it takes to find the right map, unfold it, and find where you’re going? It’s agonizing,” he said.

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