January 06, 2013 Military Aviation News
01/06/2013
Less than a decade ago, the Pentagon had about fifty unmanned combat air vehicles (known as drones or UAV — unmanned aerial vehicles). It is estimated that they currently have about seven thousand of them (and Congress asked for about $5 billion worth of more drones in 2012).
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01/06/2013
Much of the recent commentary on the F-35 procurement misses a central point: exorbitant cost is not the only reason to reconsider the aircraft. Defence Minister Peter Mackay's December 2012 announcement of a "reset" on the F-35 acquisition has spurred plenty of debate on the $46-billion price tag for 65 aircraft over 42 years. What the conversation is missing, however, is the military-strategic elements.
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01/06/2013
Capt. Sara Joyner laughed when she realized that as the first female fighter pilot to command a carrier air wing, she would answer to the call sign "Battle Axe." "If you look up the word 'battle-axe,' it is a slightly overbearing and domineering woman," Joyner told reporters Friday after assuming command of Carrier Air Wing 3 - nicknamed "Battle Axe" - during a ceremony at Oceana Naval Air Station. "I found that humorous."
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01/06/2013
Contrary to expectations of an early push towards finalising the contract for the 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force, the deal will not be signed before the current financial year comes to an end in March this year. The IAF is keen that the negotiations are concluded and the way is paved to finalise the multi-billion dollar deal with the French manufacturer Dasault Aviation for its Rafale ominrole fighter plane.
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01/06/2013
Japan’s government is likely to increase defense spending for the first time in 11 years, Japanese media reported yesterday, as newly elected Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledges a sterner response to a territorial dispute over the Diaoyutai Islands with China. The government is considering increasing defense spending by about 2 percent to more than 4.7 trillion (US$53.4 billion) in the fiscal year starting in April, the Mainichi newspaper reported. It gave no source for its information.
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