February 14, 2013 Military Aviation News

New medal for drone pilots outranks Bronze Star

02/14/2013

The Pentagon is creating a new high-level military medal that will recognize drone pilots and, in a controversial twist, giving it added clout by placing it above some traditional combat valor medals in the military’s “order of precedence.” The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded to pilots of unmanned aircraft, offensive cyber war experts or others who are directly involved in combat operations but who are not physically in theater.

Military Chiefs Give Warnings on Sequestration

02/14/2013

The U.S. military faces devastating losses in troop strength and training, equipment procurement and maintenance, and mission capability if Congress does not avert automatic spending cuts set to begin March 1, top defense officials testified Tuesday."Secretary [Leon E.] Panetta and I have been using the word devastating for 16 months now," said Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter, who testified with military leaders at a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing.

French Harfangs deployed to Mali alongside dozens of other aircraft

02/14/2013

Since January, a detachment of Harfang unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has been engaged in Operation Serval, France’s intervention in Mali, where they joined dozens of French air assets, from maritime patrol aircraft to tankers.

Afghan air force desperate for aircraft: commander

02/14/2013

Afghanistan’s fledgling air force is more like a bicycle than a modern fighting machine, its commander has said, pleading for advanced aircraft to fight the Taliban as US-led Nato forces prepare to withdraw. Air power is crucial in the rugged country where a poor road network is often mined by insurgents, and the Afghan government is pressing hard for the US to boost its air capability before it pulls out next year.

New Russian plane for training and combat

02/14/2013

The Russian aircraft company “Irkut”, which is located in the Siberian city of Irkutsk, is currently perfecting the combat and training plane “Yakovlev-130”. The new, modified model of this plane will most likely be of great demand both in Russia and in several other countries.

Lockheed Martin Receives $161 Million in Contracts for Apache M-TADS/PNVS Upgrades

02/14/2013

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received two production contracts totaling $161.7 million from the U.S. Army to continue upgrades of the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) program for the Apache attack helicopter.

‘No Warplanes’ for Syria Says Russian Arms Sales Boss

02/14/2013

Russia’s state-run arms dealer Rosoboronexport is supplying air-defense missile systems and maintenance and servicing equipment to Syria but not combat aircraft, the company's director Anatoly Isaikin said on Wednesday. Russia and Syria have previously signed a contract for delivery to Damascus of Yak-130 Mitten jet trainers, but it has been suspended, he added.

IDEX 2013: Thales to showcase air mission system capabilities

02/14/2013

Thales will be participating in IDEX from 17th to 21st February 2013 in the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), UAE and will be showcasing its air mission system capabilities, as well as its advanced optronics and communications systems.

All Articles