December 18, 2013 Military Aviation News
12/18/2013
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) would brief Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on the proposed measures for enhancing defence production exports, during his scheduled visit to a key PAF facility today (Wednesday). The PM would be visiting Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra to receive the relevant briefings on the contemplated exports of the PAF aircraft, especially the JF-17 Thunder, sources in PAF informed The Nation on Tuesday.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
After many false starts, Europe looks ready to back plans for a drone development programme aimed at cutting its reliance on U.S. and Israeli rivals and bolstering its position in the industry. European Union leaders meeting in Brussels on Thursday and Friday will throw their weight behind a drive to build a next-generation European surveillance drone by 2020 to 2025, according to a draft communiqué seen by Reuters.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
The 2013 sale of 22 Swedish JAS 39E Gripen jet fighters to Switzerland was the last act in a very contentious competition between the Gripen, the French Rafale, and the Anglo-German (mainly) Eurofighter. Most of the secret evaluations of the three fighters were recently leaked to the media and provided some interesting insights on all three aircraft. The Gripen won the competition not because it was the best fighter but because it was OK on all counts and it was the cheapest.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
Various units from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps came together to exercise their ability to conduct combat operations across the Pacific by participating in a nonstop operations surge Dec. 10 to Dec. 13 on Guam and the nearby island of Tinian.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
For the first time, agencies involved in designing and developing light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas will display to the country what a pilot can do in its cockpit while the aircraft is in the sky. Dedicating the aircraft to the nation, National Flight Testing Centre (NFTC) pilots will take it to the skies during an official flypast this Friday, marking the second Initial Operational Clearance (IOC-2) of Tejas.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
Before the sun rises, the sound of an F-16 Fighting Falcon can be heard taking off, breaking the dull silence of the morning as they participate in a two week close air support training exercise with various squadrons and units.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
A helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan has killed six US soldiers, the deadliest day for American troops in the country since March. There was no fighting reported in the area where the aircraft came down, Nato said in a brief statement, and Afghan officials including the provincial governor and police chief said the chopper had suffered a mechanical fault.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
Well before the Joint Strike Fighter has flown one combat mission, the Air Force is already talking about the next generation of fighter aircraft that will succeed it. Despite the budget crunch that has paralyzed most military modernization programs, Air Force leaders are talking about developing the sixth generation fighter jet as well as a new cargo plane that would replace the C-130 and C-17.
(Read More...)
12/18/2013
Iran believes its contract to buy S-300 missile defense systems from Russia is legitimate and expects it to be fulfilled, Iran’s ambassador to Russia said Tuesday. Mehdi Sanai said the systems “are defensive, so no international laws, norms and rules are violated.” Sanai said that he had discussed the issue with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the latter’s visit to Iran, and noted Moscow’s “good will in its resolution.”
(Read More...)
All Articles