February 19, 2014 Military Aviation News

Swiss jets not scrambled over hijacked plane because 'airbases closed at night'

02/19/2014

An incident with a highjacked Ethiopian passenger jet has exposed the Swiss Air Force’s inability to deal with threats in ‘off-duty’ hours. An emergency escort to the aircraft in distress was carried out by vigilant colleagues from Italy and France.

Royal Thai and U.S. Marines conduct bilateral external lift exercise

02/19/2014

Royal Thai and U.S. Marines conducted a bilateral external lift exercise with an MV-22B Osprey at Utaphao, Kingdom of Thailand Feb. 17 during exercise Cobra Gold 2014. Roaring in with the ferocity of a mini-tornado, the Osprey kicked up enough dust and debris to completely engulf the aircraft and ground crew below. Jointly the propellers are capable of roughly 12,000 horse power, which potentially can produce ground speed winds up to 200 mph.

Syria rebels threaten Assad with massive spring offensive

02/19/2014

Rebels in southern Syria say they are planning a spring offensive against Damascus, which regime and opposition sources say will include fighters trained by Western forces in neighbouring Jordan. The Syrian army, meanwhile, is redeploying troops in Quneitra province located on the ceasefire line with Israel, and stepping up shelling on rebel positions in Daraa on the Jordan border to stop any advance, opposition fighters say.

Cope North commences on Guam

02/19/2014

More than 1,800 service members and approximately 50 aircraft from the Air Force, Navy, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, Royal Australian air force and South Korea air forces came together to kick off the 85th iteration of Pacific Air Forces' Cope North exercise Feb. 14 on Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.

DGA Chief: Expect New Programs, Renegotiation of Some Deals for France

02/19/2014

This year will see programs launched for combat vehicles, light tanks and a new infantry rifle for the French Army, an order for 12 transport and tanker jets for the Air Force, and a signing for a fourth nuclear attack submarine for the Navy, France’s procurement chief said Feb. 18.

Red Arrows unveil 50th season livery

02/19/2014

The Red Arrows unveiled a new tailfin design to celebrate their 50th display season at their home at RAF Scampton near Lincoln. The makeover is the most significant change to the look of the team’s aircraft in its history. All of the team’s jets are receiving the fresh look, although their red and white fuselage remains unchanged.

A Hardcore Military Flight Sim That'll Run On A Laptop

02/19/2014

Modern flight simulators - not the recreational kind, the actual kind used to train pilots - are enormous, expensive things. They're impressive, sure, but their cost and size mean they can't exactly be used every day. Which is why a company has been given money by the US Air Force to develop something a little more accessible.

IAF's take on bid for medium multi-role combat aircraft

02/19/2014

The Air Force has told a parliamentary committee that it could have bid for F-22 or B-2 aircraft in its quest for Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) but decided against them as both are among the costliest planes which they did not need.

U.S. Navy Tests Infrared Search and Track on Boeing Super Hornet

02/19/2014

The U.S. Navy recently tested, for the first time on a Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor that will find hard-to-detect targets over long distances. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are developing and integrating IRST, an essential upgrade to the combat capability of the Navy’s Super Hornets.

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