April 07, 2015 Military Aviation News

Jordanian military aircraft crashes near Syrian borders

04/07/2015

A Jordanian military training jet crashed on Monday during a training mission in the eastern desert, near city of Mafraq, killing the pilot and his trainee, an army military source was quoted by Petra. The army said the trainee is an Iraqi national, while the pilot is Jordanian. Both died instantly as their plane hit the ground, according to sources.

China Climbs The AWACS Ladder

04/07/2015

Less than two years after being spotted in the air for the first time the new Chinese KJ-500 AWACS (Air Warning And Control System) aircraft has entered service. The KJ-500 AWACS can track over 60 aircraft at ranges of up to 470 kilometers. The KJ-500 aircraft looks more like the American AWACS (with a round radar dome on top) but is smaller and carried by the Y-9 four engine turboprop aircraft (similar to the U.S. C-130).

THAAD Missile Killer Could Boost Army Role In Pacific

04/07/2015

When the Obama Administration announced in January 2012 that the U.S. defense posture would be “rebalanced” to emphasize the Asia-Pacific region, that was not good news for the Army. America’s preeminent land force had largely abandoned the region after the Vietnam War, leaving almost no soldiers stationed west of the International Dateline outside the Korean Peninsula.

Aerial Refueling Test of X-47B Could Occur By End of the Month

04/07/2015

A test to prove an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be refueled in flight could happen by the end of this month, officials with Naval Air Systems Command told USNI News on Monday. The test would pair a Northrop Grumman X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator (UCAS-D) with a contracted tanker to prove out software that could allow future unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to be autonomously aerially refueled (AAR).

Russia eyes Iranian arms deal after Lausanne

04/07/2015

One of the many unanswered questions surrounding the so-called framework agreement on Iran’s nuclear program is whether and how it will limit Russia’s arms trade with Iran, including Moscow’s long-standing interest in selling advanced surface-to-air missiles. In fact, managing the Russian-Iranian military relationship may become increasingly difficult if the negotiating parties reach a final agreement by their self-imposed June deadline.

India draws bottom line for Rafale

04/07/2015

India will not ink the mega $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 fighters till France agrees to stick to its original pricing, which led its Rafale fighter to defeat the Eurofighter Typhoon in commercial evaluation over three years ago.

Pakistani defence minister says Saudi seeks fighter planes, ships, troops

04/07/2015

Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, told the parliament on Monday that Saudi Arabia has sought fighter aircraft, warships and troops as the Saudi-led Arab allies have continued airstrikes against Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. "Saudi Arabia has asked for combat planes, warships and soldiers,"Asif, who recently visited Saudi Arabia, said the parliament will decide whether the country should extend military support.

Planes Without Pilots

04/07/2015

Mounting evidence that the co-pilot crashed a Germanwings plane into a French mountain has prompted a global debate about how to better screen crewmembers for mental illness and how to ensure that no one is left alone in the cockpit. But among many aviation experts, the discussion has taken a different turn. How many human pilots, some wonder, are really necessary aboard commercial planes?

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