March 04, 2016 Military Aviation News

Predator B Extended Range aircraft increases flight time

03/04/2016

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), officials announced the first flight of Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range (ER) Long Wing, which is retrofitted with enhanced long-endurance wings with more internal fuel capacity and additional hard points for carrying external stores.

British Pilots Concerned about Presence of Combat Drones

03/04/2016

British pilots expressed concern about a joint plan with France to allocate 2 billion euros to acquire combat drones, announced the British pilots union. According to the official organization, its employees are particularly skeptical about the safety of planes in mid flight in case they are hit by those unmanned devices that will invade the country's airspace, as this is a strategy in place through year 2015.

The Navy Could Throw Boeing’s Fighter Jet Business a Life Preserver

03/04/2016

The loss of the Air Force’s Long Range Strike Bomber contract to rival Northrop Grumman in October has placed Boeing’s defense business in a tough spot. But a list of “unfunded priorities” submitted to Congress by the U.S. Navy could breathe $1.5 billion in new life into the aerospace giant’s fighter jet business, potentially sustaining key production lines until Boeing can find new foreign customers for aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

House Appropriators Push Back on Army Aviation Cuts

03/04/2016

House appropriators Thursday questioned the Army’s decision to cut 35 percent of its planned aviation modernization funding from the fiscal 2017 budget request and strongly urged the service to reconsider the move. But Army leaders said the only way the cuts could be reversed would be to get additional funding.

F-35 Lightning fighter at Cleveland National Air show (video)

03/04/2016

The U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning will make its Cleveland National Air Show debut this year. Also in attendance will be the F-22 Raptor tactical fighter. "The Air Combat Command told me we are the only civilian air show to have both," Kim Dell, executive director of the show said Thursday. Both are built by Lockheed Martin.

France, UK To Fly Unmanned Combat Aircraft Demonstrator in 2025

03/04/2016

Defense ministers of France and the United Kingdom endorsed today the plan to launch the development of full scale operational demonstrator of the ‘Future Combat Air System’ Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) next year. This phase will prepare for the full-scale development of unmanned combat air system (UCAS) operational demonstrators by 2025.

Second Boeing, U.S. Air Force KC-46A Tanker Completes First Flight

03/04/2016

The Boeing test team successfully completed the first flight of the program’s second KC-46A tanker aircraft yesterday, taking off from Paine Field and landing later at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed operational checks on engines, flight controls and environmental systems.

Against the Clock: China's Air Force Will Be on Par With US' by 2030

03/04/2016

By 2030 China will be on par or exceed the United States in terms of its air force capabilities, American defense expert Dave Majumdar writes, adding that the People's Liberation Army Air Force is rapidly fielding newer and much more capable weaponry.

US Delivers Blackhawk Helicopters to Jordan to Guard Border From Daesh

03/04/2016

The United States has delivered eight UH-60A Blackhawk helicopters to Jordan to help its coalition partner secure its border from Daesh terrorists, the US Embassy in Jordan announced on Thursday.

Russia to Replace All Su-24's With Su-30SM's in Black Sea Fleet by 2020

03/04/2016

Russia will replace all Su-24 bombers on the Crimean Peninsula with the Su-30SM multirole fighters which can strike targets on the surface and in the air.

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