Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Enhanced Communications and ID Systems for Thales Damocles XF Targeting Pod

01/24/2010

Thales is Europe's most important player in the targeting pod market with its Damocles multifunction pod for day/night laser-guided weapon capability. Though the Dassault Aviation Rafale is its primary platform, Damocles has been purchased for the Dassault Mirage 2000, Dassault Super Étendard Modernisé, and Sukhoi Su-30MK aircraft.

Why rush the F-35 into production?

01/24/2010

An internal Navy briefing obtained by CongressDaily suggests, without saying it right out, that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter ballyhooed by Defense Secretary Gates will cost so much to buy and fly that the service might have to find a cheaper plane to fill up its carrier decks.

Boeing hands over last KC-767 tanker to Japan

01/23/2010

Boeing delivered its fourth and final KC-767 aerial refueling tanker to Japan on 8 December, the company announced on 12 January.

Eurofighter leading race for India deal

01/23/2010

The Eurofighter Typhoon is "leading the race" to win a contract from the Indian government for 126 fighter jets, valued at around $10.4 billion, India's ambassador to Italy said on Friday.

Burmese fighter pilot killed in crash

01/23/2010

A BURMESE fighter pilot was killed during training this morning when his plane crashed in an airfield in the military-ruled country, an official said.

Lockheed hopes for F-35 deal with Israel this year

01/23/2010

U.S. defence giant Lockheed Martin (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research) hopes to sign an agreement with Israel on its F-35 fighter jet by the end of the year, and targets 75 to 100 jets for the deal, an executive said on Friday.

Pentagon underscores commitment to F-35

01/23/2010

Deputy Defense Secretary William Lynn on Thursday underscored the Pentagon's commitment to Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) $300 billion F-35 fighter jet, saying the U.S. government and its allies still planned to buy 3,000 of the new fighters over time.

Send in the Hornets

01/23/2010

For some reason Canada has held back a valuable asset from the battle against the Taliban; our high-performance CF-18 jets should be in action.

Initial TVS data show Raytheon success

01/23/2010

Raytheon marked a milestone for its Target Verification System following a successful demonstration with a U.S. Navy F/A-18 aircraft.

Eurofighter Shines at Bahrain International Airshow

01/23/2010

The Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the world's most advanced multi-role combat aircraft and will be on of the star attractions during the first Bahrain air show, which started yesterday.

Eurocopter Brazil Secures Largest Service Contract In 30 Years

01/22/2010

Eurocopter's Brazilian subsidiary has managed to secure the largest service contract in more than 30 years of its presence in that country.

Eurocopter Sees Civilian Slackening as Military Rises

01/22/2010

Eurocopter recently reported its 2009 figures, and offered forecasts for 2010. While Robinson is far and away the leading global helicopter builder by numbers, Eurocopter is generally accepted as the #1 firm when measures include order value, competition across multiple major segments, etc. This makes their fate and forecasts an interesting bellwether for the sector.

Fighter, Helicopter Plans to Start in 2011

01/22/2010

Plans to locally develop a fighter aircraft and an attack helicopter will start next year. The plan is part of comprehensive projects to develop the nation’s aerospace industry over the next decade, the Ministry of National Defense said Thursday.

Vietnam Top Buyer of Russian Arms

01/22/2010

Vietnam became Russia's biggest arms client in 2009, having ordered six diesel-electric submarines and 12 Su-30 fighter jets, according to the calculations of the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies (CAST), a think tank here that tracks Russia's arms exports.

Bahrain opens its first air show

01/22/2010

Bahrain’s first-ever international air show, which began yesterday at the country’s Sakhir Airbase, showcased 74 aircraft from suppliers representing 15 nations.

Hellenic Aerospace to maintain Saudi C-130 engines

01/22/2010

Hellenic Aerospace Industries has won a three-year, $43 million contract with the Saudi Arabian defence ministry to maintain and repair the Rolls-Royce Allison T56 engines that power its air force fleet of Lockheed Martin C-130 tactical transports.

USAF Chief Downplays JSF Testing Delay

01/22/2010

A testing delay for the F-35 program will prompt an increase in the per-unit cost of the stealthy single-engine fighter “for a period,” says the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, Gen. Norton Schwartz.

Washington Prepares Arms Sales for Taiwan, Risking China’s Ire

01/22/2010

A package of arms sales being prepared by Washington for Taiwan may portend a downturn in U.S.-China relations only a year after the Obama administration entered office championing closer ties with Beijing. The ever-sensitive topic of U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, considered by Beijing to be an integral part of the People’s Republic of China, will undoubtedly result in protestations by the Chinese, who have long maintained a vow to recover the island by force if necessary.

Indian Navy boosts its air fleet in $1.5 billion deal

01/22/2010

India's Navy has started a $1.5 billion overhaul of its ageing Soviet-era fleet of aircraft, seeking to boost its air power in an Indian Ocean region where a growing China is threatening its traditional dominance.

EADS Should Cover Biggest Piece of A400M Overrun: Morin

01/21/2010

EADS should fund a large share of the A400M's cost overrun, French Defense Minister Hervé Morin said, speaking on the eve of a meeting of procurement ministers and the prime contractor to negotiate financial terms for the troubled airlifter program.

Russia to show the best aircraft models at Bahrain International Airshow 2010

01/21/2010

Rosoboronexport will be taking active part in the first Bahrain International Airshow, BIAS 2010. This exhibition of military, civilian and business aircraft will take place from 21 to 23 January at the Sahir Airbase in Manama.

IAF offers Dhaka facilities

01/21/2010

The Indian Air Force is offering the Bangladesh Biman Bahini (Bangladesh air force) the use of its facilities to modernise and maintain fighter aircraft and helicopters, a senior defence source told The Telegraph here.

U.S. slows Lockheed's F-35 fighter program

01/21/2010

The U.S. Defense Department is slowing Lockheed Martin Corp's $300 billion F-35 fighter jet program, a multinational effort, to stabilize its schedule and costs, according to draft budget documents obtained by Reuters.

Boeing Looks To First Silent Eagle Flight

01/21/2010

With radar-cross-section (RCS) trials for Boeing’s Silent Eagle semi-stealthy F-15 prototype complete, company officials are now focusing on South Korea as a possible first customer.

Logic Versus Experience

01/21/2010

January 20, 2010: Two years ago, the U.S. Army thought it had a deal with the Air Force, to settle a dispute over who should control army UAVs.