Military Aviation News Archive

India military air crash kills 13

06/10/2009

The Indian Air Force says no one survived when one of its transport planes carrying 13 people crashed near the border with China.

Readiness a Problem for Canada’s Aircraft

06/10/2009

Despite a slew of upgrades that recently got 2 of its P-3/CP-140 Aurora maritime patrol aircraft sent to map key areas in Afghanistan, only 45% (9/20) are available at any one time. That fleet’s other duties include patrolling Canada’s long Atlantic, Pacific, and Arctic Ocean coasts. Its 1960s-era H-3/CH-124 Sea Kings, which have been described as “10,000 nuts and bolts flying in formation,” have an availability rate of just 35.7% (10/28).

Pentagon Reports Mistakes by Bomber Crew in Afghan Incident

06/10/2009

The U.S. Defense Department says one of the aircraft involved in bombing an Afghan village a month ago, during an operation that caused numerous civilian casualties, violated rules designed to protect civilians. But a spokesman says there is no indication that the violation caused the casualties. Procedures for protecting civilians will be part of a 60-day review that the new U.S. commanders heading for Afghanistan have been ordered to conduct.

F-22 Raptors to Japan?

06/10/2009

Back in February 2006, InsideDefense.com’s Inside The Air Force (ITAF) reported that momentum was building within the Air Force to sell the ultra-advanced F-22A Raptor abroad to trusted U.S. allies, as a way of plussing up numbers and production. The USAF originally initially intended to purchase 700-800 F-22 fighters, but that was cut to 442, then 381, and recently cut again to just over 180. These cuts have had obvious effects on the cost per aircraft, and on the ratio of aircraft to total R&D

Aging Array of American Aircraft Attracting Attention

06/09/2009

The current US Air Force fleet, whose planes are more than 23 years old on average, is the oldest in USAF history. It won’t keep that title for very long. Many transport aircraft and aerial refueling tankers are more than 40 years old – and under current plans, some may be as many as 70-80 years old before they retire. Since the price for next-generation planes has risen faster than inflation, average aircraft age will climb even if the US military gets every plane it asks for in its future plan

AMC begins moving Strykers into Afghanistan

06/09/2009

Air Mobility Command's hub for global airlift, air refueling and aeromedical evacuation is "all in" with its commitment to support joint worldwide operations, kicking off efforts this week to airlift more than 300 Stryker vehicles to military forces in Afghanistan.

France Eyes C-130Js to Fill A400M Gap

06/08/2009

France will consider leasing or buying Lockheed Martin C-130J air transports as part of a plan to meet urgent airlift requirements until it receives its first A400M transports, or in the event the program is terminated.

US Will Sell Global Hawks - Will South Korea Buy?

06/07/2009

The RQ-4 Global Hawks isn’t a full successor to the famous U-2 spy plane just yet, which is why the USA is keeping its U-2s for now. It’s close, however, and some people have described the HALE UAV as the equivalent of having a photo satellite on station. Flying at 60,000 feet for 30-40+ hours at a time, the jet-powered UAV uses sophisticated radars and other sensors to monitor developments on land, sea, and air over an area of about 40,000 square miles/ 100,000 square km. Reported image resolut

Sultanate Of Oman Acquires C-130J Super Hercules

06/05/2009

Martin has signed a contract with the Sultanate of Oman for a C-130J Super Hercules. The aircraft, to be delivered in mid-2012, is in the longer C-130J-30 configuration.

Boeing P-8A Poseidon T2 Successfully Completes 1st Flight

06/05/2009

Boeing P-8A Poseidon test aircraft T2 takes off from Renton Field today to begin its successful first flight. T2 took off at 10:32 a.m. Pacific time and landed two hours and 56 minutes later at Boeing Field in Seattle at 1:28 p.m.

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems to Acquire Axsys Technologies, Inc.

06/05/2009

General Dynamics Advanced Information Systems, a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD), has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Axsys Technologies, Inc., (NASDAQ: AXYS) for $54 per share of Axsys Technologies’ outstanding common stock. The cost of the transaction would be $643 million.

Lockheed Martin Releases Paris Air Show 2009 Media Briefing Schedule

06/04/2009

Lockheed Martin today released its media briefing schedule for the 2009 Paris Air Show. Briefings will take place in the Lockheed Martin Press Center, Lockheed Martin Chalet, Row A, No. 397, unless otherwise designated below.

Boeing Details Briefing Schedule for Paris Air Show 2009

06/04/2009

The Boeing Company today outlined its presentation schedule for the Paris Air Show, which begins later this month and is marking its 100th anniversary this year.

FLIR Systems experiencing high demand for airborne imaging systems around the world

06/04/2009

FLIR Systems announced today that it is experiencing a strong demand around the world for the company's Star SAFIRE and Talon classes of stabilised, multi-sensor airborne systems.

General cites importance of airpower for Afghanistan

06/04/2009

The Afghan National Army Air Corps is a vital and rapidly growing component of Afghanistan's security forces and is building airpower to deny terrorists a safe haven in Afghanistan, a U.S. Air Force general here said.

Lockheed Martin Conducts Successful Flight Of AFRL’s Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft

06/03/2009

On Tuesday, June 2, Lockheed Martin and the Air Force Research Lab (AFRL) successfully conducted the initial demonstration flight of the Advanced Composite Cargo Aircraft (ACCA). This flight marks the final and most significant milestone of Phase II of AFRL’s ACCA program, in which Lockheed Martin replaced the mid/aft fuselage and empennage of a Dornier 328J aircraft with an advanced composite structure.

Lockheed Martin Receives $2.1 Billion For Third Lot Of F-35 Low-Rate Production

06/03/2009

The United States Department of Defense has awarded Lockheed Martin a $2.1 billion contract modification to produce 17 F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters in the third lot of low-rate initial production (LRIP). The buy also includes the first international orders – two F-35 operational test aircraft for the United Kingdom and one for the Netherlands.

Lockheed Martin and U.S. Air Force Mark Successful Sniper® ATP Site Activations at A-10C Units

06/03/2009

Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force have successfully completed Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) A-10C site activations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson, AZ, and Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany.

US to sell Seoul bunker-buster bombs

06/03/2009

The 19-ft-long, 5,000lb bombs can penetrate over 20ft of concrete and 100ft of earth and could be used to target North Korea's intricate system of military bunkers and a series of munitions tunnels along the border.

Israel and Russia in UAV Deal?

06/02/2009

"Syria Buying MiG-31s, MiG-29s for $1 billion" covers ongoing speculation about a potential fighter deal with Iranian financing; some reports even place the Islamic Republic of Iran as the ultimate recipient. Recent reports say that Russia has put the deal on the backburner, though Syria denies this. What’s even more interesting are the parallel reports that Israel may be selling UAVs to Russia, and speculation that the 2 sets of events may be related.

Boeing Submits Proposal for USMC Unmanned Cargo Aircraft Demonstration

06/02/2009

The Boeing Company on June 1 submitted a proposal offering its A160T Hummingbird for the U.S. Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory's Immediate Cargo Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) Demonstration Program.

Extreme Altitude Bird Strike Prompts Action

06/01/2009

The Indian air force has slanted to a more ornithologically conscious approach to flight planning following a bird strike involving one of its aircraft and reported in the flight levels. A huge four-engine IAF IL-76 transport was flying at more than 22,000 feet when it struck a yet-unidentified bird.

IAF May Replace AWACS with Modern Aircraft In Future

06/01/2009

After inducting its first Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), the IAF is planning to replace the Russian IL-76 aircraft with some other "modern aircraft" as the platform for the system in future. India is the first country in South Asia to own an AWACS, popularly called 'an eye in the sky'.

India floats tender for combat, heavy lift helicopters

05/30/2009

To replace its ageing helicopter fleet, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has released the much-awaited tenders for 22 combat and 15 heavy lift choppers to US, European and Russian manufacturers.

Egypt Intends To Purchase 24 More Lockheed Martin F-16s

05/29/2009

The U.S. Department of Defense formally notified Congress on April 12 of Egypt's intent to purchase 24 more F-16 aircraft. This begins a 30-day review period.