Military Aviation News Archive

RAF chief: Don't cut fighter jets

02/16/2010

Air Chief Marshal Sir Stephen Dalton, the Chief of the Air Staff, insisted that air power must not be seen as an “optional luxury” when Britain’s future defence capability is considered.

Northrop Grumman's Fire Scout Unmanned Aerial System Demonstrates Critical Resupply Capability

02/16/2010

Northrop Grumman Corporation has successfully demonstrated that its MQ-8B Vertical Unmanned Aerial System (VUAS) can resupply U.S. or coalition troops deployed on a combat mission.

Boeing Completes P-8A Weapons Ground Vibration Tests

02/16/2010

Boeing successfully completed stores (weapons) ground vibration testing on P-8A Poseidon test aircraft T1 on Feb. 5 in Seattle. The tests will provide data to validate predictions of aircraft performance prior to flight testing at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., later this year.

Eurofighter Typhoon Heads to India for MMRCA Evaluation

02/15/2010

Coinciding with the starting signal for India’s largest defence exhibition, DEFEXPO 2010 (15-18 February 2010), a German Air Force Eurofighter fighter aircraft will be heading to India today. However, this aircraft will not be making acrobatic manoeuvres for the visitors of the show but, rather, will be thoroughly examined by the Indian Air Force (IAF) as part of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) MMRCA programme. The Eurofighter will join India’s ongoing programme, which has been ini

Electronic Attack Prominent In Defense Budget

02/15/2010

Electronic and computer attack—the futuristic segment of the Pentagon’s arsenal—will benefit from the proposed 2011 military spending plan, but identifying all the key pieces is difficult without close scrutiny.

Russia, India to sign 5th-generation fighter deal in March

02/15/2010

Russia and India will sign the first contract on the manufacturing of a fifth-generation jet fighter in late February-early March, a Russian defense industry official said Monday.

Starlite, Starlite, Show Me What You See Tonight

02/14/2010

The U.S. Army has received its first production models of the AN/ZPY-1 Starlite lightweight radar. This system weighs 65 pounds (29.5 kg), occupies 34 cc (1.2 cubic feet), uses 750 watts of power and costs about $2.3 million each. The Starlite was designed for use in the army's new 1.5 ton MQ-1C Sky Warrior UAV. Starlite can deliver photo quality black and white images of what is down there, in any weather. The army has developed software that enables the Starlite images to be transmitted to ex

In the Cold of Morning, Descending Into Conflict

02/14/2010

The helicopter was filled with men and dark in its cabin when a voice cut over the whir of the rotors.

India to exercise options for six more Lockheed C-130-30Js

02/13/2010

American defence contractor, Lockheed Martin, has said it expects the Government of India (GoI) to shortly issue a Letter of Request (LoR) to the United States government for the acquisition of an additional six C-130-30J Super Hercules transport aircraft.

Boeing begins C-17 training in Australia

02/13/2010

The Australian air force says a new training program is under way supported by Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III Aircrew Training System.

Israel presses U.S. for F-35 deal

02/13/2010

Israel is pressing the U.S. administration to clinch a deal for up to 75 F-35 Stealth fighters but Lockheed Martin wants to sell the fifth-generation fighter to Arabs as well.

Eurofighter Typhoon targets 300 additional orders in next 20 years

02/13/2010

The four-nation Eurofighter consortium foresees substantial growth opportunities on the world market, with India playing a crucial role, it said Friday.

Spanish unions urge campaign to save A400M project

02/13/2010

Spain's two biggest trade unions said Friday they would call on European colleagues to mobilise to save the over-budget Airbus A400M military plane project from being scrapped.

Boeing Airborne Laser Testbed Team Destroys Boosting Ballistic Missile

02/12/2010

The Boeing Company, industry teammates and the U.S. Missile Defense Agency on Feb. 11 successfully demonstrated the speed, precision and breakthrough potential of directed-energy weapons when the Airborne Laser Testbed (ALTB) engaged and destroyed a boosting ballistic missile.

Bangladesh wants to buy fighters, helicopters and maritime patrol aircraft

02/12/2010

Bangladesh has vowed to buy a squadron of new fighters and has resumed efforts to purchase two maritime patrol aircraft.

Sukhoi PAK FA: Technical Analysis

02/12/2010

On 29 January 2010, the Sukhoi PAK-FA, which could variously be described as a technology demonstrator, the first prototype of the future T-50 fighter, or an intermediate step between the two, took to the air for the first time from the freezing runway of Dzemgi Air Force Base (shared with the KnAAPO plant) at Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Russian Far East Siberia. A fundamental step has at last been accomplished in the development of the long-expected Russian response to the American F-22 RAPTOR a

Teamcenter software from Lockheed Martin helps keep hundreds of F-35 aircraft suppliers on the same page

02/12/2010

Leaders of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program are partnering with U.S. and international aerospace leaders, including Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. These three primary partners are supported by up to 600 suppliers. In all, the parties involved in the production of the F-35 reside in more than 30 countries, spanning 17 time zones.

EADS to ground military plane if no deal by Monday

02/12/2010

The European EADS aerospace group, which controls Airbus, will begin to wind down development of the A400M military transport plane if an agreement on budget overruns is not agreed with partner governments by Monday, a report said here Thursday.

Global armanent companies continue to make beeline for India

02/12/2010

The great Indian arms bazaar is thriving. From fighters and helicopters to submarines and howitzers, India's never-ending hunger for military hardware and software continues to attract global armament companies in hordes.

Boeing Teams With Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for P-8I Weapons Bay Doors

02/12/2010

Boeing today announced that it has formally signed a contract with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for the India-based manufacturer to provide weapons bay doors for eight P-8I long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft that will be delivered to the Indian navy.

France, Brazil Defensive Dedication

02/11/2010

Much of this strategic partnership between France and Brazil is due to the latter's desire to remain flexible and not solely dependent on US suppliers, plus the former's eagerness to find additional takers for the products of its expensively maintained military industrial complex, as tight international competition and varying price ranges have recently led many traditional French clients to shop with different vendors.

UAE Wants to Buy Korea's T-50 Trainer Jet

02/11/2010

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has reopened talks to purchase South Korea's T-50 supersonic trainer aircraft, following stalled negotiations to acquire Italy's M-346 trainer jets, defense procurement officials here said Thursday.

A Perspective on Regional Air Power

02/11/2010

According to media reports India has recently embarked on the most ambitious air power modernisation programme in its entire history. The proposals include the 126 MMRCA for US $10 billion, ten C-17 heavy lift transport aircraft worth $2.4 billion, eight Boeing P8I LRMP (for the Navy) worth $2.1 billion, six Lockheed Martin C-130J for $962 million, six second-hand Sea King helicopters (for the Navy) and a whole host of other equipment including many helicopters for the Indian Army. There are als

Vietnam purchases 12 Russian fighter planes

02/11/2010

Russian will supply Vietnam with 12 Su-30MK2 fighter jets under a 1 billion-U.S. dollar arms deal, the Interfax news agency reported Wednesday.

Sukhoi PAK FA: First Observations

02/10/2010

On 29 January 2010, the Sukhoi PAK-FA (Perspektivnyi Aviatsionnyi Kompleks Frontovoi Aviatsy, literally "Future Front line Aircraft System"), which could variously be described as a technology demonstrator, the first prototype of the future T-50 fighter, or an intermediate step between the two, took to the air for the first time from the freezing runway of Dzemgi Air Force Base (shared with the KnAAPO plant) at Komsomolsk-on-Amur in the Russian Far East Siberia. A fundamental step has at last b