Military Aviation News Archive

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.

Read More...

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

Read More...

British Pilots Train On Upgraded B-2s

02/10/2010

It is among the U.S. Air Force’s most finite resources, but the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber is still growing in capabilities, and it’s an aircraft America is happy to allow an ally to use.

Read More...

India enhances military presence in the Andamans –upgrades air bases

02/10/2010

Even as China now openly talks of setting up naval bases abroad, and for one reason or the other has been increasing its naval footprint in the Indian Ocean Region, India has now decided to upgrade two fighter bases in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

Read More...

Lockheed Martin Delivers 50th Fully Missionized MH-60R Multimission Helicopter to the U.S. Navy

02/10/2010

Lockheed Martin has formally delivered the 50th MH-60R helicopter, fully equipped for its mission to protect the U. S. Navy fleet from hostile submarines and surface ships.

Read More...

Boeing Highlights Commitment to India at Defexpo 2010

02/10/2010

Boeing will present world-class products and services including the F/A-18IN Super Hornet, C-17 Globemaster III, P-8I, AH-64D Apache and CH-47F Chinook to Indian government officials, military officers, and other valued stakeholders at Defexpo 2010. The exhibition takes place Feb. 15-18 at the Pragati Maidan complex in New Delhi.

Read More...

Major Work Ahead On T-50 Stealth Fighter

02/09/2010

Russia has begun flying a stealthy fifth-generation fighter to rival the U.S. F-22, but Western analysts question whether Sukhoi can develop and deliver the aircraft by 2015 as promised.

Read More...

Lockheed keen to boost India defence supply

02/09/2010

Lockheed Martin Corp, the world’s biggest aerospace company, is keen to supply India with defence equipment including fighters and ships, in deals Indian defence sources say are potentially worth $20 billion.

Read More...

Japan To Add To Fighter Contests

02/09/2010

Currently two of the most sought after contracts for American and European aviation contractors are the new Indian and Brazilian fighters. The two contests have been underway now for over a year with companies like Boeing; Lockheed Martin; Rafael of France; MiG of Russia; Sweden’s SAAB and the European consortium Eurofighter all challenging each other for these deals. With the domestic market in the United States committed to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Europe finishing their buy of Eurofi

Read More...

SINGAPORE 2010: Boeing postpones canted tails for F-15 Silent Eagle

02/09/2010

Boeing has eliminated the distinctive canted tails from the early prototype and production configuration of the proposed stealthy Silent Eagle version of the F-15.

Read More...

Air Force, Boeing make connection

02/09/2010

Boeing and the U.S. Air Force have successfully connected a virtual pilot training platform through the Distributed Mission Operations Network.

Read More...

Iran builds own aerial drones with strike capabilities

02/09/2010

Iran started on Monday production of two domestically-developed unmanned aerial vehicles capable of delivering high-precision bombing strikes and performing reconnaissance missions, the Fars news agency said.

Read More...

Team K-MAX Demonstrates Successful Unmanned Helicopter Cargo Resupply to U.S. Marine Corps

02/09/2010

Lockheed Martin Corporation and Kaman Aerospace Corporation, a subsidiary of Kaman Corporation [NASDAQ GS: KAMN] have successfully demonstrated to the U.S. Marine Corps the capability of the Unmanned K-MAX® helicopter to resupply troops by unmanned helicopter at forward operating bases in Afghanistan.

Read More...

Boeing to Continue Providing F/A-18 Engineering Services to Royal Australian Air Force

02/09/2010

Boeing Defence Australia, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Boeing Company, has been awarded a $1.5 million contract for the provision of engineering support services for the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) fleet of F/A-18A/B Hornet aircraft.

Read More...

China To Fit Attack Helo With European Engine

02/08/2010

China is outfitting a new attack helicopter with a European engine despite export restrictions put in place after the 1989 Tiananmen Square massacre. The move comes as European officials push hard for lifting restrictions on defense exports to China.

Read More...

Brazil denies jet deal done after reported Rafale price cut

02/08/2010

Brazil's government denied Thursday it had made a final decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France after a news report said the planes' maker, Dassault, had lopped two billion dollars off their price. President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva "still has not decided on the selection process," the state news agency Agencia Brasil said.

Read More...

RAF 'relying' on drones in Afghanistan

02/08/2010

British forces are relying increasingly on unmanned drones to attack targets in Afghanistan, mirroring controversial tactics used by the US.

Read More...

C-130 Crew Makes Impression at Singapore Airshow

02/07/2010

41st Airlift Squadron loadmaster Staff Sgt. Lindsey Thornton had the honor of flying with local Singapore media, the Brunei Minister of Defence and Jori Haji Abdullah, the Commander of the Royal Brunei Air Force aboard his aircraft which has been the highlight of his crew's trip to Singapore.

Read More...

US, Turkey Agree to Up Military Exchange

02/07/2010

The US Defense Secretary, Robert Gates, met Saturday in Ankara with the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Erdogan.

Read More...

Taiwan Air Force to buy 3 Eurocopters

02/06/2010

The Taiwan Air Force said Friday it would buy three Eurocopters for search and rescue operations, the first arms deal with Europe since the sale of Mirage warplanes and Lafayette frigates in the 1990s. "We invited international tenders. The Eurocopter Group won the bid because its price was lower than our bottom price," air force press officer Yin Shih-hsien said by phone.

Read More...

C130 To Remain Competitive In Market

02/06/2010

Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) is in talks with seven customers outside the U.S. to sell 35 C130J transport planes and will ramp up its production to meet demand, an executive told Dow Jones on Tuesday.

Read More...

Gates to Congress: Kill the C-17

02/06/2010

Defense Secretary Robert Gates said in no uncertain terms today that if Congress attempts to put back money for the C-17, the military cargo plane built in Boeing’s Long Beach plant, he will recommend to his boss, President Barack Obama, that he vetoes the whole defense spending bill.

Read More...

Airbus A400M Countries Call for Speedy End to Talks

02/06/2010

The seven governments behind the troubled Airbus A400M military airlifter program Friday called for a "rapid conclusion" to their negotiations with the military aircraft division of European Aeronautic Defence & Space Co.

Read More...

Boeing Sets Sights on Japan Fighter Jet Contract Due in Spring

02/06/2010

Boeing Co. said Japan may initiate a contract to procure a new fleet of 40 fighter jets as early as next month, a potential opportunity to sell its F-15 or Super Hornet models.

Read More...

Brazil denies jet deal done after reported Rafale price cut

02/05/2010

Brazil's government denied Thursday it had made a final decision to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France after a news report said the planes' maker, Dassault, had lopped two billion dollars off their price.

Read More...