Military Aviation News Archive

Congress Reviews Future Reserve Equipment Upgrades

10/20/2011

As Congress works on the fiscal year 2012 budget and to reduce federal debt, Army and Air Force Reserve and National Guard leaders were on Capitol Hill here to testify and answer questions about their funding proposals Oct. 12.

Forecast International Looks at Military Rotorcraft Engines

10/20/2011

Honeywell’s T55 turboshaft production continues for its sole application, Boeing’s CH-47 Chinook. Boeing biggest customer for the CH-47 is the U.S. Army who is upgrading its Chinook fleet from the D to the F standard. The current requirement is set at 464 aircraft with a mix of new-build and remanufactured airframes. The Army is also buying MH-47Gs and will eventually have a fleet of 69 of the type.

Factbox: Turkey's armed forces

10/20/2011

Turkey launched air and ground assaults on Kurdish militants in Iraq on Wednesday, vowing to take "great revenge" after 24 Turkish soldiers were killed in one of the deadliest Kurdish attacks in decades.

Historic U.S. Air Force 'surge' exercises airlift crisis, contingency response

10/20/2011

A surge of C-5 Galaxies, slated to take place Oct. 17 - 21, will bring together 18 active-duty and 23 Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command crews and aircraft to fly cargo in support of combatant commanders across the globe.

Military aircraft engine must be quickly developed: IAF chief N A K Browne

10/20/2011

"You may have to steal, beg or borrow but you have to do it," IAF chief N A K Browne has stated to drive home the urgency for developing a military aircraft engine to strengthen defence capabilities. The DRDO has been entrusted with the task of developing a fighter aircraft engine under the Kaveri programme but not much success has been achieved in this direction for the last over 25 years.

Lockheed Martin Receives Unanimous Decision That “Paveway” Is a Generic Term

10/20/2011

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board (TTAB) unanimously ruled in favor of Lockheed Martin by determining that “paveway” is a generic term for a type of laser guided bomb (LGB).

Australia may upgrade warplanes with jamming equipment

10/19/2011

Australia is considering equipping half its fleet of Boeing-built Super Hornet warplanes with sophisticated radar and communications jamming technology, giving its military a more potent electronic warfare capability than others in the region.

Computer virus did not target US drone fleet: general

10/19/2011

A computer virus that affected the US military's drone fleet last month was not "specifically" aimed at the unmanned aircraft's network, the head of US Strategic Command said Tuesday. "It was a virus that we believe at this point entered from the wild, if you will, not specifically targeted at the RPA (remotely piloted aircraft) activities but entered through some other process," General Robert Kehler told reporters.

McCain letters support F-35, raise concerns for F-16 move

10/19/2011

In a July 20, 2011 letter to West Valley Partners, U.S. Sen. John McCain pledges his continued support for the F-35 and Luke AFB as a major training base for the newest fighter jet in the country’s defense arsenal.

Military airplane crashes in Nepal, six missing: army

10/19/2011

A military aircraft with six people on board crashed Tuesday into hills in a remote hunting reserve in mid-western Nepal, the army said. The Britten-Norman Islander airplane was returning to the capital Kathmandu from a rescue mission by the Indian border in the southwest when it lost contact with the ground, army officials told AFP.

Afghan, NATO troops ramp up fight against Haqqani

10/19/2011

Afghan and NATO forces have stepped up their fight against a militant network considered the most dangerous threat facing coalition forces in Afghanistan, the nation's defense officials said Tuesday.

Boeing showcases aircraft in South Korea

10/19/2011

Boeing is showcasing its F-15 Silent Eagle fighter jet and AH-6i attack/reconnaissance helicopter at an international exhibition in South Korea. In addition to military aircraft, Boeing will feature passenger aircraft such as the 787-9. 747-8 and 737 MAX at 2011 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition this week.

US Involved in Covert Mideast War Games

10/19/2011

The United States is reportedly launching major military maneuvers in the Middle East amid speculation that the Pentagon is preparing a response to Iran’s alleged involvement in a plot to assassinate the Saudi Arabian ambassador to Washington.

China's 'peaceful' coercion

10/19/2011

A recent Pentagon report warns India about challenges posed by China's frenetic defence modernisation, after China launched its first aircraft carrier, the instrument of power projection. China's peaceful rise is best determined by distinguishing between its military capabilities and intentions.

‘Son of Osprey’ Could Replace All Army Copters

10/19/2011

The V-22 Osprey tiltrotor flown by the Marines and Air Force crashes or burns much more often than the military cares to admit. But that hasn’t stopped Osprey-maker Boeing from pitching a new tiltrotor for an ambitious Army program aimed at replacing almost everything the ground combat branch flies … with a single aircraft design.

Northrop remains committed to Dubai as it pulls out of Farnborough 2012

10/19/2011

Northrop Grumman Corp has pulled out of the 2012 Farnborough International air show as part of a drive to cut costs in what it describes as leaner times in the global defence market but it is honouring its commitment to the Dubai Air Show.

Northrop Grumman's X47-B flies in cruise configuration

10/18/2011

The U.S. Navy and Northrop Grumman Corp. (Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., USA) announced on Oct. 10 that the X-47B unmanned combat air system (UCAS) demonstration aircraft reached a major milestone Sept. 30 when it retracted its landing gear and flew in its cruise configuration for the first time. The flight, conducted at Edwards Air Force Base, also helped validate precision navigation hardware and software that will allow the X-47B to land with precision on the moving deck of an aircraft carr

France 'near closing Emirates Rafale deal'

10/18/2011

France was reported Monday to be in the final stages of wrapping up a $10 billion contract with the United Arab Emirates for 60 Rafale combat jets. That would be a crucial breakthrough for French manufacturer Dassault Aviation, which has been struggling for years to find its first foreign buyer for the multi-role fighter. "We're in the final negotiations," French Defense Minister Gerard Longuet told France's LCI television, adding that the prospect of a deal was "very strong."

British Vice Chief of Defence Staff on India visit

10/18/2011

Aiming to enhance mutual defence ties, British Vice-Chief of Defence Staff General Sir Nicholas Houghton today began a three-day visit here today. During his visit, Gen Houghton met Minister of State for Defence M M Pallam Raju and Defence Secretary Shashikant Sharma and discussed issues of mutual cooperation and ways for further enhancing defence ties between the two countries.

Jets, Submarines Lead Korea Push to Triple Defense Exports

10/18/2011

Armored vehicles, trainer jets and weapons will be on display this week at South Korea’s biggest aerospace and defense exhibition, as the nation works to triple annual military exports by the end of the decade.

Lockheed Martin Delivers First F-35 Weapons Load Training System to Eglin Air Force Base

10/18/2011

Lockheed Martin delivered and installed the first weapons load training device at the F-35 integrated pilot-and-maintenance training center (ITC) at Eglin Air Force Base’s 33rd Fighter Wing.

Team of Marines integrates ground, air forces in Afghanistan

10/17/2011

As the Marines and coalition and Afghan forces in the southwestern regional command of NATO’s International Security Assistance Force patrol the Helmand River valley, they do so knowing an overwhelming advantage is behind them. With air assets led by 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward), the coalition can strike the enemy at will, move troops around the battlespace safely and quickly, and medically evacuate service members or Afghans in need.

Kenyan Troops Push Into Somalia

10/17/2011

Kenyan military forces moved into southern Somalia on Sunday, an official and residents said, a day after top Kenyan defense officials said the country has the right to defend itself after a rash of militant kidnappings inside Kenya. Late Sunday evening, a military helicopter crashed and caught fire inside Kenya from an apparent mechanical malfunction, a diplomat and a resident said. No civilian casualties were reported, but the status of the pilots on board wasn't immediately known.

America’s Secret Empire of Drone Bases

10/17/2011

They increasingly dot the planet. There’s a facility outside Las Vegas where “pilots” work in climate-controlled trailers, another at a dusty camp in Africa formerly used by the French Foreign Legion, a third at a big air base in Afghanistan where Air Force personnel sit in front of multiple computer screens, and a fourth at an air base in the United Arab Emirates that almost no one talks about.

S African military plane - a challenge to Western dominance?

10/17/2011

A South African firm has produced the continent's first indigenous aircraft, which its makers hope will revolutionize the military aviation industry while bringing in half a billion dollars a year to the local economy. The Advanced High Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) was created by the Paramount Group, a South African defence company, together with Aerosud, an aeronautical engineering firm.