Military Aviation News Archive

Air Force seeks to cut 492 Iowa Air Guard jobs

03/07/2012

The Air Force today asked Congress today to eliminate 492 positions with the Des Moines-based 132nd, a 39 percent reduction in staffing, according to members of Iowa’s congressional delegation who received briefings from Pentagon officials.

Boeing Delivers 1st P-8A Poseidon Production Aircraft to US Navy

03/07/2012

Boeing on March 4 officially delivered the first production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy in Seattle. The P-8A is the first of 13 anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft Boeing will deliver as part of a low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract awarded in 2011.

IN FOCUS: India advances air force modernisation

03/06/2012

India's medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) competition has all the hallmarks of a classic Indian love story, Bollywood-style. In the late 1990s the Indian air force loved its French Dassault Mirage 2000 aircraft, and in 2001 said it favoured buying 126 more. But India dithered, Dassault decided to pitch the Rafale instead, and in 2004 New Delhi decided to tender, with five other suitors emerging to woo its air force.

Program Partners Confirm Support for F-35 Joint Strike Fighter

03/06/2012

Amidst growing concern and criticism about the rising cost and delays, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program received a welcome vote of confidence last week from the United States and eight other nations during an international meeting sponsored by Canada. The attendees made it known that they fully support the continued development of the controversial aircraft.

Elbit Systems Large Area Display Selected for Boeing’s Advanced Cockpit Technology

03/06/2012

The Boeing Company has selected Elbit Systems to provide advanced avionics systems for its fighter aircraft, including the upgraded versions of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and F-15SE Silent Eagle. Both are currently competing in several modern fighter tenders in Asia and Latin America. Elbit Systems Large Area Display (formerly known as Cockpit NG) was unveiled at the Farnborough Air Show 2010.

Tom Cruise to 'fly' last manned fighter jet in 'Top Gun 2'

03/06/2012

Hollywood is going back to "Top Gun" school with its upcoming sequel to the 1986 film, but hotshot pilot Maverick won't be flying any killer robot drones. Instead, Tom Cruise is set to return in the starring role as a test pilot for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter — a plane that could well be the last manned fighter aircraft made in the West.

Advanced aircraft seen as boost to defenses

03/06/2012

STATE-OF-THE-ART air assets will soon fly the country’s skies, a boost to the country’s defense against external threats, as a number of projects have been lined up for acquisition. Philippine Air Force (PAF) spokesperson Lt. Col. Miguel Ernesto G. Okol in a press release yesterday said that "more advanced aircraft are expected in Phases 2 and 3 where PAF related components are grouped into what it calls ‘Horizon Programs,’ with Horizon 2 expected to begin in the 2012 to 2016 time frame."

McCain calls for US-led airstrikes on Assad forces

03/06/2012

Arizona Sen. John McCain called for American-led airstrikes on President Bashar Assad's forces in Syria. McCain says the goal of the U.S.-led air strikes should be to establish and defend safe havens for delivering humanitarian and military aid in Syria. "Providing military assistance to the Free Syrian Army and other opposition groups is necessary, but at this late hour, that alone will not be sufficient to stop the slaughter and save innocent lives," McCain said. "The only realistic way to do

What If Japan Dumps Lockheed Martin?

03/06/2012

Japan recently made its first public announcement that it may cancel its big order for Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter planes if the company adds to the pre-decided price or extends the delivery period of these planes. The cancellation can potentially wipe out more than $5 billion that Lockheed is expected to earn from the deal.

Russia Close to Sign Su-35 Fighter Deal With China

03/06/2012

Russia and China may soon sign a $4-bln contract on the delivery of 48 Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets to the Chinese air force, Russia’s Kommersant business daily said on Tuesday. “The sides have practically agreed on the delivery of 48 Su-35 multirole fighters, worth $4 billion, to China,” Kommersant said citing a source in the Russian defense industry.

Ripple effect from India's biggest defense deal

03/05/2012

First it was the United States that got annoyed, and now it is Britain's turn to ask some tough questions about its India policy. Ever since the French Rafale fighter was declared the lowest bidder in the multibillion dollar contract to provide a new generation fighter for the Indian Air Force, a debate has been raging in the United Kingdom as to what went wrong with Prime Minister David Cameron's charm offensive in wooing India.

IAF Mirage 2000 crashes, pilot safe

03/05/2012

An Indian Air Force (IAF), Mirage 2000 combat jet crashed in Rajasthan on Monday but the pilot ejected to safety, an officer said. "The crash occurred around 12.45 pm. The pilot ejected to safety," the officer said. This is the second Mirage 2000 crash in 10 days. A trainer version of the jet had crashed in Madhya Pradesh on Feb 24, but both pilots, one of whom was an air marshal, had managed to eject in time.

No Middleman in Russian Aircraft Purchase: Official

03/05/2012

Military chief Adm. Agus Suhartono has denied that middlemen were involved in an aircraft purchase deal that critics contend was overpriced by $50 million, but the issue continues to generate controversy. “I don’t believe the allegations about the involvement of middlemen are true,” Agus said on Saturday in Bogor. “The veracity of the report has to be rechecked.”

China’s Defense Spending Dilemma

03/05/2012

China’s always-controversial defense budget announcement will attract particular notice this year. While the U.S. implements potentially dramatic cuts to its defense spending growth, China is robustly increasing its military spending, which is officially set to grow at a clip of 11.2% to 670.2 billion RMB ($106.4 billion) in 2012.

Quickstep wins military aircraft contract

03/05/2012

Australia's Quickstep Holdings says it has been awarded the tender to build part of the C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft. The Perth-based company said on Monday it would be the sole supplier of the wing flaps on Lockheed Martin's C-130J. Quickstep managing director Philippe Odouard said in a statement the wing flaps would be built at Bankstown Airport in Sydney's west and could create 60 jobs.

Sukhoi gets contract to build latest lot of Su-34 jet fighter bombers as part of 92-aircraft deal through 2020

03/05/2012

The Ministry of Defence of the Russian Federation in Moscow has signed a contract with Sukhoi Co. JSC in Moscow to build the latest production lot of 32 Su-34 jet fighter-bombers for the Russian air force, Sukhoi officials announced. The Su-34, which NATO calls the Fullback, is being designed to replace the Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer and the Tupolev Tu-22M Backfire bombers as Russia's front-line jet strike fighter.

Indian Air Force holds war games in northeast part of India

03/05/2012

Preparing to meet military threats from China, the Indian Air Force has been conducting a major war exercise in the northeast, in coordination with the army, to test their combat potential. "The Indian Air Force's (IAF) Shillong-based Eastern Air Command commenced the exercise codenamed 'Pralay' (Apocalypse) on Feb 29,"a air force officer said.

Plane blows up at Yemen air force base

03/05/2012

A "mysterious" blast ripped through a Yemeni military plane at an air force base near Sanaa international airport on Sunday without causing any casualties, an airport technician told AFP. "An Antonov aircraft blew up in mysterious circumstances while it was on the tarmac at Dulaimi air force base," the technician said, adding that no one was reported hurt in the explosion.

Sikorsky offers military choppers to India

03/05/2012

Sikorsky's Executive Vice President for India and South Asia, Air Vice Marshal Arvind Jeet Singh Walia (retd), told India Strategic defence magazine (www.indiastrategic.in) that at present the offer was to make a naval variant of the famous Black Hawk, designated MH-70B Sea Hawk, if the Indian Navy opts to buy this aircraft.

Northern Fleet Gets Modernized Anti-Submarine Plane

03/05/2012

The Russian Navy's Northern Fleet has accepted into service a modernized Ilyushin Il-38N anti-submarine warfare aircraft, which will also carry out electronic intelligence (ELINT) duties, the Northern Fleet's press spokesman Captain Vadim Serga said on Monday.

Sources: General approves F-35 flight ops

03/04/2012

The head of Air Education and Training Command has approved test pilots at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., to begin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter flight operations next week, sources said Friday. Eglin’s two qualified test pilots, Air Force Lt. Col. Eric Smith and Marine Maj. Joseph Bachmann, will take to the air on Tuesday, weather permitting. The decision was made by Air Force Gen. Edward Rice, commander of Air Education and Training Command.

Defense manufacturer changes course to LED lighting

03/04/2012

Marine Electric Systems, a South Hackensack-based maker of parts for aircraft carriers and other military equipment, had a problem. The company had to find a way to defend itself against a shrinking defense budget. It found a solution by building what could be described as a better non-bulb light. It has retooled to sell light panels that use light-emitting diodes — LEDs — to illuminate construction sites, mining operations and other places calling for high-powered lighting.

Helicopter makers such as Boeing, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, Bell Helicopter eye Indian military deals

03/04/2012

A raft of helicopter makers such as Boeing, Sikorsky Aircraft Corp, Bell Helicopter, Eurocopter and AgustaWestland are hovering over the civil market in India. But they are also eyeing a bigger prize: military deals. The Indian armed forces are upgrading their ageing fleet and that means big orders and big money, running into billions of dollars, for these companies.

China military budget tops $100bn

03/04/2012

China's official defence spending will rise by 11.2% in 2012, pushing it above $100bn (£65bn) for the first time, the government has announced. Beijing's defence budget has risen each year for two decades to become the world's second-biggest, behind the US. It is developing an aircraft carrier, a stealth fighter jet, and missiles that can shoot down satellites.

SLAF rebuilds North and East

03/04/2012

On March 2, 1951, against all the odds that happened in the world simultaneously, Sri Lanka got its safety wings fixed. It was the establishment of a native air force to protect the sovereignty of the country which was then known as Ceylon.