Military Aviation News Archive

India to wrap up MMRCA deal in four weeks: IAF

11/19/2011

The IAF will make public in four weeks the winner of India's biggest-ever Rs 42,000 crore military contract to acquire 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft ( MMRCA), Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said.

MacKay dismisses fears about F-35 jet program

11/19/2011

Fears that the F-35 fighter jet program is in jeopardy are nothing more than "clatter and noise," says Defence Minister Peter MacKay. MacKay, who is meeting with U.S. Defence Secretary Leon Panetta in Halifax Friday, said the program is vital to Canadian security and will proceed despite concerns about the cost and need of the 65 jets Canada plans to purchase.

U.S. tests hypersonic weapon

11/19/2011

The U.S. Army has conducted the first flight test of a new weapon concept designed to fly within the earth’s atmosphere at hypersonic speed and long range, the Pentagon said. The U.S. Army Space and Missile Defense Command launched the Advance Hypersonic Weapon (AHW), “a first-of-its-kind glide vehicle,” at 17:30 GMT Thursday from the Pacific Missile Range Facility in Hawaii. It hit its designated target at the Reagan Test Site at Kwajalein Atoll, about 2,300 miles away.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Legacy Review

11/18/2011

After months of average titles and mediocre releases, the Nintendo 3DS is finally beginning to morph into the handheld system that Nintendo always claimed it was. The biggest issues was (and continues to be) the software, but that is slowly beginning to change as more and more franchises are looking to dip their collective toes into the potentially lucrative pool of Nintendo’s waters.

Russia's MiG Aircraft Company develops 3D flight simulator for the MiG-29 Jet Fighter

11/18/2011

MiG is claiming a major first in military aviation with the launch of a 3D flight simulator at the Dubai Air Show, providing volumetric visualization of beyond-the-cockpit space for trainee top guns. The simulator comes complete with the MiG-29's cockpit and actual control systems.

Australia requests C-17 buy

11/18/2011

Australia has asked the United States for the sale of one C-17 Globemaster III aircraft and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support.

Sikorsky Meets Accelerated UH-60M BLACK HAWK Helicopter Deliveries for Sweden

11/18/2011

Sikorsky Aircraft, a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE: UTX), today delivered to the U.S. Army the fourth of 15 UH-60M BLACK HAWK aircraft for further transfer to the Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV).

Kenya asks U.S. for help with Somalia offensive

11/18/2011

Kenya's government has made an urgent appeal to the Obama administration for the Pentagon to provide intelligence and logistical support to Kenya's faltering month-old military operation in Somalia against the Shabab, a powerful Al Qaeda-linked militia.

House panel urges President Obama to sell Taiwan newest version of F-16

11/18/2011

A House panel on Thursday approved two measures urging the White House to sell Taiwan the newest version of the F-16 fighter jet.?? The bills were approved by the House Foreign Affairs Committee weeks after the Obama administration announced in September it was moving forward with a $5.9 billion arms package for its Asian ally.

Gripen Finds Its Flaws In Combat

11/18/2011

The Swedish made JAS-39 Gripen jet fighter [PHOTO] got its first combat experience over Libya recently, as part of the UN sponsored humanitarian bombing campaign. As with most aircraft, the first time in combat, problems show up that were not revealed during tests or training. For example, the encrypted radios, fitted out to communicate with NATO aircraft (Sweden is not a member, but is equipped to operate with the alliance), had problems.

Defending Defense: Defense Spending, Super Committee, and The Price of Greatness

11/18/2011

The future of America’s national security hangs in the balance. Facing a looming Thanksgiving deadline, a select bipartisan panel of 12 lawmakers is struggling to hammer out legislation that would reduce the federal deficit by more than $1.2 trillion over the next 10 years. However, it remains unclear if they will succeed.

ADASI joins alliance to support ScanEagle

11/18/2011

Abu Dhabi Autonomous Systems Investments Company signed a deal at the show to create an alliance with American unmanned air systems(UAS)specialist Insitu to provide support and sustainment of Insitu's intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) UAS products and services in the Middle East.

UAE commander confirms Rafale deal is a non starter

11/18/2011

The supreme commander of the UAE armed forces and Crown Price of Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nayhan spoke publicly about the collapsed deal between Dassault and the UAE Defence Force for its Rafale fighter aircraft saying all the diplomatic and political will in the world would not overcome uncompetitive and unworkable commercial terms.

Mexico takes delivery of its first Airbus Military CN235 MPA

11/17/2011

The Mexican Navy has taken delivery of the first of four CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) ordered from Airbus Military through a contract with EADS North America under the Mérida Initiative, a joint program between the Government of the United States of America and the Government of Mexico. The remaining three aircraft will be delivered in the first half of 2012.

Tekkenize Your Planes in Ace Combat: Assault Horizon's DLC

11/17/2011

If there's one problem with today's aircraft it's that they aren't colorful enough. Why fly the skies in a camoflaugh or silver covered aircraft that people have a hard time seeing? You want to be bright, colorful and gaudy as possible so those bogies see you coming a mile away. That way - they know you mean business.

Azerbaijan interested in purchase of Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 combat aircraft

11/17/2011

As Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC), which displayed its products in Dubai Airshow-2011 in UAE, told APA, Azerbaijan shows interest in JF-17 Thunder combat aircrafts jointly produced by Pakistan and China and announced its intention to purchase aircrafts of this type.

UAE says Rafale proposal 'unworkable'

11/17/2011

A long-awaited French deal for Dassault to sell at least 60 Rafale fighter jets worth an estimated $10 billion to the United Arab Emirates hit a new snag on Wednesday when it said proposed terms were "uncompetitive and unworkable."

Beyond Australia, U.S. quietly builds military capabilities in Pacific

11/17/2011

The U.S. military gave new details Wednesday of U.S. military capabilities in the Pacific, amid fresh warnings that China continues to upgrade its navy and weaponry. The details follow the announcement earlier Wednesday by President Obama of new military cooperation with Australia, including the rotation of U.S. Marines to an Australian base near Darwin.

Skyhawk fighters finally sell to US buyer

11/16/2011

The Government may finally get some money out of the long-stalled sale of its mothballed air combat aircraft. A US company JDI Holdings has bought the last eight of its mothballed Skyhawk fighter bombers for $7.9 million and says it is planning to use them for aerial displays and for US Defence Department contracts. JDI has paid a $1m deposit but the deal, which includes spare engines and parts, depends on approval by the US Government.

Ace Combat: Assault Horizon Review

11/16/2011

Namco Bandai wants to do everything in its power to link Ace Combat: Assault Horizon with the uber popular Call of Duty franchise and for the most part, it works as engaging and globe-trotting action fest.

UAE planning to buy more F-16s?

11/16/2011

That's what Flight International reporter Stephen Trimble suggests in a post on the Dew Line blog out of the Dubai Air Show. After years of negotiations, UAE was widely expected to buy Dassault Rafale fighters to go along with its combat jets, notably the special version of Lockheed Martin F-16 developed for the country a decade or so ago, the Block 60.

Apache Block III, latest evolution of the attack helicopter among the most lethal

11/16/2011

The latest version of the most lethal attack helicopter used by the US Military is being managed out of "Redstone Arsenal". According to the product manager Lieutenant Colonel Dan Bailey, Apache Block III is the fastest and most powerful of any aircraft that American soldiers have ever used, and describes it as an "unstoppable horse".

Deals on the ground for mastery of the skies

11/16/2011

Cruising near the speed of sound across the skyline, a fighter jet twists and climbs at a seemingly impossibly sharp angle, several hundred feet in seconds, leaving behind a trail of smoke that dangles in the sky. Onlookers crane their necks, squinting in the sunshine for a better view of the aerobatics.

India’s Big Military Challenge

11/16/2011

As India has put tremendous effort into modernizing its armed forces, so the United States, Russia and the European Union have sought to be the principal providers of advanced military equipment. With a growing defense budget, India is being wooed like never before.

Minister defends F-35 program despite possible U.S. cuts

11/16/2011

Despite signs that budget cuts may signal the end of plans in the U.S. to procure a fleet of new generation high-tech fighter jets, Canada is standing behind the besieged F-35 program and hailing its benefits to the economy and the military. NDP MPs hammered the government over yet another indication Tuesday that the F-35 program, which has been hit by delays and cost overruns, is on shaky ground.