Military Aviation News Archive

Sikorsky S-92® "Legacy of Heroes" Demo Helicopter on Display in Malaysia

12/05/2011

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp.'s S-92® "Legacy of Heroes" demonstration helicopter will be shown on static display at the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition beginning Dec. 6. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp..

'Combat aircraft contest not over'

12/05/2011

There are celebrations at Linkoping, the home of the Gripen NG fighter, which is barely two hours from Stockholm in one of Sweden’s ultra-friendly inter-city trains. On Tuesday, the Swiss government announced its selection of the Gripen fighter for the Swiss Air Force, turning away the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Dassault Rafale.

Swiss socialists want public vote on fighter jet deal

12/04/2011

Swiss socialists want to hold a referendum on the government's 3.1 billion franc (2.5 billion euro) purchase of a new fighter jet fleet if the deal affects spending elsewhere, it was reported on Saturday. The Federal Council revealed on Wednesday its proposal to buy 22 Swedish-made Gripen planes to replace its ageing F5 fighters.

2 More 'Physiological Incidents' Related to F-22

12/04/2011

The U.S. Air Force's fleet of stealthy F-22 Raptor fifth-generation fighters has suffered two additional "physiological incidents" since Nov. 21, the service confirmed Dec. 2. "Since 21 Nov., there have been two physiological incidents and no events of interest," said Air Combat Command spokeswoman Kelly Sanders in an emailed statement.

Brown Fights Air Force Proposal to Eliminate C-27J Program That Could Hurt Mansfield ANGB

12/04/2011

U.S. Sen. Sherrod Brown (D-OH) today vowed to fight an Air Force proposal, currently under consideration at the Defense Department, to eliminate the C-27J program. The elimination of the C-27J could have a serious impact on the 179th Airlift Wing at the Mansfield Air National Guard Base. The C-27J, in addition to being used in overseas operations, is also used domestically for disaster relief and other missions.

Lockheed F-35 output should slow: program chief

12/04/2011

Production of Lockheed Martin Corp's (LMT.N) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the costliest arms purchase in history, should be slowed because of the potential number of airframe cracks and "hot spots" turning up in testing and analysis, the Pentagon's F-35 program director said.

How the pending defense cuts could play out

12/04/2011

Congress’ failure to make a deficit deal could cut the number of soldiers by up to 25 percent, leaving the smallest Army since just before World War II. That, in turn, means you stand a good chance of deploying more often. You will do so with older gear, weapons and vehicles, and your pay and benefits — which are protected right now — are likely to see changes in the near future. For military leaders, the choice comes down to cutting soldiers, cutting programs or reducing pay and benefits.

MiG-21 combat aircraft crashes in Sirsa

12/03/2011

A MiG-21 combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Friday crashed near Mangalia village of Rania Mandi in Sirsa but the pilot managed to eject moments before the plane went down. The combat aircraft of AIF took off from Sirsa Air Force station base around 10am for its regular practise. The plane crashed around 1pm in the fields of Mangalia village.

India's first Naval fighter LCA Tejas to take to skies this month

12/03/2011

India's first carrier-borne naval fighter aircraft "LCA Tejas (Navy)" will take to the skies for its maiden flight this month, a top defence official said today, adding that it will form the air element of the Indian Navy. "LCA (Navy) will be flown in the month of December.I think by the end of this month, it should fly", V K Saraswat, Scientific Adviser to Defence Minister and Director General of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said.

New US Air Force Budget Grounds Airshow Demonstration Teams

12/03/2011

Citing budget constraints, only the Air Force’s flagship aircraft—the F-22 Raptor—survived the chopping block, subsequently banishing the A-10 Warthog East and West, F-16 Viper East and West, and the F-15E Sentry Eagle teams to the history books, at least for the 2012 airshow season.

Airmen Complete Important GPS Afghanistan Airdrop

12/03/2011

Airmen from the 772nd Expeditionary Airlift Squadron successfully completed an airdrop mission to Combat Outpost Herrera in east Afghanistan, using GPS-guided bundles to deliver the supplies Nov. 27.

Pentagon budget cuts almost certain to affect F-35

12/03/2011

The stealth design of the F-35 joint strike fighter is supposed to make it nearly invisible to enemy radar, but the super high-tech combat aircraft may not be able to avoid the bull's-eye of Pentagon budget-cutters. Congress' failure last month to agree on $1.2 billion in additional deficit reduction measures means the Defense Department is facing enormous funding cuts mandated by law.

Fort Worth firm AVX Aircraft joins bid for Navy contract

12/02/2011

A major defense contractor has joined with AVX Aircraft Co., a fledgling Fort Worth company, in an effort to win a Navy contract for an unmanned surveillance helicopter. AVX officials announced Wednesday that they teamed with BAE Systems, a $36 billion international conglomerate based in Great Britain, to submit a proposal for the planned Medium Range Maritime Unmanned Aerial System.

Rebuilding The Russian Air Force

12/02/2011

The Russian Air Force is receiving about a hundred new or refurbished aircraft and helicopters next year. That's a big improvement over a decade ago, when the air force got no aircraft, and only enough fuel to allow most pilots a few hours a month (on average) in the air.

Raytheon eyes Korean F-16 radar upgrades

12/02/2011

Raytheon is offering its advanced combat radar system to South Korea as the air force opens its competition for radar upgrades to its F-16 aircraft. The RACR employs active electronically scanned array technology, a statement from Raytheon said. The system is the same AESA radar that Raytheon pioneered for the U.S. Air Force's F-15C and fielded in December 2000.

Marine Aircraft Plans in Peril as Tiltrotor Costs Soar

12/02/2011

The cost for the Marines to fix and fly their full fleet of V-22 tiltrotors has grown by nearly two-thirds over just four years, according to a Pentagon estimate. In 2008, the Defense Department calculated the “lifetime” cost of operating 360 V-22 Osprey transports at $75 billion over roughly 30 years. Today the figure is more than $121 billion — a 61-percent increase.

Switzerland acquires 22 Gripen Saab aircraft

12/02/2011

The Swiss Federal Council decided to purchase 22 Swedish-made Saab Gripen fighter jets to replace its ageing F-5 Tiger. The planned purchase will be put to Parliament as part of the Government's 2012 arms programme.

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey Spurs International Interest in Dubai Airshow Debut

12/02/2011

The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter, a Textron Company, and The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA], drew wide international attention at the Dubai Airshow held in Dubai, United Arab Emirates, from Nov. 13 to 17.

Russian Air Force to get 60 air defense systems in 2012

12/02/2011

The Russian Air Force is planning to acquire about 60 new and modernized air defense systems in 2012, Air Force spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said on Thursday. “The new acquisitions include S-400 long-range air defense missile systems, Nebo-U radars and Pantsir-S1 short range missile/gun systems,” Drik said. The Air Force will receive up to 10 Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers, about 10 Su-25SM Frogfoot attack fighters, and an unspecified number of Su-35S Flanker-E multirole fighters.

Korea develops unmanned tiltrotor aircraft

12/01/2011

Korea on Wednesday unveiled its first unmanned tiltrotor aircraft, capable of vertical takeoff and landing as well as high-speed navigation. The Ministry of Knowledge Economy and the Korea Aerospace Research Institute disclosed the new “smart” aircraft at the aerospace center in Goheung, South Jeolla Province. The state-funded aerospace think tank is negotiating with government agencies for commercial use of the vehicle.

Russian warships head for Syria

12/01/2011

Moscow is deploying warships at its base in the Syrian port of Tartus. The long-planned mission comes, providentially, at the very moment when it could help prevent a potential conflict in the strategically important Middle Eastern country. The Russian battle group will consist of three vessels led by the heavy aircraft-carrying missile cruiser, Admiral Kuznetsov.

Cool App-titude: USAF Make It Fly

12/01/2011

A new app from the U.S. Air Force Recruiting Service challenges users to see if they have what it takes to design the next generation of military aircraft. The Make It Fly app for the iPhone hit the Apple store in November and already has positive reviews. The free program lets you build and fly your own aircraft—from fighter jets to remotely piloted bombers.

China Sees 'Cold War' in U.S.'s Australia Plan

12/01/2011

China's Ministry of National Defense criticized U.S. plans to establish a permanent military presence in Australia, accusing Washington of acting antagonistically in the region and perpetuating a Cold War mentality.

NATO attack on Pakistani troops not deliberate: U.S.

12/01/2011

General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the U.S. military's Joint Chiefs of Staff, told Reuters that he was trying to discuss the incident with Pakistan behind closed doors. "Candidly we don't want to try to resolve this issue through the media. No offense," he said in an interview as he flew back to Washington after a trip to London. "The one thing I will say publicly and categorically is that this was not a deliberate attack."

Prince Harry finishes Army exercise in US

12/01/2011

Prince Harry has returned to the UK after completing a major exercise in the US, flying Apache helicopters with the Army, St James's Palace has said. The prince spent eight weeks taking part in Exercise Crimson Eagle in California and Arizona. He flew the aircraft in mountainous and desert conditions, during both day and night, as well as firing its weapons.