Military Aviation News Archive

Lockheed Martin F-35 Begins Flying Block 1 Software

11/16/2010

The fundamental building block for all future avionics software on the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter has entered flight testing on an F-35 test jet.

Time to Upgrade Outmoded Military Aircraft

11/15/2010

The RF-4C was produced in the U.S. in 1966, and the Air Force bought and recycled them in 1990s after the U.S. Forces Korea retired them in 1989. Spain bought the same reconnaissance aircraft at around the same time and retired them in 2002, but the Korean Air Force still operates 20 to monitor North Korea.

China to host global aircraft expo Nov 16

11/15/2010

Beijing, Nov 9 (IANS) About 70 aircraft models from across the globe will be showcased at the upcoming international aviation expo Nov 16 in China, a media report said Tuesday.

Five Females Seeking to Fly for Afghan Air Force

11/15/2010

Masooma Hussaini's path to becoming one of the Aghan air force's first female military pilot candidates began with a TV advertisement encouraging young women to join.

US Offer of Used Fighter Jets Fails to Fly With Lawmakers

11/15/2010

Lawmakers are not particularly impressed with the United States offer of 24 secondhand F-16 fighters, which would more than double the current Air Force fleet of 10 F-16s.

U.K. Outlines Defense Review Follow-up Plan

11/14/2010

The U.K. Defense Ministry has revealed its first detailed road map of how to implement many of the changes spelled out in the Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR).

Nordic defence cooperation could save RAF base

11/14/2010

SNP Westminster Leader and MP for Moray, Angus Robertson has been to Norway to explore the possibility of defence cooperation with the Nordic country as a way to secure the future of the threatened airbase at RAF Lossiemouth.

Military spending and arms procurement in the Gulf states

11/14/2010

Recent increases in military spending and arms procurement by the eight states bordering the Gulf – Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) – have revived widespread discussion about the possible impacts of military build-ups in the region.

Pratt gets deal worth $1 billion

11/14/2010

Pratt & Whitney will get more than $1 billion in jet-engine orders through a contract announced during President Barack Obama's trade trip to India and Asia.

Greater Appetite for Unpiloted Aircraft in Combat Zones Fuels Demand for Simulators

11/13/2010

The growing demand for unmanned spy aircraft in combat zones has increased the burden on training organizations that are being asked to produce more operators, and faster.

In major shift, DRDO looks at building arms with America

11/13/2010

India is co-developing and building missiles and military aircraft with Russia; it is co-developing missiles with Israel. But targeted American sanctions, and a Washington licence raj that stifles the outflow of military technology, has ensured that India's Defence R&D Organisation (DRDO) has never co-developed weaponry with the world's most evolved and high-tech defence industry - that of the United States.

First deliveries of F-35s appear delayed

11/13/2010

The first delivery of F-35s was expected this month at Eglin Air Force Base, where pilot and support training squadrons were formed for Air Force, Navy and Marines in April 2010. But the first two aircraft are now destined for Edwards Air Force Base in April 2011.

The arms race goes through India, Emirates and Israel: the military aircraft are the most sold

11/13/2010

SIPRI, Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, published on Wednesday a report about the transfer of armaments at a global level. It was found that over the past five years, the military fighter aircraft are a third of the world exports of major armaments. United States come out to be the main sellers, while the most important buyers for number of orders are India, Emirates, and Israel.

Boeing Completes 1st Wedgetail AEW&C Mission Crew Training Course for Royal Australian Air Force

11/13/2010

Boeing and Number 2 Squadron personnel from the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) have delivered the first Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) mission crew training course at RAAF Base Williamtown, New South Wales.

Russia tests engine for Indian fighter jet

11/12/2010

Russia has started in-flight tests of an Indian domestically-designed gas turbine engine for an indigenous light fighter, state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said.

Boeing Opens New P-8 Production Facility in Seattle

11/12/2010

Boeing today celebrated the opening of a new P-8 aircraft production facility near Boeing Field in Seattle. The refurbished factory gives Boeing and its P-8 teammates the space they need to install mission systems and conduct tests on aircraft for current and future customers.

Aviation Nation show set for Nellis

11/11/2010

Parking lots at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway open at 8 a.m. Saturday and Sunday for the public to take buses to the annual Aviation Nation air show at Nellis Air Force Base.

DSA delivers first production A400 top shells to Airbus

11/11/2010

South Africa’s contribution to the Airbus Military A400M programme has taken another step forward with the delivery of the first set of production top shells for the aircraft’s fuselage to the planemaker this week. Six pre-production sets have previously been delivered.

Upgraded Boeing F-15Cs Arrive at US Air Force’s Kadena Air Base

11/11/2010

Boeing and U.S. Air Force officials at Kadena Air Base celebrated the arrival of four F-15Cs upgraded with the APG-63(V)3 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar on Oct. 21. The newly arrived F-15Cs will join the APG-63(V)1 and (V)2 aircraft already in the 44th and 67th Fighter Squadrons to provide unmatched combat power for the defense of Japan.

One million combat flight hours flown by US Army unmanned aircraft

11/11/2010

The US Army's unmanned aircraft fleet surpassed the 1 million combat flight hours mark on 27 October 2010. Earlier in 2010, the Army's unmanned aircraft fleet achieved a historic milestone of 1 million flight hours, of which roughly 89 percent of those hours flown were "combat flight hours" or approximately 884,000 hours.

California's Mystery Contrail Likely an Aircraft, Pentagon Says

11/11/2010

The Pentagon concluded that a contrail videotaped off the Southern California coast this week probably was caused by a non-military aircraft, a spokesman said.

Russia signs $54-mln arms contract with Indonesia

11/11/2010

Russia started the first day at an arms show in Jakarta with a contract on the delivery of munitions for Sukhoi-family fighters to Indonesia, worth $54 million, a senior defense official said on Wednesday.

Pilot ejects as Indian MiG-27 crashes

11/11/2010

An Indian air force MiG-27 ground attack aircraft crashed in Rajasthan, western India, on Wednesday according to the IANS news agency. The pilot ejected safely.

Combat aircraft top international arms sales: think tank

11/10/2010

Combat planes account for one third of all global arms transfers, with the United States topping the list of sellers and India, the United Arab Emirates and Israel the biggest buyers, according to the SIPRI think tank.

India may have to pay more for C-17 airlifters: Boeing

11/10/2010

The 10 Boeing C-17 heavy airlifters the Indian Air Force (IAF) wants to buy could cost much more than the $4.1 billion initially tagged, Boeing says, a sure sign that hard bargaining is on the cards.