Military Aviation News Archive

US plans to boost defence, economic ties with India

02/26/2011

F/A 18 Super Hornet and F-16IN Viper, are among the contenders in the competition to provide Indian Air Force 126 frontline Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft, or MMRCA.

MiG series aircraft to be phased out of IAF by 2017

02/25/2011

The Indian Air Force's Soviet-origin MiG series fighter aircraft inventory is slated for replacement by 2017, it was stated in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Indian parliament, on Wednesday. This would include the upgraded MiG-21 Bis (Bison) fighters, which are still providing yeoman service with the IAF's fighter squadrons.

F-35 sales push

02/25/2011

While countries including Australia, Canada, Turkey, the United Kingdom and the Netherlands have all placed orders amounting to hundreds of F-35s, the president and his team of executive salesmen have been pitching hard elsewhere.

Battling U.S. for huge deal, Eurofighter woos Japan

02/25/2011

In a deal that could be worth billions of dollars and determine one of the primary fighter jets in Asia for decades to come, European aircraft makers are trying to get Japan to do something it has never done before — snub America.

Boeing Receives US Air Force Contract to Build Next-Generation Refueling Tanker

02/25/2011

The Boeing Company has received a contract from the U.S. Air Force to build the next-generation aerial refueling tanker aircraft that will replace 179 of the service’s 400 KC-135 tankers.

Lockheed Martin Solicits for Australian Industry Partnership on MH-60R Helicopter

02/25/2011

Lockheed Martin Corporation is expanding its base of potential suppliers for the MH-60R helicopter in Australia, issuing a request for information from potential suppliers of critical pieces of aircraft hardware.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Program Names New Chief Test Pilot

02/25/2011

Alan “Al” Norman, a veteran Lockheed Martin experimental test pilot, was recently named Chief Test Pilot for the F-35 Lightning II program.

Russia to buy 1,000 helicopters by 2020

02/25/2011

Russia's Defense Ministry announced plans on Thursday to buy 100 ships, over 600 aircraft and 1,000 helicopters under a 2011-2020 arms procurement program.

High costs could ground aerial reconnaissance activities

02/24/2011

The high costs of reconnaissance aircraft threaten to block Japan's plans to strengthen aerial surveillance of Chinese and North Korean military activities.

Report: Libyan aircraft crashes after troops refuse bombing orders

02/24/2011

A Libyan military aircraft crashed Wednesday southwest of Benghazi after the crew refused to follow orders to bomb the city, Libya's Quryna newspaper reported.

Delivery of Gripen fighter aircraft to Thailand

02/24/2011

At a ceremony in Thailand February 22, FMV handed over six Gripen fighter aircrafts from the latest C- and D-version to the Royal Thai Air Force.

Russia says S-300 deliveries to Venezuela pending

02/24/2011

Deliveries of S-300 missile defense systems to Venezuela have been delayed, but will go ahead, an official at Rosoboronexport, Russia's state-owned arms export monopoly, said on Tuesday.

Lockheed Martin Delivers 300th Common Cockpit to the U.S. Navy

02/24/2011

Lockheed Martin has successfully delivered the 300th Common Cockpit, the nerve center for every multi-mission helicopter in the U.S. Navy fleet, aboard an MH-60S.

Unmanned K-MAX Achieves Numerous “Firsts” During Recent Demonstration Flights

02/24/2011

Kaman Aerospace Corporation, a subsidiary of Kaman Corporation, and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier Research, Development and Engineering Center (NSRDEC) recently made aviation history with the Unmanned K-MAX helicopter by successfully completing multiple guided airdrops via sling load at 10,000 ft above sea level.

Libyan pilots flee to Malta in armed Mirage F1s

02/23/2011

The two Libyan Arab Air Force Dassault Mirage F1 fighters that landed at Malta international airport on 21 February were armed with unguided rocket pods and had not sought permission to arrive in the Mediterranean nation.

IDEX: Bell Courting Middle Eastern Customers for V-22 Osprey

02/23/2011

The company, part of the Textron group, did not have military aircraft to sell before. But now it is back with one main product to offer: the $67-million-per-copy Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey.

Reports of aircraft attacking protesters in Libyan capital

02/23/2011

Reports are emerging this evening of military aircraft attacking crowds of anti-government protesters in the Libyan capital.

Boeing poised to get military aircraft orders in Gulf

02/23/2011

Boeing expects new orders for its military aircraft from the Gulf region this year, mainly for its C17 planes, H6-I and Chinook helicopters, a company executive said.

Boeing Receives 2nd Option of B-52 Engineering Sustainment Contract from US Air Force

02/23/2011

Boeing today announced that the U.S. Air Force has exercised a $21.7 million option for the company to continue supporting the B-52 Stratofortress bomber under an Engineering Sustainment Program (ESP) contract that Boeing received in June 2009.

Brazil delays jet deal

02/22/2011

Brazil is postponing its decision to buy 36 combat jets because of massive budget cuts, a newspaper reports.

Libyan fighter jets & helicopters land at Malta Airport

02/22/2011

Two Libyan Airforce Mirage F1 single seater planes also landed in Malta. They requested to land in Malta due to fuel shortage and landed at 16.32.

US pushes deal, secrecy hitch on IAF screen

02/22/2011

The US’s strong pitch to sell its fighter aircraft to India for an estimated $12 billion has run into a hurdle with the Indian Air Force telling the government that it does not favour the signing of agreements that risk compromising its operational secrecy.

U.S. Fighter Sales To Asia Will Reinforce Alliances, Deter Troublemakers

02/22/2011

The Obama Administration has acquired an unfortunate reputation for neglecting U.S. allies and not standing up to troublemakers. This year the administration will have a number of chances to improve its image and at the same time enhance U.S. relations with friends and allies. How, you ask? The answer is by actively supporting the sale of U.S. fighter aircraft to India, Japan and Taiwan.

UAE Air force to get Airbus transporter planes by year-end

02/22/2011

The UAE Air Force will receive the first of three new Airbus military transporter planes by the end of the year.

Knowledge Point and Lockheed Martin Announce UAE Training Partnership

02/22/2011

Lockheed Martin and Knowledge Point announced a strategic training partnership today to address military, security services and civil training needs in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).