All news – Page 6235
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Paying its way
The US Army calls its Force Modernisation Plan a compass that sets the direction for army aviation. But some doubt its ability to meet the cost Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Release of the US Army's much anticipated 2000 Aviation Force Modernisation Plan has set in train the final phase of a ...
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Egyptian AMRAAM
The US Government has approved the proposed sale of surface-launched Raytheon AMRAAM missiles to Egypt. The size of the planned order and delivery schedule is subject to agreement and contractual talks are at an early stage. Egypt plans to use the new surface-to-air missile system to replace its elderly Russian-supplied ...
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Command change
Maj Gen Dan Halutz has assumed command of the Israeli air force. He replaces Maj Gen Eitan Ben-Eliahu who has retired after being commander for the past four years. Ben-Eliahu is expected to take a job in industry. Source: Flight International
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NFTC expansion boosts Hawks
Bombardier's NATO Flight Training in Canada (NFTC) programme will add up to three BAE Systems Hawk 115 advanced and lead-in-fighter trainers (LIFT) to its fleet. The move is designed to keep pace with the increase in student pilot numbers as a result of Singapore joining the scheme and the expected ...
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Lithuania discusses L-159 purchase
Lithuania is interested in acquiring up to six Aero Vodochody L-159 light attack aircraft, but is unlikely to issue a formal tender before parliamentary elections in September. The possible sale of the Czech fighters was discussed during an official visit to Lithuania by Czech prime minister Milos Zeman, which ...
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Spain picks Litening for F/A-18s
The Spanish air force has selected the Rafael Litening targeting pod for its fleet of Boeing F/A-18s. The $38 million deal was agreed after Israeli company Rafael beat the USA's Lockheed Martin's Sniper, Raytheon's ATF and France's Thomson-CSF Damocles Systems to the contract. Rafael has teamed with Spanish company ...
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X-35A progresses towards first flight
Lockheed Martin has completed the first flight readiness review for the X-35A conventional take-off and landing variant of its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) concept demonstrator. The aircraft is expected to fly at Palmdale, California, in June/July. The Lockheed Martin JSF team has begun testing its prototype multisensor avionics in the ...
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Kaman bids for Canadian contract
Kaman helicopters has entered the bidding for the Canadian maritime helicopter project (MHP). The US company is offering the SH-2G Super SeaSprite as a lower cost alternative to new-build machines. Canada is expected to kick off the MHP programme shortly by issuing a statement of requirements to replace its Sikorsky ...
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Boeing seeks government help on Super Frog airlifter
Ramon Lopez/FORT WORTH Boeing's Phantom Works is seeking the involvement of a US Government research organisation to build a large-scale flying model of the company's Advanced Theater Transport (ATT) concept aircraft. The company reckons the aircraft could be operational by 2013-5. The Phantom Works already has research and ...
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Brazil favours Grifo F radar for F-5BR upgrade
The Brazilian air force appears set to drop the Elta EL/M2032 radar in favour of the Fiar Grifo F for its Northrop F-5BR upgrade. In a reciprocal move, it is looking to the Italian air force to adopt the improved version of the Embraer Aermacchi Alenia AMX light fighter. ...
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Mitsubishi investigates F-2 air superiority development
Andrzej Jeziorski/TOKYO Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) is considering the development of a dedicated air superiority version of its new F-2 support fighter. According to Junichi Miyakawa, MHI military aircraft design section manager, the variant is being considered as a potential replacement for the Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF) fleet of ...
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Germany close to rejoining EuroDASS consortium
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH Germany is close to signing an agreement to rejoin the EuroDASS consortium developing the defensive aids subsystem for the Eurofighter. The move appears certain following defence minister Rudolf Scharping's decision to request parliamentary approval for the allocation of an initial DM380 million ($190 million) to fund Germany's ...
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NASA shake test error damages HESSI satellite
The launch of NASA's High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (HESSI) set for July has been delayed until at least January next year by a pre-flight test error at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The $65 million HESSI spacecraft was undergoing launch vibration testing on a shake table, but was shaken ...
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NASA chief accepts blame for Mars loss
NASA administrator Dan Goldin has accepted responsibility for the failure of the agency's Mars missions. But NASA will not abandon the "faster, better, cheaper" approach. Talking to workers at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, responsible for programme management of last year's Mars missions, Goldin accepted blame. "In my effort to ...
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Glass cockpit ready for take-off
STS 101 Atlantis will be the first Space Shuttle orbiter to fly with the new Multifunction Display Subsystem (MEDS) developed by Honeywell Space Systems when its next mission is launched on 24 April. The new Boeing 777-style glass cockpit will also be added to the Columbia, Discovery and Endeavour orbiters. ...
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Feared engine fault delays Clusters
A possible generic problem with the thrusters on the four European Space Agency (ESA) Cluster satellites due to be launched by Starsem's Soyuz Fregat boosters in June and July has delayed the spacecraft's shipment to the Baikonur launch site in Khazakhstan. The flight acceptance review discovered a problem apparently ...
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Thai attempts bridge-building with new Star partner SIA
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE The Star Alliance's latest member, Singapore Airlines (SIA), has sent a senior management delegation to Bangkok to try to iron out much-publicised differences with neighbour and new ally Thai Airways International. The meeting, set for 10 April, is also being attended by supervisory board members of ...
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De Palacio focuses on ATM reform
European Commission vice-president and head of the Transport Directorate Loyola de Palacio has put reform of the European air traffic management (ATM) system at the top of her agenda for sustainable development in the air transport industry. Speaking at the European Policy Centre in Brussels on 31 March, she ...
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M-309 launch marks composite first
Guy Norris/MOJAVE An all-composite, six- seat twin developed in secret by Colorado-based Adam Aircraft Industries and Scaled Composites, was unveiled on 5 April at the Californian manufacturer's Mojave site. The aircraft represents a breakthrough in manufacturing techniques, according to Scaled Composites president Bert Rutan. Incorporating several design and manufacturing ...
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BAE raises Alenia ante
BAE Systems is believed to have widened its fighter aircraft joint venture proposal as it bids to land an alliance with Finmeccanica's Alenia division. The new venture, part of a wider offer, would include Eurofighter and Panavia Tornado activities, in addition to jet trainers and military transports. Source: Flight International