All news – Page 6334
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News
Starsem completes sixth Globalstar satellite launch
Starsem launched another four Globalstar mobile communications satellites on a Soyuz Ikar booster from Baikonur, Kazakhstan, on 22 November. There are 48 Globalstar satellites in space and a final launch of four by a Delta II in January will complete the constellation, with four in-orbit spares available. Replacements will ...
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Colombia takes more gunships
Colombia is to increase its fleet of police-operated armed helicopters with 14 Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawks and associated armaments in a $221 million deal, say defence industry sources. The USA is to supply the UH-60s with GAU-19A and GAU-17 machine guns and M265 70mm (2.75in) rocket pods. Colombia's paramilitary police ...
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Raytheon launches ASTOR on to the international market
Stewart Penney/LONDON Raytheon has begun marketing an export version of the UK's Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) system. The unit is being offered internationally as the Ground Surveillance Airborne Radar System (GSARS). The UK Government selected Raytheon earlier this year as the preferred bidder to supply the Royal Air Force ...
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USA allows JASSM to fly in RAAF weapons contest
Lockheed Martin has been given clearance by the US Government to offer the AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missile (JASSM) in Australia's stand-off weapon competition. The move comes shortly after a first powered test flight for the weapon. Australian officials had pressured the Clinton Administration to allow Lockheed Martin to ...
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German dithering delays NH90
Julian Moxon/PARISThe four-nation NH Industries (NHI) NH90 transport helicopter programme is facing further delay because of German budget uncertainties. The memorandum of understanding (MoU) for industrialisation and initial production of the NH90 was originally due to be signed at the Paris air show in June. Now it seems the signature ...
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Navy modernisation
Consortia led by British Aerospace Land &Sea Systems and Thomson-CSFNCS have been awarded contracts to access options for the UK Royal Navy's future aircraft carrier. This stage is the first towards building two aircraft carriers about twice the size of the three Invincible-class carriers they will replace. The ships are ...
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Striker team
Alenia Marconi Systems (AMS), Hunting Engineering and Boeing have formed the Striker team to compete for the UK Ministry of Defence's Bomb Enhancement Programme. This seeks a low-cost means to improve unguided-bomb accuracy. Striker brings together Boeing's Joint Direct Attack Munition technology and Hunting's weapon experience. AMS will be prime ...
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Chechnya focuses Russian interest in night attack
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW Russia's assault on Chechnya is focusing the Russian army's attention on more night-attack capable helicopters. In a separate move, Russia has agreed with the Ukrainian Government on the numbers of Antonov An-70s to be acquired. The Chechnya conflict has resulted in the army doubling to 20 its ...
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Denel reveals updated Seeker
Denel has developed an updated version of its Seeker unmanned air vehicle (UAV) designed to provide greater range and endurance, as well as updating its payload. The first Seeker II is to fly early next year, with deliveries starting shortly after. The Seeker II has digital avionics and systems in ...
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Jaguar replacement pods undergo tests
UK reconnaissance equipment specialist W Vinten has completed first-phase testing of its Jaguar Replacement Reconnaissance Pod (JRRP). The JRRP is a fully electro-optical (EO) system that will update the Royal Air Force Sepecat Jaguar's wet-film reconnaissance pod. Sensor performance has been proved by 16 flights and full certification is ...
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Russian revolution
Ilyushin's Il-103 is reassuring and easy to fly - but will that be enough for success in the West? Peter Henley/MOSCOW Russian light aircraft designed for general aviation - excluding the aerobatic Yaks - are virtually unknown in the West. The territory traditionally claimed by Cessna, Piper and Grob has ...
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Canadian looks for oneworld lifeline
Members of the oneworld alliance are mulling over a temporary bailout for Canadian Airlines International. The struggling airline is looking for a cash injection of C$300-500 million ($200-$340 million) to put its financial house in order, and fight off Air Canada's takeover bid. The oneworld proposal was mooted at ...
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Congress to probe Comsat acquisition
A US congressional committee is to meet in late January to consider proposed limitations on Lockheed Martin's planned acquisition of satellite service provider Comsat. The committee will attempt to resolve conflicts between versions of Intelsat privatisation legislation passed by the US House of Representatives and the US Senate. Lockheed ...
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Mergers
SAirGroup ground-handling company Swissport International has acquired Irish flag carrier Aer Lingus' London Heathrow passenger and ramp handling business, offered for sale in April. The move follows Swissport's acquisition of DynAir of the USA and equity investment in Serlipsa of Peru and Miascor of the Philippines. Delta Air Lines and ...
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Bombardier/Embraer trade dispute flares up again
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Brian Homewood/RIO DE JANEIROThe long-running war between Bombardier and Embraer over subsidies has flared up again, with each accusing the other of failing to comply with World Trade Organisation (WTO) rulings, and again referring the matter back to the international body. The latest battle centres on counter-claims ...
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BA gambles
British Airways is on course to save more than £1.2 billion ($1.9 billion) from its three-year Business Efficiency Programme; enough, one might think, to guarantee respectable profitability even in the hardest of times. Yet analysts expect BA to barely break even this year, while the UK flag carrier last week ...
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No borders, please
In documenting a sorry year for European air traffic management (ATM) - so far - the independent Performance Review Commission (PRC) has nevertheless thrown the industry more than a few crumbs of comfort. There is considerable latent traffic capacity, it says, which is waiting to be released, and all that ...
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Bahrain aims for training academy
Stewart Penney/LONDON Bahrain is seeking British Aerospace's assistance to set up a national flying training academy based around the company's Hawk advanced trainer. The Gulf state conducts its training overseas, but wants its own capability to instruct pilots from ab initio through to lead-in fighter training for its Lockheed Martin ...
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RAF receives first C-130J Hercules
The first Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules has finally been delivered to the Royal Air Force, the launch customer. The aircraft was handed over at a ceremony at the main operating base in Lyneham, Wiltshire, on 23 November. The original delivery was intended for 1996. Lockheed Martin paid heavy penalty charges ...
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Merlin leads CSAR field
Stewart Penney/WILTON The EH Industries Merlin HC3 is emerging as a front runner to meet the UK armed forces' requirement for a combat search and rescue (CSAR) helicopter. AVM David Niven, commander of the recently formed Joint Helicopter Command (JHC) says: "In the medium term, we need to work hard ...