All news – Page 6543
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US Air Force command to evaluate Litening pod
The US Air Force's Air Combat Command (ACC) is to evaluate the Rafael Litening targeting and navigation system as part of its planned procurement of up to 500 night attack systems to replace the two-pod Lockheed Martin Lantirn. The US Air National Guard (ANG) and Reserve command have already ...
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PAC-3 intercepts ballistic missile
The Lockheed Martin Vought Systems Patriot Advanced Capability (PAC-3) "hit-to-kill" air defence missile intercepted and destroyed an incoming target theatre ballistic missile during a test at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, on 15 March. The high-velocity PAC-3 is the latest generation Patriot missile, designed to shoot down theatre ...
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Bombardier wins Australian UAV lease competition
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA Bombardier Defence Systems has won an Australian Department of Defence competition for the short-term lease of a tactical unmanned air vehicle (TUAV), with its Guardian CL-327 vertical take-off and landing system. A contract is expected to be signed in the next two to three weeks. Bombardier ...
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Delays hit Nimrod 2000 update
Howard Gethin/LONDON Serious delays to the £2.4 billion ($3.9 billion) programme to update 21 British Aerospace Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft to MRA4 standard for the Royal Air Force have pushed back the aircraft's in-service date until at least 2005. Compensation payments are being negotiated by the Ministry of ...
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Australia draws up shortlist for scout helicopter competition
The Australian Department of Defence is expected to release a shortlist for its armed reconnaissance helicopter project by the end of this month. Industry sources are widely tipping the Agusta Scorpion variant of the A129 (above), Eurocopter's Tiger and the Boeing AH-64 Apache as the final contenders. The project is ...
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USN picks Lockheed Martin for P-3C service life assessment
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems (LMSA) believes that the company's selection by the US Navy to conduct a P-3C Orion Service Life Assessment Programme (SLAP) will lead to a major airframe modification effort to keep the USN's long-range maritime-patrol aircraft flying until 2015. With 200 USN P-3Cs ...
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Fly-off will decide winner of US Army fast-track UAV contest
The US Army is to open its Close Range Tactical Unmanned Air Vehicle (CR-TUAV) programme to a fast-track competition, with "fly-off" flight trials to be completed by August. The competition will be conducted in two phases, with the first to demonstrate system capabilities. The second phase calls for selection ...
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Sweden tests Viggen upgrade
The Swedish air force has begun flight testing an enhanced tactical situation display for the Saab JA37 Viggen interceptor as part of the aircraft's Mod D upgrade programme. Five aircraft will take part in flight tests. A decision on series production is expected in the next few weeks, says Ericsson ...
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Philippines rescue plan set to go ahead
A Philippine Airlines (PAL) rescue plan looks set to be pushed through despite opposition from its unsecured creditors. The plan, submitted to the Philippine Securities and Exchange Commission, has been approved by UK, French and German Export Credit Agencies (ECAs), but looks likely to be rejected by unsecured creditors ...
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Bombardier wins and loses in trade battle with Embraer
Bombardier and the Canadian Government are claiming victory in their long battle with Embraer and the Brazilian Government over the subsidising of regional aircraft exports. The Canadian manufacturer believes that a World Trade Organisation (WTO) ruling against Brazil's Proex export finance programme will give its de Havilland Dash 8 turboprop ...
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New SAir unit to tackle alliances conundrum
SAirGroup is to create a single unit to co-ordinate its diverse portfolio of alliances and stakeholdings. The new organisation will be responsible for the involvement of SAir carriers in the Qualiflyer Group, the Atlantic Excellence alliance, the European Leisure Group and route-by-route codeshare arrangement. SAir says the move ...
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Sibir bounces back with turnover up 10%
Paul Duffy/MOSCOW Former Aeroflot carrier Sibir is showing signs of rebounding from the Russian economic collapse, with traffic and financial figures showing improvement during 1998. The Novosibirsk-based airline carried 620,000 passengers last year, up 3% on 1997, while cargo volumes were up by 5%, to 5,800t. Sibir's success is all ...
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Rivals to bid for stake in Thai
The rival oneworld and Star alliances look set to submit bids for an equity stake in Star member Thai Airways International, which is due to be partly privatised later this year. Australia's Qantas Airways, a oneworld founder, has confirmed its interest in securing a holding, while Lufthansa executive vice ...
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Tupolev design bureau to merge with Aviastar factory
Russia's Tupolev aircraft design business and its Aviastar manufacturing facility are to merge, forming the first commercial partnership between Tupolev and a production factory. The government has issued a decree on the integration of the companies. Alexander Knievel, head of aviation at the economics ministry, says a business plan ...
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Fuzzy logic
Letting like-minded states have your sophisticated defence technology and seeing them line up with you politically tend to go hand in hand. Not so for the USA. Just as soon as America realised the political and commercial benefits of defence exporting - it can simultaneously offset the costs of developing ...
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Czech Republic gets ready to issue RFI for fighter equipment
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH The Czech Republic is expected to issue its long-awaited request for information (RFI) covering the acquisition of Western fighters by 1 April, according to sources close to the Czech Government. The RFI will call for proposals based on the purchase or lease of 36 aircraft required ...
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Cargo Air takes to Israel's open skies
Israeli freight specialist Cargo Air Lines (CAL) is preparing to launch independent services in December, after receiving Israeli Government licences to operate scheduled cargo flights. CAL was set up by Israeli agricultural growers' organisations in 1977 to serve as a broker agency, leasing cargo aircraft capacity from Israeli national ...
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JEA moves focus to 100-seat study
Jersey European Airways (JEA) is turning its attention to 100-seater requirements after sealing a $250 million deal with Bombardier for up to 15 Dash 8Qs and Canadair Regional Jets (CRJ). JEA chief executive Barry Perrott says the airline has been viewing its options for a new large aircraft to ...
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Mandarin plans fleet revamp
Brent Hannon/TAIPEI China Airlines (CAL) subsidiary Mandarin Airlines plans to acquire at least four Next Generation Boeing 737s when the merger with Formosa Airlines is completed later this year. The CAL board approved the Mandarin/Formosa merger this month and plans to complete the changes by the end of the third ...