All news – Page 6775
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JDA may focus on tanker and transport
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Japan Defence Agency (JDA) planners are weighing up options to defer development of a replacement maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) to focus its increasingly tight financial resources on acquiring a combined inflight refuelling tanker and transport jet. Local defence sources in Tokyo say that the JDA is ...
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Sukhoi courts MAPO on export efforts
AVPK Sukhoi of Russia has revealed that it is now considering teaming up with rival combat aircraft manufacturer MAPO to promote common projects abroad. The two companies are already in negotiations about co-ordinating their efforts to develop a fifth generation combat aircraft for the Russian air force. "There ...
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Israel tests radar for Nautilus laser gun
Israel has completed an initial phase of testing on a key part of the Nautilus laser gun system. The weapon is designed to destroy rockets in mid-trajectory. The first tests were with the Elta-built search radar, a derivative of the Green Pine radar being developed by the Israelis as ...
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F-2 contract
Lockheed Martin has won a second contract from Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to produce components for the F-16-based F-2 fighter. The award, for eight shipsets, follows an initial production contract which covers components for 11 aircraft. Source: Flight International
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Thomson protest holds up Philippine radar plans
The Philippine air force has been forced again to delay issuing a tender for new air defence radars after Thomson-CSF protested about being dropped from the shortlist. The new fighter programme has now taken a step forward with the issue of the long awaited invitation to bid (ITB). Manila ...
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Racal using DC-3 for Searchwater 2000 radar tests
Common processing and system elements of Racal's Searchwater 2000 maritime reconnaissance (MR) and airborne early warning (AEW)radars are undergoing a series of over-sea tests, fitted under the nose of a Douglas DC-3 leased from Air Atlantique of Coventry. The MR variant is for the British Aerospace Nimrod 2000 replacement maritime ...
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USN looks at lifting body airframe for SLAM-ER
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC The US Navy is investigating the development of a lifting body airframe for the Boeing Stand off Land Attack Missile - Expanded Response (SLAM-ER) as an insurance policy against delays to work on a hypersonic replacement. Capt A J Benn, USN SLAM-ER programme manager, discloses ...
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European air forces concentrate on stepping up combined operations
Carol Reed/HIGH WYCOMBEEurope's largest air forces are fine tuning their plans to step up their capability for combined operations under the aegis of an expanded European Air Group (EAG). A working group of the two full EAG members, the French air force and Royal Air Force, will meet on 5 ...
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Moving up
Tim Furniss/LONDON A key marker in the development of the ILS International Launch Services Atlas III takes place this month when a prototype booster stage with a Russian-based RD-180 engine will be test fired at NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama. In early 1999 the Atlas III ...
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UK MoD contract throws lifeline to BIH
British International Helicopters (BIH) has been awarded an £18 million ($30 million) contract by the UK Ministry of Defence to provide helicopter support to the Falkland Island garrison, in the South Atlantic. The contract is a boost to the Aberdeen, Scotland-based helicopter operator, which was hit badly in March ...
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Refinements delay first flight of Century Jet
Kate Sarsfield/LONDON Century Aerospace has pushed back first flight, certification and delivery of its single-turbofan Century Jet to incorporate cabin design changes and refinements which have been recommended by the company's customer advisory committee. The first flight of the Century Jet, initially planned for July 1999, has been ...
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EBAA concerned on European RVSM
Chris Yates/LUXEMBOURG Europe's business aviation community faces severe restrictions on its upper airspace operations when reduced vertical separation minima (RVSM) procedures come into force in Europe in November 2001, according to the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA). Speaking at the "RVSM for Europe" seminar held in Luxembourg from ...
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NASA and FAA get going on post-AGATE goals
Dave Higdon/HOUSTON NASA and the US Federal Aviation Administration have begun studying the next step in general aviation revitalisation, even before programmes to develop new aircraft and engine technologies have reached fruition. It already appears that infrastructure will be the focus of the next NASA/FAA effort after the ...
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Bombardier sets Global Express delivery target
Bombardier plans to deliver 15 Global Express long-range business jets in its current fiscal year, which ends in January 1999. Together with the first 45-48 Learjet 45s planned for delivery this financial year, these will boost the Canadian company's business jet sales by about C$1 billion over last year. Bombardier ...
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Hartzell urges early compliance with AD
Hartzell is urging operators to comply quickly with a US Federal Aviation Administration airworthiness directive (AD) affecting older light aircraft types, by upgrading or replacing the propellers. The appeal follows discovery of more cracked components during inspections of so-called "V shank" propellers affected by the AD. Hartzell says that ...
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Fractional plan for FBOs starts
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Burgeoning interest in fractional ownership has prompted a US company to launch a franchise programme offering fixed-base operators (FBOs) access to a standardised scheme that will be promoted nationally. Skyshare International has used its experience setting up a local shared-ownership programme in Little Rock, Arkansas, ...
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Superior Helicopters takes delivery of it's second Kaman K-MAX
Kaman Aerospace has delivered a second K-MAX external lift helicopter to Superior Helicopter of Glendale, Oregon, primarily for logging operations. Superior joins a growing list of operators which have more than one K-MAX, Kaman says, which includes Utah-based Mountain West Helicopters, Canada's Midwest Helicopters and Japan Royal Helicopters. Source: Flight ...
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Czech Government allows Ayres to have Let
US agricultural and cargo aircraft builder Ayres is set to purchase Czech manufacturer Let Kunovice after agreeing terms with the Government in Prague. A deal is due to be signed by the end of May. Ayres is expected to take a 93% stake in the Aero Holdings-owned company. Fred Ayres, ...
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BAe/Saab to link up on civil fleet management
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON British Aerospace is preparing to use its new link with Saab to create an enlarged asset management and in-service support operation for their combined regional aircraft fleets. BAe hopes to make it the first step in a European-wide consolidation which could eventually include links with Airbus. ...
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New investor steps forward for Pan Am
Pan American World Airways has found a new investor prepared to rescue it from bankruptcy protection. US rail freight group Guilford Transportation Industries has outlined plans to buy the failed low-cost carrier for nearly $24 million. Pan Am, which filed for bankruptcy court protection on 26 February, says its ...