Fixed-wing – Page 1137
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Space station may be turned over to commercial operator
NASA will consider turning the International Space Station (ISS) over to a commercial operator within five to 10 years to fund other exploration priorities, according to the space agency's administrator, Daniel Goldin. The proposal takes Nasa beyond its previously suggested plan to allow commercial companies to take up to a ...
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Cirrus looks at speeding up SR20's parachute
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Cirrus Design is studying expanding the speed at which the SR20 light aircraft's emergency parachute can be deployed, following its certification with the current production system. The Ballistic Recovery System (BRS) parachute is designed to be deployed from the SR20 in the event of an engine ...
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F-22 testing focuses on weapon bay
The focus of flight tests of the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 Raptor have been switched to acoustic and load tests of the weapon bays. This follows the initial expansion of the flight envelope to speeds above 560kt (1,040km/h) and altitudes "higher than 50,000ft [15,250m]" says Lockheed Martin F-22 chief test pilot ...
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Australia extends airborne EW contest
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA An Australian Defence Force plan to develop a common family of electronic warfare (EW) self-protection systems for fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft has taken a surprise turn, with four shortlisted consortia to perform funded design studies. The Australian Department of Defence says that study contracts worth an ...
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Czech Republic gets answers to fighter RFI
Andrew Doyle/MUNICH The Czech Government is evaluating the responses to its request for information (RFI) on Western fighter aircraft ahead of the expected release of a formal request for proposals (RFP) next year. The country, which joined NATO earlier this year, requires up to 36 aircraft to replace its ...
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Australia watches East Timor with JORN
Peter La Franchi/MELBOURNEThe Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has demonstrated the ability of the Jindalee Operational Radar Network (JORN) to monitor aircraft movements over East Timor, with surveillance of the INTERFET air bridge undertaken as part of initial capability verification trials. The Australian DoD reveals that the JORN BackScatter Sounder, ...
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Global Hawk downed by rogue abort signal
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELESNorthrop Grumman says the crash on 29 March of a Ryan Aeronautical RQ-4A Global Hawk unmanned air vehicle (UAV) was caused by an abort signal from another remotely operated vehicle which was being tested more than 250km (140nm) away. The signal accidentally triggered the Ryan UAV's flight termination ...
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Beriev completes first airframe for Chinese early warning radar
Russia's Beriev has completed modification of an A-50 (converted Ilyushin Il-76) to be used as the platform for an Elta Phalcon airborne early warning (AEW) system for China. According to Russian sources, the aircraft has already been flight tested. It is due to be delivered to Israel this month, ...
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MiG-29UBT on track for first flight next year
MAPO and Sokol plan to fly the first upgraded MiG-29UBT twin-seat fighter in mid-2000. Vasily Pankov, Sokol plant general director, says a MiG-29UBtrainer will be handed over by the Russian air force to the manufacturing plant to be modified to UBT standard. This will allow the aircraft to carry ...
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South Americans seek US funding for UH-1 Hueys
The US Government is considering a major expansion in the number of modernised Bell UH-1H Huey II helicopters supplied to Latin American countries for anti-drug missions. Five South American nations are seeking $135 million of US assistance in fiscal year 2000 to rebuild more than 60 UH-1Hs. The helicopters ...
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Brazil reconsiders F-5 radar
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Brazil is re-evaluating the Alenia Fiar Grifo F radar as an alternative to the Elta EL/MH 2032 system for its planned avionics upgrade of the NorthropF-5E/F fighter, while Elbit continues to struggle to finalise an integration contract. The Brazilian air force's F-5BR programme office confirms that ...
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Russians perform better in Chechnya
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW The performance of the Russian air force during operations against separatist rebels in Chechnya is better than its previous campaigns in Afghanistan during the 1980s and over the disputed enclave in 1994-6, says air force commander-in-chief Col Gen Anatoly Kornukov. While satisfied with the air force's ...
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UAV radar
Israel Aircraft Industries subsidiary Elta has developed a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) with moving target indicator for unmanned air vehicles (UAVs). The EL/M-2055 is based on the EL/M-2060P podded SAR for fighters, and weighs 50kg (112lb). The company says it produces images of almost photographic quality, and they are transmitted ...
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Parts to spare
KAREN WALKER WASHINGTON DC AirLiance Materials, a joint maintenance and spare parts company founded by three Star Alliance airlines, is shaking up the industry. Can other airlines afford not to follow? Dave Sissons cannot help but wonder sometimes whether the airline industry's cautious attitude towards spare parts has not gone ...
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Mystery DC-9 crash document opened up
A 4,500 page investigation into an airline crash in 1980 has been sent to the US and French governments by the Italian foreign ministry. US and French air force aircraft were close by when the Itavia McDonnell Douglas DC-9-10 suddenly plunged into the Tyrrhenian Sea. The document indicts four Italian ...
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SIGINT P-3 joins East Timor force
A US Navy EP-3C Orion has joined the International Force in East Timor (INTERFET) to provide support for the monitoring of Indonesian Defence Force and pro-Jakarta militia communications, according to US defence officials in Australia. The aircraft has been operating out of Royal Australian Air Force bases in northern ...
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Technical problems put back US Navy CL-327 sea trials
US Navy-sponsored sea trials of Bombardier Services' co-axial rotor CL-327 Guardian vertical take-off and landing unmanned air vehicle (VTOL UAV) have been delayed by at least a month because of technical problems, say USN project officials. The decision to postpone the shipborne flight operations coincides with Bombardier Services' withdrawal ...
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Raytheon seeks UK tanker team
Raytheon is negotiating with British Aerospace to create a single team offering Airbus aircraft for the UK Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) requirement. BAe is a partner in Airbus Industrie and Raytheon has an exclusive deal with the four-nation consortium to use its aircraft as platforms for airborne early ...
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Fighter buy re-ignites BAe-Denel talks
British Aerospace (BAe)is preparing to resume talks with South Africa over its planned acquisition of an equity stake in state-owned defence company Denel. The move follows Pretoria's decision to purchase up to 28 Saab/BAe Gripen fighters and 24 Hawk trainers. BAe reveals that the signing of the defence contract, ...