Fixed-wing – Page 1158
-
News
Zero tolerance
Cost increases and schedule delays - traditional features of combat aircraft programmes - are no longer accepted Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DCCost is king in the combat aircraft world, if a semi-serious comment by one of the two Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) teams is anything to go by. "Affordability, affordability and affordability ...
-
News
Eastern promise
Western companies are eyeing huge arms re-equipment deals in eastern Europe, but contracts remain some way off Andrew Doyle/MUNICH In mid-May, the Czech Republic invited proposals from Western aircraft manufacturers for up to 36 advanced fighters. A few weeks earlier, the Polish Government revealed it would invite tenders for 42 ...
-
News
Smart bombs in demand
Paris will be a showcase for US smart weapon developments as intensive NATO use in Yugoslavia deplenishes stocks Ramon Lopez/EGLIN AFB, FLORIDA As NATO ordnance continued to rain on military targets in Yugoslavia, US Air Force programme managers for the latest generation of "smart" bombs were busy conducting ...
-
News
Wings ofchange
The Paris air show will see the long-awaited first multi-year order for the Rafale. We review the aircraft and development programme before our 23 June flight test Julian Moxon/PARIS In December, the first production two-seat Rafale was presented to French defence minister Alain Richard at Dassault Aviation's Bordeaux plant. ...
-
News
Coming of age
The high-profile use of UAVs in combat puts them high on the Paris agenda Ramon Lopez/BRISTOL With some unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) - including the Bombardier CL-289, IAI/TRW Hunter, General Atomics RQ-1A Predator (above) and IAI/AAI Pioneer - being put through their paces over Yugoslavia, gathering intelligence in what may prove ...
-
News
Chandra cleared for launch
Tim Furniss/LONDON The STS93 Space Shuttle mission to deploy the Chandra X-ray telescope has been cleared to fly on 22 July. The much-delayed Columbia launch has been put on hold because of concerns about its Boeing inertial upper stage (IUS) after a similar stage failed during a US Air ...
-
News
Modifications for Apache-mounted Starstreak revealed
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Shorts and Lockheed Martin have outlined a series of modifications to the Starstreak missile. The changes are intended to improve integration of the helicopter-launched version of the surface-to-air weapon with the Boeing AH-64 Apache, ahead of a planned shoot-off against the competing Raytheon Stinger. The ...
-
News
'Super Frog' partners sought
Boeing is seeking international partners for its "Super Frog" outsize tactical transport project. The tilt-wing aircraft is a tailless, swept-wing, four-turboprop, short take-off and landing design. The company claims the Super Frog would be a "quantum leap" over other tactical airlifters, such as the Lockheed Martin C-130. It has ...
-
News
Matra BAe/IMI team for Australian bid
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA Matra BAe Dynamics (MBD) has ditched plans to offer its Storm Shadow for the Royal Australian Air Force's Follow On Stand Off Weapon requirement. Instead, British Aerospace Australia (BAeA) has joined Israeli Military Industries (IMI) to offer the Delilah II. An agreement between IMI and BAeA ...
-
News
A400M cost may be $80 million
Stewart Penney/LONDONAirbus Military Company (AMC) will supply its A400M four-engined tactical airlifter for $80 million each, if the participating nations buy all 288 covered by a seven-country request for proposals issued in 1997. Meanwhile, France, one of four nations evaluating competitive bids, is expected to declare the A400M winner of ...
-
News
US Army upgrades Apache video systems
The US Army is ordering enhanced TEAC video recording systems for installation on Boeing AH-64 Apaches that may be deployed as part of NATO's campaign in Yugoslavia. The 1st Regiment of the 1st Aviation Battalion, based in Germany, has ordered TEAC VSC-80Bscan-conversion video systems for its 24 Apaches, in a ...
-
News
Greyhound fatigue testing nears finishing line
Northrop Grumman will conclude a three-year structural fatigue testing of a C-2A Greyhound at the end of this month as part of a programme to extend the carrier onboard delivery aircraft's operational life to 2020. The C-2A's airframe has undergone continuous fatigue tests at Northrop Grumman's Bethpage plant and, ...
-
News
Boeing leaves Chile contest
Boeing has effectively withdrawn from Chile's reactivated fighter competition. The Chilean requirement, originally for at least 24 aircraft, has shrunk to around 12, making it uneconomical to restart F/A-18C/D production, which has begun to shut down as the last US Marine Corps aircraft move down the line. The US ...
-
News
Contracts
South Africa's Denel Aviation has won a R42 million ($6.8 million) contract from Saab of Sweden to develop NATO-standard pylons for the Gripen fighter. It is expected that the development deal will be followed by a manufacturing contract for R240 million, covering at least 200 aircraft. Saab and its Gripen ...
-
News
Sense from confusion
Merging data from several sources is the key to minimising pilot workload in the cockpit of tomorrow Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DCCockpits are entering the information age in a big way, forcing designers to find ways to pre-digest and present data in forms that will inform, and not overload, the crew. The ...
-
News
Raptor avionics
Boeing has delivered the first F-22 Raptor Block 1.1 avionics flight test package to Lockheed Martin at Marietta, Georgia. Block 1.1 integrated avionics have completed more than 9,000h of testing in Boeing's avionics integration laboratory. Tests have also been performed in the Boeing 757 flying testbed. The package includes 80% ...
-
News
Fourth NH90 flies
The fourth NH90 prototype tactical utility/naval helicopter has flown at Eurocopter's test facility in Ottobrun, near Munich. The prototype will be used to qualify the tactical mission and aircraft systems. NH Industries is hoping for a commitment from partner nations France, Germany, Italy and The Netherlands for industrialisation and production ...
-
News
From Zeppelins to the Balkans
Rhein-Main AB was opened on 8 July, 1936, mainly for use as a port for zeppelins. During the Second World War, Rhein-Main was used to launch German air attacks on France and other points. A branch of the Auschwitz concentration camp was erected on the southern end of the base, ...
-
News
CAE to supply weapons trainer for USAF crews
CAE Electronics is to supply an eighth Lockheed C-5B weapon system trainer to FlightSafety Services, for training US Air Force crews. The contract is worth C$26.5 million ($18 million). The Level C-standard simulator will be delivered in early 2001. CAE supplied all seven C-5B trainers in service. FlightSafety ...
-
News
Elta radar pod cleared for F-16
Elta's EL/M-2060P synthetic aperture radar (SAR) pod for fighters has been certificated for use on the Lockheed Martin F-16. An unnamed air force has signed a contract for the radar and it has been offered for a Royal Air Force requirement to equip Panavia Tornados and Eurofighters. Built into a ...