Fixed-wing – Page 1159
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Twin-seat naval Flanker flies
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW The Sukhoi Su-33KUB made its first flight at the LII flight test centre at Zhukovsky on 29 April. The aircraft flew for about 40min with Sukhoi test pilots Victor Pougachev and Sergey Melnikov at the controls. The Su-33KUB ("Korabelny Uchebno-Boevoi", or carrier combat trainer) side-by-side twin-seat naval ...
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E-2C technology part of AEW offer to Australia
Northrop Grumman is including electronically scanned technology from the planned E-2C radar modernisation programme (RMP) as part of its airborne early warning (AEW) offer to Australia for the soon-to-be decided Project Wedgetail. Australia is expected to finalise its choice of AEW systems from three competing systems within a month. ...
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Indian air force attacks insurgents
The Indian air force launched a series of air strikes in late May against insurgents in the disputed Kashmir region, close to the line of control which marks the border with Pakistan. Insurgents have occupied locations in the mountains around Drass-Kargil-Batalik, north of Srinagar in Indian-administered Kashmir, says the ...
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Embraer assesses ALX potential
Chris Jasper/SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS Embraer estimates a potential export market of about 200 aircraft for the ALX trainer/light combat aircraft, the first production version of which was rolled out on 28 May. The Brazilian manufacturer's senior manager for defence market strategy, Anastacio Katsanos, says there is unlikely ...
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Decision day gets nearer for UK on JSF design participation
Graham Warwick/MONTREAL The UK must decide before the middle of next year whether it wants to remain in the US-led Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme, if it wants a say in selecting the winning design. The UK Ministry of Defence is looking at doubling the number of aircraft it ...
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Northrop Grumman scoops up Ryan
Northrop Grumman has purchased Ryan Aeronautical for $140 million in cash, in an unexpected move aimed at bolstering its unmanned air vehicle (UAV) activities. Ryan Aeronautical, a division of Allegheny Teledyne, is developing the Global Hawk long endurance surveillance and reconnaissance UAV for the US Air Force. It is ...
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JSF demonstrators swapped to cut costs
Graham Warwick/MONTREAL Lockheed Martin has switched the roles of its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) concept demonstrators to offset cost overruns on the programme. The company had planned to fly its first X-35 concept demonstrator aircraft (CDA) in USAir Force conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) configuration, then convert it to ...
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Italian army A129 update is given go-ahead
Andrea Nativi/GENOAItaly's Parliament has approved an army plan to upgrade its Agusta A129 Mangusta anti-tank helicopter fleet to widen its combat role. Italian army aviation (AVES) has 45 Mangustas delivered and another 15 to be delivered with the improved avionics and sensor package, 20mm nose-mounted cannon and five-bladed main rotor ...
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Quad TiltRotor under study
Graham Warwick/MONTREAL Bell Boeing is studying a four-proprotor tiltrotor aircraft as a potential replacement for both heavylift helicopters and tactical transports. The initial concept for the Quad TiltRotor (QTR) is to use the wing, nacelles, engines and proprotors from the Bell Boeing V-22, mating them to a modified ...
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Boeing joins EH101 team for Canadian bid
Boeing has joined the EH Industries-led team planning to offer the EH101 for the Canadian Forces' Maritime Helicopter Programme (MHP). Boeing will supply the maritime patrol mission system for the Cormorant version of the EH101 that will be offered to meet the 35-aircraft Sikorsky Sea King replacement requirement. The ...
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NATO directors split decision on ground surveillance needs
Stewart Penney/LONDON The NATO Conference of National Armaments Directors (CNAD) has agreed on a twin-track approach to satisfying the Alliance's air-to-ground surveillance (AGS) requirement. A US-led group, including Canada, Denmark and Norway, will move ahead with a two-year project definition phase for a system based on the Northrop Grumman/Raytheon ...
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Airbus develops cargo lifter
Airbus is developing a novel on-board cargo lifter for its A300-600ST Beluga outsize-freighter as part of its proposal to meet the Royal Air Force Short Term Strategic Airlifter (STSA) requirement. The cargo lifter allows freight to be loaded and unloaded without the need for ground support equipment, says Airbus director ...
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Boeing and Elbit sign MoU to link on Polish helicopter bid
Boeing and Elbit Systems have signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to co-operate on upgrading Polish air force PZL-Swidnik Sokol helicopters. Last year, the two Western companies argued over the controversial decision by the Polish Government to award the Israeli company prime contractorship on a deal to upgrade the ...
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Marconi wins laser demonstrator deal for RAF's DIRCM
Marconi Electronic Systems has won a £2 million ($3.2 million) technology demonstrator contract to develop a laser for Northrop Grumman's AAQ-24(V) Nemesis Directional Infrared Countermeasures (DIRCM), being fielded by UK forces. Last month, Marconi delivered a mid-infrared wavelength, single-band, solid-state laser to the UK Defence Evaluation and Research Agency ...
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Mergers
Aircraft Service International Group (ASIG) has acquired Elsinore Airport Services, which provides ground handling at 23 sites in the USA and the Caribbean. ASIG has ground-handling and fuelling operations in 56 cities in North America and Europe. UK engineering group McKechnie is to acquire US aerospace parts company Walker Sky ...
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Powering ahead
A new generation of engines are battling it out for market share. Flight International assesses some of the key players GuyNorris/LOS ANGELES Mojave Airport, in California's high desert, is well known for unusual sights. Among stored airliners, experimental prototypes and rare warbirds, General Electric's Boeing 747 testbed rarely merits ...
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C-130H agreement
Raytheon and the US Air Force have agreed jointly to sell aerodynamic data packages for Lockheed Martin C-130H2/3 simulators. This will allow other operators to upgrade or buy simulators to Level D certification standards. Raytheon says it has built the only C-130H2 simulator with certificatable aerodynamic fidelity. Source: Flight International
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Early warning
Electronically scanned radar promises anti-ballistic missile solutions Stewart Penney/LONDON Proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery vehicles has forced the topic of ballistic missile defence (BMD) to the forefront of military research, development and requirements. So it is perhaps timely that British Aerospace Land & Sea Systems is ...
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War on the ground
Maintaining the aircraft taking part in air attacks against Yugoslavia is a battle in itself DeeDee Doke/LONDON As NATO's air campaign over Yugoslavia approaches its tenth week, the US Air Force is battling behind the lines with a multi-headed foe: maintenance. "Flying hours have surged by over four ...
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Brazil's new teeth
With the roll-out of the Embraer EMB-145SA and ALX on 28 May, the Brazilian air force is preparing to add two long-awaited aircraft to its fleet Jackson Flores jr/SAO JOSE DOS CAMPOS The addition of the EMB-145 surveillance platform and the ALX light strike aircraft will give the Brazilian air ...