Fixed-wing – Page 1168
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Transparent benefits
PeterLaFranchi/CANBERRA Australian acquisition of strategic unmanned air vehicles may raise the stakes in South-East Asia, but could help develop military transparency in the region if surveillance data is shared A new study of how unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) might fit into the Australian Defence Force structure cautions that strategic ...
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Bombardier signs UK training deal
Bombardier has signed a 10-year, £101 million ($161 million) contract to provide primary flying training for the UK Royal Air Force. Under the UK's Private Finance Initiative, the company will provide a fleet of about 100 Grob 115E light aircraft (to be known as the Tutor in RAF service) ...
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CASA chosen for final assembly of Airbus Military transporter
Julian Moxon/TOULOUSECASA of Spain has been nominated to carry out final assembly of the seven-nation A400M transporter if Airbus Military Company (AMC) secures an order from European governments to develop and build the aircraft. The assembly decision is part of a series of workshare agreements surrounding the A400M, formerly the ...
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Boeing tests BK27 as sidearm for Joint Strike Fighter
Firing tests of the 27mm cannon that Boeing is proposing for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) were scheduled to begin in the USA by 12 March. The gun is based on the BK27 cannon developed by Germany's Mauser for the Eurofighter Typhoon. The cannon is being offered to both ...
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CFMI proposes engine refit for JSTARS
CFM International (CFMI) plans to submit proposals to the US Air Force by the end of this month for the re-engining of its 15 Boeing E-8 joint surveillance and target attack radar system (JSTARS) ground surveillance radar aircraft.The bid will include the first proposed use of the CFM56-3 on a ...
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Italian range
The Italian air force has selected BGT's range independent Flight Profile Recorder air combat training and debriefing system, becoming the sixth NATO country to order the equipment. The order includes 40 airborne instrumentation pods with an option for a further 18, 10 ground stations and an option for a datalink. ...
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Tailboom launch
Papillon Grand Canyon Helicopters is the launch customer for performance-enhancing tailboom strakes, developed by Boundary Layer Research for the Bell 206 series. The Las Vegas, Nevada-based air tour operator has ordered 22 shipsets for delivery as soon as they are certificated. Flight tests have begun on the 206BJetRanger and 206L ...
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Alenia and Dasa form strategic link with Hellenic Aerospace
Alenia Aerospazio and DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) have separately formed strategic alliances with Hellenic Aerospace Industries (HAI), covering a range of civil and military programmes. HAI already supplies Airbus parts to the German company. The relationship will be expanded to cover participation in Dasa's ongoing upgrade of Greek McDonnell Douglas ...
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Asian unrest leads to Australian forces going on alert
The Australian Government has called for all Royal Australian Air Force strategic and tactical level air transport to be available for deployment at 28 days' notice, as part of a major upgrade to national defence preparedness. The upgrade in readiness - to the highest levels supported by Australia since ...
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USAF wants cash to modernise bomber fleet
The US Air Force says it will not need a new long-range bomber until 2034, provided it gets funds to modernise its 190 Boeing B-52s, Rockwell B-1Bs and Northrop Grumman B-2s. Briefing Congress on its long-term bomber plan, the USAF says it will need almost $2.3 billion for improvements ...
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AMR Combs and Signature talk about combining FBO chains
Teams from AMR Combs and Signature Flight Support have started talks on combining their fixed-base operation (FBO) chains after Signature parent company BBA Group completed its $170 million acquisition of the former AMR subsidiary. A decision on how the combined chain will be branded is expected by the end ...
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Mil begins Mi-24M flight tests
Mil has begun full-scale flight tests of a modernised Mi-24 Hind helicopter. A first flight of 25min on 4 March was preceded by two brief hovers in February from the company's base near Moscow. The most notable features of the Mi-24M are the new main and tail rotors, lighter ...
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Northrop launches F/A-18 radar drive
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Northrop Grumman has begun flight testing a "fourth generation" active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar as it prepares to bid to develop an active-array radar for the Boeing F/A-18E/F. The technology demonstration, in the company's BAC One-Eleven avionics flying testbed, is in support of its ...
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Italian air force reforms command structure
The Italian air force has formally activated its new command structure, which regroups all operational forces in three new major commands. The revised structure comprises an air forces command (CSA) and logistics and training commands. Operational activity is entrusted to a separate air forces operation command The operational units ...
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News in Brief
Cambodia must pay up Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) has suspended delivery of four Cambodian air force MiG-21 fighters to ensure the payment of a $1 million bill for upgrading the aircraft. The first two upgraded MiG-21s were delivered in January 1997. Work on the other four was frozen when ...
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New Chinook variant enters final assembly for October roll-out
The first improved Boeing CH-47SD Chinook is in final assembly ready for a planned October roll-out. Meanwhile, work has begun on remanufacturing the first two US Army machines to the modernised CH-47F configuration under the Improved Cargo Helicopter (ICH) programme. With the switch to the new CH-47SD, Boeing hopes ...
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News in Brief
F-15I ready The Israeli air force's first Boeing F-15I squadron was declared operational in January and has carried out its first combat operations with precision guided weapons against targets in Lebanon. The first attack was on 11 January, when two F-15Is attacked Hezbollah targets in Sujud in southern Lebanon. ...
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Global Hawk set for non-stop USA-Australia UAV record
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA Teledyne Ryan's Global Hawk long endurance unmanned air vehicle (UAV) is poised to make aviation history in early 2001 with a non-stop flight from Edwards AFB in California to Australia, to support a trials programme funded by the Australian Defence Force. Australia will contribute $A30 ...
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Kaman completes composite rotor trials on Seasprite
Kaman Aerospace has completed development flight tests of its second generation composite main rotor blades (CMRB II) aboard an SH-2G Super Seasprite naval helicopter. The new blade is intended to meet "increasing mission equipment needs and mission performance requirements", says Kaman engineering vice-president Michael Bowes. The blades will become ...
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Daewoo plans armed scout variant of KT-1
Andrzej Jeziorski/SINGAPORE Daewoo Heavy Industries is expecting a development contract this year for an armed reconnaissance variant of its KT-1 Woong-Bee turboprop trainer, designated the KO-X (Flight International, 4-11 November, 1998). According to Kwang Jin Lee, managing director of Daewoo's aerospace and defence division, the South Korean state-run ...