Fixed-wing – Page 1205
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Chile delay
The Chilean air force has delayed selection of a new fighter until the end of May. The four bidders - Boeing (F/A-18C/D), Dassault (Mirage 2000-5), Lockheed Martin (F-16C/D) and Saab (Gripen) - have been given until 22 May to submit final offers for the supply of an expected 16 aircraft. ...
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Normalair-Garrett moves to AlliedSignal
Andrew Chuter/LONDON Control of Normalair-Garrett (NGL) in the UK has switched from GKN to AlliedSignal in a move which sees the US company acquire an additional 4% share in their joint venture operation. AlliedSignal has also purchased New York-based Hermetic Aircraft from GKN. The £12 million ($20 million) ...
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RTM322-powered Apache gets set for June flight
First Flight of the Rolls-Royce Turboméca RTM322-powered Boeing AH-64 Apache is set for 1 June, say programme officials, who are now 50% through initial ground tests with the Anglo-French engine. The powerplant was selected over the incumbent General Electric T700-701C after a competitive evaluation by the UK Ministry of Defence ...
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C-130J deliveries to RAF await ice test results
Lockheed Martin is hoping finally to complete type certification and begin deliveries of the first C-130J Hercules transport once it has completed critical ice shape testing on the aircraft. Certification will end the technical problems which have delayed deliveries to customers by nearly two years. The US manufacturer claims ...
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Airbus fights FLA delays
Douglas Barrie/LONDON Airbus Military Company (AMC) is attempting to pull forward a German-led study on the Antonov An-70's ability to meet European tactical military transport requirements. This is in an effort to avoid further delays to the European Future Large Aircraft (FLA) programme. The German study timescale conflicts with AMC's ...
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USAF starts B-1B JDAM update
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Modification of US Air Force Rockwell B-1B bombers to carry the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) has begun at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma. The first two upgrade kits have been delivered to the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Center, and the initial block of seven B-1s is ...
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Thais lose deposit on abortive F/A-18 purchase
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) will have to forfeit a $74.5 million deposit on eight new Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet fighters under a buyback deal struck with the US Government, after a last ditch effort to sell the fighters to Kuwait proved fruitless. Washington had given Bangkok until 1 ...
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Singapore issues letters of request for attack helicopter
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE Singapore has formally kicked off the tendering process for an attack helicopter by issuing competing European, South African and US manufacturers with letters of request (LoR) for up 20 airframes The LoR has given the three shortlisted bidders until June to submit their offers to the ...
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P&WC steers new turboprop towards C-130/P3 market
Pratt & Whitney Canada is studying the market potential of re-engineing Lockheed C-130s and P-3s with its newly developed PW150 turboprop. Thermodynamically rated at 4,980kW (6,680shp), the engine is the most powerful turboprop ever produced by the Canadian-based manufacturer and would be offered as a replacement for the incumbent ...
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Picking up the gauntlet
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH Despite a background of optimism generated by the economic revival of Germany's aerospace industry, questions remain about the future of its main showcase, the Berlin International Aerospace Exhibition (ILA) to be held on 18-24 May at Berlin Schönefeld Airport. The European air show circuit is overcrowded, and the ...
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BAeA wins training
British Aerospace Australia (BAeA) has been named preferred bidder for a 10-year contract to provide all flight screening and basic flight training for the Australian Defence Force, to be conducted at BAeA's facility at Tamworth, New South Wales. The company is also expected to acquire eight more aircraft to ...
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Germany signs up for IRIS-T
The German defence procurement office (BWB) has signed a DM500 million ($285 million) contract with Bodenseewerk Gerätetechnik (BGT) for development of the IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missile. The contract follows the signature of a six-nation memorandum of understanding (MoU), which clears the way for multinational development of the missile. ...
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UK defence review spells reform
Douglas Barrie/LONDON The UK is on the brink of a radical overhaul of its defence procurement process, if proposals in the Government's Strategic Defence Review's (SDR) Smart Procurement study and the Acquisition Organisation Review are approved. The recommendations of the Smart Procurement final report have yet to be made public ...
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Laser composite structures inspection 'will cut JSF costs'
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Lockheed Martin has begun construction of a laser ultrasonics centre which is expected to cut the cost of inspecting composite structures by as much as 90%. The centre is due to be operational by the end of the year, when it will be used to inspect ...
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Iberia orders Atec
Iberia has ordered an Atec Series 6 automatic test system from Aerospatiale, together with 16 sets of software, for maintenance of its Airbus A340s. The order brings to 58 the total sales figure for the Series 6, and to 295 all Atec systems sold to date. The Series 6 is ...
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Berlin airlift impasse
Douglas Barrie/LONDONThe sight of an airlifter over Berlin used to be welcome. In the case of the Antonov An-70, making its Western show debut, there will be those among the crowd who wish it had remained in Ukraine. The An-70 is being championed by none other than Volker Rühe,Germany's defence ...
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L-3 on Apache
L-3 Display Systems has been selected to provide cockpit displays for US Army Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters. The $3.8 million contract was awarded to the New York based company by Lockheed Martin, as part of its Target Acquisition Designation System/Pilot Night Vision Sensor programme for the D-model Apache. Source: ...
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Boeing cleared for Chinook ICH work
Boeing Helicopters has been cleared by the US Department of Defense to begin engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) work on its Chinook Improved Cargo Helicopter (ICH). The company expects to receive an initial $20 million contract before the end of the month to begin modifying two US Army CH-47Ds ...
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Canada arranges a cheaper EH101 deal
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC Canada has negotiated a lower price and better offsets for its purchase of 15 EH Industries AW520 Cormorant search and rescue (SAR) helicopters. The final contract is worth C$579 million ($404.8 million), down by over C$13 million from the maximum value announced when the Cormorant ...
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Northrop Grumman eyes more Hawkeye sales
Northrop Grumman rolled out the first of two E-2C Hawkeye airborne early warning (AEW) command and control aircraft - destined for the French navy - on 28 April , with further French purchases expected. The first French E-2C flew in March and the second will be completed in the ...