Fixed-wing – Page 1239
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Royal Navy is poised to join ASTOR project
The UK Ministry of Defence's (MoD) £800 million ($1.3 billion) Airborne Stand-off Radar (ASTOR) project is on the brink of becoming a tri-service requirement. The Royal Navy is likely to join the programme, which is designed to provide the UK armed forces with an advanced airborne-surveillance capability. The ...
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MTU targets European military engines
Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) aero-engine unit MTU Munich hopes to set up a European military-engines company around its international partnership with France, Italy and Spain to develop the M138. The M138 is a turboprop derivative of Snecma's 50-105kN (11,250-23,600lb)-thrust M88 turbofan, which powers the Dassault Rafale Ìghter. The new ...
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Lockheed Martin aims AEW C-130J at Europe
Lockheed Martin is pushing its airborne early-warning (AEW) derivative of its C-130J Hercules 2 to meet the needs of several European nations which need to supplement NATO's Boeing E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) squadron. Greece, Italy, Spain and Turkey have been identified by Lockheed Martin as ...
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Joint venture launches Spartan upgrade
Lockheed Martin Alenia Tactical Transport Systems (LMATTS) has launched the C-27J Spartan, a substantial update of the Italian G222 intra-theater transport aircraft. The basic confiÌguration of the C-27J has been finalised, and LMATTS has begun announcing subcontractors. Where possible, the C-27J uses technology from the larger Lockheed Martin ...
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CASA launches stretched CN-235
CASA is to introduce a stretched, updated version of the CN-235 in 2000, as it seeks to capture a slice of the medium-sized military-transport market. The new C-295model incorporates a 3m stretch, increased weights and Pratt & Whitney Canada PW127G engines to replace the General Electric CT7-9Cs which ...
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Australia prepares to privatise forces initial pilot training
AUSTRALIA PLANS to centralise and privatise initial flight training for its air force, army and navy. An Australian Defence Force study has recommended outsourcing basic fixed-wing training, with an integrated syllabus for the three services. An invitation for companies to register interest will be released in July, with ...
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Lockheed Martin first to finish JSF design review
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC LOCKHEEDMARTIN has completed the initial design review (IDR) for its Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) concept-demonstrator programme, clearing the way to begin detailed design. Boeing says that the IDR for its JSF programme is due later this year. Flight testing of the competing concept demonstrators is ...
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Pakistan again threatens to sue over blocked F-16s
Pakistan has made fresh warnings that it may resort to legal action against the US Government in an effort to recover its investment in 28 Lockheed Martin F-16A/B fighters, the delivery of which has been blocked by Washington. The threat from Islamabad to sue follows Indonesia's decision to ...
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US budget cut veto puts spring back in Super Hornet's step
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC The US Government's House National Security Committee (HNSC) has rejected proposed cuts to the 1998 procurement budget and, in doing so, has given a boost to the US Navy's plans to purchase McDonnell Douglas F-18E/F Super Hornet tactical aircraft. By approving a $268 ...
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Eurofighter partner countries step up pressure on Germany
Three of the four Eurofighter partner nations (Italy, Spain and the UK) will be ready to sign-off the production phase of the Eurofighter EF2000 combat-aircraft project by the end of June. John Weston, British Aerospace group managing director, says that by the close of the month the three ...
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Eurocopter wins Dauphin orders
Eurocopter has netted launch orders for six N4 widebody versions of its Dauphin helicopter from Norway's Helicopter Service group, along with orders for a total of 15 AS350-B3 single-engined Ecureuils and six EC135s. The group has also received European Joint Aviation Authorities certification for the EC120 Colibri. Eurocopter ...
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New US F-16Cs will have latest A/B updates
The US Government's 1997 order for six Lockheed Martin F-16Cs will incorporate advanced systems which have previously been included only in F-16A/B mid-life updates for European air forces. Robert Elrod, Lockheed Martin's vice-president for the F-16, says that the aircraft will be fitted with Honeywell colour multi-function displays, ...
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Flanker flies in at the last moment
Sukhoi's Su-27M Flanker (Su-37) thrust-vector technology testbed eventually made it to the show, with only a couple of days to spare. The aircraft is being used by Sukhoi to integrate thrust vectoring with the digital flight-control system. This work will feed into the development of the Su-30MKI two-seat thrust-vectoring derivative ...
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Germany surprises UK with FLA shift
A German volte face over the European Future Large Aircraft (FLA) has allowed the partner nations to release the request for proposals (RFP), but has wrong-footed the UK, which only became aware of the change in Germany's position shortly before an FLA policy group meeting in Paris on 17 June. ...
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USA corrects Czech F-16 versus F-18 gaffe
US DEFENCE secretary William Cohen has moved to defuse a row over a letter, apparently favouring the Lockheed Martin F-16, sent by a US embassy official in Prague to the Czech defence ministry. The F-16 is being offered in competition with the McDonnell Douglas F-18 for a Czech air force ...
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F-22 first flight delayed by engine FOD
LOCKHEEDMARTIN has replaced one of the Pratt &Whitney F119s in the first F-22 after the engine suffered minor foreign-object damage (FOD) during ground runs. The incident is likely to delay the maiden flight of the Lockheed Martin/Boeing F-22 until early July. Minor impact damage to the three fan ...
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BAe joins Lockheed Martin's JSF team
Douglas Barrie/PARIS British Aerospace is to team with Lockheed Martin on the USA's Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme, having spurned Boeing's overtures to join its team. The US companies have been courting BAe since the US Department of Defense (DoD) rejected the McDonnell Douglas bid for ...
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Sweden Gripen order
The Swedish Government has approved plans to go ahead with the purchase of a third tranche of 64 Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighters. The procurement, budgeted at SKr28 billion ($3.7 billion), includes provision for work on improving the aircraft's computers and displays, as well as the launch of a programme ...
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COBRA program cures F-22 and JSF composites together
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DC LOCKHEEDMARTIN is looking at simultaneously curing composite parts for the F-22 and Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) in one autoclave run, to reduce costs for both programmes. The procedure presents "-a unique opportunity for simultaneous cost reduction", the company says. Batch curing of F-22 ...
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Lockheed Martin readies VISTA/F-16 for thrust vectoring
Lockheed Martin is awaiting funding to complete modification of the F-16 Variable Stability In-flight Simulator Test Aircraft (VISTA) with thrust vectoring. The US Air Force's VISTA/ F-16, operated by Calspan Flight Research and re-engined with a Pratt & Whitney F100-229, is to be fitted with P&W's axisymmetric thrust-vectoring pitch/yaw balanced-beam ...