Fixed-wing – Page 1267
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Eurofighter threatened by fresh defence cuts
Andrjez Jeziorski/MUNICH A new danger, to the Eurofighter programme, is looming in Germany with the spectre of further defence cuts early in 1997. Industrial and political sources say that the defence ministry could be facing a new cutback of between DM300 million ($200 million) and DM500 ...
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Prowler crews evaluate F-18 C2W
Graham Warwick/ST LOUIS Operational crews have evaluated the McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-18 command and control warfare (C2W) variant using a concept simulator at MDC's St Louis, Missouri, headquarters. The C2W variant of the two-seat F-18F is being proposed to replace US Navy and Marine Corps Grumman EA-6B Prowler ...
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Budget reductions hit Germany's Huey fleet
The German army is being forced to retire one-third of its fleet of Bell UH-1D Iroquois fleet ahead of time because of budget shortages. Some 52 transport helicopters from the current fleet of 176 are to be grounded from 1997, and will be cannibalised for spares. The helicopters ...
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US GAO backs CH-60 Black Hawk over Huey upgrade
The US Department of Defense could save more than $700 million if it forces the US Marine Corps to scrap plans to upgrade 100 Bell Helicopter Textron UH-1N utility helicopters and buy new Sikorsky Aircraft CH-60 Black Hawk rotorcraft, say Congressional investigators. "In deciding to modernise its fleet ...
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USAF safety
The US Air Force has achieved its second-best overall flight-safety year on record in fiscal year 1996, with a "Class A" accident rate of 1.26 accidents per 100,000 flying hours. Class A includes fatal accidents or "mishaps" involving destruction or damage worth more than $1 million. Rates for fighter and ...
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GEC-Marconi struggles for Il-76 data
Paul Lewis/ZHUHAI GEC-Marconi is facing difficulty in obtaining the design specifications from Ilyushin needed to modify its Il-76 transport to take the Argus 2000 airborne early-warning (AEW) sys- tem, now being offered to China. There has been some "foot-dragging" on the part of the Russians to ...
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Malaysia is still uncertain on maritime-helicopter choice
Malaysia may not make a final decision on its choice of a maritime helicopter for its two new-build frigates until the middle of 1997, despite clear indications that a variant of the Westland Super Lynx is favoured. First Admiral Mohd Anwar Mohd Nor, the Royal Malaysian Navy Inspector ...
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Anti-Radiation Missiles
Germany's Bodenseewerk Geratetechnik unveiled its Aramis design for an anti-radiation missile (ARM) at the Berlin air show in June. The basic configuration of the dual-mode-seeker, ramjet-powered missile was the result of several collaborative projects with France. This included the SPRINT programme to develop a dual-mode passive-radar/imaging- infra-red seeker. ...
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GEC-Marconi is first choice for Chinese FC-1 avionics
China National Aero Technology Import and Export (CATIC) is set to select the GEC-Marconi Blue Hawk radar and avionics for the new Chengdu Aircraft (CAC) FC-1 fighter. A new F-7 variant has also been revealed. CATIC and CAC are expected to choose GEC-Marconi as its preferred radar and ...
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Croatia orders Bell 206B-3 JetRangers
Croatia has ordered ten Bell 206B-3 JetRangers, worth $15 million with training and support, for initial-entry helicopter pilot training in its air force. The deal is the first major aircraft purchase by Croatia since the signing of the US-brokered Dayton peace agreement on Bosnia. Pilot and maintenance training ...
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Austria evaluates F-16 and F-18
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA An Austrian air force team has visited the USA to evaluate the Lockheed Martin F-16C/D and McDonnell Douglas F-18C/D as it prepares for a fighter competition expected to get under way in 1997. Evaluation of aircraft, including in-country demonstrations, is expected to be complete by ...
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Turkey issues RFP for F-5 avionics-upgrade plans
Tony Gill/WASHINGTON DC Turkey has issued a new request for proposals (RFP) for an avionics modernisation of its Northrop F-5s. A separate, but interdependent F-5 structural upgrade, to be performed by the Turkish air force and local industry, makes up the remainder of a programme to update ...
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MDC targets JDAM at European market
McDonnell Douglas (MDC) is discussing the sale of its Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) with France, Germany and the UK, as flight-testing of the weapon gets under way in the USA. The first fully guided flight of a Mk84 900kg bomb equipped with the JDAM inertial-navigation/global-positioning (INS/GPS) guidance tail-kit is ...
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ITP draws up thrust-vector plan for EJ 200
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES Eurojet partner ITP of Spain is planning to run vectored-thrust nozzle tests on an EJ200 engine developed for the Eurofighter EF2000 in early 1998. A first flight test could take place as early as 2000. ITP is already responsible for the nozzle on the ...
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Romanian air force receives first C-130Bs
The Romanian Air Force took delivery of its first two ex-US Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130B transports on 23 October. One of the aircraft, in Romanian air force colours, is shown at Shannon, Ireland, en route for Bucharest. Romania will take delivery of two more C-130Bs in November, and is ...
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Litton replacements
Litton Industries has won a US Navy contract, potentially worth more than $50 million, to provide up to 784 replacement navigation systems for Lockheed Martin P-3s and C-130s. The replacement system combines laser inertial-navigation and global-positioning in one complete unit. Source: Flight International
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Leaving home
Arie Egozi/TEL AVIV In recent years, Bedek Aviation, the maintenance and overhaul division of Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), has become one of the "money makers" for its parent group. The business has become so successful, in fact, that it is asking potential customers to postpone the transfer of ...
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Where next for MDC?
The decision to drop the MD-XX raises fresh questions over a future for Douglas Aircraft Graham Warwick/ATLANTA McDonnell Douglas (MDC) has dropped the MD-XX not because of the $2 billion over four years that it would have taken to develop the MD-11 derivative, but because ...
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Derlan contracts
Derlan Industries has received contracts totaling C$17.6 million ($13 million) to supply GE Aircraft Engines with inlet gearboxes for the CFM56-5 and accessory gearboxes for the F110-100, and to supply the US Army with spare gears for the Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter. Source: Flight International
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Where will new instructors emerge?
Sir - You report that a private consortium has won the UK Ministry of Defence contract to run ab initio helicopter-flying training for the next 15 years (Flight International, 9-15 October, P14). In the "appointments" section (P62) there is a half-page recruitment notice placed by the same consortium ...