Fixed-wing – Page 1284
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Saudi Arabians to buy SAR
THE ROYAL SAUDI Arabian Air Force (RSAF) is to purchase 12 Eurocopter Cougar MkII helicopters configured for combat search and rescue (SAR) in a deal worth Fr3 billion ($600 million). It is the first time that France has sold military equipment to the RSAF, and the first export ...
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The mission equipment
THE SENSORS, display and communications units fitted to the Dash 8 maritime-patrol aircraft (MPA) are typical of the large range of such equipment on offer. There were two choices of radar considered: the travelling-wave-tube (TWT) type, or the power-hungry, but cheaper, magnetron variety. The latter has longer ...
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UK firms gain most as RAF wins order battle
Douglas Barrie/LONDON THE UK GOVERNMENT has headed off an embarrassing political and military confrontation with a last-minute decision to award three key Royal Air Force contracts, worth almost £4 billion, which were being blocked by the UK Treasury. British Aerospace is the prime beneficiary, winning ...
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Keeping out of helicopters' way
Sir - At about 17.45 on 14 July, I observed a Royal Air Force Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules C3 at around 500ft (150m) above ground level, about 5km (3nm) west of Cranfield, Bedfordshire. As this was the day of the British Grand Prix at Silverstone (some 20km north-west ...
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Brazil orders missiles and support systems
The Brazilian Navy has ordered Aspide missiles and support equipment from Alenia Sistemi Navali, to equip its fleet of six Niteroi-class frigates, which are the subject of a modernisation programme. The $48 million order includes seven interrogation systems, 13 command and control consoles, and associated maintenance equipment. Alenia won a ...
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Medical FLIR
Sikorsky has selected FLIR Systems' SAFIRE thermal-imaging system for installation on the US Army's Sikorsky UH-60Q medical-evacuation helicopter. Portland, Oregon-based FLIR will supply two systems with options to equip a total of 87 of the modified UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters. Source: Flight International
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Forward thrust
The RNZAF has been rationalised, and is moving ahead in an increasingly commercial world Nick Lee-Frampton/WELLINGTON WITH LITTLE MORE than 3,700 people on its payroll, operating seven squadrons and more than 50 aircraft, the Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) takes personnel matters seriously. Indeed, Air Vice-Marshal ...
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Last of the big MiGs?
Mikoyan's heavyweight fighters languish in development and face uncertainty. Douglas Barrie/LONDON THE VPK MAPO OBJECT 1.42 fifth-generation heavy fighter has yet to get airborne, but it has already been dubbed as the next "flying restaurant" by some of its detractors, a nickname last given to the 42t ...
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Greece to acquire HARM and AMRAAM missiles
THE US DEPARTMENT of Defense is to sell $250 million-worth of military equipment to Greece, including the country's first purchase of Texas Instruments AGM-88B high-speed anti-radiation missiles (HARM) and Lockheed Martin Army Tactical Missiles (ATACM). The US Congress was notified of Greece's plan to buy 84 HARMs and ...
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Flight Visions will deliver L-159 HUD
FLIGHT VISIONS will deliver a prototype head-up display (HUD) in July to Aero Vodochody in the Czech Republic, for the L-159 light-fighter programme. A flightworthy model will be delivered in November, and production of HUDs for 72 Czech air force L-159s, is due to begin in 1997. ...
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USAF develops wide-angle NVGs
PANORAMIC night-vision goggles, (PNVGs) are being developed by the US Air Force, and a prototype will be flight tested by the US Army later this year. The goggles offer a 100° horizontal field of view, compared with 40¡ for the ANVIS goggles in use since the early 1980s and the ...
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ETC/USAF advance centrifuge simulator
CENTRIFUGE manufacturer Environmental Technology (ETC) has signed an agreement with the US Air Force to develop its technology for use in flight simulators for high-performance combat aircraft. A centrifuge-based simulator would be able to generate the G forces experienced by the pilot of a highly manoeuvrable fighter. Southampton, ...
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RAF celebrates Bastille Day
THE ROYAL AIR FORCE TOOK PART for the first time in France's Bastille Day parade on 14 July. Panavia Tornado GR1s and Harrier GR7s were flown in formation with a French Boeing KC-135 for the flypast, with a RAF Vickers VC10 flying in formation with French air force Mirages. ...
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Malaysia wants S-70 and Lynx
Paul Lewis/SINGAPORE MALAYSIA HAS announced plans to order the Sikorsky S-70 Black Hawk. At the same time, the Westland Super Lynx is closer to being selected as the country's new naval helicopter. According to defence minister Syed Hamid Albar, the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) ...
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Two-seat EF2000 is ready
Douglas Barrie/WARTON THE FIRST two-seat Eurofighter EF2000, is expected to be flown by the end of July, with senior management on the project increasingly confident that the technical difficulties affecting the project are now under control. This clears the way for the four partner governments, ...
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32 people are killed in Belgian air force C-130 accident
A BELGIAN AIR force Lockheed Martin C-130H Hercules crashed with 41 on board at Eindhoven air base in the Netherlands on 15 July, killing its crew of four and 28 passengers. Nine others were badly injured. All passengers were members of the Dutch Royal Army Brass Band. The crash is ...
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South Korea compiles shortlist for early-warning fleet
SOUTH KOREA is revising long-standing plans to acquire a fleet of airborne-early-warning (AEW) aircraft, as part of its next five-year mid-term defence plan. Defence observers now expect the South Korean air force to finalise its AEW requirements and issue a request for quotations before the end of ...
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...as GEC test-flies new towed-decoy
GEC-MARCONI HAS TEST-flown a revised design of towed radar decoy (TRD) for the Eurofighter EF2000 from a hack aircraft, with test flights to begin in August on the second Eurofighter prototype, development aircraft (DA) 2. The EF2000 TRD is understood to differ considerably in shape from that deployed ...
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Russia determines priorities
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW THE RUSSIAN AIR force has hammered out a list of priority programmes, including the Sukhoi Su-27IB fighter-bomber, along with upgrade projects for both the Tupolev Tu-95MS Bear H and Tu-160 Blackjack, to improve conventional strike capabilities. Notably absent from the priority list, thrashed ...
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Eurofighter excluded from 1997 German budget plans
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH THE Eurofighter programme, has been left without funding in current German budget plans, for 1997 confirms the defence ministry. While the Government is contractually obliged to complete development funding for the Eurofighter EF2000, the ministry says that production investment - due to get ...