Fixed-wing – Page 1308
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News
Malaysian Hawk fleet is under the weather
Paul Lewis/KUALA LUMPUR MALAYSIA'S FLEET OF new British Aerospace Hawk 100/200s is suffering from a low level of operational readiness, apparently caused by a combination of systems failures and spares shortages, along with a lack of trained manpower. The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) has ...
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Pentagon muddies UAV waters
US DEPARTMENT OF Defense efforts to merge the close-range and maritime unmanned-air-vehicle (UAV) programmes will complicate industry attempts to produce the next members of the US military's drone family, say industry sources. The rethink comes as senior Pentagon officials are determining the fate of the TRW/Israel Aircraft Industries ...
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Python 3 in South African service
THE FIRST FIRM evidence that the South African Air Force (SAAF) has acquired the Israeli Rafael Python 3 short-range infra-red air-to-air missile (AAM) has emerged in photographs of an air force Dassault Mirage F-1C. The Python missile chassis may also form the basis of an active-radar-guided beyond-visual-range ...
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Gripen decision
Saab has selected Silicon Graphics (SGI) and SEOS Displays to supply the visual system for an engineering simulator to be used in development of advanced and export versions of the JAS39 Gripen lightweight fighter. UK company SEOS will supply a 3m-diameter dome display, while Saab has selected SGI's "next-generation" image ...
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Horizon presentation
Senior NATO representatives have attended a flight demonstration of Eurocopter's Horizon battlefield surveillance system, based on the AS.532 Cougar helicopter at Marignana, near Marseilles. NATO is considering purchasing such a system. The first of two Horizon systems is due to be delivered to the French army early in 1996. ...
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Bombardier offers a hybrid version of CL-415 to Lebanon
BOMBARDIER AEROSPACE is offering to Lebanon a hybrid version of the Canadair CL-415 amphibian, to meet its requirements for forest fire-fighting, search and rescue and surveillance. The aircraft would combine the fire-fighting capabilities of the existing CL-415 turboprop with the basic configuration of the proposed CL-415M maritime-patrol variant, ...
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Russians pursue engine and radar on Chinese F-10 fighter
CHINA'S CHENGDU F-10 fighter aircraft, being developed jointly with Israel, may be fitted with a Russian air-intercept radar and power plant. Russian radar-design house Phazotron is proposing an advanced variant of its Zhuk (Beetle) multi-mode pulse-Doppler radar for the fighter, as the Israelis try to convince the Chinese ...
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Hawkeye leads surveillance interest among Gulf States
NORTHROP GRUMMAN is proposing that the Gulf Collaboration Council (GCC) states collectively purchase and operate a combined standing force of its E-2C Hawkeye airborne-early-warning (AEW) aircraft, to provide additional AEW support in the region. GCC states, which include the United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Bahrain, all have draft ...
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Saudi air force is in the market for refuelling tankers
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is considering a range of new-build aircraft and second hand conversions to meet its outstanding requirement for up to ten additional air-to-air refueling tankers. The aircraft are needed to support the RSAF's growing fleet of McDonnell Douglas F-15 and Panavia Tornado fighters ...
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UAE gains AMRAAM go-ahead
THE US GOVERNMENT is to release the Hughes AIM-120 Advanced Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) for the United Arab Emirates (UAE) to support its manufacturers in the country's strike-fighter competition. Sources close to the UAE fighter programme claim that the USA decided in July to make it clear to ...
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UAE could be persuaded to take Enforcer
THE CASA CN-235 Persuader and Fokker Maritime Enforcer Mk2 are emerging as the front runners competing for the United Arab Emirates' (UAE) soon-to-be-decided order for new a maritime-patrol aircraft (MPA). The UAE air force is seeking four aircraft for MPA missions, including anti-submarine warfare and surface strike. The ...
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USAF seeks tanker-visuals upgrade
THE US AIR FORCE HAS launched a programme to upgrade the visual systems on 23 tanker-aircraft simulators. The Air Mobility Command Visual Upgrade Effort (AMCVUE) programme covers 19 Boeing KC-135 and four McDonnell Douglas (MDC) KC-10 simulators. A request for proposals was issued in late October and contract ...
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Lynx deal
CAE Electronics has won a C$30 million ($22 million) UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) contract to supply a Westland Lynx HAS.8 full-flight and tactical simulator for delivery to the Royal Navy by late 1997. The Canadian company says that it plans to bid for the forthcoming Royal Air Force programme ...
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Russian carrier deploys to Adriatic
RUSSIA IS DEPLOYING the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov to the Adriatic Sea in late December, equipped with up to 16 Sukhoi Su-27K naval fighters, eight Su-25UTG trainer/attack aircraft and ten Kamov Ka-27/29 anti-submarine helicopters. The deployment will mark the first time that the Russians have sent significant naval ...
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Stored Skyhawks threaten Kuwait deal for AH-64s
MCDONNELL DOUGLAS' (MDC) failure to dispose of surplus Kuwaiti A-4K Skyhawks is undermining the company's efforts to sell the country its AH-64 Apache attack helicopter. Kuwait's 1988 order for 40 MDC F/A-18 Hornets included the proviso that the manufacturer found a buyer for its A-4s. The 23 surviving ...
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Spain wavers on Eurofighter
John Parry/MADRID Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH SPAIN IS CONSIDERING withdrawing from the Eurofighter programme just as the UK and Germany appear to be moving closer to an agreement on the controversial problem of work-share. The Spanish defence ministry confirms: "There is no decision taken yet, but withdrawal ...
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Hungary in Gripen parts deal
Saab Military Aircraft has signed an agreement with Danubian Aircraft of Hungary for the production of JAS39 Gripen components. At the same time, a Swedish air force JAS39 has been flown to Hungary for evaluation by the Hungarian air force. According to Danubian, the agreement means the company ...
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Boeing/MDC talks raise pressure for Airbus rethink
Kevin O'Toole/LONDON Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES REPORTS THAT Boeing and McDonnell Douglas are exploring options for a mega-merger have raised pressure on the Airbus partners to accelerate their own sluggish restructuring efforts. The Boeing-MDC talks came to light in a report in the Wall Street ...
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Taiwan near to Hercules deal
TAIWAN IS CLOSE TO concluding a deal, to purchase the last four available, unsold Lockheed Martin C-130H-30 Hercules transport aircraft. The Republic of China Air Force had originally planned to order an additional four aircraft as part of its 1996 budget. The service already operates 17 ...
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Competitors wait for Pentagon move on tactical air vehicle
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON, DC THE FATE OF the US Tactical Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (TUAV) programme is to be decided on 22 November by Paul Kaminiski, the US Department of Defense's acquisition chief. If he approves a formal request for proposals for an advanced- concept technology-demonstration project, ...