Fixed-wing – Page 1322
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MDC increases earnings
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES INCREASED INCOME from the F-15 and C-17 programmes have helped McDonnell Douglas (MDC) to record operating earnings of $328 million in the first six months of 1995 - a 21% increase over the same period in 1994, when net profits were $272 million. ...
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Good results so far for C-17
McDONNELL DOUGLAS C-17 transports were achieving an overall 98.36% departure reliability rate by the end of two "wartime surge" days, representing the most critical phase of the exhaustive 30-day US Air Force evaluation exercise. After the second "surge" day, the participating fleet of 12 C-17s had notched up ...
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US Navy tests F-14 DFCS
THE US NAVY HAS begun flight-testing a Grumman F-14D equipped with a digital flight-control system (DFCS) designed to prevent flat spins and improve carrier-approach handling qualities. The 1.3h first flight on 14 July demonstrated safe operation of the system in clean and landing configurations, the Navy says. ...
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USAF conducts successful DGPS bomb tests
ROCKWELL GBU-15 glide-bombs modified with global-positioning/inertial-navigation systems (GPS/INS) were dropped from US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16s with a mean accuracy of 5m (16ft), or better, in recent tests using differential GPS (DGPS) to enhance precision guidance. Six bombs were released at altitudes of 24,000-30,000ft and slant ranges ...
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Australian Army officers want to scrap Nomads
A TEAM OF SENIOR Australian Army officers has recommended to defence minister Robert Ray that the Defence Force's 22 Nomad utility aircraft be permanently grounded and disposed of as unfit for military service. The Army has also sought approval to acquire replacement aircraft. Ray is expected to make ...
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BAe to lead Storm Shadow sales drive
Douglas Barrie/LONDON BRITISH AEROSPACE will lead bids to sell a variant of the Matra Apache stand-off missile to Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) as part of a collaborative agreement with the French manufacturer. The two companies have teamed to offer a derivative ...
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South Africa looks at MiG-AT for training
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW RUSSIAN AND South African defence officials have discussed the potential purchase of the MiG-AT advanced jet trainer and the Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum combat aircraft for the South African Air Force (SAAF) during a visit to Moscow. Defence minister Joe Modise met his Russian counterpart, ...
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BAe/IAI link on Indian Sea Harrier upgrade
BRITISH AEROSPACE and Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) are negotiating a joint upgrade proposal for the Indian navy's BAe Sea Harrier FRS.51 - the first time that the two companies have considered collaboration. The firms are creating at least two upgrade options for India. The Indian navy is keen ...
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C-5 To Be Reconfigured
Reflectone has received a $2.7 million US Air Force contract to reconfigure a Lockheed C-5 aerial-refueling past-task trainer to a Lockheed C-130 device for USAF Special Operations Forces, with an improved visual system and instructor station, for delivery in October 1996. Reflectone has also won a FedEx contract to upgrade ...
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Negligence was not proven in Chinook crash
Sir - The letter from Capt Fairchild (Flight International 5-11 July, P69) publicises the report on the Chinook helicopter crash on the Mull of Kintyre on 2 June. The finding of gross negligence, however, was not made by the board of investigation. The board concluded that, although there ...
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German Tornado ECRs head for Bosnia
THE GERMAN AIR FORCE is about to deploy Panavia Tornado Electronic Combat and Reconnaissance (ECR) aircraft to Piacenza air base in Italy, to support UN operations in Bosnia. The aircraft, from Aufkl„rungsgescwhader 51, have been given a mid-grey camouflage scheme in preparation for their use in support of Operation Deny ...
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Apache wins UK helicopter battle
Douglas Barrie/LONDON AFTER A TWO-and-a-half-year battle, the Westland/McDonnell Douglas WAH-64D Apache Longbow has won the British Army's attack-helicopter requirement. The UK Government announced its decision on 13 July. The winner secures a deal worth some £2.5 billion ($4 billion), while the losers - GEC/Bell, with the ...
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UK will abandon LR Trigat project
THE UK MINISTRY of Defence has signalled its intent to abandon the collaborative Long Range (LR) Trigat anti-tank missile programme at the end of the development phase, and writing off the better part of some £220 million ($350 million). The future of the Long Range Trigat was intimately ...
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NASA plans to test forward-looking helicopter radar
NASA WILL flight-test Honeywell's HG9500-based multi-function radar in its Sikorsky UH-60 helicopter testbed in late 1995, to demonstrate the unit's terrain- and obstacle-warning capabilities. The UH-60 Rotorcraft Aircrew Systems Concepts Airborne Laboratory will carry the radar as part of the NASA Ames Research Center's automated nap-of-the Earth (ANOE) ...
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Planar Advance wins first contract for new colour display
US DISPLAY manufacturer Planar Advance has received its first contract for a colour display using field-sequential device (FSD) technology. The contract is for a 75mm monitor to be incorporated into a gunnery and missile simulator being developed by Thomson Training and Simulation France and Alcatel STR Switzerland for the Swiss ...
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Thomson comes back to low-cost market with helicopter trainer
Julian Moxon/PARIS THOMSON TRAINING & Simulation (TTS) has re-entered the low-cost helicopter-trainer market with a fixed-base device primarily aimed at military customers. The device is dedicated to visual flight-rules/instrument flight-rules ab initio training. TTS France military programmes director Emanuel d'Ayguesveves says that it will meet what ...
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Sights on expansion
Israeli company EL-OP is one manufacturer content to remain in the defence market. Arie Egozi/TEL AVIV WHEN THE FIRST photographs from the Offeq 3, Israel's intelligence satellite, were transmitted to the ground in April, the experts were more than surprised. The small, lightweight, satellite offers only a limited ...
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Fighting chance
Despite opposition, there is strong support in the UK for air-combat- tactics training for helicopter pilots. Douglas Barrie/LONDON TRAINING FOR rotary-wing air-combat tactics (ACT) is a contentious issue: some argue that the dangers outweigh the rewards. Those critical of ACT should try explaining their ...
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Lockheed Martin takes on Argentinian service depot
LOCKHEED MARTIN formally assumed management for the former Argentinian Government-run Area De Material Cordoba aircraft factory and maintenance depot on 1 July, as part of its agreement to upgrade 36 McDonnell Douglas A-4M Skyhawks. Eighteen A-4Ms will be upgraded in Cordoba by the new company, LAASA (Lockheed Aircraft ...
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Westland plans to replace Lynx blade-assembly part
Douglas Barrie/LONDON A CRITICAL PART of the Westland Lynx main-rotor- blade assembly is being replaced on a precautionary basis, with the UK manufacturer admitting to being "confused" over the underlying cause of a fatal Lynx accident in September 1994. The loss of a British Army Air ...