Latest Defence Helicopters news – Page 447
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Lockheed urged to hurry C-130J orders
Paul Lewis/WASHINGTON DC Political pressure is mounting on the US Air Force to accelerate its planned purchase of additional new Lockheed Martin C-130J transports by up to four years to fill a shortfall in orders after 2000 and a threatened temporary shutdown in production. Lockheed Martin has existing ...
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P-3 sustainment study may turn into MMA
Lockheed Martin, a Raytheon Systems/Bombardier Services team, and possibly Boeing have submitted bids for the US Navy's P-3C Service Life Assessment Programme (SLAP) that would lead to major airframe modifications designed to keep the Orion aircraft flying until 2015, when the Multimission Maritime Aircraft (MMA) is expected to enter service. ...
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Airborne warning S-2 is offered to Brazil navy
Embraer and Marsh Aviation have submitted a proposal to the Brazilian navy to produce S-2F3T/E-1T Turbo Trackers to meet the service's airborne early warning (AEW) requirement. The "informal" proposal, made in November, covers the conversion of former US Navy E-1s rather than ex-Brazilian air force S-2s. "We'd rather use ...
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Stretching out in the Enstrom 480 Turbine
Peter Gray/SHOREHAM The Enstrom 480 Turbine is a classic example of how a good original design can be adapted and modified for the demanding modern operating environment. It is also remarkably flexible for its size. At its maximum capacity, one passenger occupies the front right-hand seat next to ...
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US Air Force accelerates plans for networked simulators
The US Air Force is pushing ahead with plans to acquire networked aircraft simulators under innovative "fee forservice" contracts. Air Combat Command commander Gen Richard Hawley says the Distributed Mission Training (DMT) initiative is key to plans to reorganise the USAF into 10 "expeditionary aerospace forces [EAFs]". The EAF ...
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Germany still uncertain over FLA
The German defence ministry says it will continue to "examine every option" for the purchase of a future military transport aircraft, despite a report from DaimlerChrysler Aerospace (Dasa) rejecting the Antonov An-70 as the basis for the project. The ministry says industry replies to a request for proposals (RFP) ...
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V-22's gun system comes under review
Bell-Boeing is rethinking the requirement for a nose-mounted turreted gun system for the V-22 Osprey military tiltrotor, should funding be restored for installation of the weapon. The gun issue is part of a V-22 study addressing the integration of a radar, forward looking infrared device, refuelling probe and gun-feed/ammunition ...
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Training trends
Graham Warwick/WASHINGTON DCChanges in the military flight simulation industry in recent years have been as much about the way it does business as the technology it uses. Customers are increasingly viewing training as something that is paid for when needed, rather than requiring up-front investment.Whether it is called fee-for-service, "private ...
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Turkey's $3bn helicopter buy held up by flight test delays
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Delays in completing flight demonstrations have held up a decision on Turkey's $3 billion project to procure 145 attack helicopters. A shortlist of two or three finalists is not expected until early next year. The final contract award is now expected to be concluded in June or ...
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BAe backs Australian EF2000 development push
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA British Aerospace has unveiled in Australia plans for the relocation of major software development activities linked to the Eurofighter EF2000 Typhoon as part of the creation of a new Military Aircraft Systems group to be based in Melbourne, Victoria. The company is attempting to sell the ...
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Eurocopter/Daewoo eye follow-on KLH order
Eurocopter and partner Daewoo are pushing for a follow-on contract to the order for 12 BO105CBS-5 helicopters to meet the South Korean army's scout helicopter requirement. The Korean Light Helicopter (KLH) programme started in 1990 with a requirement for 100 aircraft, but has been whittled down over the years ...
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Teams queue as South Korea rekindles early warning plans
Paul Lewis/SEOUL South Korea's stalled E-X airborne early warning (AEW) programme is attracting renewed international interest, with Boeing/Northrop Grumman seeking US Government approval to offer the 737/MESA, while Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) and Raytheon have broadened their teaming agreement to propose the Airbus A310/Elta Phalcon. South Korea has ...
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Marconi tests Diamond Back wing kit on Boeing munitions
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC Marconi Electronic Systems' Diamond Back wing kit is to be flight tested on the Boeing Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) and the Boeing Small Smart Bomb (SSB) within the next two years, in a bid to extend the range of a new family of smart bombs. ...
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Russian air force calls for fresh injection of attack capability
Alexander Velovich/MOSCOW Russia needs to bolster its ground attack and strike capability by modernising existing designs as well as introducing new air-to-ground weapons and aircraft, according to Russian air force commander in chief Col Gen Anatoly Kornukov. "Efficient aviation support is a key factor for success for the ...
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Ion cruiser
Tim Furniss/LONDON NASA's Deep Space 1 (DS1) spacecraft is being propelled to its rendezvous with an asteroid by an ion propulsion system, the first use of such a system in the history of interplanetary exploration. The DS1, which was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 24 October, is the first ...
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Embraer gears up for the massive regionsl jet production boost
Guy Norris/Palm Springs Embraer plans to deliver more than 470 RJ-135/145s over the next five years as it rushes to boost regional jet production to 12 a month by May 2000. The company, however, is still not convinced that it wants to enter the 70-seater market. The Brazilian manufacturer revealed ...
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US Air Force looks at UK refuelling alternative
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC The US Air Force may retrofit a wing-mounted hose-and-drogue aerial refuelling system, made by UK-based Flight Refuelling, on its 24 Lockheed Martin MC-130H Combat Talon II special operations aircraft. The US Department of Defense (DoD) says US special operations aviation forces do not have enough ...
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Delta II sends NASA's first New Millennium craft into space
Tim Furniss/LONDON A Boeing Delta II booster launched NASA's $152 million Deep Space 1 (DS1) technology demonstrator spacecraft from Pad 17 at Cape Canaveral, Florida, on 24 October. The DS1 is flying the first NASA New Millennium "faster, better, cheaper" technology development and demonstration mission. The Spectrum Astro-built DS1 ...
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Comanche radar decision due soon from US Army
Ramon Lopez/WASHINGTON DC The US Army will decide within two months whether to pursue alternative fire control radar solutions for the Boeing Sikorsky RAH-66 Comanche armed reconnaissance/attack helicopter, says programme manager Brig Gen Joe Bergantz. It had been assumed that a smaller version of the Northrop Grumman/Lockheed Martin ...
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New Zealand launches P-3 Sirius
Peter La Franchi/CANBERRA The New Zealand Ministry of Defence has released an invitation to register (ITR) for the Project Sirius tactical sensor suite upgrade for its six Lockheed P-3K maritime patrol aircraft, aimed at extending the P-3's life by at least 20 years. The ITR is expected to be followed ...