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DOHA, Qatar: Boeing and the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) celebrated Qatar's deployment of C-17 Globemaster III airlifters during an Air Force Day ceremony held March 10 at Doha International Airport. "When the Qatar Emiri Air Force acquired two C-17s last year, we did so with every intention of supporting international disaster-relief and humanitarian missions around [...]

Qatar C-17s Support Disaster-Relief and Humanitarian Missions is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

WASHINGTON: The Defense Department will require a shift to a fixed-price contract in its negotiations with Lockheed Martin for the initial production phase of the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, a defense official said here today in a briefing at the Pentagon. The department also will conduct an internal analysis of what the full production [...]

Official Announces Plans to Curb Fighter Program’s Cost is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

Yesterday's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) hearing, requested by Senator John McCain (R-AZ), revealed that the program is at risk of not delivering the promised number of aircraft, in part because the costs of the program have risen approximately 50 percent (i.e. possibly over twice as much in 2002-dollars as the Pentagon expected). But even these [...]

Are Taxpayers Paying for Independent Cost Analysis to Be Ignored? is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

The flight test program with Gripen NG Demonstrator continues according to plan at the Saab facilities in Linkoping. The latest flight, number 117 since the flight test program started, was flown today. We are now testing all the tactical systems, such as the AESA radar and the new communications system. The test program is very extensive, [...]

Gripen NG Demonstrator Flight Tests in Progress is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

SAMLESBURY, United Kingdom --- Manufacturing work has started on the first F-35 Lightning II aircraft that will be delivered to the UK Ministry of Defence. Quentin Davies, UK Minister of Defence Equipment and Support, marked the occasion by signing the F-35 frame before it was loaded into the assembly jig at the BAE Systems site [...]

Production Starts on First UK F35 Lightning II Aircraft is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

The Nimrod MRA4 has made significant steps forward with the UK Ministry of Defence formally accepting the aircraft and declaring it 'ready to train'. This declaration follows the type acceptance of the MRA4 which allows the delivery of production aircraft and the start of aircrew training, and the handover of the first production aircraft, designated PA04, [...]

Nimrod MRA4 Declared Ready to Train is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

CARACAS: Venezuela's Air Force received Saturday the first six of an order for 18 K-8 Karakorum trainer or light attack planes from China, along with control systems to maintain the aircraft. "Because we are going to transform Venezuela into an economic, social, moral and technological power, we require the ability to defend (ourselves)," President Hugo Chavez [...]

Chinese warplanes arrive in Venezuela is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

New Delhi: Russia and India have signed a $1.5-billion contract on the supplies of 29 more MiG-29K carrier-based fighter jets to New Delhi, the head of the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG said on Friday. "An agreement on supplying an additional set of MiG-29K fighter jets has been signed, the start of supplies is scheduled for 2012," [...]

Russia signs $1.5-bln fighter jet contract with India is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

SOUTHWEST ASIA: The recently released request for proposals for the Air Force's next-generation tanker aircraft was fair, the Defense secretary said here March 11, and he expressed disappointment that Northrop-Grumman has withdrawn from the competition for the $35 billion contract. Secretary Robert M. Gates also talked about military retention and the proper mix of military members, [...]

Defense Secretary Comments on Tanker Competition, Other Issues is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

WASHINGTON: Contracting for the F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter, touted as the future backbone of U.S. air superiority, must be brought in line with budget realities to make the aircraft affordable again, a defense official said today. Key manufacturing and testing milestones are expected for the fighter between now and 2011, Ashton B. Carter, undersecretary [...]

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Faces Critical Period is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

MCCONNELL AIR FORCE BASE, Kan: The first KC-135R Stratotanker F108-100 engine delivered to the Air Force 26 years ago in the United States made its last flight March 1here. When KC1-35R tanker engines were originally purchased from CFM International, it marked the first time in history military officials bought a commercial engine for its aircraft. Upon [...]

Maintainers remove 26-year-old engine is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

New Delhi: India and Russia have agreed in general on shared responsibility for the joint development of the fifth-generation fighter, the chairman of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said. Moscow and New Delhi are expected to sign a contract on the joint development of the new fighter in the near future, focusing on the design concept [...]

India, Russia agree details of joint 5G-fighter project is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill: Northrop Grumman Corporation today announced it successfully demonstrated its LITENING advanced targeting capabilities on the U.S. Navy's premier fighter/attack aircraft, the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, marking the eighth U.S. combat aircraft to fly the advanced targeting system. "During the 1.5 hour flight conducted at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division, China Lake, Calif., [...]

LITENING Targeting System Demo on US Navy F/A-18E/F is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY, Colo: Four junior and 20 sophomore U.S. Air Force Academy cadets received the first unmanned aerial systems-remotely piloted aircraft wings awarded in the school's 55-year history during a function at the Dean's Heritage House Feb. 25, here. Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, the Academy superintendent and Brig. Gen. Dana Born, the [...]

USAF Academy Graduates First UAV ‘Pilots’ is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

The newly delivered IRIS-T air-to-air missile was shown to the public for the first time at the South African Air Force’s 90th anniversary parade held at AFB Swartkop, Pretoria. In 2008 the SAAF selected the IRIS-T as an interim short range air-to-air missile. It will ultimately be replaced by the indigenously designed and produced A-Darter, which [...]

South African Air Force Unveils New IRIS-T Missile is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

A new Russian-Indian military transport plane could make its maiden flight by 2018, the head of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) said. New Delhi: Russia and India signed an intergovernmental agreement on the joint development of a multi-role transport aircraft (MTA) in 2007. The cost of the $600-mln project is being equally shared by the two [...]

Russia-India military transport plane could be ready by 2018 is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz.: Members of the 56th Civil Engineer Squadron here are exploring ways to reduce the multi million dollar electric bill and go 'green' with plans to build one of the largest solar arrays in the Air Force by December 2011 at Luke Air Force Base. 2nd Lt. Christopher Warshaw, the 56th [...]

Solar array to ‘dim’ Luke AFB electric bill is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan: Airmen in the 4th Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron are "looking for trouble," using the MC-12W Liberty to bring tactical intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance, or ISR, to ground commanders in Afghanistan. "We bring a unique capability to the fight," said Lt. Col. Rob Weaver, 4th ERS director of operations, deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, [...]

MC-12W Liberty Airmen Watch Over Afghanistan is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

Airbus Military's first A400M arrived today in Toulouse, France, where the multi-role airlifter will continue its flight test program. Touching down at Toulouse-Blagnac Airport following an evaluation flight performed in the Seville region of Spain, the aircraft was welcomed by Airbus Military head Domingo Urena-Raso. This new-generation transport is built by Airbus Military in Seville, where the [...]

A400M Comes to France, Flight Tests Continue is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons

AgustaWestland, a Finmeccanica company, is pleased to announce that a contract has been signed by the Government of India for the acquisition of twelve AW101 helicopters that will perform government transport duties. The contract, valued at around EUR 560 million, includes an extensive five-year logistic support service and initial aircrew and technician training. Over 180 AW101 [...]

India Orders 12 AW101 Helicopters is a post from: DefenceTalk | Defense & Military News - Forums - Pictures - Weapons