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    Facebook Contest
    Erik
    By Erik,
    Have you added CombatACE to your Facebook?   We're giving away a file subscription each week to a random person signed up to our Facebook page.   If you haven't already done so, add us.   <a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/CombatACE/108447789190660" target="_TOP" title="CombatACE"><img src="http://badge.facebook.com/badge/108447789190660.756.2093546578.png" width="120" height="174" style="border: 0px;" /></a>   Winners announced Saturday mornings.

    Russia's Mission Control set to readjust ISS orbit
    Erik
    By Erik,
      Russia's Mission Control set to readjust ISS orbit The thrusters will be turned on for 526 seconds and move the ISS to a new orbit at a distance of 356 km (221 miles) from Earth.   RIA Novosti   The orbit of the International Space Station (ISS) will be raised on Wednesday by about 2 kilometers (1.2 miles), Russia's Mission Control official said.   "The aim of this operation is to ensure optimal conditions for the return of [three] astronauts [to Earth] on board the Soyuz TMA-18 spacecraft on September 24, and for the docking with a new manned Soyuz TMA-01M spacecraft, which is scheduled for launch on October 8," the official said.   The readjustment will be carried out with the help of eight thrusters of the Progress M-07M space freighter, which is currently docked with the station's Zvezda module.   The thrusters will be turned on for 526 seconds and move the ISS to a new orbit at a distance of 356 km (221 miles) from Earth, the source said.   Corrections to the space station's orbit are conducted periodically before launches of Russian spacecraft and U.S. shuttles to compensate for Earth's gravity and to safeguard successful dockings.   MOSCOW, September 15         RIA Novosti

    Indonesia confirms plans to buy six more Su fighters from Russia
    Erik
    By Erik,
      Indonesia confirms plans to buy six more Su fighters from Russia   RIA Novosti -- by Maya Mashatina -- 07:57 17/09/2010   Indonesia's Air Force chief of staff Marshal Imam Sufaat said on Friday his country planned to buy six more Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia, the Jakarta Post reported. He said the purchase would be on the Defense Ministry's long-term agenda, but was not sure when the plan would be implemented.   "The existing squadron of Sukhois remains insufficient to give a deterrent effect given our vast territory," Imam told the Antara news agency.   He said the proposal was already approved by the country's president, President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono.   Indonesia bought three Russian fighter jets in 2003. The $300 million contract signed in August 2007 stipulated the delivery of six Su-30MK fighter planes. Three aircraft were delivered in February 2009, another two were handed over to Indonesia on September 10, and one was taken to Indonesia on Thursday.   JAKARTA, September 17     Image: The $300 million contract signed in August 2007 stipulated the delivery of six Su-30MK fighter planes.   Ria Novosti    

    Fruit picker jailed for shining laser pen into RAF fighter pilot's eyes
    Erik
    By Erik,
      Fruit picker jailed for shining laser pen into RAF fighter pilot's eyes RAF Leuchars Tornado jet was flying over Fife when the migrant worker directed the laser at the cockpit.   STV - 16 September 2010 12:52 GMT   A Romanian fruit picker who admitted endangering an RAF fighter jet by shining a laser into the pilot's eyes was jailed for four months.   The RAF Leuchars Tornado jet was flying low over Fife when the migrant worker shined a green laser beam into the cockpit.   On one occasion, when the cockpit had a green glow inside, the pilot was almost at stall speed and required high concentration for his task.   Romanian Radu Moldovan, 28,was jailed for four months at Cupar sheriff court.   Moldovan, a works supervisor at Cairnie Fruit Farm, near Cupar, Fife, had admitted that he culpably and recklessly endangered the safety of an aircraft by directing a laser device into the cockpit of a military aircraft.   In sentencing the migrant worker, Sheriff Charles Macnair told him that the UK courts "cannot tolerate such abuses".   The sheriff said: "The use of laser pens is soaring. Happily, to date, there has never been a crash caused by a laser pen but that seems to be as a result of luck rather than anything else.   "Distracting the attention of any pilot, in particular a pilot flying a fast jet, is an accident waiting to happen.   "The consequences of a Tornado crashing at or near Leuchars air base raises the most horrific prospect of death and injury to the pilot, the navigator, and anyone else who happens to be under the aircraft when it comes down.   "In my view, it must be made abundantly clear to anyone who uses or is tempted to use or misuse a laser pen of this sort, the courts of the United Kingdom will not tolerate such abuses."   He added: "I take into account your personal circumstances and that you have been of good behaviour and that you are generally living a useful life.   "But in your case I consider that there is no alternative to a custodial sentence."   Depute fiscal Laura Wright earlier told the court the Tornado had been heading towards Leuchars at around 9.40pm on Monday, August 16.   The pilot and navigator had been directed to a precision radar approach with the intention of overshooting the runway.   But as they prepared for the action, the pilot told his navigator that a laser light had been shone at the jet, and the light had penetrated the canopy.   It appeared the light had originated from the ground, and the crew contacted air traffic control to alert them to the situation.   At that point, the depute fiscal said, the plane had been five miles from the runway at a height of 1,200-feet and had overshot as planned.   The pilot had then been directed to conduct another approach and as he flew towards Cupar, he was again distracted by the laser beam entering his field of vision.   On this occasion, there was a flickering effect as though an attempt was being made to adjust the laser towards the Tornado.   The navigator had on this occasion been able to identify the source, and had marked its coordinates using the Tornado's on-board navigation system.   As the plane was positioning, it was again hit by the green beam of light but the pilot continued and landed the aircraft successfully.   The depute fiscal said that the coordinates had been passed to Fife Constabulary to investigate.   Officers visited Cairnie Fruit Farm and Moldovan admitted that he had tried to hit the underside of the plane when it passed.   His solicitor Hilary Eldridge said that her client had bought the laser on eBay for £4 and had not intended to cause any danger.   She said: "Mr Moldovan is a law-abiding, hardworking citizen with no previous convictions who came to this country to better and improve the life of himself and his family.   "He had been attending a BBQ at the fields outside and he tried to see whether the pen was powerful enough to reach the plane. He did this on two occasions, with no comprehension of the potential dangers it posed to the crew on board."       Image Credit: Jail term: Radu Moldovan sentenced for laser pen crime Pic: © Alan Richardson     STV

    Boeing Wins DARPA Vulture II Program
    Erik
    By Erik,
      Boeing Wins DARPA Vulture II Program   Boeing - by Chris Haddox Boeing Phantom Works   ST. LOUIS, Sept. 16, 2010 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] on Sept. 14 signed an agreement with the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) to develop and fly the SolarEagle unmanned aircraft for the Vulture II demonstration program. Under the terms of the $89 million contract, SolarEagle will make its first demonstration flight in 2014.   "SolarEagle is a uniquely configured, large unmanned aircraft designed to eventually remain on station at stratospheric altitudes for at least five years," said Pat O'Neil, Boeing Phantom Works program manager for Vulture II. "That's a daunting task, but Boeing has a highly reliable solar-electric design that will meet the challenge in order to perform persistent communications, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions from altitudes above 60,000 feet."   Under the Vulture II agreement, Boeing will develop a full-scale flight demonstrator, including maturation of the critical power system and structures technologies. Key suppliers for the program include Versa Power Systems and QinetiQ.   During testing, the SolarEagle demonstrator will remain in the upper atmosphere for 30 days, harvesting solar energy during the day that will be stored in fuel cells and used to provide power through the night. The aircraft will have highly efficient electric motors and propellers and a high-aspect-ratio, 400-foot wing for increased solar power and aerodynamic performance.   SolarEagle is one of Phantom Works' rapid prototyping efforts, which also include Phantom Ray, a fighter-sized, unmanned, advanced technology demonstrator scheduled to make its first flight in early 2011, and the hydrogen-powered Phantom Eye demonstrator, a High Altitude Long Endurance aircraft designed to stay aloft for up to four days, also scheduled to make its first flight in 2011.   A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $34 billion business with 68,000 employees worldwide.         Boeing          

    Four Russian strategic bombers complete patrol in Far East
    Erik
    By Erik,
      Four Russian strategic bombers complete patrol in Far East   RIA Novosti - by Ivan Rudnev -- 18:23 16/09/2010   Four Russian Tu-95MS Bear H strategic bombers have successfully completed an air-patrol mission in Russia's Far East, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Thursday. The mission, spanning neutral water areas in the Sea of Japan, the Pacific and the Arctic Ocean, lasted around 14 hours, Vladimir Drik said.   He did not specify whether the planes flew in formation or separately.   The mission included midair refueling and flying over featureless terrain where the pilots were completely reliant on the planes' instruments.   MOSCOW, September 16           RIA Novosti

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