The 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio, an Ohio National Guard unit, will be the first unit to convert to C-27J Spartan operations. Image: United States AirForce   Ohio Guard unit is first to switch to C-27J   By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer   The Air Force’s adoption of the C-27J Spartan cargo plane reaches a milestone Saturday when the 179th Airlift Wing in Mansfield, Ohio, becomes the first unit to convert to C-27J operations.   The 179th, part of the Ohio National Guard, had f

More U.S. Helicopters Arrive in Pakistan to Support Flood Relief   Two U.S. Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopters arrived in Pakistan today as part of the continued U.S. humanitarian assistance to Pakistan in support of flood relief from the monsoon floods. The two aircraft are part of the contingent of 19 helicopters urgently ordered to Pakistan on Wednesday by U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert Gates. The incoming aircraft flew into Pakistan today from aboard the USS Peleliu, which is posit

French warships for Russia to be armed with Ka-52 helicopters   14/08/2010 RIA Novosti Anton Denisov   Mistral-class helicopter carriers, which Russia plans to buy from France, will be armed with Russian Ka-52 Alligator helicopters, Air Force Commander Colonel General Alexander Zelin told the Ekho Moskvy FM station on Saturday.   He emphasized that the Ka-52 Alligator helicopters are very advanced and are equal to best foreign models.   The Ka-52 is armed with 30-mm cannon, Vikhr

New to the data collection effort this year is the Global Hawk, a high-altitude, jet-powered unmanned surveillance drone about the size of a corporate jet. AP FILE   Government to use drones to study how hurricanes intensify By TONY WINTON Associated Press   The U.S. government is preparing to launch a study to solve one of the most vexing questions about hurricanes: Why do some storm systems rapidly intensify into destructive cyclones, while most remain weak?   Starting

Russian air force completing MiG-31BM modernization program   13/08/2010 RIA Novosti. Skrynnikov   The Russian air force is completing a modification program for its MiG-31 interceptor aircraft to the MiG-31BM standard, the force's commander Col.Gen. Alexander Zelin said on Friday.   "The air force is currently carrying out the vital task of deep modification of the MiG-31 aircraft to MiG-31BM standard. This task is being successfully carried out," he said.   The MiG-31BM is fitte

Indra’s Electronic Defense Systems for Italian U212 Submarines   By Indra on August 13, 2010   Indra will implement its electronic defence systems in two new U212 submarines to be acquired by the Italian Navy after signing an agreement with Fincantieri - Cantieri Navali Italiani.   The system will allow this traditional submarine, which is one of the most noiseless and hard to detect, to notice any active radar within a certain range. The analysis capacity of the system enables detectio