Erik

Your account is fixed. Subscriptions happen immediately unless you're part of a protected group like "Military Veteran" then I have to hand do them. When we upgraded the forum software last some things were broke one of the things is permissions and masks where secondary masks are used and giving them the proper permissions. It's a complicated mess but the solution is on its way and until then it's a manual process for protected groups only. All other members upgrade instantly with no problems. E

Hose falls from Marine plane onto home No one injured in incident at San Diego air show At the Miramar Air Show held last weekend in the San Diego area an air refueling hose from a KC-130J fell to a rooftop with no reported injuries. WIVB posted this about the incident. "SAN DIEGO (AP) - A 75-foot refueling hose fell from a large cargo plane that was part of an air show Saturday and landed on a house in a San Diego County neighborhood, according to military officials. No one was injured. Investigators were trying to determine how the heavy-duty retractable rubber hose became detached from a C-130J Hercules, Maj. Jay Delarosa of Marine Corps Air Station Miramar said. The house in Carmel Mountain just north of the Marine base sustained roof damage. Retired navy nurse Cashmere Monroe was in the garage when the hose hit her home, and her 14-year-old daughter was in the house. "When I heard the noise, I thought the garage door had hit something," Monroe told the San Diego Union-Tribune. Monroe went inside and a neighbor knocked on her door and told her to look at the roof. She told the newspaper she immediately smelled fuel fumes when she opened the door. Fire officials evacuated both Monroe's house and a neighbor's house. There was likely a small amount of jet fuel in the hose, according to Delarosa. The San Diego Fire-Rescue Department said no fires were reported. Hazardous material crews and Marine Corps recovery teams were at the suburban home about 20 miles north of downtown San Diego early Saturday afternoon. Fire officials estimated the damage at $10,000. Delarosa didn't know if the four-engine C-130J was in the process of refueling another aircraft when the hose fell. The mishap occurred as the annual Miramar Air Show attracted tens of thousands of people to the Miramar base. The incident did not affect the air show, Delarosa said. The C-130J is a four-engine turboprop aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin. The transport planes are a military workhorse used around the world for more than 50 years, although the Marines fly newer versions of them." The full article can be viewed here: WIVB

Israel to buy 20 F-35 fighter jets in deal with US Defence Talk — By Agence France-Presse on October 8, 2010 WASHINGTON: Israel has signed a contract with the United States to buy 20 F-35 fighter jets, officials said after Washington offered "incentives" for the Jewish state to help sputtering peace talks. The sale of the US-made Joint Strike Fighter will arm Israel with a more sophisticated combat aircraft than any nation in the Middle East, amid rising tensions with Iran and after a major US arms sale to Saudi Arabia. "The most advanced fighter jet in the world today, the F-35 will enhance Israel?s ability to defend itself, by itself, against any threat or combination of threats, from anywhere within the Middle East," Michael Oren, Israel?s ambassador to the United States, said in a statement. Oren called the contract "an event of great strategic and historic significance" and that it would serve the common interests of the United States and Israel. It was unclear whether the sale, reportedly valued at 2.75 billion dollars, was intended as an inducement to Israel to extend a freeze on settlements to keep the Palestinians in peace talks, or whether Israel agreed to such a trade off. But Oren earlier told the Washington Post that the US administration had come up with "a number of suggestions, incentives if you would, to the Israelis that would enable the government to maybe pass a limited extension of two or three months." The White House last week denied reports that Obama had sent a letter to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offering Israel diplomatic, military and security incentives in exchange for a 60-day extension of the moratorium. The F-35 agreement was signed on Thursday in New York, with US Air Force officials and Israeli defense officials attending. "This agreement is for Israel's first operational squadron and the aircraft are scheduled to be built between 2015 and 2017," a US Air Force official said on condition of anonymity. "This agreement is part of the United States commitment to ensure that Israel has the most advanced weapons for its national defense." Each F-35 jet costs about 100 million dollars, and Oren said the deal illustrated how his country's purchase of US arms generated "thousands of more jobs, both here and Israel." Israel spends an estimated 2.25 billion dollars on US defense contracts, he said. The announcement came less than a month after Washington unveiled plans to sell Saudi Arabia 60 billion dollars' worth of weapons and hardware, including 84 F-15 fighters. The F-15s are less advanced than the new F-35 aircraft, which are still under development. US officials had described the vast arms sale to the Saudis as a counter to the threat posed by Iran, citing Tehran's missile arsenal and its disputed nuclear program. Israeli and US officials have refused to rule out possible military action to stop Iran from securing nuclear weapons. Tehran has denied it is pursuing a clandestine drive to build atomic weapons. Manufactured by aerospace giant Lockheed Martin and its partners, the F-35 is billed as a "fifth-generation" fighter for the United States and its allies, with stealth technology that would allow it to dominate other planes in air-to-air combat while also backing up ground forces. Defence Talk

Brazil says Project F-X2 Will Resume in November Defence Talk — By Brazilian Ministry of Defence on October 8, 2010 BRASILIA: Defense Minister Nelson Jobim predicted that the process of choosing a vendor for the new fighter of the Brazilian Air Force (F-X2 program) will be resumed in November, after the conclusion of the presidential elections. According to Jobim, the President expressed his interest in discussing the case with his successor. This information was given by the minister at a press conference after the opening of a symposium on the Modernization of the Armed Forces, sponsored by the Federation of Industries of São Paulo (FIESP). Jobim reiterated that no decision had yet been taken, and said that the recommendation that the Defense Ministry will submit to the President will give priority to the transfer of technology by the vendor, and that this transfer must be guaranteed by the government of the vendor’s country of origin. "What we want is national capacity, we do not (just) want a plane," he argued. The choice of supplier will open a new phase of contract negotiations to define commercial and financial aspects, which can take several months. In the case of submarines, negotiations took nearly a year after the supplier was selected. The first units of the new fighter aircraft will arrive in Brazil in 2016, according to the Air Force Commander, Lieutenant General Juniti Saito. Jobim said that plans to equip the armed forces, tailored to meet future needs, are still under development and will have a 20-year horizon. Project F-X2 will be part of this plan, together with Pro-sub (submarine construction), the Guarani armored vehicle, which will replace the Urutrus; the 50 transport helicopters being built in Helibras, and the KC-390 military cargo aircraft being developed by Embraer. Also included are the Integrated Border Monitoring (SISFRON) and the Blue Amazon Management System (SisGAAz), both based on satellites. The minister explained that there are no defined budgets for the plan. "The number is the result of requirements," he said, pointing out that there are several ways that may supplement budget revenues: premium collection from banks that pay military salaries, and revenue from a property fund controlling non-operational real estate assets of the armed forces, among others. Jobim mentioned the KC-390 project to businessmen in the audience as a paradigm to be followed: it occupies a niche in the international market because it could replace the Hercules around the world that will retire in coming years, and it has foreign partners for its production. Agreements for production have already been concluded with Chile, Colombia, Portugal and the Czech Republic. Defence Talk

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CombatACE Facebook Contest Winner Week 3 - Matthew Mckee The Randomizer selected #73 this week and on our Facebook list that is Matthew Mckee. Congratulations! Week 1 - Ivan Adamek Week 2 - Shaun Griffies Matthew post on your/our Facebook page what your CA username is, then send us a PM here so we know you posted. Once we have that information we'll get your free download subscription added to your account. See you again next week for our latest winner. If you haven't added us to your Facebook likes we can't draw your number.

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Stuxnet in China The Diplomat -- October 4, 2010 A computer worm that has been dubbed by some analysts the world’s first cyber super weapon has reportedly made its way to China. Stuxnet, which was first discovered in June this year and is reportedly the first worm known to have been used to target critical infrastructure, is said to have already infected millions of personal computers in China. The worm gained worldwide notoriety last month when international media began reporting that it had made its way into Iran’s industrial complexes, including nuclear facilities, prompting speculation that it was being used as a weapon by Israel or the United States to cripple the country’s nuclear programme. Stuxnet is said to be different from previous malware in two ways. First and untypically, it’s delivered through a USB port, meaning systems don’t have to be connected to the Internet to become infected. But perhaps more interestingly—and uniquely—it seizes control of a targeted facility’s supervisory control and data acquisition system (SCDA) and is therefore able to disable it. Now, official Chinese media is reporting that the worm has already infected 6 million PCs and about 1000 corporate computers. The official Xinhua News Agency on Friday quoted Wang Zhantao, an engineer at the Beijing-based Rising International Software Co. Ltd., as saying that Stuxnet ‘can break into computers and steal private information, especially from industrial firms, sending it back to a server in the United States.’ He’s also quoted as saying that the virus exploited a bug in Siemens auto-control systems used in industrial manufacturing to skip the security check. ‘Hackers may take control of a company's machinery run under computers infected by Stuxnet, and give dangerous orders causing serious damage,’ he’s reported as saying. So, did the attack really originate in the United States, as has been stated in some reports? I asked Marcus Sachs, executive director for National Security and Cyber Policy at Verizon in Washington, D.C. and a former member of the White House Office of Cyberspace Security, how easy attribution of such attacks is. ‘Attribution in cyberspace is always very hard. There are too many ways to be anonymous and too many ways to spoof another person or system,’ he told me. ‘The basic protocols of the Internet don’t allow for positive attribution, which is great for free speech, but makes things hard for law enforcement.’ Sachs, who is also director of the SANS Internet Storm Center, said much of the talk about Stuxnet being a cyber super weapon is hyperbole, but admitted that the malware is complicated and will pose China and others problems. ‘It will be interesting to see how they respond, and how transparent they are in reporting on it,’ he said. ‘What's different for them is being able to publicly discuss the impact of these tools on their systems and what they are doing to mitigate it. Here in the USA anybody can blog, speak, or publish whatever they please. That doesn't mean that what comes from us is truthful. But it's definitely hard to figure out what to believe in terms of statements coming from China.’ The issues of who is responsible for Stuxnet and why China may have been targeted also raise the interesting question of whether China itself is capable of such an attack. There’s periodic speculation in the media about Chinese cyber capabilities and how involved the government is in any attacks that take place on foreign entities, be they governments or companies. This year alone has seen numerous reports on China’s supposed cyber war intentions, including in March, when the Times of London reported NATO and the European Union had issued urgent warnings that intelligence materials needed to be protected from a surge in cyber attacks originating in China. The paper quoted one US analyst of saying that ‘neither the US nor any of its Western allies had formed an effective response to the Chinese threat…The West’s own cyber offensives have so far been directed largely at terrorists rather than nation states, giving China virtually free rein to penetrate Western systems with its own world-class hackers and increasingly popular Chinese-made components.’ I asked Sachs how much evidence there was of a centrally-co-ordinated effort from China. ‘There’s most likely a "formal" government or military coordinated capability, as there is in most developed countries—think about our new Cyber Command,’ he said. ‘But there's also the millions of Chinese citizens online, and a very large population of young, technically educated, and inquisitive users. ‘Most of the threats we see coming from China are not from the government or military, but from hacking groups and clubs, and from organized crime. There's a lot of misconceptions about China and often here in the USA we are quick to make them into the boogie man of cyberspace.’ And, he made sure to point out, it all goes back to the problem of attribution. ‘It's very easy to make it look like an attack is coming from China when the actual human on the keyboard might be sitting in Moscow or Memphis.’ The Diplomat

Ukraine's Antonov aircraft producer to compete for multi-billion U.S. tanker tender RIA Novosti. Grigoriy Sisoev -- 04/10/2010 Ukraine's state-run Antonov aircraft producer will compete with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing and Europe's EADS in a multi-billion tender to supply almost 180 airborne refueling tankers to the United States Air Force (USAF), Antonov's President and General Designer Dmitry Kiva said on Monday. "We have not managed to officially register our participation, but the terms were prolonged following our request, and we will take part in the tender," Kiva said in Kiev. The tender, with an estimated value between $25 billion and $50 billion, was launched in January 2007. The U.S. Air Force intends to replace its obsolete Boeing KC-135 refueling tankers, which have been in service since the 1950s. EADS and U.S. aerospace and defense firm Northrop Grumman were initially competing in the tender, which was then cancelled and restarted following a protest by rival Boeing in 2008. In July this year, Antonov and aerospace and defense contractor U.S. Aerospace Inc. filed a joint application to participate in the tender. The companies intend to supply up to three aircraft types to the USAF, such as the four-engined Antonov An-124, a twin-engined variant of the aircraft, the Antonov An-122, and the An-112, a twin-engine modification of the Antonov An-70 propfan. KIEV, October 4 RIA Novosti

Saab Receives Order for an Airborne Surveillance System Defence Talk -- By Saab on October 5, 2010 Defence and security company Saab has received an order for an airborne surveillance system. The contract amounts to more than 4.5 billion SEK. The order concerns delivery of the Saab 2000 AEW&C (Airborne Early Warning & Control) system, which comprises of a Saab 2000 aircraft equipped with the advanced Erieye radar system. The contract also includes ground equipment as well as logistics and support services. The surveillance system in combination with the ground equipment provide a detailed picture of a situation which can be used in connection with, for example, border surveillance, rescue operations as well as in combating terrorism and organised crime. "This contract can be seen as a further confirmation of our strong position in the world regarding not only the area of airborne surveillance but in systems integration and data fusion as well, says Håkan Buskhe," CEO, Saab. "This surveillance system will provide the customer with improved solutions for defence and civil security." Saab's Erieye radar system has been well received by the market. The initial system was provided in a Saab 340 aircraft to the Swedish Air Force. The Saab 340 system was also purchased by Thailand and the United Arab Emirates. The radar has been installed in the Embraer 145 as well, which was delivered to Brazil, Mexico and Greece. The latest platform is the Saab 2000 with which the system is being supplied also to Pakistan. Upon customer's request, no further information regarding the customer will be announced. The industry's nature is such that this type of information can not always be published. Defence Talk

Because of the abuse of free email accounts we've removed some of the most widely abused domains. Yahoo, Hotmail, and Gmail were the first to go with the next round to be sometime this month. In this process I'm also identifying accounts that have multiple accounts here, like yours, and combining them. It's probably not a perfect solution but it beats some of the alternatives I've been toying with. Erik

CombatACE Facebook Contest Winner Week 2 - Shaun Griffies The Randomizer selected #138 this week and on our Facebook list that is Shaun Griffies. Congratulations! Week 1 - Ivan Adamek Shaun post on your/our Facebook page what your CA username is, then send us a PM here so we know you posted. Once we have that information we'll get your free download subscription added to your account. See you again next week for our latest winner. If you haven't added us to your Facebook likes we can't draw your number.

Refurbished Dutch F-16s bound for Chilean air force UPI -- 28/09/2010 SANTIAGO, Chile -- Chile is starting to take delivery of Dutch F-16 fighter bombers, that old workhorse of the Cold War years, as part of a deal that will see the Chilean air force making more use of the refurbished jets. This week, 18 of the refurbished F-16s are to be delivered to Chile at the Leeuwarden Air Base in the Netherlands and more are due for transfer to the Latin American country at a later stage. Chilean officials said the final number of F-16s in the air force could total 44 by 2011. The total price tag on the refurbishment, appropriately called the Mid-Life Upgrade, wasn't discussed. Figures in excess of $270 million were mentioned but not confirmed. Other than technological advancement, including change of software and battle-readiness of the aircraft, the F-16s will undergo change of colors and symbols before they land in Chile. The Dutch air force decided to sell the F-16s as surplus to its need. Dutch instructors are training Chilean military personnel, including maintenance engineers on the upkeep of the fighter bombers once they enter the Chilean air force service. Chile pursued the purchase for several years before the initial deal became known in April 2009. Industry analysts said the upgrade of the F-16s bound for Chile was likely to be to standard configuration, which makes them capable of performing all kinds of missions. Whether the upgrade includes the whole range of operating software or some has been withheld isn't known. Analysts said it was unlikely that the full range of U.S. software would be made available for transfer to Chile. Industry sources said the Chilean F-16s could likely be equipped with Israeli Python 4 and Derby missiles. The F-16 entered service in 1979 as a General Dynamics innovation specifically for the U.S. Air Force. In 1993, General Dynamics sold its aircraft manufacturing business to the Lockheed Corp., which in turn became part of Lockheed Martin after a 1995 merger with Martin Marietta. The F-16 "Fighting Falcon" -- nicknamed "Viper" by pilots because of its nose -- was expected to be replaced by a successor in 1999. Due to several reasons, both economic and political, the F-16 wasn't replaced. Instead, in an effort to maintain the same level of operational capabilities and operational effectiveness of existing aircraft over the next 10 to 20 years amid ever increasing technology, the manufacturers put in place an extensive modernization program. It became known as the Mid-Life Update. The Netherlands air force initially bought a total of 213 F-16A/B, one of four European participating air forces and one of five countries to build the F-16 locally. Later the Dutch reduced their inventory to 108 aircraft but upgraded all of them to MLU standard. Some surplus Dutch F-16s were sold to Jordan. UPI

Sukhoi Su-30M2 fighters complete test flights UPI - 28/09/2010 MOSCOW -- Russia's Sukhoi aeronautical firm has completed its factory flight tests for its multi-role double seater Su-30M2 fighters. The tests occurred at the flight test station of the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft production association named after Yuri Gagarin, Itar-Tass reported Tuesday. After receiving certification the Su-30M2 will be posted to units of the Russian air force. Russia's Ministry of Defense signed contracts for four Su-30M2 aircraft at the international aerospace show MAKS-2009. During the air show, the Russian Ministry of Defense also signed contracts for 48 Su-35S fighters and 12 upgraded Su-27SM fighter jets. The Su-30M2 is an upgraded strike aircraft, based on the Su-30 fighter design. The fighter was designed as a single-seat, twin-engine, long-range, air defense fighter to counter the U.S. F-15 Eagle and NATO fighter aircraft. The Su-30 aircraft has proven a valuable export. China has purchased about 72 Su-30MKs, Su-30MKK or J-11s, which are now being delivered. A licensed production joint agreement has also been agreed signed by Russia and China under which 250 Su-30MKKs will be constructed by China's Shenyang Aircraft Corp. UPI

Russian Navy to get fifth generation carrier fighter after 2020 RIA Novosti -- Alexei Druzhinin -- 28/09/2010 The appearance of a fifth generation fighter in Russian naval aviation will not happen before 2020, the outgoing head of the air forces and air defense forces of the Russian Navy, Lt. General Valery Uvarov told RIA Novosti on Tuesday. Previously, representatives of the armed forces command and Defense Ministry had said a new naval fighter based on the Sukhoi T.50 design could enter service around 2016. "It's difficult to say when this aircraft will enter naval service. First it will go into service with the air force, and then be 'navalised.' To build a new aircraft from scratch costs huge money, it's irrational and not competent. Conditions might be suitable by 2020," he said. Uvarov stressed, however, that any new naval fighter would enter service only following a competition in which other designs would participate, including from the MiG, Yakovlev and Sukhoi design bureaus. A new generation carrier fighter should enter service with the fleet not long before any new aircraft carrier on which it would be based, Uvarov said, so pilots would be ready. "The aircraft should come before a ship entering service, so pilots can train first on land, then on a special training area, then on deck," he said. He stressed that the service was still waiting to take delivery of the naval MiG-29K, which is being exported to India. "The first two MiG-29Ks will soon be purchased in order to carry out development of their functions," he said. "I think there should be two squadrons, that is 24 MiG-29Ks and one squadron of Su-33s." The Russian navy is currently reforming its structure, with naval air forces and naval air defense being merged into one branch. Lt. General Uvarov is leaving his post as commander of both branches. MOSCOW September 28, RIA Novosti

Boeing Receives Multi-Year Contract from US Navy for 124 F/A-18 and EA-18 Aircraft Boeing - September 28, 2010 ST. LOUIS -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] has been awarded a new multi-year procurement (MYP) contract from the U.S. Navy for 124 F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft. The new contract is valued at $5.297 billion. Under the terms of the agreement, Boeing will deliver 66 Super Hornets and 58 Growlers to the Navy from 2012 through 2015. "The men and women of Boeing are honored to provide the Super Hornet's advanced, combat-proven multirole capability and the EA-18G's unmatched airborne electronic attack capability to the American warfighters serving their nation around the world each day," said Boeing F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs Vice President Kory Mathews. "Procurement of these 124 aircraft through a multi-year contract takes advantage of the full efficiencies of Boeing’s production and supplier operations, which will generate more than $600 million in cost savings for U.S. taxpayers." The new contract is the third multi-year agreement between Boeing and the Navy for production of the F/A-18E/F, the Navy's frontline strike fighter, which delivers forward-deployed air combat capability around the world from the decks of 11 Navy aircraft carriers, including ongoing missions in Afghanistan. The EA-18G, the United States' newest combat aircraft, conducts advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) missions to support Navy and joint force requirements. The EA-18G is scheduled for its first combat deployment later this year. "Boeing and its Hornet Industry Team suppliers have delivered every Super Hornet and Growler on schedule to the warfighter and on budget for the taxpayer from the first Super Hornet delivery,” said Mathews. “The first two F/A-18E/F multi-year contracts generated more than $1.7 billion in savings for the United States. We look forward to continuing to provide unmatched capability and value through this contract." Boeing delivered 210 Super Hornets to the Navy during the initial F/A-18E/F MYP, which spanned fiscal years 2000 through 2004. Boeing was then awarded a second MYP that included aircraft procurement during fiscal years 2005 through 2009. Aircraft deliveries under that contract continue through 2011 and total 257 aircraft. The Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft, able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 430 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. The Boeing EA-18G Growler is the only air combat platform that delivers full-spectrum AEA capability along with the targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the Navy's frontline fighter, the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. A derivative of the two-seat F/A-18F Block II, the EA-18G's highly flexible design enables warfighters to operate either from the deck of an aircraft carrier or from land-based airfields. It is replacing the Navy's current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. The EA-18G joined the Navy's aircraft fleet in 2008, when it was introduced to fleet training squadron VAQ-129. 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

Boeing Statement on Award of B-52 Modernization Contract Boeing -- 29/09/2010 WICHITA, Kansas -- The Boeing Company today received an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract from the U.S. Air Force for B-52 Stratofortress weapon system modernization. The company released the following statement: "This B-52 modernization contract will include several delivery orders over an eight-year period. The Air Force announced a contract ceiling of $11.9 billion. This is a contracting vehicle that will allow engineering sustaining contracts, studies, production and other activities to occur in support of the B-52. No funds were committed with this contract announcement. We expect our first delivery order to be awarded on Sept. 30." Boeing has been maintaining and modernizing the B-52 bomber for 55 years -- including engineering services and upgrades to communication technology -- allowing the B-52 to remain a relevant weapon system in support of military missions around the world. Boeing

The subscription system isn't very advanced. I apologize for that. Subscriptions can be purchased and renewed. Those are the two options available. By upgrading I meant in comparison to the list I provided above. Sorry for the confusion. Erik

MiG-27 crashes in India, pilot survives RIA Novosti. Sergei Subbotin -- 10:15 24/09/2010 A MiG-27 Flogger ground attack aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has crashed in the country's east, the third crash of a plane of this type in India this year, a spokesman for the Indian Army Eastern Command said. The crash took place at 08:25 am local time (02:25 GMT) some 40 kilometers (25 miles) east of the Kalaikunda air base in West Bengal state. "The pilot managed to eject and is unharmed. The crash did not cause casualties or destruction on the ground," Mahesh Upasani said, adding that investigation into the crash was under way. An MiG-27 aircraft crashed in West Bengal in February near the Hashimara military base, killing the pilot and causing all MiG-27 flights to be suspended for a short period of time. Another MiG-27 plane crashed into a village in the region in July during a routine training flight, killing a local resident and injuring 10 others. The MiG-27 aircraft was originally built in the former Soviet Union in the mid-1970s before it was licensed to be produced in India. India has about 150 MiG-27 planes, known as the Bahadhur (Brave) in the IAF. According to the military, a current upgrade program will keep the MiG-27 operational for another 10 years. NEW DELHI, September 24 RIA Novosti

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Gripens do half of 51 World Cup intercepts DefenceWeb -- Written by Leon Engelbrecht Saturday, 25 September 2010 16:19 The South African Air Force's (SAAF) growing fleet of SAAB Gripen fighters conducted about half the 51 aircraft intercepts conducted during the June/July soccer world cup. The SAAF deployed 11 of the available 15 Gripen during the month-long tournament as well as 12 of 24 BAE Systems Hawk lead-in fighter trainers. Also deployed on interception duties were 12 unarmed Pilatus PC7 Mk II Astra trainers, 14 AgustaWestland A109M and some Eurocopter BK117 light utility helicopters. Air Force director fighters, Brigadier General John Bayne, told a Gripen briefing at the SAAB chalet at Africa Aerospace & Defence 2010 exhibition that ends today that some 347 combat air patrols (CAP) were flown to secure all 64 games. In a similar briefing in August, Major General Les Lombard, the General Officer Commanding te Air Force Command Post said with “that grouping of aircraft we could cater for various threats, be it from paragliders right up to the possibility of hijacked airliners.” Bayne says some 2214 SAAF personnel were deployed for Operation Kgwele as the endeavour was known. Lombard noted it was the “largest air defence operation the SAAF has ever conducted. It was over an extended period of time and all 64 games were secured by air defence assets.” He added that it “is a massive operation securing the airspace of an entire country and you need the close cooperation of all the roleplayers... the Airports Company SA, the Department of Transport's Air Traffic Navigation Service (ATNS) an the police. Lombard noted command-and-control required the establishment of six sector control centres (SCC): South Africa normally only has two. The permanent installations at the Lowveld Airspace Control Sector at Hoedspruit in Mpumalanga and the Bushveld Airspace Control Centre in Pretoria were augmented by two mobile sector control stations from 140 Squadron, deployed to Bloemfontein and Cape Town. “And there our resources came to an end. So with a lot of initiative and hard work from within the SAAF, two temporary sector control stations were created at Port Elizabeth and Durban with great cooperation from ATNS who supported us with facilities and allowed integration into their systems at those venues. “The development of the sectors in a very short time and the close cooperation with the ATNS was really a winner. Then in terms of the sector control centres from where all the military aircraft was controlled, we had very lose coordination with the ATNS with regard to deploying the necessary sensors such as radars to develop an integrated air picture. “We deployed four Tellumat-supported Umlindi radars from 140 Squadron, three tactical mobile radars (TMR) from 142 Squadron and integrated these with our static radars, ATNS and SAAF long range, which allowed us a very good tactical integration...,” Lombard said. “In terms of radar sensor information, the CAF (chief of the air force, Lieutenant General Carlo Gagiano, who spoke before Lombard) alluded to the effectiveness of the Gripen radar, it was really marvellous to see the effectiveness of that and many low flying aircraft were considerably surprised by our ability to detect them in areas where they thought they could fly under radar coverage. The Gripen could pass on the data – via Link ZA – to the SCC so that intercepts could be vectored onto them. This opens up a whole new concept of operations within the SAAF and is something we will pursue down the line. “We also had the ability to integrate the radars of the navy frigates and the SA Army Thutlhwa... ...these obviously are force multipliers … the frigates were just off the coast, to give us the coverage we so badly needed for low flying aircraft [at coastal venues].” In addition, said Lombard, the SA Army deployed 29 observation posts (OP's) at various venues and these were in direct communication with the SCC “in order to supply us with visual input of very low flying aircraft or aircraft with very low radar cross section. The SA Navy supplied five further OP's in the Cape area. Bayne noted that the air defence system recorded detected 65 non-compliant aircraft, including airliners, which led to the 51 intercepts. Nine aircraft were diverted. Police waiting at airfields took unspecified action against 43 pilots. Bayne praised the availability of the SAAF's new fighter fleet, noting that seven Gripen and four Hawk were deployed to AFB Waterkloof to provide CAP over the northern matches (Polokwane, Pretoria, Nelspruit, Johannesburg, Rustenburg, Durban and Bloemfontein) and four of each to AFB Overberg to CAP Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. For this purpose the Gripen were allocated 276 flying hours and the Hawks 279. Bayne says the five two-seat Gripen D were 98% reliable and the six single-seat Gripen C 89%. The Hawk was 98% reliable. At any given time 8.95 of the 11 Gripen were available and 11.6 of the Hawk. Maintainability was 89% for Gripen and 92% for Hawk. Bayne observed that the figures for Gripen would have been higher had it been an operation system. The platform, being acquired under Project Ukhozi, is still in the project phase. DefenceWeb

Tactical Air Defense Services Acquires Option to Purchase Canadian CF-5 Fighter Jets TADS-USA -- 23/09/2010 CARSON CITY, Nev., Sep 23, 2010 (GlobeNewswire via COMTEX) -- Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc., an Aerospace/Defense Services contractor that offers tactical aviation services, aerial refueling, aircraft maintenance, disaster relief services, and other Aerospace/Defense services to the United States and foreign militaries and agencies, is pleased to announce that it is has acquired the exclusive contractual right to purchase six Canadian CF-5 Fighter Jets and related assets (the "CAD Assets") from Crown Asset Distribution, Minister of Public Works and Government Services, Canada. The CAD Assets have a market value of greater than $69 million, and include: -- 6 CF-5 Aircraft -- Spare Parts Lots -- 45 General Electric J85-15 Jet Engines The total cost to TADF to purchase, import and refurbish the CAD Assets, including the acquisition cost of the contractual right to purchase the CAD Assets, is less than $6 million. The CF-5 aircraft is the Canadair licensed version of the American Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter aircraft built primarily for the Canadian Armed Forces. The CF-5 is a low-cost, low-maintenance, and extremely versatile fighter jet that can be used to provide a tactical support role, as a light attack strike fighter and a reconnaissance platform, and for dissimilar air combat training, lead-in tactical fighter training, and in an adversary role, in support of tactical aviation contracts. TADF intends to use the CAD Assets to capture new tactical aviation service contracts and maintenance contracts, with the U.S. Department of Defense and foreign militaries: -- CF-5 Aircraft: -- CF-5 Aircraft: Support existing TADS/Tac-Air tactical aviation service contracts -- Capture new tactical aviation service contracts -- Minimum of 200 hours per aircraft per year -- Hourly rate to government of approximately $7,500 per flight hour -- CF-5 Parts: -- Support TADS CF-5 aircraft for 20 years -- Surplus sold in conjunction with international aircraft maintenance contracts -- Manufacturing template for CF-5 parts supply business to ensure ongoing supply -- CF-5 Engines: -- Support TADS CF-5 aircraft for 20 years -- Surplus sold either as whole units or in parts TADF is currently pursuing a collateralized loan of $6 million secured by the CAD Assets with an over-collateralization ratio of greater than ten times. TADF believes but cannot guarantee that it will receive the funds necessary to purchase all of the CAD Assets. Alexis C. Korybut, Chief Executive Officer of TADF, stated, "We are very pleased that after more than a year of working on this very important transaction, we have finally accomplished what may prove to be a watershed event for TADF. The acquisition of the CF-5 Fighter Jets will enable TADF to bid on larger and more profitable tactical aviation contracts and aircraft maintenance contracts, and the sale of surplus spare parts and engines may provide a significant source of income to TADF for years to come, in addition to materially increasing the assets on our balance sheet." Make sure you are first to receive timely information on Tactical Air Defense Services when it hits the newswire. Sign up for TADF's email news alert system today at: http://ir.stockpr.co...sa/email-alerts Further information about TADS is available on our website: www.tads-usa.com. Forward Looking Statement Disclosure This release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Act of 1934 that are based upon current expectations or beliefs, as well as a number of assumptions about future events. Although we believe that the expectations and assumptions upon which they are based are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations and assumptions will prove to have been correct. Some of these uncertainties include, without limitation, the company's ability to perform under existing contracts or to procure future contracts. The reader is cautioned not to put undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, as these statements are subject to numerous factors and uncertainties, including without limitation, successful implementation of our business strategy and competition, any of which may cause actual results to differ materially from those described in the statements. We undertake no obligation and do not intend to update, revise or otherwise publicly release any revisions to these forward-looking statements to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of any unanticipated events. Although we believe that our expectations are based on reasonable assumptions, we can give no assurance that our expectations will materialize. Many factors could cause actual results to differ materially from our forward-looking statements. SOURCE: Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc.

F/A18 Hornets Join Australian Aerospace Service Support List Defence Professionals -- 26/09/2010 Leading Australian defence contractor, Australian Aerospace Limited, has welcomed the addition of the F/A18 Hornet fighter to the inventory of Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) combat aircraft which the company supports through maintenance and service agreements with the Australian Defence Force (ADF). The company has successfully teamed with the world’s largest tyre manufacturer, Michelin, to win a Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO) contract to manufacture and supply tyres for the F/A18 (Classic) Hornets, and the AP-3C Orion patrol and reconnaissance aircraft. Australian Aerospace, which already provides Through-Life-Support to the Orion fleet under its P3 Program, and Michelin Australia, have signed a five-year Deed of Agreement for the supply of tyres and the management of tyre inventories for the FA/18s and P3s. In addition to supplying new tyres, the partners will also be responsible for retread-overhaul, inventory management and tyre storage, distribution and disposal. Welcoming the Agreement, Dr Jens Goennemann, Chief Executive Officer Australian Aerospace said: “Winning the P3 tyres business is a natural extension of the Through-Life-Support services that Australian Aerospace provides the DMO under the AP-3C Orion Platform Systems Support Contract. However, the addition of the FA/18 Hornets is an exciting and welcome addition to our customer support base.” As well as the F/A18s and P3 Orions, Australian Aerospace also supports the C-130J Hercules transport aircraft, the new Airbus A330-based KC-30 MRTT multi-role tanker-transports and, until recently, the now retired Caribou medium transports. Currently it is assembling and delivering 22 Tiger ARH armed reconnaissance helicopters to the Australian Army and 46 MRH90 multi-role helicopters to the Army and Navy. Mr Rob Hunter, Vice President Fixed Wing / Operations Australian Aerospace said the Deed of Agreement also had scope to include future Australian Defence Force weapons systems. “Our teaming with Michelin Australia is an excellent example of how, having identified an opportunity, our P3 Program team then went out and found the right partner to deliver an accountable and effective solution to Defence,” he said. “As a result, Australian Aerospace brings to the table its proven defence contract management, supply chain and authorised maintenance organisation skills, and Michelin contributes new product and retread capabilities and specialised tyre storage and distribution systems”. Mr Hunter said the Deed of Agreement also provided for multiple extensions of the contract and he had no doubt that Australian Aerospace’s long-demonstrated good service delivery to the ADF would ensure that it would ultimately prove to be a life-of-type arrangement for both the F/A18 Hornets and the P3 Orions. Defence Professionals

If I remembered half the stuff I'm sure I haven't explained my head would explode. It's good to relieve the pressure a few kilobytes at a time.

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