BUFF

MOSCOW, March 3 (RIA Novosti) - Russia has delivered four Su-MKM fighter planes to Malaysia under a contract signed in 2003, a spokesman for the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer said on Monday. The Southeast Asian country will receive a total of 18 Su-30MKM fighters under a $900-million contract by the end of 2008. The first six aircraft were delivered in 2007. "After final assembly, the Malaysian pilots will be able to conduct the first flights in the new planes," the spokesman said. The contract also stipulates the construction of a service center for Su-30MKM fighters in Malaysia, and Russia's assistance with the country's national space exploration program. The Su-30MKM is a multi-role Flanker version based on the Su-30MKI model and features a customized avionics package built to Malaysian specifications. The jets are being manufactured at Sukhoi's Irkutsk aircraft manufacturing plant in Siberia. Malaysia currently operates a mixed fighter fleet with the Russian MiG-29N Fulcrum and the U.S.-made F/A-18D Hornet and F-5 Tiger in service. According to some sources, the Malaysian Royal Air Force is considering a new Su-30MKM contract. Su-family fighters constitute the bulk of Russia's arms exports. Last year, Sukhoi exported 50 of these aircraft, accounting for 50% of Rosoboronexport's export revenue.

Most pilots avoid bad weather but NASA is fashioning a team and a jet to do just the opposite. And on of its first missions is to fly into hazardous weather to study a phenomenon that has caused more than 100 commercial aircraft engines to fail, stall or temporarily lose power, NASA said. The space agency has snapped up a Navy S-3B Viking jet and outfitted it with commercial satellite communications, global positioning navigation and weather radar systems. Engineers from NASA's Glenn Research Center, Boeing and the Navy have combined forces to transform the S-3B into a state-of-the-art NASA research aircraft installed research equipment racks in what was once the plane's bomb bay. And they gave it a shiny blue-and-white NASA paint job, the agency said. With these new features, NASA's S-3B Viking is equipped to conduct science and aeronautics missions, such as environmental monitoring, satellite communications testing and aviation safety research. It can fly up to 40,000 feet high and reach speeds faster than 500 miles per hour, which makes it perfect for studying commercial airline safety issues, the agency said. The S-3B Viking was built from the ground up to handle the Navy's rugged requirement to take off and land on aircraft carrier ships. The Viking was the Navy's primary sub-hunting aircraft and was also touted as an all-weather, highly stable airplane. However it is currently being decommissioned by the Navy in favor of other newer aircraft. "We were able to capitalize on the decommissioning by acquiring the aircraft directly from the Navy," explained Dr. Rickey Shyne, director of Glenn's Facilities and Test Directorate. "This saved taxpayers millions of dollars compared to the cost of a new aircraft." As for NASA's S-3B, the agency said this fall it will take off from Puerto Rico to study icing conditions in convective storms, ranging from isolated thunderstorms to tropical storms. In conditions like these, ice crystals have been ingested into aircraft engines causing problems, NASA said.During the flight, research equipment will collect data, such as the size of ice and liquid cloud particles, water content in the clouds, temperature and humidity. Glenn researchers will use this data to develop an engineering standard to test engines. Glenn has been studying aircraft icing, the leading natural cause of airplane accidents, for 25 years using its Icing Research Tunnel and its Twin Otter research aircraft. Engineers at the center have helped the aviation industry to understand how ice forms in flight and how it affects aircraft performance. They have evaluated de-icing systems and developed new remote-sensing devices that warn pilots before flying into icy conditions. This mission is part of NASA's Aviation Safety Program, which partners with the Federal Aviation Administration, airlines and the Department of Defense, to reduce the rate of aircraft fatalities. NASA and its partners plan to build test facilities and computer codes that propulsion engineers can use when designing engines, the agency said. NASA isn't the only government agency looking into weather-related research involving aircraft and dangerous missions. The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration last month announced a $3 million, three-year program that to test the use of unmanned aircraft to measure hurricanes, arctic and Antarctic ice changes and other environmental tasks. The agency said the drone aircraft would be outfitted with special sensors and technology to help NOAA scientists better predict a hurricane's intensity and track, how fast Arctic summer ice will melt, and whether soggy Pacific storms will flood West Coast cities.

already a couple of threads in Military & General Aviation e.g. http://forum.combatace.com/index.php?showtopic=26008&hl=

Apparently Airbus was adjudged better in 4 out of 5 categories & equal on the 5th ... The 767 has been losing out for some time on the civil market - Boeing were basically looking to the USAF to keep the line alive as no one else is buying it anymore. The Italian/Japanese 767 tanker programme (basically the test case for the USAF programme) had run into a lot of problems - in fact they only just got certified the other day, several years behind schedule. Meantime Airbus' tanker programme had progressed cleanly. Given that there is also to be a follow on aircraft down the line it's also possible that they looked at the civil market where Airbus policy of keeping cockpits/systems very similar between aircraft has made it easier/cheaper for pilots to retrain for a new one.

http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2008/...nt-testing.html

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=339...c=ASI&s=TOP

http://www.defensenews.com/story.php?i=339...c=AIR&s=TOP

http://www.defense-aerospace.com/cgi-bin/c...odele=jdc_inter

& the USAF has announced that it's buying Northrop/Airbus ... Wait for the howls & the inevitable appeal from Boeing.

NAVAIR PATUXENT RIVER, MD -- Test Vehicle 3, the third helicopter built for the VH-71 Presidential Helicopter Replacement Program, made its initial flight Feb. 27 in Yeovil, England marking the fourth helicopter to enter flight test. TV-3 is due to arrive at the Presidential Helicopter Support Facility here on Mar. 17 and will then travel to Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, N.Y. for final assembly and mission systems integration. TV-3 will be the first vehicle tested that is outfitted with mission systems. Once missionized TV-3 will join the other three test vehicles, TV-1, TV-2 and TV-5 already in flight testing that have accumulated more than 650 total hours of flight test. As a missionized aircraft, TV-3 will be able to validate in-flight data, which has previously only been evaluated in laboratories. One additional test vehicle is scheduled for flight testing and missionization after TV-3 before the initial lot of production aircraft are delivered to Patuxent River. With fuel system testing already complete, VH-71 flight test officials are currently concentrating on satellite communications and high-powered FM Radio testing with tail rotor and flight load survey testing on the horizon. In addition to forward movement on flight testing of Increment 1 test vehicles, which currently meet or exceed all key performance parameters, a parallel and concurrent effort supporting the flight test program is the Systems Integration Lab currently operational at the Presidential Helicopter Support Facility. The SIL consists of test benches used to evaluate individual subsystems currently in development. A larger SIL facility at Lockheed Martin Systems Integration in Owego, NY includes a master systems bench -- a full-scale functional mockup of the VH-71 cockpit and cabin. The systems integration laboratories allow VH-71 program engineers to test VH-71 avionics and mission systems prior to installation aboard the aircraft.

By Erik Holmes - Staff writer Posted : Friday Feb 29, 2008 7:16:12 EST The Air Force’s F-15 fleet will require about $50 million worth of repairs to replace faulty structural components, Air Force Secretary Michael Wynne said Wednesday. Testifying about the service’s fiscal 2009 budget proposal before the House Armed Services Committee, Wynne said the money will be used for depot maintenance to replace longerons, the metal support beams inside the jets’ forward fuselage that support the cockpit assembly and reinforce the cockpit. Wynne did not say how many aircraft would require the repairs, and he said he is not yet sure whether the repairs will require trips to the F-15 depot at Robins Air Force Base, Ga., or if they could be done between flights by “depot SWAT teams.” Lawmakers on the panel said they are concerned that seven F-15s have crashed in the past nine months, including the Nov. 2 crash of a Missouri Air National Guard F-15C that resulted in nearly the entire F-15 fleet being grounded for more than two months. In that incident, the longeron failed and the aircraft broke in two while on a training flight. The 2009 budget proposal includes $497 million for F-15 repairs, but Wynne did not address how the rest of that money might be spent. Air Force leaders had hoped to put the money toward long-lead items for 20 more F-22s, but the Pentagon rejected that idea after the F-15 problems surfaced.

By: TEMA A/S Airborne Systems Airbase Skrydstrup, Denmark / Fort Worth, 29 February 2008 - The Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) has successfully completed the first flight tests and F-16 MLU M5 System Integration Laboratory Tests of the ESTER (Enhanced Smart Triple Ejector Rack) <http://www.terma.com/page.dsp?page=988> on an F-16. The Triple Ejector Rack (TER) is a weapon-suspension unit which is attached to the aircraft's weapon pylons, enabling each pylon to carry three weapons. The TER-9 version is suitable for under-wing F-16 laser-guided and ballistic weapons, with the ability to release weapons individually. The ITT/Terma ESTER program upgrades the TER-9 racks by adding the capability to carry modern ¿smart¿ weapons which operate on the military standard 1760 interface. These include the Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM) and Enhanced Paveway II (EGBU-12/BRU-49). Provisions for future Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) are also part of the ESTER, and initial tests on the SDB compatibility will be performed this spring under an ITT/Terma internally funded program. The initial RDAF flight tests were aimed at verifying the functionality and reliability of the cable retention unit. The bombs were successfully released from the ESTER with the new retention unit which has been installed in lieu of the existing MIL-STD-1760 umbilical cable retention system, and the new Terma/ITT developed units performed flawlessly. The ESTER also passed the F-16 MLU M5 System Integration Laboratory (SIL) testing in Fort Worth, as part of the EPAF MLU M5 test program. The tests were conducted without problems, and the ESTER test units are now ready for the F-16 MLU M5 flight tests in the U.S. this year. The RDAF representative Klavs Andersen, Chief of the Business Unit Fighter Aircraft including the ESTER program, said: "I am satisfied with the performance of the ESTER, the physical release and retention system worked well, and we are now ready to continue flight testing in the U.S. as part of the M5 program."

MOSCOW, February 29 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's MiG aircraft manufacturer will transfer on Friday 12 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters, modernized in line with NATO standards, to the Slovak Air Force, a company spokesperson said. The 12 MiG-29AS/MiG-29UBS fighters have been upgraded in Slovakia by the MiG company and Western firms for NATO compatibility under a 2004 contract. The Slovak Air Force has a total of 21 MiG-29 aircraft in service. The official transfer ceremony will be held at the Sliac airbase in central Slovakia. The MiG-29 is a 4th generation fighter aircraft designed for an air superiority role. Developed in the 1970s by the Mikoyan design bureau, it entered service in 1983 and remains in use by the Russian Air Force as well as in many other nations. The upgraded version features Rockwell Collins navigation and communications systems and BAE Systems IFF (Interrogation Friend or Foe) system. The Russian company supplied a new glass cockpit with multi-function LCD displays and digital processors, and ensured integration of the Russian and the Western equipment, the MiG official said. However, he said, the armaments for the fighter remained unchanged. The MiG-29 has seven external weapon hardpoints and can carry a 30mm built-in aircraft gun, two medium-range air-to-air missiles, up to six short-range air-to-air missiles, unguided rockets and air bombs. According to the MiG company, the service life of the upgraded version has been extended until 2030-2035.

DATE:29/02/08 SOURCE:Flightglobal.com South Korea attack helicopter to wait for Korea Helicopter Programme By Siva Govindasamy South Korea could decide on an attack helicopter requirement after assessing progress with an indigenous military utility helicopter programme. Korea Aerospace Industries and Eurocopter are jointly working on the Korea Helicopter Programme (KHP), with a first flight scheduled for 2010 and production to begin in 2012. Seoul also has a requirement for about 270 attack helicopters. Eurocopter is interested in offering its Tiger, but could help develop an attack variant under KHP. "We need attack helicopters and an option is to get it via the KHP," says Lee Sun Hi, commissioner of Korea's defence procurements agency. "But we must assess the utility helicopter's performance when it starts flying, and see if it can be adapted for our attack helicopter requirement. Otherwise, we can look elsewhere." KHP is developing an 8t military utility helicopter. Korea could eventually order 500 for all of its services to replace an ageing fleet of Bell UH-1Hs and McDonnell Douglas MD500s. A $1.3 billion development contract was signed in June 2006, and the programme is expected to cost about $5.4 billion by 2011. Another indigenous Korean programme - KF-X, to develop a fifth-generation fighter - has suffered a blow after a government think-tank said it may not be economically viable. Seoul has invited feedback from manufacturers including Boeing, Dassault and Lockheed Martin. Observers say it would too expensive to design an aircraft from scratch, and it may be better to buy the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, in which South Korea has expressed an interest. Lee says a final decision has not been made. "The report says that the cost-benefit effect is not viable, but that does not mean we don't proceed. We have to discuss it with the defence ministry and the air force to find viable methods to proceed on this matter," he adds.

DATE:29/02/08 SOURCE:Flightglobal.com Saudi Arabia's Boeing F-15C/D fighters pass safety inspection By Craig Hoyle The Royal Saudi Air Force has resumed flight operations with its fleet of about 80 Boeing F-15C/Ds, after removing a grounding order imposed after the November 2007 crash of a US Air National Guard aircraft. Forward-fuselage longeron inspections conducted by Alsalam Aircraft have been completed and "there were no defects with the fleet", the company says. Alsalam, meanwhile, is conducting flight testing on the last two C/D-model aircraft to have undergone programmed depot maintenance at its Riyadh facility, and work has begun on the first eight RSAF F-15S strike aircraft to enter maintenance and upgrade at the site under a separate contract.

Feb 29, 2008 Michael Bruno/Aerospace Daily & Defense Report The U.S. Navy’s “deficit” in its P-3 maritime patrol and reconnaissance aircraft community has risen to a “significant” level after at least 39 P-3s, roughly a fourth of the service’s family, have been grounded, according to Navy officials. Adm. Gary Roughead, chief of naval operations, told the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) Feb. 28 that some aircraft were grounded due to wing cracks. In his remarks and prepared testimony, Roughead said the airborne ISR (intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance) fleet’s importance and high-operations tempo in Iraq operations, as well as traditional submarine-hunting missions, have stressed the aircraft and boosted the need to replace them more quickly. “The recent groundings of high-demand P-3 aircraft highlight the need to bring the next generation of aircraft in service and retire our aging aircraft,” Roughead said. To that effect, the Navy has highlighted more than $548 million eyed for “critical maritime patrol improvements” as its top concern under the service’s so-called unfunded fiscal 2009 programs list as recently delivered to Capitol Hill. If provided by Congress, $384.1 million of that amount would go toward P-3 kit installations this fiscal year, which ends in September, along with another $312.2 in FY ’09. Another $100 million would go toward accelerating P-8A Multimission Aircraft (MMA) research and development (R&D), minus an unidentified amount of funds already being transferred to MMA R&D via an existing Defense Department reprogramming effort. Poseidon The Boeing P-8A Poseidon is designed to replace legacy P-3C Orions and upgrade maritime patrol anti-submarine (ASW) and antisurface warfare, as well as armed ISR capabilities that reside in P-3 squadrons, for combat and theater security operations and homeland defense. According to the Navy, initial operational capability is expected in FY ’13, while $1.1 billion is included in the regular FY ’09 budget request announced Feb. 4. According to the sea service’s unfunded list, any additional funds for MMA R&D specifically would go to speed up testing ASW capabilities, leading to an accelerated low-rate-initial-production (LRIP) contract in the first quarter of FY ’10. “Funding P-3 wing crack kits in FY ’08 and ’09 while accelerating MMA LRIP helps bridge capability gaps in both the near and long term,” the Navy said. In testimony, the Navy stressed that despite “several” successes in delivering aircraft, such as the first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye, the high demand for air assets in Afghanistan and Iraq expended a “significant” portion of the “limited” service life remaining on EA-6B electronic attack aircraft, MH-60 multimission helicopters, F/A-18 C/D strike-fighter aircraft and P-3s. “The accelerated depletion of service life could translate into aircraft shortfalls if the expended aircraft are not replaced,” the service said.

By K.K. Chadha February 21, 2008 Aircraft Kawasaki Heavy Industries aims to deliver the first XP-1 fixed-wing maritime patroller to Japan’s defense ministry by the end of this year. The aircraft, rolled out as P-X, completed a successful hour-long first flight on September 28 from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s Gifu Base. The XP-1 features the world’s first fly-by-light system with high electromagnetic interference tolerance and new acoustic and radar systems with enhanced detection capabilities. Test pilot Akihiro Sekido, who headed the 11-member crew said, “Both the flight system and the engine worked fine. It was a perfect flight and went as planned.” The defense ministry began concurrent development of the XP-1 and C-X transport aircraft in 2001 to replace the P-3C and C-1 models. Kawasaki is conducting test flights of the XP-1 at Gifu Works, while the C-X is yet to fly. Funds for the first four P-1 production aircraft were included in the annual defense budget revealed earlier this month

PRESS RELEASE -- Secretary of the Air Force, Office of Public Affairs Release No. 040208 February 29,2008 Air Force Announces Tanker Contract WASHINGTON - Secretary of the Air Force, Michael W. Wynne, and Vice Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Gen. Duncan J. McNab, announced the selection of Northrop Grumman Corporation, headquartered in Los Angeles, Calif., as the winner of the KC-X competition for development and procurement of up to 179 tanker aircraft for approximately $35 billion. The initial contract for the newly-named KC-45 is for the system design and development of four test aircraft for $1.5B. This contract also includes five production options targeted for 64 aircraft at $10.6B. "The tanker is our number one procurement priority right now. Buying the new KC-45A is a major step forward and another demonstration of our commitment to recapitalizing our Eisenhower-era inventory of these critical national assets. Today is not just important for the Air Force, however. It's important for the entire Joint military team, and important for our coalition partners as well. The KC-45A will revolutionize our ability to employ tankers and will ensure the Air Force's future ability to provide our nation with truly Global Vigilance, Reach, and Power," said General McNab. "The tanker is the number one procurement priority for us right now. It is the first step in our critical commitment to recapitalize our aging fleet to move, supply, and position assets anywhere. In this global Air Force business, the critical element for air bridge, global Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, and global strike is the tanker," said General McNab. The KC-45A will provide significantly greater air refueling capabilities than the current fleet of Eisenhower-era KC-135s it will begin replacing. For example, it will be able to refuel Air Force and Navy aircraft on every flight. These aircraft have different systems for receiving fuel and today the KC-135s must be set up for one or the other before takeoff. The KC-45A will be equipped for both systems on every flight and will also have connections for wing pods. When wing pods are installed, it can refuel two probe-equipped aircraft, such as Navy and many allied aircraft, at the same time. It can even be refueled in flight by other tankers. The KC-45A will also have defensive systems that allow it to go into dangerous environments that we currently have to avoid. It will also supplement our airlift fleet by carrying cargo, passengers, and medical patients in a secondary role. The KC-X source selection used a "best value" determination to select a winner based on five factors: Mission Capability, Proposal Risk, Past Performance, Cost/Price, and an Integrated Fleet Air Refueling Assessment (performance in a simulated war scenario). These five factors were developed after consulting with industry and were finalized prior to starting the competition. Considered together, these grading criteria ensured the Air Force maximized the capability delivered to the warfighter while optimizing the taxpayers' investment. The Air Force followed a carefully structured process, designed to provide transparency, maintain integrity and promote fair competition. The Air Force met with offerors on numerous occasions to gain a thorough understanding of their proposals and provide feedback on their strengths and weaknesses. The Air Force also provided insight into government cost estimates throughout the process instead of waiting until the post-decision debrief. The competitors indicated they've been very pleased with the degree of communication. The evaluation team was comprised of experts covering a broad spectrum of specialties from acquisition to operations and was hand-picked from across the USAF and other government agencies. As part of the process, the Air Force will now provide a written notice to both the selected and not-selected and offer to provide a de-brief on their bid proposals. To maintain the integrity of that process, the Air Force will be unable to provide additional information about the proposals and contract. "Today's announcement is the culmination of years of tireless work and attention to detail by our Acquisition professionals and source selection team, who have been committed to maintaining integrity, providing transparency, and promoting a fair competition for this critical aircraft program," said Secretary Wynne. "Through these efforts we believe we will provide a higher-value resource to the warfighter and the taxpayer."

Latest technology extends usefulness of three-decade-old attack jet By Aaron Mackey Arizona Daily Star Tucson, Arizona | Published: 02.26.2008 advertisement Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's already lethal fleet of Warthog attack jets has a new set of teeth. Comprehensive upgrades to the A-10 Thunderbolt attack jets' weapons systems, cockpits and sensors completed recently have brought the aircraft into the digital age, allowing more precise targeting and quicker communication with units on the ground. The upgrades, which cost $450 million, are part of a national effort to add new technology to the A-10 and lengthen the life of an aircraft that's more than three decades old. Already a mainstay in providing close-air support in the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan, the A-10's effectiveness in close-air-support missions is greatly enhanced by the new technology, said Col. Kent Laughbaum, D-M's wing commander. "This has taken an airplane that was nearing retirement and given it a new lease on life," he said. "It has made the weapons system viable until 2028 and possibly beyond." "Into digital and information age" While the A-10 has seen gradual upgrades throughout its more than 30 years of service, the latest enhancements bring the jet into the 21st century, said Maj. Jerry Cook, a weapons chief for the first D-M fighter squadron to receive the latest model, a process that began more than a year ago and was completed recently. "It's really taking the A-10 into the digital and information age," Cook said. Before the upgrades, pilots still were working with hand-held maps and using air controllers embedded with ground troops to direct them to enemy positions. Relaying the information, including providing a description of what a target looked like and where it was relative to friendly positions, could take several minutes, Laughbaum said. But with the upgrades, all of that information is transmitted via a data network that can be accessed by ground forces and pilots. Instead of taking minutes to describe a target, a ground controller can simply identify coordinates on a digital map of where enemy units are. The A-10 pilot, using state-of-the-art weapons sensors, can get a close-up view of enemy positions, allowing the jet to target them in seconds. "It's precise, and it's as fast as it needs to be," Laughbaum said. To get that information to pilots, two color display screens were added to the A-10's instrument panel. The displays allow pilots to pull up information from the network, access data from their sensors, and communicate with friendly forces in real time. Besides adding a networking component and better battle sensors, the upgraded A-10s also feature improvements to the throttle stick and the ability to use the latest precision-guided weapons. That includes the Joint Direct Attack Munition, a satellite-guided weapon that works in bad weather. All of the technology available combines to make the latest version of the jet, known as the A-10C, more efficient and lethal when it provides close-air support to ground troops. "When our soldiers and Marines are in close contact with the enemy, we're going to bring the firepower to ensure that we win that fight," Laughbaum said. "We've always been good at that, but the A-10C makes us significantly better." Wings to be strengthened The technology isn't the only upgrade scheduled for the A-10, as an effort is under way to strengthen the attack jets' wings. By strengthening the wings, the A-10 will have a longer life span than was expected, Laughbaum said. Eventually, the Air Force plans to replace the wings on every A-10 as part of an effort to keep the jet operational until 2028. To keep the A-10 flying, as well as to pay for the production of new jets to replace other aging aircraft in the Air Force's fleet, Pentagon commanders are asking for a dramatic increase in funding. Air Force planners figure they'll need an additional $20 billion during the next five years on top of normal budget requests, such as the $137 billion the military branch requested for 2009. Years of fighting in Afghanistan and Iraq have worn down a fleet of aircraft that already was nearing the end of its service life, Pentagon officials have said. Additionally, maintenance on the aircraft becomes expensive as the jets are repaired more frequently. But it's not clear if the Air Force will get the funding to put newer fighters, such as the F-22 and F-35, into the fleet. Several factors could limit funding, including a rising federal deficit and the prospect of a recession, though some critics contend the Air Force's predicament is partially its own fault. The newer jets have drastically higher price tags than the F-15s and F-16s they're replacing, meaning they take up more defense-budget money, said Steve Kosiak of the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments in Washington, D.C. "It's like replacing a Toyota with a Mercedes," he said. 3 D-M squadrons to get A-10C While funding for long-term maintenance of the A-10 hasn't been identified, D-M has become the epicenter for the latest technological upgrades. The Tucson base features the first active-duty squadron with the upgraded jet, and eventually all three fighter squadrons at D-M will fly the A-10C. Other active-duty fighter wings in Georgia, as well as a handful of National Guard units, also have begun to use the upgraded jet. D-M is responsible for training both new and old pilots on the A-10C, graduating the first class earlier this month, Laughbaum said. So far, the 357th Fighter Squadron, which flies the latest version of the A-10, has trained roughly 100 pilots, he said. The latest A-10C was deployed to Afghanistan last August, flying close to 1,000 combat sorties, Air Force figures show. Given the increased mission of D-M and the latest technology upgrades, it's clear that the A-10 will continue to be a central component of the Air Force's arsenal. "It is a primary component in the war on terror," Laughbaum said. "We know that it is going to be an aircraft that is going to fly for a long time."

25-02-2008 The AgustaWestland and Lockheed Martin HH-71 Team successfully conducted aerial refuelling tests between a RAF AW101 Merlin Mk3 helicopter and an Italian Air Force C-130J tanker, further demonstrating the aircraft’s superior capabilities and low-risk approach for the U.S. Air Force’s Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR-X) requirement. The successful fuel transfer occurred over the south of England on February 13, marking the first time a British helicopter demonstrated air-to-air refuelling capability. The AW101 and RAF test pilots plugged the helicopter’s refuelling probe to each of the tanker’s two wing station drogues -- the fact that the fuel transfer occurred on the first attempts makes the demonstration even more impressive. The sorties were flown at 4,000 ft altitude, with both aircraft travelling at 127 knots. All trial objectives were completed with multiple in-flight refuelling events successfully achieved up to the maximum Merlin Mk3 flying weight of 34,400lb. “To support our win strategy of providing the Air Force the lowest risk offer, we completed the aerial refuelling tests prior to contract award" said Dan Spoor, Lockheed Martin’s CSAR-X vice president. “With this proven aerial refuelling capability, the aircraft has demonstrated all critical capabilities required for the CSAR mission. The aircraft exceeds the technical readiness level required by the CSAR-X RFP.” All Merlin Mk3 helicopters have air refuelling capability and this trial is the latest step in providing an Operational Release for in-service Merlin Mk3 helicopters fitted with the advanced design BERP III and BERP IV rotor blades. "The robust NDI air refuelling technology employed on the HH-71 combined with its excellent cockpit visibility, significant probe to blade clearance, precise handling qualities and high power margins result in the most capable, low risk aerial refuelling helicopter for the CSAR-X mission,” said Stephen C. Moss, chief executive officer of AgustaWestland North America. “The fact that the sorties were flown with both the BERP III and the BERP IV advanced rotor systems, makes the successful trials all the more significant.” The tests were performed through the collaboration of the HH-71 Team, Britain’s Ministry of Defence, the Aircraft Test & Evaluation Centre (QinetiQ Boscombe Down), the Italian Air Force, the Department of Experimental Flight Pratica di Mare (Rome), and the NATO Maintenance and Supply Agency.

DATE:25/02/08 SOURCE:Flight International UK prepares for multirole deployment of Eurofighter Typhoon By Craig Hoyle The UK Royal Air Force appears to be on track to meet its target of being able to deploy the multirole Eurofighter Typhoon internationally from July, with the UK Ministry of Defence having announced a deal to acquire temporary shelters to house the aircraft while on overseas operations. The RAF's 11 Sqn last year began preparing for a possible deployment to support NATO forces in Afghanistan from mid-2008, but sources now indicate that the UK's BAE Systems Harrier GR9s currently operating from the nation's Kandahar airfield could instead be replaced by a detachment of RAF Panavia Tornado GR4s. The MoD says the contract to support international operations of the Typhoon will cover the procurment of between eight and 10 climate-controlled, rapid deployment shelters to be supplied by Rubb Building Systems under an award worth up to £685,000 ($1.3 million). Deliveries should be completed by late April, it adds, with the structures required to "provide an environmental seal in all climatic zones for the protection of personnel, IT and other equipment, for a minimum period of six months, or until more permanent infrastructure is made available". Raytheon Systems has, meanwhile, been awarded an £8.5 million contract to support the integratation and flight trial of its Paveway IV precision-guided bomb with the GR4 airframe by 2010. The work will form part of a more than £200 million package of enhancements recently awarded to BAE to ensure the long-term combat utility of the GR4, also including the adition of new datalink equipment (Flight International, 12-17 February).

26-02-2008 FRANKFURT (Thomson Financial) - EADS unit Airbus plans to change fixed-price contracts for its new military transport plane A400M to curb losses, Financial Times Deutschland reported, without saying where it got the information. The aircraft maker aims to change the price increase clause in its contracts and add a one-year suspension of contractual penalties for delayed delivery, FT Deutschland said. EADS booked a 1.37 bln eur charge for delays to the A400M programme in the third quarter, leading a net loss of 776 mln eur, widening from a loss of 189 mln a year earlier. EADS also wants to shorten the amount of time during which its customers can cancel their orders for the military planes, the newspaper said. Germany, France and the UK have already been informed of the planned changes to supply contracts, it said. The first A400Ms were due to be delivered to the French Air Force in Oct 2009.

United Arab Emirates orders the A330 MRTT air to air refuelling aircraft from EADS Madrid, 25 February 2008 United Arab Emirates has announced today the purchase from EADS, through its Military Transport Aircraft Division, of the A330 MRTT (Multi Role Transport Tanker) as the new air to air refuelling aircraft for the UAE Air Force & Air Defense. The A330 MRTT shall be fitted with under wings pods and EADS CASA Boom system. Following the contracts signed with the Royal Australian Air Force, Saudi Arabia and after being selected as preferred bidder for the Future Stategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) in the UK, the UAE decision consolidates further the A330 MRTT position as the most advanced and capable air-to-air refuelling aircraft available in the market. The Military Transport Aircraft Division of EADS, responsible for the design and production of the MRTTs, is positioned as the key worldwide supplier in the field of tanking and transport aircraft. “Nothing speaks louder than success. The fourth selection in a row of the A330 MRTT in international competitive processes underscores its exceptional value and capability for the full range of tanker and transport requirements,” said Carlos Suarez, Head of EADS Military Transport Aircraft Division and Chairman of EADS Casa. EADS is a global leader in aerospace, defence and related services. In 2006, EADS generated revenues of € 39.4 billion and employed a workforce of about 116,000. The Group includes the aircraft manufacturer Airbus, the world's largest helicopter supplier Eurocopter and EADS Astrium, the European leader in space programmes from Ariane to Galileo. Its Defence & Security Division is a provider of comprehensive systems solutions and makes EADS the major partner in the Eurofighter consortium as well as a stakeholder in the missile systems provider MBDA. EADS also develops the A400M through its Military Transport Aircraft Division.

DATE:26/02/08 SOURCE:Flight International Afghanistan offered surplus G222 transports By Pino Modola Italian media reports which suggest that the Afghan National Air Corps is to acquire secondhand Alenia G222/C-27A tactical transports appear to have received indirect confirmation from the US Air Force and Pentagon statements. USAF Gen Jay Lindell, commander of the Combined Air Power Transition Command Afghanistan, says the country’s military strongly needs a new fixed-wing tactical transport component to replace four Antonov An-32s, and that the preferred solution should be Western-produced aircraft. Pentagon sources have gone further, however, relvealing that the US administration has bought 22 used transports to be sent to Afghanistan, where they will equip the local air force on their delivery between 2009 and 2011. Alenia Aeronautica declines to comment on the reports, but with the G222 having left Italian air force service and US-operated C-27As having been retired in 1999, the twin-turboprop design seems to be the sole medium transport aircraft available in the world market in suitable numbers: the services had combined fleets of more than 60 of the aircraft. The company is already under contract to modernise G222s for the Nigerian air force. Any aircraft transferred to Afghanistan are likely to undergo limited upgrade and refurbishment, but details of the whole operation - including logistics support, maintenance and crew training - have not been disclosed.

DATE:26/02/08 SOURCE:Flight International Australia re-examines Super Seasprite deal By Emma Kelly Australian defence minister Joel Fitzgibbon has met with senior officials from Kaman Aerospace and its parent company to discuss the country’s troubled SH-2G(A) Super Seasprite shipborne helicopter programme, but no decision has been made on the programme’s future. Confirmation of the meeting comes after local media reports suggested that Australia’s new Labor government has decided to axe the delayed programme and replace the aircraft with additional NH Industries MRH90s. This has been denied by the defence ministry, which says no timescale has been set for a decision. “We have not been informed of any decision, but we are aware that the new government is assessing our programme,” says Kaman senior vice-president Russell Jones. “We are confident that we are performing our obligations under the programme, and we continue to execute on our responsibilities.” Australia ordered 11 Super Seasprites – upgraded former US Navy SH-2Fs – in 1997, with deliveries planned from 2001. But the programme has suffered ongoing problems with the helicopter’s Integrated Tactical Avionics System, which is not expected to deliver fleet-wide functionality until 2010-11, while an issue with its automatic flight control system has resulted in lengthy delays and grounding. Australia’s former Coalition government reviewed the Super Seasprite programme last year, but opted to continue with it amid concerns over possible legal action by Kaman, a lack of suitable replacement types and programme costs of A$1 billion ($920 million).