happy_droneStorm Shadow flight trials preparation underway in Italy & UK
A series of ground-based tests have been completed at Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi in Turin-Caselle and at BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire, in readiness for Eurofighter Typhoon’s flight trials with MBDA’s Storm Shadow cruise missile. The trials are due to take place in the UK later this year.
The first set of ground trials saw Italian Instrumented Production Aircraft 2 (IPA2) and UK production Typhoon aircraft BS111, fitted with two of MBDA’s Storm Shadow cruise missiles undergo Electro Magnetic Compatibility (EMC) tests. EMC testing ensures the integrity of the electrical systems onboard the aircraft and the missile. Following these tests, the missiles have been prepared for flight by positioning a series of laser tracking points which allow engineers to accurately analyse the trajectory of the weapon when released from the aircraft.
Italian aerospace and defence company Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi is leading the programme to integrate Storm Shadow onto Typhoon with the support of MBDA engineers, and will also be leading the UK-based flight trials, supported by engineers from BAE Systems. The flight trials will build upon previous trials in Italy last year which saw the first successful release of a Storm Shadow from a Typhoon.
The UK-based trials will see the missile being released from Italian IPA2 aircraft in order to collect safe weapons separation trajectory data and to verify the correct release sequence of the missile.
MBDA’s Storm Shadow is a combat proven cruise missile, already in service with the Italian Air Force and Royal Air Force Tornados. It is a conventionally armed, stealthy, long-range stand-off precision weapon. Storm Shadow will add new capability to strike in all-weather conditions well-defended infrastructure targets such as port facilities, control centres, bunkers, missile sites, airfields and bridges which might otherwise require several aircraft and missions. This will form a new addition to the Eurofighter Typhoon’s potent simultaneous multi-/swing-role capabilities.
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U.S. Museum Awards AgustaWestland For Project Zero
AgustaWestland last month received the 2014 American Helicopter Museum and Education Center’s achievement award for “advancements in rotary-wing technologies,” based on the Project Zero tiltrotor demonstrator program. Dr. James Wang, the manufacturer’s research-and-development vice president, accepted the award. Led by Wang, the Project Zero team designed, built and flew a 2,200-pound, all-electric vertical lift aircraft in six months. A few flights took place in 2011-2012.
“Project Zero’s stunning design, disruptive innovation and accelerated development represent a significant accomplishment and is an inspiration to all,” said Marc Sheffler, chairman of the museum’s board. The American Helicopter Museum and Education Center is located in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
happy_dronehappy_droneProblem with f-35 is that it is inferior in the whole lot of them when compared to almost any fighter actually in production.
Certainly, but not inferior against just fighters currently in production. This is also true for fighters which went out of production several decades ago.
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/reduced-f-35-performance-specifications-may-have-significant-operational-381683/
US officers who have flown the F35 have found the experience embarrassing:
“The Pentagon’s decision to reduce the performance specifications for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will have a significant operational impact, a number of highly experienced fighter pilots consulted by Flightglobal concur.
…
“What an embarrassment, and there will be obvious tactical implications. Having a maximum sustained turn performance of less than 5g is the equivalent of an [McDonnell Douglas] F-4 or an [Northrop] F-5,” another highly experienced fighter pilot says. “[It’s] certainly not anywhere near the performance of most fourth and fifth-generation aircraft.”
The F35 has already had key performance parameter specs lowered on several occasions, because this was the only way the F35 could pass acceptance testing. It also has had restrictions relating to the presence of storms and other embarrassments:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/9813125/Lightning-will-ground-F35-fighter-jet-known-as-the-Lightning-II.html
Britain’s £150 million new combat jet has been banned from flying in bad weather amid fears that it could explode.
http://www.defense-aerospace.com/articles-view/release/3/159421/f_35-needs-white-fuel-trucks,-parking-shades.html
Fuel Temperature Can Shut Down F-35
http://www.nationaldefensemagazine.org/blog/Lists/Posts/Post.aspx?ID=1815
F-35 Maintenance Software Comes Under Fire
http://nation.time.com/2013/06/06/different-planes-common-problems/
F-35 price Fixing
The F35 is an embarrassing and extremely expensive joke. The facts are so damning and obvious, that one has to wonder what are the real motivations of the F35 fanboy club.
happy_droneJanuary 2013, Leftwing conspirationalists over at Flightglobal.com:
http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/reduced-f-35-performance-specifications-may-have-significant-operational-381683/
…
“What an embarrassment, and there will be obvious tactical implications. Having a maximum sustained turn performance of less than 5g is the equivalent of an [McDonnell Douglas] F-4 or an [Northrop] F-5,” another highly experienced fighter pilot says. “[It’s] certainly not anywhere near the performance of most fourth and fifth-generation aircraft.”
As a combat aircraft this thing is useless. Its primary mission however has never been to outdo a 1970s (or earlier) F16 (or F-4 or F-5). It’s mission was, and still is, to run away with as many taxdollars as it can. It is carrying out its primary mission superbly. The result of this dogfight was a given, even with the extra droptanks on the F16. The only thing worth pondering here is the army of F35 fanboys out there, and their motivations.
happy_droneFrance to evaluate M-345 as possible Alpha Jet replacement
“There is very important interest in the M-345 in countries like France,” says the manufacturer. “During our discussions, France told us that they want the same number as the Italian air force – 35.”
Within Europe, Alenia Aermacchi has already sold the M-346 lead-in/advanced jet trainer to its home nation and Poland, and sees a potential deal with France as key to establishing a network of training sites across the region that could offer services to other countries.
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happy_droneItalian Firms To Push For Homegrown SIGINT
Selex ES, a Finmeccanica unit, could provide data links and radar if required. The plane, the source said, could be the Piaggio P180 — which is smaller than a Gulfstream G550 — or the C-27J.
P.1HH HAMMERHEAD able to perform ISR – COMINT – ELINT – SIGINT missions
happy_droneThe Algerian Navy takes delivery of new flagship Kalaat Beni-Abbes
It is an amphibious vessel which can accommodate three AW101 helicopters on deck (6 in service) and features a Selex ES MFRA active array radar and Aster 15 surface-to-air missiles.
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happy_droneNGOs against MONUSCO drones for humanitarian work
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happy_droneSuccess for Italian Eurofighter Storm Shadow Trials
Alenia Aermacchi Completes Initial Storm Shadow Tests on Typhoon. Alenia Aermacchi today (August 4th) confirmed details behind the tests confirming they first began in December 2013 with development aircraft IPA2.
The tests have already covered a number of aspects of aeromechanical missile integration onto the aircraft and further flight trials are planned as the programme moves through to full integration. The next step in the Programme will be ‘inert drop-tests’ followed by environmental data gathering tests. Avionic flights will then be performed to test functional integration including dedicated missile release tests.
happy_droneFinmeccanica reports improved order book
The group’s new order intake increased to EUR7.18 billion (USD9.6 billion), an increase from EUR5 billion in the first half of last year that reflected the UK MoD AW101 upgrade order under the Merlin Life Sustainment Programme and the five year Apache AH Mk1 maintenance effort (also signed with the UK MoD).
happy_droneItaly ponders Hammerhead UAV as Predator replacement
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On July 16 Piaggio and Selex ES said they had validated onboard systems supplied by Selex as well as autonomous take-off and landing functions. The UAV is due to use the Selex ES Seaspray 7300E radar. Piaggio Aero has proposed the Hammerhead as a candidate to become Europe’s joint medium-range, long-endurance UAV. A full prototype will fly by the end of the year, according to CEO Carlo Logli. The Hammerhead UAV should be given certification by the Italian Air Force next year.
happy_dronePiaggio Lands Big 10-50 Avanti EVO Order
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It’s not clear if any of the evolutions will be incorporated in the Hammerhead, currently being validated.
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