The European Space Agency insists there are no plans to militarise the IXV space plane, so its successor would be the only civilian example of such a vehicle.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226617[/ATTACH]

I’m sure the M-346 is a very effective aeroplane, but it’s a very unattractive one; so different from it’s predecessor.

Regards

With the premise that “De gustibus non est disputandum”, I find the M346 gorgeous in absolute terms, and even more so when compared with the Hawk.
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226532[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226534[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226535[/ATTACH]
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226536[/ATTACH]

Israeli Air Force takes delivery of first two M346 jet trainers

Swerve, I don’t want to go too much off topic so I’ll try to be brief….but you haven’t proved anything just because you say so!
….

I’ve posted in the past about the Piaggio Hammerhead UAV and actually had Swerve assert his opinion over the program manager (Swerve was right and the military program manager was wrong about his project’s capabilities?!) ….

Regarding Ukraine I expect everyone on the planet has heard this by now, but just in case….

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MSxaa-67yGM#t=89
http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-26079957

Much ado was made about the “Fu*k the EU” part, but even more important I’d say are the parts about “inserting” Vitaly Klitschko as deputy prime minister (as in let’s put in any puppet figure we choose) and “having the UN help glue it” (more puppets?)

This video on the other hand is from today on euronews:
http://www.euronews.com/2014/03/19/ukranian-tv-boss-assaulted-and-forced-to-resign-by-far-right-svoboda-mps/

It all seems like retaliation for not being able to make the war on Syria they wanted so badly. I also don’t see how the fact that the majority of Crimeans are Russian is irrelevant.

Meh. Its more manufacturer claims… [Although, I must admit, Saab have a track record of delivering what they promised when they promised it for the cost they promised it.]

As far as I know Selex ES has an excellent track record of delivering on commitments…

Two big US defence manufacturers show us the future of VTOL UAVs:

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/lockheedpiasecki-move-beyond-flying-cars-with-ares-396289/

[ATTACH=CONFIG]225843[/ATTACH]

Now that is more like it!!!

aiming for this?
[ATTACH=CONFIG]226197[/ATTACH]

Roll Out for First Italian built Tranche 3 Eurofighter

I don’t think the A380 is selling well or that its long or short-term prospects are good.
The only sales I’ve read about for over a year now is this one from the lessor Amedeo and the sale to Emirates.
Amedeo have stated that theirs is a speculative order, meaning that they have no customers yet for the aircraft.
Emirates on the other hand don’t have to be concerned about fuel costs for the away leg. To my mind this means that the business case for the A380 doesn’t exist.
For the same period both Lufthansa and Hong Kong Airlines have cancelled orders, despite the penalties. Even the French are having second thoughts about the A380.

Both Malaysian and Qantas seem to be struggling and this seems to be at least in part due to the A380. Big planes need a high load factor to make them pay. However Qantas have been flying flights from Dubai to Melbourne at 50% load factor. For example for some flights more than 200 of their 406 economy and premium economy seats were unfilled a day before departure. In one case, more than half the business class cabin’s 64 flat-bed seats were also without paying customers as were eight of its 14 high-yielding first-class seats.