Steve TouchdownOriginally posted by Arthur
Well, for all we Europeans know, Emmylou Harris is just one of those 1970s David Bowie-incarnations. Like Ziggy Sawdust 😀
Exactement, Arthur!
Youd have thought that the Thin White (Daisy) Duke would be more to a moonshiner’s taste. n’est pas? 😀
Steve ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownRe: Counterpoint to Flood’s Anna posts
Originally posted by Distiller
Now, she is an elegant beauty! And the photographer did a good job.
Hmmm rather androgenous for my simple tastes.
In fact, are you sure that isn’t SOC in a platinum wig after a make-over!? 😀
Steve ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownRe: Counterpoint to Flood’s Anna posts
Originally posted by Distiller
Now, she is an elegant beauty! And the photographer did a good job.
Hmmm rather androgenous for my simple tastes.
In fact, are you sure that isn’t SOC in a platinum wig after a make-over!? 😀
Steve ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownJust to echo coanda’s sentomentd…great pictures as ever, Franck…keep ’em coming please! 🙂
I gave this current TLP a miss but the next one is set to be full of good quality particpants (and with better weather hoepfully!):
FLYING COURSE 2004-2 PARTICIPANTS 1st to 26th March, 2004
AIR-TO-GROUND
GE 2 X PA-200 JbG 33
US 2 X_ F-15 E 494 Sqn
TU 2 X_ F-16C 141 Sqn
FR 2 X Jaguar 1/7 Sqn
FR 2 X M2000N 1/4 Sqn
IT 2 X AMX 13 Sqn
IT 2 X PA-200 154 Sqn
SEAD
GR 2 X_ F-16 CJ 341 Sqn
RECCE
FR 2 X F-1CR 33 Sqn
AIR DEFENCE
GAF 2 X_ F-4F 74 Sqn_
US 2 X_ F-15C 493 Sqn
EXTERNAL SUPPORT
GR 2 X_F-16C 341 Sqn
TU 2 X F-16C 141 Sqn
FR 2 X_ M2000RDI
SP 1 X C-235 _
GE 1 X C-160
GE 1 X BO-105
NL 2 X AH-64D _
UK 1 X DA-20
The last batch that fly “external support” usually only take part in weeks 3 & 4.
If anybody else is going I’ll see them there on departures day 😀
Best regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownSome more recent comments regarding Tranche 2 etc.
Thousands of Aerospace Jobs in North West Depend on Government Support
The government must sign up to the Eurofighter project if thousands of North West aerospace jobs are to be safeguarded says manufacturing union Amicus.
The future of BAE Systems jobs at Warton and Salmesbury sites depends on the government signing up to the next stage of the programme and trade union Amicus is concerned that any further delay or cut back in the 232 plane order will cause a gap in production and potential job losses.
Although the government has agreed in principle to go ahead with the next tranche of the Eurofighter project, they and their European allies have not formally signed the order to commission the next batch of planes.
Derek Simpson, General Secretary of Amicus, who will be visiting the Warton site on Tuesday 3rd February, said:
“We are lobbying government at the highest levels to try and resolve the contract issue before this becomes critical for the 9,000 highly skilled workers at Warton and Salmesbury and thousands more jobs in the north west that depend upon these sites.”
The North West is the largest single centre of the aerospace industry. The region’s unique know how and skills base is unsurpassed in the UK. The area produced GBP4 billion in aerospace output last year (a quarter of the total UK aerospace output) and it supports over 60,000 jobs in the region.
Amicus is concerned that the £3.2bn hole in the defence budget will mean cuts to the MoD’s conventional arms programmes.
Source: PR Newswire (2nd February, 2004)
—
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownCheers for that, Arthur…much obliged! 🙂
I assume then that the piece I read (God knows where) was a photo opportunity or something similar at Laage? Now you come to mention it I think it was a politician climbing into a twin seater so was probably organised for his behalf!
Okay, further to that I have this from an interview published 21st January, 2004:
First Eurofighters come in the spring to Laage
Already in December should be stationed in Laage the first eight Eurofighters at the fighter wing 73. Thus Federal Minister of Defense Peter Struck had announced it. Now however it lasts nevertheless somewhat longer. OZ spoke with lieutenant colonel Guenter Katz of the Federal Ministry of Defense.
OZ: When now do the first Eurofighters come?
Katz: In the spring the first seven machines in Laage will be. After conclusion of the preparing measures at the present location Manching the date can be limited more exactly.
OZ: Further ten should be supplied still in this year, to end of 2005 the remaining 15.
Katz: Altogether is intended 30 to 40 Eurofighters for Laage, that is correct. These will approach gradually over the next years.
(apologies for the rough translation from German!)
Cheers
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownOriginally posted by ELP
O.T.Hey Steve. Any of your people going to do some cool photos of the last Italian F-104 flights this year ? I am sure they are going to have some kind of a ceremony or something. Should be some cool photos. I think the pilots are going to miss switching to a slower ride 😉
Hi ELP,
apologies for the delay in replying but I was actually waiting on some news about this very subject in the days leading up to your post!
Good news is, via a post on Touchdown-News from Iwan Bogels of DAPPA via a friend of his in Italy:
Yesterday morning I received confirm about the farewell day of our best and favourite plane. The AMI is organizing a big open day at Pratica Di Mare for
next 30 May, a pilot meeting will be held the previous day, the 29 but from
HQ is not yet confirm if also this last day will be open at the public.This will be the fare well date but F 104 will continue to fly at Grazzanise till mid July.
So, yes ELP, I am sure there will be literally hundreds of photographers and plain old enthusiasts down there on May 30th so I’m sure more than a few of the results will get posted here!
Best regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownOriginally posted by Portugal
I read something about that, EC-635 in OGMA, in the local newspapers, but I don’t have official confirmation.
You could very well be 100% right, Portugal. The only thing that made me go “hmmm…” was the reflection in the front window of D-HECH: the see-through sliding doors are very similar to the ones for the flight test shed at the Donauworth factory. I’ve not been to OGMA so I don’t know what theirs are like.
I’d also have presumed the choppers would have been delivered in full livery with national markings and titles. That’s certainly standard practice with Eurocopter products anyway.
Thanks for all the great pictures! Keep it up.
Best regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
p.s. I’ll be in Portugal in a few weeks!
Steve TouchdownYou can certainly add BT012, at least, to your tally, Distiller: it was already on the line back at the beginning of November 2003.
Hard and fast figures aren’t easy to come by for 2004 so far, but some relevant mentions in the UK Houses of Parliament over the past few weeks are as follows:
Eurofighter 26 Jan 2004
Mr. Llwyd: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what the unit cost is of each Eurofighter aircraft; when it is expected that it will be brought into service; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ingram: The Unit Production Cost of a Typhoon aircraft as published in Major Project Report 2003 is £56.8 million. As my right hon. Friend the Secretary of State for Defence announced in his written statement on 30 June, Eurofighter Typhoon achieved Type Acceptance on that day triggering the process of bringing the aircraft into service with the RAF. Two aircraft have been accepted off contract and RAF pilot training and operational evaluation activities have begun. Operational Employment is due to be achieved in the second half of the decade.
Eurofighter Typhoon 14 Jan 2004
Mr. Keetch: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence what studies have been conducted to ascertain the change in unit cost of Eurofighter Typhoon should the third tranche of the original order not be purchased; what savings could be expected from the cancellation of the third tranche; and if he will make a statement.
Mr. Ingram: I refer the hon. Member to the answer I gave him on 13 May 2003, Official Report, column 154W; the situation remains the same.
13 May 2003:
Mr. Ingram: The estimated total procurement cost to the United Kingdom for Eurofighter Typhoon is £18.633 billion.
Under the collaborative procurement arrangements for the project, the attribution of costs and savings from any cancellation of the third tranche of orders would need to be discussed and formally agreed between the four nations. No such discussions have taken place.
Typhoon 13 Jan 2004
Lord Bach: We remain committed to the Typhoon programme. We have a contractual commitment to purchasing 55 Typhoons in the first of three planned production tranches. A memorandum of understanding with our partner nations covers a further 89 in tranche 2 and 88 in tranche 3. Discussions with the four nation members and with industry regarding tranche 2 are taking place now. Given the obvious importance of the contract, our priority is to ensure that industry’s proposals for the programme are soundly based and are based on appropriate levels of design maturity. Any commitment to tranche 3 does not need to be expected until 2007.
Eurofighter 16 Dec 2003
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether the Government remain committed to purchasing 232 Eurofighter Typhoons.
Mr. Ingram: The United Kingdom remains committed to the Typhoon programme. Under the four partner nation Memorandum of Understanding, the UK has undertaken to acquire 232 aircraft out of a total production of 620.
Mr. Jack: To ask the Secretary of State for Defence when he will order Tranche II of the Eurofighter Typhoon; and how many aircraft he will order.
Mr. Ingram: Work is under way involving our partner nations and industry to enable contracts for the second tranche of Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft to be placed as soon as possible over the coming months. The Tranche 2 contract comprises 236 aircraft of which 89 will be for the RAF.
Source: Errrrr….Me! via Hansard
Maybe Seahawk could update things on the German front: I think a couple of two seaters have been delivered to JG 73 at Laage for pilot training?
Best Regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownOriginally posted by flex297
That is correct. The machines were painted the olive overall coat before being transferred to Portugal. This was the camo pattern meant for their service in Portuguese Armed Forces.
I agree, Flex, but those test/delivery registrations at Donauworth are used over and over again. Take a look at http://www.helionline.de/EC13500.htm and see how many times D-HECH has been issued! It may have even been used on more than one of the Portuguese/Jordanian order, I’m not sure.
Portugal, was it confirmed that some of the EC135 made it as far as Portugal? I had confirmation some had been seen at Valence and Clermont Ferrand (both in France) and after that back at the factory in Donauworth, but I didn’t know they’d got as far as OGMA.
Best regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownPII, off the top of my head all of the crews that have been killed in OH-58D have been from regular Army units (1-82nd Aviation, 2/17th CAV etc.) and I don’t recall seeing any that have been listed as Guard members.
This was the piece from last August about the MS ArNG crew that were attached to the 101st AVN’s 2-17th CAV:
Pair of Aces
Two Guard helicopter pilots led air attack on Saddam’s sons
The first knowledge Chief Warrant Officer 3 Stan Caldwell’s family had that something big – something momentous – had happened to him July 22 was an e-mail he sent home to Tupelo, Miss., from the front lines in Iraq.
“I guess you saw the news footage of the taking down of Saddam’s sons,” Caldwell wrote. “Ozzie [Chief Warrant Officer 2 Dennis Osborne] and I were in one of the Kiowa Warrior helicopters that fired on the house. It was quite an experience.”
That kind of understatement is typical of Caldwell, one of 22 pilots from the Mississippi Army National Guard’s Company D, 1st Battalion, 159th Aviation attached to the 101st Airborne Division, said his wife Ranae Caldwell. Osborne is also a member of the unit.
In a later telephone conversation with her husband, Ranae learned that Caldwell and Osborne piloted the lead of two Kiowas dispatched to support troops surrounding the villa in Mosul.
During the mission, however, Caldwell was unaware that Uday and Qusay Hussein – Aces in a deck of playing cards depicting the most wanted members of the former Iraqi regime – were among four gunmen barricaded in the dwelling.
_'[Caldwell] said they circled the house for quite some time, then were given the order to fire,” his mother, Adrian Caldwell, wrote in an e-mail about her son’s experience._ ‘He said they unloaded everything they had. He did not realize until the debriefing the importance of the mission.”
In a media briefing July 24, Lt. Gen. Ricardo Sanchez, the U.S. ground commander in Iraq, explained that the helicopters were brought in only after ground forces were repelled by gunfire from the residence.
“Immediately upon entering the building, shots were fired,” Sanchez said. “We immediately determined that the targeted individuals were barricaded in the fortified portion of the building, which was the second floor.”
Three soldiers were injured. The troops then withdrew and “heavy weaponry” was dispatched.
Enter the Kiowa helicopters, armed with 2.75-inch rockets, Mark-19 grenade launchers, AT-4 rockets and .50-caliber machine guns.
A little later, ground troops fired 10 TOW anti-tank missiles that were probably responsible for the deaths of Uday, Qusay and a bodyguard, Sanchez said.
The last person alive inside was Qusay’s teenage son. He was killed when he fired at troops who stormed the house.
Back home, Caldwell’s family was still shaking days later with the news of his part in the mission.
“Stan is one who doesn’t like to be in the limelight, but he seemed pretty proud, and we’re proud of him,” Ranae said.
Col. James Young, commander of the Tupelo Army Aviation Support Facility, echoed that sentiment.
“All 20 of the guys who went over there have done a really good job,” Young said. “They’ve been involved in the action from the getgo, and we’re all extremely proud of them.”
Two of the unit’s 22 mobilized pilots have not yet deployed to Iraq. They are expected to be among the replacement troops sent in October.
By Lena Mitchell (Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal)
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
p.s. as far as I know all of the 1-159th AVN are back home now.
Steve TouchdownOriginally posted by Portugal
A U.S. Army OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter crashes near the northern town of Qayyarah, killing the two pilots. The cause of the crash is unclear.
The OH-58D Kiowa Warrior losses on January 2nd 2004 and December 9th 2003 are both thought to have been attributed to RPG rounds. The rest of the recent OH-58D losses are all listed as being due to accidents. There have been five US Army helicopter losses in Iraq during 2004.
Best regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownWish we’d bought Gripens now….
Polish government worried about slow progress on Lockheed Martin offset
The government is worried about the slow progress of the Lockheed Martin offset program, said Michael Kleiber, minister for science and IT.
“We imagined that by now, a lot of projects would have been underway,” he said, speaking at a press conference after a government meeting. He added that the US company is working on new projects that could supplement or replace those that have brought disappointing returns to date. (Rzeczpospolita, p. B3) A.N.
4th Feb., 2004
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownI posted this in a thread a couple of days ago, but here it is again:
Cancellation of Defence 2004 Event and Enhancement to the Royal International Air Tattoo
The Defence 2004 exhibition, under the leadership of the Royal Air Force, scheduled to take place at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in July, has been cancelled. Continuing operational commitments mean that the manpower necessary to ensure its success cannot be met in full. Instead, this year’s Tattoo, run under the auspices of the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund, will be enhanced with support from the Armed Forces, although on a reduced scale to that originally planned for Defence 2004.
The changes will still see a significant contribution by some 1800 Service personnel and the inclusion of a Youth Day and Armed Forces Careers Convention, a commemoration of the centenary of Entente Cordiale and a celebration of the 60th anniversary of D-Day.
The Defence 2000 series of events was launched in 2000 as a replacement for the Royal Tournament. Each event was to be led by one of the Services, with the overall aim of taking Defence to the Nation. The next scheduled event in 2005 will be led by the Royal Navy, bringing a strong maritime focus in the bi-centenary of the Battle of Trafalgar.
Defence Minister Ivor Caplin said:
“I understand the disappointment many people will feel that Defence 2004 cannot go ahead as planned. But the heavy operational commitments our Armed Forces are facing must clearly take precedence. However, we can all still look forward to a varied and exciting range of events at Fairford which will show visitors the Armed Forces at their best.”
Director of The Royal International Air Tattoo, Paul Bowen, said:
“Whilst regrettable, the cancellation of Defence 04 was not entirely unexpected. At a time when the Armed Forces are so heavily involved with continuing commitments overseas, events such as Defence 04 were always going to be vulnerable. However, I am delighted that there will still be a very strong RAF, Army and Royal Navy presence at this year’s Royal International Air Tattoo and features such as Armed Forces Youth Day – one of the centrepieces of Defence 04 – will still go ahead. Defence 04 was always planned to be an addition to the Tattoo’s core programme and with a number of special and unique events being organised to mark the 50th anniversary of the C-130 Hercules, the 60th anniversaries of both D-Day and The Great Escape plus the centenary of the signing of the Anglo-French ‘Entente Cordiale’, we shall still have a magical blend of show-stopping aerial attractions to entertain the crowds in July.”
Source: UK Ministry of Defence; issued Jan. 30, 2004
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
Steve TouchdownOriginally posted by PAF Fan
Can anyone post pix of the stored UH-1Hs and AH-1Fs in New York and Texas that are bound for Pakistan!?
There are around 300 Cobras in storage at Fort Drum in NY state: access to them isn’t very easy as they’re all in a fenced-off compound (tightly parked) within the confines of a very large US Army installation. As far as I know the specific examples that will end up in Pakistan haven’t even been chosen yet.
Temple (where the Hueys are) has certainly been visited 2 or 3 times during 2003 by aviation enthusiasts but I don’t think anybody has taken photos: the Hueys are 40 out of around 200 that are parked in long lines on a disused runway out on the airfield.
One other thing about choppers, and other equipment, destined for Pakistan is that I found this snippet from the 2005 “Foreign Military Financing” budget that was announced on Monday tucked-away in a corner:
“$300 million for Pakistan, critical to ongoing Operation Enduring Freedom efforts, to provide equipment to help Pakistan’s Armed Forces interdict and apprehend terrorists and prevent illegal cross-border movements”.
So now Sean, ELP, Vortex know where there hard-earned tax dollars for the next 12 months are being spent! 😀
Mind you, Israel are getting $2.2 billion for FY2005 so maybe you should consider yourselves short-changed.
Best regards
Steve Rush ~ Touchdown-News
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