Additional Orders For DRAC Air Vehicles For The French Army

Cassidian has been notified by the French defence procurement agency (DGA) of the confirmation of additional orders for DRAC air vehicles and systems for the French Army.

The DRAC mini-UAV close-range reconnaissance system is intended to enhance the intelligence seeking and reconnaissance capabilities of front-line army units.

Extraordinary images that show what it is like for a F-35 ‘pilot’ to eject from a fighter jet travelling at 600mph

An ejector seat containing a test dummy is fired out of a replica F-35 cockpit being propelled along at more than 600mph

Aviation Week: New F-35 Cost Concerns Emerge

The embattled F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is facing the threat of $3 billion or more in higher costs related to taxes and tariffs on components and subassemblies traveling around its international supply network.

Air Force to Fly Hypersonic Aircraft in Global Strike Test

The U.S. Air Force on Thursday intends to test a developmental hypersonic drone aircraft as part of an initiative to provide the United States with the ability to deliver conventional warheads to any location across the globe in just minutes, the Los Angeles Times reported

“In fiscal year 2012, we will begin weaponizing the X-51 research vehicle,” Air Force Deputy Assistant Secretary for Science Stephen Walker informed Congress earlier this month.

NASA and U.S. Air Force eye chicken fat as jet fuel

Maybe it’s to offset the high price of chicken, but NASA and the U.S. Air Force could soon be fueling their aircraft on jet fuel derived from recycled chicken fat.

Seventeen organizations are participating in Alternative Aviation Fuel Experiment II, or AAFEX II, to see if hydrotreated renewable jet fuel is a viable, eco-friendly fuel for jets.

Global Observer [UAV] crashes at Edwards

The Global Observer crashed about 2:30 a.m. near the southwest corner of Rogers Dry Lakebed, according to a statement from the base.

Edwards officials are investigating the cause of the crash.

What matters is overall cost per target.

BTW, who said cheap? For the same performance*, they’ll be cheaper than piloted aircraft, but they won’t be cheap.

*But a Taranis/Neuron derivative will have lower performance than a piloted multi-role aircraft, in most respects. It’ll probably be superior only in range.

Agree that cost per target is important. UCAVs could possibly be cheaper than stand off munitions like Tomahawks, AASM and Storm Shadow.

They’ll have lower performance if they’re are powered by non-reheat turbofans but’ll probably have higher persistence. They do not need to carry the weight of pilots, ejection seats, OBOGs, canopy.

The lower performance can be made up with numbers and combat radius. e.g. UCAVs enforcing no fly zones with BVR missiles. A UCAV and Typhoon each with 6 Meteor have similar firepower but there can be more UCAVs loitering around at lower cost. Most current combat aircraft fly at transonic speeds to maximize range and persistence.

It might be interesting to have 2 seat F15 silent eagles as mini sentinels and controllers for UCAVs carrying the munitions.

NZ Air force selling off mothballed Devons

The De Havilland Devons – bought in the early 1950s as navigation trainers – have been put up for sale, joining the 34 mothballed Skyhawk and Aermacchi jets that have been in storage since they were put up for sale 10 years ago.