I have nothing to say against this!
But mind that the C-130 could last longer 😉

that was also the era of the c-141…

[ATTACH=CONFIG]258876[/ATTACH]

F-35 Integrated Test Force nominated for the 2017 Robert J. Collier Trophy.

“The Edwards ITF did not just conduct the same-old flight test, they demonstrated superb excellence, tackling unique challenges, and performing at a sustained level simply never seen before in any Department of Defense flight test organization,” according to the award nomination.

Source:
Edwards AFB

RHEINMETALL JOINS WITH SIKORSKY ON THE CH-53K OFFER [(Germany)]

Lockheed said in an emailed statement to Reuters that it had chosen Rheinmetall as its “lead teammate” for the bid because of the German company’s “wealth of experience and knowledge.”

It said it would name other German partners in coming weeks.

“The goal is to offer German military forces as a comprehensive solution that includes the CH-53K helicopters as well as additional services in maintenance, service, training and program support,” Rheinmetall said in an emailed statement to Reuters.

Rheinmetall Chief Executive Armin Papperger said the team would offer “the best possible state-of-the-art aircraft for the German Air Force as successor for the legacy CH-53G fleet.”

Source:
Reuters.com

to steer a beam, you need electromagnetic power and accuracy. Those are more demanding with the increases in size of the nodule. Smaller nodules are less energy demanding than larger ones, hence even more less energy is lost for the cooling.
Less cooling, more compactness -> less noise for a given signal. More accuracy hence more range.

@eagle1: so, it’s a software only upgrade first?

Airbus warns on ‘material’ A400M program charge

[Airbus] won an agreement with key customers to restructure the beleaguered program.

Airbus and several buyers of the A400M plane for months have been in talks over contract changes after the plane maker a year ago warned the current arrangement is too onerous. […] The company has taken around EUR7 billion in charges on the program that risks losing money unless it wins big export orders.[…]

Airbus on Wednesday said it had signed a declaration of intent with Germany, France, the U.K., Spain, Turkey, Belgium, Luxembourg to define how the contract would be amended. The accord spells out revised plane delivery plans and how missing features will be added.

Airbus said it is assessing the financial impact of the new plan and warned it could hit 2017 earnings it expects to report next week. Future financial exposure should be more limited, Airbus said. […]

Airbus Chief Executive Officer Tom Enders said that “since its inception in 2003, this program has suffered not only from a number of operational issues but, more importantly, under a flawed contractual set-up and insufficient budget which resulted in significant losses for Airbus as prime contractor. We have a good chance to stop or at least reduce the bleeding now and deliver the capabilities our customers need.”

Also:

Airbus head of military aircraft Fernando Alonso said in December that the company would lower production of the aircraft to 15 this year and 11 in 2019. The plane maker delivered 19 of the model in 2017.

Wasn’t it Alonso that vowed to increase production rate when he took over the military division?

There was a thread questioning the culture of India and military procurement… Well you know, Airbus military makes you travel so fast past the cruise speed of their sister company’s airliners that this is mythic EUndia right on our front door*

Source:
MarketWatch.com
Bloomberg.com

*under bid, promise, bully and then …

From India:

“The demand that the Government disclose the details and value of the contract for the Rafale aircraft contracted in 2016 is unrealistic. The approximate acquisition cost of the Rafale aircraft has already been provided to the Parliament. The provision of exact item-wise cost and other information will reveal, inter alia, details regarding the various customisations and weapon systems, specially designed to augment the effectiveness and lethality of the assets, impact our military preparedness and compromise our national security.”

[…]

Furthermore, the ministry said that no Indian offset partner for the 2016 deal has been selected by the development agency- Dassault Aviation. Even Sitharaman while answering a question on the Rafale deal on Monday had explained, “Details of Indian Offset Partners have not yet been provided by the French Industrial suppliers and as per the provisions of Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) – 2013 they need to do so at the time of seeking offset credits or one year prior to discharge of offset obligations through their Indian Offset Partners.”

Source:
Eco Times.com