Russian Defense Ministry to Buy 92 Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback Fighters
The Russian Defense Ministry has signed a deal for 92 Su-34 Fullback fighter-bombers from the Sukhoi aircraft maker, the ministry said on Thursday.
The deal under which the warplanes are to be delivered by 2020 was signed by Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and Sukhoi General Director Igor Ozar.
Swedish Air Force Will Need 60 to 80 New Next-Generation JAS Gripen Fighters
The Swedish Air Force will require at least 60 to 80 next-generation JAS Gripen fighters to replace its present Gripen fleet. The replacement process should begin no later than 2020, according to a report presented by the Armed Forces Command (AFC) to the Ministry of Defense.
The report was given to the Parliamentary Defense Committee (PDC) on March 15.
JAS Gripen will meet the Armed Forces’ operational needs at least to 2040, and the system should be the core of the Swedish air defense. Sweden needs at least 60-80 aircraft.
Lockheed Wins Materials Order for 7 Lockheed Martin C-130Js
Lockheed Martin Corp., Marietta, Ga., is being awarded a $70,000,000 firm-fixed-price contract for advanced procurement efforts for the acquisition of two Air Force AC-130J, one HC-130J, and four MC-130J aircraft.
The location of the performances is Marietta, Ga. Work is expected to be completed during calendar year 2016.
USAF/AFMC, Aeronautical Systems Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, is the contracting activity.
Russia Signs Contract for Navy MiG-29K Fighter Jets
The Russian Defense Ministry has signed a contract with aircraft maker MiG for the delivery of 20 MiG-29K and four MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter aircraft, MiG said on Wednesday.”Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and MiG General Director Sergei Korotkov have signed the contract for the delivery of MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighters,” MiG said in a statement.
MiG wil deliver the aircraft from 2013-2015. The aircraft will operate from Russia’s single serving carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, with the Northern Fleet based in Murmansk. The value of the deal has not been disclosed.
U.S. Air Force Scraps $355 Million AT-6 Super Tucano Deal
Says Questions About Documentation Caused The Abrupt Cancellation. The Air Force has cancelled its $355 million contract with Embraer for 20 Super Tucano aircraft that it had awarded December 31st effective Friday. The contract award, which is still being litigated, will be investigated.
“While we pursue perfection, we sometimes fall short, and when we do we will take corrective action,” Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said in a statement, according to Reuters. “Since the acquisition is still in litigation, I can only say that the Air Force Senior Acquisition Executive, David Van Buren, is not satisfied with the quality of the documentation supporting the award decision.”
India to Order Nine Tejas LCA Naval Variants
In a boost to India’s indigenous maritime combat plane development programme, a top defence panel has approved the limited series production of the Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Navy’s under-construction indigenous aircraft carrier (IAC).
The approval came from the Defence Minister A.K. Antony-headed Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) at its meeting last week, a top defence ministry official told IANS Monday. “The nod is for production of nine of the LCA-Navy,” the official said.
The approval comes even as the project was finding the going tough over the plane’s General Electric F404 engine providing inadequate power — about 80 kiloNewtons — for a carrier-borne fighter.
Norway Parties Divided Over F-35 Lightning II Costs, Noise
In a week where Deputy Defence Minister Roger Ingebrigtsen travels to Edwards Air Force base, California, and JSF programme head Vice-Admiral David Venlet visits Norway, politicians are divided on how Norway should pay for them.
Tri-partite Coalition Party the Socialist Left (SV) has called for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter price not to exceed the defence budget of 40 billion kroner. Labour (Ap) wishes to allocate extra money, whilst the Centre Party (Sp) will not comment.
EADS Delivers Second CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for Mexican Navy
EADS North America Delivers Second CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft for Mexico Under U.S. Foreign Military Sales Agreement.
EADS North America has delivered the second of four Airbus Military CN235-300 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) to be supplied to the Mexican Navy. The Foreign Military Sales contract for the aircraft is managed by the U.S. Coast Guard, which uses the CN235-300 in the HC-144A Ocean Sentry configuration for missions ranging from search and rescue to drug interdiction.
In January, EADS North America delivered its 13th HC-144A Ocean Sentry to the U.S. Coast Guard, two months ahead of schedule. The service plans to acquire a total of 36 of the twin-engine turboprops.
Czech Air Force Gripens Refuel In Flight for First Time
On Tuesday 28 February 2012 for the first time in the history of the Czech Air Force carried out an airplane in-flight refueling in Ronneby, Sweden. JAS 39 Gripen to the Czech pilot on board several times successfully merged with the Swedish Air Force tanker C-130 Hercules.
This training of two pilots were selected from 21 Tactical Air Force Major Jaroslav Čáslav Toman and Captain Peter Dřevecký. During the Monday to the late evening hours passed both demanding theory. Today the long awaited follow a practical part, which consisted of Czech driver training instructor in the Swedish two-seat version of the supersonic aircraft JAS 39 Gripen.
Wings With Memories – First-Hand Account Of A Flight Aboard A Consolidated B-24 Liberator
(Frequent ANN contributor David Juwel had the opportunity recently to take a flight in a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, which remains the sole flying example of a B-24 Liberator left in the world. The aircraft is operated by The Collings Foundation. He offers this first-hand account.)
Prior to the flight I had the opportunity to talk to an actual B-24 pilot from WWII. His name is George Able and he is 90-years old. George was an instrument instructor pilot assigned to the 19th Bombardment Squadron. He flew missions at least twice a week while operating in the New Guinea and Okinawa region.
Wings With Memories – First-Hand Account Of A Flight Aboard A Consolidated B-24 Liberator
(Frequent ANN contributor David Juwel had the opportunity recently to take a flight in a Consolidated B-24 Liberator, which remains the sole flying example of a B-24 Liberator left in the world. The aircraft is operated by The Collings Foundation. He offers this first-hand account.)
Prior to the flight I had the opportunity to talk to an actual B-24 pilot from WWII. His name is George Able and he is 90-years old. George was an instrument instructor pilot assigned to the 19th Bombardment Squadron. He flew missions at least twice a week while operating in the New Guinea and Okinawa region.
Israeli Air Force UAV Squadron Operations; Lost and Found
Aside from standard gathering operations, the UAV Squadron deals with other everyday issues. The First UAV Squadron and Search & Rescue Unit conducted a joint training session that simulated a scenario in which they must find missing persons.
Putin Proposes Vast Rearmament, Military Reform
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has outlined plans for military reform and rearmament that would see the Russian government spending 23 trillion rubles (some $770 billion) over a 10-year period.
Putin, who will almost certainly win the March 4 presidential election, made the pledges in a lengthy article in the “Rossiiskaya Gazeta” newspaper.
In the article, titled “Being Strong Is a Guarantee of Russia’s National Security,” Putin wrote, “It’s obvious we cannot strengthen our international position, develop the economy and democratic institutions if we are not able to defend Russia.”
Putin says the increased spending does not reflect the “militarization of the Russian budget” but he says the military has been “chronically underfunded” for years and it is now time “to pay the bill.”
Putin said the potential for developing the military structure of the Soviet era “is completely exhausted” and the huge armies of the last century are outdated. He said a “new army” is needed to confront modern threats.
Marine Corps Aviation Introduces F-35B Lightning II Into Fleet
A century after 1st Lt. Alfred A. Cunningham took his first flight in 1912, Marine Corps aviation introduced the F-35B Lightning II aircraft into its fleet. The short takeoff vertical landing variant combined with fifth generation capabilities is a breakthrough in itself, matching the importance of the first Marine aviator and starting a new chapter in Marine Corps aviation history.
2nd Marine Aircraft Wing’s Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron 501 hosted the ceremony inducting the F-35B Lightning II multirole, joint strike fighter, into the Marine Corps aviation arsenal at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., Feb. 24 at 2 p.m.
Boeing Awarded Performance Based Logistics Contract for Sustainment of Korea F-15Ks
The Boeing Company has received a Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contract from the Republic of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) to ensure the long-term, affordable sustainment of the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) fleet of F-15K fighter jets.
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