Hungary extends JAS-39 Gripen contract
The defence and security company Saab is proud to announce that Hungary is taking a long-term strategic decision to continue operating Gripen and ensuring the continued development of its national capability. Sweden and Hungary are extending the cooperation for another ten years, until 2026.
Iraqi pilots coming to Arizona to learn how to fly F-16s
All but a handful of U.S. troops have left Iraq, but the mission to train the Iraqi military is continuing in Tucson, Ariz., where Iraqis will learn how to fly F-16s.
Saddam Hussein’s once formidable air force was obliterated in the course of two wars against the United States. Those fighters that were not destroyed were either buried in sand and thus made inoperable or sent to Iran and Serbia.
U.S. Air Force orders more JDAM kits
Boeing is producing more conventional Joint Direct Attack Munition tail kits for the U.S. Air Force and will begin delivery in mid-2013.
The order from the Air Force — the third for JDAM kits over 12 months — is for 5,000 units and worth $126 million.
Panther eliminated from Danish Maritime Helicopter programme
The Eurocopter AS565 Panther has been eliminated from Denmark’s maritime helicopter competition, leaving the Lynx Wildcat and MH-60R Romeo in a race that is expected to be decided in the second half of 2012.
Poland orders new helicopters, upgrades
AgustaWestland’s subsidiary in Poland will supply the Polish air force with four new helicopters and will upgrade 14 other aircraft.
The contracts received by PZL-Swidnik from the Polish Ministry of National Defense are worth more than $114.5 million.
FX-2, Brazil very likely to choose the Rafale
Brazil is “very likely” to choose France’s Rafale fighter jet to refurbish its air force, government sources say, a decision that would award one of the emerging-market world’s most coveted defense contracts to a jet whose future was in doubt only two weeks ago.
• India’s talks with Dassault made Brazil deal viable
• Brazil suspicious of U.S. technology restrictions
• Dassault shares up 4.3 pct, company declines comment
• Boeing says it’s still in race with F/A-18 Super Hornet
Sino-Indian border against the Chinese Air Force Base
India began a large-scale upgrade Sino-Indian border against the Chinese Air Force Base
Times of India reported that India will launch a massive nationwide program to upgrade Air Force base in the first stage in the 42 months to upgrade 51 air bases in 30, the second phase of the remaining Air Force Base, Navy, Army, Coast Guard to upgrade the airport, which focuses on the northeast border of China’s regional base.
Israel fears Hezbollah has killer SAMs
As the Middle East frets about a regional conflict, Israel’s military says it believes Lebanon’s Iranian-backed Hezbollah has long-range surface-to-air missiles supplied by Syria, significantly boosting its defenses against the Jewish state’s formidable air power.
U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster III
U.S. Air Force to Get Five More C-17s
• The U.S. Air Force has awarded Boeing a $693 million firm-fixed price contract modification to buy five additional C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifters.
29 January 2012 – F-35 Lightning II News
Mismanagement of F-35 program results in budget cuts
Where are the large orders that are to produce “economies of scale” and “affordability” for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF)? Apparently in someone’s imagination from 2001.
• Consider that everything low-rate-initial-production (LRIP) batch 5 and before has little value because hardware that drives the final Block 3 software does not arrive until LRIP-6. Many of the various fixes for the F-35s other problems do not arrive until LRIP-7 or LRIP-8; at the earliest. And it will take some years for Block 3 software–which in part signifies the F-35 is ready to move on to full-rate production–to work in anything resembling a final go-to-war jet. Yet, delays to fixing technical problems are the consistent metric in the F-35 program.
• The Joint Strike Fighter Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) is what joint strike fighter partner nations–Australia, Canada, Denmark, The Netherlands, Norway, Turkey, the U.K. and the U.S.–agree upon for their yearly order projections. These yearly order projections mentioned in MOU’s over the years are more imagination, than a plan based on hard analysis.
North Korean Air Force Increases Training Flights
• North Korea’s air force has conducted more training than normal this winter despite the death of leader Kim Jong Il, a report said Jan. 24.
The Eurocopter Tiger Attack Helicopter
Eurocopter CEO Expects German Tiger Buy to Exceed 40
• Eurocopter expects to deliver 55 to 70 Tigers to Germany, despite the Defense Ministry’s plan to halve its order for the attack helicopters to 40, CEO Lutz Bertling said Jan. 24 during the company’s annual New Year’s news conference here
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