Ausi Super-Hornets to be Wired for Electronic Attack
Article excerpt from Defense-Update
Ausi Super-Hornets to be Wired for Electronic Attack
Australia is wiring 12 of its new Super Hornets to receive Electronic Surveillance and Attack systems, if and when such capability will be required.
Boeing is pre-wiring 12 of the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) Super Hornet for potential conversion of the aircraft for Electronic Attack role. At present the Australians have not decided whether to equip the aircraft with such capabilities. According to RAAF Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Officer Commanding 82 Wing currently operating these fighters, the ability to introduce an electronic attack capability on part of the Australian Super Hornets provides maximum flexibility for future missions. “Ultimately, if a decision to incorporate an electronic attack option is pursued, it will further expand the broad capability of an already formidable Super Hornet weapon system.” Robertson said.
Source: http://defense-update.com/wp/20100928_super_hornet_e.html
Defence cuts row: Osborne attacks Labour over outdated ‘Cold War’ weapons Read more:
Article excerpt from the Daily Mail
Defence cuts row: Osborne attacks Labour over outdated ‘Cold War’ weapons
Chancellor George Osborne launched a searing attack on Labour today for leaving Britain’s armed forces dangerously outdated.
As Tory members gathered in Birmingham for the party’s first conference since it entered coalition, Mr Osborne accused the previous government of spending billions of pounds on weapons and equipment only suitable for the Cold War era.
He also said the defence budget left by the previous government was ‘the most chaotic, the most disorganised, the most overcommitted.’
Computer generated photo issued by the MOD showing one of two new Royal Navy aircraft carriers, which could be threatened
Stealthy Robots Stalk The T-50
Article excerpt from Strategy Page
Stealthy Robots Stalk The T-50
September 14, 2010: The Russian answer to the American F-22, the T-50, first flew earlier this year, and has made 18 flights so far this year. The T-50 is a prototype, and the Russians are still doing a lot of tinkering. While the T-50 is the stealthiest aircraft the Russians have, it is not nearly as stealthy as the F-22, or even the F-35 or B-2. The Russians are apparently going to emphasize maneuverability instead of stealth. But they are having problems perfecting the engines for the T-50, and the defensive electronics. This puts the T-50 at a big disadvantage against the F-22 or F-35, which try to detect enemy aircraft at long distance, without being spotted, and then fire a radar guided missile (like AMRAAM).
The T-50 is not an entirely new design, like the F-22. The T-50 was developed from the Su-27, which it is to eventually replace. As part of this process, another development aircraft, the Su-35, was created. This aircraft first flew two years ago. The Su-35 contains a lot of the technologies that are going into the T-50. Three years ago the Russian Air Force showed off the first of two flyable prototypes of the Su-35. Less than four years ago Russia announced its long promised Su-35 fighter was back in development again. The Su-35 is an enhanced Su-30 (itself a development of the Cold War era Su-27), and has been in development for over a decade. At one point, it was called the Su-37, but the name was changed back to Su-35. A dozen or more Su-35 prototypes have been built, and apparently no two are identical. This is typical for Russian aircraft development. They prefer to produce many incremental improvements, rather than make a huge jump to a very different new model. Thus you can trace an evolution from the Su-27 to the T-50.
Source: http://www.strategypage.com/htmw/htairfo/articles/20100914.aspx
New Opportunities Mature for Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Advanced Trainer
Article excerpt from Defense-Update
New Opportunities Mature for Alenia Aermacchi M-346 Advanced Trainer
M-346 from Alenia Aermacchi, positioned as the successor of the European Alpha Jet, is currently competing for the Polish and Israeli Air Force advanced trainer programs.
One of the most modern Advanced/Lead-In Fighter Trainer in production today, the M-346 from Alenia Aermacchi is gathering momentum to become the leading trainer preparing future combat pilot to fly the latest generation fighters. On the way, it will have to fight tough opponents, from the BAE Systems’ Hawk – being the market leader in the past 35 years, and still going strong with the latest AJT version, and Korean T-50 Golden Eagle, eagerly promoted by Korea and U.S. based Lockheed Martin, still awaiting the international breakthrough.
Cheetahs and Mirage 50s for Ecuador
Article excerpt from Defense Industry Daily
Cheetahs and Mirage 50s for Ecuador
Ecuador’s FAE currently operates a variety of fighter aircraft. 14 Israeli Kfirs, (12 + 2 two-seat trainers) upgraded to the C10/CE standard, 12 upgraded French Mirage F1 fighters originally delivered in 1978-80, and about 20 A-37 Dragonflys form their fighter core; about 7 Jaguar strike aircraft are reportedly in storage, and unfit to fly. The Kfirs will last for a little while, but the Jaguars, Dragonflys, and Mirage F1s need replacement.
A deal is in the works for up to 24 of Brazil’s Super Tucanos, which are replacing the A-37 with a variety of Latin American air forces. They can’t replace the Jaguars and F1s, however, which triggered a search for replacements that can be bought on a small budget. After investigating a number of offers, a deal with South Africa is set, even as Venezuela stepped in with an offer of its own…
Source: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Cheetahs-and-Mirage-50s-for-Ecudaor-05832/#more-5832
Canada, Australia Contract for Heron UAVs
Article from Defense Industry Daily
Canada, Australia Contract for Heron UAVs
Israel Aerospace Industries’ Heron is a large MALE UAV in the MQ-1 Predator’s Class. It is primarily used as a surveillance UAV over land and sea, and can be equipped with a number of modular radar, sensor, and even electronic intelligence packages. The 2006 war in Lebanon also demonstrated that they could be armed, if necessary. Herons are known to serve with Israel (Heron 1 and Heron TP), India, Turkey, and in France as the EAGLE/ Harfang variant. They have also been used successfully by US SOUTHCOM as drug interdiction aircraft; a leasing deal with El Salvador is reportedly pending, and Brazil is also showing interest.
Canada has a long-term JUSTAS program that includes UAVs in this class, and the Heron will fill the Phase 1 near-term MALE UAV requirements – but the longer-term procurement choices will not be made until Phase 2. Meanwhile, the Heron UAV have begun serving Canada in Afghanistan, under an August 2008 arrangement. In 2009, Australia added itself as a second customer…
Source: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Canada-Contracts-for-Heron-UAVs-05024/#more-5024
Embraer’s Multinational KC-390 Tactical Air Transport Program
Article excerpt from Defense Industry Daily
Embraer’s Multinational KC-390 Tactical Air Transport Program
Global competition in the 20-ton air transport segment continues to intensify, with Brazil’s launch of its KC-390 program. Embraer figures reportedly place the global C-130 replacement market at around 700 aircraft. In response, it will develop a jet-powered rival to compete with Lockheed Martin’s C-130J, the larger Airbus A400M, Russia’s AN-12 and its Chinese copy the Yun-8/9, and the bi-national Irkut/HAL MRTA project. Smaller aircraft like the EADS-CASA C-295M and Alenia C-27J may also represent indirect competition.
Embraer will now seek to extend its efforts and markets by crafting a jet-powered medium transport with a cargo capacity of around 25 tons, that can be refueled in the air, and can provide refueling services to other aircraft by adding dedicated pods. Thanks to Brazil’s fighter project, the KC-390 looks set to become a multinational effort…
The Su-35BM Flanker-E and J-11B Sino-Flanker are nearly equal; the only difference is in avionics and engines.
The Russian Flanker is powered by the SAturn 117S, giving limited supercruise capability, whereas its Chinese counterpart is powered by imported AL-31F turbofans, and indigenous WS-10A Taihangs for later-build J-11Bs.
They have no supercruise capability, and are also plague by reliability problems; vulnerability to compressor stall in high alpha maneuvers, and flameouts during high throttle usage.
Another thing is radar.
The Su-35BM uses an Irbis-E PESA radar set, while the J-11B uses a Type 1474 AESA. The maximum range of the latter is unknown, but both radars offer comparable performance to the APG-77 series, used in the F-22.
And the third is the cockpit layout.
The Su-35BM utilizes two large LCD screens, while the J-11B has three smaller
LCDs; left, center and right.
If you wanted to equip your air force with a squadron of air superiority fighters, which of the two would you pick?
RAF to shrink to World War One levels
Article excerpt from The Telegraph
RAF to shrink to World War One levels
The RAF will shrink to its smallest size since the First World War, under unprecedented cuts being proposed at the Ministry of Defence.
In the most significant changes to Britain’s defences since the post-Suez review of 1957, ministers and officials plan to scrap large parts of the Armed Forces.
The Services will lose up to 16,000 personnel, hundreds of tanks, scores of fighter jets and half a dozen ships, under detailed proposals passed to The Daily Telegraph.
I mean, why cut the RAF down to WWI levels? The once-mighty RN that dominated the world’s oceans can only defend the British coastline.
This must be weakening the country by design. Coincidence or not? You tell me.
Persuader Patrol Planes for Mexico’s Maritime
Article excerpt from Defense Industry Daily
Persuader Patrol Planes for Mexico’s Maritime
Mexico’s military needs have escalated, as the country faces what counter-terrorist analyst John Robb has called a growing “open source insurgency” of narco-traffickers and some leftist groups. The violence associated with “The Cartel War” has reportedly claimed around 28,000 lives over the last 4 years.
Mexican governments are signing contracts on a number of fronts, from full city-wide surveillance and monitoring systems, to UAVs and aerostats, to medium helicopters. More equipment is on the way, via Mexico’s own purchases and the USA’s Merida Initiative.
Source: http://www.defenseindustrydaily.com/Persuader-Patrol-Planes-for-Mexicos-Maritime-05372/#more-5372
Japan Orders 4 E-767 AWACS Radar & Mission Upgrade Kits
Article excerpt from Defense Industry Daily
Japan Orders 4 E-767 AWACS Radar & Mission Upgrade Kits
In May 2006, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Japan of four sets of Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and Command, Control and Communications (C3) mission equipment/Radar System Improvement Program (RSIP) Group A and B kits, plus spares and services to ensure complete AWACS mission equipment supportability, for subsequent installation and checkout in 4 previously procured E-767 Airborne Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) aircraft.
You mean the PVO Su-15TM Flagon piloted by Major Gennady Osipovich? Yeah, that’s the one.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DfcGur0Vql4
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