November 2011
The Swiss government said on Wednesday it will purchase 22 Swedish-made Gripen fighter jets to replace its ageing F5 fighter fleet in an estimated 3.1 billion Swiss franc (2.5 billion euro) deal. “The Federal Council has decided to acquire 22 Saab Gripen fighter planes to replace the obsolete F5 Tiger,” a statement said. The planes were selected over the French Dassault Rafale and the EADS Eurofighter, also being considered for the ...
Category: Military Aviation
The Russian Air Force will receive up to 100 Sukhoi fighter jets by 2015, the Defense Ministry spokesman said. Three state contracts with the Sukhoi design bureau on the supply of the jets have been already signed, Vladimir Drik said. Fifty advanced Su-35 Flanker-E multirole fighters, billed as “4++ generation using fifth-generation technology,” more than ten advanced Su-27SM Flanker multirole jets and five Su-30M2 Flanker-C multirole fighters are among the ...
Category: Russian Aviation
The third Advanced Tactical Frontline Fighter (PAK FA) performed its first flight today in Komsomolsk-on-Amur KnAAPO. The jet was piloted by honored test-pilot Sergey Bogdan. The jet spent about an hour in the air and landed at KnAAPO runway after successful and complete fulfillment of the flight assignment. Aircraft stability and power plant performance were checked during flight, the pilot noting reliability of all systems and equipment. PAK FA performed ...
Category: Russian Aviation
Nov
20
New cracks on some F-35Bs
Three of the five developmental Lockheed Martin F-35Bs have developed tiny cracks in a lift fan-related component which prevent the flight-test aircraft from reconfiguring in flight and landing vertically. Two flight-test aircraft – BF-1 and BF-2 – are now being modified with a redesigned actuator support beam, according to the joint programme office. BF-4 has also developed “hairline” cracks in the same part, but is continuing to fly in conventional ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
Russia’s Irkut corporation said on Tuesday it had secured orders for at least 300 Su-30MK fighters and that it had already delivered over half of them. Orders have been placed by India, Algeria and Malaysia, Irkut’s marketing director Andrei Alyoshin said at the Dubai Airshow 2011. Over 200 of the aircraft have already been delivered to customers, Irkut said. The Su-30MK Flanker is a multirole twin-engine, two-seater for all-weather, air-to-air ...
Category: Russian Aviation
Russia will showcase its most advanced combat aircraft (Su-35) and air defense systems at a major airshow in the Middle East which starts on Sunday, state run arms exporter said. The Dubai Airshow will be held on November 13-17 in the United Arab Emirates. The Airport Expo complex in Dubai is expected to host about 1,000 exhibitors from 50 countries which will showcase their products to more than 55,000 guests ...
Category: Russian Aviation
India is close to purchase two additional Russian-Israeli airborne warning and control system aircraft, the Times of India newspaper reported. India ordered three A-50EI variants, developed on the basis of the Russian Il-76MD military transport plane and fitted with the Israeli-made Phalcon radar system, in 2004. They are already in service with the Indian air force (IAF). The Times of India cited on Tuesday defense ministry sources as saying that ...
Category: Russian Aviation
The Research and Development Production Enterprise Zvezda (Star) is completing tests of a new suit and life-support system for pilots of the fifth-generation PAK FA T-50 Advanced Tactical Fighter outside Moscow. Development engineers say they have developed a pilot’s workstation comprising the suit, a helmet and an ejection seat. The suit enables the pilot to withstand up to a 9 g force, while executing various maneuvers, to abruptly change course in ...
Category: Russian Aviation
A modernized Beriev A-50U airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft entered service with the Russian Air Force on Monday, an Air Force spokesman said. The aircraft has an advanced onboard computer, satellite communication and radar systems, Col. Vladimir Drik said. It now has the capability to detect various types of flying targets, including helicopters, cruise missiles and supersonic aircraft, he said. The Beriev A-50, based on the Ilyushin Il-76 ...
Category: Russian Aviation
Washington is prepared to offer India its latest F-35 Lightning II stealth combat aircraft, otherwise known as the Joint Strike Fighter, according to India’s IANS news agency, after U.S. companies lost a tender earlier this year to sell 126 fighter aircraft to Delhi. If India is interested in the JSF, the United States is prepared to supply information about the aircraft as part of the sales process, according to a ...
Category: F-35 Lightning II
