Military Aviation
The United States Air Force temporarily halted operations for its $77.4 billion fleet of F-22 Raptors this week after several of the plane’s pilots reported bizarre symptoms linked with oxygen deprivation.Pilots at a military base in Alaska are reporting symptoms linked with hypoxia after being engaged in missions onboard the Air Force’s F-22 Raptor aircraft, a Lockheed Martin-made stealth jet that runs at around $143 million-per-plane. There have been at ...
Category: Military Aviation
Lockheed Martin unveiled a new version of the F-16 today at the Singapore Airshow. The F-16V will feature enhancements including an active electronically scanned array radar, an upgraded mission computer and architecture, and improvements to the cockpit all capabilities identified by the U.S. Air Force and several international customers for future improvements. With nearly 4,500 F-16s delivered, this is a natural step in the evolution of the world’s most successful ...
Category: Military Aviation
India has decided to buy 126 fighter jets from French firm Dassault in a $11 billion deal that is one of the world’s largest arms contracts. Indian government officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, told reporters Tuesday that Dassault was the lowest bidder and beat out the Eurofighter consortium to clinch the contract. Further negotiations were expected to take place before India finalizes the agreement to buy Dassault’s Rafale fighter ...
Category: Military Aviation
China and Russia are apparently chomping at the bit to get a look at the American spy drone that went down over Iran. But if Iranian officials are to be believed, all they have to do is fire up YouTube to get a glimpse. On Thursday, an Iranian news site quoted military sources as saying that Russia and China have already asked Iran to view the remains of an American ...
Category: Military Aviation
The U.S. Air Force’s fleet of stealthy F-22 Raptor fifth-generation fighters has suffered two additional “physiological incidents” since Nov. 21, the service confirmed Dec. 2. “Since 21 Nov., there have been two physiological incidents and no events of interest,” said Air Combat Command spokeswoman Kelly Sanders in an emailed statement. Since the F-22 returned to flight in September after a four-month grounding, the Air Force has maintained two listings for ...
Category: Military Aviation
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
Oct
19
300th Eurofighter delivered
The 300th Eurofighter Typhoon produced by the four partner companies of the European consortium, was delivered today by Cassidian to the Spanish Air Force, Ejercito del Aire. This milestone makes the Eurofighter Typhoon the only new generation multi-role aircraft to reach the impressive figure of 300 examples in service. The Eurofighter Typhoons ...
Category: Military Aviation
Warplanes bearing the bright red Rising Sun logo roared overhead Sunday as Japan held a once-every-three-years display to showcase one of the best air forces in Asia. The only problem most of its fighters were grounded. Underscoring Japan’s uphill battle in an increasingly heated race to control the skies over Asia, the air review came just a week after the country’s entire F-15 fleet was ordered into its hangers for ...
Category: Military Aviation
Oct
14
Indian Air Force – Top news
Indian Airforce will also be getting 126 fighter aircrafts from French Rafale or Britain’s Eurofighter Typhoon from December 2014 onwards. It will cost $10.4 billion. IAF will also induct 132 more Sukhoi-30MKI aircrafts from Russia (already it has inducted 140 such aircrafts) at a cost of $12 billion. It is the most potent fighter in combat fight. India is jointly developing with Russia fifth generation fighter aircrafts with their super ...
Category: Military Aviation
An innovative solution from the Air Force Research Laboratory is expected to save the Air Force upwards of $40 m. The $35 “snubber” developed by the Propulsion Directorate is a vibration damper that will prevent cracks in the J-seal on the F119 engine’s inlet case, a spoked, ring-like device that helps control the air going into the engine. Previously, if cracks were discovered, the engine would need to be pulled ...
Category: Military Aviation
Northrop Grumman’s X-47B unmanned stealth plane achieved cruise mode flight for the first time recently, a major step toward using the bomber aboard aircraft carriers. During a flight at Edwards Air Force Base on September 30, the robo-plane retracted its landing gear and flew in cruise configuration for the first time. The test helped prove its navigation hardware and software. The flight was part of the X-47B’s “envelope expansion” under ...
Category: Military Aviation
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is set to acquire six more C-130J Super Hercules special operations aircraft in addition to the six already ordered. The IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Norman Anil Kumar Browne, told India Strategic defence magazine that the aircraft had performed well in the recent earthquake relief operations in north-eastern India and that the IAF would utilize the multi-role capability of the aircraft as required. The C-130J ...
Category: Military Aviation
Turkey ordering new radars not under NATO specifications so that the Turkish Air Force can shoot down Israeli jets. Since September 1 with the publication of the UN Palmer report which justified Israel’s actions aboard the Mavi Marmara in May 2010, Turkey has changed its policy towards Israel, taking an aggressive stance demanding an apology, downgrading diplomatic relations and interfering in Israeli trade agreements with Cyprus and Greece. The latest ...
Category: Military Aviation
Boeing and the U.S. Navy have delivered a proposal to the government of Japan offering the advanced F/A-18E Super Hornet Block II to become the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s (JASDF) next premier fighter aircraft. The F/A-18E Block II is the United States’ newest operational and combat-proven fighter aircraft. Japan issued a Request for Proposal for its F-X fighter competition on April 13, with a deadline of Sept. 26. “The ...
Category: Military Aviation
