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"Growing security concerns over Gulf neighbor and perennial troublemaker Iran are pushing the Saudis to upgrade their air fleet with a particular emphasis on precision strike aircraft," the U.S. defense website DoD Buzz reported. Industry sources said Riyad has been discussing the procurement of up to 72 advanced F-15 fighters. They said the Saudi order could include the purchase of Boeing's latest stealth design for the F-15, titled Silent Eagle. DoD Buzz, citing industry and defense sources, said the Defense Department would approve any Saudi request for the F-15. The Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency, which processes requests for major...

Brazilian brigadier bashes US defense export policies on YouTube By Stephen Trimble on October 8, 2009 9:07 PM | A video has surfaced on YouTube showing a senior Brazilian officer expressing deep frustrations with the US government's technology transfer policies for military equipment. Complaints about the US government's technology transfer policies are widespread globally, but this video is remarkable for citing examples in such specific detail, including showing photocopies of US government denial letters. The two-day-old clip is attributed to a lecture presented last December by Brigadier Engineer Venancio Alvarenga Gomes, the director of projects for Brazil's command-general for aerospace...

Security: After Iran admits building a second enrichment facility inside a mountain, the Pentagon shifts money from other programs to urgently fund the mother of all bunker-buster bombs. Why the need for speed? At the G-20 Summit in Pittsburgh last month, President Obama announced, "The Islamic Republic of Iran has been building a covert uranium enrichment facility near Qom for several years." U.S. officials said they knew for some time that the facility existed. The announcement was made after U.S. officials learned Iran had told the International Atomic Energy Agency of Qom's existence. Our knowledge of the facility built in...

An Army aircraft made a gear-up landing on an Elmendorf airstrip Tuesday, though no injuries were reported. The Cessna Citation-560 aircraft was scheduled to land on the main strip and radioed ahead it was having mechanical problems with its gear, Air Force spokesman Master Sgt. Mikal Canfield said.

Two killed as MiG-23 fighter crashes at Tripoli air show TRIPOLI, October 7 (RIA Novosti) - Two pilots were killed when a Libyan Air Force MiG-23 Flogger fighter crashed on Wednesday in Tripoli during a demonstration flight, a Libyan Defense Ministry spokesman said. The aircraft crashed about 2 kilometers from observation platforms at the Libyan Aviation Conference & Exhibition, which runs October 4-8. It was earlier reported that only one pilot had died. Production of the "third-generation" MiG-23 started in 1970 and ended in 1985 with over 5,000 aircraft built. Its various modifications are currently operated by several former Soviet...

Italy's newest aircraft carrier like a son-captain By Jo Winterbottom LA SPEZIA, Italy (Reuters Life!) - Italy's newest aircraft carrier is a pretty big baby. But the Cavour's captain sees his ship as exactly that: a son growing up before his eyes. "I saw the ship growing day by day. So I feel it's like a son," Captain Gianluigi Reversi told Reuters in a recent interview aboard the 27,500 tonne ship. The Cavour is docked at La Spezia while it undergoes maintenance following a year of tests, before it goes into full service probably some time in 2010. Reversi became...

F-15Ks Primed with 'Unpatriotic' Maps The Air Force's F-15K fighter jets carried some digital map information that is at odds with their mission to defend the country, it has emerged. The jets carried digital maps that referred to Korea's Dokdo Islets either by their Japanese name "Takeshima" or as "Liancourt Rocks," the East Sea as "Sea of Japan," and Mt. Baekdu in Chinese as "Changbaishan" -- all names that are red rags to many patriotic Koreans. This was revealed by Grand National Party lawmaker Kim Jang-soo, a former defense minister, in a questionnaire distributed Sunday prior to a parliamentary audit...

Boeing has given us a laser equipped warplane that can destroy any known Intercontinental ballistic Missile system. Based at Edwards Air Force Base, America’s new super weapon, a modified Boeing 747-400F equipped with inferred sensors, is operational and ready to keep us safe. This stunning new piece of American technology is Boeing’s highly effective Air Borne Laser (ABL) system. It can shoot down all known missiles any aggressor nation has stockpiled. ABL ABL is a directed weapon system which can destroy targets with a weaponized laser at the speed of light with extraordinary accuracy at very long range. ABL can...

The U.S. military’s historic dominance of the skies, unchallenged since around spring 1943, is increasingly at risk because of the proliferation of advanced technologies and a buildup of potential adversary arsenals, according to Air Force Lt. Gen. David Deptula, the service’s chief for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Speaking today at the Air Force’s annual convention in the Washington area today, he provided a wide ranging assessment of what the QDR team is calling “high-end, asymmetric threats.” Emphasizing the increasing capabilities of “anti-access weapons,” such as long range precision missiles, Deptula said pilots in future wars will not operate in the...

Ecuador close to sealing deal to buy SA’s Cheetah fighter jets JULIUS BAUMANN Published: 2009/10/06 06:14:17 AM THE Ecuadorian Air Force has taken a step closer to acquiring 12 Cheetah aircraft previously operated by the South African Air Force after naming Denel Aviation as a preferred bidder. Denel Aviation was last year mandated by Armscor, the state agency responsible for the disposal of retired and surplus South African National Defence Force material and equipment, to sell the South African Air Force Cheetah fleet, believed to number about 40 aircraft. The South African Air Force decommissioned its fleet of Cheetah C...

India to buy more MiG-29Ks Rajat Pandit, TNN 4 October 2009, 03:06am IST NEW DELHI: Decks have now been cleared for India to order another batch of MiG-29Ks after the specially-designed maritime fighters underwent successful flight-deck trials from Russian aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov in the Barents Sea on September 28-29. Defence ministry sources said the fresh order for 29 more MiG-29Ks from Russia for around Rs 5,380 crore (around $1.12 billion) will "soon'' be sent to the Cabinet Committee of Security for the final approval. These jets will be in addition to 16 MiG-29Ks already contracted through the initial $1.5-billion...

Yesterday, Paul-Emic, a conservative French Blogger (Politique, émois et moi) alerted our readers on the below Journal du Dimanche (JDD) articles that were causing quite an stir from Paris to Rio. I have attempted to translate from French to English each of the articles. Please remember Pilots are called “Drivers” in the translation. I have also included a You Tube video for a F14 “Flat Spin” to illustrate a “Flat Spin”. I seriously doubt the FO as well as most pilots would have been able to pull out of a flat spin. The best way to get out of a...

Here's the Mig-29KUB landing on aircraft carrier the Admiral Kuznetsov for the first time. Some very nice cockpit video footage. The dapper looking guy with the moustache talking on the deck is Mikhail Pogosyan who heads the new United Aircraft Corporation's military division including the old Sukhoi and MiG operations. These aircraft are destined for the Indian Navy. Fast forward to 25s into the movie if you're stuck for time! Video I love seeing the pilot's eyeballs coming out on stalks as he takes the wire.

Saudi Arabia is weighing buying an advanced Russian missile system to shore up its defence against a potentially nuclear Iran, Gulf analysts and diplomats said. They said Moscow and Riyadh are close to sealing a deal on a multi-billion-dollar weapons package that could include Russia's advanced S-400 missile defence system. It is the newest version of the S-300 long-range surface to air missile system that Moscow has been in discussion for several years to sell to Iran, which denies Western charges of aiming to become a nuclear power. But heavy Western and Israeli pressure and a possibly more lucrative deal...

Saudi Arabia could soon buy Russia's most advanced air-defense system in an effort to contain the regional ambitions of Iran, Agence France-Presse reported yesterday (see GSN, Jan. 9, 2008).

McCain vows to continue effort to strip $2.5-billion for 10 additional planes from the defense bill. Obama and Gates also say the extra C-17s, which are assembled in Long Beach, are not needed. Reporting from Washington - The Senate on Wednesday shot down an effort to kill funding for Boeing C-17 military cargo planes that President Obama says are not needed, underscoring the turbulence the White House faces in trying to cut money for politically popular projects.

A video of the last F-15C Eagles of the 33d Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB after thirty years of service (sad to see them go).

A critical space-based capability was added to America's ballistic missile defenses Sept. 25 when two U.S. Missile Defense Agency (MDA) Space Tracking and Surveillance System (STSS) Demonstrator satellites built by Northrop Grumman were launched aboard a Delta II rocket. "This demonstration will show the inherent advantages space sensors bring to persistent missile tracking and engagement," said Gabe Watson, vice president and STSS program manager for Northrop Grumman's Aerospace Systems sector. "Space-based sensors will augment existing radar to enable missile tracking through all phases of flight from boost through intercept." The United Launch Alliance Delta II rocket, with the tandem-stacked STSS...

The B-52 aircraft deployed as part of the U.S. Air Force fleet are to be equipped with secure Extremely High Frequency Communication Systems to enable them to remain in contact with other elements of the military in space, in the air and on the ground. The revolutionary EHF has been found to be more reliable and less susceptible to atmospheric conditions than other frequencies. The Boeing Co. said Tuesday it received a $5.4 million initial contract to begin work on developing technologies required to integrate the new EHF satellite communication system on the U.S. Air Force B-52 fleet. No timeline...

China's AVIC steps up sales push for FC-1, J-10 fighters By Siva Govindasamy China plans to market the Chengdu FC-1/JF-17 and J-10 fighters aggressively as part of its plan to become a major player in the global aerospace industry. "While AVIC's main job is to manufacture aircraft, the company also fulfils a national agenda by producing military aircraft for China's political allies around the world," says a source close to Chengdu's state-owned parent company. "There are also countries that would like to buy a good fighter, but not at the cost of a Western fighter. "While China's military aircraft have...

UAE wants its fighters its own way Ivan Gale If the UAE signs for 60 Rafale fighter aircraft from France’s Dassault later this year, as some expect, in a deal valued at €6 billion (Dh32.2bn) to €10bn, it will be purchasing a jet more advanced than those being flown by the French air force. A more powerful engine, a new air-to-air missile and cutting-edge radar systems are some of the requirements the UAE has made to Dassault and its French partners Safran, Thales and MBDA, according to media reports. Such requests for upgrades and modifications have been a central theme...

Russia tests Indian fighter jets on board its aircraft carrier MOSCOW, September 30 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's MiG aircraft maker said on Tuesday it has successfully tested on board the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier four MiG-29 carrier-based fighter jets due to be delivered to India. Russia and India signed a contract on January 20, 2004, stipulating the supply of 12 single-seat MiG-29Ks and four two-seat MiG-29KUBs to India as part of a $1.5 billion deal to deliver the Admiral Gorshkov aircraft carrier, currently being retrofitted in Russia for the Indian navy. "During the tests on September 28-29, the MiG-29K and...

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Okay … I’m laying this out on the table right now – I want one of these things. Talk about cool, what could be better than having your own submersible that looks like a dolphin on steroids. With the Seabreacher you can jump, dive and roll through the water at speeds of up to 40mph, or 20mph underwater. There’s a few different models of this beauty from Innespace Productions who took ten years to develop. For the average person it apparently is no sweat in learning how to drive and maintain a Seabreacher however the sticker price for all...

Defense: As the failure of engagement with Iran grows more apparent, the administration that has talked very softly may be getting the mother of all sticks ready. Guess we need high-tech Cold War weapons after all.Western intelligence sources have told London's Times that Iran has perfected the means to develop and detonate a nuclear bomb and is merely awaiting word from its supreme leader to produce its first one. Should the order be given, it would take just six months to enrich enough uranium and another six months to assemble the warhead. Time's up. Recently, and perhaps not coincidentally, Defense...

Wichita Suffers From Bizjet Downturn AVIATION WEEK Joseph C. Anselmo janselmo@aviationweek.com William Garvey william_garvey@aviationweek.com Wichita, Kan. A severe downturn in the aviation industry has led to the loss of 30,000 jobs in Wichita as the impact from mass layoffs at companies such as Cessna, Hawker Beechcraft and Bombardier Learjet has rippled through small suppliers and the economy, according to Mayor Carl Brewer. Unemployment in this aviation-dependent city of 364,000 has hit 9.7% as business jet and general aviation manufacturers have throttled back on production after mass cancellations of existing orders and a dramatic reduction in new orders. "That type of...

Boeing employees are about to lose a fabulous perk, and the cost-cutting move could mean a significant financial hit for some local colleges and universities as well. Until now, when a Boeing employee enrolled for any class at any accredited college, the company picked up the tuition — with no restrictions. Boeing currently pays for the classes of about 6,000 employees in the Puget Sound region and 21,000 companywide. But many of those enjoying free classes will lose that benefit at year-end, when Boeing starts limiting its subsidy to cover only courses that further an employee's career at the company....

Two French navy Rafales crashed into the Mediterranean early this evening during an exercise from the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle. One of the two pilots has already been picked up alive and a massive search operation is under way to find the second pilot. For the moment no more details are available.

Note: The following text is a quote: Dutch Firm and Two Officers Plead Guilty to Conspiracy to Export Aircraft Components and Other Goods to Iran A Dutch aviation services company, its director and sales manager pleaded guilty today in the District of Columbia to federal charges related to a conspiracy to illegally export aircraft components and other items from the United States to entities in Iran via the Netherlands, the United Arab Emirates and Cyprus. The announcement was made by David Kris, Assistant Attorney General for National Security; Channing D. Phillips, Acting U.S. Attorney for the District of Columbia; and...

Iran displayed its most sophisticated domestically produced ballistic missiles such as the Sejjil, Shahab 3, and Qadr in the military parade. Various units of the Islamic Republic of Iran Armed Forces and the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps participated in the military parade. An air show was also held, with overflights by jet fighters and bombers such as the F-4, F-5, MiG-29, and Sukhoi 24 as well as the domestically produced Saeqeh. Drone aircraft, helicopters, and advanced missile defense systems were also displayed during the military parade. The proud military parade, which included a march-past, a line of Shehab-3 missiles and...

On Tuesday, I reported that a plane had crashed in Iran and seven people had been killed. Defense News is reporting that the plane that crashed was participating in Tuesday's military parade in Tehran, and that it was Iran's one and only AWACS (Airborne Warning and Control System). Iran's sole Simorgh AWACS aircraft was lost during a military parade Sept. 22, one of two Iranian military aircraft that crashed in Tehran while participating in a display to mark the anniversary of the start of the 1980-88 Iran-Iraq War. The Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force operated a single Simorgh, a...

WASHINGTON — The Air Force is poised to reopen a troubled $35 billion contract competition for mid-flight refueling tankers between Boeing Co. and Northrop Grumman Corp. "After eight years, we can finally get on with this program," Rep. John Murtha, D- Pa., said Thursday. Murtha chairs the House Appropriations subcommittee on defense. He was one of several lawmakers briefed by Air Force Secretary Michael Donley and other Pentagon officials on the latest request for bids — due out Friday — on the tanker competition. Washington Democrat Rep. Norm Dicks, a Boeing supporter, said the Air Force is seeking to reduce...

Sept. 21, 2009 -- Lured by millions of dollars in prize money, teams of private firms aren't waiting for NASA to figure out if, when and how to get back to the moon. They're preparing to go themselves. The first $1 million prize for demonstrating a lunar landing system is due to be awarded at the end of October. The front-runner is Texas-based Armadillo Aerospace, which this month made back-to-back flights of a vehicle named Scorpius. Two other contenders plan to enter the NASA-backed competition before this year's cutoff on Oct. 31. Contestants for the top prize are judged by...

Happy birthday to the "Fly boys and girls" in the USAF! 18 September 1947, separated from USAAF with the National Security Act of 1947. Happy Birthday! 62 and looking good in BLUE!

GE plans to source parts from India for F-16 engine BS Reporter / Chennai/ Bangalore September 17, 2009, 0:22 IST General Electric (GE), which is in contention as the engine supplier for the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract of the IAF with three of its engines, is keen on sourcing components from Indian industry. GE said, it will manufacture, assemble and test the engine, if any of its partner wins the contract, at the Hindusthan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The global engine manufacturing behemoth said it will get many of its engine components manufactured by local firms. GE’s F110-GE-132 turbofan...

How Obama Tried to Kill the Brazil-France Military Deal Written by José Wilson Miranda Thursday, 17 September 2009 Les Echos, a French daily, has shown a little of what they say happened backstage during the negotiations between Brazil and France to buy the French military jet Rafale. Trying to upstage his French colleague, American president Barack Obama called Brazilian president Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva twice, says the Paris newspaper. Les Echos revealed up-to-now unknown information on the Obama administration's efforts to make sure the Brazilian government would choose the F-18 manufactured by Boeing, instead of the French fighter. The...

NATIONAL HARBOR, Maryland (Reuters) – Defense Secretary Robert Gates threw his support on Wednesday behind an on-again, off-again plan to develop a new long-range U.S. bomber, citing the military modernization of China. "I am committed to seeing the United States has an airborne long-range strike capability," Gates said at an annual conference of the U.S. Air Force Association, an advocacy group. He said the United States should be less concerned with a toe-to-toe challenge from "countries like China" and "more concerned with their ability to disrupt our freedom of movement and narrow our strategic options." Gates referred to investments that...

At an airshow, an old Handley Page Victor bomber was supposed to do a taxiby photo op. Instead, it took off. The explanation? The co-pilot accidentally firewalled the throttles. Really? You be the .

Flames and smoke spew from beneath a passenger jet as it hurtles along a runway after making a dramatic belly landing. The aircraft was forced to crashland after part of its undercarriage failed to drop into position. The 78 passengers and crew emerged largely unhurt, although one flight attendant was taken to hospital for observation and five passengers were treated for shock. Enlarge Flames and smoke are seen coming from the rear of a Fokker 100 airplane as it makes an emergency landing on the tarmac of Stuttgart's airport. The Fokker 100 had left Tegel airport in Berlin yesterday morning....

Boeing Co. workers in North Charleston voted overwhelmingly to disband their union in a move that could give the region an edge in landing an aircraft plant the company is looking to build. Of the 267 ballots cast, 199 were in favor of decertifying the election that made them members of the International Association of Machinists. The company was pleased; the union was disappointed. The local plant makes rear fuselage sections for Boeing's 787, a new fast-selling lightweight jet that has been delayed by snags with suppliers and an eight-week strike last year by the IAM. Boeing has said it...

A Pratt & Whitney F135 engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been damaged during qualification ground-testing. The news comes as the Pentagon scrutinizes the F135’s costs and Congress prepares to decide the future of the General Electric/Rolls-Royce F136 alternate engine. The conventional takeoff and landing F135 was 2,455 cycles into a 2,600-cycle durability test leading to initial service release when “sparks were noticed coming out of the jet pipe,” says a P&W program expert. The engine was still running and capable of producing thrust when it was shut down. Inspection revealed tip damage to a “handful” of blades...

Few details available about military mission ... except that it succeeded An Atlas 5 rocket has lifted off from Florida carrying a highly classified military satellite. The rocket launched into a nearly cloudless sky at 5:35 p.m. ET Tuesday. United Launch Alliance, a joint venture involving Lockheed Martin and Boeing, handled the launch. Eric Brian, a spokesman for the 45th Space Wing at Patrick Air Force Base, declined to say which branch of the military will command the satellite in orbit. Brian said the rocket carried a $500 million payload. The satellite was made by Lockheed Martin. United Launch Alliance...

Closer political ties raise prospects for renewed alliance between Dassault and Embraer By Stephen Trimble Growing political ties between Brazil and France may possibly lead to the rebirth of an even more powerful Dassault/Embraer alliance stretching beyond even their common interests in business jets and combat aircraft. A joint communiqué issued by presidents Nicolas Sarkozy of France and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva of Brazil commit their governments to pursing closer links in the aerospace industry. Brazil initially appeared to agree to buy 36 Dassault Rafale F3s for the FX-2 contract, but the country's defence minister later clarified that negotiations...

US clears Hawkeye E-2D aircraft for India Gulshan Luthra, Indo-Asian News Service New Delhi, September 13, 2009 The US government has cleared yet another high technology system for India, the "futuristic" shipboard Hawkeye E-2D aircraft for Airborne Early Warning (AEW) and battle management. The clearance has been described by diplomatic sources as a fallout of the "successful" visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and the signing of the End User Monitoring Agreement (EUMA) of military equipment being supplied or sold by the US to India. Like the Boeing P 8I Maritime Multi-mission Aircraft (MMA), of which the Indian Navy...

PHOTO: Boeing pitches OV-10X Bronco for USAF light attack By Stephen Trimble on September 11, 2009 Boeing confirms it has proposed building new OV-10s with upgraded avionics and weapons for the US Air Force light attack contract. Subscription-only Inside the Air Force broke the news this morning. Boeing provided the photo above, providing a glimpse of the new OV-10 concept. The image will surely be embraced by the Bronco's devoted following, who remember the aircraft's notably effective service in the Vietnam War. The OV-10 could face competition from other Vietnam-era light attack aircraft, such as the Piper Aircraft PA-48 Enforcer....

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A Senate panel urged the Air Force on Thursday to start developing an export model of its F-22 Raptor, the most advanced U.S. fighter jet, even as it voted to end U.S. purchases. Japan, Israel and Australia have shown interest in buying the supersonic, radar-evading F-22 Raptor, designed to destroy enemy air defenses in the first days of any conflict and clear the way for other missions.

The machinists at Boeing's newly acquired Charleston facility have voted against continued representation by the International Association of Machinists and Aerospace Workers (IAM), according to the employee hotline set up to notify the workforce of the result. Employees of Boeing Charleston voted 68 in favour of continued representation by the IAM and 199 against. A simple majority vote was required to continue the IAM's representation of the Boeing Charleston workforce. In reaction to the preliminary vote that has yet to be certified by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB), Boeing spokesman Tim Healy said in a statement it was happy...

U.S. to transfer fighter jet technology to Brazil for purchase deal www.chinaview.cn 2009-09-10 10:51:56 P RIO DE JANEIRO, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. administration has agreed to transfer the F-18 Super Hornet fighter jets' technology to Brazil if the Brazilian government chooses to purchase U.S. jets. The U.S. embassy in Brazil made the announcement on Wednesday, two days after the Brazilian government said it is in negotiations with France for the purchase of 36 fighter jets to renovate the Brazilian fleet. The main argument for choosing the French planes was the French government agrees to transfer the jet's technology....

Saab offers advanced radar for Gripen IN, clarifies some controversies 08:20 GMT, September 10, 2009 8ak | Yesterday Saab finally provided some details on the AESA radar and presented some explanation to quell rumours about the Gripen IN. Firstly, the AESA radar is being developed by Selex Galileo and this crucial part of the offering will not be subject to U.S. EUMA laws. In July, Jerusalem Post broke a story saying that the U.S. had pressured IAI to withdraw from jointly offering sensitive technologies such as their AESA radar. Mr Eddy de la Motte, India Director for Saab said that...

Saudis Eye Buying 72 F-15s By Greg Grant Tuesday, September 8th, 2009 2:33 pm Posted in Air, International, Policy Saudi Arabia is close to placing an order for as many as 72 Boeing F-15 fighter jets, industry and defense sources tell us. Growing security concerns over Gulf neighbor and perennial troublemaker Iran are pushing the Saudis to upgrade their air fleet with a particular emphasis on precision strike aircraft. The Pentagon is expected to approve the sale as it seeks to counter Iran’s recent break-out as a regional power and quell nervousness among Gulf Arab states troubled by Iran’s growing...