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/begin my translation China: Prototype Attack Helicopter Crashes During its Test Flight Yonhap News 2007.07.16 09:58 ZW-10, a prototype attack helicopter Chinese military has been developing, crashed during its test flight, according to Jul. 16 report of Hong Kong's Apple Daily. According to the paper, the helicopter crashed on a farm field at Jingdezhen, Jiangsu Province, on Jul. 11. It was badly damaged and five were seriously injured. Jiangnan Dushibao, a local paper (in the area,) also ran an article that a helicopter crash-landed at 11:30 pm, Jul. 11, due to (mechanical) malfunction, but the article was promptly deleted. According...

Russia's Air Forces to Buy Dozens of Black Sharks, Alligators Russia is planning to purchase several dozens of the Ka-50 Black Shark and Ka-52 Alligator helicopters to boost operations of special forces, the ITAR-TASS news agency said Wednesday. Series manufacture for Ka-50/52 helicopters resumed at a plant in Arsenyev last year after a lengthy downtime. Choppers of the Kamov design and construction bureau lost a tender to the Mi-28N of Milay design bureau to develop the main helicopter for Russian air forces. Kamov, however, has been chosen to construct choppers for Russian special forces. A Ka-50 and a Ka-52 are...

New Russian Mi-28NE Attack Helicopter Offered For Export (Source: Rostvertol; issued Nov. 17, 2006) The Rostov Helicopter Production Complex Rostvertol plc is showing the export version of a new Russian attack helicopter Mi-28N at the Airshow China-2006 held in China. “The Rostvertol is active in the serial-production programme for the Mi-28NE. This aircraft is already known in many countries as the Night Hunter. Its NATO designation is Havoc. Today, we are offering the Mi-28NE for the supply to China and other countries”, Vadim Barannikov, deputy director-general of Rostvertol said. He told that last September acceptance tests were completed of a...

Turkey shortlists Rooivalk attack chopper Cape Town – It is an awe-inspiring sight, watching a nine-ton attack helicopter perform a loop and barrel rolls – the aeronautical equivalent of Luciano Pavarotti performing a perfect pike on the diving board. But this is exactly what Denel Aviation‘s CSH-2 Rooivalk attack helicopter can do – although that is not part of its operational flying capabilities. The Rooivalk was designed to fly in all weather conditions day or night at extremely low level, sometimes at an altitude of 10m, to avoid being detected. Developed in the 1990s, the Rooivalk (“Red Hawk”) is used...

Israeli Spike snares Tiger By Arie Egozi in Tel Aviv The Spanish army is to equip its Eurocopter Tiger attack helicopters with Rafael’s Spike-ER anti-armour missile, with the French army also evaluating the weapon for its production aircraft. Eurocopter has already partially integrated the Spike weapon system on the Tiger using initial funds from Spain, with this work culminating with four test launches of the 8km (5 mile)-range weapon. A full contract is now expected to be placed by year-end to arm Spain’s future fleet of 24 Tigers. Spain has already decided to purchase the ground-launched LR version of the...

French connection armed Saddam By Bill Gertz THE WASHINGTON TIMES The United States stood by for years as supposed allies helped its enemies obtain the world's most dangerous weapons, reveals Bill Gertz, defense and national security reporter for The Washington Times, in the new book "Treachery" (Crown Forum). In this excerpt, he details France's persistence in arming Saddam Hussein. First of three excerpts New intelligence revealing how long France continued to supply and arm Saddam Hussein's regime infuriated U.S. officials as the nation prepared for military action against Iraq. The intelligence reports showing French assistance to Saddam ongoing in the...