Free Republic

One of the missiles is 8 years old, the other is pushing 30. But steady technology upgrades have kept these two Navy air-to-air weapons on the cutting edge. The younger one is the AIM-9X Block II. The older is the AIM-120D AMRAAM — advanced medium-range air-to-air missile. The 9X Block II was introduced in 2008, but did not go into full rate production until 2015. It’s the latest member of the Sidewinder missile family that dates back to the mid-1970s. The 9X Block II can do things its predecessors could hardly have imagined. For example, it is equipped with a...

Canada's auditor general has both National Defence and Public Works in his sights when it comes to the troubled F-35 stealth fighter program, say senior government sources. A draft copy of the scathing review, circulating in Ottawa for weeks, suggests the air force didn't do its pricing homework and government officials failed to follow procurement rules, say those who've read it. It's not clear whether the language will be toned down in the final report, Michael Ferguson's first as auditor general, when it's released April 3. But federal officials familiar with the document note no final decision on purchasing the...

Last year the U.S. Air Force decided to extend the life of its U-2 fleet and cut back on the use of large UAVs for strategic reconnaissance. One of the many upgrades U-2s will now receive will be better cockpit pressurization. Currently, pilots operate in a cockpit pressurized to conditions found at 9,600 meters (30,000 feet). This puts more strain on the pilot's body. That, and the fact that they breathe pure oxygen while up there, means they tend to be completely exhausted after returning from a long mission. So pressuring the cockpit to the level of a lower altitude...

The Israeli Air Force and Defense Ministry have instructed their military attachés stationed throughout the world to begin conducting a survey of firefighting aircraft that Israel is considering purchasing following the Carmel Forest fires. One of the leading candidates is the Bombardier 415 – also known as the Canadair CL-415 – which is made in Canada and is believed to be suitable for Israel since it has the ability to scoop up water from the sea.

After an Air Force mix-up sent Boeing and EADS computer disks with crucial data on each other's bid for the air-refueling tanker contract, Boeing initially was left at a disadvantage, contrary to previous reports. The Air Force then had to scramble to level the playing field in the $40 billion competition. When Boeing tanker-team officials got the errant disk last month, they recognized from the labeling that the disk was intended for EADS, and did not open it. But their EADS counterparts did open the disk they received and looked at a spreadsheet of data on the mission performance of...

A project to give the U.S. Air Force enhanced space surveillance capability for detecting and tracking space objects has passed its system design review. The Raytheon Co. said the system design review of its "Space Fence" program included the prototyping of critical system elements to demonstrate increased technical and manufacturing readiness levels. "As our nation's defense becomes increasingly more dependent on the space domain, a system like Space Fence will be a critical component in the space surveillance network, tracking tens of thousands of objects daily," said David Gulla, vice president, National & Theater Security Programs for Raytheon Integrated Defense...

Photographed by Reuters .....Prev Next Pause Play .1 ....Commander of the Egyptian Air Force Reda Mahmoud Hafez on Wednesday downplayed the military importance of a recent decision by Washington to provide Israel with a number of US F-35 fighter jets and dismissed fears that the move might alter the regional balance of power. Last week, Israel signed a contract with the US for the purchase of 20 F-35 fighter jets as part of what US officials described as an incentive package for the self-proclaimed Jewish state to move ahead with sputtering peace talks with the Palestinian Authority. “We're not alarmed...

As the debate rages about Joint Strike Fighter life-cycle cost, Lockheed Martin officials are raising a previously unheard point to bolster their low-price claims -- a new low-observability (LO) substance called fiber mat. Lockheed officials avoided the need to use stealthy appliqués and coatings by curing the substance into the composite skin of the aircraft, according to Tom Burbage, executive vice president of F-35 program integration for the company. It "makes this airplane extremely rugged. You literally have to damage the airplane to reduce the signature," he said in an interview with AVIATION WEEK. This top-fiber mat surface takes the...

The Gulf state of Kuwait is to test Rafale jets in June before making a final decision on buying the French-made warplanes, the defence minister was quoted as telling MPs on Sunday. "The defence minister told MPs that the deal is so far in the early stage of offers and making the technical assessment by the ministry," government spokesman Mohammad al-Baseeri told reporters outside parliament. "These will continue until June when the plane will be tested in Kuwait," Baseeri, also communications minister, said after Defence Minister Sheikh Jaber Mubarak al-Sabah had talks with parliament's interior and defence committee. "The defence...

In May 1985, a Boeing 767 operated by Trans World Airlines became the first twin-engine airliner allowed to fly directly from St. Louis, Missouri, TWA’s hub, to Frankfurt, Germany, without altering its course to comply with an international requirement that it never be more than an hour’s flying time from an airport where it could land. The rule harkens back to the days of piston engines, which were so unreliable that at least four were considered necessary for a long flight over the ocean or hostile terrain. Even with four engines, airliners sometimes had to ditch—most notably the Boeing 377...

Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Defence Teo Chee Hean officiated at the inauguration ceremony of 149 Squadron, the Republic of Singapore Air Force's (RSAF's) first local F-15SG Squadron, at Paya Lebar Air Base this afternoon. The F-15SG Squadron will join the fighter group under the Air Combat Command, which plans, controls and executes air warfare operations. This marks a significant milestone in the 3rd Generation RSAF's development of its advanced fighter capabilities. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Mr Teo highlighted the crucial role that the F-15SG squadron will play in enhancing the Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) ability to deal...