Aviation News

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Another F-16 avoids disaster
Created: 26.02.2009 15:05

More evidence has emerged that the fleet of F-16s that Poland received from the United States may be defective.

On February 17, an F-16 fighter jet almost fell from the skies, from an altitude of 10,000 meters during training exercises conducted in the Krzesiny district, near Poznan, western Poland. After plunging 2 kilometers the pilot finally regained control of the aircraft and avoided disaster, reports Rzeczpospolita.

The case is being investigated by the Commission for Aircraft Accident Investigation.

In 2006, Poland bought 48 F-16 fighters from the US and became the 23rd country to start using the model. The machines were said to be one of the most technologically advanced in the world. Their reliability, however, was put into question due to a series of problems, the last of which took place in July 2008 when the pilot had to conduct an emergency landing in Okecie Airport, Warsaw.

And in October 2007, two F-16 jet fighters stationed at Krzesiny airport were forced to make an emergency landing.

In 2003, Mac Stevenson, the then Vice President for Business Development at Lockheed-Martin who set up the deal worth 3.5 billion dollars, plus 6 billion dollars in offset deals, with the Polish government, said: “The airplane that the Polish government is going to receive is the finest F-16 that's flying. They're getting the latest in modern electronic warfare, the latest in weapons. The performance of the airplane is not exceeded anywhere. This airplane has capabilities in it that actually exceed the capabilities of the United States Air Force's F-16s." (pg/un)

Source: TheNews.pl :: Poland behind the headlines - news, business, life

 

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Sukhoi PAK FA Updates: First Prototype by August 2009, Special Software for Indian Versions

Indian Air Force will initially get the same PAK FA fifth-generation fighter as their Russian colleagues. Sukhoi general director Mikhail Pogosyan said Thursday that he would seek to unify the Russian and Indian requirements for the new aircraft. "The basic version of the fighter will be common", he explained. "The difference will be only in software".

India agreed to join the PAK FA program in 2007. According to the bilateral agreement, the development of the modification for the Indian Air Force will be split 50:50 between Sukhoi and India's HAL. But now it looks like Pogosyan doesn't want to waste efforts and time by developing a special Indian version at this stage, but to focus on rolling out the first prototype by August this year, as already promised by top Russian government and military officials.

Pogosyan also mentioned that the airframe is almost ready, while more time is needed to finish the radar. This supports the idea that the first PAK FA will be a very basic prototype, and more time will be required to define and test the production configuration.

As Pogosyan said, the Indian requirements can be taken into account later, while HAL's 50% share in the development of the IAF modification can be realized in the more distant future – including the creation of two-seat and ship-based variants.

Source: Sukhoi PAK FA Updates: First Prototype by August 2009, Special Software for Indian Versions | India Defence

 

[air marshal]

Air Commodore Raees Rafi laid to rest
March 3, 2009

ISLAMABAD (APP): The veteran of 1965 war, Air Commodore ® Raees A Rafi, Sitara-i-Juraat was laid to rest with profound military honours at Islamabad Graveyard.

The family members of the late Air Commodore Raees A Rafi, senior military and civil officials and a large number of people from various segments of society attended the funeral prayers.

The funeral prayer of 1965 war veteran was offered at PAF Complex, E-9, Islamabad.

A large number of officers, other ranks and civilians offered his Namaz-i- Jinaza. After the burial, wreath was laid behalf of Air Chief Marshal Tanvir Mahmood Ahmed, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force at the grave of the deceased.

Link: PAF Falcons - News Section

 

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10:35 GMT, March 6, 2009 After three decades of "formidable" service with the IAF, the Russian-made MiG-23BN combat fighter aircraft on Friday was phased out at a ceremony at the airbase in Halwara (Ludhiana).

The Air Force's 221 squadron was the last unit to operate the ground attack aircraft that did not witness much action in its entire service, except for patrol roles during 'Operation Meghdoot' in Siachen in the mid 1980s and during the 1999 Kargil battle.

Presiding over the ceremony, Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major said when IAF was formally retiring one of its "very formidable" assets, he was overwhelmed by an indescribable feeling - pride tinged with sadness.

"We know that aeroplanes, like air warriors, can't go on for ever. While there is thunder and pride in their prime, they fade away with quiet dignity when the time comes," he said.

Describing the "swing-wing" MiG-23BN as "the most powerful single-engined fighter in the world," Major said it was of a revolutionary design with a variable wing sweep and air intake, and a very complex weapon delivery system, that was fairly advanced for its times.

"It gave the IAF a tremendous boost in its capability, and we had to get used to the tremendous roar of its R-29 engine. They also played havoc with the surfaces of our runways," he said.

Major said the MiG-23BN was evaluated by then Wg Cdr Philip Rajkumar at Lugovaya in April-May 1979 and formally inducted into the IAF in 10 Squadron in January 1981.

The fighter aircraft, he said, always demanded respect.

"Being immensely capable, it was also not easy to fly these aircraft. It had tremendous thrust, but its handling characteristics at high angles of attack were tricky, to say the least," the IAF chief noted.

"And there was one other thing - landing the MiG-23BN. Many a reputation lay in tatters around this aircraft. It separated the men from the boys and has been the stuff of many bar-room yarns," Major recalled.

With nearly 70 aircraft having been in service, the MiG-23BN was operated by IAF's 10, 31, 220 and 221 squadrons and provided the Air Force with a very potent offensive potential.

Noting that it was inevitable that these aircraft would be replaced by more modern platforms, Major said: "Their formidable presence in the IAF inventory has contributed to many years of peace in the sub-continent, deterring any misadventure."

The aircraft, which was flown for the last time by Wg Cdr Y J Joshi and Sqn Ldr T R Sahu of the 221 Squadron, touched down at the airbase to mark its phase out.

The phase out ceremony was witnessed among others by IAF vice chief Air Marshal P V Naik and Western Air Command chief Air Marshal P K Barbora.

Halwara Air Force Station was home to 221 Squadron ever since they converted to MiG-23BN in February 1982. The squadron, known as Valiants was formed in 1963 at Barrackpore.

The Valiants entered the 'Swing Wing' era with the induction of MiG-23BN in 1981, as a result of the IAF's need for Tactical Air Strike Aircraft in the late 1970s.

The aircraft got its first taste of flying during an operation in April 1984 when the Squadron was alerted for the launch of Operation Meghdoot for securing the Siachen Glacier in Northern Ladhakh, and later during the 1999 Kargil battle. But during both operations, the aircraft flew only air patrol sorties.

IAF spokesperson Wg Cdr Mahesh Upasani, meanwhile, said in New Delhi that the history book of the squadrons mentioned that in 1985, MiG-23BN got the unique distinction of being the first fighter aircraft ever to cross Banihal Pass in Jammu and Kashmir region by night.

He said in 1999, during Operation Safed Sagar, the IAF commenced offensive air action at first light on 26th May. The MiG-23BNs were launched into action targeting enemy positions at Tiger Hill with 57-mm rockets and 500-kg bombs, he added.

"The ensuing seven weeks from 26th May and 15th July saw the MiG-23BN squadron fly 155 attack missions, more than those during December 1971 operations, and accounted for 28 percent of total load drop and 30 percent of all missions flown in that area," Upasani said.

During the Kargil conflict, he said, the aircraft had the distinction of being the single aircraft type to fire the maximum weapon load over the dizzy heights of Dras and Kargil.

defence.professionals | defpro.com

 

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Published: Feb 28, 2009
Source: RIA Novosti

MOSCOW, February 27 (RIA Novosti) - A Russian government source expressed astonishment on Friday over a statement made by Canada's defense minister over a flight by a Russian strategic bomber near the Canadian border.

Peter Mackay said two Canadian fighters forced the Russian Tu-160 Blackjack to make a U-turn on February 18 as it neared Canadian airspace less then 24 hours before U.S. President Barack Obama was due to visit Ottawa. The Canadian minister said the move was "a strong coincidence."

"The Canadian defense minister's statements concerning the flights of our long-haul aircraft are totally unclear... This was a routine flight. The countries adjacent to the flight path had been notified and the planes did not violate the airspace of other countries. In this light the statements by the Canadian Defense Ministry provoke astonishment and can only be called a farce," the source said.

The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman, Col. Alexander Drobyshevsky, confirmed that all the neighboring states had received prior notification of the flights by Russian strategic aircraft.

Lt. Col. Vladimir Drik, a Russian Air Force spokesman, said earlier the Tu-160 flights were in compliance with international agreements and rules and did not violate Canadian airspace.

Air-Attack.com News :: Russia slams as farce Canada's statement on Tu-160 flight

 

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Agence France-Presse | Mar 6, 2009

Singapore: Asia is expected to outstrip the rest of the world in defence spending within seven years as China and India upgrade their armed forces, a research consultancy said here Thursday.

Asia's overall defence budget will account for 32 percent of global military spending by 2016, or 480 billion US dollars, up from 24 percent in 2007, Frost and Sullivan's regional director for defence practice Ratan Shrivastava said.

North America, the biggest defence spender in 2007 with 39 percent of the world arms market, will see its share fall to 29 percent or 435 billion dollars, he said at a conference organised by the company.

In India, about 100 billion dollars will be spent on defence procurement over the next five years, said Shrivastava.

"Moving forward, we feel that the focus will shift from North America to Asia Pacific markets," he said.

"This shift will happen by the growth of Asian economies, primarily China who will be driving it... and India will emerge as one of the biggest importers of weapons and technology systems."

The current global economic crisis will not dampen national defence spending, said Shrivastava.

"No country will risk its security for the sake of saving a few million dollars," he told AFP. "Defence spending is a long-term recession-proof industry which is not really affected by cyclical downturns and upturns."

Shrivastava said there were limited details available about the nature of China's defence spending but estimated Beijing's arms budget would increase from 120 billion dollars in 2007 to 255 billion dollars by 2016.

China's growing military spending in recent years has come in for increasing criticism, particularly from the United States and its allies.

At its annual meeting of parliament, which began Thursday, China announced its defence spending in 2009 will grow 15.3 percent to 472.9 billion yuan (69 billion dollars) but insisted the bigger military spending posed no threat to the world.

"China's limited military powers will be solely used for the purpose of safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity," said Li Zhaoxing, spokesman for the National People's Congress.

"This will not pose a threat to any country," he said at a parliamentary press conference.

 

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Agence France-Presse | Mar 6, 2009

Beijing: Prime Minister Wen Jiabao said Thursday that China's military needed to be modernised "across the board" as a 15.3 percent increase in defence spending was placed before parliament.

"We need to make our army more revolutionary, modern and standardised, focusing on enabling it to fully carry out its historic missions," Wen said in his annual address to the National People's Congress.

"We will... continue to enhance the army's ability to respond to multiple security threats and accomplish a diverse array of military tasks... we will modernise weapons, equipment and logistics support across the board."

During the coming year, China's military would transform its training focus toward warfare tactics using more information technology applications, he said.

China's paramilitary police would also be beefed up, Wen added, in a nod to the force that responds to domestic unrest and instability.

"We will intensify the People's Armed Police Force to make it better able to carry out its duties, respond to emergencies, combat terrorism and safeguard stability," Wen said.

China's military spending will rise 15.3 percent in 2009, according to a budget report, to be approved by the parliament at the end of its nine-day session.

The defence budget will rise to 472.9 billion yuan (69 billion dollars) this year, an increase of 62.7 billion yuan, it said.

On Wednesday, a parliament spokesman said the defence budget was set to rise to 480.7 billion yuan, up 62.5 billion yuan or 14.9 percent from the previous year.

No explanation was given for the discrepancy.

Both figures represent a doubling of defence spending since 2006.

The ministry report said the increase was aimed at improving living standards and benefits for the People's Liberation Army's estimated 2.3 million servicemen and -women, and upgrading its information technology and ability to engage in disaster response.

China had in the previous two years announced increases in excess of 17 percent.

The United States, Japan and their allies have long expressed concern about China's military build-up and what they see as a lack of transparency about the intent behind the expansion.

 

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Mar 4, 2009

CLIFTON, NJ: ITT has won a $99.8 million competitive award to supply Advanced Electronic Warfare systems to support 30 new F-16 Block 50M aircraft being procured by the Turkish Air Force under the Peace Onyx IV Foreign Military Sales program.

Under a contract from Warner Robins Air Logistics Center, Robins Air Force Base, Ga., ITT's Electronic Systems, Integrated Electronic Warfare Systems business will provide the Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Systems (AIDEWS) and countermeasures dispensing systems with the aircraft. System deliveries on the contract will begin in 2010.

Under the contract, ITT will modify the system for Turkish Air Force mission systems. Associated spares, support equipment, training, engineering services, and data are also being acquired under this contract.

ITT Electronic Systems President Chris Bernhardt said, "Selection of AIDEWS by this highly respected NATO ally is very important to us. In the highly competitive F-16 international electronic warfare market, this award attests to the system's maturity and operational excellence."

This is the sixth international sale of ITT's AIDEWS. In addition to an international business jet application, ITT is producing these systems for F-16 aircraft being delivered to Poland, Oman, Chile and Pakistan.

AIDEWS, an integrated Radar Warning and Jamming countermeasure system, provides fighter pilots with superior situation awareness and protection against radar based threat systems, including modern surface-to-air and air-to-air weapon systems. AIDEWS is built upon the proven ALQ-211 family of electronic warfare systems now being used to support numerous U.S. and allied defense customers.

ITT Electronic Systems is one of the world's leading suppliers of electronic warfare technology for mission success and survivability. Key technologies include integrated EW systems for self-protection, reconnaissance and surveillance, force protection, mine defense, naval command/sonar applications, and submarine communication and tracking.

ITT Corporation is a high-technology engineering and manufacturing company operating on all seven continents in three vital markets: water and fluids management, global defense and security, and motion and flow control. Headquartered in White Plains, N.Y., the company generated 2008 sales of $11.7 billion.

 

[qsaark]

Russia has refused to sell to China deck-based SU-33 fighters over fears of losing military secrets if China copies the fighter, according to Kanwa Defense Review.
China has been negotiating the purchase of SU-33s for quite a time. At first it was said that China needs 50 carrier-based fighters for future aircraft carriers to be built for the Chinese Navy. China insisted that before buying all 50 fighters it needed only two to give it a "try".
Naturally, Russia refused to do so. Then Beijing raised the quantity of fighters to be bought to 14. Still, besides the data leakage, it was not acceptable because, as Russian experts put it, no less than 24 planes must be built to recoup the production.
Now it looks like the dead-locked negotiations will be dropped altogether.
Meanwhile, China plans to float out a 48,000-tonne aircraft carrier with a traditional propulsion system next year. By 2020 Beijing plans to put into service a 93,000-tonne nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.
In addition to these two ships China has already purchased out-of-date ex-Soviet cruisers around the world to copy the technology or even make some of them operational.
These moves will come at a serious price, as Russian deck-based fighters are significantly cheaper then any similar models, such as the French Rafale M or American F-35C or the F/A-22N Sea Raptor.
China is notorious for making illegal copies of almost anything from pr�t-a-porter of famous brands to Russian fighter jets. When back in 1995 Russia sold China a licence to produce 200 SU-27SK fighters (under the J-11 name) Russian experts were sure that the Chinese military industrial complex would be unable to copy the jet due to a huge technological gap. Experts were sure that the Chinese would not be able to copy the jet's engines until 2013.
But Chinese engineers did their best. The quantity of Chinese components of J-11 had been rising slowly, but after a breakthrough in jet-engine construction, it rose to over 90%.
China bought equipment packages for 95 J-11s, but in 2003 refused to buy the remaining 105.
Dealing with the licence to produce deck-based SU-33 fighters China has not even bothered to hide its copying intentions behind big contracts.
If China manages to organise mass production of J-11s with all Chinese-produced components, Russia will face serious troubles and a fierce struggle with the Chinese for traditionally Russian military markets around the world

Source: Íîâîñòè NEWSru.com :: Ðîññèÿ îòêàçàëà Êèòàþ â ïîñòàâêå 50 èñòðåáèòåëåé Ñó-33, îïàñàÿñü êîïèðîâàíèÿ (in Russian)
http://www.centurychina.com/plaboard/posts/3838382.shtml

 

[qsaark]

10.03.2009
Source: Pravda.Ru
URL: Russia cancels sale of Su-33 fighters to China to prevent their pirate copies - Pravda.Ru

A large arms deal between Russia and China has not taken place over a possible violation of intellectual property rights. Russia has refused to sell Su-33 deck-based fighter jets to China, The Moskovsky Komsomolets newspaper wrote.

The talks about the deal began quite a while ago. China intended to buy up to 50 jets for its aircraft carriers, although the country originally wanted to buy only two Su-33 jets on a trial basis. This intention became the bone of contention in the talks between the two countries: Russia believed that the Chinese customers could copy the Russian technology for the production of their own clones of the Russian fighters.

Russia had a motive to think so, the newspaper wrote. In 1995, China received a license for the production of 200 Su-27 fighters of specific modification, complete with Russian avionics, radars and engines. However, Russia terminated the agreement for the purchase of 95 planes in 2006, because Chinese aircraft-makers began to produce a similar fighter, although it was equipped with Chinese avionics and systems.

To put it in a nutshell, China has an experience of cloning the fighters of Russia’s renowned Sukhoi jets. The problem was discussed at the 13th meeting of the Russian-Chinese Committee for Military Cooperation in December. It is obviously highly unprofitable for Russia to let cheaper Chinese analogues of its reputable jets appear in the region.

Russia declined China’s offer to increase the purchase to 14 jets: at least 24 aircraft must be shipped to overbalance the production of planes.

It is too early to say that the problem has been entirely solved. China is extremely interested in the deck-based aircraft for its aviation. The nation plans to complete its conventional destroyer in 2010 and pass into service a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in 2020. It is worthy of note that China used to purchase a number of incomplete Soviet vessels of a similar class, which were also reportedly used to copy Russian defense technologies.

China purchased a fair amount of used and incomplete aircraft carriers of the Soviet production within 25 years, BFM business portal said. China could reportedly use the vessels to borrow Russian defense production technologies.

Russia officially notified China at the end of April 2008 that the production of J11 fighter jets, the copies of Russia’s Su-27SK fighters, was a violation of international agreements. Moscow promised to launch legal proceedings to defend its intellectual property. If China learns to build its own version of Russia’s Su-27, the country will easily oust Russia from the arms markets of third world countries. Russian experts believed that it would take the Chinese about ten years to develop their own aircraft engine, but China made it a lot faster.

Russia has delivered 76 Su-27SK to China since 1992, and sold the license for the production of 200 more jets in 1995. China started building its own J11 planes in 1996 with the use of Russian spare parts, The Moskovsky Komsomolets wrote.

The modernized J11 fighter of the Chinese production, presumably made of Chinese spare parts, was outfitted with the enhanced Chinese radar and could carry made-in-China missiles to strike ground targets in the beginning of the 2000s. In 2007, China demonstrated the first prototypes of J11B model, which was almost a complete copy of the Su-27SMK jet.

The Russian economy loses up to $2 billion ever year on the pirate production of various modifications of the renowned Kalashnikov assault rifle, Russia’s major defense export enterprise, Rosoboronexport said. The USSR used to hand over a number of licenses for the production of Kalashnikov rifles and its modifications to 18 countries. All of them expired at the end of the 1980s and in the beginning of the 1990s.

The Sukhoi Su-33 (NATO reporting name ‘Flanker-D&#8217 is a carrier-based multi-role fighter aircraft produced by Russian firm Sukhoi beginning in 1982. It is a derivative of the Su-27 ‘Flanker’ and was initially known as the Su-27K. The main differences from the Su-27 are that the Su-33 can operate from aircraft carriers and is capable of aerial refueling.

© 1999-2006. «PRAVDA.Ru». When reproducing our materials in whole or in part, hyperlink to PRAVDA.Ru should be made. The opinions and views of the authors do not always coincide with the point of view of PRAVDA.Ru's editors.

 

[qsaark]

Published: Mar 10, 2009
Source: http://www.air-attack.com/news/arti...ses-MANTIS-And-HERTI-UAVs-at-Avalon-2009.html

VICTORIA, Australia - Visitors to Avalon (the Australian International Airshow and Aerospace and Defence Exposition) will see BAE Systems’ vision of the future capability of autonomous Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) on display via its MANTIS and HERTI systems.

Mantis and HERTI are next-generation autonomous systems, with emphasis placed on the levels of autonomy designed into the system and the concept of operations developed for effective deployment and operation. BAE Systems Australia has been responsible for the development, integration and support of the Autonomous Vehicle Management System (VMS) - a significant element of the “smart autonomy” capability.

BAE Systems Australia was also responsible for the design and integration of the real-time elements of the Ground System (through which the operator interface is achieved). The Mantis and HERTI ground environment is based on the ISR Management System concept developed by BAE Systems Australia through a three-year, internally funded R&D program, and proven through earlier operations of the BAE Systems HERTI, Raven, Corax and Kingfisher UASs.

The mission simulation and training system for Mantis and HERTI, which includes mission rehearsal and analysis capabilities, and the System Test Unit (STU) were also developed by BAE Systems Australia. All these elements constitute part of the HERTI UAS baseline configuration that has been successfully deployed into theatre in a War Fighting Experiment with the Royal Air Force (UK).

BAE Systems Australia is proud to be part of the team associated with the Mantis and HERTI success, which is a significant milestone in the transition from a UAS design and research group to a global leader in providing next generation, operationally deployable autonomous systems.

MANTIS is an advanced technology demonstrator programme jointly funded by the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and UK industry to develop an autonomous medium altitude long range (MALE) Unmanned Aircraft System providing deep and persistent ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance). The exhibition at Avalon will be home to a full scale model of the large twin engine aircraft and will demonstrate MANTIS’ unique autonomous mission system capability through a fully operational Ground Control Station.

Brad Yelland, BAE Systems Australia’s General Manager of Aerospace and Autonomous Systems Development, said: “Australia is an ideal environment for exploiting the diverse potential scenarios for typical autonomous systems operations. UASs are expected to play a significant role in reconnaissance and long endurance surveillance missions and MANTIS is a large, next generation, highly capable system ideally suited to work of this kind.”

MANTIS is a fully autonomous next generation UAS, meaning it flies itself throughout the whole mission and its mission system enables it to automatically detect and manage all target information. Autonomy greatly increases the effectiveness of operations by allowing commanders to focus on the overall task instead of vehicle control. This allows significantly reduced workload and manpower for operations, reduces risk of accidents due to human error and reduces communications/data link requirements between the vehicle and the ground.

MANTIS is designed for deep penetration, long-range intelligence gathering and is a large platform with a wingspan of over 20 metres and carries a significant payload in terms of sensors and potential weaponry. MANTIS is a genuine fly-by-wire, all-electric controlled aircraft. In MANTIS there are no hydraulics, allowing the system to be easily broken down to fit into a C130 Hercules aircraft making it extremely deployable. Final assembly, integration and test of the first aircraft is progressing well in accordance with the schedule for the maiden flight which is expected to occur in Australia during Q2 2009.
Production variant HERTI

The BAE Systems HERTI autonomous Unmanned Aircraft System is one of a new generation of UAS suitable for both military and civil operations. The production standard variant and its Ground Control Station will be on display at Avalon.
The production standard airframe is manufactured by Slingsby Aviation in the UK, based on an original design by J&AS Aero Design of Poland. A new, robust mission system is a key feature of the production standard HERTI. Enhanced sensor flexibility is provided through the proven, multi-payload turret provided by Polytech AB from Sweden which is equipped with state of the art electro optic sensors for day and night operations. In addition, the production standard HERTI’s design enables easy integration of alternative sensors to meet specific customer operational requirements.

Key for the production standard HERTI is the level of reliability and safe operation it will provide. This will be achieved through the BAE Systems developed triplex Flight Control System and new avionics suite to give an improved operational capability as well as a high level of system redundancy guaranteeing a high level of mission availability. Recognising some of the key operational requirements to provide a system which can provide all weather and persistent surveillance, the production standard system also includes integrated lightning protection as well as a full night time flying capability.

BAE Systems is conducting an extensive flight test development programme in Australia and the UK, using two development aircraft that exercise the new mission system. A number of demonstration flights have also been carried out at fully operational customer airbases using the self-contained Ground Control Station, as well as the remote viewing terminal, enabling real time access to intelligence data via satellite.

Mr Yelland said,” Through the analysis of operational requirements to provide soldiers in the field rapid access to real-time information for critical battlefield situational awareness, BAE Systems Australia has developed the MVT (mobile viewing terminal) and C&IM (Collateral and Information Management) systems to support this capability and further enhance the operational effectiveness of the HERTI system’s core role.”

With its ability to take off, complete a full mission and land – all at the click of a computer mouse – HERTI has been designed to meet a wide variety of operational needs, both cost effectively and with extremely high levels of reliability while removing the need for an operator or pilot to control the aircraft from the ground. When coupled with BAE Systems’ Imagery Collection & Exploitation (ICE) system, the aircraft offers real potential in the fields of maritime, coastline, border and military surveillance as well as showing broader potential for areas such as pipeline, plant and infrastructure surveillance, and insurgent detection.

 

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March 9, 2009 by Marcel van Leeuwen

ST. LOUIS, March 08, 2009 — The outer skin of the first Boeing [NYSE: BA] F/A-18F Super Hornet for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is fitted to its forward fuselage on a pulse assembly line in St. Louis. The aircraft is approximately three months ahead of schedule and set for an early delivery date in July.

The F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, a multirole aircraft equipped with the APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, is able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum. The RAAF has 24 Super Hornets on order.

Each of the more than 380 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets Boeing has delivered to the U.S. Navy has been delivered on or ahead of the original delivery timeline.

Source: Boeing

 

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Agence France-Presse | Mar 11, 2009

Berlin: Germany, Britain, Italy and Spain will hold talks on Thursday on their orders for the Eurofighter combat aircraft, Berlin said Monday, after a newspaper said tight budgets would slash them in half.

"We will be holding talks this week but there has been no mention of reducing deliveries by half," a spokesman for the defence ministry said, adding that, "for operational reasons, Germany still needs the 180 Eurofighters."

The Handelsblatt daily reported on Monday that Germany and its three European partners plan to reduce a third batch delivery of 236 planes, in which Germany is obliged to buy 68, by half, because of the financial crisis.

In 1997, Germany ordered 180 Eurofighter planes, which media is slating to cost the German defence budget some 25 billion euros (31 billion dollars).

Germany's Social Democrat Party, junior partner in the governing coaltion, has been sharply critical of the Eurofighter programme in the past, strongly advocating a cut for both financial and military reasons.

The defence ministry said that they would consider splitting this third batch into "two steps." The spokesman did not say where Thursday's talks would take place.

 

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Indian Government News | Mar 11, 2009

India today inched closer towards its endeavour to put in place its own home-grown Ballistic Missile Defence System as it successfully carried out the third Interceptor test today at 1624 hrs from Integrated Test Range (ITR) at Wheeler Island in Orissa.

The mission control room burst into raptures as the radar display indicated the interception and destruction of the decoy enemy missile by the interceptor. Today’s test achieved all the mission objectives. The two-stage Interceptor Missile fitted with advanced systems hit the target enemy missile at 75 kms altitude.

To mimic the incoming enemy’s ballistic missile trajectory, Dhanush missile went to an altitude of 120 Km and was launched from ship about 100 km away from the Orissa Coast. The Interceptor missile was launched from a mobile launcher located on Wheeler Island Launch Complex.

The third consecutive interception of Ballistic Missiles once again demonstrated the robustness of the Indian Ballistic Missile Defence (BMD) system. The Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) have already conducted two interception trials, first in Exo-atmospheric region at 48 Kms altitude on 27th November 06 and second in endo-atmospheric region at 15 kms using Advanced Air Defence (AAD) missile on 06 Dec 07.

The missile interception trial was witnessed by the DRDO Chief Shri M Natarajan, Air Defence Programme Director Dr VK Saraswat, senior Scientists from DRDO, senior officers from Armed Forces and Government officials. The Defence Minister Shri A K Antony has congratulated the scientific community of DRDO for the third consecutive success in achieving Ballistic Missile Defence capability.

 

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RIA Novosti | Mar 11, 2009

MOSCOW: Russia's Defense Ministry is planning to complete tests and put into service sea-based Bulava intercontinental ballistic missiles (ICBM) in 2009, a deputy defense minister said on Thursday.

The Bulava (SS-NX-30) ICBM carries up to 10 nuclear warheads and has a range of 8,000 kilometers (5,000 miles). It is designed for deployment on Borey-class Project 955 nuclear-powered submarines.

"We are planning to complete the firing tests and put the Bulava missile system on combat duty aboard the Yury Dolgoruky submarine this year," Gen. Vladimir Popovkin said.

The latest unsuccessful submerged test launch on December 23 from the Dmitry Donskoi strategic nuclear-powered submarine in the White Sea, off Russia's northwest coast, was Bulava's fifth failure in ten trials.

However, the Russian military said that production flaws could be to blame for the unsuccessful test launches and insisted that the tests would continue until the missile was ready for production.

Popovkin said the number of Bulava tests in 2009 could exceed five, and the first test would be conducted not earlier than in June.

Meanwhile, sea trials of Yury Dolgoruky, Russia's first Borey-class strategic nuclear submarine are due to start in the spring when navigation begins in the White Sea.

The submarine was built at the Sevmash plant in northern Russia and was taken out of dry dock in April 2007.

The vessel is 170 meters (580 feet) long, has a hull diameter of 13 meters (42 feet), a crew of 107, including 55 officers, a maximum depth of 450 meters (about 1,500 feet) and a submerged speed of about 29 knots. It can carry up to 16 ballistic missiles and torpedoes.

Two other Borey-class nuclear submarines, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monomakh, are currently under construction at the Sevmash shipyard and are expected to be completed in 2009 and 2011. Russia is planning to build a total of eight submarines of this class by 2015.

Popovkin said a quarter of funds from Russia's state defense orders would be allocated in 2009 to support the strategic nuclear forces, including their naval component.

Russia's state defense orders for 2009 are worth about 1 trillion rubles ($28 billion), with money allocated to the Defense Ministry, as well as to more than 10 other ministries and agencies.