All Fixed-Wing news – Page 1321
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MDC angles for F-15E service extension
McDONNELL DOUGLAS (MDC) says that a soon-to-be-completed study for the US Air Force will show that the F-15E Strike Eagle's service life, which is certified for 8,000 flight hours, can be extended to 12,000h. A second evaluation is expected to show that the F-15C/D's life can also be lengthened. Retirement ...
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BGT scores two successes with IRIS-T missile seeker test engagements
GERMAN MISSILE house Bodenseewerk Geratetechnik has carried out two test engagements of its IRIS-T imaging-infra-red (IIR) seeker and guidance system at high off bore-sight angles of engagement. In both cases, the target drone was hit. The IRIS-T IIR seeker and guidance subsystems were married to an AIM-9 Sidewinder ...
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IPTN teams with Hawker on RAAF Caribou replacement
IPTN HAS signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with Hawker Pacific, Honeywell, and its Canberra-based Australian representative Aerospace Technical Services (ATS), to work on the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) de Havilland Caribou replacement, Project Air 5109. The Indonesian manufacturer will be offering an upgraded version of its ...
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Space knockout
Malfunctions on satellites caused by electrostatic discharges are more common than manufacturers care to admit. Tim Furniss/LONDON THE DATE, 20 JANUARY 1994, does not immediately spring to mind as memorable in space history, but it was a nightmare day for the communications-satellite industry, particularly in Canada. Without warning, ...
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Globemaster stretch fails to find favour with US Air Force
Guy Norris/LOS ANGELES THE US Air Force favours the "baseline" McDonnell Douglas (MDC) C-17 Globemaster III rather than a stretched derivative as its new-build option to replace the Lockheed Martin C-5A/B Galaxy, according to the US manufacturer. MDC claims that the USAF is interested in using ...
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German industry confronts Eurofighter 'catastrophe'
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH THE GERMAN Aerospace Industries Association (BDLI) is warning of "catastrophic consequences" if Germany does not commit to Eurofighter series production this year. In an attack on recent defence-budget cuts, BDLI defence technology forum chairman Werner Heinzmann - who is also president of Daimler-Benz Aerospace's ...
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Sturdy Beech
Raytheon's Beech MkII trainer won the 712-aircraft JPATS competition. Flight International flew it to find out why. Raytheon AIRCRAFT joined forces with Pilatus in 1990 when it identified Pilatus' PC-9 trainer as a viable candidate for the $7 billion US Joint Primary Aircraft Training System (JPATS) competition. This contest ...
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Lockheed Martin considers a floatplane version of Hercules
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA LOCKHEED MARTIN is studying a floatplane version of the C-130J Hercules 2 transport and says that there is significant interest in the concept from US Navy special-forces. The scheme involves a removable catamaran hull attached to the underside of an otherwise unmodified C-130J. Conversion ...
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Regional growth
Russia is trying to interest South Korea in the purchase of weapons including Sukhoi Su-35 fighters and Almaz S-300 surface-to-air missile system. A Russian military delegation visited Seoul recently to discuss a memorandum of understanding on arms procurement. The Su-37 prototype is due to appear at the Seoul air show ...
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Surgical mission
Sikorsky has selected Canadian Marconi's mission-management system for the US Army's UH-60Q medical-evacuation helicopter, with a contract to equip three advanced-development aircraft, with an option for a fourth, a first production option for 87 helicopters, and an eventual requirement for 379 aircraft, converted from UH-60A Black Hawk transport helicopters. ...
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Boeing's B-52 re-engineing bid impresses USAF
SENIOR US AIR Force officials are favouring Boeing's bid to re-engine 94 B-52H bombers with Rolls-Royce RB.211 turbofans, but the Department of Defense must win Congressional support if the project is to see the light of day. Boeing officials say that top-level USAF officers, including Chief of Staff ...
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Lockheed submits E European F-16 offer
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH LOCKHEED MARTIN has become the first Western aircraft manufacturer to submit a firm offer to the Czech, Hungarian and Polish Governments to meet their fighter aircraft requirements - before a request for proposals has even been issued. The US company says that F-16 programme ...
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DASA studies supersonic possibilities
DAIMLER-BENZ Aerospace (DASA) is working on concept studies for a transonic/supersonic advanced jet trainer, light-fighter design and seeking international partners for the proposed project. The German company had been hopeful that South Korea would be the launch partner for the AT 2000. The South Koreans preference for a ...
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Hammer blows
IAI's upgrade of the F-4 is satisfying its initial customer. Arie Egozi/TEL AVIV THE UNOFFICIAL DEBATE in the Israeli air force is whether the upgraded McDonnell Douglas F-4 2000 will still be in service in 2005 or in 2020. This debate stops at the gate of ...
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Grob mounts Thai G115T sales campaign
GERMAN manufacturer Burkhart Grob is pushing to sell its G115TA to the Thai air force and navy. The South-East Asian country needs 48 basic trainers. Grob declines to confirm that it is bidding in Thailand, but says that the aircraft has attracted interest in Australia, South America ...
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Fast data
More and more airlines are taking advantage of quick-access recorders. Paul Phelan/CAIRNS The MAJOR QUALITY-CONTROL and cost-savings benefits delivered by quick-access flight-data recorders (QARs) are beyond debate, and most leading non-US carriers are already enjoying these benefits. Although some airlines have been surprisingly slow to adopt ...
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GEC-Marconi wins UK contracts
GEC-MARCONI Avionics Support division, has won a £40 million ($62 million) contract from British Aerospace, covering the augmented logistic support of new avionics being installed in Royal Air Force Tornados. BAe was recently awarded the support contract for RAF Tornado GR4s by the UK Ministry of Defence, following ...
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Rockwell introduces strap-on computer
ROCKWELL HAS unveiled a voice-controlled, body-worn notebook computer called the Trekker, which it believes has wide-ranging applications for the aerospace industry. Initial uses include running customised, paperless aircraft-maintenance software. The Trekker is operated as a hands-free, mobile information system, based on standard personal-computer circuitry and Windows software, and ...
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Dornier and Bell team up for German border guard bid
Andrzej Jeziorski/MUNICH DORNIER LUFTFAHRT has signed with Bell Helicopter Textron to make a joint bid for a light-transport-helicopter requirement from Germany's Federal Border Guard (BGS). The BGS wants to replace 13 of its fleet of 19 single-engined UH-1D Hueys in 1998. The remaining six Hueys will ...