All Fixed-Wing news – Page 1337
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Summit holds key to Tiger
A FRANCO-GERMAN summit between French president Jacques Chirac and German chancellor Helmut Kohl on 5 June holds the key to the future of the Eurocopter Tiger and NH90 joint helicopter projects. Confusion remains over France's commitment to both programmes following the Government's recent defence plan. Sources predict that ...
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German defence cuts fall on air force
GERMANY'S DEFENCE ministry has been hit by a cut of more than DM1 billion ($660 million) in its 1996 budget, which is likely to delay three air force transport programmes. Although no formal decision has been taken, the ministry says that the most likely air force procurements to be struck ...
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A novel Phantom experience
Sir - Ray Pilley is absolutely right in saying that there is no substitute for the final check (Letters, Flight International, 24-30 April, P43). This applies equally to engineering staff and aircrew, but it was his comments about the McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom which really caught my eye. ...
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NATO waits for flight-training commitment
THE FIRST STUDENTS for the proposed NATO Flying Training in Canada (NFTC) programme could be enrolled in 1999, if commitments for 60-70 places are received "within the next nine to ten months", according to Brig Gen Ed McGillivray, chief of staff personnel and training, the Canadian Air Force. ...
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First things first
France's recently appointed air force Chief of Staff,Gen Jean Rannou, is sorting out his priorities. Gilbert Sedbon/PARIS FOR A MAN WHO has just seen procurement of his air force's fourth-generation fighter delayed for five years, and its next-generation pre-production transport teeter on the brink of collapse, Gen ...
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New software tested
A re-useable navigation-software module running on a commercial off-the-shelf processor has been successfully flight tested on a McDonnell Douglas (MDC) F-15. The re-useable software test was part of a wider three-flight programme in support of an MDC affordability project for the Joint Strike Fighter and current MDC production-aircraft programmes. In ...
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First Taiwanese Mirage delivered
Taiwan has taken delivery of the first of 60 Dassault Aviation Mirage 2000-5 combat aircraft. The Taiwanese Government has also purchased 1,200 Matra Mica air-to-air missiles, as well as other weaponry. Source: Flight International
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Pakistan/Lebanon deal
Pakistan is negotiating to purchase ten Dassault Mirage III fighters from Lebanon. A high-ranking Pakistani delegation visited Beirut on 16 May and discussed the proposed deal. The aircraft have been grounded for some years, and an extensive refurbishment programme will be needed to return them to operational condition. Sources say ...
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Extra F-7s for Sudan
China has delivered seven Chengdu F-7 fighters to the Sudanese air force. Middle-Eastern sources claim that Iran has financed the deal which also includes spares for previously procured F-7s. Along with the aircraft and spares package the purchase is also understood to include unspecified air-to-ground munitions. ...
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Sea King AFCS
The Smiths Industries Aerospace SN500 helicopter automatic flight control system (AFCS) has received a military certificate of airworthiness for the Mk3A Westland Sea Kings of the Royal Air Force. In the Sea King, the SN500 is integrated with the navigation systems. Source: Flight International
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Saab/BAe, Lockheed vie for Hungary business
HUNGARY WILL ISSUE a request for proposals (RFP) in July for up to 36 fighters to replace its obsolete Mikoyan MiG-21s. Leading candidates for the procurement include the Saab/ British Aerospace JAS39 Gripen, and the Lockheed Martin F-16. Peter Anstiss, director of sales and marketing support at ...
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Sweden joins talks to extend X-31 demonstrator project
US, GERMAN AND Swedish Government and industry officials met at ILA to discuss a follow-on to the German/US X-31 Enhanced Fighter Manoeuvrability technology-demonstration project. US Navy X-31 programme manager Charles Johnson says that the discussions focused on a programme called the ADVENT, which will investigate advanced air-data ...
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Eurocopter studies new twin
EUROCOPTER IS studying an advanced medium-twin helicopter in the 5.5-6t class to succeed the Dauphin. The helicopter, known as the EC165, is planned to become available as the worldwide fleet of some 520 AS365s/565s reaches the end of its life over the next 20 years. It will incorporate ...
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Germany divides Sea Lynx order contract
THE GERMAN NAVY is expected to place an order for seven new Westland Sea Lynx helicopters by the end of June, delaying a decision on upgrading its current 17 aircraft at least until early 1997. GKN Westland Helicopters says that the upgrade will bring the navy's older ...
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GE YF120 wins the vote as Joint Strike Fighter competitive engine
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA GENERAL ELECTRIC'S YF120 has been selected by the US/UK Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme office as the alternative engine to the Pratt & Whitney F119 already chosen. The JSF programme office has been studying derivatives of the GE F110 and YF120 as an ...
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Israel offers India active AAM
Douglas Barrie/LONDON ISRAEL IS OFFERING India access to an active-radar beyond-visual-range (BVR) air-to-air missile (AAM) as part of an upgrade being proposed for the Indian navy's British Aerospace Sea Harrier FRS51s. The active-radar-guided missile is being developed by Rafael, although the company refuses to acknowledge ...
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US low-observable nozzle revealed
Graham Warwick/ATLANTA A LOW-OBSERVABLE nozzle under development by General Electric for its F110 engine is being installed on a US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16 for ground runs in June. Changes include triangular trailing-edges added to the petals of the variable-area convergent/divergent nozzle. Tests to measure the signature ...
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Airbus confronted by defeat on FLA
Julian Moxon and Gilbert Sedbon/PARIS AIRBUS Military Company has admitted that the European Future Large Aircraft (FLA) faces collapse because of France's decision not to fund development of the programme. The Airbus Industrie unit, yet to be formally established, reacted angrily to the French Government's ...
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BAe plans TIALD vibration tests on Harrier GR7
BRITISH AEROSPACE is to carry out flight trials of a GEC-Marconi thermal-imaging airborne laser-designator (TIALD) pod, fitted with telemetry equipment, on a BAe Harrier GR7 fuselage station, to ensure that it can withstand the hostile vibration environment. The company has a contract from the UK Ministry of Defence ...
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B-2 Stealth Bombers Grounded
THE US AIR FORCE HAS suspended training flights of the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit stealth bomber after discovering a cracked engine clamp during an inspection. The grounding began on 10 May, but it was not announced until the USAF began receiving enquiries. The ten B-2s operated by the ...