All Fixed-Wing news – Page 349
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NewsKC-46 tanker testing will begin at least a year behind schedule
Initial operational testing of the Boeing KC-46 aerial refueling tanker is expected to begin at least a year later than planned.
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NewsFinnish NH90s creep towards 50% operational serviceability rate
Ahead of the delivery of its final NH Industries NH90 transport helicopter in the coming weeks, the Finnish army is only achieving an approximate 40% operational serviceability rate on the current fleet, its chief of aviation has claimed.
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Opinion
OPINION: Will Lockheed cope with F-35 production rate hike?
A complex global supply chain, unfamiliar structural materials and aircraft systems, a history of supplier bottlenecks and serial breakdowns on the assembly line: are we talking about the Lockheed Martin F-35 or the Boeing 787? Frustratingly, the answer is both.
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AnalysisANALYSIS: Can Eurofighter enhancements power sales revival?
This could be a pivotal year for the four-nation Eurofighter programme, as partner companies Airbus Defence & Space, Alenia Aermacchi and BAE Systems push to secure fresh export deals on the back of a range of capability enhancements which are now starting to approach operational readiness.
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NewsPICTURES: Amphibious assault Surion makes maiden flight
Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) has conducted the maiden flight of a Surion transport helicopter optimised for amphibious assault operations.
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NewsAurora seeks Orion production start after record flight
Aurora Flight Sciences hopes to launch production of up to seven or eight slightly improved versions of the Orion after the medium altitude long endurance unmanned air system broke the official and unofficial records for endurance with an 80h flight.
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AnalysisANALYSIS: Hurdles ahead as Lockheed works to meet full-rate F-35 production
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is an incredibly complex jet fighter. Each jet is hand assembled from about 300,000 parts by more than 1,000 workers at the company's mile-long Fort Worth, Texas, manufacturing facility.
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Analysis
ANALYSIS: F-35 production system evolves ahead of ramp-up
Mass manufacturing and stealth aircraft have never mixed well. Hundreds of thousands of parts must align at tolerances measured in the thousandths of an inch. A structural misalignment no wider than a few human hairs is enough to make the aircraft shine like a lighthouse in electromagnetic space.
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NewsAfghan air force to add armed MD 530F to helicopter fleet
The Afghan air force is to receive approximately 20 armed variants of the MD Helicopters MD 530F utility helicopter, an official close to the force has confirmed.
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NewsMalaysia to upgrade and arm S-61 "Nuri" fleet
Malaysia is to boost its ability to combat future militant incursions by arming its AgustaWestland AW109s and transferring some upgraded Sikorsky S-61 “Nuri” utility helicopters to army aviation control.
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NewsItalian army describes Mangusta upgrade wish list
The Italian army is seeking an enhancement package for its AgustaWestland AH-129D Mangusta attack helicopter, which it hopes will be upgraded within five to six years.
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NewsBoeing upgrades B-52s with internal smart weapons
Sixty-one years since the type’s first flight, the US Air Force is upgrading the weapons bays of the Boeing B-52 to carry satellite-guided conventional munitions.
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News
F-35 missed key software testing goals in 2014
A recent report by the US Defense Department’s director operation test and evaluation (DOT&E) finds that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II missed key software testing milestones necessary for the US Marine Corps to field combat-ready jets while those already delivered remain unreliable and difficult to maintain.
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NewsNigerian rotary capability challenged by Boko Haram threat
The Nigerian air force has described how its limited rotary capability has proved detrimental in its fight against Boko Haram insurgents that have been advancing in-country.
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News
IAI strives to finalise Brazilian tanker deal
The Brazilian air force and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) have renewed contract negotiations over Brazil's acquisition of three Boeing 767-300ERs that will be converted into tankers.
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NewsUS Army continues to face financial challenge of rotary fleet maintenance
The US Army has warned that its rotary fleet will continue to be streamlined as US budget sequestration increases pressure to reduce costs.
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News
Asian deal is sweet Music for Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems has been awarded a contract from an undisclosed Asian nation to provide mini-Music directional infrared countermeasures (DIRCM) systems for its army fleet of Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters.
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NewsAirbus touts Tanan UAV's UK potential
Airbus Defence & Space is working towards the certification of its Tanan rotary unmanned air vehicle demonstrator, which could be a consideration for the Royal Navy as the force assesses it maritime surveillance options.
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NewsIsrael to upgrade F-15Is with new radar
The Israeli air force is upgrading the capabilities of its Boeing F-15I strike aircraft, with the work to include installing a new radar.
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NewsAESA upgrade battle heats up for F/A-18 Hornets
A new competition has emerged to upgrade the radars for potentially hundreds of the original Boeing F/A-18 Hornet fighters operated by US and foreign militaries.