A Mil Mi-8 helicopter was shot down on 21 April about 20km (12 miles) north of the Iraqi capital Baghdad, killing all 11 people on board. US and Bulgarian officials say the aircraft, owned by a Bulgarian company Heli Air and chartered by Canadian company SkyLink, was brought down by a rocket-propelled grenade. On board were six US security contractors, three Bulgarian crew members and two Fijian security guards.
Source: Flight International
The US defence technology firm is preparing to test its Black Arrow small cruise missile, designed to be an affordable long-range munition that can be launched from cargo aircraft.
Lockheed Martin’s hopes for re-energising its F-16 Block 70/72 offering for Thailand’s fighter contest appear to rest on improving the interoperability of Thailand’s existing F-16 Block 15 fleet.
While the US Air Force is walking back its commitment to developing a manned sixth-generation combat fighter, the navy’s top officer says her service remains committed to fielding a new aircraft under its F/A-XX programme.
