All articles by Dan Parsons – Page 2
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NewsLockheed outlines F-35 cost-cutting production changes
Lockheed Martin on 18 February shared some of the efforts it is taking to reduce the cost of a conventional takeoff and landing F-35A to less than $80 million by 2019.
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NewsUSAF chief keeps sights on close air support mission
The US Air Force's desire to gradually phase out operation of the Fairchild Republic A-10 is in no way indicative of a lack of enthusiasm for the close air support mission, its chief of staff Gen Mark Welsh says.
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USAF’s T-X trainer requirements will be final by March
The US Air Force will use the T-X jet trainer replacement as the guinea pig for an upcoming wave of cost-cutting experiments that will search for places where platform capability can be reasonably sacrificed in exchange for acquisition cost reduction.
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NewsAir Force considering A-10 replacement for future close air support
Even as the US Air Force is still banking on saving billions by retiring the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, the service is considering building a brand new aircraft to take over the close air support (CAS) role.
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NewsLockheed Martin launches Legion pod for USAF
Lockheed Martin wants to bring fifth-generation targeting and tracking capabilities to fourth-generation aircraft like the Boeing F-15 and Lockheed F-16 fighters.
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Boeing consolidates major defense, space programs
Boeing is consolidating management of several of its vanguard defense, space and commercial programs under a single development organization, a move the company says will improve efficiency and cut costs for the US military and other customers.
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NewsEmbraer outlines fly-by-wire test plan for KC-390
Embraer’s KC-390 jet airlifter/tanker flew for the first time in early February, but the company has not yet put its technologically ambitious fly-by-wire flight control system to the test.
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NewsUS army seeks upgrades for Hellfire missile guidance system
The US army has called on industry to propose replacements for its Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-ground missiles, relaunching a programme that has been in the works for over a decade without identifying a suitable upgrade for the missile’s guidance system.
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NewsNorthrop to design clean-sheet T-X trainer for USAF
Northrop Grumman has opted to design a brand new aircraft for the US Air Force’s T-X trainer programme rather than a modified version of the BAE Systems Hawk it had planned to pitch.
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NewsUS military unveils plan to develop sixth-gen fighters
The US military is seeking to avoid the pitfalls of recent aircraft acquisition programmes as it plans for development of sixth-generation fighters.
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USAF speeds up development of new air-launched cruise missile
The US Air Force has both accelerated development its long-range standoff weapon (LRSO) and dramatically increased funding to the programme over the next five years.
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NewsEmbraer KC-390 takes maiden flight
The KC-390, Embraer’s clean-sheet aerial refueling tanker, flew for the first time on 3 February from an airfield in São José dos Campos, Brazil.
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NewsAviation gains in US military's new budget proposal
Aviation programmes received a significant boost in funding in the Obama administration's fiscal year 2016 budget submission, which is up 6.7% on the enacted total for FY2015.
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NewsSikorsky's Raider days away from spinning rotors
Sikorsky is days away from firing the engines of its S-97 Raider, marking the first time the prototype’s coaxial rigid rotor blades will spin in preparation for first flight.
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Army plans to modernise helicopters in peril
The US Army has a tight and relatively inflexible plan to modernise existing rotorcraft and eventually achieve a future vertical lift aircraft within the budget it has.
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NewsUSAF chooses 747-8 as next Air Force One
The US Air Force on 28 January announced Boeing’s four-engined 747-8 Intercontinental airliner will serve as the next Air Force One, besting the Airbus A380 as the next generation of aircraft specially outfitted to carry the US president.
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NewsVirgin Galactic announces first new pilot since fatal spaceship crash
Virgin Galactic has hired a new test pilot for the SpaceShipTwo commercial spacecraft from the company that designed the suborbital ship.
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NewsUS Interior Department, Australia eye unmanned helicopters to fight fires
The US Department of the Interior has announced it will investigate the utility of optionally manned helicopters for forest firefighting, a concept that already is gaining traction across the Pacific Ocean in Australia.
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CAE buys Bombardier's military training division
Simulation and training specialist CAE on 26 January announced it will buy Bombardier’s military aviation training business for $19.8 million.
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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.