Fixed-wing – Page 1304
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UAE springs EF2000 surprise
The United Arab Emirates has formally reintroduced the Eurofighter EF2000 into its multi-role/strike aircraft competition, catching the previously two short-listed competitors, Lockheed Martin and Dassault, off guard. The move comes after months of behind-the-scenes political activity and several visits by senior UAE defence officials to British Aerospace's Warton ...
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Embraer commits to Erieye for EMB-145
Ericsson Microwave Systems of Sweden has signed a $145 million deal with Embraer to supply five Erieye airborne-early-warning (AEW) and control systems for installation on the Brazilian aircraft builder's EMB-145 regional jet. The aircraft is part of the equipment for a wider surveillance scheme being managed for the Brazilian Government ...
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Aerospatiale talks to China about FANS
Aerospatiale is negotiating with China on opening a new Future Air Navigation System (FANS) air-traffic route which would enable Virgin Atlantic to cut up to 45min from its Airbus A340 Hong-Kong-London service. China Airlines, which is due to receive its first A340 in March, is also likely to ...
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The lastpost
It must engender at least a little sympathy when the high point of a man's career is accompanied by the gift of a chalice, containing, potentially, more than a little poison. Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, who took up his post as the Royal Air Force's Chief of the ...
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Project delays concern RAF chief
Air Chief Marshal Sir Michael Graydon, the Royal Air Force's Chief of the Air Staff (CAS), says that he is growing increasingly concerned over the potential impact of delays to two of the service's key projects, the Eurofighter EF2000, and the RAF's need for more airlift capacity. Continuing ...
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General Electric snaps up Greenwich Air/UNC
Just weeks after Greenwich Air Services agreed to buy UNC to create the world's largest independent engine-maintenance business, General Electric has stepped in to buy both groups. The acquisition of Greenwich/UNC, which is due to be completed within the next six months, would give GE Engine Services sales ...
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US watchdog wants to delay production of F-18E/F
THE US GENERAL Accounting Office (GAO) is urging US defence chief William Cohen to postpone the low-rate initial production (LRIP) decision on the McDonnell Douglas F-18E/F programme until Congressionally ordered studies on the multi-billion-dollar weapons programme are completed in the next several months. The Defense Acquisition Board (DAB) ...
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BAe/Westland study AEW needs-
British Aerospace is proposing an aircraft wingtip-mounted synthetic-aperture radar to meet the Royal Navy's Future Organic Airborne-Early-Warning (FOAEW) requirement, while GKNWestland is looking at a compound-lift variant of the Westland/Agusta EH101 Merlin as an AEW platform for the RN's proposed future carrier. BAe has carried out windtunnel tests ...
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Dasa and Elbit team in bid to win Greek Phantom upgrade
Daimler-Benz Aerospace (Dasa) has submitted a revised bid for the Greek air force McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom upgrade, which it says is now "-based on a close co-operation with [Israeli manufacturer] Elbit". Dasa is competing with Rockwell for the contract. Neither of the initial proposals met the air ...
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Italy lines up order for C-130Js
The Italian Air Force is finalising an order for 18 Lockheed Martin C-130J Hercules IItransport aircraft, following final political approval of the proposed L2,000 billion ($1.2 billion) deal. The move, say defence sources, comes as Italy considers buying an additional four airborne early-warning (AEW) variants of the C-130J, ...
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Romanian air force plans to purchase early-warning aircraft
The Romanian defence ministry plans to acquire an airborne early-warning (AEW) aircraft as part of a purchase of additional Lockheed Martin C-130 Hercules for its air force. The Romanian air force has recently taken delivery of four ex-US Air Force C-130B transports, and the ministry says that it ...
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New Zealand matches Australia with SH-2
The New Zealand Government has fallen in line with Australia and named the Kaman SH-2G Super Seasprite as its preferred choice of naval helicopter over the rival GKN Westland Super Lynx. Under a deal still to be finalised, the Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) plans to order four ...
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Corporate operators fight for airport slots
GAMTA members are urging airport owners and governments to reconsider their attitude to corporate-aircraft operators, in the face of increasing restrictions to business aviation at many of Europe's major airports. Brian Humphries, chairman of the European Business Aircraft Association and managing director of Shell Aircraft, says that the ...
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Russia agrees Il-76 sale to IAI for AEW
Israel has overcome a critical hurdle in its bid to satisfy the Chinese air force's requirement for an airborne-early-warning (AEW) aircraft, with a deal finally being cleared by the Russian Government for the Beriev design bureau to supply and modify an Iluyshin Il-76 for Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI). ...
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No European airlift delight
Sir - Your Comment "Strategic retreat" (Flight International, 12-18 February, P3) and the story "UK slashes FLA [Future Large Aircraft] numbers" in the same issue (P5) both allude to a forthcoming Lockheed C-141-replacement programme. While the C-141 is due to be replaced by 2006, there is not, and ...
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Lockheed Martin selects CATIA
LOCKHEED MARTIN is to use Dassault Systemes' CATIA computer-aided design and manufacturing software as the core of a "virtual-development environment" it is creating, initially for the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) programme. The company hopes to leapfrog its competition and cut costs and cycle times by at least 50% for development, ...
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IAI considers joint AEW bid for Australia and South Korea
Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) is considering tendering for South Korea's pending airborne early-warning (AEW) competition offering an Elta Phalcon phased-array radar version of the Airbus Industrie A310, as well as the Boeing 767. IAI has already teamed with Raytheon E-Systems to offer an Elta radar-equipped A310 for Australia's ...
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Python 4 heads for Chile and Singapore air forces
The Chilean and Singaporean air forces are on the brink of acquiring the Rafael Python 4 infra-red dogfight missile, with some indications that missile deliveries may have already begun. The image above appears to show a modified Northrop F-5 carrying four Python 4 missiles. The aircraft strongly resembles the Chilean ...
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Italy cuts projects to protect EF2000 interest
Italy's Tornado is in the frame for cuts The Italian air force has cut back severely its expenditure on proposed procurement projects, to ring-fence funding for the Eurofighter EF2000 programme. The definitive version of the Italian defence ministry's budget has been settled, according to defence sources, with EF2000 funding being ...
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Sundstrand gears up for TJ-50
Sundstrand Power Systems is planning to mass-produce a 0.22kN (50lb)-thrust turbojet ,which it believes will have applications for target drones, decoys, unmanned air vehicles (UAVs) and even missiles. "The engine is virtually creating its own market," says Sundstrand, which developed the low-cost TJ-50 through the US Advanced Research ...