Two Royal Malaysian Air Force Sikorsky S-61 Nuri helicopters crashed in a mountainous jungle area of Sabah, Borneo, on 18 March. All 11 serviceman aboard the two helicopters are believed to have been killed. The S-61s were reportedly returning to Labuan AB after a supply mission when the accident happened. The S-61 fleet was grounded in October 1996, after one of the machines crashed at sea, killing two crewmen.
Source: Flight International
The January incident at Ellsworth AFB resulted in the destruction of the $450 million bomber and a rare quadruple ejection of the crew, who were attempting to execute an instrument landing during poor weather.
Athens signed a long-sought letter of offer and acceptance with airframer Lockheed Martin covering 20 F-35 stealth fighters, with options for a further 20 jets.
The joint North American Aerospace Defense Command dispatched fighter aircraft from both the USA and Canada on 24 July to intercept a combined flight of bombers from Russia and China operating in international airspace around Alaska.
