What Russia’s Stealth Fighter Developments Mean for America

Russia's development of the PAK FA fifth-generation stealth fighter could challenge American air supremacy, especially if Russia sells the PAK FA to its usual buyers of military equipment.

In the U.S., closure of the F-22 production line has severely limited America's ability to respond to PAK FA proliferation by building more F-22s and potentially selling them to U.S. allies.
The U.S. needs to revise its assessment of U.S. air superiority needs and then explore ways to modernize and strengthen the U.S. tactical fighter force.

full text http://www.defencetalk.com/russia-pak-fa-stealth-fighter-developments-mean-for-america-30434/

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Problems in manufacturing process led to Trent 900 failure: ATSB

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau (ATSB) says that a problem in the "manufacturing process" led to the 4 November uncontained engine failure on a Rolls-Royce Trent 900 powering a Qantas Airways A380.

Investigations at Rolls-Royce facilities in Derby revealed an "area of fatigue cracking" within a stub pipe that feeds oil to the High Pressure (HP)/Intermediate Pressure (IP) bearing structure.

Full Text: http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/2010/12/03/350485/problems-in-manufacturing-process-led-to-trent-900-failure.html

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Russian Flies Latest Mil Mi-38 helicopter

Whatever happened to the Mi-38, the long-planned replacement for the ubiquitous Mi-8 that first flew back in December 2003? Well Kazan Helicopters has just flown the second prototype, OP-2, which incorporates fuel and hydraulic system and rotor blade upgrades, as well and handling and stability improvements resulting from tests of the first aircraft. Full text here

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