Boeing: FAA certifies 787 with Package B engines: Boeing has obtained US FAA certification of the 787 with Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 Package B engines, capping a seven month flight test programme for the enhanced...
Read more...Earth-Sized Planets Discovered: NASA's Kepler planet-finding mission has found two planets of the right size but in the wrong orbital location.
Read more...After more than 15 years of development, the U.S. Missile Defense Agency finished at 12 "knowledge points" for the 747-400F-based Airborne Laser program and is dismantling the system for storage.
GROUNDED: Airborne Laser Airborne No More
Read more...Close air support – 2011 in review: Nato action in Libya in 2011 proved that close air support is an effective alternative to deploying an occupying force. Berenice Baker looks back at 2011 to see what can be learnt about the realities of close air support in conflict and what lessons …
Read more...Russia to sell additional Su-30 jets to India: Russia has signed a preliminary deal with India to sell 42 Su-30 MKI frontline jets in kit form and provide technical assistance during their production.
Read more...Taiwan receives upgraded E-2K early warning aircraft: Taiwan has taken delivery of two upgraded E-2K early warning aircraft (EWA) from the US as part of a $6.5bn foreign arms deal agreed between the two nations in 2008.
Read more...The fifth Airbus Military A400M military airlifter has made its first flight, marking the end of a highly successful year for the programme and meaning that the full fleet of Grizzly development aircraft is now in the air, completing the flight-test programme
Known as Grizzly 5, the aircraft took off from Seville, Spain with a take-off weight of 125 tonnes at 08:55 local time (GMT+1) and landed back at Seville 2 hours 10 minutes later.
Experimental Test Pilot Christophe Marchand captained the flight, supported by Experimental Test Pilot Etienne Miche-de-Malleray. The crew also included Test Flight Engineer Jean-Paul Lambert and Flight Test Engineers Ludovic Girard and Cesar Gonzales-Gomez.
Grizzly 5 is the final member of the fleet which has now completed more than 2,500 hours of the 3,700 hour flight-test programme leading to first delivery. It carries a light flight-test instrumentation load and will be primarily dedicated to electromagnetic interference (EMI)-testing, cargo development, operational demonstrations and extreme cold weather trials.
Airbus Head of Flight Operations Fernando Alonso said: “The first flight of Grizzly 5 is right on schedule and is an excellent way to end this second year of A400M flight-testing. It provides a strong platform from which to address the challenging year ahead leading to first delivery to the French Air Force.”
During 2011 the A400M has successfully completed an extremely intensive test schedule and the aircraft has now been flown by more than 60 pilots. The key high-energy rejected take-off test has been passed as well as emergency evacuations in different configurations. Crosswind and wet runway testing is complete, and so is testing with artificial ice shapes fitted to the wings.
All stalling and braking tests have been passed, together with cruise performance, and the minimum unstick speed (Vmu), minimum control speed on ground (Vmcg) and minimum control speed in the air (Vmca) tests are also complete.
The Grizzly fleet will immediately start 2012 with an aggressive test programme, including an increasing proportion of military tests, in preparation for first delivery around the turn of the year 2012/2013.
The attached photo shows Grizzly 5 taking off from Seville this morning
PR
PR
Airbus Military confirms that, following constructive discussions with Armscor, it has refunded South Africa’s pre-delivery payments for the A400M military transport aircraft while at the same time, opening the door to further close cooperation with South Africa.
“The agreement we signed with Armscor on 29 November 2011, draws a line under the cancelled A400M acquisition, but crucially, it lets us all move forward together to explore further opportunities, including upcoming acquisition projects led by ARMSCOR., “explained Airbus Military CEO, Mr Domingo Urena.
Background notes:
South Africa was given full industrial partner status in the A400M programme in 2005. In return, South Africa committed to acquire 8 A400M aircraft in a firm- and fixed-price contract worth EUR 837 million (which had never increased).
Despite South Africa cancelling its A400M acquisition in November 2009, local companies, Denel Aerostructures and Aerosud, have remained responsible for the design engineering, manufacturing and supply of several major parts, including:
• aircraft top shells (roof),
• wing-fuselage fairing (the largest single aircraft component ever manufactured in South Africa),
• aerodynamically complex wing-tips (which directly influence fuel efficiency and carbon emissions)
• cabin and cockpit insulation & linings and
• galleys
In addition, Cape Town-based Cobham South Africa, supplies the satellite communications antennae and related systems.
Airbus has also launched and committed to ZAR4 billion worth of industrial and research activities with South African partners through to 2020.
FORT WORTH, Texas, December 19th, 2011 -- The Japan Ministry of Defense has announced its selection of the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II as the Japan Air Self Defense Force’s (JASDF) next generation fighter aircraft, following the F-X competitive bid process. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing variant (CTOL) was offered by the United States government with participation from Lockheed Martin. The initial contract will be for four jets in Japan Fiscal Year 2012, which begins April 1, 2012.
"We are honored by the confidence the Japanese government has placed in the F-35 and our industry team to deliver this 5th Generation fighter to the Japan Air Self Defense Force," said Bob Stevens, Lockheed Martin chairman and chief executive officer. "This announcement begins a new chapter in our long-standing partnership with Japanese industry and builds on the strong security cooperation between the U.S. and Japan."
Global participation is a centerpiece of the F-35 program and essential for its success and affordability through economies of scale. The program is comprised of nine partner nations: the United States, United Kingdom, Italy, Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark and Norway. The United Kingdom and Netherlands have ordered test aircraft, and Italy and Australia have committed long-lead funding for their initial operational aircraft. In October 2010, Israel selected the F-35A as the Israel Air Force’s next generation fighter and is scheduled to receive the F-35 through the U.S. government’s Foreign Military Sales process.
The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th Generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.
Seoul Will Be Watching
Madrid.- La compañía aérea española Iberia, como consecuencia de la huelga convocada por llos pilotos de la sección sindical del Sepla, cancelará 118 vuelos el próximo día 29, el 36% de los inicialmente previstos para esta fecha, por no estar cubiertos por los servicios mínimos fijados por el Ministerio de Fomento.
Noticia completa: Iberia cancelará 118 vuelos el día 29 por la huelga de sus pilotos
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