August 2016 Air Force Military Aviation Defence Industry News
 
 

GA-ASI secures a $370mn USAF contract for 30 MQ-9 Reaper UAVs

GA-ASI secures a $370mn USAF contract for 30 MQ-9 Reaper UAVs
 
GA ASI secures a 370mn USAF contract for 30 MQ 9 Reaper UAVs 640 001
General Atomics - Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI), based in Poway, California, has been awarded a $370,932,862 contract for fiscal 2015 MQ-9 Reaper production. Contractor will provide 30 aircraft for fiscal 2015 MQ-9 Reaper production configuration aircraft, the US Department of Defense announced yesterday on its website.
 

Boeing's KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft approved for production

Boeing's KC-46A Pegasus tanker aircraft approved for production
 
Boeing KC 46A Pegasus tanker aircraft approved for productio 640 001
The KC-46A Pegasus program received Milestone C approval from Frank Kendall, the US under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics, signaling the aircraft is ready to enter into production, the US Air Force announced on August 12.
 

Lockheed delivers additional MC-130J Commando II to the AFSOC

Lockheed delivers additional MC-130J Commando II to the AFSOC
 
Lockheed delivers additional MC 130J Commando II to the AFSOC 640 001
A U.S. Air Force crew accepted delivery of an MC-130J Commando II at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta on Aug. 11. This MC-130J Commando II multimission combat transport/special operations tanker is assigned to the US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) at Hurlburt Field, Florida.
 

France in talks with Bolivia for the supply of 16 TB 30 Epsilon basic trainer aircraft

France in talks with Bolivia for the supply of 16 TB 30 Epsilon basic trainer aircraft
 
France in negotiation with Bolivia for the supply of 16 TB 30 Epsilon basic trainer aircraft 640 001
France reportedly offered Bolivia a proposal for the supply of 16 Socata TB 30 Epsilon training aircraft and vessels for the Navy, among other military equipment, unveils today August 12 the local defense website Infodefensa.
 

Berry Aviation wins $29mn contract to support USSOCOM missions

Berry Aviation wins $29mn contract to support USSOCOM missions
 
Berry Aviation wins 29mn contract to support USSOCOM missions 640 001
Berry Aviation, based in San Marcos, Texas, has been awarded a $29,002,500 indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity, fixed-price contract in support of the U.S. Special Operations Command, the US Department of Defense released yesterday, August 11.
 

US Marine Corps launched full reset of its 147 CH-53E Super Stallion rotorcraft

US Marine Corps launched full reset of its 147 CH-53E Super Stallion rotorcraft
 
US Marine Corps launched full reset of its 147 CH 53E Super Stallion rotorcraft 640 001
U.S. Marine Corps has begun a full reset of its CH-53E Super Stallion heavy lift helicopters, an effort aimed at significantly increasing the number of operationally fit aircraft and addressing systemic issues, which in recent years drove the platform’s readiness level to unsustainable depths, the Naval Air Systems Command announced on August 10.
 

US oks $231mn order from NATO countries for Precision Guided Munitions

US oks $231mn order from NATO countries for Precision Guided Munitions
 
US oks 231mn sale from NATO countries for Precision Guided Munitions 640 001
The United States State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the NATO Support and Procurement Agency for precision guided munitions, equipment, and support. The estimated cost is $231 million, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced today, August 11.
 

Leonardo's AW609 TiltRotor program moves toward certification

Leonardo's AW609 TiltRotor program moves toward certification
 
Leonardo AW609 TiltRotor program moves toward certification 640 001 Leonardo-Finmeccanica announced today that the first flying AW609 prototype has arrived in Philadelphia following a recent resumption of flight testing. Departing from Arlington, Texas, the aircraft’s flight plan included an overnight stop in Huntsville, Ala, before arriving in Philadelphia on Wednesday, August 10.
 

Russian Helicopters to open Mi-8/17 rotorcraft maintenance plant in Azerbaijan

Russian Helicopters to open Mi-8/17 rotorcraft maintenance plant in Azerbaijan
 
Russian Helicopters to open Mi 8 17 rotorcraft maintenance plant in Azerbaijan 640 001
Russian Helicopters Group, part of Russia’s state hi-tech corporation Rostec, will open a maintenance center for the Mil Mi-8/17 (NATO reporting name: Hip) rotorcraft in Azerbaijan, Group Deputy CEO for After-Sale Maintenance Igor Chechikov told TASS.
 

Russia plans to place permanent contingent of air forces at Hmeymim air base

Russia plans to place permanent contingent of air forces at Hmeymim air base
 
Russia plans to place permanent contingent of air forces at Hmeymim air base 640 001
Russia is planning to turn the Hmeymim air base in Syria into a full-fledged military base and to place a permanent contingent of air forces, a Russian official has said. The Hmeymim air base, the strategic center of Russia's military operation against Islamic State, became operational on 30 September 2015.
 

USAF's F-35A goes three-for-three in AIM-9X Block I missile firing tests

USAF's F-35A goes three-for-three in AIM-9X Block I missile firing tests
 
USAF s F 35A goes three for three in AIM 9X Block I missile firing test 640 001
The U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and Raytheon Company successfully test-fired three AIM-9X Block I missiles from an F-35A aircraft at airborne targets, resulting in direct hits. The weapon is the first short-range, air-to-air missile to be used on the F-35, the US-based defense contractor announced today August 10.
 

Sri Lanka approves new fighter jets purchase plan

Sri Lanka approves new fighter jets purchase plan
 
Sri Lanka approves new fighter jet purchase plan 640 001
Sri Lanka's Cabinet has approved a proposal to purchase new fighter aircraft, the first major plan to buy military hardware since the war with the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam ended in 2009. "The idea is to buy eight multi-role fighter aircraft with associated weapons on a government-to-government basis," government spokesman Rajitha Senaratne told reporters.
 

AMRDEC moves forward with Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine program

AMRDEC moves forward with Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine program
 
AMRDEC moves forward with Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine program 640 001
After more than eight years of designing and testing, the US Army's aviation priority, the Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine program, takes a step toward becoming a reality. The Advanced Affordable Turbine Engine (AATE) program is a 3,000-horsepower engine demonstrator program to provide advanced propulsion capability for future Army rotorcraft platforms.
 

South Korea plans to complete KF-X radar development by 2026

South Korea plans to complete KF-X radar development by 2026
 
South Korea plans to complete KF X radar development by 2026 640 001
South Korea will complete the development of an advanced radar system to be placed on the country's KF-X indigenous fighter jets by 2026 that will greatly boost its air-combat capabilities, the state arms procurement agency said Wednesday, August 10.
 

USAF deploys three B-2 Spirit strategic bombers to Andersen AFB

USAF deploys three B-2 Spirit strategic bombers to Andersen AFB
 
USAF deploys three B 2 Spirit strategic bombers to Andersen AFB 640 001
Three B-2 Spirits have been deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to Andersen AFB, Guam, in the U.S. Pacific Command area of operations Aug. 9. U.S. Strategic Command bombers regularly rotate through the Indo-Asia-Pacific region to conduct PACOM-led air operations, providing leaders with deterrent options to maintain regional stability.
 

Kuwait finally signs $1bn deal for 30 Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters

Kuwait finally signs $1bn deal for 30 Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters
 
Kuwait finally signs 1bn deal for 30 Airbus H225M Caracal helicopters 640 001
Kuwait finally signed today a $1bn deal for the purchase of 30 H225M Caracal helicopters manufactured by the France-based Airbus Helicopters, the French Defense Ministry announced in an official statement. "The Ministry of Defence of of Kuwait signed today, in presence of the French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, a contract with Airbus Helicopters for the acquisition of 30 Caracal helicopters for the Kuwaiti army and the national guard of Kuwait," the defense ministry said.
 

Northrop & USAF achieved first integration of 4th- and 5th-generation fighter jets

Northrop & USAF achieved first integration of 4th- and 5th-generation fighter jets
 
Northro USAF achieved first integration of 4th and 5th generation fighter jets 640 001
Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Air Force have achieved the first integration of fifth- and fourth-generation fighter aircraft – a critical capability to prevail in combat – during a live, virtual and constructive (LVC) training event, the US-based defense giant announced yesterday.
 

South Korea plans to deploy Taurus KEPD 350 missile by year end

South Korea plans to deploy Taurus KEPD 350 missile by year end
 
South Korea plans to deploy Taurus KEPD 350 missile byyear end 640 001
South Korea plans to deploy dozens of "jamming proof" air-to-ground guided missiles that can be carried on its F-15K fighters in a bid to bolster its strike capabilities amid mounting military threats from North Korea, military officials said Tuesday, August 9.
 

Hybrid Air Vehicles' Airlander 10 about to start final tests ahead of maiden flight

Hybrid Air Vehicles' Airlander 10 about to start final tests ahead of maiden flight
 
Hybrid Air Vehicles Airlander 10 about to start final tests ahead of maiden flight 640 001
Following the completion of all indoor testing, the Airlander 10, the world’s largest aircraft, successfully exited the hangar for the first time at 4 o'clock on August 6, the UK-based aircraft manufacturer Hybrid Air Vehicles announced today.
 

DCS to provide USAF with KC-46A mission planning software

DCS to provide USAF with KC-46A mission planning software
 
DCS to provide USAF with KC 46A mission planning software 640 001
DCS announced on August 5 that the company was awarded an Engineering Change Proposal (ECP) for KC-46A Mission Planning under the Mobility Air Forces (MAF) Delivery Order on the U.S. Air Force’s Mission Planning Enterprise Contract (MPEC) II.
 

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