June 2017 Air Force Military Aviation Defence Industry News
 

Russia's Tu-95MS bomber to be fitted with new computing subsystem

Russia's Tu-95MS bomber to be fitted with new computing subsystem
 
The Russian strategic missile carrier aircraft Tu-95MS will be able to receive target coordinates in flight in real time and immediately destroy them with a missile strike. They will get such a capability due to the installation of a specialized computing subsystem (SVP), developed and manufactured by Gefest and T Company.
 

US Air Force's new Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper makes combat debut against ISIS

US Air Force's new Block 5 MQ-9 Reaper makes combat debut against ISIS
 
The latest version of the US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper, the Block 5 variant, flew its first successful combat mission June 23, 2017, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The aircrew flew a sortie of more than 16 hours with a full payload of weapons including GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. During the mission, the crew employed one GBU-38 and two Hellfires while providing hours of armed reconnaissance for supported ground forces.
 

US clears two FMS from Taiwan for AGM-154C and AGM-88B air-to-ground missiles

US clears two FMS from Taiwan for AGM-154C and AGM-88B air-to-ground missiles
 
The US State Department approved two possible Foreign Military Sales to Taiwan's Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office (TECRO) in the United States for 56 AGM-154C JSOW, 50 AGM-88B HARM and 10 AGM-88B Training HARM Air-to-Ground Missiles for a total amount of US$333 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced yesterday.
 

Rockwell Collins completes USAF KC-10 tanker cockpit upgrade

Rockwell Collins completes USAF KC-10 tanker cockpit upgrade
 
Rockwell Collins has completed the 59th and final U.S. Air Force KC-10 cockpit upgrade with its Flight2 integrated avionics system. The upgrade was part of a six-year contract to bring the Air Force KC-10 fleet into compliance with new CNS/ATM mandates for accessing global airspace.
 

Germany & Norway add five A330 MRTTs to future European tanker fleet

Germany & Norway add five A330 MRTTs to future European tanker fleet
 
Germany and Norway will officially join the future European fleet of multirole tanker transport aircraft. The German Defense Ministry Ursula von der Leyen and her Norwegian counterpart Ine Marie Eriksen Soreide today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in Brussels to join the Netherlands-lead MRTT fleet.
 

Orbital ATK contracted to repair Iraqi Air Force trainer aircraft fleet

Orbital ATK contracted to repair Iraqi Air Force trainer aircraft fleet
 
Orbital ATK has received a contract from the U.S. government to repair trainer aircraft for the Iraqi Air Force to continue their security mission. The trainer aircraft include 12 Cessna 172 Skyhawks and five Cessna Caravans.
 

UK announces $62mn investment for Apache crew training

UK announces $62mn investment for Apache crew training
 
The British Defence Secretary Sir Michael Fallon yesterday announced a six-year £48 million (US$62 millon) Apache helicopter training contract at the annual Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) Land Warfare Conference.
 

USAF testing new parachute canopy for ACES II ejection seat

USAF testing new parachute canopy for ACES II ejection seat system
 
Members of the US Air Force 418th Flight Test Squadron are testing a new parachute canopy for the Advanced Concept Ejection Seat II. Testers are collecting data on the GR7000 parachute, which has been proposed to replace the current C-9 canopy used in the ACES II ejection seat. The testing is part of the Air Force’s ACES II Safety and Sustainability Improvement Program.
 

Russian Air Force receives three more Yak-130 advanced trainer jets

Russian Air Force receives three more Yak-130 advanced trainer jets
 
The Russian Air Force Academy in Krasnodar in south Russia has received a batch of three advanced Yakovlev Yak-130 (NATO reporting name: Mitten) combat trainers in accordance with the 2017 state defense procurement program, the Defense Ministry’s press office said.
 

Boeing lands $70mn contract for RAAF C-17A Globemaster III fleet support

Boeing lands $70mn contract for RAAF C-17A Globemaster III fleet support
 
Boeing has signed an Australian C-17 Sustainment Services Contract to support the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of eight C-17A Globemasters. The $70 million contract between Boeing Defence Australia and the Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group (CASG) supplements Australia’s membership to the Boeing Globemaster III Integrated Sustainment Program (GISP), providing additional support services tailored to the unique needs of the RAAF.
 

Beechcraft T-6C EASA certification opens door to new market

Beechcraft T-6C EASA certification opens door to new market
 
Textron Aviation Defense LLC. on June 26 announced that the Beechcraft T-6C military trainer has achieved basic certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), supporting future configuration certification and delivery of 10 previously ordered T-6C aircraft for the U.K. Ministry of Defence’s Military Flying Training System (UKMFTS) program.
 

US oks $366 mn FMS from India for additional C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter

US oks $366 mn FMS from India for additional C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifter
 
The US State Department approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to the Government of India for one additional C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft for an estimated cost of $366.2 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced on June 26.
 

South Korea launches Light Armed Helicopter first prototype assembly

South Korea launches Light Armed Helicopter first prototype assembly
 
According to the local news agency Yonhap, South Korea said Tuesday it has started to assemble the first prototype of a light armed helicopter with the goal of conducting a test flight in 2019. The country's Defense Acquisition Program Administration, the country's arms procurement agency, launched the development project in June 2015 to replace the aging 500MD and AH-1S choppers in partnership with Korea Aerospace Industries.
 

Australia requests $1.3bn FMS for five G550 surveillance aircraft

Australia requests $1.3bn FMS for five G550 surveillance aircraft
 
The US State Department recently approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Australia for Gulfstream G550 Aircraft with Airborne Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance, and Electronic Warfare (AISREW) mission systems for an estimated cost of $1.3 billion, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said on June 26.
 

Bundeswehr receives 15th and final H145M multirole helicopter

Bundeswehr receives 15th and final H145M multirole helicopter
 
Airbus Helicopters has delivered the 15th and final H145M multirole helicopter to the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr). The helicopters, stationed in Laupheim, are operated by the Bundeswehr special forces, the rotorcraft manufacturer said today.
 

SNC joins Lockheed team for USAF JSTARS Recapitalization program

SNC joins Lockheed team for USAF JSTARS Recapitalization program
 
Lockheed Martin recently announced that Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) has joined the Skunk Works JSTARS Recapitalization (Recap) team, which currently includes Bombardier and Raytheon, bringing greater value to the partnership, and the team's ability to deliver a premier solution to the U.S. Air Force.
 

Raytheon, US Army complete first ever helicopter-based firing of High Energy Laser

Raytheon, US Army complete first ever helicopter-based firing of High Energy Laser
 
Raytheon Company and the U.S. Army Apache Program Management Office, in collaboration with U.S. Special Operations Command, recently completed a successful flight test of a high energy laser system onboard an Apache AH-64 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico, the US-based company announced on June 26.
 

French Gendarmerie Nationale orders additional EC145 helicopter

French Gendarmerie Nationale orders additional EC145 helicopter
 
The French Gendarmerie Nationale is replacing its trust in Airbus Helicopters’ EC145 with the purchase of an additional aircraft to be delivered in 2018. The aircraft will be delivered in the same configuration as the existing Gendarmerie fleet, with mission equipment notably including a hoist, search light, sling, and specific radios.
 

Russia & UAC discussing MiG-35 future configuration for the country's Air Force

Russia & UAC discussing MiG-35 future configuration for the country's Air Force
 
The Russian Ministry of Defense and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) are determining the configuration of the latest MiG-35 multi-purpose fighter. At the request of the military, the aircraft has to receive thrust-vectoring engines, a new navigation target acquisition system and an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar.
 

First two Royal Air Force of Oman Typhoon fighter jets delivered

First two Royal Air Force of Oman Typhoon fighter jets delivered
 
The Royal Air Force of Oman has taken delivery of its first Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets. The arrival of the first Typhoon aircraft, part of a batch of 12 of the combat jets scheduled to be delivered to the Sultanate of Oman, was marked with a ceremony, held on June 21 2017 in the presence of the Commander of the Royal Air Force of Oman - Air Vice-Marshal Mattar bin Ali bin Mattar Al Obaidani, at Adam Air Base, Oman.
 

Page 1 of 4