Military Aviation

Military aviation news - January 2006


Norwegian Orion aircraft to receive overhaul in Canada

The Norwegian maritime patrol aircraft are ready to receive a significant overhaul. The Norwegian Defence Logistic Department ( Forsvarets logistikkorganisasjon (Flo)) signed a contract with the Canadian company IMP (Industrial Marketing and Purchasing group) Aerospace, worth over 30 mill. NOK (~ US $ 4.357.000). The aircraft will undergo heavy maintenance, where the aircraft will be partly or fully dismounted.

Orion in the workshop Photo:Per Thrana/ Forsvarets mediesenter

The overhaul process includes four planes and is expected to be completed by summer 2007. The first aircraft is to undergo overhaul now in February.

Posted: Tue, Jan 31, 2006 8:00 PM (CET)

Russia’s air force chief hits out at Sukhoi over spending priorities

Sukhoi is spending too much on developing the Russian Regional Jet (RRJ) instead of backing advanced military programmes, says Russian air force commander Gen Vladimir Mikhailov.

T-50 Next Generation Fighter(Image © Josef Gatial)
The T-50 Next Generation Fighter

“There are some problems with funding for the fifth-generation fighter, but they to a lesser extent apply to the defence ministry rather than to Sukhoi,” Mikhailov says. “In parallel, Sukhoi is working on the civilian RRJ, which needs much money. They have taken some funds that might otherwise have gone to the combat aircraft and put them into the RRJ, hence the financial problems.”

Nevertheless, Mikhailov says work on Sukhoi’s T-50 next-generation fighter project is “generally on track”, with the airframe’s configuration now having been frozen. A prototype of the aircraft – selected to meet the air force’s fifth-generation fighter requirement – is expected to fly next year, he says.

Mikhailov reveals the air force is also considering backing the development of “a lighter aircraft with the same avionics and engine, but with one engine rather than two”. The lightweight variant would be cheaper to acquire, could fly from shorter airfields and carry four missiles against the T-50’s maximum of 12, he says. The proposal is linked to an Indian requirement for a new fighter in the 20-25t class.

Flight International.com

Posted: Tue, Jan 31, 2006 6:36 PM (CET)

Serbia and Montenegro aircraft upgrades

Serbia and Montenegro has allocated €10 million ($12 million) this year to overhaul and modernise its five MiG-29 fighters and overhaul one Antonov An-26 transport, says defence minister Zoran Stankovic. To take place in Russia, the MiG-29 upgrade is expected to add new communication, navigation and identification equipment to enable the aircraft to participate in multinational exercises. Flight International.com

Posted: Tue, Jan 31, 2006 6:36 PM (CET)

Raytheon wins development contract for the F-16 ejection rack

A subsidiary of Raytheon Company has been awarded a $2.1 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to design and develop an interface modification for the existing Triple Ejection Rack (TER-9A) to expand the munitions capability of the F-16 aircraft. Read at f-16.net.

Posted: Thu, Jan 12, 2006 11:58 PM (CET)

USAF selects Northrop Grumman to provide new navigation system for the F-16

Northrop Grumman Corporation's newest fiber optic gyro inertial navigation system, the LN-260, has been selected by the U.S. Air Force as an avionics upgrade for the F-16 Multinational Fighter Program aircraft fleet. Read at f-16.net.

Posted: Sun, Jan 09, 2006 7:35 PM (CET)

Pentagon plans to end a competing engine development program for the JSF

The Pentagon, seeking to curb expenses in the $256 billion Joint Strike Fighter program, plans to make Pratt & Whitney the sole supplier of engines for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet by ending a competing engine development program. Read at f-16.net.

Posted: Sun, Jan 09, 2006 7:35 PM (CET)

Lockheed Martin receives contract for 30 new Greek F-16s

The U.S. government awarded a $99.7 million contract to Lockheed Martin on December 27 for long-lead tasks related to the production of 30 new Advanced Block 52+ aircraft for Greece. Read at f-16.net.

Posted: Sun, Jan 09, 2006 7:35 PM (CET)

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