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Showing posts with label Air force. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Air force. Show all posts
Ankara: The Turkish army has begun using Israeli-made unmanned aircraft to monitor Kurdish rebel movements in neighbouring Iraq, the Anatolia news agency reported Monday, quoting the army chief.
unmanned Aircraft


"In the past 10 days, we have started using our Heron systems... the surveillance systems we bought from Israel, in the north of Iraq," General Ilker Basbug said in Canakkale, northwestern Turkey, according to Anatolia.

The drones are being used "at a certain distance in the north of Iraq in coordination with the Americans," Basbug told reporters, adding that the aircraft were operated "by our own personnel."

There has been media speculation that the drones were idle because Israeli operators left Turkey amid the crisis between the two countries over Israel's May 31 raid on Gaza-bound aid ships, in which nine Turks were killed.

The Turkish army is fighting surging violence by the separatist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), which uses rear bases in neighbouring northern Iraq as a launching pad for attacks against Turkish targets across the border.

Twelve soldiers were killed in PKK attacks over the weekend, most of them when rebels assaulted a border unit at the Iraqi frontier early Saturday.

Basbug played down suggestions that an intelligence failure had led to the attack, which prompted a Turkish air raid on PKK hideouts in Iraq.
Farnborough International Airshow on the 2010, MBDA has an attractive appearance, ideas that could spread to the new generation weapons support for the soldier of tomorrow.
Visions Concept is a new unit at company level too high for innovative approaches to the future defense equipment market to develop in terms of important areas for 2030 and beyond.

MBDA European workers is challenged to propose ideas for how society technologies and concepts for future system's capacity to improve the infantryman. After a screening process, the winning solutions undergo extensive consultation with users, testing and developing the concept of the ideas together - building a "machine" in the concept of market-based approach rocket - a tangible, interactive look into the future.

The final concept Visions offers an integrated solution for firefighters increased support for infantry and focuses on the challenges of operating in complex environments and more reduce the need for correct identification of targets and manage a serious "seal of guarantee.

Steve Wadey, Executive Director of the Technical Group / CEO UK, MBDA, said:

"Visions new process concept is another example of innovation in marketing systems for missiles, MBDA, we can a vision of key areas of Defence. MBDA development highlights the inherent ability to quickly and radically modernize and damage to life the dreams of our technical staff can see customers, suppliers and employees, the development of military capabilities in a different way. "

The system CVS101 concept, published today, was developed as a weapon of the infantry fire support for 2030 and beyond. Your goal should be a light, long range precision weapons that he has a battle to use at the lower levels to ensure a power structure. It was developed to urban challenges were made with a greater freedom to the goals of the opportunity and flexibility, responsiveness and availability of fire ondersteunen precision strike against a wide range of military tasks and to achieve the maintenance of peace.

Unlike existing weapons, the system would be able CVS101, threats to friendly forces or civilians to mix for face, to comply with strict rules of engagement and security. The operating margin is expected to be delivered by the sensors to focus on very specific and precise, and directed the ability of a contemporary, easy to check, use the Fire Man-in-the-loop to the decision to ensure any time.

It is important for its light weight is designed to reduce the burden for soldiers dismantled the equipment to reduce. Unique would be most appropriate in the extreme CVS101 Non Line of Sight focused on opportunities in complex urban environment by their ability to integrate network-centric when used in conjunction with the network of sensors for tactical information.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] congressional staff joined representatives from local government officials and community leaders at 7:09 at Cecil Field in Jacksonville to celebrate the arrival of the F-16 first for the QF -16 target aircraft.
Boeing received a contract to convert the U. S $ 69700000 Air Force in March to a maximum of 126 retired F-16 FF-16 goals in the large-scale aircraft that can fly with or without crew. Deliveries will begin in 2014.

"This is an important program for the Air Force and Boeing," Steve Waltman, director of Boeing Aircraft Maintenance & Maintenance Brigade, told the audience. "It's an important project off platform for our business and We are confident that our team members to provide Cecil Field, the threats of air to our customers budget and time. "
The first Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] C-130J Super Hercules for India has completed painting at the company's Marietta, Ga., facility. The aircraft now enters flight test in preparation for delivery at the end of the year. The program for India includes six C-130Js, training of aircrew and maintenance technicians, spare parts, and ground support and test equipment. Also included is India-unique operational equipment designed to increase Special Operations capabilities.
 
 
The newly developed LTR 400 transponder from EADS Defence & Security (DS) significantly improves safety in air traffic while at the same time saving weight in helicopters. Eurocopter Germany is the first customer to exploit these advantages by ordering 26 systems for integration in their EC-635 helicopters. The systems will be delivered before end of this year.


At 2.8 kilograms, the LTR 400-A is currently the worldwide smallest and lightest transponder which can be used both for military applications to identify friendly units, as well as in civilian air traffic control. This unit operates to the latest civilian air traffic control standard, Mode S "Enhanced Surveillance", and, together with the QRTK3-NG encryption and decryption computer from DS, can also be used in all military modes. Due to its low weight, the LTR 400-A is particularly suitable for use on board helicopters. After its successful qualification, the civil and military certification by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA), which is planned for this summer, will also allow the LTR 400-A to be used on board civilian passenger aircraft and unmanned aerial vehicles.

"State-of-the-art transponders are important in two respects: to increase safety in air traffic and to protect helicopter crews in military missions," explains Bernd Wenzler, CEO of Defence Electronics (DE), an integrated business unit of DS. "The newly developed LTR 400-A automatically transmits flight data to the civil authorities, thereby allowing these extremely agile machines to be reliably guided. In military operations, identification to military standards also prevents friendly fire."

Transponders are a crucial element to ensure safety in air traffic. As part of air traffic control, interrogators - which are also called "secondary radars" - emit signals to request flight data from individual aircraft, e.g. on their origin, course or speed. These requests are then automatically answered by transponders located on board the approaching aircraft, so that the position of each individual aircraft can always be reliably identified. Military aircraft also respond to these non-military requests. They even transmit additional data in an encrypted mode, allowing all aircraft to be unmistakably identified, e.g. during military operations, thus preventing inadvertent friendly attacks. For this reason, military aircraft require transponders with both civil and military functions.
The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today announced the start of flight tests for a B-1 Lancer bomber upgraded with new digital avionics for the aft cockpit, including a line-of-sight Link 16 data link. The B-1 Fully Integrated Data Link (FIDL) made its first flight test on June 4 at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The four-hour flight was conducted by the U.S. Air Force around the local Edwards test ranges. The crew successfully tested the Link 16 data link by sending and receiving text messages and receiving virtual mission assignment data such as target coordinates for a weapon.

Link 16 adds line-of-sight capability to the B-1's existing beyond line-of-sight Joint Range Extension Applications Protocol (JREAP) data link, and integrates the JREAP data onto new, full-color displays with intuitive symbols and moving maps.

"Link 16 will allow the B-1 to be an active participant in a network that is commonly used by fighter, reconnaissance and command-and-control aircraft," said Mark Angelo, B-1 program manager for Boeing. "With Link 16, target coordinates can be sent directly to the weapon system from ground troops or forward operating bases, instead of the current method, where crew members type the coordinates in by hand after hearing them over the radio."

The program will conduct three flight tests this month. Additional flight tests will take place through January 2011. The entire Air Force fleet of 66 B-1s is expected to receive the FIDL upgrade.
A Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Scorpion munition was successfully flight tested June 17 from a C-130 aircraft at Yuma Proving Ground, AZ. Ejected at an altitude of 5,000 feet through a Common Launch Tube on the aircraft, Scorpion successfully deployed its fins and wing, allowing it to precisely glide 1.65 nautical miles to the target.

Utilizing a Global Positioning System / Inertial Navigation System to locate the target area, Scorpion employed its Semi-Active Laser (SAL) seeker to strike the laser-designated target. The SAL seeker is one of several seekers that can be used with Scorpion.

Scorpion is an unpowered, lightweight, compact munition that provides the Warfighter with an affordable strike option against a broad target set. Scorpion is adaptable to multiple launch platforms, including manned and unmanned systems. Targets can include structures, personnel, lightly armored vehicles, trucks, cars, missile launchers, and artillery or gun positions. It has a maximum range of over 10 nautical miles.

"Scorpion provides the Warfighter with a much-needed affordable solution against targets in areas requiring low collateral damage, such as urban environments," said Randy Bigum, vice president of Strike Weapons for Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control. "This precision attack munition features a small, lethal warhead which can be launched from a wide variety of platforms to take out time-critical fixed or moving targets."

Scorpion uses a SAL seeker for man-in-the-loop terminal guidance, and can be tailored to use planned, imaging infrared, shortwave infrared or millimeter wave seekers. The precision provided by these seeker types ensures accuracy to less than one meter and dramatically reduces the possibility of collateral damage. Multiple warhead options are also available for use against various target types.
The Boeing (NYSE: BA) 787 Dreamliner flight test fleet passed 1,000 hours of testing yesterday. The program estimates that it is about 40 percent through the test conditions required to certify the first version of the all-new jetliner.

"More work remains but we are seeing excellent progress in flight test," said Scott Fancher, vice president and general manager of the 787 program for Boeing Commercial Airplanes. "Even more important than the hours we've logged are the test conditions we have completed. The team is being very efficient in getting the data we need."

"It's also important to note that we are making solid progress on the ground testing required on the flight test fleet as well," Fancher said.

The commercial aviation industry, battered by plunging sales and fallout from the Icelandic ash cloud, is at last emerging from a steep downturn, the International Air Transport Association (IATA) says.
"We are meeting as the industry continues its recovery from the global financial meltdown," IATA general director Giovanni Bisignani said ahead of its general assembly starting Monday.

The organisation represents 230 airlines that account for 93 percent of commercial air traffic.

The pace of the sector's recovery has been slowed by the eruption in April of an Icelandic volcano, which spread an ash cloud over Europe that brought commercial air travel to a standstill for a week.

International passenger traffic, after rising 10.3 percent in March, showed only a 2.4 percent gain in April.

Bisignani said however that the strong growth recorded prior to the volcano eruption presages a sustained recovery.

"It is finally time for some cautious optimism," he said.

IATA estimates that the global civil aviation industry lost 9.4 billion dollars (7.8 billion euros) last year, with Europe accounting for 3.8 billion dollars.

The Franco-Dutch airline Air France-KLM last week reported a 4.3 percent gain in traffic in May.

"If this year we see no growth, it is possible that we will be able to regain momentum in 2011," company chief executive Pierre-Henri Gourgeon said.

"In 2012, the air transport industry will be at a level that will exceed that reached before the (2008 global financial) crisis."

Industry analyst Christophe Menard of Bryan, Garnier and Co. said that "overall, the trend has been positive over the last months.

"We will incorporate signs of recovery starting in the second half of the year and ... should be at the top of the cycle in two years."

Airlines have taken account of recovery prospects and have told manufacturers they planned to take delivery of aircraft as scheduled in 2011.

Results in the first quarter of the year improved, notably in Asia and North America, according to IATA. The first quarter is traditionally the weakest of the year.

"Airlines typically make 80 percent of their earnings in the second and third quarters," IATA noted.

Menard said recent airline mergers in the United States should help absorb excess capacity.

At research group Oliver Wyman, analyst Olivier Fainsilber stressed that the economic recovery could prompt an increase in business travel and sales of flexible tickets at higher prices.

"This should be a fillip to generalist companies that have continued to offer a wide range of flight schedules during the crisis but without getting the benefit of sales of flexible tickets," he said.
Su-37 video from Sukhoi presentation

Nice Su-37 Terminator footage from Sukhoi presentation. Aerobatics, elements overviews and possible combat usage.
 Department of Defense officials have certified that six acquisition programs, including the F-35 Lightning II and the DDG-1000 destroyer, should continue under Nunn-McCurdy legislation.The systems also include the block 3 upgrade program for the Apache AH-64 helicopter, the advanced threat infrared countermeasures/common missile warning system, the wideband global satellite communications program and the remote mine hunting system.

Nunn-McCurdy legislation requires DOD officials to constantly estimate the cost of programs and compare it to the estimate of the cost when the program started.

When a program grows more than 50 percent beyond the original estimate, the legislation requires the DOD acquisition executive to certify to Congress "that the program is essential to national security, that there are no alternatives to the program which will provide acceptable capability," a senior defense official speaking on background said.

None of the programs on the Nunn-McCurdy list are surprises to department officials or to Congress, the official said. DOD officials notified Congress that the programs were in Nunn-McCurdy breach 90 days ago.

The Apache block 3 program is on the list because the department added new aircraft to a program that was refurbishing existing aircraft. "We're very satisfied with the program, but the additional aircraft pushed it into Nunn-McCurdy breach," the official said.

The satellite system is in breach because department officials developed the system, then changed its mind and interrupted the buy. Now the system is moving forward again, but that has pushed the program into a Nunn-McCurdy breach, the official said.

The principle factor pushing the DDG-1000 destroyer over the Nunn-McCurdy threshold was the department reduced the buy from 10 ships to three.

The Joint Strike Fighter program began in 2001. Officials then estimated the per plane cost at $50 million.

The program has had problems and Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates restructured it last year. The cost per aircraft has risen to $92.4 million, triggering Nunn-McCurdy.

Other aspects contributed to the breach: the Navy reduced its buy by 409 aircraft. Also, contractor labor, overhead rates and fees have increased significantly. This last is the single-largest contributor to cost growth, officials said. They called this cost growth unacceptable and vowed to drive those costs down.

DOD officials cannot wait until a program is in Nunn-McCurdy breach before acting. "We should know and do know ... well before it gets to 50 percent cost growth," the senior official said.
Officials, he said, must know early on when program costs exceed estimates, ask questions, and then act on what they learn.

"The Nunn-McCurdy 'bell' rings well after the managers of the enterprise should know about what is happening and should be acting," the senior official said. "It comes along late."

The legislation is good for taxpayer transparency, but there are other ways to do that, the official said.

"We need and are building better tools," he said.
As part of the overall planning for the Norwegian Armed Forces, the Norwegian Ministry of Defence (MoD) is also responsible for the planning of the military’s materiel investments.

FANAF 2010-2017 does not, for various reasons, provide information about projects that cannot be made public. This may include, for example, plans that are covered by the Norwegian Security Act and are therefore kept from public access.

The document features on the Armed Forces’ section of this website http://www.regjeringen.no as an electronic document and will not be published in paper format.

In the Report to the Storting (the Norwegian Parliament) no. 38 (2006-2007) the Norwegian Armed Forces and the manufacturing industries – strategic partners, the government’s strategy for strengthening the industrial political aspects of the Norwegian Armed Forces materiel investments was outlined. Based on the needs of the Armed Forces, the strategy for the industrial political aspects of the Armed Forces’ acquisitions shall contribute to increased national wealth creation and to the development of a competitive industry, and also provide the Armed Forces with the necessary access to expertise, materiel and services. Furthermore, the strategic collaboration between the Armed Forces, research and development environments and industry shall be strengthened. The collaboration will include national and international projects.

One of the main elements in the strategy is early dialogue between the parties, including communication of short-term and long-term materiel needs. In the Report to the Storting it is stated, among other things, that the MoD will work towards ensuring “… that the Armed Forces and the manufacturing industries share information about industrial options for the Armed Forces’ planned acquisitions at the earliest possible juncture”. It is further stated that the collaboration between the Armed Forces and the manufacturing industries shall “… be based on the existing materiel plans…”.

A central feature of the materiel planning is the annual preparation of long-term materiel plans (LTMP). The plan outlines priorities and focus areas related to the Defence Sector’s materiel investments and has an eight-year time frame. Based on the LTMP the MoD now publishes an overview of future acquisitions for the Norwegian Armed Forces (FANAF) for 2010-2017. The purpose of this is to give the manufacturing industries an early insight into possible materiel investments and so contribute to developing Norwegian manufacturing industries’ ability to support the needs of the Armed Forces. At the same time, FANAF 2010-2017 will strengthen Norwegian manufacturing industries’ chances of participating in international materiel collaboration and ensure that Norwegian companies obtain the best chance to be able to supply materiel and services to the Armed Forces, where this is considered appropriate.

The Armed Forces’ materiel investments are subject to decisions and approval including those of the MoD and the Storting. At the time of publishing FANAF 2010 – 2017 contains descriptions of projects that are not currently formally approved in accordance with approval procedures. The projects are therefore categorised as possible projects (POP) and planned projects (PP). The MoDs feel that it is important to emphasise that while a project is in the possible or planned project portfolio that there will always be a level of uncertainty related to whether the project will be carried out. By making the user of the FANAF 2010 – 2017 report aware of this uncertainty, the MoD is attaching reservations to whether an individual project will be approved and also regarding the ultimate content and extent of the project.

Approved projects (AP) will not be discussed in the FANAF. Information about projects in this category can be found, among other places, on the home page of the Norwegian Defence Logistics Organisation (NDLO).
This year, Schiebel's CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 Unmanned Aerial System (UAS) is making aviation history. As the first unmanned VTOL (Vertical Take Off and Landing) System to fly at ILA Berlin, the helicopter will prove its extraordinary skills at Berlin Schonefeld airport from 8 to 13 June 2010 by daily flight displays.

The pictures of the flight displays will be shown in real time. Included on the viewing screens at the Berlin Air Show will be the data transmission of the sensor on the CAMCOPTER(r) S-100; an EO/IR payload camera.

CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 was the first and only UAS flying in the history of the Le Bourget Air Show in Paris 2009. We are very pleased to show the advantages of our unmanned helicopter to a wide expert audience said Hans Georg Schiebel, Manager of Schiebel.

Claus Gunther, member of the Diehl Executive Board and President of the Corporate Division Board Diehl Defence, is optimistic for the future: This is not the first time our cooperation partner Schiebel's helicopter drone has offered a convincing performance in Germany. In the summer of 2008, the CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 successfully completed a three-week test series with the German Navy's new corvettes K130.

The CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 carries out target and impact reconnaissance contributing to the protection of German soldiers in military operations. The work share of Diehl BGT Defence as prime contractor comprises the system's adaptation to German requirements, provision of sensors and logistics as well as integration in the German corvette K130 as well as the army's reconnaissance troops inventory.

With its proven maritime capability, the CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 is used in civil as in the military sector. Its outstanding, multi-tasking networking abilities -ISTAR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance) are essential for missions in military-maritime sector. Data can be gathered, analyzed and used directly without time loss for optimal implementation of the mission.

The perfect size and mobility of the CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 makes it the ideal UAS (Unmanned Aerial System) of its class. With its innovative autonomous flight control and its unique performance data the CAMCOPTER(r) S-100 is the world leader in the tactical segment. The VTOL UAS was developed according to the equirements and standards of manned aviation.
The Mexican Air Force has taken delivery of the first of five C295s it has ordered from Airbus Military. The aircraft is equipped with a palletized loading system and a medical evacuation kit. The second of the five airlifters will be delivered in the coming weeks, with all five handed over to the customer by year end.

The Mexican Navy already operates two C295s since 2009. In April this year, it also took delivery of two CN235 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA). Following crew training completion at the Airbus Military Training Centre in Seville, these two CN235 MPA will be ferried to Mexico in the coming weeks. Mexico also operates seven C212 equipped with the FITS (Fully Integrated Tactical System) mission system, five of which being also used as maritime patrollers. Including this latest delivery, Mexico now has a fleet of twelve Airbus Military's Light and Medium Family aircraft.
A C-17 Globemaster III deployed from Joint Base Charleston, S.C., stopped at a non-disclosed base in Southwest Asia on May 19, 2010, for a deployed airlift mission.
The C-17 stopped at the base to deliver cargo and passengers for the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing area of operations.

According to its Air Force fact sheet, the C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area.

The C-17, according to its fact sheet, can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can also transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

Additionally, Air Mobility Command's airlifter is operated by a crew of three (pilot, copilot and loadmaster), reducing manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating costs. Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft door that accommodates military vehicles and palletized cargo. The C-17 can carry virtually all of the Army's air-transportable equipment.

Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms). With a payload of 169,000 pounds (76,657 kilograms) and an initial cruise altitude of 28,000 feet (8,534 meters), the C-17 has an unrefueled range of approximately 2,400 nautical miles. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots (.76 Mach). The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and equipment.

Finally, the fact sheet shows the design of the aircraft allows it to operate through small, austere airfields. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet (1,064 meters) and only 90 feet wide (27.4 meters). Even on such narrow runways, the C-17 can turn around using a three-point star turn and its backing capability.

The 380th AEW, where the C-17 stopped, is home to the KC-10 Extender, U-2 Dragon Lady, E-3 Sentry and RQ-4 Global Hawk aircraft. The wing is comprised of four groups and 12 squadrons and the wing's deployed mission includes air refueling, air battle management, surveillance and reconnaissance in support of overseas contingency operations in Southwest Asia. The 380th AEW supports operations Iraqi Freedom and Enduring Freedom and the Combined Joint Task Force-Horn of Africa.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] has acquired the first on-orbit signals from the Global Positioning System (GPS) IIF-1 satellite, the inaugural spacecraft in a 12-satellite constellation that the company is building for the U.S. Air Force. The signals indicate that the spacecraft bus is functioning normally and ready to begin orbital maneuvers and operational testing.

A United Launch Alliance Delta IV rocket launched the GPS IIF-1 satellite at 11 p.m. Eastern time on May 27 from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station. At 2:33 a.m., the satellite separated from the rocket's upper stage, and a ground station on Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean received the first signals from the newest member of the Air Force's GPS satellite constellation. The Air Force 19th Space Operations Squadron and Boeing's Mission Operations Support Center in El Segundo, Calif., confirmed that the satellite is healthy. GPS signals from the spacecraft payload will be turned on for test purposes in the coming weeks.

GPS is the U.S. Department of Defense's largest satellite constellation, with 30 spacecraft on orbit. The GPS IIF satellites will provide more precise and powerful signals, a longer design life, and many other benefits to nearly 1 billion civilian and military users worldwide.

"The inaugural launch of the GPS IIF-1 is a milestone in Boeing's 30 years of support to the Air Force that goes back to the first days of this program," said Craig Cooning, vice president and general manager, Boeing Space and Intelligence Systems. "The new GPS IIF satellites bring key improvements, including a more jam-resistant military signal, a new civil signal to enhance commercial aviation and search-and-rescue operations, and significantly improved signal accuracy as more of these new satellites go into operation."

The GPS IIF-1 satellite will undergo months of on-orbit tests, including functional testing of its payloads and end-to-end system testing to verify operability with older GPS satellites, ground receivers, and the ground control system.

Boeing has production of the next 11 GPS IIF satellites well under way as it implements an innovative pulse-line manufacturing approach that will help deliver the satellite fleet on schedule. Adapted from Boeing aircraft and helicopter assembly lines, the Boeing GPS IIF pulse line efficiently moves satellites under development from one work area to the next in a steady, pulse-like rhythm. The second GPS IIF satellite is scheduled for launch later this year.

Boeing's legacy with GPS includes development of the current GPS ground control infrastructure, the Operational Control Segment (OCS), which has supported an expanding set of GPS services and capabilities since 2007. Boeing also is a member of the Raytheon team that recently won a contract to build the next version of the ground segment, which will support current and future GPS satellites.
(Jacksonville, Fla., May 27, 2010) -- The first retired F-16 Falcon arrived at Boeing's [NYSE: BA] Cecil Field facility in Jacksonville on April 22 to begin conversion into a QF-16 aerial drone. Boeing received a $69.7 million contract from the U.S. Air Force on March 8 for the first phase of the QF-16 program.
The Boeing-led team, which includes BAE Systems, will begin engineering, manufacturing and development of the full-scale manned and unmanned QF-16s during Phase 1. The drones will be used as aerial targets for newly developed weapons and tactics. They will be a higher-performing aircraft than the QF-4s they will replace.

The team will receive six F-16s during the program's development phase. After modification to the QF-16 configuration, they will serve as prototypes for engineering tests and evaluation prior to low-rate initial production. Up to 126 QF-16 drones will be converted beginning in 2014.
MONROVIA, Calif., May 25, 2010 --[ASDWire]-- AeroVironment, Inc. (AV) (NASDAQ:AVAV) today announced that the first aircraft developed under the Global Observer(tm) Joint Capability Technology Demonstration (JCTD) program has successfully completed key ground tests in preparation for flight testing. The joint Department of Defense, NASA and AV team successfully performed ground vibration, structural and taxi tests at Edwards Air Force Base (EAFB) in California. AV developed and fabricated Aircraft 1 in its dedicated manufacturing facility located in Southern California and shipped it to EAFB in December 2009.

AV is developing the Global Observer unmanned aircraft system (UAS) to be the first to provide robust, cost-effective and persistent communications and surveillance over any location. Six U.S. government agencies have provided more than $120 million in funding for the JCTD program.

"Global Observer is designed to perform above and beyond the capabilities of any other existing aircraft. The unique benefit of this truly unblinking eye will be its ability to watch, listen and relay communications signals flexibly, affordably and without interruption," said Tim Conver, AV's chairman and chief executive officer. "The need for affordable and seamless persistence is great, and we look forward to demonstrating this important capability during the final phase of the Global Observer JCTD program."

Each aircraft in a Global Observer system is designed to fly at an altitude of between 55,000 and 65,000 feet for 5 to 7 days. In addition to flying above weather and above other conventional airplanes, operation in this altitude range means that sensor on the aircraft will be able to view a circular area on the surface of the earth up to 600 miles in diameter, equivalent to more than 280,000 square miles of coverage. Equipped with payloads that are readily available today, two Global Observer aircraft would alternate coverage over any location on the globe every 5 to 7 days, making this the first solution to provide customers with practical, seamless coverage, wherever and whenever required.

The joint Department of Defense, NASA and AV team based at EAFB completed aircraft weight and balance measurements and conducted a series of Ground Vibration and Structural Modes Interaction Tests in February. During March and April the team performed aircraft system tests to validate the aircraft hardware and software readiness, and to support ground and flight crew training in preparation for the initial flight series. Most recently, taxi tests were conducted to confirm autonomous propulsion, data link operation, steering and braking. A final Flight Readiness Review will be conducted to formally review and approve the initiation of flight testing. Initial flight testing will consist of low-altitude battery-powered flights at EAFB to evaluate the aircraft's airworthiness and handling qualities.

Communications relay and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) payloads are being prepared for installation into the aircraft. Once development flight tests have been completed, payloads will be installed and joint operational utility flight demonstrations will be performed at EAFB.

Global Observer is designed to address an urgent national security need for a persistent stratospheric platform and to offer a means to satisfy numerous high value civil and commercial applications. The system is intended to provide mission capabilities that include robust observation over areas with little or no existing coverage, persistent communications relay, the ability to relocate the system as required by theater commanders, dedicated communications support to other UAS and tactical on-station weather monitoring and data support. Final assembly of Aircraft 2 is proceeding at the AV Global Observer manufacturing facility.


By: asdnews
(Mesa, Ariz., May 25, 2010) -- The Boeing [NYSE:BA] 787 Dreamliner made its first landing at Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport this weekend. The fourth 787 to be built, ZA004, is undergoing a short series of tests that require a combination of hot weather and low-altitude conditions. A crew of nearly 75 is supporting the airplane to ensure smooth operations during testing. The stay in Arizona is expected to last only a few days.

The 787 flight test fleet, currently comprised of four airplanes, has logged more than 820 hours of flying in the last six months. Two more airplanes are expected to join the flight test fleet soon.



Published on ASDNews: May 26, 2010
Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] announced today that it has been awarded a four-year contract to supply the Finnish Air Force with an airborne surveillance system and associated ground systems. The value of this contract is approximately $100 million.


"Lockheed Martin is honored to work with the
Finnish Air Force," said John Mengucci, President of Lockheed Martin Information Systems & Global Services-Defense. "We intend to provide the Air Force Command with a highly capable system that fulfils their dynamic airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance operational requirements."

Under this contract, Lockheed Martin's team will modify an EADS CASA C-295 turboprop aircraft to accommodate an advanced surveillance system. A key attribute of the system will be an open and modular architecture to allow future system upgrades to be easily added and readily reconfigured to support evolving mission needs. This approach ensures an up-to-date system throughout the life cycle using an innovative technology road mapping process. Lockheed Martin's team will also provide ground stations, and communications terminals to support the airborne system.

Lockheed Martin has assembled a strong team for this program that includes Patria Oy, Rockwell Collins, DRS Technologies, Applied Signal Technology, AdamWorks, and L3 Communications. In addition to this core team, Lockheed Martin will work closely with Finnish Industry to maximize industry participation ensuring national autonomy to maintain the payload as well as advancing host country technical capabilities.