February 2018 Air Force Military Aviation Defence Industry News
 

Another Tu-95MS bomber delivered to Russian Air Force

The Beriev Aircraft Works in Taganrog (TANTK) overhauled another strategic Tu-95MS bomber and handed it over to the Russian long-range aviation, the enterprise said.

San Diego Fire-Rescue Dept orders one S-70i Firehawk chopper

Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company, signed to deliver one S-70i Black Hawk helicopter in a baseline configuration to the city of San Diego at the 2018 Helicopter Association International Heli-Expo, the helicopter maker said on February 27, 2018.

White House, Boeing reached $3.9bn informal agreement for new Air Force One

The US President Donald Trump and Boeing reportedly strucked an "informal deal" for the purchase of two new Air Force One aircraft, based on the Boeing 747-8 jumbo jet, the White House said on Tuesday. The new VIP transport jets will replace the two modified 747-200Bs in service since 1990 for an estimated cost of US$3.9 bn.

First Su-34 squadron formed in Russia's Central Military District

The first squadron of Su-34 frontline bombers within the Central Military District (TsVO) has been established in the Southern Urals, according to the press department of TsVO.

Leonardo's SW-4 completes first flight without safety pilot

Leonardo announced today that the SW-4 Solo optionally piloted helicopter successfully completed its maiden flight with no safety pilot onboard at Taranto-Grottaglie Airport (Southern Italy).

ACCaP program: BAE Systems and Sonaca sign new agreement

The Belgian aerospace company Sonaca Group and BAE Systems have signed an agreement to collaborate on opportunities around the Eurofighter Typhoon programme and future aerospace technology, the British defense contractor announced today.

India: successful hot refueling trial of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas

Inching close to Final Operational Clearance (FOC), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited carried out a hot refueling on indigenous Light Combat Aircraft-Tejas, followed by a sortie at HAL airport, Bengaluru, on 26 February.

Bell introduces new 407GXi

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, announced on February 26 the introduction of the Bell 407GXi at Heli-Expo 2018. The Bell 407GXi incorporates new avionics, an upgraded engine, and new executive interior design options.

China's military aircraft entered South Korea air defense identification zone

China flew a military aircraft into South Korea's air defense identification zone (KADIZ) for over four hours Tuesday without giving prior notification, country's defense authorities said Yonhap today.

Thales to unify Australia's civilian and military airspaces

Australia occupies a unique global position in the air traffic management (ATM) domain. The country’s Air Navigation Service Provider, Airservices Australia, manages the largest airspace in the world, totaling over 11% of the globe. Their ambition is to ensure the seamless integration of all civil and military air traffic over an area totaling 53 million square kilometers, approximately equal to the combined surface of North America, Central America, South America and China.

Hensoldt presents new PrecISR airborne surveillance radar

HENSOLDT, a leading independent sensor house, is developing an innovative airborne multi-mission surveillance radar which will provide armed forces and border protection authorities with unprecedented situational awareness and extremely short reaction times, the company announced on February 26, 2018.

Edmonton Police Service inducts new H125 helicopter

Canada's Edmonton Police Service Flight Operations Unit has officially unveiled its new H125 "Air 1" helicopter. The $5.9 million helicopter will help police fight crime and keep Edmonton and the surrounding region safe, the service said on February 23, 2018.


P&W Canada to provide PT6C-67D engine for TEMSCO's UH-1H upgrade program

Pratt & Whitney Canada (P&WC) announced today that it will provide its PT6C-67D powerplant for the engine conversion program of the UH-1H helicopter. The supplemental type certificate (STC) for the engine conversion program is held by TEMSCO Helicopters, Inc., of Alaska. P&WC is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corporation company.

New Predator training center opens its doors in Italy

CAE on February 25 announced that the Italian Air Force has recently accepted into service a Predator Mission Trainer located at Amendola Air Force Base (AFB) in Italy. The Predator Mission Trainer, specifically representing the Italian Air Force’s Predator A during phase one of this delivery, was jointly developed by CAE and General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI).

USAF T-X trainer aircraft to arrive in San Antonio-Randolph in 2022

The Air Force announced on February 21 that the Advanced Pilot Trainer (T-X) will replace T-38C Talon aircraft at existing undergraduate pilot training bases, with Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas, named as the preferred location for the first T-X aircraft scheduled to arrive in 2022. The other locations include Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi; Laughlin AFB, Texas; Sheppard AFB, Texas; and Vance AFB, Oklahoma.

Russia: Ilyushin Il-76MD Candid airlifters train to drop bombs

Like on 30 January 2015, Ilyushin Il-76MD (“Candid” in NATO code) airlifters accomplished a unique mission to drop bombs at a range in Tver region, the Russian Defense Ministry said. "Pilots of the military-transport aviation imitated the dropping of day and night flash bombs to mark the target area for airborne assault. They also fired from rear guns at ground targets comprising light armor and automobiles of the conditional adversary," it said.

King Air 350ER ISR for Kuwait

On 21 February, the US State Department has made a determination approving a possible Foreign Military Sale to Kuwait of King Air 350ER Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft for an estimated cost of $259 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible imminent sale.

US contract for Swedish C-130 fleet support

Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group awarded Swedish Air Force contract to support Lockheed Martin C-130 fleet (6 aircraft, 1 being a tanker). Försvarets materielverk, the Swedish Armed Forces Defence Materiel Administration, awarded the contract to Marshall.

Romania: 36 additional F-16s to be procured

Romania Defense Minister Mihai Fifor held a press conference on February 20 in which he laid out some of the major capitalization projects unfolding in the National Defense Ministry. Among the projects, he mentioned the procurement of possibly up to 36 Lockheed-Martin F-16s.

Russia’s new high-speed combat helicopter prototype to start flying in 2019

The prototype of the new high-speed combat helicopter being developed by Russian Helicopters rotorcraft manufacturer (part of hi-tech corporation Rostec) for Russia’s Defense Ministry will perform its debut flight in 2019, Rostec CEO Sergei Chemezov told TASS on 22 February.

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