Archive for March, 2008
Monday, March 31st, 2008
The Boeing Company today said it has submitted a proposal to NASA for the production of two next-generation Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellites, known as the GOES R series, for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Boeing received a GOES R risk-reduction contract from NASA in 2005 and remains committed to helping NOAA achieve its vision of a society that uses a comprehensive understanding of the role of oceans, coasts and atmosphere in the global ecosystem in order to make the best social and economic decisions.
(more…)
Posted in International Aerospace News | No Comments »
Sunday, March 30th, 2008
NHIndustries announced the delivery of the first NH90 TTT (Tactical Troop Transport) helicopter to the Finnish Army Aviation. The delivery took place at Eurocopter in Marignane (France) where the helicopter was assembled. Finland is replacing its ageing fleet of MI-8 helicopters with 20 tactical transport NH90. “We are particularly proud to deliver to Finland this advanced helicopter and are fully confident that Finland took the right decision regarding this choice, being sure that the NH90 will meet the stringent requirements of the Finnish armed forces, both in terms of mission capability as well as for its suitability for the management of international operations” said Gala Gonçalves, General Manager of NHIndustries.
These helicopters are equipped with the most up to date technology (Fly-by-wire, composite materials, system integration) and equipment in terms of navigation, communications, flight aids and self protection. Of the 20 Finnish NH90 helicopters, 19 are to be assembled by Patria in Finland. The first Finnish NH90 assembled by Patria is to be delivered this April to the Finnish Army Aviation.
(more…)
Posted in Defence Products Manufacturing Companies, Military News - Europe | No Comments »
Saturday, March 29th, 2008
On March 30, the comprehensive first-stage U.S.-EU Air Transport Agreement signed by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, Secretary of Transportation Mary Peters, and their European Union counterparts on April 30, 2007, becomes effective. The Agreement establishes Open Skies between the U.S. and all 27 EU member states— a geographical area accounting for an estimated 60 percent of global air traffic.
Under the Agreement, all U.S. and EU airlines may fly between any point in the EU and any point in the U.S. without restrictions on routes, the number of flights, or prices charged. Already, Aer Lingus is offering non-stop flights from Ireland to Washington, San Francisco, and Orlando that were not authorized under the old U.S.-Ireland agreement. At London’s Heathrow Airport, five new airlines are offering service between the United States and Heathrow: Air France, Continental, Delta, Northwest, and US Airways. At least five additional United States cities will have non-stop service to Heathrow: Atlanta, Dallas, Denver, Houston, and Raleigh.
(more…)
Posted in International Aerospace News | No Comments »
Friday, March 28th, 2008
SIMBEX is an acronym that stands for ‘Singapore India Maritime Bilateral Exercises’ and is an institutionalised and regular series of annual exercises conducted between the Indian Navy and the navy of the Republic of Singapore (RSN). The Indian Navy’s operational interaction with the RSN, which commenced with modesty – pitched anti-submarine training exercises in 1994, has grown steadily and impressively over the past 14 years. ‘SIMBEX 2008′, currently being conducted on India’s Eastern seaboard between the 16th and 30th of this month.
(more…)
Posted in Indian Navy News, Military News - Asia | No Comments »
Friday, March 28th, 2008
A fleet of new Air Transport and Refuelling Airbus A330-200s will replace the RAF’s TriStar and VC-10 aircraft under a £13 billion Private Finance Initiative deal signed today, Thursday 27 March 2008. The aircraft – which will be owned by AirTanker under the terms of the deal, but fly in RAF ‘colours’ – will undertake air-to-air refuelling and passenger air transport tasks. The aircraft are expected to enter service around 2011, to serve for three decades. The Airbus A330-200 has now won each of the last five military tanker contracts internationally. AirTanker aircraft will be more than 50 per cent British by value
AirTanker, the EADS-led consortium,which signed the contract with the UK Ministry of Defence for the provision of air transport and air refuelling capability to the Royal Air Force. The AirTanker consortium has also completed its financing for the programme, raising approx £2.5 billion (€3.2 billion) for investment in the fleet, a new state-of-the-art operational base and associated infrastructure.
(more…)
Posted in Defence Products Manufacturing Companies, Military News - Europe | No Comments »
Friday, March 28th, 2008
This week, Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC), the business, special-mission and trainer aircraft manufacturer, celebrates another milestone —the first anniversary of Hawker Beechcraft Corporation as a private company. The anniversary comes at an incredibly exciting time for HBC, having recently announced a record 2007 backlog, record international sales, an increased workforce to over 9,000 employees, an expanded product line with five new aircraft certified during the year, while leading the industry with revolutionary products like the composite Hawker 4000, the most advanced super-midsize jet in the world today.
On March 26, 2007, the company formerly called Raytheon Aircraft Company was acquired from Raytheon Company by GS Capital Partners, an affiliate of Goldman Sachs and Onex Partners. Raytheon Company announced it had signed a definitive agreement to sell Raytheon Aircraft Company on December 21, 2006.
(more…)
Posted in International Aerospace News | No Comments »
Friday, March 28th, 2008
BAE Systems delivered 10,000th T700 digital engine control for for U.S. Army AH-64 Apache and UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters. The T700 control, which governs the operation of the engine, has been in production since 1989.
Lowell Bidwell, logistics and sustainment director for the Army’s Black Hawk project management office, joined BAE to mark the milestone with the BAE Systems employees involved in manufacturing and servicing the T700 engine control.
(more…)
Posted in Defence Products Manufacturing Companies | No Comments »
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
A AIM-120D Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missile successfully destroyed its target Feb. 13 in a test engagement of the newest variant of the combat-proven missile. The AIM-120D AMRAAM was fired by a U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft from the Navy’s VX-31 squadron against a QF-4 target drone. The missile guided to a direct hit, destroying the drone and meeting all primary test objectives.
The AIM- 120D is currently in the system design and development phase. The AMRAAM missile has been developed through the combined efforts of the U.S. Air Force’s Air Armament Center, the U.S. Navy, and Raytheon.
(more…)
Posted in Defence Products Manufacturing Companies, Military News - America | No Comments »
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
AirAsia X, the new long-haul low cost-carrier within the AirAsia Group, has signed a firm contract for an additional 10 A330-300s, which brings the airline’s total order to 25 A330 aircraft. In June 2007, AirAsia X placed a first order to 15 A330s. The agreement was signed by Azran Osman-Rani, AirAsia X Chief Executive Officer and John Leahy, Airbus Chief Operating Officer, Customers.
AirAsia X is currently operating its long-haul, low-cost service with leased A330s and these will be joined by the first of the newly ordered aircraft later this year. All the aircraft will be configured to seat 392 passengers in a single class layout.
(more…)
Posted in International Aerospace News | No Comments »
Thursday, March 27th, 2008
The second C-130 Avionics Modernization Program (AMP) aircraft, H2.5, has returned to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., for continued testing and software upgrades. A joint Boeing and U.S. Air Force crew from Louisville, Ky., flew the aircraft to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards on March 22. The aircraft, assigned to the 123rd Airlift Wing, 165th Airlift Squadron, Kentucky Air National Guard, was in Kentucky for a comprehensive inspection and its first defensive systems check.
With the return of H2.5, there are currently two Boeing C-130 AMP aircraft at Edwards. A third aircraft, H3, is undergoing modifications and upgrades at Boeing Support Systems’ San Antonio facility.
(more…)
Posted in Defence Products Manufacturing Companies, Military News - America | No Comments »
Wednesday, March 26th, 2008
RQ-4 Global Hawk set an endurance record for a full-scale, operational unmanned aircraft on Saturday, March 22, 2008, when it completed a flight of 33.1 hours at altitudes up to 60,000 feet over Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Designated AF-8, the first Global Hawk Block 20, tail no. 04-2015, surpassed both the official and unofficial world un-refueled endurance records for operational unmanned airplanes previously held by the Block 10 variant.
To date, three Global Hawks are currently deployed in support of the global war on terrorism (GWOT), logging more than 15,700 combat hours with more than 21,000 total program flight hours and 95 percent mission effectiveness.
(more…)
Posted in Defence Research and Development | No Comments »
