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By: - 8th July 2008 at 09:30 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
DoD keeps Raptors out of Persian Gulf
Air Force plans to deploy F-22s to the Persian Gulf region earlier this year were vetoed by senior Pentagon officials, in part to avoid antagonizing Iran, sources said.
The officials believed deploying the Raptor so near Iran would cause a “strategic dislocation” in the region, sources said.
The debate was one of a series of feuds between the Pentagon and service leaders that included the future of the F-22 program and ended with the dismissal of Air Force Secretary Michael W. Wynne and Chief of Staff Gen. T. Michael Moseley.
The two men were sacked June 5 after a report blasted the Air Force for its stewardship of the service’s nuclear arsenal.
The Air Force leaders wanted to deploy the new superfighter to gain operational experience and refine concepts of operations for the jet.
Since the plane entered service three years ago, it has served as an airborne early warning, ground surveillance and strike platform.
But it would have done even more in a gulf deployment, some say.
“Because the U.S. needs to work a transition strategy in Iraq, it is important to connect our air and naval assets to the broader efforts for defense and security in the region,” said Robbin Laird, analyst with Paris- and Washington-based ICSA.
Laird said putting the Raptor in the region would serve three purposes:
* Evolving the aircraft’s air battle management capabilities.
* Operationally introducing the new plane to allies.
* Striking insurgent cells.
“I really believe that folks don’t know what [the Air Force] is evolving here,” Laird said. “Most people think that they’re just using the aircraft in the traditional sense, and they’re not. I don’t think the Air Force has done a great job of explaining this, but it’s only been in deployment for three years.”
But to top Pentagon leaders, sending the plane into the Iraq fight was overkill.
Loren Thompson of the Lexington Institute agreed, saying the F-22 is ill-suited to counterinsurgency operations in Iraq.
“Most of what the F-22 brings isn’t useful to fighting insurgents,” Thompson said. “It’s a wonderful plane but for certain types of threats.”
A Defense Department spokesman could not confirm F-22 deployment deliberations.
http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2008/07/airforce_f22s_iraq_070708/
By: - 8th July 2008 at 14:20 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Second test flight of SU-35 (?)
I found this on YouTube just now, claims to show the second test flight of SU-35:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=jfsjycSMMLo
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By: - 8th July 2008 at 15:41 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Ares blog: European UCAV a step closer
From the Ares blog:
Dassault has just completed the first fully autonomous flight of its AVE-D experimental stealthy unmanned aircraft - almost eight years after its first flight. The June 30 flight involved a completely automated sequence - the subscale UCAV technology demonstrator leaving its parking spot, taking off, maneuvering, landing and returning to its parking spot autonomously - all under the watchful eye of its French customer, the DGA defense procurement agency.
L
By: - 8th July 2008 at 16:57 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
SU-35 presentation pics from:
http://pilot.strizhi.info/2008/07/07/5508
By: - 9th July 2008 at 09:10 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Jet Fighter Crashes in Southwest Iran
Tehran, 7 July: An Iranian F7 jet fighter which was on a training mission crashed in southwest Iran Sunday [6 July] afternoon.
According to the Public Relations Department of Iran's Army, the crash was due to technical failure and the jet fighter went down near Omidiyeh Air Base in Dezful, Khuzestan Province.
Originally published by Islamic Republic News Agency website, Tehran, in English 1431 7 Jul 08.
By: - 9th July 2008 at 09:15 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
F-22 Raptors from Langley head to U.K.
HAMPTON - Three F-22 Raptors will head from Langley Air Force Base to the United Kingdom today so pilots can show off their moves during a series of air shows over the next week. The pilots are expected to touch down this evening on a day that will mark the first trans-Atlantic flight for the F-22.
The Raptor is the Air Force's most technologically advanced aircraft. The F-22 made its first local air show appearance last year.
Maj. Paul "Max" Moga is the commander of the F-22 demonstration team.
http://www.dailypress.com/news/local/hampton/dp-local_localbrfs_07081jul08,0,7713975.story
By: - 10th July 2008 at 10:17 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
PC-12 crashes at Hurlburt Field
7/9/2008 - HURLBURT FIELD, Fla. (AFPN) -- An Air Force PC-12 Pilatus crashed at approximately 11:30 p.m. July 8 on the runway here.
The aircraft, which is leased to and assigned at Hurlburt Field, was conducting a routine training mission. Initial reports show the aircraft encountered wake turbulence shortly before the accident.
Three people onboard the aircraft were uninjured. They were transported to the Eglin Air Force Base hospital for evaluation and have been released.
A board of officers has been convened to investigate the accident.
The PC-12 is a versatile performance aircraft with the ability to operate on short and unimproved runway surfaces providing intra-theater support for the Armed Forces.
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123105963
By: - 10th July 2008 at 10:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Austria Eyes New Jet Trainer
The Austrian military is considering buying a new jet trainer to replace Saab 105s and also offload some Eurofighter currency training to a lower-cost platform.
No firm decision has been made yet, with an avionics upgrade to the Saab still a possibility. However, Austrian military officials suggest a new program is likely. Aircraft maintenance is an issue; the air force has 28 Saab 105s, but sometimes as few as six are ready to fly.
The goal is to field something by around 2012, says Brig. Gen Erwin Jeloschek, who heads air force matters in the general staff. The size of the procurement will be driven by the aircraft type selected.
Options range from buying used aircraft such as F-5Es to new trainers like the M-346 or Hawk. Austrian officials are reluctant to name any aircraft type they are considering for fear of it being viewed as influencing a potential competition.
Nevertheless, the Pilatus PC-21 turboprop is not being seriously considered because it could not take on the role of offloading Typhoon currency training, says Col. Roman Horak, head of the defense ministry’s training directorate.
The new aircraft also would be involved in air policing, the service’s primary role.
Additionally, Austria may partner with other countries to help with pilot training.
Austria is still developing its training plan for Typhoon, which took over the quick reaction alert role this month, a mere 11 months since the aircraft was introduced in country. Eight of 15 Typhoons are now in Austria, with the rest to follow by the end of March. Full operational capability should come in about a year.
The fighters, in the Tranche 1 Block 5 configuration, are being used only for air policing, carrying IRIS-T dogfight missiles.
Moreover, Austria is looking to use the aircraft to build stronger ties with neighboring air forces. Starting in 2010, it hopes to begin hosting major air exercises to ensure interoperability and cement cooperation with others.
By: - 10th July 2008 at 19:27 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter Faces Critical Cost Growth
The U.S. Army notified Congress July 9 of a Nunn-McCurdy breach with the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program. The prime contractor for this program is Bell-Textron.
The Army sent July 3 a critical program deviation report to the Under Secretary Of Defense - Acquisition, Technology And Logistics (USD(AT&L)), satisfying the statutory requirement to provide notification of critical military-acquisition program deviations.
Neither the program nor the contract is terminated by this breach. The Army's requirement for the capability provided by the Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter continues to be valid and critically needed. The ARH is the designated replacement for the current Kiowa warrior helicopter. The Army currently has no wartime replacement aircraft available.
The Army's Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter program manager identified cost growth in excess of 25 percent from the July 26, 2005, acquisition program baseline, resulting in a critical Nunn-McCurdy breach. Independent analysis verified the program manager's cost-growth assessment.
There are two primary reasons for the increase in the estimated production unit cost. First, the actual labor hours and material costs to complete the prototype aircraft were significantly higher than previously projected; and second, the contractor labor rates and overheads are increasing at a higher rate than previously projected.
The Army will work diligently with the Under Secretary Of Defense - Acquisition, Technology And Logistics to complete the Nunn-McCurdy process. The USD(AT&L) will direct integrated product teams to address and answer questions in four statutory areas:
1) Is the program essential to national security?
2) Is there a viable alternative that provides equal capability at less cost?
3) Are new estimates of program costs reasonable?
4) Is the program management structure adequate to control program costs?
(EDITOR’S NOTE: According to US media reports, the cost overrun on the $6.2 billion program is actually 42 percent. Breach of the 25 percent Nunn-McCurdy cap automatically triggers a mandatory review, which could lead to cancellation.
“We remain confident that that we can produce the ARH at an affordable price," Thomas Dolney, a Bell Textron spokesman, told Reuters in an email message. "Bell Helicopter and its team of suppliers are ready to begin low-rate initial production of the ARH, and we are dedicated to producing a world-class weapons system for the Army's warfighters."
By: - 12th July 2008 at 07:51 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Iraqi news
More secondhand aircrafts for Iraqi AF.
Iraqi air force acquires new aircraft from U.S. forces
7/11/2008 - NEW AL MUTHANA AIR BASE, Iraq (AFPN) -- U.S. forces transferred ownership of 11 aircraft to the Iraqi air force July 9 during a ceremony at New Al Muthana Air Base.
Army Lt. Gen. Frank Helmick, commander of Multi-National Security Transition Command Iraq, signed over eight Cessna 172s and three Cessna Caravan 208s worth more than $9 million to Iraqi Defense Minister Abd al-Qadir al-Mufriji.
Brig. Gen. Brooks Bash said the aircraft would be part of the Iraqi air force's training program at Kirkuk Regional Air Base in northern Iraq. Similar to the way the U.S. Air Force conducts its own training, the smaller Cessna 172 is the initial aircraft Iraqi pilots will learn to fly, while the Cessna Caravan 208 is the more advanced, graduated version, the commander of coalition air force training in Iraq added.
In fact, General Bash said, the Cessna 172 is the first aircraft he learned to fly almost 33 years ago.
"The Cessna 172 is very special to me, because it was the first aircraft I ever flew," he said. "And still today, it's the first aircraft pilots in the United States Air Force fly, and now it's the first aircraft Iraqi air force pilots will fly."
General Bash praised the Iraqi air force for the success it's already had. During the past four months, the air force participated in major coalition operations in Basra, Mosul, Al-Amarah and in Baghdad's Sadr City district.
The Iraqi air force is an important reason for the declining attack levels in those areas and throughout the country, the general noted.
General Bash said Iraqi security would continue benefiting from its air force with the new fleet of Cessnas. The additional aircraft will allow more than 130 new pilots to train and graduate by 2010.
"As of now, the Iraqi air force is just beginning to grow," he said. "They will double in size within the next year, giving them up to 6,000 airmen and 133 aircraft by the end of 2009."
In addition, the King Air intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft and King Air light transport aircraft were unveiled during the ceremony. The aircraft were purchased by Iraq's defense ministry for the ISR capability, General Bash said.
He stated the King Air ISR represents the future of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft. It provides the latest technology and capabilities in camera-intelligence and surveillance gathering, he added.
The addition of the new aircraft and additional assets to the Iraqi force "signifies the strong partnership between Iraq and United States," he said. "It also represents the strength and growth of Iraqi forces as they continue to fight terrorism and provide security and new capabilities to their country."
Hi. Res. photo:
http://www.af.mil/shared/media/photodb/photos/080709-F-2171A-532.jpg
http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123106266
Iraq dismisses report on Israeli air drills
BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Iraq's Defence Ministry on Friday denied any Israeli air force drills had taken place in its airspace after a report that the Israelis were preparing there for a possible strike on Iran.
An Israeli military spokesman also described the report, carried on the website of the Jerusalem Post as "utterly baseless". In Washington, the Pentagon dismissed the report.
Major-General Mohammad al-Askari, spokesman for the Iraqi Defence Ministry, said: "As the Ministry of Defence, we haven't observed any IAF warplanes practising in Iraqi airspace."
Any reports which suggested Iraq had no knowledge of what was happening in its airspace were false, Iraq said.
The Jerusalem Post report, citing sources in the Iraqi Defence Ministry telling a local news network, said Israel Air Force (IAF) war planes were practising in Iraqi airspace and landing on U.S. airbases in the country as a preparation for a potential strike on Iran.
It said it could not confirm the veracity of the report.
Issuing an official denial, the Israeli military spokesman said: "Reports about putative Israeli air force (IAF) activities in Iraq are utterly baseless."
The Pentagon also dismissed the report.
"I find that report inconceivable, and clearly someone is either misinformed or intentionally trying to create mischief," Pentagon spokesman Bryan Whitman said.
Iran this week test-fired several missiles it said were capable of reaching Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East. The United States has reminded Tehran it was ready to defend its allies.
The escalating tension helped to push oil prices to a new record high of near $147 a barrel on Friday. Iran is the world's fourth-largest oil exporter and there are fears of supply disruptions in the event of conflict.
The report referred to an airbase in western Anbar province near the town of Haditha. The airbase is controlled by the U.S. military.
Security for Anbar is still formally in the hands of the U.S. military, although control is expected to be transferred to Iraqi security forces soon. Iraq has security control over nine of its 18 provinces.
While Iraq has a large army and police force, its airforce is still very small.
http://www.reuters.com/article/newsMaps/idUSL1119427620080711?sp=true
IDF: Air Force jets aren't training in Iraq
Sources in Iraq's Defense Ministry say for past month Israel using American bases to conduct overflights as part of rehearsal for possible bombing of Iranian nuclear facilities; IDF: Reports are unfounded
The IDF dismissed Friday evening earlier reports claiming that Air Force jets have been training in Iraq ahead of a possible strike on Iran's nuclear facilities.
The IDF Spokesperson's Office said the Iraqi reports were "unfounded."
According to the reports, sources in the Iraqi Defense Ministry told a local news network Friday that Israeli fighter jets have been flying over Iraqi territory for over a month in preparation for potential strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, adding that the aircraft have been landing in American bases following the overflights.
Word of Israel's alleged Air Force maneuvers in Iraq has reached Iran. The sources said the US has boosted security in and around the bases used by Israel during the exercises.
According to the Defense Ministry officials, retired Iraqi army officers in the Al Anbar district reported that fighter jets have been regularly entering Iraqi airspace from Jordan and landing at the airport near Haditha.
The sources estimated that should the Israeli jets take off from the American bases it would take them no more than five minutes to reach Iran's nuclear reactor in Bushehr.
American officials said recently that more than 100 Israeli F-16 and F-15 fighters took part in maneuvers over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece in the first week of June, apparently a rehearsal for a potential bombing of Iran's nuclear facilities.
By: - 13th July 2008 at 09:56 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Russian air force seeks 24-36 Su-35 fighters
The Russian air force has asked the nation's defence ministry to approve a "worthwhile order" for Sukhoi's new Su-35, service commander Gen Aleksandr Zelin revealed during the first official presentation of the type in Moscow on 7 July.
Zelin calls for sufficient aircraft to equip "at least two to three regiments", with this indicating interest in 24-36 examples of the new type. Sukhoi general director Mikhail Pogosyan says the Russian air force is being offered a special version of the aircraft optimised "for-inner-use", dubbed the Su-27SM2
The air force is only seeking a limited number of Su-35s, despite its offering significantly greater combat effectiveness than the baseline Su-27. "We do not need new aircraft in quantities matching our Su-27 fleet, because the new types have multirole nature," says Zelin.
If approved, deliveries would take place in the 2009-12 timeframe, with the Su-35 to provide an interim solution until the availability of Russia's fifth-generation PAK FA fighter, which Zelin says is scheduled to fly next year and to become operational in 2013.
The air force commander also sees the Su-35 as a counter to the US Air Force's Lockheed Martin F-22. "We have not seen the Raptor in action yet. What we have seen is how Raptor performs at flight displays. I render the Su-35 as not lagging behind in manoeuvrability," he says.
Sukhoi's lone Su-35 prototype had by earlier this month completed 22 flights since making its flight debut on 19 February.
Russia's air force meanwhile expects to receive its first Kazan Ansat training and Mil Mi-28N night attack helicopters later this year, and to field Yakovlev's Yak-130 advanced jet trainer from 2009, says Zelin. The defence ministry is also preparing a five-year contract with Sukhoi to equip two regiments with Su-34 bombers.
By: - 13th July 2008 at 16:07 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Alenia Aermacchi's production-standard M-346 makes first flight
By: - 14th July 2008 at 00:16 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
SU-35 presentation pics from:http://pilot.strizhi.info/2008/07/07/5508
also, a MiG-29K in new colors on the same page???
By: - 14th July 2008 at 10:43 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
$48.8M Buys 6 C-12s for US Navy
Hawker Beechcraft Corp., in Wichita, KS received an estimated $48.8 million firm-fixed-price contract for 6 C-12 replacement aircraft for the Navy. Work will be performed in Wichita, KS and is expected to be completed in February 2011. This contract was competitively procured via electronic request for proposal by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD manages the contract (N00019-08-C-0057).
The C-12 is also known as the Huron, and is a derivative of the civilian King Air 200. It is used for VIP and light transport duties, and the small size of many urgent needs on the front lines has pressed many of these aircraft into service. C-12s have often had their in-theater flights limited or at risk due to their their lack of protection against shoulder fired ground-air missiles like the SA-7, but in-theater flights have become much less dangerous these days. Tribal revolts against al-Qaeda, the corollary improvements in local intelligence, and a strategy of killing Iranian operatives in Iraq instead of handing them back to Iran, all helped put a strong crimp in key sources of weapons and trained manpower that contributed to this threat.
A very specialized version of the C-12 that looks like it had been wrestling with porcupines is called the RC-12N Guardrail, and is used for specialized signals collection/interception duties.
By: - 14th July 2008 at 19:26 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Singapore eliminates BAE Hawk from trainer contest
Singapore has eliminated BAE Systems' Hawk 128 from its advanced jet trainer competition, leaving the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 and Korea Aerospace Industries/Lockheed Martin T-50 to battle it out for the contract, and casting futher doubt on the future of the British aviation icon.
The southeast Asian country made the decision last week, and will hold detailed briefings with the remaining candidates and conduct further flight trials for the aircraft in the coming months, say industry sources. Singapore has given the bidders only broad guidelines on its requirements and left them to recommend aircraft numbers and costs. A final decision is expected around mid-2009.
"BAE Systems is disappointed and surprised to learn that it has not been successful," the company says in a statement. "We believe that the aircraft's capabilities, allied to the low cost of through-life ownership and BAE's pedigree in delivering training solutions make the Hawk an ideal platform."
Coming nine months after the United Arab Emirates also eliminated the Hawk from its AJT requirement against the same competitors, Singapore’s decision could sound the death-knell for the type, believe some sources. The Hawk fell short of what is required to train pilots for fifth generation fighters and was assessed to be technologically inferior to its competitors, say sources familiar with the decision.
“This is a significant move by Singapore, which does not make defence decisions lightly. The Hawk has served well for the last 30 years but Singapore has basically said that its time is up,” says an industry source. “The T-50 and M-346 are now the future. Unless BAE spends billions of dollars developing a brand new trainer, it is probably out of the game.”
However, BAE counters this view, saying: "We will actively pursue new opportunities where we feel Hawk meets the air force's requirements and supports our through-life strategy." In the meantime, it adds: "Our focus will continue to be on delivering our existing production contracts for India, South Africa and the UK, and on providing through-life support to many of the 19 existing Hawk operators." The company will comment further on the development during a 14 July press conference at the Farnborough air show.
Increasing the uncertainty over the future of Hawk, orders nearing an end from the UK and the US Navy, which operates the Boeing-modified T-45 Goshawk. BAE has been in talks with India’s Hindustan Aeronautics about possibly moving its Hawk production facilities to South Asia, but nothing has been firmed up.
Lockheed helped to develop the T-50 and works with KAI to market the aircraft globally, while rival Boeing is Alenia Aermacchi’s partner and helps the Italian company to promote its M-346 and M-311 trainers. Their presence is significant, say observers. Singapore has ordered 24 Boeing F-15s and may buy more, operates the region's largest fleet of Lockheed F-16s, and is considering the Lockheed F-35 Joint Strike Fighter for its future requirements.
The involvement of the two US defence contractors also means that the T-50 and M-346 are likely to be among the favourites when the US Air Force opens its own AJT competition in a few years.
By: - 15th July 2008 at 09:59 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Russia’s Irkut has 80 solid orders for Yak-130 combat trainers
FARNBOROUGH, July 14 (RIA Novosti) - Russia's Irkut corporation, the manufacturer of the famed Sukhoi fighters, has 80 solid orders for Yak-130 combat trainers, the company director said on Monday during the Farnborough air show currently being held near London.
The Irkut Corporation, part of Russia's United Aircraft Corporation, created in 2006, manufactures variants of the Su-30MK for India, Algeria, and Malaysia. Production of the Yak-130 aircraft was launched last year - the plane was designed for training pilots flying the Su-30 Flanker, MiG-29 Fulcrum, and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters.
"The Russian and Algerian defense ministries have ordered about 80 [Yak-130] trainers," Oleg Demchenko said. "A total of 24 aircraft of this type will be delivered to Algeria in 2009."
"We are now holding talks on contracts with Greece, Malaysia, and other countries," he added.
The Yak-130 single-seat aircraft is a trainer for fourth and fifth generation fighters that can be also used as a light strike aircraft.
It is a highly maneuverable plane, with an extended range of about 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles) and a maximum speed of 1,060 km/h (600 m/h) in level flight. It can carry a payload of up to 3,000 kg (6,600 pounds), consisting of a variety of Russian and Western developed weapons.
Russia's Air Force is planning to commission about 200 Yak-130s to equip four air regiments in the future.
By: - 15th July 2008 at 20:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
FARNBOROUGH 2008 News:
Russian air force to receive Sukhoi PAK FA - to be equivalent of the F-22 Raptor
The Russian air force remains on track to receive a fifth-generation fighter replacement for its MiG-29 Fulcrum and Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fleets, according to the service’s senior officer.
The new aircraft, the Sukhoi PAK FA (Advanced Tactical Fighter), will be built at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aircraft manufacturing plant in Russia's Far East.
The twin-engined fighter, which is expected to have thrust vectoring and supercruise ability, plus stealth capabilities, will be the Russian equivalent of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor.
Speaking at Zhukovsky, just outside Moscow, the site of the Gromov Flight Institute last week, Col Gen Alexander Zelin told the RIA Novosti press agency: “We will begin test flights in 2009, and hope to receive the aircraft in 2013.”
http://www.flightglobal.com/articles/article.aspx?liArticleID=225495&PrinterFriendly=true
By: - 16th July 2008 at 08:49 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Serbia's Air Force haven't it before ?
Russia completes flight tests of 4 MiG-27 warplanes for Serbia
FARNBOROUGH (U.K.), July 15 (RIA Novosti) - Russian aircraft maker MiG said on Tuesday it had completed a flight test program on four MiG-27 Flogger ground-attack aircraft for Serbia's Air Force.
"We are announcing the news for the first time today," MiG CEO Vladimir Barkovsky said at the Farnborough world air show.
More than 60 Russian defense-industry companies are taking part in the Farnborough air show that opened on Monday at a site southwest of the British capital.
The 2008 Farnborough International Airshow is the biggest ever in the event's 60-year history in terms of exhibition space and exhibitor numbers, the organizers said on their website.
The total number of exhibitors is over 1,500, a 5% increase on last year. 39 countries will be represented, with 29 international and regional pavilions, while there are likely to be 140,000 business visitors attending the show from July 14-18.
Russia has been showcasing its civilian products at the show since 1984, and its military aircraft since 1988.
By: - 16th July 2008 at 09:44 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Serbia's Air Force haven't it before ?Russia completes flight tests of 4 MiG-27 warplanes for Serbia
Nope. The only Floggers in Yugo colors were the Iraqi MiG-23MLs sent to Yugoslavia for overhaul shortly before Gulf War broke out. Quite a surprising purchase, I must confess.
By: - 16th July 2008 at 17:05 Permalink - Edited 1st January 1970 at 01:00
Sweden plans helicopter deployment to Afghanistan
The Swedish Air Force (SwAF) has announced that it intends to send helicopters to Afghanistan to help alleviate the shortage of rotary-wing platforms currently being experienced by NATO and the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
SwAF Chief Major General Anders Silwer said at a pre-Farnborough Airshow briefing in London on 13 July that "there is a tremendous shortage of helicopters" in Afghanistan.
http://www.janes.com/events/exhibitions/farnborough2008/day3.html
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By: Tango III - 8th July 2008 at 09:09
Google on-line Translate Text from Russian Lang.