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Seoul’s F-35 Plans Thump F-15 Silent Eagle

South Korea's decision to sacrifice force structure in favor of buying into stealth with the F-35—a boon for Lockheed Martin's premier fighter program—quashes Boeing's hopes of selling it a semi-stealthy F-15.

AMARG: Black Friday?

Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, also called AMARG is the largest aircraft storage and preservation facility in the world. Situated in Tucson, Arizona, stored a lot of old fighters retired.

Dream of many Air Force without money - like Brazil - the AMARG is the big opportunity of adding aircraft with few cash. Perhaps, Brazilian Air Force is looking for some F16C/D there to replace yours Mirage 2000s that will go to stop in december. 

The Brazil's  program of acquisition of fighters have more of 16 years. The government, however, not made final decision on the acquisition, yet.

Elbit starts work on M-346 training centre

Elbit Systems is building a distributed simulation centre at the Israeli air force's Hazerim air base to allow students to fly missions in the Alenia Aermacchi M-346, which will soon become the service's advanced trainer. The new centre will allow the crews of four aircraft to train together.

Heavy cargo flights taking off

The world's largest cargo plane will carry two green-energy tram cars from Shijiazhuang, Hebei province, to Istanbul, making it the first air transport of high-quality, domestically built equipment of this scale to fly to Europe.

The AN-225, measuring 84 meters long with an 88.74-meter wingspan, arrived at the airport and waited on the parking apron for the loading of the two streetcars, each weighing about 20 metric tons, on Friday.

VIDEO: Scorpion light strike aircraft completes pre-flight taxi trial

Click to see video

Textron has released video footage showing taxi testing with its Scorpion demonstrator, just days before the type's expected first flight. Performed in Wichita, Kansas on 25 November, the event involved the twin turbofan-powered tactical strike concept, which has been in development since early 2012 by the Textron AirLand venture, also involving AirLand Enterprises.

Flight Global

Air zone 'not aimed at civilian flights'

J10 - Chinese

China's newly announced air defense identification zone does not target "normal" flights by international airliners, the Foreign Ministry said on Thursday, as Chinese fighter jets patrolled the zone.

Beijing rejected Japan's demand that it scrap the zone, saying Tokyo should invalidate its own zone first. Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said China's zone is not aimed at international airliners. "We hope that relevant countries' airlines cooperate, so there is more order and safety for flights."

U.S. sends B-52s over China-claimed waters

F-18 Super Hornet jet fighter on the deck of the USS George Washington

An American carrier battle group and a flotilla of Japanese warships will arrive Wednesday near a vast stretch of ocean claimed by China in what is shaping up as a test of how Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and the USA will stand up to the challenge.

South Korea order would drive F-35 per-plane cost lower

South Korea's plan to buy 40 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets will save the U.S. military about $2 billion by driving down the per-plane price of the new plane, and could create up to 10,000 U.S. jobs, according to sources familiar with the program.

Small software maker wins $US24.8M judgment vs Lockheed Martin

Command Technology, a privately held firm that developed electronic maintenance manuals for Lockheed Martin’s F-16 fighter jet, has won a $US24.8 million judgment against the Pentagon’s biggest supplier for unfair competition.

Former Israel Air Chief Eyes Dogfighting Drones

Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have already superseded patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and are rendering gunships obsolete. But until they engage enemies in the air, it’s premature to speak about the end of manned platforms, according to a former Israel Air Force commander.

Israel hosts first international air drill

The Israel Air Force is hosting its first international air drill in the South, where some 60 fighter jets from the air forces of the US, Italy and Greece are training together with Israeli jets, the IDF said on Monday.

Pentagon clears BAE to create upgrade for Korean F-16s

F-16C ROKAF over Kunsan

The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress about phase one of an upgrade for 134 South Korean Lockheed Martin F-16 C/D Block 52 aircraft, with the work to be conducted by BAE Systems.

Poland: Alenia M 346 is the cheapest of the three competitors.

Alenia Aermacchi, BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin UK have submitted offers for the Polish air force's advanced jet trainer (AJT) requirement, but only one of the rivals has come in below Warsaw's revised price estimate for a purchase.

French To Boost R&D Across Multiple Programs

A research and development deal is due soon as part of an announced upgrade of the Rafale fighter, including a new-generation laser targeting pod, Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Nov. 21.

“Development of the new F3-R standard for the Rafale, which will notably carry a new-generation laser targeting pod — that will be decided in the next few days,” Le Drian said.

Russian Navy Gets New Carrier-Based Fighters

Mig-29 K

The Russian navy has taken delivery of its first four series-produced MiG-29K/KUB carrier based fighter jets, the Defense Ministry said Monday. “The MiG aircraft-manufacturing corporation has handed over two MiG-29K single-seat and two MiG-29KUB twin-seat carrier-based fighter aircraft,” a spokesman said.

Book of photographs shows happy endings in air accidents.

Click to see video

'Happy End' is a photo-book about miracles in aviation history - 15 airplanes that had forced landings but ALL on board survived and were rescued from the remote locations.

The planes remain abandoned in nowhere since 10-70 years. It's part of Dietmar Eckell long term project to document abandoned objects with fascinating backgrounds like cold war relicts, olympic sites, flooded churches, railroad tracks, never finished nuclear reactors, overgrown adventure parks etc.

For this he is seeking sponsorship and donors. To learn more visit website

KC390 will be ready in 2014

Wide as a football field . The largest aircraft that Embraer has built this kept secret but now with this format , a small district of Eugenio de Melo near Sao Jose dos Campos , 20 km ahead of the regular company headquarters in Brazil .

The growing use of simulators for helicopters

According to the Flightglobal site, simulation developers have long argued the cost benefits of synthetic training but real flying has always been preferred by pilots. However, over the foreseeable next few years military pilots may not have a choice.

For example,  the training funds for 80% of the service's units would be cut because of the US Congress' sequestration automatic budget cuts measure. 

A LIFT to Chinese Navy

A JL-9G prototype (#423) was descending at CFTE airfield after a test flight. This dedicated variant has been developed for training Navy pilots in take-off and landing on the aircraft carrier deck (land-based simulation). 

Navy, Marines look for small UAV with quadrupled range

RQ20 (above) and RQ11: Drones used today

The US Navy and Marine Corps are tapping industry for an all-environment small unmanned aircraft system (SUAS) that weighs less than 13.6kg (30lb) but can fly for 8h, carrying both day and night video cameras.

Such a SUAS would represent a significant boost in capability over comparably sized Group 1 unmanned aircraft currently in service with the military, such as the hand-thrown Aerovironment RQ-11B Raven and RQ-20A Puma.

Navy X-47B Completes Carrier Tests

The Navy concluded another round of carrier testing Nov. 19 to further demonstrate and evaluate the X-47B unmanned air system integration within the aircraft carrier environment.

Tests aboard USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71) included deck handling, carrier approaches and landings in off-nominal wind conditions, digitized ship systems interfaces, and concept of operations development.

China tests first stealth combat drone

China has tested its first stealth combat drone, state media said Friday, citing online photos of an aircraft resembling a shrunken US B2 bomber and hailing the advance toward Western-level technology.

The test flight of the “Sharp Sword” unmanned aircraft is another step in China’s years-long military build-up, with its defence spending now the second highest in the world and growing by double-digit percentages each year.

Fighters returned to Russia go to Angola

Russia’s state arms export monopoly said Friday that it will deliver 12 Su-30K fighter jets to a nation in southern Africa. In the wake of a visit by a high level Russian delegation earlier this year, it was widely reported in Russian media that Moscow had agreed to supply 18 of the jets to Angola.

Video: British Airways Billboard Ads Interact With Planes

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One of the big selling points of digital billboards is interactivity -- and the definition grew wider this week thanks to British Airways, which unveiled new outdoor ads that interact with planes overhead.

The BA campaign, running on Clear Channel’s new “Storm” digital out-of-home network in London, uses surveillance technology and flight schedules to determine when there is a BA plane overhead. When a plane is detected, it triggers an image of a child pointing up at the aircraft, along with a message containing the flight number and departure city -- e.g., “Look, it’s flight BA430 Amsterdam.”

South Korea to obtain 40 F-35As

South Korea will obtain 40 Lockheed Martin F-35A fighters under its F-X III requirement. A report by state news agency Yonhap quotes the country’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) as saying that Seoul will obtain 40 F-35s starting in 2018, with an option to buy 20 more aircraft. The deal will be conducted through the US government’s Foreign Military Sales mechanism.

India: 25 years of Tu-142M

The INAS 312 Maritime Reconnaisance Squadron of the Eastern Naval Command, based at Arakkonam in Tamil Nadu, celebrated its silver jubilee anniversary on Monday.

The silver jubilee celebrations of operations of the TU 142M aircraft, with the moniker Albatross, were held at INS Rajali Naval Air Station operating under the control of the Eastern Naval Command. The celebrations were kicked off with a seminar on maritime operations held at INS Rajali on Sunday. Vice Admiral (Retd) Dilip Deshpande, who was a member of the commissioning crew, delivered the keynote address at the seminar.

Block 40 Global Hawk goes to 'war': USAF

Northrop Grumman’s unmanned RQ-4 Block 40 Global Hawk has gone to “war” for the first time, according to the US Air Force. The service announced today that on 19 September a Block 40, which has synthetic-aperture radar and ground-moving target indicators, departed Grand Forks Air Force Base in North Dakota on a mission that marked the “first time this specific model has been deployed into war.”

Air Force Seeks Laser Weapons for Next Generation Fighters

Lockheed Martin Illustration

The U.S. Air Force has released a new request for a high-powered laser weapon that could be mounted on a next-generation air dominance fighter in the post-2030 era.

“The emphasis of this effort is to identify potential laser systems that could be integrated into a platform that will provide air dominance in the 2030+ highly contested Anti-Access/Area Denial (A2/AD) environments,” the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) said in a Request for Information document posted on FEDBIZOPPS last week.

Red Arrows birthday plans for Royal International Air Tattoo

The Royal International Air Tattoo will mark 50 years of the Red Arrows with a major birthday celebration for the team next year. To mark the special anniversary, the air show next July will be extended from two to three days.

Source: South Korea Will Likely Buy F-35

South Korea’s military will set new operational requirements and bid procedures for its F-X III fighter jet acquisition program Nov. 22, and an official with the Joint Chiefs of Staff said the F-35 will likely be selected.

Eurofighter claims multi-role breakthrough for Typhoon

With a major package of air-to-surface strike-related enhancements now being delivered, and flight tests also poised to begin with two cruise missile designs, the Typhoon is fully able to claim multi-role status, Eurofighter says.

Gold bars worth $1.1m found in plane toilet

A stash of 24 gold bars worth more than $1.1m has been discovered in the toilet compartment of a commercial plane in eastern India. Cleaners found the haul in two bags on board a Jet Airways flight at Kolkata airport, officials said. India is one of the world's main gold consumers and imports are seen as a major contributor to the country's account deficit.

Gripen: Czech pilots hone their operational capabilities

Czech pilots, along with their Hungarian and Polish counterparts practiced air operations focused on interoperability including the close air support of ground forces against ground and air targets, at the Steadfast Jazz 2013, this year’s biggest NATO exercise in Poland, reports  afbcaslav.cz​.

Russian maneuvers (animation)

Click to see video

Animation made by Agency RIA Novosti shows the main techniques used in aerial demonstrations by the Russian team. Click on the image, wait to load the Flash animation, so click  on the name of the desired maneuver (upper red arrow) then click on the plane.

An Iranian UAV with a Range of 2,000 Kilometers

Iran revealed a new self-manufactured UAV today (Monday), the largest produced to date by the Islamic republic. According to Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan, the "Fotros" tactical UAV is capable of flying for 30 hours and can reach a range of 2,000 kilometers - meaning that it can reach Israel.

Belgium to launch F-16 replacement process

Belgium’s defence ministry will issue a request for information in early 2014 to potential suppliers of a replacement for its air component’s Lockheed Martin F-16s, says chief of staff Col Frederik Vansina.

DUBAI: China details performance of 'carrier killer' missile for JF-17

Chinese aerospace giant AVIC has quietly advertised critical details about the accuracy and performance of a secretive project to develop a supersonic cruise missile reportedly dubbed an “aircraft carrier killer” by the launch customer.

Golden Eagle to Botswana?

A senior South Korean military delegation will visit Botswana next week to expand defense ties and seek opportunities to export home-made trainer jets to the resource-rich African country, Seoul's defense ministry said Monday.

Boeing Executives Upbeat About Future Of F/A-18 Fighter

Top Boeing executives are upbeat about the future of the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet and see a good chance of winning additional U.S. and international orders that would keep the production line running past 2016.

Gulf Nations Eye Strike Capabilities

A Turkish F-16 carries a standoff land attack missile-extended response. Saudi Arabia is interested in buying the Boeing-made missiles.

For years, the US has limited the sale of precision weaponry to the Arabian Gulf region, but analysts say a change may be coming. While US State Department officials have said there is no official policy against the sale of long-range missiles, analysts argue there has long been an unofficial policy about selling these kinds of weapons in the region, driven largely by fear of them being used against Israel. That, in turn, drove Middle Eastern countries toward arms makers in Europe.

Colombia seeks new fighter purchase

As its government and FARC rebel movement make progress towards ending more than 40 years of conflict, Colombia’s air force is planning to bolster its combat capabilities, with the purchase of an additional squadron of fighter aircraft.

PAF's JF-17 Thunder aircraft to feature at Dubai Air Show

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is participating in the Dubai Air Show 2013, which will be inaugurated today. The show will be held at Dubai World Central Airport instead of Dubai International Airport this year. The new location is at a distance of 30km from Dubai city.

A J-22 Orao fighter jet crashed in Serbia

A J-22 Orao fighter jet, Serbian version of Romanian IAR-93, crashed on Friday near the town of Cacak, central Serbia. 

From the first information, the Serbian Air Force “Eagle” (Orao) was on an test flight, but the causes of the accident are not yet known. The pilot, Major Ivan Pantic, was saved by the ejection seat and his condition is good.

The plane crashed between Mrcajevci and Slatina villages and a small fire broke out there, but it was quickly extinguished by the firefighters. As local media reported, this is the sixth military plane crashes in Serbia in the last five years.

Aviatia Magazin

Note: See the video of the wreckage

Chinese reconnaissance plane flies near Senkakus

A civil TU-154 would have been converted to surveillance aircraft

A Chinese reconnaissance aircraft flew near the Japanese-administered Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea on Saturday, prompting Japan's Air Self-Defense Force to scramble fighter jets, the Joint Staff of Japan's Defense Ministry said.

The TU-154 surveillance plane flew about 150 kilometers north of the uninhabited islets but did not intrude into Japanese airspace, the ministry said.

Rolls-Royce: New contract to US Navy T-45

Rolls-Royce has been awarded a $50.7 million MissionCare™ contract extension by the US Department of Defense to provide continued support for the F405 (Adour) engines that power the US Navy's T-45 training aircraft.

DUBAI: UAE fighter contest heats up

As speculation mounts that the Dubai air show could include a significant development in the United Arab Emirates’ contest to acquire 60 new fighters, one of the bids is set to receive high-profile political backing.

Raf Units Return From Cyprus 14112013

Aircraft and personnel from 121 Expeditionary Air Wing (EAW) were sent to region earlier this year as a contingency measure to protect the two Sovereign Base Areas on the island, which are home to more than 6000 British service personnel and their families.

First ever combat for Rooivalk

After three decades of development and a development cost in excess of R8 billion, the South African designed and built Rooivalk attack helicopter has finally deployed operationally.

Now, not only has it been deployed operationally for the first time, but it has also fired its guns in anger.

Three Rooivalk helicopters, belonging to 16 Squadron based at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein, were airlifted to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a week ago. 

Afghanistan's air force on road to independence

Afghanistan’s young air force has nearly tripled the number of casualty evacuation missions it has flown this year, coalition officials say, a critical step in efforts to get the country’s security forces to operate independently.