The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] today rolled out the first F-15SG jet fighter to the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). The F-15SG is a variant of the highly capable, combat-proven F-15E.

"The rollout of F-15SG1, on schedule, demonstrates that we're off to a great start as the RSAF builds to a procurement of 24 F-15SG aircraft," said Mark Bass, Boeing F-15 Program vice president. "The F-15SG has significant capabilities that will allow the RSAF to expand into new missions with new capabilities and to operate in the sophisticated Singapore defense environment for decades to come."

The capabilities of the F-15SG are a blend of speed, power and agility -- a combination that makes the aircraft the ultimate multirole fighter, versatile in all missions.

The prototype F-35 Joint Strike Fighter AA-1 completed an air-start test validating the aircraft's ability to shut down and restart its engine in flight Oct. 23 here.

This ensures the aircraft, which is called the F-35 Lightning II for the Air Force, can regain power and fly safely in the event of an unanticipated engine flameout.

The F-35 Integrated Test Force staff showed the test points to 20 members of the local, national and international presses that same day as part of an F-35 media day. The aircraft arrived here Oct. 1 from Lockheed Martin's plant at Fort Worth, Texas.

The State of Qatar has signed a $393.6 million contract with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] for the purchase of four C-130J Super Hercules airlifters plus training and spares with deliveries to begin in 2011. Qatar's new C-130Js will be the longer fuselage or "stretched" variant of the C-130J.

Since this is Qatar's first experience with C-130s, the package being provided by Lockheed Martin is a complete solution. The package includes four aircraft, training of aircrew and maintenance technicians, spares, ground support and test equipment, servicing carts, forklifts, loading vehicles, cargo pallets, and a team of technical specialists who will be based in Qatar during an initial support period.

Aircrews flew the remaining six MH-53 Pave Low helicopters on their last combat missions in support of special operations forces Sept. 27 in Southwest Asia.

The last mission, a SOF logistical resupply and passenger movement throughout central and southern Iraq, marks their last combat mission before the airframe retires after nearly 40 years in the Air Force inventory.

"We really feel like we are standing on the shoulders of giants," said Lt. Col. Gene Becker, the 20th Expeditionary Special Operations Squadron commander and a MH-53 pilot of 13 years. "(We owe it to) the folks, who over the past 40 years, have built the capability of this aircraft and the mission. We were just the lucky ones to be here at the end."

Boeing today announced that an international consortium of 10 NATO members -- joined by Partnership for Peace nations Sweden and Finland -- signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on Sept. 24 to acquire three Boeing C-17 Globemaster III long-range cargo jets. The agreement sets the stage for NATO's first major defense purchase in 30 years.

Under the agreement with the U.S. Department of Defense and the NATO Airlift Management Agency, two of the advanced airlifters would be purchased from Boeing, while a third would be provided by the U.S. Air Force. The aircraft would be assigned to NATO's Heavy Airlift Wing and jointly operated by the nations from Pápa Air Base, Hungary. Delivery of the first aircraft could take place as early as spring 2009.

Each participating nation would pay for a portion of a C-17 rather than an entire aircraft, allowing them to share a pooled fleet. The 12 countries participating in NATO's Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) program are Bulgaria, Estonia, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, the Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Romania, Slovenia, Sweden and the United States.