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"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 F-15SG for Singapore moves the RSAF into the next generation of fighter aircraft capability," said Dan Korte, Boeing vice president and general manager for Global Strike Systems. "We are proud that the F-15 Eagle's proven legacy and Boeing's expertise in multirole fighter aircraft continue in the capable hands of the RSAF."

The F-15SG's integrated sensor suite, which includes an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar and a third-generation SNIPER targeting pod, will provide the RSAF with long-range air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities.

F-15SG1 successfully completed its first flight from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis on Sept. 16. The aircraft now will undergo a one-year flight test program to confirm aircraft performance. Flight testing will take place at Boeing facilities in St. Louis and in Palmdale, Calif. F-15SG production deliveries will begin in the second quarter of 2009. The final aircraft in this procurement will be delivered to the RSAF in 2012.

More than 1,500 F-15 aircraft have been delivered and are in service with the U.S. Air Force, Republic of Korea Air Force, Israeli Air Force and Royal Saudi Air Force.

Source: Boeing]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=221 Sat, 8 Nov 2008 18:39:51 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=220
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 test marks the beginning of the "largest flight test program in history," said Doug Pearson, the Lockheed Martin vice president of the F-35 Integrated Force.

"This is the most comprehensive flight test program ever assembled," Mr. Pearson said. "We performed the test here because we needed to understand how we can support this complex piece of machinery. We also needed to understand how our team, both contractor and government, can function."

"It is a great day for our country and our friends, allies and partners around the globe," said Col. William Thornton, 412th Test Wing commander. "The F-35 is a significant increase in combat capability, but more importantly, it will provide America's crucial dominance in airpower."

Edwards Air Force Base was chosen for the air start testing because of its "unmatched combination of location, facilities and people," Colonel Thornton said. "Its remote location allows us to test advanced aerospace vehicle safely. We have miles and miles of lakebed runways. With this testing, we continue to learn how great an aircraft the F-35 is."

Source: af.mil]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=220 Sat, 8 Nov 2008 18:38:42 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=219
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.

"This acquisition of a fleet of C-130Js will provide our country with a highly flexible airlift capability," said Brigadier General Ahmad Ibrahim Al - Malki, Chairman of the Qatar Emiri Air Force Airlift Evaluation Committee. "No other aircraft can do what a C-130J can do and we are proud to join the many, many countries around the world that operate the world's most successful airlifter."

"We also are extremely proud to be selected to provide the world's most advanced tactical mobility aircraft to meet Qatar's operational airlift needs," said Jim Jamerson, president, Middle East/Africa Region, Lockheed Martin Corporation. "The C-130J Super Hercules will equip the Qatari Emiri Air Force with proven, modern, and effective tactical and strategic airlift to support a wide range of Qatar's national requirements."

Qatar joins the rapidly growing number of nations with C-130J fleets including Australia, Canada, Demark, India, Italy, Norway, the United Kingdom and the United States.

The C-130J has become the standard by which all other airlift is measured in terms of availability, flexibility and reliability. C-130Js are currently deployed in two combat theaters and are operating at a very high tempo efficiently and reliably. In non-combat, but equally harsh environments, the C-130Js were first to support relief efforts after hurricane Katrina, Thailand's tsunami, Myanmar's typhoon and several earthquakes. The worldwide fleet of C-130Js has now flown nearly half a million flight hours, with some C-130J operator countries flying as much as 1000 hours per month.

Source: Lockheed Martin]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=219 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:53:44 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=218
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."

"We felt a great responsibility to close the MH-53's remaining months in the Air Force in a professional, disciplined and safe manner," he said. "At the end of the last mission, we felt like we achieved that goal. A goal, that we believe, was the best way to honor those (who contributed to) the last 40 years of this magnificent helicopter."

HH-53s, with their unique special operations mission and capabilities, have played a vital role in several operations during a career spanning four decades. The MH-53 was the lead command and control helicopter during a raid of Son Tay prison camp in 1970, a mission linked to improving conditions for prisoners of war in North Vietnam.

Again, in 1990, MH-53s led the way for Army AH-64 Apaches during an airstrike, which opened the air war in Operation Desert Storm. And since March 2003, the MH-53 has played a crucial part in special operations missions supporting Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The 20th ESOS MH-53 helicopters and their crews have provided much of the vertical lift, direct action and logistical resupply to the Combined Joint Special Operations Task Force in Iraq.

According to Air Force Special Operations Command officials, the MH-53 costs too much to maintain, fly and keep in the fight because of its age. Although its flying safety record is good, it has reached the end of its service life.

"It is a bittersweet ending," said Tech Sgt. Corey Fossbender, a 20th ESOS MH-53 aerial gunner and a crewmember on the lead helicopter during the final mission. "These birds have been around for so long. Our maintenance (teams) have basically been magicians keeping them in the air."

Sergeant Fossbender, who has spent 13 of his 16-year career in the MH-53 community, said he will miss the camaraderie the helicopter crews shared the most.

"It wasn't just a job, it was a brotherhood," he said. "A legacy is going away. With all the history they have been apart of, it's sad to see them go."

The six-man MH-53 crew consists of two pilots, two flight engineers and two aerial gunners.

"Most of the MH-53 crewmembers will head to AFSOC's new weapons systems like the CV-22 (Osprey), AC-130 (Gunship) ... and (MQ-1) Predators," Colonel Becker said. "Some will head over to Air Combat Command and fly the HH-60G (Pave Hawk), and a few will retire."

Senior Master Sgt. Mark Pryor, the 20th ESOS superintendent, will retire after more than 28 years; half of which he served as a flight engineer on the PMH-53.

"I don't think it has had an opportunity to sink in," Sergeant Pryor said. "When I grabbed those throttles and pulled them off for the last time and realized this is the last time I will fly on the Pave Low and work with this group of guys, it was bittersweet. The MH-53s are retiring, and then I retire. It's a perfect ending to a wonderful career."

From Iraq, some of the MH-53s will become relics of the past when they become displays in Air Force museums. Others will go to the Aircraft Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz.

"As the Pave Low goes on to retire from combat today. She goes out, as she came in -- the very best," Colonel Becker said.

Source: af.mil]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=218 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:51:28 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=217
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.

"The SAC will provide an important new capability to address the critical alliance need for strategic airlift to support operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere, as well as other national missions, including EU and U.N. missions," said Peter Flory, NATO Assistant Secretary General for Defense Investment. "It can also provide a model for future capability development."

"The C-17 is built for the very missions that NATO has been performing for decades," said Jean Chamberlin, Boeing vice president and C-17 program manager. "The Globemaster III, now in its 15th year of service, continues to be recognized as the backbone of international airlift missions, supporting numerous contingency, humanitarian relief, and peacekeeping efforts around the world. It is with tremendous pride that we welcome NATO, Sweden and Finland to the C-17 family."

The C-17 fleet will allow each nation to meet its airlift requirements to support sovereign and multinational mission requirements. NATO does not currently own a heavy airlift capability and frequently contracts with nations such as the United States and Russia for assistance with its heavy airlift requirements. The MOU calls for Boeing to establish a facility at Pápa Air Base to provide C-17 logistics support under the current Globemaster Support Partnership.

"We continue to see strong international interest in C-17s," said Tommy Dunehew, Boeing International C-17 program manager. "And this NATO agreement is a reflection of that."

A high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed aircraft with a rear-loading ramp, the C-17 can carry large combat equipment and troops or humanitarian aid across international distances directly to small austere airfields anywhere in the world. With a payload of up to 170,000 pounds, the C-17 can take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, fly 2,400 nautical miles, and land in 3,000 feet or less.

There are 192 operational C-17s worldwide -- 178 with the U.S. Air Force; six with the Royal Air Force (UK); four with the Royal Australian Air Force, and four with the Canadian Forces. Boeing received a contract in July to provide the C-17 to Qatar, with deliveries starting in late summer 2009.

Source: Boeing.com]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=217 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:49:12 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=216
The Kuwait LCT, provided through a U.S. Army Foreign Military Sale, is the first trainer delivered equipped with two of Boeing's newly developed technologies -- the Next Generation Flight Model (NGFM) and the Common Simulation Framework (CSF). These innovative technologies ensure that the devices remain up-to-date and are easily maintained, and increase the trainer's capability.

"By implementing these new technologies, we have raised the fidelity of the LCT to a highly sophisticated level, providing the most realistic training possible for Apache Longbow crews," said Mark McGraw, vice president, Training Systems & Services.

The NGFM software, which ensures that the trainer operates and feels like a real Apache helicopter, was developed and correlated to actual aircraft flight-test data. This improvement increases the fidelity of the trainer. The CSF combines tools for software development, testing and systems integration with reusable software packages, enabling trainer software to be developed more quickly and be more easily maintained.

The NGFM and CSF will be a standard configuration on future LCT deliveries and will be provided through an upgrade package to the U.S. Army's 22 existing devices. Deployed worldwide and used for in-theater training in Afghanistan and Iraq, the LCT supports battalions by allowing pilots ample opportunities to maintain their training hours and to rehearse missions.

Source: Boeing.com]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=216 Mon, 27 Oct 2008 14:45:21 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=215
The F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet was among six fighter aircraft originally under consideration. Brazil is expected to make a final contract award in late 2009. The stated initial requirement is for 36 aircraft, with the potential for up to 120 aircraft.

"Boeing is honored that Brazil has selected the Super Hornet as a finalist for the next phase of the F-X2 competition," said Bob Gower, F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs vice president, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems. "This selection reinforces the Super Hornet's ability to meet the operational requirements of the Brazilian Air Force and the forward-leaning stance of the U.S. government regarding transparency and technology release. Boeing looks forward to establishing long-term partnerships with the Brazilian Air Force, Brazilian industry and the government of Brazil."

The Block II Super Hornet, with its Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, presents a comprehensive multi-role capability solution at an affordable price. Boeing has delivered 367 Super Hornets to the U.S. Navy to date, all on or ahead of schedule.]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=215 Sat, 4 Oct 2008 09:02:27 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=214
In a statement, the European aerospace company said that despite the delay, "the 2008 guidance of the group is not changed at this point."

The A400M, which EADS describes as Europe's most ambitious military procurement program ever, was to have made its first test flight in Seville, Spain, before the end of this year.

The A400M's engines are being made by EPI Europrop International GmbH, a consortium made up of Industria de Turbo Propulsores, or ITP, of Spain, MTU Aeroengines of Germany, Rolls-Royce from Britain and Snecma Moteurs of France. An EPI spokeswoman did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

EADS said the first flight depends on results of testing on the A400M's flying test bed, which it said should start in the coming weeks. The test bed is a C-130 aircraft mounted with the A400M's engine and propeller.

EADS said it would assess "the financial, technical and schedule implications" of the delay after the test bed flights and further discussions with customers.

The new delay "is clearly negative" and increases the likelihood that EADS will have to cut its earnings guidance, Oppenheim Research analyst Winfried Becker said.

EADS is forecasting earnings before interest and taxes of 1.8 billion euros ($2.64 billion) this year, on sales of more than 40 billion euros ($58.8 billion).

Last year the company's earnings before interest and taxes was 52 million euros on sales of 39 billion euros. Earnings were hurt by the weak dollar and charges for the A400M delay, as well as restructuring charges and costs for redesigning its A350 midsize jet.

EADS' largest operating unit, Airbus, sells aircraft in dollars and reports its earnings in euros, so when the dollar declines against the euro, EADS' earnings decrease.

Some analysts were already expecting a new hit to earnings after EADS Chief Executive Louis Gallois warned in July of possible further delays to the A400M project, saying the group had "decided to stay on the conservative side" when making its full-year earnings forecast "because of our past track record."

Launched in 2003 with an order for 180 planes from seven European governments - Belgium, Britain, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Spain and Turkey - the 20 billion euro ($29.4 billion) A400M transporter program was originally scheduled to begin final assembly of the first models in April 2007.

Last November Airbus announced a delay that could cost as much as 1.4 billion euros ($2.1 billion) in penalties and other charges.

Its first flight was once penciled in for January 2008, and the turboprop plane was supposed to enter into service with the French Air Force in the second half of 2009. Later, the first test flight of the plane was scheduled for September or October this year, with the first planes delivered in mid to late 2010.

The hulking, gray aircraft with a black nose and four black propellers with curved blades is designed to replace Lockheed Martin Corp. (nyse: LMT - news - people )'s aging C-130 Hercules cargo aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force as well as the retired C-160 Transall transport aircraft developed by a French and German consortium.]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=214 Sat, 4 Oct 2008 09:00:16 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=213
"We're seeing real progress and execution on this program," said U.S. Navy VH-71 program manager Capt. Donald Gaddis. "With agreement on the way forward and a more realistic schedule, we can build on the momentum we have generated as we deliver the increment one helicopters to the Marine Corps and White House and move into the increment two phase."

A U.S. Air Force crew will transport the helicopter aboard a C-17 cargo aircraft to U.S. Naval Air Station Patuxent River, MD, in early October.

"The maiden flight of PP-1 is a tremendous accomplishment for the VH-71 program -- as expected it performed exceptionally during its 40-minute flight," said Stephen C. Moss, CEO of AgustaWestland North America. "It is a great honor to design and build the next presidential helicopter and I look forward to adding it to the U.S. Department of Defense inventory."

"Every aircraft that flies brings us a step closer to fielding helicopters that will serve the office of the president," said Jeff Bantle, Lockheed Martin vice president and general manager of the VH-71 program. "We've got systems integration laboratories online, helicopters in flight test and more in production for final command and control systems integration. It's crucial now for us to leverage what we've accomplished in the last few years and charge ahead to complete this phase and continue into the next phase."

PP-1 is the first of five VH-71 production aircraft that will complete the initial phase, or increment one, of the presidential helicopter replacement program, designed to meet an urgent need for new helicopters.

Increment two will provide 23 operational helicopters with increased range and upgraded navigation and communications systems that fulfill White House requirements to maintain continuity of government and allow the president to carry out the duties of the office. Some of the current presidential helicopters have been flying since the 1970s, and are scheduled to begin phasing out of operational service at a rate of three per year beginning in 2017.

Lockheed Martin Systems Integration-Owego is the prime contractor and systems integrator for the VH-71 program with overall responsibility for the program and aircraft system. AgustaWestland, the principal subcontractor to Lockheed Martin, has responsibility for the basic air vehicle design, production build, and basic air vehicle support functions. More than 200 suppliers in 41 states support the VH-71 program.]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=213 Sat, 4 Oct 2008 08:59:00 +0000 http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=212
The Air Force's standard air-to-air engagement analysis model, also used by allied air forces to assess air-combat performance, pitted the 5th generation F-35 against all advanced 4th generation fighters in a variety of simulated scenarios. The results were clear: the F-35 outperformed the most highly evolved fighters in aerial combat by significant margins.

"In all F-35 Program Office and U.S. Air Force air-to-air combat effectiveness analysis to date, the F-35 enjoys a significant Combat Loss Exchange Ratio advantage over the current and future air-to-air threats, to include Sukhois," said Maj. Gen. Charles R. Davis, F-35 program executive officer.

Recent claims that Russian fighters defeated F-35s in a Hawaii-based simulated combat exercise are untrue, according to Maj. Gen. Davis.

"The reports are completely false and misleading and have absolutely no basis in fact," Maj. Gen. Davis said. "The August 2008 Pacific Vision Wargame that has been referenced recently in the media did not even address air-to-air combat effectiveness. The F-35 is required to be able to effectively defeat current and projected air-to-air threats. All available information, at the highest classification, indicates that F-35 is effectively meeting these aggressive operational challenges."

The Pacific Vision Wargame was a table-top exercise designed to assess basing and force-structure vulnerabilities, and did not include air-to-air combat exercises or any comparisons of different aircraft platforms.

Other erroneous allegations about the program were recently made in a letter distributed and written by industry-watchers Winston Wheeler and Pierre Sprey.

"It's not clear why they attacked the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program," said Tom Burbage, Lockheed Martin executive vice president of F-35 program integration. "It is clear they don't understand the underlying requirements of the F-35 program, the capabilities needed to meet those requirements or the real programmatic performance of the JSF team."

Here are the facts:

The F-35 is a racehorse, not a "dog," as Wheeler/Sprey suggest. In stealth combat configuration, the F-35 aerodynamically outperforms all other combat-configured 4th generation aircraft in top-end speed, loiter, subsonic acceleration and combat radius. This allows unprecedented "see/shoot first" and combat radius advantages.

The high thrust-to-weight ratios of the lightweight fighter program Wheeler/Sprey recall from 30 years ago did not take into consideration combat-range fuel, sensors or armament, which dramatically alter wing loading, thrust-to-weight ratios and maneuverability. We do consider all of this in today's fighters.

The F-35 has the most powerful engine ever installed in a fighter, with thrust equivalent to both engines today in Eurofighter or F/A-18 aircraft. The conventional version of the F-35 has 9g capability and matches the turn rates of the F-16 and F/A-18. More importantly, in a combat load, with all fuel, targeting sensor pods and weapons carried internally, the F-35's aerodynamic performance far exceeds all legacy aircraft equipped with a similar capability.

When the threat situation diminishes so that it is safe for legacy aircraft to participate in the fight, the F-35 can also carry ordnance on six external wing stations in addition to its four internal stations.

Other important facts:

External weapon clearance is part of the current F-35 test program.

The government has already proven that no other aircraft can survive against the 5th generation stealth that only the F-22 and the F-35 possess; it is impossible to add this stealth to fourth-generation fighters.

The F-35's data collection, integration and information sharing capabilities will transform the battlespace of the future and will redefine the close air support mission. The F-35 is specifically designed to take advantage of lessons learned from the F-117 stealth aircraft. Unlike the F-117, the ability to share tactically important information is built into the F-35, along with stealth.

F-35 is developing, testing, and fielding mature software years ahead of legacy programs, further reducing development risk. The F-35's advanced software, already flying on two test aircraft with remarkable stability, is demonstrating the advantages of developing highly-common, tri-variant aircraft. The software developed span the entire aircraft and support systems including the aircraft itself, logistics systems, flight and maintenance trainers, maintenance information system and flight-test instrumentation.

Rather than relying exclusively on flight testing, the F-35 is retiring development risk through the most comprehensive laboratories, sensor test beds, and integrated full-fusion flying test bed ever created for an aircraft program. Representing only 25% of our verification plans, still the F-35's flight test program is comparable in hours to the combined flight test programs of the three primary U.S. aircraft it will replace.

The F-35 is one aircraft program designed to replace many different types of aircraft around the world - F-16, F/A-18, F-117, A-10, AV-8B, Sea Harrier, GR.7, F-111 and Tornado - flown by 14 air forces.

In addition to 19 developmental test aircraft, the F-35 is producing 20 fully instrumented, production-configured operational test aircraft. No program in history has employed this many test vehicles.

"Simply put, advanced stealth and sensor fusion allow the F-35 pilot to see, target and destroy the adversary and strategic targets in a very high surface-to-air threat scenario, and deal with air threats intent on denying access -- all before the F-35 is ever detected, then return safely to do it again," said Burbage.

The F-35 is a supersonic, multi-role, 5th generation stealth fighter. Three F-35 variants derived from a common design, developed together and using the same sustainment infrastructure worldwide will replace at least 13 types of aircraft for 11 nations initially, making the Lightning II the most cost-effective fighter program in history. Two F-35s have entered flight test, two are in ground test, and 17 are in various stages of assembly, including the first two production-model jets scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Air Force in 2010.]]> General http://milair.info/Nucleus/index.php?itemid=212 Sat, 4 Oct 2008 08:57:33 +0000