Army grounds Tigers over cockpit fumes
The Army has grounded its fleet of Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopters after a pilot detected fumes in the cockpit of one of the machines. Defence gave few details of the issue in a brief statement, saying only that all training flights had been suspended.... [Continue reading]
Lockheed Martin ready for RAAF F-35 training
Lockheed Martin stands ready to stand up the Australian training contingent for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter despite delays to the project in last week’s budget, the company has said. Speaking to a media tour of the company’s Global Training and... [Continue reading]
First flight for ADF Abrams
The RAAF has flown an M1A1 Abrams tank inside a C-17 airlifter for the first time. The tank was flown from RAAF Base Darwin to the Capricornia region on May 11 to take part in exercise Hamel in the Shoalwater Bay Field Training Area. The ADF said the... [Continue reading]
RAAF C-27J buy confirmed
The RAAF will buy 10 Alenia C-27J transports to fulfil the AIR 8000 Phase 2 Battlefield Airlifter (BFA) requirement, Defence Minister Stephen Smith and Minister for Defence Materiel Jason Clare have confirmed today. The announcement – which comes just... [Continue reading]
F-35 headlines defence aerospace project delays in federal budget
The two-year delay to Australia’s F-35 acquisition program announced last week was confirmed by Tuesday’s federal budget, but budget documents also reveals that the last phase of the AIR 6000 program to procure the JSF has also been delayed,... [Continue reading]
Early retirement for RAAF C-130Hs, but Battlefield Airlifter battles on
The RAAF’s C-130H Hercules will be retired early to save $250 million in operational and maintenance costs, the federal government’s budget for 2012-13 released Tuesday evening reveals. The eight flyable C-130Hs, operated by 37SQN from RAAF Richmond,... [Continue reading]
EASA gives nod to A400M
Airbus Military’s A400M airlifter has received initial type certification from the European Aviation Safety Agency as it moves toward first delivery expected by the turn of the year. The receipt of the Restricted Type Certificate is a step toward full... [Continue reading]
RAAF Hornet deep maintenance out to tender
Defence has released a tender for deeper maintenance of the RAAF classic F/A-18 Hornet fleet, with the new contract expected to take effect from April 2013. “This contract will provide all deeper maintenance requirements for the 55 single-seat and 16... [Continue reading]
Shadow 200 operational in Afghanistan
The Australian Army’s new Shadow 200 Tactical Unamnned Aerial System (TUAS) has officially commenced operations in Afghanistan, providing an enhanced Intelligence, Surveillance, Target Acquisition and Reconnaissance (ITSAR) capability to the International... [Continue reading]
Australia pushes back F-35 buy, citing costs and US delay
Australia will push back by two years its decision on whether to buy as many as 70 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters, Defence Minister Stephen Smith announced this morning. Smith said the decision, which follows a similar move by the US, would save Australia... [Continue reading]
Black Hawks cleared for full service
The Army’s Black Hawk helicopters have been cleared for full operations six days after being restricted to essential flights. The partial suspension followed the emergency landing of a Black Hawk on April 24 during preparations for Anzac Day commemorations... [Continue reading]
