First A400M arrives in Toulouse
The first A400M prototype, MSN1, has arrived in Toulouse for further flight testing after being ferried from Seville in Spain. The ferry flight was the 10th for the aircraft since its first flight on December 11, and it has completed 39 flight test hours... [Continue reading]
500th T-6 delivered to US military
Hawker Beechcraft has delivered the 500th Beechcraft T-6 military trainer to the US military, a T-6B for the US Navy which will be based at NAS Whiting Field in Florida. The T-6 is based on the Pilatus PC-9 and was selected for the US Joint Primary Aircraft... [Continue reading]
New F-22s to cost US$227 million each if line restarted
A report by the Rand Corporation says if an order for 75 new build F-22s were placed by the USAF after the current production run winds down, the aircraft would cost US$227m (A248$m) each after taking into account production re-start costs. The report,... [Continue reading]
Boeing to convert QF-16 drones
The USAF has awarded Boeing a US$69.7m (A$76m) contract for the initial engineering, manufacturing and development of QF-16 full scale aerial targets. The USAF requirement calls for up to 126 F-16s to be converted to QF-16 drones, with the aircraft being... [Continue reading]
Boeing bids for Australian Chinook maintenance
Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) says it has responded to the Australian Army’s tender for deeper maintenance of its six CH-47D Chinook helicopters. The six year contract will commence in September at Townsville, and requires the delivery of deeper... [Continue reading]
Northrop Grumman won’t bid on KC-X
The USAF KC-X tanker contest appears to now be a one horse race with the March 8 decision by Northrop Grumman to not bid its Airbus A330 based solution it was partnering with EADS North America for the program. Northrop Grumman CEO Wes Bush said the company... [Continue reading]
EADS confirms deal reached on A400M
EADS has confirmed that it has reached an ‘in principle’ deal with development partner nations on future funding for the troubled A400M airlifter program, although it has stressed that some details still need to be worked out. The announcement will... [Continue reading]
Enstrom wins Asian military training orders
Enstrom has received in quick succession orders from the Japanese Ground Self Defense Force and the Royal Thai Army for a total of 46 Enstrom 480Bs for use as pilot trainers. Thailand announced an order for 16 of the five-seat turbine 480Bs on March... [Continue reading]
Boeing reveals NewGen Tanker
Boeing has confirmed it will offer a development of its 767, dubbed ‘NewGen Tanker’, to meet the the US Air Force’s recently released KC-X requirement. The NewGen Tanker is based on the 767-200 airframe but would feature a fly-by-wire controlled... [Continue reading]
Tunisia orders two C-130Js
The North African country of Tunisia has ordered two Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules for delivery from 2013. Tunisia already operates a small fleet of C-130B and C-130H Hercules it acquired in the 1980s, and will become the 12th customer for the C-130J. Read More →
USAF J-STARS to be re-engined
The USAF has contracted Northrop Grumman to re-engine two of its fleet of Boeing 707 based E-8C Joint-STARS battlefield surveillance aircraft at a cost of US$223m (A$246m). The contact covers the cost of eight P&W JT8D-219 engines, engine pylon assemblies... [Continue reading]
