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]
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]
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]
KC-30A sets new passenger record
An RAAF KC-30A has set a new ADF record by carrying 220 passengers and 14 crew, the largest number of people ever to take off on a single RAAF flight. The aircraft, belonging to 33SSQN, carried passengers from the Australian Defence Force Academy on a... [Continue reading]
ADF airshow coming to Perth
The ADF will hold a Defence Air Show at RAAF Base Pearce near Perth on the weekend of May 19-20. The show will feature the PC-9/A and Hawk 127 training aircraft based at Pearce as well as F/A-18 Super and ‘classic’ Hornets, C-130 and C-17A airlifters,... [Continue reading]
RAAF eyeing US F/A-18 crash inquiry
The Australian Defence Force is closely watching a US investigation into the fiery Easter Sunday crash of an F/A-18D ‘classic’ Hornet into a Virginia Beach apartment building. The US Navy has blamed the crash on a “catastrophic” system... [Continue reading]
BAE phases in ADF pilot training
BAE Systems says it has successfully phased in a new Interim Basic Flying Training course under an $86.6 million contract with the Australian Defence Force. The first pilot training course under the new contract began in Tamworth in January with students... [Continue reading]
