Category: Defence

The US Navy has grounded 104 F/A-18A-D ‘classic’ Hornets after airframe cracks were discovered during an inspection. The grounding affects 77 Hornets currently in flight status, while the remainder are currently undergoing maintenance periods. Of the 77 aircraft, 28 are currently forward deployed aboard aircraft carriers or in Japan, five belong to the Blue Angels

The C-5M Super Galaxy has been rated as “effective, suitable, and mission capable” by the USAF Operational Test and Evaluation Center. The C-5M upgrade has seen the TF39 engines of the C-5B replaced with substantially more powerful, efficient and reliable GE CF6 engines, and a comprehensive avionics upgrade performed. This content is available exclusively to Australian

The USAF has awarded a contract modification to Boeing for 6000 JDAM (Joint Direct Attack Munition) kits valued at US$229m (A$250m). The kits, comprising GPS guidance units, aircraft interfaces, body strakes and moving tail fins, will be delivered from 2011 for installation on 500, 1000 and 2000lb unguided freefall bombs. This content is available exclusively

The South Korean Navy has taken delivery of its first three of eight Lockheed P-3CK Orions from Korea Aerospace Industries to add to the eight P-3Cs it already has in service. The aircraft are remanufactured ex-US Navy P-3Bs and have been upgraded by KAI and L-3. The delivery was delayed by nearly four years due