News Digest
has a distinction of being part of the crew
of the first ever helicopter landing in the
Siachen Glacier in a Chetak helicopter on
September 20, 1978. 114 HU has been
engaged in “Operation Meghdoot” for
over three decades now. It routinely involves landing at the highest helipads in
the world located in the Siachen Glacier.
For its courageous deeds, the Unit has
earned 62 Gallantry/Presidential awards
that include four Vir Chakras, seven
Shaurya Chakras, 27 Vayu Sena Medals
(Gallantry), 12 Vayu Sena Medals, five
Yudh Seva Medals, three Vishisht Seva
Medals and four Mention-in-Despatches.
During the flights, the Smart Node Pod
demonstrated the ability to transmit fullmotion video, imagery, voice and digital
messages between war-fighters both in
the air and on the ground via various
waveforms and data links and its interoperability with the proprietary and open
source forward tactical handheld devices.
All F-22s to have backup Oxygen Systems
BAE Systems
BAE Systems Electronic Solutions, Nashua, has been
awarded a $4,73,52,248 indefinite-delivery/indefinitequantity delivery order contract for the manufacture of
the transmitter countermeasures T-1687A/ALE-70 (V) in
support of the joint strike fighter programme. Work will be
completed by April 2017.
Additional F-35 Joint Strike Fighters
for Australia
The Australian Government has approved
the acquisition of an additional 58 F-35
Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter aircraft.
The fifth-generation F-35 is the most
advanced fighter in production anywhere
in the world and will make a vital contribution to national security. Together with
the Super Hornet and Growler electronic
warfare aircraft, the F-35 aircraft will
ensure Australia maintains a regional air
combat edge. The F-35 will also provide
a major boost to Australia’s intelligence,
surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities. The first F-35 aircraft will arrive in
Australia in 2018 and enter service with
the Royal Australian Air Force in 2020.
Australia has been working with the US
as a partner in the Joint Strike Fighter
programme since 2002. Acquiring F-35
aircraft will reinforce the Australia’s defence forces ability to operate seamlessly
with US forces and Australia’s capacity to
continue supporting their shared strategic interests under the US alliance. The
total capital cost of $12.4 billion for this
acquisition includes the cost of associated
facilities, weapons and training. The F-35
will replace the F/A-18A/B Classic Hornet
aircraft. With this order Australia will
acquire 72 F-35s.
Americas
Northrop Grumman flies first
production Smart Node Pod
Northrop Grumman Corporation has
completed a series of flight tests demonstrating the first production Smart Node
Pod for the US Air Force. Smart Node Pod
is an aircraft-mounted airborne communications system that allows real-time
information to be exchanged among
many disparate military and commercial
radios and different data links, extends
the network to the forward edge of the
battlefield and relays full-motion video.
www.sps-aviation.com
QuickRoundUp
A senior US Air Force acquisition officer has said that a full installation of
automatic backup oxygen systems on the
F-22 fleet is expected to be completed
by this time next year. Raptors in Alaska
have already begun using the system. The
US Air Force has already awarded more
than $30 million in multiple contracts
to Lockheed Martin to install the systems following a grounding and multiple
high-profile reports of pilots experiencing hypoxia-like symptoms while flying
the F-22, including a fatal November
2010 crash of a jet based at Joint Base
Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. Most of
the current backup oxygen systems in the
F-22 fleet require activation by the pilot,
which might not be possible in the case
of extreme hypoxia-like symptoms, such
as a pilot blacking out.
Europe
Airbus Zephyr reaches next level
Airbus Defence and Space has announced that it has launched the Zephyr
8 programme to develop the next generation of the world-record setting Zephyr
7 system and invites potential customers
and partners to undertake joint in-flight
demonstrations of their payloads and applications. Zephyr is a High Altitude Pseudo-Satellite. Running exclusively on solar
power and flying at high altitudes above
the weather and above conventional air
traffic, it fills a capability gap between
satellites and UAVs. It allows focus on a
specific area of interest (which can be
hundreds of km wide) while providing it
with satellite-like communications and
Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance services over long periods of time
without interruption.
Boeing
Boeing has delivered on April 16, the 8,000th 737 to
United Airlines, marking another important milestone for
the world’s best-selling airplane. The airplane, a nextgeneration 737-900ER features a special logo.
Boeing has adjusted slightly the timing for ending
C-17 Globemaster III production and closing its Long
Beach, California, C-17 final assembly facility after a successful two-decade production run of the world’s premier
airlifter. Boeing anticipates completing C-17 production in
mid-2015, an adjustment of approximately three months
from an initial estimate of late 2015.
US Navy procurement of the E/A-18 Growler electronic warfare aircraft ends in fiscal year 2014, and Boeing
expects to deliver existing orders of Super Hornets and
Growlers as early as 2016. A company executive has said
that unless more orders are placed, Boeing Co., will have to
shutter the F/A-18 production line within two years.
China’s Shandong Airlines has said that it has placed
an order for 50 Boeing 737 aircraft, worth $4.6 billion at
list prices. When contacted , Boeing said it had received an
order from the airline, but refused to confirm the number
of planes. The order still needs to be approved by the
Chinese Government.
Bombardier
Bombardier Aerospace has announced that a customer
in the Middle East and Africa region, who has requested
to remain unidentified at this time, has placed a firm
order for two Q400 NextGen turboprop airliners valued at
approximately $62 million.
Elbit Systems
Elbit Systems Ltd has announced that it has been awarded
an approximately $123 million contract from a European
c