Boeing delivers 4th C-17 aircraft to Indian Air Force

Posted by Unknown Sunday, 27 October 2013 0 comments

Boeing delivers 4th C-17 aircraft to Indian Air Force

Press Trust of India | Updated Oct 26, 2013 at 12:47pm IST 

Boeing has delivered its fourth C-17 Globemaster III aircraft to the Indian Air Force (IAF), with one more to be supplied by the year end. This keeps the American aircraft giant on track to deliver five of the large, versatile military transport aircraft to the IAF this year, and five more in 2014. Once India receives all the of the ten aircraft, it will be the largest C-17 operator outside the United States.

Since its first flight in 1991, the C-17 has amassed more than 2.6 million flying hours, airlifting troops, large cargo, delivering humanitarian supplies by precision airdrop and
performing lifesaving aeromedical missions. Most recently, the IAF used its C-17s to support Cyclone Phailin relief efforts. Boeing will complete production of C-17s in the fourth quarter of 2015, an official release said. In addition to the remaining C-17s for India, the company will build 15 more for other customers outside the United States an official release said. So far
Boeing has delivered 258 C-17s, including 223 to the US Air Force and a total of 35 to Australia, Canada, India, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the 12-member Strategic Airlift Capability initiative of NATO and Partnership for Peace nations.














Pakistan's naval ship makes first ever call at Russian port

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Pakistan's naval ship makes first ever call at Russian port


Pakistan's naval ship makes first ever call at Novorossiysk Black Sea port


KRASNODAR, October 17 (Itar-Tass) - PNS Aslat Frigate of the Pakistani Navy called on Thursday at the Russian Black Sea port of Novorossiysk for a friendly business visit, the head of the information activities office of the Russian Black Sea Fleet told Tass.

"This is the first time that Pakistani navy sailors visit a Russian port," Captain First Rank Vyacheslav Trukhachyov said. The aim of the visit is to develop naval cooperation between Russia and Pakistan.

This friendly visit by PNS Aslat is a new stage in cooperation between Russia and Pakistan,
Pakistan Fleet Commander Admiral Khan Hasharm Bin Saddique told Tass. He said Russian naval ships would also get a possibility to call at Pakistani ports.

Frigate's commander Ahmed Farooq said he was proud that PNS Aslat was the first Pakistani naval ship to make a business call at the Russian port of Novorossiysk.

The program of the visit includes a visit to the city mayor and the commander of the Novorossiysk naval base, meetings of Pakistani and Russian seamen on board the ship and at sports grounds of the city where they will hold a mini football match and will try their strength in a tug of war competition.

Besides, Pakistani navy sailors will take part in a ceremony to put flowers to a war memorial, will visit the cruiser-museum Mikhail Kutuzov and the memorial complex Malaya Zemlya. Malaya Zemlya (Minor Land) was a Soviet uphill outpost recaptured after fierce battles with the Germans on the night of February 4, 1943. The episode paved the way for a Soviet attack on German forces in Novorossiisk.

They will make a sightseeing tour of the city and its resorts. The Pakistani frigate will be open for local residents.

The visit will continue till October 20. The Aslat is F-22P Zulfiquar Class frigate, built fully at a Pakistani shipyard and commissioned on September 3, 2013.









article source:  


Afghan Air Force Flies Its First C-130 Mission

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Afghan Air Force Flies Its First C-130 Mission

This article by Capt. Anastasia Wasem, NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan, comes via the USAF:

Just one day after receiving two C-130H aircraft, the Afghan Air Force, alongside NATO Air Training Command-Afghanistan advisors, conducted the first mission in the new planes Oct. 10.
The first operational mission was flown by both AAF and coalition pilots between Kabul International Airport, Afghanistan and Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan.

“The fact that we already have the C-130s flying and we already have it airborne is a big step,” said Maj. Chris Garcia, 538th Air Expeditionary Advisory Squadron and C-130 advisor from Little Rock Air Force Base, Ark. “It’s going to take the weight off both the Cessna 208 and Mi-17 and really open up their mission.”
The first mission consisted of several pallets of Mi-17 main landing gear parts, maintenance parts as well as office supplies for the Kandahar Air Wing. The load weighed more than 10,500 pounds according to Staff Sgt. Daniel Garber, 538 AEAS C-130 loadmaster and advisor from Pope Field, N.C.
“Everything has gone super smooth,” said Garber upon arrival at KAF during the mission. “A little slower than normal but obviously right now we don’t want to rush, we want to train. The slower the better as safety is key right now.”

The C-130 will be a vital part of the AAF and its mission, according to Garcia. Prior to the arrival of the C-130 the main transportation aircraft were the fixed-wing C-208 and the Mi-17 helicopter. The C-130 can carry 10 times the amount of weight as the C-208 and 70 passengers versus eight in half the time.
“Our main goal is to support the other forces in Afghanistan,” said AAF Col. Almal Pacha, one of two AAF C-130 pilots. “Today’s mission went very well. That’s a very good sign for Afghanistan and building the Afghan Air Force.”
Pacha stated the C-130 will be the main airlift platform for the AAF and that the primary missions will include cargo and passenger movement, especially for the Afghan National Army, as well as emergency support.
The flight was not only the first operational mission for the new C-130s, but also the first upgrade training for Pacha and 1st Lt. Khial Shinwari, the first two AAF C-130 pilots. The training focused on the basics of transporting passengers and cargo from one point to another as well as instrument flying, stated Garcia.
“Both Pacha and Shinwari flew really well today,” said Garcia about the flight. “I think they’ll upgrade pretty quickly and progress really well. This flight was a great lead-in to their program.”







article source  http://blogs.ottawacitizen.com/2013/10/27/afghan-air-force-flies-its-first-c-130-mission/


Empty F-16 jet tested by Boeing and US Air Force

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Empty F-16 jet tested by Boeing and US Air Force


By Leo Kelion

Boeing has revealed that it has retrofitted retired fighter jets to turn them into drones.
It said that one of the Lockheed Martin F-16 made a first flight with an empty cockpit last week.
Two US Air Force pilots controlled the plane from the ground as it flew from a Florida base to the Gulf of Mexico.
Boeing suggested that the innovation could ultimately be used to help train pilots, providing an adversary they could practise firing on.
The jet - which had previously sat mothballed at an Arizona site for 15 years - flew at an altitude of 40,000ft (12.2km) and a speed of Mach 1.47 (1,119mph/1,800km/h)
.
It carried out a series of manoeuvres including a barrel roll and a "split S" - a move in which the aircraft turns upside down before making a half loop so that it flies the right-way-up in the opposite direction. This can be used in combat to evade attack.
Boeing said the unmanned F16 was followed by two chase planes to ensure it stayed in sight, and also contained equipment that would have allowed it to self-destruct if necessary.
The firm added that the flight attained 7Gs of acceleration but was capable of carrying out manoeuvres at 9Gs - something that might cause physical problems for a pilot.
"It flew great, everything worked great, [it] made a beautiful landing - probably one of the best landings I've ever seen," said Paul Cejas, the project's chief engineer.
Lt Col Ryan Inman, Commander of the US Air Force's 82nd Aerial Targets Squadron, also had praise for how the test had gone.
"It was a little different to see it without anyone in it, but it was a great flight all the way around," he said.
Boeing said that it had a total of six modified F-16s, which have been renamed QF-16s, and that the US military now planned to use some of them in live fire tests.
However, a spokesman for the Campaign to Stop Killer Robots warned of the temptation to use them in warfare.
"I'm very concerned these could be used to target people on the ground," said Prof
Noel Sharkey.
"I'm particularly worried about the high speed at which they can travel because they might not be able to distinguish their targets very clearly.
"There is every reason to believe that these so-called 'targets' could become a test bed for drone warfare, moving us closer and closer to automated killing."
This is not the first time a jet has been retrofitted to fly without a pilot inside. The US Air Force has previously used adapted F4- Phantoms for target practice.







article source http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-24231077

Pakistan ready to start sale of JF-17 Thunder planes from next year

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Pakistan ready to start sale of JF-17 Thunder planes from next year

Thursday, 24 Oct 2013 5:16 pm

Pakistan has decided to start sale of state of the art JF-17, Thunder combat planes developed by the collaboration of China to other countries from next year. According to sources, a sum of 100 million dollars has also been released to the Pakistan Ordinance Factories Wah in connection with the up-gradation of its machinery. Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra has accomplished the up-gradation of Cobra Helicopters presently under use of the army besides installing high tech system therein. Pakistan will also import the modern helicopters from Turkey. Ministry of Defence Production sources said as many as 42 JF-17 Thunder planes have been developed so far under joint venture with China. Pakistan Air Force (PAF) has been assigned a target of exporting 5 to 7 JF-17 Thunder planes next year, and the discussions in this regard are under the way to Sri Lanka, Kuwait, Qatar and other friendly countries. Ministry of Defense Production officials have expressed optimism that Pakistan would succeed in exporting these modern planes in the next year. Sources said Heavy Industries Taxila has manufactured prototype of Buraq vehicle to defuse the land mines and remote control explosive material. It has also been learnt that
Pakistan is continuing the talk’s process with Turkey to acquire T 120 high techs helicopters from the latter. Pakistan is also endeavouring to launch a joint venture with Turkey with reference to the manufacturing of these helicopters. If both the countries don’t agree over it then Pakistan will execute an agreement with Turkey to purchase these helicopters. Sources said that PAC Kamra has refurbished several helicopters being used by Army Aviation. Pakistan has acquired these helicopters from US and they have now been upgraded. Modern technology has been installed therein while US voiced its concern over it. On the other hand finance ministry has released 100 million dollars out of 200 million dollars to POF Wah for replacement and up-gradation of machinery. -








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