International Aerospace Discussion

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 18 Apr 2011 16:39

Thanks andy , perhaps on the day the server was down but i could download it the next day.

Do you have access to the write up DEVIL’S CHARIOTS by Allan Warnes in April 2011 issue ?

andy B · Post by **andy B** » 18 Apr 2011 16:49

Austin wrote:Thanks andy , perhaps on the day the server was down but i could download it the next day.

Do you have access to the write up DEVIL’S CHARIOTS by Allan Warnes in April 2011 issue ?

Not yet saar....need to pick that issue up in the next few weeks...in the mean time there are some juicy ones that i will post on the Bandits of Baghdad...the infamous Stealth Cockroaches the Nighthawks going it alone in GW1.

There is also a huge article on the Nellis AFB home of Red Flag, Eagles during GW1 and a very nice piece on the Chinese Z10 will try to get em over the next few days.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 18 Apr 2011 17:48

one detail from the typhoon article download above
- E3 has 10-11 consoles, Phalcon has 15 , with one technician and 14 as interchangeable. the article notes the phalcon's consoles are more use friendly and automated than the somewhat oldish E3 consoles.

but we still do not have the fleet wide FDL in place yet - though it must be ongoing quietly *whine whine*

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 18 Apr 2011 20:32

Bell flies OH-58 Block II

Bell Helicopter is developing this OH-58 Block II fleet representative demonstrator to facilitate prototyping activities in anticipation of a U.S. Army future requirement of 6K/95 performance.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 19 Apr 2011 10:21

http://www.popularmechanics.com/technol ... 02?src=rss

How Air France 447's Missing Wreckage Was Found—and Why It Took So Long
Nearly two years after Air France flight 447 disappeared into the Atlantic Ocean, searchers finally found its wreckage this month. Here's why the search dragged on for so long.

Read more: Air France Flight 447 - Remus 6000 Autonomous Underwater Vehicles - Popular Mechanics

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 19 Apr 2011 13:30

Flight Testing of Mi-26T2 Continues

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 20 Apr 2011 12:14

Botswana Defence selects PC-7 MkII turboprop trainer aircraft worth SF 40 Mil

andy B · Post by **andy B** » 20 Apr 2011 17:22

Austin ji, as promised:

Nellis Red Flag - Just gives you an idea of what kind of training infrastructure Khan has...one word...Immense
http://ifile.it/9p7hkg5/Nellis%20Red%20Flag.rar

Rafale strikes from the sea
http://ifile.it/r0wo4vs/Rafale%20Strike ... %20Sea.zip

China's Z10 Attack Chopper
http://ifile.it/om4usdl/Z10.zip

Zhuhai 2010
http://ifile.it/7ev1mch/ZHUHAI%202010.zip

Bandits over Baghdad the infamous Nighthawk in action
http://ifile.it/ieguwkn/Bandits%20over%20Baghdad.zip

Eagles in GW1
http://ifile.it/7rybtfq/Eagles%20in%20GW1.zip

Hellenic AF F16 Blk52s in action - I am posting this because it gives a good idea of what the 52+ can do given that our TFTA friends in the west are getting some
http://ifile.it/a8xvms7/Hellenic%20Bloc ... Vipers.zip

shiv · Post by **shiv** » 20 Apr 2011 20:52

Video: US AT-6 trainer for CAS role
http://www.aviationweek.com/aw/video/?f ... 7645&rf=bm

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Apr 2011 09:07

andy B wrote:Austin ji, as promised

Thanks Andy , much appreciate your effort to scan and put it up for aam junta.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Apr 2011 10:19

Lockheed’s F-35 Operating Costs May Reach $1 Trillion, U.S. Congress Told

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 22 Apr 2011 22:58

Indonesia and South Korea Sign Definitive KFX Agreement

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 27 Apr 2011 14:54

Russian Helicopters buys Ardiden engines for Ka-62

Russian Helicopters has signed a deal with France's Turbomeca for the delivery of some 308 Ardiden 3G turboshaft engines for installation in a modified version of its Kamov Ka-62 twin-engine light utility helicopter.

The value of the deal has not been disclosed.

The Ardiden, selected by the Russian holding in February, is optimized for 5-8 ton class helicopters.

The Ka-62 is the civilian variant of the Ka-60, the only Kamov helicopter to have a conventional main and tail rotor layout instead of co-axial rotors.

The engine replaces the Saturn RD-600 turboshaft engine, originally installed in the Ka-60, which failed to meet fuel consumption requirements and had gearbox problems.

Russia's state aerospace holding company, Oboronprom, which owns Russian Helicopters, received a loan of around $106 million from state lender VEB last week for the final development of the helicopter.

The Ka-62 is designed to fulfill a wide range of roles including carrying 15-16 passengers or around 2500 kg external loads. The machine has a rotor system partly made of composite materials.

Certification for the helicopter is planned for 2014. The main market for the machine is likely to be in Russia's oil and gas sector, and also in search and rescue operations.

Turbomeca says it is in talks with Russian Helicopters over after-sales service for its engines.

sevoke · Post by **sevoke** » 29 Apr 2011 18:47

Something the Rakshaks might be interested in:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/215052/the-av ... s-p3-so-i0

manum · Post by **manum** » 29 Apr 2011 18:49

sevoke wrote:Something the Rakshaks might be interested in:

http://www.hulu.com/watch/215052/the-av ... s-p3-so-i0

hi

cant watch it...only can be seen in USA...

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 01 May 2011 19:41

A RuAF military transport aircraft Tu-154 malfunctions at base Chkalovskay Moscow Region ,Pilots manage to land this bird . Loss of loss of pitch/roll control reported.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sJ1CIByTz24

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 01 May 2011 23:38

Air France flight data recorder recovered

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 02 May 2011 04:45

Future techs?

[youtube]xN9f9ycWkOY&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

[youtube]dGiPNV1TR5k&feature=related[/youtube]

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 02 May 2011 05:01

Fly-by-feel F-18

ParGha · Post by **ParGha** » 02 May 2011 21:02

Too much geostrategery on the MMRCA thread... an interesting tid-bit, Rafale's first carrier-ops were during the June of 2002, when it flew interposition patrols between India and Pak.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 02 May 2011 22:11

ParGha wrote:Too much geostrategery on the MMRCA thread... an interesting tid-bit, Rafale's first carrier-ops were during the June of 2002, when it flew interposition patrols between India and Pak.

When next time it flies India has to detect it.

JTull · Post by **JTull** » 05 May 2011 18:14

http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110505.htm
Stealth choppers used exclusively for Osama hunt!

ManishH · Post by **ManishH** » 06 May 2011 10:41

F-22s grounded - OBOGS trouble

negi · Post by **negi** » 06 May 2011 23:11

Acharya wrote:
ParGha wrote:Too much geostrategery on the MMRCA thread... an interesting tid-bit, Rafale's first carrier-ops were during the June of 2002, when it flew interposition patrols between India and Pak.
When next time it flies India has to detect it.

Next time it will sport IAF roundels.

svinayak · Post by **svinayak** » 07 May 2011 02:46

negi wrote:
Acharya wrote:
When next time it flies India has to detect it.
Next time it will sport IAF roundels.

Good. You got the picture.

India will do the no fly zone sorties over that area.

srai · Post by **srai** » 08 May 2011 02:01

JTull wrote:http://www.rediff.com/news/slide-show/s ... 110505.htm
Stealth choppers used exclusively for Osama hunt!

Here are different artistic renderings of the "stealthy" Black Hawk:

The race is on now between the Chinese and the Americans to retrieve the wreckage ...

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 08 May 2011 03:42

Bill Sweetman's comments on the unique modified version of an H-60 Blackhawk

NRao · Post by **NRao** » 10 May 2011 05:29

Onboard pilot optional with Northrop's Firebird spy plane

Gaur · Post by **Gaur** » 10 May 2011 14:09

Some amazing shots of French AF's Mirage-2000s.
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2011/ ... 3fyt8l.jpg
http://fc06.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 31qdiv.jpg
http://fc05.deviantart.net/fs71/f/2010/ ... 2zfdfb.jpg
http://fc01.deviantart.net/fs70/f/2010/ ... 31h7n6.jpg

Link to the Photographer's gallery:
http://eldoctor.deviantart.com/gallery/290244

chiragAS · Post by **chiragAS** » 10 May 2011 20:24

noob question?
1.) is there any even limited production of MiG-27 in Russia or anywhere
2.) does india has license production rights for more of these.

Thanks in advance

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 10 May 2011 22:40

1) not that one knows of
2) no. but there was talk of re-engining the 40 we chose to upg with AL31 - might not make sense if all the rest will be retired in batches over next 10 yrs.

Tejas mk1 is a more versatile and survivable plane. only advantage of Mig27 is the big 30mm cannon useful for strafing.

Craig Alpert · Post by **Craig Alpert** » 11 May 2011 04:02

Bin Laden Caught: But Another Black Hawk Down On Critical Mission

The biggest American casualty from the raid on Osama bin Laden's compound last week was a multi-million dollar secret helicopter that dropped 30 to 40 feet in the air onto the hard ground.

It took a while for all the details to emerge, but it appears the crash happened for one really surprising reason: The air on ground was much hotter than anticipated. That, combined with the high walls of the compound, created an air vortex that sucked the air right out from under the chopper. A mission that should have started with the U.S. Navy Seals rappelling into the yard instead began with a hard thud.

......

chiragAS · Post by **chiragAS** » 11 May 2011 12:29

Singha wrote:1) not that one knows of
2) no. but there was talk of re-engining the 40 we chose to upg with AL31 - might not make sense if all the rest will be retired in batches over next 10 yrs.

Tejas mk1 is a more versatile and survivable plane. only advantage of Mig27 is the big 30mm cannon useful for strafing.

Thanks

one more question. When you say survivability, can tejas afford to do such low level flying considering ground fire. i mean armour.
i do realise with current level of smart weapons one need not fly that low as MiG 27s or 23s used to do. but in terms
of capability?

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 11 May 2011 15:39

Kyiv Plant Aviant enter into cooperation for the production of modernized "Ruslan"
Interfax-AVN

Kiev Aviation Plant Aviant will deliver to Ulyanovsk components for retrofit heavy transport aircraft An-124-300, told Interfax-AVN source in the Russian aviation industry.

"In the production of AN-124" Ruslan "the first series of plant Aviant produced empennage. It is expected that the plumage of the An-124-300 will undergo minor changes a spokesman said.

He recalled that the AN-124-300 is designed to carry cargo weighing up to 150 m while maintaining the dimensions of the cargo compartment, like the AN-124.

"The increase in size of cargo space was considered unwise, too radical, leading to an increase in the cost of research and development activities and, consequently, prices aircraft," - noted the official.

He reported that the AN-124-300 compared with the AN-124-100 will have a reinforced fuselage floor and cargo compartment.

"AN-124-300 should get new engines thrust of the order 27-28 T," - added the official.

Antonov An-124-300 capacity to 150 tons is a deep modernization of the An-124 Ruslan of Russian Air Force and their transport modification AN-124-100. The new machine should have a higher flight performance, reduced crew, the most modern avionics. AN-124-300 would meet the stringent requirements of the ICAO manual.

According to the technical requirements, range aircraft with a full load will increase to 4 thousand kilometers with a maximum load and 15 thousand km without payload. The crew will be reduced by almost half - to 3-4 people.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 11 May 2011 19:52

AoA. we could use say a fleet of 15. should be cheaper than 5 C17.

andy B · Post by **andy B** » 14 May 2011 05:42

Austin Ji phor you:

SLAAF HINDS
http://ifile.it/38mgi9d

Shiv saar, you may find this one interesting for the anticipating future war scenario lessons from the past:
the GW I as it happenend: http://ifile.it/kn96eq0

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 14 May 2011 09:58

andy B wrote:Austin Ji phor you:

SLAAF HINDS
http://ifile.it/38mgi9d

WoW Thanks

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 18 May 2011 16:25

PICTURES: UK Apaches score 100% in maritime Hellfire tests

"In total, 550 rounds of 30mm and nine radar-guided Hellfire missiles were fired, achieving a 100% strike rate," the Ministry of Defence said in a 13 May statement.

British Army Apaches have previously conducted so-called ship helicopter operating limit trials with an eye to possible future deployment aboard RN vessels, but the recent exercise was intended to increase this, by "conducting intensive training that will allow them to operate by day and by night", the MoD said.

"We proved that Apache can operate effectively from a Royal Navy ship, transporting munitions from the ship's magazine, aircraft upload, launch, firing and then recovering to HMS Ocean," 656 Sqn commander Maj Mike Neville said. "We are now well on the way to proving the maritime strike capability in highly complex scenarios."

Sumeet · Post by **Sumeet** » 21 May 2011 00:18

F-35 now 'unaffordable': Defense official

WASHINGTON (AFP) – The cost of building the F-35 fighter jet, set to replace a large part of the US warplane fleet, is "unaffordable" in its current version and must be reviewed, the Pentagon's top acquisition official said Thursday.

"Over the lifetime of this program, the decade or so, the per-aircraft cost of the 2,443 aircraft we want has doubled in real terms," said Ashton Carter, the under secretary of defense for acquisition, technology and logistics.

"That's our forecast for how much the aircraft's going to cost.

"Said differently, that's what it's going to cost if we keep doing what we're doing. And that's unacceptable. It's unaffordable at that rate."

The cost of the plane has jumped to $385 billion, about $103 million per plane in constant dollars or $113 million in fiscal year 2011 dollars, said Christine Fox, the Defense Department's director of cost assessment and program evaluation.
[ For complete coverage of politics and policy, go to Yahoo! Politics ]

Republican Senator John McCain called the figure "truly troubling," considering the original price was $69 million per airplane.

"The facts regarding this program are truly troubling," said McCain. "No program should expect to be continued with that kind of track record, especially in our current fiscal climate," said McCain.

"It seems to me we have to start at least considering alternatives"

The F-35 or Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), made by Lockheed Martin, is the Pentagon's most costly weapons program.

An additional appropriation of $4 billion brings the cost of development of the plane to $51 billion, "dismaying" figures," said Michigan Senator Carl Levin, who chairs the Senate Armed Services Committee.

"These are dismaying; indeed, they are disturbing numbers in costs to us and to the taxpayers of the United States," Levin said.

Carter attributed the cost overruns and delays to the plane's complexities and its radar-evading equipment, as well as the short-takeoff and vertical takeoff versions. And he said the culture of easy money at the Pentagon since 9/11 was also to blame.

"In the decade of ever-increasing defense budgets, which we just enjoyed, it was always possible for our managers, when they ran into a technical problem or a difficult choice, to reach for more money," said Carter. "And the money was available in the decade after 9/11."

Shiv you rightly say that Indians are overly self critical.

Just look at this comment from a USAF veteran, had it been from a desi journalist/5th columnist etc it would be more like all this + we are only like this with no hope in future.

Whistle Pig Warrior Fri Jan 14, 2011 09:39 am PST Report Abuse

After working for the USAF for the past 30+ years, I think I can speak from experience when I say that not one single contractor has ever delivered a weapon system on time and without serious cost "overruns". It never ceases to amaze me as a career military person and tax payer, that we continue to let these same criminal enterprises, you know, Lockheed, Martin, Marrieta, Boeing, etc...bid on our contracts. They intentionally underbid to defeat the competition, then once awarded the project, blame the services for "wanting" more than what they originally bid on or that their sub-contractors fell behind in delivery during key times in the project. It's all crap and it's nothing more than our elected officials ensuring these companies based in their states/districts employ people and pump money into their coffers. It's all about greed, plain and simple. WE currently have air superiority and have the best trained aircrews in the world.

Austin · Post by **Austin** » 21 May 2011 12:11

Exactly that is the advantage of indulging and inviting private players in this business , your cost for the system keeps on increasing year after year to a point where it becomes unsustainable and then programs has to drastically reduce on numbers which makes unit cost expensive because the private players ensure that they make up for the money they have put in along with decent profits or program have to be entirely scrapped in which DOD ends up paying the companies for R&D cost , in either situation its win win with profit margin only suffering for the big MNC and American Govt does not have the balls to stand against its own corporates and MNC.

Compare that with country like Russia where similar project gets delivered with 1/3 to 1/10 of the cost because most companies are government owned with good project management skills and not driven solely by profit , although they do make good profit via exports but not from internal customers which is not a big deal since most are government owned entity any ways.

JSF is a very capable aircraft in all respect and innovative in many areas unfortunately its the bad project management and TINA factor that has lead to the fiasco it is in which is its spiraling cost.

A trillion dollar for just a single program , you can bet a trillion dollar wont be the defence budget of India if you combine the def exp for the next 15 years.

I am sure all these uncomfortable questions that these senators asks will be very uncomforting for JSF international partners.