Sweden’s fleet of five C-130H and a single KC-130H tanker will have to be retired by next decade and the Swedish Air Force is looking into replacing them with the KC-390 or A400M.
By Laurent ERRERA from L’Union, France (DSC_8340-EC-402Uploaded by russavia) [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: Alert 5
Aviation Week reported that Airbus Defense and Space will soon receive a request for proposals from Netherlands, Norway and Poland for a joint purchase of the A330 MRTT.
By Robert Frola (Flickr) [GFDL or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
Up to four A330s are to be bought and operated as a single fleet under Dutch registration and regulations.
Source: Alert 5
The U.S. Navy will stick to using the Super Hornet as the aerial tanker for the Carrier Air Wing, Navy spokesman Lt. Rob Myers told USNI News.
<img src="http://alert5.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/c3e9b977-25b1-4373-bcfe-3f5a456c4217.Full1_-500×357.jpg" alt="c3e9b977-25b1-4373-bcfe-3f5a456c4217.Full[1]" width="500" height="357" class="alignnone size-medium wp-image-24714"
The service has chosen to focus on maturing the HV-22 for the carrier onboard delivery (COD) mission.
The Pentagon aviation outlook report to Congress states that the C-2A could be recapitalized for the tanker role.
Source: Alert 5
Photos: PLAAF
Source: Alert 5
Iran’s aircraft carrier mockup has been towed back to Bander Abbas with extensive damage.
Source: Alert 5
Two T129 attack helicopters have been sent to Siirt province, Turkey to assist ground troops in their offensive against the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).
By MilborneOne (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons
They were flown to the 3rd Commando Brigade on Apr. 25.
Source: Alert 5
Bulgaria’s Defense Minister Nikolai Nenchev has backtrack and now says he may approve the repairs for two MiG-29s.
By U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Wilson [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Nenchev had previously stated that he will not renew the contract this September.
Source: Alert 5
Researchers from Standford have developed an unmanned drone with a senor that will seek out GPS jammers.
Photo: DJI
The team is designing the JAGER (Jammer Acquisition with GPS Exploration & Reconnaissance) UAV to localize a jammer to within 30 meters in less than 15 minutes under intermittent GPS and GPS-denied conditions in an area the size of an airport.
Source: Alert 5
An anonymous source has given Foxtrot Alpha two photos showing an unmanned aircraft similar to the RQ-170 coming up to the probe of a KC-135.
The same source says the drone did make contact and was refueled in mid-air.
Source: Alert 5
The U.S. Navy is asking the industry to come up with an enhanced electro-optic/infrared (EO/IR) countermeasure (CM) to defend its ships against optically guided anti-ship missiles.
By U.S. Navy photo by Photographer’s Mate 2nd Class Michael J. Pusnik, Jr. [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: Alert 5