Kyodo says China could use UAVs to monitor Senkaku islands

Kyodo News says a Chinese document it had obtained revealed that the People’s Liberation Army is deliberating the use of unmanned aerial vehicles to monitor the disputed Senkaku islands in East China Sea.

By 日本語: 国土地理院（トリミング・角度調整(-53.1°)はMinor edit） [see page for license], via Wikimedia Commons

Source: Kyodo says China could use UAVs to monitor Senkaku islands

Lockheed Martin “flew” F-16C for more than 25,000 hours

Lockheed Martin recently completed 25,000 hours of simulated flight time on an F-16C Block 50 aircraft. Further testing is being conducted to identify a definitive, safe flight hour limit for the aircraft.

Source: Lockheed Martin “flew” F-16C for more than 25,000 hours

France successfully test fired ASMPA from Rafale

France has successfully test-fired the Air-Sol Moyenne Portée-Amélioré (ASMP-A) nuclear air-launched cruise missile from the Rafale.

Photos: French Defense Ministry

The test took place on Jun. 11 with a crew from 01/091 fighter squadron taking off with the missile, armed with an inert warhead, from Saint-Dizier’s Air Base 113.
Total mission time was four hours with the fighter getting refueled in the air followed by low-altitude flight before release of the missile.

Source: France successfully test fired ASMPA from Rafale

Thales trying to sell Damocles pod to India

Thales is running a sales campaign in India to getter the latter to buy its Damocles targeting pod for the IAF Mirage 2000 fighter as well as for the Rafale.

By Georges Seguin (Okki) (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Source: Thales trying to sell Damocles pod to India

Video of Hungarian AF pilot ejecting from his Gripen during belly landing

Source: Video of Hungarian AF pilot ejecting from his Gripen during belly landing

RAF Waddington 2016 airshow in doubt

There are concerns that the RAF Waddington airshow, cancelled in 2015, might not happen next year as well as the Royal Air Force is facing issuing refurbishing the runway.

Ian Simons [CC BY-SA 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Scheduled to be completed this year, work will now continue till summer of 2016.

Source: RAF Waddington 2016 airshow in doubt

TV signals can track aircraft

Research carried out by air traffic control provider Nats, Thales UK and the R&D lab Roke Manor confirmed that a TV signal-based system can track aircraft flying up to 10,000ft.

By Lobodrl (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

In the experiment, a signal transmitted from at Crystal Palace in London was collected by three special receivers that measured the delayed waveforms to derive the location of the aircraft. Up to 30 aircraft can be tracked by this method.

Source: TV signals can track aircraft

French Air Force chief said U.S. air strikes against IS shouldn’t be targeting pickup trucks

Chief of staff of the French Air Force Gen. Denis Mercier has criticized the way the U.S.-led coalition carried out air strikes against ISIL in Syria and Iraq.

By G.Garitan (Own work) [CC BY-SA 4.0], via Wikimedia Commons

“In Libya we went after (Libyan leader Moamer) Kadhafi’s centres of gravity… it was by attacking these centres that we managed to topple Kadhafi, not by firing at 150 pick-up trucks a day. Otherwise we would still be there,” Mercier told journalists.
“It is exactly the same problem in Iraq today. We are shooting at the frontline but behind that we need to concentrate on the centres of gravity.”
Of note, Mercier did credit the coalition strikes from preventing ISIL from overrunning the two nations.

Source: French Air Force chief said U.S. air strikes against IS shouldn’t be targeting pickup trucks