Lockheed Martin was awarded a $13 million contract to integrate the Exelis ALQ-211 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite (AIDEWS) on Turkey’s F-16s.
By SRA Alan Port [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: Alert 5
Russia says USAF RC-135U was flying with transponder switched off
Responding to the Pentagon’s comments that a Russian Su-27 had intercepted a RC-135U in a dangerous manner, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said the spy plane was flying with its transponder switched off.
By USAF;Bburton at en.wikipedia, 2007-02-16 (original upload date) [Public domain], from Wikimedia Commons
Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov said the fighter flew around the American aircraft a few times to confirm that its a RC-135U and reported its tail number to ground control.
Source: Alert 5
Parrikar: India may take 2.5 years to get first Rafale
India’s defense minister said the first of the 36 Rafales may not reach the country until two-and-a-half years later.
By Konstantin von Wedelstaedt [GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2], via Wikimedia Commons
“Fly-away means not tomorrow, it has to be designed as per India’s need, plus there is a requirement of working out the price,” Manohar Parrikar told reporters.
Source: Alert 5
Lawmaker proposed building toll bridge using old aircraft carriers
A Washington state lawmaker has proposed laying at least two retired aircraft carriers end-to-end as a toll bridge to ease traffic congestion in Puget Sound.
By Jelson25 (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Chris Johnson, a spokesman for Naval Sea Systems Command in Washington D.C., said the plan was a longshot because neither of those ships were available, and all such ships decommissioned in the future are scheduled to be scrapped.
Source: Alert 5
Improved Pantsir-S2 to enter service by end of the year
The upgraded Pantsir-S2 gun/SAM system will enter service by end of the year, Commander of Air Defense Troops of the Russian Air Force told reporters.
By Vitaly V. Kuzmin (http://vitalykuzmin.net/?q=node/372) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: Alert 5
ACC vice commander removed from post over A-10 remarks
Maj. Gen. James Post was removed as vice commander at Air Combat Command after making comments that anyone who talked to Congress about retiring the A-10 was committing treason.
Photo: USAF
Post’s “choice of words had the effect of attempting to prevent some members from lawfully communicating with Congress, which is a violation of the U.S. Code and [Department of Defense] Directives, whether that was his intention or not,” said Air Combat Command.
Source: Alert 5
Denmark, Iceland, Norway, Sweden to widen defense cooperation
The Defense Ministers of Denmark, Norway, Sweden and and Iceland’s foreign minister, signed an opinion piece in Oslo-based newspaper Aftenposten on Apr. 10. Signaling their respective countries intentions to cooperate on defense issues.
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Equipment from Brazil’s Mectron can go into Yak-130
Russia’s Rostec could use equipment from Brazilian defense contractor Mectron in the Yak-130.
By Aleksandr Medvedev (http://russianplanes.net/id78099) [GFDL or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons
Sergei Goreslavsky, deputy head of Rostec unit Rosoboronexport, said the move is to circumnavigate the sanctions imposed on Russia.
Source: Alert 5
Brazilian prosecutors to investigate Gripen NG deal
A Brazilian prosecutor has been assigned to investigate the country’s purchase of 36 Gripen NG fighters.
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By Ministério da Defesa [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
The investigation is required as the price of the contract had gone up by $900 million. The Brazilian Air Force explained that it was due to additional requirements such as flight simulators and a wide-area display cockpit panel. Also, currency fluctuations also affected the prices.
Source: Alert 5
GAO warns Boeing has insufficient time to test KC-46A before production decision
The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has warned that the Pentagon has to make a decision on building the first production models of the KC-46A just three months after the tanker has flown.
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“87-3602 YMAV 20130227 8377 (12497814215)” by Robert Frola – Flickr. Licensed under GFDL via Wikimedia Commons.
Boeing originally has 13 months to test fly the prototype but the maiden flight of the KC-46A has been repeatedly delayed.
Source: Alert 5