31st August 2008, 10:14 pm
August. 27, 2008
Sikorsky
HORSEHEADS, N.Y., Aug. 27, 2008 – Sikorsky Aircraft Corporation today successfully completed the first flight of its X2 TECHNOLOGY™ Demonstrator, maneuvering the prototype aircraft through hover, forward flight, and a hover turn, in a test flight that lasted approximately 30 minutes. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX).
Sikorsky Chief Test Pilot Kevin Bredenbeck conducted the test flight at Sikorsky’s Schweizer Aircraft Corp. rapid-prototyping facility in Horseheads, N.Y. The milestone culminated more than four years of design, development and testing of the Demonstrator aircraft’s suite of technologies that are intended to advance the state-of-the-art, counter-rotating coaxial rotor helicopter.
Continue reading ‘Sikorsky’s X2 Technology Demonstrator Achieves First Flight’ »
31st August 2008, 01:43 am
August 2008
By Grace V. Jean
National Defense Magazine
CREECH AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. — The mobilization here shows no signs of slowing down. The demands for aerial surveillance in Iraq and Afghanistan grow by the day, and that means more Predators and pilots are needed.
To ease the crunch, the Air Force is rushing the production of new Predator unmanned aircraft and is expediting the training of hundreds of aviators here at the home of the 432nd Air Expeditionary Wing — established last year as the Air Force’s first unit dedicated solely to unmanned aerial systems.
Continue reading ‘Predator Ground Stations Need Redesign, Say Pilots’ »
30th August 2008, 07:20 pm
By VOA News through Military Spot
28 August 2008
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has accused the United States of orchestrating the Georgian crisis to benefit one of the presidential candidates, a claim the White House calls “patently false.”
In an interview with the television network CNN, Mr. Putin said Russian defense officials told him the United States encouraged Georgia to attack the breakaway region of South Ossetia. The Russian prime minister did not identify which presidential candidate he was referring to, and he offered no proof of his accusation.
A White House spokeswoman, Dana Perino, called Mr. Putin’s claim “just not rational.” She said Russian defense officials are giving Mr. Putin bad advice.
Continue reading ‘US Rejects Putin’s Charges that Bush Administration Orchestrated Georgian Crisis’ »
30th August 2008, 07:16 pm
Reuters, Friday August 29 2008 (Adds comments from union leadership)
By Kyle Peterson
The Guardian
CHICAGO, Aug 29 (Reuters) - Boeing Co’s largest labor union said on Friday it advised its members to reject the company’s final contract proposal and go forward with a strike next week that could cost the plane maker $3 billion a month.
“This company is not listening. They know what they need to do to come our way to make this an acceptable contract,” said Tom Wroblewski, president of Seattle’s District 751 for the International Association of Machinists (IAM).
“Overwhelmingly, our members are opposed to this contract.”
IAM members are due to vote on the contract on Sept. 3, when the current three-year deal expires. Without a new pact, the union could vote for its 27,000 IAM-represented employees to strike as early as Sept. 4.
The company can avert the job action by getting more than 34 percent of union members to ratify the offer, because a two- thirds majority of “no” votes is needed to start a strike. If there is no strike, the union would in effect accept Boeing’s last offer.
Continue reading ‘Boeing machinists union says members should strike’ »
30th August 2008, 06:19 pm
By BRADLEY BROOKS Associated Press Writer
Salon
Aug 29th, 2008 | RIO DE JANEIRO, Brazil — Brazil will spend US$160 million by the end of next year on the development of a nuclear-propelled submarine to protect the oil reserves found recently off its coast, the defense minister said Friday.
The vessel — which officials hope to be complete by 2020 — would be the first nuclear-propelled submarine in Latin America. Brazil does not have nuclear weapons.
The submarine is the highlight of the Brazil’s new defense plan — to be made public on Sept. 7.
Continue reading ‘Brazil spending $160M on nuclear propelled sub’ »
30th August 2008, 03:18 am
Wed Aug 27, 11:18 PM ET
TAIPEI (AFP) - Taiwan has acquired 60 Harpoon anti-ship missiles from the United States in a boost of its defence against rival China, the defence ministry here said Thursday.
The missiles will be used by the air force’s F-16 fighter jets, the ministry said, in a 90-million-dollar deal.
Continue reading ‘Taiwan acquires Harpoon anti-ship missiles’ »
30th August 2008, 12:19 am
by Martin Sieff
Washington (UPI) Aug 28, 2008
Space War
The effective use of decades-old Russian T-72 Main Battle Tanks in the brief Georgia conflict again shows how supposedly obsolete weapons can still play a potent and even decisive role in modern war.
The Russian army did not rely exclusively on its 30-year-old T-72s. State-of-the-art T-90 Main Battle Tanks were also identified during Russia’s brief but highly effective five-day drive into the former Soviet republic of Georgia from Aug. 8 to Aug 12. But the old T-72s, upgraded with explosive-reactive armor, were there too.
Continue reading ‘Russia: Packing A Punch With The T-72 Part One’ »
30th August 2008, 12:09 am
By BRYAN MITCHELL
Published: 27 Aug 15:52 EDT (19:52 GMT)
Defense News
Marines will soon fly in the first newly engineered Huey helicopter the U.S. Marine Corps has introduced in more than 35 years.
Known as the UH-1Y, the helicopter can fly faster, farther and ferry more troops and gear than older models, offering commanders more options when planning operations, according to program manager Col. Keith Burkholz. It will enhance the Corps’ ability to perform reconnaissance, provide secure escorts, scramble quick-reaction teams and place troops in hostile territory.
Continue reading ‘New Huey Cleared for USMC Deployment’ »
29th August 2008, 11:56 pm
Karyn Maughan
August 29 2008 at 08:05AM
Independent Online
The government’s exorbitant multibillion-rand arms deal has crippled the South African Navy.
And, according to one of the country’s leading arms deals experts, the navy does not even have the money “to fully or properly operate or support” the costly frigates or submarines that has devastated its budget.
The Mercury revealed on Thursday that the navy wants to spend billions more of taxpayers’ money on patrol ships, primarily because the hugely expensive corvettes they bought to monitor the country’s seas are not ready or up for the job.
According to a June 2008 Defence Force Legal Services staff paper for Chief of the Navy Vice-Adm Johannes Mudimu, the state’s controversial purchases - “which absorb most of the South African Navy’s financial resources” - have left the navy incapable of:
Continue reading ‘South Africa: Navy crippled by frigate purchase’ »
29th August 2008, 11:52 pm
Record-setting vessel set for N.H. commissioning
By Deborah McDermott
dmcdermott@seacoastonline.com
August 29, 2008 6:00 AM
Seacoastonline.com
GROTON, Conn. — It is one in a class of the most technologically advanced submarines of the United States — or any other — Navy, it was built ahead of schedule and under budget, and as was evidenced in full measure Thursday, it is the pride of both General Dynamics Electric Boat and its crew.
The submarine SSN-778, to officially be dubbed the USS New Hampshire, was officially handed over to the Navy during a ceremony at the dock of Electric Boat on Thursday morning after several weeks of sea trials in which it performed impeccably. Until the ceremony, the sub was still officially owned by Electric Boat.
After the ceremony, officers and crew proudly conducted a tour of the sub’s state-of-the-art control room, as well as its mess and torpedo rooms.
Continue reading ‘Submarine delivered to U.S. Navy’ »