MiG Alley Military Aviation News

F-16 crash at Shaw Air Force Base in South Carolina kills pilot

MiGAlley — Fri, 03 Jul 2020 23:34:29 +0000

A US Air Force F-16 fighter aircraft crashed during a training mission in South Carolina, killing the pilot, the Pentagon said Wednesday.

The plane went down about 11:30 pm Tuesday (0330 GMT Wednesday) at Shaw Air Force Base, about 100 miles (160 kilometers) north of Charleston, the base said in a statement.

It said the pilot was on a training mission when the crash occurred. No information was given on the cause.

It was the fourth serious air force accident in less than two months.

IAF to urgently procure 21 MiG 29s, 12 Su 30s

MiGAlley — Fri, 19 Jun 2020 17:24:41 +0000

The Indian Air Force (IAF) is going ahead with plans to order 33 additional fighter jets from Russia, with the proposal expected to be taken up for clearances by the Ministry of Defence shortly. The government-to-government procurement has been in the works for more than a year and would add to the force’s depleting squadron strength.

The IAF is seeking to urgently procure 21 additional MiG 29 fighter jets from Russia to add to its three squadrons of the type already in service. These fighters, which include two trainers, are expected to be procured at a reasonable price as they have already been partially manufactured in Russia for a previous order that got cancelled.

Sources said additional MiGs would cost around Rs 5,000 crore and deliveries could start in a couple of years after the order is placed. These fighters, if ordered, would come handy to replace the ageing MiG 21 squadrons that are to retire within the next five years. Commercial negotiations have been on since last year to take the contract ahead and the offer would now need to be cleared by the defence ministry’s procurement body.

Su-57 Could Soon Have a Robot in the Cockpit

MiGAlley — Fri, 29 May 2020 21:26:01 +0000

Russia’s new Su-57 stealth fighter is reportedly undergoing unmanned testing. The Sukhoi Su-57, codenamed “Felon” by NATO, is a large twin-engine stealth fighter in the same rough class as the U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor. The claim could well be true, but should be taken with a grain of salt.

According to RIA Novosti, an arm of the Russian state media services, the Su-57 is flying unmanned at an undisclosed location in Russia. Novosti cites an unmanned source which claims that the fighter is flying with a pilot, but the pilot is merely monitoring the aircraft’s systems.

IAF Mig-29 Crashes in Punjab’s Nawanshahr

MiGAlley — Fri, 08 May 2020 13:14:30 +0000

Mig-29 fighter aircraft of the IAF crashed in Chuharpur village here on Friday after it developed a technical snag, officials said.

The pilot ejected safely and has been rescued, they said.

An IAF fighter jet crashed into the fields here, Nawanshahr Deputy Commissioner Vinay Bublani said.

The crash took place around 10.30 am, the officials said.

An IAF spokesperson said the Mig-29 aircraft was on a training mission from an Air Force base near Jalandhar.

“The aircraft had developed a technical snag and the pilot ejected safely as he was unable to control the aircraft,” he said.

F-15QA Completes Successful First Flight

MiGAlley — Sat, 18 Apr 2020 14:20:51 +0000

Boeing successfully completed the first flight of the F-15QA fighter, the most advanced version of the jet ever manufactured. Developed for the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), the jet demonstrated its next-generation capabilities during its 90-minute mission. The flight took off and landed from Lambert International Airport in St. Louis

“We are very proud of this accomplishment and looking forward with great excitement to the continued successes of this program,” said Col. Ahmed Al Mansoori, commander, QEAF F-15 Wing. “This successful first flight is an important milestone that brings our squadrons one step closer to flying this incredible aircraft over the skies of Qatar.”

Boeing’s flight test team, led by Chief Test Pilot Matt Giese, implemented a precise mission checklist to test the multirole aircraft’s capabilities. The aircraft demonstrated its maneuverability during its vertical “Viking” takeoff and by pulling nine Gs, or nine times the force of earth’s gravity, in its subsequent maneuvering in the test airspace. Checks of systems such as avionics and radar were also successful. A test team monitoring the data in real time confirmed the aircraft performed as planned.

Uncorrected Design Flaws Plague the F-35 Program

MiGAlley — Fri, 27 Mar 2020 13:52:52 +0000

The latest testing report on the F-35 shows there hasn’t been appreciable improvement in the program’s overall reliability since 2016

As the F-35 program limps toward the end of its much-delayed operational testing period and subsequent full-rate production decision, unanswered questions about its combat effectiveness and suitability for service within the fleet remain. The Pentagon weapons testing office’s 2019 annual report, released earlier this year, paints a picture of an incompletely designed and vulnerable aircraft that may never be able to perform many of its intended functions.

In addition to the requirements that have not been, and possibly will not be met, the program is still plagued by hundreds of unresolved design flaws. The Pentagon calls these design flaws “deficiencies,” and as of the release of the annual testing report, the F-35 program had 873.

DAN GRAZIER for pogo.org

Lockheed Martin Delivers 500th F-35 Aircraft

MiGAlley — Fri, 06 Mar 2020 01:27:58 +0000

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) and the F-35 Joint Program Office delivered the 500th F-35. In February, the F-35 enterprise surpassed 250,000 flight hours.

The 500th production aircraft is a U.S. Air Force F-35A, to be delivered to the Burlington Air National Guard Base in Vermont. The 500 hundred F-35s include 354 F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variants, 108 F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) variants and 38 F-35C carrier (CV) variants for the U.S. and international customers. The 250,000 flight hours include all F-35s in the fleet comprised of developmental test jets, training, operational, U.S. and international aircraft.

France, Germany sign contract to develop fighter jet prototype

MiGAlley — Fri, 21 Feb 2020 02:18:53 +0000

France and Germany signed a 150 million euro ($161.84 million) deal on Thursday to develop a prototype of the next generation fighter jet, a project seen as vital for Europe to defend itself without relying on allies in an increasingly uncertain world.

German Defense Minister Annegret Kramp-Karrenbauer shakes hands with French Defense Minister Florence Parly next to Spanish Defense Junior Minister Angel Olivares Ramirez as they sign contracts for next phase in development of the Franco-German-Spanish Future Combat Air System (FCAS / SCAF), Europe’s next-generation fighter jet, in Paris, France, February 20, 2020.

Dassault Aviation and Airbus will build the aircraft, which is expected to be operational from 2040 with a view to replacing Dassault’s Rafale and Germany’s Eurofighter warplanes over time.

“This is a very ambitious project between France, Germany and joined by Spain,” French Armed Forces Minister Florence Parly told reporters after a signing ceremony with his counterparts from the other two countries.

The Air Force Is Getting New F-15EX

MiGAlley — Thu, 06 Feb 2020 02:35:16 +0000

After nearly twenty years, the U.S. Air Force is buying brand new Eagles to fly alongside the F-22 and F-35 fighters stealth fighters. Despite a lack of stealth there’s one thing the F-15 can do that the new fighters can’t: carry lots and lots of missiles. The new F-15EX will likely serve as a flying magazine for stealthy fighters, teaming up against adversaries to shoot them down in large numbers.

Comebacks are rare in the world of warplanes. The relentless pace of technological advancement, coupled with the slowness of government bureaucracy, generally means that a fighter jet is often obsolete as soon as it rolls off the production line. One fighter jet that has destroyed this conventional wisdom is the F-15 Eagle.

Navy flies F/A-18F with Infrared Search & Track pod

MiGAlley — Fri, 17 Jan 2020 22:05:53 +0000

Boeing and the US Navy have completed the F/A-18 Super Hornet flight with an Infrared Search & Track (IRST) Block II pod.
The passive, long-range IRST Block II sensor incorporates infrared and other sensor technologies for accurate targeting and is key to future Block III upgrades of the Super Hornet.

Built by Lockheed Martin, the sensor will be delivered with the Super Hornet Block III aircraft.
IRST Block II, which improves the collection and use of real-time data for F/A-18 pilots, also provides enhanced optics and processing power.

The Block III upgrades will include enhanced network capability, longer range with conformal fuel tanks, an advanced cockpit system, signature improvements and an enhanced communication system.