Boeing has delivered the first production P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft to the US Navy. The aircraft is the first of 13 scheduled to be delivered under a US$1.6 billion low-rate initial production (LRIP) contract awarded in 2011. The US Navy expects to eventually order 117 P-8s to replace its P-3C Orions, with IOC for
Airbus Australia Program Manager Valentin Merino has told Australian media that the company has made an unsolicited offer to the Royal Australian Air Force for a sixth MRTT/KC-30 tanker. The ‘green’ Airbus-owned aircraft was built for the US KC-X program, which was originally awarded to Airbus before being cancelled on appeal. Mr Merino said the
In the wake of the likely cancellation of the US Joint Cargo Aircraft program, Airbus Military has redoubled its marketing campaign efforts to push for an open tender for Australia’s Battlefield Airlifter (BFA) requirement under project AIR 8000 Phase 2. In a media briefing held in Canberra on March 6, Airbus Military Australia C295 program
Williamtown-based RAAF F/A-18 pilot SQNLDR Paul Simmons has officially launched a program aimed at youth at risk in the Newcastle and Hunter region. Called LIFT – for Learning, Inspiration, Friendship and Trust – the organisation has been operating since 2009 in collaboration with other youth development organisations and offers tailored and practical aviation based programs that
An A340 operating a charter flight carrying 115 Australian troops to the Middle East made a hard landing in Darwin on February 28. No one was hurt in the incident, which was blamed on bad weather and heavy winds. The aircraft remains in Darwin awaiting a technical assessment and the ATSB will investigate the incident,
Sydney based Quickstep Holdings Limited has secured a contract to manufacture carbon fibre wing flaps for Lockheed Martin’s C-130J airlifter. Quickstep said the deal would be worth an estimated $75 to $100 million over five years and could create more than 60 new jobs at the company’s Bankstown Airport facility. The wing flaps were previously
