Perth based Quickstep Holdings has announced its successfully achieved a key milestone in its production preparations for the JSF program in mid October, passing the ‘Toll Gate’ review set by JSF partner company Northrop Grumman. The Toll Gate measured Quickstep’s manufacturing readiness for Group 1 composite parts at its Coogee facility in WA, and was
The first Sikorsky S-70i Black Hawk built by Poland’s PZL Mielec made its first flight on November 15. Based on the UH-60M Black Hawk, the S-70i is a customisable version designed for the international market and, apart from the first aircraft which was built at Sikorsky’s Hartford facility and first flew in July, all subsequent
Boeing has opened a new P-8 aircraft production facility at Boeing Field in Seattle. The building, which is a refurbished factory, gives Boeing additional space for the installation of mission systems and to conduct tests on aircraft for current and future customers. The P-8 airframes are built next to the commercial 737 line at nearby
The RAAF’s first Wedgetail AEW&C Mission Crew training course was completed at Williamtown recently. The course, conducted by Boeing Defence Australia personnel on contract to the RAAF, saw eight students provided with more than 1200 hours of training in the air battle management (ABM) role. “Boeing Defence Australia is responsible for training the students in
The ADF has released a revised aircraft noise map for the area surrounding RAAF Base Williamtown north of Newcastle for when the F-35 JSF enters service from 2017. The map, which the ADF says promises an improved outlook for local residents, is still conceptual in nature but has been revised following consultations with state and
The USAF was forced to cancel one of its Red Flag exercises scheduled for late October due to a lack of tanker support being available for the exercise. Held about four times a year and with allied forces attending one of two of the exercises, Red Flag is designed to simulate a combat pilot’s first
