Australia could end up paying under US$80 million for F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft as accelerating production drives down costs. US Air Force Lieutenant General Chris Bogdan, head of the F-35 Joint Program Office in the Pentagon, said the production lot (LRIP) nine negotiated in 2015 was for 60 aircraft while the 2017 lot would
Last year saw the Airbus A400M airlifter achieve some significant milestones while the program also worked to resolve a technical issue with the aircraft engine’s gearbox. “Overall the aeroplane is a significantly better, more capable aeroplane than it was a year ago,” said Fernando Alonso, head of military aircraft for Airbus Defence and Space, at
As impressive as it was, the public unveiling of the Royal Australian Air Force’s new EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft was not the only show in town on the opening day of the 2017 Avalon Airshow. Also making an appearance was the RAAF’s new C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter, which achieved initial operational capability (IOC) in
Dassault Aviation is pitching its Falcon 7X and 8X tri-jets as the best solution for the Australian Government’s Special Purpose Aircraft (SPA) fleet. The France-based airframer has brought its flagship 8X to the Australian International Airshow at Avalon, the first time the aircraft has been on display in this part of the world. And Dassault
When it comes to shooting down enemy aircraft and bombing their stuff, the US Marines reckon their new F-35B Lightning II aircraft are real killing machines. “I tell you we have a real winner on our hands,” says USMC Lieutenant General John “Dog” Davis, the Marines’ top aviator, speaking at the Avalon Airshow on Tuesday.
RAAF KC-30A pilot and air refuelling officer training should stabilise in 2017 as the tanker transport approaches full operating capability (FOC) and the first of two additional aircraft enters service later in the year. Using a Level D-certified full-mission simulator (FMS), an integrated procedure trainer and an air refuelling officer (ARO) part-task trainer the CAE
