The World of Aviation

Lockheed Martin and the USAF will preserve F-22 tooling following the planned completion of production in 2012. The retention of the tolling will allow future major modifications to be made to the aircraft, and for the production to be re-opened if required. A 2010 Rand study showed the F-22’s supply chain could be reactivated after

The US Navy has taken delivery of its first of 75 Northrop Grumman E-2D Hawkeye AEW&C aircraft at a ceremony at NAS Oceania near Norfolk, Virginia. The E-2D is an improved version of the venerable E-2C, and features a new AN/APY-9 radar in a redesigned 7.3m diameter radome with an electronically scanned array, and enhanced

The RAF may be forced to scrap its fleet of 120 Tornado GR4s and possibly its Harrier GR9 fleet as well as part of the UK’s overreaching Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR). The SDSR has stated aims to make savings of between 10 and 20 per cent across the UK’s defence forces, and the

The parent company of Hawker Beechcraft has announced that it has recorded a loss for the quarter ending June 27 as sales came in lower. The Hawker Beechcraft Acquisition Company (HBAC) recorded an operating loss of US$20.7m (A$22.7m) compared to a profit of US$39.4m (A$43.2m) for the same period last year. HBAC said that the

Boeing has taken delivery of the first AN/APG-82(V)1 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar test set from Raytheon for the USAF’s F-15E Strike Eagle Radar Modernisation Program (RMP). The new radar will replace the ageing APG-70 currently fitted to the F-15E, providing enhanced performance and greater reliability and maintainability. “One AESA equipped F-15E can detect

Cathay Pacific has announced that it plans to order A350-900s and exercise options on 777-300ERs after it recorded a major jump in profit. The Hong Kong based carrier and its Dragonair subsidiary announced that during the first half of 2010 that it earned a profit of HK$6.84bn (A$966m), a massive 724.4 per cent increase on