The World of Aviation

The Australian military contingent based in the Persian Gulf region is preparing to consolidate its support elements and move into a new centralised base in an undisclosed country on the gulf. Currently dispersed among four bases in the region, the new base will be home to the RAAF’s AP-3C Orions and C-130H/J Hercules based in

The Pentagon is unhappy with US Senate and House committee efforts to continue funding of the F136 alternative engine for the JSF program. “We’re going to be saddled yet again with an alternate engine,” Geoff Morrell, a Pentagon spokesman told a media conference on October 28, despite two engines being part of the JSF’s marketing

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a US$474.2m (A$526m) contract by the USAF for the final four of 187 F-22 Raptors. The money was appropriated under the FY2010 defence authorisation bill which was signed into law on October 28 by President Barack Obama. Long lead items for these aircraft had been authorised under previous defence budgets,

Boeing Integrated Defence Systems has signed several agreements with Indian defence companies to supply electronics and other equipment for India’s eight P-8I Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft. India ordered the eight aircraft in a US$2.1 billion deal earlier this year, making it the first nation to commit to the new 737-800 derived aircraft. “We have signed

Northrop Grumman has commenced assembly of the first centre fuselage section for the for the UK’s first F-35B JSF. The milestone commenced three days ahead of schedule at Northrop’s Palmdale facility north of Los Angeles, and will see the aircraft’s inlet duct, upper centre fuselage skin and other frames integrated before being shipped to Lockheed’s

Raytheon has announced it successfully conducted the first free-flight of a Joint Stand-Off Weapon – Extended Range (JSOW-ER) on October 1. The JSOW-ER is a JSOW glide weapon fitted with a Hamilton Sundstrand TJ150 turbojet within the original unpowered weapon’s mould line to increase the range from just over 100km to more than 400km, giving