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UK considers Rafale and F-18 as 'interim aircraft' 26 January 2012 Ministry of Defence concerns over the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have led to military chiefs looking at other fast jets for the UK's aircraft carrier, it has been reported. According to The Times, Admiral Sir Trevor Soar, the current commander-in-chief fleet, said concerns were growing about rising costs and delays in the JSF programme, something now worsened by order cuts from the US. Soar, who was addressing defence companies at the ADS Maritime Interest Group, reportedly said the UK might not receive the $100m per piece F-35 jets until...

“I’d rather go to war in a Typhoon than in a F-18 (Super) Hornet” an Aussie exchange pilot says December 5, 2011 “I’d rather go to war in a Typhoon than in a F-18 Hornet”. This alleged Australian exchange pilot’s statement is one of the most interesting outcomes (and marketing slogans) of BERSAMA LIMA 11 an exercise marking the 40th Anniversary of the Five Powers Defence Agreement (FPDA) the only multilateral defence agreement in South East Asia with an operational element commitment undertaken by five nations (UK, Singapore, Malaysia, New Zealand, and Australia) to consult in the event of an...

Boeing Touts 'Evolution' of Its Upgraded Fighters Dubai Air Show » November 13, 2011 by Chris Pocock Boeing Military Aircraft (BMA) has stepped up its campaign to sell more F-15 and F-18 fighters, and has issued a strong warning against overreliance on leading-edge platforms such as the F-35 Stealth Fighter (produced by competitor Lockheed Martin). “The evolutionary approach is best…it’s hard to manage a revolution,” said Rick McCrary, BMA international business director. McCrary advises customers to focus instead on tactics, techniques and procedures, and the effects that they wanted to create. The F-35 program was “going down the same path”...

Boeing says Japan could produce F-18 under license (Reuters) - U.S. planemaker Boeing said local defence contractors might build F/A 18 Super Hornets under licence if Japan chose to buy the next-generation fighter jet. The comment came after the U.S. aerospace giant, along with Lockheed Martin and a consortium of European countries, submitted bids to produce Japan's next mainstay combat aircraft in a deal that could be worth up to $8 billion. Japan, which is facing a resurgent China and its growing military as well as threats from North Korea, plans to decide this year how it will replace its...

We join the Libyan people in gratefulness as we hear of Col. Gaddafi’s defeat. The fall of a tyrant and sponsor of terrorism is a great day for freedom-loving people around the world. But the path to democracy in Libya is not complete, and we must make wise choices to ensure that our national interests are protected.

Marines Already Push F-18s Past 10,000 Hours; When Will They Begin to Fail? By Carlo Munoz Cherry Point, NC: The Marine Corps is pushing some of its fighter aircraft to the breaking point, as the service waits for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Marine Corps fighter squadrons in Afghanistan are racking up thousands of flight hours on their legacy F/A-18 Hornets, going well past the 9,000-hour cap set by Naval Air Command for these older F/A-18s. Some squadrons in Afghanistan are flying combat missions with Hornets that have 10,000 hours or more, Capt. Steward Whittel, a F/A-18 pilot with Marine...

The Navy says five Growler warplanes are returning Saturday to the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station after supporting coalition forces in Libya. The Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 132 Scorpions originally deployed in November to Iraq. After March the planes took part enforcing the no-fly zone in Libya against the forces of Moammar Gadhafi. The Navy says VAQ-132 was the first EA6B Prowler squadron to transition to the Boeing-built Growler planes, a Super Hornet variant. It was the first Growler squadron to deploy and the first to conduct an entire eight-month expedition from land. Most such squadrons operate from aircraft carriers....

Will Lockheed's Rival Crash and Burn? By Rich Smith Investors know the saying: "Bulls make money, bears make money, but pigs get slaughtered." If you stumble onto a "good thing," don't get greedy -- take a fair profit. France's Dassault would be wise to heed that lesson. Yesterday, DefenseNews.com reported that Dassault has run into trouble in negotiations to sell the United Arab Emirates a fleet of Rafale fighter jets. The UAE wanted to purchase several dozen of the jets to replace its 63 French Mirage fighters. But a deal that was supposed to cost somewhere between $2.5 billion and...

STUTTGART, Germany — Following President Barack Obama’s comments during a Wednesday news conference, in which he said the U.S. is no longer carrying the bulk of NATO’s military load in Libya, there has been much back and forth about what exactly the U.S. role is in Operation Unified Protector. Set against a debate about the constitutionality of the mission, the White House has defended American engagement in the campaign. The Obama administration says the scope of the U.S. engagement is limited in nature with a special focus on providing logistical support to allies, as well has suppressing Libyan air defenses...

UPDATE 1-Boeing cites increased interest in Super Hornet * Lockheed's F-35 facing criticism over cost * Asia-Pacific, Middle East customers looking at Hornet * Boeing shares up 0.8 pct ATLANTA, May 31 (Reuters) - Boeing Co (BA.N) has seen increased interest in its Super Hornet fighter jet from potential international customers as Lockheed Martin's (LMT.N) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has faced development and cost challenges, a Boeing executive said on Tuesday. "We have definitely gotten a lot more interest," Chris Chadwick, president of Boeing Military Aircraft, told reporters. Chadwick said customers in Asia-Pacific have expressed interest in the F/A-18E/F Super...

India has told the United States that it will not be buying American for its $10-billion fighter aircraft deal. This more or less leaves the Eurofighter Typhoon and the French Rafale as the only remaining contenders for the deal. The two US contenders, Boeing and Lockheed, received formal letters fr om the Indian Ministry of Defence as to why their respective aircraft, the F/A-18 Superhornet and the F-16 Superviper, did not fulfil the technical requirements of Medium Multirole Combat Aircraft contract, said US and Indian sources. Defence Minister AK Antony has been signaling privately for weeks that the Indian Air...

FRESNO, Calif. -- Naval Air Station Lemoore officials confirmed to Action News a plane has gone down near the base. Naval Air Station Lemoore officials confirmed to Action News a plane has gone down near the base. Officials said an F/A-18 aircraft crashed in a field near Naval Air Station Lemoore at approximately 12:08 p.m. Officials have not said if anyone was injured in the incident

Ten sailors were injured Wednesday when an F/A-18C Hornet suffered a catastrophic engine failure and caught fire as a pilot was preparing to take off from the carrier John C. Stennis about 100 miles off the coast of San Diego, the Navy said. None of the injuries is life-threatening... The pilot, who is with a squadron from Miramar Marine Corps Air Station, was alone in the jet. He was unhurt... The injured sailors were working on the flight deck when the incident occurred about 2:50 p.m. Pilots were training for takeoffs and landings at the time. The sailors who were...

Ten sailors were injured yesterday when a jet fighter's engine exploded as it prepared to take off from an aircraft carrier. The F/A-18C Hornet was starting a training exercise when the accident occurred on the flight deck of the USS John C. Stennis, in waters off California. Four sailors were flown to Naval Medical Center San Diego where they were in stable condition.

UNITED NATIONS — Canada is expected to take part in a UN-sanctioned mission to ground the Libyan air force and prevent it from attacking civilians as forces loyal to dictator Moammar Gadhafi continue to press rebel soldiers in the east of the strife-torn African nation.

Boeing has unveiled a series of advanced options for international customers of the F-18 E/F Super Hornet, including conformal fuel tanks, a pod for the internal carriage of weapons, an internally-mounted infrared search and track (IRST) sensor, and enhanced engine performance. The new options could be available for Super Hornets delivered from 2015 onwards, though the options can be retrofitted to Block II versions of the aircraft, says Boeing. The options are currently in the "concept definition phase."

US Defence major Boeing will unveil an advanced version of its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter aircraft here at the biennial Aero India show starting Thursday. "We are going to display a mock up of the Super Hornet international roadmap aircraft at the air show," Boeing Defence, Space and Security India head Vivek Lall told PTI here. The International Super Hornet Roadmap features futuristic enhancements made in the aircraft for international customers and would also allow them to specify their requirements to be equipped in their fighters. The Super Hornet is in the race for supplying 126 Medium-Multirole Combat Aircraft (M-MRCA)...

A mocked up version of Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet will be among the many metal birds to debut at the upcoming Aero India 2011 Boeing, which is one of the contenders for the $10 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract, will unveil a stealthier version of the F/A-18 at the air show to be held at the Air Force Station Yelahanka between February 9 and 13. Boeing’s vice-president for defence, space and security, Vivek Lall, said that one of the two F/A-18s which will be performing at the bi-annual show will be configured with conformal fuel tanks, enhanced performance...

While the U.S. Navy has continued to make improvements to its F/A-18 electronic attack variant — the EA-18G Growler — the service has yet to prove the aircraft is suitable for operations, says a recent report by the Pentagon’s Director of Operational Test and Evaluation (DOT&E). At the same time, DOT&E notes another Navy electronic warfare aircraft, the EA-6B Prowler, is suitable, despite testing limitations faced by the program. DOT&E notes “suitability problems” that were identified during Growler testing in 2008. The Navy conducted Verification of Correction of Deficiencies (VCD) testing on the EA-18G from September 2009 to January 2010...

Australia is integrating three new operational elements into its advanced, network-centric military — a squadron of Wedgetail command and control aircraft, the first two squadrons of F/A-18F Super Hornets and the Vigilare theater surveillance integration system — all designed as the backbone of a small, highly responsive force. However, this cutting-edge force was envisioned somewhat differently only five years ago. The Wedgetail had a 2006 delivery date and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters were slated to replace the Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) classic F-18 Hornets as soon as they were available. Instead, the Wedgetail’s radar was set back by a...

Veteran Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-111 aircrews are drawing on their strike experience to create the first squadrons of the nation’s F/A-18F Super Hornet fleet. Among them is Wing Commander Terence Deeth, the skipper of Australia’s No. 6 Sqdn., which takes on operational training duties for the fleet. The F-model Super Hornet has a two-person crew, like the now-retired F-111, and a portion of the latter’s navigator-bombardiers are being retrained as weapon systems officer (WSO) cadres and aircrews for the F/A-18F. WSOs will be a subspecialty within the larger RAAF category of air combat officer (ACO), which was instituted...

(Reuters) - The Pentagon overhauled the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter program for the second time in a year and said it would buy 41 Boeing Co F/A-18 warplanes over the next three years to offset slower production of the Lockheed plane. Defense Secretary Robert Gates announced on Thursday a further restructuring of the radar-evading F-35 as part of a broad cost-reduction plan, saving it would result in net savings of about $4 billion over the next five years. The Pentagon's biggest arms program, the new fighter is being developed with eight international partner countries at total cost of $382...

By John Reed Monday, December 20th, 2010 5:26 pm Posted in Air, International, Naval The U.S. Navy’s next-generation electromagnetic catapult performed its first ever live aircraft launch on Saturday when an F/A-18E Super Hornet was shot from the system at the Navy’s Lakehurst Air Engineering Station in New Jersey. This marks the first time that a Navy plane has been launched by anything other than a steam catapult in over half a century. “Today we answered the question — will EMALS work,” said Kathleen Donnelly, Director for Support Equipment and Aircraft Launch and Recovery at Lakehurst. “Now we’ll work toward...

Beyond Myths Super Hornets’ classic design compliments its advanced strike capability By Vidhi Upadhyay New Delhi: Boeing Defence and Security wants to do away with the biggest myth that exists regarding the F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, its contender for the MRCA contract for the IAF — that it is a 40-year old aircraft, which if you go by the systems and sensors on the aircraft — it is not. The reason the misconception exists primarily is due to the fact that this fourth generation aircraft takes its general shape from its predecessor aircraft — the Classic Hornet and it is this...

The Navy made history Saturday when it launched the first aircraft from the Naval Air Systems Command, Lakehurst, N.J., test site using the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System, or EMALS, technology. The Navy has been using steam for more than 50 years to launch aircraft from carriers. Saturday, the Aircraft Launch and Recovery Equipment (ALRE) program launched an F/A-18E Super Hornet using the EMALS technology that will replace steam catapults on future aircraft carriers. “This is a tremendous achievement not just for the ALRE team, but for the entire Navy,” said Capt. James Donnelly, ALRE program manager. “Saturday’s EMALS launch demonstrates...

Australia is pressing ahead with the acquisition of an air traffic management (ATM) and control system and Anzac frigate communications upgrade, but the government also restructured an F/A-18C/D upgrade project to reduce costs. The work to refurbish the Boeing F/A-18s is expected to cost A$250-300 million ($246-296 million). The goal is to keep them flying until the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter arrives. The defense ministry says the deal saves A$500 million over an earlier approach that saw the program broken into parts. The F-35 is due to reach initial operational capability in the 2017-18 or 2020-21 timeframe, says...

Australia’s first squadron of F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jets is operational and ready for duty following the arrival of four new aircraft at RAAF Base Amberley. The Super Hornets will add to the fire power of the RAAF, taking Australia’s capability to the next generation of fighter plane. The fleet includes the first three of Australia’s Super Hornets to be configured to accommodate the Growler electronic attack system. The Super Hornets will ensure Australia's air combat capability is maintained until the full introduction into service of the Joint Strike Fighter. The fleet of Super Hornets has reached initial operational capability...

Wikileaks: US Embassy Said Brazil Air Force Prefers F-18 Jets By Matthew Cowley, Of DOW JONES NEWSWIRES SAO PAULO -(Dow Jones)- Brazil's Air Force commander, Brigadier Juniti Saito, told U.S. officials in mid-2009 that a perceived lack of U.S. government support undermined Boeing Co.'s (BA) bid for a multi-billion dollar Brazilian fighter jet contract, according to U.S. documents revealed by WikiLeaks Sunday. Question regarding the U.S. government's commitment to technology transfer to accompany Boeing's F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter remain "a significant political barrier," Saito is reported to have told the U.S. ambassador to Brazil, Clifford Sobel. Sobel wrote a cable...

Australia has added the acquisition of Lockheed Martin's AGM-158 JASSM missile for its Boeing F/A-18 A/B fleet to its Projects of Concern list. Australia's Department of Defence says the project is behind schedule and "risks to capability remain". In 2006, Australia selected the joint air-to-surface stand-off missile over Boeing's SLAM-ER cruise missile for its F/A-18 A/Bs. "The government has not been kept properly and fully informed as to the progress with respect to this major project," says defence minister Stephen Smith. The next milestone in the project is a live firing from a Royal Australian Air Force Hornet in the...

Boeing India has offered a naval variant of the F/A 18 E/F Super Hornets multi role fighter jet platform to the Indian Navy. The Navy currently has one aircraft carrier (INS Viraat) in service and Russia is expected to deliver INS Vikramaditya by 2012. India is developing indigenous aircraft carriers and the aim is to have a total of three Aircraft carriers resulting in two fully operational Carrier battle groups and an additional Aircraft carrier eventually in refit making India an operating Blue-water navy.

Naval Aviation Training Systems program office (PMA-205) delivered two Super Hornet Integrated Visual Environment Maintenance Trainers (IVEMT) to the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) at Amberley Air Force Base, Ipswich, Australia in October. The IVEMT is a 3-D visual trainer which allows military personnel to virtually navigate through multiple aircraft systems. It provides maintainers training on ground operation, maintenance, and testing. It also offers troubleshooting procedures for the F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft including avionics, environmental control, electrical, flight control, fuel, engines, landing gear, and hydraulic systems. The IVEMT was designed exclusively for RAAF and is the first Super Hornet maintenance...

The U.S. Navy is buying 19 AN/APG-79 active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar systems from the Raytheon Co. Space and Airborne Systems segment in El Segundo, Calif., to retrofit F/A-18E/F Super Hornet carrier-based jet fighter-bombers. Raytheon is buying the AESA radars under terms of a $52.3 million contract modification announced Tuesday from Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md. The new AN/APG-79 AESA radar systems, which will replace the Super Hornets' ageing Raytheon AN/APG-73 radars, will increase the F/A-18E/F's air-to-air detection and track range, as well as its air-to-ground targeting capabilities, Navy officials say. The new...

Two airborne electronic attack aircraft, EA-18G "Growler," recently began validation with Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center's newest training department, the Airborne Electronic Attack Weapons School (AEAWS) Nov. 12. NSAWC's AEAWS department will provide training to the fleets electronic attack squadrons with the techniques, tactics and procedures to ensure aviation superiority in the electronic attack and air-to-air arena. "NSAWC has been working closely with Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, Wash., and Commander Electronic Attack Wing Pacific (COMVAQWINGPAC) toward the goal of establishing a training center here in Fallon since 2006," said Cmdr. Peter Fey. "Commander Chris Bieber spearheaded most of...

Boeing is optimistic it will make the shortlist for India's medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) requirement in 2011 with its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, says Rick McCrary, capture team manager for its Defense, Space & Security business unit. With India having completed in-country flight evaluations of the six candidate airframes, McCrary believes a shortlist will be issued next year to narrow the field, most likely after the Aero India air show in Bangalore. "I think it will be the heavy twins," he says, referring to the Super Hornet and rival offers with the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and RSK MiG-35. "They're...

The federal government announced Sunday it was awarding a $274-million aircraft maintenance contract to the local subsidiary of an IT communications company. The Harris Corporation will continue to provide avionics maintenance on the CF-18 until the military replaces the craft with the controversial F-35 Lightning II fighter in 2020. The contract will allow the continuing employment of 40 local technical workers. Harris held the contract for the CF-18 previously. The deal was continued in what the government said was a competitive tenure process. The deal will continue to delegate all avionics systems maintenance to the company, which in turn operates...

The U.S. Navy is purchasing 124 combat aircraft from defense contractor Boeing as part of a $5.3 billion multi-year contract, the company and the Naval Air Systems Command announced. Boeing will deliver 66 F/A-18E/F Super Hornets and 58 EA-18 Growlers from 2012 to 2015, Boeing said in a news release Tuesday. The Navy will have 515 Super Hornets and 114 Growlers by the end of the 2013 fiscal year, according to a Navy news release. The F/A-18 fighter is a fixture aboard the Navy’s 11 aircraft carriers and is scheduled to remain in service beyond 2035, according to the Naval...

See that man in the top left of this photo? That's Captain Brian Bews and he's lucky to be alive. The skilled pilot barely managed to eject before his CF-18 fighter jet crashed to the ground during a practice flight. The practice flight took place at Lethbridge County Airport and was apparently in preparation for the weekend airshow in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada. There are no details as to exactly why the jet fighter went down. We do know that Captain Bews was taken to the hospital for injury treatment. [MSNBC—Thanks, Wilson!]

Boeing yesterday revealed a number of surprising development efforts in the strike fighter market, including an external weapons bay for the F/A-18E/F and the existence of an in-production product stamped "proprietary". The briefing appeared staged to showcase Boeing's long-term commitment in the manned fighter market despite losing the Joint Strike Fighter contract nearly nine years ago to Lockheed Martin. Boeing now anticipates that production of F-15s and F/A-18E/F will continue through the mid-2020s, although both lines are scheduled for shutdown in 2012 and 2015 in the absence of new orders. After unveiling a package of radar cross-section improvements for the...

The nuclear-powered aircraft - carrier USS George Washington will make a port call in South Korea Wednesday, ahead of a joint naval drill in the East Sea next week. The 97,000-ton ship based in Yokosuka, Japan, will arrive at South Korea's southeastern port city of Busan with some 60 aircrafts, including F-18 Super Hornets, news agency Yonhap said. The report quoting the US military said, three destroyers from the US carrier's strike group, including the USS McCampbell and the USS John S McCain, will also arrive in South Korea on the same day. SKorea and the US have agreed to...

Boeing anticipates that changes announced recently to the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme will inadvertently help its overseas campaigns for fighters. If the JSF programme slips it will affect the overseas partners in the programme "and that gives us tremendous opportunity to go in there, particularly with the Super Hornet", says Boeing Integrated Defense Systems vice-president international business development Mark Kronenberg. He says five years ago F-35 programme partners Canada and Denmark would "have been rock solid", but now there is an opportunity for Boeing to talk to them and focus on aspects such as the price and...

Two F/A-18 Hornets screamed onto the runway here, June 30, marking yet another “first,” in this historic deployment for the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing (Forward): a safe landing thanks to newly-installed arresting gear to catch the fast-movers. The Hornets, flown by Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 based at Kandahar Air Field, face a rigorous and unforgiving environment, making the arresting gear a possible ‘saving grace’ should pilots need it. Afghanistan’s dynamic, rapid weather patterns and rough environment can cause increased wear on jets. Brakes failures, hydraulic system issues or even bad weather may cause aircraft to divert and take arrested...

Air Force’s transition to next-generation air combat capability has advanced further with today’s arrival of another six F/A-18F Super Hornets at RAAF Base Amberley, Minister for Defence Senator John Faulkner announced. Today’s touch-down followed a four-day journey from Naval Air Station Lemoore in California. “The Super Hornet acquisition project continues to be a major success. It is delivering a quantum leap in air combat capability to Air Force, on-time and on-budget,” Senator Faulkner said. “This project is a great example of what can be achieved through a strong Defence and Industry partnership.” “This is the culmination of the hard work...

RAAF is planning to transit six more F/A-18F Super Hornets from the United States to RAAF Amberley in early July, 2010. The Minister for Defence of Australia, Senator John Faulkner, said a detachment of RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel from No 1 Squadron is currently conducting work-ups with the brand new aircraft at Naval Air Station Lemoore in California. "The detachment is completing comprehensive flight testing which includes up to 96 hours of test and evaluation flying and two weeks of Electronic Warfare flight trials from Lemoore," Senator Faulkner was quoted as saying in a news release by the Australian...

Political and programmatic upheaval is shifting the ground under U.S. and European combat aircraft builders as they await the outcome of competitions in Asia, Latin America and Europe. Japan is just one case in point. Boeing, Lockheed Martin and Eurofighter are awaiting the release of a request for proposals to buy a new fighter to replace its F-4EJ Phantom.However, domestic political turmoil that led to a change in government, as well as controversy over the U.S. Marine Corps base on Okinawa, has drawn attention elsewhere. As a result, the fighter contest may not begin until next year or possibly later,...

Minister for Defence Materiel and Science, Greg Combet, announced yesterday the completion of a major phase of the F/A-18 Classic Hornet Upgrade Program. Under contract to the Defence Materiel Organisation (DMO), L-3 Communications MAS Canada and BAE Systems Australia have completed the F/A-18 Classic Hornet fleet Centre Barrel Replacement Program. Under Phase 3.2 of the Classic Hornet Upgrade program select Classic Hornet aircraft were identified as requiring replacement of the centre barrel. The centre barrel is the major structural element of the aircraft fuselage to which the wings and main undercarriage are attached. “I am pleased to announce the successful...

The Australian air force said it will fly six more new F/A-18F Super Hornets from the United States to Australia in early July. The planes will be stationed at the Royal Australian Air Force base in Amberley in the northeast state of Queensland. Minister for Defense John Faulkner said a detachment of RAAF aircrew and maintenance personnel from No. 1 Squadron is conducting work-ups with the aircraft at the Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif. "The detachment is completing comprehensive flight testing which includes up to 96 hours of test and evaluation flying and two weeks of electronic warfare flight trials...

Boeing Eyes F/A-18E/F Long-Term Production Jun 24, 2010 By Andy Nativi Boeing projects the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet production line will remain open past 2020, even though a planned third U.S. Navy multi-year production program would conclude before then. Still uncertain is what the production rate will be during the next multi-year buy; current plans call for a purchase of 124 F/A-18E/Fs over four years, but the number of aircraft and the timeline could still change, says Mike Gibbons, the company’s program manager. He expects the multi-year buy would yield $500 million in savings over annual lot buys. In parallel, Boeing...

THE RAAF's three new aircraft - the Wedgetail, Joint Strike Fighter and Super Hornet - will stop the decline of Australia's regional air superiority, a study shows. But there is potential for maritime surveillance capability to be compromised while retirement of the Vietnam-era Caribou leaves the army without a transport aircraft able to operate from short, rough airfields. In a review of RAAF capability, the Australian Strategic Policy Institute said the air force was in the process of reworking its force structure, embarking on a decade-long process of renewal and augmentation. ASPI analyst Dr Andrew Davies said F-111 strike aircraft...

Lockheed Martin is aggressively countering the belief that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is becoming unaffordable, claiming its cost will be competitive with the latest F-16s and F/A-18s — if planned production rates are achieved. “If we secure the production volume to drive down the learning curve, we expect the acquisition cost to be approximately comparable to a similarly equipped [F/A-18E/F] or F-16 Block 60,” CEO Robert Stevens said during a media event near Washington June 17. The company is projecting a unit recurring flyaway (URF) cost of “about $60 million” (in 2010 dollars) for the conventional takeoff and landing...

Boeing, which is proposing the F/A-18E/F for Japan's forthcoming FX fighter competition, would be willing to let the nation develop its manufacturing capability through the joint development of a new derivative of the Super Hornet. If Japan wanted to further develop the Super Hornet, by coming up with a new derivative, then Boeing would respond positively, says Defense, Space and Security vice-president for international business development Mark Kronenberg. "We would want to come up with a package that helps them with their aspirations," he adds. Japan has yet to issue a request for proposals for the FX competition, but plans...