US Air Force - USAF

Rappel du premier message :

l´USAF plane de retirer +300 jets,dont:

-137 F-15
-177 F-16
-9 A-10s

11 ans avant leur date,pour epargner 3,4B$ et accelerer ainsi les F-22/35

mais ca doit dabord passer le congress et le futur president doit signer!

Citation :

US Air Force eyes fighter cuts to boost modernization
Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:51pm EDT



WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force is seeking to retire early more than 300 fighter aircraft next year to save $3.4 billion in the hope of funding advanced Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) fighters and other modernization efforts, a published report said on Wednesday, citing internal Pentagon documents.

The plan would retire 137 F-15 and 177 F-16 fighters plus nine A-10 close air support attack aircraft as much as 11 years before the end of their scheduled useful lives, InsideDefense.com, an online news service, reported.

"Without accelerating these retirements, we are left with a larger, less-capable force unable to penetrate anti-access environments," the Air Force was quoted as telling John Young, the Pentagon's top arms buyer, in defense of a fiscal 2010 spending plan it submitted in August.

"Anti-access" is Pentagon jargon for spots defended by advanced surface-to-air missiles and state-of-the-art fighters such as those used or planned by Russia and China.

A key Air Force concern is what it calls a potential fighter gap until Lockheed's radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is produced in large numbers.

An Air Force spokesman said it would be inappropriate to discuss an internal working document that will continue to change until it is incorporated into the next president's fiscal 2010 budget submission.

The document was quoted as saying an Air Force analysis showed a "smaller but modernized fighter force, when coupled with a robust bomber fleet, can effectively bridge the gap until the F-35 can be produced in required numbers (ramping to 110) and the F-22 can be modified to a common configuration."

Air Force officials have said they plan to increase F-35 production over the next five years to address the fighter gap, InsideDefense.com said.

Two F-35s have entered flight test, two are in ground test and 17 are in various stages of assembly, including the first two production-model jets scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Air Force in 2010, Lockheed said last month.

The president of the Air Force Association, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Dunn, said it remained to be seen if Congress would let the Air Force get rid of so many aircraft so early and if Pentagon leaders would grab the savings to fund competing priorities within other armed services.

"There will have to be a lot of dialogue inside the Pentagon between the Air Force and the office of the secretary of defense, probably the secretary himself, before a decision is made," Dunn, a former president of the Pentagon's National Defense University, said in a telephone interview.

Old warplanes typically involve high maintenance costs and may require big outlays for structural upgrades. Still, lawmakers often have blocked Air Force attempts to retire aging warplanes early, partly to preserve jobs -- in their voting districts -- at bases from which they are flown.

In the fiscal 2010 budget request being readied at the Pentagon for the next president, the Defense Department is seeking ways to continue production of Lockheed Martin's F-22, the top U.S. dog fighter, while boosting F-35 output to capture economies of scale quickly, Pentagon officials have said.

The final say on whether to go on building the F-22 is being left to the next president, who is to be elected Nov. 4 and take office Jan. 20 -- only weeks before the administration's budget request normally is sent to Congress.

The proposed early retirements represent accelerations of seven years in the case of the F-15, six years for the F-16 and 11 years for the A-10, according to the document cited by InsideDefense.com.

The savings would fuel a push to modernize the Air Force's bombers, late-date fighters and go toward a new "nuclear-specific" B-52 bomber rotational squadron and Northrop Grumman Corp'a (NOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial system expansion, the document was quoted as saying. (Reporting by Jim Wolf; editing by Carol Bishopric, Gary Hill)

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1531730620081015?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Citation :

General Dynamics Delivers First F-15 Wideband Radome to Boeing in Support of Radar Modernization Program


March 31, 2010 by Marcel van Leeuwen · Leave a Comment

CHARLOTTE, N.C. – General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products has delivered its first F-15 wideband nose radome to The Boeing Company in support of the F-15 Radar Modernization Program (RMP) under a system development and demonstration (SDD) contract that was awarded in October 2008. General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products is a business unit of General Dynamics (NYSE: GD).
The RMP radome will fly on the U.S. Air Force F-15E as part of the RMP upgrade. Benefits of the radome include superior electrical performance over a wide frequency range, low weight, low part count, and the ability to perform in high heat and stress environment. The radome also includes the installation and integration of an instrument landing system antenna.
“We are pleased to achieve this program milestone on schedule and within budget to support Boeing’s work on the F-15 RMP,” said Jim Losse, vice president and general manager of advanced materials for General Dynamics Armament and Technical Products. “Our team in Marion has built wideband radomes for years, and we are excited to add the F-15 RMP nose radome to our facility and workforce’s capabilities.”
The SDD contract scope includes radome design, material strength and environmental testing, environmental and structural qualification, tool design, fabrication, assembly and repair-methods development. Production and program management is being performed at General Dynamics’ advanced materials facility in Marion, Va. Ten radomes will be built as part of the SDD phase, with deliveries completed in April 2011.

aviationnews

Ravitailleurs : Morin veut un appel d'offres vraiment ouvert

Citation :

Le Pentagone a fait savoir qu'il était prêt à retarder de 60 jours la date de clôture de l'appel d'offres pour ses avions ravitailleurs, provoquant la colère de dertains parlementaires américains.


Interrogé sur i>TELE, jeudi 1er avril, le ministre de la Défense Hervé Morin s'est réjoui de la décision du Pentagone de retarder de 60 jours la date de clôture de l'appel d'offres pour ses avions ravitailleurs, mais a souligné la nécessité que celui-ci soit "réellement ouvert": d'après-lui, il ne faut pas qu'il soit "déjà tellement fabriqué qu'in fine de toutes façons le choix retenu ne peut pas être celui de l'avion européen".
Le Pentagone avait annoncé mercredi ce report de la date de clôture du 10 mai au 9 juillet, répondant ainsi partiellement à la demande d'EADS, qui comptait obtenir un délai de trois mois pour concourir face à Boeing. Cette annonce a été très mal perçue par certains parlementaires américains qui y ont vu un recul du président Obama face à la pression européenne. La veille, Barack Obama avait reçu Nicolas Sarkozy à Washington et lui avait promis que le processus de sélection des ravitailleurs serait "libre et juste".
EADS réfléchit

Le groupe d'aéronautique et de défense européen a annoncé qu'il allait "réfléchir", tout en rappelant dans un communiqué avoir "fermement dit qu'une extension de 90 jours du délai pour participer à l'appel d'offre serait le minimum de temps nécessaire pour préparer une proposition responsable".
L'appel d'offres pour la fourniture de 179 avions ravitailleurs à l'armée américaine avait été attribué une première fois à Boeing en 2003, puis une deuxième fois à Airbus (EADS) et son allié américain Northrop Grumman en 2008, et à chaque fois annulé.
Début mars, le retrait de son partenaire Northrop, qui dénonçait une compétition biaisée en faveur de Boeing, avait poussé Airbus à renoncer à participer à l'appel d'offres. Cette défection laissait l'avionneur de Chicago seul en course pour ce méga-contrat, poussant les capitales européennes à dénoncer les "tentations protectionnistes" américaines.

Challenges.fr

Citation :

DATE:01/04/10
SOURCE:Flight International
US DoD offers 60-day extension for EADS tanker bid
By Craig Hoyle

The US Department of Defense has offered to make a 60-day extension to its 10 May deadline to receive a bid response from EADS for the US Air Force's KC-X tanker acquisition, providing the latest twist to the long-running saga.

"We are committed to a fair, open and transparent competition to get the best airplane to our warfighters at the best value to the taxpayers," the DoD says. "It is not uncommon to grant a reasonable extension in competitions of this sort, and we consider 60 days to be reasonable."

EADS has been weighing whether to enter the battle as a potential prime contractor since its previous partner Northrop Grumman announced on 8 March that it would not contest the KC-X requirement with the Airbus A330-200-based KC-45.


Airbus KC-45

"Since the DoD indicated their interest in EADS' participation as prime contractor in the KC-X tanker competition, the company has carefully assessed the many requirements necessary to participate," says EADS North America.

"We will consider the department's decision to offer a 60-day extension," it continues, but notes: "We have firmly indicated that a 90-day extension would be the minimum time necessary to prepare a responsible proposal for this $40 billion programme."

News of the possible extension has enraged supporters of Boeing's offer to supply the 767-based NewGen tanker for the USAF's 179-aircraft requirement.


Boeing KC-767+

Patty Murray, Democrat Senator for Washington State, slammed the decision as "completely unacceptable", and says she will work with counterparts "from across the country and the political spectrum to make clear to the Pentagon that this is the wrong move for our service members and our workers".

Raising the issue of the recent World Trade Organisation ruling which found that "an element of subsidy" had been found in past loans to Airbus, Murray says: "This extension means that we are once again bending the rules for a company that has refused to play by them.

"Airbus has had ample time to compete for this contract and put forth a bid. A 60-day extension is simply another Airbus delay tactic. This is textbook Airbus, who has for years done anything it takes to gain US market share and undercut American workers. We cannot and should not be rewarding this behaviour."

Boeing, meanwhile, says it is “deeply disappointed with EADS-Airbus efforts to further delay this vital warfighting programme and tilt the US procurement process in its favour. We do not see a legitimate reason for EADS’s bid deadline extension request, and we believe an extension that favours any individual competitor does not further the goal of ensuring fair competition,” it continues.

“Boeing remains fully prepared to submit a competitive proposal by the 10 May deadline originally set by the air force. However, this latest development, along with the WTO’s recent final ruling that Airbus has been heavily and illegally subsidised for decades, requires Boeing to review all of our options for going forward while we wait for a final determination on a deadline extension.”

EADS has argued that the USAF's final request for proposals for the KC-X deal "clearly favours a smaller, less capable aircraft" than the KC-45. If it decides to compete, the new deadline for a response will be 9 July.

The DoD says it would then conduct an accelerated assessment of the bids, enabling the winning bidder to start production of the selected type "in early fall"

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/feb/13/algae-solve-pentagon-fuel-problem

Citation :

USAF CV-22 crash in Afghanistan kills 3 troops, civilian



4/9/2010 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) –

An Air Force CV-22 Osprey crashed in southern Afghanistan April 8, killing three servicemembers, one civilian employee and injuring numerous other servicemembers.
The cause of the crash is unknown, said officials with NATO’s International Security Assistance Force.
Officials said the aircraft was carrying U.S. troops when it crashed seven miles west of Qalat City in Zabul province. The injured were transported to a nearby base for medical treatment.
The CV-22, a modified version of the Marine Corps MV-22, conducts long-range infiltration and resupply for U.S. forces. It employs tilt-rotor technology that allows it to takeoff and land as a helicopter, and fly like a fixed-wing aircraft.

aviationnews

Citation :

GE Intelligent Platforms Completes Delivery of $6.5 Million Boeing Order Enabling Flight Testing of U.S. Air Force B-1B Airplane Ahead of Production



April 14, 2010 by Marcel van Leeuwen



CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va.–Wednesday, April 14, 2010– GE Intelligent Platforms today announced that it had completed delivery of a $6.5 million order from Boeing (Long Beach, CA). The order, to enable the development of upgrades to the US Air Force’s B-1B bomber, was received in March 2008, with a requirement for completion in time to enable planned flight testing early in 2011.

The upgrades, which are expected to generate production orders starting in 2011, will provide the B-1B with a Vertical Situation Display Upgrade (VSDU), giving aircrew improved protection against hostile action. Included are an adapted version of the GE Intelligent Platforms Octegra3 6U VME rugged video/graphics processor and VIM2 rugged video input mezzanine.

Importantly, Boeing’s requirement was that the subsystems were DO-178B certified, meaning that the development process used conforms to strict quality criteria designed to maximize the safety of airborne systems. GE Intelligent Platforms subcontracted with Ultra Electronics Controls to undertake the necessary development and qualification of the board support package (BSP). Ultra Electronics Controls was selected because of the company’s extensive experience and expertise in delivering DO-178B certified systems. In addition, Presagis provided a DO-178B compliant version of its OpenGL embedded graphics solution.
“Our ultimate goal was to provide a highly cost-effective solution to meet Boeing’s requirements,” said Peter Cavill, General Manager, Military & Aerospace Products at GE Intelligent Platforms. “By working with Ultra Electronics Controls and Presagis on aspects of the project, we simplified the process for Boeing. Because of the depth and breadth of the GE Intelligent Platforms product line, we were able to modify a standard product that precisely met Boeing’s needs, therefore providing a low risk solution that maximized the chances that Boeing could meet its commitment to its customer. ”

The Octegra3 video/graphics processor is designed for demanding applications such as aircraft cockpit displays that require multiple video inputs, multiple video outputs and high performance graphics overlay. It features both a general purpose computing processor from Freescale and a dedicated graphics processor. The VIM2 video input mezzanine card is specifically designed for operation with the Octegra3, providing five independent video input channels and four independent scalers.

The B-1B first flew in October 1984. It can operate at more than 30,000 feet and has a range of more than 7,000 miles. It holds 61 world records for speed, payload and distance. In March 2008, the B-1B became the first aircraft to fly at supersonic speed using synthetic fuel. The fuel was a 50/50 blend of conventional JP-8 petroleum and a synthetic fuel. The flight was part of an ongoing USAF program to certify the alternative fuel for all USAF aircraft. There are currently 66 B-1 aircraft in service.

aviationnews

Citation :

USAF Receives 1,000th JASSM from Lockheed
The US Air Force (USAF) has received the 1,000th joint air-to-surface stand-off missile (JASSM) from Lockheed Martin, as part of the seventh production lot.
The JASSM is a 2,000lb class weapon with a penetrator and blast fragmentation warhead, featuring a stealthy airframe developed for the USAF.
It can cruise autonomously in adverse weather, day or night using an infrared sensors, and can find a specific aimpoint with its anti-jam GPS.
The missile system, which has been successfully demonstrated on the B-1, B-2, B-52 and F-16 aircraft, will be integrated with future platforms including the F-15E, F/A-18 and F-35.
The USAF has awarded the JASSM eighth production lot contract to Lockheed to reach a total objective of 4,900 JASSMs and JASSM-ERs (extended range).

airforce-technology

Citation :

DATE:20/04/10
SOURCE:Flight International
EADS to offer KC-45 tanker to US Air Force as prime contractor
By Stephen Trimble

EADS North America has informed the Department of Defense the company will compete for the KC-X tanker deal as a prime contractor against Boeing.

The announcement by EADS NA Chairman Ralph Crosby on 20 February at the National Press Club comes six weeks after Northrop Grumman withdrew as prime contractor for the KC-45 over charges that the rules for the competitive evaluation were skewed in favour of Boeing.

But EADS decided that it would be "almost hypocritical" for the company to not submit a bid for the KC-45, which Crosby compared to Boeing's "paper" NewGen Tanker proposal based on the 767.

"When you got the best you got to offer it," Crosby says.

Both companies now have until 8 July to submit proposals. The USAF extended the previous 10 May deadline by about 60 days to accommodate EADS' bid.

EADS had reportedly discussed teaming arrangements with US-based primes such as L-3 Communications and Raytheon, but decided to submit a proposal on its own.

With former Senate Majority Leader Trent Lott appearing at the press conference, EADS also announced 10 industrial members on its team, including General Electric, AAR Cargo, Eaton, GKN, Goodrich, Hamilton Sundstrand, Honeywell, RTI, Vought and Cobham.

EADS still plans to set up a modification facility in Mobile, Alabama, to convert the A330-200 into a tanker-transport. The configuration will be "almost the same" as the A330 multi-role tanker transport, which is now modified in Spain for several international customers.

13000mp/H WWAAAAAWOOOOOO!!!!

Citation :

USAF Launches Hypersonic Glider
An experimental hypersonic glider has been launched by the US Air Force (USAF) over the Pacific Ocean from Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, US.
Launched on a Minotaur 4 rocket the glider, called the Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2, is able to travel 4,000 miles in 30 minutes.
The vehicle separated from the booster in the upper atmosphere and glided across the Pacific at 13,000mph, according to the Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA).
After the test, the craft deliberately crashed into the Kwajalein Atoll, 2,100 miles south-west of Hawaii.

airforce-technology

SP perd un escadron pour Duluth,qui passe du Block25 au Block50

Citation :

New F-16s arrive at the 148th Fighter Wing
April 28, 2010 (by 2nd Lt. Jodi Kiminski) - The first wave of F-16C block 50 Fighting Falcon aircraft arrived at the 148th Fighter Wing, Tuesday, April 27.

The F-16s will be transferred from the 22nd Fighter Squadron, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany. The conversion from the Wing's current F-16 block 25 to the new block 50 aircraft will take approximately 18 to 24 months. Pilots and aircraft maintenance personnel are currently attending technical training for the new aircraft.

The 148th FW is the first Air National Guard Wing to convert to the Block 50 from the active duty Air Force. This aircraft boasts an improved engine with more thrust as well as enhancements to the aircraft structure and avionics. It also includes a greater computer capacity for future upgrades and improvements.

In 2005, the 148th FW was slated for re-alignment and retirement of its current F-16 fleet as part of the Air Force Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) recommendations. The newer F-16s provide updated technologies that will give the Wing ready capabilities beyond 2020.

Additional waves of aircraft will continue to arrive throughout April and May.

Courtesy of 148FW Public Affairs
f-16.net

USAF F-16C Block 50 #91-0388 from Spangdahlem AB arrives at the 148th FW Duluth ANGB on April 27, 2010. The aircraft is one of the first block 50 F-16s to arrive at the wing as the unit becomes the first ANG unit to convert to the block 50 aircraft from Active Duty Air Force.[i]

Citation :

USAF to Select Bases for UAV Training
The US Air Force has selected four potential bases to begin the training of five new squadrons of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV).
Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota, Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho and Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri have been identified for the training.
The new ground control station will train pilots on the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper, according to Daily Press.
Bases will be selected on the basis of mission requirements, communications infrastructure, reserve component recruiting, facilities, support capacity, timing and cost.
Decisions will be taken in June 2010 after the air force completes an environmental impact analysis on each base.
The air force, which plans to fly 65 UAVs by the end of 2013, will launch the new squadrons to staff the increasing number of remotely piloted aircraft.

airforce-technology

Citation :

USAF Activates New MC-12 Unit in Afghanistan
A new MC-12 Liberty aircraft squadron has been activated by the US Air Force at Kandahar Airfield in Afghanistan.
The 80-member MC-12 unit will be operated by the 361st Expeditionary Reconnaissance Squadron (ERS).
The new MC-12 unit will enable the USAF to improve joint and combined counterinsurgency capabilities of the air force and assist Afghanistan in defeating the insurgency.
The MC-12, a manned, special-mission turboprop aircraft, has been designed for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.
The 451st Expeditionary Operations Group commander Col. John A. Cherrey said the 361st ERS has been reactivated many times in the squadron's history.
The squadron first started operations in 1943 during World War II when it flew B-17 Flying Fortresses and B-24 Liberators, and later used EC-47s in Vietnam.

airforce-technology

Citation :

U.S. Air Force Awards Raytheon $34 Million for Laser-Guided Maverick


AMMAN, Jordan, May 10, 2010 The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) $34.4 million to continue design work on the AGM-65E2/L laser-guided Maverick missile, the newest variant of the Maverick. The contract requires Raytheon to develop, integrate and test the missile’s guidance and control section.

“The laser-guided Maverick is an ideal weapon for urban combat and high-speed maneuvering targets,” said Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon Missile System’s Air Warfare Systems product line. “The combat-proven Maverick is integrated on more than 25 aircraft in 33 nations, and we hope to have the newest addition to the Maverick family available for export soon.”
The laser-guided Maverick will have an enhanced laser seeker and new software, reducing the risk of collateral damage and enabling aviators to use onboard aircraft lasers to designate targets.
Raytheon Company, with 2009 sales of $25 billion, is a technology and innovation leader specializing in defense, homeland security and other government markets throughout the world. With a history of innovation spanning 88 years, Raytheon provides state-of-the-art electronics, mission systems integration and other capabilities in the areas of sensing; effects; and command, control, communications and intelligence systems, as well as a broad range of mission support services. With headquarters in Waltham, Mass., Raytheon employs 75,000 people worldwide

Raytheon

Citation :

Pratt & Whitney Delivers 1000th F117 Engine to U.S. Air Force




– Pratt & Whitney delivered the 1,000th F117 engine powering the C-17 Globemaster III transport aircraft to the United States Air Force. Four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines provide power for 100 percent of The Boeing Company’s C-17 Globemaster III — the world’s premier heavy airlifter. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. (NYSE:UTX) company.
“Air Mobility Command relies on the products, services and support that Pratt & Whitney provides,” said Lieutenant General Rusty Findley, Vice Commander, Air Mobility Command. “Our friends, allies and countrymen can rest assured knowing that AMC’s C-17 Globemaster III, powered by Pratt & Whitney engines, will deliver the right effects, to the right place, at the right time.”
The F117-PW-100 is a derivative of Pratt & Whitney’s commercial PW2000 engine powering the Boeing 757. The F117 has consistently proven itself as a world-class reliable engine. Through Pratt & Whitney’s ongoing investment in product improvements, the engine continuously surpasses established goals of time on wing, in-flight shut downs, and support turnaround time.
“Pratt & Whitney is proud to deliver the 1,000th engine to the U.S. Air Force, one of our key customers,” says Bev Deachin, vice president, Pratt & Whitney Military Programs & Customer Support. “This milestone is yet another testament to the superb dependability, reliability and performance of Pratt & Whitney’s F117 engine, and our dedication to our customers’ airlift mission.”
Four Pratt & Whitney F117 engines, each rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust, enable the C-17 transport to carry a payload of 160,600 pounds, take off from a 7,600-foot airfield, and fly 2,400 nautical miles without refueling. With more than 7 million hours of proven military service and more than 40 million hours in commercial use, the F117/PW2037 reinforces Pratt & Whitney’s promise to deliver Dependable Engines.
“Pratt & Whitney’s F117 team is honored to be part of the exceptional C-17 program answering the call for humanitarian efforts worldwide,” said Deachin.

aviationnews

Citation :

USAF to Expand C-130 Hercules Training Fleet
The US Air Force will expand its C-130 Hercules training fleet with additional planes from the air national guard and air force reserve squadrons.
USAF secretary Michael Bruce Donley said the air force would establish an air reserve component training unit at Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas.
"This will include the temporary movement of some air national guard and air force reserve aircraft to establish an ARC C-130 formal training unit to meet the air force's total force training needs," he said.
Air force reserve chief Lt. Gen. Charles E Stenner Jr said the air force reserve would meet the air force's operational and training mission requirements.
"Guard and reserve crews are well versed in a variety of C-130 mission sets and are certainly well qualified for this training mission," he said.
Air national guard director Lt. Gen. Harry Wyatt said that this partnership would assist the air force in training qualified total force C-130 crews.
Donley said that new C-130J Super Hercules would continue to enter the air force as C-130 training requirements decrease, allowing the temporarily relocated C-130s from air guard and reserve components to return to their home units

airforce-technology

un articl qui date de mois de février passé

Citation :

Des Mirage F1 pour les Etats-Unis ?


La France aurait entamé des discussions pour la vente de dix à trente Mirage F1 à son partenaire américain. Alors que Hervé Morin a confirmé, après plusieurs mois d’atermoiements administratifs, l’achat d’un lot de Javelin prélevés sur le stock existant de l’armée américaine (la modernisation du Milan se poursuivant...), les Etats-Unis ne masquent pas, en retour, leur intérêt pour un lot de Mirage F1 “déclassés”. Les pièces détachées et le maintien en condition opérationnelle (MCO) étant compris dans le possible marché.

Cet achat, qui ne rapporterait pas grand-chose à l’Etat français, serait réalisé sur le même schéma que celui des Mig-29B/UB/Fulcrum C (6+16+6) acquis par Washington en Moldavie et en Allemagne. Ces Mig seraient stockés sur la base 51 et serviraient parfois d’“agresseurs”.

Le Mirage F1, rencontré durant la guerre d’Irak (on trouve des Mirage F1 dans des pays arabes, dont l’Iran, qui possède un escadron de Mirage F1E irakiens, la Libye, le Maroc...), pourrait également jouer le rôle de l’agresseur lors d’exercices de type “Red Flag”. L’engin de Dassault y serait l’ennemi, à l’instar de F15 et F16 repeints pour l’occasion. 

http://www.ttu.fr/francais/Articles/Industrie%20%26%20materiels/miragef1pourlesu.html

C'est la 3ème fois que cet article est posté...


svp les gars, pas de 4ème fois.

Navy pas USAF Maatawi

deja posté ici
https://far-maroc.forumpro.fr/ameriques-f24/us-navy-t2016-240.htm

[quote="Yakuza"]Navy pas USAF Maatawi

deja posté ici
https://far-maroc.forumpro.fr/ameriques-f24/us-navy-t2016-240.htm[/quote]


Oups je me suis trompé d’article
Voila celui que je voulais poster
Merci Yak pour la correction

Citation :

USAF Begins Work on First Cyber Warfare Intelligence Centre
The USAF Air Force Centre for Engineering and the Environment has begun the construction of the new 38,000ft² cyber warfare command centre at Lackland Air Force Base, Texas.
The centre will be the new home for the 68th Network Warfare Squadron (NWS) and the 710th Information Operations Flight, currently located at Brooks City-Base in San Antonio, California.
Lackland has been chosen for its proximity to cyber-related commands such as the National Security Agency's Texas Cryptologic Center and the Air Force Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Agency.
It is also close to the 67th Network Warfare Wing, the Joint Information Operations Warfare Command and the Air Force Cryptologic Support Group.
The 68th NWS commander Col. Bradford Shwedo said the building will be the first of its kind in the nation, as well as the first step in cyber warfare.
Scheduled to be completed this year, the new building will serve as an office space for 400 defence personnel

airforce-technology

Raptor a écrit:

C'est la 3ème fois que cet article est posté...


svp les gars, pas de 4ème fois.

excuse

Citation :

Advanced AIM-120 missile passes final flight test


Lt. Col. Jim Hecker fires an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile at a sub-scale aerial target drone.

09:00 GMT, May 19, 2010 On May 4, 1989, the AIM-120A advanced medium-range air-to-air, or AMRAAM, passed its final flight test for use on U.S. fighters. The AIM-120A demonstrated its ability to achieve multiple targets. On the Gulf Test Range near Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., an F-15 Eagle fired two missiles at two QF-100 drones at 10,000 feet and two more at two drones at 5,000 feet. The test resulted in three direct hits and one pass within lethal distance.

The AIM-120 AMRAAM is a new generation air-to-air missile. It has an all-weather, beyond-visual-range capability. The Air Force, U.S. Navy and America's allies use the missile. It is a follow-on to the AIM-7 Sparrow missile series. The missile is faster, smaller and lighter, and has improved capabilities against low-altitude targets. It incorporates active radar with an inertial reference unit and micro-computer system, which makes the missile less dependent upon the fire-control system of the aircraft. Once the missile closes on a target, its active radar guides it to intercept. This enables the pilot to aim and fire several missiles simultaneously at multiple targets. The pilot may then perform evasive maneuvers while the missiles guide themselves to their targets.

AMRAAM has three variants - AIM-120A/B/C -- operational on F-15, F-16 Fighting Falcon and F-22 Raptor aircraft.

During the full-scale development phase, Hughes Aircraft Co. completed missile development and Raytheon was selected as a follower producer. A production contract to both vendors was awarded in 1987. More than 200 of the test missiles were launched during flight tests at Eglin AFB, Fla.; White Sands Missile Range, N.M.; and Point Mugu, Calif.

defpro

Citation :

X-51A Waverider flight planned for May 25

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AIR FORCE BASE, Ohio (AFNS) – Weather permitting, Air Force officials said the X-51A Waverider will make its first hypersonic flight test attempt May 25 after it is released from a B-52 Stratofortress off the southern coast of California.
The unmanned X-51A is expected to fly autonomously for five minutes, powered by a supersonic combustion scramjet engine, accelerating to about Mach 6 and transmitting vast amounts of data to ground stations before breaking up after splashing down into the Pacific, as planned. There are no plans to recover the flight test vehicle, one of four built.
“In those 300 seconds, we hope to learn more about hypersonic flight with a practical scramjet engine than all previous flight tests combined,” said Charlie Brink, X-51A program manager with the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Propulsion Directorate here.
The longest previous hypersonic scramjet flight test performed by a NASA X-43 in 2004 was faster, but lasted only about 10 seconds and used less logistically supportable hydrogen fuel, Mr. Brink said.
The X-51A program is a collaborative effort by representatives from the Air Force Research Laboratory and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, with industry partners The Boeing Company and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.
The X-51 will depart Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. and be carried aloft under the wing of a B-52 belonging to the Air Force Flight Test Center there. It will be released at approximately 50,000 feet over the Point Mugu Naval Air Warfare Center Sea Range. A solid rocket booster will accelerate the X-51A to approximately Mach 4.5, before being jettisoned.
Then the cruiser’s scramjet engine, remarkable because it has virtually no moving parts, will ignite. Burning the same JP-7 jet fuel once used by the SR-71 Blackbird, it will accelerate the X-51A to Mach 6 as it climbs to nearly 70,000 feet. Hypersonic combustion generates intense heat so routing of the engine’s own JP-7 fuel will serve to both cool the engine and heat the fuel to optimum operating temperature for combustion.
A U.S. Navy P-3 Orion will aid in transmitting telemetry data to people at both Naval Air Station Point Mugu and Vandenberg AFB, Calif., before it arrives at its final destination: Ridley Mission Control Center at Edwards AFB.
The May 25 hypersonic test will actually be the third time the X-51 has flown, but in each previous instance it has remained attached to the B-52’s wing. The first captive carry flight Dec. 9, 2009, verified the B-52’s high-altitude performance and handling qualities with the X-51 attached and tested communications and telemetry systems. The other flight, intended essentially as a dress rehearsal for the hypersonic flight, took place earlier this year.
Program officials said this will be the only hypersonic flight attempt this fiscal year, a change from the original test plan which was to fly in December 2009 then three more times in 2010.
A combination of factors, including access to supporting flight test and range assets, was cited as the reason for the pause. Availability of the Air Force Flight Test Center’s B-52, which has been in high demand to support a number of other high-priority weapon system tests and is readying to undergo periodic depot-level maintenance later this year, was noted.
“This is an experimental X-plane and it’s a complicated test. We knew the original schedule was aggressive and we would need to be flexible,” Mr. Brink said. “It’s also expensive to keep a staff of engineers and support staff at the ready and then not be able to fly when supporting assets aren’t available. So we elected to make only one hypersonic try this spring and then pause for a few months to conserve funding.”
Mr. Brink called the test “a major team effort” by AFRL, DARPA, Air Force Flight Test Center, NASA, the U.S. Navy, Boeing and Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne.
The shark-like shape of the 14-foot long X-51A cruiser gives a hint to the technologies it is designed to explore, Mr. Brink said. Virtually wingless, it is designed to ride its own shockwave, thus the nickname, Waverider. The heart of the system is its Pratt & Whitney Rocketdyne SJY61 scramjet engine, but other key technologies that will be demonstrated by the X-51A include thermal protection systems materials, airframe and engine integration, and high-speed stability and control.
Officials said the X-51A program will pave the way to hypersonic weapons and future access to space. Since scramjets are able to burn atmospheric oxygen, they don’t need to carry large fuel tanks containing oxidizer like conventional rockets, and are being explored as a way to more efficiently launch payloads into orbit.
Source and photo: USAF

Citation :

Lockheed Martin Delivers First U.S. Air Force Advanced EHF Satellite
New-Generation Protected Military Communications Satellite Scheduled to Launch July 2010

SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 25th, 2010 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has delivered the first satellite in the Advanced Extremely High Frequency (AEHF) program to Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla., where it will be prepared for a July 30 liftoff aboard an Atlas V launch vehicle. The AEHF system will provide the U.S. military and national leaders with global, protected, high capacity and secure communications.

“Shipment of the first AEHF satellite is testimony to a strong government and industry partnership focused on achieving total mission success on this vitally important program,” said Col. Michael Sarchet, commander of the Protected Satellite Communications Group at the U.S. Air Force’s Space and Missile Systems Center. “AEHF will play an integral role in our national security space architecture, and we look forward to providing this new capability to the warfighter.”

The AEHF system is the successor to the five-satellite Milstar constellation and will provide significantly improved global, highly secure, protected, survivable communications for all warfighters serving U.S. national security. The governments of Canada, The Netherlands, and the United Kingdom participate in the AEHF program as international partners and will have access to the communications capability of AEHF.

A single AEHF satellite will provide greater total capacity than the entire Milstar constellation currently on-orbit. Individual user data rates can be up to five times higher than Milstar’s highest speed. The faster data rates will permit transmission of tactical military communications, such as high-quality real-time video and quick access to battlefield maps and targeting data.

“Lockheed Martin is extremely proud of this significant program milestone,” said Mike Davis, Lockheed Martin’s AEHF vice president. “This satellite will provide substantially improved protected communications capabilities for the warfighter, and we look forward to achieving mission success for our customer.”

The second AEHF spacecraft (SV-2) has completed Final Integrated System Test which verified all spacecraft interfaces, demonstrated full functionality and evaluated satellite performance and is now preparing for Intersegment testing to ensure the spacecraft is ready for flight. The third AEHF satellite, SV-3, has completed acoustic testing, one of several critical environmental tests that validate the overall satellite design, quality of workmanship and survivability during space vehicle launching and on-orbit operations. SV-2 and SV-3 are on track for launch readiness in 2011.

The AEHF team is led by the U.S. Air Force Military Satellite Communications Systems Wing at the Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif. Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., is the AEHF prime contractor and system manager, with Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, Redondo Beach, Calif., as the payload provider.

“Assured communications for our military services is absolutely essential wherever they may be deployed,” said Stuart Linsky, vice president, Satellite Communications, for Northrop Grumman. “Capabilities provided by AEHF will give more warfighters access to the protected communications they need.”

Lockheed Martin is currently under contract to provide three AEHF satellites and the Mission Control Segment. The program has begun advanced procurement of long-lead components for a fourth AEHF satellite.

Lockheed Martin

pour ceux qui ont encore des doutes, içi on peut voir ce qu'est vraiment la taille d'un satellite militaire ....

Citation :

U.S. Air Force Awards Raytheon $97 Million for More Miniature Air Launched Decoys


TUCSON, Ariz. | The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) $96.7 million for a third production lot of the Miniature Air Launched Decoy.

MALD is a state-of-the-art, low-cost, decoy flight vehicle that is modular, air-launched and programmable. It weighs less than 300 pounds and has a range of approximately 500 nautical miles (about 575 statute miles).

"MALD protects aircrew and their aircraft by mimicking the signatures and combat flight profiles of U.S. and allied aircraft," said Ken Watson, the U.S. Air Force's MALD program manager. "This contract delivers additional capabilities to the combatant commanders by giving them more options to shape the battlespace."

MALD is currently in production, and Raytheon has delivered more than 100 units to the U.S. Air Force. This new contract calls for the company to build approximately 300 additional decoys -- nearly equal to the total of Lots I and II combined. Additionally, the contract requires the delivery of the MALD-Jammer in preparation for the MALD-J initial operational test and evaluation phase, with production expected to begin in 2011.

"This contract showcases the reliability and capability of the baseline program," said Scott Muse, Raytheon's MALD program director. "MALD can be certified on any aircraft with a 14-inch suspension carriage, and its modular design opens the door to numerous options beyond the stand-in-jammer, making MALD an ideal solution for the men and women in uniform."

Background information:
More than 125 Raytheon employees design and build the MALD and MALD-J in Tucson, Ariz.; Goleta, Calif.; and El Segundo, Calif.

Hundreds of employees in scores of businesses across the U.S. design and manufacture MALD and MALD-J components. Major suppliers include: AML Communications, Camarillo, Calif.; AUSCO, Port Washington, N.Y.; BAE, Berthoud, Colo.; CEI, Sacramento, Calif.; Celestica, Austin, Texas; Eagle Pitcher, Joplin, Mo.; EDO, Bohemia, N.Y.; Enser, Pinellas Park, Fla.; Engineered Fabrics Corp, Rockmart, Ga.; GDOTS, Redmond, Wash.; Hamilton-Sundstrand, Rockford, Ill.; Hamilton-Sundstrand, San Diego; LaBarge, Joplin, Mo.; Moog, East Aurora, N.Y.; Tecom, Westlake Village, Calif.

defpro