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 :

contrat du siècle
C’est finalement l’américain Bœing qui gagne le match contre l’européen EADS. Un contrat de 35milliards de dollars et des dizaines de milliers d’emplois aux Etats-Unis.


S.N. | Publié le 25.02.2011, 07h00


Boeing a été choisi pour remplacer la flotte américaine d’avions ravitailleurs.
| (MAXPPP/HANDOUT.)
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Terrible coup dur pour EADS. Après huit ans d’une lutte émaillée de coups de théâtre, l’armée américaine a annoncé hier soir très tard (heure de Paris) que Boeing avait finalement remporté l’appel d’offres géant portant sur le renouvellement de sa flotte d’avions ravitailleurs qui date des années 1950. SUR LE MÊME SUJET

Huit ans de rebondissementsLes deux offres en compétitionA Boeing le méga-contrat d'avions militaires, à EADS les regretsLes Etats-Unis préfèrent Airbus à Boeing
Boeing « a obtenu un contrat ferme à prix fixe évalué à plus de 3,5 milliards de dollars pour la livraison de 18 appareils d’ici à 2017 », a indiqué le Pentagone. Il s’agit de la première tranche d’un méga contrat évalué à quelque 35 milliards de dollars et portant sur 179 avions ravitailleurs. « Boeing l’emporte haut la main », a noté le secrétaire adjoint à la Défense, William Lynn.

Un appel de cette décision est possible

Pour EADS, la version militaire de son A-330, le KC-45, est pourtant « le seul véritable avion-ravitailleur déjà en activité » alors que la version du 767 présentée par Boeing n’existe « que sur le papier ». L’européen, qui avait revu la semaine dernière ses prix à la baisse, avançait que sa production aux Etats-Unis générerait 48 000 emplois directs et indirects dans le pays.
Le groupe EADS a réagi très rapidement en faisant part de son inquiétude. « Les représentants d’EADS North America se disent déçus et inquiets de l’annonce par l’armée de l’air américaine d’avoir choisi un avion prototype hautement risqué face au KC-45 (présenté par l’européen) qui a fait ses preuves et présente de meilleures capacités », a indiqué l’avionneur. Depuis le lancement de l’appel d’offres en 2003, « notre but était de fournir les meilleures capacités à nos hommes et femmes en uniforme et de créer des emplois américains en construisant le KC-45 ici aux Etats-Unis. Nous restons engagés sur ces objectifs », a expliqué le président d’EADS pour l’Amérique du Nord. L’avionneur n’a toutefois pas précisé s’il comptait faire appel de la décision.
Une réaction qui contraste évidemment avec Boeing qui s’est dit « prêt » hier à « développer et construire » la nouvelle flotte d’avions ravitailleurs.

Les dés sont pipés d'avance .............
Et tout le reste de l'EUrope léche les pieds de l'oncle sam pour le F35

j´attends des possibles mesures de retorsion europeenes,s´il y´en a quelques
le JSF ne sera pas sacrifié a mon avis

les européens peuvent s'attendre à un autre coup dur avec le F-35B...

mais les USA leur ont vraiment " fait à l'envers" comme on dit....

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A U.S. Air Force B-52 Stratofortress aircraft from the 20th Expeditionary Bomb Squadron leads a formations of two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 18th Aggressor Squadron, an F-16CJ Fighting Falcon from Misawa, Japan, an F-15J Eagle from Chitose Japan, two Japanese Air Self-Defense Force F-2 attack fighters from the 6th Tactical Fighter Squadron, two U.S. Navy EA-6B Prowler aircraft from the Electronic Attack Squadron, an U.S. Navy E-2C Hawkeye and a Japanese E-2C Hawkeye aircraft on a flight over Andersen Air Force Base, during exercise Cope North Feb. 21. The U.S. Air Force and Japanese Air Self-Defense Force conduct Cope North annually at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam to increase combat readiness and interoperability concentrating on coordination and evaluation of air tactics, techniques and procedures. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Angelita M. Lawrence)

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First production F-35A Takes Off





The first production model of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II made its inaugural flight February 25, 2011, in preparation for delivery to the U.S. Air Force this spring. The F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) variant – designed to meet U.S. Air Force requirements – is also the primary export version of the Lightning II. The air forces of Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Norway and Israel will employ the F-35A.
The aircraft known as ‘AF-6’ is one of two production aircraft included in the Low-Rate Initial Production 1 (LRIP 1) batch. It is scheduled to go through flight tests in Fort Worth for about a month before it is accepted by the Air Force, heading to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., along with along the second LRIP-1 AF-7, to support developmental testing shortly after the Air Force takes delivery.
Deliveries of the F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variant to the U.S. Marine Corps also begin this year, while deliveries of the F-35C carrier variant to the U.S. Navy start in 2012.
As for the flight testing, 17 F-35 are now operating within the F-35 test fleet have logged more than 650 test flights, including 78 flights in 2011. The F-35B has completed 32 vertical landings, including 22 in 2011. The F-35C is scheduled to begin land-based catapult launches and arrested recoveries later this year, with ship-board test flights beginning in 2013. The F-35B will begin test operations from U.S. Marine Corps amphibious assault ships this fall.

F-35A (AF6) on its first flight, with Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti in the cockpit. The aircraft (serial # 07-0744) took off from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base February 25, 2011 on at 3:05 p.m. CST for a test flight lasting one hour. Photo: David Drais, Lockheed Martin via Aviation Week

defense-update

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BAE Systems Receives U.S. Air Force Contract for Crashworthy Seats on C-130s


WARNER ROBINS, Ga. | BAE Systems has received an $8.4 million U.S. Air Force contract to provide crashworthy seats for C-130 aircraft. The specially designed seats will help protect crewmembers in the event of mishaps or hard landings. The company will develop, test, and install as many as 88 seat systems to enhance the survivability of the crew during normal, emergency, and combat operations.

This work builds on BAE Systems’ strong history of performance in support of the C-130 community. The company has designed, supported, and completed more than 200 modifications to C-130 variants over the past 12 years.

The contract was awarded by the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base in Georgia. The work will be conducted at BAE Systems operations in Crestview, Florida; Mojave, California; and Phoenix, Arizona.

“This important readiness and sustainment contract will provide a cost-effective, rapidly deployable solution for the warfighter,” said Gordon Eldridge, vice president and general manager of Aerospace Solutions at BAE Systems Support Solutions. “This win also builds on our support to the Tactical Airlift Division, a key customer at the Air Logistics Center.”

The new seat systems are needed by the Air Force to ensure the safety of the aircrew during emergencies. The ability of the crew to survive unhurt, facilitated by crashworthy seats, is paramount during extreme landing situations and for quick evacuations from the aircraft.

BAE Systems Support Solutions provides a range of services to meet needs in readiness and sustainment and operational support across the land, aviation, maritime, and C4ISR domains, supporting the U.S. Department of Defense and federal agencies. Support Solutions is also a leading non-nuclear ship repair, modernization, and conversion company, serving the U.S. Navy and other maritime customers.

defpro

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First female CV-22 pilot completes training



KIRTLAND AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. (AFNS) -- After nearly three years of flight training with the Air Force, she recently became the first qualified female pilot of the CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft.

It started with pictures of aircraft in her grandfather's home. Then it was on to starting lessons to earn her private pilot's license as a high school senior. It kept up through her Air Force training. First Lt. Candice Killian, a 58th Training Squadron student, has always wanted to fly.

"I had two major influences for initially getting interested in flying," Lieutenant Killian said. "One was my grandfather. He flew civilian aircraft. I never got to see them because I was too young, but I saw pictures of them at his house and he would tell me stories. The other was a friend who flew. His father was in the Air Force. When my friend went to the Air Force Academy, he encouraged me to learn to fly."

Lieutenant Killian said she went to her local airport to look into flying lessons. Within 18 months, she completed her private pilot's license.

Lieutenant Killian said she wanted to join the Air Force to make a positive difference and to serve her country. It also fulfilled her desire to fly. She went to the Air Force Academy to start her training.

"I found out that I was going to fly for the Air Force my senior year at the academy," Lieutenant Killian said. "The undergraduate pilot training track is very broad at first, but you find out where you're going at the Academy at what we call '100 days.' It's a dinner and a celebration where they tell you where you're going to go. It's your senior year and you finally know where you're going."

From the academy, Lieutenant Killian went to initial pilot training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas. The initial training, on the T-6A Texan II training aircraft, took about six months and included flight training and academics. After that, she went to Fort Rucker, Ala., to learn how to fly the UH-1 Huey helicopter.

"I knew I wanted to fly helicopters," Lieutenant Killian said. "I like the mission role that helicopters in the Air Force generally fly, the broad spectrum of things we can do. Upon completion of the course at Fort Rucker, you can get CV-22s, UH-1s or HH-60 (Pave Hawks). The mission of the Osprey is very appealing."

After undergraduate pilot training, Lieutenant Killian was chosen to train as a pilot on the CV-22. The initial training took place with the Marine Corps at Air Station New River, N.C. As a joint program, all Air Force CV-22 pilots complete the Marine course, where they are taught general aircraft systems and the basics about flying a tiltrotor aircraft.

"Working with the Marines was a lot of fun and really fulfilling," Lieutenant Killian said. "To experience their culture and how they train was awesome. I had the opportunity to be instructed by them and see the different learning styles they used."

After training with the Marines, she came to Kirtland Air Force Base to complete her CV-22 unique mission training with the 58th Special Operations Wing.

"I didn't find out I was the first female pilot until they chose me," Lieutenant Killian said. "I remember being told, 'You're the first.' It's an honor that they would choose me. It's nice to be a part of this elite organization."

Each pilot who graduates from CV-22 training receives a coin from the commander, with a number signifying where they fall in the training pipeline, said Lt. Col. Larry Riddick, the 71st Special Operations Squadron commander. Lieutenant Killian is number 97.

"She's done very well in the course," Colonel Riddick said. "It's been fantastic having her here and I look forward to hearing about her career."

From here, Lieutenant Killian will be transferring to her next duty station at Hurlburt Field, Fla.

"I want to continue to do well," Lieutenant Killian said. "For all those who have influenced me along the way, I can't thank them enough. Without them, I probably would not be here. I want to thank everyone for their positive guidance."

http://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123244669

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Lockheed Conducts Flight Test of USAF F-35 Stealth Fighter

Lockheed Martin has conducted the inaugural flight of its first production model of the F-35 Lightning II fifth generation multirole fighter for delivery to the US Air Force (USAF) soon.
Lockheed Martin test pilot Bill Gigliotti said the aircraft successfully completed all the tests it was put through during the flight.
"The air force is getting a great jet that represents a huge leap in capability, and we're looking forward to getting it into the hands of the service pilots in just a few more weeks," he added.
During the flight, the conventional take-off and landing (CTOL) F-35A variant, known as AF-6, underwent basic flight manoeuvring and engine tests.
The fighter will continue flight tests in Fort Worth for about a month before it is accepted by the USAF.
The aircraft will be delivered to Edwards Air Force Base, California, US, to support developmental testing shortly after the USAF takes delivery.
The F-35 Lightning II combines advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment.

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Testing puts LAIRCM on target to protect tankers



EDWARDS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- One of the most common threats in the war in Afghanistan is the Man-portable Air Defense System (MANPAD), usually in the form of shoulder-fired infrared missiles. Without any countermeasures, large, slow-moving aircraft were susceptible to attack by such means.

The Large Aircraft Countermeasures System was devised to protect planes by automatically detecting missile launches, determining if the launched missile is a threat and activating a high-intensity system of pulsed lasers to track and defeat the threat by confusing its guidance and send the missile astray.

However, with the pod being located on the back of airplane, before it can be used operationally on a tanker plane, the adverse effects of the pod's placement on refueling needed to be tested.

"The LAIRCM pod is an encased system of sensors software and a laser tracker that can identify infrared ground-based missile threats, sense them, track them, and then defeat them using a laser to spoof the missile off course," explained Maj. Prospero Uybarreta, 445th Flight Test Flight Squadron assistant director of operations.

The Topeka, Kan. Air National Guard volunteered to host the testing and have one of their KC-135s outfitted with the device. The Air Force Flight Test Center was tasked with assisting the Kansas guardsmen with the testing by performing the handling qualities and aerial refueling testing of the LAIRCM-modified KC-135R tanker.

"Edwards and the AFFTC are really a center for [flight testers] so the KC-135 program office knew that Edwards would be the best source of test pilots, test boom operators and flight test engineers to run the limited handling qualities and aerial refueling testing for the program."

Prior to the test flights, the AFFTC team was briefed on the ins and outs of the LAIRCM system and the changes it makes to the operation of the KC-135.

"Northrop Grumman gave us some initial academic training that lasted two or three hours and it was a basic introduction on how it was integrated onto the airplane in terms of switches and modifications made to the aircraft and also how the system performs when we turn on the airplane," said Major Uybarreta. "You have to do very little to operate the system, basically you just turn it on, and the system is fairly automatic from that point."

To ensure that the LAIRCM pod didn't affect the KC-135's primary mission of refueling, the AFFTC was tasked with planning, executing, and reporting on the handling qualities and aerial refueling testing of a LAIRCM-modified KC-135R tanker.

"The limited handling qualities testing we did showed no noticeable differences in the airplane," said Major Uybarreta. "More importantly, when we did aerial refueling, the pod did not interfere with the aerial refueling process in any way. In fact, the pod gave positive visual references for the pilot of the receiving aircraft."

Originally, the testing was slated for four separate missions, but the 445th FLTS accomplished all of the handling qualities tests in one mission by combining the refueling of a large and small aircraft into one flight. Testing was completed in just two missions.

"The team did a fantastic job in planning, which allowed us to reduce the number of missions from four to two during execution while addressing all of the customer's needs as well as desires," said Shweta Shrivastava, 445th FLTS flight test engineer. "We had a short and hard timeline and used every part of the AFFTC process for technical and safety planning and success was our reward."

"We did the testing very efficiently. We did all the single-ship handling qualities test maneuvers in one sortie. And we were able to test both air refueling test receivers on one separate mission as well," added Major Uybarreta.

Major Uybarreta said that not only did the pod not have a negative impact on the piloting of the KC-135, but from a aerial refueling standpoint, it actually helped by creating an additional visual to assist in air refueling.

"The other thing that was most memorable was how surprising the pod's visual references during air refueling were. Meaning the pod actually made aerial refueling somewhat easier."

Ms. Shrivastava said she was honored to be a part of such a successful team who showed the vast and varying capabilities of the AFFTC.

"It was amazing to be a part of such a success-driven, customer-focused, warfighter-centric team," said Ms. Shrivastava. "We really showed the success that comes from using the AFFTC for test, regardless of the size or scope of the program."

With the handling qualities and aerial refueling testing completed with no issues, the aircraft moved to the next phase of testing, at Eglin Air Force Base Fla., where the aircraft successfully completed its operational utility testing.

With all these results, Major Uybarreta said the success of all the testing warrants the further pursuit of a larger LAIRCM-modified KC-135 testing program.

http://www.edwards.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123244859

Le PAC-3 MSE a réussie une deuxiéme interception de missile balistique,les allemands et les italiens respire le programme MEADS ne sera pas enterré au profit du THAAD.
http://referencesmilitaires.blogspot.com/2011/03/deuxieme-succes-pour-lintercepteur-pac.html

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Eielson Wing Commander marks 4,000+ hours in F-16



EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, AK -- Earning the opportunity to fly a fighter aircraft in the Air Force is an honor few Airmen are chosen for, and being assigned to the F-16 "Fighting Falcon" for 24 years on active duty is an even rarer achievement.

Brigadier General James N. "Bull" Post III, the 354th Fighter Wing's commander, completed his 2,565th sortie in the F-16 today, bringing his official total flight hours to 4000.4 in the F-16. The milestone places him in an elite corner of the F-16 community as the only known General officer to accomplish the feat while still on active duty.

While stationed at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, the General transitioned in 1987 from the venerable F-4 Phantom II to the F-16 "Viper" at Luke AFB, Arizona. Since his first sortie in the F-16 he has gone on to win honors as the 1995 Pacific Air Forces Instructor Pilot of the Year and as the Pacific Air Forces' Mission Commander and winner of the USAF's 1995 GUNSMOKE competition.

The commander cherishes his time alongside fellow Airmen in combat most of all.

"We train for and conduct a variety of missions," said General Post. "But I've always felt most proud when providing close air support to troops on the ground."

General Post has accumulated over 280 hours in support of operations NORTHERN WATCH, SOUTHERN WATCH and IRAQI FREEDOM.

"This milestone isn't about flying time in a jet," said General Post. "It's about the responsibility we all have to remain as ready and proficient as possible in the skill or trade the Air Force assigns you."

"From the day you start your service and through the years, you have to be determined to maintain a winning edge," added General Post. "You have to be an expert and know your job better than anyone else. As Airmen we must never leave success to chance, our Air Force and our nation depend on it."

eielson.af.mil/news

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US Air Force accepts delivery of final MQ-1 Predator




The US Air Force has accepted the final MQ-1 Predator tail number 268, at the Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio.

"This event marks a milestone in US Air Force history given the path this aircraft took from conception to operational excellence. The Predator is a great example of the Air Force's response to an immediate war-fighter need," Col. Christopher Coombs, the chief of the Aeronautical Systems Center's Medium Altitude Unmanned Aircraft Systems Division said.

Since its first flight in July 1994, the MQ-1 series has accumulated over 900,000 flight hours and maintained a fleet fully mission capable rate over 90 percent, making it one of the war-fighter's most valuable assets, he added.

The MQ-1 is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, remotely piloted aircraft. Its primary missions are close air support, air interdiction, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance.

The Predator acts as a joint forces air component commander-owned theater asset for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of the joint forces commander.

brahmand.com

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X-37B Encapsulated



Posted 3/5/2011

The US Air Force X-37B Orbital Test Vehicle during encapsulation within the United Launch Alliance Atlas V 5-meter fairing Feb. 8, 2011, at Astrotech in Titusville, Fla. The fairing protects and carries the OTV into space.


Air Force launches second unmanned spacecraft



CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION, Fla. (AFNS) -- In the latest step to improve space capability and further develop an affordable, reusable space vehicle, Air Force technicians launched the second X-37B here March 5, officials said.

The Orbital Test Vehicle-2 launch comes on the heels of the successful flight of OTV-1, which made an autonomous landing at Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 3 after 224 days in space.

According to officials, post-flight analysis of OTV-1 revealed OTV-2 needed no significant changes, but detailed assessments of the first mission are ongoing.

"Launch is a very demanding business and having what appears to be a successful launch is always welcome news," said Deputy Under Secretary of the Air Force for Space Programs Richard McKinney, adding he is pleased with the vehicle's initial status reports. "It is important to remember that this is an experimental vehicle; that this is just the second launch; and that we have just started what is a very systematic checkout of the system."

Mr. McKinney explained the second X-37B flight will help Air Force scientists better evaluate and understand the vehicle's performance characteristics and expand upon the tests from OTV-1.

One performance test, for example, will evaluate a change following the flight of OTV-1, which showed potential for greater flexibility in the landing parameters.

"We look forward to testing enhancements to the landing profile," said Lt. Col. Troy Giese, X-37B program manager for the Air Force Rapid Capabilities Office, which leads the Department of Defense OTV program.

Colonel Giese added that program officials want to test landing capabilities in stronger wind conditions.

"The X-37B really is a remarkable scientific and aerospace achievement," he said. "We'll also be looking at the performance of its advanced thermal protection systems and tiles, solar power systems and environmental modeling - all important system capabilities for a space vehicle that we want to be able to bring back and then re-launch quickly."

Power and environmental protections are also important to one of the most promising capabilities of the vehicle: its orbit duration, which is much longer than a manned mission like NASA's space shuttle, Colonel Giese said.

Similar to OTV-1, OTV-2's actual mission duration will depend on the vehicle achieving its test objectives, but he expects it to remain on orbit for approximately 270 days.

"We may extend the mission to enhance our understanding of the OTV capabilities," Colonel Giese said, "especially since the performance data from the first flight suggest that the vehicle could have gone beyond the 270-day requirement."

Air Force officials assert the X-37B program has the potential to make space experiments more affordable, which would allow future experiment designers to focus resources and dollars on technology and innovation rather than on basic services, layers of redundancy, or ground operations.

"This program provides a test capability that was difficult to achieve through other means, the ability to examine how highly complex technologies will perform in space before they are made operational," Mr. McKinney said, "But right now our focus is on the X-37B itself, and this second flight is important to our further understanding of its capabilities."

Air Force officials anticipate multiple missions will be required to satisfy the X-37B program test objectives, but a third mission has not yet been scheduled.

The OTV is the United States' newest and most advanced re-entry spacecraft and is the first vehicle since NASA's Shuttle Orbiter with the ability to return experiments to Earth for further inspection and analysis.

www.af.mil/news

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U.S. Air Force Capt. Jose Vergara and Air Force Capt. Dave Perry prepare to depart for a Red Flag 11-3 training mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nev., March 3, 2011. Vergara and Perry are assigned to the 22th Air Refueling Wing. Red Flag 11-3, which runs through March 11, is a realistic combat training exercise involving the U.S. Air Force, the U.K. Royal Air Force and the Royal Australian Air Force. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman



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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Sherwin Carino looks over an operating log during a training mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nev., March 3, 2011. Carino is a boom operator assigned to the 22th Air Refueling Wing. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman



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U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Sherwin Carino, a Stratotanker boom operator, looks for other aircraft over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nev., March 3, 2011. Carino is assigned to the 22th Air Refueling Wing. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman



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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor flies over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nev., March 3, 2011. The F-22 pilot is assigned to the 49th Fighter Wing. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class George Goslin



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Two U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors fly over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nev., March 3, 2011. The F-22 pilots are assigned to the 49th Fighter Wing. U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class George Goslin



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U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Jonathan Foster removes the intake covers of a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor before a training mission on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., March 2, 2011. Foster is a crew chief is assigned to the 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth



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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Samantha Whisman, left, looks on as Air Force Capt. Drew Maulsby reviews electronic forms before departing on a training mission on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., March 2, 2011. Whisman is a crew chief and Maulsby is a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot. Both are assigned to the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth



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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Samantha Whisman, right, assists Air Force Capt. Drew Maulsby as he prepares for a training mission on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., March 2, 2011. Whisman is a crew chief and Maulsby is an Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot. Both are assigned to the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth



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U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Idma Ramirez and Air Force Senior Airman Sheila Smith perform a maintenance inspection on a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor on Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., March 2, 2011. Ramirez and Smith are both crew chiefs assigned to the 90th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth



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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor prepares for air refueling over the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nev., March 2, 2011. U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman

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A B-1B Lancer is refueled by a KC-135 Stratotanker Feb 26, 2011, above Iraq, in support of Operation New Dawn. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. Adrian Cadiz)



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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor aircraft with the 49th Fighter Wing, Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., pulls up for air refueling over the Nevada Test and Training Range during a training mission as part of Red Flag 11-3, Mar. 3, 2011. Red Flag is an advanced aerial combat training exercise held four to six times a year to train pilots from the U.S., NATO and other allied countries for real combat situations. (DoD photo by Airman 1st Class George Goslin, U.S. Air Force/Released)



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NEVADA TEST AND TRAINING RANGE -- A 3- ship of U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors, 3rd Fighter Wing, Elmendorf Air Force Base, Alaska, fly for a training mission during Red Flag 11-3, March 2. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise is hosted north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test and Training Range.(U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman)



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NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Airman 1st Class Jonathan Foster, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, crew chief, from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. removes the intake covers of an F-22 Raptor before a training mission during Red Flag 11-3, March 2. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise takes place north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test and Training Range--the U.S. Air Force's premier military training area with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth)



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NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- Airman 1st Class Jonathan Foster, 49th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, crew chief, from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M. shakes hands with Maj. Daniel Lehoski, 8th Fighter Squadron, pilot before he departs in an F-22 Raptor for a training mission during Red Flag 11-3, March 2. Red Flag is a realistic combat training exercise involving the air forces of the United States and its allies. The exercise takes place north of Las Vegas on the Nevada Test and Training Range--the U.S. Air Force's premier military training area with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech Sgt. Michael R. Holzworth)

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Un 2e vaisseau spatial militaire sans équipage

© ap
Le constructeur aéronautique américain Boeing a annoncé dans un communiqué reçu tard samedi le lancement d'un second vaisseau spatial sans équipage X-37B pour l'armée de l'air.

Boeing "annonce le lancement réussi du deuxième véhicule de test orbital (OTV)" pour le Bureau des capacités rapides de l'armée de l'air américaine". Le lancement a eu lieu à Cap Canaveral.

"Ce fut un moment historique en décembre quand le X-37B est devenu le premier véhicule sans équipage à revenir de l'espace et à atterrir seul", et aujourd'hui, nous avons fait un autre pas important" a commenté Craig Cooning, vice-président de Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems.

Le premier OTV avait été lancé en avril pour une durée d'environ huit mois et avait atterri à la base Vandenberg de l'armée de l'air en décembre. (afp)

06/03/11 10h23

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Elbit Systems to Develop New Head up Displays for the U.S. Air Force C-17


A look into a USAF C-17 cockpit. (Photo: US Air Force)
FORTH WORTH, Texas | Elbit Systems of America, LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Elbit Systems Ltd. has been awarded a contract from The Boeing Company for the development of the C-17 Replacement Head Up Display ("RHUD") for the United States Air Force. The contract also contains options for Recurring Production, Depot Support and Repairs.

The C-17 provides rapid strategic delivery of troops and cargo to main operating bases as well as tactical airlift and airdrop operations within a theatre of operations. The collective efforts of Boeing and Elbit Systems of America will provide the United States Air Force with a new C-17 RHUD that will enhance the ability of the aircraft to fulfill the United States' worldwide air mobility requirements.

With the C-17 HUD operator in mind, Elbit Systems of America has incorporated growth provisions that will provide the foundation for sensor fusion and other enhancements, to increase approach stability and pilot's situational awareness in critical phases of flight during reduced visibility conditions. The RHUD enhancements also increase ease of maintenance, enhanced reliability and mitigation of obsolescence. The RHUD Projector Unit features an advanced optical design with a wide field of view. The design incorporates a Digital Image Source (DIS), optimizing image quality and performance across many interrelating properties. The HUD Computer Unit (CU) design includes cutting edge processing and graphic capabilities built using Elbit Systems' history of expertise developing display electronics. The HUD CU contains a service-port to access and acquire Built-in-Test results directly from the Shop Replacement Unit level, reducing unnecessary removals. It is located in the equipment rack providing easy maintenance and access to system health parameters.

Elbit Systems of America, President and CEO, Raanan Horowitz added: "We at Elbit Systems of America are proud to have been selected to incorporate our leading HUD technology into the world's most advanced airlift aircraft. The selection by Boeing is a testimony to our world class capabilities and dedication to supporting those who contribute daily to the safety and security of the United States."

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SOURCE:Flight InternationalKC-X con

test boosted EADS reputation in the USA: Gallois
By Dominic Perry

EADS has no regrets about competing for the US Air Force's KC-X tanker contract, despite losing out to rival Boeing, believing the whole episode has boosted the company's standing with US Department of Defense officials.

Chief executive Louis Gallois, speaking at the company's 2010 results presentation on 9 March, said that EADS's "reputation in the USA has dramatically improved" as a result of its participation in the contest.

He believes there has been a change in the way the company is viewed within the DoD and Congress and points to the "faithful support" it received from several southern states, notably Alabama, where it planned to assemble the A330-based KC-45 and its A330 freighters.

"If we want to develop our company [in the USA] we know where we can go and where we will be supported and welcomed," he added.

However, he believes that thanks to the parameters of the tender, which judged the two offerings solely on price, the US armed forces have lost out: "We regret that the warfighter in the US will not have the most capable tanker; ours is a more capable product, that is clear."

Although the company could have found "some small details" on which to build a protest over the handling of the competition, Gallois believes the company was not unfairly treated by the USAF. However, he acknowledges that "we knew the way that [the tender] was framed gave an advantage to the smaller airplane".

It has also held back from protesting for fear that this would be misconstrued by a US public that has been "expecting its tanker for the last 10 years", he adds. Nonetheless the competition has benefited the US taxpayer, he says, as the USAF is receiving more aircraft for a lower unit price. By its calculations the unit cost has been halved, leading to an overall saving of something in the order of $16 billion.

Boeing was awarded the contract , worth up to $35 billion, on 24 February. It will build 179 KC-46A aircraft over 13 years, based on its KC-767 New Gen Tanker. A first flight is scheduled for 2015, with initial operational capability, with 18 aircraft, due by 2017.

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Alaskan Birds Return Home



Posted 3/13/2011

F-16 Fighting Falcons taxi on the flightline at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, March 1, 2011, after returning from Anderson AFB, Guam. They were there to participate in a two-week exercise conducted by U.S. and Japanese officials. (U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Christopher Boitz)

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Lockheed Martin Receives Contract for Reentry Vehicle Fuze Refurbishment for USAF ICBM Program

KING OF PRUSSIA, Pa. | Lockheed Martin announced today that it has received a $12.5 million, one-year subcontract from Northrop Grumman Corporation for refurbishment of reentry vehicle arming and fuzing assemblies for the U.S. Air Force's Minuteman III Intercontinental Ballistic Missile (ICBM) system.

Under this subcontract, Lockheed Martin Space System's Valley Forge facility in King of Prussia, Pa., will replace components, refurbish and test the assemblies. The subcontract includes an option for a second year. Under an earlier contract in 2009, Lockheed Martin successfully demonstrated the feasibility of the refurbishment effort. Lockheed Martin is the original equipment manufacturer for the arming and fuzing assembly.

"Lockheed Martin is committed to providing the U.S. Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center and the Air Force Global Strike Command user with our reentry systems domain expertise and high-quality engineering in support for the operational ICBM force," said Doug Graham, vice president of advanced programs, Strategic and Missile Defense Systems, Lockheed Martin Space Systems Company.

Lockheed Martin is a principal teammate to Northrop Grumman, the ICBM prime integration contractor for the U.S. Air Force. Lockheed Martin has supported the U.S. ICBM force for more than 50 years, delivering Atlas, Titan and Peacekeeper missiles, reentry systems, and command and control ground systems, and has been the principal designer, manufacturer and sustainer of Minuteman III reentry systems since the 1960s.

Lockheed Martin leads the industry in performance and domain expertise in strategic missile and missile defense systems. Lockheed Martin designs and produces ballistic missiles, interceptors, target missiles and reentry systems with unmatched reliability. Lockheed Martin's focus on operational excellence yields affordable high-quality systems and services.

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USAF Pulls Funding For F-15 IRST Upgrade

The U.S. Air Force has terminated funding for an infrared search and track (IRST) upgrade for its F-15C/D fleet as part of the service’s push last year to produce savings for the Pentagon’s fiscal 2012 budget. Air Force officials say that the effort was designed to provide “the only USAF search and targeting capability in the infrared spectrum designed specifically for air-to-air, providing air-to-air attack capability in a radar-denied environment on the F-15C/D.” The system could be useful for air-to-air fighter engagements as well as cruise missile targeting and ballistic missile early warning. Lockheed Martin provides the sensor for the pod. However, the service opted to remove research and development funding for the program in fiscal 2012 and beyond, according to Air Force officials. In the budget, they propose pulling $34.9 million in fiscal 2012 and a total of $345 million across the future year defense plan (including 2012). Boeing, which is the prime contractor for the F-15, says that it continues to work with the Air Force to “explore options” for the program. Air Force officials cite “technical challenges” with the F-15 version as their rationale. However, they also say that a version of the IRST designed for the Navy is “behind schedule.” Navy officials, however, say that the effort is proceeding as planned. “The Navy’s F/A-18 IRST program is meeting program cost and schedule requirements,” says Marcia Hart-Wise, a spokeswoman for the service’s Super Hornet program. The Navy version is ahead of that planned for the F-15 in its programmatic schedule. Because the Navy’s deliveries of F-35s come later than the Air Force’s and because its fleet of Super Hornets must remain operationally relevant longer than some Air Force legacy fighters, the service is spending money on its F/A-18E/Fs to keep them in the fight. One industry official notes that the use of an IRST is required because radars run the risk of being jammed at critical moments. The Navy is still buying Super Hornets and plans to buy an additional 41 aircraft owing to delays in the F-35 schedule. The Super Hornet IRST system is mounted on the front of a 400-gal. centerline fuselage fuel tank.

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SOURCE:Flight International
USAF overrules top general on competition for new helicopter
By Stephen Trimble

The US Air Force's acquisition leaders are likely to consider three or four different helicopters for a new contract, overruling a senior commander who strongly pushed for a sole-source contract for a new version of the Sikorsky UH-60.

"I expect we will go towards a competitive strategy," Lt Gen Mark Shackelford, military deputy to the assistant secretary of the air force for acquisition, told a House Armed Services Committee hearing on 15 March.

A competition would allow at least "three or four vendors" that meet the air force's requirement to submit proposals for the common vertical lift support programme (CVLSP).

Sikorsky has offered to meet both the CSAR-X and CVLSP fleet requirements with a single helicopter - the HH-60M.

The CVLSP requirement has been listed for 93 aircraft, but air force officials recently suggested the number could eventually be 205. The latter number appears to include a related requirement for 112 combat search and rescue helicopters (CSAR-X).

Sikorsky has offered to meet both the CSAR-X and CVLSP fleet requirements with a single helicopter - the HH-60M.

That strategy has been embraced by Lt Gen Jim Kowalski, chief of Global Strike Command, which is responsible for operating the CVLSP fleet. Kowalski said last month that awarding a sole-source deal would accelerate the acquisition process.

For Kowalski, speed of acquisition is one of the key requirements for the CVLSP procurement. The Bell Helicopter UH-1s currently flying the missions, which involve patrolling remote missile fields and ferrying VIPs in Washington DC, have been inadequate for their mission since 1996, he says.

Kowalski last month said the acquisition strategy for CVLSP would be decided during a meeting in March with David Van Buren, the air force's assistant secretary of acquisition, and Shackelford's boss.

It is not clear if the meeting has taken place, but Shackelford's statement indicates the decision on the CVLSP acquisition strategy has already been made.

Although Shackelford says there are three or four vendors that meet the USAF's requirement, at least five companies have expressed interest in the CVLSP programme.

Beyond Sikorsky, the most outspoken advocate for a competition has been AgustaWestland, which has rigged up an AW139M to compete for the contract.

Bell and Boeing have also distributed marketing materials showing their respective UH-1Y Super Huey and HH-47 Chinook products as alternatives for CVLSP, while EADS North America officials have proposed Eurocopter's Super Puma.

The selected helicopter will have to perform a unique mission. As part of its requirement to secure remote missile fields, the aircraft must take off with a fully loaded nine-person response team and four crew members.

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SOURCE:Flight International
PICTURE: USAF gets last Predator, as XP design changes revealed
By Stephen Trimble

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has delivered its last MQ-1B Predator unmanned air system to the US Air Force, but also detailed plans to continue improving the fleet and seek further exports.

Aircraft 268 was handed over at the company's Gray Butte flight operations facility in Palmdale, California on 3 March. Its transfer closes out a paradigm-shifting, 16-year run during which time the Predator established a new market for UAS dedicated to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

Since its then-unarmed RQ-1 Predator A made its flight debut in July 1994, the USAF has logged more than 920,000 flight hours with the type, including over Afghanistan and Iraq.

General Atomics Predator 268, General Atomics

Aircraft 268 was handed over on 3 March

Its manufacturer is building the last two aircraft in the orders backlog for the Predator A. One will be delivered to an undisclosed foreign customer, while the other will be operated as a trainer by the company's pilots, says General Atomics president Frank Pace.

While the USAF has shifted its orders to the larger Predator B-derived MQ-9 Reaper, Pace says work on the MQ-1B fleet continues. The Block 25 upgrade version is in development for the service, with improvements to include an encrypted line-of-sight datalink and a high-definition video camera.

Meanwhile, production of a new export version of the A-model aircraft named the Predator XP could begin in 18 months.

The design has been modified to remove the hardpoints used by the USAF to carry weapons such as Lockheed Martin AGM-114 Hellfire air-to-surface missiles, and restricted to lifting around 500kg (1,100lb) over a distance of 160nm (300km), Pace says. That will allow the aircraft to be licensed for export under the international Missile Technology Control Regime to buyers outside the trusted circle of NATO members, he adds.

"We're trying to market that version to the UAE, Saudi Arabia and a few other countries," Pace says.

General Atomics last month announced an agreement with the International Golden Group that could lead to the partners supplying the Predator XP to the UAE's armed forces.