Sukhoi on Friday achieved first flight of its PAK FA advanced tactical front-line fighter. The Russian made Sukhoi T-50, which India refers to as the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), is the Russian equivalent of the US built F-22 stealth fighter. India is a full partner in the project and the Indian version of the jet will feature several homegrown technologies including the jet’s mission computer. The Sukhoi T-50’s flight comes nearly two decades after the first prototype of the United States F-22 Raptor took to the air, and Russian officials said it will take another five years for the new fighter to enter service. The test flight took place at Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Russia’s Far East.

This is the first warplane completely designed and built in Russia since the break-up of the Soviet Union. Only the United States currently operates a stealth fighter called F-22 Raptor. Compared to the previous generation fighters PAK FA possesses a number of unique features combining the functionality of both attack aircraft and fighter plane. Su-PAKFA  is equipped with brand-new avionics suite integrating “electronic pilot” functionality, as well as advanced phased-array antenna radar. This significantly decreases pilot load and allows him to focus upon completion of tactical missions. New aircraft on-board equipment allows real-time data exchange not only with ground based control systems, but also within the flight group.

The aircraft piloted by Sukhoi test-pilot Sergey Bogdan spent 47 minutes in the air and successfully landed on the factory runway.  “In the course of the flight we’ve conducted initial evaluation of the aircraft controls, engine performance and primary systems operation, the aircraft had retracted and extracted the landing gear,” Bogdan said. “The aircraft performed excellently at all flight-test points scheduled for today. It is easy and comfortable to pilot.”

For more information and multimedia please visit http://www.defenceaviation.com/2008/01/su-pakfa-a-russian-stealth-fighter.html

According to the details, the drone aircraft which previously could be seen in photos only is actually an aircraft of US Air Force and the USAF has confirmed its existence. According to the officials, US Air Force was looking for a technology on which the ground forces could rely for its surveillance characteristics. RQ-170 Sentinel, generally known as Beast of Kandahar, is an unmanned aerial vehicle which provides the technical support to the troops appointed on grounds.

The “RQ” prefix for the aircraft indicates an unarmed drone, unlike the “MQ” designation used for Predator and Reaper aircraft equipped with missiles and precision-guided bombs. Aviation experts dubbed the drone the “Beast of Kandahar” after photographs emerged earlier this year showing the mysterious aircraft in southern Afghanistan in 2007.  The image suggested a drone with a radar-evading stealth-like design, resembling a smaller version of a B-2 bomber. The air force said the aircraft came out of Lockheed Martin’s “Skunk Works,” also known as Advanced Development Programs, in California — the home of sophisticated and often secret defense projects including the U-2 spy plane, the F-22 fighter jet and the F-117 Nighthawk.

“Full Rate Production for the EA-18G is critical, as it enables Boeing to quickly ramp up production of the U.S. Navy’s newest and most advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) platform, and rapidly get this new capability to the warfighter,” said Bob Gower, F/A-18 and EA-18 Programs vice president for Boeing. “The FRP decision is also a clear indication of DOD support for the EA-18G program and the immediate capability it will provide Combatant Commanders around the world.”

The EA-18G achieved Initial Operational Capability as planned in September with U.S. Navy electronic attack squadron VAQ-132, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Wash.

The EA-18G’s highly flexible design enables warfighters to perform an array of AEA missions, operating either from the deck of an aircraft carrier or from land-based fields. It is the only airborne platform that delivers full-spectrum electronic attack capability, along with targeting and self-defense capabilities derived from the Navy’s frontline strike fighter, the F/A-18E/F Block II Super Hornet. The new aircraft is replacing the Navy’s current AEA platform, the EA-6B Prowler, which has been in service since 1971. The Growler joined the Navy’s aircraft fleet in 2008.

Boeing, acting as the weapon system integrator and prime contractor, leads the EA-18G Growler industry team, which also includes Northrop Grumman, Raytheon and General Electric Aircraft Engines.

During the U.S. Air Force-sponsored tests at the Naval Air Warfare Center in China Lake, Calif., the Mobile Active Targeting Resource for Integrated eXperiments (MATRIX), which was developed by Boeing under contract to the Air Force Research Laboratory, used a single, high-brightness laser beam to shoot down five UAVs at various ranges. Laser Avenger, a Boeing-funded initiative, also shot down a UAV. Representatives of the Air Force and Army observed the tests.

“The Air Force and Boeing achieved a directed-energy breakthrough with these tests,” said Gary Fitzmire, vice president and program director of Boeing Missile Defense Systems’ Directed Energy Systems unit. “MATRIX’s performance is especially noteworthy because it demonstrated unprecedented, ultra-precise and lethal acquisition, pointing and tracking at long ranges using relatively low laser power.”

Bill Baker, chief scientist of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Directed Energy Directorate, praised his team and Boeing for these successful UAV shootdowns.

“These tests validate the use of directed energy to negate potential hostile threats against the homeland,” Baker said. “The team effort of Boeing and the Air Force in developing MATRIX will pay major dividends for the warfighter now and in the years ahead.”

As part of the overall counter-UAV demonstration, Boeing also successfully test-fired a lightweight 25mm machine gun from the Laser Avenger platform to potentially further the hybrid directed energy/kinetic energy capability against UAV threats.

Boeing Directed Energy Systems, based in Albuquerque, developed MATRIX, a mobile, trailer-mounted test bed that integrates with existing test-range radar. Directed Energy Systems and Boeing Combat Systems in St. Louis cooperatively developed Laser Avenger, which integrates a directed-energy weapon together with the existing kinetic weapons on the proven Avenger air defense system developed by Combat Systems.

Boeing leads the way in developing laser weapon systems for a variety of U.S. Air Force, Army and Navy applications. These systems include the Airborne Laser, Advanced Tactical Laser, Free Electron Laser, High Energy Laser Technology Demonstrator and Tactical Relay Mirror System.

F-35A

Lockheed Martin’s first optimized conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) F-35 Lightning II fighter made its inaugural flight on Saturday, Nov. 14, the fourth F-35 to begin flight operations.

Piloted by Lockheed Martin test pilot David “Doc” Nelson, the F-35A, called AF-1, left Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth plant and flew to 20,000 feet and Mach 0.6. Nelson raised and lowered the landing gear, performed 360-degree rolls and lifted the nose to 20 degrees angle of attack during an 89-minute flight. AF-1 was built on the same production line as the 31 Low Rate Initial Production aircraft now in assembly. The aircraft incorporates many evolutionary improvements and updates derived from the test program of AA-1, the first F-35. AF-1 joins two F-35B short takeoff/vertical landing variants currently in flight test.

“The initial flight of the first optimized CTOL aircraft represents a significant achievement for the program and sets the stage for what’s promising to be a successful flight test program,” said Maj. Gen. C.D. Moore, deputy program executive officer for the Joint Strike Fighter Program Office.”We are excited to see AF-1 taking flight, as it portends a bright CTOL future for the USAF and the partner nations. The hard work on the production line and the flight line has paid off, and the workers deserve a hearty congratulations.”

Doug Pearson, Lockheed Martin vice president for F-35 test and verification, said, “AF-1 is one of the most important aircraft in our test fleet because knowledge gained from its use expanding the flight envelope will benefit the other two variants, and every F-35 ever built. AF-1 is also the first F-35 to roll off our moving assembly line, having achieved the maximum production speed of 50 inches per hour during a trial high-speed assembly sequence. The moving assembly line, designed to improve production quality and speed, is the first ever for a modern fighter.”

F-35B

The first Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) stealth fighter arrived Sunday at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., where it will conduct its first hovers and vertical landings. The ferry flight initiates a sequence of F-35 arrivals at Patuxent River this year and next.

Piloted by Lockheed Martin F-35 Chief Test Pilot Jon Beesley, the F-35B flew from Fort Worth, Texas, to Patuxent River by way of Dobbins Air Force Base in Georgia. Beesley landed on the Patuxent runway Sunday at 12:46 p.m. EST.

“We have high confidence in the capabilities of this aircraft, and we fully expect that it will meet or exceed the expectations of our customers,” said Dan Crowley, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. “At Patuxent River, this aircraft will continue the process of validating our revolutionary STOVL propulsion system through a series of short takeoffs, hovers and vertical landings.”

The aircraft will be supported at Patuxent River by the F-35 Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS) and will be monitored by the Lockheed Martin F-35 Sustainment Operations Center in Fort Worth. Known as BF-1, the aircraft is the first F-35 to be sustained by ALIS – the worldwide support system that will monitor the prognostics and health of F-35s around the globe to ensure mission readiness.

The F-35B will replace U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B STOVL fighters, F/A-18 strike fighters and EA-6B electronic attack aircraft. The United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and Royal Navy and the Italian Air Force and Navy will also employ the F-35B.

The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations, advanced sustainment, and lower operational and support costs. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems. Two separate, interchangeable F-35 engines are under development: the Pratt & Whitney F135 and the GE Rolls-Royce Fighter Engine Team F136.

As the temperature soared, so did the aircraft in an impressive air display flown by RAF pilot Squadron Leader Scott “Scotty” Loughran. Outside the busy pavilion, a host of visitors queued up the stairs of the replica Typhoon in the forecourt to get a glimpse in the cockpit and to get a better view of Scotty performing his nimble routine above the crowds at the Airport Export Dubai.

Amazing flying displays by F-22 stole the show. F-22 for the first time in Middle-east gave an opportunity for many in and around the middle-east to appriciate the machine. UAE government expressed interest in acquiring F-35 the cousin of F-22 by 2013.
Other flying displays included Lockheed Martin’s F-16, Boeing F-15 Strike Eagle, Dassault Rafale and Eurofighter. Suprisingly there was no sign of F-15 Silent, Dubai Airshow would have been a good platform for marketing it. On the other note the Chinese promised to fly it’s own 5th generation prototype by the next 10 years.

Chinese L-15 Debuts at Dubai Airshow. F-22 amazed people, but they failed to realize that even Hongdu L-15 made it’s appearance for the first time out side China.The Hongdu L-15 Falcon is a supersonic training aircraft / Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft and light attack aircraft being developed by Nanchang-based Hongdu Aviation Industry Corporation (HAIG) to meet PLAAF/PLANAF Lead-In Fighter Trainer (LIFT) requirements.

Ethiopian Airline Confirms the order of 12 Airbus A350 which would be delivered by 2017. It has been a good two days for Airbus.

]]> http://www.defenceaviation.com/2009/11/flying-displays-new-debuts-and-orders-at-dubai-airshow.html/feed 0 http://www.defenceaviation.com/2009/11/dubai-air-show-2009-flying-display-list-16-november.html http://www.defenceaviation.com/2009/11/dubai-air-show-2009-flying-display-list-16-november.html#comments Mon, 16 Nov 2009 09:14:07 +0000 Larkins Dsouza http://www.defenceaviation.com/?p=621 Timing of the Flying Display is in UAE local time. No F-22 today it flew yesterday I missed it.

Time	Aircraft
14:00	Frecce Tricolori
14:22	Alenia Aermacchi M346
14:29	Lockheed Martin F-16
14:36	Hongdu Aviation L-15
14:42	Boeing F-15 E Strike Eagle
14:54	Super Mushak
15:00	Dassault Rafale
15:08	Pilatus PC-21
15:14	Finmeccanica C27J Spartan
15:20	Eurocopter Tiger HAT
15:25	Emirates departure slot
16:05	Airbus A380
16:13	Eurofighter Typhoon
16:21	Patrouille de France

Defence Equipment & Support Director Combat Air, Air Vice-Marshal Simon Bollom, said: “These trials at the end of this technology demonstration programme have successfully demonstrated a number of key factors that have helped build confidence in the feasibility of a UK-derived medium altitude long endurance unmanned aerial system”.

During phase one of the programme, BAE Systems has been working alongside the UK MOD and key industrial parties including:

• Rolls- Royce – Integrated Propulsion System & Engine Clearance
• QinetiQ – Flight Termination System and Communication System
• GE Aviation – Electrical Power System and Primary Flight Control Actuation
• Meggitt – Electrical Braking System.
• Selex Galileo – future Mission Systems and Sensor requirements.

Chris Allam, Managing Director of the Autonomous Systems & Future Capability business within BAE Systems, said: “This achievement is testament to the can-do approach of the whole team working on this programme. MANTIS has gone from concept to flight in just 19 months and the MOD, BAE Systems and a number of industry parties have worked together to make this happen. It confirms the skill and innovation within the UK aerospace sector and the ability to move quickly from concept to reality.”

MANTIS has a 20 metre wingspan and is BAE Systems’ first all-electric aircraft. The system is intended to be easily deployable and can be broken down to fit into a military transport aircraft. MANTIS is designed to be a real workhorse with “plug and play” elements in the mission system and the ability to carry a wide range of sensors.

MANTIS is a fully autonomous next generation unmanned aircraft system. It can execute its mission with a much reduced need for human intervention by understanding and reacting to its environment. Such autonomy increases operational effectiveness allowing more focus on the mission without the usual concerns over vehicle control. It also reduces manpower requirements and the risk of accidents due to human error and the communications/data link requirements between the vehicle and the ground.

MANTIS could carry out intelligence gathering at long distances and can carry significant payloads in terms of sensors and, potentially, weaponry.

The MANTIS system will feature an end to end information capability, which will facilitate full integration with the UK’s C4I infrastructure, significantly enhancing sovereign operational capabilities. In today’s high tempo operational environment improved situational awareness and decision-making are achieved through this integration activity. MANTIS shares a common UAS control infrastructure with other BAE Systems UAS’ such as Taranis and HERTI.

Following the record-breaking show in 2007, the Dubai Airshow continues to grow. New for 2009 is an additional exhibition hall ‘Emirates Hall’; named after its host and sponsor Emirates Airline the new hall provides an additional 5,000sqm of exhibition space, an increased Press Centre and an extra registration building to accommodate trade visitor traffic.

The Dubai Airshow is organised by F&E Aerospace, in conjunction with Dubai Airports, the Government of Dubai and in collaboration with the UAE Armed Forces – we look forward to welcoming you to Dubai this November.

The Dubai Airshow is a biennial show held in Dubai, UAE. It is organized by “Fairs & Exhibitions Ltd” since the year 1989; in cooperation with the Government of Dubai, the Department of Civil Aviation and Dubai International Airport in collaboration with the UAE Union Defense Forces.

The Dubai Airshow has grown from 200 exhibits and 25 aircraft in 1989 to 550 exhibits and 85 aircraft in the year 2003 and was considered to be the fastest growing air show in the world.

We will be covering it extensively here at Defence Aviation as well as on our twitter page http://twitter.com/defenceaviation with the hash tag #DXB09