Sep 19th 2015 THE cinema at Dyess Air Force Base, in central west Texas, is a splendid facility. It is entirely free for airmen and their families. Outside, there is a smart café selling snacks, sodas and, in the evenings, when children are not present, alcohol. Yet for more than two years, this centre for […]
By Lara Seligman September 21, 2015 FORT WORTH, Texas — Norway and Australia have minted a deal to develop a new seeker capability for the Joint Strike Missile, a core weapon planned for integration onto Norway’s F-35. Under the Sept. 15 agreement, Australia will finance the development of a new RF-seeking capability, which will enable […]
BY: JAMES DREW SEPTEMBER 22, 2015 The Dutch Ministry of Defence has formalised an agreement with Pratt & Whitney to establish an organic F135 engine maintenance, repair, overhaul and upgrade (MRO&U) shop at the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s Woensdrecht Logistics Centre with the goal of supporting Lockheed Martin F-35 operations by 2019. The depot at […]
By Michael Peck September 21, 2015 Finmeccanica–Selex ES has been awarded a contract by Lockheed Martin to provide advanced targeting lasers for the F-35. Finmeccanica-Selex will supply 165 lasers for the F-35’s electro-optical targeting system (EOTS), according to a company news release. “The laser, integrated into the EOTS, allows fighter aircraft crews to perform precision […]
By Guy Norris Sep 21, 2015 Aviation Week was invited to observe one of the final air-to-air refueling tests in the recently completed program to certify the Italian air force Boeing KC-767 tanker with the U.S. Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-35A. Given the imminent flight of the first military-configured KC-46A Boeing tanker for the Air Force, […]
By Dario Leone September 24, 2015 The aircraft, designated AM-1, represents an important production milestone for both the F-35 program and the Norwegian Armed Forces, where 52 Lightning IIs are expected to replace the Royal Norwegian Air Force ageing F-16s, bringing the country national defense into a new era. Norwegian Minister of Defense, Her Excellency Ine […]
By Lara Seligman October 5, 2015 Norway’s ministry of defence is using a strategic defence review to push for significant funding increases for the country’s armed forces, as well as underscore the importance of the F-35 joint strike fighter to the Norwegian Air Force. Presenting the review last week, Norwegian Chief of Defence Adm. Haakon […]
BY: JAMES DREW OCTOBER 6, 2015 Lockheed Martin’s F-35 has not yet seen combat, but already the defence manufacturer is exploring “concepts” for installing and employing a high-power fibre laser weapon on the new-generation combat jet for shooting down missiles and other airborne threats. The company believes it finally has the right technology to produce […]
BY: JAMES DREW OCTOBER 6, 2015 Northrop Grumman has built the first F-35 centre fuselage destined for Japan’s domestic joint strike fighter assembly plant, operated by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI). The company says the centre fuselage is the core of AX-5, Japan’s fifth example, and will become the first to enter Japan’s Nagoya final assembly […]
BY PATRICK TUCKER OCTOBER 6, 2015 Lockheed Martin’s new modular fiber lasers now convert fully 40 percent of input energy to output, which means that — along with advances in manufacturing, targeting, and size-weight-power minimization — the company’s now talking about putting a laser weapon on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. “We are absolutely looking […]