Dow Jones: France Plans Buying Airbus Tankers; Optimistic on Rafale Sales

France plans to buy airborne refueling tankers made by the military arm of Airbus, and there are no obstacles in the way of sales of French-made Rafale multirole combat jets to India, the United Arab Emirates and Brazil, Defense Minister Gerard Longuet said Monday. “The purchase order [for the tankers] is likely to be made [...]

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AvWeek: Budget Cuts Force Procurement Rethink

“We have run out of money, so now we must think,” remarked U.S. Air Force Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Philip Breedlove during a presentation on the emerging Air/Sea Battle concept in July. It’s becoming a common saying. The military is not in its current predicament by accident. Poor performance—programs years or decades behind schedule, [...]

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Flight: Boeing to exit struggling Wichita cluster by 2014

Boeing today announced the closure of all defence and space operations in Wichita, Kansas, within two years, a decision instantly criticised by local politicans as an act of betrayal. Boeing decided to close its 82-year-old Wichita base and lay-off or transfer 2,160 employees after a “thorough study” launched in the third quarter last year. The [...]

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Flight: US Navy solicits bids to test autonomous VTUAV

The US Navy is soliciting bids for the Autonomous Aerial Cargo/Utility System (AACUS), an unmanned vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) programme designed for autonomous cargo resupply to isolated units. The Office of Naval Research (ONR) is executing the programme on behalf of the US Marine Corps, which routinely deploys small units in isolated parts of [...]

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Telegraph: BAE warns on Saudi Typhoon deal

Defence group BAE Systems has warned that it is yet to secure an agreement with Saudi Arabia over the next stage of the country’s Typhoon order and therefore an estimated £500m payment expected in 2011 will have to be deferred.

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MBDA bags Euro 950 million missile deal for Indian Mirage 2000 upgrade

India will procure 500 air-to-air missiles from French firm MBDA for IAF’s Mirage 2000 aircraft fleet which are being upgraded by Dassault-Thales. The missiles are worth Euro 950 million, nearly three fourths as much as what the aircraft upgrade will cost. A Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh cleared [...]

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AvWeek: Chinese Airlines Won’t Pay EU Carbon Tax

China’s airlines will refuse to pay any carbon costs under the European Union’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), while other Asia Pacific carriers, already battling a weak travel market, are likely to pass on the extra cost to passengers. The EU’s scheme was launched in 2005 as one of the major pillars of the bloc’s efforts [...]

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WBJ: Boeing to close Wichita plant

The Boeing Co.    told employees Wednesday morning it will close its Wichita defense plant by the end of 2013. Boeing cited defense budget reductions and “shifting customer priorities” as reasons for the closure.

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Rafale Selection for the Indian Air Force: First Thoughts

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G2 Solutions @ January 31, 2012

Dassault Rafale Selected by Indian Air Force for MMRCA Requirement

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Rafale Wins Indian Fighter Competition

Dassault Rafale wins first export competition, although the MMRCA contract with India still needs to be finalized.

G2 Solutions @ January 31, 2012

Shadow Knight offered for MRMUAS

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AAI Corp. is proposing a new vertical-takeoff-and-landing (VTOL) design for the U.S. Navy’s medium-range maritime unmanned aerial system (MRMUAS) requirement.

The Shadow Knight is based on the slowed-rotor/compound (SR/C) concept licensed from Carter Aviation Technologies, but with changes to enable a true hover capability for operation from ships.

G2 Solutions @ January 25, 2012

Dassault unveils Neuron

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© Dassault Aviation.

G2 Solutions @ January 20, 2012

AvWeek: Low Cost Is Key To Electronic Warfare Future

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The weapons and new technologies of future wars are going to involve fewer things that explode. In fact, weapons effects will often be so quick and insidious that victims will be left grasping for clues—perhaps literally in the dark—as to what just happened to…

G2 Solutions @ January 17, 2012

AvWeek: EADS In New Leadership Impasse

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EADS may be heading for another round of leadership struggles, if shareholders fail to resolve a disagreement by Jan. 26.

The behind-the-scenes dispute arose after the French government officially asked for more time to evaluate proposals that should have been approved in December at the most recent…

G2 Solutions @ January 17, 2012

AvWeek: Aerospace Rises in Pentagon Strategy

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President Barack Obama’s changing of the Pentagon’s global military focus from Europe to the Middle East and Asia-Pacific regions could breathe new life into dormant plans for a new stealthy bomber, and fuel the development of improved intelligence and surveillance aircraft and ballistic- and cruise-missile defenses around the globe.

Overall, the new military strategy is the White House’s attempt to curb defense spending, which has ballooned since the terrorist attacks of 2001 and contributed to a massive federal deficit. “The growth will be slow, but [the budget] will still grow,” Obama told reporters.

G2 Solutions @ January 9, 2012

Standart: Bulgaria Negotiates Used Eurofighters

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The Standart broke the news that Germany is about to offer used multirole fighters – Eurofighter – to several East European countries including Bulgaria ahead of the prestigious economic daily Financial Times. Yesterday, a German edition confirmed the information.

G2 Solutions @ January 9, 2012