Air Force Wants Hypersonic Missiles for Stealth Jets

For 10 years, the military has tried — with little success — to build missiles capable of traveling at breakneck, hypersonic speeds. Missile tests, however, have been uneven, with repeated failures punctuated by the occasional stunning success. Now USAF is taking a bigger role by seeking to build another hypersonic missile, this time for its stealth fighter jets.

The Air Force’s desired “High Speed Strike Weapon” would travel at five times the speed of sound or faster, theoretically launching from a stealthy F-22 Raptor jet or a future F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, and traveling so fast and at such long distances as to render an enemy’s anti-aircraft systems defunct. The Air Force’s Research Laboratory Munitions Directorate is gathering possible design partners later this month at Elgin Air Force Base in Florida before any solicitation. According to an Air Force notice, whatever prototype gets built will ultimately need to strike “time-critical” targets — on the move, possibly — from “tactically relevant standoff distances.”

An X-51 Waverider hypersonic missile attached to the wing of a B-52 bomber. The Air Force seeks to build a smaller variant for its stealth fighters. Photo: Boeing

If it can be done, the weapon will “be representative of an air-breathing hypersonic missile system” that can tough it out in “the most stringent environments presented to us in the next decade,” said Steven Walker, the Air Force’s deputy assistant secretary for science, technology and engineering, in written testimony to the House Armed Services Committee in February.

That’s the hope, at least. The U.S. military has a mixed record with hypersonics. Last August, the Pentagon’s pizza-shaped Falcon Hypersonic Technology Vehicle 2 failed for a second (and likely final) time, crashing into the Pacific during a test flight. But the Army’s Advanced Hypersonic Weapon did much better during a test in November. Two years ago, the Air Force successfully flew its X-51 WaveRider scramjet missile at speeds of Mach 5 for 200 seconds after launching it off a B-52 bomber. A later test, though, ended with engine failure.

Unlike those weapons, though, the High Speed Strike Weapon isn’t a so-called “Global Strike” weapon. Those weapons are supposed to hit anywhere on Planet Earth at any time. The former Falcon missile, for instance, was designed to launch with a rocket into space, before screaming back down to Earth and obliterating its target. But those weapons are indistinguishable from a nuclear weapon when seen on radar — which could inadvertently trigger nuclear Armageddon once a surprised nuclear power like Russia sees one in the air.

A fighter-launched missile resembles any other smaller, non-nuclear missile. It’s just traveling super-fast. Armageddon averted.

There are other technical challenges in launching a scramjet missile from a fighter jet instead of a sub-orbital rocket or a B-52, though. It’ll still need to have air-breathing engines that compresses the air around the missile into a supersonic mixture of oxygen and fuel — absent a turbine. But it will also need to be small enough to be carried by a jet fighter while carrying the necessary advanced navigation controls, precision guidance tools and sophisticated sensors, plus the warhead. The service will also still have to find the right mixture of composite materials like titanium and tungsten (among others) to hold up under the enormous heat generated by Mach 5, Mach 6 and even faster flight.

The Air Force is requesting a whopping 150 percent increase in funding for the program, from $6.2 million now to $15.4 million in 2013 in one “thrust” of weapons development, according to subscription-required InsideDefense. That’s a lot of money for a missile that may not work.

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News source: http://www.wired.com

2 Small Planes collide in Virginia

The FAA and Virginia State Police reported Monday on CNN, a pilot and passenger were killed as two small planes collided in the air above Fauquier County, Virginia.

The collision happened above Fauquier County about five miles south of the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport.

The midair collision happened about five miles south of the Warrenton-Fauquier Airport around 4 p.m.

“One plane has been destroyed by fire,” Virginia State Police spokeswoman Corinne Geller told CNN. “In that plane, which is believed to be a six-seater aircraft, two bodies have been recovered. State Police are in the process of identifying the pilot and passenger.”

One of the planes involved in the collision is identified as a Piper PA-28-140 Cherokee (tail number N23SC) registered to T.R. Proven of Broad Run, Va., according to Federal Aviation Administration records.

The second plane’s pilot, an adult male, was transported to Mary Washington Hospital in Fredericksburg, according to state police.

The two planes crashed to the ground approximately a mile apart from one another, state police said. Parts of the planes and debris were scattered between the two crash sites in a secluded and difficult to access area, state police said.

As to what caused the crash some 50 miles from Washington, D.C., “that remains under investigation at this time” state police said.

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News Source: http://www.examiner.com

First Boeing 787 made in South Carolina to take flight

The first Boeing 787 made in South Carolina goes up for a test flight this week.

Boeing spokeswoman Candy Eslinger confirms that the first flight is planned for Wednesday. The plane will take off from the Charleston International Airport near the company’s new $750 million North Charleston assembly plant.

The commercial plane, which was rolled out in a ceremony last month, has been purchased by Air India.

The plant should turn out four completed aircraft by year’s end. By the end of 2013, the plant should be producing about three-and-a-half of the speedy, light aircraft a month. The planes are made partly from composite material of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic.

Manufactured by developed by Boeing Commercial Airplanes, the Boeing 787 Dreamliner is a long-range, mid-size wide-body, twin-engine jet airliner.

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News source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com

Etihad, Air Berlin Pools Boeing 787s

Air Berlin and UAE’s Etihad Airways announced plans to merge their Boeing 787s, three months after the Abu-Dhabi-based carrier raised its stake and interest in Germany’s second-biggest airline to almost 30 percent.

The UAE airline furthers that the agreement calls for Etihad and Air Berlin to share in infrastructure and pool maintenance, and develop joint training for the aircraft.

They will also purchase bundle of equipment for 787′s engines as well as electronic and inflight entertainment systems and cooperate on product development for the planes.

Etihad has already ordered 41 planes, with 25 options and purchasing rights while Air Berlin has initially requested 25 787s but canceled 10 of them in 2010 due to its uncertainty whether it will increase its long-haul network.

A spokeswoman from Air Berlin said on Tuesday it was not yet clear which routes the 787s would service, and given the partnership with Etihad, it still cannot be concluded that the planes are set forth to fly to Etihad.

Source: news.airwise.com

Hindan AFB will be home of India’s C-17

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will induct its first C-17 Globemaster III, its largest strategic heavy lift aircraft, at the Hindan air force in Ghaziabad near New Delhi after it is procured from the US.

“We have decided to induct the C-17 at the Hindan air force base when the first aircraft would be delivered to us in the 2013-14 time-frame,” IAF officials told PTI here.

The C-17 military airlift aircraft is a high-wing, four-engine, T-tailed military transport vehicle capable of carrying payloads up to 169,000lb. It has an international range and the ability to land on small airfields. A fully integrated electronic cockpit and advanced cargo systems allow a crew of three; the pilot, co-pilot and loadmaster, to operate all systems on any type of mission.

A propulsive lift system allows the C-17 to achieve safe landings on short runways. The C-17 aircraft is capable of landing a full payload in less than 3,000ft. The propulsive lift system uses engine exhaust to generate lift: the engine exhaust is directed onto large flaps, which extend into the exhaust stream, allowing the aircraft to fly a steep approach at a relatively low landing speed.

India had recently signed its biggest defence deal with the US to procure ten C-17 heavy-lift aircraft for USD 4.1 billion under which American defence major Boeing will set up test facilities for hi-tech aeronautics engines for the DRDO.

Source: The Economic Times, airforce-technology

First USAF Production F-35 Lightning II Delivered

The U.S. Air Force has accepted into its fleet the first of a planned 1,763 production-model Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters.

The signing of formal acceptance documents for the jet, known as AF-7, took place at Lockheed Martin’s F-35 final assembly plant in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, May 5. The jet flew to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Friday to begin its flight testing program.

“This first aircraft is the beginning of the modernization of U.S. Air Force, Marine and Naval Air power and for our coalition partners around the world,” said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager.

“The F-35 family of aircraft will bring an incredible increase in capability that our men and women defending us deserve.”

F-35s have completed more than 865 flights since flight-testing began in late 2006. In addition to AF-7, eight more production-model F-35s have rolled out and are being prepared for delivery.

The F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced multi-role fighter in the world, combining Very Low Observable stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and reduced sustainment costs.

Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least nine other countries.

Source: Air-Attack

Gift Giving in February

Do you think it’s too early to give away presents in February? Well, Pacific Aircraft certainly doesn’t feel the same way! The season of giving is starting and certainly will not be over for this company! Pacific just keeps giving and giving all year ‘round!

This time about, they are treating you to the best deals you can get!

 

As a gratitude for all their valued customers, they are  giving away custom model airplanes at very low prices! The good news is they are slashing $200 off the original price of any custom model airplanes. Yes, you read it right and this is not just a typographical error. That’s 200 dollars for the love of airplanes!

Why cut down the price on their custom models you ask? Pacific Aircraft completely understands your love for aviation and how you value each piece mainly if it’s made especially for you. Whatever model airplane or model helicopter you like, surely brings back stories of missions, launches and operations.

Master artisans give you any model airplane, personalized and made exactly the way you want it. Do you want a different paint scheme? Do you want your name carved on your model airplane? Do you like to have a customized design on your very own custom plane? THAT is awesome! You’ve come to the right place.

Producing exceptionally hand-made custom model planes is what Pacific Aircraft does best.

Here they let you put your own mark on your model planes. Do you want to alter, change or add a seal, a totem, a picture, a name or a registration and squadron number to your model? Great! We promise to give you any aircraft model, any design, any paint scheme, any size, made completely according to your specifications.

 

Now is indeed a perfect time for you to get a personalized plane you have been eyeing for, for the longest time. This doesn’t happen this often so don’t let your chances slip away! Call to speak with a Model Aircraft Specialist at (800) 579-1207.

 

 

CV-22 mission-capable rate still hovering at 54 percent

The CV-22 Osprey ended fiscal 2010 with a mission-capable rate of 54.3 percent. On any given day, from Oct. 1, 2009, to Sept. 30, half of the special operations tilt-rotor aircraft couldn’t fly their full range of missions. The Osprey’s fiscal 2009 mission-capable rate was 50.1 percent, the lowest ever.

Only the RQ-4 Global Hawk and two aging aircraft, B-1B Lancer and the C-5A Galaxy, had worse mission-capable numbers, according to the data.

The RQ-4 had a mission-capable rate of 41.64 percent. The B-1B, operational since 1986 and with a notoriously complicated hydraulics system, had a mission-capable rate of 43.82 percent. The C-5A, the massive transport first delivered during the Vietnam War, had a mission-capable rate of 52.6 percent.

No common problem such as a software glitch or engine malfunction led to the Osprey’s low rate, said Col. Peter Robichaux, who oversees the health of Air Force Special Operations Command aircraft. Most sat on the flight line waiting for replacement parts or maintainers to fix them.

For Robichaux, the Osprey’s low rate is a statistical quirk — not an indicator of the hybrid’s long-term viability.
“The numbers are a result of our small fleet size,” said Robichaux, whose AFSOC title is director of logistics. “That can drive the numbers down.”

The Air Force has 16 CV-22s and is scheduled to receive five to six more a year until 50 are on hand, probably by 2016. Taking one plane off the flight schedule for a day pushes down the mission-capable rate for that day by about 6 percentage points.

New aircraft often have low mission-capable rates for three reasons: Parts inventories can be low, technical orders explaining how to make repairs aren’t clear and even the most experienced maintainers have just a few years with the plane.

Many planes also see their mission-capable rates slowly improve as they age. The F-22 Raptor, for example, went from 51.25 percent in 2003 to 60.94 percent in 2010.

The CV-22, though, has a declining mission-capable rate. In 2006, when the first operational aircraft arrived, the rate was 61.4 percent.

- AirForceTimes -

L-3: Continuing P-3 Refurbishment Work

L-3 Communications is playing down the impact on its P-3 Orion upgrade business following the decision of the U.S. Navy to cancel a contract to supply new outer wings. The decision clears the field for Lockheed Martin to supply new wings to extend the P-3’s life.

Lockheed has orders in hand from Canada, Norway, Taiwan and the U.S. for 54 shipsets of new outer wings, which provide another 15,000 hr. of airframe life. U.S. customers include Customs and Border Patrol and the Navy for special-mission P-3s.

The Navy contract to establish a second source of new outer wings was “terminated for convenience, and not due to performance,” says Ken McAlpine, L-3 Integrated Systems vice president for program execution.

Manufacture of the outer wings, the first of which was five months from delivery, was “just a small part of what we are doing on the P-3,” McAlpine says. “We are actively involved in P-3 sustainment for the Navy and other operators.”

L-3 continues to refurbish wings for Navy P-3s, replacing panels and spares to provide 7-10 years of extra service life. With the Orion to be replaced by the P-8 Poseidon, McAlpine believes budget pressures have forced the Navy to cut back on upgrades.

He says that the company “is open to offering new outer wings to other customers, but we believe refurbishment is where the market is going. It’s less expensive.”

Lockheed believes that, of the more than 400 P-3s flying with 21 operators, around 250 aircraft will still be flying in 20 years and are candidates for an upgrade that includes new outer wings, center-wing lower surface, horizontal stabilizers and inboard nacelles. Not all the Navy’s P-3s will be retired as the P-8 enters service, says Ray Burick, Lockheed vice president for P-3/S-3 programs. “Special-mission aircraft including the EP-3E will stay in service longer.”

McAlpine said that keeping these aircraft in service also will mean continuing work for L-3 as the company’s Integrated Systems division “is the only company doing heavy special-mission mods on the P-3.”

 

-aviationweek.com

 

Airlines to Waive Fees Due to Hurricane Earl

Click here for a larger image.

Airlines began offering passengers a way to change their tickets as Hurricane Earl threatened to disrupt travel along the East Coast.

On Thursday, JetBlue said it is waiving change fees and fare differences for customers booked for travel through Saturday to and from certain spots. Customers can rebook for flights through Tuesday, Sept. 14. Eligible destinations include New York and span from Portland, Maine, south to Charlotte, N.C. Flights to and from Bermuda also are included.

Delta Air Lines said on Wednesday that customers traveling to or through several Eastern cities could make one-time changes to their travel schedules without fees. The changes are allowed for people with flights on Thursday or Friday. The waiver covers more than 20 airports, including those in the New York area, Washington, Boston, Baltimore, and Wilmington, N.C. Delta has the largest fleets of Boeing 757 and Boeing 767 and is the largest US operator of the Airbus A330 aircraft. It is the second largest operator of the McDonnell Douglas MD-80 , the largest operator of the Boeing 767–300, and the larger of the two operators of the 767-400ER.

AirTran Airways said customers traveling through several Eastern cities, including San Juan, Puerto Rico, could change their reservations without penalty. The penalty-free change applies to flights booked for Wednesday through Saturday.

Frontier Airlines said travelers scheduled to pass through Newport News, Va. or Raleigh, N.C. between Wednesday and Saturday could change their travel dates without a fee. Customers who have not yet begun their trip could end up paying higher fares in some cases.

- MSNBC
- wikipedia