Development Continued On F-35, KC-46A, And Sikorsky Is Tapped For A New SAR Helo

It's the big, expensive hardware. Military Iron. For those who have never flown something paid for by taxpayers, it's can sometimes be something of a dream world in those cockpits. In this post-sequestration year in military aviation, there were announcements about new aircraft, as well as significant developments in existing programs. Here are some of those stories.

January

Navy Helo Down Off Virginia Coast

A U.S. Navy MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter went down in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Virginia. Four of the five crewmembers on board the aircraft have been accounted for, and an SAR effort was mounted to locate the fifth.

Air Force, Navy Update Information Following Fatal Accidents

Both the U.S. Air Force and the U.S. Navy provided updates Thursday from helicopter accidents on opposite sides of the Atlantic Ocean which resulted in fatal injuries.

B-52 Upgrade To Increase Smart-Weapons Capacity

Tinker (OK) AFB Airmen will update ground maintenance and mission planning software in support of a new Air Force contract that will increase the B-52 Stratofortress's "smart-weapons" capacity by 50 percent. The $24.6 million agreement stipulates that Boeing will develop a modification to existing weapon launchers so the aircraft can carry smart weapons in the bomb bay, which will enable aircrews to use the B-52's entire weapons capacity.

British Logistics Company Revives Spitfire Project In Burma

A U.K.-based global logistics company Claridon Group Ltd stepped in to save the effort led by aviation enthusiast David Cundall's project to locate buried Spitfires in Burma.

Boeing Starts Assembly Of Final KC-46A Test Aircraft

The fourth and final KC-46A test aircraft for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling tanker program is being assembled at Boeing's Everett factory, keeping the program on track to deliver the initial 18 tankers to the Air Force by 2017.

Boeing B-29 Superfortress Doc Restoration Nearing Completion

Its been a long time coming... but volunteers report that they have made significant progress restoring the Boeing B-29 Superfortress named Doc since work resumed on the project in 2013.

Marine F-35B Aircraft Hit Software Snag

The annual report from the Department of Defense Office of Test and Evaluation (OT&E) indicates that the F-35B STOVL variant for the U.S. Marine Corps may be delayed by software code it says is "unacceptable."

P-8A Aircraft Gets Green Light To Enter Full Rate Production

On the heels of the P-8A Poseidon squadron’s inaugural deployment, the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance Aircraft Program Office (PMA-290) announced it entered the full-rate production (FRP) phase of its development. The approval, reached Jan. 3 from the FRP Milestone Decision Authority will allow the program office, resource sponsor, acquisition community and industry to continue to deliver the P-8A to the fleet with the required capabilities needed to ensure the squadrons are getting a stable and efficient system.

February

U.K., France To Collaborate On UAS Technology Development

British Prime Minister David Cameron and French President Francois Hollande jointly announced plans to develop a military unmanned aircraft system with Britain's BAE Systems and French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation.

First Flight: Taranis Unmanned Aircraft

The most advanced aircraft ever built by British engineers made its maiden flight at an undisclosed test range on Saturday August 10, 2013 under the command of BAE Systems test pilot Bob Fraser. The U.K. MOD said in a news release that the demonstrator aircraft made a perfect take-off, rotation, ‘climb-out’ and landing on its 15-minute first flight. A number of flights took place last year, of up to 1 hour in duration and at a variety of altitudes and speeds.

Boeing To Wind Down CH-47 Work In Macon, GA

Boeing will be discontinuing work on the CH-47 Chinook helicopter program in Macon, GA over the next two years, which will result in the loss of about 100 jobs. Those job cuts come on top of the approximately 300 that will be shed as work on the C-17 Globemaster winds down at the same location.

Textron AirLand's Scorpion Completes Additional Test Flights

The Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR)/Strike aircraft completed additional test flights in January and February, according to Textron AirLand, LLC and AirLand Enterprises, LLC.

US Navy Tests Infrared Search And Track On Boeing Super Hornet

The U.S. Navy recently tested, for the first time on a Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor that will find hard-to-detect targets over long distances. Boeing and Lockheed Martin are developing and integrating IRST, an essential upgrade to the combat capability of the Navy’s Super Hornets.

F-35B May Face Another Year Of Delays

Cracks discovered last September in bulkheads on the F-35B variant for the U.S. Marine Corps may delay deployment of the STOVL aircraft for another year, according to Pentagon sources.

MD Unveils New MD 530G Scout Attack Helicopter

MD Helicopters Inc. (MDHI) has released details of its new MD 530G armed aerial scout helicopter. The MD 530G is the latest in a lineage that spans more than 50 years of scout attack evolution.

Medium/Heavy Military Rotorcraft Market Slowing, But Still Lucrative

Market research firm Forecast International projects that 5,213 medium/heavy military rotorcraft will be produced between 2014 and 2023, according to the company's “The Market for Medium/Heavy Military Rotorcraft.” The value of this production is $127 billion in constant FY14 U.S. dollars. The firm defines a medium/heavy military rotorcraft as one having a gross weight of 15,000 pounds or greater.

March

F/A-18C Down In Nevada

The Navy has determined that the U.S. military pilot whose aircraft went down Saturday on a training flight for the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center at Naval Air Station (NAS) Fallon, NV was killed in the mishap. The crash of the F/A-18C aircraft occurred at approximately 1500 PST Saturday on the Fallon Range Training Complex, approximately 70 miles east of NAS Fallon.

Air Force To Award New Rescue Helicopter Contract

The Air Force has announced its intent to award a competitive contract for a new rescue helicopter to carry out the personnel recovery mission. Due to the criticality of this mission, the Air Force will realign about $430 million from other Air Force priorities beyond fiscal year 2014 through 2019 in order to award the Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH) contract to United Technologies’ Sikorsky.

F-15s, KC-135 To Augment NATO Mission In Baltics

Following Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel's announcement Wednesday during Senate testimony that the United States is augmenting its participation in NATO's air policing mission in the Baltics and will increase joint training through its aviation detachment in Poland, a defense official provided additional information.

US Navy's P-8A Poseidon Arrives In Australia

A U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon patrol aircraft completed its transition from Kuala Lumpur to Perth March 18 to continue the search for Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 in the southern Indian Ocean.

Boeing Phantom Swift Selected For DARPA X-Plane Competition

Phantom Swift, a prototype Boeing initially built in less than a month, has been accepted to be part of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) X-plane program. DARPA is trying to mature a new aircraft configuration capable of both efficient hover and high-speed cruise.

Navy Prepares Black Box Locator For MH370 Search

The U.S. Navy is continuing efforts to search for missing Malaysian Airlines flight MH370. As a precautionary measure in case a debris field is located, U.S. Pacific Command ordered U.S. Pacific Fleet to move a black box locator into the region March 24.

Navy's Most Advanced Command And Control Aircraft Joins The Fleet

The E-2D Advanced Hawkeye officially became ready for tasking with Airborne Early Warning Squadron 125 (VAW-125) during a ceremony at Naval Station Norfolk Chambers Field, March 27. "This is a revolutionary jump in capabilities," said Capt. Todd Watkins, commander, Airborne Command Control and Logistics Wing. "The E-2D serves as the eyes of the fleet. If it's out there, we will see it."

Republic Of Korea To Buy F-35A Lightning II Aircraft

The Republic of Korea has formally selected the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft for its F-X fighter acquisition program.

April

Northrop Grumman To Build Five More MQ-8C Fire Scouts For The U.S. Navy

Northrop Grumman will build five additional U.S. Navy MQ-8C Fire Scout unmanned helicopters, which allow ship commanders to extend their intelligence-gathering capabilities far beyond the horizon. Final assembly of the aircraft will take place at the company's Unmanned Systems Center in Moss Point, MS. The MQ-8C is based on a larger helicopter airframe that provides greater range, endurance and payload capacity over the currently fielded MQ-8B Fire Scout variant.

Textron AirLand's Scorpion ISR/Strike Aircraft Reaches 50 Test Flight Hours

Textron AirLand's Scorpion has completed 50 hours of flight time since the start of flight testing in December 2013, the company said Wednesday. The objective of recent flights has been to gather data about the aircraft’s performance at various speeds, altitudes and climb rates, as well as to assess the responsiveness of Scorpion’s avionics, flight controls and landing system.

First Flight: The Advanced Tactics Black Knight Transformer

Advanced Tactics has successfully completed the first flight test of the Black Knight Transformer, a modular and roadable vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft. Advanced Tactics is at the forefront of large scale multicopter design, production, and testing and the successful flights of the Black Knight Transformer open the door to a number of future aircraft designs that leverage Advanced Tactics’ patented and patent-pending technologies.

Kaman New Zealand SH-2G(I) Achieves First Flight

The first NZ SH-2G(I) Super Seasprite helicopter for the government of New Zealand began production flight testing this week at Kaman Aerospace's Bloomfield, Connecticut facility.

F-35 Lightning II Jet To Make First British Flights

The F-35 Lightning II will make its international debut in July at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford and in the same month will also fly at the Farnborough International Air Show. This will be the first time the combat aircraft has flown outside of the United States. The selection of 2 UK airshows demonstrates the significant role that Britain has in the program. Approximately 15% of every aircraft is built in the UK.

Former Blue Angels Commander Relieved Of Current Post

The executive officer of Naval Base Coronado in San Diego was relieved of his duties April 18 by Commander, Navy Installations Command. Details later emerged concerning the investigation of Capt. Gregory McWherter, the former commander of the Blue Angels jet demonstration team.

First Flight: Optionally Piloted Black Hawk Demonstrator Helicopter

In cooperation with the U.S. Army, Sikorsky has successfully demonstrated optionally piloted flight of a Black Hawk helicopter, a significant step toward providing autonomous cargo delivery functionality to the U.S. Army.

Altus, McConnell AFBs Selected To Receive KC-46A Pegasus Aircraft

Air Force officials announced April 23, that Altus Air Force Base, OK, is the Air Force’s KC-46A Pegasus formal training unit and McConnell AFB, KS, is the first active duty-led Pegasus main operating base.

McWherter Resigns As President Of Tailhook Association

The embattled former commander of the Blue Angels has stepped down as the president of the Navy's Tailhook Association, an organization that has itself been the focus of controversy in the Navy.

May

First Flight: Boeing Production Configuration AH-6i

Boeing's AH-6i light attack/reconnaissance helicopter has flown for the first time in its production configuration, moving the program another step closer to full-scale production while continuing to prove the helicopter's close air support and attack capabilities.

Sikorsky Unveils CH-53K Helicopter

The CH-53K heavy lift helicopter, the next generation in the CH-53 type series that the U.S. Marine Corps expects to begin operational service in 2019, was officially unveiled by Sikorsky. During the rollout ceremony, the Commandant of the Marine Corps General F. Amos introduced the name for the new aircraft: the “King Stallion.”

Bell Helicopter Adds To Valor Team

Two key suppliers have been named to the team producing Bell Helicopter's new V-280 Valor. Astronics Advanced Electric Systems will design and manufacture power distribution systems for the aircraft, while Meggitt Inc. will be providing the fuel system.

Sikorsky Wins U.S. Navy Contract To Replace ‘Marine One’ Helicopter Fleet

The U.S. Navy announced Wednesday that Sikorsky has been selected to build the next fleet of Marine One helicopters for the Office of the President.

Army Aviators Eager To Witness Birth Of Future Vertical Lift

Pilots want to fly it, mechanics want to maintain it, but no one knows for sure what the Future Vertical Lift aircraft will look like or what its characteristics will be once it cracks its shell and hatches.

Sikorsky Aircraft To Develop Autonomous Black Hawk For Cargo Missions

Sikorsky Aircraft announced Tuesday from the AUVSI Unmanned Systems conference that it will develop its first product to feature Matrix Technology, by converting a retired UH-60A Black Hawk helicopter into an optionally piloted variant capable of a wide spectrum of missions.

Textron Scorpion Prepped For Flight To England

The Scorpion AirLand tactical jet under development by Textron is getting some modifications this week that will allow it to fly to England for the Farnborough International Air Show this summer.

NGC, Diamond Collaborating On Intelligence-Gathering Aircraft Systems

Northrop Grumman Corporation is collaborating with Diamond Aircraft Industries, Inc., to deliver new intelligence-gathering aircraft capabilities to Canadian and international markets.

AirLand Scorpion To Make International Debut

Textron AirLand, LLC, a joint venture between Textron and AirLand Enterprises, LLC, announced that the Scorpion will fly from Wichita, KS to the United Kingdom, appearing at two of the world’s premier defense aviation exhibitions. Scorpion will participate in Royal Air Tattoo from July 11 to 13, immediately followed by Farnborough International Air Show from July 14 to 20.

June

USAF Pilot Helps In Airline Emergency

Most people think that during an emergency they would step up to the plate, act heroically and do what is necessary to save lives. Thinking one might rescue the day is a noble thought, but acting on those thoughts is what sets the nation's heroes above noble thinkers.

President Signs CAP Congressional Gold Medal Bill

President Barack Obama signed into law S. 309, the bill awarding a Congressional Gold Medal to Civil Air Patrol for its service during World War II. The legislation, approved in May 2013 by the Senate and in May by the House, recognizes the volunteer service of more than 120,000 men, women and teenagers who joined CAP immediately before and during the war.

Former Blue Angels' CO Reprimanded At Admiral's Mast

At an Admiral's Mast proceeding on June 2, a former commanding officer of the U.S. Navy's Flight Demonstration Squadron - the Blue Angels - was found guilty of violating Uniform Code Military Justice articles 92 (failure to obey an order or regulation) and 133 (conduct unbecoming of an officer) by fostering a hostile command climate, failing to stop obvious and repeated instances of sexual harassment, condoning widespread lewd practices within the squadron, and engaging in inappropriate and unprofessional discussions with his junior officers.

Marine Corps Harrier Jet Down In CA Neighborhood

The Marine Corps says one of its Harrier jump jets went down in a residential neighborhood near Miramar, CA.

AF Museum Breaks Ground On $35.4M Expansion

The National Museum of the U.S. Air Force broke ground on a new $35.4 million building that will house aircraft from the museum's Presidential, Research and Development (R&D) and Global Reach collection, as well as a new and expanded Space Gallery.

Challenges, Cooperation For Thunderbirds’ Inaugural Appearance At Oshkosh

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds’ announcement last December that Oshkosh was on its 2014 schedule brought a lot of excitement to those coming to AirVenture this summer, but it also created some unusual logistics challenges for EAA and Wittman Regional Airport. The solution was community cooperation and creative thinking to make it possible.

Simultaneous Manned, Unmanned Helicopter Flight Tests Conducted

An unmanned MQ-8B Fire Scout and an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter have for the first time been flown simultaneously ... demonstrating how a mix of aircraft can increase a ship commander's intelligence-gathering capabilities aboard the Littoral Combat Ship.

Sikorsky Signs Contract For Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program

The Canadian Department of National Defense has signed a contract with Sikorsky that brings the Canadian Maritime Helicopter Program to completion, and accelerates the CH-148 Cyclone helicopter's entry into operational service.

One Confirmed Fatally Injured In Mid-Air Collision In Germany

A mid-air collision in Germany has fatally injured at least one person, with another unaccounted for.

AF Awards New Combat Rescue Helicopter Contract

The Air Force awarded a $1.28 billion contract for the initial engineering and manufacturing development phase of the new combat rescue helicopter to Sikorsky Aircraft Company on June 26. The contract also includes procurement of the first four of the program’s planned 112 aircraft.

July

Marine Corps Returns F-35B To Flying Status

The U.S. Marine Corps has resumed flight operations with its F-35B aircraft after some of the airplanes were grounded following a fire aboard an Air Force F-35A earlier in the week.

CVW-5 Commander Captures Historic Milestone

As the sun set over waters south of China, the commander of the U.S. Navy's forward-deployed air wing was on approach to Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73) about to join a club of distinguished and experienced naval aviators who have achieved the career milestone of 1,000 arrested landings, or "traps."

Boeing Completes Delivery Of Canadian CH-147F Chinooks

The Royal Canadian Air Force took delivery of the 15th CH-147F Medium-to-Heavy-Lift Helicopter, ensuring advanced operational capability for the Canadian Chinook fleet.

After Nearly 70 Years, Glenn Miller's Plane Is Still Missing

Glenn Miller was one of the superstars of his time. In an era before the Internet, social media and viral videos, the leader of the Glenn Miller Orchestra was a household name.

DOD Plans To Deliver F-35's 5th Gen Capability At 4th Gen Cost By 2019

The Department of Defense has announced an agreement aimed at reducing the price of an F-35 Lightning II 5th generation fighter to the equivalent of today's 4th generation fighters by the end of the decade. Designated "The Blueprint for Affordability," the DoD and F-35 industry partners - Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems signed an agreement to implement cost reduction initiatives to lower the production costs of F-35 aircraft.

Sexual Harassment Investigation Slows Blue Angels Lineup Announcement

The Navy's investigation into sexual harassment charges against a former Blue Angels commander has caused a delay in the announcement of the team's 2015 lineup.

Nominee For Pacific AF Command Is First Woman Ever Tapped For The Post

President Obama has nominated Air Force Lt. General Lori J. Robinson (pictured) for promotion to four stars and to command the Pacific Air Forces, a major combatant command with broad security responsibility for the Asia-Pacific region. The Washington Times reports that Lt. Gen. Robinson would be the first woman to hold that post, as well as the first non-pilot.

Blue Angels Announce 2015 Team Members

The U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, announced the officers selected for the 2015 team July 22.

K-MAX Cargo Helicopter Team Returns From Deployment

After lifting more than 4.5 million pounds of cargo and conducting thousands of delivery missions for the U.S. Marine Corps, the Lockheed Martin and Kaman Aerospace Corporation K-MAX cargo unmanned aircraft system (UAS) has returned to the United States following a nearly three-year deployment in Afghanistan.

August

Scorpion ISR/Strike Jet Readies For Upcoming U.S. Events, Military Exercises

The Textron AirLand Scorpion aircraft will participate in a number of promotional and demonstration events attended by branches of the U.S. and international militaries.

Hurricane Hunters Fly Into Hurricane Iselle For Life-Saving Data

Airmen with the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron, also known as the Hurricane Hunters, deployed to Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, from Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, Aug. 5 to collect weather data in Hurricane Iselle as it approaches the Hawaiian Islands.

General Atomics Awarded Initial EMALS Contract

U.S. Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) awarded General Atomics (GA) an initial sole-source contract for Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) and Advanced Arresting Gear (AAG) for the CVN 79 aircraft carrier to be named John F. Kennedy.

Pease ANGB Selected To Receive KC-46A Pegasus

Air Force officials announced Aug. 6 that Pease Air National Guard Base, New Hampshire will be the Air Force's first Air National Guard-led KC-46A Pegasus main operating base.

Russian Bombers Regularly Violating U.S. Airspace

NORAD says that Russian Tu-95 "Bear H" bombers have been making frequent incursions into U.S. airspace, and in at least one case, a spy plane was detected along with the bombers.

Vazquez Assumes Command Of Civil Air Patrol

Civil Air Patrol has a new national commander and CEO – Maj. Gen. Joe Vazquez of Henrico, Virginia, sworn in Friday at the organization's 2014 National Conference.

Scorpion Participates in USNORTHCOM’s Vigilant Guard Exercise

The Scorpion aircraft has completed operations in support of Vigilant Guard 2014, a Northern Command and Kansas National Guard training exercise demonstrating the capabilities of emergency response agencies at all levels of government, both military and civil.

NGC Developing XS-1 Experimental Spaceplane Design For DARPA

Northrop Grumman Corporation with Scaled Composites and Virgin Galactic is developing a preliminary design and flight demonstration plan for the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency's (DARPA) Experimental Spaceplane XS-1 program.

F-35 Flight Test Program Milestones Demonstrate Maturing Combat Capabilities

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program continued a steady path of flight test milestones in August, including weapons separation, software compatibility and flight hours, all demonstrating program maturity, according to prime contractor Lockheed Martin.

F-15C Eagle Pilot Found Dead In Remote Virginia Mountains

Officials have confirmed that the pilot of an F-15C Eagle was fatally injured Aug. 27 when the airplane went down in the remote mountains near Deerfield Valley, VA.

September

Global Hawk Variants Surpass 100,000 Combat/Operational Support Hours

Two U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) in Northrop Grumman Corporation's high altitude long endurance (HALE) series safely surpassed 100,000 combat/operational support hours.

Tuskegee Airman To Be Honored At CAF SoCal Wing

A “Wish of a Lifetime” will be delivered during a special visit honoring one of the last remaining Tuskegee Airmen of WWII at the Commemorative Air Force Southern California Wing Air Museum based at Camarillo Airport, Saturday Sept. 6, from 10am to 2pm.

Marine Corps Retires The Venerable Huey

After more than 40 years of service, the Marine Corps retired the aging UH-1N Huey helicopter during a “sundown ceremony” Aug. 28, 2014, aboard Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, New Orleans.

Sierra Nevada Corporation Awarded NAA Collier Trophy

The U.S. National Aeronautical Association (NAA) has recognized Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) with the Robert J. Collier Trophy for one of the company’s “greatest achievement in aeronautics.” Teamed with Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy, SNC received the award for its contributions to the U.S. Navy’s Unmanned Combat Air System-Demonstrator (UCAS-D) program. Northrop Grumman and the U.S. Navy presented SNC with the Collier Trophy Friday, September 5, 2014 at the company’s headquarters in Sparks, Nevada.

Navy F/A-18 Hornets Down In The Pacific Ocean

Two F/A-18 Hornets from Carrier Air Wing 17 embarked on the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) went down while operating at sea in the western Pacific Ocean. The initial report is that the two aircraft are assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron 94 (VFA-94) and Strike Fighter Squadron 113 (VFA-113).

Scorpion To Make First Visit To Washington, DC

Textron AirLand, LLC, a joint venture between Textron Inc. and AirLand Enterprises, LLC, will bring its Scorpion ISR/Strike jet to Washington, DC for the duration of the Air Force Association’s Air & Space Conference from September 15 to 17. The aircraft will be displayed at Signature Flight Support Terminal, at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), approximately 10 miles from the conference center.

Eight Russian Aircraft Intercepted Nearing U.S., Canadian Airspace

NORAD twice scrambled jets last week to intercept Russian military aircraft that appeared to be on course to enter U.S. or Canadian airspace, according to government officials.

Seeing Through The Fog (And Dust And Snow) Of War

Degraded visibility—which encompasses diverse environmental conditions including severe weather, dust kicked up during takeoff and landing and poor visual contrast among different parts of terrain—often puts both the safety and effectiveness of tactical helicopter operations at risk. Current sensor systems that can provide the necessary visualization through obscurants struggle with latency and are too large, heavy and power-intensive to comply with military rotary wing operations.

First U.S. Built A-29 Super Tucano For USAF LAS Program Unveiled

The first United States-built A-29 Super Tucano light air support aircraft was unveiled in Jacksonville, FL in a roll-out ceremony with the U.S. Air Force and government officials, industry and community representatives. The aircraft, which also performs as an advanced trainer, is the first of 20 that are being delivered to the U.S. Air Force for its Light Air Support (LAS) program to support the stability of Afghanistan as it assumes increased responsibility for security with the redeployment of NATO forces.

October

Aurora Awarded Funding To Continue Development Of DARPA VTOL X-Plane

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has awarded the Phase 1B funding to Aurora Flight Sciences to continue participation in the DARPA Vertical Take Off and Landing Experiment Plane (VTOL X-Plane) program. The award is intended to carry Aurora's participation in the project through a Preliminary Design Review (PDR) milestone in October 2015.

Sikorsky Unveils Official Prototype Of Raider S-97

Sikorsky Aircraft has unveiled the first of two S-97 Raider helicopter prototypes, signaling the start of activities in the program’s test flight phase and a major step toward demonstrating the new – and first – armed reconnaissance rotorcraft featuring X2 Technology designed for military missions.

Coast Guard Advises UAV Operators To Be Careful Where They Fly

Saturday afternoon a quadcopter-type model helicopter was seen flying directly across the Coast Guard base located on Arcata Airport in northwest California.

Navy Announces Decision To Base F-35C At NAS Lemoore

The Department of the Navy, after carefully weighing the strategic, operational, and environmental consequences of the proposed action, has decided to base the F-35C aircraft at Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California.

MD Helicopters Wins Afghan Air Force Contract

The Afghan Air Force recently awarded a firm, fixed price contract to MD Helicopters to manufacture and deliver twelve (12) MD 530F aircraft. This is an Option award to the Department of the Army Non–Standard Rotary Wing (NSRW) Aircraft Contract for provision of Primary Training Aircraft (PTA). The exercise of this Option is a reinforcement of the U. S. Army’s confidence in MD Helicopters’ ability to deliver reliable, mission-ready aircraft, training, logistics and support to the United States Military and its Allies.

Ramstein Launches First C-130J Flight To Assist Ebola Outbreak Efforts

Airmen with the 37th Airlift Squadron at Ramstein Air Base in Germany loaded a C-130J Super Hercules with needed supplies and launched their first mission Oct. 7, to West Africa in support of Operation United Assistance.

Airbus Delivers 18th HC-144A Aircraft To USCG

Airbus Defense and Space has delivered the 18th HC-144A Ocean Sentry maritime patrol aircraft to the U.S. Coast Guard. The latest HC-144A will join a fleet of Ocean Sentries operating from Coast Guard Air Stations in Cape Cod, MA; Mobile, AL; Miami, FL; and most recently Corpus Christi, TX. This month Air Station Corpus Christi turned over the maritime patrol mission to the HC-144 after the retirement of the last HU-25 Guardian aircraft.

Questions Raised About Scrapped Airplanes In Afghanistan

The Office of the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction has sent a letter to the Secretary of the Air Force questioning the scrapping of 16 apparently airworthy G222 aircraft for six cents per pound.

MD Helicopters To Weaponize MD 530F Fleet For Afghan Air Force

MD Helicopters has been awarded a firm fixed price contract valued at $44.2 million for the procurement, installation, integration and testing of Mission Equipment Package (MEP) weapon systems onto seventeen (17) MD 530F helicopters.

'Hurricane Hunters' Complete Missions On Both Coasts

It's been a busy two weeks for the Air Force Reserve's Hurricane Hunters, the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron flew their last of 15 missions into Hurricane Ana in the Pacific Oct. 20, while gathering weather data for the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

November

DOD, LMC Announce Principle Agreement On Purchase Of F-35s

The U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin have reached an agreement in principle for the production of 43 F-35 Lightning II aircraft. Officials anticipate the Low-Rate Initial Production lot 8 (LRIP 8) contract to be finalized in the coming weeks. The contract is for fiscal year 2014 with deliveries beginning in 2016.

F-35C Completes First Arrested Landing Aboard An Aircraft Carrier

The Navy made aviation history Monday as an F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter conducted its first arrested landing aboard an aircraft carrier off the coast of San Diego.

New Chinese Fighter Jet Bears Striking Resemblance To F-35

China has publicly unveiled their latest jet fighter ... and it looks very familiar.

Honeywell To Continue To Power Textron Scorpion

The production version of the Textron AirLand Scorpion airplane will be powered by Honeywell's TFE731-40AR-3S engine, according to a Honeywell news release.  The engine had been selected by Textron for the development stage of the program and this agreement has been extended to the aircraft production phase.

F-35C Completes First Night Carrier Operations

The F-35C Lightning II carrier variant Joint Strike Fighter conducted its first carrier-based night flight operations aboard an aircraft carrier off the coast of San Diego Nov. 13.

Contract Signed For U.K.s 1st Production Batch Of F-35Bs

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has signed a contract for the first production batch of 4 Lightning II stealth combat aircraft – which will operate from both the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers and Royal Air Force (RAF) land bases.

First Flight: Airbus Helicopters' EC645 T2

Airbus Helicopters’ newest lightweight military multi-role helicopter, the EC645 T2 (LUH SOF), has successfully completed its first flight. In the presence of representatives of the German Armed Forces (Bundeswehr), which has ordered the first of this new helicopter type, the EC645 T2 demonstrated its capacities at the company’s Donauwörth location in Bavaria.

VAW-121 Launches Squadron's 1st E-2D Advanced Hawkeye

Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 121, the "Bluetails," launched the squadron's first E-2D Advanced Hawkeye during a test flight from Naval Station Norfolk, Nov. 20.

December

Air Force Pilot Fatally Injured During Mission

U.S. Air Force pilot was fatally injured when his F-16 Fighting Falcon went down shortly after takeoff from an air base in the Middle East.

Trust Donates $1.5 Million For Ford Island Control Tower Restoration

The Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor’s efforts to restore and open the historic structures located on Ford Island in the middle of Pearl Harbor were given a boost when the Emil Buehler Perpetual Trust announced a $1.5 million grant for interior restoration of the iconic Ford Island Control Tower Operations Building.

EASA Will Analyze Near Mid-Air Collisions Involving Military Aircraft

EASA recently received a request from the European Commission to investigate a series of near mid-air collisions between European passenger aeroplanes and military aircraft during recent months. These incidents have taken place over the sea at the border of the European Union (EU). As reported by different EU member states, the transponder of the military aircraft were inactive and it was not possible to establish a radio contact with them. This may have caused an immediate safety hazard to civil aviation.

Congressional Gold Medal Honors Civil Air Patrol’s World War II Service 

Forty-six founding Civil Air Patrol members were present to see the organization honored with the Congressional Gold Medal for the service they and more than 200,000 other CAP volunteers provided during World War II

Military And Civilian Demonstration Teams Release 2015 Schedules

Most of the major military and civilian demonstration teams have released their 2015 performance schedules, and from the looks of things, airshow attendees will have plenty to watch for this season.

FMI: www.aero-news.net