Air International 2015-03
-
News
Under the FY2016 air force budget request, planned divestiture of 39 F-15C Eagles will be postponed to increase near-term capacity and support the European Reassurance Initiative.
Belgium’s four NH90MTHs at Beauvechain Air Base on February 12, 2015.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) AP-3C Orion A9-660 from 10 Squadron at RAAF Base Edinburgh, South Australia, on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, on January 22, 2015 awaiting the start of Red Flag 15-1.
Chinese People's Liberation Army Naval Air Force (PLANAF) Changhe Z8J 9557 (c/n Z8J-006) on board the Type 071 Yuzhao Class amphibious transport dock ship CNS Chang Bai Shan (989), during a port visit to Hamburg, Germany. Another Z8J, 9517 (c/n Z8J-002), was also aboard the vessel. The Type 054A Jiangkai-II Class frigate CNS Yun Cheng (571), accompanied the ship with Harbin Z9C Haitun 9317 (c/n Z9-0280) on board. The ships, along with Type 903 Fuchi Class replenishment ship CNS Chaohu (890), had earlier visited the UK, docking at Portsmouth, Hampshire, from January 12-16, 2015.
US Navy MH-60S BuNo 168559/‘NG17' from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 14 (HSC-14) ‘Chargers' at NAS North Island, California, armed with an M-197 three-barrel 20mm gun system, mounted on the left side of the cabin, during a deployment to Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada, on January 29, 2015. The gun is more normally fitted on the AH-1Z Viper and its installation on the MH-60S includes a much larger housing.
Russian Air Force Il-76MD RF-76714 carrying bombs on underwing pylons during the exercise on February 2, 2015. The ordnance is barely noticeable on this massive aircraft.
Upgraded Russian Air Force Tupolev Tu-95MSM Bear-H strategic bomber ‘53 Red' was handed over during a ceremony on January 27, 2015. The modernisation primarily involves replacing the avionics system to improve the efficiency of the aircraft’s weapon aiming system and adds the GLONASS navigation system. It gives the aircraft the capability to launch the new Raduga Kh-101 long-range cruise missile, which has a conventional warhead, and also the Kh-102 nuclear variant of the weapon. The upgrade will keep the aircraft in service until 2025.
Members of the 419th FLTS prepare to install a new Conventional Rotary Launcher on B-52H 60-0050/’ED' at Edwards on December 17, 2014.
Swedish Armed Forces Hkp15B 15039/‘39’ arriving at Maritime Air Station De Kooy in the Netherlands, prior to its departure on board HNLMS Johan de Witt for its participation in Operation Atalanta.
The second LCA Naval prototype, 3002 (NP-2), takes off from Bangalore on February 7, 2015 for its maiden flight.
T2 Aviation's second Boeing 727-2SRF (G-OSRB, c/n 22929, ex N207FE and N480EC) leaving Manchester International Airport on February 4, 2015 bound for Doncaster-Robin Hood Airport in Yorkshire. The aircraft was painted by Air Livery into the house colours of Oil Spill Response, for which T2 will operate the aircraft alongside 727 G-OSRA.
Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) Chengdu F-7BG Airguards F934 and F940 from the 5th Squadron 'Defenders’ based at BAF Base Bangabandhu escort US Air Force C-130H Hercules 74-1661/‘YJ’ from the 374th Airlift Wing/36th Airlift Squadron at Yokota Air Base, Japan, during Exercise Cope South near Kishoreganj, Bangladesh, on January 28, 2015. Three Yokota-based C-130Hs deployed to BAF Base Bangabandhu, Dhaka-Kurmitola, Bangladesh, for the exercise, which took place from January 24 to 30.
The first MV-22B Osprey BuNo 165851/’PF02' for VMM-364 ‘Purple Foxes’ arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Camp Pendleton, California, on January 15, 2015.
The Spanish Army's third Tigre HAD (HA28-09-10010/‘ET-709’) at Almagro Ciudad Real on February 9, 2015 following delivery to BHELA I (Attack Helicopter Battalion I). The helicopter joins six Tigre HAPs and two Tigre HADs already at the unit, which will receive a total of 18 HADs and six HAPs.
Icelandic Coast Guard Dash 8-314Q TF-SIF taxies for departure from Norwich, Norfolk, on January 3, 2015.
The first of four Airbus A400M Atlas airlifters (M54-01, msn 022) for the Royal Malaysian Air Force seen during its maiden flight from the manufacturer's facility in Seville on January 20, 2015. The aircraft is expected to make an appearance in the flying display at the Langkawi Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) show in March.
The last Gulfstream aircraft assigned to US Air Forces in Europe, C-20H 92-0375 (c/n 1256), undertook a crew training flight to RAF Mildenhall, Suffolk, on February 6, 2015. The aircraft is operated by the 76th Airlift Squadron, part of the 86th Airlift Wing based at Ramstein Air Base, Germany.
The Boeing Maritime Surveillance Aircraft is based on Bombardier Challenger, with N614BA (c/n 5614) used for tests.
Cessna employees with the first production Citation Latitude outside the company’s Wichita, Kansas, facility.
Photographed during the high-altitude cruise, F-WWQA is one of three Falcon 8X test aircraft.
The first Peruvian Air Force C-27J Spartan, FAP-328/C.S.X62295, on the ramp outside the factory at Turin-Caselle, Italy, on January 14, 2015. The FAP has signed a contract for a further two of the tactical airlifters.
Nextant’s G90XT twin turboprop is based on an upgraded King Air C90A, and features 750 shp (559 kW) General Electric H75-100 engines and Garmin G1000 avionics.
The first 242 tonne A330-202 F-WWYY (msn 1628), destined for Delta Air Lines, takes off from Toulouse.
Philippine Air Force (PAF) C295M ‘129’ (c/n S-129) preparing for a test flight at Seville-San Pablo Airport, Spain, on January 23, 2015. The aircraft is the first of three on order to replace the PAF’s three remaining F27 Friendships.
Tests on the first S-97 Raider prototype, N971SK, under way at Sikorsky's Flight Center in West Palm Beach, Florida.
The prototype KC-390 multi-role tanker transport, PT-ZNF, returns to Gaviao Peixoto after it maiden flight.
9 февраля 2015г. в Тегеране был представлен новый истребитель иранской разработки Saeqeh 2 («Сагих» - удар молнии). Самым заметным отличием новой машины от базового варианта Saeqeh (взлетел в 2007 г.) стало наличие второго члена экипажа. По заявлению зам. министра обороны Ирана бригадного генерала Амира Хатами, боевые возможности самолета были увеличены за счет оснащения современным вооружением. Он может использоваться для решения различных задач, включая удары по наземным целям и «продвинутую» подготовку летчиков.
The first Saeghe II, 3-7182, is publicly unveiled.
Botswana’s Police already flies three Ecureuils for law enforcement and these will now be joined by three more.
The first EC135T2+ for the Australian Defence Force (ADF), N52-001/D-HECG (c/n 1179) ‘841’, which made its maiden flight on January 16, 2015 at Donauworth, Germany, during a subsequent test flight three days later. The helicopter was formally accepted during a ceremony there on July 23.
Cessna 208 Caravan VH-ZKB (formerly ZS-FSA) at Weston Airport, County Dublin, shortly after its transfer to the Australian register.
The first marine version of the KAI Surion made its maiden flight from Sacheon on January 19, 2015.
RAF Tutor T1 G-BYVI lands at its new home at RAF Wittering on February 4, 2015.
The first series production AW169 under assembly in Vergiate, Italy. There is a second final assembly line in Philadelphia.
Piper’s new Meridian 500 features Garmin G1000 avionics and a range of safety improvements from previous Meridian variants.
Low-cost carrier easyJet has introduced the first major change to its colours since the 1990s, with Airbus A319-111 G-EZDE (msn 3426) first to receive the carrier's revised livery. The new colours will feature on all new deliveries from April 2015. In-service jets will receive the colours in scheduled re-paints. Twenty-nine aircraft will have the scheme by the end of the year and half of the fleet by 2017.
Chorus Aviation’s Jazz Air unit will receive up to 23 Bombardier Dash 8 Q400s to replace its Dash 8 100s and 300s.
Agusta AB412SP R-01 landing at Leeuwarden after performing flypasts during the 303 SAR Squadron disbandment ceremony.
TAI announced in February 2015 its Anka B MALE UAV conducted its first test flight on January 30.
US Air Force F-35A Lightning II 12-5049/‘WA and 16WPS’ (AF-60) departs Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada on February 12, 2015.
The icing tunnel, or ice cloud test fixture, in front of F-35B BF-05 during calibration runs on January 13, 2015.
Ice accretion after three hours of a calibration run on January 25, 2015.
Left: The forward fuselage of BF-05 enveloped in an ice cloud during a calibration run on January 25, 2015. Middle: Water enters the duct at the forward point of the tunnel’s contraction section and is blown through nozzles at the jet where it accretes as ice.
F-35B Lightning II BF-05 under the solar array during a diurnal cycle solar load test on October 6, 2014.
The Orion's record-setting 80-hour flight was carried out as part of US Air Force Research Laboratory Ultra Long Endurance technology demonstration programme.