By Associated Press on Monday, August 19th, 2013

With the “final” bidding for Korea’s next-generation fighter program underway, the procurement price of 8.3 trillion won ($7.5 billion) is taking center stage, which puts Boeing’s F-15 Silent Eagle (SE) within the contender position. However, military watchers say that a cost-focused choice of 60 F-15 SEs may doom the Korean Air force’s goal of boosting its strength as a result of lesser capabilities than those being hyped. The F-15 is up against Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II and the ecu Aeronautic Defense and Space Company’s (EADS) Eurofighter Tranche 3 Typhoon inside the Air Force program to purchase 60 combat planes... Read More »

Full-pace, full-scope testing of the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle prototypes began Sept. 3 and could last for 14 months. Each of the 3 vendors — Oshkosh Defense, Lockheed Martin and AM General — delivered 22 vehicles and 6 trailers for testing to 3 sites — Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md.; Yuma, Ariz.; and Redstone Arsenal, Ala. Rigorous reliability testing over various terrains and in several climatic conditions and protection-related testing is being conducted, said Col. John Cavedo, the Joint Program Office manager, who spoke Sept. 4, during a JLTV webcast. The program continues to be on course despite this year’s sequestration... Read More »

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is prepared to achieve capability of keeping its indigenously developed fighter aircraft “JF 17 (Thunder) airborne for longer haul, said Chief of Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafiq Butt. “The ground tests had been very successful and i’m satisfied. The air to air refueling test) would be done successfully by end of this summer, Air Chief Marshal Butt said in an interview with Defence Jane’s Weekly. Pakistan had acquired the refueling air tankers Ilyushin II-78 from Ukraine back in 2010 and these are being synchronized with Medium to High Tech multi-role aircraft thus giving it... Read More »

All 66 Joint Light Tactical Vehicle prototypes were brought to the army in order that 14 months of testing can begin at Aberdeen Proving Ground, Md., and Yuma Proving Ground, Ariz. Full-scale testing is scheduled to start next week, in accordance with the Joint Light Tactical Vehicle joint program office. Each of the 3 vendors competing within the current research and development program delivered a complete of twenty-two vehicles and 6 trailers to both locations, said Col. John Cavedo, the joint project manager. The vendors are Oshkosh Defense, which builds the mine-resistant, ambush-protected vehicle and others; Lockheed Martin, which produces... Read More »