CENTAF releases airpower summary of May 9

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

5/10/2006 - SOUTHWEST ASIA (AFPN) -- U.S. Central Command Air Forces officials released today's airpower summary. Coalition aircraft flew 58 close-air-support missions May 9 for Operation Iraqi Freedom. They included support to coalition troops, infrastructure protection, reconstructi...

Pentagon may buy 15-20 aerial tankers a year

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

WASHINGTON, May 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Defense Department tentatively plans to buy 15 to 20 aerial refueling tankers a year over two decades, possibly from more than one manufacturer, the Pentagon's top acquisition official said on Tuesday.

Legislators push for loan to support space tourism

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

MOJAVE - Antelope Valley legislators are trying to get into the state budget an $11 million loan to help Mojave Airport build a hangar complex and terminal for space tourism. The 40,000-square-foot hangar and a 50,000-square-foot terminal with associated hangars for preflight trainin...

Branson Wants Swedish Spaceport

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

Space tourists could soon be heading into orbit from Swedish soil in a venture planned by UK entrepreneur Sir Richard Branson. UK company Virgin Galactic, headed by Branson, wants to make the Esrange launch pad in Kiruna one of its bases for commercial space flights, starting in 2008....

Lockheed Contracted for Stratospheric Airship Program

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

The Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) has awarded a $8,796,220 contract to Lockheed Martin Corp., Littleton, Colo., to develop a power system for a stratospheric airship operating at more than 43 miles above the Earth. The two-year contract is funded by the Defense Advanced Resear...

Pakistan-China joint venture JF-Thunder aircraft takes off Today

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

CHENGDU (China): A prototyped fighter aircraft JF-Thunder-17 (FC-4) a joint venture of Pakistan and China is scheduled to take off from People's Liberation Army Air Force airbase here Wednesday. It will be a maiden operational flight, enabling the two countries to formally start its ...

Confusion Reigns on Joint Cargo Aircraft

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

A Senate panel's decision to slash almost all funding from the Army's request for a new cargo airplane is sending defense contractors into a tailspin. The cut also reveals possible tension between the Army and the Air Force, which the Pentagon directed to work together on the program....

Japanese destroyer to join U.S. missile test

Posted at: Wed May 10th, 2006

TOKYO, May 9 (Xinhua) -- A Japanese Aegis-equipped destroyer will participate a U.S. anti-ballistic missile test off Hawaii, possibly next month, Kyodo News said Tuesday, citing Japan's naval forces. This would be the first time for a Japanese Aegis destroyer to take part in suc...