The 24-tonne Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) is the latest Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) acquisition, under the island state's ambitious 3rd Generation fighting force scheme. In recent years the Singaporean army transformed its capabilities with the introduction of new systems, including the Leopard IIA4 tanks, acquired from Germany in 2006 and the Bionix III tracked infantry combat vehicle, fielded a year earlier. Terrex was developed under collaboration between Turkey and Singapore.
It can carry up to 13 soldiers, inclusive of its driver and commander. The vehicle is equipped with 8x8 independent suspension system and large off-road tyres which enhance mobility over various types of terrain. It can travel at speeds of up to 105 kmh.
The vehicle is equipped with remotely operated weapon station, manufactured in country. It is protected by a modular armor system, which can be enhanced with add-on armor protection suite to provide all-round protection against conventional threats. The Terrex ICV is also designed to withstand mine blasts.
It is fitted with the Battlefield Management System (BMS), facilitating full situational awareness capability for the crew and integration with other combat systems including infantry fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, artillery platforms, attack helicopters and fighter aircraft. The vehicle will also employ a new acoustic Weapon Detection System (WDS) to spot enemy fire sources. (the system can be seen in the photo above, on the aft of the vehicle, just above the ramp door) Threat and target information could be shared with other friendly forces via the BMS network.
The Terrex BMS also supports the dismounted soldiers carrying the Singapore Army new breed of infantry combat suites. Supporting and interfacing with the Advanced Combat Man System (ACMS) the vehicular BMS will constantly update infantry troops on enemy movement and location. With a better picture of the operating environment and key battlefield information provided by BMS, soldiers can call for support from air and land forces to coordinate maneuvers and deliver precision fire on enemy targets.
Sunday, November 08, 2009
DTN News: Singapore To Field 135 Terrex 8x8 Infantry Combat Vehicles
DTN News: Singapore To Field 135 Terrex 8x8 Infantry Combat Vehicles
*Source: DTN News / Defense Media
(NSI News Source Info) SINGAPORE - November 9, 2009: Singapore is fielding the new 8x8 Terrex Infantry Combat Vehicle. The Singaporeans are planning to field at least 135 vehicles, expected to be fielded with all infantry and guards battalions by February 2010. The new vehicle was developed by Singapore Technologies Kinetics and is optimized for urban warfare.The 24-tonne Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) is the latest Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) acquisition, under the island state's ambitious 3rd Generation fighting force scheme. In recent years the Singaporean army transformed its capabilities with the introduction of new systems, including the Leopard IIA4 tanks, acquired from Germany in 2006 and the Bionix III tracked infantry combat vehicle, fielded a year earlier. Terrex was developed under collaboration between Turkey and Singapore.
It can carry up to 13 soldiers, inclusive of its driver and commander. The vehicle is equipped with 8x8 independent suspension system and large off-road tyres which enhance mobility over various types of terrain. It can travel at speeds of up to 105 kmh.
The vehicle is equipped with remotely operated weapon station, manufactured in country. It is protected by a modular armor system, which can be enhanced with add-on armor protection suite to provide all-round protection against conventional threats. The Terrex ICV is also designed to withstand mine blasts.
It is fitted with the Battlefield Management System (BMS), facilitating full situational awareness capability for the crew and integration with other combat systems including infantry fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, artillery platforms, attack helicopters and fighter aircraft. The vehicle will also employ a new acoustic Weapon Detection System (WDS) to spot enemy fire sources. (the system can be seen in the photo above, on the aft of the vehicle, just above the ramp door) Threat and target information could be shared with other friendly forces via the BMS network.
The Terrex BMS also supports the dismounted soldiers carrying the Singapore Army new breed of infantry combat suites. Supporting and interfacing with the Advanced Combat Man System (ACMS) the vehicular BMS will constantly update infantry troops on enemy movement and location. With a better picture of the operating environment and key battlefield information provided by BMS, soldiers can call for support from air and land forces to coordinate maneuvers and deliver precision fire on enemy targets.
The 24-tonne Terrex Infantry Carrier Vehicle (ICV) is the latest Singapore Armed Forces' (SAF's) acquisition, under the island state's ambitious 3rd Generation fighting force scheme. In recent years the Singaporean army transformed its capabilities with the introduction of new systems, including the Leopard IIA4 tanks, acquired from Germany in 2006 and the Bionix III tracked infantry combat vehicle, fielded a year earlier. Terrex was developed under collaboration between Turkey and Singapore.
It can carry up to 13 soldiers, inclusive of its driver and commander. The vehicle is equipped with 8x8 independent suspension system and large off-road tyres which enhance mobility over various types of terrain. It can travel at speeds of up to 105 kmh.
The vehicle is equipped with remotely operated weapon station, manufactured in country. It is protected by a modular armor system, which can be enhanced with add-on armor protection suite to provide all-round protection against conventional threats. The Terrex ICV is also designed to withstand mine blasts.
It is fitted with the Battlefield Management System (BMS), facilitating full situational awareness capability for the crew and integration with other combat systems including infantry fighting vehicles, main battle tanks, artillery platforms, attack helicopters and fighter aircraft. The vehicle will also employ a new acoustic Weapon Detection System (WDS) to spot enemy fire sources. (the system can be seen in the photo above, on the aft of the vehicle, just above the ramp door) Threat and target information could be shared with other friendly forces via the BMS network.
The Terrex BMS also supports the dismounted soldiers carrying the Singapore Army new breed of infantry combat suites. Supporting and interfacing with the Advanced Combat Man System (ACMS) the vehicular BMS will constantly update infantry troops on enemy movement and location. With a better picture of the operating environment and key battlefield information provided by BMS, soldiers can call for support from air and land forces to coordinate maneuvers and deliver precision fire on enemy targets.
DTN News: Saudi Arabia TODAY November 9, 2009 ~ Saudis 'Retake Captured Territory'
DTN News: Saudi Arabia TODAY November 9, 2009 ~ Saudis 'Retake Captured Territory'
*Source: DTN News / Int'l Media
(NSI News Source Info) DUBAI, UAE - November 9, 2009: Saudi Arabia has regained control of an area of territory seized by Yemeni rebels in an incursion last week, a senior defence official in the kingdom has said.
Saudi soldiers on parade at their army base in the southern province of Jizan, near the border with Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. Saudi Arabian forces have taken control of a mountain straddling the border with Yemen and cleared it of Shiite rebels, in five days of fighting that saw three soldiers killed and 15 wounded, the assistant defense minister said on Sunday. Prince Khaled bin Sultan said another four soldiers were missing and that Saudi troops were still dealing with rebel infiltrators in other spots along the frontier.
Saudi Arabia began air raids and artillery bombardments against the Houthi group after its fighters crossed from northern Yemen and reportedly took control of the area called Jebel al-Dukhan.
"The situation is calm ... especially in Jebel al-Dukhan, of which full control has been regained," Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, the assistant minister for defence and aviation, said on Saturday, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
However, there were reports that air raids along the border were continuing on Sunday.
Theodore Karasik, an analyst at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said that it was likely that the apparent success of the Saudi action was only a "temporary reprieve".
Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, right, denied any soldiers had been captured
"The Saudis have been able to push back the rebels but they are going to continue to have problems with the rebels if the Yemeni army is indeed using the southern part of Saudi Arabia for operations and for supply lines," he told Al Jazeera from Dubai.
"The government in Riyadh is working closely, or wants to work closely with the the government in Saana to arrest this problem.
"This draws them closer together, but from the point of view of the rebels, and also from al-Qaeda, it means they become apostates and they will go after them more."
Saudi 'infiltration'
Prince Khaled was reported as saying that three members of the Saudi security forces had been killed and 15 wounded in the fighting along the Saudi-Yemeni border. He also acknowledged that four Saudi soldiers were missing following the five days of fighting, but dismissed claims that anyone had been captured.
Mohammed Abdel-Salam, a spokesman for the Houthis, told Al Jazeera on Friday that the men were seized after Saudi ground forces crossed into Yemeni territory.
The group has tried to prove that Saudi troops had crossed over the border by releasing video footage purportedly showing the Saudi military in Yemeni territory.
But Prince Khaled said that Saudi Arabia "has not, and will not interfere inside Yemeni borders". Hussein Shobokshi, a columnist for Asharq Al Awsat newspaper in Saudi Arabia, said that the conflict along the border has been escalating for some time.
Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nasser bin Abdul Aziz (R) meets with military officers in the southern province of Jizan near the border with Yemen on November 6, 2009. Saudi Arabia said its jets and ground forces blasted Yemen rebels on the two countries' rugged border after being attacked and briefly occupied by the Shiite insurgents.
"We have seen a lot of drug-trafficking taking place, human-trafficking taking place, al-Qaeda members infiltrating the borders, an assassination attempt on the deputy interior minister - all these came through Yemen," he told Al Jazeera from Jeddah.
"The Saudis had to take a stand, had to take a very aggressive stand, since the Houthi aggression is not a very benign one, it is not a Yemeni one any more."
'Mercenary group'
Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, said that the military would not ease the offensive against the Houthis "until we bring this tyrannical, traitorous and mercenary group to an end".
The Houthis have released video footage to prove their claim of Saudi cross-border raids
"The war just started two days ago, and what has been happening in the past six years was just ... training for the army units," he said.
"The war will never stop no matter how much money or martyrs it costs."
Khalid al-Dakhil, a political analyst at the King Saud University, said that it was impossible for Riyadh to ignore the conflict between the Houthis and the Yemeni government.
"The Houthis seem to be very determined in pinning down the Yemeni army, and the Saudi government cannot afford to just sit by and watch what is happening. They have to support the Yemeni government", he told Al Jazeera.
"The co-operation between Yemen and Saudi Arabia runs for a long time now, even before the Houthis.
"I don't think the Houthis have any chance of succeeding in the end. They will be isolated, they will be squeezed between two armies and I think eventually they will run out of any luck."
Shia offshoot
Hundreds of people have died in northern Yemen since the country's army began an offensive against the Houthis on August 11.
The fighters, concentrated mainly in the Saada and Amran provinces, are known as Houthis after their late leader, Hussein Badr Eddin al-Houthi, a Zaidi leader who was killed by the Yemeni army in September 2004.
An offshoot of Shia Islam, the Zaidis are a minority in a predominantly Sunni Arabian peninsula but form the majority in northern Yemen. Only a small minority of Zaidis are involved in the Houthi uprising.
The Yemeni government accuses the Houthis of seeking to restore an imamate overthrown in a 1962 coup that sparked eight years of civil war.
The Houthis, now led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, Hussein's brother, insist they are fighting to defend their community against government aggression and marginalisation.
Saudi soldiers on parade at their army base in the southern province of Jizan, near the border with Yemen, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, Nov. 8, 2009. Saudi Arabian forces have taken control of a mountain straddling the border with Yemen and cleared it of Shiite rebels, in five days of fighting that saw three soldiers killed and 15 wounded, the assistant defense minister said on Sunday. Prince Khaled bin Sultan said another four soldiers were missing and that Saudi troops were still dealing with rebel infiltrators in other spots along the frontier.
Saudi Arabia began air raids and artillery bombardments against the Houthi group after its fighters crossed from northern Yemen and reportedly took control of the area called Jebel al-Dukhan.
"The situation is calm ... especially in Jebel al-Dukhan, of which full control has been regained," Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, the assistant minister for defence and aviation, said on Saturday, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
However, there were reports that air raids along the border were continuing on Sunday.
Theodore Karasik, an analyst at the Institute for Near East and Gulf Military Analysis, said that it was likely that the apparent success of the Saudi action was only a "temporary reprieve".Prince Khaled bin Sultan bin Abdul-Aziz, right, denied any soldiers had been captured
"The Saudis have been able to push back the rebels but they are going to continue to have problems with the rebels if the Yemeni army is indeed using the southern part of Saudi Arabia for operations and for supply lines," he told Al Jazeera from Dubai.
"The government in Riyadh is working closely, or wants to work closely with the the government in Saana to arrest this problem.
"This draws them closer together, but from the point of view of the rebels, and also from al-Qaeda, it means they become apostates and they will go after them more."
Saudi 'infiltration'
Prince Khaled was reported as saying that three members of the Saudi security forces had been killed and 15 wounded in the fighting along the Saudi-Yemeni border. He also acknowledged that four Saudi soldiers were missing following the five days of fighting, but dismissed claims that anyone had been captured.
Mohammed Abdel-Salam, a spokesman for the Houthis, told Al Jazeera on Friday that the men were seized after Saudi ground forces crossed into Yemeni territory.
The group has tried to prove that Saudi troops had crossed over the border by releasing video footage purportedly showing the Saudi military in Yemeni territory.
But Prince Khaled said that Saudi Arabia "has not, and will not interfere inside Yemeni borders". Hussein Shobokshi, a columnist for Asharq Al Awsat newspaper in Saudi Arabia, said that the conflict along the border has been escalating for some time.Saudi Prince Mohammed bin Nasser bin Abdul Aziz (R) meets with military officers in the southern province of Jizan near the border with Yemen on November 6, 2009. Saudi Arabia said its jets and ground forces blasted Yemen rebels on the two countries' rugged border after being attacked and briefly occupied by the Shiite insurgents.
"We have seen a lot of drug-trafficking taking place, human-trafficking taking place, al-Qaeda members infiltrating the borders, an assassination attempt on the deputy interior minister - all these came through Yemen," he told Al Jazeera from Jeddah.
"The Saudis had to take a stand, had to take a very aggressive stand, since the Houthi aggression is not a very benign one, it is not a Yemeni one any more."
'Mercenary group'
Ali Abdullah Saleh, the Yemeni president, said that the military would not ease the offensive against the Houthis "until we bring this tyrannical, traitorous and mercenary group to an end".
The Houthis have released video footage to prove their claim of Saudi cross-border raids
"The war just started two days ago, and what has been happening in the past six years was just ... training for the army units," he said.
"The war will never stop no matter how much money or martyrs it costs."
Khalid al-Dakhil, a political analyst at the King Saud University, said that it was impossible for Riyadh to ignore the conflict between the Houthis and the Yemeni government.
"The Houthis seem to be very determined in pinning down the Yemeni army, and the Saudi government cannot afford to just sit by and watch what is happening. They have to support the Yemeni government", he told Al Jazeera.
"The co-operation between Yemen and Saudi Arabia runs for a long time now, even before the Houthis.
"I don't think the Houthis have any chance of succeeding in the end. They will be isolated, they will be squeezed between two armies and I think eventually they will run out of any luck."
Shia offshoot
Hundreds of people have died in northern Yemen since the country's army began an offensive against the Houthis on August 11.
The fighters, concentrated mainly in the Saada and Amran provinces, are known as Houthis after their late leader, Hussein Badr Eddin al-Houthi, a Zaidi leader who was killed by the Yemeni army in September 2004.
An offshoot of Shia Islam, the Zaidis are a minority in a predominantly Sunni Arabian peninsula but form the majority in northern Yemen. Only a small minority of Zaidis are involved in the Houthi uprising.
The Yemeni government accuses the Houthis of seeking to restore an imamate overthrown in a 1962 coup that sparked eight years of civil war.
The Houthis, now led by Abdul-Malik al-Houthi, Hussein's brother, insist they are fighting to defend their community against government aggression and marginalisation.
DTN News: Qatar ~ Plans To Buy 2 C-17 Globemaster Transport Aircraft
DTN News: Qatar ~ Plans To Buy 2 C-17 Globemaster Transport Aircraft
*This article being reposted due to viewers choice, first posted Monday, July 21, 2008
*Source: DTN News
(NSI News Source Info) - November 9, 2009: At present, Qatar’s air transport assets would involve pressing the Qatar Amiri VIP Flight at Doha into service; it flies of a mix of Boein
g aircraft (707, 727, 747), small Airbus models (320 family), and a Falcon 900 business jet. As the Gulf Cooperation Council begins to work together more closely and members like the UAE begin to adopt specialty roles, however, improved air transport capabilities are a natural outgrowth.
While tactical airlifters like the C-130 Hercules serve in other GCC countries, Qatar is reaching higher. The country plans to buy 2 C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft, and On July 11/08, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Qatar’s official request for logistics support, training, and associated equipment and services. The total value of the support arrangements could be as high as $400 million.
Services will include logistics support and training, spare and repair parts, support equipment, flight engineer training, communications equipment, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, preparation of aircraft for shipment, etc. C-17 maker Boeing will be the contractor.
The proposed services will require 10 U.S. Government and contractor representatives to participate in training, and be present for technical reviews twice per year.
The C-17 aircraft and engines will be sold via direct commercial sale, rather than a Foreign Military Sale that must be announced by the DSCA. Based on past C-17 purchases, the 2 planes are likely to cost another $400-450 million. The order is significant, in that it demonstrates the growing internationalization of the C-17’s customer base. It also has future implications, via ongoing maintenance contracts under the C-17’s Globemaster Sustainment Partnership. The order itself, however, is too small to affect the looming closure of the C-17 production line – a move that would leave Airbus’ forthcoming A400M and the Antonov AN-124 in joint possession of the strategic military transport market.
Posted by Defense-Technology News at 7/21/2008 10:53:00 PM
g aircraft (707, 727, 747), small Airbus models (320 family), and a Falcon 900 business jet. As the Gulf Cooperation Council begins to work together more closely and members like the UAE begin to adopt specialty roles, however, improved air transport capabilities are a natural outgrowth.
While tactical airlifters like the C-130 Hercules serve in other GCC countries, Qatar is reaching higher. The country plans to buy 2 C-17 Globemaster III strategic transport aircraft, and On July 11/08, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced Qatar’s official request for logistics support, training, and associated equipment and services. The total value of the support arrangements could be as high as $400 million.
Services will include logistics support and training, spare and repair parts, support equipment, flight engineer training, communications equipment, maintenance, personnel training and training equipment, publications and technical data, U.S. Government and contractor engineering and logistics support services, preparation of aircraft for shipment, etc. C-17 maker Boeing will be the contractor.
The proposed services will require 10 U.S. Government and contractor representatives to participate in training, and be present for technical reviews twice per year.
The C-17 aircraft and engines will be sold via direct commercial sale, rather than a Foreign Military Sale that must be announced by the DSCA. Based on past C-17 purchases, the 2 planes are likely to cost another $400-450 million. The order is significant, in that it demonstrates the growing internationalization of the C-17’s customer base. It also has future implications, via ongoing maintenance contracts under the C-17’s Globemaster Sustainment Partnership. The order itself, however, is too small to affect the looming closure of the C-17 production line – a move that would leave Airbus’ forthcoming A400M and the Antonov AN-124 in joint possession of the strategic military transport market.
Posted by Defense-Technology News at 7/21/2008 10:53:00 PM
DTN News: Boeing Submits Small Diameter Bomb II Contract Proposal To US Air Force
DTN News: Boeing Submits Small Diameter Bomb II Contract Proposal To US Air Force
*Source: DTN News / Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS,- November 8, 2009: Boeing [NYSE: BA] submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 5 for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II weapon system program, following the completion of a successful 42-month risk reduction program.+II+program+Nov+8+2009.jpg)
Boeing [NYSE: BA] submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 5 for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II program, following the completion of a successful 42-month risk reduction program. In this photo, airmen from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., load an SDB II Guided Test Vehicle onto an F-15E aircraft prior to the risk reduction program's final test flight on Sept. 29.
"Our SDB II design offers a new level of capability to U.S. warfighters," said Debra Rub, Boeing Weapons Programs vice president. "The Boeing SDB II solution builds on our success with SDB Increment I, and we're confident it will be the weapon of choice for new and existing military platforms. We look forward to supporting our Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps customers as the program moves into the next phase."
SDB II expands SDB I's capabilities with the addition of an advanced multimode seeker and a two-way data link. The seeker provides terminal guidance that enables the weapon to detect, classify, prioritize and attack high-value moving targets while retaining SDB I's ability to engage stationary targets. The data link provides in-flight communication with the weapon.
During the risk reduction program, the Boeing-led SDB II team completed three successful development test flights that demonstrated system performance and verified the weapon's design and producability. The team also completed more than 50 captive-carry flight tests of the seeker, data link and guidance system aboard Boeing's test bed aircraft.
"We have arrived at this milestone with a next-generation weapon system that will play a vital role in helping our warfighters complete their missions. Boeing's SDB II proposal provides a low-risk solution with the capacity to meet today's requirements and the flexibility to address evolving threats," Rub said. "Whether the situation calls for standoff strike capability or close air support on high-value targets, Boeing's SDB II is the right weapon."
Boeing, if selected as the prime contractor on the SDB II program, will provide the air vehicle and system integration, while teammate Lockheed Martin will supply the seeker and key system supplier Harris Corp. will provide the data link.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] submitted a proposal to the U.S. Air Force on Nov. 5 for the Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase of the Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) II program, following the completion of a successful 42-month risk reduction program. In this photo, airmen from Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., load an SDB II Guided Test Vehicle onto an F-15E aircraft prior to the risk reduction program's final test flight on Sept. 29.
"Our SDB II design offers a new level of capability to U.S. warfighters," said Debra Rub, Boeing Weapons Programs vice president. "The Boeing SDB II solution builds on our success with SDB Increment I, and we're confident it will be the weapon of choice for new and existing military platforms. We look forward to supporting our Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps customers as the program moves into the next phase."
SDB II expands SDB I's capabilities with the addition of an advanced multimode seeker and a two-way data link. The seeker provides terminal guidance that enables the weapon to detect, classify, prioritize and attack high-value moving targets while retaining SDB I's ability to engage stationary targets. The data link provides in-flight communication with the weapon.
During the risk reduction program, the Boeing-led SDB II team completed three successful development test flights that demonstrated system performance and verified the weapon's design and producability. The team also completed more than 50 captive-carry flight tests of the seeker, data link and guidance system aboard Boeing's test bed aircraft.
"We have arrived at this milestone with a next-generation weapon system that will play a vital role in helping our warfighters complete their missions. Boeing's SDB II proposal provides a low-risk solution with the capacity to meet today's requirements and the flexibility to address evolving threats," Rub said. "Whether the situation calls for standoff strike capability or close air support on high-value targets, Boeing's SDB II is the right weapon."
Boeing, if selected as the prime contractor on the SDB II program, will provide the air vehicle and system integration, while teammate Lockheed Martin will supply the seeker and key system supplier Harris Corp. will provide the data link.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.
DTN News: Boeing Delivers 3rd Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet Ahead Of Schedule
DTN News: Boeing Delivers 3rd Australian F/A-18F Super Hornet Ahead Of Schedule
*Source: DTN News / Boeing
(NSI News Source Info) ST. LOUIS,- November 8, 2009: Boeing [NYSE: BA] on Nov 5., announced that it delivered the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) third F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet three months ahead of schedule on Sept. 30, after completing production on the multirole fighter at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' St. Louis facility.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it delivered the Royal Australian Air Force's third F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet three months ahead of schedule on Sept. 30, after completing production on the multirole fighter at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' St. Louis facility. Aircraft AF-3 is seen here as it takes off on its first flight from St. Louis' Lambert Airport on Sept. 25.
Boeing publicly debuted the first of the RAAF's 24 Super Hornets in St. Louis on July 8. Each of the three completed aircraft has been delivered three months ahead of schedule.
"We look forward to continuing to deliver Australia's newest combat aircraft on budget and ahead of schedule, as promised," said Carolyn Nichols, Boeing F/A-18F program manager for Australia. "Successful early delivery of these aircraft is a direct result of the great teamwork between Australia's Defence Materiel Organisation, the Royal Australian Air Force, the U.S. Navy, Boeing and the entire Hornet Industry Team."
The remaining RAAF Super Hornets, each equipped with the Raytheon-built APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, will be delivered through 2011.
"The Block II F/A-18F Super Hornet will provide the RAAF with an enhanced air combat capability across the spectrum of missions, with a twin-engine design that is ideal for our maritime operational requirements," said Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Head Air Combat Transition Office, Royal Australian Air Force.
Australia became the first international Super Hornet customer in March 2007, when the Australian government announced its intent to acquire 24 of the fighters.
The Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 410 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.
Boeing [NYSE: BA] today announced that it delivered the Royal Australian Air Force's third F/A-18F Block II Super Hornet three months ahead of schedule on Sept. 30, after completing production on the multirole fighter at Boeing Integrated Defense Systems' St. Louis facility. Aircraft AF-3 is seen here as it takes off on its first flight from St. Louis' Lambert Airport on Sept. 25.
Boeing publicly debuted the first of the RAAF's 24 Super Hornets in St. Louis on July 8. Each of the three completed aircraft has been delivered three months ahead of schedule.
"We look forward to continuing to deliver Australia's newest combat aircraft on budget and ahead of schedule, as promised," said Carolyn Nichols, Boeing F/A-18F program manager for Australia. "Successful early delivery of these aircraft is a direct result of the great teamwork between Australia's Defence Materiel Organisation, the Royal Australian Air Force, the U.S. Navy, Boeing and the entire Hornet Industry Team."
The remaining RAAF Super Hornets, each equipped with the Raytheon-built APG-79 Active Electronically Scanned Array radar, will be delivered through 2011.
"The Block II F/A-18F Super Hornet will provide the RAAF with an enhanced air combat capability across the spectrum of missions, with a twin-engine design that is ideal for our maritime operational requirements," said Group Capt. Steve Roberton, Head Air Combat Transition Office, Royal Australian Air Force.
Australia became the first international Super Hornet customer in March 2007, when the Australian government announced its intent to acquire 24 of the fighters.
The Block II F/A-18E/F Super Hornet is a multirole aircraft able to perform virtually every mission in the tactical spectrum, including air superiority, day/night strike with precision-guided weapons, fighter escort, close air support, suppression of enemy air defenses, maritime strike, reconnaissance, forward air control and tanker missions. Boeing has delivered more than 410 F/A-18E/Fs to the U.S. Navy. Every Super Hornet produced has been delivered on or ahead of schedule.
A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is one of the world's largest space and defense businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world's largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems is a $32 billion business with 70,000 employees worldwide.