By Pierre Tran Paris – France, Germany, and Spain, the partner nations of a European future combat air system, are due to pare down the short list of architecture options for a new generation fighter jet by the middle of next year, an air force officer said. “There is an…
By Pierre Tran Paris – It is still early days in the studies for a European New Generation Fighter (NGF) and a target weight has yet to be decided, but it is clear 20 tonnes is excessive for the planned fighter jet, a source working on the project said. Weight…
By Pierre Tran Paris – Dassault Aviation could raise production of the Rafale to three fighter jets per month, if the aircraft company won export orders, executive chairman Eric Trappier told March 9 a news conference. Dassault could “ramp up” to just over three Rafale per month if foreign nations…
By Pierre Tran Paris – A 10-strong European consortium is launching a four-year, €18 million ($19.8 million) project to select a common chip foundry to build next generation infrared sensors for military applications, said David Billon-Lanfrey, chief strategy officer of Lynred, which leads the group. The European Defence Fund is…
By Pierre Tran Paris – A European project to build a future combat air system (FCAS) was as significant as the launch of Airbus, builder of commercial airliners some 30 years ago, a senior aerospace executive said Jan. 5. “We are building in the domain of the protection of air…
By Robbin Laird In my assessment of USMC transformation over the past twenty years, I highlighted the coming of the CH-53K as part of the next phase. “As the Marines work enhanced naval integration and expanded force mobility in dealing with the evolving strategic environment, the capabilities which the CH-53K…
By Pierre Tran Paris – The French arms procurement office has signed a contract worth €3.2 billion ($3.4 billion) for work on the technology demonstrator phase 1B of the European future combat air system with Airbus, Dassault Aviation, the Eumet engine joint venture, and Indra, the companies said Dec. 16…
By Robbin Laird With the impact of the Ukraine war ongoing, one observation seems clear with regard to the preparation of the liberal democracies for war rather than military operations: we don’t really have an arsenal of democracy like we once did. When confronting industrial age war, supplies become critical…
