2014-08-22 by Kim Helfrich The status of South Africa’s currently modest shipbuilding industry is set to change with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) this week confirming it as one that has been earmarked for local procurement. “Local procurement requirements set out in the sixth iteration of the Industrial Policy…
2014-08-13 by Guy Martin The first Paramount Group Advanced High-performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) prototype has performed its maiden flight and has embarked on a rigorous flight testing programme. The Experimental Demonstrator (XDM) prototype’s first flight to the public took place this morning at Wonderboom airport outside Pretoria, although the…
2014-07-19 Recently, Secretary Hagel visited the 33rd Fighter Wing to reinforce his commitment to the way ahead and highlight the progress with the F-35 program. Because you might have missed the extensive mainstream press's coverage of the event, we thought you would like to hear what the Secretary himself chose…
07/04/2014 By Robbin Laird Last year after attending the Airbus Military Trade Media briefing, I looked at what the promise the A400M provided to users and the marketplace. Journalists who attended were given the opportunity to fly the aircraft for more than an hour. Francis Tusa, the well-known British journalist…
2014-07-05 At a presentation in early June 2014 to the Airbus Defence and Space Trade Media briefing held in Spain,the head of the A400M Program within the company, Rafael Tentor-Aunon, noted that 90% of the flight-testing is now done with 6343 flight hours and 2278 flights conducted. And in a…
04/09/2014: The classic fighter import program for a country the size of Australia is to build for the domestic customer, the program ends, you do a little bit of sustainment work and then move on. With the F-35 as a global program, a domestic supplier can position itself for global…
2014-04-01 By Robbin Laird The classic fighter import program for a country the size of Australia is to build for the domestic customer, the program ends, you do a little bit of sustainment work and then move on. With the F-35 as a global program, a domestic supplier can position itself…
2014-03-31 By Robbin Laird While visiting Australia, and visiting various Australian defense facilities and participating in a future of airpower conference hosted by the Williams Foundation, I had a chance to talk with Thales as well as four suppliers for the F-35 program in Australia. This provided a good sense…
