2013-11-04 By Robbin Laird Some have argued that it is the end of the manned aircraft age and the birth of the unmanned one. But this seems to not have clicked with the global market, which will drive significant manned fighter acquisition in the next two decades. So-called unmanned systems, better…
The Scan Eagle has been used by U.S. and allied forces aboard ships as well as in operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. It is a very flexible asset, and requires a small crew to operate and can focus on a targeted area of interest. Its recovery system makes it ideal…
2013-09-20 By Guy Martin DefenceWeb Over the last year Boeing Defence has been increasing its focus on Africa and sees the continent as a new market, particularly for rotorcraft, while Algeria may order C-17 Globemaster III strategic airlifters from the company. Up until last year, Boeing Defence, Space and Security…
2013-09-09 By Robbin Laird In the oft debated and discussed arms transfer export reforms, slow is an understatement. Irrelevance to this century might be another one. The nature of the arms business has changed so much from the late 20th century in response to global manufacturing, that debating which widgets should…
2013-07-12 by Robbin Laird During our recent opportunity to see and participate in the French ceremony honoring a B-17 crew which crashed in France on July 4, 1943, the SallyB made its entrance onto the air stage to close the event. It was truly a magnificant moment. Later at the…
2013-06-19 By Brett Davis Although they are far from being the focus, unmanned aircraft continue to be a running feature of the Paris Air Show, ranging in size from the AR.Drone Parrot to the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Predator. France’s AR.Drone has upgraded its “dancing drones” exhibit to an outdoor…
2013-01-15 According to an Airbus Military press release: [caption id="attachment_49893" align="alignnone" width="300"] Credit Photo: Airbus Military [/caption] The first production A400M 21st century airlifter can be seen for the first time in the colors of an Air Force in this latest picture of the aircraft in the Airbus Military final assembly…
2012-10-26 By Richard Weitz Proponents of repealing the arms embargo have offered a variety of arguments for removing it. First, they note that the embargo complicates the EU’s relations with China and partially negates EU efforts to develop a strategic partnership with Beijing regarding key international issues. For example, in…