A TNI AU F-16C Block 52 ID caught fire while attempting to take off at Halim Perdanakusuma airport today at 8:20 local time.

Photos show the aircraft, TS-1643, collapsed on its left side.

Source: Alert 5

A 1974 Philippines Air Force C-130 was in such a bad shape when it arrived at a BAE Systems hanger in Mojave, California for refurbishment that the company spent more than the ceiling price of $4.2 million to repair it.

By Torsten Maiwald [GFDL 1.2 or GFDL 1.2], via Wikimedia Commons

Although funding was eventually raised to $14.7 million, BAE Systems contended that the payment should be $18.33 million. It then sued the U.S. government in order to recover $6.45 million to account for the difference and provide some profit.

Both parties settled the lawsuit last month after three-years of negotiations.

Source: Alert 5

Secretary of the U.S. Navy Ray Mabus said the F-35C will “almost certainly will be, the last manned strike fighter aircraft the Department of the Navy will ever buy or fly.”

By U.S. Air Force photo by Samuel King [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

“Unmanned systems, particularly autonomous ones, have to be the new normal in ever-increasing areas,” Mabus said at the Navy League’s Sea-Air-Space 2015 Exposition.

Source: Alert 5

New Zealand taxpayers will have to fork out at least $600 million if the government decides to replace five C-130s with two C-17s.

By New Zealand Defence Force [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The Foreign Affairs and Defence select committee added that each flying hour will be around $20,000 for the aircraft.

Source: Alert 5

The Argentine Air Force (AAF) has selected Rockwell Collins’ Flight2 avionics system for its C-130 upgrade program.

By Jorge Alberto Leonardi (Jorge Alberto Leonardi) [CC BY-SA 3.0 or GFDL], via Wikimedia Commons

The first aircraft integration and installation being performed by L-3 Platform Integration, the prime contractor for this upgrade program, is at its facility in Waco, Texas. The remaining four aircraft will be upgraded at the FAdeA modification facility in Cordoba, Argentina, with L-3 support.

Source: Alert 5

Sevmash and the Indian Navy have signed a contract for technical assistance in the maintenance of aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya.

Indian Navy [CC BY 2.5 in or CC BY 2.5 in], via Wikimedia Commons

The agreement covers repairs on various Russian-made hardware on board the ship. Both sides are trying to strike a long-term deal for the maintenance of the carrier.

Source: Alert 5

Flight Lieutenant James Pears became the first Australian pilot to fly the P-8A Poseidon on Apr. 14 at Naval Air Station Jacksonville, Florida.

By Greg L. Davis (Image and description page, High res version) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

A team of seven aircrew are training on the P-8A Poseidon with the U.S. Navy. Once they have completed their training, they will remain at VP-30 as instructors and train the first Australian crews commencing in 2016.

Source: Alert 5

A USMC CH-53E Super Stallion made an emergency landing at Del Mar Shores Beach, San Diego on Apr. 15.

The crew was on routine training and decided to divert and land after getting a low oil pressure indication in the cockpit.

The helicopter from HMH-466 was later able to take off again in the afternoon and landed at a parking lot nearby for further repairs.

Source: Alert 5

Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos said his nation will be buying missiles for its S-300 air defense system.

By RuLavan (Own work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

“There are negotiations between Russia and Greece on the maintenance of the systems … as well as for the purchase of new missiles for the S-300 systems,” RIA news agency quoted Kammenos.

Source: Alert 5

The Swiss Air Force discovered that sixteen of its F-5 fighters have cracks in their fuselage. Ten of them will have to be retired from service.

By Peter Gronemann from Switzerland [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The problem was first noticed in 2014 and this year another crack surfaced in a second plane. This lead to a fleet-wide inspection.

Source: Alert 5