USAF C-17 to bring French Air Force AS555 to Central African Republic

To assist in the draw down of Operation Sangaris in Central African Republic (CAR), France will deploy some of its AS555 helicopters there.

By Jerry Gunner from Lincoln, UK [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

According to Jane’s, a U.S. Air Force C-17 will bring at least one rotorcraft to the African nation in the next few days.

Source: USAF C-17 to bring French Air Force AS555 to Central African Republic

All but four MC-12Ws transferred out of USAF inventory

The U.S. Air Force has transferred most of its MC-12Ws to the Army and Special Operations Command.

By United States Air Force [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

Eleven went to the Army and 26 were given to SOCOM. Only four more aircraft are left in U.S. Air Force colors. These four will be gone by Oct. 1, a spokesman for Air Combat Command told Flight Global.

Source: All but four MC-12Ws transferred out of USAF inventory

Egypt likely to field Sagem Patroller UAV

Egypt is likely a new customer for Sagem’s Patroller MALE UAV following an agreement between Sagem and AOI-Aircraft Factory to assemble the aircraft in Egypt.

By Tangopaso (Own work) [GFDL or CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons

Sagem will also have to set up a dedicated training center in Egypt as part of the deal.

Source: Egypt likely to field Sagem Patroller UAV

Final F/A-18C flight for VFA-94

VFA-94 “Mighty Shrikes” flew its last F/A-18C flight at NAS Lemoore on Aug. 26. The squadron will transition to the F/A-18F.

Photo: U.S. Navy

The historic flight was flown by commanding officer Cmdr. Mike Langbehn who later step down from the post on Sept. 23.

Source: Final F/A-18C flight for VFA-94

A-10s from Moody AFB land in Estonia

Twelve U.S. Air Force A-10Cs from the 74th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron landed at Amari Air Base, Estonia Sept. 21.

U.S. Air Force photo by Andrea Jenkins

The airmen and aircraft from Moody Air Force Base’s 23rd Wing will spend six months in Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

Source: A-10s from Moody AFB land in Estonia

MK 82 bomb ended up at scrap yard, worker killed while dismantling it

A scrap yard worker in Tucson, Arizona was killed when he tried to dismantle a Mark 82 general purpose bomb.

By Ssgt. Ernest Sealing [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons

U.S. Sen. John McCain has demanded an answer from the Pentagon why the bomb had ended up in a scrap yard.
“As a matter of national security, as well for the safety of the American public, this issue demands appropriate attention by the department’s senior leadership,” McCain wrote in a letter to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter.

Source: MK 82 bomb ended up at scrap yard, worker killed while dismantling it

MQ-9 to get sonobuoy capability

The MQ-9 will gain a sonobuoy capability next year, General Atomics announced at the Royal Navy’s maritime awareness conference on Sept. 24.

Graphic: General Atomics

The sonobuoys will be stored in a pod, that will take 12 hours to install on a MQ-9, and the Predator B will act as a communications relay to beam the data collected back to ground station via SATCOM link.
Testing will commence in early 2016, the modified aircraft will fly over sonobuoy emulators on land to test its relay capabilities.

Source: MQ-9 to get sonobuoy capability

U.S. Army selects Northrop Grumman to develop ARL-E

The U.S. Army needs a long-range radar for its Airborne Reconnaissance Low-Enhanced (ARL-E) DHC-8. The service went with Northrop Grumman for a solution.

By Mark Harkin (N8200HUploaded by russavia) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons

The aerospace firm was given an indefinite delivery indefinite quantity contract to develop a synthetic aperture radar (SAR)/ground moving target indicator (GMTI) system.

Source: U.S. Army selects Northrop Grumman to develop ARL-E

Deliveries of A-29s to Afghanistan pushed back

The Afghan Air Force will have to wait till early next year to get their hands on their newly acquired A-29 Super Tucanos.

U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Dillian Bamman

The original plan has to have the first aircraft, twenty were ordered, reach home in the December of this year.

Source: Deliveries of A-29s to Afghanistan pushed back

First flight of KC-46A

The first fully-configured KC-46A aerial refueling tanker took off for its first flight at 13:24 PDT on Sept. 25 from Paine Field in Washington.

Photos: Boeing

After carrying out checks in the air, the aircraft will land at Boeing Field.

Source: First flight of KC-46A