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RAAF will get eight, maybe twelve Poseidons

The Australian Government has approved the acquisition of eight Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft from the United States. The aircraft will replace the Royal Australian Air Force AP-3C Orions that served the continent nation for over four decades, the government announced on 21 February 2014. “These state-of-the-art aircraft will dramatically boost Australia’s ability to … Continue reading RAAF will get eight, maybe twelve Poseidons →

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‘Swedish Air Force most capable combat force northern Europe’

Since 11 July the Swedish Air Force has reaffirmed its dominant position as the most capable combat force of Northern Europe. Reaching Initial Operational Capability with the indigenous SAAB JAS 39C/D Gripen MS20 armed with Meteor outclasses – according to experts and Airheadsfly.com – currently all other nations in the greater Baltic Sea area – … Continue reading ‘Swedish Air Force most capable combat force northern Europe’ →

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India finally signs up for 36 Rafales

France and India on Friday 23 September signed a contract finalizing the acquisition by India of 36 Rafales, compromising 28 single seat and 8 two seater aircraft. The contract ends a proces that has caused headaches in both countries for years, but especially since Indian Prime Minister, Mr Narendra Modi, in April 2015 said his … Continue reading India finally signs up for 36 Rafales →

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The Starfighter flies again – in Europe

It was 9 years since Europe saw its last flying Starfighter. Or was it? Norwegians on Wednesday 28 September once more had the opportunity to see and hear a flying Starfighter, as a two seater CF-104 took off from Bodø airbase after a lengthy restoration proces. Europe has a flying Starfighter again! The US has … Continue reading The Starfighter flies again – in Europe →

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Debate started: keep older Swedish Gripen jets flying

A debate has started in Sweden to keep part of the current Gripen C/D fighter fleet of the Swedish Air Force flying, even after the purchase of the new and more capable E/F-model. Target: to safeguard that Sweden is able to protect its borders and economic zone. The newest contribution to the debate comes from … Continue reading Debate started: keep older Swedish Gripen jets flying →

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Norwegian F-35 pilot: ‘We are on track’

He was the first Royal Norwegian Air Force pilot to fly the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II in November 2015. Since then, he flew the jet for 170 hours, all of those at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona, where he now serves as an instructor pilot. Right now, he and his Royal Norwegian Air … Continue reading Norwegian F-35 pilot: ‘We are on track’ →

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Norway spills the beans: dozens of F-35s affected by bad wiring

Faulty wiring has caused 15 Lockheed Martin F-35A’s to be grounded in the US, while 42 aircraft currently in production in Fort Worth are affected by the same problem. The news was made public solely by the Royal Norwegian Air Force, which saw two of its four F-35s stationed at Luke Air Force Base in … Continue reading Norway spills the beans: dozens of F-35s affected by bad wiring →

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Why Boeing plays its cards right with the T-X

Boeing this week gave itself a handful of exactly the right cards when it comes to the winning the T-X competition that is aimed at replacing hundreds of ageing US Air Force T-38 training jets over the next decade. Their solution is the twin-tailed, single-engined and apparently cleverly designed Boeing T-X, developed in partnership with … Continue reading Why Boeing plays its cards right with the T-X →

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Spanish Army Aviation to the rescue!

The Unidad Militar de Emergencias (UME) is the youngest branch of the Spanish armed forces. It was created in 2006 for situations of serious risk and catastrophes. Dirk Jan de Ridder has a look at the Spanish Army’s helicopter battalion specialized in combating homeland emergencies. The UME is to intervene within the national territory, in … Continue reading Spanish Army Aviation to the rescue! →

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First KC-46A flight expected coming weeks

The first flight of the new US Air Force tanker aircraft, the Boeing KC-46A, is expected the coming weeks. Or actually we should say the first flight of the (K)C-46A, as the installation of the aerial refueling system still has to be done. Four Boeing 767-2C freighters are currently being readied at the Boeing manufacturing … Continue reading First KC-46A flight expected coming weeks →

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Netherlands Chinooks join Apaches in Mali

The Royal Netherlands Air Force will deploy CH-47D/F Chinooks to Mali in Africa after all. Three of these medium-lift helicopters will join the 4 AH-64D Apaches the RNLAF already planned to deploy to Goa, as part of the main force. Reason behind the change is the lack of (med)evac capacity. The Dutch forces in Mali … Continue reading Netherlands Chinooks join Apaches in Mali →

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Canada mad at Sikorsky, might choose Merlins over Cyclones

The Canadian government is furious at American helicopter builder Sikorsky for continuously not delivering the purchased and promised 28 CH-148 Cyclone maritime helicopters. The Canadians now sent a team of experts to the UK to check out the Royal Navy’s new Agusta Westland AW101 Merlin Mk2s. The political and technical storm around the Cyclone helicopters … Continue reading Canada mad at Sikorsky, might choose Merlins over Cyclones →

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Dutch, British, Canadian fighters intercept B-52 bombers

In a show of force that gave fighter jocks of allied nations some fun the US Air Force sent four of its B-52H Stratofortress bombers on a long mission over the Arctic and North Sea this week. The mission appears very similar to what the Russian Air Force is doing with its long-range strategic bombers … Continue reading Dutch, British, Canadian fighters intercept B-52 bombers →

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Sikorsky to develop new combat rescue helicopter

Sikorsky Aircraft has been awarded a U.S. Air Force contract to develop new combat search and rescue helicopters. Sikorsky will develop a derivative of the UH-60M Blackhawk model for the Air Force’s rescue mission, the company said on Thursday 26 June 2014. The Air Force announced in 2010 that it would replace its aging HH-60G … Continue reading Sikorsky to develop new combat rescue helicopter →

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We are Airheadsfly.com

EDITORS
Elmer van Hest
Marcel Burger
Dennis Spronk

SPECIAL CONTRIBUTORS
Jorge Ruivo
Nick Graham
Paweł Bondaryk

AHF↑Inside

AHF↑Inside: The Sound of Hueys in the Morning

“Joker 54, cleared for take off, VFR to Würzburg.” In chilly but beautifully clear spring weather, a Bell UH-1D Huey lifts off from Niederstetten airbase for an early flight. As the pilots raises the collective, the typical whopping sound chases away the morning silence. The sound earned the Huey the nickname of ‘Teppichklopfer’ or carpet … Continue reading AHF↑Inside: The Sound of Hueys in the Morning →

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AHF↑Inside: All Transall

All is nice and peaceful in Evreux, a French airbase 90 kilometers west of Paris. A single C-160 Transall, callsign Cujan 30, is flying circuits as part of a currency flight for two pilots. On the ground, other C-160s are being looked after or just quietly parked, doing nothing. But the peacefulness is deceiving; in … Continue reading AHF↑Inside: All Transall →

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AHF↑Inside: Austrian AB212 on top

“So, what would you like us to do?”, say two Agusta Bell AB212 helicopter pilots, the badges on their flying suits identifying them as ‘Bundesheer’ pilots. “Err, just fly around a bit”, comes the unrehearsed answer of two Airheadsfly.com editors. The pilots take off, turn around and have decided on what they will really do. … Continue reading AHF↑Inside: Austrian AB212 on top →

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AHF↑Inside: The Italian Training Recipe

“The pride comes when any student pilot completes his first solo flight in the M-346 Advanced Jet Trainer”, says Quirino Bucci, chief test pilot Trainer Aircraft at Italian aircraft maker Alenia Aermacchi. It’s not when he himself takes a brand new M-346 up for the first time. Bucci already knows how the aircraft will perform, … Continue reading AHF↑Inside: The Italian Training Recipe →

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Press Play: AHF↑Inside Belgium’s Best

‘Power is not a problem’. The words, spoken in a briefing room at Beauvechain airbase, are met with a grin by the crew of a Belgian Air Component NH90 Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH). In an hour or so, they’ll be practicing confined area landings. In a hover between 100ft tall trees, it’s comforting to know … Continue reading Press Play: AHF↑Inside Belgium’s Best →

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AHF↑Inside: Hip Heaven

In an assembly hall in Prague, a technician shines a light on a tiny metal tube. He carefully inspects it and finally gives it an approving nod. It is one of many components of a TV3-117VM engine, which in turn is part of a Czech Air Force Mi-171s Hip. Nearby, in a hangar outside Kbely … Continue reading AHF↑Inside: Hip Heaven →

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