Aero-News Network: The aviation and aerospace world's daily/real-time news and information service

USAF: Catastrophic Events Caused U-2 Crash

A catastrophic, cascading sequence of events, beginning with the inflight failure of the power takeoff shaft, caused a U-2S surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft to crash June 22 in Southwest Asia, killing the pilot, according to Air Force investigators.

MD Helicopters Will Bid For Army's Light Utility Helicopter Competition

MD Says Explorer Is The Only Aircraft That Meets Specifications For Army Program

MD Helicopters (MDHI) is bidding its MD Explorer for the US Army's $1.3-billion Light Utility Helicopter Program. "From the beginning, it has been clear that the MD-900 Explorer is the single helicopter that meets the specifications of the LUH program on both variables of performance and price," said Lynn Tilton, Chief Executive Officer and founder of Patriarch Partners, LLC, an investment advisor who manages the funds that own a controlling interest in MDHI. "And, there has never been any doubt that we were going to go all-out to win this program in order to deliver to the US Army a helicopter widely known for its safety features and price/performance benefit."

Lockheed Martin Completes Live Fly Demonstration of JTRS Prototype

Says It Can Be Done

Lockheed Martin says it has successfully completed a live fly demonstration of the Airborne, Maritime and Fixed Station (AMF) component of the military's Joint Tactical Radio Systems (JTRS) program. The demonstration featured airborne, ground-based and simulated maritime units collaborating in real time across an integrated airborne IP network to rapidly find, identify and strike a time-sensitive target.

Northrop Grumman Receives US Air Force Military Support Contract

Will Provide More Technical, Engineering Support

Northrop Grumman says it's been awarded a contract to expand the US Air Force's staff of qualified mission-support personnel for technical and engineering support and for increased air defense of the United States.