Pakistan to discuss Chinese defence purchases

Posted at: Mon Apr 17th, 2006

Pakistan will discuss the purchase of advanced defence supplies from China when President Pervez Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz, prime minister, visit Beijing later this year, senior Pakistani officials said. The revelation closely followed last week’s announcement that Pakistan would b...

MDA Measurements/Countermeasures Target Vehicle Launched Successfully

Posted at: Mon Apr 17th, 2006

KAUAI, Hawaii, April 17, 2006 -- A Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) team successfully launched a scientific payload April 13 for the U.S. Missile Defense Agency’s (MDA’s) Critical Measurements/Countermeasures Program. Lockheed Martin leads the Targets and Countermeasures industry team, which launche...

JSF Team Finishes F-35 Structural Testing Early

Posted at: Mon Apr 17th, 2006

FORT WORTH, Texas, April 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- The Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT - News) F-35 Joint Strike Fighter team successfully completed structural- coupling testing five days ahead of schedule on the first F-35, and moved on to the next scheduled series of ground tests. The F-35's first f...

Battle of the new spaceports

Posted at: Mon Apr 17th, 2006

New Mexico is pressing ahead with plans to develop a commercial spaceport, but it is not alone in developing new facilities to serve space tourism and other markets. Taylor Dinerman sizes up New Mexico's plans in comparison with efforts in California and other countries.

Time's up for F-111s

Posted at: Mon Apr 17th, 2006

AUSTRALIA'S frontline strike aircraft could be grounded within two years as costs blow out and the risk of accidents escalates. Senior air force officers and defence scientists are pushing to "fast track" plans to buy long-range missiles and upgrade other planes so the F-111s can be withdrawn...

Air Force tanker gets nod; Boeing, Airbus to compete

Posted at: Mon Apr 17th, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon said it will let the Air Force start a competition for its next-generation tanker plane, clearing the way for a showdown between Boeing Co. and European rival Airbus. The Defense Department said chief weapons buyer Ken Krieg signed off on the plan late Thurs...