http://www.aviationtoday.com Aviation Today en-us 2013 Tue, 21 May 2013 13:43:57 EDT During times of austerity it is good to see that the occasional commitment by government to an asset that has played a significant role in a variety of activities since being commissioned into active service in 1998. HMS Ocean, currently the largest Royal Navy warship afloat until the arrival of the Queen... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/£65-Million-Takes-UKs-Dedicated-Helicopter-Carrier-to-2018_78007.html Wed, 12 Dec 2012 0:00:00 EST The future of the United Kingdom’s Westland Attack Helicopter (WAH-64D) Apache force is in the early stages of review. With the UK’s commitment to operations in Afghanistan ending within two years, the Ministry of Defence’s (MoD) Capability Sustainment Program (CSP) is examining the... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/British-Army-Ponders-Apache-Future-Post-Afghanistan_77865.html Tue, 27 Nov 2012 0:00:00 EST Recently appointed Apache program Col. Jeff Hager confirmed during last week’s AUSA—the U.S. Army’s annual gathering in Washington, D.C.—that the Apache AH-64 Block III attack helicopter would now be officially known as the AH-64E (Echo). During a briefing, Hager pointed to the Aug... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/Apache-Block-III-now-AH-64E-DAB-Approves-Full-rate-Production_77649.html Wed, 31 Oct 2012 0:00:00 EDT The first modernized CH-53GA aircraft has been handed over to the German armed forces (Bundeswehr) by the Eurocopter Military Support Center, with another 39 aircraft to follow over a three-year period. The plan to update the aircraft reaches back to 2007 when it was decided to extend the design life of the... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/Eurocopter-Delivers-First-of-40-Upgraded-CH-53GAs-to-Germany_77267.html Tue, 18 Sep 2012 0:00:00 EDT The Tanan 300 vertical takeoff and landing tactical unmanned aerial system (VTOL Tactical UAS) from Cassidian was shown at recently at Eurosatory in Paris. The Tanan rotary UAS has been in development for around four years, which includes work conducted on the original program. Perhaps unusually, despite... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/Cassidian-Displays-Tanon-Rotary-UAS-at-Eurosatory_76594.html Tue, 26 Jun 2012 0:00:00 EDT A recession is often a time for cutting back and saving on the extravagances in life. However, sometimes it is also an occasion to say “what the heck” and engage in a little indulgence—such as flying by helicopter to attend the UK’s most popular motor racing event of the year. The... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/A-Day-at-the-Motor-Races-Beats-the-Recession_76446.html Tue, 29 May 2012 0:00:00 EDT The push to train crewmen and maintainers serving in the Afghan Air Force is not solely the responsibility of those NATO countries currently operating in Afghanistan (look out for Rotor & Wing’s forthcoming feature on U.S. Army training of Afghan helicopter aircrew). On April 1, the first 10 Afghan... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/NATO-Russian-Project-Kicks-Off-Afghan-Air-Force-Maintainer-Training-in-Russia_76297.html Tue, 8 May 2012 0:00:00 EDT U.S. Special Forces have been committed into the fight against al Qaeda since Sept. 28, 2001—a mere 17 days after 9/11. “Since then, and for the last 10 years the fight has been continuous,” said Brig. Gen. Kevin Mangum, Commander, U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation, speaking to... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/ARSOAC-Commander-Mangum-Talks-of-Transformation-in-Special-Forces-Aviation_76208.html Thu, 26 Apr 2012 0:00:00 EDT Guiseppi Orsi, once CEO of helicopter manufacturer AgustaWestland, now chief executive of parent Italian defence company Finmeccanica, is overseeing the organization’s biggest overhaul in a decade. Finmeccanica has just announced a EUR 2.3 billion ($3.06 billion) net loss for 2011, in contrast with a... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/Finmeccanica-2011-Results-Helicopter-Orders-Take-a-Hit-from-On-Hold-Government-Contracts_76062.html Mon, 2 Apr 2012 0:00:00 EDT The folks at Boeing concerned with rotorcraft have established a pre-AUSA media lunch in Washington, D.C. The aviation and specialist press are invited to hear summaries on the OEM’s rotorcraft performance in 2011 and an outlook for 2012 from U.S. Army program managers that participate. David... http://www.aviationtoday.com/rw/eletters/military/insiderschat/Boeing-Hosts-Annual-Review_75613.html Tue, 31 Jan 2012 0:00:00 EST