Airbus talks A400M airlifter risks, sees military order slump from Q1 results

Airbus talks A400M airlifter risks, sees military order slump from Q1 results
Airbus talks A400M airlifter risks, sees military order slump from Q1 results

The risks at hand cover qualification of new capabilities, operational reliability, meeting cost reduction targets and securing “overall volume” as defined in a revised baseline contract, according to Guillaume Faury, Airbus CEO.

RAF defends decision behind 2-year tactical airlift capability gap, plans additional A400M buy

RAF defends decision behind 2-year tactical airlift capability gap, plans additional A400M buy
RAF defends decision behind 2-year tactical airlift capability gap, plans additional A400M buy

Elsewhere in a UK defense committee hearing, a military official said he wouldn’t put high-dollar, exquisite drones over Ukraine.

UK industry officials raise eyebrows over Royal Air Force F-35, E-7 and A400M programs

UK industry officials raise eyebrows over Royal Air Force F-35, E-7 and A400M programs
UK industry officials raise eyebrows over Royal Air Force F-35, E-7 and A400M programs

A tranche of F-35s will be delayed, as will the E-7 Wedgetail, while the Atlas transport has overcome a “regrettable collection of discoveries.”

With FCAS, French Air Force’s Renaissance Begins

With FCAS, French Air Force’s Renaissance Begins
With FCAS, French Air Force’s Renaissance Begins

France’s Air Force imagines new and improved concepts of operations will flow from the Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS).

Blueprint For A More Effective NATO

Blueprint For A More Effective NATO
Blueprint For A More Effective NATO

More ruthless prioritization, a laser focus on filling key capability shortfalls and better alignment of national, regional, and NATO plans will allow the alliance to solidify its place as the alliance of choice for decades to come.

New French C-130J Not A Blow To Europe’s A400M

New French C-130J Not A Blow To Europe’s A400M
New French C-130J Not A Blow To Europe’s A400M

With this article we begin regular coverage of the French military, NATO and a wide variety of European defense issues by Murielle Delaporte, a deeply experienced and knowledgeable expert on French strategy and acquisition. Murielle, who travels regularly between Washington and Paris and to the traditional haunts of the French military, is editor of Opérationnels, a…

Acrobatics, Big Planes (A380 & A400M) & Little Planes (Gripen & Starduster)

Acrobatics, Big Planes (A380 & A400M) & Little Planes (Gripen & Starduster)
Acrobatics, Big Planes (A380 & A400M) & Little Planes (Gripen & Starduster)

The F-35B isn’t flying again til Friday so you won’t see it here. Today was the first day of halfway decent weather at the biennial air show so we’ve got some pretty lovely flying and perspectives here. Enjoy!

Airbus Mulls Bringing A400M To US

Airbus Mulls Bringing A400M To US
Airbus Mulls Bringing A400M To US

UPDATED: Air Force Acquisition Head LaPlante Leaves Door Open For Airbus PARIS AIR SHOW: The A400M can do things no C-130 can. It’s much bigger than a C-130. The air platform is reportedly incredibly stable in flight, raising the possibility of launching rockets from it or putting high accuracy guns on it. But it’s got a…

The Paris Air Show and Military Aviation’s Future

The Paris Air Show and Military Aviation’s Future
The Paris Air Show and Military Aviation’s Future

The Paris Air Show is dominated by the commercial sector, which in terms of market and money is clearly more important than the defense aerospace market. But the simple size of that civilian market is not the most critical consideration. As the aerospace world meets in Paris in 2015, national survival is becoming a more pressing concern…

European Air Power: A Grizzly Outlook

European Air Power: A Grizzly Outlook
European Air Power: A Grizzly Outlook

Douglas Barrie knows aerospace. He was the European mastermind of Defense News when I was editor and now he works for the respected International Institute for Strategic Studies. The core of his job there is analyzing global air power capabilities for IISS’ flagship publication, Military Balance. He’s authoritative. Here he writes about the Paris Air Show and the very uncertain state…

No US Military Planes Will Fly At Paris Air Show; Pakistan’s JF-17 Will

No US Military Planes Will Fly At Paris Air Show; Pakistan’s JF-17 Will
No US Military Planes Will Fly At Paris Air Show; Pakistan’s JF-17 Will

WASHINGTON: At least the US military is attending the Paris Air Show in some force this year, but right now none of the American aircraft pictured below are scheduled to fly at the show. Some 90 US military personnel will be on hand to maintain the aircraft and safeguard them. Here’s the list of military aircraft that…

President Obama’s Historic Middle East Opportunity

President Obama’s Historic Middle East Opportunity
President Obama’s Historic Middle East Opportunity

President Obama was recently depicted on the cover of The Economist as the new George W. Bush, forced to head back to Iraq. One can correctly argue that the President and his national security team have spent more time distancing themselves from Bush’s administration than looking hard into the future and shaping the strategic space within which…

Visiting Air Shows Doesn’t Convey The Reality Of Combat

Visiting Air Shows Doesn’t Convey The Reality Of Combat
Visiting Air Shows Doesn’t Convey The Reality Of Combat

One does not build military aircraft to fly at air shows. It is fun to see the planes, to visit static displays and to talk with manufacturers and users. But the reality of what a plane can do is only seen in battle and advanced training, where operators, maintainers and leaders in real world combat…