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The article presents information on the problems regarding the partnership in the aeronautic industry between Great Britain and the United States. It reflects that while Pentagon claims problems are close to resolution Great Britain finds fault in the U.S. handling of industrial partnership. It observes that the Anglo-American feuding over the Joint Strike Fighter threatens to spill over into the wider transatlantic relationship. Great Britain is leading the assault on Washington over the contentious issue of technology access on the Joint Strike Fighter with other program partners, such as Australia, in support.

The article reports that the British Defense Ministry and industry are pursuing a novel design of active, electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the Eurofighter Typhoon. The work was undertaken as an element of the Advanced Radar Targeting System (ARTS) demonstrator project. Led by Qinetiq, with Selex providing the AESA, the radar was integrated on a Tornado GR4A, with trials carried out in Great Britain and using ranges in the U.S.

The article reports on the challenge being faced by the Eurofighter consortium as it tries to convince its major stakeholder governments to invest on two major capability upgrades for the Typhoon fighter plane. The upgrade plans include the integration of the Meteor ramjet-powered missile and radar of MBDA with an active, electronically scanned array (AESA) on the aircraft. It is noted that the first Tranche 3A aircraft will be delivered to customers in 2013.

The article reports that the ability of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) to win an air-to-air engagement is getting increased attention as the U.S. military and industry's focus includes the expansion of the Joint Strike Fighter's customer base beyond the core purchasing nations. Lockheed Martin contends that the combination of stealth, multisensor situational awareness, advanced pilot-machine interface and basic aeromechanical performance of the F-35 make it also a credible fighter aircraft.

The article reports that Italy is planning to sign up for its first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) by the end of June 2008. The country is also backing a multinational approach to crafting a five-year production contract, avoiding the pitfalls of annual purchasing. Italy will buy two Lockheed Martin F-35s for the initial operational test and evaluation phases of the JSF program.

The article reports on the overseas commitments to F-35 fighter acquisitions, and the strengthening of the test program. There is concern in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter community that higher upfront aircraft costs will prompt governments to delay their purchases, driving up costs for all nine program participants. But those issues, according to the author, are not stopping several key international buyers from making important, near-term commitments to the strike fighter program.

This article reports that Boeing Co. is ready to begin delivering a new group of F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, and it is devising upgrades to ensure the multirole fighter will remain combat-capable well into the future. Although the F/A-18E/F was never conceived as an all-stealth platform, unlike the canceled A-12 it supplanted, it has featured low-observable characteristics from the start. But additionally, Boeing's secretive advanced programs group is coming up with a further step-change in stealth performance to minimize the difference between the F/A-18E/F and the Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, a stealth aircraft from the ground up.

This article focuses on the upgradation of the Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft in Europe. The Eurofighter Typhoon program is nearing some long-delayed development milestones that would clear the way to upgrade the aircraft's basic combat capability. Teething problems also continue to affect the aircraft. Customers have stopped taking delivery of Typhoon while industry fixes flaws that have crept in as part of the latest software update. Meanwhile, developers later this year hope to fly an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar on Typhoon for the first time. The system, developed by the Euroradar consortium of EADS, Selex, Galileo Avionics and Indra, this year underwent flight testing on a BAC1-11 and completed seven flights in Great Britain. In addition to the Euroradar system, Selex has been working on a Great Britain-focused AESA, so the industrial competition would have to be resolved. The near-term focus for Typhoon's manager is on upgrades to the Tranche I and Tranche II aircraft. The Future Capabilities Program will introduce upgrades gradually. The first round, to be fielded around 2010, would add laser-designator pod capability in a more integrated fashion than the austere effort.

The article presents information on the new capabilities of the Spanish air force with the absorption of the Eurofighter Typhoon. It reflects that the military and industry technicians need to work through problems presented by the aircraft. An expert comments that the launching of new radar has changed the performance of the fighter. The radar has about 50% more power than the APG-67 flown on F/A-18s and provides good targeting information. But the software still needs refinements to better filter the false tracks.

The Italian air force is nixing the idea of leasing a further batch of fighter plane F-16s in favor of a life-extension program and capability improvements for its AMX and Tornado strike aircraft. The service has already signed up for 34 Lockheed Martin F-16s, with 23 of the type already delivered. Military officials say the air force had been considering early retirement of its AMX light strike aircraft, and initially replacing them with additional F-16s until the Lockheed Martin Corp.'s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is available.

The article discusses the military aeronautics ambitions of Turkey, as of May 2011. The Turkish Aerospace Industries firm was conducting a feasibility study, on behalf of the government, investigating whether the country could develop its own fighter jet program, or would be better served by purchasing an existing product. Plans for military satellites are also described.

The article reports that the air force of the Republic of Singapore has decided to purchase the aeronautic company Alenia’s Aermacchi M-346 fighter jet. This places the Italian company in a strong position to secure orders from other countries. Alenia is competing with other aeronautics firms like Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to secure orders from Israel and Poland.

The article focuses on the Italian Air Force's plans to field test upgrades to the Panavia Tornado fighter-bomber. It states that discussions are underway concerning the next upgrade package for the Tornado which will probably include the ability to deliver 250 pound-class Small-Diameter Bombs. It mentions that the upgrade includes night-vision goggle capability, digital displays, and a new flight data recorder.

The article looks at the U.S. Air Force and Navy's criteria for the capabilities required of the sixth-generation of fighter planes being developed. Several attributes expected to improve within these fighter jets include directed energy weaponry, unrefueled combat radius, and speed. The effects of increased budget restrictions are also discussed.

The article reports that aircraft industry company Boeing Co. is developing several upgrades to the F/A-18E/F and F-15 fighter planes. Changes made to the planes' cockpit display system, which will eventually include three-dimensional display system capacity, are discussed, as are changes to the planes' weapons systems.

This article discusses some of the concerns that have arisen between the United States and its international partners in the production of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter plane. The Italian government is blocking some production plans because it believes that it is not getting a good return for its investment in producing the aircraft. Lockheed Martin is the prime contractor for the aircraft.

The article reports that enhancing the multirole capability of the Eurofighter Typhoon is now a priority of the four partner nations, including Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. Senior military sources suggest that an agreement could be reached early in the second quarter of 2009 between the countries. The Tranche 3 standard would provide the basis to further expand the aircraft's capabilities.

The article reports that Alenia North America has signed a contract worth up to $287 million to refurbish 18 Italian G222s into a common configuration for use by the Afghan National Army Air Corps. The first refurbished military aircraft will be delivered by September 2009, with the remainder to follow by mid-2011. Five separate G222 configurations, all from the Italian air force, will be modernized into one common configuration for the Afghan deal.

The article focuses on the plans by the U.S. Navy to upgrade its F/A-18E/F fighter planes with an infrared search-and-track system . The decision was prompted by the development of sophisticated electronic jamming systems that could thwart the airplane's radar system. China's expansive spending on electronic warfare equipment is being carefully monitored by the Navy.

The article discusses the efforts of the U.S. Department of Defense in encouraging F-35 Joint Strike Fighter partners to increase sales. The deparment has been trying to convince its international project partners to buy some of the aircraft to make-up reductions in the production plans of the U.S. in order to minimize cost increases. After several months, partners are preparing for the next phase with the signing of the production and follow-on development agreement.

The article reports on the funding of the Production Sustainment and Follow-on Development (PSFD) phase of the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, which involves appropriations from the governments of Italy, Great Britain and Turkey. Italian defense sources suggest their country will invest around $1 billion over the 40-year PSFD period. Great Britain and Turkey are expected to allocate sizable budget for the U.S. project.

The article states that the Greek government has approved the acquisitions of an advanced fighter, additional transport helicopters and a satellite imaging capability. This followed the approval of a multiyear spending plan, which provides a budget framework for the next 10 years and sets down spending priorities.

The article reports that Italian politicians face fundamental choices over the extent of Rome's participation in the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), with the process getting underway in earnest next month. The new government will have to review the country's ambitions for the Lockheed Martin F-35 JSF, whatever its political makeup. What's at stake is the level of Italian participation, the number of aircraft to be bought, and which versions of the JSF eventually enter the Italian inventory. Issues of industrial participation and technology access may limit Italy's taking part in the program, but unlike Great Britain, it does not appear to threaten its fundamental involvement.

The article focuses on the Spanish air force. During the next decade the Spanish air force will either exercise its options to buy additional Eurofighter Typhoons, or take the big step and embrace unmanned combat air vehicles. With Spanish industry heavily involved in two UCAV projects, but also in Typhoon production, Spain's decision could signal to what extent UCAVs have matured. EADS CASA has 13% of production workshare on Typhoon, but is also involved heavily in the German-led Barrakuda UCAV demonstrator and the Dassault Aviation-led Neuron project. Spain plans to buy 87 Typhoons and has shown little interest in reducing that number.

The article presents information on the upgrade program of the Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft. With the development projects and fielding of aircraft moving ahead apace, industrial partners are now focused on charting detailed plans for the program's evolution. The British effort has been contentious because other partners didn't want to move those features forward. In the end, officials decided to let Great Britain go ahead on its own. It will introduce the added capabilities in late 2007 or early 2008 on a small number of Tranche 1 Eurofighters, which will be in the Block 5 post-full operational capability standard.

The article presents information related to the aviation department of Malaysia. Malaysia may be signing up for four Airbus Military A400M airlifters, but other elements of its ambitious procurement program are being delayed as funding restrictions shackle acquisitions. Combat aircraft upgrade, intra-theater airlifter, and surveillance aircraft programs are all being deferred. The Royal Malaysian Air Force is in the midst of a modernization program, the centerpiece of which is the purchase of 18 Sukhoi Su-30MKM multirole combat aircraft. The debate is also caught up in the backwash from the armed forces' failure to agree on a unified procurement approach as a complement to the planned Joint Force Command.

This article reports that Turkey is being offered full partnership in the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft program. With a Greek deal to purchase the Typhoon near moribund, Eurofighter is turning its attention to Athens' Aegean neighbor as it seeks export sales. Irrespective of Ankara's recent $1.1-billion investment in a Lockheed Martin F-16 upgrade program and Turkey's interest in the F-35, industry executives involved with the Typhoon believe there is an opportunity for the aircraft. The tactic is to position the Typhoon as a complement, rather than a competitor, to the Joint Strike Fighter. In addition to the technology transfer, Turkey would be given source-code software for the Typhoon's avionics and combat systems.

The article reports that Greece's decision to buy 30 F-16 airplanes has given another boost to Lockheed Martin Corp.'s large backlog for the fighter and has put further pressure on the Eurofighter consortium, which has been trying to sell Typhoons to Greece. Once the deal is completed, Lockheed Martin's F-16 backlog would be boosted to more than 200 aircrafts. Greece wants aircraft deliveries in 2008-09, although U.S. officials suggest that would require contract details to be approved quickly.

The article informs that as the last of Italy's Panavia Tornado air defense aircraft are back in Britain, this role is being met solely by Lockheed Martin F-16s. The first of the 24 Tornados leased from Great Britain entered service in 1995, and the Italian air force accumulated 22,500 hr. During the Kosovo conflict in 1999, Italy flew 233 combat sorties using the type (pictured below). In total, 34 aircraft have been delivered. F-16s was flown to Italy in late November 2004, with the type beginning to be flown operationally from December.

This article reports that the Greek government is reconsidering plans for industry restructuring while also reviewing procurement priorities. Final contract negotiations were deferred until after the 2004 Olympics, and the successor government is now faced with the economic reality of "picking up the bill" for hosting the games. Eurofighter executives are keen to conclude a contract, and are understood to be offering to negotiate a smaller initial package than the originally planned 60 firm orders.

Alenia Aeronautica SpA CEO Giorgio Zappa said Alenia is considering a partnership along the lines of the U.S. Joint Strike Fighter program, with participating companies funding a share of the development phase including a low-rate initial production batch of 12-15 aircraft while being assured of retaining that role in production. The aircraft's targeted fly-away price is "less than $15 million. To comply with the program's anticipated tight schedule, agreements would have to be completed within the next 12 months, Italian industry officials say. Finmeccanica SpA's primary objective now is to secure a government commitment for the M-346, possibly under a private financing initiative.

Eurofighter partner nations are struggling to trade off weapon and system integration, cost and schedules as they try to agree on the most important phase of the program so far. With Elements of Tranche 2 negotiations, covering 236 aircraft, certain to drag on into the second half of 2004, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain are not now expected to ink a contract until the end of the year. The initially determined EOC 1, planned for introduction in 2008, includes integration of the Raytheon Enhanced Paveway II GPS/laser-guided bomb, along with a designation pod.

The British Defense Ministry is scrutinizing future combat aircraft numbers, including the Eurofighter Typhoon and Joint Strike Fighter in preparing a key policy document to be released toward the end of 2003. Negotiations among the partners, Britain, Germany, Italy and Spain, covering the Tranche 2 production run, should also see a contract sealed before the turn of the year. Britain is the largest participant in the Typhoon program, with 232 of the total of 620 aircrafts. The emphasis on Typhoon is now on its development as a genuine multirole platform, rather than as an air-superiority fighter with a secondary air-to-surface competence.

The British Defense Ministry is set to decline any French overture to collaborate on a Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle(UCAV), a move that may mark a watershed in Europe's development of next-generation combat platforms. France is looking to place an unmanned combat air vehicle at the very heart of a multinational military air combat systems effort, the European Technology Acquisition Program (ETAP). The remaining ETAP partners, France, Germany, Italy, Spain and Sweden, are highly unlikely to be given similar access to the U.S. technology, with political and industrial imperatives propelling the development of a European UCAV, but without British participation at the national level.

The Italian air force has decided to take delivery in June 2003 of 34 F-16 aircrafts it is leasing to provide an interim air defense platform. Four additional airframes will be used to generate spare parts. Under Italy's Peace Caesar program, the Italian air force will operate 34 fighters for up to 10 years using a pay-by-the-hour arrangement. The U.S. Air Force will provide maintenance and training services for these aircrafts. Initially they will be assigned to 18th fighter squadron of 37th wing based in Trapani, Sicily, Italy to serve as main operating base.

Reports the signing of agreement of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi for the Joint Strike Fighter program in the U.S. Investment in the System Development and Demonstration multinational program; Leadership of Finmeccanica/Alenia Aeronautica in the airframe/avionics development; Support of the U.S. government on JSF-related contracts.

Provides information on the bid of Italy to join the Joint Strike Fighter systems development and demonstration phase. Amount needed by Italy to gain a stake in the program; Actions taken by the government to raise the funds needed in the program; List of Italian aerospace companies that will participate in the program.