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16 octobre 2015 5 16 /10 /octobre /2015 07:20
A C-17 Globemaster III flies over Biggs Army Airfield, Texas, during Bold Quest 15-2 operations Oct. 2, 2015 - photo USAF

A C-17 Globemaster III flies over Biggs Army Airfield, Texas, during Bold Quest 15-2 operations Oct. 2, 2015 - photo USAF

 

October 15, 2015 defense-aerospace.com

(Source: US Department of Justice; issued October 14, 2015)

 

The Boeing Company has paid the United States $18 million to settle allegations that the company submitted false claims for labor charges on maintenance contracts with the U.S. Air Force for the C-17 Globemaster aircraft, the Justice Department announced today. Boeing, an aerospace and defense industry giant, is headquartered in Chicago.

“Defense contractors are required to obey the rules when billing for work performed on government contracts,” said Principal Deputy Assistant Attorney General Benjamin C. Mizer, head of the Justice Department’s Civil Division. “Today’s settlement demonstrates that the Justice Department will ensure that government contractors meet their obligations and charge the government appropriately.”

The government alleged that Boeing improperly charged labor costs under contracts with the Air Force for the maintenance and repair of C-17 Globemaster aircraft at Boeing’s Long Beach Depot Center in Long Beach, California. The C-17 Globemaster aircraft, which is both manufactured and maintained by Boeing, is one of the military’s major systems for transporting troops and cargo throughout the world. The government alleged that the company knowingly charged the United States for time its mechanics spent on extended breaks and lunch hours, and not on maintenance and repair work properly chargeable to the contracts.

The allegations resolved by the settlement announced today were originally brought by former Boeing employee James Thomas Webb under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act. The act permits private individuals to sue on behalf of the government those who falsely claim federal funds, and to share in the recovery. Mr. Webb’s share of the settlement has not yet been determined.

The case was handled by the Civil Division’s Commercial Litigation Branch, the Defense Criminal Investigative Service, the Air Force Office of Special Investigations, the Defense Contract Audit Agency and the Defense Contract Management Agency.

The False Claims Act lawsuit is captioned United States ex rel. Webb v. The Boeing Company, CV13-000694 (C.D. Cal.).

The claims resolved by today’s civil settlement are allegations only; there has been no determination of liability.

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11 mai 2015 1 11 /05 /mai /2015 11:45
photo EMA / Armée de Terre

photo EMA / Armée de Terre

 

source EMA

29 avril 2015, à Bangui, en République Centrafricaine.


Chargement de PVP et de fret à bord d'un C17 de l'US AIR FORCE. Au total 23 tonnes ont été embarquées.

 

suite du reportage photos et ICI

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24 mars 2015 2 24 /03 /mars /2015 12:35
C-130J  photo IAF

C-130J photo IAF

 

March 24, 2015 by Saurav Jha – Geek at large

 

Ever since the Ministry of Defence (MoD) issued its 2009 directive to prepare the military for a two front war, there has been a heightened sense of urgency in acquiring transport platforms that can move men and materiel over considerable distances at short notice. Prior to this, the 2004 Indian Ocean Tsunami had also brought to light the need to bring in longer ranged airborne platforms that can sustain humanitarian support across the Indian Ocean Region (IOR).

 

Accordingly, the Indian Air force (IAF) is recapitalizing its entire transport fleet with a view to becoming more potent in out of area operations besides being able to support the Indian Army's (IA's) ever growing logistical requirements.

 

While in the short term, quick buys of American platforms through the foreign military sales (FMS) route such as Boeing's C-17 Globemaster III and Lockheed Martin's C-130Js have been effected, it is clear that the IAF's requirements need to be actually used to spur the progressive indigenization of its transport aircraft pool. Moreover the IAF's transport aircraft needs could well be used to seed a second domestic original equipment maker (OEM) besides HAL from within India's private sector.

 

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22 mars 2015 7 22 /03 /mars /2015 08:20
US Air Force complete C-17 avionics, weather radar upgrades

 

March 19th, 2015 By Air Force News Agency - defencetalk.com

 

When one door closes at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex regarding aviation modernization, that same door swings open for another opportunity.

 

In the 562nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, maintainers have completed a complex avionics and weather radar modernization package, referred to as BLOCK 16, with the final C-17 Globemaster set to fly home this month.

 

This steady program at Robins speaks to the highly-skilled maintainers who have worked on this particular upgrade package since 2007.

 

When the aircraft is returned to its crew at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, they will basically be getting a brand new transport aircraft, complete with state-of-the-art communications capabilities, navigation upgrades, and weather radar with new color palettes and improved display.

 

During the last several months, more than 3,000 wires were removed during the upgrade, with more than 7,000 new wires installed — a complex undertaking involving scores of video cables, data transmission cables, power lines, and the like.

 

“It will be sad to see them go because we’ve gotten so good at working on them,” said Eric Bickett, 562nd AMXS first-line supervisor. “Our maintainers have proven themselves, taking an aircraft that Boeing and the Air Force have sent us, and completely changing what it’s capable of. It truly looks factory (made) when we’re done with it.”

 

Working on the communications portion was perhaps the most time consuming, according to maintainers, as this involved removing old analog wiring and installing new digital control boxes, headset receptacles, etc.

 

Satellite communications capabilities through the addition of ports will also allow any of the military services who board the aircraft to set up their own equipment.

 

“The overall goal is to get all these C-17s to be one specific aircraft so any aircrew can jump from one to the other and everything will be exactly the same,” said Frank Kipa, 562 AMXS aircraft electrician.

 

“While these particular upgrades are now completed, we still have much work to do with maintenance. With the quality of work we do here, we look forward to any future mods coming our way,” he said.

 

As this was the last completed BLOCK 16 modification for WR-ALC in a fleet of more than 220 aircraft (several aircraft will be modified at a later date by Boeing’s San Antonio facility), work is ongoing to hit another milestone on BLOCK 17 upgrades, which installs combat lighting inside and outside the aircraft.

 

“Combat lighting gives the aircrew flexibility in how they illuminate the aircraft whether it’s inside or outside,” said Bickett. “For example, when troops are being medically treated inside, we’re able to provide capabilities that can block light from escaping to the outside. We can also illuminate the exterior using different covert lighting.”

 

“You can illuminate the flight deck, the cargo bay and outside completely different after this combat lighting upgrade. There’s a lot of flexibility, giving an aircrew plenty of options,” he said.

 

The final aircraft to receive this upgrade is scheduled to arrive in December, and will return to its customer a year from now in 2016.

 

The C-17, despite its size, is able to take off and land on short runways, and is constantly carrying out missions all over the world.

 

The Air Force received its final C-17 from production at Boeing in the fall of 2013, a move that had been expected for some time.

 

Robins not only maintains the C-17, which first flew in 1991, but is also responsible for sustainment of the aircraft through the C-17 System Program Office, which also plays a crucial role in the modification, maintenance and overall service of the entire fleet.

 

Bickett said he likes to ask what happens to aircraft once they leave Robins. He recalled looking online last August and recognized a photo of a C-17 that had passed through the complex.

 

The aircraft had conducted a humanitarian assistance operation to aid Iraqi citizens. At that time, thousands of Yazidis were attempting to escape the advance of Islamic State fighters and had become trapped on Mount Sinjar. An Air Force C-17 had been tasked to provide food and supplies.

 

“That’s what we do,” he said. “As much as these aircraft are flown with the different missions they do, the wear and tear, the hard landings — they hit the ground like it’s moving. We help keep these flying and in their current state.”

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19 mars 2015 4 19 /03 /mars /2015 17:35
photo UK MoD

photo UK MoD

 

19 March 2015 Department for International Development, The Rt Hon Justine Greening MP and Ministry of Defence

 

Britain is responding rapidly to help people affected by cyclone Pam.

 

A Royal Air Force C-17 plane carrying shelter and lighting from the UK has landed in Vanuatu, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced today.

The plane arrived in Vanuatu at 0300 GMT on Thursday 19 March, carrying 1,640 shelter kits which can house families of five people and more than 1,900 solar lanterns with inbuilt mobile phone chargers.

These supplies will help protect some of the most vulnerable people affected by the cyclone, especially women and children.

Also on board were two humanitarian experts from the Department for International Development who are now based in country to ensure that emergency supplies reach people in the region and assess what further assistance Britain can provide.

Justine Greening said:

Britain’s rapid response to humanitarian disasters on the other side of the world is something to be incredibly proud of.

Cyclone Pam’s trail of destruction has left thousands of people without their home and access to power. Our emergency shelter kits and solar lanterns, which have arrived thanks to the swift and invaluable support of the Royal Air Force, will help meet people’s basic needs.

Britain stands ready to assist further to ensure supplies get to those in need and will continue to support the Government of Vanuatu as part of the wider Commonwealth effort.

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4 mars 2015 3 04 /03 /mars /2015 17:30
Le dernier C-17 de l'US Air Force a été livré en septembre 2013 photo Boeing

Le dernier C-17 de l'US Air Force a été livré en septembre 2013 photo Boeing

 

02/03/2015  par Guillaume Belan – Air & Cosmos

 

Alors que le salon International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) vient de fermer ses portes aux Emirats Arabes Unis, Abu Dhabi annonce avoir signé un contrat avec Boeing de 618 millions de dollars pour l'achat de deux avions de transport militaire C-17.

 

Suite de l'article

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10 octobre 2014 5 10 /10 /octobre /2014 05:45
Six U.S. military aircraft as well as U.S. Marines arrive in Ebola hot zone

A C-17 U.S. military aircraft arrived in Liberia Thursday with the first shipment of increased U.S. military equipment and personnel for the anti-Ebola fight. The cargo included a heavy duty forklift, a drill set and generator and a team of 7 military personnel, including engineers and airfield specialists. (photo USAFRICOM)

 

 

October 9, 2014  by David Pugliese

 

Six U.S. military planes arrived in the Ebola hot zone Thursday with more Marines, as West Africa’s leaders pleaded for the world’s help in dealing with a crisis that one called “a tragedy unforeseen in modern times.”

 

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Six U.S. military aircraft as well as U.S. Marines arrive in Ebola hot zone
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12 août 2014 2 12 /08 /août /2014 12:30
Irak: l'aviation US largue un 5e lot de vivres pour les réfugiés

Service member volunteers push a completed pallet of food and water to prepare it for loading onto aircraft at a location in Southwest Asia Aug. 11, 2014. Volunteers from across the base came out to help build pallets of humanitarian aid. The pallets are being airdropped to displaced citizens in the vicinity of Sinjar, Iraq. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Colin Cates)

 

WASHINGTON, 12 août - RIA Novosti

 

Des avions militaires américains ont largué un cinquième lot d'eau et de vivres destinés aux civils bloqués dans les monts Sinjar (nord de l'Irak) par les djihadistes de l'Etat islamique,  a annoncé mardi le Pentagone dans un communiqué.

 

"Un C-17 et trois avions cargo C-130 ont largué 76 cargaisons de vivres qui fourniront de la nourriture et de l'eau pour des milliers d'Irakiens piégés sur les monts Sinjar", a indique le communiqué.

 

Selon le Pentagone, les Etats-Unis ont fourni depuis jeudi soir "plus de 85.000 repas et plus de 75.500 litres d'eau potable" aux membres de la minorité yézidi pourchassés par les djihadistes.

 

Appuyé par des sunnites irakiens et par d'anciens militaires de l'armée de Saddam Hussein, le groupe terroriste Etat islamique a envahi une vaste région irakienne englobant les provinces de Ninawa, de Salah ad-Din et d'Al-Anbar.

 

Le 29 juin dernier, l'EI a annoncé la création d'un "Califat islamique", le titre de calife étant attribué au chef de file de ce groupe djihadiste, Abdullah Ibrahim al-Samarrai, connu également sous le nom d'Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi.

 

Dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi, le président américain Barack Obama a autorisé des frappes aériennes ciblées en Irak "pour aider les forces irakiennes qui se battent pour protéger les civils".

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11 août 2014 1 11 /08 /août /2014 10:30
Irak: l'aviation américaine largue des vivres pour les réfugiés

Tech. Sgt. Lynn Morelly, 816th Expeditionary Airlift Squadron, C-17 Globemaster III loadmaster, watches bundles of halal meals parachute to the ground during a humanitarian airdrop mission over Iraq, Aug. 9, 2014. To date, in coordination with the government of Iraq, U.S. military aircraft have delivered more than 52,000 meals and more than 10,600 gallons of fresh drinking water, providing much-needed aid to the displaced Yazidis, who urgently require emergency assistance. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Vernon Young Jr.)

 

WASHINGTON, 11août - RIA Novosti

 

Des avions militaires américains ont largué de nouvelles cargaisons d'eau et de vivres destinées aux civils bloqués dans les monts Sinjar (nord de l'Irak) par les djihadistes de l'Etat islamique,  a annoncé lundi le Pentagone dans un communiqué.

 

"Un C-17 et trois avions cargo C-130 ont largué 88 cargaisons de vivres qui fourniront de la nourriture et de l'eau pour des milliers d'Irakiens piégés sur les monts Sinjar", a indique le communiqué.

 

Selon le Pentagone, les Etats-Unis ont fourni depuis jeudi soir "plus de 74.000 repas et plus de 56.780 litres d'eau potable" aux membres de la minorité yézidi pourchassés par les djihadistes.

 

Appuyé par des sunnites irakiens et par d'anciens militaires de l'armée de Saddam Hussein, le groupe terroriste Etat islamique a envahi une vaste région irakienne englobant les provinces de Ninawa, de Salah ad-Din et d'Al-Anbar.

 

Le 29 juin dernier, l'EI a annoncé la création d'un "Califat islamique", le titre de calife étant attribué au chef de file de ce groupe djihadiste, Abdullah Ibrahim al-Samarrai, connu également sous le nom d'Abou Bakr al-Baghdadi.

 

Dans la nuit de jeudi à vendredi, le président américain Barack Obama a autorisé des frappes aériennes ciblées en Irak "pour aider les forces irakiennes qui se battent pour protéger les civils".

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9 août 2014 6 09 /08 /août /2014 08:30
Nouveau largage de vivres dans le nord de l'Irak par les Etats-Unis

 

09.08.2014 Romandie.com (ats)

 

L'aviation américaine a procédé à un nouveau parachutage d'aide humanitaire à destination d'Irakiens sous la menace des djihadistes dans le nord de l'Irak, a annoncé le Pentagone. Comme la nuit précédente, de l'eau et des rations militaires ont été larguées dans les montagnes de Sinjar.

 

L'opération a impliqué trois avions de transport C-17 et C-130 ayant décollé de différentes bases. Ils ont été escortés par deux chasseurs F-18 du porte-avions USS George H.W. Bush qui croise dans le Golfe.

 

"A ce jour, en coordination avec le gouvernement irakien, l'aviation américaine a fourni 36'224 rations alimentaires et 6822 gallons d'eau potable (25'000 litres environ)", précise le Pentagone.

 

Des dizaines de milliers de yazidis se sont réfugiés dans les montagnes de Sinjar pour échapper aux islamistes. Cette région est le berceau ancestral des Yazidis, un culte monothéiste vieux de plusieurs millénaires dont les adeptes sont considérés comme des "adorateurs du diable" par les extrémistes sunnites de l'Etat islamique.

 

Un autre type de matériel a été livré aux peshmergas, les forces kurdes, à Erbil, capitale de la région autonome du Kurdistan irakien. Un avion de transport C-130 du gouvernement irakien y a acheminé des munitions pour des petits calibres. D'autres livraisons pourraient suivre pour répondre aux demandes des Kurdes, qui réclament notamment des mortiers et des fusils d'assaut AK-47.

 

Les Etats-Unis s'efforcent de faciliter de futures livraisons, a déclaré un responsable américain. L'administration Obama travaille en coopération avec le gouvernement irakien pour que ces équipements militaires soient livrés "aussi vite que possible", a ajouté ce responsable.

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8 avril 2014 2 08 /04 /avril /2014 11:20
Boeing Updates Timing of C-17 Production Line Closure

 

 

Apr 7, 2014 ASDNews Source : The Boeing Company

 

Boeing [NYSE: BA] today adjusted slightly the timing for ending C-17 Globemaster III production and closing its Long Beach, Calif., C-17 final assembly facility after a successful two-decade production run of the world’s premier airlifter.

 

Based on current market trends and the timing of expected orders, Boeing anticipates completing C-17 production in mid-2015, an adjustment of approximately three months from an initial estimate of late 2015. The company announced plans to end C-17 production in September 2013.

 

Boeing expects inventory–related charges of approximately $50 million, which will be recorded in the first quarter, as a result of this announcement.

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25 mars 2014 2 25 /03 /mars /2014 13:20
Dusty Takeoff

 

 

3/24/2014 Strategy Page

 

A C-17 Globemaster III takes off March 14, 2014, from the Geronimo landing zone at Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, La. Service members participating in JRTC 14-05 are educated in combat patient care and aeromedical evacuation in a simulated combat environment. (U.S. Air Force photo/Master Sgt. John R. Nimmo Sr.)

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20 décembre 2013 5 20 /12 /décembre /2013 13:45
RAF evacuates Britons from South Sudan

A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft at RAF Brize Norton (library image) [Picture: Senior Aircraftman Neil Chapman, Crown copyright]

 

19 December 2013 Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence

 

RAF aircrew made a daring precision landing at an airfield in South Sudan to rescue British citizens fleeing turmoil in the African state.

The pilot of a giant C-17 Globemaster aircraft safely touched down earlier today (Thursday) despite a crashed civilian airliner obstructing the runway.

At just after 3am the 266 tonne transport took off from RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire at the request of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) who are co-ordinating the evacuation of UK nationals and others.

However, after a 9-hour flight, covering nearly 3,500 miles, the aircrew faced an unexpected challenge when approaching the airport at the South Sudanese capital Juba.

Earlier, a civilian 737 airliner had slewed to a halt 2 thirds of the way down the runway after its nose wheel collapsed.

The crashed aircraft was in the process of being made safe by airport emergency services as the RAF C-17 made its approach.

A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft
A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft photographed during an international operation (library image) [Picture: Corporal Mark Webster, Crown copyright]

Officer Commanding 99 Squadron, Wing Commander Stuart Lindsell, said:

We practice short landings in training but getting down on a runway with a crashed aircraft taking up a large part of it would really concentrate the mind and is way outside what we would normally expect.

I think it’s fair to say that this C17 captain and his crew have had 1 of the toughest days anyone on this squadron has had since we were stood up 12 years ago.

It’s not just the aircrew but the RAF Regiment who provided protection on the ground, the movers who helped get the passengers on board, the medics and the engineers, all of them have all performed brilliantly and I’m extremely proud of them.

Wing Commander Lindsell, himself a C 17 pilot, said 99 Squadron were used to being on high alert but that the South Sudan mission had come at very short notice with the aircraft successfully completing its first flight within 24 hours of the order being issued.

A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft
A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster aircraft photographed at Evreux Airbase near Paris, France, before embarking French equipment and troops to deploy to Mali, Africa, earlier this year [Picture: Senior Aircraftman Dek Traylor, Crown copyright]

On board the RAF aircraft were medics, force protection and air movements personnel, and FCO officials whose job was to assist people wanting to leave the country.

The C-17 is designed to carry out high angle, steep approaches at relatively slow speeds, which allows it to operate into small airfields in austere conditions with short, narrow runways.

These capabilities, and its long range, make it ideal for humanitarian missions which it has proved in the past year delivering aid to Typhoon victims in the Philippines and transporting military equipment to Mali and the Central African Republic.

The aircraft picked up 182 passengers including Britons, Commonwealth and EU citizens, who were quickly loaded before the short onward flight to Entebbe in Uganda.

The RAF’s Chief of Staff for Operations, Air Vice-Marshal Sean Reynolds, said:

This again demonstrates the Royal Air Force’s ability to react swiftly and effectively to protect and assist British people worldwide.

Throughout 2013, wherever there has been an issue demanding a UK response, there has been an RAF aircraft.

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13 décembre 2013 5 13 /12 /décembre /2013 08:45
RAF flies second wave of vehicles to French peacekeepers

A member of the RAF Police and a French serviceman stand guard whilst the C-17 is unloaded at Bangui Airport [Picture: Corporal Neil Bryden RAF, Crown copyright]

 

12 December 2013 Ministry of Defence and Foreign & Commonwealth Office

 

The RAF has delivered more French armoured vehicles to the Central African Republic in support of France's peacekeeping operation.

 

The troop-carrying vehicles were loaded into the hold of a C-17 transport aircraft yesterday morning at an air base near Marseilles.

The unique abilities of the C-17 Globemaster, flown by 99 Squadron out of RAF Brize Norton in Oxfordshire, make it the ideal aircraft for this type of strategic airlift.

Five armoured vehicles have already been delivered by the RAF to the French, who entered the Central African Republic following a UN resolution.

They are there to support an African Union peacekeeping force which will be transported into the country from neighbouring Burundi by the US Air Force.

RAF flies second wave of vehicles to French peacekeepers
RAF movements staff and French troops unload military equipment from the C-17 on its arrival at Bangui Airport in the Central African Republic [Picture: Corporal Neil Bryden RAF, Crown copyright]

The captain of the C-17, Squadron Leader David Blakemore, said:

It’s great to work so closely with the French, especially on such an important peacekeeping mission as this.

The RAF’s contribution to the French peacekeeping effort is part of the Lancaster House security co-operation treaty signed by Britain and France in 2010.

This resulted in the RAF providing assistance during France’s campaign earlier this year against Islamic rebels in Mali.

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12 décembre 2013 4 12 /12 /décembre /2013 17:45
Des C-17 américains en renfort en RCA

 

12.12.2013 Helen Chachaty - journal-aviation.com

 

Deux C-17 Globemaster III de l’US Air Force ainsi qu’une équipe réduite de commandement et de soutien sont actuellement déployés en Afrique pour soutenir l’armée française dans le cadre de l’opération Sangaris en Centrafrique.

 

Les deux avions de transport ont décollé ce jeudi d’Ouganda pour le Burundi, afin de transporter un bataillon d’infanterie légère burundais vers Bangui. Le Département américain de la Défense ajoute qu’une équipe logistique est présente au Burundi pour préparer les chargements de matériels, tandis qu’une autre se trouve à Bangui pour assurer un soutien sur place.

 

La France, par le biais du ministre de la Défense Jean-Yves Le Drian, a demandé aux États-Unis un soutien logistique aérien afin de pouvoir transporter des troupes africaines en RCA, dans le but de pouvoir les déployer afin de contenir les débordements et la violence sur place, selon un porte-parole du Pentagone.

 

Le ministère britannique de la Défense a en outre annoncé ce 12 décembre que le C-17 déployé par la Royal Air Force avait effectué sa seconde rotation, afin de livrer des véhicules blindés aux forces françaises stationnées à Bangui.

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11 décembre 2013 3 11 /12 /décembre /2013 11:45
photo Cpl Bryden - RAF

photo Cpl Bryden - RAF

11 December 2013 Flt Lt Durrant - RAF

 

 

The RAF effort to carry French military equipment to the Central African Republic (CAR) is ramping up as tensions rise in the strife-torn country.

 

As troop-carrying vehicles were loaded into the hold of a C17 transport aircraft this morning at an airbase near Marseilles the French army had suffered its first fatalities at the hands of the impoverished state’s violent militias.

The mood was a sombre one among the French drivers as they edged their vehicles into the C17 ­at Istres – two of their colleagues, paratroopers, have recently been killed near Bangui airport, the C17’s destination.

The unique abilities of the C17 Globemaster, flown by 99 Squadron of RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, make it the ideal aircraft for this type of strategic airlift. Five armoured vehicles have already been delivered by the RAF to the French, who entered CAR following a UN resolution.

They are there to support an African Union (AU) peacekeeping force which will be transported into the country from neighbouring Burundi by the US Air Force.

The C17 captain, Squadron Leader David Blakemore, said: “It’s great to work so closely with the French, especially on such an important peacekeeping mission such as this.”

A small contingent of RAF Police and gunners from 63 Squadron of the RAF Regiment are also on the 3,500-mile flight to Bangui, CAR’s capital, from Brize Norton.

The RAF’s contribution to the French peacekeeping effort is part of the Lancaster House 2010 security co-operation treaty signed between the two nations. This resulted in RAF assistance during France’s campaign earlier this year against Islamic rebels in Mali.

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11 décembre 2013 3 11 /12 /décembre /2013 08:45
photo EMA

photo EMA

 

 

11 décembre 2013 à 04:25 Par RFI

 

Le Burundi avait promis d’envoyer des troupes au sein de la Misca en Centrafrique depuis plus de deux mois, mais le pays s’était heurté jusqu’ici au manque de matériels et à des problèmes de logistiques. Or, depuis la dégradation de la situation dans ce pays, l’intervention de l’armée puis le sommet de l’Elysée, les choses ont changé. La France, qui veut être épaulée par une Misca renforcée, s’est impliquée et comme par miracle, les problèmes ont été résolus, du coup les troupes burundaises devraient être sur place avant la fin de la semaine, selon l’armée burundaise.

 

Les troupes burundaises étaient prêtes depuis un bon moment, un bataillon de 850 hommes préparés dans un premier temps pour être envoyés en Somalie.

 

Mais devant l’urgence de la situation en Centrafrique, Bujumbura a accepté de déployer ces troupes dans ce pays. Restait à résoudre la question de leur acheminement à Bangui et c’est la France qui s’est chargée de demander aux Etats-Unis de donner un coup de main dans ce sens, selon un communiqué du ministère américain de la Défense. Deux avions militaires américains sont attendus à Bujumbura d’un moment à l’autre.

 

« Les militaires burundais qui ont été choisis pour participer dans la mission de maintien de paix en République centrafricaine sont prêts, l’équipe est déjà prête, affirme le porte-parole de l’armée burundaise, le colonel Gaspard Baratuza. C’est bataillon, qui se trouve à l’aéroport international de Bujumbura. D’un moment à l’autre, il peut décoller. »

 

Après plus d’une décennie de guerre civile qui a pris fin en 2006, le Burundi est en train de s’imposer dans de nombreuses missions de paix. Ce pays a déjà déployé en Somalie quelque 5 500 soldats au sein de l’Amisom en Somalie, un contingent de près de 500 hommes est prêt à être déployé au Mali et Bujumbura se dit prêt à examiner toute demande supplémentaire en faveur de la Centrafrique.

 

« Pour le moment, on a demandé un bataillon, on a préparé un bataillon. On est à la hauteur et s’il y a une demande supplémentaire, on est prêt à examiner le cas. »

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10 décembre 2013 2 10 /12 /décembre /2013 08:45
Centrafrique: les USA vont mettre à disposition des avions de transport

 

09 décembre 2013 Romandie.com (AFP)

 

WASHINGTON - Les Etats-Unis vont mettre à disposition deux appareils de transport C-17 pour convoyer des troupes africaines, notamment burundaises, en Centrafrique à la suite d'une demande d'assistance de la France, a indiqué lundi le Pentagone.

 

Cette décision a été prise après une conversation téléphonique dimanche entre le ministre français de la Défense Jean-Yves Le Drian et son homologue américain Chuck Hagel, affirme le ministère américain de la Défense dans un communiqué.

 

A court terme, la France a demandé un soutien en matière de transport aérien pour permettre aux forces africaines de se déployer rapidement pour empêcher que les violences ethniques ne continuent de s'étendre en République centrafricaine, plaide-t-il.

 

Chuck Hagel a notamment ordonné au commandement américain chargé de l'Afrique (Africom) qu'il transporte des troupes burundaises vers la Centrafrique dans le cadre de la mission de l'Union africaine en Centrafrique (Misca).

 

Quelque 850 soldats burundais doivent ainsi être transportés par deux gros porteurs C-17 dans les prochains jours, selon un responsable américain de la Défense. Nous espérons commencer d'ici 24 heures, a indiqué à l'AFP ce responsable s'exprimant sous couvert d'anonymat.

 

A ce stade, la mission dévolue aux deux avions américains concerne exclusivement le transport des troupes burundaises et de leur équipement, une tâche qui devrait être réalisée en quelques jours.

 

L'Union africaine a décidé de porter sa force en Centrafrique (Misca) à 6.000 hommes, contre 3.600 initialement prévus, a annoncé samedi la présidence française à l'issue d'un mini-sommet à Paris sur la situation dans ce pays.

 

Aucune date n'a été fixée pour le renforcement de cette force, qui ne compte actuellement que 2.500 hommes sur place, sous-équipés et mal entraînés.

 

Les Etats-Unis se joignent à la communauté internationale dans cet effort parce que nous pensons qu'une action immédiate est nécessaire pour empêcher une catastrophe humanitaire, justifie le Pentagone.

 

Washington continue de travailler à identifier des ressources supplémentaires susceptibles d'être mises à disposition de la Misca, ajoute-t-il.

 

Nous continuons de parler avec les Français et les partenaires dans la région pour voir de quelle façon nous pouvons soutenir le mieux la mission de l'Union africaine, selon ce responsable.

 

Les Etats-Unis ont déployé depuis plus d'un an une centaine de soldats des forces spéciales pour une mission d'assistance aux troupes africaines chargées de la traque de la LRA (Armée de résistance du Seigneur) et de son chef Joseph Kony. Ces troupes sont basées en Ouganda mais sont amenées à évoluer jusque dans l'Est de la Centrafrique.

 

Le Royaume-Uni a de son côté également mis à disposition un gros porteur C-17 pour convoyer des équipements français vers la Centrafrique.

 

Lors de l'intervention française au Mali en janvier dernier, le Pentagone avait mis à disposition de Paris pendant plusieurs semaines des avions de transport ainsi que des avions de ravitaillement en vol ainsi qu'un soutien en matière de renseignement.

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9 décembre 2013 1 09 /12 /décembre /2013 12:45
Sangaris: un C17 britannique contribue au renforcement logistique

9 déc. 2013  FORCESFRANCAISES

 

Embarquement à Istres de matériels à destination de l'aéroport de M'Poko, en Centrafrique. Le 6 décembre, ce C17 britannique a acheminé principalement des véhicules blindés dans le cadre du renforcement logistique.

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9 décembre 2013 1 09 /12 /décembre /2013 11:45
UK support to international response in Central African Republic

 

6 December 2013 Foreign & Commonwealth Office and Ministry of Defence

 

Foreign Secretary announces UK air transport assistance to France for Central African Republic.

 

On 5th December, with strong UK support, the United Nations Security Council adopted Resolution 2127 authorising the deployment of the African-led International Support Mission to CAR (MISCA), and the deployment of French forces to give assistance. The Mission will contribute to the protection of civilians, the restoration of public order, and the stabilisation of CAR at a critical moment.

 

Foreign Secretary William Hague said:

 

    The UN Security Council made an important decision yesterday to authorise African Union and French troops to respond to the security and humanitarian crisis in the Central African Republic.

 

    We are determined to play our part in helping to address the violence. We have therefore agreed with the Government of France that we will help move French equipment to CAR by means of a UK C-17 transport aircraft. Three separate flights will take place this month, with the first one due to land in CAR shortly.

 

    This comes on top of £10 million in UK aid announced on 30 November. Having already contributed £5 million in July, the United Kingdom is now one of the largest donors of humanitarian assistance to the people of CAR. We will continue to work alongside the International Red Cross and UN agencies to help thousands of people gain access to food, water, shelter, sanitation and healthcare to alleviate the desperate humanitarian suffering.

 

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27 novembre 2013 3 27 /11 /novembre /2013 13:35
Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III at Canberra Airport

Royal Australian Air Force Boeing C-17A Globemaster III at Canberra Airport

 

BRISBANE, Australia, Nov. 26 (UPI)

 

Boeing Co. has delivered a full-scale C-17 Globemaster III cargo compartment trainer to the Royal Australian Air Force, the company said.

 

The trainer is a fully functional replica of a C-17 fuselage that can simulate day/night operating conditions for loadmasters, as well as aeromedical evacuation training for aeromedical specialists.

 

"The C-17 program has delivered a substantial capability to Australia; this CCT represents the final component of that program," said RAAF Group Capt. Warren Bishop. "It will add significant value to the RAAF, providing the capability to train pilots and loadmasters in Australia."

 

The cargo compartment trainer will be used at an RAAF facility in Amberley, where loading vehicles, simulated cargo and other training assets are located.

 

The Royal Australian Air Force operates six C-17s for military transport missions and disaster relief operations.

 

Boeing said the operational cargo compartment trainer delivered to Australia is the third it has produced. Two others are being used at a U.S Air Force base in Oklahoma.

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23 septembre 2013 1 23 /09 /septembre /2013 07:20
C-17 Swap Could Extend Production

Boeing has announced it will shutter its production line for C-17 transports in 2015, but a plan to swap aircraft and sell refurbished planes overseas could keep the assembly line humming. (US Air Force)

 

Sep. 22, 2013 - by MARCUS WEISGERBER  - Defense News

 

WASHINGTON — Unless Boeing can sell a few more C-17 transports to international customers or strike a novel deal with the US Air Force to swap old planes for new ones, the company will end production of the giant cargo plane in 2015 after a more than 20-year run.

 

Trading old C-17s for new ones — akin to what the service does with its Lockheed Martin C-130Js — could extend the line several years, sources and analysts said. Rather than retiring the aircraft, like the Air Force does with its older C-130s, the service could return its early C-17s to Boeing, which would refurbish them for sale on the international market.

 

It is unclear in the current fiscal environment as global defense spending shrinks if a trade-out concept is even tenable. Over the past two decades, Boeing has successfully extended C-17 production six years, but this time the Pentagon is facing another $52 billion cut to its upcoming budget.

 

The oldest Air Force C-17s, many of which reside in the Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve, were built in the early 1990s and have logged thousands of flight hours.

 

Boeing on Sept. 18 said it would close the C-17 final assembly plant in Long Beach, Calif., in 2015, after completing 22 aircraft for international customers.

 

The company will begin reducing its workforce in 2014. In all, 3,000 people at facilities in California, Arizona, Missouri and Georgia work on the C-17. When the supply chain is factored in, about 20,000 people support the C-17 program.

 

Of the 22 aircraft still to be built, 13 are not on “firm order,” said Nan Bouchard, Boeing’s C-17 program manager.

 

“We expect those [13] to go to a mix of new and existing customers,” she said.

 

Six nations in addition to the US Air Force fly the C-17: Canada, Australia, the UK, Qatar, India and United Arab Emirates. A consortium of 12 countries — 10 NATO members and two partner nations — also jointly operate three aircraft.

 

But international orders have come mostly in small quantities.

 

“There’s a lot of interest out there, but timing of the orders just didn’t line up for us,” Bouchard said. “We’ve been protecting the production line with long-lead funding.”

 

The C-17 is the only wide-body military transport in production in the US. Lockheed builds the smaller C-130J in Marietta, Ga., and is also upgrading the mammoth C-5 Galaxy transport.

 

“We’re kind of in uncharted territory here, because there had never been an export market for a plane of this class before the C-17,” said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Virginia-based Teal Group consultancy. “It’s a clever idea, but unlikely to be successful. They’ve managed to pull off a miracle by stretching production with international orders this far. But what can they do when the only customers they do have aren’t coming through in time, like Saudi Arabia? Remember, the other 13 planes are being built on spec.”

 

The company said it would produce an additional 13 planes that have not yet been sold before shuttering the production line. Aboulafia said he believes those planes could end up with India, South Korea and Saudi Arabia. India has already purchased a previous order of C-17s; the latter two countries have been named for some time as potential buyers.

 

It is always possible that the existing user pool could see this as last call and tack on extra orders before the line closes. Countries such as the UAE, Kuwait and potentially Qatar could make that move, Aboulafia said. Another potential participant could be Japan, whose domestic C-2 program has developed slowly.

 

Whether this opens up market opportunities for the Airbus A400M, seen as the C-17s largest competitor, is unclear.

 

“The problem with the A400M is we just don’t know what the price is going to be,” Aboulafia said. “There will be some kind of export market, but it’s not clear if it’s the same as the C-17s. This isn’t a question of price point, but politics and whether you can afford the capability at all. Consider that there haven’t been any new A400M sales outside the consortium that developed the plane, other than Malaysia.

 

“What Boeing needs now is time. Time to see if the Saudis come through. Time to see what happens to Japan’s indigenous cargo plane program, the C-2. Time for the US to realize it’s throwing away a valuable industrial capability it will miss in five years.”

 

If the Air Force swapped out its older aircraft, it could likely acquire the new ones at a deep discount from the airlifter’s $225 million sticker price, sources said.

 

The new aircraft would also include more modern features not installed on the older C-17s. The older aircraft must go through a separate overhaul process to receive these upgrades. Boeing holds an Air Force support contract and upgrades the aircraft in San Antonio. That contract runs through 2017 and has options through 2021.

 

The aircraft is expected to continue flying in the US and abroad for “many decades to come,” Bouchard said.

 

Boeing believes its modernization and sustainment programs will help the company retain the intellectual know-how to compete for future military transport projects in the 2020s, Bouchard said. She said the company is not planning a lobbying effort to keep the production line open.

 

If the Air Force traded in its older aircraft, it raises the prospect of international sales. Boeing could sell the aircraft on the international market at a lower price and more directly competing with the Airbus Military A400M.

 

A C-17 is powered by four Pratt & Whitney jet engines, while the A400M is powered by four Europrop turboprop engines.

 

While the Air Force is said to find the deal attractive, federal US budget cuts will likely prevent the service — which has a host of higher acquisition priorities, namely the Boeing KC-46A tanker, the Lockheed F-35 joint strike fighter and a new long-range bomber — from signing on to the plan. That means Congress would need to legislate the move, which seems unlikely in in the current budget climate.

 

Several members of California’s House delegation signaled that, in the sequestration era, Congress is unlikely to reverse the Air Force’s decision.

 

House Armed Services Committee Chairman Howard “Buck” McKeon, R-Calif., said he has not studied the issue in any depth.

 

But he did sarcastically utter a telling quip when asked about the Air Force plan to end C-17 manufacturing: “You mean keep all production lines open forever?”

 

And California Democratic Rep. John Garamendi — also a member of the Armed Services Committee — said he supports the service's plans.

 

“The Air Force has completed its purchases of C-17,” he said during an interview.

 

Asked if he believes the US has enough Globemasters, Garamendi replied: “Yes. Unless you’ve found another several billions dollars lying around some place.”

 

Boeing in 2006 began taking measures to close the C-17 production line in 2009, but Congress added dozens of Air Force aircraft and numerous international orders were also placed.

 

John T. Bennett and Aaron Mehta contributed to this report.

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23 septembre 2013 1 23 /09 /septembre /2013 07:20
A C-17 Globemaster III takes off from Balad Air Base, Iraq as a U.S. Air Force MQ-1L Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) waits to be launched

A C-17 Globemaster III takes off from Balad Air Base, Iraq as a U.S. Air Force MQ-1L Predator Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) waits to be launched

September 22, 2013. David Pugliese - Defence Watch

 

Air Force Times recently reported on an interesting strategy the Air Force Special Operations Command is embarking on. The command has taken its rapid-deploy strategy to Predator UAVs.

 

Air Force Times reports that special operators have recently tested their ability to load two MQ-1 Predators onto a C-17, deploy and set up at an expeditionary base within four hours of landing, said Brig. Gen. Buck Elton, the director of plans, programs, requirements and assessments for Air Force Special Operations Command.

 

“We are able to rapidly deploy [intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance] capability to an area that didn’t have the pipes and infrastructure that could support what we wanted to do,” Elton said.

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20 septembre 2013 5 20 /09 /septembre /2013 11:20
Boeing arrêtera la production du C-17 en 2015

19.09.2013 Emilie Drab.journal-aviation.com

 

« C’était une décision très difficile mais nécessaire que d’arrêter la production du C-17 », a déclaré Dennis Muilenburg, président et CEO de la division Defense, Space & Security de Boeing. L’avionneur a en effet annoncé le 18 septembre la fermeture de la ligne d’assemblage du C-17 Globemaster III pour 2015.

 

Le dernier C-17 destiné aux Etats-Unis a été remis à l’US Air Force le 12 septembre. Il reste désormais 22 de ces avions militaires de transport à produire.

 

Dennis Muilenburg a expliqué qu'en raison des coupes budgétaires nécessaires chez les pays clients de l’appareil, d’éventuelles commandes ne pourraient pas être passées suffisamment tôt pour maintenir la ligne d’assemblage de Long Beach (Californie) opérationnelle.

 

Actuellement, 3 000 personnes travaillent sur les quatre sites dédiés au programme (Long Beach, Macon en Géorgie, Mesa en Arizona et St Louis dans le Missouri). Les suppressions de postes débuteront dès 2014 et se poursuivront jusqu’à la fin de la production. Son arrêt aura également un impact sur 650 fournisseurs du programme.

 

Développé par McDonnell Douglas, le C-17 a effectué son premier vol en septembre 1991. Depuis, la flotte mondiale a cumulé plus de 2,6 millions d’heures de vol dans des missions diverses : transport de troupes et de matériel, largage d’aide humanitaire, missions médicales… Elle compte 257 appareils, dont 223 aux Etats-Unis. Les autres se trouvent au service de l’Australie, du Canada, de l’Inde, du Qatar, des Emirats Arabes Unis, du Royaume-Unis et de l’OTAN.

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19 septembre 2013 4 19 /09 /septembre /2013 07:20
Boeing To End C-17 Production In 2015

A C-17 Globemaster III ascends over Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Wash., in July as Mount Rainier towers in the distance. Boeing announced it would end production of its C-17 in 2015. (Tech. Sgt. Sean Tobin / US Air Force)

 

Sep. 18, 2013 – Defense news

 

NEW YORK — Boeing announced Wednesday it would end production of its C-17 military transport aircraft in 2015, citing a difficult environment amid government spending cuts.

 

Boeing said it would close the C-17 final assembly plant in Long Beach, Calif., in 2015, after completing the 22 aircraft remaining to be built.

 

Nearly 3,000 employees will lose their jobs, including those at the Long Beach plant and in three other states: Arizona, Georgia and Missouri.

 

The workforce reductions will begin in early 2014 and continue through the shutdown, the Chicago-based company said in a statement.

 

“Ending C-17 production was a very difficult but necessary decision,” said Dennis Muilenburg, president and chief executive of Boeing Defense, Space & Security.

 

“Our customers around the world face very tough budget environments. While the desire for the C-17’s capabilities is high, budgets cannot support additional purchases in the timing required to keep the production line open,” he said.

 

Muilenburg noted that severe US government spending cuts, known as sequestration, had created significant planning difficulties for Boeing’s customers and the entire aerospace industry.

 

“Such uncertainty forces difficult decisions like this C-17 line closure,” he added.

 

The end of the Boeing airlifter program was expected to have a ripple effect on jobs throughout most of the country, a further blow to the lackluster economy where the unemployment rate is 7.3 percent and job growth is weak.

 

Boeing said the C-17 industrial team includes more than 650 suppliers in 44 states and, including Boeing, supports 20,000 jobs.

 

The C-17’s main rival is the A400M, made by European aircraft maker Airbus.

 

Boeing said it planned to take a charge of less than $100 million in the current quarter for the closure, but noted the decision would not affect its financial forecast for the year.

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