Military aviation news - November 2006
US F-16 crashes in Iraq with one pilot onboard
FALLUJA, Iraq (Reuters): A US F-16 warplane crashed northwest of Baghdad on Monday with one pilot on board, the U.S. military said.
A spokeswoman said she had no information on the fate of the pilot or the cause of the crash.
Residents in the Falluja area, in Iraq's western province of Anbar, reported seeing a plane crash and said the crash site had been surrounded by U.S. troops.
"A United States Air Force F-16CG engaged in support of coalition ground combat operations crashed approximately 20 miles northwest of Baghdad today at about 1:35 p.m. Baghdad time (10:35 a.m. British time) with one pilot on board," a U.S. statement said.
"A board will be convened to investigate the incident."
Posted: Tue, Nov 28, 2006 16:26 (CET)
China intends to buy Russia's Su-33 fighters
China intends to purchase Su-33 Naval Flanker ship-borne fighters from Russia, but negotiations on this issue are still at the preliminary stage, a government official said Wednesday at China's largest air show.
Alexander Denisov, a high-ranking military and technical official, is heading Russia's delegation at Airshow China 2006.
The huge five-day exhibition which began Tuesday at Zhuhai, near Hong Kong, has attracted aircraft makers from 18 countries, seeking lucrative contracts on the booming Chinese market.
Denisov said, "Each party has the right to purchase what it needs to protect its national interests, and the Chinese side intends to buy Su-33 aircraft; but negotiations are still at the preliminary stage." "Russia is ready to supply all armaments and hardware its enterprises are developing, and will hold negotiations, if the Chinese side expresses such a wish," Denisov said.
However, the official denied media reports claiming that Russia has sold, or intends to sell, Su-27 Flanker fighters to Taiwan.
Alexander Denisov said Russia is ready to help China design an aircraft carrier if asked.
"Such a request would not contradict any international agreements or rules. Such cooperation is possible," he said.
Chinese media have previously discussed building an aircraft carrier, claiming that China could use the former Soviet carrier Varyag, which was sold to China in the late 1990s, as a basis to design its own model.
However, China's military have repeatedly denied the country's plans to build an aircraft carrier.
Source: RIA Novesti
