The Air Force has awarded Raytheon a $42 million contract for additional AN/AAQ-29A forward-looking infrared imaging systems for its fleet of HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters. This order of FLIRs, which are smaller and lighter than the AN/AAQ-16 systems they will replace, is slated for delivery by February 2013, according to company officials. The AAQ-29s will support a variety of helicopter missions, including low-level navigation and surveillance.”These new systems will give our customers the additional capabilities they need to complete critical combat search and rescue missions,” said Tim Carey, Raytheon’s vice president of intelligence-surveillance-reconnaissance systems. (Raytheon release)
The crash of a T-38 trainer jet this May—which caused a weekslong pause in flights across the fleet—was caused by an improperly installed pin for one of the jet’s horizontal stabilizers, according to a new accident report released Oct. 30. When the pin disengaged midflight, it created the slightest amount…