Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30&nbsp;years. He is a British citizen and a graduate of the University of Cambridge. Chris worked in the air cargo business for ten years before becoming a full-time writer in 1983. He subsequently edited two air cargo journals before becoming AIN’s Defense Editor. He retired from that position in 2018, but still contributes to the publication. Chris has written extensively on aerial reconnaissance, including four books on the history of the U-2 spyplane. He also lectures on this and other topics related to intelligence-gathering in the Cold War.

Defense Correspondent

Chris Pocock

The intense debate over the U.S. Air Force’s choice of a new tanker continues. Boeing claimed that the KC-767 was found to be “more survivable” than the Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) in the USAF evaluation. Northrop Grumman launched a new Web site to refute various allegations about its A330MRTT bid and ask why Boeing did not raise concerns about the selection process earlier. The National Aeronautic Association (NAA) is devoting its next three monthly luncheons in Washington, D.C., to the topic, providing a platform for Northrop Grumman, then Boeing and finally the USAF.
Meanwhile, pending the U.S. Government Accountability Office’s verdict on Boeing’s protest, Airbus has stopped work on the first KC-45 development aircraft. This aircraft was built speculatively and made its first flight at Airbus’ Toulouse, France facility six months before the USAF selected the KC-45. It is now parked at Dresden, Germany, where EADS-EFW was scheduled to fit the large cargo door. From there, it was due to fly to Getafe, Spain, where the refueling system would be added. 
However, Airbus has made progress with another A330MRTT customer this month. The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) finally signed a service contract with the AirTanker consortium led by Airbus parent EADS, which will supply 14 A330s to meet the Future Strategic Tanker Aircraft (FSTA) requirement. This complicated private-finance deal has taken years to negotiate, and was held up recently by the credit crunch, which narrowed AirTanker’s options for funding the aircraft. They will be delivered between 2011 and 2016. 
AirTanker will lease five of the 14 to commercial airlines and press them into service with the Royal Air Force (RAF) only in an emergency. In 2004, the MoD rejected a rival bid for FSTA from a consortium that included Boeing. A senior RAF officer told AIN that the RAF prefers the A330 to the 767 because of age and size considerations. “It was cheaper to meet the RAF’s requirement with a smaller number of bigger aircraft,” he said.

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

War of Words over KC-X Continues; UK Seals Deal for Airbus Tankers

The intense debate over the U.S.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Hanneke Weitering

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

News and information about crew, passenger, aircraft and airport security issues.

Essential news and analysis on the defense aerospace business. Your trusted source for new and ongoing programs and requirements in military aircraft (manned and unmanned), engines, avionics, weapons and associated systems, including ground-based air defense.

Rapcon-X is a heavily modified Bombardier Global 6500 business jet

Sierra Nevada’s Rapcon-X ISR Jet Makes First Flight

Charles Alcock

News about bills, laws, regulations and other governmental decisions affecting aviation and aerospace. Topics include FAA re-authorizations, taxes on fuel and aviation activities, environmental legislation, ICAO decisions, governmental mediation of labor conflicts and World Trade Organization disputes and decisions.

Ultra short landing and takeoff performance could support military applications

Electra's Hybrid-Electric STOL Demonstrator Flies in Pentagon Exercise

Curt Epstein

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

To date, 300 of the large-cabin jet family have been delivered

Gulfstream Notches G600/G500 Delivery Milestone

The turboprop twin is the first of a two-ship order

Textron Aviation Delivers Aeromed King Air 360CHW

Kerry Lynch

News and issues relating to international air transport and cargo carriers, national airlines and regional airlines, including aircraft, engines, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security and training.

Digital platform to make supply chain processes more transparent and collaborative

Embraer Rolls Out ONEChain To Improve Supply Chain Ops

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

More In Aircraft

Sierra Nevada’s Rapcon-X ISR Jet Makes First Flight

Rapcon-X is a heavily modified Bombardier Global 6500 business jet

Electra's Hybrid-Electric STOL Demonstrator Flies in Pentagon Exercise

Ultra short landing and takeoff performance could support military applications

Gulfstream Notches G600/G500 Delivery Milestone

To date, 300 of the large-cabin jet family have been delivered

Textron Aviation Delivers Aeromed King Air 360CHW

The turboprop twin is the first of a two-ship order

Embraer Rolls Out ONEChain To Improve Supply Chain Ops

Digital platform to make supply chain processes more transparent and collaborative

Heart Selects New York Site For ES-30 Regional Airliner Flight Testing

Technology demonstrator will be brought across the Atlantic from Sweden in early 2025

First Global 6500 Delivered for U.S. Army HADES Program

Endurance up to 18 hours makes the Bombardier jet an ideal ISR platform

Gulfstream G700 Heads to MEBAA Show with Cert in Hand

Long-range business jet has accumulated 65 city-pair records

AIN Products

SUBSCRIPTIONS

RESOURCES

ABOUT AIN