United States Deploy F-22 Raptor to Europe

The United States deploy F-22 fighter jets to Europe as part of a broader effort to support eastern European members of the NATO alliance unnerved by Russia's intervention in Ukraine, Air Force Secretary Deborah James said on Monday.

Four US Air Force F-22 Raptors touched down in Germany on Friday, marking the start of the fighter jet’s first-ever training deployment to Europe.

Four F-22s and 60 airmen from the 95th Fighter Squadron arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, on Friday, according to an Aug. 28 statement. One C-17 Globemaster III from the 60th Airlift Wing touched down along with the jets.

The aircraft and airmen will train with allied and US forces through mid-September, according to the statement.

“This inaugural Raptor training deployment is the perfect opportunity for these advanced aircraft to train alongside other U.S. Air Force aircraft, joint partners, and NATO allies,” Gen. Frank Gorenc, US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa commander, said in the statement.

The training is designed to prove that fifth-generation fighter jets can successfully deploy to European bases and other NATO installations, as well as familiarize pilots with the regional theater. The deployment also will give the US planes a chance to conduct combat air training with different US and European jets, such as the Eurofighter Typhoon.

“It’s important we test our infrastructure, aircraft capabilities, and the talented airmen and allies who will host 5th generation aircraft in Europe,” Gorenc said. “This deployment advances our airpower evolution and demonstrates our resolve and commitment to European safety and security.”

The Air Force announced Monday that the service would send F-22s to Europe for the first time, just weeks after top Pentagon brass began openly calling Russia the greatest threat to the United States. The deployment is part of the European Reassurance Initiative, a Pentagon effort to soothe anxiety among European allies in the face of increased Russian aggression.

Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James made clear during an Aug. 24 press conference at the Pentagon that the Raptor’s “inaugural” deployment to Europe was designed to send a signal to Russia.

"Rotational forces and training exercises help us maintain our strong and balanced approach, and we will certainly be continuing those in the future," she said. "For the Air Force, an F-22 deployment is certainly on the strong side of the coin."

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Textron AirLand Scorpion - The Scorpion ISR / Strike Aircraft

The development of the Scorpion aircraft was commenced in January 2012, with the objective of producing the most economical jet-powered light attack aircraft in the world. The first prototype was unveiled during the Air Force Association Air & Space Conference and Technology Exposition in September 2013. The first flight was conducted at the McConnell Air Force Base in Kansas in December 2013.

The Scorpion Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) / Strike aircraft is being developed by Textron AirLand, a joint venture between Textron and AirLand Enterprises.

The aircraft is capable of performing air defence, irregular warfare, border patrol, maritime security, disaster relief and counter-drug missions.

The Scorpion aircraft features an all-composite airframe and structure powered by twin turbofan engines. Its fuselage integrates a tandem cockpit, retractable sensor package, internal payload bay and external mounts for precision and non-precision munitions. The corrosion-resistant airframe offers 20,000 hours of service life.

The aircraft is designed to integrate globally-available commercial components for reducing the total cost of ownership. The modular architecture of the aircraft allows for future integration of various sensors and weapon systems with reduced integration costs.

The internal payload bay is designed to deliver critical operational flexibility, by quickly accepting new payloads for different operational requirements. It can house various modules of sensors, fuel and communications in desirable combination to achieve high performance during a wide range of missions.

The Scorpion has a length of 13.25m, wing span of 14.42m and height of 4.26m. The standard weight of the aircraft is 5,352kg. The internal payload bay can accommodate a weight of 1,360kg, while the aircraft can carry a maximum payload of 4,286kg.

Engines and performance of Textron AirLand's aircraft

The Scorpion is powered by two Honeywell TFE731-40AR-3S turbofan engines, each developing a thrust of approximately 4,000lbf (18kN).

The engines are controlled by a digital electronic engine control system. The electrical and hydraulic systems are powered by the accessories mounted above the engine gearbox. The aircraft has the capacity to carry a fuel load of 2,721kg. The engines burn Jet-A, JP-5 and JP-8 jet fuels. The aircraft can fly at a maximum speed of 450KTAS. The certified service ceiling is 45,000ft. The aircraft will have a ferry range of 2,400nmi. It will be able to remain on-station for more than five hours.

Weapon Systems, Sensors and Radars on the Scorpion Aircraft

The Scorpion ISR / Strike aircraft can be armed with a range of scaled munitions for indulgent military and homeland security environments. The aircraft can carry an array of weapons systems on its external hard points under the wings. Three under-wing hard points on either side of the fuselage can hold precision guided munitions (PGMs) and general purpose munitions.

The Scorpion can be integrated with a variety of sensors, electro-optical / infrared devices and communication packages to perform various missions.

The aircraft will be offered with dedicated mission sensor systems, for conducting boarder security, maritime patrol, irregular warfare support, law enforcement, counter narcotics and humanitarian assistance / disaster response missions.

Scorpion Strike / ISR Aircraft Cockpit and Avionics

The Scorpion aircraft accommodates two pilots in tandem layout. The two cockpits are equipped with advanced multifunction colour displays, providing the details of flight characteristics, aircraft operation, navigation and armament data.

The avionics suite integrates inherent Flight Management System (FMS), Class-B Terrain Awareness and Warning System (TAWS), engine indication and crew alerting system (EICAS), dual Air Data, Attitude and Heading Reference Systems (ADAHRS), dual GPS/Satellite Based Augmentation Systems (SBAS) and integrated moving maps. The nigh-vision compatible cockpit also offers instrumentation for weather radar control, display of external video and digital flight data recording.

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Russian Fighter Aircraft Can Easily Defeats The New US F-35's

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, described by US media as “a pure gold plane” for its exorbitant price tag, would find itself helpless in a dogfight with Russia’s fourth-generation Su-27 and MiG-29 jets, Pierre Sprey said.

“The Su-27 and even the MiG-29 have bigger wing space, more powerful engines and carry more air-to-air and air-to-ground weapons… That’s why the F-35 will be totally helpless against both because when you confront a plane, which is more maneuverable, accelerates faster and is better armed then you are in trouble,” he added.

Few people are as qualified to speak about fighter aircraft as Pierre Sprey. He is the co-designer of the F-16 Falcon jet and the A-10 Warthog tank buster, two of the most successful aircraft in the US Air Force.

“The F-35 is so bad it is absolutely hopeless when pitted against modern aircraft. In fact, it would be ripped to shreds even by the antiquated MiG-21,” Sprey told RT, commenting on a recent expert report, which dismissed the F-35 project as a total failure.

 According to a report released by the National Security Network, the DOD plans to purchase and operate nearly 2, 500 aircrafts costing US around $1.4 trillion.

In light of that, analyst Bill French wrote a report titled “Thunder without lightning: high cost and limited benefit development program of F-35,” reviewing the new aircraft.

The document states that according to the technical parameters the F-35 is “losing to the fourth-generation fighter MiG-29 and Su-27, developed by the Russian Air Force and used around the world.”

The Soviet MiG-29 and Su-27 fighter aircraft are superior in technical performance than the new US fighter aircraft F-35. The conclusion was reached by the American analyst Bill French, working for a non-profit organization National Security Network.“The F-35 is significantly inferior to the Russian Su-27 and MiG-29 in regard to wing loading (exception — F35C), acceleration and thrust-weight ratio (the ratio of thrust to weight of the aircraft),” said the analyst.

Besides, all of the F-35s have significantly lower maximum speed as compared to the Soviet Union aircrafts. Mr. French also deliberated that in a simulation of air combat, the results draw even “grimmer picture.”

According to him, in 2009 the analysts of US Air Force Intelligence and the Lockheed Martin Company, which developed the new American fighter, noted that despite the superiority of the F-35 in regard to stealth technology and avionics, if compared to the Su-27 and MiG —29 the loss ratio is to be expected 3: 1. That is, for each destroyed Su-27 or MiG-29 there would be three F-35 destroyed. Also, in a real educational dogfight, a veteran in a US Air Force F-16 easily won over the F-35.

The latter clearly did not have enough maneuverability — the aircraft never managed to take a position for launching missiles or firing a gun, while the F-16 managed to catch opponent in sight at least 10 times.

Earlier the problems associated with the F-35 were also noticed in Australia. News.com.au compared the F- 35 to the latest fifth-generation T-50 fighter. The portal noted, judging by the videos, the Russian aircraft significantly exceeds US maneuverability.

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Lockheed Martin Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod

The Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) is the targeting system of choice for both the U.S. Air Force and Air National Guard and recently became an even more valuable bit of kit when it successfully demonstrated its compatibility with the launch of a Maverick missile from an adjacent A-10C wing pylon. Combat proven on the F-15E and F-16, Sniper’s advanced targeting technology and features are changing the way the armed forces operate in theatre by providing new capabilities in non-traditional intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR). The Sniper is understandably very sensitive – in order to do its job, it contains a high-resolution, mid wave 3rd generation forward looking infrared (FLIR), a dual-mode laser and a CCD-TV along with a laser spot tracker and a laser marker. The advanced image processing algorithms, combined with rock steady stabilization techniques, provide cutting-edge performance but there are obvious issues in firing the rockets it does the precision strike mission targeting for when they are just a few inches away. The ability to fire missiles so close to the Sniper ATP uniquely qualifies Sniper for this weapon configuration, doubling the previous A-10C Maverick loadout capabilities.

The Sniper is an electro-optical and infrared imaging targeting system that comes encased in a lightweight pod compatible with the latest precision-guided weapons. The pod is affixed to the bottom of aircraft for detecting moving and fixed targets during air-to-air and air-to-ground engagements.

Lockheed Martin Missiles and Fire Control's Sniper XR (eXtended Range) is the US Air Force's AN/AAQ-X Advanced Targeting Pod. Incorporating a 3rd generation targeting FLIR, Sniper XR's common aperture and exceptional stabilization result in superior image quality. Flown supersonically in USAF flight evaluations at Edwards AFB, Sniper XR allows pilots to identify tactical targets at greatly improved standoff ranges over current targeting systems. The modular, two-level maintenance design ensures the lowest life cycle costs.

The ATP pod should have a geopointing capability 10 times more accurate than the LANTIRN with triple the recognition range and twice the resolution. The ATP can acquire targets at altitudes of up to 50,000 feet, versus the 25,000 feet typical of the LANTIRN pod. Substantial advances in the reliability and maintainability should also occur. The ATP features both laser target designation, and the ability to generate ground target position data that can provide an input to Global Positioning System guided munitions, such as JDAM.

Sniper XR is designed for current and future fighter aircraft. Incorporating a high-resolution, mid-wave 3rd generation FLIR, a dual-mode laser and a CCD-TV along with a laser spot tracker and a laser marker, Sniper vastly improves target detection/identification. The advanced image processing algorithms, combined with rock-steady stabilization techniques, deliver three times the performance of the best systems in service today. Fully compatible with the latest standoff weaponry, Sniper provides automatic tracking and laser designation of tactical size targets via real-time imagery presented on cockpit displays. Likewise, the supersonic, low-observable design results in a substantial reduction in drag and weight.

Fully capable of being embedded or podded, Sniper technology is incorporated into Lockheed Martin's Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) design. The JSF Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) is highly common with Sniper.

The Advanced Targeting Pod Program is an acquisition program to put targeting pods on the US F-16CJ Block 50 aircraft and also serve as a possible replacement for the LANTIRN target pods on F-15Es and F-16 Block 40 aircraft if approved and funding becomes available. The HTS R7 / TGP combination provides potential to find, pinpoint, and destroy mobile SAMs, giving the F-16CJs a true multi-role capability to support EAF operations. The program objective was to provide a Precision Attack Targeting System for the USAF F-16CJ, ANG F-16, and F-15E aircraft, (with an A-10 MSIP & F-16 Block 40 M4 objective). For the F-15E portion, offerors were required to identify the tasks and activities necessary to qualify the pod on the F-15E. The A-10 was the other objective aircraft, though initially an initiative had not been undertaken to include ATP on the A-10. ATP would enhance and maintain the USAF strike mission lethality with an advanced targeting pod system enabling Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (DEAD) missions.

The overall purpose of the Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) Program is to Competitively Acquire a Best Estimated Quantity (BEQ) of 168 targeting pods, support equipment, interim contractor support, contractor logistics support, retrofit kits and data over a seven year period. The initial acquisition supported USAF F-16 Block 50/52 and ANG F-16 Block 25/30/32 aircraft. This acquisition was required for ACC and the ANG to accomplish the Destruction of Enemy Air Defenses (DEAD) mission (as directed by CSAF Direction.) Although categorized as an ACAT Level III program, a potential existed that the program could proceed to ACAT Level II -- for the ORD also stated an objective requirement to replace the LANTIRN targeting pod on the F-15E and F-16 Block 40 aircraft.

The Terminator ATP, proposed by Raytheon for use on the U.S. Air Force F-16, contains third generation mid-wave infrared targeting and navigation FLIRs, an electro-optical sensor, a laser rangefinder and target designator, and a laser spot tracker. The ATP prototype was flight tested on F-16 and F-15E aircraft with impressive results: verified superior long-range standoff FLIR target detection, recognition, identification, and tracking. The proven accuracy of its long-range laser-to-FLIR continuous auto-boresight alignment ensures first-pass kill and a higher probability of catastrophic kill. The Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28 LITENING was also competing for the SAF Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) program.

The award of a single contract was anticipated 15 July 2001. The contract would be structured to provide for seven years of ATP requirements. The contract type anticipated was Fixed Price, Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity, with a Best Estimated Quantity of 168 pods. Total potential quantity was approximately 505 pods. The planned requirements included the advanced targeting pod, required support equipment, pod refurbishment and retrofit kits, aircraft pylons, interim contractor support, contractor logistics support, test support and shipping containers. The ATP would be acquired as a Non Developmental Item (NDI). The requirements also included an availability warranty. The ATP would be acquired through the use of full and open competition.

Delivery Order 1 was intended to cover FY 01 activities. These activities included preparation time for the F-16 Block 30 SIL test; but, SIL testing wasn't scheduled to begin until October 2001 - FY 02. The government intended to place CLIN 0008 on contract with the following year's (FY02) delivery order. This next delivery order covered the period of intense QT&E and QOT&E activity; so, ICS was needed on this particular delivery order to support the testing activities.

The February 2001 Final Report of the Defense Science Board (DSB) Task Force on Options for Acquisition of the Advanced Targeting Pod and Advanced Targeting FLIR Pod (ATP/ATFLIR) recommended that the Department continues with both the Navy's ATFLIR program and the Air Force ATP program as then planned since it offered the most expeditious and cost-effective option to fielding a much needed capability. A redesign of the Navy version to accommodate Air Force needs for an in-pod cooling system may result in a pod that is too large for F-18 carrier operations.

On 20 August 2001 the US Air Force announced Lockheed Martin's Sniper XR (eXtended Range) system as the winner of its Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) competition. This 7-year contract with potential value in excess of $843 million marked the first deployment of 3rd generation targeting pods for the U.S. Air Force. The contract provided for up to 522 pods and associated equipment, spares, and support of the F-16 aircraft for both the Air Force and Air National Guard. Sniper XR pods will initially equip the U.S. Air Force's F-16CJ Block 50 aircraft and the Air National Guard's F-16 Block 30 aircraft. Follow-on acquisitions were destined for the F-16 Block 40 and F-15E fleets, as well as many interested international customers, bringing product potential to several billion dollars. The scheduled contract delivery date was January 2003.

Sniper pods provide improved long-range target detection/identification and continuous stabilized surveillance for all missions, including close air support of ground forces. The Sniper pod enables aircrews to detect and identify weapon caches and individuals carrying armaments, all outside jet noise ranges. Superior imagery, a video datalink and J-series-weapons-quality coordinates provided by the Sniper pod enable rapid target decisions and keep aircrews out of threat ranges.

High resolution imagery for non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (NTISR) enables the Sniper pod to play a major role in Air Force operations in theater, providing top cover for ground forces, as well as increasing the safety of civilian populations.

The Sniper pod is combat proven on U.S. Air Force and international F-15E, F-16 (all blocks), B-1, A-10C, Harrier GR7/9 and CF-18 aircraft. Lockheed Martin is also in the final stages of integrating the Sniper pod on the B-52. The pod's plug-and-play capability facilitates moving the pod across platforms without changing software.

Sniper pods include a high definition mid-wave forward looking infrared (FLIR), dual-mode laser, HDTV, laser spot tracker, laser marker, video data link, and a digital data recorder. Advanced image processing algorithms, combined with rock steady stabilization techniques, provide cutting-edge performance. The pod features automatic tracking and laser designation of tactical size targets via real-time imagery presented on cockpit displays. The Sniper pod is fully compatible with the latest J-series munitions for precision weapons delivery against multiple moving and fixed targets.

Advanced Targeting Pod - Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) design upgrades include enhanced sensors, advanced processors, and automated NTISR modes.

The Sniper pod's architecture and modular design permits true two-level maintenance, eliminating costly intermediate-level support. Automated built-in test permits flightline maintainers to isolate and replace an LRU in under 20 minutes. Spares are ordered through a user-friendly website offering in-transit visibility to parts shipment. The Sniper pod's modular design also offers an affordable road map for modernizing and enhancing precision targeting capabilities for U.S. Air Force and coalition partner aircraft.

Sniper was competitively selected to be the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Targeting Pod in August 2001. The contract provided for pods and associated equipment, spares, and support of the F-16 and F-15E aircraft for the total force, active-duty Air Force and Air National Guard. The Sniper pod first deployed overseas on F-15E aircraft in January 2005.

The Sniper pod was originally required for use on U.S. Air Force F-16, F-15E, and A-10 aircraft. It deployed on the F-16 in 2006, on the B-1 in 2008 in response to an urgent operational need, and on the A-10C in 2010. It has also been integrated on the B-52.

On Sept. 30, 2010, Lockheed Martin received the 60-percent majority contract to continue providing Sniper pods in support of the U.S. Air Force's Advanced Targeting Pod - Sensor Enhancement program.

The Sniper Performance Based Logistics (PBL) program provides critical sustainment support to the United States Air Force (USAF) and Air National Guard (ANG) for its fleet of 358 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods [as of 2014] operating on the A-10, F-15E, F-l6 Block 30-50, B-1, and B-52 aircraft at combat, operational, and training locations around the world. The Sniper PBL program is built on a governrnent-industry partnership managing and staffing the organic depot at Robins Air Force Base. The team includes personnel from Common Avionics within the Agile Combat Support Directorate, Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex (WR-ALC), and Lockheed Martin (LM).

Lockheed Martin won a sole-source contract worth nearly half a billion dollars to supply the US Air Force with precision weapons targeting pods, according to a statement issued 27 March 2015 by the US Department of Defense (DoD). “Lockheed Martin … has been awarded a $485,000,000 firm fixed price with minimal cost-plus-fixed-fee, indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract. Contractor [Lockheed] will provide multiple Sniper advanced targeting pods,” the statement said.

The building of the Sniper pods will be performed at a Lockheed Martin facility in Orlando, Florida. Development is expected to be completed by March, 2018. Lockheed also won an $8.9 million contract to provide ten Sniper targeting pods to the Royal Jordanian Air Force by the end of 2016, according to the DoD.

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Rockwell Collins F-35 Gen III Helmet Mounted Display System

Developed and built by the Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems LLC joint venture that includes Elbit Systems of America (formerly known as Vision Systems International LLC), the Gen 3 helmet features an improved night-vision camera, improved liquid-crystal displays, automated alignment, and software improvements is to be introduced to the fleet in low-rate initial production Lot 7 in 2016.

The HMDS, which was handed over during a ceremony at the company's Cedar Rapids headquarters in Iowa, is designed to display to the pilot the F-35's more advanced sensor fusion capabilities. As noted by the company, the Gen 3 HMDS provides the information via the helmet's visor, with the pilot able to 'see through' the airframe by means of the Distributed Aperture System (DAS) that streams real-time imagery from six infrared (IR) cameras mounted around the aircraft to the helmet.

The first Generation 3 (Gen 3 / III) helmet-mounted display system (HMDS) for the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has been delivered to the Joint Program Office (JPO).

Rockwell Collins ESA Vision Systems LLC also developed the Gen 1 (I) helmet, which was used primarily for flight safety tests, and has delivered 200 of the Gen 2 (II) helmet that JSF pilots currently use. The Gen 2 helmet was used by the US Marine Corps (USMC) to declare initial operational capability (IOC) for the F-35B at the end of July.

This Gen 2 helmet, while still capable of conducting night-flying operations including ship landings and aerial refuelling, suffers from problems with visual acuity of the secondary night-vision camera. In light of these problems, BAE Systems was contracted to build an alternative HMDS, though this was cancelled in 2010 when the USMC decided that IOC could still be declared with the (then) current Gen 2 helmet (the cancelled BAE Systems helmet was later fed into the company's Striker II system). 

Though not ideal, the Gen 2 helmet is said to be preferable to conventional night-vision goggles (NVGs) when landing on a ship, according to the test pilots that have used it. As well as providing additional capabilities, the latest Gen 3 helmet corrects the visual acuity problems of the Gen 2 system.

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French Authorities Plan New Searches of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370

The move follows confirmation by the Malaysian government on Wednesday that wing debris washed up on the Indian Ocean island of Réunion was part of the missing plane.

France is today preparing to conduct land, air and sea searches for more wreckage from the missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370.

Prime Minister Najib Razak said investigators analysing the debris in France had "conclusively confirmed" that the plane crashed into the southern Indian Ocean after veering off course between Kuala Lumpur and Beijing with 239 passengers  and crew on board.

"I would like to assure all those affected by this tragedy that the government of Malaysia is committed to do everything within our means to find out the truth of what happened," he said.

Despite Razak's announcement, investigators have stopped short of publicly confirming the debris is from the plane, instead saying there were "very strong conjectures".

This has angered relatives of the victims who are demanding more certainty from authorities. The announcements were met with anger in China, where most of the victims were from, as relatives refused to accept the news.

"Please don't let them keep lying," shouted one man while protesting at the airline's Beijing headquarters. "I want them to reveal the truth immediately."

Another woman said she had not given up hope of finding her daughter. "I believe they are still alive – otherwise they would have found the bodies."

But Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott, whose country is leading the deep-sea hunt for the wreckage, said the discovery was consistent with the search pattern teams have been using.

"It suggests that for the first time we may be a little bit closer to solving this baffling mystery," he told reporters.

Why is it Taking so Long for Investigators to Confirm if the Wing is from MH370?

The investigation is being led by aviation authorities in France as the debris was discovered on French territory, but Malaysian and Australian officials are also involved. The wing arrived at a military-run facility near Toulouse last weekend, but the involvement of different countries and groups has "complicated and delayed the situation somewhat".

How Will They Confirm its Origin?

Jean-Paul Troadec, the former head of France's BEA agency, which investigates aviation accidents, said the type of paint used on the wing might provide vital clues. "Every airline paints their planes in a certain way … and if the paint used is used by Malaysia Airlines and other companies, there may be more certainty," he said.

Investigators will undertake tests to try to determine where the wing came from. Mary Schiavo, an aviation analyst and former inspector general of the US Department of Transportation, says they will be conducting "everything from X-rays to sonograms". They will then take apart the fragment in search of serial and part numbers to match to the missing plane.

If a serial number cannot be easily identified, the wing will be examined with an electron microscope "that can magnify up to 10,000 times", Pierre Bascary, former director of tests at France's General Directorate for Armaments.

Bill Waldock, a professor of safety science at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, predicted analysts would also look for small fractures in the surface that could reveal the plane's angle of impact. An ultrasound could show "just how violent the separation was", he told.

There have also been suggestions that the barnacles growing on the wing could provide a clue about the water conditions under which they were formed and narrow down the search area considerably.

What Happens Next?

French authorities have announced they intend to set up a new search, combing the small Indian Ocean island for further traces of the missing plane.

The search will begin with an aerial observation by a military plane this morning, the press release reports, to be joined later by helicopters, boats and foot patrols across the French-administered island.

Although French investigators have declined to state definitively the flaperon discovered last week is from the Boeing 777 which went missing in March last year, the latest announcement suggests there is sufficiently strong conviction to launch a new search.

Malaysian authorities have been less circumspect, confirming the wing part belonged to the missing aircraft and claiming more debris had been discovered – a claim the French were quick to dismiss.

The discrepancy between these accounts has caused frustration among relatives of the flight's passengers, exacerbating conspiracy theories and claims there has been a cover-up. Even if confirmed by investigators, it is unlikely to solve the mystery behind the plane's disappearance and why it veered so dramatically off course. More than a year on from the tragedy, families of the victims are demanding more definitive answers.

But experts are divided on the significance of the discovery, which Malaysia called a "major breakthrough" in the investigation.

"This confirms the plane went down somewhere in the Indian Ocean – but we pretty much knew that," aviation consultant Gideon Ewers told the Press. "It won't take us any further down the path of what happened and why."

However, Jakarta-based aviation consultant Gerry Soejatman said discovering roughly where the plane crashed was a "huge step" forward in the investigation. "This answers a lot of questions, actually," he said. "It eliminates other theories, conspiracy theories."

Meanwhile, the Australian-led search for the wreckage and the crucial black boxes continues. Authorities scouring 120,000 sq km of the Indian Ocean say they are still confident they're looking in the right place and will do so for as long as it takes to provide families with the answers they need.

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Jupiter Aerobatic Team

The Jupiter Aerobatic Team is the current Indonesian Air Force aerobatic display team flying with six KT-1B Wongbee aircraft painted in red and white. The team is drawn from the Skadik (Skadron Pendidikan / Training Squadron) 102,Adisucipto International Airport, Yogyakarta. The Jupiter team aircraft are equipped with white smoke generators. The pilots of the "Jupiter Aerobatic Team (JAT)" are all instructors. The team is named "JUPITER" after the call-sign of Indonesian Air Forceinstructors.

History

In 1996, a new Indonesian Air Force aerobatic team was formed and equipped with eight BAE Hawk Mk. 53 planes from Skadik 103. This team was named "Jupiter" and they performed for the first time on Sept 23, 1997. In 2001, the team became "Jupiter Blue" after merging with the "Elang Biru" team, which was disbanded due to financial crisis in late 1990s.

The "Jupiter Aerobatic Team" (JAT) was re-formed in 2008, using 4 Korean Aerospace Industries KT-1B Wongbee trainers. This new team's first public show was on July 4, 2008 in Yogyakarta and their second show was in Jakarta in November 2008.

In 2010, after two years of stagnation, JAT began a training program with help from Australian Roulettes display team. In September 2010, two JAT pilots were sent to Australia to observe and practice flying maneuvers together with the Roulettes at their home base in East Sale, Victoria, Australia. On Nov 8, 2010, the Roulettes then performed in Halim Air Force Base, Jakarta in which six JAT members each had the opportunity to fly in the back seat of the "Roulettes" PC-9s during their practice.

In 2011, the JAT increased to six aircraft in the formation and also received a new red-white color livery similar to the colors of the Indonesian flag. The first demonstration with this new six-ship composition was on March 16, 2011 in Yogyakarta at the launching of the new livery ceremony by the Indonesian Air Force. Their second airshow was on April 9 in Jakarta at the TNI AU's 65th anniversary and their third was on April 17, 2011, again in Yogyakarta.

Incidents

On the 15th of March 2015, during a practice for LIMA 15', two aircraft (tail no.5 and no.6) clipped their wings in mid-air and crashed. All four crew of both aircraft ejected safely and suffered minor injuries. One of the aircraft crashed close to a house, setting it on fire and damaging nearby property, while the other crashed into an empty field. No ground injuries were reported as the house was unoccupied at the time of the accident. Indonesian First Force Marshal Indra Yadi later made the decision to pull the JAT out from LIMA 15' aerial display.

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