Latest news with #fighter
The Citizen
11 hours ago
- General
- The Citizen
Historic Junkers Ju52 honoured by Ekurhuleni aviation enthusiasts
The drone from its triple prop engines has brought many grown men to tears, while the corrugated skin and 95ft wingspan will ensure that the Junkers Ju52/3m will forever go down in history as an aviation marvel. On July 18, aviation enthusiasts and members of the South African Air Force Association (SAAFA) East Rand Branch gathered at Café@The Range, Kempton Park, to pay homage to 'Tante Ju,' as the craft was affectionately named, and the men who had the privilege to take control of its stick. With a spring in his step, retired SAA pilot, SAAFA East Rand Branch member and one of the few pilots who has taken to the sky in this 74-year-old 'lady,' Karl Jensen, passionately spoke about the aircraft which was first put into service in 1934. ALSO READ: Local aviation enthusiast brings fighter jet back to life This is shortly after the passenger air agency took control of Union Airways. Prior to this, the aircraft was mainly used to deliver mail. 'With three Ju52s already part of its fleet, SAA swiftly brokered a deal with Airbus for 19 additional crafts,' said Karl. 'This was cause for great excitement as the agency set to work to commercialise air travel. Celebrations were however short lived with the onset of WW2.' He explained that the airlines had taken receipt of 15 planes shortly before the war and that these were in turn used for troop transport, medical air transport as well as by paratroopers. 'Despite all her promise, the Junker never transported a single passenger,' he said. 'At the end of the war, these magnificent aircraft became obsolete compared to modern aviation advances and they were discarded as scrap.' ALSO READ: South African Model Aircraft Association exhibits expectational aviation models In celebration of SAA's 50th anniversary on February 1, 1984 and with the support of the then South African government, the organisation set out to acquire a Junker to form part of its showcase. 'Searching high and low, three were found in Blackbushe, in the United Kingdom. It was brought there from Las Palmas,' said Karl. 'The best out of the trio of forgotten and neglected crafts was selected and teams quickly jumped into action to dismantle the craft in time to be transported to Durban by Safmarine.' As the clock ticked, fears were mounting that the refurbishment would not meet the set deadline and that the Junker, renamed Jan van Riebeeck, would not take to the skies. 'Goosebumps! That is the only way to describe the feeling when the 18-seater weighing 10.5 tons took to the sky,' said the highly decorated pilot, with a lump in his throat. 'The drone of her engines left everyone speechless. It was a sight to behold.' Strapping into the pilot seat, Karl was one of a handful of SAA pilots to lead heritage flights across the country at the steer of the Junker. ALSO READ: Local learners explore careers in aviation Clocking 436 hours, he took revellers on low altitude flights over some of the country's most popular landmarks, along the spectacular coastline and cross-border safaris for the wild at heart. 'Flying the Ju52/3m was a laborious task, but the reward was insurmountable,' he said. 'Before being retired to the SAA Museum Society at Rand Airport, that glorious hunk of metal brought tremendous joy to everyone who was able to roll down her windows and experience the wind lapping at their faces.' SAAFA East Rand Branch meets on the third Friday of every month. Former aviators, South African Air Force members, anyone who worked within the aviation industry as well as aviation enthusiasts are welcome to join their ranks. For more information contact branch chairman, Roelf Rossouw on 073 186 7761 or [email protected]
Straits Times
13 hours ago
- Business
- Straits Times
Irish court rejects Conor McGregor appeal in civil rape case
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor has lost his appeal against a civil jury's finding that he raped a woman in 2018. DUBLIN – Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) fighter Conor McGregor on July 31 lost his appeal against a civil jury's finding that he raped a woman in a hotel room in 2018, with Ireland's Court of Appeal rejecting his appeal in its entirety. The plaintiff, Nikita Hand, alleged that McGregor sexually assaulted her on Dec 9, 2018. A jury in Ireland's High Court last November found in favour of Hand and ordered McGregor to pay her nearly €250,000 (S$370,000) in damages. McGregor, 36, denied the allegation and said that he had 'fully consensual sex' with Hand. He also denied causing bruising to the plaintiff. In the appeal heard earlier in July, lawyers for McGregor said that the judge erred in directing the jury to decide whether he 'assaulted' rather than 'sexually assaulted' the victim. Judge Brian O'Moore said on July 31 that the appeal court had no doubt the overall effect of the trial judge's charge was to tell them the central allegation by Hand against McGregor was that he had raped her. 'The jury found as a fact that Mr. McGregor had assaulted Ms Hand by raping her,' O'Moore said, reading out the ruling. Top stories Swipe. Select. Stay informed. World Trump modifies reciprocal tariffs ahead of deadline; rate on Singapore likely to remain at 10% Singapore 'For one last time, let's go home': Tears, laughs as last scheduled Jetstar Asia flight touches down Singapore Over half of job applications by retrenched Jetstar Asia staff led to offers or interviews: CEO Singapore No entry: ICA to bar high-risk, undesirable travellers from boarding S'pore-bound ships, flights Business More new homes are coming up in northern Singapore Business OCBC Q2 profit drops 7% to $1.82b as interest rates fall, to pay lower interim dividend Asia Thailand seeks neutral venue for border talks with Cambodia Singapore 'Switching careers just as I became a dad was risky, but I had to do it for my family' McGregor's legal team had also argued that the judge should not have allowed a line of questioning during cross-examination regarding McGregor's 'no comment' responses in a police interview. That ground was also rejected. Hand embraced a number of people beside her after the appeal court ruling. 'To every survivor out there I know how hard it is but please don't be silenced... You deserve to be heard, you also deserve justice. Today, I can finally move on and try to heal,' Hand said in a statement outside the court. Hand told the high court in November that she and a friend made contact with McGregor, whom she knew, after a work Christmas party. She said they were driven by McGregor to a party in a penthouse room of a Dublin hotel where drugs and alcohol were consumed. She said McGregor, who was not in court on July 31, took her to a bedroom in the penthouse and sexually assaulted her. Hand's lawyer told the jury that when she was referred to a sexual assault treatment unit the day after the alleged assault, a doctor was so concerned that he directed that photographs be taken of her injuries. REUTERS
NDTV
21 hours ago
- Business
- NDTV
Tariffs And Ties: How Deep Is India's Dependence On Russia?
US President Donald Trump has described India and Russia as "dead economies" as he formally confirmed that Indian exports to United States will face a 25 per cent tariff along with a "penalty" for its trade with Moscow. The billionaire American leader said Washington does "very little business" with New Delhi, as the two sides hit an impasse over their trade negociations. "I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care. We have done very little business with India, their Tariffs are too high, among the highest in the World," Trump wrote in a post on his Truth Social platform. India US Trade The US has been India's largest trading partner for the fourth consecutive year in 2024-25 with bilateral trade valued at $131.84 billion. In the last fiscal, India's exports to the U.S. rose by 11.6 per cent to $86.51 billion as against $77.52 billion in 2023-24. The imports were up by 7.44 per cent in 2024-25 to $45.33 billion against $42.2 billion in 2023-24. The trade surplus with the US has touched $41.18 billion in the last fiscal from $35.32 billion in 2023-24. New Delhi and Washington have also built a strategic partnership on technology and defence, among other areas, anchored largely by their shared desire to contain the growth of China. Since April, India and US have been preparing to negotiate an agreement. Earlier this week, US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer said "We continue to speak with our Indian counterparts. We've always had very constructive discussions with them", however, he added that Delhi's trade policy focusses on "protecting their domestic market". Trump has been trying to secure deals that open other markets to the US, but India has fiercely protected its dairy and farm sector to protect the interests of its small farmers. India is still hoping to strike a deal with Washington soon, with Commerce minister Piyush Goyal saying that New Delhi remains "optimistic". India Russia Trade India has access to discounted Russian crude oil and the exports have sharply risen from 2 per cent before the Ukraine conflict to 40 per cent by June 2024. By this year, Moscow was supplying more oil to India than all West Asian sources combined. Apart from oil, India also maintains cooperation in the nuclear energy sector with Russia. With respect to India's military capabilities, Russia plays a big role. It is the principal arms supplier for India, providing fighter jets, submarines, missiles and tanks.
Miami Herald
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Miami Herald
Photo Shows China Missile System Replica Training US Fighter Pilots
The United States is using a replica of a Chinese air defense missile system as part of its fighter pilot training in preparation for combat, the Wisconsin National Guard has said. Newsweek has contacted the Wisconsin National Guard and the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. The Pentagon has designated the Indo-Pacific as its "priority theater," identifying China as both its "pacing threat"-a direct, consequential and near-term danger to U.S. security and values-and its "pacing challenge"-a long-term risk to U.S. influence, position and power. In July, U.S. forces participated in two large-scale Pacific war games simultaneously-the Australia-hosted, multinational Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 and the U.S. Air Force's "first in a generation" Department-Level Exercise series-amid growing threats from China. According to a photo released by the Wisconsin National Guard on Tuesday, the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center showcased an "HQ-16 towable surrogate target" during an aviation gathering at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 25. The HQ-16 is a Chinese medium-range air defense missile system. The towable surrogate target replicates the system's radar vehicle, a Chinese military observer who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the topic told Newsweek. In a news release, the Wisconsin National Guard said the Chinese air defense system replica serves as a full-scale training aid designed to familiarize fifth-generation fighter pilots with modern surface-to-air missile systems they may encounter in a combat scenario. The term "fifth-generation fighter" refers to aircraft designed with stealth capabilities that reduce their visibility to radar detection. Both the U.S. and China operate such combat jets and are racing to develop more advanced next-generation-or sixth-generation-aircraft. Full-scale mock-ups allow aircrews to train against realistic representations of peer and near-peer threats, according to David Cenciotti, the editor of the Aviationist. "Depending on the type of decoy, they can support visual identification as well as the detection of electronic signatures via onboard sensors," Cenciotti told Newsweek. He added that some of the world's most advanced training ranges were equipped with so-called high definition targets, which are used for both visual and sensor training. According to the Aviationist, the HQ-16 air defense system initially had a range of about 24.8 miles to intercept aerial targets, with the upgraded version extending this to about 46.6 miles. U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Alan Hughes, a vehicle maintenance specialist assigned to the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, said in a news release on Tuesday: "People are often familiar with our aircraft, but may not understand all the effort that goes into getting those planes into the fight. Our HQ-16 target display offers a tiny snippet of all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping our pilots and aircraft combat-ready." David Cenciotti, the editor of the Aviationist, told Newsweek: "Similar mock-ups have been observed in the past at U.S. test ranges, as documented by reports and satellite imagery, and are often used to replicate adversary systems for threat emulation and pilot training." It is likely that the U.S. military has increased its use of such decoys in training. The most recent mock-ups in the U.S. all replicate Chinese military hardware, according to Cenciotti. Related Articles US Blocks Visas for Palestinian LeadersChina Wants Nuclear Weapons To Strike Fear Into AmericaIran Issues Update on Nuclear EnrichmentWealthy Americans Buy Up London Mansions Amid Price Slump 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
Newsweek
a day ago
- Politics
- Newsweek
Photo Shows China Missile System Replica Training US Fighter Pilots
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The United States is using a replica of a Chinese air defense missile system as part of its fighter pilot training in preparation for combat, the Wisconsin National Guard has said. Newsweek has contacted the Wisconsin National Guard and the Chinese Defense Ministry for comment via email. Why It Matters The Pentagon has designated the Indo-Pacific as its "priority theater," identifying China as both its "pacing threat"—a direct, consequential and near-term danger to U.S. security and values—and its "pacing challenge"—a long-term risk to U.S. influence, position and power. In July, U.S. forces participated in two large-scale Pacific war games simultaneously—the Australia-hosted, multinational Exercise Talisman Sabre 2025 and the U.S. Air Force's "first in a generation" Department-Level Exercise series—amid growing threats from China. What To Know According to a photo released by the Wisconsin National Guard on Tuesday, the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center showcased an "HQ-16 towable surrogate target" during an aviation gathering at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 25. The HQ-16 is a Chinese medium-range air defense missile system. The towable surrogate target replicates the system's radar vehicle, a Chinese military observer who requested anonymity because of the sensitive nature of the topic told Newsweek. United States Air Force Technical Sergeant Alan Hughes introduces guests to the HQ-16 towable surrogate target at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 25. United States Air Force Technical Sergeant Alan Hughes introduces guests to the HQ-16 towable surrogate target at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin, on July 25. Senior Master Sgt. Paul Gorman/U.S. Air National Guard In a news release, the Wisconsin National Guard said the Chinese air defense system replica serves as a full-scale training aid designed to familiarize fifth-generation fighter pilots with modern surface-to-air missile systems they may encounter in a combat scenario. The term "fifth-generation fighter" refers to aircraft designed with stealth capabilities that reduce their visibility to radar detection. Both the U.S. and China operate such combat jets and are racing to develop more advanced next-generation—or sixth-generation—aircraft. Full-scale mock-ups allow aircrews to train against realistic representations of peer and near-peer threats, according to David Cenciotti, the editor of the Aviationist. "Depending on the type of decoy, they can support visual identification as well as the detection of electronic signatures via onboard sensors," Cenciotti told Newsweek. He added that some of the world's most advanced training ranges were equipped with so-called high definition targets, which are used for both visual and sensor training. According to the Aviationist, the HQ-16 air defense system initially had a range of about 24.8 miles to intercept aerial targets, with the upgraded version extending this to about 46.6 miles. What People Are Saying U.S. Air Force Technical Sergeant Alan Hughes, a vehicle maintenance specialist assigned to the Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center, said in a news release on Tuesday: "People are often familiar with our aircraft, but may not understand all the effort that goes into getting those planes into the fight. Our HQ-16 target display offers a tiny snippet of all the behind-the-scenes work that goes into keeping our pilots and aircraft combat-ready." David Cenciotti, the editor of the Aviationist, told Newsweek: "Similar mock-ups have been observed in the past at U.S. test ranges, as documented by reports and satellite imagery, and are often used to replicate adversary systems for threat emulation and pilot training." What Happens Next It is likely that the U.S. military has increased its use of such decoys in training. The most recent mock-ups in the U.S. all replicate Chinese military hardware, according to Cenciotti.
