Jane's Air Force Newsbrief

US Marines hasten plans for EFV successor
The US Marine Corps (USMC) is moving to recapitalise and replace its ageing amphibious assault vehicles after the January cancellation of the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV) programme. On 17 February, the service issued three requests for information (RfIs) after the EFV cancellation, including an RfI for an EFV replacement, the Amphibious Combat Vehicle (ACV), in addition to RfIs for a service-life extension programme for the USMC's existing 1970s-era AAV-7A1s and, in conjunction with the US Army, plans for a new Marine Personnel Carrier (MPCs)

IDEX 2011: Talon laser-guided rocket nears production
The Talon laser-guided rocket jointly developed by Raytheon and Emirates Advanced Instruments (EAI) since May 2008 will shortly be ready for production for the United Arab Emirates (UAE). Talon involves a laser-based system that turns a regular 70 mm aircraft rocket into a precision-guided weapon

EU struggles to define coherent response to Libyan crisis
Policy confusion reigns at the EU's European External Action Service (EEAS), led by Catherine Ashton, as it struggles to patch together a coherent response to the internal security situation in Libya, evacuate EU citizens from the country and brace the union's southern border for a potential flood of refugees from Libya or other North African countries after revolts inspired by Tunisia's recent revolution. Senior EEAS officials could not confirm how many EU citizens are trapped in the country, whether the EU has a common plan for their evacuation, what the EU's concrete role would be to support evacuation or whether there was a plan for military intervention, should it prove necessary


Elbit flies improved helicopter HUD
Elbit Systems has completed a flight trial of an upgraded version of its Aviator Night-Vision Imaging System/Head-Up Display (ANVIS/HUD) for helicopters, the Israeli company announced on 27 February. The trial, which took place aboard a Bell 206 JetRanger helicopter, saw the first flight-test of the ANVIS/HUD modernised with colour symbology

Cosworth tests BEVIS data recorder aboard Mastiff
An evaluation being conducted aboard a British Army Mastiff 6x6 mine-protected vehicle will test a modified accident data recorder originally developed by the Cosworth Group for motor sport purposes. The device, dubbed BEVIS (Blast Event and Vehicle Integrity System), is derived from Cosworth's Sebring data recorder, which has also been adapted for sailing, air-racing and helicopter applications

Falcon radio family facilities ramped up
Harris detailed a series of new complementary equipment packages at IDEX ranging from a video module for its Falcon Fighter soldier system to a full battle management system (BMS) and all drawing on existing communications systems. Starting at the individual level, the company announced that it had delivered its first Falcon Fighter soldier systems - from an order for 500 units - "to a nation in Asia" at the exhibition