Chris Pocock
Defense Correspondent
Chris Pocock has been covering the defense beat for AIN for over 30 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.
Latest from Chris Pocock
Aircraft
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Proceeds Apace
All systems go! That was the message from the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter briefing at the Paris Air Show last week.
Aircraft
Saudi deals done for helos and Typhoons
Saudi Arabia and the UK have already concluded the huge contract for 72 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets that has been in negotiation for 18 months, informe
Aircraft
Austrian saga may be resolved next month
Eurofighter’s first export sale–to Austria–has not been a happy experience, although the company has met all its schedule and performance commitments to da
Eurofighter can penalize suppliers
Eurofighter GmbH has finally been empowered to write real subcontracts with penalty clauses for Typhoon production with the four partner airframe companies
Aircraft
Super Hornet growing in export stature
Boeing test pilot Ricardo Traven is flying his usual impressive routine here in the Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet.
ATC
Issues abound in expansion of UAV missions
The number of unmanned air vehicles in our skies is growing fast, but there are many regulatory and doctrinal issues to resolve, before UAVs and their grou
Aircraft
Thales unveils UK Watchkeeper, joins Dassault on French UAV
The final configuration of the Thales Watchkeeper UAV for the British Army is unveiled here, outside the Thales pavilion.
Aircraft
Rafale comes battle hardened
In the fighter aircraft business, there’s no substitute for combat experience, if you want to impress potential customers.
Troubled BAE Systems fends off charges with outside investigation
As the Paris Air Show opens, UK-based BAE Systems, amidst ongoing allegations of corruption regarding its dealings with Saudi Arabia, has taken steps to op
Aircraft
Airbus offers frax ownership of A400M airlifter to NATO
Airbus Military is offering to supply some A400M tactical airlifters to NATO on a “fractional ownership” basis.
Regardless of CSAR outcome, Chinook will last decades more
Boeing is confident that its HH-47 rotorcraft will be reconfirmed as the winner of the potential $10 billion U.S.
BAE Systems moves to stress integrator role
Does the recent sale of its Inertial Products business signal a round of sell-offs by BAE Systems? A statement accompanying the move noted that the company
U.S. publishes roadmap for UAV operations
The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has recently published for comment a roadmap for the routine operation of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in U.S.
European forces struggle with flight training costs
Training pilots to fly combat jets is an expensive proposition.
Aircraft
Lockheed Martin Claims Dominance for F-22, F-35
According to Lockheed Martin, only fighter aircraft belonging to the fifth generation “can survive and defeat the threats of tomorrow.”
A successful union, not yet consummated
Three years after they merged, Air France and KLM say the combination has paid off.
Aircraft
Upgrade of British Nimrods getting back on track
BAE Systems today issued an upbeat description of progress with the previously troubled upgrade of the Nimrod MRA.4 maritime patrol plane for the UK Royal
Aircraft
Rafales continue to bolster French services
With one carrier-borne squadron already operational, deliveries to the French air force well under way, an impressive range of weapons already qualified an
Aircraft
Bedek boosts 747 freighter conversions
As the Paris show opened, Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI) announced a significant boost to the 747-400 freighter conversion program conducted by its subsi
Aircraft
Typhoon partners debate multiroles
Progress in the Eurofighter Typhoon program remains slow, although steady.
Boeing faces fresh doubts over tanker Headline here Headline here Head
Bloodied and bruised by the U.S.
NATO eyes surveillance plan
The largest multinational industrial consortium yet assembled for a defense program will gather this morning to brief on progress on the e4-billion-plus Al
JSF Production Is Lean and Mean
A big part of making the JSF affordable is the production plan.
JSF Partners Craft Technology MOU
A new set of technology-sharing memoranda of understanding are to be negotiated between the U.S.
Galileo adapting Mirach for reconnaissance roles
If anyone can make UAVs sexy, it must be the Italians.
GA-ASI trolling for export business
“We’re getting bigger–but we’re still manageable,” said Tom Cassidy of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc (GA-ASI).
