Special Purpose

Military Aviation News

Air Force tests two turboprops as potential A-10 “replacements

06/20/2018

The US Air Force has kicked off the procurement for another round of wing replacements for A-10 Thunderbolt II attack aircraft, known affectionately by many as the Warthog. With new wings, the A-10s will help fill a gap left by the delayed volume delivery of F-35A fighters, which were intended to take over the A-10's close air support (CAS) role in "contested environments"—places where enemy aircraft or modern air defenses would pose a threat to supporting aircraft.

UK’s deal with Turkey on TF-X fighter jet deal faces trouble - analysis

After months of delicate diplomacy, the UK’s alleged partnership with Turkey to build a fifth generation fighter jet, has run into trouble, says the Financial Times. The article published on Monday recalls initial concerns about the management of intellectual property raised this year by Rolls-Royce, the British aero-engine group that has been working with Turkish industrial giant Kale to bid for the engine development contract on what is set to become Turkey’s first indigenous combat aircraft.

USAF set to begin dual mode ramjet design for hypersonic vehicle

The US Air Force has set plans to begin the competitive phase of a plan to develop a dual mode ramjet for a new class of missiles and aircraft with top speeds over Mach 3. Two contract awards worth a total of $10 million for design and testing of a dual mode ramjet are now anticipated, the USAF’s Air Force Research Laboratory says in a notice dated 8 June.

US lawmakers intensify efforts to block F-35 delivery to Turkey

Moves by the US Senate and members of the House of Representatives to block the delivery of the Lockheed Martin F-35 to Turkey have intensified, increasing tensions with Ankara. The US Senate passed the 2019 National Defense Authorisation Act on 18 June with a clause that would stop the delivery of the F-35 to Turkey.

America's F-22 Raptor Is the Best Fighter In the World (But France 'Shot' One Down)

Eight times during a two-week war game in Alaska, individual German Typhoons flew against single F-22s in basic fighter maneuvers meant to simulate close-range dogfights. “We were evenly matched,” German Maj. Marc Gruene told Combat Aircraft. Past evidence seems to confirms that a French fighter pilot once “killed” an American F-22 Raptor stealth fighter in mock combat.

In Praise Of The Harrier, The Underappreciated Jet Marines Really Want In A War

Since the United States and coalition partners began its anti-ISIS mission in 2014, the Middle East’s skies have become crowded with the very best in modern air power. The air is full of flashy fourth-generation fighters (like the Air Force’s F-15s and F-16s and the Navy’s F/A-18E/Fs), and newer fifth-generation fighters (like the F-22).

Thai F-5s to fight on with IRIS-T missiles

The Royal Thai Air Force is to arm its Northrop F-5 fighters with IRIS-T short-range air-to-air missiles, following the signature of a repeat order with German manufacturer Diehl Defence. Noting that Bangkok has previously acquired the infrared-guided weapon for its Saab Gripen fighters and also subsequently its Lockheed Martin F-16 fleet, Diehl Defence notes: "The new procurement plans to integrate the missile onto the F-5, making IRIS-T a standard armament of the Royal Thai Air Force."

IAF not keen on getting more Sukhoi fighter jets

At a time when the Russians have offered to sell 40 more Sukhoi-30 combat aircraft to India, it seems that the Air Force is not keen to add more of these heavy weight and expensive to maintain fighter jets in its inventory. The Indian Air Force (IAF) already has more than 220 of these Russian planes in its fleet and has plans of inducting all the 272 planes ordered by it over the years by the end of 2020.

Russia’s Electronic Warfare Advances Offers Stealth Capability for Fighter Aircraft

An underlying driver in the reform of the Russian Armed Forces, first initiated in the fall of 2009, has proved to be the adoption and adaption of “command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance” capabilities to offer conventional options against a high-technology adversary. A key factor in the introduction of a Russian variant of the concept of network-centric warfare is the complete overhaul and modernization of its Electronic Warfare inventory.

Raytheon to develop new F-35 Distributed Aperture System

Iraq receives new batch of T-50 jet fighters from South Korea

Grounded bombers and another fighter crash on Sunday night: When will the Defense Department admit there’s a problem?

Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter-jet program reaches milestone

State Department approves sale of six AH-64E Apaches to India

Aero Vodochody and IAI pitch revamped L-159 for OA-X need

PICTURES: NATO allies hone personnel recovery skills

Qatar picks Sniper pod for Rafale fleet

Beware, North Korea: South Korea's Air Force Is Ready for War

F-35 jet imbroglio between the U.S. and Turkey

Rafale delivery will commence in September 2019