Special Purpose

Military Aviation News

China's aircraft carrier leads live combat drill in East China Sea

04/24/2018

The Chinese aircraft carrier formation, featuring the carrier Liaoning, held "live combat drill" in the East China Sea, state media reported early Tuesday. Te formation took part in anti-aircraft and anti-submarine warfare training with an "opposing force." said State-run Xinhua news agency.

Lockheed Martin to Propose 5th Gen F-22/F-35 Hybrid to Japan

Late Friday, April 20, Reuters journalists Tim Kelly and Nobuhiro Kubo reported that Lockheed Martin will propose a new 5th generation low-observable (stealth) combat aircraft to Japan. According to Kelly and Kubo’s article, the two sources who provided the information to Reuters have direct knowledge of the upcoming proposal.

Iraq's An-32 Cargo Planes Turned Bombers Flew Nearly Twice As Many Strikes As its F-16s

Following a recent strike its F-16IQ Viper multi-role jets flew against ISIS terrorists in neighboring Syria, the Iraqi Air Force has released a detailed infographic showing how many combat and combat support missions each of its aircraft types have flown over the past nearly four years. Of particular note is that the country’s An-32 cargo planes have conducted more airstrikes than either Iraq’s F-16s or its Aero L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft, or ALCA, light attack jets.

State Department clears $1.2 billion sale of Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawks to Mexico

The US State Department cleared the possible sale of eight Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk helicopters to Mexico for $1.2 billion on 19 April. The order also includes spare engines, radios and navigation equipment. Weapons and targeting equipment also included in the possible purchase are 1,000 SSQ-36/53/62 sonobuoys; 10 AGM-114 Hellfire missiles; 38 Advanced Precision Kill Weapons System II rockets; 30 Mk-54 lightweight hybrid torpedoes; 12 M-240D machine guns; and 12 GAU-21 machine guns.

Tokyo eyes multiple routes for new fighter jet

Japan’s Acquisition, Technology, & Logistics Agency (ATLA) continues to weigh ideas for a futuristic fighter to replace the nation’s Mitsubishi F-2 aircraft. “We have been doing the RFI process continuously, and our questions have been changing,” says an official familiar with the programme to develop a new aircraft, likely to be designated F-3.

USAF eyes more orders as B-21 finishes preliminary design review

Northrop Grumman has finished preliminary design review of the B-21 Raider stealth bomber. The heavy bomber is now moving towards a critical design review, says Lt Gen Arnold Bunch, the air force's military deputy for acquisition during an 18 April Senate Armed Services hearing. Critical design review is the next step before assembly of the first aircraft can begin.

US diplomat threatens Turkey's F-35 role in S-400 spat

Assistant secretary of state for European and Eurasian Affairs Wess Mitchell’s remarks during 18 April hearing in Congress escalated a simmering confrontation with a NATO ally and combat partner against ISIS, which agreed to acquire the Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumf system even as it plans to take delivery of its first F-35A later this year.

Losing US air superiority risks ground forces

The asymmetric advantage that the U.S. military possesses ? and that has prevented enemy aircraft attacks on American ground forces since April 15, 1953 ? is eroding.

RAAF receives final C-27J airlifter

The Royal Australian Air Force has received its tenth and final Alenia C-27J Spartan tactical transport. “The Spartan provides flexibility to defence operations, allowing us to land at airfields that are smaller or unsuitable for our much larger transport aircraft like the [Lockheed Martin] C-130J Hercules and [Boeing] C-17A Globemaster,” says defence minister Marise Payne.

New software flaw requires FAA intervention to avoid KC-46 schedule slip

USAF awards Lockheed Martin $928 million contract for hypersonic cruise missile

UK re-forms 617 Sqn for F-35B era

NATO faces down Russia: Fighter jets scrambled to DEFEND Europe four times in ONE WEEK

The US Air Force is short more than one-quarter of the fighter pilots it needs, according to a government report

Army Aviator Describes the Biggest Problems Facing Military Aviation

Will Malaysia Buy Pakistan’s JF-17 Fighter Jet?

JASSM-ER makes combat debut against Syrian chemical weapons facilities

German Sea Lion helicopter development gathers pace

Syria fired 40 missiles 'at nothing' after allied air strikes destroyed three Assad chemical sites

F-22 Raptor Came To A Rest On Its Belly During Major Mishap Friday At NAS Fallon