November, 2013 Military Aviation News
11/30/2013
China today scrambled several fighter jets to monitor military planes of the US, Japan and South Korea in its newly declared air defence zone over the East China Sea amid a call by President Xi Jinping to the PLA to enhance war capabilities. The Chinese fighter jets identified and monitored the two US and 10 Japanese aircraft during their flights through the zone early Friday, Defense Ministry spokesman Colonel Shen Jinke was quoted as saying by the state-run China News.
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11/30/2013
The Nigerian Air Force is considering buying Super Tucano trainer and light attack aircraft from Brazilian manufacturer Embraer. Nigerian Vice President Namadi Sambo expressed interest in purchasing the Super Tucano during a meeting with his Brazilian counterpart Michel Temer earlier this week.
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11/30/2013
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is to equip its new Boeing F-15SA (Saudi Advanced) Eagle combat aircraft with a disorientation recovery function capability, the US Department of Defense (DoD) disclosed on 27 November. Boeing has been awarded a USD15.5 million contract to fit the system, which is designed to automatically recover the aircraft should the pilot lose situational awareness. While details of the particular system to be fitted to the F-15SA have not been disclosed.
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11/30/2013
The Air Force mission that calls for it to dominate the air, transport troops and materiel and provide communications and intelligence are all critical to American military success, but performing them is hard for the public to visualize because much of this goes on behind the scenes, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III said.
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11/30/2013
The Pentagon said yesterday that American forces will continue normal operations despite China scrambling fighter jets to monitor US and Japanese aircraft in Beijing’s newly declared air defense zone. China’s announcement last weekend that it was extending an air defence identification zone (ADIZ) over islands disputed by China and Japan was disregarded by several nations, and US B-52 bombers entered the area.
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11/30/2013
On the surface, the fight over whether to protect the A-10 combat aircraft, affectionately known as “the Warthog,” looks like nothing more than a typical Beltway slugfest, with those who love it squaring off against those who want to leave it, and all being far from the attention of taxpayers.
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11/30/2013
The Czech Defence Ministry says it is close to a deal to sell most of its surplus combat planes. The potential buyer, the US firm Draken International, is reportedly interested in acquiring 28 L-159 planes that would be used as practice targets for US pilots. If agreement is reached, the Defence Ministry will receive around 500 million crowns for the planes.
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11/30/2013
A senior Russian defense official said Friday that talks will be held next month on the planned deployment of an airbase in Belarus. Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told reporters in Moscow that several potential locations have been identified in Belarus, but that further consultations were needed with the neighboring former Soviet nation's authorities.
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11/30/2013
A helicopter that was attacked in eastern Afghanistan apparently belonged to a Russian company, Russian diplomats said Friday. Unidentified men fired at the helicopter in the province of Gardez on Thursday. No injuries were reported, and damage from the attack was limited to a single bullet hole in the aircraft’s side, a spokesman for the Russian embassy in Kabul said.
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11/29/2013
The Chinese planes had conducted "normal air patrols" yesterday as "a defensive measure and in line with international common practices,'' said Shen Jinke, spokesman for the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force, according to state news agency Xinhua. Shen said China's air force would remain on high alert and take measures to protect the security of the country's airspace.
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11/29/2013
The RAF has begun training on the Puma Mk2 helicopter following a multi-million pound upgrade programme. Crews from the RAF’s 33 and 230 Squadrons are carrying out training flights on the upgraded aircraft from their base at RAF Benson in Oxfordshire. The £260 million upgrade means that the helicopters benefit from new engines which give them 35% more power and improved fuel efficiency to allow them to fly faster and twice as far as the Puma Mk1. They also have highly advanced digitised glass co
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11/29/2013
The Department of Defense announced 20 defense contracts Wednesday, worth $334.2 million in aggregate. Among the winners:
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11/29/2013
The deafening roar of state-of-the-art warplanes being catapulted into the air from its huge flight deck signaled that the USS George Washington was back in combat mode after its recent detour to the Philippines to take part in the aid effort in the wake of Super Typhoon Haiyan. Barely a week on and the 90,000-ton Nimitz-class aircraft carrier is now patrolling waters off the island of Okinawa as part a huge naval exercise - AnnualEx 2013 - involving dozens of warships, submarines and aircraft f
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11/29/2013
Work to integrate the MBDA Storm Shadow cruise missile onto the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft has begun in Italy, it was announced on 28 November. Alenia Aermacchi commenced flight trials the day prior aboard the twin-seat Instrumented Production Aircraft 2 (IPA2) updated to the Phase 1 Enhancement standard. Eurofighter partner companies BAE Systems and Cassidian are assisting with the trials at Decimomannu Air Base in Sardinia.
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11/29/2013
Russian President Vladimir Putin Thursday urged his country to upgrade its combat aviation system with respect to "honoured delivery schedules and guaranteed quality". "Work on prospective frontline aviation complex has been in full swing. I have no doubt these plans will be implemented. The work on the long-range aviation complex must start now," reported Xinhua citing Putin during a meeting with air force commanders in the Black Sea resort of Sochi.
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11/29/2013
"The Air Chief flew Su-30 with his son, Squadron Leader Omar Browne, also a Su-30 pilot posted to 20 Squadron there, in what would be recorded as the last sortie in the Air Chief's log book," an IAF release said here. During Browne's tenure, his son got several opportunities to display his flying skills in different exercises including the Exercise Ironfist in Jaisalmer earlier this year.
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11/29/2013
Russia will begin the full-scale R&D work on its future strategic bomber in 2014, a senior aircraft-manufacturing industry official said Thursday. The project, known as PAK-DA (an acronym meaning “future long-range aircraft”), has been in the works for several years but was given the formal go-ahead by the Russian leadership last year.
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11/29/2013
Three new regiments equipped with S-400 Triumf air defense missile systems will be put in service with the Russian armed forces next year, President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. “Two S-400 regiments were presented to the Russian military this year. Another three [regiments] should be put in service in 2014,” Putin said at a meeting on the development of Russia’s aerospace defenses.
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11/28/2013
China acknowledged Wednesday it let two American B-52 bombers fly unhindered through its newly declared air defense zone in the East China Sea despite its earlier threat to take defensive measures against unidentified foreign aircraft. The U.S. flights, which tested the Chinese zone for the first time since it was declared over the weekend, raised questions about Beijing's determination to enforce its requirement that foreign aircraft identify themselves and accept Chinese instructions.
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11/28/2013
Caroline Kennedy, the new U.S. ambassador to Japan, criticized China's establishing an air defense zone that included disputed islands in the East China Sea. In her first speech as ambassador, Kennedy said Wednesday Beijing's unilateral decision raised tensions while voicing support for Japan's efforts to ramp up its security measures, such as establishing a national security council, The Japan Times reported.
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11/28/2013
The Air Force is eliminating selective reenlistment bonuses for 46 career fields and cutting retraining opportunities for hundreds of airmen in over-manned specialties as the service prepares to trim the force by as many as 25,000 airmen over the next several years.
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11/28/2013
The Department of Defense offered several contracts aggregating $263.4 million yesterday. Of the contenders was The Boeing Company ( BA ) which clinched two back-to-back contracts totaling $26.9 million. The larger contract worth $18.1 million went to Bell-Boeing Joint Project Office, a collaborative venture between Textron Inc. and Boeing. This involves providing continued logistics services to the different versions of the V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft operated by the U.S.
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11/28/2013
The U.S. ranks as the leading supplier of defense aircraft for Asia-Pacific partners and allies, according to an Aviation Week Intelligence Network (AWIN) analysis of data provided by Avascent Analytics. The U.S. will have sold about $79.2 billion worth of defense aircraft and related equipment, including both development and production costs, between fiscal 2009-2023 to Australia, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Pakistan, Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, the analysis shows.
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11/28/2013
Air force chief Air Marshal Geoff Brown said he was disappointed with decisions by Port Stephens Council to provide exemptions to its planning rules for some developments near RAAF Williamtown, north of Newcastle. He said new developments were inside the contours on the Australian Noise Exposure Forecast (ANEF) map that were deemed unsuitable by the relevant Australian Standards.
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11/28/2013
The military's still investigating the cause of an unmanned drone crash into Lake Ontario two weeks ago, but has determined it's safe to put the aircraft back in the air over Central and Northern New York. The New York Air National Guard announced today that it started training with the drones again on Tuesday.
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11/28/2013
The countdown timer reaches zero and me and fourteen other team mates take off in two large groups, boosting our engines to gain altitude. I level out my old Soviet I-5 biplane, used extensively during the 1930s, and scan the horizon for the enemy. It doesn’t take long before the two sides reach each other and I spot a wing of hostiles ahead but several hundred metres below. I angle down and line up a target, waiting to get within firing range before unloading the old pair of 7.62mm guns.
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11/28/2013
Tucson has a long association with aviation, so it’s fitting that the city has one of the finest air museums in the world. The Pima Air and Space Museum, opened in 1976, is truly a local treasure. The 80-acre facility has about 300 military and civilian aircraft. Many are stored indoors in hangar space the size of four football fields.
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11/28/2013
Russian air defense forces have taken delivery of six Pantsir-S short-range air defense systems to be used by a new missile regiment formed to protect the skies over Moscow, military officials said Wednesday. The Pantsir-S battalion is set to form part of a third S-400 air defense missile regiment deployed near the Russian capital.
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11/27/2013
The US has flown two B-52 bombers over disputed islands in the East China Sea in defiance of new Chinese air defence rules, officials say. China set up its "air defence identification zone" on Saturday insisting that aircraft obey its rules or face "emergency defensive measures".
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11/27/2013
Operating similar Russian-origin Su-30 combat aircraft, Air Forces of India and Malaysia today discussed ways of further enhancing their cooperation during the meeting between their chiefs here. "Malaysian air chief General Tan Sri Dato Sri Rodzali bin Daud, who is on a four-day visit, called on IAF Chief NAK Browne here at the Air Headquarters where a wide range of bilateral issues related to the ongoing defence cooperation were discussed," an IAF release said.
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11/27/2013
Unmanned aerial systems (UAS) have already superseded patrol and reconnaissance aircraft and are rendering gunships obsolete. But until they engage enemies in the air, it’s premature to speak about the end of manned platforms, according to a former Israel Air Force commander.
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11/27/2013
China's first aircraft carrier Liaoning set sail Tuesday en route for sea trials in the South China Sea for training purposes, in a critical step to strengthen its combat capability. The aircraft carrier left its home port in Qingdao, East China's Shandong Province, the Xinhua News Agency reported. It was escorted by two missile destroyers, the Shenyang and Shijiazhuang, as well as two missile frigates, the Yantai and Weifang.
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11/27/2013
Ten days after it was commissioned into the Indian Navy at the North Russian shipyard of Sevmash at Severodvinsk, INS Vikramaditya left the yard’s pier, setting course for its homeport at Karwar in Karnataka on Tuesday.
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11/27/2013
As Canada moves to modernize its military, it plans to enter the new world of unmanned aircraft but still has not decided whether its fleet of drones should be weaponized, Gen. Tom Lawson, chief of the defence staff, says. In a speech Tuesday at the Center for Strategic and International Studies, he indicated military leaders see no moral difference in the source of firepower, whether it comes from a rifle or a drone.
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11/27/2013
More than 60 combat jets from Israel, the U.S., Greece and Italy participate in drill in the skies over southern Israel • U.S. Ambassador Dan Shapiro: We face the same threats in the Middle East and it is crucial that we operate together.
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11/27/2013
The world's militaries this year will spend an estimated $1.84 trillion on everything from boots to battleships, according to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute. That's approximately $700 billion more than the entire African continent's gross domestic product.
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11/27/2013
Russian and North American military officials have held a first planning meeting for next year’s joint anti-terrorism drills involving the Russian, US and Canadian air forces, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said Tuesday. The Vigilant Eagle 2014 drills will take place in August and will practice coordination between the Russian armed forces and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) in the event of a terrorist attack on a passenger airliner.
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11/27/2013
Russian defense officials denied Tuesday that they plan to deploy strategic bombers at an air base in Kyrgyzstan, addressing speculation over what military analysts had seen as an effort by Moscow to project its geopolitical influence across the region. Some media outlets had speculated that a Russian air base in Kant, some 20 kilometers (12 miles) outside the capital Bishkek, could be used as a forward airfield for refueling and emergency maintenance of Russian Tu-95MS strategic bombers.
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11/26/2013
China on Friday announced a provocative new air defense zone in the East China Sea that covers Japanese islands. Over the past three years, China and Japan have been inching toward armed conflict over the Senkaku Islands, which Japan has claimed as its territory since 1895 and China has claimed since 1970.
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11/26/2013
This isn’t the Thanksgiving-week commentary I wanted to write. I wanted to compose an essay about how fortunate we Americans are. But with the clock ticking down to a mid-December deadline for negotiators to find a solution to the government’s fiscal impasse, a troubling pattern is emerging in the behavior of congressional leaders that I can’t ignore.
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11/26/2013
Pakistan Air Force (PAF) Contingent, Sunday, landed back at Operational Base after participating in the static as well as aerobatic segment in Dubai Air Show 2013. PAF comprised three JF-17 Thunder, Super Mushshak, pilots and technicians. For Pakistani participants it was satisfying moment when curtains were lowered for the 13th Dubai Air Show-2013, one of the biggest air shows of the world, which also included an impressive display of PAF JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft.
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11/26/2013
Putin met Vietnam’s top three leaders, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, President Truong Tan Sang and party Secretary General Nguyen Phu Trong. At the conclusion of his visit it was announced that seventeen bilateral agreements had been reached, including five in the oil, gas and energy sectors. These agreements were a reflection of the broad-based nature of bilateral relations developed ten years after the collapse of the Soviet Union.
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11/26/2013
The Korean army decided to purchase 40 Lockheed Martin F-35A stealth fighters as Korea’s next-generation fighter aircraft. The purchase came just two months after the Boeing F-15 SE Silent Eagle was reviewed as the preferred bidder for the FX-III project, but failed to pass muster. The reason for the rejection is because the Korean Air Force has asked the government to buy combat aircraft with stealth capabilities.
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11/26/2013
The Tanzanian People's Defence Force (TPDF) has swapped 12 old Chinese-made J-7 fighter aircraft with 14 new J-7Gs, as the country forges ahead with the modernisation of its aerial defence capabilities. IHS Janes reports that the new fighter aircraft fleet includes 12 single-seat Chengdu J-7G jets (designated F-7TN in Tanzanian Air Force service) and two dual seat J-7Ns (designated FT-7TN in Tanzania) which were ordered in 2009 and delivered in 2011.
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11/26/2013
Boeing has delivered a full-scale C-17 Globemaster III Cargo Compartment Trainer (CCT) to the Royal Australian Air Force, ensuring that RAAF loadmaster training can be cost-effectively completed in Australia instead of in the U.S.. The CCT is a fully functional replica of a C-17 fuselage in a dedicated facility at RAAF Base Amberley. It can realistically simulate both day and night operating and loading conditions for loadmaster, aeromedical evacuation and aeromedical specialist training.
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11/26/2013
Russia’s Eastern Military District will receive more than 40 combat helicopters by the end of 2013, a spokesman said Monday. “Over 40 new Mi-8AMTSh and Ka-52 helicopters will be delivered to air bases in the Eastern Military District by the end of this year,” Lt. Col. Alexander Gordeev said.
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11/26/2013
The Russian navy has taken delivery of its first four series-produced MiG-29K/KUB carrier based fighter jets, the Defense Ministry said Monday. “The MiG aircraft-manufacturing corporation has handed over two MiG-29K single-seat and two MiG-29KUB twin-seat carrier-based fighter aircraft,” a spokesman said.
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11/26/2013
Russian military inspectors will make a monitoring flight over Turkey under the international Open Skies Treaty on Monday, a Russian Defense Ministry official said. “A group of Russian inspectors is scheduled to conduct a surveillance flight over the Republic of Turkey on board an An-30B aircraft in the period November 25 to 29 as part of the implementation of the international Open Skies Treaty,” said Sergei Ryzhkov, head of the ministry's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center.
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11/25/2013
Would Israel be able to destroy Iran’s nuclear capability? The Israeli prime minister, Binyamin Netanyahu, says all options are on the table. Strong words with only one real meaning - the military option. Over the years I have spent many hours talking to defence analysts, pilots, government officials and experts in military strategy about what that military option might mean.
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11/25/2013
Facing the threat of North Korea and feeling squeezed by China and Japan on its flanks, South Korea has always dreamed of a “self-reliant” defense force. The catchphrase dates to the days of President Park Geun-hye’s father, the military strongman Park Chung-hee, who ruled the country from 1961 to 1979.
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11/25/2013
Military equipment manufacturer Saab plans to break into the growing multi-billion dollar market for unmanned aerial vehicles, known as drones, according to a Swedish media report.
"Already today we market and sell helicopter system Skeldar and explore collaboration on the larger system MALE [Medium-Altitude-Long-Endurance]," Saab's product manager Mikael Franzén told business daily Dagens Industri.
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11/25/2013
Upping the gamesmanship with Japan over disputed East China Sea waters, China said Saturday it had established an air defense identification zone that would allow its military to take "emergency defensive measures" against unidentified aircraft. The Chinese Defense Ministry said that aircraft flying through the zone would be required to identify themselves and implied that those in violation could be shot down.
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11/25/2013
The skies above Shaw Air Force Base in central South Carolina and the fields across Fort Campbell on the Tennessee-Kentucky line have been a bit quieter in recent months. Budget cuts to the military have forced installations around the country to alter training exercises and daily routines to save money. For airmen and pilots, that means fewer flights. For soldiers and Marines, it means fewer drills or a delay in them until a deployment nears.
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11/25/2013
A low-flying American military aircraft spooked animals and excited plane spotters as it buzzed the Nelson region over the weekend, and two more flights are scheduled over the next two days. Woodstock farmer Fay Baker said she saw a large khaki-coloured aircraft following the course of the Motueka River about 10.30am yesterday.
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11/24/2013
In a move that could further inflame a territorial dispute between Japan and China, the latter on Saturday announced an “air defense identification zone” over a cluster of islands in the East China Sea that are controlled by Tokyo but also claimed by Beijing. The state-run Xinhua agency published a map and coordinates of the region, which it identified as “the East China Sea Air Defense Identification Zone,” along with a set of defense ministry rules governing it.
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11/24/2013
China conducted the maiden test flight for its first stealth combat drone, state media reported on Friday. The reports said that the Lijian or Sharp Sword took off from an undisclosed location in southwest China on Thursday at 1 PM and flew for about 20 minutes. Images of a Sharp Sword prototype first appeared online back in May. At the time, state media referred to it as “China’s UFO-like stealth drone.”
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11/24/2013
Russia’s state arms export monopoly said Friday that it will deliver 12 Su-30K fighter jets to a nation in southern Africa. In the wake of a visit by a high level Russian delegation earlier this year, it was widely reported in Russian media that Moscow had agreed to supply 18 of the jets to Angola.
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11/24/2013
Russia’s state arms exporter said Friday that it currently has $5 billion worth of outstanding orders for helicopters with countries in the Middle East and North Africa. The exporter’s overall contract portfolio exceeded $38 billion as of November 1.
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11/23/2013
South Korea will purchase 40 Lockheed Martin F-35A stealth fighter jets and an additional 20 combat planes from the United States starting in 2018, South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said Friday. "The F-35A will be used as a strategic weapon to gain a competitive edge and defeat the enemy in the early stage of war," Joint Chief of Staff spokesman Eom Hyo Sik was quoted as saying by Yonhap News Agency following a statement made by North Korea earlier in the day.
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11/22/2013
With a wingspan of 41.5 metres and 45 metres wide, the Airbus Military A400M Atlas airlifter is second in size only to the Boeing C-17. The A400M took the stage at its first international airshow as the European defence manufacturer looked to build on the one-third market share it currently enjoys in global heavy-lift transport orders, according to Reuters. The National photographer Christopher Pike took to the air for a trip in the French behemoth.
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11/22/2013
The US, Greek, Polish and Italian air forces will participate in an Israeli Air Force combat exercise later this month, American Ambassador Dan Shapiro confirmed. The Times of Israel reported earlier this month that this will be the largest international air drill ever held in Israel, and it comes amid high tensions over Iran’s nuclear program.
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11/22/2013
The head of Bell Helicopter said on Tuesday he was encouraged by foreign interest in the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft that his company builds with Boeing Co, but Bell may face additional layoffs if not enough orders emerge. John Garrison, president and chief executive of Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc, said the U.S. Marine Corps' use of the V-22 to provide disaster relief in the Philippines illustrated the capabilities of the aircraft, which can fly as fast as a plane but land like a helicop
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11/22/2013
Flying over a village that had been slammed by Typhoon Haiyan, Osprey crew chief Sgt. William Kaker saw a big Philippines flag staked out on the ground with a sign that read "God Help Us." The crew marked the area for a supply drop. "We have gone to some rural areas looking for open fields to get into," said Kaker, 28, of Murfreesboro, Tenn. "We don't see anybody at first, but by the time we land, people come out by the hundreds out of nowhere."
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11/22/2013
BAE Systems (LON:BA) has finalised an industrial cooperation deal with the Brazilian Air Force as part of a supply deal with Embraer, the UK’s flagship defence contractor has announced.
BAE’s share price has fallen one percent in early morning trading in London today.
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11/22/2013
he Air Force's 353rd Special Operations Group opened a third airfield in Borongan, Republic of the Philippines Nov. 18, to facilitate a more efficient distribution of relief supplies to outlying areas as part of Operation Damayan. The group has opened airstrips at Ormoc, Guiuan and Borongan on Samar Island, located among the Philippines' central islands.
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11/22/2013
Saudi Arabia has emerged as the biggest foreign customer for German arms, buying nearly a quarter of Germany's total weapons sales. It's part of an emerging pattern of weapons purchases by Saudi Arabia and its neighbor, the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia was the world's 10th-largest weapons importer in 2008-2012 (the Emirates was No. 9). And Saudi Arabia is expected to be among the top five for 2013-17 "due to major outstanding orders.
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11/22/2013
Air Force officials quickly made the decision Nov. 20 to move, or launch, Department of Defense aircraft from the 2013 Dubai Airshow here due to forecasted high winds and lightning with pending sandstorms and thunderstorms, Nov. 21. "Moving aircraft is the absolute right call," said Lt. Col. Mark Harris, airshow maintenance boss deployed from the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing and a Hickoryville, N.C., native.
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11/22/2013
The first Chinese stealth unmanned combat drone conducted a successful maiden flight Thursday, according to accounts by Chinese media and photos taken from a popular Chinese military website. Lijian, or “sharp sword” in English, aced its first test flight in southwest China, making the People’s Republic of China the fourth nation to successfully fly a stealth unmanned aerial vehicle.
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11/22/2013
Armenia will allocate additional space at the Erebuni air base to host a Russian helicopter squadron being formed to strengthen the Russian air contingent in the former Soviet state, Armenia’s deputy defense minister said Thursday. Russia’s 3624th Air Base at Erebuni Airport in Yerevan currently hosts at least 16 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets operating under air defense agreements concluded between the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.
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11/21/2013
Camp Grayling unveiled a $7 million investment that will allow Black Hawk helicopter pilots from across the country and from other nations to complete simulated flight training. The Transportable Black Hawk Operations Simulator (T-BOS), is located at the Grayling Army Airfield. Col. Erich Randall, garrison commander for Camp Grayling, said the flight simulator cost $7 million and the building it is housed in cost $750,000.
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11/21/2013
France, Germany and other European countries on Tuesday announced the creation of a "drone users club" to go head-to-head against US- and Israeli-made pilotless aerial vehicles that now dominate the skies. At a time when aerial-vehicles are radically altering the modern battlefield, Europe finds itself playing catch up in the race to develop what it calls Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) pilotless aircraft.
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11/21/2013
Filipinos began to appear, pointing and waving, as the MH-60 Seahawk circled over a village looking for a safe place to land. Loaded out with relief supplies, the chopper with the Navy’s Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 12, based aboard George Washington, was headed to hard-hit areas.
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11/21/2013
South Korea is expected to decide this week to purchase Lockheed Martin's F-35A stealth fighters without opening bidding for its new fighter jet program, sources familiar with the matter said Thursday. The Joint Chiefs of Staff will hold a meeting of top commanders on Friday to confirm the required operational capability, the number of jets and the delivery schedule for the acquisition program, which will be more favorable conditions for the F-35 with advanced radar-evading capabilities.
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11/21/2013
It’s old, it’s slow, it’s ugly, and—unlike a Swiss army knife—the Air’s Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II can only do one thing: help grunts on the ground. So think of it as the military equivalent of Grandma’s tarnished turkey-carving knife that only comes out at Thanksgiving. It does a fine job on the old bird, but can a cash-strapped Air Force afford to keep the A-10 flying when its sole mission is to save the lives of U.S. troops in trouble?
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11/21/2013
Swedish jet maker SAAB remains optimistic of securing an order for its Gripen fighter jets from the Malaysian government, which has now delayed plans to phase out the ageing fleet of 18 Russian-made MIG-29 of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The replacement plan, worth billions, was deferred by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak as the country focuses on trimming its fiscal deficit.
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11/21/2013
Lockheed Martin’s Advanced Development Programs division revealed to Aviation Week last week plans for a hypersonic spy aircraft that could reach speeds up to six times the speed of sound. The hypersonic intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, known as the SR-72, is twice as fast as its predecessor, the SR-71 Blackbird. It can penetrate high altitudes, allowing the SR-72 to survive where other advanced aircraft and unmanned vehicles may not.
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11/21/2013
Boeing Co., the world’s largest aircraft maker, and European rivals are awaiting a slew of combat-plane purchases from prospective Middle East buyers as they aim to secure the future of jet production lines. Kuwait may decide next year about a purchase of as many as 40 jets, Giuseppe Giordo, head of Finmeccanica SpA’s Alenia Aermacchi unit that leads the Typhoon campaign for the Eurofighter joint venture, said in an interview at the Dubai Air Show.
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11/21/2013
The Russian military is getting a total of 67 new combat aircraft this year, an official from the United Aircraft Corporation said Wednesday. “Sixty-seven new aircraft were slated to be delivered in 2013, and they will all be delivered,” Vladimir Mikhailov, director of military aviation programs at the UAC, said at a roundtable conference on state defense contracts hosted by RIA Novosti.
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11/21/2013
A new military transport plane will be put in service with Russia’s Baltic Fleet by the end of this year, a spokesman for the Western Military District said Wednesday. The An-140-100 plane is a lightweight turboprop cargo aircraft designed by Ukraine’s Antonov bureau and manufactured under license in Russia by the Aviacor aviation plant in the Volga region.
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11/20/2013
The Philippines will divide up the typhoon-ravaged central Visayas islands between countries to maximise relief efforts, a senior officer has said, as President Benigno Aquino made efforts to improve aid distribution 11 days after the storm hit. The country is still struggling to get aid to devastated areas due to the extent of the destruction, which has left four million people displaced.
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11/20/2013
Lt. Gen. (ret.) David Deptula noted the crucial importance to the United States of an expanded role of coalition airpower at a key fighter conference in London. “the future needs an agile operational framework for the integrated employment of allied military power,” Deptula said. “Multi-nationality may be the only way to meet our fighter force requirements.”
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11/20/2013
Defense spending by GCC nations is steadily rising, despite the decline in the West. Defense spending in Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates (UAE) is estimated to have grown about 20 percent from 2011 to 2012, according to budget figures compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, the International Institute for Strategic Studies and the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), all independent think tanks.
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11/20/2013
AN East Lancashire-based defence giant has denied that it has already signed a deal with the United Arab Emirates for 60 Typhoon fighter jets. A spokesman for defence company BAE Systems, which is based in Samlesbury and Wart-on, said that ‘positive’ talks have been going on between them, the UAE, and the government for ‘some time’. However, the company has refused to be drawn on when a deal might be signed, and for exactly how much it might be worth.
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11/20/2013
A Republican senator on a leading defense panel in Congress has moved to block the Air Force's plans to retire the A-10 Warthog attack plane. Sen. Kelly Ayotte, R-N.H., working with Sen. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., has introduced an amendment to the 2014 National Defense Authorization Act that would limit the service's ability to retire the aircraft. The legislation sets policy goals and spending targets for the fiscal year that began Oct. 1.
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11/20/2013
The head of Bell Helicopter said on Tuesday he was encouraged by foreign interest in the V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft that his company builds with Boeing Co , but Bell may face additional layoffs if not enough orders emerge. John Garrison, president and chief executive of Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc , said the U.S. Marine Corps' use of the V-22 to provide disaster relief in the Philippines illustrated the capabilities of the aircraft, which can fly as fast as a plane but land like a helic
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11/20/2013
When political leaders from Italy and Israel gather for a summit in Turin next month, they will celebrate a flourishing friendship — one in which Italy helps Israel obscure its bloodstained reality. The official talk ahead of the 2 December meeting is of political, economic and cultural agreements. Passing under the radar, however, is the intense military cooperation between the two countries.
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11/20/2013
The Russian air force has started training pilots who will form the core of the country’s third aerobatics team, set to fly new Yak-130 combat trainers on Victory Day, an aircraft industry source said Tuesday. “The training of the Yak-130 aerobatics team has begun with the goal of participating in the Victory Day parade over Red Square on May 9, 2014,” the source said.
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11/20/2013
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex MFI-395 Super Mushshak is being marketed across the region to meet 21st Century training requirements. And, with its innovative glass cockpit, unobscured bubble canopy and lightweight ejection seats, Pakistan's indigenously produced primary trainer aircraft projects a modern and high-tech image.
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11/20/2013
AMMROC (Advanced Military Maintenance, Repair and Overhaul Center) and Eurocopter have completed the overhaul, modification, and delivery of the first Eurocopter AS565 (PANTHER) aircraft to the UAE Joint Aviation Command (JAC).
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11/19/2013
A bipartisan group of lawmakers last week urged Defense Department leaders to hold off on any plans to cut the A-10 and provide more scrutiny to the Air Force’s budget plans. The letter, signed by 13 senators and 20 representatives, calls on Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel and Army Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the joint chiefs of staff, to “actively scrutinize” the Air Force’s fiscal 2015 budget proposals.
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11/19/2013
Argentina's worries over creditors' backlash to its 2001 sovereign default and scant cash resources threaten to isolate the Latin American country's forces in regional military collaboration networks. This month, Argentina stayed away from Cruzex 2013, the largest air maneuvers by regional air forces. Buenos Aires said it canceled its participation to avoid international creditors pouncing on its military assets in ongoing claims from the debt default.
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11/19/2013
Lockheed Martin has yet to receive any official word from the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with regard to the proposed sale of an additional 25 F-16E/F Block 60 Desert Falcon combat aircraft announced earlier in the year, a company official told IHS Jane's on 18 November.
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11/19/2013
Iran unveiled a new aircraft Monday that it says is the biggest drone yet to be developed in the Islamic Republic, capable of staying aloft for up to 30 hours. Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said the reconnaissance and combat drone Fotros has a range of 2,000 kilometers (1,250 miles). That would cover much of the Middle East, including Israel. The earlier Shahed-129 (Witness-129) drone is reported to have a similar range, but can only stay aloft 24 hours.
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11/19/2013
GCC nations involved in a massive drive to bolster their combat aircraft fleets are likely to acquire new lead-in trainer jet capabilities to match, but only after deciding which fighter types they will operate. If two is a trend, then the process of acquiring fighter jets before deciding on the destination of your trainer order is already in play, with Saudi Arabia and Oman tying the purchase of the latest advanced jet trainer version of the BAE Systems Hawk to the acquisition of combat aircraf
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11/19/2013
With turbulence hitting India's biggest defence project in the making, the critical joint development of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) with Russia, defence minister AK Antony on Monday stressed "both sides must give their best" for the "significant programme".
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11/19/2013
Boeing has selected Bombardier's Challenger 605 business jet as the platform for its Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) program, which offers the global market a capable, low-risk maritime surveillance system based on Boeing’s proven P-8A mission system technology.
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11/19/2013
Russia’s state arms exporter will deliver more than $13 billion worth of military equipment to foreign customers in 2013, a senior defense industry official said Monday. “It’s a new record. We have been increasing sales every year,” Russian Technologies (Rostech) CEO Sergei Chemezov said at the Dubai Air Show 2013.
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11/19/2013
Japan placed its air force on alert after two Russian bombers flew near its airspace, a local news agency reported Monday, citing Japan’s Defense Ministry. The pair of Tupolev Tu-95 strategic bombers was spotted off Tokyo over the Pacific Ocean on Sunday, Kyodo news agency reported.
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11/18/2013
If sequester remains in effect, the US Air Force’s combat search-and-rescue (CSAR) mission is in danger of disappearing, according to multiple defense sources. Funds for new CSAR helicopters are not included in the service’s fiscal 2015 budget proposal that includes sequestration spending cuts, the defense sources said. Moreover, funds to extend the lives of about 90 battle-worn Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopters is not part of the sequester budget.
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11/18/2013
Raytheon Company received the 1,000th AIM-120 Advanced Medium Range Air-To-Air Missile (AMRAAM®) rocket motor from Nammo Group, a leading propulsion products company based in Raufoss, Norway. The motor is scheduled to be installed in a production AIM-120C7 missile later this month.
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11/18/2013
Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafique Butt, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force, attended the inaugural ceremony of Dubai Air Show 2013 inaugurated in Dubai on Sunday. A large number of delegations from different countries including Air Chiefs of a number of Air Forces were also present at the occasion, says a press release issued by the PAF. Sheikh Mohammad bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Ruler of Dubai and Prime Minister of UAE, inaugurated the Air Show.
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11/18/2013
A Navy guided missile cruiser hit by a malfunctioning drone during a training exercise returned to San Diego, where investigators will assess the damage and determine what went wrong, a Navy official said Sunday. Two sailors were treated for minor burns after the USS Chancellorsville was struck by the unmanned aircraft during radar testing Saturday afternoon, off Point Mugu in Southern California.
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11/18/2013
Last week Iraq took delivery of the first batch of Mil helicopters from the Rostvertol factory. Four Mi-35Ms were delivered to Iraq, their arrival being announced by Iraqi prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki. Iraqi managers, crews and technicians have been training at the Russian army’s Torzhok center, with the first group completing its course in late September.
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11/18/2013
f all you know about the U-2 spy plane is that pilot Gary Francis Powers was shot down in one in 1960, then you're in for a surprise when you find out that new versions of the Lockheed Martin U-2 are still in service and are expected to be until 2040.
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11/18/2013
As soon as Navy pilot Matthew Stafford puts his helicopter down in the village of Borongan, he is rushed by dozens of local men who form a line to unload the supplies and water he has flown in from the mothership, the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. Children swarm him as he breaks out a box of sweets.
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11/18/2013
Coming soon near you it's The Terminator. Yes, folks the fully autonomous weapon is firmly on the horizon. Whether on the battlefield or targeted on the streets, these weapons should have no place in warfare or policing. But a future where the decision on whether you live or die could soon be made by a Killer Robot. It sounds like science fiction, but the reality is moving ever closer.
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11/18/2013
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has yet to choose a supplier for its next fighter jets, a deal closely contested by Britain and France, a Gulf source familiar with the arms market said on Sunday after a visit by British Prime Minister David Cameron. French firm Dassault's Rafale jets and the BAE Systems -backed Eurofighter Typhoon are in a tight race to win the deal for at least 60 new aircraft to replace the UAE's Mirage fleet.
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11/17/2013
The commercial outfit that will provide the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) with air-to-air refueling service for the next 22 years says that it will meet the forecast in-service date. By May 2014, AirTanker will have nine Airbus A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transports (MRTTs) ready on the ramp at RAF Brize Norton. It has already trained 18 aircrews, received six aircraft and begun operational flying.
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11/17/2013
There will be 150 assorted aircraft on display including 50 business jets at the 13th edition of Dubai Air Show which is the third largest in the world and commences at a new venue at Dubai World Central on Sunday. Event organisers F&E Aerospace disclosed this year’s show will be the biggest in the biennial event’s 26-year history at its new purpose-built permanent site, which is double the size of the previous venue at the traditional Airport Expo near Dubai International Airport.
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11/17/2013
The expiring week was, without exaggeration, exceptional in the sense of Moscow's foreign political activity. The results of foreign visits of the first persons of Russia allow to say that at least in the sphere of the military-technical cooperation the country is returning its old positions.
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11/17/2013
The U.S. Air Force began using its large (Predator first, then Reaper) UAVs in the 1990s. It took 16 years for this growing UAV fleet to achieve a million hours in the air. But it took less than three years to achieve the second million flight hours. This is causing problems, as the air force is finding it easier to obtain new UAVs (and keep them operating) than it is to recruit, train, and retain the operators needed to keep the UAVs in operation.
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11/17/2013
Defense Minister AK Antony said that INS Vikramaditya would significantly enhance the reach and capability of the Indian Navy. "India's economic development is dependent on the seas and safeguarding the nation's maritime interests is central to our national policy. Aircraft carriers have been part of the Indian Navy's force structure since our independence and have effectively served the country over the past five decades or so,' he said at the induction ceremony at the Sevmash Shipyard.
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11/17/2013
When super typhoon Haiyan struck the Philippines on Nov. 8, devastating the city of Tacloban and leaving a huge storm surge and widespread flooding in its wake, the U.S. military was ready to help.
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11/17/2013
Despite the pinch on Western defense spending, Middle Eastern nations are continuing to invest in new weapons and capabilities, particularly combat and transport aircraft, missile defenses and cyber warfare technology. And US defense companies see the diverse fleets operated by Middle Eastern air forces as a way to keep production lines open, particularly after major customers, like the Pentagon, complete purchases.
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11/16/2013
Defence Minister AK Antony reached Russia last night for the commissioning of the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya today at the Sevmash Shipyard, Russia’s nuclear submarine building centre.Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin and senior government and naval officials of the two countries are also scheduled to attend the ceremony for handing over the aircraft carrier that may be a game changer for India’s naval aspirations.
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11/16/2013
Boeing delivered the second P-8I aircraft to India today, doubling that country’s long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare capabilities. Boeing is building eight P-8I aircraft for India and delivered the first in-country in May. Based on the company’s Next-Generation 737 commercial airplane, the P-8I is the Indian Navy variant of the P-8A Poseidon that Boeing has developed for the U.S. Navy.
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11/16/2013
The number of military helicopters Russia exports is set to rise by 20 percent in 2013, while air defense systems will see a leap in exports of 30 percent, the state arms exporter said Friday. Rosoboronexport is expected to export more than 130 combat and military transport helicopters this year, marking a tenfold increase in sales over the past 12 years.
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11/16/2013
Russia is offering Egypt combat helicopters and air defense systems, as well as repairs and overhauls of military hardware previously supplied to the troubled Middle Eastern nation. The two countries agreed Thursday to start drafting documents to lay the foundation for close cooperation in the defense sector, paving the way for future purchases and licensed production of Russian-made weapons in Egypt.
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11/16/2013
Jordan is interested in locally assembling Russian-designed helicopters and anti-tank missile systems, an official from Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Friday. “Our Jordanian colleagues have shown interest in setting up domestic assembly of portable Kornet anti-tank missile systems and several types of helicopters,” said Mikhail Zavaly, head of the Rosoboronexport delegation at the Dubai Air Show 2013.
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11/15/2013
Sino-Russian military cooperation is about to reach its highest point since the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, according to an article in the Military-Industrial Courier, a weekly illustrated newspaper based in Moscow, on Nov. 12.
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11/15/2013
Two hawk jets collided in mid-air near Kauhava, a city in western Finland, reported the national broadcasting company in Finland. According to information from various media outlets, the 2 hawk jets involved in the incident were combat training aircraft belonging to the Air Force school in Kauhava. A Nov. 13 report from MSN confirmed that one pilot was killed in the accident.
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11/15/2013
The Air Force now trains more unmanned aerial systems pilots than bomber and fighter pilots combined, signaling a deepening dependence on the capabilities those machines provide the military. Unmanned aircraft are becoming just as ubiquitous in other services, with hundreds of soldiers, sailors and Marines learning to fly them each year.
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11/15/2013
The U.S. Navy launched a huge relief operation in the typhoon-ravaged central Philippines Thursday, as the devastated Philippine city of Tacloban began the grim task of burying its dead. The aircraft carrier USS George Washington and a contingent of seven supply ships arrived in the Philippine Sea early Thursday, and began delivering water and emergency rations to the wrecked city.
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11/15/2013
As aviation authorities in the U.S. and Europe prepare to integrate more unmanned aircraft into civil airspace, they need to be able to securely and rapidly transfer large amounts of data during missions. Satellite communications networks have become increasingly more congested, making it difficult to find enough spectrum for unmanned aircraft to securely operate on.
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11/15/2013
Defence Minister AK Antony will commission the much-delayed Indian Naval Ship (INS) Vikramaditya, the country’s second aircraft carrier and the largest warship, at a Russian shipyard on Saturday. Antony leaves New Delhi on Friday on a four-day visit to Russia to commission the warship and also to co-chair the 13th Meeting of the India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Co-operation (IRIGCMTC) with his Russian counterpart Sergey Shoigu.
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11/15/2013
The Colombian Air Force (Fuerza Aerea Colombiana - FAC) is looking to procure a new fighter aircraft type "over the next three to four years" to enhance its top-end air combat capabilities, a senior service official said on 14 November.
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11/15/2013
Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) recently achieved another successful flight test, with the missile scoring a direct hit on a moving maritime target. The test was conducted in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) and Office of Naval Research (ONR) program.
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11/15/2013
Russia and Egypt agreed Thursday to start drafting documents to lay the foundation for close cooperation in the defense sector, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said. Shoigu and Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov are on a landmark visit to the strategically important North African country to boost bilateral relations, including military ties, which have been in limbo for several decades.
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11/15/2013
Russia’s Almaz-Antey defense corporation said Thursday that it had developed an advanced version of the Tor-M2 air defense system, featuring an extended firing range, improved precision and greater ammunition-carrying capacity. “We can say now that a unique air defense system in its class with an astounding precision and range has been created. Its performance surpasses all planned parameters,” said Sergei Druzin, head of research and development at Almaz-Antey.
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11/14/2013
After nearly a decade of waiting, wrangling with budgets, writing proposals and whistling past the graveyard, new aircraft deliveries have begun arriving in Taiwan. Over the past 60 days, deliveries of 12 P-3C Orion maritime patrol aircraft and 30 AH-64E Apache Longbow attack helicopters have begun arriving in Taiwan. Sixty UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters are expected to begin arriving in 2014.
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11/14/2013
A gray C-130 Hercules flies low over the runway at Kabul airport. The four-engine cargo plane then climbs and banks to the left. Moments later, it lands and passes under the spray of two fire trucks before stopping in front of a crowd of officials. This ceremony last month marked the official transfer of the first two C-130s from the U.S. to the Afghan air force.
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11/14/2013
The U.S. Navy is expected to announce soon that Boeing Co's P-8A aircraft, a long-range maritime surveillance plane based on the company's 737 airliner, is ready for initial operational use, sources familiar with the program said. The Navy plans to buy 117 of the new anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare planes to replace its P-3 spy planes built by Lockheed Martin Corp.
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11/14/2013
Russia is developing its first long-range drone aircraft capable of conducting ground attack missions, but lags behind other militaries in building unmanned aerial combat vehicles, according to U.S. officials. The new drone is being developed in secret and was first revealed in online images earlier this year. U.S. officials familiar with intelligence reports said the drone is being called the Altius-M and work is being done at the Sokol Design Bureau in Tatarstan, a Russian republic.
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11/14/2013
The Air Force is grappling with how to manage a potential glut of drones and may eventually scale back the number of combat missions flown with unmanned aircraft by more than 25 percent, the service’s top commander said Wednesday.
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11/14/2013
After the Shenyang J-15, China's first carrier-based fighter aircraft was repainted in military grey, Du Wenlong, a Chinese military analyst told the state run China News Service that the aircraft is almost ready for service in the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force. The grey J-15 — also known in Chinese as the "Flying Shark" — with the serial number 555 was revealed for the first time by state-run China Central Television two months ago.
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11/14/2013
The New York Air National Guard asked the U.S. Air Force on Wednesday for help in finding a multimillion-dollar military drone that crashed into Lake Ontario a day earlier. The Syracuse-based 174th Attack Wing asked the Air Force to send an HC-130 search aircraft to look for the missing MQ-9 Reaper, according to Eric Durr, a spokesman for the New York state Division of Military and Naval Affairs, based in suburban Albany.
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11/14/2013
Lockheed Martin will highlight its growing presence in the Middle East through several media briefings at the Dubai Air Show, Nov. 17-21, at the Dubai World Central Airport. The events will feature Lockheed Martin's role as a trusted partner for countries in the Middle East and underscore its commitment to meeting customers' needs as global security challenges become increasingly complex.
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11/14/2013
The United States has scrapped plans to purchase additional helicopters from state-run Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport amid pressure from federal lawmakers over Russian arms deliveries to Syria, a top US senator said Wednesday. “I applaud the [US] Defense Department’s decision to cancel its plan to buy 15 additional Mi-17 helicopters from Rosoboronexport,” US Sen. John Cornyn said in statement, The Associated Press (AP) reported.
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11/14/2013
Russia and Serbia signed an agreement Wednesday on military cooperation as part of further development of the strategic partnership between the two countries. The deal was overseen in Belgrade by Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, whose visit is being seen as a prelude to a possibly imminent deal on the sale of Russian fighter jets to Serbia.
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11/13/2013
Lockheed Martin’s F-35A is expected to be chosen as Korea’s next-generation fighter aircraft. The final decision will be made after deliberation at a Joint Chiefs of Staff Council meeting in late November and a meeting of the Defense Acquisition Program Administration in December.
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11/13/2013
The Pentagon chief has ordered the USS George Washington aircraft carrier group, with its contingent of Navy cruisers and a destroyer ship, “to make best speed” to the Philippines. The group, which carries with it 5,000 sailors and more than 80 aircraft, will aid in disaster relief in a country where as many as 10,000 people may have died and tens of thousands are now homeless, according to current US military estimates.
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11/13/2013
The Indian Navy inducted the Hawk 132, a fourth generation Advanced Jet Trainer aircraft, on November 6 at an impressive ceremony held at Naval Air Station INS Dega. Admiral DK Joshi, Chief of the Naval Staff, who was the chief guest at the event, inducted the aircraft in the presence of Vice Admiral Anil Chopra PVSM AVSM, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Naval Command.
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11/13/2013
It is more than a little ghoulish to look at a tragedy that may have killed 10,000 people and see a strategic opportunity. But that’s how strategists have to think. After all, what is war itself but human tragedy exploited for strategic advantage? And that’s how we need to think about what’s happening in the aftermath of Typhoon Haiyan, where US Marines are already on the ground.
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11/13/2013
On November 6th, the 5th media day of AVIC, Wang Yongqing, chief designer of J-15 revealed that special design features have been applied to the J-15 in accordance with its deployment on aircraft carriers, in order to achieve the special requirements of shipborne aircraft.
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11/13/2013
Presidents Ilham Aliyev and Abdullah Gul have today viewed the Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. They first watched the flying performances of the "Hurkush" basic trainer aircraft and the "T129" attack helicopter from the control tower. The Head of State was informed that Turkish Aircraft Industries Corporation (TUSAS) was established in 1973 under the auspices of the Ministry of Industry and Technology in order to reduce the foreign dependency in defense industry in Turkey.
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11/13/2013
Three years after its last upgrade, Japan is again updating its 13-year old AWACS (Air Warning And Control) aircraft. Unlike U.S. AWACS, that are based on the 1950s era year old Boeing 707, the Japanese AWACS is built on the 1980s era Boeing 767, which has 50 percent more floor space and twice the internal volume of the 707. The Japanese AWACS will get the latest electronic countermeasures and communications equipment, which will make the systems more capable and easier to use.
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11/13/2013
Retired by the U.S. Navy more than seven years ago, the iconic Grumman F-14 remains in service with the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF). Iran used its Tomcats extensively in the Iran-Iraq War and the F-14A is still today the backbone of IRIAF air defense. Over the last few years the “Persian cats” have reportedly flown against a very particular threat: the Unidentified Flying Objects, universally known as a UFO.
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11/13/2013
Tilt-rotor aircraft that look like mini-Ospreys are vying with other new designs to replace thousands of U.S. military helicopters. Tilt rotors are incorporated in two of four vertical-lift designs awarded funding by the Department of Defense last month. The Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator funding is part of efforts to build a family of vertical-lift vehicles that could replace thousands of aircraft over the next 50 years, according to the Army.
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11/13/2013
Officials at the 174th Attack Wing suspended all Reaper drone flights in Central New York Tuesday after one of the unmanned aircraft crashed into Lake Ontario about 12 miles from the eastern shore during a routine training flight.
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11/12/2013
This report is the result of SDI's extensive market and company research covering the global military aircraft industry. It provides detailed analysis of both historic and forecast global industry values, factors influencing demand, the challenges faced by industry participants, analysis of the leading companies in the industry, and key news.
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11/12/2013
Landing gear manufacturer Heroux-Devtek says a deterioration in military sales caused by budget problems in the US means its overall sales will come in lower than its prior forecast for slight growth. Although it expects commercial revenues will increase by 10%, the company said a drop in US military spending restrictions and government shutdown will offset those gains for the financial year ended March 31.
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11/12/2013
Japanese companies are looking at loans from state-run banks to be able to fund its planned exports of military aircraft when it finally revises its policy regarding international sales of weapons. This will also be part of the current administration’s efforts to strengthen the country’s self-reliant military force and for defense contractors to finally make their mark on a billion dollar market.
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11/12/2013
The number of Marines and sailors deployed to assist with the humanitarian crisis in the Philippines tripled to 270 following Friday’s Super Typhoon Haiyan, which officials now believe killed 10,000 or more people and left hundreds of thousands homeless. About 180 Marines and sailors left Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Japan, on Monday, for the Philippines aboard four MV-22B Ospreys and three KC-130J Hercules, according to a Marine Corps news release.
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11/12/2013
Ukraine and Thailand are considering the possibility of establishing military and technical cooperation in the area of the procurement, maintenance, and joint development of aircraft.
Representatives of the two countries discussed the prospects for extending bilateral cooperation at the international exhibition Defense & Security 2013, which was held in Bangkok on November 4-7, according to the press service of the Ukroboronprom State Concern on Monday, Interfax-Ukraine reports.
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11/12/2013
On Oct. 20, in the late afternoon heat of southern Afghanistan, U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Stephen Clements and his C-17 Globemaster III crew set off on a milestone flight. Clements logged his 10,000 hours behind the controls of a military aircraft while assisting U.S. military forces with their drawdown from Afghanistan by redeploying U.S. Army IAV Strykers through one of the area of responsibilities multi-modal hubs.
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11/12/2013
Continuing delays by India's Ministry of Defence (MoD) in finalising its procurement of 126 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft is forcing the Indian Air Force (IAF) to extend the operational life of several of its ageing platforms well beyond their retirement date. Official sources said IAF commanders meeting in New Delhi on 22 October for their biannual conference discussed various strategies to keep older assets like upgraded MiG-21 Bison ('Fishbed-L') fighters operational until 2022-24.
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11/12/2013
The final members of the 48th Air Expeditionary Group arrived at Keflavik International Airport, Iceland, Nov. 4, to conduct air surveillance and policing missions. The group, which is made up of U.S. Air Force and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization personnel, is a specialized team prepared to ensure Iceland's air sovereignty. Their air policing encompasses radar surveillance and identification of objects in the airspace, unit officials said.
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11/11/2013
The United States has mobilized an array of military personnel and equipment to the Philippines in the wake of killer Typhoon “Yolanda” (international name: Haiyan), the Pentagon said Sunday. An assessment team was on the ground to gauge the support needed following the superstorm that may have killed more than 10,000 people, Colonel Brad Bartelt, a US Marine Corps spokesman, said in a statement.
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11/11/2013
Despite frustration over US policies in Egypt, Syria and growing negotiations with Iran, military relations between the US and Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) remain strong with nations poised to continue buying billions in hardware, officials and analysts said. “No one in the region wants to have a bad relationship with the US; no one, and everything [American officials] want, we want,” one Arabian Gulf source said.
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11/11/2013
Qatar’s plans to select a fighter as the basis for a six-fold increase in its combat jet power have been delayed by a US request to extend the deadline for submission of request for proposals (RfP), according to executives familiar with the requirement. Meanwhile, with politicians, senior military officers and industry leaders coming to the Dubai Airshow, which starts Nov. 17, speculation continues as to whether the United Arab Emirates’ procurement intentions will become clearer this month.
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11/11/2013
The Navy says tests have demonstrated a drone’s ability to integrate with the environment of an aircraft carrier. The X-47B unmanned combat air system demonstrator was tested Saturday and Sunday during flight operations aboard the U.S. Theodore Roosevelt. The Navy says in a news release that touch and go maneuvers generated data characterizing the environment in close proximity of the carrier’s flight deck.
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11/11/2013
The UAE's aerobatic team the Al Fursan and the legendary Red Arrows team, will thrill the crowds with their flying displays at Skyview at the Dubai Airshow which takes place from 18 to 21 November 2013, from 12 – 6pm at Dubai World Central (DWC), Jebel Ali, Dubai.
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11/10/2013
Thirteen people died when an Indonesian army helicopter carrying construction workers to build a military outpost crashed in the jungles of Borneo and burst into flames Saturday. The helicopter was carrying 19 crew and construction workers, as well as building materials, en route to the outpost in Malinau district, North Kalimantan province, near the Malaysian border.
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11/10/2013
South Korea is looking to sell more weapons systems, including warships and aircraft, to Thailand, which is pushing to modernize its armed forces to meet security challenges. Following a contract with Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME) for a 3,700-ton frigate, the Royal Thai Navy plans to procure one more frigate built by the South Korean shipyard, according to officials. The contract for the first frigate was signed in August. The deal was valued around $470 million, the highest we
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11/10/2013
The U.S. Senate Intelligence Committee has quietly approved a plan to step up both public and internal government oversight of the use of armed drones to kill suspected militants overseas, including American citizens.
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11/10/2013
Defence scientists, engineers and pilots attached to India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas programme are on a war footing to ensure that the fighter doesn’t miss the December deadline for its Initial Operational Clearance (IOC-2). Three aircraft - LSP-3, LSP-5, LSP-8 - from the Tejas flight-line are currently undertaking weapon trials in Jamnagar. The Russian-made R73-E missile will be fired during the ongoing trials.
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11/10/2013
With nations, including the US and UK, effecting defence budget cuts, India will emerge as the world’s biggest market for weapons over the next two decades. And vying for a share of the pie will be Russian, American, Israeli, French and British firms.
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11/10/2013
The U.S. Department of Defense'sDefense Security Cooperation Agency issued the following news release: The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress today of a possible Foreign Military Sale to Romania of weapons, equipment, and support for 12 F-16 MLU Block 15 for an estimated cost of $457 million.
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11/10/2013
50 years after commissioning the first nuclear powered aircraft carrier (CVN-65 USS Enterprise), the US Navy christened today the first ship of the third generation of nuclear powered carriers. Larger and much more advanced version of the $13 billion ‘floating airport’, the new Ford class is designed to carry naval air power well into the 22nd century.
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11/09/2013
Norway has selected AgustaWestland to supply new search-and-rescue helicopters in a deal that could be worth more than €1 billion and include more than 16 AW101 helicopters. An announcement on a Norwegian government website on Nov. 8 stated that Norway had “decided to commence final negotiations with the company AgustaWestland Ltd. for the delivery of new search and rescue helicopters to replace the current Sea King.”
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11/09/2013
Nearly two years ago, the U.S. pulled its last troops out of Iraq. Since then Iraqis have seen the dramatic resurgence of al-Qaida in Iraq (AQI) and unprecedented sectarian violence that left more than 1,000 dead last month alone. Earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki visited the White House and pressed President Barack Obama for increased military and intelligence assistance he says is necessary to combat the forces threatening his government.
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11/09/2013
South Korea’s air force would be best served in the near term by a mix of fighters that includes an advanced version of Boeing’s F-15, according to retired U.S. Air Force general and former chief of staff Ronald Fogleman. The F-15 would provide needed combat capability to counter the threat posed by North Korea right away, whereas Lockheed Martin’s F-35 will lack full combat capability until around 2020 when its Block 3F software is installed and tested, he said.
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11/09/2013
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $114 million advance procurement contract in preparation to build three more high-flying RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) and associated sensors. The combat-proven intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft allows military commanders to receive high-resolution imagery, survey vast geographic regions and pinpoint targets on the ground.
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11/09/2013
After the end of World War II, the Japanese constitution, written in part by the United States for the defeated Japanese nation, rejected war as a solution for conflict. The Preamble to the Japanese constitution recognized the Japanese government’s brutal actions in Asia during World War II.
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11/09/2013
The final members of the 48th Air Expeditionary Group arrived at Keflavik International Airport, Iceland, Nov. 4, to conduct air surveillance and policing missions. The group, which is made up of U.S. Air Force and other North Atlantic Treaty Organization personnel, is a specialized team prepared to ensure Iceland's air sovereignty. Their air policing encompasses radar surveillance and identification of objects in the airspace, unit officials said.
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11/09/2013
Is it a plane? Is it a chopper? Is it a bomber? It’s a tilt-rotor. More significantly, it is a game changer in the theatre of war and humanitarian missions which Boeing hopes the UAE and Qatar would sign up for as one of its first international customers. The V-22 Osprey is a multi-role combat and transport aircraft that not only its makers but also US service commanders say has revolutionised defence aviation.
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11/09/2013
The crash of a multi-role twin engine MiG-29 fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force, approximately 5 km from Jamnagar air station, between Amran and Vasai villages, on Friday morning has raised an alarm in the defence establishment here. This is because a MiG-29 aircraft had crashed on June 25 this year at Khambhalia taluka of Jamnagar district, while another also of Jamnagar air station had crashed in the Gulf of Kutch in 2008.
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11/09/2013
Iraq took collection Thursday night of the first four Russian-made Mi-35 helicopter gunships sold to the Middle Eastern nation as part of a multibillion dollar weapons deal. Iraqi leader Nuri al-Maliki posted pictures of the aircraft on his official Facebook page. Abbas al-Bayati, a lawmaker with al-Maliki’s ruling faction in parliament, told RIA Novosti that Iraq expects to receive a consignment of around 40 Mi-35 and Mi-28NE attack helicopters by the end of the year.
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11/09/2013
Boeing's presence at the 2013 Dubai Airshow will showcase the company's industry partnerships in the Middle East and highlight a broad lineup of defence and commercial products and services designed to meet the requirements of Middle East customers. Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East, said: “The Middle East region continues to be one of Boeing’s key global markets for both the commercial aviation and defence sectors.
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11/08/2013
While cuts in Pentagon budgets and political gridlock in Washington have cast doubt on the sustainability of a U.S. "pivot" back to Asia, its military realities are all too clear from the flight deck of the USS George Washington aircraft carrier. F-18 Super Hornet jet fighters roar from its decks with chest-thumping velocity less than 300 km (185 miles) from the Chinese coast - a symbol of U.S. naval dominance in Asia that Chinese analysts fear could contain Beijing's rising power for decades.
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11/08/2013
If South Korea decides to order Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets for delivery in 2017, the aircraft would come with the software needed to carry a full load of weapons, Lockheed and the Pentagon's F-35 program office said Thursday, refuting a claim made earlier this week by a Boeing consultant.
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11/08/2013
As they face the prospect of another year of deep cuts to their budgets, the military's service chiefs testified today before the Senate Armed Services Committee on the impact sequestration is having on the ability to organize, train and equip their service members.
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11/08/2013
The Royal Air Force Red Arrows showcased an amazing display of flying prowess in the skies of Doha yesterday. The first half of the aerobatic show included some basic aircraft loops, bends and rolls performed by nine British pilots flying their dual-control BAE Systems Hawk jets with a maximum altitude of 48,000ft.
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11/08/2013
Unlike commercial airliners, modern military aircraft are subjected to ever-changing flying conditions—from high-thrust takeoffs to flying at altitude to combat maneuvers. So why are they outfitted with engines that perform optimally in only one of those flight envelopes? For the next iteration of the F-35 Lightning II, Pratt and Whitney is developing an engine that performs at its best no matter what's required of it.
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11/08/2013
BAE Systems Plc, Britain’s biggest defense company, has tested its first combat drone with jet fighter-like capabilities, stepping up European efforts to close a 10-year gap to the U.S. in developing a new class of warplane. The U.K. Parliament’s defense committee said in a report that flight trials of BAE’s Taranis drone have taken place in 2013, the first public acknowledgment that the model has flown.
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11/08/2013
The USS Gerald R. Ford, the nation's first Ford Class aircraft carrier, is readying for christening on Nov. 9 and a rigorous set of tests and evaluations after that. The 77,000-ton, next-generation carrier is slated for 27 months of assessments before it's commissioned for service in 2016, service officials said. "This is going to the most challenging and integrated test program the Navy has ever faced," said Rear Adm. Tom Moore, Program Executive Officer, Carriers.
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11/08/2013
The United States military is tasked with developing new and ground breaking technologies, but budget issues are causing problems for numerous programs on the chopping block.
Don’t expect that to happen to the U.S. Air Force Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B), an important step in modernizing the military’s combat aircraft program.
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11/08/2013
Boeing’s presence at the 2013 Dubai Airshow will showcase the company’s industry partnerships in the Middle East and highlight a broad lineup of defense and commercial products and services designed to meet the needs of Middle East customers. “The Middle East region continues to be one of Boeing’s key global markets for both the commercial aviation and defense sectors,” said Jeffrey Johnson, president, Boeing Middle East.
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11/08/2013
Egypt is considering spending up to $4 billion on advanced weaponry from Russia following the partial suspension of military aid and equipment deliveries from the United States, a Palestinian online newspaper said Thursday. According to Donia Al-Watan, Moscow has offered Cairo “a historic deal giving Egypt an option to buy the most advanced weaponry without any restrictions.”
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11/07/2013
Air National Guard airmen are taking part in Cruzeiro do Sul Exercise, a Brazilian air exercise that officially kicked off Nov. 4 and is scheduled to be completed Nov. 15. The Brazilian air force-led exercise combines coalition aerial refueling and combat search and rescue structured training, with a focus on interoperability, officials said.
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11/07/2013
The Chinese government invited foreign military personnel to observe military drills to see "the real Chinese army" in action, a defense ministry official said. The official Xinhua News Agency reported Wednesday foreign military personnel from 89 countries were on hand to observe a two-day military drill in Henan province in central China.
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11/07/2013
The United States presented Lebanon with a Cessna aircraft Wednesday, part of the Western nation’s efforts to strengthen the Lebanese Army. “We will remain committed to strengthening the capacity of the LAF so it can pursue its mission of securing Lebanon’s borders, defending the sovereignty and independence of the state.
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11/07/2013
The disparity in the promotion rate between pilots of manned and unmanned aircraft has narrowed considerably. Last year, 89 percent of eligible unmanned aircraft pilots were promoted to major, compared with 87.4 percent of mobility pilots, 90.7 percent of bomber pilots and 94.1 percent of fighter pilots, the figures show.Some recent promotion boards have selected more unmanned aircraft pilots to advance than mobility pilots, according to figures provided by the AFPC.
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11/07/2013
The Indian Navy is on its way to becoming a major air force, with the fleet air arm having achieved several landmarks this year. In May, the first MiG-29K squadron was commissioned at the INS Hansa in Goa, with 20 world-class Russian fighters. In August, the first indigenous aircraft carrier, the INS Vikrant, was launched at Kochi. Later this month, Russia will hand over the INS Vikramaditya, formerly the Admiral Gorshkov, which will supplement the INS Viraat to become the navy’s second carrier.
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11/07/2013
Defence minister A K Antony on Wednesday directed the DRDO to ensure that the operational deadlines for the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft, first sanctioned 30 years to replace the ageing MiG-21s, are not delayed yet again. Addressing the parliamentary consultative committee on defence, Antony said the under-development indigenous fighter's initial operational clearance (IOC) planned for next month and the final operational clearance (FOC) in December 2014.
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11/07/2013
The Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Greenville team delivered a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Orion aircraft in nine months—94 days early—on November 6. This unprecedented accomplishment allows for a quicker return of the aircraft to the CBP P-3 fleet supporting homeland security and drug interdiction missions.
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11/07/2013
Boeing will continue to increase the B-52 bomber’s effectiveness and versatility under a new U.S. Air Force contract that calls for the aircraft’s smart weapons capacity to expand by 50 percent. Under the $24.6 million agreement, Boeing will develop a modification to existing weapon launchers so the aircraft can carry smart weapons in the bomb bay, allowing aircrews to use the B-52’s entire weapons capacity.
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11/07/2013
Boeing and Kongsberg Defense Systems of Norway recently completed a successful check of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) on an F/A-18F Super Hornet at the Boeing St. Louis facility to ensure the weapons fit on the aircraft's external pylons.
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11/07/2013
Colombian officials will issue a note of protest to Moscow after two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 strategic bombers entered the country’s airspace without permission last week, the Latin American nation's president has said. The aircraft entered Colombian airspace from Venezuela last Friday while heading for Nicaragua, President Juan Manuel Santos said Tuesday, according to a report on Colombia's NTN24 television station.
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11/06/2013
After three decades of development and a development cost in excess of R8 billion, the South African designed and built Rooivalk attack helicopter has finally deployed operationally, and also fired its weapons in anger. Three Rooivalk helicopters, belonging to 16 Squadron based at AFB Bloemspruit near Bloemfontein, were airlifted to the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) a week ago.
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11/06/2013
A landing gear failure caused an F-16C to skid off the runway July 16 at Osan Air Base, South Korea, destroying the jet and causing minor injuries to the pilot, Air Combat Command announced today. The pilot, who was assigned to the 55th Fighter Squadron at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., was able to exit the aircraft. The jet’s landing gear collapsed immediately after touching down for landing after a routine training flight.
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11/06/2013
Bosses from four Malaysian firms visited BAE Systems’ sites in Warton and Samlesbury, Lancashire, on Monday and got a first-hand look at its world-class aerospace manufacturing facility and flight test centre for military aircraft. They also visited Kilgour Aerospace in Blackpool which has been involved in the aerospace industry since 1966, as part of a two-day visit organised by BAE Systems and the SME Corporation Malaysia.
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11/06/2013
The Indian and US navies began conducting their annual Malabar joint exercises today in the Bay of Bengal, off the coast of Tamil Nadu, an annual event since 1992. The exercises will run through Nov. 11. The exercises will include gun-firing, fighter combat operations from aircraft carriers, combating terrorism and maritime interdiction operations exercises.
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11/06/2013
The U.S. Air Force has ordered another 24 MQ-9 Block 5 Reaper UAVs. Although defense budgets are being cut and the air force is scrounging to come up with enough cash to keep its F-35 production going, the Reaper is still one of the most active combat aircraft in air force service. So the orders just keep on coming, at least as long as there is demand. As long as there is a terrorist threat out there, there will be demand.
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11/06/2013
In the final years of his nearly 30-year career in the U.S. Air Force, Slim spent 10 to 12 hours a day in a cool, dark room in the Arizona desert, stationed in front of monitors that beamed back aerial footage from Afghanistan.
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11/06/2013
The popular image of a stealthy, fifth-generation fighter and subsonic drone-dominated future in military aviation appears to have a serious challenge at hand. On 1 November 2013, Lockheed Martin’s ‘Skunk Works’ development department unveiled the ‘SR-72’ project designed to replace the retired Mach 3 capable SR-71 Blackbird spy plane.
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11/06/2013
Last month, headlines were dominated by the near catastrophic level of political dysfunction in Washington, D.C., including a federal government shutdown and a congressional game of chicken regarding the debt ceiling. While there was an 11th-hour deal to avert the worst-case scenario, there’s a strong possibility that this latest sideshow will repeat itself at the top of next year.
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11/06/2013
The former Soviet states of Turkmenistan and Belarus have agreed on a project to jointly build an aerial drone factory in the energy-rich Central Asian nation. Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko said Tuesday during a working visit to Turkmenistan that his country would dispatch aviation specialists to implement the project.
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11/06/2013
Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers returned on Tuesday from a tour-of-duty in South America, where they carried out a series of patrols in line with a combat training program. During the mission, which started on October 28, the nuclear-capable bombers visited Venezuela and Nicaragua, and conducted a series of patrols over the Caribbean.
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11/05/2013
American defence secretary Chuck Hagel said on Thursday that Israel would be the first US ally to receive the American V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor military aircraft. The deal was negotiated between Hagel and Israeli defence minister Moshe Ya'alon during the former's last visit to Israel. According to Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, the estimated cost of one V-22 Osprey is $69 million.
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11/05/2013
The unmanned SR-72 will use an engine that combines a turbine and a ramjet to reach its top speed of Mach 6 - about 3,600mph (5,800km/h). Like its predecessor, the SR-72 will be designed for high-altitude surveillance but might also be fitted with weapons to strike targets. Lockheed said the aircraft should be operational by 2030.
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11/05/2013
Japan is considering providing low-interest loans from a state-run bank to support exports of aircraft designed for military use, the first time such sales are being considered since the end of World War Two, according to officials with knowledge of the still-developing policy.
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11/05/2013
The 174th Attack Wing of the Air National Guard will open a new hangar Tuesday to house its remotely-piloted drone aircraft at Wheeler Sack Army Airfield at Fort Drum, near Watertown. The $5.1 million hangar will house two MQ-9 Reaper drones operated by pilots at Hancock Field in Mattydale over restricted military air space at Fort Drum.
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11/05/2013
India on Tuesday will kick off wargames with two military superpowers, the US and China, striking a fine balance amid the geopolitical jostling between the two for supremacy in the crucial Asia-Pacific region. Even as 162 Indian soldiers touched down in an IAF IL-76 at the Chengdu military region in China for the "Hand-in-Hand (HiH)'' exercise on Monday, Indian and American warships and maritime patrol aircraft were simultaneously gathering in the Bay of Bengal to launch the combat manoeuvres.
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11/05/2013
Britain is to send the Royal Air Force Red Arrows display team to perform Bahrain, just weeks after negotiations opened on the sale of BAE Eurofighter jets to the tiny Gulf Kingdom.
Bahrain’s ruling family has been engaged in brutal repression of protesters since a democratic uprising began i n February 2011. Britain has been repeatedly criticised for selling weapons and other military hardware to the regime while the crackdown continues.
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11/05/2013
U.S., Greek, Polish and Italian fighter jets are planned to deploy to Ovda Israel Air Force Base this month, to participate in the Israel Air Force’s ‘Blue Flag’ air warfare exercise over the southern Negev Desert. Over 100 aircraft and about a thousand air and ground crews are expected to participate. Israeli sources have not confirmed the specific nations taking part in the exercise but foreign sources have indicated these are likely to include Greece, Poland, Italy, the US and Israel.
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11/05/2013
Aircraft giant Embraer SA is under investigation by U.S. and Brazilian authorities amid allegations that it made improper payments to a government official in the Dominican Republic. Embraer is being probed over allegations that its executives made bribery payments to officials in the Dominican Republic in exchange for a $90 million contract to furnish the country's armed forces with military planes, according to documents obtained by The Wall Street Journal.
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11/04/2013
The Pentagon has assigned seven C-27J Spartans to Special Operations Command (SOCOM), but has not decided the fate of the Air Force’s remaining air lifters. Deputy Defense Secretary Ashton Carter made the decision on Oct. 28, according to Pentagon spokeswoman Ann Stefanek.
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11/04/2013
In many ways, the Angola of today - with its booming natural-resource-driven economic growth and relative stability - is a far cry from the war-torn and ravaged country of the Cold War era. In that period, it was the subject of a protracted and bloody civil war in which the country also become the site of various geopolitical proxy wars involving the likes of the Soviet Union, US, South Africa and Cuba.
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11/04/2013
This year Iraq surpassed Iran as the largest exporter of oil to China. This is because of the more severe sanctions imposed on Iran in 2012. Even Iran admits that it’s GDP has shrunk this year as a result. China would like to get more oil from Iran as well, but the sanctions make that difficult. China needs a lot more oil because it is desperate to reduce its use of coal, which is causing more and more air pollution in the north and northeast.
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11/04/2013
Over the last few years the U.S. Air Force has developed a novel way to make the most of the few (180) F-22s it has. This particular solution comes in the form of an F-22 QRF (Quick Reaction Force) that consists of four F-22s and a C-17 full of weapons, maintenance gear, maintainers, specialized pods, weapons, and spare pilots ready to fly to any of hundreds of airports or bases in the world that can handle four F-22s and a C-17.
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11/04/2013
The Mozambican Air Force has taken delivery of a Hawker 850XP business jet, the latest acquisition for the country’s small air arm and a major boost to its capacity. The aircraft entered service in September, according to Air Forces Daily, after being bought second hand from the United States. It left Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport in Florida on its delivery flight on September 9 and had its US registration cancelled on September 18 following its transfer to the Force Aerea de Mocambique.
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11/04/2013
An Israeli military unmanned drone crashed in the northern Gaza Strip on Sunday, with Palestinians saying they shot it down but Israel blaming a technical malfunction. A security source from the Hamas, movement that rules Gaza, said they had “captured an Israeli drone that was flying over east Jabalia this morning.”
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11/04/2013
Not satisfied with jury-rigged, homemade tanks, an Islamist rebel group fighting Syrian President Bashar Assad has formed its own air force — with real planes. Jaish al-Islam — the Army of Islam — last week published a YouTube video documenting its activities against the Assad regime, in which it showcases its two L-39ZA Albatros fighter aircraft captured earlier this year from a Syrian Air Force base east of Aleppo.
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11/04/2013
Two Turkish F-16 fighter jets were reportedly scrambled overnight after a Russian IL-20 electronic surveillance aircraft probed its borders along the Black Sea cost. It is the third such incident in the past week. Such incursions, which were common during the Cold War, have not been a feature of international politics for some time.
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11/04/2013
Turkey scrambled four F-16 fighter jets on Sunday to intercept Russian Il-20 reconnaissance warplanes flying along the country’s Black Sea coast, news agency PzFeed reported. The Russian Defense Ministry declined to comment. The Turkish government has not released any information about the reported incident.
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11/03/2013
If India and France are able to sign the final contract for the Rafale, then there is a possibility the French fighter-bomber will be armed with Russian claws. According to Boris Obnosov, General Director of Russia’s Tactical Missile Weapons Corporation (TRV), if required the Moscow-based company is ready to adapt Russian missiles for the French aircraft.
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11/03/2013
Imagine this scenario in the not-too-distant future: Tensions in the eastern Mediterranean Sea have been building for months. After exhausting all diplomatic options, the president orders an airstrike against a highly defended enemy weapons depot. Four U.S. fighter jets launch from an aircraft carrier operating at an undisclosed location at sea.
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11/03/2013
The suspension of a portion of US military aid to Egypt is an opportunity to shift the army’s focus away from conventional warfare and toward more effective counter-terrorism operations, military analysts say. Last month, the Obama administration announced it was suspending part of its annual US$1.3 billion (Dh4.78bn) in military aid to Egypt, including the delivery of F-16 fighter jets, M1A1 tank kits and Harpoon missiles.
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11/03/2013
As a leader in the Korean aerospace industry, Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) is the only domestic aircraft manufacturer and total system integrator that designs and assembles world-class aircraft and satellite systems and provides life cycle support for its products.
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11/03/2013
Western defense contractors participating in South Korea’s biennial arms exhibition tried to convince their hosts they would offer assistance to help build the country’s indigenous fighter jet, code-named KF-X. The KF-X effort drew keen attention during the Seoul International Aerospace & Defense Exhibition (ADEX) from Oct. 29-Nov. 3, amid growing calls here for upgrading the country’s fighter fleet more sustainably and coming up with plans to fill a fighter gap over the next decade.
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11/03/2013
Russia has increased its weapons shipments to Syrian President Bashar Assad’s government since last year, military aid that is likely “more significant” than Iranian arms supplies to Damascus, according to senior US diplomats. “It has increased from a year ago. There are more deliveries, and in some cases, they are militarily extremely significant,” Robert Ford, the US ambassador to Syria, told a hearing of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee this week.
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11/03/2013
The United States will next year buy 30 Russian-made helicopters for the Afghan army, Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Friday. The batch of Mi-17V-5 military transport helicopters will raise to 63 the quantity of that model supplied under US-Russian deals for the Afghan National Army.
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11/03/2013
A US surveillance plane carrying US and British military personnel took off from an airport in southern Siberia on Friday after being stranded there for two nights over poor weather conditions and unpaid fees. The US plane, making a routine flight over Russia under the international Open Skies treaty, was forced down in Chita on Wednesday because of heavy fog.
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11/03/2013
Two Russian Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers currently on a tour-of-duty in South America will carry out a series of patrol missions over the region in line with the program of combat training, the Defense Ministry said. The nuclear-capable bombers arrived in Venezuela on October 28 and conducted patrols over the Caribbean before landing in Nicaragua on Thursday.
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