October 21, 2014 Military Aviation News

Belarus is losing control to Kremlin over defence system

10/21/2014

Official Minsk is yielding to the Kremlin’s pressure in terms of allowing a larger Russian military presence in Belarus. The Kremlin does not intend to modernise the Belarusian army or equip it with modern weapons, as this could strengthen Belarus’ political independence. By beefing up her military presence in Belarus, Russia aims to fortify her western borders and exert additional pressure on the Belarusian leadership, as well as on other countries in the region.

‘Surveillance’: UK drones deployed to Syria against ISIS

10/21/2014

Britain will deploy both Reaper and Rivet Joint drones to Syria “very soon” to participate in surveillance missions, to gather intelligence on Islamic State (IS/ISIS/ISIL) militants. The drones will be armed, but not permitted to fire on targets.

F-16 crashes in Elk County

10/21/2014

The Oklahoma Air National Guard has confirmed a fighter jet that crashed in Elk County is from Tulsa, Okla. Colonel Max Moss, Director of Media and Civilian Relations for the Oklahoma National Guard, said two F-16 Fighting Falcons were involved in a mid-air collision during a training exercise southwest of Howard, Kan.

Matt Gurney: We don’t have enough fighter jets to whip out

10/21/2014

Over the weekend, General Tom Lawson, a Royal Canadian Air Force officer and currently the Chief of Defence Staff — Canada’s top soldier — told CTV’s Question Period that our CF-18s are a world-class fighter capable of getting the job done in Iraq. The General noted, rightly, that although the CF-18s were first ordered in the early 1980s and are thus in their early 30s, they have been repeatedly (and relatively recently) upgraded and modernized.

Dassault Aviation Family May Buy More as Airbus Cuts Back

10/21/2014

The family that controls Dassault Aviation SA (AM), the maker of combat aircraft and Falcon luxury jets, may increase its stake when minority shareholder Airbus Group NV (AIR) sells some of its holdings in coming months. Dassault Aviation Chief Executive Officer Eric Trappier held out that possibility yesterday, saying the family led by 89-year-old Serge Dassault would be able to purchase stock. Dassault Aviation won investor approval last month to acquire as much as 10 percent of its stock.

Report: ISIL forming air force with captured fighter jets, choppers

10/21/2014

The Syrian opposition has asserted that the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant formed an air combat fleet. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said ISIL captured fixed- and rotary-wing aircraft from Iraq and Syria in mid-2014. The London-based monitoring group said ISIL acquired at least three Russian-origin fighter-jets as well as an unspecified number of combat helicopters. “The combat aircraft are believed to be the MiG-21,” Syrian Observatory said.

C-130 Community Gathers For 26th Annual Hercules Operators Council, Oct. 20-23

10/21/2014

Lockheed Martin is hosting the 26th annual Hercules Operators Council (HOC) here, Oct. 20-23. More than 900 representatives from 32 nations are attending to discuss C-130 Hercules operations, support, upgrades and new fleet acquisition. This year’s theme of “Transforming Partnerships” provides insight into how relationships between Lockheed Martin, Hercules operators, suppliers and support teams have defined the C-130’s first 60 years of flight and how these partnerships will shape the next seve

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