2016 Military Aviation News
12/31/2016
IT WAS a good year for imaginative military innovations. From Star Wars-style speeders to an inescapable surveillance drone, many of the futuristic advances seem straight out of science fiction or Hollywood blockbusters.
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12/31/2016
The Nigerian military has rushed an Augusta helicopter to the battle front in Rann, northern Borno, to pick one of the four soldiers wounded in Friday’s fierce battle with fighters of the Boko Haram terror sect. Nigerian soldiers had killed at least 15 terrorists after the sect members sprung a surprise attack on their location on Friday morning, as exclusively reported by PREMIUM TIMES.
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12/31/2016
The Air Force F-35 is using “open air” ranges and computer simulation to practice combat missions against the best Chinese and Russian-made air-defense technologies – as a way to prepare to enemy threats anticipated in the mid-2020s and beyond. The testing is aimed at addressing the most current air defense system threats such as Russian-made systems and also focused on potential next-generation or yet-to-exist threats, Harrigian said.
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12/31/2016
A decade ago, a far-sighted navy chief, Admiral Arun Prakash, posted his most talented engineering officer, Commander CD Balaji, to develop the Naval Tejas fighter at the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which oversees the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) programme.
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12/31/2016
T-X contenders are off to the races today, after the US Air Force released its much anticipated final request for proposals for the T-38 trainer replacement programme. The $16.3 billion RFP encompasses a total of 350 aircraft, including delivery of the initial five test aircraft, contract options for LRIP lots 1 and 2 and full-rate production of lots 3 through 11.
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12/31/2016
It was one thing for Donald Trump to take aim on Twitter at Boeing’s replacement for the Air Force One presidential fleet. Posh executive aircraft with billion-dollar price tags are popular targets as new heads of state take office: within a month of entering the White House in 2009, President Barack Obama made a similar, public critique of a presidential helicopter deal.
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12/31/2016
The US Air Force has launched the bidding phase in a $6.9 billion competition to select a replacement the Northrop Grumman E-8C JSTARS ground surveillance fleet with a business jet-class aircraft.
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12/31/2016
The Department of Defense said that US defense contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics received a $61 million Air Force contract to provide maintenance support for F-22 Raptor combat aircraft.
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12/31/2016
After brokering a ceasefire agreement between the Syrian government and opposition rebel groups, Russia bolstered Turkish military operations in the fight against Daesh, with three airstrikes around al-Bab.
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12/30/2016
Minister of Defence and Deputy Prime Minister Damir Krsticevic said on Thursday before the cabinet meeting that Croatia needed combat airplanes for its Air Force and that the decision would be made in 2017, stressing that such a decision should be reached by consensus of parliamentary parties because it is a non-partisan issue regarding national security, reports Index.hr on December 29, 2016.
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12/30/2016
The Israeli air force officially retired the F-16A/B "Netz" fighter aircraft, concluding the plane's 36 years of operational service with the branch. 90 Netz aircraft were withdrawn from service during a ceremony at Israel's Ouvda Air Force Base. The event was marked by high praise for the plane's combat capabilities, including its performance during several of Israel's most notable armed conflicts.
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12/29/2016
What the former assistant secretary of the Navy said is descriptive of the entire military. Each service’s culture, and interservice rivalries, and bureaucratic viscosity are resistant to reform. Which is why the next secretary of defense, retired Marine Corps Gen. James Mattis, has the most difficult management challenge in American government.
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12/29/2016
Sweden is facing a major challenge in how it will fund a huge future defense modernization bill, a situation compounded by serial underspending by various Swedish governments in defense budgets delivered since 2004.
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12/29/2016
In the last 16 years, Croatia’s armed forces been have significantly reduced in numbers, actually more than halved, but in some areas the numeric decline was less pronounced. During these years, Croatian Air Force and Air Defence managed to survive and even modernize some of its resources. In late 2016, Air Force has nearly a hundred different aircraft, of which 49 planes and 48 helicopters, reports Vecernji List on December 28, 2016.
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12/29/2016
The most senior officer of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshall Arup Raha, set to retire on December 31, told reporters on December 28 that the service needs to add 200 to 250 new aircraft in the medium-weight fighter jet category to maintain its edge over regional rivals.
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12/29/2016
India has requested for quotations from seven global manufacturers for electronic warfare (EW) self-protection suites to accelerate the upgrading of its self-developed light combat aircraft Tejas Mark-1A. Interestingly, India did not send a request to the Russian manufacturer Rosoboronexport though it has been selected to compete in the tender for AESA radars for the same aircraft.
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12/28/2016
On Monday the Israel Air Force retired the last of its F-16 "Netz” (Hawk) aircraft, used in the “Flying Dragon” force – aka “Red Squadron” – based at the IAF's Uvda base in southern Israel. The plane, which flew for years in operational missions and was later used for teaching combat pilots in advanced stages of training, has been grounded after 36 years of activity.
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12/28/2016
China's lone aircraft carrier is prowling the Pacific as the country seeks to assert its military might and build up its naval warfare capabilities. The Liaoning carrier's J-15 fighter jets practiced air confrontations and air refueling in the Yellow Sea late last week before the ship and its flotilla of escorting frigates and destroyers headed into the open Pacific beyond Taiwan and Okinawa.
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12/28/2016
Boeing’s decision to manufacture advanced medium combat aircraft, Super Hornet in India, has run into a fresh hurdle with issues over their export. Michael Koch, who is Boeing’s President for Defence, Space and Security in India, told BusinessLine that the aircraft maker is committed to producing Super Hornets in India.
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12/28/2016
The Syrian Democratic Forces, or SDF, a US-backed militia which claims to be fighting the Daesh jihadist group, has expressed hope that it will be able to get US-made handheld anti-aircraft weaponry, or MANPADS. The statement stands in odds with the weapon’s utility to the SDF, as Daesh has no aircraft.
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12/28/2016
Iran is looking to add an aircraft carrier and possibly heavy submarines to bolster its navy. Constructing an aircraft carrier is "among the goals" of the Iranian navy, a senior commander recently told FARS News Agency.
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12/27/2016
Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter project is now in big trouble. And the vast army of Australia’s Joint Strike Fighter contractors are also in jeopardy because our government, led by Defence Industry Minister Christopher Pyne, has not woken up to what it means to have Donald Trump as US President.
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12/27/2016
What the former assistant secretary of the Navy said is descriptive of the entire military. Each service's culture, and interservice rivalries, and bureaucratic viscosity are resistant to reform. Which is why the next secretary of defense, retired Marine Corps Gen. James N. Mattis, has the most difficult management challenge in American government.
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12/27/2016
President-elect Donald Trump is concerned about the cost of the fifth-generation F-35 combat aircraft to be built by Lockheed Martin Corporation for the U.S. military. The U.S. plans to buy more than 2,400 F-35 aircraft. Deliveries are scheduled until 2037 with an estimated service life up to 2070. The F-35 is the Pentagon is expected to cost around $400 billion over the next 22 years.
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12/27/2016
As India looks to replace its ageing Soviet-era lightweight combat aircraft fleet, two players have emerged as possible contenders, American defence major Lockheed Martin's F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 70 and Swedish defence major Saab's Gripen E fighter aircraft.
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12/27/2016
China has tested an improvised version of its stealth fighter and plans to sell it at half the price of the US variant to break Western monopoly over the high-tech aircraft, which will have strategic implications for India as Pakistan has already shown interest in acquiring it.
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12/26/2016
An improved version of China's FC-31 Gyrfalcon stealth fighter jet has conducted its maiden flight in Shenyang, capital of Liaoning province, according to aviation industry sources. Previously known as the J-31, the twin engine, radar evading aircraft is still under development by Shenyang Aircraft Corp, part of the Aviation Industry Corp of China.
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12/26/2016
The president-elect ardently advocated substantially increased defense spending, and just as ardently favors unrestrained entitlement spending. For about $500,000 in expenditures, the 9/11 attackers did over $2 trillion in damage to the United States and the world economy. The linked physical and cyber infrastructures of complex societies are vulnerable to such asymmetries. General Atomics’ scientists toil to redress this imbalance with, for example, the Predator and other RPA's.
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12/26/2016
The dogfight for picking the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) for the security of the Indian skies is beginning anew, this time for a much larger number than the 2007 figure of 189 asked by the Indian Air Force (IAF) -- an estimated 400 for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 60 for the Indian Navy.
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12/26/2016
Russia’s defence ministry has identified the military Tupolev Tu-154 which came down in the Black Sea after departing Sochi. It lists the airframe as RA-85572, a Tu-154B variant, which Flight Fleets Analyzer shows as a 33-year old jet originally ordered by the Soviet air force in 1981.
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12/26/2016
China's first aircraft carrier group conducted a series of military tests in the Yellow Sea December 24, ahead of scheduled testing farther away later, its military reported.
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12/24/2016
The government on Friday gave the go ahead to the IAF to purchase one more C17 heavy transport aircraft and also gave the nod to the Coast Guard’s proposal to acquire six multi-mission maritime aircraft for Rs 5,500 crore.
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12/24/2016
NATO member Romania is holding talks with the United States about the purchase of 12 F-16 fighter jets, as European allies said they cannot provide the requested number of aircraft, Romanian defence minister Mihnea Motoc said.
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12/24/2016
A Dassault Aviation-Reliance Group joint venture, formed to execute significant offsets for the Rs. 58,000 crore Rafale fighter jet deal, plans to manufacture and supply military combat aircraft on a "worldwide basis".
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12/24/2016
Textron AirLand has completed the debut flight of its first production-conforming Scorpion, with the multi-mission platform having received numerous enhancements over its earlier prototype.
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12/24/2016
Chinese defence websites have published footage of what is apparently the second AVIC FC-31 Gyrfalcon fighter aircraft. Still imagery shows the aircraft taking off. One major difference is the configuration of the aircraft’s twin canted tail. Produced by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, the FC-31 features a cropped tail, whereas the first prototype designated J-31, had a nearly triangular tails with a horizontal top.
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12/24/2016
Lockheed Martin has received a $90.3 million contract to provide new helmet display systems and oxygen masks for the super-expensive and controversial F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike aircraft, the US Department of Defense announced on Thursday.
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12/24/2016
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $151 million contract to support the Target Sight System (TSS) on US and Pakistan AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopters, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.
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12/23/2016
The Canadian military is assigning a CF-18 fighter jet to the airshow circuit for next year, despite Liberal government claims it does not have enough aircraft to meet its defence commitments. Each year, the Royal Canadian Air Force assigns a CF-18, painted to highlight a specific theme, to fly at airshows across North America.
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12/23/2016
The U.S. Marine Corps is progressing with a new project to arm its MV-22 Osprey aircraft with new weapons such as laser-guided 2.75in rockets, missiles and heavy guns - a move which would expand the tiltrotor's mission set beyond supply, weapons and forces transport to include a wider range of offensive and defensive combat missions, Corps officials said.
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12/23/2016
The air forces of Latin America are unique in comparison with any region except perhaps sub-Saharan Africa, in that their combat aircraft components are composed of an odd but nonetheless effective mix of combat capable trainers operating alongside smaller numbers of relatively modern combat aircraft.
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12/23/2016
President-elect Donald Trump has hit the F-35 programme once again, this time courting Lockheed Martin competitor Boeing for the Joint Strike Fighter mission. Trump delivered the news in a 21 December tweet: “Based on the tremendous cost and cost overruns of the Lockheed Martin F-35, I have asked Boeing to price-out a comparable F-18 Super Hornet!"
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12/23/2016
An 18-month-old plan to equip the Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton with a signals intelligence payload will proceed after the US Navy received approval from top Pentagon officials August 2016, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) tells FlightGlobal.
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12/23/2016
Kongsberg and Raytheon have carried out a long-range flight test of the Joint Strike Missile (JSM) from a Lockheed Martin F-16, as the developmental weapon continues its qualification campaign.
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12/22/2016
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's government on Thursday approved an increase in defense spending to record levels to counter growing Chinese military power in the East China Sea and an escalating North Korean ballistic missile threat. Abe's cabinet on Thursday signed off on a 1.4 percent increase in spending to 5.13 trillion yen ($43.66 billion) for the year starting April 1.
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12/22/2016
The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has upgraded the first batch of its fleet of KF-16C/D Block 50/52 fighter jets, a variant of the General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon, arming the aircraft with bombs capable of destroying key underground targets in North Korea, according to local media reports.
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12/22/2016
Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody is eager to secure enough sales for its L-159 ‘Advanced Light Combat Aircraft’ (ALCA) such that it can revive the L-159’s production line.
Speaking to local media (Ceské Noviny), Aero Vodochody spokesperson Tereza Vrublová outlined Aero’s expectation of growth and increased demand in the advanced trainer and light combat aircraft market.
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12/22/2016
Over the past month, president-elect Donald Trump has repeatedly spoken out against Pentagon waste, in what one analyst has described as “taking down the military-industrial complex, one tweet at a time.”
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12/22/2016
Incoming US president Donald Trump called the Lockheed Martin F-35 “very expensive” and vowed to bring down the stealth fighter’s costs after a 21 December meeting with the chief executives of Lockheed Martin and Boeing.
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12/22/2016
The US State Department has approved the possible sale of five Boeing P-8 Poseidon aircraft to Norway to replace Norway’s Lockheed P-3C Orion and Dassault Falcon 20s.
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12/22/2016
China’s secretive H-20 bomber is well on its way to becoming a fully developed next-generation strategic stealth aircraft, but not in the near future. A Chinese admiral said that China and the rest of the world must be patient while waiting for the H-20 to be launched.
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12/22/2016
US defense contractor Northrop Grumman Systems has received a contract worth nearly $27 million to create testing and support programs for the P-8A Poseidon's system to detect radar and other electronic threats to the aircraft and to US Navy vessels, the Department of Defense said in a press release.
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12/21/2016
Boeing and Saab’s bid for the US Air Force trainer competition took flight from St. Louis, Missouri, on 20 December, demonstrating the clean-sheet design jet’s performance for the first time.
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12/21/2016
A fire aboard a US Marine Corps F-35B was caused by a loose bracket designed to hold together electrical wires in the aircraft’s weapons bay, F-35 programme executive officer Lt Gen Chris Bogdan says.
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12/21/2016
Antonov rolled out the new An-132D multipurpose turboprop transport on 20 December in Kiev, Ukraine, as the Saudia Arabia-backed project prepares to enter the flight test phase. The roll-out of demonstrator comes about two years after Antonov launched the project, which updates the 40-year-old An-32 design with Honeywell avionics, Pratt & Whitney Canada PW150A engines and other improvements.
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12/21/2016
The Israeli air force (IAF) is continuing with the upgrade of its Boeing F-15I Ra’am, and has selected the Raytheon APG-82(V)1 radar to provide a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) capability.
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12/21/2016
The Rolls-Royce Corporation received a contract worth nearly $408 million to provide maintenance support for V-22 Osprey vertical take-off aircraft engines, the US Department of Defense said in a press release on Tuesday.
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12/21/2016
India and Russia have agreed to extend the strike range of the BrahMos PJ-10 supersonic cruise missile. Minister of State for Defence Subhash Bhamre told his country’s parliament Friday that the two nations decided to engage in "joint technical development work" in June after India joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MCTR).
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12/21/2016
It appears that despite its impressive technical characteristics and capabilities, the new Chinese J-11D jet cannot be considered a true analogue of the super-maneuverable Russian Su-35 multirole fighter.
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12/21/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces will strengthen groups on strategic directions by 2018 and start deploying systems to counter space threats based on "new physical principles".
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12/21/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces will be reinforced by over 900 brand new aircraft and the same number of renovated ones by 2020.
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12/21/2016
Russia plans to supply Serbia with six MiG-29 fighter jets next spring as part a military and technical cooperation assistance program, the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Tuesday.
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12/19/2016
China recently deployed one of its H-6 bombers on a long-range patrol of the Nine-Dash Line that it claims marks the extent of its territorial waters in the Pacific Ocean. The flight was made in response to remarks by President-elect Trump suggesting that the United States might abandon its long-standing policy towards Taiwan and recognize the island as an independent country.
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12/19/2016
TERN drone for the Navy could be an even bigger deal than we initially thought. One year ago, the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) tapped Northrop Grumman to build it a TERN prototype, capable of launching from and landing on small naval warships. Just six months later, before TERN had even conducted its first test flight, DARPA decided it liked the new drone so much that it “doubled down” and ordered Northrop to go ahead and build it a second test vehicle.
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12/19/2016
The Pentagon’s emerging “Arsenal Plane” or “flying bomb truck” is likely to be a modified, high-tech adaptation of the iconic B-52 bomber designed to fire air-to-air weapons, release swarms of mini-drones and provide additional fire-power to 5th generation stealth fighters such as the F-35 and F-22, Pentagon officials and analysts said.
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12/19/2016
South Korea's Air Force has upgraded the capability of its F-16 fighter jets by equipping them with bombs and missiles capable of hitting key underground facilities in North Korea and shooting down combat aircraft at long range, officials said. The completion of the upgrade enables the South Korean jets to fire AIM-120 mid-range air-to-air missiles, according to the Air Force. The missiles have a range of 50 to 180 kilometers.
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12/19/2016
Despite all its flaws, the F-35 will give Israel the ability to maintain air superiority over all its neighbors and further afield, and allow it to attack where it has never attacked before.
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12/18/2016
The flight comes three years after US Navy awarded Northrop a $226 million contract to engineer, manufacture and develop the aerial refueling system the carrier-based airborne early warning and control fleet. “This takes the E-2D to another level, which will bring more combat persistence to the US and our allies,” says Jane Bishop, Northrop’s vice-president for C-2/E-2 programmes, in a statement.
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12/18/2016
Indonesian air force Hercules C-130 aircraft crashed in country's Papua province on Sunday resulting in death of all 13 people on board, media reported. Victims of the crash included three pilots and 10 military personnel, BBC reported.
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12/18/2016
The state-of-the-art J-20 fifth-generation jet fighter is a key part of the Chinese air force. According to Chinese military expert, Li Li, the J-20 could possibly break the US monopoly on fourth-generation fighters.
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12/18/2016
A little-known statute in the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) permits opposition groups in Syria to receive anti-aircraft missiles, sparking worry among analysts that they could be used to target civilian airliners.
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12/18/2016
Chinese state media reported that Beijing’s military has conducted live-fire drills for the first time. The drills took place using fighters and an aircraft carrier in the Bohai Sea, near Korea. This will likely exacerbate tensions with Washington, who has been critical of China’s increased military presence in the hotly-disputed South China Sea.
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12/16/2016
As a result the Air Force immediately purchased a long endurance remotely piloted aircraft called the GNAT 750 resulting in the creation, production and development of the RQ-1 Predator of the early 1990s. By 1996, operators were flying intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions over the Balkans providing an eye in the sky during a period of unrest.
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12/16/2016
China appears to have added weapons to man-made islands it built in the South China Sea, an American-based research group says. The Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS) says the weapons include anti-aircraft and anti-missile systems. The center published new satellite images to support its findings.
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12/16/2016
CHINA’s first aircraft carrier has this week engaged in public live-fire exercises, flexing its own weapons as well as those of its fully armed combat aircraft. Beijing has declared Liaoning to be ‘fully operational’ and ready for combat after three years of testing, training and evaluation. Now it has set about proving this is so.
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12/16/2016
The Royal Australian Air Force has awarded its new Alenia C-27J Spartan tactical transports with initial operating capability. The RAAF has received four examples of a total order for 10 aircraft, says Australian defence minister Marise Payne in a statement.
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12/16/2016
Boeing has delivered to NATO the first of 14 modified E-3A airborne warning and control system (AWACS) aircraft featuring an upgraded cockpit and avionics suite. Handed over on 16 November, the enhancements were covered by an engineering, manufacturing and development contract awarded in 2012.
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12/16/2016
Serbia may receive six Russian MiG-29 fighter jets in March of 2017, the country’s Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said Thursday. He also said the agreement on the delivery of MiG-29 jets could be signed in Moscow on December 21 at a meeting with Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
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12/16/2016
Indian specialists will train Vietnamese pilots to fly Russian Su-30MK2 fighter planes. In a commentary for Sputnik China, Moscow-based military expert Vasily Kashin said this will add a new dimension to the defense cooperation between India and Vietnam.
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12/16/2016
The US military has grounded its fleet of Osprey aircraft in Japan after one crash-landed in the sea near Okinawa, in an incident that will fuel further local anger over the US deployment on the island. The Pentagon described the incident on Tuesday night as a “mishap” and said the tilt-rotor MV-22 Osprey had landed in shallow water 0.6 miles (1km) off the coast of Nago in northern Okinawa. Five crew members were injured.
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12/15/2016
The indigenously designed and built Light Combat Aircraft designed for the Navy (LCA-Navy) has been rejected by the Indian Navy, Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sunil Lanba said. The fighter built in India doesn't meet requirement of the Navy, he said. The Navy will now look at global manufacturers and its options are limited to USA, France, Russia and Sweden for a fighter that can join the fleet in the next six years.
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12/15/2016
Images have appeared on restricted Chinese social media platforms that show the country's first stealth fighter, the J-20, in Air Force markings with serial numbers which indicate the jet is now entering squadron service with the Chinese Air Force.
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12/15/2016
The RFP was presented to four countries on 9 December, namely Italy, Portugal, the USA and Sweden, which have until March 2017 to submit their bids. Bulgaria will purchase its fighter through a government-to-government agreement with one of the countries, and the proposals will be prepared by the governments together with the respective manufacturers.
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12/15/2016
A new report suggests that China has dedicated significant effort to militarizing outposts in the South China Sea, but the US remains ready to respond to further “aggressive” behavior.
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12/15/2016
The Russian Helicopters holding has transferred to the Russian Defense Ministry all the Mi-28N, Mi-35M and Mi-26 helicopters, set to be delivered in 2016, the holding’s press service said in a statement on Wednesday.
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12/15/2016
Russia's Black Sea Fleet has formed a full-strength squadron of 12 advanced Su-30SM multirole fighter jets in the country's southwestern region of Crimea, the fleet's spokesman said Wednesday.
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12/14/2016
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program has attracted fierce controversy for years amid massive cost overruns and delays. The stealthy fighter jet's costs have doubled from initial estimates and the program is now set to cost $1.509 trillion through to 2070. Donald Trump joined the chorus of criticism on Monday, tweeting that "the F-35 program and its costs are out of control".
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12/14/2016
The Marine Corps crew of an MV-22 Osprey is being treated for injuries after the aircraft went down off the coast of Okinawa, Japan, Marine officials in the Pacific said Tuesday. The five crew members were rescued after the aircraft landed "in shallow water" off the coastline of Camp Schwab around 10 p.m. local time, according to a statement from III Marine Expeditionary Force.
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12/14/2016
President Mauricio Macri has approved the purchase of airplanes for the Air Force, patrol vessels for the Navy and armored vehicles and combat rifles for the Army, it was announced Monday to give the Armed Forces back some of their lost firepower, Defense Minister Julio Martínez revealed. The total purchases will surpass 40 billion pesos (2,500 million US dollars), the minister added.
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12/14/2016
Barnes Air National Guard base in Westfield did not make the cut as the Air Force continues to narrow down the field of potential bases to house the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft, the base announced on Tuesday.
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12/14/2016
The first two Lockheed Martin F-35Is for the Israeli air force landed on at Nevatim air force base on 12 December, delivered on schedule despite temporary delays caused by the weather.
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12/14/2016
The German air force has received its sixth Airbus Defence & Space A400M transport, featuring a new baseline tactical configuration to allow the aircraft to operate in more contested environments.
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12/14/2016
Raytheon has received a nearly $40 million Defense Logistics Agency contract for maintenance on Sikorsky H-60 helicopters operated by the US Navy and Saudi Arabia.
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12/13/2016
Indonesia’s Minister of Defence Ryamizard Ryacudu confirmed to state media outlet Antara News that the Indonesian government is in talks with Russia for eight Su-35 Flanker-E multi-role fighters. As per Antara News, Moscow and Jakarta are currently locked in discussions over the price for the eight aircraft, which are expected to replace the Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU)’s Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs.
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12/13/2016
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter might just be the most controversial American weapons program of all time—and for good reason. The fighter, with a total cost coming in at $1 Trillion over its lifespan, promises game changing capabilities, but has had its share of setbacks and technical challenges over the years. And now, the program is under attack by President-elect Trump. Yikes.
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12/13/2016
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) operates a total of 70 Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder fighter jets, the National Assembly Standing Committee on Defense Production revealed in Islamabad on December 7, according to local media reports.
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12/13/2016
India is set to initiate a major international competition to acquire new age radars for its indigenous combat planes in the coming weeks, the winner of which is likely to gain a strong foothold for future domestic projects.
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12/13/2016
Solid-state slab lasers have already evolved to a point of maturity where they could soon be demonstrated on an Air Force Special Operations AC-130 gunship, a US Air Force study finds.
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12/13/2016
After campaigning to reduce wasteful government spending, US President-elect Donald Trump announced that he is poised to modify the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, on the same day that Israel was supposed to receive its first two F-35 fighters.
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12/13/2016
Belgrade has asked Moscow for deliveries of Russian-made weaponry with the goal to increase Serbia's defense potential, Serbian Foreign Minster Ivica Dacic said Monday.
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12/12/2016
Russia is solidifying its support for Pakistan at the Heart of Asia conference. Russian envoy Zamir Kabulov rejected India and Afghanistan’s criticisms of Pakistan. In what serves as a yet another indication that the ice between Moscow and Islamabad are melting, Kabulov praised Pakistani Foreign Affairs Advisor Sartaj Aziz’s speech at the HoA conference for being friendly and constructive.
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12/12/2016
China is ready to launch its new J-11D fighter after it failed to acquire Russian engines on schedule and was forced to develop its own technology, military observers said. The progress included advances in home-grown turbofan technology and radar systems, and showed that Beijing was no longer reliant on Russian engines for its new generation of fighters, analysts said.
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12/12/2016
China and Japan have continued their recent tit-for-tat moves in the airspace above the Western Pacific, with aircraft from the two Asian giants on Saturday again engaging in an apparently tense encounter over the high seas between Okinawa’s main island and Miyako Island.
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12/12/2016
In a memo leaked to Bloomberg, Michael Gilmore stated: “If not changed, the existing responses would at best be considered misleading and at worst, prevarications.” He was referring to draft responses being prepared in answer to questions from Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain. Senator McCain last month challenged a fresh round of delays — and cost blowouts — relating to the delayed development of the strike fighter.
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12/12/2016
Israel’s most advanced weaponry, two F-35 stealth fighter jets, are set to touch down at Nevatim Air Force Base near Beersheba for the first time on Monday afternoon. Expected at the ceremony to welcome the jets to Israel will be President Reuven Rivlin, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gadi Eisenkot, OC Air Force Maj.-Gen. Amir Eshel and US Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.
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12/11/2016
Two Japanese F-15 fighters Saturday launched decoy flares at Chinese Air Force aircraft that were flying over the Miyako Strait for routine offshore training in western Pacific Ocean, China’s defense ministry said. Spokesperson Yang Yujun said the Japanese Self-Defense Forces aircraft endangered the safety of the Chinese aircraft and their personnel. He added the Chinese pilot took quick measures and proceeded with the training.
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12/11/2016
Chinese military aircraft yesterday flew over the East China Sea to the south of Japan’s Okinawa Island and circled the international airspace surrounding Taiwan before passing over the Bashi Channel to return to China, officials from the Ministry of National Defense said. It was the second time in two weeks that Chinese military aircraft have flown around Taiwan and passed over the Miyako Strait between Japan’s Okinawa and Miyako islands.
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12/11/2016
Indian Air Force (IAF) is slated to carry out a series of captive trials of indigenously developed beyond visual range (BVR) air-to-air missile ‘Astra’ from a fighter aircraft from Monday.
Defence sources said the missile will be fired from Sukhoi-30 MKI aircraft targeting a Pilotless Target Aircraft (PTA) at different altitudes from different angles over the Bay of Bengal to reconfirm the killing efficiency of the all-terrain and all-weather weapon system.
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12/11/2016
India will get the first tranche of Rafale fighter jets from France in the next three years, Indian Air Force chief Arup Raha said today. "Rafale contract caters for delivery time between 36 months to about 66 months if I am not wrong. So within three years time we will have the first few aircraft delivered to us and within five and a half years we will have two full squadron of aircraft in operation," Raha said at a function here.
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12/11/2016
Russia's Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said that full lifecycle maintenance would be able to quickly supply components and blocks necessary for any type of flying vehicles, thus, enabling military personnel to repair the equipment faster.
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12/11/2016
Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Viktor Bondarev said that the tests of Russian Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation fighters are proceeding in leaps and bounds, the eighth prototype has already been delivered.
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12/10/2016
Bangladesh’s Minister of Law Anisul Huq informed the Bangladesh Parliament that the government will be procuring eight multi-role combat aircraft for the Bangladesh Air Force. As per local news outlets, such as the Daily News, Mr. Huq noted that the fighter acquisition – alongside the procurement of six Mi-171Sh helicopters, two maritime search and rescue helicopters, one medium-range surface-to-air missile system, and one unmanned aerial vehicle system.
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12/10/2016
Pilots at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., are testing the ability of groups of Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to accurately pass data amongst themselves during combat operations against advanced enemy surface-to-air missiles (SAM) defenses.
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12/10/2016
India will begin training Vietnamese fighter pilots starting next year, according to an agreement inked by the two countries this week. On December 5, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and his Vietnamese counterpart, General Ngo Xuan Lich, signed a pact with Hanoi to train the pilots of its Russian-made Sukhoi Su-30 multirole combat aircraft. The inking of the agreement came during Ngo’s much-awaited four-day visit to India, which began on December 3.
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12/10/2016
The first two F-35s expected to land in Israel next week will be the first 5th Generation jet fighters the U.S. hands out to a foreign ally. The two ADIR Jets are only the beginning. Over the next eight years, Israel will receive 50 aircraft forming two full ADIR squadrons flying the F-35. No. 140 Squadron will be the first to receive the new fighters.
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12/10/2016
NATO member Bulgaria said on Friday it has invited four countries to submit offers for the supply of multi-purpose combat aircraft for its Air Force. The invitation was sent to Italy, Portugal, the United States and Sweden, the defence ministry said in a statement.
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12/10/2016
Swedish aerospace major Saab says it would set up a brand new production line in India if it wins an Indian Air Force (IAF) contract for single-engined combat jets and would make the country a net exporter of such fighters -- once the necessary procedures are in place.
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12/10/2016
The US Marine Corps envisions teaming the medium-lift future vertical lift aircraft up with its own expeditionary group 5 UAV, though service officials say they will not force the pairing if timelines do not meet up.
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12/10/2016
Initially proposed as a joint development for Australia and France, the idea has drawn interest from Germany, Italy and New Zealand, said Vincent Dubrule, president of the NHI consortium, speaking at an event in Germany on 8 December.
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12/10/2016
On December 5, a Russian Su-33 fighter jet skidded off the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean while landing. On November 14, a MiG-29K fighter bomber crashed while landing on the carrier’s flight deck. The two mishaps raised a barrage of often unjustified criticism both in Russia and abroad.
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12/08/2016
Spain has joined Britain and France in signing a maintenance contract for the A400M military airlifter, allowing the three nations to draw on a common pool of spares and technical support, Airbus Defence and Space announced Wednesday. “Airbus Defence and Space has signed a long-term Global Support Service contract for the A400M new generation airlifter with the UK, France and Spain,” the company said in a statement.
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12/08/2016
The Navy announced that next generation aircraft avoidance systems will be installed on its new high-tech maritime surveillance drone. Northrop Grumman has received a $9.6 contract to install the Automatic Response Module of the Airborne Collision Avoidance System X into the MQ-4C Triton’s avionics system.
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12/08/2016
The F/A-18 Hornet was stationed at the Iwakuni base in the Yamaguchi prefecture and is understood to have gone down at 6pm local time off the southern Kochi Prefecture. Initial reports from the Japanese Defence Ministry said the lone pilot and ejected from the fighter jet and survived the crash.
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12/08/2016
Minister for Defense Production Rana Tanveer Hussain Wednesday discussed supply of military aircraft to Egypt for training military — men as well as defence of the brotherly country. The minister who is currently on an official visit to Cairo in his meeting with Egyptian Defence Minister Gen Sedkhi Sobhy talked about the supply of Super Mashshak (trainer) and JF-17 Thunder (fighter) aircraft.
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12/08/2016
Sikorsky will deliver six Polish-made S-70i helicopters through 2018 to the Chilean Air Force after completing three months of contract negotiations.
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12/08/2016
The U.S. Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) a $67.3 million contract to provide spares for the Royal Saudi Air Force's (RSAF) F-15 sensor suite. Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will produce LANTIRN Extended Range (ER) navigation pod spares, Infrared Search and Track (IRST) system spares and Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) spares.
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12/08/2016
A Syrian state news agency reported on Wednesday that Israel was responsible for bombings that occurred near a military airport in Damascus. Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s Defense Minister, was unwilling to specify which attacks were carried out by the Israeli forces, according to an official statement. The attacks were intended to prevent “advanced weapons, military equipment and weapons of mass destruction” from falling into the hands of Israel’s arch-enemy, Hezbollah.
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12/07/2016
Solid orders for its defense and space business helped Boeing (NYSE: BA) make it through the Great Recession in one piece, despite a drop in commercial airplane demand. However, in recent years, Boeing's defense business has been under pressure because of caps on U.S. military spending and a few key contract losses.
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12/07/2016
The Indian Navy’s professional decision not to induct the indigenous Tejas fighter aircraft has given armchair critics a new lease of life. Stand by for a lot of their ‘professional’ views against the Navy especially as the Indian Air Force (IAF) is now out of their cross hairs after its decision to induct 120 Tejas MK 1As — a decision which was born out of no other criterion but a professional assessment.
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12/07/2016
The Aero Vodochody Czech firm will send a brand new L-159 aircraft, which it has not been making for 13 years, to Iraq at the end of the year, Aero spokeswoman Tereza Vrublova told CTK yesterday. The company did not rule out that a mass production of this combat aircraft might resume. The assembly line for the production of the L-159 ALCA two-seat planes must be put into operation again. It has been maintained since the supply of the last planes in 2003.
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12/06/2016
Less than a week before President-elect Donald Trump spoke with Taiwan’s president over the phone, China flew a pair of long-range nuclear-capable bombers around Taiwan for the first time, two U.S. officials revealed to Fox News.
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12/06/2016
Israel is contemplating the acquisition of additional Boeing F-15Is to support its future combat requirements. Although the country's air force investment is currently focused on the acquisition of 50 Lockheed Martin F-35s, Tel Aviv believes it needs more than one strike aircraft in its inventory.
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12/06/2016
Raytheon Systems' Paveway IV laser-guided bomb has been dropped from a Lockheed Martin F-35B, paving the way for integration of the weapon on the UK’s future Joint Strike Fighter fleet.
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12/06/2016
The US Department of State has made a determination to approve a possible $156 million Foreign Military Sale to Finland for upgrades to extend the life of its F-18 combat aircraft, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a release.
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12/06/2016
The crash of a Su-33 fighter jet that skidded off the deck of the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier became yet another “bitter lesson” learned by Russian armed forces during the military operation in Syria.
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12/06/2016
A Russian Su-33 fighter jet has skidded off the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean while landing but the pilot ejected and his life is not in danger, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday.
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12/06/2016
The Russian military has transported over 710,000 tonnes of military supplies to Syria since the start of its ongoing counter-terrorist operation in the Arab country, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Dmitry Bulgakov said Monday.
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12/05/2016
Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing needs a smaller army that has the structure and combat capability to succeed in modern warfare. China has the world's largest military and second largest military budget after the United States, but Xi plans to reduce its force by 300,000 soldiers, or some 13 percent, and focus on combat effectiveness, Reuters reported Saturday.
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12/05/2016
Sri Lanka is to buy China-made Xian Y20 military-cum civil transport planes, Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe told South China Morning Post. “I have travelled around in some of the Chinese transport planes we have. They are good workhorses. Some people have raised questions about their quality but I have always said, ‘Look, as far as I am concerned, I will always underwrite Chinese military transport planes’. We will buy two more,” Wickremesinghe said.
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12/05/2016
The Fort Bliss, Texas- based platoon of 22 Soldiers with Delta Company, 2nd Brigade Engineer Battalion, 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division handles the intricate care and 24-hour operations of the Tactical Unmanned Aviation System assigned the RQ-7B ‘Shadow’ in support of Iraqi forces with their fight against the Islamic State group.
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12/05/2016
Arms companies in the UK and elsewhere in western Europe bucked the downward trend in sales in much of the rest of the world by recording a 6.6% rise last year, according to data compiled by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI).
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12/05/2016
Russia doubts that US plans to substitute Russian helicopters in Afghanistan with its own aircraft will succeed, since there is no alternative to Russian equipment in the nearest decades, Special Presidential Envoy for Afghanistan Zamir Kabulov said Sunday.
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12/04/2016
As the former Conservative government was leading the charge to bomb ISIS almost two years ago, the Royal Canadian Air Force was warning that its CF-18 pilots were not getting enough training time and that "resource reductions" were squeezing maintenance budgets.
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12/03/2016
In October, pilots of the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., began flying integrated direct support practice sorties in the F-35A Lightning II and the F-16 Fighting Falcon for the first time as a regular component of the training curriculum at Luke.
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12/03/2016
Denmark said on Friday it would not extend a six-month mission for seven F-16 jets taking part in a US-led coalition focused on attacking Islamic State group targets in Syria and Iraq.
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12/03/2016
The F-35 global enterprise provides an opportunity for leveraging collaborative efforts to shape more effective capabilities at a more effective cost point. According to a post by Endre Lundeon December 1, 2016 from the Norwegian Ministry of Defence: How international cooperation saved us NOK 96 million in 2016.
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12/03/2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that via a telephone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin, he received a confirmation Russia had nothing to do with the recent attack on Turkish forces in Syria. The Daily Turkiye reports Erdogan was speaking at a working breakfast with parliament members.
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12/03/2016
Ahead of Navy Day celebrations on December 4, Admiral Sunil Lanba, India’s chief of naval staff (CNS), caused a flutter in the media by suggesting that the Navy was scrapping the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project, India’s premier light fighter jet program. At a press conference, Lanba remarked that the navy was looking for temporary replacement jet from a source abroad for carrier-operations as the LCA (Navy) wasn’t “yet up to the mark.”
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12/03/2016
The US Air Force has released a draft request for proposals to replace its UH-1N Hueys, calling for a full and open to procure up to 84 helicopters. Three months after the USAF reset the Huey replacement programme with a new request for information released in September, the service is forging ahead with its first draft RFP.
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12/03/2016
The Lockheed Martin T-50A is soaring over Greenville, South Carolina with flight operations now underway. The initial test flight took place Nov. 19. The T-50A was announced as the official Lockheed Martin/Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) offering for the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT)/T-X competition in February, and Greenville was announced as the final assembly and checkout facility (FACO).
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12/03/2016
India has received proposals from two foreign companies within two months of asking countries like the US, Sweden and Russia to locally build a fighter under a generous technology transfer (ToT) arrangement. The winner will bag the right to sell the fighters to India for several decades as the Indian Air Force seeks to build 42 active squadrons.
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12/02/2016
When the mainstream U.S. media reports on Syria, it relies heavily on pro-rebel activists, including members of the White Helmets who have supplied false or dubious claims at key junctures of the war, reports Gareth Porter for Alternet.
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12/02/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces are starting to convert their aerial demonstration team onto the powerful new Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-H. The Russian Knights aerial demonstration team currently flies the original Su-27 version of the Flanker. But exactly why the Russians would allocate some of their best operational combat aircraft to an aerobatics team is somewhat puzzling.
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12/02/2016
The Charles de Gaulle, France’s lone aircraft carrier, is set to return to France this December for scheduled maintenance, a move that could deal a blow to the US-led coalition against Daesh. Refueling and maintaining the massive flattop cannot be delayed any longer, according to French officials, but France is intent on assisting the effort against Daesh in other ways.
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12/02/2016
Ukraine conducted a series of 16 successful missile launches during announced drills on Thursday, according to presidential press secretary Svyatoslav Tsegolko. The missile drills are scheduled to last until 17:00 GMT December 2, Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) reported earlier, adding that the launches will extend into Russia's civil airspace.
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12/01/2016
The T-X trainer finished up its afterburner engine tests last week, Defense News reports, and just a few substantial tests stand between now and the plane’s inaugural flight. Next, the team will test how the engine responds to typical flight procedures such as takeoff, climb, and landing, before collecting data on how the plane responds to simulated system failures.
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12/01/2016
The North Korean government will likely develop a nuclear missile capable of reaching the US city of Seattle by the end of President-elect Donald Trump’s term in office, former CIA Director Michael Hayden said on Wednesday.
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11/29/2016
Switzerland has requested CHF10 million to support replacement of its fighter aircraft and keep some of its current combat inventory active for longer than previously intended, the country said. Swiss voters rejected a proposed acquisition of 22 Saab Gripens in 2014, but in February 2016, Bern indicated that it would initiate a second attempt to purchase new fighters.
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11/29/2016
The message that Israel’s government had opted to purchase 17 additional F-35 fighter jets from the US on Sunday night came in just as a senior Israeli Air Force officer was in the midst of explaining to reporters what this new stealth aircraft could do and what it would mean for Israel’s defense.
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11/29/2016
A colorful graphic insert from the June 2016 Chinese naval magazine Naval and Merchant Ships offers a troubling glimpse of one possible future for the South China Sea. A map on the graphic accurately displays Beijing’s three new long runways that have been built up since 2014 in the Spratlys, alongside overlapping range arcs for HQ-9 air defense systems (200km), YJ-62 truck launched anti-ship cruise missiles (300km), as well as for J-11 and JH-7 fighter/attack aircraft (1500km).
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11/29/2016
The United Engine Corp., part of Rostec state holding company, successfully conducted the first ground-based ignition of the second stage of the engine for the Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation (PAK FA T-50 aircraft). In order to carry out the testing, gas generators had to be prepared for it, in addition to the demonstrator engine.
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11/29/2016
Norway has proposed replacing its aging fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3 Orions and Dassault DA-20 Jet Falcons with five new Boeing P-8 Poseidons, the country's minister of defense announced on 25 November.
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11/29/2016
The Joint Strike Fighter programme intends to award F-35 prime contractor Lockheed Martin a sole source contract in the third quarter of fiscal year 2017, according to a September announcement posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website. Under the SLEP contract, Lockheed will examine the aircraft’s airframe, hardware, software and structure, the Joint Programme Office tells FlightGlobal.
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11/29/2016
Holloman AFB in New Mexico has been selected by the US Air Force to be the interim home for two new Lockheed Martin F-16 training squadrons. Established as a result of “critical” pilot shortages in the air force, the two squadrons will temporarily be based at Holloman until a permanent flight training unit (FTU) is established to address the shortage on a long-term basis.
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11/29/2016
The US Department of State has made a determination to approve a possible Foreign Military Sale to Poland for upgrades to F-16 combat aircraft and stand-off missiles, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a release.
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11/29/2016
Su-30SM are air superiority jets of the 4++ generation that combine functions of a fighter and a bomber. They are produced in Irkutsk in southern Siberia. "The handover ceremony took place at the airfield of the Irkutsk aviation factory where pilots of the Russian Navy’s maritime combat aviation corps received another batch of Su-30SM jets," ?apt. 1st Rank Drygalo told reporters.
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11/28/2016
Getting dressed for a combat mission in a U2 “Dragonlady” reconnaissance plane looks almost like the preparations for a space flight, the pilot in a yellow compression suit wearing a massive white helmet. The suits need to be cooled the entire time, otherwise the pilots would die of heat exhaustion in a matter of minutes, but they are necessary to protect the crew members as they fly surveillance missions over Iraq and Syria at more than 70,000 feet scoping out ISIS targets.
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11/28/2016
The Defence Forces’ decision to spend almost €2 million on upgrading their drone systems from an Israeli defence company goes “against the will of our people”, according to a Sinn Féin Senator. Department of Defence documents, released under Freedom of Information (FoI) legislation, reveal plans to “accelerate the upgrade and acquisition” of Orbiter 2B UAV systems by the end of 2017.
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11/28/2016
A look at recent developments in the South China Sea, where China is pitted against smaller neighbors in multiple disputes over islands, coral reefs and lagoons in waters crucial for global commerce and rich in fish and potential oil and gas reserves.
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11/28/2016
Emerging Air Force computer technology can thwart a supersonic mid-air collision by automatically changing the flight path of two fighters headed for a deadly crash. Envision a scenario where two or more supersonic fighter jets are conducting combat maneuvers in such close proximity that they come less than 500-feet away from one another -- when an automatic computer system engineered into the aircraft takes over and re-directs the fighters, saving lives and averting a catastrophic collision.
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11/28/2016
A flotilla of Russian warships in the Mediterranean is providing a high-profile show of force in support of the Syrian regime. But the deployment has also thrown into sharp relief the limits of Moscow’s conventional military. State television broadcasts to the domestic audience Top Gun-style footage of bombers taking off from Russia’s flagship aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov. Foreign observers get to see one of the country’s most important weapons exports, the MiG-29 fighter plane, in ac
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11/28/2016
Commenting on Iran's announcement that it could allow Russia to use the Hamadan air base in western Iran for Moscow's aerial operation against terrorists in Syria, Russian political and military analyst Alexander Perendzhiev said that Tehran might even change its legislation to give Russia a more permanent presence at the base.
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11/27/2016
The U.S. presidential election mercifully has ended. But global conflict continues. And politicians are still attempting to drag America into another tragic, bloody Middle Eastern conflict. To do so would be madness. President-elect Donald Trump appears to recognize that Syria is not America’s responsibility. Unfortunately, Vice President-elect Mike Pence, as well as some of those mentioned for top administration positions, take a more militaristic perspective.
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11/27/2016
Japan scrambled fighter jets Saturday as Chinese air force planes passed the Miyako Strait in Okinawa Prefecture, southwestern Japan, the Defense Ministry said. Six Chinese airplanes believed to include two fighters flew over the strait between Okinawa's main island and Miyako Island, according to the ministry. There was no actual infringement of Japanese territorial air space, it said.
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11/27/2016
Starting in 2017, state-owned aircraft manufacture PT Dirgantara Indonesia (DI) will maintain Saudi Arabian military helicopters and aircraft. “We are still processing the contract,” Brig. Gen Jan Pieter Ate, the Defense Ministry’s director of the defense industry and technology, told The Jakarta Post on Friday.
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11/27/2016
The MIG-29K is a carrier version of the plane designed by the Mikoyan design bureau. It is a short landing and takeoff aircraft with retractable wings for storage abroad carrier. The plane was in the news recently when it was operating from the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov. The plane which took off for a sortie along with 2 others failed to land back and crashed into the sea.Out of the other 2, only one could land back on the carrier.
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11/27/2016
The Iranian Defense Ministry is considering purchase of the Russian Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighter jets, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said Saturday. "The purchase of Su-30 fighters is on the agenda of the defense ministry," Dehghan said, as quoted by the Tasnim news agency.
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11/26/2016
Pakistan is in talks with several countries for the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, and the air force is hoping to finalise some orders at the ongoing IDEAS 2016, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman said on Thursday. “JF-17 is a very potent aircraft. We are in talks with many countries and there will be a number of orders for the supply of the jets,” Sohail Aman said. “This is not just business, such deals would further strengthen Pakistan’s defence ties with friends.”
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11/26/2016
After three years of training, Beijing has announced that its aircraft carrier Liaoning and attached air units are ready for operation. Although the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has formidable air power, the Liaoning would be the only feasible platform for power projection in the foreseeable future, beyond the newly built airstrips in the South China Sea, due to China’s lack of overseas airbases.
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11/26/2016
Finland has received information from five aircraft primes regarding the replacement of its air force’s Boeing F/A-18C/D Hornet fleet. The HX fighter replacement programme was kicked off in November 2015 by defence minister Jussi Niinistö. This was followed some weeks later by the issue of a request for information (RFI) from the government to five manufacturers.
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11/26/2016
Canada’s crazily protracted process to acquire a new fighter has been the subject of another unexpected plot twist, with its defence minister announcing a plan to order an interim batch of 18 Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets.
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11/26/2016
Russia's Federal Air Transport Agency (Rosaviatsia) said Friday it had sent a protest note to the Ukrainian authorities demanding that Kiev stop immediately the preparation of missile drills that violate Russian airspace.
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11/26/2016
A US soldier was killed in a blast in northern Syria November 24. The soldier was killed by an improvised explosive device near Ayn Issa, according to a statement by U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM). Ayn Issa is about an hour from Raqqa, Daesh's self-declared capital in Syria.
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11/26/2016
The Indian Government had put a contract for Heron drones on hold for a year in the hope that defense scientists will produce an alternative. The Indian government has signed a $400 million final contract with Israel Aerospace Industries during Israeli President Reuven Rivlin's last week's India visit for armed drones.
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11/24/2016
Bulgaria's government said on Wednesday it approved an additional expenditure of up to 54.6 million levs ($29.6 million/27.9 million euro) under the defence ministry budget to ensure the airworthiness of the country's Air Force fleet of ageing Russian-made MiG-29 fighter jets.
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11/24/2016
Day two of the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar (IDEAS) 2016 saw the signing of some 13 memorandums of understanding (MoUs), which included an agreement with Ukraine for up-gradation of the Al-Khalid tank and another with Turkey for the sale of the primary trainer aircraft, the Super Mushshak.
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11/24/2016
A solemn ceremony took place in Lida, Grodno Oblast on 23 November to hand over four new combat and training aircraft Yak-130 to the 116th Guards Attack Aircraft Air Base of the Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense, BelTA has learned. The aircraft were made by the Russian R&D corporation Irkut.
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11/24/2016
The Indian government is proposing to export its Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Tejas light combat aircraft to other Asian nations. New Delhi hopes that the indigenously developed fighter’s relatively simple design and potentially low maintenance costs will be a selling point for the jet. But India’s prospects for selling the its “new” fighter are highly dubious.
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11/24/2016
The Indian air force has declared initial operation clearance for the latest avionics upgrade to its Sepecat Jaguar attack aircraft. Under the Darin (display, attack, range and inertial navigation) III programme, three Jaguars have received upgraded avionics packages installed by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL).
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11/24/2016
The Indian Air Force’s Deputy Chief flew a sortie in an upgraded Anglo-French Jaguar fighter as a vote of confidence in these dependable deep penetration strike fighters.
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11/24/2016
Russia will stick to the schedule on supplying Su-35 fighter jets to China under a military-technical deal between the two countries, Khabarovsk Territory's Governor Vyacheslav Shport told Sputnik on Wednesday.
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11/24/2016
The Indian Government on Tuesday disclosed some details of the $ 8.85 billion deal to purchase French combat aircraft. Among them is a promise by French company Dassault Aviation to provide product support for five decades.
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11/24/2016
EU sanctions on fuel supplies to Syria do not affect the Russian air group based at the Hmeymim airbase as its combat operations in the war-torn country are part of Russia's contribution to the fight against terrorism, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
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11/22/2016
Airstrikes by Russia’s strategic aviation has destroyed concentrations of armored vehicles and facilities producing weapons for Islamic State militants, says the Russian Defense Ministry. Unlike the previous sorties, this one was carried out by bypassing Europe, while the cruise missiles were launched from the Mediterranean Sea.
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11/22/2016
Shephard understands that likely respondents include Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC), part of Textron Airborne Solutions; Draken International; and Discovery Air Defence Services, a subsidiary of Discovery Air. The US Navy is likely to be first to award a contract. Its requirement includes the provision of improved adversary training at its Top Gun school at NAS Fallon in Nevada.
(Read More...)
11/22/2016
After the US denied South Korea export licenses for active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for its future KFX fighter, Seoul is in talks with Washington over acquiring lower technologies for the jet.
(Read More...)
11/22/2016
The South Korean Air Force has been granted a contract worth $1.2 billion to upgrade 134 F-16 combat aircraft, the US defense contractor Lockheed Martin announced in a press release on Monday.
(Read More...)
11/22/2016
A video, produced by RT, offers you a unique opportunity to watch a Sukhoi Su-33 multirole fighter take off from the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier, the flagship of the Russian Navy. Shot using a panoramic camera, it provides 360-degree visibility for a truly immersive experience.
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11/22/2016
Russia could create new infrastructure at the country’s Hmeymim airbase in Syria, including the construction of the second runway and improvement of its air defense capabilities, a senior lawmaker in Russia's upper house of parliament said.
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11/22/2016
The future Russian naval base in Syria's Tartus will be able to host aircraft carriers and nuclear-powered submarines allowing Moscow to expand its naval presence and role in the Mediterranean, a senior lawmaker in Russia's upper house of parliament said.
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11/21/2016
Currently, onboard the USS America, the USN-USMC team is validating the proof of concept of the Lightning Carrier, i.e., a large deck amphibious ship with combined F-35B and Osprey assault capabilities. The capability to insert ground forces and to support them with a 360 degree combat system overhead will prove to be significant in a wide range of contingencies.
(Read More...)
11/21/2016
The assessment by the Defence Select Committee will endorse widespread concerns that the Royal Navy has been left too small after recent job and spending cuts. The committee's report, called Restoring The Fleet, said the current number of vessels is "woefully low" and raised doubts over the availability of skilled workers in the service.
(Read More...)
11/21/2016
India's new fifth generation stealth fighter will be superior in key aspects to Russia's PAK FA T-50 from which it's derived, and will also have the added advantage of being able to fire the newest iteration of the fearsome BrahMos cruise missile, the BrahMos NG.
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11/21/2016
The Indian Air Force is experimenting with the sleeping pattern of its fighter pilots to find out how fatigue affects flight performance in an unforgiving environment. A sleep deprivation study conducted on 40 fighter pilots has revealed significant deviations in their performance and now the IAF will kick off field studies on a larger scale, officers familiar with the research told Hindustan Times.
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11/21/2016
President-elect Donald Trump wants a much bigger military. All he needs to do is find the money and political support to make it happen. Less than two weeks into the Republican businessman's transition from unlikely presidential candidate to unlikely commander in chief, many details of his plans for the Defense Department remain unsettled.
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11/21/2016
NATO multinational military exercise Iron Sword 2016 kicked off in Lithuania, with 4,000 troops participating, the country's Defense Ministry announced on Sunday. The exercise, set to last through December 3, will train soldiers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania and Slovenia.
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11/20/2016
As a pilot, I have had multiple “near miss” events. Most pilots I know have had similar experiences. Some of these events still scare me today when I think about them, others were less intense and grave, but I also remember all of them…and what they taught me.
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11/20/2016
The official Russian passenger Ilyushin Il-96 aircraft was carrying journalists to cover the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic summit, held in Lima, Peru, when three military jets suddenly appeared to accompany it while it flew through Swiss airspace.
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11/20/2016
On the morning of Nov. 12, J-10 fighters from China’s prestigious Ba Yi Air Demonstration Team practiced maneuvers over Yutian county, northeast of the city of Tianjin. Sitting in the instructor’s seat of one of the delta-wing J-10s was Capt. Yu Xu, a flight leader and one of four women pilots trained to operate the domestically-designed multi-role fighter.
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11/20/2016
The deliveries of the Russian Su-35 fighter jets to China have not started yet, works on the aircraft to be supplied continue in accordance with the bilateral deal, Alexander Fomin, the director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), said.
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11/19/2016
Britain has taken delivery of the first of a new generation of aircraft set to revitalize its fixed-wing military pilot training capabilities. Affinity Flying Training Services delivered two Grob G-120TPs to the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Cranwell on Nov. 17, kicking off a program which will see 38 aircraft across three different types handed over by the end of 2018 to replace Britain’s aging stock of trainers.
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11/19/2016
This is not the first time a major US defence industry has shuttered its office in Taipei due to a wide variety of excuses. In 2006 Boeing closed its Taipei offices and moved staff to Singapore in an effort to placate Beijing for better opportunities in the commercial passenger aircraft market.
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11/19/2016
Several units of the Su-30MKI, Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft and other frontline planes have been moved to forward areas in Punjab and Rajasthan and have been retained there, a senior IAF source told Mail Today. Even as Pakistan is flexing its muscles along the Indian border near Punjab, the Indian Air Force is maintaining "high operational tempo" by packing the western front with its lethal combat aircraft.
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11/19/2016
Terrorists and Western defence equipment had a bad time at this year’s Airshow China in Zhuhai. Hardened bunkers, speeding trucks and warships were no match for the barrage of missiles and bombs launched by Chinese-built fighters and unmanned air vehicles – all seemingly co-ordinated by emotionless men in sterile control rooms. F-15s, F-16s, F/A-18s and even AH-64 attack helicopters had a tough time, as easy prey for a relentless flow of air-to-air missiles.
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11/19/2016
Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force have finished repairs on the last of 13 F-35As affected by a faulty insulation issue earlier this year, though work continues on Lockheed’s production aircraft.
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11/19/2016
Pending Congressional approval, the sales of 72 Boeing F-15QA Strike Eagles to Qatar and 40 F/A-18Es and F/A-18Fs Super Hornets to Kuwait are expected to go through, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced this week.
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11/19/2016
The Brazilian military has awarded Embraer a provisional type certificate for the basic configuration of the KC-390 tanker-transport, a step on the way to achieving initial operational capability with the air force in the second half of 2017.
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11/19/2016
New Delhi’s is trying to export its indigenously assembled LCA `Tejas’ to cost-conscious countries in Asia. It is not known whether export permissions are required from foreign suppliers of critical equipment to the aircraft.
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11/19/2016
Turkey is in talks with Russia on the purchase of S-400 missile systems, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Friday. "As for missile defense, work is continuing. We are negotiating on S-400 not only with Russia, but with other countries that have similar systems. Russia's position on this issue now is positive," Isik said in an interview with Turkey's NTV broadcaster.
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11/18/2016
The pièce de résistance at the Zhuhai air show in Guangdong province was the long-awaited Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jet. The 60-second flypast in a first ever, public sneak-preview was the cynosure of the world as China demonstrated its claim of entering the exclusive club of countries with “fifth generation” fighter planes. Touted as the only other operation-ready answer to America’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Lockheed Martin F-35.
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11/18/2016
In a September 7th speech, then-candidate Donald Trump described his vision for the future of the American military. “As soon as I take office, I will ask Congress to fully eliminate the defense sequester and will submit a new budget to rebuild our military. This will increase certainty in the defense community as to funding and will allow military leaders to plan for our future defense needs.”
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11/18/2016
The loss of highly trained and experienced pilots from the U.S. military to the private sector is a legitimate worry for Pentagon leaders, the Defense Department's top civilian said. "It is something we have to be concerned about," Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Wednesday during a stopover at this installation. The problem is particularly pronounced in the Air Force, which faces a shortage of several hundred aviators.
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11/18/2016
The Royal Air Force is in transition as the Tornado is retired, the Typhoon is modernized and the P-8 and F-35 are introduced. Infrastructure of key bases is being modernized as well.
This transition as seen by officers involved in the operation and support of combat aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth is presented in this report.
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11/18/2016
Britain is set to buy as many as 26 Certifiable Predator B unmanned aerial vehicles from San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the Pentagon announced Wednesday.
The $1 billion sale delivers at least 16 of the aircraft, with the option for the country to buy 10 more. The purchase includes the associated material needed to operate the vehicles, including targeting equipment and ground control stations, in addition to contractor support for the aircraft for up to three years.
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11/18/2016
Vietnam is extending a runway on an island it claims in the South China Sea in apparent response to China’s building of military facilities on artificial islands in the region, a US thinktank has reported. Satellite images taken this month showed Vietnam had lengthened its runway on Spratly Island from less than 760 metres (2,500ft) to more than 1 km, Washington’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said.
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11/18/2016
Proposing the setting up of a new, futuristic factory for an upcoming Make in India fighter program, Boeing has said that it is in talks with multiple Indian stakeholders to gear it for the production of the indigenous advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA).
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11/18/2016
Spain has taken delivery of its first Airbus Defence & Space A400M tactical transport, which will now be transitioned to its home operating base at Zaragoza in the northeast of the country.
Aircraft MSN44 carried out its maiden flight from Airbus’s Seville final assembly site in September, and is the first of 27 examples on order for Spain.
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11/18/2016
The US government approved the sale of an F-15 fighter jet package that will include 72 aircraft, support and training worth an estimated $21.1 billion to Qatar, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release.
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11/17/2016
The F-15C Eagle weighs about 16 tons, but with nearly 47,000 pounds of thrust pushing it down the runway it feels more like 16 ounces. In a just seconds, the plane passes 100 miles per hour, then twice that. It hops off the ground but the pilot, Maj. Jay “Fat” Talbert keeps it level, fifty feet up, and pours on more speed. “Here come the G’s,” Talbert warns his passenger in the back seat. Then he pulls back the stick.
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11/17/2016
Poland’s first two Leonardo Aermacchi M-346 advanced jet trainers were delivered to its air force’s 41st training base in Deblin on 14 November. The aircraft – with the tail numbers 7702 and 7703 – arrived from Rivolto, flown by Italian air force pilots.
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11/17/2016
Pilatus has conducted the first flight of a PC-21 trainer for the Royal Jordanian Air Force, a new customer. Conducted from the Swiss manufacturer’s Stans production site on 15 November, the milestone sortie involved PC-21 serial number 283, with the tail number 1170 and temporary registration HB-HXA.
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11/17/2016
Lockheed Martin Corp. has received a $536 million contract modification from the U.S. Air Force for sustainment of the F-22 Raptor. The funding is part of a Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) contract providing weapon systems sustainment of the F-22 fleet at all operational bases for the 2017 calendar year.
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11/17/2016
US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said that the US Department of State has approved a possible $1 billion sale of Predator drones, equipment, training and support to the United Kingdom.
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11/17/2016
Russia's Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier will be upgraded in 2018 after returning from service, Vice President of the United Shipbuilding Corporation (USC) Igor Ponomarev said Wednesday.
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11/16/2016
A Russian Navy MiG-29KUBR Fulcrum-D crashed on approach to the aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov earlier today due to technical problems. The twin-engine fighter was conducting a training sortie, according to the Russian defense ministry.
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11/16/2016
The Indian Navy will get its additional P8I submarine killer, maritime reconnaissance aircraft starting July 2020, with work being initiated at the Boeing facility here to deliver an updated version of the combat plane. The boost to the Indian fleet will come at a time when the Chinese Peoples Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), which has been growing at a scorching pace over the past decade, is projected to have over 70 submarines in service.
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11/16/2016
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has deployed combat aircraft to Libya and Eritrea to combat Islamist militants and support its forces in Yemen. The base in Libya appears to have been established at the beginning of this year. According to IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, Airbus Defence and Space satellite imagery shows the construction of buildings in March this year at Al-Khadim Airport in Marj province around 100 km from Benghazi. By the end of June, hangars and a new ramp had been built.
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11/16/2016
China's first aircraft carrier is now ready to engage in combat, marking a milestone for a navy that has invested heavily in its ability to project power far from China's shores. The Liaoning's political commissar said in an interview with Tuesday's Global Times newspaper that his ship is "constantly prepared to fight against enemies," signaling a change from its past status as a platform for testing and training.
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11/16/2016
The Indonesian air force has put its latest Airbus Defence & Space CN235 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) into service, equipped with winglets and an electronic support measures (ESM) system.
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11/16/2016
Greece has received the first three of an eventual 10 Boeing CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift rotorcraft that it has bought from the US Army. Arriving at the port of Piraeus on 11 November, the Chinooks will join the already 15-strong fleet operated by the Hellenic Army.
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11/16/2016
India's state-owned defense research company is about to test a medium altitude long endurance drone. Its success could make the Indian military market for drones out of bounds for US and Israeli companies.
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11/16/2016
Serbia is expected to receive six Russian Mikoyan MiG-29 multirole fighters and armored vehicles at a huge discount, totaling approximately $80 million, Defense analyst Miroslav Lazanski told Sputnik, commenting on unconfirmed reports that Moscow is ostensibly planning to transfer weapons to Belgrade.
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11/16/2016
Russia's rearmament plans should be carried out efficiently using funds allocated from the state budget, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday. "Our plans should certainly be implemented. The question arises: through what? Certainly through optimization, and more careful use of allocated state resources to focus attention on the most important promising areas of our work," Putin said while opening a series of meetings with defense industry top officials.
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11/16/2016
"Today, we started a major operation to launch massive strikes on Daesh and al-Nusra Front targets in the Idlib and Homs provinces [in Syria]," Shoigu said at Russian President Vladimir Putin's meeting with the ministry’s leadership and defense enterprises.
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11/14/2016
Bagram Air Base, outside Kabul, Afghanistan, is among the most tightly secured military facilities in the world. Even so, yesterday, a man armed with a suicide bomb found a way into the base, detonated that bomb and killed four Americans. The Taliban has taken responsibility for the attack.
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11/14/2016
Strong indications have emerged that the United States has again blocked the Federal Government from acquiring fighter ground attack aircraft considered crucial in the ongoing campaign against Boko Haram in the North-East. Investigations showed that the US has prevented the military from acquiring the A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft from Brazil.
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11/14/2016
What we know for sure about the new Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jet is subject to some debate. We know that, according to claims within the Chinese government, that it was designed to compete directly with the latest in American fighter jet technology: the F-22 Raptor and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Outwardly, its appearance resembles that of the F-22.
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11/14/2016
China’s elite fifth generation stealth fighter recently made its debut, raising questions about its capabilities. The Chengdu J-20, a Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group product, is designed to close the gap between American and Chinese air power. The stealth fighter is regarded as a potential rival to America’s F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor.
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11/14/2016
Traversing the skies at a speed exceeding Mach 5, hypersonic weapons are said to be capable of penetrating the most advanced air defense systems in the world. Not a single country has put hypersonic arms into service so far, with Russia, the United States and China being the closest to taming the game-changing technology of the future.
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11/13/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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11/13/2016
In the last decade of the Cold War, the MiG-31, codenamed Foxhound by NATO, enjoyed a certain mystique in the West. The same grainy photos aerial photos of the high speed fighter would show up in aviation publications, along with ominous speculation over its capabilities. But unlike its peers—the MiG-29 and Su-27—the Foxhound never fully emerged from obscurity after the Cold War.
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11/13/2016
India's indigenous HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will serve aboard the nuclear powered supercarrier, INS Vishal (currently under development), but will first see active service on the INS Vikrant now being fitted out and due to join the Indian Navy in December 2018.
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11/13/2016
Sea-based jets of the aircraft-carrying cruiser Admiral Kuznetsov which arrived in the Syrian coast heading a group of the Russian Northern Fleet's squadron started flights, Commander of the ship Sergei Artamonov said.
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11/13/2016
The next-generation S-500 Prometey surface-to-air missile system, also known as the 55R6M Triumfator-M, will allow Russia to protect large areas from the most lethal offensive weapons, including hypersonic weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, defense analyst Victor Murakhovsky told Radio Sputnik.
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11/13/2016
The Russian authorities have expressed readiness to deliver six MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia if Belgrade covers the jet fighters’ repair costs, Serbian media reported on Friday. "Moscow allegedly indicated that the repair of jet fighters and related equipment requires about $50 million," a governmental source was quoted as saying by the Naslovna Strana newspaper.
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11/13/2016
The Indian Air Force plans to replace the venerable MiG-21 series of combat jets with the home-produced fighter named Tejas. But, capacity constraints at the factory means the replacements will take place at a very slow pace.
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11/13/2016
Engineers are developing a new modification of the new onboard defense systems (ODS) for the Ilyushin Il-112B military transport aircraft that will be able to counter all potential missile threats up to 2025, according to Russia's Concern Radio-Electronic Technologies (KRET).
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11/11/2016
German lawmakers on Thursday approved a renewed mandate for the Bundeswehr's anti-"Islamic State" mission despite tensions with Turkey where its reconnaissance and refueling aircraft are based. Parliament approved the extension for a year by 445-139 vote, with the opposition Greens and Left Party opposed.
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11/11/2016
While the United States is by far the most dominant military force in history, it is American industrial prowess that ultimately enables Washington to conduct operations around the globe. With the ability to build the world’s best ships, submarines, aircraft, missiles, tanks and bombs, the United States would not be able to conduct its mission to build a benign international security environment where commerce and democracy can thrive.
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11/11/2016
For the first time China showed off its most advanced stealth warplane, the J-20, at a Chinese air show during the first week of November. China expects the J-20 to enter service in 2018 and has apparently changed its mind about exporting the J-20. Since 2014 China has offered its 18 ton J-31 stealth fighter to export customers as the FC-31 but insisted that it would not export its more advanced J-20.
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11/11/2016
Bulgaria’s Ministry of Defence said on November 10 that it had signed a contract for the supply of 10 engines for the Air Force’s Russian-made MiG-29 jet fighters – and, in an apparent sideswipe at former Air Force commander and Bulgarian Socialist Party-backed presidential candidate Roumen Radev, rejected “propaganda claims that the air force will be grounded”.
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11/11/2016
RUSSIA’s aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, has for the first time launched combat jets on flights over Syria, scouting out the besieged city of Aleppo ahead of anticipated strikes. Its force of Sukhoi Su-33 and Mikoyan MiG-29K strike fighters took to the skies early on Wednesday on what the Russian Ministry of Defence says were scout missions.
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11/11/2016
CONTROVERSY over the relationship between BAE Systems, Europe’s largest defence company, and one of its main customers, Saudi Arabia, was raging when Ian King, its chief executive, started his job in 2008. BAE’s link to Saudi Arabia was forged 30 years ago with the first “al-Yamamah” arms deal.
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11/11/2016
The government’s approval comes amid rising border tensions with Pakistan, although the platforms will be inducted in phases over the next decade. ‘The ongoing tension along the India-Pakistan border following the September 29 surgical strikes in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir is a reminder that we have to keep our powder dry. Modernisation cannot happen overnight and each step in that direction is significant,’ one military expert said.
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11/11/2016
Around-the-clock, whether for combat operations or humanitarian aid, Airmen are ready to respond anywhere. Until they get that call, however, Airmen hone their skills through exercises and realistic training. During exercise Tonnerre Lightning, the U.S. Air Force worked with United Kingdom and French forces to prepare and conduct realistic training Oct. 31-Nov. 9, at Royal Air Force Waddington, England.
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11/10/2016
As Iraqi forces fight their way into Mosul, they're receiving air support from a coalition of nations. Among the largest contributors is France. The French aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle is currently in the Eastern Mediterranean and is the only European aircraft carrier involved in Operation Inherent Resolve.
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11/10/2016
After making a bid to sell F-16s to India, a team from US aviation major Lockheed Martin arrived in Bengaluru to meet potential industrial partners, officials said on Wednesday. Lockheed Martin's 'Make in India' F-16's (Block 70) executive team is set to conduct a meeting this week with local aerospace suppliers and tier one industry groups to discuss potential partnerships.
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11/10/2016
The United States military is investigating a fire that erupted during a mid-air training flight of one of its latest generation fighter jets. The Marine Corps is trying to figure out what caused the fire to ignite on an F-35B Joint Strike Fighter aircraft that took off from a base in Beaufort, South Carolina, last month, Military.com reported on Monday.
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11/10/2016
Two Marine Corps F/A-18 Hornet fighter jets collided over the waters off San Diego today, military officials said. One pilot was able to eject from his aircraft and was rescued at sea by the Navy, and the pilot of the other aircraft was able to land his aircraft at a nearby Navy base, officials said.
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11/09/2016
“In Turkey, we are progressively putting behind bars all people who take the liberty of voicing even the slightest criticism of the government,” wrote author Orhan Pamuk, Turkey’s first Nobel Prize winner. “Freedom of thought no longer exists. We are distancing ourselves at high speed from a state of law and heading towards a regime of terror” that is driven by “the most ferocious hatred.”
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11/09/2016
Britain's royal air force teamed up with the United States and South Korea in a joint training exercise in November. The drill is ongoing and marks the first time British pilots are flying with U.S. and South Korean airmen, South Korean television network KBS reported Tuesday.
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11/09/2016
A fifth-generation fighter said to be six times more effective at air-to-air combat and eight times more effective at air-to-ground attacks than any military aircraft before— the F-35 Lightning II is the U.S. military’s state-of-the-art aircraft and Alaska will house 54 of them.
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11/09/2016
In April and June 2016, I had a chance to visit RAF Lossiemouth in Scotland and to talk with the base commander, and several officers involved with the combat operations and logistical support for the aircraft operating from the base. As such, the interviews provide a slice of current activities and preparation for the transition associated with the evolution of the RAF combat aircraft, including the coming of the P-8.
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11/09/2016
The Indian Navy’s latest aircraft carrier, the 65,000-ton supercarrier INS Vishal, the second ship of the Vikrant-class, will be powered by a nuclear reactor, according to anonymous Indian Navy sources.
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11/08/2016
China’s military is developing ships, submarines, aircraft, intelligence systems and foreign bases in a bid to become a global military power, according to a forthcoming congressional China commission report.
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11/08/2016
To a group of fighter pilots who have flown the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning II, including a Marine who has flown both, the value of those fifth-generation fighters is not in the power and speed or even the stealth qualities they bring, it is their capability to collect, process and share massive amounts of data that translates into lethal combat power.
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11/08/2016
The Air Force is reving up electronic warfare upgrades for its F-15 fighter as a way to better protect against enemy fire and electronic attacks, service officials said. Boeing has secured a $478 million deal to continue work on a new technology called with a system called the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS.
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11/08/2016
CHINA’S CHENGDU J-20 fighter jet, which made its public debut at China’s Zhuhai Airshow last week, cuts an imposing, even frightening, figure. The supersonic, twin-engine fighter and attack aircraft packs advanced radar and sensor capabilities, with a 360-degree helmet display system that allows the pilot to see through the aircraft itself.
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11/08/2016
India is currently planning to induct a large number of foreign made fighters to shore up its depleting squadron strength. But at the same time, it is going ahead with plans to induct aircraft produced in its own factories.
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11/08/2016
Russia may fulfill a contract on deliveries of long-range S-400 Triumf air defense systems to China by 2020, Alexander Fomin, director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, said Monday.
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11/08/2016
The United Kingdom has been chosen by the US F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) to become the repair hub for European-based Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II stealth multirole fighters, the UK Defense Ministry said Monday.
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11/08/2016
The suspension of the Russian Aerospace Forces' operation in Syria continues, presidential spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday. He added that Russian President Vladimir Putin considers it possible to continue maintaining the regime in eastern Aleppo.
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11/05/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
11/05/2016
Amphibious forces in the Pacific practiced a “back to the future” tactic of seizing advance naval bases and conducting maneuver warfare during exercise Blue Chromite in Okinawa, Japan, exercise leaders told USNI News. The exercise, which started on Oct. 29 and ended today, used 3rd Marine Division Marines to practice the type of operations – maneuver warfare in an anti-access/area-denial environment against a sophisticated adversary – that are outlined in the new Marine Corps Operating Concept.
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11/05/2016
The surf was high where the amphibious assault ship America sailed off the coast of San Diego -- high enough to make the flight deck pitch and roll and set the conditions for a few minutes of crisis when an unfortunate sailor fell overboard and had to be rescued by helicopter. But with sea states between three and four, indicating swells from three to eight feet, the chop was still too subdued to be ideal for this last, rigorous round of testing for the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
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11/05/2016
Two Air Force master sergeants became the first enlisted Airmen in six decades to complete solo flights during Initial Flight Training at the 1st Flying Training Squadron Nov. 3. Both soloed in a DA-20 Katana at Pueblo Memorial Airport as part of the Air Force’s IFT program, which is mandatory for all manned aircraft pilots, combat systems officers and remotely piloted aircraft pilots.
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11/05/2016
As part of Exercise Keen Sword (KS) 17, motorists should expect an increase in military traffic between U.S. Naval Base Guam and Andersen South from Nov. 7 to 9. The Makin Island Amphibious Ready Group (MKI ARG) and 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit (11th MEU), based out of San Diego and Camp Pendleton, California, and scheduled to participate in Exercise Keen Sword 17, will conduct maneuvers on Guam that will act as shaping operations for the Japanese-U.S. bilateral training on Tinian.
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11/05/2016
A new Chinese high-tech spy drone has been revealed at a military air show. The plane - codenamed CH-5 - is reportedly being dubbed the “world’s most powerful” unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). The plane was unveiled yesterday at the International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition in Zhuhai, China, as the nation further displays its military prowess.
(Read More...)
11/05/2016
A Russian frigate armed with cruise missiles has passed through the Bosphorus on its way to the eastern Mediterranean in a potentially ominous development for the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo. The Admiral Gligorovich, part of Russia’s Black Sea fleet, arrived off the Syrian coast on Friday as the latest pause in the Russian bombardment of eastern Aleppo came to an end, adding to an emphatic Russian show of naval force in the Mediterranean.
(Read More...)
11/05/2016
The state-owned Aero Engine Corp of China (AECC) was launched in August as part of a multi-billion dollar effort to boost the country’s domestic aviation production, and the company’s grand plans are on full display at the China International Aviation and Aerospace Exhibition this week, including mock-ups of new engines like the Jade Dragon, as well as gas turbines.
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11/05/2016
On Tuesday, China unveiled two Chengdu J-20 stealth fighters at the Airshow China-2016 in Zhuhai. The aircraft was developed by Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation. The J-20 conducted its first test flight in early 2011. "We are not considering putting [the J-20] on the global market," Ma was quoted as saying by South China Morning Post.
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10/31/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports. Operation Inherent Resolve - Targeted Operations Against ISIL Terrorists
(Read More...)
10/31/2016
Two Los Angeles-area men have been arrested on federal charges for their alleged role in a scheme to smuggle military aircraft parts and other potential defense items to Iran in violation of the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA) and the Iranian Transactions and Sanctions Regulations (ITSR).
(Read More...)
10/31/2016
Germany is experiencing “serious problems” with its military aircraft procurement, which may soon result in an inability to maintain the proper level of combat capability, according to the army's document obtained by media. The memo, according to Welt am Sonntag, originated from a source in the military and was later passed to the defense committee of the parliament.
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10/31/2016
Spanish and Ukrainian observers will fly over Russian and Belarusian territories this week under the Open Skies Treaty, the acting head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said.
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10/31/2016
These flights are regularly carried out by the fighter jets of the NATO countries to fulfill the bloc's obligation to protect the airspace over the Baltic countries. On August 31, the Germans took over the mission from the UK pilots and their four combat aircraft of the same type.
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10/31/2016
At least 19 militants from the Lashkar-e-Taiba terrorist group have been killed and eight more wounded in airstrikes on the group's operating area near the border with Pakistan, the Afghan Ministry of Interior reported October 30.
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10/31/2016
China has assembled its first domestically-designed aircraft carrier built solely out of indigenous components, the latest major achievement in Beijing's large-scale efforts to upgrade its military. Currently known as the Type 001A, the warship bears resemblance to the Admiral Kuznetsov-class multirole aircraft carrier Varyag.
(Read More...)
10/31/2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan expressed his intention to boost military presence on the border with Iraq. According to Erdogan, if Shia militias start conducting terrorist attacks in the Iraqi city of Tal Afar, predominantly populated with Iraqi Turkmen, Turkey will be able to respond.
(Read More...)
10/27/2016
Both Northrop Grumman and Boeing’s bids for the US Air Force’s long-range strike B-21 bomber met technical requirements, but a top USAF acquisition official tells reporters that the deciding factor came down to costs.
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10/27/2016
Northrop Grumman has completed negotiations with Lockheed Martin on pricing for low-rate initial production (LRIP) lots 9 and 10 of the F-35, suggesting the prime contractor may be close to wrapping up a 15-month negotiating period with the US joint programme office (JPO), Northrop chief executive Wes Bush says.
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10/27/2016
Indian and Russian defense delegations discussed joint defense projects and defense issues of mutual interest, in particular, the Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) and the upgrade of the Sukhoi Su-30MKI fighter, the sources at the Indian Defense Ministry sources told Sputnik.
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10/27/2016
Iraqi forces lost some 60 soldiers in the operation to liberate Mosul from the Daesh, while about 250 others have been wounded, US Central Command commander Gen. Joseph Votel said on Wednesday.
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10/27/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry said it had not asked Spain for refueling the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier currently en route to the Mediterranean. The Russian Defense Ministry denies foreign media speculation of an alleged plan for the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier to refuel at the Spanish port of Ceuta, the ministry's spokesman said Wednesday.
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10/27/2016
Members of the European Parliament have approved plans to create an "advanced European defense policy" with plans for an "EU operational headquarters" to plan, command and manage operations in what is seen by critics as an attempt to undermine NATO, which is currently hosting a meeting of defense ministers.
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10/26/2016
A Portuguese Navy frigate and a patrol aircraft are tracking the movement of the Russian warships in the waters of the Portuguese exclusive economic zone (EEZ), the Portuguese Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday.
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10/26/2016
On Monday a top-ranking US Air Force official announced that a small enemy drone controlled by Daesh had been downed by an electronic weapon. The weaponized unmanned craft responsible for the death of four civilians.
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10/26/2016
“Ministry of Defence intends to procure and install approximately 200 sets of Electronic Warfare Suite comprising Radar Warning Receiver (RWR), Missile Approach Warning System (MAWS) and Counter Measure Dispensing System (CMDS) on Mi-17 V5 helicopters,” reads a request for information issued by the Indian government.
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10/25/2016
Perhaps the best-kept secret of the top-secret F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is that it might be the best airplane of its kind in the world — and that it will likely change the way America fight its wars. Plagued by cost overruns, mechanical gremlins and fears that its high-tech sensors would overload a human pilot’s ability to analyze the aerial battlefield, the $379 billion project for the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps infamously became known in the Pentagon as “acquisition malpractice
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10/25/2016
Raytheon will assemble and deliver T-100 jet trainers from Mississippi if the company’s partnership with Leonardo wins a four-way competition to replace the US Air Force Northrop T-38 Talon fleet.
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10/25/2016
The new tech is designed to amplify the craft’s global surveillance and air attack capabilities. The 66-foot drone currently features the GBU-12 Paveway II, a 500-pound laser-guided bomb, GPS and Inertial Navigation System-guided bombs called JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions), and the AGM-114 Hellfire missile.
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10/25/2016
Aerospace and Defense giant Boeing has been awarded a $196.6 contract for spare parts for the US Navy F/A-18 Super Hornet aircraft, the Pentagon said in a press release.
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10/25/2016
The Indian Air Force is set to become the first to possess a cruise missile capable of breaking the sound barrier, with the successful integration of its Brahmos rockets with Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft.
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10/24/2016
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Air Force (PLAAF) is slated to receive the first four out of 24 Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter jets, the governor of Khabarovsk Krai, a federal subject located in the Russian Far East, said in a speech during the opening of a new aircraft production plan on September 15, according to local media reports.
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10/24/2016
Kurdish Peshmerga forces are within 5 miles (8 kilometers) of Mosul, commanders said Sunday, after days of fighting and sweeping territorial gains in the operation to free the key Iraqi city from ISIS control. A coalition of 100,000 troops have been closing in on Mosul since Monday, liberating surrounding communities village by village and making quicker-than-expected gains.
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10/24/2016
The men and boys are reported to have been rounded up over October 20 and 21 and brought in three waves to the city's former College of Agriculture, where they were shot and then dumped in mass graves. Iraqi News reports that the victims were residents of towns and villages in the city’s northwest outskirts, and that 61 of them were no more than 14 years old.
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10/24/2016
“We are updating Ataka and Khrizantema missiles for the Mi-28NMs to increase their range of target detection, lock on and destruction. The helicopter’s onboard fire control system will likewise be adapted for the use of these new missiles,” Valery Kashin, chief designer of the Kolomna-based Mechanical Engineering Design Bureau, said.
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10/22/2016
Russia is believed to be sending a massive naval task force, with warships from its Northern, Baltic and Black Sea fleets, to the Mediterranean Sea in preparation for what could be a major escalation in the conflict in Syria. It's the largest naval deployment since the end of the Cold War, according to a diplomat speaking to Reuters.
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10/22/2016
If India were to acquire the US-designed F-16 fighter it would effectively mean that the Pakistan Air Force will not be able to acquire the latest variant of the jet that it has operated for 33 years. That's because Lockheed Martin has proposed to the Indian government that it is willing to transfer its entire F-16 manufacturing line from Fort Worth in the US to India as part of the government's Make in India policy.
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10/22/2016
An Indian Air Force plan to replace its MiG fighter fleet with a 'Made in India' combat aircraft is heading for trouble. As of now the choice is between two aircraft from Sweden and the US, both of which failed a comprehensive technical evaluation process in 2010. Plus, there are grumbles that other countries which have fighter jets were not called at all.
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10/22/2016
"Macierewicz regularly makes statements of this kind to promote his image," Konashenkov stressed.
In August 2015, Paris and Moscow formally terminated the 1.2-billion-euro (some $1.3 billion at current exchange rates) deal on the construction and delivery of two Mistral-class warships. Shortly after, French President Francois Hollande confirmed that a deal had been reached with Egypt on the delivery of two Mistrals to the Arab country.
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10/21/2016
India has signed many defense deals with Russia despite a strong financial crunch. Out of its deals it has accorded top priority to the purchase of the S-400 which it expects to be signed by the beginning of the next financial year.
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10/21/2016
The tests of the Russian Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation fighters using operational engines should begin in late 2017, the head of the United Engine Corporation said Thursday.
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10/20/2016
The naval task force from Russia's Northern Fleet will proceed past the British Isles, down to Gibraltar, and through the Mediterranean Sea to join the Russian combat mission in war-torn Syria. Why is Russia enhancing its naval presence off Syria now? The answer is part capability and part theatre.
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10/20/2016
With tensions between the US and Russia escalating over the Syrian conflict, it appears the UK is more than willing to leap into the fray. According the Sunday Times, Royal Air Force (RAF) pilots have been given orders to shoot down Russian military jets operating in Syria if they feel that the Russian jets pose a threat: “if a pilot is fired on or believes he is about to be fired on, he can defend himself.”
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10/20/2016
The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (CAIG) J-10 is the People Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF)’s main medium-weight multi-role fighter. Beijing tasked the Chengdu Aircraft Design Institute to design the J-10 in 1988 with the intent of developing a modern and – more importantly – long-term solution for replacing the PLAAF’s legacy J-7 and J-6 interceptors and Q-5 attackers, all of which are derived from Soviet designs from the 1950s.
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10/20/2016
After nearly three years of delays the United States government has finally approved the sale of over $11 billion worth of aircraft to Qatar (36 and eventually 73 F-15E fighter bombers for nearly $4 billion), Kuwait (28 F-18E fighters for $3 billion) and Bahrain (19 new F-16s and upgrades to existing one for over $3 billion). The American Department of Defense and State Department approved the deal early on and there was support in Congress but for reasons unclear the American president refused
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10/20/2016
This is the first indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract for the precision-guided weapon system, and will support a ramp-up of deliveries from 1,500-2,000 units at the current rate to 5,000 in the first year of the new arrangement. APKWS is a laser-guidance kit that converts 2.75in-diameter rockets into precision-guided weapons. Some 7,000 units have been delivered to date, the company says, and rounds will be provided to all US services through the new deal with the USN.
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10/20/2016
The Chinese Chengdu J-20 is a fifth-generation stealth fighter expected to enter service with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) in 2018. While details of the J-20 have been kept under wraps, two models were seen conducting test flights over Chengdo on Monday, each sporting the new camouflage.
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10/20/2016
A $255 million US Navy contract to develop the next-generation precision landing system for fighter jets and unmanned drones includes plans for automated-landing capability, defense contractor Raytheon International said in a press release Wednesday.
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10/20/2016
The Beriyev A-100LL is built around the A-50 early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft and is designed to stress-test all of the plane’s elements and the electromagnetic compatibility of Russia’s next-generation A-100 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) aircraft.
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10/20/2016
Russia is not engaged in negotiations on Su-35 fighter jets supply to Pakistan, Anatoly Punchuk, the deputy director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), said Wednesday.
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10/19/2016
The United States Air Force is in the process of completing its initial research on a next-generation air superiority capability to replace the Boeing F-15C Eagle and Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighters. Once such research is completed, the service will embark on an 18-month analysis of alternatives (AOA) starting this coming January to determine exactly what kind of capabilities it will need to gain and maintain control over the skies in the post-2030 threat environment.
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10/19/2016
China's latest fighter, the Chengdu J-20, is sporting a new camouflage scheme. The new "fifth generation" fighter is wearing new "splinter" camouflage in photos spotted on the Chinese internet in early October. The photos show four aircraft: Two wearing a yellow primer paint coating, one in plain gray, and a fourth in the aforementioned splinter camouflage. According to Combat Aircraft, the planes were photographed over the Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group factory in Chengdu, Sichuan province.
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10/19/2016
"Canada continues to support our coalition partners through efforts that include an expanded train, advise and assist mission with local security forces; intelligence capabilities; ongoing tactical aviation support; and further leading a Coalition Role 2 medical facility," Owens said Tuesday. The Iraqi government, backed by coalition forces, launched an operation on Monday to retake the city of Mosul from Daesh.
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10/19/2016
Anatoly Punchuk, deputy director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), said that FSMTC received n appeal from the Egyptian side for the supplies of shipborne Ka-52. Egypt has appealed to Russia to supply Ka-52 helicopters (NATO reporting name: Hokum B) for Mistral helicopter carriers, Anatoly Punchuk, deputy director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), said Tuesday.
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10/19/2016
The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has revealed plans to develop a high-speed vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) aircraft over the next few years that would provide terrain-independent non-human cargo transportation for the military.
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10/18/2016
The Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) has started receiving its new Taurus KEPD 350K air-launched cruise missiles (ALCM), IHS Jane’s Defense reported on Friday, when the first delivery was announced. The new ALCMs, designed by a joint German-Swedish partnership, will be integrated into the ROKAF’s existing Boeing F-15K Slam Eagle multi-role fighters.
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10/18/2016
Military instructors from NATO countries were onboard a combat helicopter, shot down by servicemen of the Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) on October 13, deputy commander of the Operational Command of the republic, Eduard Basurin, said on Friday.
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10/18/2016
On Monday, Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi went on state television to announce that the Battle of Mosul was finally starting. "Today I declare the start of these victorious operations to free you from the violence and terrorism of Daesh," al-Abadi said, using the Arabic acronym for ISIL.
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10/18/2016
Having successfully developed a number of military aircraft together, the Pakistani/Chinese partnership is now actively courting African countries looking for a modern, budget friendly fighter. Exhibiting for the first time at this year’s 2016 Africa Aerospace and Defence (AAD) exhibition at Air Force Base Waterkloof was the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex – Kamra (PAC).
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10/18/2016
Thales has successfully flown its targeting long-range identification optronic system (TALIOS) for the first time aboard a Rafale fighter aircraft. The prototype, mounted on a single-seater aircraft, took off from the Istres base, as part of the F3R programme. The two-hour long test flight collected high-quality images taken using the 'day' channel, and offered remarkable performances in pointing and telemetry.
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10/18/2016
The US Department of Defense has awarded a Lockheed Martin a $743 million contract linked to the ninth batch of F-35 fighters, as negotiations on a final production contract for Lots 9 and 10 continue.
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10/18/2016
The Indian air force is moving ahead with implementation of a plan to purchase the Israel Aerospace Industries Heron TP unmanned air vehicle, having joined the Missile Technology Control Regime (MTCR) in June.
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10/18/2016
The Russia-India deal on the deliveries of S-400 Triumf air defense systems is a multibillion-dollar contract, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Sunday. On Saturday, Russia and India signed a deal on the deliveries of S-400 Triumf air defense systems and other equipment to India.
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10/14/2016
U.S. President Barack Obama and his top foreign policy advisers are expected to meet on Friday to consider their military and other options in Syria as Syrian and Russian aircraft continue to pummel Aleppo and other targets, U.S. officials said. Some top officials argue the United States must act more forcefully in Syria or risk losing what influence it still has over moderate rebels and its Arab, Kurdish and Turkish allies in the fight against Islamic State, the officials told Reuters.
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10/14/2016
U.S. Air Force helicopter avionics experts needed replacement control display units (CDUs) for the Air Force fleet of Sikorsky HH-60G Pave Hawk combat search-and-rescue helicopter fleet. They found their solution from Esterline CMC Electronics Inc. in Saint-Laurent, Quebec.
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10/14/2016
The controversial F-35A Lightning Joint Strike Fighter is expensive and running late but there's no real alternative available to meet the RAAF's needs for an advanced combat aircraft, a Senate committee says. However, it recommends that Defence adopt a "hedging strategy" to be implemented by 2019 at the latest in case further JSF delays raise the risk of a capability gap between the retirement of older RAAF aircraft and entry to service of the JSF.
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10/14/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry plans to procure around 50 Tu-160M2 upgraded supersonic strategic bombers, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said Thursday. In August, the Russian Aerospace Forces said the bomber may make its maiden flight as early as late 2018.
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10/14/2016
Russia and China have strengthened bilateral defense cooperation as both countries are wary of the United Stated deploying the land-based Aegis combat system in Europe and the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense, or THAAD, in South Korea which the White House has pledged to install as soon as possible.
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10/13/2016
Singapore urged Beijing to engage “constructively” with other regional players—including the U.S.—to ease tension in the disputed South China Sea, even as the city-state wraps up a deal here to sharpen its military skills. Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong told Australia’s Parliament at the start of a two-day visit on Wednesday that both allies wanted a “stable and orderly world in which countries big and small can prosper in peace.”
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10/13/2016
On 1 October the investigative platform Bellingcat reported that Russia has withdrawn its fighter jets from Belarus. After analysing satellite images, it found no Russian planes on the Baranavichy ?airbase.
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10/13/2016
In an aggressive push to capture a share in India’s fighter aircraft market, Swedish aerospace major SAAB has offered its latest radar technology as part of the Gripen fighter package along with significant technology transfer in addition to design consultancy for developing the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk-1A which the Indian Air Force (IAF) plans to induct in large numbers.
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10/13/2016
The first aircraft is already in service with JASDF after being delivered in June, says a company representative. He did not give firm numbers on the total to be delivered, but expects that Tokyo will need 20-40 examples of the airlifter to replace the nation’s fleet of C-1s. Production could ramp up to 3-4 aircraft annually, but this is contingent on Tokyo’s defence budget.
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10/13/2016
Boeing believes there are several upgrades that can be applied to Tokyo's fleet of F-15J air superiority fighters, which could both extend the type’s service life and greatly enhance its capabilities.
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10/13/2016
As part of its ongoing efforts at military modernization, India is in pursuit of a single-engine fighter jet to be built domestically, but based on foreign designs, reflecting Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "Make in India" initiative.
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10/13/2016
According to US officials speaking on condition of anonymity, a US Navy destroyer was the target of a failed missile attack from Houthis within Yemen. The USS Mason and amphibious transport dock USS Ponce were operating north of the Bab al-Mandab Strait, between the southwest coast of Yemen and Djibouti. Defensive salvos were fired, and neither ship was damaged.
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10/13/2016
Violent extremist groups in the Middle East, including Daesh, have reportedly begun to weaponize drones, using them on the battlefield to kill, according to a source in the US military.
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10/12/2016
Hovering slowly and precisely along the taxiway, I couldn’t help but be reminded of the time I flew a Harrier TMk10. I’d thought that was an incredible flying machine, but the F-35 is something else!
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10/12/2016
The Indian Ministry of Defense (MOD) has recently issued a Request for Information (RFI) to global aircraft manufacturers alerting international suppliers that there will be a new competition for the building of a new single-engine fighter aircraft under Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s “Make in India” initiative.
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10/12/2016
The nation has become the ninth to order the C295W, which will become the first multi-engined fixed-wing aircraft to be operated by the aviation branch of the Bangladesh army. It will be used as a transport for troops and cargo, with applications potentially including paratrooping and medical evacuation, and the contract also covers training and support, Airbus says.
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10/12/2016
The proposal, if approved, would raise the total number of authorised F-35A purchases to 40 aircraft, or only 12 short of the Norwegian air force’s requirement. The requested authorisation also would allow Norway to participate in a proposed “block buy” for the F-35’s US and international partners. The F-35 Joint Programme Office is working to package purchases of hundreds of F-35s spread over two or three years from 2018 to 2020 into a single order commitment.
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10/12/2016
North Korea's inaugural Wonsan Air Festival, staged in the coastal city from 24-25 September, was billed as a non-political event "organised to promote the spirit of international peace and friendship through aviation and air sports".
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10/12/2016
Tension over the conflict in Syria has continued with British MP Andrew Mitchell likening Russia's military intervention to that of the Nazis during the Spanish civil war. Moscow has rejected such claims, in what has been a common theme of accusation and denial throughout the war.
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10/11/2016
The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of a $65.3m potential sale of AC-208 Combat Caravan aircraft to Iraq. Under the sale, Iraq requested two Cessna AC-208 aircraft, as well as related equipment, training, and support.
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10/11/2016
A palletised refuelling unit was installed on a company-owned example for the 29 September trials, along with the computer system required to control the procedure. The medium transport successfully made multiple contacts with a probe-equipped C295 operated by the Spanish air force, with both crews reporting “extremely smooth operation” at speeds down to 110kt (203km/h).
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10/11/2016
Despite Poland's failed talks on purchase of 50 French Airbus Helicopters H225M Caracal, Warsaw will consider other French offers on buying military aircraft, Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski said.
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10/11/2016
A new shipment of Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter aircraft soon to be delivered to China will be fitted with onboard readout systems that display data in Russian.
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10/11/2016
Joint Russian-Serbian BARS-2016 tactical flight exercises started in Serbia, according to official statement of Russian Defense Ministry.
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10/11/2016
The United States and Germany will conduct an observation flight over Russia's territory under the Open Skies Treaty this week, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said Monday.
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10/10/2016
The tensions between Russia and the USA have reached an unprecedented level. I fully agree with the participants of this CrossTalk show – the situation is even worse and more dangerous than during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Both sides are now going to the so-called “Plan B” which, simply put, stand for, at best, no negotiations and, at worst, a war between Russia and the USA.
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10/10/2016
As Afghan forces struggle to break a weeklong Taliban siege of central neighborhoods in the provincial capital of Kunduz, insurgents are also stepping up pressure on urban centers in western and southern Afghanistan, officials said Sunday.
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10/10/2016
The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) plans to develop a new airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft based on the huge Xi'an Y-20 transport nicknamed "Chubby Girl" that entered service only last July. This AEW&C aircraft will be optimized for detecting both aerial and maritime targets and will possess longer endurance, making it suitable for patrols well into the South China Sea and the Western Pacific.
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10/10/2016
An A-10 pilot told Scout Warrior the aircraft was the most "rugged" he had ever flown. The Air Force now plans to keep the A-10 flying well into the next-decade. Known for an ability to keep flying after taking multiple rounds of enemy machine gun fire, land and operate in rugged terrain, destroy groups of enemy fighters with a 30mm cannon and unleash a wide arsenal of attack weapons, the A-10 is described by pilots as a “flying tank” in the sky.
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10/09/2016
Air to air live firing exercise by fighter aircraft of Bangladesh Air Force (BAF) started at Kutubdia firing range in Chittagong yesterday. The exercise will continue till October 26, from 8:00am to 5:00pm. During this 19-day exercise, BAF fighter aircrafts -- F-7BGI/FT-7BGI, F-7BG/FT-7BG, MiG-29B/UB, L-39ZA, K-8W, YAK-130 and F-7MB/FT-7B --will practice different air combat maneuvers and tactics along with air to air live firing, an ISPR release said.
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10/09/2016
Taking stock of America and Russia’s military assets is important. For example, what are the key weapons platforms each nation has? Which are the very best? What would prove the most decisive in a conflict?
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10/09/2016
The F-117 Nighthawk, America’s original stealth plane with a deeply sinister appearance, is an example of a weapon system designed around the limitations imposed by a promising new technology. The Nighthawk was revolutionary when it entered service in 1983—not that many could appreciate that, as the plane was kept secret from the public for five years.
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10/09/2016
A global contest has restarted for supplying India a medium, multi-role fighter, with the Indian Air Force (IAF) inviting top international fighter jet manufacturers to set up a production facility in India. Business Standard has learned that Indian embassies in Washington, Moscow and Stockholm wrote on Friday to fighter jet manufacturers in these countries to confirm whether they would partner an Indian company in building a medium, single-engine fighter, with significant transfer of technology
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10/09/2016
As Boeing prepares for a possible F model Apache as a bridge between the legacy helicopter and the Future Vertical Lift aircraft, the US Army says it will not pursue the development of the AH-64F.
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10/09/2016
On Saturday, Russia blocked a draft UN Security Council resolution on the cessation of hostilities in Syria's Aleppo favoring a proposal by the UN Envoy to Syria that focuses on evicting al-Nusra terrorists (al-Qaeda) from Eastern Aleppo.
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10/08/2016
Russia's lower house of parliament on Friday ratified an agreement presented by Russian President Vladimir Putin to indefinitely station combat aircraft and soldiers in Syria. The deal will bring Syria closer to peace, the legislature's deputy speaker, Sergei Zheleznyak, said in comments carried by state news agency TASS.
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10/08/2016
In a bid to strengthen the country's defence capacity, India plans to sign big-ticket defence deals with its traditional and strategic partner Russia during the upcoming annual summit between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Prime Minister Narendra Modi next week in Goa on October 15-16. It is expected that some of the most important defence deals may get green signal during the meet.
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10/08/2016
Swedish aerospace giant Saab AB, which is planning to manufacture here its most advanced multi-role fighter Gripen NG, says that it does not see India’s decision to procure French Rafale jets as a set back. Mats Palmberg, Vice-President, Industrial Partnerships, Saab Aeronautics, in an interview with BusinessLine says he finds the Indian market quite promising. Excerpts:
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10/08/2016
As tensions between Washington and Moscow flare, the Russian military is warning the United States that it has the ability to target stealth aircraft such as the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit that might be operating over Syria with the Almaz-Antey S-400 (NATO: SA-21 Growler) and the recently arrived S-300V4 (NATO: SA-23 Gladiator) air and missile defense systems.
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10/08/2016
Russia's lower house of parliament, the State Duma, has ratified the Russian-Syrian agreement on the deployment of an air group of the Russian Armed Forces in Syria at the Hmeymim airbase for an indefinite period of time.
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10/07/2016
Cavour, Italy’s only aircraft carrier, is designed to accommodate up to 12 F-35B stealth jump jets. In theory. In reality, actually operating the stealth fighters requires Cavour to undergo some significant modifications. Although conceptually similar to the smaller Harrier jump jet that already flies from Cavour, the Lockheed Martin F-35B produces much more heat than the older Boeing fighter does.
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10/07/2016
On Oct. 3, Mateusz Morawiecki, Poland’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of development visited Chelm State Higher School of Vocational Education (PWSZ – Panstwowa Wyzsza Szkola Zawodowa). Among the things said during the visit one is particularly interesting: a claim has been made by the school officials that the Polish indigenous PZL I-22 Iryda trainer program will be reactivated, with the jets being manufactured in Chelm, alongside small UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and drone systems.
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10/07/2016
The announcement by the defence, aerospace and electronics giant will stoke controversy over weapons sales to the Arab kingdom. However, it will hold out a lifeline to aircraft factories in the North West. The UK has been one of the biggest suppliers of defence equipment to Saudi Arabia for more than 40 years, including the 1980s al-Yamamah deal.
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10/07/2016
The July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey had many victims and one of the lesser known ones was the effectiveness of Turkish fighter fleet. While few F-16 pilots took part in the coup, the government lost (through dismissal or resignation) 274 combat pilots. This reduced the ratio of pilots per F-16 from 1.25 to .8. Suddenly the combat capabilities of the Turkish air force were greatly reduced, especially if the F-16s were called on to engage in large scale and intensive operations.
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10/07/2016
Germany has signalled its intention to acquire as many as six Lockheed Martin C-130J tactical transports as its frustrations deepen with the underperforming Airbus Defence & Space A400M. As part of a memorandum of understanding with France, signed by the defence ministers from both countries, the Hercules would be part of a “common air transport squadron” to be created by 2021.
(Read More...)
10/07/2016
On Thursday, Finland's Yle television reported citing border guard services that a Russian Su-27 jet had alleged stayed in the Finnish airspace for about a minute after crossing the border near the town of Porvoo some 30 miles east of the capital, Helsinki.
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10/07/2016
"A Russian Su-27 combat plane on October 6, 2016, carried out a training flight over neutral waters of the Bay of Finland," the ministry said in a statement. "The plane did not deviate from the established route, which is confirmed by means of objective monitoring," the statement said.
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10/07/2016
A new division of Tu-95MS and Tu-22M3 strategic bombers will soon appear in the Russian Far East to patrol the area over the Pacific Ocean inside the Japan – Hawaii – Guam triangle, Izvestia reported.
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10/07/2016
The Kalibr cruise missile-equipped Serpukhov and Zeleny Dol corvettes are planned to join the Russian Navy's permanent task force as part of an off-shore maritime zone rotation in the Mediterranean.
(Read More...)
10/06/2016
Two Russian Blackjack bombers were intercepted flying back and forth to Northern Spain from the direction of Norway, it has emerged. Four nations - Norway, the UK, France and Spain - all deployed their own jets as the TU-160 planes skirted the airspace of each country, flying around the UK.
(Read More...)
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10/06/2016
The chairman of the Pakistani Senate’s Standing Committee on Defense, retired Lieutenant General Abdul Qayyum, announced on October 4 that Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) will export 100 MFI-395 Super Mushshak military training aircraft to Turkey, according to local media reports.
(Read More...)
10/06/2016
The Japanese Ministry of Defense has released new details about its plans for future unmanned aircraft that would fly in supporting roles, aiding piloted fighters in the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, or JASDF. Specifically, JASDF is hoping to add two distinct craft to its fleet: unmanned wingmen that would fly in formation with and receive commands from a pilot in a conventional fighter, and a high-flying ballistic-missile defense (BMD) aircraft that would use sensor arrays to track missiles.
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10/06/2016
$49.3 million contract to upgrade the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) on the AH-64E Apache helicopter. Under this contract, Lockheed Martin will produce an additional 42 Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA) upgrade kits and spares for the U.S. Army as part of Lot 1 production. Production will take place at Lockheed Martin’s facilities in Orlando and Ocala, Florida, through March 2019.
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10/06/2016
According to the Israeli military, one of its pilots was killed following a strike mission over the Gaza Strip. On Wednesday, a squadron of Israeli Air Force jets was deployed in response to a rocket attack launched from Gaza.
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10/05/2016
In what could be a difficult road ahead for US manufacturers Boeing and Lockheed Martin, Indian Air Force Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha will prefer the company that would not only set up its production line in India but would also be ready to transfer technology. During Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar's visit to the US in August, Boeing and Lockheed Martin made official proposals to manufacture F/A-18 and F-16s respectively under the "Make in India" campaign.
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10/05/2016
The US is building a military airfield in northern Syria as part of its ongoing campaign against Daesh, a representative of the Syrian Democratic Forces command told Sputnik on condition of anonymity.
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10/04/2016
Chinese leadership views investing in domestic aviation, both civilian and military, as one of the country's top priorities in hopes that this will help Beijing improve its manufacturing industry, boost innovation and improve national defense, Xinhua reported.
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10/03/2016
The Philippines is considering a move to purchase additional FA-50 light attack aircraft from South Korea to bolster its defense capabilities, a news report picked up in Seoul on Sunday said. According to the latest issue of IHS Jane's Defence Weekly, Manila may be weighing the need to acquire 36 planes from Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd. (KAI) as part of its Flight Plan 2028.
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10/03/2016
US Special Operations Command has requested funding from the Defense Department for fiscal year 2018 budget to begin modifying an AC-130 gunship for a high energy laser capability.
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10/03/2016
The US Air Force’s QF-16 full scale aerial target drone reached initial operational capability 23 September, US Air Combat Command declared this week. Boeing leveraged retired Lockheed Martin F-16As and C’s to create the unmanned QF-16, which can be flown with a pilot during training or as an unmanned target for live missile testing. The FSAT also maintains all of the F-16’s characteristics and payload capacity, including high-G maneuvering and electronic attack.
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10/03/2016
Italy’s air force is “taken for granted” by the general public, politicians and the nation’s other armed services, according to a leading academic. “It is difficult to make surface forces realise that they have some of their freedom because of the air [operations],” he says. And despite notable recent milestones – including it performing the first transatlantic crossing with the Lockheed Martin F-35 – the air force is still perceived less favourably than its sister services.
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10/03/2016
ndia’s elite indigenous fighter jet crosses a major benchmark this week ahead of being deemed combat ready providing the country with a masterful fighter jet at a fraction of the cost of Western fighter jets.
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10/02/2016
The Chinese PLA Navy’s first home-made aircraft carrier is likely to be seaworthy by the year end and play host to 40-50 aircraft and an Active Phased Array Radar (APAR) radar, Chinamil website reported today. The official website of the Chinese army quoted western media and a local military expert to provide details of the aircraft carrier and not any authoritative Chinese government source.
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10/02/2016
The Philippine Air Force is looking to acquire 36 additional South Korean-made FA-50PH “Fighting Eagle” and 12 more AW-109Es, IHS Jane’s 360 reports. This was revealed by a senior Air Force officer speaking at the Asian Defence and Security (ADAS) 2016 exhibition in Manila.
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10/02/2016
A United Arab Emirates (UAE) military vessel has been damaged in an incident off the coast of Yemen, local media said Saturday. The vessel was damaged in the strategic Bab-el-Mandeb strait between Yemen and the Horn of Africa, the Emirates News Agency (WAM) reported. No injuries were suffered among crew members, according to the news outlet.
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10/02/2016
Turkey is about to finish the construction of its first African military base in Somalia's capital of Mogadishu, media reported Saturday. The base, at which Ankara will train about 10,000 Somalian soldiers in compliance with the bilateral security cooperation agreement, is being built with the United Nations' approval, the Garowe Online news agency reported. Some 200 Turkish military specialists will arrive to the country soon to provide training, the media outlet said, citing its sources.
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10/02/2016
Any attempts by Washington to supply the Syrian opposition with man-portable air defense systems (MANPADS) would be absolutely counterproductive, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov said.
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09/30/2016
A definition study phase for the future European medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) unmanned air vehicle development has begun, paving the way for an operational sovereign system to enter use by 2025.
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09/30/2016
Kenya is to acquire five remanufactured Bell Helicopter Huey II rotorcraft in a deal worth $52.2 million. Awarded on 26 September, the contract also includes spare parts, training and programme management.
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09/30/2016
Tensions have escalated between China and Japan over a territorial dispute in the East China Sea, where both nations claim ownership over a string of islands called the Senkakus. But Japan is also in talks with the Pentagon to join military patrols in the South China Sea, a move Beijing warned against on Thursday.
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09/30/2016
Russia began its military operation in Syria a year ago, on September 30, 2015, following a request of assistance from Syrian President Bashar Assad.
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09/30/2016
The deal paves the way for the three Middle Eastern countries to receive F-15E Strike Eagles, F/A-18 Super Hornets, and F-16 fighters. Kuwait and Qatar requested the sale of the fighters two years ago, and while the US Congress approved of the deal, the White House has been dragging its feet.
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09/29/2016
The future sales prospects for Boeing’s military aircraft are mixed at present. The F-15 and F-18 production lines now seem more likely to extend into the next decade with more sales to the Middle East, now that political objections in Tel Aviv and Washington appear to be subsiding. A sale of four KC-46 tankers to Japan has now been formally notified, but some U.S. Air Force (USAF) leadership has suggested that the service will buy no more than the 179 aircraft to which it is already committed.
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09/29/2016
China has the third largest air force in the world and may surpass the United States within the next 15 years. But in an aerial shooting war with the U.S. Air Force, Beijing will need more than aircraft — also fighter pilots with well-honed skills capable of facing off with some of the best jocks in the world.
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09/29/2016
While New Delhi made a decision to buy 126 Rafale fighter jets in 2012, it later scaled down its initial plans to acquire only 36, apparently because the jets were too expensive. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar signed an agreement with French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian on Friday to procure 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation SA that will give India an edge over Pakistan.
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09/29/2016
History is filled with examples of pieces of military equipment that performed miracles on the battlefield-and others that cost many military professionals their lives. Indeed, wars can be shaped by the 'kit' that you bring to the fight. In fact, not only having better arms but men and women properly trained to win the battle of the day with such weapons is critical-as you may even be able to deter your opponent from wanting to take the field against you.
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09/29/2016
A Dutch-led criminal investigation into the loss of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in 2014 has said the aircraft was downed by a missile brought in from Russia and fired from territory held by Moscow-backed rebels in eastern Ukraine.
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09/29/2016
The third series production Light Combat Aircraft, Tejas-SP3, on Wednesday took to the skies for the first time in a successful 15-minute sortie. Sources in HAL told TOI that the first profiling of the aircraft was satisfactory and that most parameters that were to be checked were fulfilled. "The flight was restricted to only 15 minutes because of the low-hanging clouds, the initial plan was to fly for longer," a source in the LCA complex said.
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09/29/2016
Lockheed Martin has received a direct commercial sale contract for the integration of Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) onto the Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role fighter. The contract, signed with Eurofighter partner company Leonardo Aircraft, includes 18 pods, integration and logistics support for the Kuwait Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon. The Eurofighter Typhoon is the ninth aircraft platform to be equipped with Sniper ATP.
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09/29/2016
The US Marine Corps tested its own expeditionary UAV in July, when General Atomics equipped an MQ-9 Reaper with a network-centric communications pod (NCCP) to enable communications between the UAS and Marine ground forces.
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09/29/2016
IAI and its Brazilian partner Avionics Services are gearing up for the competition, and have completed definition work for the so-called Category 4 UAV. After long delays to the process, the air force is expected to issue a tender for the requirement early next year.
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09/28/2016
Pakistan’s Minister of Defence Production (MoDP), Rana Tanveer Hussain, and representatives from Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and Pakistan Ordnance Factories (POF) are attending the Azerbaijan International Defence Industry Exhibition (ADEX 2016), which is taking place from 27 to 30 September. MoDP Hussain had also met with Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev, and the two sides have reportedly agreed to enhance bilateral ties, especially in defence and defence production.
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09/28/2016
For nearly sixty years, U.S. Navy fighters have launched from aircraft carrier decks with steam-powered catapults. These catapults were created for carriers because they can safely accelerate large aircraft with big payloads. Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) operations soon became the norm for the U.S. Navy and a handful of its allies.
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09/28/2016
The aircraft – which already bear the Romanian service's tricolour roundel – are the first batch from a 12-aircraft deal with the Portugese government signed in 2013. “Although I hesitate to use big words when talking about acquisitions,” defence minister Mihnea Motoc writes on his Facebook page, “I have to say that tomorrow will be a truly historic day for Romania and its army.”
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09/28/2016
Lockheed Martin will deliver a new simulation-based F-16 training environment for the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) under a contract valued at nearly $40 million. The family of training systems includes a comprehensive suite of full mission trainers and combat tactics trainers that can be networked together, aligning technologies to deliver advanced training while meeting affordability goals.
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09/28/2016
Western hawks are beating their war drums over the growing military capabilities of Russia and China, fearing the countries could challenge the West's air supremacy. Western military analysts are raising the alarm over the fact that Russia and China are enhancing their air power and fielding more sophisticated antiaircraft systems.
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09/28/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry refuted Iceland's claim that Russian strategic bombers flew dangerously close to civilian aircraft over the Norwegian Sea.
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09/27/2016
The Indian Air Force's (IAF) Tiger Squadron has successfully test-fired the recently acquired long range air-to-air MICA missile. During the test, the missile was fired from Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft to engage a manoeuvring target.
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09/27/2016
The USAF assembled an independent investigation of four aircraft recently delivered from depot maintenance at Northrop Grumman's facility in Lake Charles, Louisiana. One aircraft experienced water damage to the Northrop APY-7 radar after the glassfibre canoe did not properly drain water.
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09/27/2016
A four-way competition to build the US Navy's next carrier-based unmanned air system (UAS) expect to begin revising year-old, preliminary designs that were submitted before the mission changed.
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09/27/2016
Increasing regional military cooperation, Israeli transport helicopters trained in Greece over the past two weeks for future short and long-range operations. sraeli Air Force helicopter squadrons, along with gunships from the Greek Air Force, conducted joint exercises in the challenging topography of the Olympic Mountains.
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09/27/2016
Russian monitors will fly over Greece and the United States as part of Russia's Treaty on Open Skies responsibilities, according to the statement published by Russian Defense Ministry on Monday.
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09/26/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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09/26/2016
A U-2 Dragon Lady roared to life on the runway at Beale Air Force Base at 9:01 a.m. Friday and took flight into the skies above Yuba-Sutter for the first time since a pilot was killed and another injured in a crash in the Sutter Buttes on Tuesday. The time -- 9:01 -- was chosen to honor Lt. Col. Ira Stephen "Shooter" Eadie, the pilot who died, and was representative of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing and the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, the unit Eadie was assigned to, according to a press release fr
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09/26/2016
China's air force says it flew more than 40 bombers and other fighter planes through a strait between Japanese islands on their way to military drills in the western Pacific. Regular long-range drills in the western Pacific and patrols over the East China Sea air defence identification zone were to protect China's sovereignty and national security, China's air force spokesman Shen Jinke said on Sunday, according to a statement posted on the Ministry of Defence website.
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09/26/2016
Last May we published an article entitled: Boeing in Denmark: The New Alabama? Amazingly, having lost the fighter competition in Denmark, Boeing is back taking on a sovereign state and treating Denmark as if it were the state of Alabama in the tanker competition. In a Monty Python sketch they brilliantly played off the name of a then powerful American conglomerate, Gulf and Western, by cleverly changing the name to an American firm called “Engulf and Devour.”
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09/26/2016
The United States Air Force is in the midst of a transformational shift. Since the 1990s, all new combat aircraft accepted into inventory have been designed with stealth in mind. Stealth is considered a key aspect of survival over the modern battlefield.
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09/26/2016
For more than two decades, combat aircraft flown by the U.S. and its European allies have pretty much owned the sky. Now, Russia and China are spending lavishly on new weapons that could challenge that superiority, spurring a new arms race.
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09/26/2016
Russian and US military could within a few days formalize an agreement on basic rules of the exchange of information about aviation activities of the two sides in Syria, media reported.
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09/26/2016
India’s more hawkish foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with a major scoop up of international armaments has Beijing looking to their southern border with concern.
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09/25/2016
A Pakistan Air Force jet crashed on Saturday while on a training mission in the country’s northwest, killing the pilot, the military said. The F-7 aircraft went down near the town of Jamrud, near the entrance to the Khyber Pass, and Flight Lieutenant Amer Shazad was killed, the air force said in a statement.
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09/25/2016
Russia and Pakistan will carry out their first joint military exercise this weekend, the Pakistani military said on Friday, at a time of heightened tensions between Islamabad and nuclear-armed rival India. The exercise is being seen as a demonstration of closer defense ties between the two countries after they signed a military cooperation pact in 2014.
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09/25/2016
The Indian Air Force has successfully fired recently acquired long range air-to-air MICA missile on a manoeuvring target from Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft. A Defence Ministry release said that the missile achieved a direct hit on a target which was much smaller than an actual aircraft and flying at a low altitude.
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09/25/2016
India is being offered blueprints to advanced combat aircraft by the world’s aerospace companies, a move unthinkable even a decade ago, as New Delhi gets ready to place another multibillion-dollar air force order.
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09/25/2016
A fire erupted in the aft end of a Lockheed Martin F-35A during the engine start sequence on 23 September in Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, forcing the pilot to escape, the US Air Force says.
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09/24/2016
Senior Japanese and U.S. government officials joined Lockheed Martin to celebrate the roll out of the first Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A Lightning II, marking a major milestone in Japan’s enhanced national defense and strengthening the future of the U.S-Japan security alliance.
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09/24/2016
It has been confirmed that China continues to develop its Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) program for aircraft carriers, after the identification of a Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-borne fighter with CATOBAR apparatus, the US Naval Institute reported Thursday.
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09/24/2016
According to a spokeswoman for the company, Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is currently holding talks with several potential buyers of the MiG-35 jet fighters.
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09/24/2016
Russian troops with the Southern Military District have arrived in Pakistan for the first Druzhba-2016 ("Friendship-2016") exercises in the country, the district's press service said Friday. "The Southern Military District troops arrived in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan aboard an Il-76 military transport aircraft today to participate in the first joint Russian-Pakistani 'Druzhba-2016' tactical exercises," the district said.
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09/24/2016
The French and Indian defense ministers signed a 7.8 billion euro ($8.7 billion) contract on the delivery of 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets, Indian media reported on Friday. The signing ceremony between Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian was broadcast by NDTV.
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09/23/2016
The author of this post, Major Morten “Dolby” Hanche, has more than 2200 hours behind him in the F-16, he is a U.S. Navy Test Pilot School graduate, and on 10 November 2015 he became the first Norwegian to fly the F-35. He now serves as an instructor pilot with the 62nd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.
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09/23/2016
The 11 Base Repair Depot (11 BRD) of Air Force Station at Ojhar in Nashik which undertakes maintenance and overhauling MiG series combat aircraft, is currently engaged in upgradation of MiG 29 which is in final stages. Group Captain and Station Commander of Air Force Station, Ojhar, P K Anand also said at the depot yesterday that overhauling of MiG23 has been stopped since 2015.
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09/23/2016
Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said that US Department of Defense and Russian Ministry of Defense officials held a phone conference to discuss avoiding future misunderstandings and accidents in the air space above Syria.
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09/23/2016
According to reports, Russian Helicopters company plans to deliver a batch of upgraded Mi-24P attack helicopters to the Angolan air force later this month.
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09/22/2016
The Obama administration is weighing a military plan to directly arm Syrian Kurdish fighters combating the Islamic State, a major policy shift that could speed up the offensive against the terrorist group but also sharply escalate tensions between Turkey and the United States.
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09/22/2016
Fighter jets flying over Queens caused a boom Wednesday afternoon that alarmed people across the area, according to the NYPD — but the military disputed that claim. The noise, which sounded similar to an explosion, occurred at about 2:20 p.m. and sounded loudest near John F. Kennedy Airport in south Queens, according to WABC-TV. It could also be heard at Belmont Park and in southwestern Nassau County.
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09/22/2016
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 211 became the first operational F-35 Lightning II squadron to fire an air-to-air missile Sept. 15, during a 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group Weapons System Evaluation Program at Tyndall AFB. This feat was completed during Combat Archer, the U.S. Air Force's air-to-air Weapons System Evaluation Program executed by the 83rd Fighter Weapons Squadron here.
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09/22/2016
The Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody has resumed the production of new-built L-159 Advanced Light Combat Aircraft (ALCA) – for at least one two-seat aircraft. Meant to fulfill an ongoing order for the Iraqi Air Force, the L-159 unit will be the first new-build model produced since 2003, when the last L-159 ALCA had rolled off the production line.
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09/22/2016
Congressional language in the 2017 National Defense Authorisation Act would force the US Air Force to pursue a fixed-price engineering, development and manufacturing contract for the joint surveillance target attack radar system (JSTARS) recapitalisation effort, and delay initial operational capability of the new fleet by about a year, top USAF acquisition officials say this week.
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09/22/2016
Lt Gen Brad Webb says he is not aware of a purchase going forward, but says AFSOC is examining combat loss replacements for the CV-22. He made his comments to reporters at the annual Air Force Association conference Wednesday.
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09/22/2016
The US Department of State approved a sale worth nearly $2 billion of four Boeing aircraft to Japan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release.
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09/22/2016
Russian Defense Minister said that Russia will send an aircraft carrier group with the Admiral Kuznetsov cruiser to the Mediterranean Sea to strengthen its capabilities there.
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09/22/2016
Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said that a total of 512 types of Russian weaponry, including the latest modification of T-72 tank, attack helicopter Ka-52 and anti-tank guided missile complex 9M133 Kornet will be showcased at the Azerbaijan Defense Exhibition-2016.
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09/21/2016
One pilot was killed and another injured after ejecting from a Lockheed Martin TU-2S Dragon Lady training aircraft in California on 20 September, the US Air Force confirms.
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09/21/2016
Following a supply chain glitch that delivered the wrong material for the tubing insulation on 15 Lockheed Martin F-35As, the US Air Force has identified a solution and will fix the issue with the original supplier, according to the F-35’s executive officer of the joint programme office.
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09/21/2016
Russia's Tu-95MC Bear strategic bombers will take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) joint anti-terror exercises dubbed Peace Mission, an aide to the commander of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Central Military District (CMD) forces said Tuesday.
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09/21/2016
More than 20 planes and helicopters will take part in naval aviation military exercises held by Russia's Baltic Fleet, the fleet's press service said in a statement on Tuesday. he statement added that the pilots would also train landing of troops, support of land forces and would conduct missile launching and bombing.
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09/20/2016
Russia and China are poised to field new stealth bombers as soon as 2025 and 12 foreign fifth-generation fighter aircraft programs are now in development -- including systems designed to challenge the F-22A and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, according to a new Air Force intelligence assessment of foreign airborne threats.
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09/20/2016
The hullabaloo surrounding the future of the US Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II has been endless. Its effectiveness on the battlefield has been proven with servicemembers on the ground going as far as calling it their “guardian angel” in the heat of battle. Equipped with an arsenal of weapons, including its notorious 30mm Gatling gun, it’s not hard to see why the A-10 commands such respect.
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09/20/2016
With the Adir seemingly safeguarding Israel's military advantage, the way is open for US sales of advanced combat aircraft to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.
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09/20/2016
The 50th C-130J Super Hercules empennage assembly was delivered by Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) on Sept. 16. TLMAL is a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Lockheed Martin Aeroframe Corporation located here.
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09/20/2016
Lockheed Martin received an $87.6 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for follow-on production of Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) kits. The contract represents the majority share of fiscal year 2016 funding and the 8th consecutive majority win for Lockheed Martin in the annual Air Force competition. Deliveries include the guidance and tail assemblies for GBU-10 (2,000-lb.) and GBU-12 (500-lb.) LGB configurations.
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09/20/2016
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is carrying out ground tests of its newly built Certifiable Predator B unmanned air vehicle, ahead of a flight campaign at the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground throughout 2017 and 2018.
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09/20/2016
The Russian military will use its experience gained in Syria to upgrade Mi-35M attack helicopters and Mi-8AMTSh multirole helicopters with new 360-degree OPS-24N1 surveillance and targeting opto-electronic systems, a Defense Ministry representative said Monday.
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09/19/2016
Amaq, a news outlet affiliated to Daesh, said in an online statement released on Sunday that the jet came down in Jebel Tharda area, near the Dayr al-Zawr military airport. The airbase, along with some other government-held districts, has been besieged by Daesh over the past year. The Syrian army has confirmed the downing of the warplane, saying it had been on a mission against Daesh when it was shot down.
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09/19/2016
AUSTRALIAN aircraft were part of a botched bombing raid against Islamic State terrorists in which 80 Syrian army soldiers were allegedly killed by mistake. It is believed that two RAAF F18 Super Hornets could have been part of the combat operation, which struck at what was thought to be a significant Islamic State fighting position in eastern Syria.
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09/19/2016
China’s Xinhua news suggests that Japan has “ulterior motives” for intervening in the South China Sea including cozying up to the United States and garnering influence towards its own territorial dispute over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands.
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09/19/2016
India pushed forward the completion of the long-delayed deal for the French fighter jets after determining that the aircraft fulfills a vital strategic purpose – the delivery of nuclear weapons.
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09/19/2016
A video of live fire tests of an automatic rapid-fire cannon developed for Russia’s T-50 fifth generation fighter plane has appeared on the Internet, Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported.
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09/18/2016
The Eurofighter Typhoon has joined the Dassault Rafale, the Saab Gripen, and the Sukhoi “Flanker” in pursuit of a growing niche in the international fighter market. These aircraft offer capabilities beyond the Generation 4 platforms developed in the 1970s, but don’t carry the costs and complications of stealth. While the Eurofighter has enjoyed outstanding technical success thus far, the market niche may not be large enough to sustain production over time.
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09/18/2016
U.S. military officials said coalition aircraft had accidentally struck Syrian government troops Saturday during a raid against Islamic State fighters. Syrian and Russian sources said dozens of soldiers were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group gave a toll of at least 80 soldiers killed.
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09/18/2016
The media is making a big deal out of the sudden grounding of 15 F-35s, which includes nearly the entire inventory of “operational” USAF F-35As, or around ten jets. 57 aircraft are affected in all, but 42 of those are in various stages of production and not flying.
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09/18/2016
Col. Nguyen Tomb?—?or “Toon”?—?is one of the names immortalized in military aviation, like Baron von Richthofen and Eddie Rickenbacker. I first encountered Tomb when I was 10 years old, playing Chuck Yeager’s Air Combat on my dad’s computer. In one mission, you fly against the Vietnamese ace, infamous for having scored 13 air-to-air kills.
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09/18/2016
One of the frequent arguments made about China’s 20-year-long military buildup is that its locally produced weapons are better than they used to be. To a certain extent this is true, if hardly surprising. Relatively modern systems, such as the J-10 fighter jet, the Yuan-class submarine, and the Type-99 main battle tank, are certainly superior to the weapons systems they replaced, that is, the J-7, the Ming-class sub, and the Type-59 tank – all basically copies of Soviet weapons.
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09/18/2016
The Thailand Air Force is eyeing to buy a new fleet of transport aircraft to replace their ageing C-130 Hercules. The competition between Shaanxi Aircraft Corporation Y-9 and Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules might emerge for procurement of new transport planes, an official was quoted as saying by Xinhua Friday.
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09/18/2016
Nigeria is likely to buy JF-17 Thunder multi-role combat aircraft from Pakistan. The oil-rich West African country has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) that covers the sale of the aircraft. The deal is expected to be finalised in November, during the International Defence Exhibition and Seminar in Karachi, IHS Jane's reported quoting a senior official of Pakistan's Defence Export Promotion Organisation.
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09/18/2016
Aero Vodochody has reaffirmed that its primary strategic focus is on the military jet trainer market, one month after UK start-up Aircraft Integrated Solutions announced it was to resurrect development of the Czech manufacturer’s Ae 270 civil light transport.
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09/18/2016
Airbus Helicopters is on track to deliver another pair of NH Industries (NHI) NH90 TTH troop transports to Spain before the end of the year, adding to the three examples already handed over.
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09/17/2016
There has been much speculation about what exactly the massive military aid package between the US and Israel would include. Some reports stated that more F-15 Strike Eagle derivatives would be a part of it, along with dozens of F-35s. Now that the deal has been inked we know more about what it will actually includes and there are signs that long-pending fighter jet sales to Kuwait and Qatar are finally going to be cleared to move forward.
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09/17/2016
The Chinese People’s Liberation Army-Air Force (PLAAF) is slated to receive the first four out of 24 Russian-made Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter jets, the governor of Khabarovsk Krai, a federal subject located in the Russian Far East, said in a speech during the opening of a new aircraft production plan on September 15, according to local media reports.
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09/17/2016
Seven weeks after the Air Force declared its first F-35 jets combat ready, 10 of the aircraft aren’t flying after service mechanics discovered “peeling and crumbling” insulation wrapped around lines that carry liquid to cool combat systems and computers.
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09/17/2016
Up to 40 US Special Operations Forces are accompanying Turkish troops as they clear ISIS from northern Syria, two US officials told CNN Friday. The new mission, dubbed "Operation Noble Lance," was authorized this week and is now underway, the officials added.
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09/16/2016
Following the signing of the largest military aid package in US history, the US Air Force confirmed the transfer of 10 Boeing F-15D fighters to Israel. During the Obama administration, Israel received new capabilities from the US, including 10 F-15 fighters, several Lockheed Martin C-130 cargo aircraft, AGM-114 Hellfire missiles and joint direct attack munitions, according to a White House fact sheet published this week.
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09/16/2016
Boeing has initiated a legal challenge against Denmark’s Ministry of Defence for selecting the Lockheed Martin F-35A over the F/A-18E/F as the Danish air force’s next generation fighter.
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09/16/2016
The first Chinese-made Hongdu L-15 supersonic light attack/jet trainer for Zambia has broken cover at Africa Aerospace and Defence in the markings of the air force’s 15 Sqn.
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09/16/2016
Over the past year, Russia's Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bomber has been demonstrating its deadly potential against terrorists in Syria. According to independent military analyst Valentin Vasilescu, the next logical step for the plane's designers is to equip it with armor. This, the analyst emphasizes, will "revolutionize" its impact on the battlefield.
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09/16/2016
India and France are still working on preparing a fresh Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA) for 36 Rafale combat aircraft. Sources told Sputnik that following negotiations, officials from both countries are finalizing documents which will be placed before Cabinet Committee of Security, India’s topmost approving authority, for final approval.
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09/15/2016
The R.O.C. Air Force on Wednesday denied that a Chinese military aircraft briefly trespassed into Taiwan's aerial identification zone Monday. In a statement, the Air Force said no Chinese fighter jet had intruded into Taiwan's airspace on Monday, Sept.12, as was reported by online media outlet Up Media.
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09/15/2016
The T-X aircraft has one engine, twin tails, stadium seating and an advanced cockpit with embedded training. Boeing is showing off its latest designs with two new production T-X aircraft. The aerospace giant partnered with Saab AB to develop next-generation aircraft specifically designed for U.S. Air Force training missions.
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09/15/2016
The B-2 Spirit, America’s sole heavy stealth bomber, is getting upgraded ejection seats, the latest in a series of upgrades for the multi-role bomber to keep the aircraft flying into the 2050s. The Air Force on Tuesday awarded AMI Industries Inc., a United Technology Corp. subsidiary, a $14.4 million contract to develop upgraded Advanced Conception Ejection Seat II as part of the service’s Safety and Sustainability Program, according to a Defense Department contract announcement.
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09/15/2016
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) is partnering with Derco Repair Services, Inc. to expand its Global Supply Chain Services and support to F-16 operators worldwide. The company recently named Derco Repair Services as an authorized F-16 Hologram repair center. The Lockheed Martin Hologram designation is only awarded to repair and overhaul facilities that meet or exceed strict quality assurance criteria. Only two existing F-16 repair centers have been recognized with the distinction worldwide.
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09/15/2016
Since the arrival of the high-bypass turbofan almost 50 years ago, engineers have made huge strides in jet engine efficiency without altering the basic architecture. Two air flows of constant volume either bypass or enter a core section. The core combusts a mixture of compressed air and fuel to generate thermal energy, which is then converted to supply some of the aircraft’s thrust and most of the power.
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09/15/2016
Airbus plans to deliver the first C295W search and rescue aircraft to the Brazilian air force in the first quarter next year, the company tells FlightGlobal. A completed maiden flight means Airbus can start the process of having the aircraft cleared for delivery by Brazilian customers.
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09/15/2016
US and Israeli diplomats announced the largest military assistance package in US history on 14 September in a $38 billion, 10-year package that will deliver an assortment of American-designed weapon systems, including Lockheed Martin F-35 and Boeing F-15 fighters to Tel Aviv.
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09/15/2016
South Africa's government has given the go-ahead for Denel to engage in formal talks with potential foreign partners with a view to launching production of a new "mark two" version of its Rooivalk attack helicopter.
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09/15/2016
The Russian Helicopters company, part of the Rostec state corporation, will present current and future helicopter models at the Africa Aerospace and Defense-2016 (AAD 2016) exposition in South Africa, the company said in a statement Wednesday.
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09/14/2016
Given recent North Korean provocations, the Republic of Korea (ROK) Air Force is considering purchasing 20 additional fifth-generation stealth multirole Joint Strike Fighter F-35As—the aircraft’s conventional takeoff and landing variant—in order to boost its air combat capabilities in the event of war with North Korea, according to senior ROK defense officials.
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09/14/2016
The Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Fighter Wing will host pilots and jets from Arizona-based 21st Fighter Squadron for air combat training today through Sept. 29 to practice maneuvering against potential adversary pilots. The flights from the Portland Air National Guard Base will take off at 8 a.m. and end before 4 p.m.
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09/14/2016
So what are the best and worst fighter aircraft of all time? What plane would you pick for a war in the sky? On the surface, the questions seem easy to answer. One might look at which planes performed the best in combat as opposed to fighters that did not. Or, one could look at which planes had the best technology, took advantage of historical circumstances, or utilized a combination of the two.
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09/14/2016
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and its partner Saab AB [Stockholm: SAABB] will use their two production T-X aircraft, revealed today, to show the U.S. Air Force the performance, affordability, and maintainability advantages of their approach.
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09/14/2016
Two pre-eminent weapon systems, the F-35 Lightning II and Aegis Weapon System, worked together for the first time during a live fire exercise. The joint Lockheed Martin, (NYSE: LMT) U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps exercise was the first live fire missile event that successfully demonstrated the integration of the F-35 to support Naval Integrated Fire Control-Counter Air (NIFC-CA).
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09/13/2016
The Western Air Command (WAC) of the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been put on high alert ahead of the massive combat exercise code-named TALON. Unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) are also being used to conduct surveillance. This is the first time that IAF has undertaken such a move, reports said.
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09/13/2016
The Chinese Air Force on Monday sent multiple aircraft models to the West Pacific, via the Bashi Strait, for a routine combat simulation drill at sea, a spokesperson said. Shen Jinke, spokesperson of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, said the fleet included H-6K bombers, Su-30 fighters, and air tankers.
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09/13/2016
DEFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana on Monday said the two FA-50 combat aircraft that arrived in the country in November last year had come from South Korea and not from the United States as President Duterte had stated. Lorenzana issued the clarification following the President’s speech before the Filipino community in Indonesia last week, that the two FA-50s, which he claimed were just for show, had come from the United States.
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09/13/2016
The Pentagon will respond to last week’s incident with a flyover intended to show solidarity with South Korea. On Friday, US officials promised a "swift response" to North Korea’s latest nuclear test, which triggered a 5.3 magnitude earthquake early that morning.
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09/13/2016
Rajnath Singh will visit Russia during the first ever Pakistan-Russia joint military exercise later this year. While a visit to US was planned months ago, his Russian visit was firmed up just last month. Experts believe that India is sending Rajnath Singh to convince Russia not to sell combat aircraft to Pakistan.
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09/12/2016
The information revolution that began with the explosion of computing technology in the 1970s which has transformed the face of warfare. Whereas in the past wars were waged by sizable military forces which sought decision by closing with the enemy and destroying him, including through close interpersonal combat, these days such actions are rare. The cost of modern weapons means that military forces are far smaller, and their lethality means that risking exposure to enemy fire is tantamount to s
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09/12/2016
When it comes to air power, it’s no secret that the United States and the West have often held an edge over Russia. This dates at least as far back to World War II, when the United States and Britain were allied with Russia. While Russia supplied much of the manpower that ultimately defeated Nazi Germany, it was the United States and UK that took the lead in the strategic bombing campaigns against Germany.
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09/12/2016
First time after Pathankot operations, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is holding a massive exercise code named TALON across the northern and western borders with Pakistan and China. All frontline squadrons of fighter aircraft including those of the Su-30MKI would be on high alert from Kargil and Leh airbase in Ladakh to the Nal airbase in Rajasthan's Bikaner.
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09/12/2016
The South Korean military has developed a new operational concept to annihilate Pyongyang with a barrage of pre-emptive missile firings once signs of a North Korean nuclear attack are detected, defense sources said Sunday.
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09/12/2016
The newly elected president of the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, has been throwing shade on his country’s recently-acquired—and only—fighter jets, the South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle.
“We only have what, two FA-50s? Why did you buy that?” he remarked in June this year. “What a waste of money. You cannot use them for anti-insurgency, which is the problem at the moment. You can only use these for ceremonial fly-by.” (The Philippine Air Force will have 12 of the supersonic fighters by 2017.)
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09/12/2016
German and Romanian inspectors will conduct an aerial surveillance flight over Russia and Belarus under the Treaty on Open Skies in September, the head of Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said Monday.
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09/12/2016
The head of Russia's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said that Russian inspectors will conduct an aerial surveillance flight over Denmark in a Tu-154M-LK-1 surveillance aircraft within the scope of the Treaty on Open Skies.
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09/12/2016
The military exercise proceeds as tensions continue to mount over the contested waters with the Obama administration demanding that China submit to the ruling of The Hague international tribunal invalidating Beijing’s historical claim.
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09/12/2016
“It has no engine. When dropped, it acquires its target and zooms in with the help of the GLONASS global positioning system. The cluster charge opens up at an altitude of 250 meters. I hope that the bomb will pass all the tests already before this year is out,” Vladimir Porhachev said.
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09/11/2016
Just in case you were wondering why five military fighter planes are flying overhead this afternoon, it's a planned military flyover! The NYPD says, "Today, at approximately 4 p.m., five (5) F-15 E Strike Eagle aircraft from the USAF will be flying over the Hudson River. They will be traveling north on the Hudson River, passing Liberty Island and the USS Intrepid. The aircraft will then flyover the US Open, and then proceed directly back to Newark Liberty International Airport."
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09/11/2016
Fighter pilots have been training NATO partners in UK air combat techniques as part of a two week exercise in Slovakia. Royal Air Force aggressor pilots based at RAF Leeming, near Bedale, North Yorkshire, have been involved in Ex SLOVAK HAWK III, and Number 100 Squadron have been providing training to an experienced instructor pilot from the Slovak Air Force.
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09/11/2016
The United States plans to dispatch a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to South Korea next month in a show of force to deter further military provocations by North Korea following its latest nuclear test, a military official here said Sunday. The USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), the flagship of the Yokosuka, Japan-based Carrier Strike Group Five of the US Navy, will sail to South Korea's Yellow and South Seas to participate in a joint naval exercise with South Korea, slated for Oct. 10-15, the offici
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09/11/2016
The third aircraft carrier being planned for the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) will also be China's first conventional carrier featuring a lengthy, horizontal flight deck and a catapult launch system that allows combat aircraft to carrier more weapons.
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09/11/2016
An Indian Air Force's MiG-21 fighter jet crashed in the western state of Rajasthan Saturday, a senior defense official said. However, the pilot and the co-pilot managed to eject safely, he said. "The incident took place near the state's Barmer district when the combat aircraft was on a routine sortie," the official said.
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09/10/2016
Russia and the US have announced an agreement on Syria starting with a "cessation of hostilities" from sunset on Monday. Under the plan, the Syrian government will end combat missions in specified areas held by the opposition. Russia and the US will establish a joint centre to combat so-called Islamic State and al-Nusra fighters.
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09/10/2016
An updated version of China’s WZ-10 combat helicopters will soon be assigned to all ground force aviation units, according to the China Daily. In service since 2012, the WZ-10 is designed for anti-tank warfare. It can be outfitted with cannons and machine guns, as well as guided missiles. Upgraded versions of the WZ-10, however, have also been equipped for air-to-air combat.
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09/10/2016
Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLA) has officially confirmed the development of a new strategic bomber. Indications of such a project were seen in Chinese military press earlier, although exact details remain unknown. Russian military expert Vasily Kashin spoke to Sputnik, deliberating the possible new bomber.
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09/10/2016
In view of the upcoming visit of Russian President Putin for the BRICS Summit and the India-Russia Summit level talks, the Indian Defense Ministry is busy giving a final shape to Indo-Russian defense projects. The Defense Ministry is in the process of finalizing the joint production of the choppers.
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09/09/2016
The US has connected the joint jet engine development project with India to a proposal to manufacture the US combat aircraft under ‘make In India initiative’.
Pentagon has discussed all the options, including sharing of high end weapons, radar and power plant technology during recent Indian defense minister’s visit, The economics Times reported Wednesday.
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09/09/2016
Last month, Chinese President Xi Jinping announced plans to strengthen the country's aviation industry, particularly the field of advanced engines. Commenting on Xi's remarks, Russian analysts told online newspaper Svobodnaya Pressa that the day when China comes to match the capabilities of Russian and US air power may be just around the corner.
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09/08/2016
A Russian fighter has come within 10 feet of a Navy surveillance flight over the Black Sea on Wednesday, defense officials told USNI News. The incident between the Navy P-8A Poseidon surveillance aircraft and a Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker occurred at about 11:20 A.M. local time in international airspace over the Black Sea, according to a statement provided to USNI News.
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09/08/2016
Tonight’s Commander-in-Chief forum, co-sponsored by NBC and Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans of America, offers one of the few opportunities thus far to hear the presidential candidates discuss their views on national security issues in depth. Each candidate will have a half hour, back-to-back, which should provide enough time to ferret out substantive differences. It’s not enough to say “I’ll keep America safe,” or “I’ll make our military so strong no one will challenge us.” Specifics matter.
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09/08/2016
Even eight years after the production of CAC/PAC JF-17 Thunder JF-17 Thunder, the Pakistani fighter jet made possible due to Chinese collaboration, the multi-role combat jet has no export order yet. Pakistan on its part has been hard selling the aircraft to several countries and has recently pitched it to Kuwait.
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09/08/2016
China's J-20 stealth fighter is being tested in the mountains close to the Indian border, but the new technology is intended for deployment in the Western Pacific, military expert Vasiliy Kashin told Sputnik.
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09/08/2016
Airbus Defence & Space has performed the first flight of an A400M tactical transport for the Spanish air force, with the service on course to accept the aircraft later this year.
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09/08/2016
Islamabad and Moscow are negotiating a deal on Su-35 and Su-37 jets, Shahab Qadir Khan, deputy director of export promotion services in the Pakistani Defense Export Promotion Organization, told Sputnik.
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09/08/2016
Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport Deputy Director General Sergey Goreslavsky said that the arctic and polar variant of the Mi-17 type helicopter could be popular in Chile, a country which is implementing a policy of exploring the Antarctic.
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09/08/2016
Russian Deputy Minister Yuri Borisov said that mass production of the PAK FA will start in 2017 and the Russian Defense Ministry plans to buy at least one squadron of these aircraft in the first batch.
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09/07/2016
The MiG-25 Foxbat was an incredible rat rod of a plane—heavy, big and extraordinarily powerful—and it indirectly led to the development of Western planes like the F-15 Eagle. In the 1970s, the United States Air Force didn’t know much about it, until a Soviet pilot named Viktor Belenko decided to defect and landed one in Hakodate, Japan, 40 years ago today.
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09/07/2016
“IN THIS style, $400,000.” That price tag for a hat sounds like something out of a tea party attended by Alice. It is actually, though, the expected cost of the world’s most high-tech helmet—one to be worn by pilots of the Lockheed Martin Lightning II, also known as the F-35, which has been developed by America and its allies to replace most of their existing strike aircraft.
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09/07/2016
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history, costing $400bn. Now, it is finally set for its first mission - following over a decade of delays. The Marines will begin moving 16 F-35Bs to Iwakuni Air Station in Japan early next year, it has been revealed.
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09/07/2016
New Zealand’s Ministry of Defence has released requests for information covering the acquisition of future air mobility and air surveillance capabilities. The first request invites responses on potential fixed-wing aircraft solutions to replace the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s current air mobility assets, which include two Boeing 757-200 transports and five Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical airlifters.
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09/07/2016
Last week, looking to upgrade the USAF's fleet, the DoD confirmed that it would spend $12 billion to upgrade its 1970s-vintage F-15 Eagle fighters, cancelling earlier plans to equip the Air Force with newer F-22s. For their part, Russian experts have said, without any irony, that this may be the smartest move the Pentagon has made in recent years.
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09/07/2016
An accord made recently by the defense ministries of Russia and Egypt gives reason to believe that Moscow is prepared to sell a considerable number of carrier-based helicopters to Cairo.
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09/07/2016
Rosoboronexport Deputy Director General Sergey Goreslavsky said that Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport with the Irkut Corporation, are working on the issue of showing the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft in Uruguay, Brazil, Bolivia and Peru in 2017.
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09/07/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces will start receiving the upgraded Mi-26T2 heavy-lift transport helicopters in 2018, a spokesman for the manufacturing firm Russian Helicopters said.
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09/07/2016
Maj. Gen. Naveed Ahmed, the director general of defense procurement for Pakistan, stated that cooperation between Russia and Pakistan in counterterrorism is very high.
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09/06/2016
In its latest move in the push to develop functioning jet engines, China has just set up a new state-run company with a mission to consolidate the efforts of past manufacturers. The new firm, called the Aero-Engine Group of China (AEGC), is sponsored by the central government, Beijing authorities, and two existing state-run aerospace companies, Reuters reported on Aug. 28. AEGC was formed with 50 billion yuan (about $7.5 billion) in starting capital.
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09/06/2016
China is waging a relentless propaganda campaign against its opponents in the South China Sea. Following the Hague arbitral tribunal’s verdict rejecting Beijing’s historical rights within the nine-dash line, China’s publicity managers have raised their game with devastating effect.
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09/06/2016
In April, Quwa had released an article outlining the possible helmet-mounted display and sight (HMD/S) options the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) might have for the JF-17 Thunder. That article outlines various HMD/S solutions from a number of vendors, but it does not offer enough context in terms of why HMD/S would be an important – if not essential – addition for the JF-17.
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09/06/2016
Two months after deploying more combat aircraft to the Niger Delta, the Nigerian Air Force has said it is set to deploy more personnel to the troubled region. The new deployments occur despite a unilateral ceasefire by a major militant group in the region, the Niger Delta Avengers. The group, responsible for most of the attacks on oil and gas facilities in the region in the past year, two weeks ago expressed its willingness for conditional dialogue.
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09/06/2016
On a hot August afternoon, the world is buzzing in the wide-open atrium of the Nellis Air Force Base Exchange. Pilots fresh from the day's mission huddle at tables in the food court, retirees stop for a bite to eat and wives and husbands of service members shuffle kids into the barbershop. In the department store, a couple of men dressed in the desert camouflage of a foreign air force gape at row upon row of discounted American goods.
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09/06/2016
The American military’s extensive use of drones against the Islamic State and other terrorist groups has resulted in a shortage of Air Force pilots and other personnel to operate the aircraft, leading the Pentagon to rely more on private contractors for reconnaissance missions in Afghanistan and Iraq.
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09/06/2016
A new aspect of building, modernizing and evolving the combat capabilities of the new generation of combat aircraft is software upgradeability. Software upgradeability provides a key opportunity to evolve the capabilities of an air combat platform without having to change the hardware and correlated software configurations through a complicated upgrade process.
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09/06/2016
Head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center reported that Russian pilots will carry out an observation flight this week over the territory of Bosnia and Herzegovina.
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09/06/2016
On Saturday, a senior Iranian parliamentarian said that Russia’s military cooperation with Iran over the Syrian crisis had the blessing of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Commenting on the announcement, one Iranian political analyst told Sputnik that it might mean that Russia could return to the Iranian base.
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09/06/2016
Chief of Air Staff of the Pakistan Air Force Sohail Aman had "fruitful talks" in Moscow in July on purchasing of Russian Su-35 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-E) fighter jets, Pakistani Ambassador to Russia Qazi Khalilullah told Sputnik.
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09/03/2016
The Pakistan navy has inducted two new capabilities into its air fleet, namely the ATR 72 twin-engined turboprop, which will be configured as a maritime patrol aircraft, and the Insitu ScanEagle unmanned air vehicle.
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09/03/2016
The Australia National Audit Office (ANAO) has issued a report that is highly critical of the army’s fleet of 22 Airbus Helicopters Tiger Armed Reconnaissance Helicopter (ARH). The 64-page report details a range of issues. It identifies 76 “capability deficiencies,” of which the Department of Defence (DoD) deems 60 to be “critical.”
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09/03/2016
China is strengthening military ties with Saudi Arabia, a key US ally in the Middle East. In Beijing, an agreement has been signed to sell a batch of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) Wing Loong (Pterodactyl) to Saudi Arabia. Analyst Viktor Baranets told Sputnik why this relation is mutually beneficial.
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09/03/2016
The Swedish Air Force is facing major problems following its decision to acquire new Gripen E fighter jets. Whereas the plane itself is rather advanced, the training aircraft used for the training of pilots is outdated. Undisturbed, Saab hopes to throw new training jets into the bargain to fill the gap.
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09/03/2016
China is developing a new-generation strategic bomber that will soon be presented to the public, China’s Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Ma Xiaotian said. According to Ma, the Chinese air force’s strike capabilities have significantly increased over time.
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09/03/2016
PKL Services in the US state of California has received an almost half-billion dollar contract for engineering work on Saudi Arabia’s fleet of US-supplied F-15 Eagles, the US Department of Defense announced.
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09/02/2016
With stealthy contours and software composed of eight million lines of code, the F-35 fighter jet seems ultra-modern. Yet it was designed in the late 1990s, when many people were still using fax machines and, like the fax, it will soon be obsolete.
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09/02/2016
A new report from the Center for a New American Security suggests that the U.S. Navy—and indeed the other military services—could save tens of billions of dollars by adopting semi-autonomous unmanned combat aircraft. Money would be saved because the Pentagon would not need to buy as many planes, nor would unmanned systems have to fly as many flight hours for training purposes.
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09/02/2016
The regenerated Stratofortress, nicknamed Ghostrider, completed first flight on 30 August at Tinker AFB, Oklahoma, rising into the sky without a painted livery. The base’s Air Logistics Center was tasked with restoring the airworthiness of the un-retired B-52H, reversing a normally one-way trip for aging military aircraft to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan AFB near Tucson, Arizona.
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09/02/2016
The USAF anticipates releasing the RFI and a draft system requirements document on 9 September, according to a 31 August notice posted on the Federal Business Opportunities website. The service will also announce an upcoming industry day. The long-delayed recapitalisation programme will replace the USAF’s inventory of 62 Vietnam-era UH-1N Huey helicopters that support the service’s nuclear intercontinental ballistic missile bases in Wyoming, Montana and North Dakota.
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09/02/2016
As part of joint military drills in the United States, Israeli jets have operated along their Pakistani and United Arab Emirates counterparts for the first time. The fourth-annual Red Flag began in Nevada on August 15 and ended on Friday. Involving a wide range of fighter jets from Israel, Pakistan, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, Australia, Turkey, Italy, and Spain, the exercises also incorporated anti-aircraft equipment.
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09/01/2016
Envision a scenario where two or more supersonic fighter jets are conducting combat maneuvers in such close proximity that they come less than 500-feet away from one another -- when an automatic computer system engineered into the aircraft takes over and re-directs the fighters, saving lives and averting a catastrophic collision.
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09/01/2016
Australia will step up airstrikes against Islamic State, allowing its military for the first time to attack support facilities as well as militant fighters. Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull, in a major security speech to Parliament on Thursday, said the conservative government had agreed to new rules of engagement requested by the military, amending domestic laws that restricted strikes to only front-line Islamic State units.
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09/01/2016
A 30-day Congressional notification period has closed on a proposed sale of 24 Beechcraft T-6C Texan trainers to the Argentine air force, clearing the way for the US government and industry officials to complete negotiations on the estimated $300 million deal.
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09/01/2016
To determine what aspects of the F-35B still need fixing, the US Marines have decided the best way to perform diagnostics is to throw the fifth-generation fighter into the field. The Marine’s F-35 fifth-generation fighter jet variant is capable of vertical takeoff and landing, and has been described as a "jewel" by Deputy Commandant Lt. Gen. Jon Davis.
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09/01/2016
The US Army awarded Lockheed Martin’s Sikorsky Aircraft a contract worth more than $150 million for fourteen UH-60 Black Hawk combat helicopters, the Department of Defense said in a press release.
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09/01/2016
In an effort to create an unmanned aerial vehicle that combines the capabilities of a Reaper drone with vertical takeoff and landing, Bell is designing a tiltrotor UAV for the US Marine Corps.
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08/31/2016
Enlisted airmen from all career fields may now apply to fly the RQ-4 Global Hawk, the Air Force said Monday in a move that potentially opens the opportunity to pilot the unarmed intelligence-gathering drone to tens of thousands of more airmen. The announcement comes just over a month after the Air Force released details of how the service planned to retrain a select group of enlisted airmen to fly the Global Hawk.
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08/31/2016
Operation Odyssey Lightning kicked off on Aug. 1, when the U.S. launched a new round of air strikes against Islamic State positions in northern Libya following a request by the Libyan Government of National Accord (GNA) to support GNA-affiliated forces seeking to defeat Daesh in Sirte.
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08/31/2016
In March 2016, President Barack Obama made an official visit to Argentina where he was feted by the recently elected President Mauricio Macri. The visit was not without controversies, coinciding as it did with the 40th anniversary of the March 24, 1976 military coup that plunged Argentina into years of a repressive dictatorship. Another controversy got buried in the furore over the timing of the visit – the fact that the Argentine Air Force did not have a single operational fighter to escort.
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08/31/2016
Syrian warplanes were dropping bombs just “several hundred meters” away from U.S. Special Forces troops operating alongside Kurdish troops on Aug. 18, a top U.S. general said Tuesday.
Army Gen. Joseph Votel, head of U.S. Central Command, spoke publicly for the first time about the unprecedented incident that sparked a standoff between the U.S. and Syrian air forces.
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08/31/2016
In a recent interview with Business Insider, Justin Bronk, a research fellow specializing in combat airpower at the Royal United Services Institute, dropped a bombshell about the US's $1 trillion F-35 program: "The F-35 cannot out dogfight a Typhoon (or a Su-35), never in a million years."
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08/31/2016
The North American P-51 Mustang was one of the greatest fighters of World War II. Had life worked out differently, the Mustang could also have fought in Vietnam and flown against a Soviet invasion of Western Europe. In fact, it might even have replaced the A-10 Warthog.
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08/31/2016
A provision within the House of Representative’s version of the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal 2017 could affect the development of emerging technologies for major defence acquisition programmes, including the Northrop Grumman B-21 bomber.
(Read More...)
08/30/2016
Russian Defense Ministry reports that Aerospace forces of Central and Western military districts have been relocated to bases in Southern military district as a part of snap combat readiness inspection, Sputnik International reported.
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08/30/2016
Key West is on the U.S. Navy's short list to become its East Coast home base for a drone system, a project requiring up to 400 military personnel, and locals have a 30-day period starting Sept. 1 to weigh in. Naval Air Station Key West is one of three sites under consideration, joining Naval Station Mayport in Jacksonville and Virginia's NASA Wallops Flight Facility to build a launch and recovery base for four MQ-4C Triton drones.
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08/30/2016
This afternoon at around 2.30pm the single-seat Swiss Air Force aircraft went missing. The aircraft was one of two which was out on a training exercise. A rescue team was immediately activated to find the F/A-18 Hornet.
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08/30/2016
A recent patent application reveals one issue Boeing overcame to develop KC-46A Pegasus tanker’s wing aerial refueling pod (WARP) system. The Cobham WARP mounted on the outboard wings of the tanker can refuel more than one aircraft simultaneously with 1,514l (400gal) of fuel per minute. The US Air Force will buy 94 KC-46 tankers through fiscal 2021 and 42 WARP sets.
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08/30/2016
The US Air Force awarded a $39 million contract to Northrop Grumman to develop the laser beam control portion of the Air Force Research Laboratory’s podded electric laser concept for fifth- and sixth-generation fighter jets.
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08/30/2016
With ongoing tensions in the South China Sea and on the Korean peninsula, Beijing has deemed its third-generation surface-to-air missile combat-ready. In the latest sign of a new arms race between the United States and China, Beijing’s Air Force has announced the completion of a new missile defense system.
(Read More...)
08/30/2016
India’s Defense Minister visits Washington on Monday and at the top of his wish list is to push the Obama administration to provide New Delhi with lethal drone technology – a request defense analysts believe will be granted.
(Read More...)
08/30/2016
Russian pilots will carry out an observation flight this week over the territory of Poland, Sergei Ryzhkov, head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, said Monday.
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08/27/2016
While Russia has deployed advanced warplanes to Syria including the Sukhoi Su-30SM, Su-34 and Su-35S, those jets are seldom seen carrying Moscow’s latest air-to-air weapons. More often than not, the Su-30SM Flanker-H and Su-34 Fullback are spotted armed with Soviet-era R-27 semi-active radar and infrared-guided medium range air-to-air missiles.
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08/27/2016
The Su-25 Frogfoot, known as the Grach or “Rook” by Russian pilots, is one of those aircraft that may not be at the cutting edge of technology, but still has seen widespread service around the world because it offers an effective and useful solution to the need to blast targets on the ground.
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08/27/2016
To celebrate the Russian Aerospace Force Day, the Russian MoD has published an interesting clip showing some of its most advanced combat planes including the newest Sukhoi T-50 fifth generation fighter PAK FA – Perspektivny Aviatsionny Kompleks Frontovoy Aviatsii—Future Tactical Air System.
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08/27/2016
“The additional aircraft is being procured as a replacement for the one that was lost in an accident in March 2014,” says a source familiar with the matter. Another source corroborates the decision. The DAC is headed by defence minister Manohar Parrikar.
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08/27/2016
The five year ordering contract (FYOC) accommodates orders placed by international and Foreign Military Sales (FMS) customers, the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC) tells FlightGlobal. The contracting vehicle also could include new orders from the US government, the AFLCMC says.
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08/27/2016
Boeing has been contracted to upgrade the underwater intelligence, reconnaissance and surveillance capability of the Royal New Zealand Air Force’s (RNZAF) fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3K2 Orions.
(Read More...)
08/27/2016
Even though it looks much like its predecessor, the Mi-28NM boasts the latest and most innovative materials available and is armed with the most advanced active defense systems money can buy.
(Read More...)
08/27/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces’ fighter, bomber and army aircraft are readying to redeploy to tactical airfields across the Southern, Western and Central military districts, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.
(Read More...)
08/26/2016
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has been hailed as the 'most expensive weapon in history,' and with a price tag of $400 billion for 2,457 planes, the fifth-generation fighter has been plagued with issues.
(Read More...)
08/26/2016
Russian fighter jets of the Western Military District are patrolling Russia’s western borders as part of nationwide snap combat readiness inspections, the district’s press service informs.
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08/25/2016
An American global security and aerospace company's offer to shift all of its F-16 manufacturing to India could give New Delhi partial control, along with the US, over which countries are able to purchase the jets and spare, according to a media report.
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08/25/2016
India has yet to hand over the last of four Mi-25 (Mi-24D) helicopter gunships to the Afghan Air Force (AAF) due to missing parts from Russia, according to local media reports. The helicopter is currently grounded at the Indian Air Force station in Pathankot in the Indian state of Punjab.
(Read More...)
08/25/2016
Forty-five Colombian Airmen and four Colombian Air Force A-29B Super Tucanos are operating from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., as part of Exercise Green Flag East Aug. 15-29. The Colombian contingent arrived Aug. 13 and immediately started engaging with their U.S. Air Force counterparts in order to prepare for the two-week exercise.
(Read More...)
08/25/2016
Champions of the Fairchild Republic A-10 may be able to eke out a few more years for the Warthog following the release of a government report criticising the US Air Force’s plan to retire the aircraft.
(Read More...)
08/25/2016
A recent memo from the Pentagon’s top weapons tester throws cold water on the US Air Force’s initial operational capability announcement earlier this month, which declared the Lockheed Martin F-35A equipped with Block 3i software could provide basic capabilities.
(Read More...)
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08/25/2016
The surface is the last of three unprepared landing strips that the company is certifying the aircraft to operate from, and involved aircraft MSN2 performing three weeks of testing in August.
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08/25/2016
“The US Air Force and the Bulgarian Air Force will jointly conduct air policing to protect Bulgarian airspace starting on 9 September 2016,” the release stated. “Two US F-15 fighter jets will join Bulgaria’s MIG-29s for a week on this mission.”
(Read More...)
08/25/2016
The chairman of the Iranian parliamentary committee on foreign policy and national security confirmed Wednesday that Iran had received S-300 air defense systems from Russia.
(Read More...)
08/25/2016
The Indian government may spend $223 billion by 2027 to acquire new weapon systems in order to increase the military preparedness of the country's Armed Forces, according to the NDTV broadcaster.
(Read More...)
08/24/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
08/24/2016
Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim rattled NATO allies with recent remarks suggesting that Russian warplanes could share Incirlik Air Base with the U.S. before adding that it wasn't likely to happen. Moscow hasn't asked to use Incirlik, and "Russia doesn't need to use the base. They have bases in Syria," Yildirim told foreign reporters in Istanbul on Saturday, according to Turkish news outlets. "Russia had no demands to use Incirlik Air Base. Those reports are not true."
(Read More...)
08/24/2016
Iran`s Ministry of Defense (MoD) is planning to start negotiations with Russia over the acquisition of Sukhoi combat aircraft, Iranian Defense Minister, Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said in an interview to an Iranian TV channel on August 22.
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08/24/2016
Following an airworthiness assessment of Textron AirLand’s dual light attack fighter and trainer, Scorpion, the US Air Force is moving toward a second cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Lockheed Martin.
(Read More...)
08/24/2016
In its latest missile test, North Korea has reportedly launched a projectile from a submarine, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The launch occurred from a vessel in the Sea of Japan, off North Korea's eastern coast, officials with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told Yonhap.
(Read More...)
08/24/2016
Afghanistan has prepared a list of lethal military equipment it wishes to acquire from India as military assistance but there are plenty of reasons why India will not be able to grant the wish without Russia's support.
(Read More...)
08/24/2016
A video filmed from the cockpit of a MiG-29SMT fighter jet engaged in a mock dogfight was recently released by the press service of Russia’s Western Military District.The fight was filmed by two GoPro cameras – one was installed on a cockpit canopy while the other was mounted on pilot's helmet.
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08/23/2016
These were the mainstay of colonial empires east of Suez for many decades. With China announcing its “largest flying boat in the world” and India placing orders for 18 from Japan, the strategic environment in the Asia-Pacific oceanic region is about to become murkier than ever.
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08/23/2016
The Russian military said on Monday its aircraft operating from an Iranian air base to conduct strikes in Syria had completed their tasks, but left open the possibility of using the Hamadan base again if circumstances warranted. Iran's Foreign Ministry said Russia had stopped using the base for strikes in Syria, bringing an abrupt halt to an unprecedented deployment that was criticized both by the White House and by some Iranian lawmakers.
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08/23/2016
A weapons integration facility to manufacture Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), said to be the first-of-its-kind in the country in the private sector, will be set up in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh at a total cost of Rs 2,135 crore.
(Read More...)
08/23/2016
With the aide of its new Block 3F software, the Lockheed Martin F-35 recently completed twelve weapons delivery accuracy and 13 weapon separation events during a month-long weapon test on the US West Coast.
(Read More...)
08/23/2016
Boeing has delivered to the Republic of Korea an Apache Longbow Crew Trainer that the country’s Army air crews will use to prepare for the AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters that Boeing begins delivering later this year.The system uses the Apache’s flight software and matured flight and avionics simulation models to create an accurate training environment that increases mission readiness.
(Read More...)
08/23/2016
Russia’s first plane with a long-range surveillance and control system will make its maiden flight in 2018, the local media cited a military source as saying Monday. The airborne A-100 Premier system will be set on an Ilyushin Il-76MD plane for the first test run due next year. It was dubbed an airborne lab and given the codename A-100LL.
(Read More...)
08/22/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
08/22/2016
Three Chinese military planes "briefly" flew into an overlapping air defense intensification zone of South Korea and China amid tensions between the two countries over Seoul's decision to place a missile defense system on its soil, a military source in Seoul said Monday.
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08/22/2016
The U.S. military on Friday dispatched two F-22 Raptors stealth fighter jets to intercept a pair of Syrian Su-24 Fencer aircraft that flew in the vicinity of Hasakah, Syria, according to news accounts citing an unnamed Pentagon official.
(Read More...)
08/22/2016
As Japan prepares to officially announce its record-high $51.7 billion military budget proposal, it seeks to double the payload of its 200 F-15 jet fighters in an attempt to cool down Chinese military presence near southern Japanese islands.
(Read More...)
08/22/2016
The US forces commander in Syria Lt. Gen. Stephen Townsend says Moscow and Damascus have been informed about possible countermeasures should the coalition troops in Syria “feel threatened”.
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08/22/2016
US and Ukrainian inspectors will fly over Russian territories this week under the Open Skies Treaty, the acting head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said.
(Read More...)
08/22/2016
The Chinese Ambassador to Japan warned that Beijing would not concede on the demand or relinquish their sovereignty over the South China Sea even if it meant the two countries went to war.
(Read More...)
08/18/2016
Syrian government aircraft hit the rebel-held Damascus suburb of Daraya with incendiary bombs for the third straight day on Wednesday, according to local council members, who said the weapons were packed with substances akin to napalm. Incendiary bombs emit bright light that resembles fireworks and ignite persistent fires, heating to temperatures up to 10 times the boiling point of water.
(Read More...)
08/18/2016
Russian military aircraft on Tuesday and Wednesday targeted rebel positions in Aleppo and elsewhere in Syria. Not much new in that—except the Kremlin made a point of announcing that the bombers are flying out of an air base in western Iran.
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08/18/2016
Russian fighter-interceptors MiG-31 and Su-24 bombers stationed in the Urals and Western Siberia have been relocated to the Perm region for military drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. "The pilots are practicing reacting to a massive missile strike, as well as protecting aircrafts from air attacks in the Central Military District. Crews of MiG-31 will perform the role of an imaginary enemy," the ministry said.
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08/18/2016
Chinese media is hyping the "growing combat capabilities" of China's only aircraft carrier, the Liaoning (CV-16), but has omitted mentioning the People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) classifies this outdated carrier as a training ship that likely won't go to war given its many deficits.
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08/18/2016
BAE Systems Plc’s deal to develop Turkey’s first home-built fighter jet has been delayed as the U.K. assesses the aftermath of the attempted coup against President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, according to people familiar with the situation. Formal details of the cooperation with Turkish Aerospace Industries on the jet, dubbed the TF-X, may be announced only toward the end of the year, the people said. The agreement had originally been expected within the next few weeks, two of the people said.
(Read More...)
08/18/2016
The US Navy continued a three-year campaign to build the Lockheed Martin F-35C’s sea legs with the third and last shipboard deployment of the development test phase for the carrier-based variant starting on 14 August.
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08/18/2016
Three US Air Force strategic power projection bombers — the B-52, B-1 and B-2 — participated in their first integrated operation in the South China Sea, the US Pacific Command (PACOM) said in a statement on Wednesday. This was the first time all three bombers flew a formation pass over Andersen Air Force Base, dispersed and then simultaneously conducted operations in the South China Sea and Northeast Asia," PACOM stated.
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08/18/2016
Russia uses a western Iranian airbase only to refuel its long-range strategic bombers striking Daesh terrorist group targets in Syria, a senior Iranian lawmaker said Wednesday.
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08/17/2016
Judging by fresh reports, China won’t be folding to stern threats over the South China Sea any time soon. In a bold move that would be sure to raise tensions, the emerging superpower may be ramping up its attempt to reclaim the Scarborough Shoal, a key disputed territory in the area. On the weekend, the South China Morning Post reported that the country could begin reclamation work in the shoal as early as next month.
(Read More...)
08/17/2016
The Afghan air force is limited not only by its size. Despite numbering only 130 aircraft, there are not enough pilots and crews to fly them all. The shortage is hampering Afghan security forces' ability to fight Taliban terrorists, who are once again gaining territory in the north and south of the country. Troops on the ground are crying out for more air support, which ranges from firing on the enemy to evacuating casualties from the battlefield.
(Read More...)
08/17/2016
Navy pilots say piloting the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter on to the flight deck of U.S. aircraft carrier is almost like flying a plane that flies itself. The software aboard the new fighter could enable the military to train pilots faster and, in the event of a major conflict, possibly fly more sorties against the enemy.
(Read More...)
08/17/2016
The slick presentation from the Russian Ministry of Defence was recently released to mark Air Force Day. In it Russia’s most advanced combat aircraft can be seen being put through their paces. There’s the Mig-29KUB naval fighter, which we’re likely to see a lot more of in coming months if Russia’s only aircraft carrier, Admiral Kuznetsov, is deployed to Syria next month as announced.
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08/17/2016
Russia launched a fleet of bombers bound for Syria on Tuesday from an Iranian air base, becoming the first foreign military to operate from Iran’s soil since at least World War II. Russian use of the base, with Iran’s obvious support, appeared to set back or at least further complicate Russia’s troubled relations with the United States, which has been working with Russia over how to end the Syria conflict.
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08/17/2016
MBDA has been awarded a £184 million ($238 million) contract for the provision of advanced short range air-to-air missiles (ASRAAMs) for the UK’s Lockheed Martin F-35B Joint Strike Fighter.
(Read More...)
08/17/2016
Two General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper unmanned air vehicles have demonstrated the system’s ability to track missiles, during ballistic defence testing in Hawaii.
The test was carried out in late June, during the Pacific Dragon exercise at the Pacific Missile Range Facility on Kauai: a multilateral ballistic missile defence training event involving the US Navy, the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force and the South Korean navy.
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08/17/2016
Amid ongoing tensions in the East China Sea, Japan’s coast guard has released video showing Chinese vessels entering disputed waters near the Senkaku Islands. Over the weekend, reports surfaced that Tokyo has plans to develop new land-to-sea missiles to be deployed to the southernmost point of Okinawa prefecture. With a range of 186 miles, the projectiles could easily reach the Senkakus.
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08/17/2016
Turkey could provide its Incirlik airbase for the Russian Aerospace Forces jets in the anti-terrorist campaign in Syria, member of Russia’s upper house of parliament Igor Morozov said Tuesday. He clarified that the decision could be taken based on similar agreements made with Syria on the use of the Hmeymim facility and the latest use of the Hamadan airfield in western Iran to carry out airstrikes against terrorist groups in Syria.
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08/17/2016
US forces ensured the safety of Russian bombers en route to Syria from an Iranian airbase as the aircraft traversed areas controlled by the US-led coalition, Operation Inherent Resolve spokesperson Col. Christopher Garver said during a press briefing on Tuesday.
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08/16/2016
I have been asked to compare the venerable American F-15 Eagle fighter to Russia’s new competitor for the crown of best Fourth Generation fighter, the Su-35S “Flanker E.” The former is the airplane that in many ways defined what a Fourth Generation fighter can do. Introduced in the 1970s, it has been extensively updated to keep with the times—and hundreds will remain in service for decades to come.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
The Israel Air Force will be taking part in the Red Flag advanced combat training exercise beginning Monday in the United States, along with additional aerial forces including those of Pakistan and the Emirates. The advanced training exercise, during which fighter jets simulate combat involving coalition forces, will take place at the Nellis Air Force base in Nevada.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
Chief of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) reacted on Sunday with a ‘broad smile’ here when his attention was drawn toward Pakistan’s arch enemy India’s video shot wherein pride of the PAF JF-17 Thunder was shown with Indian tri-colour flag on Indian Independence Day celebrations promotional video.
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08/16/2016
A 30-year-old Navy F/A-18 Hornet jet that’s been through combat duty as well as a dozen years with the Blue Angels is being packed up in Florida for ground delivery to Seattle’s Museum of Flight. Museum spokesman Ted Huetter told GeekWire that the partially disassembled airplane will travel from the Blue Angels’ home base at Pensacola Naval Air Station by truck. “It is going to be making its way across the country this week,” he said today.
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08/16/2016
Since April 2011, when the Indian Air Force (IAF) shortlisted the Eurofighter and Rafale for purchase, Swedish company Saab has believed its JAS-39 Gripen fighter was unfairly eliminated from that globally watched tender for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA). Similarly, US aerospace giant, Lockheed Martin, which had offered an F-16 Block 50/52 variant called the Super Viper, feels hard done by.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
For Navy pilot Lt. Graham “Boss” Cleveland, landing the Navy’s new Joint Strike Fighter aboard a moving aircraft carrier was a relief. That relief came not because landing the Navy’s new fighter is more difficult – it comes with a program called Delta Flight Path that functions as a sort of cruise control for the aircraft, which can help to make that crucial step easier – but because this day has been a long time coming.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
India and Russia made significant progress in the discussions for modernisation of all Su-30 fighters of the Indian Air Force (IAF) during the visit of a Russian team last month. An agreement is possible by the year-end, senior officials say. “Discussions were held last month, and significant ground was covered. We hope to conclude the deal soon,” a top official told The Hindu.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
A top Pentagon official has cleared the US Air Force to advance the Boeing KC-46A tanker programme into low-rate production on a delayed schedule. Frank Kendall, undersecretary of defence for acquisition, technology and logistics, approved the KC-46A programme on 12 August to pass Milestone C, an acquisition milestone signifying a transition from building prototypes for flight test to making production aircraft for delivery to operational squadrons.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
As Lockheed Martin prepares to send Joint Strike Fighters to customers around the world, Japan has released a photo of its first F-35 purchase at the production facility in Texas.Deemed combat-ready earlier this month, the F-35A variant will soon be delivered to international partners. On Sunday, the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) published a photo of a newly completed fighter that, after completing flight tests at Luke Air Force Base, will be distributed to Japan.
(Read More...)
08/16/2016
Russia's the manufacturing firm Kuznetsov plans to produce an initial batch of the upgraded Kuznetsov NK-32.02 aircraft engines by the end of 2016, according to media reports.
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08/15/2016
Last week, during an official visit to India, the top U.S. commander in Afghanistan, General John Nicholson, asked the Indian government to step up its military aid to Afghanistan, particularly in the field of combat aviation, according to local media reports.
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08/15/2016
Air Force pilots today are receiving about half the home-station training that new Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein said he received when he was a captain flying F-16s. “On average I would go to three flag exercises a year, plus I would do a rotation with the National Training Center, with the Army, and that would be a normal battle rhythm,” Goldfein said Wednesday during his ‘State of the Air Force’ briefing at the Pentagon with Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James.
(Read More...)
08/15/2016
Tensions continue to mount in the South China Sea and with Beijing increasingly desperate to fundamentally alter the balance of power in the wake of The Hague ruling the possibility for a conflict in one of Asia's most dangerous flash points has never been greater.
(Read More...)
08/15/2016
Six Russian long-range bombers hit Daesh (known colloquially as ISIS) positions outside Deir ez-Zor destroying the terror network’s command centers, ammunition depots, and numerous tanks. The terrorists suffered major casualties in the airstrike according to the Defense Ministry.
(Read More...)
08/15/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry reports that since the beginning of the year the Russian Aerospace Forces have received over 30 new advanced aircraft along with over 30,000 units of aircraft weapons.
(Read More...)
08/15/2016
Russian air base Hmeymim in Syria is necessary to fight against militants' positions on country's distant outskirts, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said on Sunday. The Hmeymim air base began operations in September 2015, when Russia started its counter-terrorist aerial campaign in Syria.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
The US Defense Department's latest financial-management report on reimbursement rates offers a glimpse of how much it costs to fly America's Air Force and Navy planes per flight hour. The annual report from the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense (Comptroller) lists rates for "other DoD component user," which are aircraft handled within the Defense Department and "all other user rates" which are for services outside the federal government.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
According to a number of Sri Lankan news media outlets, the Government of Sri Lanka has greenlit the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF)’s request for a squadron – potentially eight to twelve – new multi-role fighter aircraft (Colombo Gazette and Daily News). Currently, the SLAF’s operable fighter fleet is comprised of a lone Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) Kfir, a multi-role Mirage 5 derivative powered by the General Electric J79 turbojet.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
Causing embarrassment to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s push to mark the 70th year of independence with nationwide celebrations, the Indian Ministry of Culture ended up using pictures of fighter jet JF-17, jointly developed by China and Pakistan, flying with the tricolour, in its independence day promotional video, reported Indian Express on Saturday.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
I have been asked to compare the venerable American F-15 Eagle fighter to Russia’s new competitor for the crown of best Fourth Generation fighter, the Su-35S “Flanker E.” The former is the airplane that in many ways defined what a Fourth Generation fighter can do. Introduced in the 1970s, it has been extensively updated to keep with the times—and hundreds will remain in service for decades to come.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
With this situation the government of Mauricio Macri is considering options, which include Italian aircraft and even a squadron of French Mirage F 1 to be supplied in very generous conditions by Paris. One of the aircraft which has been named is Italy's Aermacchi M-346 Master, but allegedly they are too expensive in money value. Some US$ 30 million each plus a completely new tooling and training program.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
The Ministry of Defense released incredibly footage of the next generation T-50 fifth generation fighter jet as well as a number of other high performance Russian aircrafts to celebrate Russia’s Aerospace Forces.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
Tensions in the South China Sea resulting from The Hague arbitrational court’s ruling against China’s longstanding claim to the disputed area are at risk of spilling over with rhetoric and tactics escalating.
(Read More...)
08/14/2016
Beijing recently produced its eleventh "carrier killer" destroyer and is set to deploy a fleet of the fearsome battleships to the South China Sea in an attempt to ward off American naval forces.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
India has scaled down its largest ever maritime search as chances diminish of finding a missing military aircraft in the Bay of Bengal. The AN32 transport plane with 29 persons onboard disappeared from radar off the Chennai coast on July 22.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
Amid reports of Ukrainian military buildup along the border, Russia has announced the deployment of an S-400 air defense system into the Crimean Peninsula. The advanced missile system is designed to prevent enemy combat aircraft access to the surrounding airspace.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
The ability to deploy live explosives and skirt land threats in a multinational air combat exercise have helped Singapore's air force greatly, said key personnel involved. The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) has also been able to strengthen its ties with militaries from other nations participating in the exercise, called Pitch Black, the largest multilateral air combat exercise held in the Australian continent.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
Team Edwards accomplished another first recently by executing a clean separation of three Joint Attack Surface Standoff Missiles, or JASSMs, from the internal weapons bay of a B-52 Stratofortress here. The aircraft has long been capable of carrying JASSMs on its wing pylons, but this is the first time they have been successfully released from Conventional Rotary Launcher in the internal bay.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
No one has more friends in Washington than the A-10 Thunderbolt, an aged attack plane made famous by its 30-millimeter Gatling cannon and durability—both in battle in the Middle East and in skirmishes between Congress and the U.S. Air Force.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
The Department of Defense announced that the US Navy has ordered Aegis systems costing nearly half a billion dollars’ for the navies of Japan and South Korea under the Foreign Military Sales program.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
Swedish defense firm SAAB had offered to set up a production unit in India to collaborate with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited for the co-development of the Tejas MK1A fighter aircraft.
(Read More...)
08/13/2016
Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Viktor Bondarev said that the construction of sixth generation of jet fighters is not far off. Russia is simultaneously developing both manned and unmanned sixth-generation jet fighters, Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Viktor Bondarev said Friday.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
Russia plans to expand its Hmeymim Air Base in Syria to ensure that its operations run smoothly and to enhance its security by adding extra aprons, building barracks and a hospital, as well as assigning extra space for large transport aircraft, etc., an unnamed source in the Russian Defense Ministry told Izvestiya.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
Large-deck, nuclear-powered aircraft carriers are the signature expression of American military power. No other combat system available to U.S. warfighters comes close to delivering so much offensive punch for months at a time without requiring land bases near the action. As a result, the ten carriers in the current fleet are in continuous demand from regional commanders - so much so that extended overseas combat tours are becoming the norm.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
Last week China’s defense minister, General Chang Wanquan, implored the nation to ready itself for a “people’s war at sea.” The purpose of such a campaign? To “safeguard sovereignty” after an adverse ruling from the International Tribunal for the Law of the Sea. The tribunal upheld the plain meaning of the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), ruling that Beijing’s claims to “indisputable sovereignty” spanning some 80-90 percent of the South China Sea are bunk.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
The U.S. Air Force declared its first squadron of fifth-generation fighter jets, the F-35A Lightning II, combat ready earlier in August. This remarkably advanced and powerful single-seat, single-engine fighter features advanced situational awareness, stealth, speeds of about 1,200 mph and much, much more— and it’s designed to be capable of a range of missions with just one aircraft.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
Airbus Defence & Space has moved a step closer to securing an Indian contract for 56 C295W medium transports, with in-country flight trials of the type having been completed.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
The latest contract for Boeing’s P-8A Poseidon includes a new software capability for the US Navy’s aircraft that will automatically correlate data from sources including sea search radars and electromagnetic spectrum sensors.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
As Beijing continues its land reclamation projects in the South China Sea, Washington has remained adamant about one island in particular: Scarborough Shoal. Located northeast of the Spratly archipelago, it is claimed by China, Taiwan, and the Philippines, and the US has maintained that any attempts to militarize the shoal would cross a "red line."
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
The 1.5-minute footage of a Tu-22M3 (NATO reporting name Backfire-C) long-range bomber carrying out a strike was uploaded to the Ministry’s official Facebook page.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
The Russian Helicopters holding signed a contract to deliver aviation equipment the Air Force of Peru’s Mi-35 attack helicopters with transport capabilities, the company said Thursday.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
The United States will use its nuclear-capable bombers, sent earlier to the US Pacific island territory of Guam for the upcoming military drills with South Korea, under its scenario to launch a preemptive nuclear attack on North Korea, the Pyongyang's Korean Central News Agency reported.
(Read More...)
08/12/2016
The AC-208 Combat Caravan is a missionized Cessna 208 aircraft supplied to the Iraqi Air Force by the US government. The aircraft is also operated in reconnaissance (RC-208B) and trainer aircraft (TC-208B) variants in Iraq. The contract will see Orbital provide sustained CLS services including maintenance and support training for the modified aircraft fleet. Also included are spare parts, component repair, publication updates, maintenance training and logistics.
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08/11/2016
On Aug. 9, three B-2 Spirit bombers with the 509th Bomb Wing, have deployed to Andersen Air Force Base, in Guam, to conduct extended deterrence operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific theater, where China is conducting a pseudomilitary campaign of expansion into the East and South China Seas.
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08/11/2016
An F-22 pilot from Florida is safe after an undisclosed landing mishap Saturday at Hill Air Force Base. Base spokesman Micah Garbarino said an F-22 Raptor based out of Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., experienced "a ground emergency upon landing" at approximately 1:15 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 6. Garbarino said the pilot, who was visiting Hill for a large scale training exercise, exited the aircraft safely. The pilot did not have to eject from the plane, he said.
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08/11/2016
The U.S. Air Force faces a shortfall of 700 fighter pilots by the end of the year and as many as 1,000 pilots within a few years, Air Force officials said Wednesday. “It is a crisis,” said Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff. “Air superiority is not an American birthright. It’s actually something you have to fight for and maintain.”
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08/11/2016
The Indian Navy's primary fighter operating from the aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya faces operational deficiencies due to defects in engines, airframes and fly-by-wire systems, according to a report by India's autonomous auditor, the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). However, Indian Navy officials say the Russian-made MiG-29K remains the best choice available.
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08/11/2016
Sri Lanka will shortly call proposals to buy at least eight multi-role combat aircraft to replace its ageing fleet used during a civil war which ended in 2009, the bulk of which is now grounded, Minister Rajitha Senaratne said. Though the Sri Lanka Air Force had seven Israeli-made Kafir aircraft on its books only one was now operations, he said.
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08/11/2016
South Korea has set a timeline for the development of an indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar to be use aboard the planned KFX fighter.
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08/11/2016
In preparation for upcoming joint military exercises at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, Israel has sent a fleet of fighters and refueling jets to fly alongside US, Pakistani, and United Arab Emirates (UAE) aircraft.
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08/11/2016
Escalating tensions in an already volatile region, Vietnam appears to have deployed rocket launchers to disputed territories within the South China Sea, well within range of Beijing’s land reclamation projects.
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08/11/2016
The upgraded combat features on board the flagship of the South China Sea fleet impress Western defense analysts, as Beijing threatens to aggressively defend the disputed territories.
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08/10/2016
The Russian navy’s only carrier, the 59,000-metric ton Admiral Kuznetsov, is being modified to enable operations of MiG-29K/KUB strike fighters against targets in Syria. The work is due to be completed within the next few months. During its first combat deployment, the carrier is likely to carry 15 fighters and a dozen Kamov helicopters. The latter may include a few Ka-52K Katran attack prototypes as well as Ka-31 airborne early warning & control rotorcraft.
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08/10/2016
The F-35 Lightning II destroyed an aerial drone off the Coast of California by launching an AIM-9X air-to-air missile over a military test range, demonstrating the first "live" air-to-air kill test for the emerging stealth multi-role fighter. “It's been said you don't really have a fighter until you can actually hit a target and we crossed that threshold with the first air-to-air weapon delivery of an AIM-9X,” U.S. Air Force test pilot, Maj. Raven LeClair, said in a written statement.
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08/10/2016
“The magnitude of this exercise — the complex nature of so many moving components — tell a powerful story about the capabilities that exist here in Michigan,” said Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, adjutant general of the Michigan National Guard and director of the Michigan Department of Military and Veterans Affairs.
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08/10/2016
A UK Eurofighter Typhoon, featuring the latest weapons fit, performed a spectacular display for crowds across the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) and Farnborough International Air Show, with BAE Systems’ Typhoon Test Pilot Nat Makepeace at the controls.
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08/10/2016
Singapore is putting on hold plans to procure up to 12 Lockheed-Martin supersonic fifth-generation F-35B stealth multirole fighter jets for the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF), according to the Pentagon’s F-35 program office, Bloomberg News reports.
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08/10/2016
BEIJING is set to militarise its illegal presence in the Spratly Islands, with satellite photos revealing reinforced hangars designed to house combat jets on several artificial outposts. The images, released by the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative and the Center for Strategic and International Studies, show military infrastracutre being built on Fiery Cross, Subi and Mischief reefs.
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08/10/2016
Last week, Chinese TV boasted about the "growing combat capabilities" of its Liaoning (CV-16) aircraft carrier, noting that the battle platform can carry up to 20 fighter jets, bolstering Beijing’s balance of naval and aviation power in the Pacific rim amid growing tensions.
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08/10/2016
The Mi-28NM attack helicopter, a recent upgraded version of the Mi-28N "Night Hunter" vehicle, became the first helicopter to receive composite blades and will be supplied to the Russian army by 2018, Russia's Aerospace Forces Commander Viktor Bondarev told the Izvestia newspaper.
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08/10/2016
The US Air Force will continue striking Daesh targets in Libya's Sirte, supporting the country's army, Prime Minister of the Libyan Government of National Accord Fayez Sarraj told Sputnik.
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08/09/2016
The chief of air staff of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF), Air Chief Marshall Sohail Aman, offered the possible sale of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder fighter jets and PAC Super Mushshak trainer aircraft to his Kuwaiti counterpart, Major General Abdullah Yaqoob Al-Fodri, during a four day visit to Kuwait last week.
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08/09/2016
A common refrain when discussing the future of airpower is that ‘the F-35 is the last manned fighter’ and the future belongs to unmanned systems. The expanding use of unmanned air systems (UAS) such as Reapers and Predators against international terrorist networks implies a future of remote, push-button warfare. That entails minimal risk (on one side) for maximum tactical precision effect.
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08/09/2016
If a new study is accurate, drones of the future will not need a human controller – and could in fact defeat a human in a dogfight. "It seemed to be aware of my intentions and reacting instantly to my changes in flight and my missile deployment," said former Air Force battle manager Gene Lee, referring to a recent simulations against battle-AI software, according to Breaking Defense.
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08/09/2016
Russian-designed Sukhoi Su-30MKI (Flanker-H) multirole fighters integrated with Russian-Indian BrahMos cruise missiles are expected to go into service of the Indian Air Force in the first four months of 2017, local media reported Monday.
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08/09/2016
Ukrainian, German and Swedish experts will carry out a joint observation flight over Russian territory under the Open Skies Treaty this week, the acting head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said.
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08/08/2016
Hidden inside a pre-war hangar at RAF Waddington is a virtual world that lets the Army and Air Force fight the wars of the future. Though the roof leaks a bit, the soldiers and pilots who train inside fail to notice, so immersed are they in this digital world where they can learn how to work together for maximum effect. Crucially, they also discover how not to get in each other’s way, something likely to have fatal consequences in the real world.
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08/08/2016
Marine pilots flying the F-35B Lightning II for the first time at the annual Red Flag exercise in July say they are happy with the new jet’s performance. It was the F-35’s first participation in the giant exercise on the Nevada Test and Training Range, which this year involved more than 100 aircraft from the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps.
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08/08/2016
CHINA’S People’s Liberation Army Air Force has sent bombers and fighter jets on “combat patrols” near disputed areas in the South China Sea to improve its fighting ability and to safeguard the country’s sovereignty and maritime rights and interests. The Air Force sent several H-6 bombers and Su-30 fighter jets to inspect the airspace around the Nansha and Huangyan islands, Senior Colonel Shen Jinke of the PLA Air Force said on Saturday.
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08/08/2016
The on-going visit of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) chief, Air Chief Marshal Sohail Aman, to Sri Lanka is likely to revive Islamabad’s bid to sell F-17 Thunder fighter aircraft – an earlier attempt having been thwarted by India. Announcing ACM Aman’s visit, a Pakistan High Commission press release said that the visit will provide both sides an opportunity to review ongoing cooperation and collaboration, and to discuss ways and means to “enhance continued cooperation between the two countries.”
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08/08/2016
History will be made at the 2016 Abbotsford International Airshow when the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II will appear in Canada for the very first time. The aircraft is set to arrive at Abbotsford International Airport on Thursday, Aug.11 and will be on public display at the airshow starting Friday, Aug. 12 through Sunday, Aug.14.
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08/08/2016
Roll the clock back six years to 2010. The US Air Force had just shelved a proposal to stand up a new wing of fighters based on the OA-X, a concept for a propeller-driven, light-attack fighter – reviving the role played by the Vietnam-era Douglas A-1 Skyraider.
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08/08/2016
The victory for al-Nusra Front and allied anti-Assad Islamist rebel groups, which are strangely backed by the United States, suggests that the “groundbreaking” victory for the terror groups may be short-lived.
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08/08/2016
The joint Indo-Russian program will provide New Delhi with a high-flying nuclear deterrent ensuring the continued safety and security of the Indian people despite increased regional tension.
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08/07/2016
Lockheed Martin’s F-35A was awarded Initial Operating Capability (IOC) status by the U.S. Air Force on August 2, allowing a single USAF squadron to use the aircraft, potentially in combat. This marks an important milestone for the project that has long been criticized by Congress and potential buyers for being costly and behind schedule.
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08/07/2016
We all know that there are plenty of U.S. weapons the Chinese military would like to get its hands on. The Arsenal of Democracy churns out some of the best, most technologically advanced and versatile weapons in service anywhere. China is willing to steal American military technology to help advance its own military research and development programs.
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08/07/2016
China has said it carried out a combat air patrol over contested islands in the South China Sea. In a separate incident, roughly 230 Chinese fishing vessels and Coast Guard ships were spotted near East China Sea islets, triggering an angry response from Japan.
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08/07/2016
Indian Air Force may replace the Soviet MiG-21 aircraft with the US F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, according to an ex-wing commander at the Indian Air Force and former chief spokesperson for the Defense Ministry.
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08/07/2016
Russian military officials have announced that the Tu-160M2, a thoroughly modernized upgrade of the well-known Tupolev Tu-160 supersonic heavy strategic bomber, will make its first flight in 2018. Commenting on the prospects for the new plane, National Interest magazine defense editor Dave Majumdar explained what it was that makes it so special.
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08/06/2016
As the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy makes significant upgrades to its fleet, a newly emerged photograph shows that the nation’s third aircraft carrier will feature a catapult system, instead of the ski-jump method used in earlier models.
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08/05/2016
The U.S. State Department has approved a possible $300 million foreign military sale to Argentina for T-6C Texan aircraft, the department announced Wednesday. Congress was informed of the potential sale on Friday, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a statement.
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08/05/2016
An Indian Air Force (IAF) jet has crashed after developing a snag during take-off at the Kalaikunda Air Force Station located at Kharagpur in West Bengal. Both pilots safely ejected from the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer (Hawk AJT).
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08/05/2016
Fylde MP Mark Menzies today welcomed the Typhoon maintenance contract which will maintain hundreds of jobs at BAE Systems’ Warton site for years to come. Minister for Defence Procurement, Philip Dunne MP, signed off on the landmark 10-year support arrangement for the RAF’s Typhoon jets.
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08/05/2016
The US firm said it wants to close down its original production in Fort Worth in Texas, which has produced more than 3,600 F-16s so far, and create a major industrial facility in India to continue with the production. Lockheed Martin, however, seeks a ‘significant’ order from the Indian Air Force (IAF) as a part of the package deal on the switch, company officials said here.
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08/05/2016
The US Air Force is deliberating if and how to replace its close-air support workhorse, the A-10, and may have a better picture of their path forward later this year, the service’s top civilian said Wednesday. During an interview with Defense News, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James said she and other top service leaders — such as Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein — will be briefed on various options for replacing or augmenting the A-10 Warthog this fall.
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08/05/2016
As the US Air Force faces both pilot shortages and increased demand for its unmanned air vehicle operations in contested environments, the service is offering operators new training to allow them to continue carrying out their missions while under electronic attack.
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08/05/2016
The Egyptian military has reportedly killed Abu Duaa al-Ansari, the leader of the Sinai branch of the terrorist group Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State. The leader was killed in a series of airstrikes, according to the military's statement. A total of 46 members of the terrorist group were killed in the strikes.
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08/05/2016
Russia’s Tu-214R reconnaissance aircraft fitted with cutting-edge optical and electronic equipment and radar systems has successfully fulfilled all of its tasks in the Syrian sky, according to Russia’s Defense Ministry.
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08/05/2016
According to navy spokesman, Indian Navy and Russian state arms exporter Rosoboronexport signed a deal worth nearly $300 million to modernize 10 Russia-produced Ka-28 anti-submarine helicopters.
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08/04/2016
Incirlik Air Base was a chaotic scene on the night of the attempted coup in Turkey. U.S. warplanes flying out of Incirlik were on missions over Syria and Iraq when power went out to the control tower that would guide them back. A Turkish aircraft had just taken off from Incirlik to refuel Turkish F-16s that would bomb the Turkish parliament as part of the coup.
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08/04/2016
The Air Force has reached a one-of-a-kind deal with aerospace maker Textron AirLand to test the airworthiness of a jet that could be sold overseas. Textron AirLand will reimburse the Air Force for the costs of the tests on the Scorpion, a light weight, low-cost surveillance and strike jet, according to company data.
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08/04/2016
A Chinese national was arrested Tuesday while trying to cross into Canada and was charged with illegally exporting military parts to Iran. Yaohong Gong, a resident of Florida, is accused of operating a company that took part in a scheme to obtain U.S.-made airplane parts intended for China and illegally diverting them to Iran.
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08/04/2016
It has been claimed the UK must be prepared to defend the overseas territory after warnings Spain could "pounce on us" after the historic vote to leave the EU. The call comes after claims by Madrid that Brexit could lead to power sharing of the island, known as the "Rock".
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08/04/2016
A Czech air consulting team has been operating in Iraq since August 1 in order to continue with the training of the Iraqi air forces for the Czech-made L-159 combat aircraft, Defence Ministry spokesman Petr Medek told CTK yesterday. The 31-member Czech team includes pilots and technicians, but also logistics experts and military police. It will be deployed within the operation against the Islamic State (IS) organisation and stay in Iraq at least until the end of 2018.
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08/04/2016
The head of Marine Aviation has ordered all non-deployed aircraft to stand down for 24 hours following three recent crashes of F/A-18s, two of which were fatal. Lt. Gen. Jon Davis told wing commanders on Wednesday that non-deployed squadrons must take "an operational pause" within the next seven business days, said Marine Corps spokeswoman Capt. Sarah Burns. The move is different than grounding aircraft, she said.
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08/04/2016
For the first time in 10 years, B-1B Lancer aircraft will replace the B-52 Stratofortress aircraft in support of U.S. Pacific Command's Continuous Bomber Presence mission. This forward deployed presence demonstrates continuing U.S. commitment to stability and security in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region.
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08/04/2016
During a media briefing announcing initial operational capability for the F-35A, the USAF’s stealth aircraft designed to take on combat zones populated with surface-to-air-missiles, Carlisle expressed skepticism over the possible acquisition of a new light-attack aircraft that would operate in permissive environments.
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08/04/2016
The deal was announced the same day Japan held an emergency meeting of its National Security Council to discuss North Korea test-fired a missile believed to have fallen in the Japanese exclusive economic zone in the Sea of Japan, the Kyodo news agency reported.
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08/04/2016
Russia's top manufacturer of electronic warfare equipment, KRET, is in the process of upgrading its Okhotnik (Hunter) video image processing system so that it could be outfitted on the country's cutting edge fifth generation fighter jet, known as the Sukhoi PAK FA or the T-50, Russian newspaper Rossiyskaya Gazeta reported.
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08/03/2016
Two Korean Air Force combat jets engaged a UFO in 1980, according to a documentary program aired on JTBC on Sunday. The incident was reported to top commanding officers of the Korean Air Force at the time, but they decided not to investigate the matter as it was not within their area of expertise.
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08/03/2016
New Delhi has entered into a deal for an additional four Boeing P-8I maritime patrol aircraft. The deal will be conducted under the US government’s Foreign Military Sale (FMS) mechanism, and was originally cleared by India’s Defence Acquisition Council in July 2015, according to sources familiar with the matter.
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08/03/2016
Five years after the projected initial operational capability (IOC) date, the Air Force has declared the first 15 Lockheed Martin F-35As assigned to the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill AFB are capable of performing a basic set of combat missions.
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08/03/2016
Berlin has decided to take additional measures for protection of German soldiers deployed at Incirlik military base in Turkey after the attempted coup, German media reported on Tuesday.
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08/03/2016
On Monday, the Pentagon said Libya’s internationally recognized Government of National Accord (GNA) requested "precision airstrikes" to aid Libyan operations against the Daesh near the Mediterranean city of Sirte. The airstrikes are likely to last "weeks, not months," Davis said as quoted by The Military Times.
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08/03/2016
India and France are now one step closer to making a deal on the procurement of 36 Rafale jet fighters, according to Indian Minister of Defense Manohar Parrikar. According to Parrikar's written reply to parliament, both sides have agreed to sign an Inter-Governmental Agreement (IGA), a vital step to finalizing the $9 billion deal for the three dozen French fighter jets.
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08/03/2016
Citing Beijing’s actions in the South China Sea, Japan’s annual defense review expresses “deep concern” over China’s refusal to accept to the nine-dash line territorial ruling.
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08/03/2016
In the lead up to being declared combat ready, the US Air Force carried out a “kill” test with the fifth-generation fighter against a UAV. "With the F-35A, the Air Force now has a fighter combining next-generation radar-evading stealth, supersonic speed, fighter agility and advanced logistical support with the most powerful and comprehensive integrated sensor package of any fighter aircraft in history," the defense giant said in a statement.
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08/03/2016
A dogfight between the Mikoyan MiG-29 and Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets will be staged at the Aviamix airshow on August 6 as part of the Aviadarts international flight skills competition, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
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08/02/2016
The Indian Navy has initiated the first steps towards acquiring the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) for carriers as well as the long-range Predator B Guardian surveillance drone by sending Letters of Request (LoRs) to the Pentagon under government-to-government deals.
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08/02/2016
Beijing's navy started large-scale drills including a cruiser, a submarine, more than 100 vessels, several dozens of combat aircraft and several coastal radar stations in the East China Sea.
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08/02/2016
India is holding talks with Russia for upgrading the Indian Air Force’s (IAF) 194 Sukhoi Su-30MKI multi-role aircraft with the near fifth-generation level. A senior Indian Defence Ministry official told the local media in New Delhi over the weekend that the Narendra Modi government recently allocated USD 8 billion for the project. The official, who wished to remain anonymous, also said that the IAF would rename the upgraded version of fighter jets ‘Super Sukhoi’.
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08/02/2016
US restrictions on the F-35 fighter jet's targeting system will make it “almost impossible” for training to be carried out in the UK, the Ministry of Defence fears – but its press office insists the constraints are normal. The F-35's electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) includes a target designator laser and a laser rangefinder. According to the Defence Ranges Safety Committee, the F-35 has only been cleared to use the designator laser “in the US under very tight controls”.
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08/02/2016
Five years behind schedule, the U.S. Air Force is this week expected to declare that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet is finally ready for combat even as critics continue to rail against the most expensive military program in history. The plane’s builders and military officials will likely describe it as a milestone for a weapons program that was once hailed as the cheapest way to replace the aging U.S. fighter fleet.
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08/02/2016
A Russian helicopter was shot down Monday after delivering aid to the Syrian city of Aleppo, killing all five people on board, Russian state media reported. It was the biggest single loss of life for Russia in Syria since Russian warplanes started carrying out airstrikes in September 2015 in the country ravaged by war for five years.
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08/02/2016
The United States has expanded its airstrikes against ISIS into Libya, bombing targets in the coastal city of Sirte, U.S. officials said Monday. The attacks mark the beginning of an ongoing U.S. air campaign in Libya, a Pentagon spokesman said.
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08/02/2016
The development of defense industry cooperation will remain a priority for the relations between Moscow and Lima, Russian Ambassador to Peru Andrei Guskov told Sputnik on Monday.
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08/02/2016
Russia and Afghanistan are in discussions over various formats of delivering Russian Mi-35 Hind attack helicopters to Kabul, the Russian Foreign Ministry's Director of the Second Asian Department, Zamir Kabulov, said Monday.
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08/01/2016
China's leadership is resisting pressure from elements within the military for a more forceful response to an international court ruling against Beijing's claims in the South China Sea, sources said, wary of provoking a clash with the United States. China refused to participate in the case overseen by the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague.
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08/01/2016
The first five of 16 Kiowa Warriors OH-58 combat helicopters have arrived on Saturday to Croatia. The helicopters have been donated to Croatia by the United States, and the donation also includes a flight simulator, as well as accessories and parts, including weapons. It is expected that soon the remaining 11 helicopters will also arrive to the Zemunik Air Base near Zadar.
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08/01/2016
I have had the chance to visit with the pilots and crews of four new or modified new air systems used by the U.S. and the allies in current Middle Eastern operations. Each of these platforms has provided capabilities important to the effort and foreshadows the way ahead.
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08/01/2016
Pacific Air Forces said it is sending speedy and low-flying B-1B bombers to Guam for the first time in 10 years. The move comes with China vowing to up its bomber and fighter flights in the contested South China Sea and the United States adding to its own aircraft firepower in the unstable region.
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08/01/2016
The Tu-214R is the most modern Russian ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft. Equipped with sensors to perform ELINT (Electronic Intelligence) and SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) missions as well as with all-weather radar systems and electro-optical sensors that produce photo-like imagery of a large parts of the ground the special mission aircraft, the aircraft can fly multiple intelligence gathering missions.
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08/01/2016
Polish and Italian experts will carry out a joint observation flight over Russian and Belarusian territory under the Open Skies Treaty this week, the acting head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said.
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08/01/2016
The Korean delegation, led by Vice Defense Minister Hwang In-mo and Deputy Foreign Minister for Economic Affairs Lee Tae-ho, met with the US delegation, led by David Shear, Assistant Secretary of Defense for Asian and Pacific Security Affairs, and Rose Gottemoeller, Under Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security for the US State Department, this Thursday, according to Korean Times.
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08/01/2016
A movement is underway in the US to restart the production of the fearsome super elite F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet despite warnings by the Pentagon that it would be cost prohibitive. The US Air Force is not particularly keen on the idea nor are Pentagon officials who warn that bringing back the F-22 fighter jet, America’s most lethal warplane, would be cost prohibitive and threatens to undermine progress on the F-35 and a future sixth-generation fighter jet, but US lawmakers are not convince
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08/01/2016
Rumors about a big Soviet gift to China are circulating in the country, which will ease Beijing’s jitters about the impregnability of America’s THAAD missile system. Sputnik discussed the matter with Russian defense expert Vasily Kashin.
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08/01/2016
The Aviadarts flight skills competitions among combat planes held in Russia will expand beyond the country's borders in 2018, Russia's Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Sunday.
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07/31/2016
TURKISH citizens and police have ‘surrounded’ the Incirlik air base it operates with the United States — and where a large stockpile of NATO nuclear weapons is held — ahead of a visit by a senior US official tomorrow.
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07/31/2016
During the Cold War, the Soviet Union and the United States struggled to match each other’s best weapons. The MiG-25 informed the F-15; the Tu-95 “Backfire” resembled the B-52; submarines and tanks were designed with their competitors firmly in mind.
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07/31/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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07/31/2016
Lockheed Martin has delivered the 24th, and final, MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopter to the U.S. Navy in support of the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The milestone delivery took place during a July 27 ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility.
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07/31/2016
A jet fighter pilot killed in a crash during a training exercise in Twentynine Palms on Thursday has been identified as a 36-year-old Arcadia man, the U.S. Marines announced Saturday. Third Marine Aircraft Wing pilot Maj. Richard “Stranger” Norton died in the F/A-18C Hornet crash, which took place about 10:30 a.m. Thursday near the Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, U.S. Marine Corps officials said in a written statement.
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07/31/2016
India is now planning "a direct strategic purchase" of six flight refuelling aircraft (FRA) or tankers to enhance the reach of its fighter jets, bombers and surveillance aircraft after the bid to acquire them through global tenders failed twice over the last decade.
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07/31/2016
New Delhi and Moscow near an $8 billion deal to upgrade the fearsome Su-30MKI fighter jet into the Super Sukhoi, but the deal does not threaten the joint Indo-Russia fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) program.
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07/31/2016
Russian military forces in Crimea are in possession of modern air defense S-400 systems, a source from military in Crimea told RIA Novosti Friday.
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07/30/2016
The Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., completed an historic test mission July 8 on an aircraft system that will enhance the life and lethality of the F-15. The first-ever flight equipped with the Advanced Display Core Processor II tested the aircraft’s flight safety, in-flight refueling and basic landing capabilities over Eglin’s water and land ranges.
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07/30/2016
South Africa’s Rooivalk deployment with the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the blue eyed boy of the mission due to its unrivalled effectiveness, according to an SA Air Force (SAAF) official. Lieutenant Colonel Danie Bellingan, OC of 16 Squadron, said the Rooivalk is highly respected in the DRC as it is an effective and well utilised weapon, being preferential to the Mi-24 attack helicopters there.
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07/30/2016
Lockheed Martin has delivered the 24th, and final, MH-60R Seahawk helicopter to the U.S. Navy in support of the Navy’s foreign military sales (FMS) program with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The milestone delivery took place during a July 27 ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility.
(Read More...)
07/30/2016
The European Forum on Armed Drones (EFAD) launch was on the eve of an important European Parliament meeting, jointly organised by the subcommittee on Human Rights and the Subcommittee on Security and Security and Defence, focusing on the human rights impact of armed drones in counter-terrorism operations. A video of the meeting, including inputs from Jennifer Gibson of Reprieve and Radhya Almutawakel of the Yemeni Mwatana Organisation for Human Rights is availablehere.
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07/30/2016
On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second trip to the US as PM in September last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the proposal to purchase 22 ‘assault helicopters’, or helicopter gunships, from Boeing for the Indian air force and the army. The decision had come as a surprise to experts then, for Boeing was offering a version of the Apache by way of direct sale. Moreover, this flew in the face of the Make In India policy.
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07/30/2016
The F-35B is “ready to go right now” if it is needed to fly combat missions, the head of Marine Aviation told reporters Friday. Although the F-35B is still being tested, the Marine Corps declared in July 2015 that it was ready to fly operations. The Marine version of the F-35 needs upgraded software and other improvements.
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07/30/2016
While many have forecasted unmanned aircraft as the future of aviation, Lt Gen Jon “Dog” Davis believes the next generation of medium-lift, long-range rotorcraft should still have a pilot in the cockpit for some missions.
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07/30/2016
In a display of high technical competence and self-dependence, India has successfully upgraded the Mirage 2000 fleet of the Indian Air Force. The mid-life Final Operational Configuration (FOC) upgrade was done in a record time of eight months by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a public sector manufacturer.
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07/30/2016
The Akinci Air Base near the Turkish capital of Ankara that served as the de-facto headquarters for attempted coup plotters will be shut down, Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday.
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07/29/2016
Russia is very satisfied with the combat performance of its new generation of armed helicopters. That’s because these new helicopters are performing well in Iraq, where they are not being flown by Russians but by Iraqis. This is a big deal because Russia needs export sales and evidence that locals can handle this new tech in combat is a big selling point.
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07/29/2016
The U.S. Navy has made it official in early July 2016 and announced what it will call its first carrier-based unmanned combat aircraft. This UCAS (unmanned combat air system) will be called the MQ-25A Stingray and it will enter service in the early 2020s. All this comes after a decade of design, development and test flights. The UAV that made the MQ-25A possible rolled out as the X-47B in 2008.
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07/29/2016
The Air Force is preparing to send B-1 bombers to Guam for the first time in a decade. The Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and approximately 300 airmen will deploy on Aug. 6 to Andersen Air Force Base as part of the military's continuous bomber presence mission in the Pacific, according to an Air Force release. The bombers were last in the region in April 2006.
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07/29/2016
When Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James was asked this week about a surprise proposal from within her service to squeeze two new aircraft types into an already overcrowded modernization plan, she said she hadn't seen the proposal and then asked the obvious question: "Where would we get the money?"
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07/29/2016
A multinational initiative to acquire a pooled fleet of Airbus A330 multirole tanker/transports has edged closer to take-off, with the Netherlands and Luxembourg agreeing to buy an initial two examples.
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07/29/2016
Lockheed Martin completed the first flight of an F-35A Adir for the Israeli air force on 25 July, just one month after rolling the aircraft out at its Fort Worth site in Texas on 22 June.
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07/29/2016
The incursion of an Israeli-made unmanned air vehicle into that nation’s airspace from inside Syria on 17 July has provided the authorities in Washington with another reason to block future sales of such equipment to Moscow.According to the Israeli military, the origin of the intruding UAV has not been verified, but sources suggest that it was probably a Searcher 2 designed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) which was being operated by Russian forces deployed within Syria.
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07/29/2016
Russia and China will hold joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, the Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said Thursday. "Based on the consensus reached by the parties, the Chinese and Russian navies will hold joint Sea Cooperation-2016 exercises in the South China Sea in September," Yang told a briefing, noting that the drills "are not aimed at third countries."
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07/29/2016
The Syrian Air Force has received its first two upgraded Sukhoi Su-24M2 all-weather attack aircraft from Russian armories. According to media reports, they are expected to improve the combat capabilities of Syrian air power in the fight against the terrorists. However, according to experts, Moscow and Damascus may also have a hidden motive.
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07/28/2016
One month after Israel received the new stealth F-35 “Adir” (Hebrew for “Great One”) in Dallas, Texas, the aircraft was tested for the first time on Tuesday in the southern US. Israel was the first country to buy the fighter jet under the US’s Foreign Military Sales process. The Letter of Agreement was signed in October 2010.
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07/28/2016
In 2007, India began an official tender process for 126 multi-role, medium-range combat aircraft (MMRCA) with Paris-based Dassault at a cost of about $11 billion. It was the world’s largest fighter jet deal at the time. Since then the deal has unraveled. Negotiations stalled over price and quality and, ultimately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted to purchase only 36 “ready to fly” aircraft from Dassault. Even this more modest version of deal has yet to fully fructify.
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07/28/2016
Russian President Vladimir Putin has longed to have the US coordinate efforts with Russia in Syria to provide legitimacy to the Russian expeditionary force in the Syrian theater. Recently news leaked that Russian combat aircraft purposefully bombed a secret US base on the Jordanian-Syrian border. US and British troops were active from time to time at the facility and a group of British troops had just left. Four American-backed rebels were killed in the attack.
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07/28/2016
The Air Force’s first F-35 squadron has completed all preparations necessary to declare the joint strike fighter combat capable, and sources say an initial operating capability declaration could be made early next week.
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07/28/2016
India has stepped up negotiations with Russia to upgrade its 194 Sukhoi Su-30MKI multirole aircraft with the near fifth-generation level at a cost of more than $8 billion. The upgraded version would be renamed Super Sukhoi. "A Russian team was in New Delhi earlier this month to discuss [the] upgrade plan with India, which will be finalized in the next four to six months," said a senior Ministry of Defence (MoD) official, who spoke on condition of anonymity.
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07/28/2016
The US Air Force has proposed millions of dollars in incentives for contractors who bring forth a T-X trainer aircraft that exceeds the service’s outlined performance requirements, according to the latest draft request for proposals released late on 26 July.
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07/28/2016
Airbus’s continued difficulties with producing and delivering the A400M tactical transport have led it to announce a fresh charge of just over €1 billion ($1.1 billion) against the program. “Industrial efficiency and the step-wise introduction of the A400M’s military functionalities are still lagging behind schedule and remain challenging,” says Airbus Group chief executive Tom Enders.
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07/28/2016
With the budget of the US Air Force stretching resources, the Pentagon is looking to the private sector to participate in war games. To prepare for future military conflicts, US Air Force pilots undergo intensive training that includes simulated dog fights. This ordinarily pits military pilots against each other, one in a US jet, the other in an "enemy" fighter painted in blue, brown, or black camouflage.
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07/28/2016
On the first day of his India visit, U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition Frank Kendall signed a deal with India for delivery of four more Boeing P-81 long range maritime spy planes.
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07/27/2016
A recent report from the Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, written by Maj. Gen. Jeff Harrigian and Col. Max Marosko of the US Air Force, gives expert analysis and never before seen detail into how the US's fifth-generation aircraft would fare in a war with China.
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07/27/2016
Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries successfully completed the initial test flight of its second T-50A configured aircraft in Sacheon, South Korea. The T-50A is the company’s aircraft offering in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) competition.
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07/27/2016
A U.S. Air National Guard (ANG) unit successfully released eight Lockheed Martin Enhanced Laser Guided Training Rounds (ELGTR) during recent flight evaluations at the Barry M. Goldwater Ranges near Gila Bend, Arizona. These flight evaluations marked the first time an ANG unit has flown the training round and completes the evaluation of ELGTR on their F-16C/D Block 40/42 aircraft.
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07/27/2016
While rumblings of two potential close-air support platforms for the US Air Force shook Washington last week, discussions surrounding a possible light-attack aircraft and A-10 replacement have yet to reach the service’s secretary.
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07/27/2016
Israel is considering contracting out the heavy maintenance of its future Lockheed Martin F-35As, as it seeks domestic provision of overhaul activities on the type.
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07/27/2016
Greece has launched a modernisation effort for its fleet of Lockheed Martin P-3B Orion anti-submarine warfare aircraft. Two examples of the turboprop type operated by the Hellenic Navy have been inducted into the process, transferring on 13 July from Elefsis air base to an overhaul facility at Tangara, near Athens.
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07/27/2016
US and Russian officials held constructive dialogue via videoconference on Tuesday on flight safety measures to deconflict air operations in Syria, US Department of Defense spokesperson Peter Cook said in a press release.
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07/27/2016
As the Iraqi army and its allied Peshmerga units prepare a major offensive on Mosul to flush out Daesh terrorists, Helgurd Hikmet, a representative of the Regional Government of Kurdistan, discussed the details of the upcoming operation with Sputnik.
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07/27/2016
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said that the United States and other members of its anti-Islamic State (Daesh) coalition have defined the next set of military plans aimed at retaking control of the Daesh strongholds in Iraqi Mosul and Syrian Raqqa.
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07/27/2016
On Sunday, Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev said that Russian warplanes crossed into the so-called "Bulgarian zone of responsibility" with switched off transponders four times during the previous month. He demanded explanations from Moscow calling the alleged incidents "provocations of Bulgaria and its Air Force." He added that Sophia was "taking preventive measures."
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07/25/2016
It seems that China is ready to launch its first indigenous aircraft carrier (CV), the Type 001A, by the end of the year. As a result, China, which operates a rehabilitated ex-Soviet aircraft carrier, is expected to become a full-fledged aircraft carrier operating country soon. Furthermore, it’s certain that the country will continue to bring more domestic aircraft carriers into service to turn itself into an aircraft carrier superpower.
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07/25/2016
Bulgaria’s defense minister said on Sunday there had been a rise in violations of its airspace by Russian military and commercial aircraft in the past month, calling the alleged breaches a “provocations toward Bulgaria and its air forces”. Nikolay Nenchev told Bulgarian television channel Nova TV that Russian military aircraft had entered what he termed “Bulgaria’s area of responsibility” in NATO airspace four times in the past month.
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07/25/2016
An official news agency says China has unveiled the world's largest amphibious aircraft that Beijing plans to use for marine missions and fighting forest fires. The Xinhua News Agency said the AG600 rolled off a production line in Zhuhai in southern China on Saturday. It measures 37 meters (121 feet) in length with a wingspan of 39 meters (128 feet).
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07/25/2016
Already way behind China, India is struggling to even keep up with Pakistan in the critical arena of AWACS (airborne warning and control systems) aircraft that can detect incoming fighters, cruise missiles and drones much before ground-based radars as well as direct fighters in combat operations.
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07/25/2016
Six F-35B Lightning IIs with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 participated in Red Flag 16-3, making it the first time in history that the fifth generation fighter has taken part in the three-week long exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Red Flag is a multiservice air-to-air combat training exercise including the Army, Navy, Air Force and the Marine Corps.
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07/25/2016
The US Air Force is considering two new procurements to boost their close air support mission, including an off-the-shelf option for permissive environments and a cheap, clean sheet design aircraft that would replace the Fairchild Dornier A-10.
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07/25/2016
Lockheed Martin pointed an economic weapon of mass disruption at Ottawa and it appears that Justin Trudeau has blinked caving to the defense contractor’s threats.
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07/25/2016
The best plane in the Soviet arsenal, the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker entered service in 1985, but it is still a formidable and versatile fourth-generation fighter aircraft that has turned into an export bestseller, defense analyst Robert Farley wrote for the National Interest, adding that despite its age the plane has a bright future ahead of it.
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07/25/2016
Afghan National Security Adviser Hanif Atmar is planning to agree on the purchase of Russian helicopters for the country's Air Force during his upcoming Moscow visit, the press service said Sunday. "One of the major aims of the visit is to purchase Mi-17 and Mi-35 helicopters for Afghan Air Force," the press service said in a statement, adding that Kabul is expected to negotiate maintenance and repair as well.
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07/24/2016
China has removed its new generation surface-to-air missiles from a disputed island in the South China Sea+ after US withdrew its aircraft carrier ahead of a landmark verdict by an UN-backed tribunal, a media report said on Saturday.
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07/24/2016
The technical details of air-to-air missiles are extremely complicated, but the concept is simple?—?destroy your target before the target destroys you. One way to improve the odds is to add an air-breathing ramjet engine to give the weapon a boost. That’s the design philosophy behind the Meteor, a 419-pound rail-launched MiG killer which entered service for the first time with the Swedish air force on July 11.
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07/24/2016
The Egyptian Air Force will be the world's first and largest operator of the new Mikoyan MiG -35 multirole and air superiority jet fighter and will receive its first two fighters at the end of this year. This generation 4.5 (or generation 4++) fighter made by Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is in the same league as the Sukhoi Su-35S, the first of which will be delivered to China later this year.
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07/24/2016
China’s Chengdu Aircraft Company (CAC) has built a new Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) J-20 stealth fighter jets with video footage on Chinese websites showing the latest rendition in full fury this week. This is the second known J-20 LRIP fighter jet after the first with the serial number 2101 displayed in late December 2015. There are believed to be a total of four such next generation jets in the possession of the Chinese Air Force.
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07/24/2016
Reports indicate that Russia has produced as many as 46 new supersonic MiG-29M fighter jets with rumors that a buyer has been lined up for a $2 billion warplane contract.
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07/23/2016
A massive search and rescue operation is currently on in the Bay of Bengal to locate an Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft which went missing today morning with 29 people on board. The plane was on a routine weekly flight from Chennai to Port Blair.
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07/23/2016
After the Abbott government approved the purchase of 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), its fast jet capability was locked in for years to come. From around 2020, the F-35s will join 24 Super Hornets (delivered from 2010) and 12 Growler electronic attack aircraft (delivered from 2015). Project AIR 6000, under which the F-35s are being acquired, still has one squadron of aircraft to acquire in the future.
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07/23/2016
Russian military analyst Vladimir Tuchkov explains why the Russian Defense Ministry continues to order new Tupolev Tu-95 turboprop-powered strategic bombers, which entered into service in the Soviet (and then Russian) air forces over 60 years ago.
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07/23/2016
India is constructing a special dock for high-capacity aircraft carriers at the existing premises of Cochin Shipyard Limited. According to official sources, the new dry dock will cost an estimated $270 million.
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07/22/2016
During the past two days at Langley Air Force Base, key fighter wing commanders have been brainstorming over a question that, for security reasons, they can't discuss in detail. They command pilots who fly the two most modern fighters in the nation's inventory: the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning, fifth-generation stealth aircraft designed to take on other superpowers.
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07/22/2016
For the first time, the Air Force will test the airworthiness of an aircraft that is currently not planned to be in its inventory, a move that could increase the plane’s chance of success in the international market. The Air Force announced on Wednesday that it had signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Textron AirLand, under which the service will conduct an airworthiness assessment of Textron’s Scorpion aircraft.
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07/22/2016
Lockheed Martin and Pilatus Aircraft Ltd have successfully completed the initial production test flight of the first PC-21 aircraft destined for the Australian Defence Force under the AIR 5428 Pilot Training System program.
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07/22/2016
The US Air Force will determine how many Northrop Grumman B-21 bombers are needed for the fleet after the first aircraft is fielded in the 2020s, according to the service’s deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration.
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07/22/2016
On Wednesday, reports surfaced that New Delhi deployed nearly 100 Russian-made T-72 tanks to the Chinese border, in the northern region of Ladakh. Indian military officials cite a Chinese buildup on its side of the border as necessitating the move.
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07/21/2016
Two years after the first of Israel’s new top-of-the-line trainer jets rolled onto the tarmac, the last batch of planes — acquired in a multi-billion dollar deal with Italy — landed in Israel Wednesday morning. The three Aermacchi M-346s, known in the Israeli Air Force as the Lavi, complete a 30-plane, $1-billion deal inked in 2012 with the Italian government. Rome, in exchange, purchased an equivalent value of Israeli aerospace technology, including satellites and surveillance planes.
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07/21/2016
The French defense procurement agency DGA has awarded Dassault Aviation and MBDA a contract for the mid-life upgrade of 55 Mirage 2000D aircraft in service with the French Air Force. The goal of the mid-life upgrade is to allow them to operate alongside the Rafale combat aircraft beyond 2030, DGA said in a statement Tuesday.
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07/21/2016
The three-week long Red Flag 16-3, a U.S.-only exercise that tests all participating units’ combat capabilities in a joint environment that centers on multi-domain integration, kicked off here July 11.
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07/21/2016
The Government of India is set to finalise the purchase of 36 Rafale combat aircraft in fly-away condition from France for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The move comes as the IAF is in critical operational necessity for multirole combat aircraft. The Dassault Aviation-built multi-role jet fighter will be supplied as part of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) signed by France and India in January this year.
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07/21/2016
Boeing demonstrated an improved display computer system on a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles earlier this month, uniting the host of upgrades the service will implement on its F-15Es and F-15Cs.
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07/21/2016
Textron and the air force signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), allowing the service for the first time to certificate the aircraft’s airworthiness in the absence of a programme of record, according to a 15 July news release.
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07/21/2016
A failed military coup last week will not affect Lockheed Martin’s business relationship with Turkey, though it could be too early to make that call, according to top Lockheed Martin executives.
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07/21/2016
Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan confirmed the delivery of the Russian-made S-300 air defense systems, noting that they were already partially deployed in the country, Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesman Seyed Hossein Naghavi Hosseini said Wednesday.
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07/21/2016
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated that there could be a link between the pilots who shot down a Russian jet last November and the Gulen movement, blamed for last week's failed coup attempt, and suggested that foreign countries may have been involved in the attempt, as well.
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07/20/2016
Turkey has reportedly received its first Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift rotorcraft, following its completion in-country at the port of Izmir. Ankara has 11 of the type on order from the US government for its army, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows, plus options for three more.
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07/20/2016
Bell Helicopter and Boeing have received a more than half a billion dollar US Navy contract to build four MV-22 Osprey tilt rotors for Japan, the US Department of Defense announced.
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07/20/2016
Taking a page from the Pentagon playbook, China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will now conduct regular combat patrols of the South China Sea.
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07/20/2016
The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) supersonic interceptor is one of the fastest combat aircraft in the world, and remains an integral element of Russia’s aerospace defense arsenal.
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07/20/2016
India's deal with France to purchase Rafale fighter planes is taking more time than expected as the two sides have yet to reconcile their differences over a number of issues related to the deal.
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07/19/2016
China’s navy chief told his U.S. counterpart that Beijing would continue construction work on disputed South China Sea islands regardless of foreign opposition, state media said, underscoring Chinese defiance toward an unfavorable international-arbitration ruling. Adm. Wu Shengli’s comments on Monday came days after a July 12 arbitration tribunal at The Hague rejected Beijing’s historic and economic claims over much of the South China Sea, handing a legal victory to the Philippines.
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07/19/2016
Boeing's KC-46 tanker successfully refueled an A-10 combat aircraft, clearing the final hurdle before the Air Force approves the first production order. The "milestone C" testing was completed July 15 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. During a four-hour flight, the KC-46 offloaded 1,500 pounds of fuel to the A-10, at 15,000 feet. "This completed the required air refueling demonstrations needed for the upcoming production milestone decision," said Boeing spokesman Chick Ramey.
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07/19/2016
The Marine Corps’ F-35B is taking part in the Air Force’s premier air-to-air combat training exercise for the first time ever. The joint strike fighters from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 are participating in Exercise Red Flag, which began on July 11 and runs until July 29 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.
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07/19/2016
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is planning a move into the Indian market with its Predator family of unmanned air vehicles in the wake of diplomatic initiatives that should ease restrictions on the sale of the technology to New Delhi.
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07/19/2016
Three people were killed when a Portuguese air force Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transport crashed at Montijo air base on 11 July. Flight Fleets Analyzer records the destroyed aircraft – tail number 16804 – as having been 38 years old. The loss leaves Portugal with an active fleet of four Hercules, with another in storage, it adds.
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07/19/2016
The Israeli air force has introduced ultrasound maintenance measures to enable it to swiftly repair cracks in the wings of its fighter fleet. The crack detection system grounds the fleet for the shortest possible time, the IAF says, adding that the service has used it recently to repair cracks in the wing support bulkhead of its Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fleet.
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07/19/2016
Aerial refuelling has become one of the top priorities of the Israeli air force, and in recent months various tests have been carried out to help provide longer-range operations for helicopters and heavy transport aircraft.
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07/18/2016
Over the last century of military aviation, several fighters have earned the nickname “flying coffin.” Over the last century of military aviation, several fighters have earned the nickname “flying coffin.” Military aviation inherently pushes up against the limits of technology and human endurance, particularly where fighter and pursuit aviation is concerned. Flying a fighter is remarkably dangerous, even when no one is trying to shoot you down.
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07/18/2016
In the 21st century, there are fighter jets, and then there are fighter jets. Which kind you get depends on how much you want to pay. Got hundreds of millions of dollars to toss around? Then like the U.S. government, you can hire Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) to design and build you an F-22 Raptor stealth fighter -- widely considered the most capable air superiority combat jet in the world.
(Read More...)
07/18/2016
However history ultimately judges the F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed’s stealthy aircraft will surely be described as one of the most hotly debated designs ever. The U.S. Air Force, hoping to declare its version of the “fifth generation” fighter jet ready for by the end of 2016, has launched a new P.R. blitz to show critics that the planes are every bit as good as it says.
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07/18/2016
On Saturday morning a Black Hawk military helicopter carrying the eight Turkish servicemen made an emergency landing at the airport of the northern Greek city of Alexandroupoli. The arrivals – three Majors, three Captains and two Sergeant Majors — requested political asylum in Greece, which later returned the helicopter to Turkey.
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07/18/2016
The Federal Aviation Administration has banned all flights between the United States and airports in Turkey. The indefinite ban took effect on Saturday in the wake of the failed coup attempt in Turkey that left 265 dead and over 2,000 injured.
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07/17/2016
Secretary of State John F. Kerry wrangled for hours with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Friday, discussing a plan that includes first-time coordination between the U.S. and Russia on airstrikes targeting militant groups operating in Syria. Late Friday, amid distractions over an unfolding military coup in NATO ally Turkey, Kerry announced agreement on a series of steps that he said, "if implemented in good faith," could ease the Syrian civil war, which has claimed nearly a half-million liv
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07/17/2016
The FAA banned all flights into and out of Turkey for U.S. aircraft on Saturday, one day after a coup attempt rocked the country that is a NATO member and critical U.S. ally. The agency issued a notice saying it was prohibiting all U.S. commercial and private aircraft from operating into or out of any airport in Turkey.
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07/17/2016
India will send two C-17 military transport aircraft to war torn South Sudan's capital city Juba tomorrow to evacuate over 300 Indians stranded there, an exercise which will be led by Minister of State for External Affairs V K Singh. "The General takes charge again! 2 C-17s proceeding to Juba tomorrow with Gen_VKSingh leading evacuation from South Sudan," MEA Spokesperson Vikas Swarup tweeted.
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07/17/2016
The U.S. and international community would not recognize China’s attempt to set up a no fly zone over the South China Sea, a top Air Force general said Wednesday. China has indicated it may declare an “air defense identification zone” or “ADIZ” that would give the Communist nation control of the airspace over the South China Sea and require any aircraft to get Chinese permission before entering the area.
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07/17/2016
The Turkish authorities on Saturday halted, at least temporarily, all American-led strike missions against the Islamic State that had been flying from the Incirlik air base — the first major impact of the attempted coup on the broader allied campaign against the terrorist group, United States officials said.
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07/17/2016
Boeing will begin developing interior, power and electronic specifications for the next-generation “Air Force One” under a $127.3 million contract awarded by the US Air Force on 15 July. The award is intended to reduce the risk of delays and cost overruns before the USAF commits to full-scale development and procurement of up to three 747-8s, the Defense Department says in a contract award bulletin.
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07/17/2016
Tokyo has long had ambitions to acquire the ultra-advanced fighter jet, but after US politics got in the way the aircraft’s production was phased out which means Japan would have to pay a hefty sum.
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07/17/2016
Russia’s largest radio electronics manufacturer gave a glimpse into the future of Russian air superiority confirming on Monday that components for a sixth 6th generation fighter jet are being tested on the 5th generation PAK FA T-50 prototype.
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07/16/2016
MQ-25A Stingray, service officials told USNI News this week. Approved following a lengthy U.S. Air Force Material Command process for not only for the official “designation” (MQ-25A) but also the “popular name” (Stingray), the service can now have an official title for the unmanned aerial vehicle that’s had several labels since late last year. The word came to the Navy via a July 11 memo from the Air Force.
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07/16/2016
The PAK FA has played the bugbear for Western air forces for nearly a decade, the terrifying Russian jet that will eat F-35s for breakfast. American aviation analysts in search of something, anything that might threaten U.S. air dominance settled on the PAK FA, a frankly evil looking jet that bore a very mild resemblance to the MiG-31 “Firefox” that Clint Eastwood made famous.
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07/16/2016
Embraer’s developmental KC-390 tanker/transport is due to depart on a multinational demonstration tour in the coming days, following a successful debut at the Farnborough air show.
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07/16/2016
BAE Systems has been awarded a new support deal for the Royal Air Force’s Eurofighter Typhoon fleet, that will for the first time allow cost savings achieved under the programme to be ploughed back into capability enhancement.
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07/16/2016
The South Korean navy has taken delivery of the first of eight Lockheed Martin PC-3 Orion aircraft to be upgraded by Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD). The work saw the aircraft receive improved radar, communications, acoustic devices, and other digitized systems, says Seoul’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration in a statement.
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07/16/2016
Fighting has intensified in Turkey as forces loyal to President Erdogan shoot down a helicopter from an F-16 fighter jet while the military coup plotters have taken fire on mass crowds throughout Istanbul unleashing a wave of terror.
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07/16/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces put into service four jets, 23 helicopters and 15 drones in the second quarter of 2016, Anatoly Gulyaev, head of the Armaments Department of the Russian Defense Ministry said on Friday.
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07/16/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry will receive seven more modernized Tu-95MS strategic cruise missile carriers, Tupolev PJSC director general Alexander Konyukhov said Friday.
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07/16/2016
Russia’s MiG-31BM and Su-27 fighter jets have been put on alert for tactical flight exercises in the Tver Oblast in the country’s west.
(Read More...)
07/15/2016
IT’S not often that a complex legal judgment has such an obvious and devastatingly clear outcome. But that is what the Permanent Court of Arbitration achieved at The Hague in the Netherlands this week, when it ruled on a dispute between the Philippines and China over who owns a number of rocks and reefs in the South China Sea.
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07/15/2016
The Marines' F-35 Joint Strike Fighter has four deployments lined up across the next five years, a senior official said this week - and some of them could take it into the heart of the coalition fight against the Islamic State. Speaking at the Farnborough International Airshow on Monday, Col. William Lieblein said by 2021 the aircraft will have completed three shipboard pumps with a Marine Expeditionary Unit, and one on an aircraft carrier.
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07/15/2016
MBDA and Boeing completed the first firing of the former's Brimstone 2 air-to-surface missile from an AH-64E attack helicopter in June. The system – which its developer calls the Future Attack Helicopter Weapon – is being marketed as the primary armament for the British Army’s future fleet of AH-64Es. Made on 13 July, the announcement about the test success came three days after then-Prime Minister David Cameron confirmed plans to purchase 50 of the rotorcraft.
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07/15/2016
The Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II has flown its first public displays in the UK this week at Farnborough and the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford. The US Marine Corps aircraft, which is usually based at MCAS Yuma in Arizona, is operating out of RAF Fairford and performed its first full Farnborough display on 12 July. It also made flybys with the Red Arrows and a USMC KC-130 earlier at the show.
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07/15/2016
There might only be 15 F-16s remaining to be built at Lockheed Martin's Fort Worth facility in Texas, but there is still a lot of life in the fighter, the company says. While many at Fort Worth are now focussed on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Randy Howard, director F-16 business development, has a different task.
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07/15/2016
Integration of MBDA's Storm Shadow cruise missile with the Eurofighter Typhoon has cleared a key milestone, with a powered firing having recently been performed in the UK. Building on a significant number of carriage and release trials performed in 2014 and 2015, the integration activity "culminated in a powered firing which took place from a development aircraft on 14 June, flying out of BAE Systems' site in Warton, Lancashire," Eurofighter says.
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07/15/2016
Saab's promotion campaign for the new Gripen E fighter jet has suffered major setback. It is therefore hardly surprising that Saab's leadership has been clutching at straws. Recently, the company has been pinning all its hopes of international triumph on Canada's indecision regarding the updating of its fleet of military jets.
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07/15/2016
Reports claiming that the Russian Strategic Missile Forces Academy is developing a hypersonic nuclear-capable outer space strategic bomber are not true, a representative of the Russian Defense Ministry told reporters Thursday.
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07/15/2016
The new US proposal on military cooperation with Russia on Syria includes a plan to establish a joint command center with prospects of integrated operations, The Washington Post reports.
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07/14/2016
The possible successor to the U.S. military’s iconic Blackhawk helicopter was unveiled Tuesday at the Farnborough International Airshow. Bell Helicopter gave attendees an up-close look at the V-280 Valor, which is part of the Army’s Joint Multi-Role (JMR) program for assessing next-generation aircraft capabilities. Bell teamed up with Lockheed Martin to produce the aircraft’s advanced tiltrotor systems.
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07/14/2016
It's something akin to raising the dead. A troubling shortage of flyable combat aircraft - one military official recently called the air fleet the "smallest, oldest and least ready" in history - is forcing the military to go to its "boneyard." The Marine Corps announced last month it was taking the extreme step of resurrecting 23 F/A-18 Hornets to meet fleet requirements until the new - and much-delayed - F-35 fighter is eventually delivered.
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07/14/2016
The U.S. Army awarded the LONGBOW Limited Liability Company (LLC) an $89.8 million contract to upgrade the Apache attack helicopter’s LONGBOW Fire Control Radar (FCR). The LONGBOW LLC is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman. The contract includes the production of 84 Radar Electronics Units (REUs) as well as software upgrades.
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07/14/2016
Bombardier has provided additional information to the US Air Force following the service’s proposal to sole-source a Gulfstream G550 to fulfill the EC-130H Compass Call’s mission. In May, the air force suggested Gulstream’s jet was the only option which did not require additional development or certification work.
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07/14/2016
Rafael and Northrop Grumman are teaming to offer the former’s Toplite optronic system for the US Marines Corps’ Bell Boeing MV-22 tilt rotor. The two companies teamed to respond to a request for proposals issued for an advanced optronic system that is needed to improve the operational capabilities of the MV-22 in different combat scenarios.
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07/14/2016
Production is under way on the first Embraer A-29 Super Tucanos for the Lebanese Air Force, with delivery to start at the beginning of 2017. In November, the US government agreed a $173 million foreign military sales contract that will see Embraer's US partner Sierra Nevada deliver six of the light-attack turboprops to the Lebanese air force by 2019.
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07/14/2016
French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will return to its mission to combat Daesh terrorist group in Persian Gulf, after undergoing technical maintenance in France, French President Francois Hollande said Wednesday. The head of the country added, that France will boost its assistance to the Iraqi army in the fight for freeing Mosul from terrorists in northern Iraq by sending military instructors to the country.
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07/14/2016
The Netherlands Air Force has received 14 Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods for air-to-ground firepower support, according to Lockheed Martin statementr.
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07/14/2016
In what appears to be a major reversal, the Turkish government has issued a call for improved relations between Iraq and the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad.
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07/14/2016
The Russian Strategic Missile Forces Academy is developing a hypersonic strategic bomber capable of striking with nuclear warheads from outer space, Lt. Col. Aleksei Solodovnikov told RIA Novosti on Wednesday.
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07/13/2016
The initial reports coming into Baghdad’s operations center seemed implausible: A convoy of dozens of Islamic State vehicles were preparing to flee advancing Iraqi forces in Fallujah. A surveillance drone dispatched to the area confirmed the reports. Staff officers gathered around screens and stared incredulously as the numbers of vehicles continued to expand, the militants apparently oblivious to the target they presented from the air.
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07/13/2016
Russia will arm its sixth-generation combat drones with microwave weapons. These weapons, which disable an aircraft’s electronic equipment, already exist today “and can hit targets within a radius of tens of kilometers,” said Vladimir Mikheev, a director of state-owned Russian electronics firm KRET, in an interview with TASS.
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07/13/2016
An international tribunal in The Hague ruled in favor of the Philippines in a maritime dispute Tuesday, concluding China has no legal basis to claim historic rights to the bulk of the South China Sea. Chinese President Xi Jinping rejected the decision by the Permanent Court of Arbitration, which is likely to have lasting implications for the resource-rich hot spot, which sees $5 trillion worth of shipborne trade pass through each year.
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07/13/2016
Lockheed Martin is exploring options to bring its weapons integration expertise to bear on the European S-70 BLACK HAWK helicopters made by Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company. The goal is to produce an armed kit scalable to the requirements of customers that procure BLACK HAWK aircraft direct from Lockheed Martin.
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07/13/2016
Czech manufacturer Aero Vodochody is looking forward to its L-159 light attack aircraft taking part in a Red Flag-series exercise in the USA for the first time. The aircraft is going to be used by contractor Draken International as an aggressor during the exercise, which will pit it against a number of different US Air Force fighters, as well those from other allied forces.
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07/13/2016
Less than two months on from the roll-out of its new-generation Gripen E, Saab is seeing unprecedented interest in its fighter at the show, says chief executive Håkan Buskhe.“So many people are visiting us – we’ve probably never had so many,” Bushke says. “There is extremely strong interest in how we can provide that capability while being so lean,” he adds, noting that the company will complete development of the Gripen E for less than $2 billion.
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07/13/2016
Textron AirLand’s Scorpion jet has emerged as an early contender for a significant military training deal in the UK, with the versatile type to be offered under a new teaming agreement with Qinetiq and Thales. First details of the UK’s Air Support to Defence Operational Training (ASDOT) requirement emerged earlier this year, with a new capability expected to enter use in January 2020.
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07/13/2016
On the same day that the Permanent Court of Arbitration in The Hague ruled against China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, Beijing has commissioned its fourth guided-missile destroyer.
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07/13/2016
Inter-government talks between India and France on the purchase of Rafale fighter planes have hit another major roadblock as France has reportedly proposed an arrangement that India is most likely to reject outright.
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07/13/2016
Russian-made Mi-38 multirole civil helicopters attracted the attention of foreign buyers at Farnborough Airshow in the United Kingdom, the manufacturer said Tuesday.
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07/12/2016
Israel’s top three defense firms are jockeying for a substantial share of an aerospace sector that each believes is bound to surge in coming years: the conversion of heavy utility helicopters to self-defending, multirole combat/transport aircraft. Given the glut of shoulder-fired missiles on the black market and the growing need to move troops in and out of high-threat areas, executives here say demand to upgrade the thousands of heavy transports operating around the globe is set to expand.
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07/12/2016
Russia has offered its nuclear aircraft carrier, dubbed "Storm," to India for purchase, a senior Indian Navy official said. The offer comes as India and the US discuss the transfer of technology for India's future nuclear aircraft carrier, the INS Vishal. A diplomat with the Russian Embassy confirmed that a Russian team visiting India last week made the offer.
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07/12/2016
The Department of Defense announced two initiatives with industry to reduce F-35 Lightning II production and sustainment costs today. The first is a two-year extension of the “Blueprint for Affordability for Production” program announced in 2014, and the second is the creation of a similar concept to reduce the operation and sustainment costs of the F-35 weapon system.
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07/12/2016
Boeing will deliver 50 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters to the British Army under an agreement signed between the U.S. and UK governments, the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD) announced today. The agreement is also a precursor to potential, significant long-term support opportunities for Boeing.
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07/12/2016
Embraer and Boeing [NYSE: BA] have signed a teaming agreement to jointly market and support the KC-390, a multi-mission mobility and aerial refueling aircraft. Under the agreement the companies will together pursue new business opportunities, both for the aircraft itself and for aircraft support and sustainment. Embraer will provide the aircraft while Boeing will be responsible for in-service support.
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07/12/2016
The UK Ministry of Defence has firmed up two expected orders at the Farnborough air show, committing to the purchase of both the Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft and AH-64E Apache attack helicopter. As the show opened, it was announced that an order for nine P-8s that were selected through the UK’s November 2015 Strategic Defence and Security Review has been placed, along with a deal for 50 new-build Apaches: both through foreign military sales with the US government.
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07/12/2016
Raytheon and the US Air Force have started flight testing of the Small Diameter Bomb II’s coordinated attack capability, which uses GPS and anti-jamming to attack static targets from at least 40 miles away. Recent flight tests also employed the SDB II’s normal attack capability, which fires on fixed and moving targets using infrared imaging and millimetre-wave seeker modes, according to Raytheon.
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07/12/2016
Russia will deploy its Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier in the Mediterranean Sea no earlier than October and recent media reports regarding a planned early deployment are false, a source familiar with the matter said Monday.
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07/12/2016
By making this move, the country aims to ensure its military security in the region. Russia's Federal Agency for Special Construction (Spetsstroy) is currently developing infrastructure facilities on military bases and garrisons in the Far North, Far East and Siberia for 20,000 service members, their families and civilians working for the Ministry of Defense.
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07/11/2016
An F-35 fighter pilot says he would be confident flying the Joint Strike Fighter against any enemy in the world, including Russian and Chinese 5th Generation stealth fighters.
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07/11/2016
India is finally taking forward the negotiations with Russia on stalled mega projects to jointly develop a futuristic fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) as well as upgrade its existing Sukhoi- 30MKI jets into 'Super Sukhois' with advanced avionics and weapons.
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07/11/2016
British F-35s will use Airbus technology to help store, distribute and protect encrypted information on the combat jet when it comes into operation in 2018. Airbus Defence and Space has secured a deal to supply what’s known as local key management system (LKMS) technology for the strike aircraft and two other British military aircraft types – the Voyager A330 inflight refuelling jet and Hercules C-130J airlifters – in a deal recently struck with the British Ministry of Defence.
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07/11/2016
Leonardo has introduced a new multi-role variant of its M-346 trainer, which will allow operators to use it as either a trainer or a combat aircraft. The fighter-trainer variant – or M-346FT – development is approximately 24 months from completion. The key differences in the new variant are the weaponry, a tactical datalink and electronic countermeasures equipment.
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07/11/2016
Bell Helicopter is touting its co-developed V-22 tiltrotor for the German air force’s heavylift rotorcraft requirement, despite the programme having largely focused on only two other options to date.
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07/11/2016
Turkish and Italian experts will carry out a joint observation flight over Russia's territory under the Open Skies Treaty this week, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said.
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07/11/2016
The Neuron technology demonstrator will be converted into a series of aircrafts including not only comparable combat drones, but also a future generation unmanned fighter jet.
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07/11/2016
In the face of continued extortion efforts by Lockheed Martin to force the Canadian government to purchase the defective F-35 Lightning fighter jet at a staggering cost of nearly $200 million per unit, Ottawa appears intent on procuring Boeing’s F/A 18E Super Hornet to replace the air force’s aging CF-18 fighter fleet citing lower costs, earlier availability, and higher performance.
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07/11/2016
A $1 billion fighter jet package to Bahrain, Qatar and Kuwait raises a host of concerns that known systematic violators of human rights may turn weapons against their own population or that the weapons may ultimately find their way into the hands of Daesh.
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07/11/2016
The jet crashed in Estahban-Kharameh region of Fars province, near Bakhtegan Lake, the Fars News Agency said citing sources. According to the media, both pilots ejected in time and survived.
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07/10/2016
Russia’s military says one of its helicopters was downed by the Islamic State in Syria, killing two of its airmen. The incident highlights the continued threat to low-flying aircraft posed by IS.
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07/10/2016
European authorities have certified an interim fix for a power gearbox issue with engines on Airbus Group SE's (AIR.PA) A400M transport aircraft, paving the way for countries to resume normal operations of the planes, company officials said on Saturday. "It's good news. It means that we're going to be alleviating the pain of the nations sooner," Fernando Alonso, president of Airbus Military Aircraft, told Reuters. "It means they will essentially be able to use the aircraft normally again."
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07/10/2016
The General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark was a low-altitude strike plane born out of a shotgun wedding between competing Air Force and Navy requirements—with Defense Secretary McNamara as the minister. Despite its troubled adolescence, it grew into a capable high-tech night bomber that lasted decades in service, noted for its sleekly elegant profile.
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07/10/2016
China’s PLA Navy has launched its largest ever live fire drill in the South China Sea just days before the Permanent Court of Arbitration at The Hague is set to issue a ruling over the Philippines’ case brought against Beijing’s South China Sea claims.
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07/10/2016
Russia supplied Iraq with a new batch of the Mi-28NE "Night Hunter" military helicopters, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said on Saturday. The statement also stressed that these helicopters "made a significant contribution in the [Iraqi] land forces' fight against Daesh and the victory [over terrorists] in several operations."
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07/10/2016
After its successful use during Russia’s aerial campaign in Syria, the Sukhoi Su-34 fighter bomber is now set to carry even better weapons than those that made it the jihadist terrorists’ worst nightmare, Zvezda TV reported.
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07/09/2016
The Chinese navy conducted combat drills near its southern island province of Hainan and the Paracel islands in the South China Sea, the Ministry of Defence said on Saturday. The drills come ahead of a July 12 ruling by the Hague-based Permanent Court of Arbitration on a case brought by the Philippines disputing several of China's territory claims in the South China Sea.
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07/09/2016
Bell Boeing Joint Project Office has received a $73 million U.S. Navy contract for the manufacture and delivery of one CV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft. The job is expected to be completed by February 2020. Work will be performed in Texas, Pennsylvania, New York, Utah, California, Canada, Arizona, the U.K., Washington, Georgia, New Mexico, Michigan, Vermont and North Carolina, as well as at various locations inside and outside the U.S.
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07/09/2016
The Direction Générale de l’Armement flew on July 6 the first sea trials of the Neuron technology demonstrator for a combat drone with the Charles de Gaulle aircraft carrier, a spokesman for the defense procurement office said. The demonstrator for an unmanned combat aerial vehicle flew out at sea for “about an hour” at some 1,000 feet, flying both with and without Rafale fighter jets, the spokesman said.
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07/09/2016
The Lockheed Martin F-35B advanced short take-off and vertical landing aircraft will make its debut at this year’s Farnborough International Air Show. The last combat aircraft in this class to premiere at Farnborough was the Yakovlev Yak-41 (Yak-141) Freestyle more than 20 years ago. How times have changed.
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07/09/2016
A Royal Air Force official has revealed that the UK has not ruled out acquiring a mixed fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35s, as the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B that is currently contracted carries out its first display to the British public.
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07/09/2016
Lockheed Martin may decide to move the industrial participation that Canada currently benefits from on the F-35 to another programme partner if Ottawa decides against acquiring the Lightning II, the company says.
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07/09/2016
Boeing will help the U.S. Air Force train its KC-46 Pegasus maintenance personnel for the next seven years under a new $78 million contract, which includes contract options. Under the agreement, Boeing will install maintenance training systems at two Air Force bases.
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07/09/2016
Boeing and Mahindra Defence Systems today formally opened a center in Gurgaon to provide C-17 training services to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Once fully operational, the new center will be capable of conducting local and multi-site simulations for added realism and more robust training.
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07/09/2016
Canada will lead a multinational military force that includes a frigate, a battlegroup and up to six combat aircraft as part of the NATO enhanced ‘forward presence’ in Eastern Europe, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said in a press release on Friday.
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07/09/2016
Enforcing the no-fly zone in Syria that Hillary Clinton advocates would require the destruction of Russia's anti-aircraft missiles in the Arab republic which could lead to military escalation, speaker at ongoing Counter-NATO Summit in Warsaw Joseph Gerson of the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC) organization told Sputnik.
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07/09/2016
The head of Air Combat Command said Thursday the Air Force would likely declare the F-35A combat-ready within the “leading edge” of the August through December window for initial operating capability.
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07/08/2016
Russia’s accident-prone aircraft carrier is set to be put to the test — if it gets there. Its history of embarrassing breakdowns may see an anticipated mission to Syria backfire. The aircraft carrier is the largest leftover of the Soviet era’s Cold War still active in the Russian navy. Now Russian government news agency Tass has declared the warship will be sent into the Mediterranean to conduct air strikes against insurgents and Islamic State in Syria between October and January.
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07/08/2016
Lockheed Martin Corp. is in the final stages of negotiations with the Pentagon to conclude a multibillion-dollar contract for the next batch of stealthy F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jets after months of protracted talks, a senior company official said Thursday.
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07/08/2016
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a five-year contract extension worth approximately $504.3 million by the Government of Canada to provide In Service Support (ISS) for the Royal Canadian Air Force’s (RCAF) fleet of 17 C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, known in Canada as the CC-130J.
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07/08/2016
The Russian aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi has declared a flight test milestone for the T-50, before handing over the fifth-generation fighter to the Russian government for additional testing.
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07/08/2016
The Canadian government is consulting industry representatives on a replacement for its CF-18 fighters, as the new Liberal administration steps away from the controversial Lockheed Martin F-35 programme.
(Read More...)
07/08/2016
Lockheed Martin’s F-35B is due to embark on a third phase of ship-based developmental testing (DT) in October, the final step before it begins qualification trials on the UK’s Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier.
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07/08/2016
The four-engined jet was inducted during a ceremony in Chengdu, according to China’s defence ministry. "The Y-20 entering into service marks a crucial step for the Air Force improving its strategic power projection capability," says Air Force spokesperson Shen Jinke.
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07/08/2016
As the world awaits the ruling on the territorial dispute between Beijing and Manila in the South China Sea, US analysts predict how China will react if an international court at the Hague rules for the Philippines.
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07/08/2016
The US Air Force fleet aged due to budget cuts may negatively affect the ability of the forces to perform their combat tasks, US Air Force Maj. Gen. Scott West said.
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07/07/2016
China on Wednesday inducted its largest indigenously-built transport aircraft Y-20, a breakthrough in military aviation technology for the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) that allows the world’s largest force to transport cargo and troops over long distances in diverse weather conditions.
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07/07/2016
Two Swiss combat jets were scrambled this morning to escort an El Al Israel Airlines Ltd. (TASE: ELAL) plane following a bomb scare. The crew of flight 002 inspected the plane's passengers and contents without any indications of a bomb and the flight landed at 1 pm at Ben Gurion Airport.
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07/07/2016
France has quietly insisted that an $8.9 billion government-to-government (G2G) deal with India be signed before a 50 percent offset deal for Rafale fighters is finalized, according to a French Embassy source in India.
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07/07/2016
The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is the biggest ship in the Russian navy and the most visible symbol of the Kremlin's military power. This October, she will travel to the Mediterranean and carry out air strikes in Syria, according to a report from the Moscow-based Tass news agency.
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07/07/2016
Boeing delivered three H-47 Chinooks to the Australian Army, only 85 days after receiving the order, thanks to excellent cooperation with Australia and the U.S. Army. The deliveries increase Australia’s CH-47F Chinook fleet to 10, all of which were delivered early.
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07/07/2016
Russia is ready for dialogue with individual NATO members to improve the mechanisms of preventing incidents at sea and in the air, Russian envoy to the Western military alliance Alexander Grushko said Wednesday.
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07/07/2016
Canada needs to upgrade its fighter jets fleet as it is unable to meet concurrently its obligations to NATO and the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan said in a press conference on Wednesday.
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07/06/2016
The Italian Air Force has completed the first fuel transfer from a KC-767A tanker aircraft to T-346A and FT-339C jet trainers. The in-flight refuelling was conducted between jet trainers belonging to the 61st Wing at Galatina near Lecce and tanker aircraft from 14th Wing at Pratica di Mare, near Rome.
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07/06/2016
The aircraft carrier Admiral Kuznetsov is the biggest ship in the Russian navy and the most visible symbol of the Kremlin’s military power. This October, she will travel to the Mediterranean and carry out air strikes in Syria, according to a report from the Moscow-based Tass news agency.
(Read More...)
07/06/2016
The first of Britain's next-generation stealth fighters touched down in the U.K. for the first time, the Royal Air Force announced Thursday. The F-35B Lightning II was flown by RAF pilot and Squadron Leader Hugh Nichols across the Atlantic Ocean, accompanied by two U.S. Marine Corps F-35Bs, the RAF said in statement.
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07/06/2016
Coalition forces fighting the Islamic State group in northern Syria destroyed one of their own combat drones Tuesday after the unmanned aircraft crashed, the US Air Force said.
The MQ-9 Reaper — the armed version of the Predator drone — crashed while flying a combat mission after remote pilots lost “positive control” of the aircraft, the Air Force said in a statement.
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07/06/2016
Flying close to ground troops in combat in hostile and high-threat conditions requires a host of unique attributes for an aircraft -- such as flying slow and low to the ground, absorbing some degree of small arms fire and having an ability to quickly maneuver in response to fast-changing ground combat conditions.
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07/06/2016
GE Aviation has secured a $1bn contract to continue developing the three-stream adaptive cycle engine for the US Air Force Life Cycle Management Center (AFLCMC). The company will develop the engine under the USAF's Adaptive Engine Transition Programme (AETP).
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07/06/2016
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu suggested Thursday that Israel is looking into buying US-made next generation vertical takeoff aircrafts.
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07/05/2016
A UK Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft with full Phase 3 Enhancement (P3E) weapons is set to participate in this year's Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) and Farnborough International Air Show. To be flown by BAE Systems experimental test pilot Nat Makepeace, Typhoon will carry four Meteor beyond visual range air-to-air missiles, two Brimstone 2 low collateral precision strike weapons, two ASRAAM missiles and two Paveway IV laser guided precision weapons.
(Read More...)
07/05/2016
India’s ministry of defence (MOD) has issued a combined tri-service requirement for the acquisition of up to 150, medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAVs.
(Read More...)
07/05/2016
According to annual report, Russia's Irkut aircraft manufacturer will finish the deliveries of 14 Sukhoi Su-30MKA multirole fighters to Algeria in 2017.
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07/05/2016
According to the Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer, flight tests of Russia's Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation fighter aircraft are at the final stage.
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07/05/2016
According to Sukhoi aircraft manufacturer, Russia will start serial production and deliveries of the Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation fighter aircraft to the country's Aerospace Forces in 2018.
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07/04/2016
Beijing announced the manoeuvres will be held in waters between its southernmost territory, Hainan island, and the contested Paracel Islands from July 5 to 11. International shipping and aircraft are prohibited from entering the waters during that time.
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07/04/2016
France has offered to invest EUR 1 billion to revive India's combat jet engine project, proposing a joint development plan that could see the stalled 'Kaveri' gas turbine powering indigenous Tejas fighters by 2020.
(Read More...)
07/04/2016
?he head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said that the United States and Canada will carry out an observation flight over Russia's territory under the Open Skies Treaty.
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07/04/2016
During a meeting with Finnish President Niinisto on Friday, the two leaders engaged in a frank discussion on how best to ensure peace in the region leading to historic steps by both sides. If Finland were to join NATO, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday during an official state visit that his country would be forced to reposition its troops to guard against the specter of NATO hostility.
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07/04/2016
The indigenous jet comes in at about one-tenth of the unit cost of an American made fighter jet with combat specifics that wowed the India’s most venerable fighter pilots. "It is comparable and on par with any fourth generation fighter aircraft you have in the world," said Madhav Rangachari, the Commanding Officer of the Indian Air Force squadron 'Flying Daggers 45.'
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07/02/2016
Chinese military activity near islands covered under the U.S.-Japan defense treaty resulted in a record number of Japanese fighter aircraft responses in recent months, Japan Defense Ministry officials say. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force scrambled jets against Chinese aircraft about 200 combined times in April through June, compared with 114 incidents during the same period last year, defense officials told broadcaster NHK during a news conference Thursday.
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07/02/2016
The aircraft was carrying out a training task and the pilot managed to eject himself, a source told Sputnik.
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07/02/2016
Score one for the combat geeks, after the news broke this week that a computer defeated a human fighter pilot in a virtual dogfight. For years, there has been a debate between those who sees drones as the inevitable future of air combat, and those who insist that a human must always be in the cockpit. But the drone crowd received a boost after researchers devised an artificial intelligence, or AI, that bested a human pilot in aerial combat.
(Read More...)
07/02/2016
Russian Helicopters delivered two Mil Mi-17V5 rotorcraft to Serbia on 28 June, marking the first delivery of a new rotary type to the country’s air force in 25 years.
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07/02/2016
US Department of Defense spokesman Peter Cook said that US-led coalition forces have conducted an airstrike in the Iraqi city of Mosul, resulting in the deaths of two senior military commanders of Daesh.
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07/02/2016
Russia's Rostvertol plant, manufacturing military and commercial helicopters, plans to supply domestic and foreign customers with over 120 Mi-28NE attack helicopters and multirole Mi-35M helicopters in 2016-2018, the company said in its annual report for 2015.
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07/02/2016
Tejas, which has been in the making for almost 30 years, was inducted into the 45 squadron nicknamed “Flying Daggers.” Initially, two aircraft have been handed over to the IAF by the state-owned manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) along with a trainer. The fighter jet was jointly developed the HAL and the Aeronautical Development Agency.
(Read More...)
07/01/2016
U.S. Air Force officials for the first time said publicly how they’re planning to use the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in a war with China. The bottom line: a lot needs to change in the way the Air Force uses its warplanes in battle.
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07/01/2016
The (eventual) retirement of the A-10 Warthog has been a challenging issue for the Air Force. The original plan to replace the A-10 entirely with F-35 has fallen by the wayside, buttressed by the reality that the extended combat deployments undergone by the fighter/attack force were never envisioned when the F-35 plan was hatched. Twenty-five years of continuous conflict, most of it irregular in nature, has highlighted the utility of a relatively slow, heavily armed multirole aircraft.
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07/01/2016
Israel has entered the 'age of the fifth generation combat aircraft'. Its first F-35I 'Adir' was rolled out at Lockheed-Martin's facility in Ft. Worth, Texas. Israel's new Minister of Defense, Avigdor Liberman, attended, and the Israeli media was filled with superlatives: 'deadlier than any other plane', 'it will change the Middle East' and so forth.
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07/01/2016
The US Air Force has awarded two five-year development contracts to GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney worth up to $1 billion each to continue development of a next-generation military jet engine and prepare for an anticipated competition in the early 2020s for the chance to power a new combat aircraft and possibly re-engine the Lockheed Martin F-35.
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07/01/2016
The Lockheed Martin’s F-35’s newest snag doesn’t come from a technological issue, but an international policy problem, according to the director of the US Air Force’s F-35A Integration Office.
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07/01/2016
With its advanced boom refuelling system for the A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) having achieved full operational capability, Airbus Defence & Space has turned its attention to trialling an automatic mode for the fly-by-wire controlled structure.
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07/01/2016
With rising security concerns in Turkey, the US military is taking steps to bar civilian staffers and military families from traveling to country. In its fight against Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State, the United States has relied on Incirlik air base in southern Turkey. As the country becomes increasingly vulnerable to terrorist attacks, however, the Obama administration has become increasingly concerned with safety.
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07/01/2016
The Russian Helicopters company on Thursday announced that it had supplied the fourth Mi-26TS heavy transport helicopter to China. The Mi-26TS is an export version of the Mil Mi-26T helicopter. Russian Helicopters signed the supply contract with China's Lectern Aviation Supplies Co Ltd in 2014. China has been operating three such helicopters to date.
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07/01/2016
Russian Ambassador to Iran Levan Dzhagaryan expressed hope on Thursday that Russia would complete the supply of S-300 air defense systems to Iran by the end of 2016.
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06/30/2016
Qatar and Nigeria have become the latest buyers of the Super Mushshak basic trainer produced by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) at Kamra. Pakistan media reported the number sold to Nigeria as 10 but did not disclose the quantity for Qatar. Other countries that have been listed as customers are Iran, Oman, Saudi Arabia and South Africa.
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06/30/2016
The defence ministry is moving fast to end the critical shortage of fighter jets in the Indian Air Force (IAF) which has been decommissioning squadrons flying MIG-21s that have been in service for over 50 years.
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06/30/2016
The Air Force introduced the first of 21 fully built HH-60G Pave Hawk Operational Loss Replacement (OLR) helicopters June 28 at a ceremony in Huntsville, Alabama. The HH-60G is used to conduct combat search and rescue operations. The OLR program will restore the service’s HH-60G fleet to its authorized size, replacing aircraft lost in nearly 15 years of deployed combat operations since 9/11.
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06/30/2016
Service members from the 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing led the first off-station deployment exercise of seven Lockheed Martin-built F-35A Lightning II units that works to meet initial operational capability targets within the year.
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06/30/2016
Gabon is considering whether to bring an elderly B-model variant of the Lockheed Martin C-130 back to flyable condition, in order to double the size of its air force’s transport fleet.
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06/30/2016
Two years after the US Marine Corps' planned first transatlantic crossing with the short take-off and vertical landing F-35B was thwarted by an engine fire, a trio of the jets have touched down at RAF Fairford in the UK.
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06/30/2016
Rafael will supply 164 examples of its Litening targeting pod to the Indian air force, for use on four types of combat aircraft including New Delhi’s Sukhoi Su-30 fighters. Guy Oren, director of Rafael's electro-optical systems unit, says the pods will be delivered in the next couple of years.
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06/30/2016
Embraer is to give its developmental KC-390 tanker/transport an international debut at the Farnborough air show, ahead of a multi-national promotional tour for the jet-powered type.
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06/30/2016
MBDA’s Storm Shadow cruise missile has been used by the Royal Air Force in the campaign against Islamic State militants in Iraq for the first time, with the weapon having been deployed by Panavia Tornado GR4s operating from its Akrotiri base in Cyprus.
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06/29/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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06/29/2016
Defense leaders from both sides of the Atlantic scrambled this week to play down the impact of Britain's decision to leave the European Union, saying the United States' closest military relationship would be sheltered from the upheaval that may lie ahead. A British official said the United Kingdom remains committed to its membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and will continue to partner with the United States against the Islamic State and other shared threats.
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06/29/2016
Jaysh Al-Islam announced that it has destroyed a helicopter belonging to the Syrian regime in eastern Ghouta and shot down another war plane near the Seine Airport in eastern Qalmoun with an OSA launcher system. The spokesman for Jaysh Al-Islam Islam Alloush said that this is “a message that military action will continue until the regime is overthrown”.
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06/29/2016
Russia will not be able to showcase its military prowess during the upcoming Farnborough airshow to be held from 15 July to 20 July 2016. Reliable sources told defenseworld.net Tuesday that Russian companies such as United Aircraft Corporation and Rosoboronexport will not be allowed to display their warplanes during the Farnborough airshow to be held in the U.K next month.
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06/29/2016
Advanced missile technology that went into Russia's deadly S-400 Triumf missile defense system is powering the South Korean ballistic and air defense missile programs. Partly in response to North Korea's deployment of nuclear missiles and submarines, Seoul has beefed up its armaments industry with generous doses of Russian technology. Among the most critical projects are a submarine-launched ballistic missile and the M-SAM Cheolmae-2 medium- to long-range surface-to-air missile.
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06/29/2016
A top Chinese newspaper has slammed the U.S. for deploying two aircraft carriers along with their accompanying ships to the Philippine Sea to conduct training drills near the South China Sea. “The U.S. picked the wrong target in playing this trick on China,” said The People’s daily in a commentary on June 22. The newspaper belongs to the country’s ruling Communist Party.
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06/29/2016
The F35 Lightning II, due in today from the USA, will make its debut at two major shows this summer – the Royal International Air Tattoo on July 8 and the Farnborough air show the week after. The rear fuselage of every F-35 Lightning II aircraft built are manufactured and assembled at BAE Systems facility in Samlesbury.
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06/29/2016
Warships from a record 26 nations — including the United States and China — converge near Hawaii this week for a five-week series of exercises to promote international security, goodwill and cooperation on the high seas. Well, good luck with that. The massive Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) war games will take place amid increasing tension and competition in waters of the Asia-Pacific region and will include warships from at least seven nations with competing claims or interests in the region.
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06/29/2016
The Air Force introduced the first of 21 fully built HH-60G Pave Hawk Operational Loss Replacement (OLR) helicopters June 28 at a ceremony in Huntsville, Alabama. The HH-60G is used to conduct combat search and rescue operations. The OLR program will restore the service’s HH-60G fleet to its authorized size, replacing aircraft lost in nearly 15 years of deployed combat operations since 9/11.
(Read More...)
06/29/2016
Russia supplied Iraq with a new batch of Mi-28NE "Night Hunter" military helicopters, the Iraqi Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. "These helicopters will make a great contribution in support of ground forces in their operations aimed at targeting terrorist positions and destroying [their] armoured vehicle packed with explosives," the ministry said in a statement published on its website.
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06/28/2016
The Afghan government is mulling to purchase aircraft and other military equipment from Russia, it has been reported. The Russian Ambassador to Afghanistan Alexandar Mantytskiy has said the Afghan deputy foreign minister Hekmat Khalil Karzai has shared the issue with his Russian counterpart Igor V. Morgulov.
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06/28/2016
Two years after its aborted international debut in the UK, the F-35 Lightning II is set to finally turn up in force for the upcoming Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) and the Farnborough Air Show next month. The US Defense Department and aircraft prime Lockheed Martin are making up for the no-show in 2014, which was caused by engine troubles, with as many as five jets arriving in the UK to display at the back-to-back aviation shows.
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06/28/2016
The first off-station deployment exercise for the F-35A Lightning II confirmed that the Air Force’s newest fighter jet is on track to reach initial operational capability later this year. A declaration of IOC means the F-35A will be combat ready. Seven F-35A aircraft and 181 personnel from Hill’s active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing pushed the aircraft to its limits at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, during the training June 6-17.
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06/28/2016
The McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II is a legendary aircraft?—?an icon of the Vietnam War and the archetype of the third-generation jet fighter designs that entered service in the 1960s. More than 5,000 of these heavy supersonic fighters were built, and hundreds continue to serve and even see combat in several air forces today.
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06/28/2016
The Indian Air Force plans to put much-delayed Tejas in combat role by next year after raising in July the first squadron of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft which it counts "superior" to Pakistan's JF 17 fighters. State-run HAL will hand over the first two Tejas aircraft to Indian Air Force (IAF) on July 1 which will make up the 'Flying Daggers 45', the name of the first squadron of the LCA which will be based in Bangalore for the first two years before being moved to Sulur in Tamil Nadu.
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06/28/2016
A turbine-based combined cycle (TBCC) propulsion system to enable routine hypersonic flight by a vehicle that can take-off and land from a runway is back on the agenda at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) after a five-year hiatus.
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06/28/2016
An Indian air force Sukhoi Su-30 MKI aircraft has carried a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile aloft for the first time, a key milestone toward the eventual deployment of the capability. The twin-seat aircraft carried the 2,500kg missile during a 45 minute sortie from the Hindustan Aeronautics airport in Bengaluru, said the Indian aerospace firm in a statement.
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06/28/2016
In its push for full independence, Taipei looks to the Obama administration for support, a move that could result in a catastrophic war. On Monday, Taiwan announced plans to test-fire the newly acquired US-made Patriot Advanced Capability-3 (PAC-3) missile defense shield next month amid heightened tensions with China.
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06/28/2016
Russian military analyst Vladimir Tuchkov sorts through Russian and US Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) platforms, laying out the two countries' capabilities and offering insights into the future trajectory of the development of Russian systems.
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06/27/2016
Are China’s claims and actions in the South China Sea violations of international law? As early as by the end of this month, a court of arbitration in The Hague is expected to hand down the first ruling on the issue in a case initiated by the Philippines based on the U.N. Convention on the Law of the Sea. The struggle between China and the international community over the “rule of law” is about to get into full swing.
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06/27/2016
After decades of financial and technological strangulation, the Iranian air force—at one time among the most advanced in the world—finally has an opportunity to modernize and potentially become a serious aerial opponent for the United States and other rivals.
The gradual lifting of international sanctions on Iran that began in January—a reward for Tehran agreeing to scrap its nuclear program—means the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force could, in theory, buy new jet fighters.
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06/27/2016
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF), has concluded arrangement to acquire 10 super mesh training aircraft from Pakistan Air Force to boost the country’s security. The Chief of Air Staff (CAS), Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, made the disclosure on Saturday at the graduation of Student Pilot Course (SPC) 41B in Kaduna. He said that the aircraft would be inducted into the 301 Flying Training School, Kaduna.
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06/27/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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06/27/2016
The US Defence Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has launched its Advanced Full Range Engine (AFRE) program to develop an aircraft propulsion system that could operate over the full range of speeds required from low-speed take-off through hypersonic flight.
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06/27/2016
Russian Aerospace Forces will receive six S-400 Triumph air defense missile systems in 2016, Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Sunday. "The industry is reaching its full capacity, so this year we will receive six S-400, and next year, we won't slow down the pace as well," Bondarev said.
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06/26/2016
The capability risks that the United States Navy took in the immediate aftermath of the Cold War are coming back to haunt the service as Russia, China and Iran seek to challenge American forces at sea. Increasingly, rival powers are challenging American sea control—something that the U.S. Navy has not encountered since the implosion of the once mighty Soviet Navy in 1991.
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06/26/2016
How long will it be before American and Russia jets dogfight in the skies over Syria? That possibility seems more likely after the latest in a string of confrontations between American and Russian aircraft. Earlier this month, Russian aircraft bombing U.S.-backed rebels fighting ISIS and the Syrian government almost confronted U.S. Navy fighters, according to the Los Angeles Times.
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06/25/2016
U.S. warplanes in Afghanistan have launched airstrikes against Taliban targets in recent days under new authority granted to the top commander there to help Afghan forces achieve “catastrophic success,” Defense officials said.
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06/25/2016
The following article originally published at the Conference of Defence Associations Institute. It is republished with permission. It may be read in its original form here. CDA Institute guest contributor Peter Layton, a Visiting Fellow at the Griffith Asia Institute in Queensland Australia, offers his thoughts on Canada’s potential plan to acquire Super Hornets as a bridging capability.
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06/25/2016
Cool GoPro footage shot by 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons during Arctic Fighter Meet 2016. From May 23 to 27, the 48th Fighter Wing from RAF Lakenheath, trained alongside the Norwegian, Swedish and Finnish air forces during exercise Arctic Fighter Meet 2016. Seven jets (F-15C and F-15E) from the 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons deployed to Bodø airbase, Norway, to conduct BFM (basic fighter maneuvers) and DACT (Dissimilar Air Combat Training) to improve combined air operations.
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06/25/2016
The Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) Peace Carvin V’s (PC V) F-15SG fighter detachment topped a week-long Gunfighter Flag exercise in Idaho, United States in April, clinching the Overall Best Squadron award. It competed alongside teams from air bases in the US, as well as RSAF PC II’s F-16 detachment in the quarterly-held exercise. Other external units from the United States Navy, Air National Guard and United States Marine Corps were also invited to participate.
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06/25/2016
A squadron of the indigenously designed and built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas will be commissioned and thereafter join the ranks of frontline jets like Sukhoi 30MKI, Jaguar, Mirage 2000 among others in securing the Indian airspace.
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06/25/2016
The Islamic State group is about to feel the sting of this 27-year-old gator as it heads out on its first major deployment in more than a decade. The amphibious assault Wasp is back in the fight. For the first time in 11 years, the Wasp will deploy to the Middle East with two other aging vessels: the dock landing ship Whidbey Island and the amphibious transport dock San Antonio. The three ships in the amphibious ready group have a combined age of 68 years.
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06/25/2016
About 1,000 units of indigenously manufactured multi-function display (MFD) for installation in India's frontline Sukhoi 30 MKI fighter aircraft has been handed over to state-run HAL. The displays were manufactured by Samtel HAL Display Systems (SHDS), a joint venture between Samtel Avionics and Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL).
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06/25/2016
Russian engineers are working to adapt the all-new Zagon-2 antisubmarine corrected air bomb for use by Mi-14 helicopters, RIA Novosti wrote citing Techmash Concern’s CEO Sergei Rusakov.
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06/24/2016
Saber Strike 16, this year’s iteration of a long-standing U.S. Army Europe-led cooperative training exercise, brought together 14 NATO Allies and regional partners to train alongside one another and enhance the relationships that are essential to successful future operations. Integration of air and ground operations is a major point of emphasis in the exercise.
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06/24/2016
One week after Russian aircraft bombed American-backed rebels in Syria, U.S. officials say they are still waiting for Russia to explain the incident that has put the two militaries at risk of confrontation. Russian aircraft on June 16 dropped cluster bombs on a New Syrian Army unit garrisoned at a base in al-Tanf, a remote desert outpost where the borders of Iraq, Syria and Jordan meet.
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06/24/2016
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics rolled out its first F-35 bound for Israel Wednesday where the sleek stealth fighter is so greatly anticipated it is known as "Adir," Hebrew for mighty, powerful and great. Israeli Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman was among the foreign, state and local dignitaries at Lockheed's complex in west Fort Worth to see the F-35 unveiled and then described as the weapon that will become the backbone of Israel's security needs far into the 21st century.
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06/24/2016
The Marine Corps is moving towards a future in which small dispersed units can protect themselves from incoming enemy drones with laser weapons and from missiles and aircraft with Stinger missiles, with both weapons netted into a detection system and mounted atop Humvees, Joint Light Tactical Vehicles and other combat vehicles.
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06/24/2016
With most of its F/A-18 strike fighters unable to fly on any given day, the Marine Corps is resurrecting 23 Hornets from the “boneyard” and getting another seven aircraft from the Navy.
The move comes as the Marine Corps and Navy struggle to keep F/A-18s in the skies until the F-35 joint strike fighter can replace the services’ aging aircraft.
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06/24/2016
By all rights, the Airbus Defence & Space A400M should be a soar-away success story in both the domestic and export markets – but at the moment the programme is looking dangerously vulnerable.
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06/24/2016
India’s defence ministry is considering the acquisition of an additional batch of BAE Systems Hawk advanced jet trainers. New Delhi indicates it could purchase as many as 30 examples of the Mk132 variant, which would be licence-built by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL).
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06/24/2016
Airbus Defence & Space is eyeing a potential opportunity for European industry to develop a next-generation combat aircraft to replace the German air force’s Panavia Tornado fleet post-2030.
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06/24/2016
Lockheed Martin today announced the CH-53K King Stallion successfully completed an external lift of a 27,000 pound payload at Sikorsky’s Development Flight Test Center in West Palm Beach, Fla.
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06/24/2016
Russian enterprises within the Techmash group are working on the modernization of the helicopter mine dispensing system for the Mil Mi-8 and Mi-17, the group's general director, Sergey Rusakov, said Thursday.
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06/23/2016
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg condemned on Wednesday recent launches of ballistic missiles by North Korea. Earlier in the day, South Korean media reported that North Korea appeared to have test-fired another medium-range ballistic missile, a second one on Wednesday.
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06/22/2016
At least 15 Boko Haram terrorists have been killed in Borno State, North-East Nigeria after the Nigeria Air Force (NAF) carried out its first major air campaign in the region. The operation was carried out under the recently launched ‘Operation Gama-Aiki’ mission. An Alpha Jet bombed the convoy of the militants in the northern part of Borno state, officials said.
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06/22/2016
India’s 36 rafale fighter deliveries may be delayed further if Egypt opts to purchase 12 Rafale optional under the contract signed with France in February 2015. In the wake of the visit of French President François Hollande in Egypt in April this year , negotiations between the Egyptian army and Dassault Aviation have started to purchase twelve Rafale optional under the last year’s contract, La Tribune reported quoting sources as saying last week.
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06/22/2016
The state-sponsored television channel RT aired footage of a Russian combat aircraft carrying cluster munitions in Syria at the Khmeimim Air Base. In a news report about Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu’s visit to the airbase on June 18, RT broadcast images of RBK-500 ZAB 2.5SM incendiary cluster bombs, say independent researchers.
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06/22/2016
Assuming its planned appearance at the Farnborough International Airshow goes ahead, the Lockheed Martin F-35 will be the most significant new military aircraft to be seen in the skies of southern England for many years. It has been a long wait for British eyes, the nation being the first overseas partner to sign up to the Joint Strike Fighter program, as it became. Britain joined following the signing of a government-to-government memorandum of understanding way back in 1995.
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06/22/2016
Since World War II, the sine qua non of maritime power has been the carrier strike group, that assemblage of warships and other assets which together comprise the floating fortress that is the king of combat sea power. The Chinese People’s Liberation Army–Navy (PLAN) is in the process of building its carrier strike group, although it currently only possesses one carrier still in the process of training aircraft operations.
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06/22/2016
Aircraft Carriers, specifically American aircraft carriers, seem to be taking quite a thrashing these days in the press. Some claim they are old and obsolete—no better than all of those expensive Battleships at the end of World War II—destined for the scrapper. Others argue they are undefendable, thanks to the proliferation of ballistic and cruise missiles all over the globe—heck, even non-state actors can get their hands on such weapons these days.
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06/22/2016
Norway has revealed a proposed defence spending plan that allows for the acquisition of a new maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) to replace its six-strong fleet of Lockheed P-3 Orions. Presented to parliament on 17 June, the white paper recommends a gradual rise in the nation’s defence budget over the 2017-2020 period to result in a NKr7.2 billion ($870 million) increase over 2016 levels.
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06/22/2016
South Korea claims that the North has fired another mid-range ballistic missile, its second of the day. Officials with South Korea's Defense Ministry said earlier that Pyongyang had conducted a failed launch, with the missile falling into the Sea of Japan.
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06/22/2016
Egypt’s Mistral-class helicopter carrier delivered from France is taking part in military exercises, which are jointly conducted by the French and Egyptian navies in the Mediterranean Sea.
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06/22/2016
These days not an hour goes by without an aircraft, piloted or not, traversing the skies above Iraq and Syria. Damascus-led forces and their allies, including Russia, as well as France, Israel, Jordan, Turkey, the UK and the US have been spotted using an array of drones in their counterterrorism efforts. Daesh is not excluded as well.
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06/21/2016
There have been several close encounters between Russian and U.S. and allied manned and unmanned aircraft over Syria since Moscow deployed a contingent of combat planes to Latakia, in northwestern Syria, at the end of September 2015. On Oct. 10, 2015, a Russian Su-30SM had close encounter with an unspecified U.S. combat plane supporting Operation Inherent Resolve.
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06/21/2016
The commander of US troops in Europe says Nato cannot rapidly deploy large forces to Eastern Europe in the way that Russia can. Lt-Gen Ben Hodges was speaking to the BBC's Hardtalk programme during large Nato exercises in north-western Poland. "The Russians are able to move huge formations and lots of equipment a long distance very fast," he said.
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06/21/2016
The Israeli Air Force (IAF) will be forever revolutionized in the coming months. Global defense and advanced technologies manufacturer Lockheed Martin plans to unveil the first of the fifth-generation fighter jets in the F-35 Lightning II series, one of the world’s most advanced stealth fighter jets, on Wednesday. The Israeli defense establishment has said the new plane is a true game changer for the Jewish state as it will make Israel unique in all aerial capabilities against its enemies.
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06/21/2016
Former prime minister Brian Mulroney says the Trudeau government should choose the very best fighter jet to confront the growing threat from Russia as he urged Canada to play a more forceful role within NATO and the United Nations. In a prepared text for a major foreign policy speech to the NATO Association of Canada on Monday night, Mr. Mulroney warned that Russian President Vladimir Putin is attempting to create a new Eurasian union dependent on Moscow.
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06/21/2016
The Navy just concluded the multi-day deployment of two carrier strike groups to the Philippine Sea, a rare move that comes at a sensitive time ahead of an international tribunal’s ruling on territorial claims by China and other nations in the nearby South China Sea.
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06/21/2016
Sikorsky company PZL Mielec used NATO’s multi-national exercise Anakonda to debut an armed version of the S-70i Black Hawk in mid-June. On display in Drawsko Pomorskie, Poland, the rotorcraft attracted visitors including Polish defence minister Antoni Macierewicz.
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06/21/2016
In 2017, the Marine Corps will 3D print certain parts for their most sought after rotorcraft. Naval Air Systems Command officials announced earlier this month that they plan to print roll out parts for the new CH-53K King, H-1, MV-22B Osprey, and light/attack Helicopters, including the AH-1Z Viper, as well as the Stallion, which is still in the early phases of production.
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06/21/2016
The first two Xian Y-20 military transport aircraft have been delivered to the Chinese air force, officially making it the largest military plane currently in production. Earlier this month, Zhu Qian, head of the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) indicated that Beijing intends to purchase a vast fleet of heavy transport aircraft, in addition to new stealth fighters.
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06/21/2016
Baku and Ankara are holding joint military drills in Turkey, the Azerbaijan Defense Ministry said Monday. "According to the military plan of bilateral cooperation, Azerbaijan and Turkey launched the ISIK-2016 military drills," a press release from the ministry reads.
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06/20/2016
Finally responding in public to shrinking demand for its new A400M military transport, AirBus executives admitted that they screwed up and recently provided details. AirBus said the main problems were with the engines it selected for the A400M. These came from an inexperienced supplier and AirBus was late in realizing how bad the problems were. There were many lesser problems, mainly with not adding features users needed if they were to replace existing C-130s and similar transports with the A40
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06/20/2016
Ten years after Second Lebanon War, Hezbollah is armed with surface to air missiles and a vast rocket arsenal, and the fifth-generation aircraft will be key in helping the IAF tackle these threats.
(Read More...)
06/20/2016
Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems today celebrated the foundation laying of a new facility in Hyderabad for its joint venture named TATA Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL). The joint venture has been established to co-produce Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselages and other aerostructures, as well as to pursue integrated systems in aerospace.
(Read More...)
06/20/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
06/20/2016
On Saturday, at a ceremony at a naval shipyard in Istanbul, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Turkey would soon begin the design and production of a domestically built aircraft carrier. "There isn't any obstacle to producing our own aircraft carrier. It is possible with this determined government and state," he said. "Turkey cannot fall into laziness in the defense and military issues. The strategic point of our country doesn't allow this."
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06/20/2016
Potential adversaries such as China are closing in on the U.S. technological edge in the skies at the same time the Air Force has a shortage of hundreds of fighter pilots and its fleet of fourth-generation aircraft is aging. Maj. Gen. Jerry D. Harris, vice commander of the Air Combat Command, delivered that message to four Ohio congressmen Saturday in a House Armed Services Committee field hearing at the National Museum of the U.S. Air Force.
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06/20/2016
Defeating so-called anti-access/area-denial (A2/AD) threats—such as zones defended by advanced Russian and Chinese built integrated air defense systems—is a top priority for the United States as the world enters an era of renewed great power competition.
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06/20/2016
Two US aircraft carriers have started exercises in the Philippine Sea, defense officials said Sunday, as Washington’s close ally Manila faces growing pressure from Beijing in the South China Sea. The US Pacific Command said the USS John C. Stennis and USS Ronald Reagan, among the world’s largest warships, began conducting air defense drills, sea surveillance, and long range strikes on Saturday.
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06/19/2016
Leading aerospace company Boeing and Tata Advanced Systems (TASL) have joined hands to set up a facility in Hyderabad to co-produce helicopter fuselages and other aerostructures. The JV, named Tata Boeing Aerospace Limited (TBAL), has been established for producing Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopter fuselages and other aerostructures besides pursuing integrated systems in aerospace.
(Read More...)
06/19/2016
Russian airstrikes targeted the base of U.S.-backed Syrian fighters near the Jordanian border this past week, according to U.S. defense officials, prompting the most aggressive response from the Pentagon since Russia began its air campaign over Syria last year.
(Read More...)
06/19/2016
They resemble miniature Reaper drones, but the nimbler Sandstorm’s mission will veer sharply from its weapons-laden cousin as the Department of Energy explores using unmanned aircraft to respond to nuclear emergencies.
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06/19/2016
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh and the man who would succeed him, Vice Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein, both said this week that automatic spending caps are what spurred the service’s decision to push for the retirement of the plane.
(Read More...)
06/19/2016
The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) participated in the United States Air Force (USAF)-hosted Exercise Red Flag - Alaska, held from Jun 1 to 17, the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) announced on Saturday (Jun 18).
(Read More...)
06/19/2016
“We want to be part of the country’s future combat missions and make our parents proud,” said the three female fighter pilots, beaming with pride. The trio entered the annals of history on Saturday as they were commissioned into the Indian Air Force (IAF) in the presence of Defence minister Manohar Parrikar at the Air Force Academy in Dundigal here on Saturday.
(Read More...)
06/19/2016
Airmen are testing their mettle at Red Flag Alaska 2016, a series of four Pacific Air Forces training exercises held at Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, that bring together pilots from across the U.S. military and allied nations. The second of the four exercises ended June 17, with the next portion scheduled to begin August 4.
(Read More...)
06/18/2016
As the international court at The Hague grapples with the Philippines’ case brought against China’s territorial claims in the South China Sea, and while Beijing and Washington trade verbal jabs almost daily over the issue, the U.S. Navy has sent four fighter aircraft, E/A-18G Growler airborne electronic attack planes and 120 support personnel, to the Philippines to help train the country’s forces and patrol its airspace and sea lanes, the U.S. Navy’s 7th Fleet said in a statement on Thursday.
(Read More...)
06/18/2016
North Korean hackers reportedly infiltrated a computer network belonging to a South Korean aerospace firm’s computer network and made off with blueprints for the F-15 Eagle—the American-designed jet fighter that forms the backbone of the U.S. and South Korean air forces. But don’t panic quite yet. There’s not much Pyongyang’s engineers can actually do with the blueprints.
(Read More...)
06/18/2016
Argentina is reportedly negotiating with France to purchase F-1 Mirage fighter aircraft. The talks also involve the possible purchase of engines to power 20 Argentinian Pucaras aircraft that are currently grounded. "The transaction provides excellent value, and under very favorable conditions," Defense Minister Julio Martinez told La Nacion during a visit to France. "The Argentine Air Force cannot do without supersonic aircraft. Our pilots must be able to train in modern aircraft."
(Read More...)
06/18/2016
United Aircraft Corporation is gearing up to start serial production of the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA fifth-generation stealth fighter according to Russian media reports. The eighth prototype T-50—which is nearly compliant with Moscow’s requirements for a next-generation fighter—is set to make its first flight on June 20.
(Read More...)
06/18/2016
India's indigenous basic trainer aircraft, Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), on Friday made its inaugural flight here in the presence of defence minister Manohar Parrikar. The two-seater aircraft designed and developed by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited was flown by Group Captain C Subramaniam and Group Captain Venugopal for about 10 to 15 minutes at the HAL airport here.
(Read More...)
06/18/2016
Spain’s first A400M tactical transport has been painted at Airbus Defence & Space’s San Pablo final assembly site in Seville, as the manufacturer conducts preparations for its debut flight within the coming weeks.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
The U.S. Seventh Fleet has sent a detachment of EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft to the Philippines for training and for maritime domain awareness missions. Four EA-18Gs assigned to Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 138, an expeditionary unit deployed to Japan to support Seventh Fleet, flew June 15 to Clark Air Base on the island of Luzon for exercises with the Philippine Air Force (PAF).
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
Israel’s first cadre of F-35 pilots are headed next month to the United States to begin simulator and ground-based training on the new stealth fighter, the first two of which are scheduled to arrive here by the end of the year.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
After a wait of over three decades, the IAF will finally get its hands on the first squadron of indigenous Tejas next month with the delivery of the fourth Light Combat Aircraft. However, the first squadron will be made of up of just four Tejas aircraft, in stark contrast to at least 16
aircraft that usually makes up for one squadron globally.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
Defense contractors could submit bids by next week on a new contract to supply more than 100 sets of new A-10 aircraft wings, with help from a new $100 million that cleared the House on Thursday. An amended version of the U.S. Department of Defense appropriations bill for fiscal 2017 passed the House 282-138, largely along party lines, with a new appropriation to supply wing upgrades to the A-10 fleet at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township and elsewhere.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
Lockheed Martin and Raytheon have been awarded contracts by the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) for the next phase of a project to develop collaborative control technology for unmanned air systems.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress in 2014 that an authorisation had been granted to provide 24 of the type to Qatar, and a $667 million contract was signed on 7 June. In addition to the aircraft, one Longbow radar crew trainer will also be provided, plus ground support equipment and Thales radios. Deliveries will commence in 2019, and the contract will complete in May 2020.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, along with the Government of the Republic of Turkey and members of the Turkish aerospace industry have activated contractual agreements under the Turkish Utility Helicopter Program (TUHP) to produce the T70 utility helicopter based on Sikorsky’s successful multi-role Black Hawk utility aircraft.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
US Naval Forces Central Command said that the US Navy is conducting airstrikes against Daesh from two operational theatres for the first time after the amphibious assault ship Boxer joined the strikes from the Persian Gulf.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
The issue of establishing Russian military bases in Belarus is not under discussion at the moment, the Belarusian ambassador to Russia told Sputnik on Thursday.
(Read More...)
06/17/2016
Afghanistan sent an official request to Russia for the delivery of helicopters to Kabul, Deputy Foreign Minister Hekmat Karzai said Thursday. The deputy foreign minister is on an official visit to Moscow, noting that one of the main goals of his trip was to urge Russian partners to provide military support to Afghanistan.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
The American business magazine, Forbes, observed that Saudi Vision 2030, laid out by Deputy Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman, second deputy premier and minister of defense, and approved by the Council of Ministers, “would, in an unpredictable manner, enable Saudi Arabia to realize its dream of becoming one of the world’s major weapon manufacturers after having long been a major weapons importing country”.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
The Botswana Defence Force (BDF) has confirmed negotiations with Swedish aircraft manufacturer Försvarets Materielverk (FMV) are underway for the acquisition of between eight and 12 JAS Gripen "C" and "D" aircraft variants to replace its ageing fleet of US-made F-5 fighter jets.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
A Chinese ship was "shadowing" a U.S. aircraft carrier in the western Pacific on Wednesday, a U.S. official told CNN. The incident took place as the USS John C. Stennis was sailing to join warships from Japan and India as part of annual maritime exercises conducted by those nations.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
As additive manufacturing continues to prove its place in the aerospace industry for both prototypes and finished parts, refined and powerful software solutions that capitalize on new workflows continue to be in high demand with the world's top aerospace engineering firms.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
Saab of Sweden will model its Indian aerospace business line after the company’s venture into Brazil, with plans to create dedicated manufacturing and maintenance facilities for fighter aircraft in India, according to Jan Widerström, chairman of Saab India. Addressing a news conference here, Widerström said the company had aligned supply of the Gripen E fighter aircraft under the “Make in India” policy.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
The mass production of Y-20 heavy military transport aircraft is set to begin as early as this year. According to Chinese media, the aircraft will also join the military forces around the same time.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
Poland is likely to send four F-16 fighter jets to take part in a reconnaissance mission in the Middle East prior to the NATO summit scheduled to be held in Warsaw on July 8-9, Polish Defense Minister Antoni Macierewicz said Wednesday.
(Read More...)
06/16/2016
The Belarusian Air Force already has Russian-made Su-27 and MiG-29 aircraft in service. Asked about what plans Belarus might have to purchase new aircraft from Russia, Ravkov told RIA Novosti that Minsk intends to "purchase Su-30SM-type aircraft for the armed forces."
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
The Chinese military has a new warplane with an unusual purpose: to beam propaganda and disinformation into hostile territory. In that way, the new, four-engine Y-8GX7 psychological operations plane—also known by its Chinese name, Gaoxin-7—is analogous to the U.S. Air Force’s EC-130J, which it says “conducts military information support operations and civil affairs broadcasts in F.M. radio, television and military communications bands.”
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
An United Arab Emirates (UAE) military aircraft has crashed over Yemen, killing two people on board. The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces said in a statement that the pilot and his co-pilot were killed when their military helicopter went down on Monday.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
The U.S. Marine Corps is progressing with a new project to arm its MV-22 Osprey aircraft with new weapons such as laser-guided 2.75in rockets, missiles and heavy guns – a move which would expand the tiltrotor’s mission set beyond supply, weapons and forces transport to include a wider range of offensive and defensive combat missions, Corps officials said.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
The saying “putting the cart before the horse” surely pre-dates the invention of flight, yet it couldn’t be more accurate to describe the Air Force’s shifting and flawed arguments for retiring the A-10 well ahead of schedule, and before we have a proven, tested replacement.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
U.S. Apache helicopters have entered the fight in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters yesterday. "Commanders have used the Apache capability that we positioned there and that [President Barack Obama] authorized them to use some months ago," Carter said as he traveled to Brussels for meetings with his fellow NATO defense ministers.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) got an early start preparing for the carrier onboard delivery (COD) transition from the C-2 Greyhound to the V-22 Osprey, with the ship’s crew bringing in the tiltrotor aircraft to participate in the command assessment of readiness and training (CARAT) II basic training event.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
The UK’s Project Centurion activity is on track to deliver a seamless transition between the UK Royal Air Force’s Panavia Tornado GR4 strike aircraft and the multi-role Eurofighter Typhoon later this decade, according to BAE Systems.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
A Vietnamese fighter jet is missing after vanishing from radar during a training flight along the South China Sea coastline. "We haven’t found the jet yet, we are still looking," according to Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, deputy armed services chief of staff.
(Read More...)
06/15/2016
Currently, three countries, the United States, Russia and China, are developing strategic next generation bombers.
(Read More...)
06/14/2016
Kuala Lumpur datelined report in Jane’s Defence Weekly on April 21, 2016 stated Pakistan remains optimistic about regional sales of JF-17 fighter planes. The report, however, noted that the optimism was tempered by the reality that the Sino-Pak joint venture from the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has had no takers outside Pakistani Air Force (PAF) despite its projection as the best for air defense and ground attack missions.
(Read More...)
06/14/2016
As Iraqi forces backed by U.S. support engage the Islamic State across multiple battlefronts in Iraq, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter announced Monday that American Apache helicopter gunships had been used in combat for the first time since President Obama authorized their use in April.
(Read More...)
06/14/2016
The crash of an ageing MiG-27 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur today has yet again raised a question mark on the need to operate such vintage aircraft. For the IAF, operating the 1970s MiG-27 is a fait accompli — that is to keep flying outdated fighter jets just to maintain a minimum level in terms of numbers.
(Read More...)
06/14/2016
Imagine flying virtually undetected with a clear 360-degree view of your environment.
With advanced targeting and radar systems, you can identify and engage air and ground targets using a combination of infrared search and track technology. Secure datalinks allow you to share information across your entire network – on the ground, in the air and over the seas – improving the lethality and survivability of your entire fleet.
(Read More...)
06/14/2016
This year, over 10,000 servicemen from 13 NATO and partner nations are taking part in the drills. Participating nations include three Baltic states, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.
(Read More...)
06/14/2016
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, has told a meeting of European defense ministers that next month's Warsaw summit will agree four new battalions which will be established in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, as well as an overall increase in defense spending.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of the war in Yemen, at considerable cost in blood and treasure, is a literal affirmation of the term “backdoor strategy.” However, both the “door” and the actual contours of that strategy remain submerged beneath the murky waters of Mideast politics.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
The Air Force is upgrading its entire fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones in order to give them much more endurance to stay above key strategic areas and conduct surveillance and strike missions, service officials told Scout Warrior. The Reaper is a large, armed drone with a 66-foot wingspan in service around the globe. The upgrades, called the Reaper Extended Range, in include the addition of two 1,350-pound fuel tanks.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
U.S. drone operators had been stalking the baby-faced British terrorist for days with infrared cameras and other sensors before the order came to kill him. As night fell on April 25, a U.S. warplane dropped a guided bomb that obliterated the SUV occupied by 23-year-old Raphael Saihou Hostey near Mosul, Islamic State's stronghold in Iraq.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
The General Command of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces in Abu Dhabi said on Sunday a military helicopter crashed while the pilot and his assistant were killed. The crash occurred during a "routine flight in international waters" in the Persian Gulf, said the statement released by UAE state news agency WAM.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
The Baltic states and Poland are in discussions with defence contractors to create a regional anti-aircraft missile shield to protect against Russian aircraft. Fearful of the build-up of Russian troops on their borders and in the Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad, the four countries believe they must develop capabilities to restrict the Kremlin’s military manoeuvrability and tip the military balance of power in the region back in their favour.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
Botswana, one of the best run nations in Africa, is spending billions to upgrade its armed forces. This includes ordering eight Swedish Gripen JAS 39C jet fighters. Normally this would cost about half a billion dollars (including maintenance facilities, training and tech support).
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
When the new head of defence at Boeing laid out her priorities for the business in April, making jet fighters didn’t make the cut. Leanne Caret has made waves inside and outside the company with the stark admission that a company which has produced fighters for decades won’t be making them beyond the early 2020s.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
The Danish fighter competition is over, it would seem, as the parliament has officially approved a program for 27 F-35 Lightning IIs. As I noted last week, the purchase price remains indeterminate, so the Danish Defense Ministry may be seriously unprepared for the final bill, if it’s really taking seriously the source-selection team’s calculations.
(Read More...)
06/13/2016
An A-10 pilot told Scout Warrior the aircraft was the most "rugged" he had ever flown. The Air Force now plans to keep the A-10 flying well into the next-decade.
(Read More...)
06/12/2016
Militaries from NATO countries are taking part in the Baltops training exercises, which have been held since 1971. The US-led exercise is involving around 6,000 troops, 50 ships, 60 aircraft and one submarine in the Baltic Sea. Nations bordering Russia called on US to bolster its number of troops as the country continue to parade its power.
(Read More...)
06/12/2016
In the Pentagon briefing room, filled with requisite overstuffed chairs surrounding a heavy wooden table, the future of drone warfare flashed on a large screen. The depiction wasn’t a single, ominous glider high over a training camp in Afghanistan, or another flashpoint in the long war on Al Qaeda. Instead it was dozens of synchronized drones, looking like a swarm of wasps, slicing through the layered air defenses of an enemy, unnamed but possibly China or Russia.
(Read More...)
06/12/2016
During our visit to Jacksonville Naval Air Station, we had a chance to talk with Lt. Alan Tucker, the VP-16 Squadron Maritime Tactics Instructor (SMTI). He has surface fleet experience and came to the P-8 four years ago and started as a weapons school instructor in VP-30. VP-30 is the squadron where initial training for P-8 crews occurs.
(Read More...)
06/12/2016
Reviving production of the U.S. military’s pricey F-22 Raptor jet may not be so far-fetched after all, Bloomberg News reports. Although canceled over cost a few years ago, the stealth fighter still has its supporters and now a House subcommittee has asked Air Force to investigate what it would cost to begin building the aircraft again, Bloomberg reported this week.
(Read More...)
06/12/2016
U.S. generals, who for months have been arguing in favor of employing more air power in Afghanistan to counter the Taliban’s advances, are finally getting their wish. Defense officials on Friday announced that the White House has approved an expansion of U.S. airstrikes against the fundamentalist group, giving more authority to U.S. commanders to call in aerial backup for Afghan and U.S. forces on the ground.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
Boeing is modifying 30 legacy F/A-18C Hornets recovered from the aircraft “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to a “C+” standard at the request of the U.S. Marine Corps. The updated strike fighters will support two new squadrons, the manufacturer said. Thus far, Boeing has delivered two F/A-18C+ fighters to the Marines from its maintenance facility at Cecil Field, Fla. Five more fighters were undergoing the update and four were expected to arrive by September.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
UK defence and security company BAE Systems has unveiled plans to build the world’s first autonomous military drone, proposing a scenario where unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) would work alongside conventional manned aircraft.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
BAE Systems is proceeding with design and wind-tunnel testing of a new wing for the evergreen Hawk jet trainer. The work, which is being done in the UK, was prompted by Indian interest in producing a “combat” version of the aircraft, as a follow-on to the current licensed production of the Mk132 advanced jet trainer (AJT) version by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). BAE and HAL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May 2015 to explore future cooperation, and discussions continue.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, on an official trip to Sweden, has flown the Gripen fighter aircraft, a move that comes at a time when the government is in the process of shortlisting a combat assault plane under 'Make in India' initiative. Air Chief Marshal flew the Gripen at the Saab's facility at Linkoping in Sweden yesterday, IAF officials said on Friday. He flew the Gripen D aircraft with Wing Commander (Flying) Michael Lundquist.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
When the new head of defense at Boeing Co. laid out her priorities for the business in April, making jet fighters didn’t make the cut. Leanne Caret has made waves inside and outside the company with the stark admission that a company which has produced fighters for decades won’t be making them beyond the early 2020s.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
The wars in Syria and Iraq feature long list of stakeholders that are connected to a tangled web of shaky alliances, tacit allowances and contradicting goals. Yet since Russia pulled its fixed-wing tactical fighters and attack aircraft out of Syria, the US appears to be enjoying less complex and volatile skies over the war-torn country.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
IF YOU THINK it’s hard to make a helmet that costs $400,000 without the liberal use of solid-gold elements or diamond-encrusted details, you don’t know about the F-35 fighter jet. To go with what is possibly the most expensive and complicated weapon ever designed, defense contractor Rockwell Collins has designed a pilot helmet so advanced, it’s hard to say whether it’s an accessory for the plane, or the plane is an accessory for the helmet.
(Read More...)
06/11/2016
The U.S. Air Force has for the first time armed combat aircraft with a new laser-guided rocket made by BAE Systems for operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, the company announced. The service has equipped its F-16 fighter jets and A-10 ground-attack aircraft with the Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System, according to a press release this week from the British defense giant.
(Read More...)
06/10/2016
Exactly half the South African Air Force’s fleet of26 Gripen fighter jets is actively flying while the other half is in rotational storage due to a lack of funding. This is according to Defence and Military Veterans minister Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula, who was responding to a parliamentary question on 6 June.
(Read More...)
06/10/2016
A new series of test flights to explore the capabilities of Britain’s Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle is being discussed by industry and the Ministry of Defence (MoD), according to a BAE executive. The British completed what was thought to be the third and last series of test flights from a site at Woomera, Australia, in the autumn of 2015. An analysis of the missions data continues ahead of a decision on where to go next with the program, said Martin Rowe-Willcocks.
(Read More...)
06/10/2016
After more than a decade in which building Eurofighter Typhoon jet fighters has been the backbone of BAE Systems PLC’s combat aircraft production, the defense company is shifting its focus to the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and what may come next.
(Read More...)
06/10/2016
The United States considers the intercept of an American RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft by Chinese J-10 jet over the East China Sea was a case of unprofessional airmanship, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a briefing on Thursday.
(Read More...)
06/10/2016
Defense contractor Lockheed Martin said in a press release that government of Denmark has backed an order of 27 F-35 fighter jets from the United States, which amounts to $3 billion.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
In the United States the two premier military flight demonstration teams (The navy Blue Angels and air force Thunderbirds) both lost aircraft on the same day, something that had never happened before. The Blue Angels lost a pilot as well but these crashes had lots of side effects. More people see military flight demonstration teams as a waste of taxpayer funds, while others defend them as vivid showcases of military power.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to let Israeli aircrafts fly freely in Syrian and Lebanese skies, Arab48.com reported on Tuesday. The Israeli Minister of Jerusalem Affairs Ze’ev Elkin, who was Netanyahu’s translator and attended a Tuesday meeting, said that Netanyahu and Putin have a “credible” relationship, noting that Netanyahu is “using” it.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
There seems to be nothing that Russia's Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-H cannot do. In addition to its main tasks in Syria, the supermaneuverable fighter aircraft helped attack planes that took part in the Moscow-led counterterrorism operation to lock on to ground targets.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
Canadian governments of different political stripes have spent more than a decade trying to figure out whether to buy new fighter jets and which one to buy. The Conservatives developed an aversion to military-procurement commitments, deferring some, bungling others; Liberals, by contrast are in the habit of politicizing military procurement decisions.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
Officers have until July 31 to apply to the Air Force Test Pilot School to attend an in-residence engineering Ph.D. program. The engineering program, run by the Air Force Institute of Technology, is open to all eligible active duty officers, the Air Force Personnel Center said in a Tuesday release.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
The company behind the F-35 is pushing back against Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s assertion the stealth fighter “does not work,” even as the U.S. Air Force says the planes should be ready for war in the fall. Retired lieutenant-general Charles Bouchard, chief executive of Lockheed Martin Canada, said it was “disheartening” to hear Trudeau’s comment on Tuesday, in which the prime minister blasted the F-35 as a plane that “does not work and is far from working.”
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
Two F-16 fighter pilots who survived a midair collision in Georgia are home with their families, the commander of the South Carolina National Guard said Wednesday. "The pilots are in good shape," Maj. Gen. Robert Livingston Jr. told reporters at a news conference on the tarmac of the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
While criticizing Israeli policy, US National Security Advisor Susan Rice has nonetheless promised to provide a large military aid package to the Middle Eastern nation.
(Read More...)
06/09/2016
Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport plans to promote its drones, including the Takhion and Granat-4, on the global market, the company said Wednesday.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
The Pentagon collected its final F-22 Raptor from Lockheed Martin Corp. four years ago. Amid the Cold War’s end and shrinking defence budgets, the most advanced fighter jet ever built was deemed both unnecessary and unaffordable.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
Russia’s new stealth fighter made an eyebrow-raising surprise appearance on June 5—soaring over the Crimean Peninsula, which Moscow ripped from Ukraine in early 2014. The T-50—Russia’s answer to the U.S. Air Force’s F-22—is far from war-ready. Indeed, the twin-engine, radar-evading warplane is suffering such serious design, quality-control, and financing problems that it might never enter frontline service in large numbers.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's second meeting in Moscow with Russian President Vladimir Putin in less than two months Tuesday underscores increasingly closer relations between the U.S. ally and Russia as Moscow's influence grows in the Middle East. Russia's military campaign in support of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is showing no sign of ending, despite the Kremlin's March announcement of a partial withdrawal of forces.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
Some things just don’t work out. Sometimes the best of intentions and plenty of money can’t overcome problems that were inherent in the design of a thing. And when the thing gets built, the shortcomings predicted from dispassionate analysis become showstoppers. There is no shame in abandoning projects as long as they are killed off quickly enough so that not too much damage is done.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
The US Army has proven in a recent live-fire test that a MQ-1 Gray Eagle with a Lockheed Martin joint air to ground missile (JAGM) can beat the capability offered today by the AGM-114 Hellfire against moving targets.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
Denmark has received the first three of an eventual nine Sikorsky MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine warfare helicopters to replace its fleet of ageing Westland Lynx 90s. To be operated by the Royal Danish Air Force, the remainder of the order will be delivered by mid-2018.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
The Boeing Company has won a two-thirds-of-a-billion dollar US Army foreign military sales contract to supply the Gulf Arab nation of Qatar with 24 Apache ground-support helicopters, the US Department of Defense announced.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
In January, the China Daily reported that the People’s Liberation Army Air Force was preparing to develop a new fleet of stealth fighters and heavy transport aircraft. The latter, the Xian Y-20 transport, was in particularly high demand, given Beijing’s lack of a "fast and reliable platform" to deliver arms and soldiers over long distances.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
The South China Sea issue is again going to be in the limelight as India, the US and Japan are set to hold a trilateral naval exercise in the Western Pacific Ocean off the east coast of Okinawa. The trilateral exercise called ‘Malabar Exercise' will start on Friday and run through June 17 and is likely to strengthen naval ties between India, the US and Japan amid militarization of South China Sea by China.
(Read More...)
06/08/2016
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) and US-based Sikorsky Aircraft corporation signed contracts worth $3.5 billion to start the production of helicopters for the needs of the Turkish army, Turkey's center of technology said on Tuesday .
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
The planes never seem to stop coming and going. After six months in the Persian Gulf, the USS Harry Truman aircraft carrier has moved to the Mediterranean Sea, from where its bombers are jetting off faster and more frequently to strike ISIS targets in war-ravaged Syria and Iraq.
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
Croatia and Tunisia are the first nations to receive OH-58D Kiowa Warrior armed scout helicopters retired by the U.S. Army. Tunisia, announced most recently as a recipient, will use the helicopters to battle Islamic extremists, according to the Department of Defense.
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
The U.S. Air Force has just released its latest official strategy for controlling the sky for the next 15 years. And for the first time in generations, the “air-superiority” plan doesn’t necessarily include a new fighter jet. That’s right—the world’s leading air force, the operator of the world’s biggest and most sophisticated fleet of fighter planes, isn’t currently planning on developing a major new fighter. The Air Force may be getting the F-35—its current fighter.
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
What is China’s next big move in the South China Sea? Ask the experts this question and tally their predictions. The action that will get the most votes is likely to be the imposition of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ). Indeed, a widespread view among the South China Sea watchers is that China will sooner or later declare an ADIZ in this semi-closed maritime domain, where it has reclaimed thousands of acres of land to build long airstrips, high-frequency radars, combat aircraft.
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
For the first time in nearly four years, the US Navy has four aircraft carrier strike groups deployed at the same time. Two more carriers are carrying out local operations, making for six of the fleet’s ten active carriers underway — an unusually high percentage. And another is preparing to go.
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
As the Canadian government debates whether to buy the infamous F-35, it may be forced to buy the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter to insure its air force remains airborne.
(Read More...)
06/07/2016
The Afghan military has increased its airstrikes against the Taliban over this year, but civilian casualties are an increasing concern, given that the air force relies on unguided, or "dumb," bombs.
(Read More...)
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06/07/2016
Russian warplanes based in Syria have destroyed four illegal oil production facilities on Daesh controlled territory in Syria in the past 24-hours, the Russian Defense Ministry said Monday.
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06/07/2016
Not a single aerobatics team in the world performs breathtaking flying maneuvers on combat aircraft as opposed to combat training warplanes except for Russia's world-famous Swifts and Russian Knights, former elite test pilot Vladlen Rusanov told the Vzglyad newspaper.
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06/06/2016
At security summit, Beijing vows to ignore pending international court ruling while US steps up military patrols. Asia's largest defence summit concluded on Sunday amid growing fears of a legal and military showdown in the South China Sea over China's rapid construction of artificial islands with ports, airstrips and helipads in one of the world's most bitterly contested waterways.
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06/06/2016
Global defence contractors are circling for business in Asia, with countries from Australia to Vietnam upgrading and adding everything from submarines to fighter jets as China expands its military reach. According to consultancy IHS Jane’s report, the combined defence budgets in the Asia-Pacific region will grow from $435 billion last year to $533 billion in 2020, furthering a shift in global military spending away from Western Europe and North America toward emerging markets, especially in Asia
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06/06/2016
An essay in "The National Interest" analyzes nuclear-weapons competition between the U.S. and Russia. The essay argues that U.S. - Russian strategic nuclear deterrence - involving bombers, ICBMs and submarines - will remain for decades to come.
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06/06/2016
With the recent announcement by U.S. President Barack Obama that the United States will lift a decades-old embargo on the sale of military equipment to Vietnam, the question arises—given that the president’s decision is partially seen as a move to counterbalance China’s growing military power in the region—in what way a U.S.-Vietnamese weapons deal could potentially influence the military balance in the region, and in particular, the South China Sea.
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06/06/2016
The Gripen aircraft and the F16 jets have different communication systems and for security reasons the US will not unlock the link of the F16 jet's system allowing communication between the F16 jet and the Gripen aircraft. For the purpose of the drill, the air force and navy were able to overcome the restriction and talk to the US-made planes anyway. "The [Thai] air force has for some time requested the unlocking but the US has never agreed on that," said an air force source.
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06/06/2016
One of the most eagerly awaited dogfights in aviation history is about to take place. The Americans have supplied their ally Pakistan with the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, the most advanced jet in their inventory, while the Indians have opted for the Russian MiG-21. It will be the first aerial combat between Mach 2 (twice the speed of sound) aircraft.
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06/06/2016
Global defense contractors are circling for business in Asia, with countries from Australia to Vietnam upgrading and adding everything from submarines to fighter jets as China expands its military reach.
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06/06/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Maj. Gen. Igor Konashenkov has disproved rumors about a Russian Aerospace Forces' war plane, allegedly downed in Syria's Aleppo.
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06/06/2016
Russia's Aerospace Forces will receive more than 100 advanced planes and helicopters in 2017, Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Sunday. "Yes, we can say so," Bondarev said, answering a question on whether Aerospace Forces will receive more than 100 aircraft.
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06/05/2016
The Nigerian Air Force said it had deployed additional aircraft to the South South region of the country to support the ongoing military operation against the new militant group, the Niger Delta Avengers.
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06/05/2016
Russia's Western Military District leadership had conversation with Chinese military delegation on a wide range of issues, the district’s spokesman said Saturday.
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06/05/2016
Four illegal oil production facilities controlled by the terrorist group Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State, have been destroyed by Russian fighter jets.
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06/03/2016
In what is a really incredible coincidence, a U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds F-16 and a U.S. Navy Blue Angels F/A-18 have crashed on Jun. 2, 2016. The first incident occurred to the Thunderbirds F-16 shortly after the demo team performed a flyover at the annual Air Force graduation ceremony in Colorado Springs, attended by President Barack Obama.
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06/03/2016
RUSSIA'S military has announced plans for more than 2,000 air, sea and land exercises over the summer, in an attempt to discourage Nato from further build-ups of troops in eastern Europe.
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06/03/2016
Malaysia is in the final stages of studying companies that meet the Royal Malaysian Air Force's (RMAF's) multirole combat aircraft (MRCA) requirement to replace its ageing MiG-29 fighter aircraft. "We are now in the final stages of studying which of the companies are able to meet with our requirements and the decision to be made is not for a short term, RMAF chief, Tan Sri Roslan Saad was quoted as saying by Malaysia Digest during the RMAF 58th anniversary at Kuantan Air Base Tuesday.
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06/03/2016
A shrinking and rapidly aging aircraft fleet. An underperforming, “bet it all” fighter program that is grossly over budget and many years behind schedule. A tactical air plan that will be insolvent in just five years. A culture that is laughably slow at adapting to the unmanned aircraft revolution, and a totally irrational vendetta towards the most effective tactical platform it has to fight ISIS, the A-10 Warthog.
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06/03/2016
A prototype of Piaggio Aero's P.1HH Hammerhead unmanned air vehicle crashed into the sea near Sicily during a test flight on 31 May. The P180 Avanti II twin-pusher-derived prototype – registration CPX621 – was operating from Vincenzo Florio airport in Trapani, Sicily. It is believed to have lost communication with its ground control station, after which it crashed into the Mare di Levanzo around 4.3nm (8km) north of Isola di Levanzo island.
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06/03/2016
Lockheed Martin successfully completed the initial flight test of its T-50A configured aircraft. The T-50A is the company’s aircraft offering in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training competition. “The aircraft in its new configuration with the 5th Gen cockpit and other upgrades performed flawlessly,” said Mark Ward, Lockheed Martin T-50A lead test pilot, after his flight in Sacheon, South Korea.
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06/03/2016
Defense contractor Northrop Grumman has received a US Navy contract to maintain the company’s MQ-4C Triton drone used in its oceans’ surveillance program, the US Department of Defense announced.
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06/03/2016
According to the general director of the Duks designing company, Russia’s new short-range maneuverable combat air-to-air missiles based on the R-73 short-range missile have begun being delivered to the military.
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06/02/2016
The US military will lose air superiority by 2030 unless a host of new capabilities and sweeping changes to acquisition processes can be adopted and fielded within the next 14 years, including a new penetrating counter-air system, the US Air Force says in a newly-released strategy document.
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06/02/2016
Recently, Rep. Martha McSally suggested that the Air Force conduct a fly-off between the F-35 and the A-10 to see which did better at providing Close Air Support (CAS). But effective CAS is about more than just the capabilities of the aircraft involved. It requires an Air Force community with intimate knowledge of the Army’s maneuver tactics, mindset and intent.
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06/02/2016
Ahead of Kazakhstan’s defense expo KADEX 2016, which will run through the weekend, Astana got some good news from Russia. As TASS reported earlier today, Kazakhstan should be getting the first delivery of Mil Mi-35M (NATO reporting name: Hind-E) combat helicopters by the end of the year.
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06/02/2016
Current restrictions on U.S. troop levels in Afghanistan and a heavy reliance on civilian contractors are eroding the skills and cohesion of units deployed to the country, according to information from the Army given to the House Armed Services Committee and provided to The Washington Post.
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06/02/2016
As China spends billions to upgrade and reorganize the People's Liberation Army, the deficiencies in competing Asia-Pacific militaries are coming into focus. And even some of China's much heralded military advances are drawing attention for their shortcomings. Here is a snapshot of some of Asia's less illustrious military kit.
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06/02/2016
The use of the MIG-29N fighter aircraft will be reduced following increasing operating expenses, said Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) chief, Tan Sri Roslan Saad. He said apart from that, the capabilities of the fighter aircraft were also getting more limited as the aircraft have been in service for 21 years since they were first used in 1995.
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06/02/2016
Lockheed Martin has been awarded a 5-year, single award indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity (IDIQ) contract with a ceiling value of $424 million by the U.S. Naval Air Warfare Center – Weapons Division (NAWC-WD) to support the Aircrew Electronic Warfare Tactical Training Range (AEWTTR) program in Ridgecrest, Calif. The company will provide tactical training products and services for Navy pilot training through development of threat radar emitter simulators.
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06/02/2016
The Pentagon announced that L-3 Communications had been awarded almost a $2 billion US Air Force contract to guarantee the supply of airframes for the next generation of air refueling tankers.
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06/02/2016
Russian airstrikes have severely damaged oil facilities controlled by the terrorist group Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State, in Syria's al-Hasakah Province, according to the Russian military.
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06/02/2016
The experience of weapons, hardware, and aviation utilized in Syria is being used to train servicemen, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday.
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06/01/2016
Three months after the first prototype was unveiled on February 2, the home-grown Hindustan Turbo Trainer-40 (HTT-40), a basic trainer aircraft, took to the skies for the first time on Tuesday and completed a basic flight of about 25 minutes without glitches.
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06/01/2016
The first Boeing P-8A Poseidon multi-mission aircraft (MMA) destined for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) made its first flight last week. The event illustrates Australia’s effort to enhance its maritime domain awareness and security against a backdrop of the rise of China and India.
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06/01/2016
Four nations will join this summer’s Rim of the Pacific drills in Hawaii, increasing the number of countries participating in the world’s largest international maritime exercise to 27. Brazil, Denmark, Germany and Italy will take part for the first time in the biennial RIMPAC, which is slated to begin June 30 and end Aug. 4, the Navy said Tuesday. China, which joined the exercise in 2014, will also participate.
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06/01/2016
In 2013, two OV-10 aircraft participated in an experimental flight and were deployed to Iraq in order to combat mission operatives against ISIS. The aircraft—which debuted in the 1960s—successfully completed a total of 120 combat sorties in a two-and-a-half month period, leaving naysayers to speculate if this legacy aircraft would be more profitable and suitable for the war against one of the most dangerous terrorist organizations in the world.
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06/01/2016
Global defense contractors are circling for business in Asia, with countries from Australia to Vietnam upgrading and adding everything from submarines to fighter jets as China expands its military reach.
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06/01/2016
The JF-17 multi-role combat aircraft is capable enough to meet Pakistan's defence requirements, a top Pakistani minister said on Tuesday. Federal Minister for Defence Production Rana Tanveer said Pakistan had a fleet of the state-of-the-art JF-17 Thunder aircraft which carried all specifications of any advanced fighter jet.
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06/01/2016
The Israeli air force's chief flight test engineer wants an early as possible delivery of its Lockheed Martin F-35 test asset, to expedite the process of adapting locally-produced weapon systems to the aircraft.
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06/01/2016
Israel's air force has been briefed on the status of the US Air Force's in-development Boeing KC-46A tanker, and has an immediate request for at least two examples. A recently-announced delay to the USAF programme is one reason behind the Israeli air force pushing for a decision, a source in the country indicates. "An early decision will expedite the delivery," the source adds.
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06/01/2016
Figures released by the UK government show 43 air strikes have been carried out in Syria by the Royal Air Force under its Operation Shader since offensive activities were extended into the country in December: only a fraction of the total since the campaign began over Iraq in September 2014.
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06/01/2016
The second most populated country on the planet looks to make strides away from dependence on Western arms manufacturers in an unprecedented change to national policy. In a bid to upgrade rocket weapon systems for its fleet of helicopters, India announced that it will break from its state-run Ordnance Factory Board (OFB), which holds a monopoly on the country’s defense contracting needs, to procure munitions from private Indian manufacturers.
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05/31/2016
On May 19, The Straits Times published an article written by Xu Bu, China's Ambassador to Asean, that criticises US involvement in the South China Sea ( "US 'rebalancing' is fishing in S. China Sea's troubled waters"). Ambassador Xu accused the United States of being the "driving force" behind increased tensions in the region, but his rhetoric is based on faulty assumptions and misinterpretations of the facts and the law.
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05/31/2016
Local ground forces backed by U.S.-led military aircraft launched an operation Monday to storm the ISIS stronghold of Fallujah, officials told NBC News. The advance marks the latest in a series of attempts to dislodge ISIS militants who have controlled Fallujah, 40 miles west of Baghdad, for more than two years. An Iraqi military spokesman said an operation to retake the center of the city began at 5 a.m. Monday local time (10 p.m. Sunday ET).
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05/31/2016
The Bulgarian Cabinet last week approved defense projects worth well more than a billion euro to acquire new jet fighters and two new naval patrol vessels. The Bulgarian Parliament’s committees on defence and on budget and finance has approved the military shopping list, also including armoured vehicles, at the end of March, The Sofia Globe reported.
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05/31/2016
Russia has delivered the first two Mi-28NE attack helicopters to Algeria, out of an order for 42 of the aircraft. Photos posted by defence blog Secret Difa3 show two Mi-28NEs in Algerian colours being unloaded from what is apparently an Antonov An-124 cargo aircraft in Algeria on 26 May. Algerian Mi-28s have been seen flying in Russia for several months now ahead of deliveries.
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05/31/2016
It is, in many ways, a surreal conflict, one where some combatants can get a latte after the battle. For that reason, it can be easy for Americans to forget we’re even fighting a war. Though our airmen and women fly hundreds of missions a day, it’s not uncommon for the conflict to go unmentioned on the news for weeks.
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05/31/2016
Fighter aircraft avionics have come so far, so fast that it’s hard to realize that only a century ago, the first U.S. Army Air Corps was doing battle over northern France in open cockpits equipped with shockingly rudimentary controls. Today, fighters like Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor are so fully-equipped with advanced head-up display technologies that one wonders whether neuro-activated flight controls are just around the next cloud.
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05/31/2016
If the U.S. Air Force’s biggest problem is that it is so good at its job that some Americans have come to question its relevance, stealth appears to be suffering a similar fate within the Air Force. In his recent series of articles for War on the Rocks, which challenge the utility of stealth technology for future generations of aircraft, Col. Mike “Starbaby” Pietrucha offers a number of thought-provoking ideas that deserve further discussion.
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05/31/2016
The Indian Air Force now has one more advanced landing ground in the country's strategically important northeast, with plans to modernize ten more airfields in the east. India had operationalized one more upgraded Advanced Landing Ground (ALG) Mechuka in Arunachal Pradesh in the country's northeast. Mechuka will be capable of landing larger aircraft like C-130J aircraft.
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05/31/2016
Member of the Democratic Majlis of Syria and of the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PDS), Ahmet Arac, spoke to Sputnik about how the Turkish Army is preparing to invade Syria.Amid violent clashes between militants of Daesh and troops of the Free Syrian Army (FSA) in the town of Azaz in northern Aleppo district, reports are surfacing suggesting that the Turkish Army units have been seen located in the district of Azaz.
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05/30/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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05/30/2016
The Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) said on Sunday that they had registered four aircraft of Russia's Aerospace Forces in the airspace near the borders of the Baltic nation.
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05/30/2016
A next-generation military space plane which can launch satellites into orbit every day is a step closer. The US military plans to build a reusable space plane which can fly cheaply and quickly into space to deposit vital defence satellites. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency is now welcoming design proposals for the revolutionary vessel.
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05/30/2016
As the drug smugglers' go-fast boat streaked across the blue Caribbean Sea in March, carrying more than a thousand pounds of cocaine toward its U.S. destination, they were completely unaware they were being observed from above. Suddenly, they felt a presence and looked up. Coming at them, low and fast, was the unmistakeable silhouette of one of the nastiest weapons in the Air Force arsenal — a B-1B Lancer, the backbone of America's long-range bomber force.
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05/30/2016
The Air Force is beginning to work on how fast, lethal, durable and capable a new “A-10”-like aircraft would need to be in order to provide U.S. military ground troops with effective close-air support for decades to come.
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05/30/2016
Prospective types of jets and helicopters will be tested by the Russian Chkalov State Flight Tests Center at the Chauda range in Crimea, Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev, the Russian Aerospace Forces commander, said Sunday. "It is the first time we have got such a range and it is very good that the State Flight Tests Center’s pilots will work here. Tests of new aircraft will be held here," Bondarev told reporters.
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05/30/2016
It is a known fact that the life of military aircraft is extremely short-lived, especially when technology is constantly evolving. The best aircraft of WWI and WWII went obsolete within just a few months. Only very few aircraft are able to withstand the test of time. One such aircraft is the Soviet MiG-21, Farley wrote for the online magazine National Interest.
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05/30/2016
All Russian airplanes, fuel and ordnance have passed mandatory safety checks ahead of the Aviadarts-2016 flight skills competition, Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Saturday.
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05/30/2016
Large-scale military pilot exercises got underway in the Russian peninsula of Crimea under Russian Aerospace Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev’s command on Saturday. The Aviadarts show is an annual competition to test flight skills and precision shooting organized by the Russian Defense Ministry. The contest, which features fighter jets, bombers and other aircraft, was first held in Russia in 2013.
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05/30/2016
Islamabad may not be able to seal a deal for the purchase of eight multirole US F-16 fighter jets from Washington as it has not submitted a letter affirming its commitment to pay the full price for the jets in time, according to a diplomatic source.
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05/28/2016
After testing the concept in 2015 India has decided to adopt the increasingly popular practice of training pilots and ground crews to use designated sections of highways as temporary air strips. This practice became popular during the Cold War, particularly in Europe where most countries either regularly used the practice or had the procedures available in case needed.
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05/28/2016
The AACUS is an autonomy applique kit that enables operations of full-scale rotary-wing aircraft in and out of austere landing zones, tactically, with little human assistance. “We know how to make things fly, we’ve been doing it for over 100 years,” said Retired Brig. Gen. Frank Kelley, formerly the Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Unmanned Systems.
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05/28/2016
Squeezed in Europe by U.S-led sanctions and robust NATO reactions in the aftermath of the annexation of Crimea, Russia is now finding itself in a prime position to exploit the unfolding geopolitical dramas stirred up by China in East and Southeast Asia. Moscow has proactively demonstrated its determination to play a leading role in shaping the outcome of the highly explosive regional conflicts, at the expense of Beijing and potentially Washington as well.
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05/28/2016
Let me get this out of the way: the trillion dollar F-35 fighter jet program is an embarrassing mess. But it’s hard not to marvel at the very expensive technology’s promises. This conflict squeezed my brain this week, when the Air Force stopped by Gizmodo’s office with a $400,000 F-35 helmet in hand. They even let me wear it.
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05/28/2016
A Navy captain from Virginia Beach was testifying before Congress on Thursday about the shortage of flyable fighter jets at Oceana Naval Air Station. As he spoke, word came to military officials seated behind him: A pair of F/A-18F Super Hornets from Oceana had “a mid-air mishap” off the coast of North Carolina, forcing four aviators to eject and sending their $57 million aircraft hurtling into the Atlantic Ocean.
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05/28/2016
“As detailed in its statement released today, the U.S. Air Force is moving its formal production decision on the KC-46 tanker program—known as Milestone C—from June 2016 to August 2016 to allow additional time to implement the solution to a refueling boom loads issue identified during flight testing earlier this year.
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05/27/2016
GE Aviation Thursday won major new business, as South Korea selected the GE F414 engine for its next-generation fighter jets. The Evendale-based arm of GE beat out Eurojet to be the preferred bidder for the South Koreans. The Korean KF-X fighters jets are expected to be deployed starting in the mid-2020s, according to Bloomberg News.
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05/27/2016
The Pentagon has concluded that an intercept of a U.S. military aircraft by Chinese fighter jets last week over the South China Sea violated an agreement the two governments signed last year, a U.S. defense official said on Thursday. The Pentagon findings contradict what the Chinese Defense Ministry said earlier in the day.
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05/27/2016
US Navy leaders have made no secret the fleet’s maintenance accounts are underfunded. The situation – exacerbated by several years of sequestration-mandated budget cuts, a government shutdown, Congress’ chronic ability to pass a budget before the end of each fiscal year, a high operating tempo and the cumulative effects of all those problems – is affecting the readiness of ships, aircraft and sailors.
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05/27/2016
At a time when budget constraints are driving the US Air Force to divest fighter and attack aircraft faster than they can be replaced with the Lockheed Martin F-35, outgoing chief of staff Gen Mark Welsh says it would not be a “wild idea” to resume production of an improved version of the F-22 Raptor air superiority jet.
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05/27/2016
Lockheed Martin has received a $321.8 million sole-source contract from the U.S. Navy for the continuation of the Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) integration and test phase. The integration and test contract funds continuation of LRASM flight testing and integration onto the U.S. Air Force B-1B and the U.S. Navy F/A-18E/F aircraft. LRASM early operational capability for the U.S. Air Force and Navy is expected in 2018 and 2019 respectively.
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05/27/2016
The Hongdu Aviation Industries Group celebrated its 65th anniversary by unveiling an advanced L-15 Falcon trainer jet equipped with bombs and radar, thought to be a passive electronically scanned array (PSEA), that will help accuracy in airborne combat.
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05/26/2016
Paris has agreed to decrease the pricing of its long-awaited deal on Rafale fighter jets with New Delhi by some 7-8 percent, local media reported Wednesday. The countries have been in talks on Rafales since 2012 but disagreements on the pricing and India’s demands for additional guarantees have hindered the signing.
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05/25/2016
The new Navy Osprey will have a longer range, improved radios and greater fuel carrying capacity than the existing Osprey. It will both hover like a helicopter and reach airplane speeds as fast as 280mph.
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05/25/2016
Following on reports of Botswana in discussions with Sweden over the purchase of eight Gripen C/D fighter jets, it has emerged that the southern African country is seeking to acquire armoured vehicles and air defence systems as well.
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05/25/2016
The Navy has plans to boost its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler capabilities in the coming years to match an evolving threat, but plane manufacturer Boeing is still pushing for conformal fuel tanks, an advanced cockpit system and a new engine that the company says would add even more range and warfighting capability.
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05/25/2016
The Pentagon appears to be no closer to reaching an agreement with Lockheed Martin on contracts for the production of 151 F-35 Lightning II aircraft as part of low-rate production lots nine and 10.
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05/25/2016
Canadian training and simulation firm CAE has teamed with American warplane contractor Draken International to offer 16 Douglas A-4 Skyhawks as aggressors for Royal Canadian Air Force CF-18 combat training.
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05/25/2016
Venezuela’s military is ready for the looming invasion by the United States. That was the message President Nicolás Maduro seemed eager to convey over the weekend as he presided over a military exercise that put his country’s troops and weaponry center stage in the midst of a political crisis.
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05/25/2016
Force protection is critical in a foreign military engagement. Russia, it seems, is learning this the hard way. At least four helicopters and 20 trucks were destroyed at the T4 airbase near Palmyra, most likely by Grad rockets fired by the Islamic State. This is a significant loss to Russian forces in theater.
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05/25/2016
INDIA IS yet to respond, either verbally or in writing, to a letter sent to Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on April 1 by his French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian, who made what is said to be the “best offer” his country can make in a government-to-government deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets, sources told The Indian Express.
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05/25/2016
The Tejas LCA, India's indigenously developed light combat aircraft, which continues to be under development for the last three decades, is a compromised aircraft and has only 35 per cent indigenous components. The induction schedule has been revised several times from the initial 1995 deadline.
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05/25/2016
NATO is ready to intervene in the situation in Libya if the country's Government of National Accord (GNA) files a corresponding request, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said Tuesday.
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05/24/2016
Sweden’s state-funded military materials procurement agency is denying that a deal has been struck to sell 12 Saab JAS Gripen C/D multirole fighters to Botswana. Försvarets Materielverk (FMV) confirmed that while the organization is "in talks" with Botswana, the number of aircraft under discussion is around eight and not 16.
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05/24/2016
A Chinese government bureau is planning a base station for an advanced rescue ship in the disputed Spratly Islands, state media reported on Monday, as China continues its push to develop civilian and military infrastructure in the contentious region. The ship, which would carry drones and underwater robots, is set to be deployed in the second half of the year, said Chen Xingguang, political commissar of the ship, which is under the South China Sea Rescue Bureau of the Ministry of Transport.
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05/24/2016
Turkish military aircraft launched airstrikes Monday to hit Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) targets in northern Iraq, the military has said. “The warplanes struck previously-identified targets such as gun positions, caves, shelters and bunkers in the Metina region. The strikes were conducted between 04:28 am and 05:34 am,” the General Staff said on its official site later the same day.
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05/24/2016
TENSIONS between the super powers are high and the race is on to dominate. But if you think the next major military battle for dominance will be over land or sea, or any other piece of the Earth, then think again. Experts predict the world’s global powers will soon be taking their battles into space.
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05/24/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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05/24/2016
Russia said it summoned a U.S. defense attache on May 23 after an American military aircraft flew into civilian airspace during a reconnaissance mission near Russia's far-eastern border.
Russia's defense ministry said that the USAF RC-135 surveilllance plane risked colliding with passenger planes as it flew over the Sea of Japan on May 22 because it had turned its transponders off and could not be detected by civilian radar, although it was flying at an altitude typically used by passenger jets
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05/24/2016
The US Army is looking into all sorts of ways to blast drones out of the sky. Including—get this—with a frickin’ laser beam. In April 2016, the ground combat branch deployed a truck-mounted laser cannon to a trial at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. During the exercise, troops used the beam to torch a tiny, quadcopter-type drone , the kind you can buy online.
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05/24/2016
Air Force pilots of the 1980s-era stealthy B-2 Spirit bomber plan to upgrade and fly the aircraft on attack missions against enemy air defenses well into the 2050s, service officials said. “It is a dream to fly. It is so smooth,” Maj. Kent Mickelson, director of operations for 394th combat training squadron, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
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05/24/2016
The 21st century is defined by connectivity, from our iPhones to the networks that power our economy. The US military is not immune to this. Either it seizes opportunities presented by the information age, or risks precipitating problems if it retreats into anachronistic paradigms.
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05/24/2016
The United States is rescinding a decades-old ban on sales of lethal military equipment to Vietnam, President Obama announced at a news conference in Hanoi on Monday, ending one of the last legal vestiges of the Vietnam War. The United States has long made lifting the embargo contingent on Vietnam’s improving its human rights record, and recently administration officials had hinted that the ban could be removed partly in response to China’s buildup in the South China Sea.
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05/23/2016
The RAF has sent both jets and ships to engage in the defense of the Baltics. Four RAF Typhoons are participating in the current NATO Baltic Air Policing Mission. ccording to the UK Ministry of Defence in a piece published on May 17, 2016: Royal Air Force Typhoons have completed their second interception in less than a week during the latest NATO Baltic Air Policing mission.
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05/23/2016
The pilot of EgyptAir Flight 804 spoke to air traffic control for “several minutes” before the doomed aircraft took its fatal plunge, according to a report that directly contradicts initial accounts of the crash. Pilot Mohamed Said Shoukair had “a conversation” with air traffic controllers in Cairo, according to The Independent, citing French television station M6.
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05/23/2016
Last month, it had seemed that India was on track to inking its long-awaited purchase of 36 Dassault Rafale multi-role fighters from France. At the time, the two sides had finally agreed upon a firm price, which was the main sticking point. In May, the Indian Ministry of Law and Justice began keeping a close eye on the Rafale deal, so as to avoid the prospect of corruption. It is not clear where matters stand today.
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05/23/2016
Both China and Russia appear to be building unmanned aerial vehicles designed to negate America’s advantages in stealth aircraft. Earlier this year, photos first emerged of a new High Altitude, Long Endurance (HALE) UAV termed the Divine Eagle that foreign observers believe is designed to detect and eliminate stealth enemy aircraft far from the Chinese mainland.
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05/23/2016
Chinese and Russian warplanes have been increasingly aggressive intercepting U.S. military aircraft and patrolling near America’s West Coast, prompting the Air Force’s top combat officer to label their provocations one of his top worries. Air Force Gen. Herbert “Hawk” Carlisle, who leads Air Combat Command, said in an interview with USA TODAY that meeting the challenge from the Russian and Chinese to flights in international airspace is essential but dangerous.
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05/23/2016
When you’ve got an itch, you scratch it. That urge is often caused by an irritation, which is how China and Russia perceive recent U.S. military moves in their neighborhoods. That’s what accounts for a flurry of dangerous fly-bys of U.S. warplanes and ships by Beijing’s and Moscow’s aircraft. But figuring out the root motive—and even who’s in the right—is a little more complicated.
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05/23/2016
Russian specialists would carry out an observance flight over the territories of the United Kingdom and Ireland under the Open Skies Treaty. Russian specialists would carry out an observance flight over the territories of the United Kingdom and Ireland under the Open Skies Treaty, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said Monday.
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05/23/2016
Flight tests of Russia’s high-speed helicopter demonstrator are scheduled to start in June. Just as promised, the rotorcraft will accelerate to a record 450 km/h, Rossiiskaya Gazeta wrote.
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05/22/2016
An American drone strike targeted the leader of the Taliban, Mullah Akhtar Muhammad Mansour, in Pakistan near the border with Afghanistan, United States officials said on Saturday, in the most significant American incursion inside Pakistan since Navy SEALs killed Osama bin Laden, the Qaeda leader, in 2011.
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05/22/2016
Russia’s Mi-28 Night Hunter attack helicopters will soon be equipped with an advanced on-board laser system to defend against MANPAD missiles and air-to-air missiles, a senior adviser to the deputy head of the Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), told RIA Novosti.
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05/22/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry presented the A-50U - the Aerospace Forces' most advanced airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C, or AWACS) at an air base in the Ivanovo Region.
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05/21/2016
Adding range and smart guidance to existing munitions, via a kit, is the backbone of America’s “smart weapon” revolution. Laser guided bombs, GPS guided JDAMs, and Wind Corrected Munitions Dispensers are all bolt-on kits that drastically increase the capability of existing air-dropped weapons.
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05/21/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry is introducing new methods of combat training based on the experience gained in Syria, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Friday. "Modern military conflicts are very brief. Decisions to create and prepare various groups of troops are made within tight deadlines. In view of these peculiarities and the experience gained in Syria the armed forces are introducing new forms and methods of combat training," he said.
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05/21/2016
It all depends by what you mean by “advantage”. The US armed forces are much larger than the Russian ones, that is true. But, unlike the Russians ones, they are spread all over the planet. In warfare what matters is not the size of your military, but how much of it is actually available for combat in the theater of military operations TMO (conflict area).
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05/21/2016
The US Air Force is buying 112 HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters to replace the HH-60G Pave Hawk that was introduced under the Reagan administration in the 1980s. The Sikorsky design was selected in late 2013 and a $1.2 billion development contract that funds four pre-production examples and six aircrew and maintenance trainers was awarded in July 2014.
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05/21/2016
The first squadron of Tejas fighter jets will be flying before Diwali this year as a step towards taking the fighter formations the Indian Air Force (IAF) closer to the sanctioned strength, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said. In an interview to All India Radio, the minister also said that the share of imports in defence will go down to 30-35 percent in next five to eight years.
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05/21/2016
Russia’s MiG-35 multirole fighter jets will soon be equipped with the latest platform-less inertial navigation system, Igor Nasenkov, deputy head of the Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), told RIA Novosti.
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05/21/2016
The advanced helicopter under development for the needs of Russia's Navy will be essentially an entirely new vehicle, Kamov Design Bureau General Designer Sergei Mikheev said Friday.
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05/20/2016
The US Marine Corps ideally wants its new Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion to carry 13.6t (30,000lb) externally over 110nm (204km) unrefueled, but early analysis indicates that it will fall approximately 907kg short of that “objective” key performance requirement.
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05/20/2016
Swedish defence major Saab has unveiled its next generation fighter aircraft, Gripen E, which the company today said is being offered to the country under the 'Make in India' initiative with transfer of technology. Gripen E, which was unveiled yesterday, has significantly improved avionics system when compared to previous versions of the Gripen.
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05/20/2016
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that ministry plans to renew the production of Mi-14 Haze nuclear-capable amphibious anti-submarine helicopters.
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05/20/2016
Russia has provided Iran with the first batch of S-300 air defense systems, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Kozhin said Thursday. "We have a signed contract with Iran, the first batch has now been unloaded, approximately a battalion. We will continue to fulfill our commitments until year-end," Kozhin said.
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05/20/2016
Chinese fighter jets shadowed a US reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea, but kept a safe distance and did not make any dangerous maneuvers, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday.
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05/19/2016
An EgyptAir flight heading from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar with 69 people on board, the airline said. The plane was flying at 37,000 feet when it disappeared shortly after entering Egyptian airspace, the airline tweeted. A total of 69 people were on board -- 59 passengers and 10 crew members.
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05/19/2016
A B-52H Stratofortress crashed around 8:30 a.m. on Andersen Air Force Base's flight line, the base's public affairs office has confirmed. All seven aircrew members safely exited the aircraft. No injuries have been reported. Emergency responders are on scene, according to Andersen's public affairs.
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05/19/2016
It’s that time of year again, and the end of an era. On Friday, the Obama Administration released the last annual Pentagon China report under its watch. Working the China military observers’ graveyard shift this weekend, I published analyses of the report’s overall content, and its key omissions — namely, any mention whatsoever of China’s maritime militia of “little blue men” trolling for territorial claims.
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05/19/2016
Fourteen months after the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria, the Obama administration is considering selling his government 12 warplanes. It is a thorny decision because Mr. Buhari is an improvement over his disastrous predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, and is fighting Boko Haram, the Islamist extremists who have terrorized the region. But he has not done enough to end corruption and respond to charges that the army has committed war crimes in its fight against the group.
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05/19/2016
With the RAF and the USAF setting up four squadrons of aircraft between them at two nearby RAF bases, there is a clear opportunity to shape a common sustainment solution. And the impact of so doing could be significant on the North Sea neighbors, namely, the Danes the Norwegians and the Dutch.
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05/19/2016
South Korea will select a foreign jet engine maker to power the country's first indigenously-developed combat aircraft by next month, the defense procurement agency said Wednesday.
European jet engine giant Eurojet Turbo GmbH is competing against U.S. rival General Electric (GE) for the South Korean deal to procure engines for its high-profile indigenous fighter jet project, known as the Korean Fighter Experimental, or KF-X.
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05/19/2016
In a recent article in Foreign Policy, “Terrorist Have Drones Now. Thanks, Obama,” James Barmfort summarizes the conventional wisdom in the media and among analysts about the diffusion of drones. According to this view, drones represent a “game-changer” that could promote instability and conflict around the world and even lead to a shift in the distribution of military power in the international system.
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05/19/2016
Saab has unveiled its next-generation Gripen E fighter, some three years before delivering its first of at least 96 production examples to the air forces of Sweden and Brazil. Rolled out at the Swedish manufacturer's Linköping site in Sweden on 18 May, aircraft 39-8 is the first of three test aircraft which will support the Gripen E programme.
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05/19/2016
According to the US Department of Defense, two Chinese military aircraft intercepted a US military reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea in an “unsafe” manner this Tuesday.
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05/19/2016
Senator John McCain of Arizona, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wants to blow up the Pentagon’s Under Secretariat for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD AT&L). More specifically, his committee’s writing of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 would cleave that office into two new under secretariats, for research and engineering (USD R&E), and management and support (USD M&S).
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05/18/2016
Despite having performed a maiden sortie some three years ago, details remain sketchy on the flight-test campaign of the BAE Systems Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator.
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05/18/2016
A U.S. military aircraft "with lethal technical abilities" illegally entered Venezuelan airspace twice over the past week, President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday. "Our military aviation detected the illegal entry, for unusual espionage tasks, of the Boeing 707 E-3 Sentry, which is an airborne early warning control center system that has all the mechanisms for espionage," said Maduro during a press conference at the presidential palace.
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05/18/2016
A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) training aircraft crash in a paddy field in Nenasi, near here this afternoon. The Aermacchi MB339CM aircraft was in the midst of a training flight when it encountered technical difficulties.
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05/18/2016
Of late, Sri Lankan President Sirisena has announced, apart from the reconciliation efforts with Tamils and other minorities in the island country, also a few other important decisions of his government. One of those decisions is to make the country a bigger military power — which may be possible in the immediate future. Another is, to fight corruption in the government and nation at large which is also not easy ambition considering that he really meant what he said.
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05/18/2016
The British planes were initially shadowing two Su-27 Flanker fighters and an IL-20 'Coot-A' Reconnaissance plane when two more Su-27s were detected, according to the Ministry of Defense. It was the second time in a week that RAF Typhoons had been scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft as part of the policing mission in the region.
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05/18/2016
Amid ongoing tensions in the South China Sea, the top US Marine Corps officer has criticized Beijing’s activity in the region and vowed that the Pentagon will continue its aggressive tactics around the disputed Spratly Islands.
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05/18/2016
Chief of Indian Air Force has test flown an indigenously designed and produced Light Combat Aircraft - Tejas, giving the go ahead to roll it out into active operations.
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05/17/2016
On May 13 The Indian Council for Defence Procurement approved the agreement for the purchase of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems from Russia. "The signing of the contract could take place at the end of 2016, and we are talking about the purchase of the five regiments of the S-400 two-division composition and, and six thousand missiles totaling about $6 billion," - said a TASS news agency source, close to the Ministry of Defence of India.
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05/17/2016
The Navy’s V-22 Osprey program is working toward fielding an aerial tanking capability for the Marine Corps’ MV-22B tiltrotor assault transports by 2018, the program manager said. Col. Daniel Robinson, the Navy’s program manager for the V-22 Osprey, speaking to reporters May 16 at the Sea-Air-Space Exposition at National Harbor, Md., said the “summer of 2018 is the target for this capability.”
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05/17/2016
India's navy has all but finalised plans for a nuclear-powered super-carrier, which is scheduled to be built in Kochi with US help. In preparation for the long-gestation project, estimated for the year 2028, the navy is setting up the building blocks that will identify the aircraft to be based on the carrier, called the Vishal (to be pre-fixed with "INS" on commissioning).
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05/17/2016
One of the more headline-grabbing takeaways of the 2016 Defense Department report on Chinese military strength involves the size of the Chinese air forces, which now approach 3,000 aircraft. This number puts China ahead of any country in the world, other than the United States and Russia. However, the numbers bear more scrutiny.
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05/17/2016
As defense analysts brood over the evolving military balance in the western Pacific, considerations related to undersea warfare keep coming to the fore. Given the lethality of modern antiship cruise missiles, surface combatants of all types may well be scarce on the future naval battlefield.
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05/17/2016
A United Arab Emirates military aircraft crashed Sunday, killing a pilot and an instructor. The fatal event is the UAE military's twelfth crash in six years. The General Command of the UAE's armed forces said the plane went down during a training flight over the country.
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05/17/2016
Amid concerns about future sales of combat aircraft, Boeing is working to secure long-term work upgrading and maintaining military hardware. The company already does significant work supporting military aircraft fleets, and believes this is one area where it can expand its business as it faces a slowdown in new combat aircraft production.
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05/17/2016
Two naval prototypes of the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Light Combat Aircraft Tejas successfully conducted 33 test flights from a so-called Shore Based Test Facility—a full-scale model of an aircraft carrier deck—in Goa last month, according to the Business Standard.
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05/17/2016
In the ongoing South China Sea conflict, Washington has argued that Beijing does not have claims to the waterway. But according to a pair of Chinese diplomats, China’s sovereignty over the region has been recognized by the international community since World War II.
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05/17/2016
Moscow expends its best efforts to perform a contract for deliveries of Russia's S-300 air defense systems to Iran, the director of the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Monday. "Everything depends on both parties. We do our best to fulfill the contract," Alexander Fomin told reporters.
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05/16/2016
The military of the United Arab Emirates says a military aircraft has crashed during a training flight in the Gulf country, killing two onboard. The military's general command announced the accident in a brief statement Sunday. It says the pilot and an instructor were killed.
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05/16/2016
India is in talks with "certain" countries in Africa for possible export of the indigenous Light Combat Helicopter even as the Defence Ministry has set a target of $2 billion worth of exports over the next two years. The weapons trial of the LCH is planned in July-August this year. While the Army has placed an order for 114 LCH with state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, the IAF has ordered 65.
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05/16/2016
Instead of harping on India's role in seeking to block the sale (by the United States) of F-16 fighter aircraft to his country, Pakistan Prime Minister's Advisor on Foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, must study the reasons for the opposition to the deal across the political spectrum in the US.
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05/16/2016
In April 2015, the Sir Richard Williams Foundation of Australia cohosted a symposium on Integrating Innovative Airpower with the Centre for Military Studies at the University of Copenhagen. The symposium was being held as the Danes were being threatened by the Russians in rather dramatic terms – if the Danes were to participate in the NATO missile defense system, then their ships were subject to direct strike by the Russians, including with the use of nuclear weapons against them.
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05/16/2016
An expert says the Pentagon's annual report on the Chinese military leaves out an important discussion about China's Maritime Militia force which trolls the South China Sea looking to make territorial claims.
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05/16/2016
It took 31 days to transform this otherwise dull gray F-15 Eagle into a colorful abstract worthy of its noble avian namesake. The powerful warplane is adorned with wisp-like feathers that stretch across its 43-foot wingspan and onto its fuselage. Its nest, Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Ore., is home to the the 173rd Fighter Wing and the Air Force's only F-15C training schoolhouse. The ramp holds 32 Eagles in all.
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05/16/2016
On Wednesday, SDF Spokesman Tajir Kobani announced that commanders of the SDF-affiliated groups in Northern Syria have, in a secret meeting, coordinated the process of a joint final operation for liberating Raqqa from Daesh terrorists.
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05/16/2016
Russia has withdrawn the bulk of its forces from Syria and agreed with Washington a ceasefire in the country. However, Moscow would have to return its aircraft to the Syrian battlefield since Washington continues to supply arms to terrorist groups, an article on the foreign affairs analysis website Voltaire Network read.
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05/16/2016
Iranian Defense Minister Brigadier-General, Hossein Dehqan, in response to a question by a reporter said that Iran has not demanded S-400 air defense systems from Russia.
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05/16/2016
The defense ministers of Turkey, Georgia and Azerbaijan met in Qabala, Azerbaijan, earlier Sunday. "In order to increase combat capabilities and readiness of the Azerbaijani, Turkish and Georgian armed forces we considered it appropriate to hold joint military exercises. [We] also stressed the need for close cooperation in the field of cybersecurity and the protection of oil and gas pipelines.
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05/14/2016
The Directorate of Flight Safety has released the flight safety investigation report into a Jan. 24, 2014 accident. That involved a controlled ejection by pilots of a CT-156 Harvard II aircraft during a training flight at 15 Wing Moose Jaw, Saskatchewan.
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05/14/2016
The crash of a fighter jet in eastern China on Wednesday will almost certainly be followed by similar accidents as the People’s Liberation Army ramps up training to improve combat readiness, military analysts said. Liang Yang, a spokesman for the PLA Navy, confirmed late on Wednesday that a fighter jet from the East Sea Fleet crashed into a sewing machine factory during a night training mission at about 7.30pm in Taizhou in Zhejiang province.
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05/14/2016
The U.S.-led coalition fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant is denying the terrorists’ ambition to act as a state by targeting their finances, revenue sources, recruiting efforts and leaders, the Operation Inherent Resolve spokesman said today. Army Col. Steve Warren briefed reporters by video teleconference live from Baghdad, beginning his remarks by welcoming an announcement by the Belgian government that beginning July 1 it would extend its counter-ISIL airstrikes into Syria
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05/14/2016
Twelve F-22 Raptors from the 95th Fighter Squadron and about 220 Airmen from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, completed on May 8 a month-long deployment to Royal Air Force Lakenheath. This historic deployment was the largest Raptor deployment in Europe to date and is part of their Global Response Force training.
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05/14/2016
U.S. military officials are closely watching social media and news reports that say ISIS believes it may soon come under siege in Raqqa, Syria, its self-declared capital. "We have seen this declaration of emergency in Raqqa, whatever that means," Col. Steve Warren, the spokesman for the U.S.-led anti-ISIS coalition, told reporters Friday. "We know this enemy feels threatened, as they should."
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05/14/2016
After evaluating the Eurofighter Typhoon, Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet and Lockheed Martin F-35 as Denmark’s next primary fighter jet, the country’s government is recommending the F-35 “unequivocally” as superior in “strategic, military, economic, and industrial aspects.” Is this a needed win for this troubled jet?
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05/14/2016
It was just a few years ago, in March 2011, when a pair of U.S. Air Force B-1 bombers – during a harsh winter storm – took off from their base in South Dakota to fly across the world to launch the air campaign in Libya, only 16 hours after given the order. Today, many in the Air Force are questioning whether a similar mission could still be accomplished, after years of budget cuts that have taken an undeniable toll.
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05/13/2016
British Typhoon fighter jets have intercepted three Russian military transport aircraft approaching the Baltic States, the defense ministry said on Thursday. The British fighters, scrambled from Amari Air Base in Estonia, intercepted the Russian aircraft, which were not transmitting a recognized identification code and were unresponsive, the ministry said.
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05/13/2016
India could soon ink a pending contract with Russia on stealth jet fighters, as both countries have "ironed out" their differences regarding the co-development of the fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), the Tribune reported, citing sources. The research and development (R&D) contract was pending since 2013 following the completion of the preliminary design contract (PDC) that cost $295 million (Rs. 1,483 crore) for both countries.
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05/13/2016
Thailand might buying four more Swedish jet fighters to add to a current squadron of 12 of the same type, Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong said on Thursday. Rajin, a former air force chief, said that he viewed the Saab JAS 39 Gripen multi-role combat aircraft as "technologically advanced" and suggested that his successor buy an additional four jets, Xinhua news agency reported.
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05/13/2016
The Kremlin’s air war over Syria demonstrated that Russia’s once dilapidated military has recovered from its low-point in 1990s in the aftermath of the Soviet collapse. But while the Russian Air Force showed off new precision-guided weapons and new high-performance aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-H, Su-34 Fullback and the Su-35S Flanker-E, it was evident that Moscow still lacked certain capabilities.
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05/13/2016
Guam is within China’s military strike reach with new missiles and bomber aircraft capabilities that demonstrate China’s continued efforts to neutralize America’s ability to come to the aid of its allies and friends in the region, according to a May 10 report by the U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission (USCC).
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05/13/2016
Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. company, was awarded a $461.1 million contract in March 2016 from the United States Pentagon to supply the U.S. Marine Corps with more than two dozen new utility and attack helicopters. The contract includes 12 UH-1Y Venom utility helicopters and 16 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and the associated auxiliary fuel kits.
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05/13/2016
The historic, lethal and combat-tested AC-130 gunship - known for attacking ISIS and Taliban fighters during close-air support high-risk combat missions - is getting a massive technological upgrade with newer weapons and avionics to increase the effectiveness of the attack platform and extend its service life into future decades, service officials said.
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05/13/2016
Denmark’s government and defence ministry have recommended the selection of the Lockheed Martin F-35 as the nation’s future combat aircraft, following an evaluation involving the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and Eurofighter Typhoon.
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05/13/2016
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently delivered two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft: one HC-130J long range surveillance/search and rescue aircraft to the U.S. Coast Guard and an MC-130J Commando II Special Operations tanker to the U.S. Air Force. The Coast Guard’s HC-130J was originally delivered in 2015 and received post-production modifications at Lockheed Martin’s Greenville, South Carolina, facility. It was ferried from Greenville on May 10 by a Coast Guard crew.
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05/12/2016
The Kremlin’s air war over Syria demonstrated that Russia’s once dilapidated military has recovered from its low-point in 1990s in the aftermath of the Soviet collapse. But while the Russian Air Force showed off new precision-guided weapons and new high-performance aircraft like the Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-H, Su-34 Fullback and the Su-35S Flanker-E, it was evident that Moscow still lacked certain capabilities.
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05/12/2016
How the U.S. Army will transport many of its troops into battle situations for the next few decades is playing out in a plain, white hangar on the sidelines of Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport. Employees at Bell Helicopter have been assembling a portion of the latest technology in tiltrotor aircraft for the last few weeks, known as the V-280.
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05/12/2016
Although the co-pilot of a C-130J in Afghanistan was performing an unneeded and unauthorized high-power, rapid ascent takeoff when the aircraft crashed Oct. 2, that was not the cause of the accident. The official investigation by the Air Force determined that a forgotten night vision goggle case had jammed the control yoke, directly leading to the crash that killed 14 people, and that neither the co-pilot flying the aircraft nor the takeoff maneuver itself were responsible.
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05/12/2016
The United States yesterday revealed for the first time that American ships have started conducting joint patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a somewhat rare move not done with many other partners in the region.
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05/12/2016
The US Air Force (USAF) has completed four-ship combat training missions with F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft at the Utah Test and Training Range. The four F-35s, based out of Hill Air Force Base (AFB), helped active-duty and reserve pilots from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings (FW) to detect and jam enemy radar and identify and destroy targets from roughly 40,000ft.
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05/11/2016
In May 2016 Chinese warships in the South China Sea were seen practicing detailed exercises for halting merchant ships and boarding them. China claims to control all of the South China Sea but the rest of the world does not agree with that. The May exercises are another sign that China does not care what the world thinks. In one part of the exercise the intercepting destroyer fired its guns, as it would to force a ship that refused orders to halt and be boarded.
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05/11/2016
The Swedish government will soon place a structured offer to India to push through the Gripen-NG fighter aircraft deal, a product of Swedish defence major Saab, which is also keen to develop production processes in India. Sweden offered the Gripen-NG deal to India when a high-powered Swedish trade delegation visited the country in February this year.
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05/11/2016
Here at the F-35 integrated test force, pilots spend their days simulating real missions to prepare the jets to one day operate on the battlefield. Defense News got a glimpse into the day-to-day life of an F-35 test pilot during a May 4 visit to Edwards Air Force Base. We followed Maj. Raven LeClair, assistant director of operations for the 461st flight test squadron, as he zipped up his flight suit, climbed into the cockpit, taxied to the runway and finally took off into the clear, desert sky.
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05/11/2016
The US Congress’ House Armed Services Committee (HASC) has requested that the USAF begin a study on the possibilities of restarting production of the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fifth generation fighter in the FY2017 defense authorization bill. Production of the F-22 was halted in 2009 at 187 aircraft, well short of the USAF Air Combat Command’s (ACC) stated requirement of 381 aircraft—let alone the original 749 aircraft originally planned.
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05/11/2016
ANY BIG-TICKET MILITARY technology purchased from the US comes with rules. Big stacks of strict guidelines outline exactly what allies can do to the hardware and the systems that run it. Generally, it comes down to: nothing. No modifications, no additions, no deletions. You can’t even make repairs without written consent from the Pentagon.
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05/11/2016
The Air Force’s new F-35A multi-role, stealth Joint Strike Fighter brings an unprecedented ability to destroy targets in the air, attack moving enemies on the ground and beam battlefield images across the force in real time, an Air Force pilot told Scout Warrior in a special interview.
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05/11/2016
Pilot error led to two F-16s colliding on the runway at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, in 2015, which left one pilot with life-threatening injuries, according to an accident investigation report released Monday. After completing an orientation flight during the Red Flag training exercise at Nellis Aug. 15, the two aircraft attempted to land. The first F-16 landed without incident but did not clear the runway quickly , according to the report released by the Air Combat Command Accident Investigat
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05/11/2016
The naval version of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which will operate from India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, after it is commissioned in 2018, has completed a successful flight-test campaign in Goa. Commodore (Retired) CD Balaji, chief of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which oversees the Tejas development programme, told Business Standard that taking off and landing from a 200-metre deck has been fully established.
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05/11/2016
On Tuesday, the Pentagon conducted its latest maritime reconnaissance in the South China Sea, performing a freedom of navigation patrol within the 12-mile territorial limit of Beijing’s recently-constructed artificial island. This time, China responded in kind.
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05/11/2016
According to Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, "The five firing units of the S-400 Long Range Surface to Air Missile system are planned for induction in Indian Air Force in the 13th plan period (2017-2022)."
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05/10/2016
F-35 critics often point to the Pentagon's decision to start building the fifth-generation fighter before design and testing is complete as the root of the program's problems. Even now, as the Air Force prepares to declare its F-35A jets operational this year, so-called "concurrency" remains an obstacle.
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05/10/2016
A U.S. airstrike has killed the so-called “emir” heading Islamic State operations in Iraq’s volatile Anbar province as well as a number of the group’s top commanders, the Pentagon confirmed on Monday. Shaker Wahib al-Fahdawi al-Dulaimi, also known as Abu Waheeb, was traveling in the Iraqi city of Rutba when his convoy was struck by American aircraft, according to Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook.
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05/10/2016
Tensions in the South China Sea and continued warnings about Chinese militarization of the disputed areas has led many Pentagon planners and analysts to sharpen focus on Chinese Air Force acquisitions and technological advances.
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05/10/2016
The U.S. Air Force plans to arms its fleet of drones and fighter jet with high-tech laser weapons, according to Next Big Future. The Air Force plans to begin firing laser weapons from larger platforms such as C-17s and C-130s until the technological miniaturization efforts can configure the weapon to fire from fighter jets such as an F-15, F-16 or F-35.
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05/10/2016
Last week the Russian military brought more than a hundred international journalists, including our CNN crew, to Palmyra. The trip was orchestrated to showcase Moscow's role in liberating the ancient heritage site but it also said a lot about the Russian army's capabilities and the scale of their assets in Syria.
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05/10/2016
Back in 2009, when the Department of Defense had but one problem on its mind, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force had the idea of developing a light air support (LAS) aircraft for the close air support (CAS) mission for counterinsurgency operations. The focus was on a non-developmental platform, one that was cheap and easy to operate and maintain, intended primarily for foreign militaries with limited budgets, infrastructure and trained personnel.
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05/10/2016
The US Air Force has awarded the Raytheon Company a more than $104 million contract to produce additional air-to-air missiles for US allies Australia, Romania, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.
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05/10/2016
The US military is bringing a number of F-15C fighter jets to Finland for joint exercises with the country's armed forces, which kick off today. This is the first time that US military aircraft have engaged in such large scale maneuvers in Finland, even though the exercise would considered trivial by US standards.
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05/09/2016
India has finally, after years of negotiations, placed an order for 36 Dassault Rafale Fighter jets. This includes accessories, training, tech support and a ten year maintenance contract. All this drives the per-aircraft price up to $247 million.
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05/09/2016
On March 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised observers by ordering the withdrawal of the “main part” of Russia’s forces from Syria. In a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, he said, “the task which was given to the Defense Ministry and the armed forces has overall been fulfilled.” A month later, in his annual call-in program, Primaya Liniya, Putin claimed that the Syrian army was capable of “serious offensive operations” even after the supposed withdrawal.
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05/09/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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05/09/2016
The third time the high-pitched alarm rang "deedle deedle" in the F/A-18F Super Hornet's cockpit, it was clear that something with the air flowing into their regulators had gone horribly wrong. "That's when I realize my lips were tingling, my fingers are tingling, and I'm like, 'S---, man, something's wrong,' " a Navy pilot recalled. "And the guy in the back's like, 'Hey, dude! My fingers are blue!' "
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05/09/2016
The Indian Air Force is massive and so are the problems it faces. The BJP chief whip in Lok Sabha, Arjun Ram Meghwal, admitted recently that Indian women were afraid of flying the MiG-21 fighters due to its high accident rate. On a supplementary to defence minister Manohar Parrikar on induction of women in the IAF’s combat stream, Meghwal said women were afraid of flying the MiG-21s due to their high accident rate.
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05/09/2016
An upgrade of Taiwan's fleet of F-16 fighter planes will begin in early 2017, shortly after the completion of a hangar that is being built for that purpose, according to the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. Upon completion next January, Taiwan's biggest fighter jet maintenance facility will have the capacity to handle the upgrade of 24 aircraft per year in the country's F-16A/B fleet, AIDC Chairman Anson Liao said.
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05/09/2016
The Indian Air Force has asked the Defence Ministry to find a way out in the wake of a recent amendment in the Customs Act removing blanket duty exemption for defence goods, a move that may delay modernisation and maintenance programmes of fighter planes like Mirage and Jaguar. Under the new rules, which came into effect from April 1, customs duty exemption has been given to specific projects, all of which are in production in the country.
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05/09/2016
The Taliban attacked the Afghan police compound at first light, coming from all sides at the American Green Berets holed up inside. The insurgents fired assault rifles, heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. They came in what a soldier called “human waves.” Not even strafing runs by American F-16 fighters stopped the assault. The elite American soldiers — whose mission was only to train and advise Afghan troops — had never seen a firefight as intense.
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05/08/2016
Don’t be surprised if the traffic on a highway is stopped and a military aircraft lands, an experiment carried out a year ago when the Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft descended on the Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi with Agra. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has drawn up plans to expand the scope of using the highways as “alternative landing grounds” for war-time operations or in an emergency
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05/08/2016
Russian officials are trying to discredit a new report that implicates the Russian military in the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines flight 17. Nearly two years ago, that attack in the skies over eastern Ukraine killed 298 people. The latest report comes from a U.K.-based organization called Bellingcat, which bills itself as a group of citizen investigative journalists.
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05/08/2016
Russia's military on Friday insisted no aircraft flew over a Syrian refugee camp the day it was hit by deadly strikes, suggesting the al-Qaida-linked Al-Nusra Front could have shelled the location. "We have attentively studied the information from the air space monitoring data in this area for May 4 and 5, 2016. There were no flights by Russian or any other aircraft," spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies.
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05/08/2016
It’s no surprise that the A-10’s first mission was a show of force over the Scarborough Shoal, which China refers to as Huangyan Island and claims as its own. With plans to develop the narrow strip of land into a tourist destination, Beijing was incensed to see the Warthogs fly by.
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05/08/2016
J. Michael Gilmore, the U.S. Defense Department’s top weapons-tester,confirmed on April 26 that the Pentagon will conduct a head-to-head test of a new F-35 stealth fighter and an old A-10 attack jet in the close-air-support mission. Critics of the high-tech, budget-busting F-35 and fans of the tried-and-true A-10?—?a rugged, purpose-built ground-attack plane?—?applauded the announcement.
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05/08/2016
More than one hundred aircraft participated in the final rehearsal of Victory Day military parade in Moscow, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry press service said Saturday.
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05/07/2016
When commercial aircraft product launches are stage-managed with a careful unveiling of billions of dollars worth of orders from a few hand-picked customers, the sight of a new military aircraft propelled into development with no announced buyers can come across as a rarity bordering on reckless.
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05/07/2016
The Swiss Air Force is to replace a wing on its Boeing F/A-18 Hornet combat aircraft after it discovered a disbond in an adhesive joint during regular inspection. The joint between the wing and the fuselage of one F/A-18 aircraft was found to have become detached, according to the Federal Department of Defence, Civil Protection, and Sport (DDPS).
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05/07/2016
Indian Air Force gains by participating in international combat exercises, especially when its fighter jets are pitted against US F-16s and F-18s which are used by Pakistan, government said on Friday. Without naming Pakistan, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said in Lok Sabha that knowledge of close combat ability of F-16s and F-18s was important for the Western front of India.
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05/07/2016
Additionally, U.S. military officials revealed that it would provide more intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance resources to the Nigerian military and plans to train Nigerian infantry troops to more effectively combat the insurgents.
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05/07/2016
The Pentagon has placed a small number of U.S. advisors on the ground in Yemen to support Arab forces battling al-Qaeda, military officials said on Friday, signaling a new American role in that country’s multi-sided civil war. Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, said U.S. personnel had been in the country for about two weeks, supporting Yemeni and Emirati forces that are fighting a pitched battle against militants near the southeastern port city of Mukalla.
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05/07/2016
The United States has continued its foreign military sales (FMS) momentum from last year into the first half of this fiscal year and is on pace to exceed its 2015 profits from selling combat aircraft in part to countries in the Middle East and Asia, according to Defense News. Last year, the U.S. pocketed $43 billion in foreign military sales.
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05/07/2016
Since January, dozens of Turkish residents have been killed in cities along the Syrian border, victims of rocket attacks believed to have been carried out by Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State. In an effort to counter these attacks, the Turkish military will fast-track two programs aimed at developing armed drones.
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05/07/2016
A new financial report projects that the largest US defense contractors are looking forward to a new bonanza of expensive aircraft sales to Gulf states and Israel, including an extra squadron of F-15 jets, the Defense News reported on Friday. "The… finalization of a ten-year military funding plan for Israel [is] expected to be in the $40 billion to $50 billion range," the newspaper stated, citing a financial report from Guggenheim Securities.
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05/07/2016
In what can be seen as a sharp denial to the US, India has dismissed a proposal made by Lockheed Martin Corp to build F-16 fighter jets in India. India's defense minister Manohar Parrikar said in Parliament, "The experience of flying against F-16 is what we require as we are not going to induct F-16, at least; as of now."
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05/06/2016
Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper reporters followed a major general of Vietnam’s air defense force on Wednesday during a surprise military inspection on two of the country’s most modern air regiments in the southeast province of Dong Nai.
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05/06/2016
Several prominent leaders in the national defense community are calling upon the Pentagon to re-start production of the high-speed F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet which began air attacks against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria. The F-22's recent performance in combat missions for Operation Inherent Resolve over Iraq and Syria have led observers and analysts to emphasize the importance of the fighter.
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05/06/2016
The Sri Lankan Air Force (SLAF) is reportedly planning to open talks with Russia for the purchase of fighter aircraft. The type and numbers have not been specified, but it seems Sri Lanka is not going to engage with any of its neighbours in South Asia for new combat aircraft to replace its ageing MiG-27s and IAI Kfirs.
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05/06/2016
The Chinese navy has begun a comprehensive combat drill in the South China Sea involving its most advanced warships amid rising tensions with the United States over the disputed waters.
A naval group of two destroyers, two frigates, and a supply ship left Sanya, Hainan province, on Wednesday for drills analysts said were aimed at boosting combat readiness. Another destroyer will join them soon.
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05/06/2016
As the BJP and the Congress lock horns over the AgustaWestland chopper deal, the Narendra Modi government has decided to up the ante by initiating investigation into all the defence deals finalised by the previous UPA government, including the high-profile Rafale jets. Sources in the Defence Ministry have told India Today that a probe has been ordered into the previous acquisition of Pilatus Aircraft and MMRCA deal (Rafale jet deal) finalised during the Congress-led UPA-2 regime.
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05/06/2016
Since the 1960s, Labour and Conservative governments have sold the Saudi regime entire fleets of combat aircraft, as well as providing regular continuing supplies of training, upgrades and ammunition. Since the onslaught on Yemen began in March last year, the flow of arms – bombs, rockets and missiles in particular – has not only continued, but dramatically increased.
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05/06/2016
US missile manufacturer Raytheon is zeroing in on low-cost, tube-launched small unmanned aircraft like the Coyote and autonomous swarming technology to capture new business as part of the Pentagon’s Third Offset Strategy.
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05/06/2016
Boeing has equipped the U.S. Navy’s new P-8 Maintenance Training Facility with a suite of realistic, interactive training systems, another key step in the service's efforts to fully integrate the aircraft into the fleet.
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05/06/2016
India has sent letters of request to eight countries in relation to a corruption probe into the process of procuring helicopters from an Italian producer, AgustaWestland, for the Indian Air Force, Indian Foreign Ministry spokesman Vikas Swarup said Thursday.
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05/06/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry published a video of the Russian Aerospace Forces conducting flights in Syria on its official YouTube channel. The video shows the incredible Su-25 fighter jet, Mi-8 transport-combat helicopter, Su-35s, the Su-24M and fighter-bomber Su-34.
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05/05/2016
The Algerian Air Force has asked to evaluate the Sukhoi Su-35 multi-role fighter jet in preparation for the possible acquisition of at least 10 of the aircraft at a cost of up to $900 million, a Russian defence industrial source has revealed.
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05/05/2016
The US Air Force is pressing forward with a General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper upgrade that would allow the widely fielded armed aircraft to takeoff and land automatically.
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05/05/2016
Kratos Defense is gaining ground in the unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) market traditionally dominated by the world’s largest defence firms and privately-held General Atomics Aeronautical Systems in the USA, having captured at least one significant classified contract and most recently winning a place on the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency’s (DARPA) “Gremlins” project.
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05/05/2016
The Air Force plans to arm its fleet of drones and fighter jets with high-tech laser weapons able to incinerate enemy targets from the sky, service officials said. Aircraft-launched laser weapons could eventually be engineered for a wide range of potential uses, including air-to-air combat, close air support, counter-UAS(drone), counter-boat, ground attack and even missile defense, officials said.
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05/05/2016
Finland’s center-right government’s tightening grip on public spending could result in the acquisition of fewer combat aircraft in the Finnish Air Forces’ (FAF) HX Fighter Replacement Program (HX-FRP). Such a path to procurement strengthens the possibility that economic and affordability factors could see Finland acquire a fleet of combat drone aircraft to supplement the FAF’s operational needs and support its overall capability.
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05/05/2016
The Indian Navy will induct a new squadron of MiG-29Ks in a ceremony scheduled to take place on May 11 in the southern state of Goa. The Russian fighter aircraft is replacing the obsolete British Sea Harriers which served the Indian Navy since 1983, and were placed aboard the INS Viraat warship, which is also being decommissioned.
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05/05/2016
About 30 aircraft of Russia’s Air Force were withdrawn from the territory of Syria, leaving just enough forces in the country for the necessary fight against terrorist groups, according to the official representative of the Russian Defense Ministry, Major-General Igor Konashenkov.
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05/05/2016
Russia will consider a potential request from Iran on acquiring Russian tanks, armored personnel carriers and combat aircraft, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told Sputnik.
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05/05/2016
A new batch of Mil Mi-8/17 transport helicopters has been supplied by the Russian Helicopters company under a Defense Ministry contract, it was announced in a corporate press release Wednesday.
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05/05/2016
Poland’s Defense Ministry plans to buy 24 Boeing AH-64 Apache helicopters under its ongoing tender to purchase new combat helicopters for the country’s Air Force, according to local business daily Dziennik Gazeta Prawna.
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05/04/2016
NATO scrambled its fighter jets conducting the Air Policing Mission five times to intercept military aircraft of the Russian Federation in international airspace over the Baltic Sea from April 25 to April 30, reports Lithuania's National Defence Ministry.
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05/04/2016
Japan will lease military aircraft to the Philippines in another sign of deepening security ties between the two former foes to counter Beijing's increasing regional influence. The agreement was made Monday afternoon during telephone talks between Japan's Defense Minister Gen Nakatani and his Philippine counterpart Voltaire Gazmin, the ministry said.
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05/04/2016
Textron Systems says it has successfully demonstrated a vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) with its Aerosonde unmanned air vehicle using the hybrid quadcopter technology that it is pursuing along with Latitude Engineering and Cloud Cap Technology.
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05/04/2016
The Army is preparing for the first official flights of two high-tech, next-generation aircraft now being designed with a wide range of abilities to include flying faster, flying farther without needing to refuel, operating in high-hot conditions and having an ability to both reach high speeds and hover like a helicopter.
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05/04/2016
Lockheed Martin Corp. has been awarded a $1.27 billion contract to deliver F-35 Lightning II aircraft, the U.S. Department of Defense announced Monday. The Marine Corps will receive six F-35B aircraft, Air Force will get three F-35As and the Navy will take the delivery of four F-35Cs.
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05/04/2016
The Indian Navy has finalized a plan to acquire 100 cutting-edge technologies in the next 15 years to build its war-fighting capabilities, but how realistic that will be is a million-dollar question. The 15-year prospective plan unveiled last month calls for acquiring a range of futuristic technologies.
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05/04/2016
Congress recently included language in draft defense spending authorization legislation that would nudge the U.S. Air Force to consider upping its future orders of B-21 Long-Range Strike Bombers. Independent experts say the Pentagon should rethink its planned purchase of 100 bombers and potentially double them.
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05/04/2016
The U.S. Marine Corps has got an air force problem. Its current fleet of fighter jets, purchased from the 1980s to the mid-1990s, is in poor repair. And a new fleet of of vertical-launching F-35 stealth fighters that the Marines have been waiting years to put into action is coming on-line too slowly to keep up flying units’ strength.
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05/04/2016
As negotiations between India and France for the sale of 36 Rafale jet fighters are on, a parliamentary panel today expressed its displeasure over the non-conclusion of the deal. Parliament's standing committee for the defence ministry said in its report: "The committee are unhappy to note that although a considerable time has elapsed, negotiations with France on Rafale (fighter aircraft) could not be taken to a logical end."
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05/04/2016
As part of a deal valued at $699 million, Washington agreed to sell Islamabad up to eight Lockheed Martin F-16 fighter jets, in addition to radar and other equipment. Much of the cost would be covered by the US government’s Foreign Military Financing fund, with Pakistan paying some $270 million.
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05/03/2016
Beijing denied a US aircraft carrier permission to make a port call in Hong Kong, a US consulate official says, a rejection that comes amid escalating tensions in the South China Sea. The Chinese Foreign Ministry told the US on Thursday night the visit by the USS John C. Stennis would not be allowed, said the official, who requested anonymity.
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05/03/2016
Framed by a matted khaki sky, a Royal Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone armed with four Hellfire missiles and two GBU-12 laser-guided bombs takes off from this undisclosed location. The unmanned aircraft is on its way to Iraq or Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, the coalition air war against the Islamic State, the terrorist army also known as ISIS. There is a 16.1 percent chance the Reaper will return to this base with fewer rockets and bombs, according to RAF data.
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05/03/2016
While critics of the F-35 welcome a showdown with the purpose-built ground-attack A-10, US fighter pilot Lt. Colonel Joshua Wood doesn’t share the same enthusiasm. As commander of the US Air Force’s 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron — a division tasked with developing new tactics for frontline fighters — Lt. Wood believes the showdown would not deliver any reasonable insights as results could be skewed.
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05/03/2016
The US Army wants to find the right balance between when it uses soldier and contract maintainers for its fleet of aircraft, but right now the levels are “out of balance,” according to the new Army Aviation and Missile Life Cycle Management Command (AMCOM) leader. “I think we are contractor heavy,” Brig. Gen. Doug Gabram said at the Army Aviation Association of America’s Mission Solutions Summit on Friday.
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05/03/2016
The U.S. and its NATO allies are dusting off their old playbooks this week during a trip abroad by Defense Secretary Ash Carter, citing the myriad threats facing Europe as the impetus for the Pentagon's pushing the Cold War alliance back onto a continental war footing.
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05/03/2016
Known for an ability to keep flying after taking multiple rounds of enemy machine gun fire, land and operate in rugged terrain, destroy groups of enemy fighters with a 30mm cannon and unleash a wide arsenal of attack weapons, the A-10 is described by pilots as a “flying tank” in the sky -- able to hover over ground war and provide life-saving close air support in high-threat combat environments.
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05/03/2016
For the first time since the end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the AAF has engaged in live combat using modern-day fixed-wing combat aircraft. In April, the Afghan Air Force (AAF) reached a major milestone in its development. For the first time since the end of the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, the AAF has engaged in live combat using modern-day fixed-wing combat aircraft.
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05/03/2016
The U.S. Army awarded LONGBOW Limited Liability Company (LLC) a $57.1 million foreign military sale contract to provide the Indian Air Force with LONGBOW Fire Control Radar (FCR) systems for their new Apache AH-64E helicopters. LONGBOW LLC is a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
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05/03/2016
The US State Department has approved a possible $30-million worth sale of air-to-surface Hellfire Missiles and associated equipment to France, the Defense Cooperation Agency said in a press release on Monday. "The estimated MDE [Major Defense Equipment] cost in this amendment is $25 million. The total estimated cost is $30 million," the release stated.
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05/02/2016
America’s ancient but venerable flying tank, the A-10 Warthog, is on the budgetary chopping block. Congress is fighting to keep it flying, and has laid out exactly what they want to see out of any potential replacement jet. The National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2016 (H.R. 1735) proposed by House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry proposes that the A-10 be protected from retirement until the end of 2016.
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05/01/2016
Turkish violations in the Aegean continued on Good Friday when a Turkish military aircraft flew over Inousses and Panagia. The Turkish military aircraft violated the Athens FIR when it flew over the island of Inousses at a low altitude at 10:53, 10:56 and 11:00. Four minutes later, it flew over the islet of Panagia, east of Inousses. The Turkish aircraft was recognized and intercepted by Greek military aircraft.
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05/01/2016
Last week, Petro Poroshenko announced that Ukraine's defense enterprises would soon create a new engine for the country's fighter jets. Unfortunately, the engines would still be attached to Russian MiG and Sukhoi airplanes. Therefore, Ukrainian media have also reported that the defense industry could also produce Ukrainian-designed aircraft.
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05/01/2016
Russia said on Saturday it had sent a fighter plane on Friday to intercept a US aircraft approaching its border over the Baltic Sea because the American plane had turned off its transponder, which is needed for identification.
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05/01/2016
Next year will bring the first flights of the prototype rotorcraft vying to replace the Army’s venerable Black Hawk and other helicopters. But don’t expect the futuristic aircraft to hit battlefields for another decade and a half — unless their manufacturers find other customers first.
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05/01/2016
A former Air Force Chief and an infamous big business wheeler-dealer are attempting to influence the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) to acquire multi-role JF-17 ‘Fierce Dragon’ fighter aircraft jointly developed by China and Pakistan, at a higher rate, an Air Force inside source said. The source, who wished to remain anonymous, said a JF-17 will cost the SLAF a staggering US $ 29 million while the same aircraft from a reputed manufacturer in Russia would cost between US $ 20-25 million.
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04/30/2016
A specter is haunting Asia—the specter of full Chinese domination in the South China Sea. Latest reports suggest that China could soon move ahead with building military facilities on the Scarborough Shoal, a contested land feature it has occupied since 2012. This would allow China, according to a Mainland source, to “further perfect” its aerial superiority across the contested waters.
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04/30/2016
The U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon a $90 million first-lot production contract for the next-generation Multi-Spectral Targeting System. The AN/DAS-4, the latest variant of the MTS family of sensors, incorporates greater fire control and target location accuracy technology delivering more accurate coordinates for higher precision weapon engagements.
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04/30/2016
On 22 April, Japan’s X-2 prototype stealth fighter carried out its maiden flight. Under development by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI), since 2009, at the request of the Japanese Ministry of Defense, the X-2 (formerly ATD-X) is at present a small-scale demonstrator. It will test different technologies (propulsion, stealth and avionics) which could be embedded within fifteen years on future Japanese fighters. To date, the development costs of the programme stand at around 320 million euros.
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04/30/2016
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B Osprey descended on Edwards to link up with a Marine F-35B Joint Strike Fighter April 28. Both aircraft are assigned to Marine Operational Test & Evaluation Squadron 22 (VMX-22) out of Marine Corps Air Station Yuma in Arizona. VMX-22 has a detachment here where Marines are testing and evaluating their version of the JSF, which is the short take-off and vertical landing variant.
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04/30/2016
Although the experimental X-2 will never be an operational fighter, it is the most visible part of a broad Japanese industrial effort, fully backed by the government, to develop technologies necessary for advanced fighters, such as stealth, thrust vectoring control, sensors and advanced engines.
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04/30/2016
The professionalism displayed by China's navy in some of the world's most contested seas is masking an underlying challenge to the existing order in the East China Sea and South China Sea that must be resisted, according to a report by an Australian security think tank. "Beijing's newly acquired taste for maritime 'rules of the road' is lowering the risk of accidental conflict," wrote Ashley Townshend and Rory Medcalf in a report published Friday.
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04/30/2016
China has denied a US request for an aircraft carrier group led by USS John C. Stennis to make a port visit to Hong Kong, the US State Department said on Friday, confirming earlier media reports. Pentagon spokesman, Commander Bill Urban, said another US warship, the USS Blue Ridge, was currently in Hong Kong on a stop-over and the US expected that to continue.
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04/30/2016
Chronic maintenance problems with the aging F-18 Hornet are hobbling the Marines, leaving them with less than 60 percent of the strike fighters they need to conduct training and operations, the Marine deputy commandant for aviation testified recently as reported at Breaking Defense. Units deployed overseas are fully equipped, as they need to be, but this removes capability from training and non-deployed units even though squadron size has been lessened.
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04/30/2016
With tensions rising in the Baltic Sea following an incident involving two Russian fighters and the USS Donald Cook, US officials claim that an Su-27 has performed another “unsafe” flyby of an American surveillance aircraft in the region. Two US defense officials claim that a Russian jet performed a "barrel roll" within 100 ft. of a US Air Force RC-135 spy plane, according to the Telegraph.
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04/30/2016
US President Barack Obama’s administration plans to abandon the plan to subsidize the $700 million deal to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, a senior US State Department official said Friday.
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04/29/2016
The United States has increasingly carried out what have been called freedom of navigation exercises in the South China Sea. This month, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter visited a warship in the South China Sea in an effort to show America’s commitment to security in the area.
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04/29/2016
It also said delays in deliveries of its new A350 and A320neo airliners were creating a drain on cash. The world's second largest aircraft maker reported a 23% fall in first quarter operating profits to €501m ($568m; £390m). Chief executive Tom Enders said: "2016 turns out to be the challenging year we anticipated."
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04/29/2016
On 28 April, just days after the developmental aircraft’s many flaws were enumerated at a Senate hearing, the US House Armed Services Committee agreed on a defence policy that would fund 11 more F-35s in fiscal year 2017, on top of the 63 aircraft already requested by the US services.
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04/29/2016
On Apr. 21, a Russian Air Force MiG-31 jet intercepted a U.S. P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft flying in international airspace near Kamchatka Pensinsula, in Russia’s Far East, where a firing range used also to test intercontinental ballistic missiles launched from Borei-class strategic nuclear submarines is located.
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04/29/2016
Top U.S. military leaders faced skepticism Thursday on Capitol Hill as they made the case that President Barack Obama's strategy in Iraq and Syria is beginning to show results against the Islamic State. Appearing before the Senate Armed Service Committee, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and Gen. Joseph Dunford Jr., chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, described growing momentum against the group, which has lost ground to U.S.-backed fighters in Syria and Iraq in recent months.
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04/29/2016
The production of the first prototype of JF-17B aircraft was initiated by both the countries at an induction ceremony held in Chengdu Aerospace Corporation in southwestern Sichuan province's Chengdu city.
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04/29/2016
Five of six Air Force F-35 fighter jets were unable to take off during a recent exercise due to software bugs that continue to hamstring the world’s most sophisticated—and most expensive—warplane. During a mock deployment at Mountain Home Air Force Base in Idaho, just one of the $100 million Lockheed Martin F-35s was able to boot its software successfully and get itself airborne during an exercise designed to test the readiness of the F-35, FlightGlobal reports.
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04/29/2016
The concept was rolled out by Adm. Scott Swift during an April 26 all-hands call on the destroyer Momsen, which was docked in Hawaii on a port visit. “I think this is going to revolutionize where we are with expeditionary strike groups,” Swift said. “The three-ship PAC SAG that [destroyers] Decatur, Momsen and Spruance are part of will pave the way for another SAG, just like this one, attached to the large-deck amphib so that it will become what I’m calling an ‘Up-Gunned ESG.’”
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04/29/2016
For the time being, the US is the preeminent participant in drone warfare, its Reapers and Predators clouding the skies over the Middle East. But other nations have their own unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) programs, and the future could see a drone race between Washington and Beijing.
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04/28/2016
Two F-22 Raptors from the 95th Fighter Squadron, Tyndall Air Force Base landed at Šiauliai Air Base, Lithuania today, accompanied by a KC-135 Stratotanker, from the 100th ARW, RAF Mildenhall. The Aircraft and crew were welcomed by the Lithuanian President, Dalia Grybauskaite who commented that with the arrival of these aircraft, the United States is actively honoring its commitments and demonstrating its ability to protect the region.
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04/28/2016
The Israeli military has bought some new locally developed Roetm L UAVs for their infantry to use in urban combat. What is unique about the Roetm L it is a lightweight (4.5 kg/10 pound) quad-copter that not only carries the usual day/night cameras but is also armed with two 450g (one pound) grenades that can be armed and released by operator command.
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04/28/2016
Speaking on the sidelines of the fifth Moscow Conference on International Security, Menendez said that his country’s delegation arrived at the conference with great expectations. "We are about to sign a treaty between Russia and Uruguay on defense and military cooperation," the official said.
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04/28/2016
Saab has selected a Brazilian company for simulators, training systems and ground support systems for Gripen fighters for the Brazilian Air Force. The fighters - 36 in all - will mainly be built in Brazil under a contract that came into effect last year. The Brazilian company to produce the simulators and traing systems is Atech Negocios em Tecnologia S/A, Saab said, and is an example of Saab's commitment to deliver industrial cooperation as part of the Brazilian Gripen NG program.
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04/28/2016
The chairman of the US Senate House Armed Services Committee says lawmakers aren't likely to authorise the retirement of any more legacy warplanes until there is “no doubt” that the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II can adequately fulfil its intended roles.
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04/28/2016
The Air Force F-35 is using “open air” ranges and computer simulation to practice combat missions against the best Chinese and Russian-made air-defense technologies – as a way to prepare to enemy threats anticipated in the mid-2020s and beyond. The testing is aimed at addressing the most current air defense system threats such as Russian-made systems and also focused on potential next-generation or yet-to-exist threats, Harrigian said.
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04/28/2016
The United Kingdom's Royal Air Force (RAF) has ramped up its bombing campaign against ISIS.
Enhanced Paveway III (EPW III) bombs, the largest in RAF's arsenal, successfully hit two entrances to an underground bunker as part of the coalition's efforts to combat ISIS. The strikes, which occurred on April 21, targeted a large complex of tunnels and bunkers in the terraced hillsides above the Euphrates in western Iraq, according to a press release from the Ministry of Defense.
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04/28/2016
One of the first lessons a president learns is that every word he says weighs a ton, Calvin Coolidge once said. The same is true of Canadian prime ministers, which is perhaps why you haven’t heard Justin Trudeau talk recently about blocking Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter jet from the competition to replace the venerable CF-18s.
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04/28/2016
The situation in the South China Sea has grown even more complex over the past week, with A-10 attack planes flying maritime patrols over a coral reef chain known as Scarborough Shoal. It’s less than 150 miles to the west of the Philippines, and considered a site where Beijing may carry out “land reclamation” and continue its military expansion in the region this year, prompting concern from the United States and its partners in the region.
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04/28/2016
Cairo’s cooperation with Moscow and Paris on the sales to Egypt of the Mistral helicopter carriers France originally built for Russia is progressing "in leaps and bounds," Mohamed Elkeshky, Egypt’s deputy defense minister, told Sputnik on Wednesday.
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04/27/2016
Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport and the Irkut manufacturer plan to deliver three Yak-130 (Mitten) advanced jet trainers and light attack aircraft to Myanmar by the end of the year, Russian media reported Tuesday, citing defense cooperation sources.
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04/27/2016
Air Force pilots of the 1980s-era stealthy B-2 Spirit bomber plan to upgrade and fly the aircraft on attack missions against enemy air defenses well into the 2050s, service officials said. “It is a dream to fly. It is so smooth,” Maj. Kent Mickelson, director of operations for 394th combat training squadron, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
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04/27/2016
U.S. defence giants Lockheed Martin and Boeing have stepped up their battle in Denmark to win a $5 billion order for combat jets which is due to be decided next month, with an advertising blitz in newspapers and on billboards by Boeing reflecting the importance they give to winning the deal.
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04/27/2016
House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry drafted a bill that would stop the Air Force from using funds in their 2017 budget to retire or reduce the use of the A-10 Warthog until the Pentagon's weapons tester completes comparative tests between the A-10 and the F-35 Lightning II.
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04/27/2016
Last week, the Pentagon said forces loyal to the Syrian government were beginning "to mass and concentrate combat power around Aleppo." The US spokesman said: "It is primarily [the] al-Nusra [Front] who holds Aleppo, and, of course, al-Nusra is not part of the cessation of hostilities. So it's complicated. We're watching it." As so often with recent Russian military campaigns, the media message has been at variance with the reality of events on the ground.
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04/27/2016
The latest in military technology and the addition of up to 450 more U.S. troops announced yesterday will enhance the U.S.-led coalition’s efforts to enable ground forces in the campaign to defeat Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorism in Iraq and Syria, the deputy commander for operations and intelligence for Operation Inherent Resolve told Pentagon reporters today.
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04/27/2016
The MOD has released unseen footage of its latest fighters jets being flown by British RAF personnel in the US. The F-35B Lightning II, a state-of-the-art stealth aircraft, is shown alongside its US counterparts at Marine Air Corps Station Beaufort, South Carolina. Britain will receive 138 of the advanced aircraft this summer, but they will will first be seen by the public at the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in July and the Farnborough Air Show in Hampshire.
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04/27/2016
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter's record on cost, schedule and performance has been a scandal and a tragedy, the chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee told senior Pentagon officials Tuesday during a withering critique of the most expensive weapons program in U.S. military history.
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04/27/2016
Lockheed Martin today announced the CH-53K helicopter has achieved its first external lift flight by successfully carrying a 12,000 pound external load. "Achieving our first external lift signifies another milestone for the CH-53K program," said Mike Torok, Sikorsky's Vice President of CH-53K Programs.
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04/27/2016
With a successful first flight on April 25th, Boeing has added the fourth and final flight test aircraft to the KC-46 Pegasus fleet, a 767-2C. During the 1 hour, 40 minute flight, test pilots performed operational engine checks, flight controls and environmental systems checks and took the 767-2C to a maximum altitude of 39,000 feet prior to landing at Boeing Field, south of Seattle.
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04/26/2016
We will be well positioned to provide additional 90 aircraft, if New Delhi confirms its need for 126 combat aircraft, Dassault CEO Eric Trappier said. In an interview with French news daily, Challenges, Dassault Aviation CEO Eric Trappier said Monday that, “Significant progress in the Rafale deal with India has been made and I sense a real determination to succeed, possibly in the coming weeks.”
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04/26/2016
Alongside an active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar, helmet mounted display and sight (HMD/S), high off-boresight (HOBS) air-to-air missiles, the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) is also considering to equip the forthcoming JF-17 Block-III with an infrared search and track (IRST) system.
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04/26/2016
Four French air force Dassault Rafale Cs and eight Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons deployed to RAF Leeming in mid-April for Exercise Griffin Strike. The manoeuvres were intended to validate part of the Combined Joint Expeditionary Force (CJEF) component of the bilateral Lancaster House Treaty, signed in 2010.
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04/26/2016
Shafi Amrar the head and principal recruiter of Islamic State (IS) in India was reportedly killed in a drone strike few days ago, said sources. Shafi Amrar (26), a resident of Bhatkal in Karnataka, was allegedly in charge of recruiting members for the ISIS in India.
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04/26/2016
Germany is planning to open an air base in southern Turkey that will assist its military in an intensified campaign against the Islamic State group in Syria. The planned $73 million base will be built as an extension to the Incirlik base, which both the German and U.S. military use for refueling missions to Syria, Spiegel reported.
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04/26/2016
Manila: Confirming reports of patrols by US aircraft over the South China Sea, Manila on Monday said these were part of “maritime situational awareness” flights carried to assert Philippine claims to disputed island territories. Brigadier Restituto Padilla, Armed Forces of the Philippines spokesman, said four US fixed-wing aircraft, and two attack helicopters flew over the area of the Panatag Shoal from Clark Air Base north of Manila on April 19.
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04/26/2016
The Japan Air-Self Defense Force (JASDF) had to dispatch its fighter jets 571 times during fiscal year 2015 to intercept Chinese military aircraft approaching or intruding Japanese airspace, Japan’s Defense Ministry revealed, according to The Japan Times.
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04/26/2016
Desert Storm remains the benchmark for a modern air campaign. In 40 days, a diverse assembly of coalition airpower managed to shatter one of the world’s largest military establishments, paving the way for the mere 100 hours it took ground forces to eject the Iraqi military from Kuwait. The air campaign was preceded by the most effective defense suppression effort ever, dismantling the Iraqi air defense system in 72 hours.
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04/26/2016
Congress waded back into the debate over the Air Force’s A-10 retirement plans today, unveiling House legislation that would restrict funds for the service to move ahead with sunsetting the attack plane. In his markup of the defense policy bill, House Armed Services Committee chairman Rep. Mac Thornberry prohibits the Air Force for using FY17 funds to retire, prepare to retire, or place in storage any A-10 aircraft, which primarily conduct close-air support.
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04/26/2016
Two American F-22 Raptor 5G stealth fighter jets and a refueling aircraft have been deployed to an airfield in Romania as manifestation of NATO’s support to its Eastern European members against “Russian aggression.” The US Air Force aircraft arrived at the air base on the Black Sea, less than 400km from the Russian military stronghold of Sevastopol on the Crimean Peninsula.
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04/25/2016
An Air Force Mobility Command accident report released April 15 pinpointed the cause of a C-130J crash in Afghanistan last year: a forgotten night-vision googles case jammed behind the control yoke used to steer the plane. The pilot had used the case so he didn't have to manually hold the yoke in place to keep the elevators as high as possible for unloading and loading cargo.
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04/25/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry and the Russian Helicopters company have signed the first serial contract on the delivery of Mil Mi-28UB combat training helicopters to Russia's Aerospace Forces, as well as a contract on the delivery of Mil Mi-26 helicopters as part of the state defense order.
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04/25/2016
Despite tight budgets across the region, sales executives say they are busier than ever after a five-year lull - and both industry and government sources say the next months could see several multibillion-dollar deals from Malaysia to Vietnam. A trade conference held in Kuala Lumpur this week thronged with would-be buyers and salesmen from Russian, French, British, Chinese, Pakistani and American firms. Held every other year, attendees reported it was busier than ever.
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04/25/2016
Drones may soon have the capability to save thousands of lives each year by detecting terrorists' improvised explosive devices and active land mines from long-ago wars thanks to innovative technology developed at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. The proven detection technology that also can detect chemical and nuclear weapons and drugs was successfully miniaturized and attached to an unmanned aircraft by Fusion Technology Lab graduate students about five months ago.
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04/25/2016
Jointly built by helicoptering powerhouses Boeing and Textron, the V-22 Osprey is a marvel of engineering. Launching and landing vertically, flying at speeds in excess of 300 mph and as high as five miles in the sky, the Osprey can carry up to 32 troops (or 15 tons of cargo) into combat, to battlefields as far as 1,000 miles distant.
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04/25/2016
A day after North Korea's foreign minister told The Associated Press that his country is ready to halt its nuclear tests if the United States suspends its annual military exercises with South Korea, President Obama said Sunday that Washington isn't taking the proposal seriously and Pyongyang would "have to do better than that."
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04/24/2016
Coming close on the heels of its deal with Rafael for modern weapon systems including Air to Air Missiles, Air Defence Systems and Large Aerostats, Reliance Defence Ltd along with Ukraine based State Corporation ANTONOV have agreed to cooperate on dual version transport aircraft for Military, Para military and Commercial use in India.
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04/24/2016
Earlier this month, Nahal infantry field commanders hunkered down in a field in northern Israel, pinned down by mock enemy fire. They were on a “mission” to destroy targets similar to a rocket launcher hidden in a building in the middle of a Hezbollah-controlled village in southern Lebanon.
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04/24/2016
UK-based BAE Systems (International) Ltd is optimistic of its Eurofighter Typhoon bid and is now awaiting the Malaysian government’s decision to replace the current MiG-29N fleet for the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF). Managing Director for South-East Asia and India, John Brosnan, said it was up to the Malaysian government to evaluate the proposals and select the aircraft that would meet the requirement.
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04/24/2016
On April 18, the U.S. Air Force’s massive B-52 Stratofortresses launched their first strikes against the Islamic State. In the mission over Qayyarah, Iraq, the lumbering warplanes dropped GPS- or laser-guided bombs onto a nondescript set of buildings. But despite being icons of American military power, the bombers might not be the best tools for the job.
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04/24/2016
After flying through Bahrain, Egypt, France, Portugal and Canada, 12 Indian Air Force aircraft, including the Russian origin Su30 MKI, reached the United States to take part in the prestigious Red Flag air exercise. The planes, which arrived in Eielson Air Force Base in Alaska, will take part in the exercise starting on April 28 and will undertake war games along with NATO forces.
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04/24/2016
Now is not the time to stop and regroup in the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford said after leaving Baghdad. “The momentum has swung and … my experience tells me once you’ve got somebody in a headlock, you don’t let them go,” the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff said today in an interview on his way to Cairo, Egypt’s capital city.
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04/24/2016
India has a record of sour defence deals. While the Rafael deal with France to buy 36 fighters jets at nearly `60,000 crore is stuck over a year despite announcement made by PM Narendra Modi during his Paris visit in April 2015, India’s biggest defence buy with its old military hardware partner Russia threatens to crash. It is thrice bigger than the French deal and concerns 127 Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) costing over $25 billion.
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04/24/2016
North Korean foreign minister said that the country would halt nuclear tests if the United States stops military manoeuvres with South Korea, Associated Press reported. "Stop the nuclear war exercises in the Korean Peninsula, then we should also cease our nuclear tests," Ri Su Yong told the Associated Press in an interview.
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04/24/2016
Russia’s impressive improvements to its conventional forces arsenal, especially with respect to the signals intelligence (SIGINT) and electronic warfare (EW) capabilities it displayed in Syria, “may be gaining the envy of some in Washington,” according to one US military analyst. Here are two of the Russian spy planes which impressed the West.
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04/23/2016
Russian forces in Syria have fired at least twice on Israeli military aircraft, prompting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to seek improved operational coordination with Moscow, Israel's top-selling newspaper said on Friday. The unsourced report in Yedioth Ahronoth gave no dates or locations for the incidents nor any indication Israeli planes were hit. Russia mounted its military intervention in Syria in September to shore Damascus up amid a now 5-year-old rebellion.
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04/23/2016
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on Thursday clarified that the long-awaited deal for 36 French Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft was not complete as yet but at an "advanced stage" and that the intention was to "close it quite soon". Parrikar's clarification came a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced on its official Facebook page that the deal had been finalised at $8.8 billion.
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04/23/2016
When two C-130H aircraft arrived at Robins in the fall of 2013, each would play a significant role nearly two years later in a country over 7,000 miles away. The nose of one aircraft, scheduled to be retired, served as a donor to a second C-130. The second had experienced a hard landing and suffered structural damage to its nose, prior to its arrival for unscheduled depot level maintenance at the Warner Robins Air Logistics Complex.
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04/23/2016
Finnish Defence Forces are considering adding drones to its shopping list for new fighter jets. Officials are said to have put out feelers to acquire hardware that could replace Hornets altogether in the next decade. Defence contractors have also been asked to table proposals to boost the aerial power of multi-purpose fighter jets with drones.
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04/23/2016
A drone command center has been installed aboard an aircraft carrier for the first time, signifying the Navy’s commitment to a future of unmanned aviation. The center was installed aboard the San Diego-based USS Carl Vinson last week; the next one will be placed aboard the Norfolk-based USS Dwight D. Eisenhower next year, according to the Navy.
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04/23/2016
Combat aircraft from the Russian air group at the Hmeymim airbase were not conducting missions near Damascus where a military plane reportedly crashed on Friday, a spokesman for the airbase said.
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04/23/2016
On Wednesday, reports surfaced that Beijing was preparing for North Korea’s fifth nuclear test by deploying troops along its border with the country. According to a statement from the Hong Kong-based Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, 2,000 Chinese troops were tasked with measuring radioactive emissions along the border should Pyongyang follow through with its test.
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04/23/2016
The plane took off from Nagoya Airfield (Komaki Airport) in Aichi Prefecture at around 08:50 a.m. local time on Friday (23:50 GMT on Thursday) and landed safely at Gifu Air Field in Gifu Prefecture at 09:13 a.m. (00:13 GMT), Defense Ministry Program Manager Hirofumi Doi told Bloomberg by phone. Japan is now the fourth nation, after the United States, Russia and China to test fly its own stealth jet.
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04/22/2016
A monster US military aircraft capable of delivering devastating nuclear strikes has dropped its first bombs on Islamic State . The B-52 Stratofortress bomber was originally designed to unleash destruction on the Soviet Union during the Cold War. But now the huge eight-engine aircraft has turned its firepower on ISIS as its first bombs exploded in the northern Iraq city of Mosul on Monday.
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04/22/2016
A week after Russian military aircraft buzzed dangerously close to U.S. Navy ships and Air Force spy planes, Congress is considering bringing back production of stealthy F-22 Raptor air-to-air fighter jets. Lawmakers have tacked a provision onto a defense bill that will determine how much it would cost and how difficult it would be to ramp up production of the Air Force's fifth generation dogfighter. They also want to know about possible options for exporting F-22s to allies.
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04/22/2016
Late last month, the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency - the Pentagon arm responsible for coordinating sales of military equipment to our allies - notified Congress of an impending sale of military aircraft to the United Kingdom. And believe it or not, this one's nearly twice as big as the Chinook and Apache contracts combined.
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04/22/2016
Denmark will expand it's military mission in Syria, as part of a US-led coalition fighting against ISIS in the region. The European nation's decision to engage in the full spectrum of combat operations in Iraq and Syria will see the country deploying seven F-16 fighters and a C-130J transport aircraft for the mission. The mission will involve four of the seven F-16 fighter jets conducting air strikes, with the other three to be kept in a reserve capacity.
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04/22/2016
The US Marine Corps is pressing forward with a fleet-wide maintenance reset of the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion as it awaits delivery of the CH-53K King Stallion replacement, which has flown for the first time with an external load.
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04/22/2016
A number of foreign nations are awaiting delivery of China’s CH series military drones, one of the country’s most popular products in the international arms market. The drone family, bearing the name Cai Hong, which means rainbow in Chinese, is considered by experts to be among the most lethal drones on the planet. The newest and largest capacity combat drone in the series, the CH-5, is awaiting government approval for export.
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04/22/2016
Earlier this month, the British Royal Navy ship HMS Protector made history. An ice patrol ship, Protector sailed the frigid waters off Antarctica. But instead of using a helicopter to scout an ice-free route, the Protector had an unlikely helper — a drone. And not just any drone: a 3D printed drone that was manufactured onboard the ship itself.
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04/22/2016
Lockheed Martin received a $116.8 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for continued production of Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile-Extended Range (JASSM®-ER).
This contract exercises an option in the Lot 14 contract and includes 100 JASSM-ER missiles. Work under this contract option is expected to be complete by June 2019. The award brings the total number of JASSM and JASSM-ER missiles delivered or under contract to more than 2,700.
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04/22/2016
The presence of the Russian air defense systems does not allow anyone to violate Syria’s airspace, the Syrian prime minister told Sputnik. "We are reassured by the fact of the presence of the modern air defense systems, S-300 or S-400. Because they are guarding the sovereignty of the Syrian airspace, not allowing aircraft of any modifications to violate Syrian airspace," Wael Nader Halqi said.
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04/22/2016
Intelligence sharing between the United States and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states is very important in the fight against terrorism, and has been steadily improving, US President Barack Obama said in a press conference on Thursday.
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04/21/2016
The FBC-1 fighter jet, also known as the Flying Leopard, is independently developed and manufactured by Xi'an Aircraft Industry Corp. in northwest China. The aircraft contains two cabins, with the forecabin holding the cockpit while the rear cabin controls the weapons. Until now, the cockpit has been occupied only by male pilots. The Air Force of the People's Liberation Army has decided to modify the jet's cockpit to better accommodate female pilots.
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04/21/2016
The Spanish Navy has a midterm problem to tackle or maybe it would be more accurate to say it has a dilemma the country’s next defense minister must solve: Should the force continue with fixed-wing combat aviation and, if yes, is the F-35B the solution?
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04/21/2016
As the NATO-Russia Council prepared to meet for the first time in almost two years, U.S. and Russian officials traded barbs over who’s to blame for a recent spike in military tensions. The ambassadorial level meeting set for Wednesday at alliance headquarters in Brussels was to be the first time the format, which comprises NATO and Russian officials, has been convened since June 2014.
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04/21/2016
Drones are firing more weapons than conventional warplanes for the first time in Afghanistan and the ratio is rising, previously unreported US Air Force data for 2015 show, underlining how reliant the military has become on unmanned aircraft. The data show strikes by unmanned aircraft accounted for 56% of weapons deployed by the air force in Afghanistan in 2015, up dramatically from 5% in 2011.
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04/21/2016
India is keen on manufacturing a second line of fighters besides Tejas, and within 6 months, will begin the process of deciding which foreign manufacturer will make the jets in India, sources told NDTV. The Ministry of Defence has already had several rounds of discussions on this issue.
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04/21/2016
On Wednesday, China deployed troops along its border with North Korea as Pyongyang prepared for what will be its fifth nuclear test amid rising tensions on the Korean peninsula. Beijing deployed 2,000 troops to the border, according to a statement by The Information Center for Human Rights and Democracy, a nongovernmental organization based in Hong Kong.
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04/21/2016
The United States exerted military pressure on Russia by deploying its destroyer Donald Cook near the westernmost Russian exclave of Kaliningrad last week, Russian Envoy to NATO Alexander Grushko said Wednesday.
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04/21/2016
The Dongfeng-41 is a Chinese nuclear solid-fueled road-mobile intercontinental ballistic missile that can fire six to 10 nuclear multiple independently targetable warheads at a distance of more than 10 thousand kilometers.
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04/21/2016
The PAK-DA, which is being developed by Tupolev, is expected to be a subsonic flying-wing aircraft that is roughly analogous to the Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit and the US Air Force’s forthcoming Long Range Strike-Bomber, National Interest wrote.
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04/21/2016
The first export contract on delivering Russian-Indian BrahMos cruise missiles to a country in the Asian-Pacific Region will be signed by the end of 2016, BrahMos Aerospace spokesman Praveen Pathak said Wednesday. “It’s too early to be specific since negotiations are continuing, but we plan that by the end this year there will be one solid contract,” Pathak told RIA Novosti in an interview.
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04/20/2016
Republicans on a key defense committee in the U.S. House of Representatives want the Air Force to study the cost of restarting production of the F-22 fighter jet. The House Armed Services Committee’s Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee, headed by Rep. Mike Turner, a Republican from Ohio, on Tuesday proposed legislation that would direct Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James "to conduct a comprehensive assessment and study of the costs associated with resuming production.
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04/20/2016
Russia has broken an agreement with the US by allowing its warplanes to carry out “simulated attacks” on American jets over Syria, according to a new analysis. Last week, the US accused Russia of “aggressive” and “unsafe” manoeuvres after two Su-24 strike aircraft flew within 30ft of an American destroyer in the Baltic. Across Europe, Russian fighters and bombers have been intercepted while probing the air defences of Nato countries.
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04/20/2016
The US wants greater special forces and naval cooperation with Gulf states to counter Iran’s “destabilizing activities” in the region, a senior official said on the eve of Obama’s visit to Saudi Arabia. Over the past 15 years the US has sold combat aircraft to Gulf states, but the senior American defense official said Iran’s activities “won’t be countered” in that way, AFP reported.
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04/20/2016
Unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) have become an essential support element, providing Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance prior, during and after air strikes. But current platforms are too slow and vulnerable to operate in contested airspace. The US Air Force and DARPA are looking at new concepts of operations that will enable unmanned platforms to support the future air component in all operational environments.
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04/20/2016
The House Armed Services Committee has been a bastion of the more-more-more club, rejecting Administration reductions to defense programs, opposing mandated sequestration cuts and urging higher levels of arms spending.
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04/20/2016
The British government released licences for the export of £7m of arms to Saudi Arabia in the last three months of 2015, taking the total value of such licences since the country entered the civil war in Yemen to £2.8bn.
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04/20/2016
After three dozen rounds of negotiations since April 2015, India will finally sign an €7.8 billion (US $8.9 billion) contract next month with France to purchase 36 Dassault Rafale fighter aircraft. "We are in advanced stages of negotiations and the contract will be inked soon," said a source in the Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD).
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04/20/2016
The Danish Parliament has approved by a majority vote a decision to strengthen the country’s military assistance in the fight against Daesh terrorist organization in Syria and Iraq, the government’s press service said Tuesday. "In the coming months, Denmark will provide F16 fighter jets, special forces and a [C-130J] transport aircraft to support the anti-Daesh international coalition," the press service said in a statement.
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04/20/2016
In a corresponding statement the leaders of about a dozen armed factions announced the formation of a so-called “joint operation room” to coordinate new attacks on government forces. The statement came just hours after the chief negotiator of the Syrian opposition delegation in Geneva called to ignore the months-long ceasefire and resume the fighting.
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04/19/2016
For every military aircraft that makes it into service, a thousand projects survive only in tattered blueprints in filing cabinets or as lonely prototypes in museums. Here, courtesy of War Is Boring’s David Axe and Hush-Kit’s Joe Coles, are 10 warplanes that might have been.
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04/19/2016
Russia’s military has received more than 1,200 new and modernized aircraft over the past three years, the Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said at a Russian aviation industry conference last week, according to TASS.
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04/19/2016
A batch of three Russian Sukhoi Su-25 strike fighters has been delivered to Iraq and will soon enter service, an Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman said. Nasir Nouri Mohammed al-Tamimi said on Monday the new jets will strengthen Iraq's capabilities in combating terrorist groups such as the Islamic State, according to a report from Tass, a government-owned Russian new agency.
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04/19/2016
Problems with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s software could lead to a fleet-wide grounding, a new report by the Government Accountability Office says. In an analysis released late last week, the GAO reports that problems with the software system, known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), are serious enough that “it could take the entire F-35 fleet offline.”
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04/19/2016
China's South China Sea fleets have conducted training drills with upgraded methods that resemble actual combat conditions to increase the fleets' combat effectiveness, according to an article published by the PLA Daily on Sunday.
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04/19/2016
India's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which was several years in the making, has now caught the attention of foreign buyers with Sri Lanka and Egypt evincing interest in the indigenously built fighter jet. Sri Lanka had recently rejected Pakistan's JF-17 aircraft built with Chinese help, while Egypt had last year signed a contract for 24 French-made Rafale fighter jets.
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04/19/2016
"The delivery of the UN humanitarian goods under the cover of Russian fighters was successful," the Russian military said in a statement. Over the weekend, an IL-76 cargo plane dropped pallets of food and medicine for the 200,000 residents of the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor. The city is in the heart of territory held by Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State, and the humanitarian mission was accompanied by Russian Su-30s.
(Read More...)
04/19/2016
Turkey’s foray into drone technology comes amid increased crackdowns against political and intellectual dissent as well as on the country’s Kurdish minority, while emboldening the government’s imperial ambitions.
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04/19/2016
The UK Ministry of Defense has admitted a "communications issue" which led to a manual about a joint exercise off the Scottish coast containing codewords and "special instructions" being sent out accidentally to fishermen and ferry operators.
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04/19/2016
China and India are interested in purchasing the Russian S-400 Triumf air defense systems, but the priority will be given to the Russian army, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide for military-technical cooperation said.
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04/18/2016
A Chinese military aircraft has for the first time publicly landed at a new airport on an island China has built in the disputed South China Sea, state media said on Monday, raising the prospect that China could base fighter jets there.The United States has criticized China's construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea and worries that it plans to use them for military purposes, even though China says it has no hostile intent.
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04/18/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry announced on April 12 “the crash of a Russian Mi-28H attack helicopter near the city of Homs“ the previous night. The two pilots were killed in the crash, and their bodies were recovered by Russian special forces who transferred them to Hmeimim airbase in northern Syria.
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04/18/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday refuted media reports of a dangerous encounter of Russian and U.S. aircraft over the Baltic. "The reports of foreign media are not true, which said a Russian Su-27 allegedly flew in dangerously close proximity to a U.S. RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in the skies over the Baltic Sea on April 14," the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters.
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04/18/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry and Irkut Corporation have successfully reached a deal for the supply of 30 Yak-130 combat training aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces, the ministry’s press service said.
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04/18/2016
After years of rejecting to be part of the US camp, India appears to be more than willing to sign the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA). All these years even after signing the civilian nuclear deal, India was wary of the idea of a logistical support agreement. For the US, getting India this close to signing is a coup as the latter is not only the most populous democracy in the world, but also one of the most aggressive military arms buyers.
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04/18/2016
On April 14, a U.S. Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent electronic intelligence gathering aircraft flying a routine mission (in international airspace) over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in “an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” Navy Capt. Danny Hernandez, U.S. European Command spokesman told the CNN.
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04/18/2016
On Sunday, local media reported citing government sources in Seoul that Pyongyang is likely to carry out an additional nuclear test before early May, as North Korea had increased activity at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. “We are in a situation, in which we don't know whether North Korea could stage any provocation to avoid isolation and consolidate its internal unity," Park said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.
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04/18/2016
With the decades-long Azeri-Armenian conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region burning out of control for four intense, blood-soaked days at the beginning of this month, questions have emerged over the secretive role played by Israel in the conflict.
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04/18/2016
Iran has displayed what is believed to be a part of the Russian-made S-300 air defense missile system during a military parade in Tehran, Tasnim Nes Agency reports. The parade, which is held to mark the National Army Day, was attended by foreign military attaches and experts.
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04/17/2016
The Liberal government’s defence policy review will be revealed to Canadians like the infamous water torture: drip by drip. The latest pellet of water concerns the potential privatizing of search and rescue, a crucial operation that is currently under the operational control of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Clearly the Trudeau Liberals are a regime that reverses the legitimate role of government.
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04/17/2016
For the second time in five months, Defense Secretary Ash Carter landed aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier in the bitterly contested South China Sea, sending a deliberate message to China on American power in the region.
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04/17/2016
A Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a U.S. RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft on Thursday in the latest military provocation by Moscow over the Baltic Sea, the U.S. European Command said Saturday. “On April 14, a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft flying a routine route in international airspace over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” said Navy Capt. Danny Hernandez.
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04/16/2016
Indian defense officials have agreed to an $8.8 billion deal to buy 36 Rafale jet fighters from French military aviation firm Dassault. The formal procurement pact is expected to be signed within three weeks, with initial deliveries of the jets to begin in 18 months according to reports by Indian news outlet NDTV. The sale had been expected to be completed earlier this year, ahead of a planned visit to India by French president François Hollande.
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04/16/2016
As part of the September 2015 fanfare visit by Xi Xinping to the United States, the United States and China signed an arrangement on rules of behavior for safety of air-to-air encounters of military aircraft. The deal is supposed to avert aviation incidents in international airspace between military aircraft of the United States and China.
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04/16/2016
Secretary of State John Kerry said a U.S. warship in the Baltic Sea could have opened fire on Russian fighter jets buzzing it earlier this week. The unarmed fighter planes flew within 75 feet of the missile destroyer USS Donald Cook on Monday, making "numerous, close-range and low altitude passes," a U.S. European Command statement said. They returned with a Russian attack helicopter Tuesday "in a simulated attack profile and failed to respond to repeated safety advisories," the U.S. Navy said.
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04/16/2016
The Russian aviation industry will deal with development of a new strategic airlift aircraft for the Armed Forces and the civilian market, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Friday.
"We will have to seriously work on a promising aircraft system; I mean an extra heavy airlift aircraft," the deputy minister said.
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04/16/2016
The United States deployed more military aircraft in Turkey and Qatar, as a sign of the importance that this country gives to aircraft in the fight against the Islamic State, said today the newspaper Stars and Stripes. The Pentagon confirmed in the last hours the arrival in the Incirlik base in Turkey's territory of a squadron of EA-6B Prowlers aircraft. Their main mission is to intercept and disrupt communications of the terrorist group.
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04/16/2016
The deployment of Marine EA-6B Prowler jammer planes to Turkey came amid growing concerns about the potential anti-aircraft threat from ISIS and other militant groups in Syria.
The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria claimed Thursday that its "air defense" fighters had downed a Syrian government warplane in the southern Syrian province of Suwayda. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a monitoring group based in London, said the pilot safely ejected and was not captured.
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04/16/2016
Canada's Discovery Air Defence Services reports it has helped provide aggressor and dissimilar combat training to the German Air Force. The training in Germany involved the flying of two company A-4N Skyhawks in the first-ever German Air Force Eurofighter Fighter Weapons Instructor Course.
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04/16/2016
Danish company Flatirons Solutions has teamed with Airbus Defense and Space in a bid to supply the Danish Air Force with Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft. Under the agreement signed Thursday, Flatirons will provide its CORENA Suite software for production and ongoing management of Danish Eurofighter Typhoon maintenance publications, including airframe and engine manuals.
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04/16/2016
In a military buildup certain to inflame tensions with China, the United States said Thursday it will send troops and combat aircraft to the Philippines for regular, more frequent rotations, and will conduct more joint sea and air patrols with Philippine forces in the South China Sea.
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04/16/2016
North Korea declared itself a nuclear power in 2005. The United States, Japan and South Korea, as well as Russia and China, took part in talks with North Korea on the denuclearization of the Korean peninsula between 2003 and 2009, when Pyongyang withdrew from the talks.
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04/15/2016
The U.S. naval officer at the center of a burgeoning spy scandal may not have simply betrayed his country: He may have also helped China compromise Washington's most-sophisticated tool for tracking Beijing's submarines, ships, and planes. The surveillance aircraft potentially exposed in the espionage case are America's high-tech "eyes in the sky" in the western Pacific, the EP-3E Aries II and P-8A Poseidon.
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04/15/2016
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is flying its Israel Aerospace Industries Heron unmanned air vehicle at RAAF Amberley in Queensland, marking the first time the aircraft has operated alongside manned military aircraft at one of its home bases.
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04/15/2016
The CIA, working in conjunction with Washington’s principal allies in the Middle East, including the governments in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar, is preparing a so-called “Plan B” involving a dramatic escalation in the arming of Western-backed “rebels” fighting the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad.
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04/15/2016
The Islamic State shot down on Thursday a military plane, which is believed to belong to the Syrian army in the area of Khalkhalah in Suwayda province in southern Syria, reported the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.
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04/15/2016
Turkish military aircraft on Thursday violated Greek airspace six times, flying over a number of Greek islands, the Greek General Staff said in a statement. Earlier in the day, a source in the Greek Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti that Athens had placed its Armed Forces on combat readiness due to “Turkish provocations.”
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04/15/2016
United States said Thursday it has been conducting joint South China Sea patrols – and eventually will conduct air patrols – with the Philippines, while dispatching U.S. troops and combat aircraft there on more frequent rotations.
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04/15/2016
State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL is in talks with Swedish aerospace major Saab, makers of single engine Gripen fighter planes, to collaborate on the upgraded version of the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' which will replace IAF's aging fleet of MiG combat jets.
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04/15/2016
The United States on Thursday revealed for the first time that American ships have started conducting joint patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a somewhat rare move not done with many other partners in the region.
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04/15/2016
Boeing continues its role as the United States’ leading provider of attack helicopters with a contract to remanufacture 117 AH-64D Apaches to the new, more capable AH-64E model. The agreement, which also includes the acquisition of Longbow Crew Trainers, logistical support and spares, carries a total contract value of about $1.5 billion.
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04/15/2016
Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects on Thursday announced a competition for the best project to build a flying laboratory based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies.
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04/14/2016
Despite plentiful signs that Russia-China relations are growing ever closer, naysayers suggest that Moscow and Beijing are constrained from moving beyond a tepid collaboration. An awkward Cold War history, cultural misunderstanding, geopolitical competition, economic and demographic asymmetries and even a visceral contempt are said to comprise the myriad reasons why Chinese and Russians just cannot get along, let alone engage in strategic coordination.
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04/14/2016
Air Force Special Operations Command plans to fly small, tactical off-board drones from its AC-130 gunships in combat for the first time later this year, which will give crews better views of the battlefield. Tactical off-board sensing, or TOBS, is intended to improve AFSOC’s targeting capabilities in poor weather or other challenging conditions.
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04/14/2016
The U.S. Air Force operates a small fleet of radar planes that can track the movement of ground forces day or night, rain or shine. No kidding, the planes can peer through the murkiest sandstorm to pinpoint the location of hostile forces, identifying what kind of vehicles they are operating, what direction they are moving in, and at what speed.
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04/14/2016
The Canadian government has launched a defense review that is widely expected to scale back or eliminate some of the military’s planned equipment programs and could see niche roles emerge for the country’s military. But the Liberal Party government, which came to power in October promising a leaner, more agile Canadian military, has assured Parliament that some key roles, such as search and rescue operations and equipment, will remain untouched.
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04/14/2016
Current Saudi orders “include 150 combat aircraft and thousands of air-to-surface missiles and anti-tank missiles from the [United States], 14 combat aircraft from [Britain] and an undisclosed but large number of armoured vehicles from Canada with turrets from Belgium,” the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute noted in its 2016 review of global arms sales.
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04/14/2016
The U.S. Air Force said on Wednesday said it still expected to declare an initial squadron of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets ready for combat between August and December, despite delays in the jets' computer-based logistics system. The four-star generals who run Air Combat Command and Air Force Materiel Command reviewed flight milestones and other aspects of the $379 billion F-35 program at Hill Air Force Base in Utah last week.
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04/14/2016
Russian media reports that Jordan is consulting with Moscow on buying a batch of Su-32s, a export derivative of Russia’s Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber, which itself is an evolution of the Su-27 Flanker series of fighter aircraft.
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04/14/2016
In one of the most aggressive actions in recent memory, Russian warplanes conducted “simulated attacks” on the a U.S. Navy vessel in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, repeatedly flying within 30 feet of the ship, according to a defense official.
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04/14/2016
North Korea has allegedly deployed one or two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles (also known as Rodong-B or BM-25) on its eastern coast, South Korean media reports. The missiles were spotted in the area of the eastern port city of Wonsan, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said early on Thursday citing government sources.
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04/14/2016
As the Pentagon prepares to increase its troop numbers in Iraq to combat Daesh, the terrorist group’s presence in Egypt is having the opposite effect, prompting a US military drawdown.
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04/13/2016
Sikorsky Aircraft, now a division of Lockheed Martin, has received a U.S. Army contract to build seven specialized variants of its UH-60M Black Hawk combat helicopter for the Mexican military. The $54 million contract, through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, will cover the construction and modification of the "uniquely configured" Black Hawks for Mexico, according to a Defense Department contract notice.
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04/13/2016
When someone on the ground shines a laser at an aircraft cockpit, there’s not much a pilot can do, and the effect can be disorienting and dangerous to crew and passengers. But a new line of eyewear developed to combat the increasing problem of laser flashes has been developed and is now available for preorder.
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04/13/2016
Russian pilots recently carried out the longest ever non-stop flight for a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet in the 36-year history of the aircraft. The flight lasted seven hours and four minutes. The pilots covered a distance of nearly 5,000 miles between military airfields in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Astrakhan Region with three mid-air refueling procedures performed en route.
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04/13/2016
Russia portrayed last month’s drawdown from Syria as a victory and a homecoming after a six-month deployment in which its air force turned the tide of the long-running conflict. So it was a surprise when Russian state outlets reported in recent days that powerful new Russian helicopters were seeing Syrian combat for the first time.
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04/13/2016
The Air Force released basing criteria April 12 that will be used to select candidate bases for a potential new MQ-9 Reaper wing with units at up to two locations. The Air Force is pursuing additional locations to help diversify assignment opportunities for personnel within the MQ-9 enterprise, provide increased opportunities for leadership from within the community, and provide flexibility to enhance integration with other organizations and capabilities.
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04/13/2016
A Russian Mi-28 helicopter crashed in Syria Tuesday, according to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Its two crew members were killed, and the aircraft was said to have crashed because of technical reasons.
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04/13/2016
The U.S. Air Force has deployed its top-of-the-line F-22 fighters to Europe for the second time in a year in a show of commitment to NATO allies, the U.S. European Command announced Monday. F-22 Raptors from 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle arrived at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England on Monday for a deployment that will last into next month, the command said in a statement.
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04/13/2016
US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the strategic importance of the US-India relationship and bilateral defense cooperation, the US Department of Defense said in a press release on Tuesday.
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04/13/2016
Russian-made S-300 air defense systems would play an important role in maintaining Iran’s national security. At the same time, Moscow is interested in supporting Tehran on a number of issues, including the fight against Daesh in Syria, the settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, and deterring Turkey.
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04/13/2016
Russian Su-24M2 Fencer bomber pilots carried out a successful nighttime destruction of simulated enemy airfields in Khabarovsk Territory, the Eastern Military District spokesman said Tuesday.
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04/12/2016
F-22 stealth jets are back in Europe for more exercises with NATO and partner allies, U.S. European Command announced Monday. The Raptors deployed to RAF Lakenheath, England, from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and will continue training in Europe until May, EUCOM said. The exact number of fighter jets and airmen was not disclosed.
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04/12/2016
The Land of the Rising Sun has been quietly strengthening its military capabilities and procuring advanced equipment amid the ongoing debate over whether to amend Article 9 of the country’s constitution. Though officially called the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Forces (JMSDF), the Japanese Navy boasts an impressive array of hardware and if the country’s ruling party has its way with the constitution, its capability will only get stronger.
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04/12/2016
Shot by photographer Anton Balakchiev during the recent Thracian Thunder 2016 exercise, this short but rather interesting video shows a Bulgarian Air Force Su-25 Frogfoot performing a low passage over a hill where photographers had gathered to shot the aircraft flying low level missions.
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04/12/2016
The Indian Air Force (IAF), which is currently battling its lowest strength of fighter jets in a decade, today started its bi-annual “commanders conference” to enhance its operational capability. The five-day conference will be discussing various means and methods to improve operational capability, including the induction of new fighter jets. Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh inaugurated the conference this morning.
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04/12/2016
As the global fight against ISIS continues, no relationship has become more important to our country than the strong and critical relationship forged between the United States and Turkey.
With the future of the Middle East evolving on a daily basis, Turkish-U.S. relations are critical to regional security and the management of regional crises.
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04/12/2016
India and the United States may sign an agreement for the coproduction of Lockheed Martin F-16V and Boeing F/A-18 fighter aircraft, according to Indian and U.S. defense officials. The deal is likely to involve technological transfers and the local production of U.S. fighter jets in India to meet Indian Prime Minister’s Narendra Modi’s so-called Make in India Initiative.
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04/12/2016
The Air Force recently approved two initiatives for the remotely piloted aircraft career field. First, eight RPA reconnaissance squadrons will be redesignated as attack squadrons. Second, Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark A. Welsh III authorized RPA aircrews to log combat time when flying an aircraft within designated hostile airspace, regardless of the aircrew's physical location.
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04/12/2016
Much of the recent strategic analysis on the South China Sea has largely focused on the naval sphere, with the acquisition of new submarines by Vietnam and Malaysia and the US Navy conducting freedom of navigation missions in the contested waters. In contrast, the aerial domain has either been forgotten or only mentioned in passing. The absence of analysis on air power means that several questions have been left unanswered.
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04/12/2016
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) kicked off a joint training exercise this weekend, Xinhua news agency reports. The military drill, code-named “Shaheen (Eagle)-5” began on April 9 in Pakistan and is scheduled to run for three weeks until April 30.
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04/12/2016
Russia has delivered the first batch of the S-300 air defense systems to Iran, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Monday. The delivery of the first batch of Russian S-300 systems has been earlier announced by the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
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04/11/2016
An online black market for for weapons sales is now flourishing in the Middle East and North Africa, according to a new study that found sales of machine guns, rocket and grenade launchers, and anti-aircraft guns for sale on Facebook in Libya.
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04/11/2016
Ongoing air wars in Middle East have caused an unexpected dip in the Pentagon’s stockpile of air-to-ground munitions — and Washington has been slow to address the supply problem. The Pentagon has had months to deal with it. “We're expending munitions faster than we can replenish them,” USA Today quoted Air Force chief of staff Gen. Mark Welsh as saying in December.
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04/11/2016
Prime Minister Boyko Borisov stated that the Bulgarian army and border police are capable of guarding the country's borders on their own without the need for assistance from NATO. Borisov said this after he attended the joint training of the navy and border police held in the bay of Burgas on Sunday.
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04/11/2016
Russia’s Aerospace Forces will receive by the end of this year the sixth set of the S-400 Triumph air defense missile system, says a release by the Russian Defense Ministry press service received by TASS on Sunday. "Within the framework of the rearmament with new samples of weapons and military equipment in 2016.
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04/11/2016
It is no secret that all branches of the United States military have been keeping a close eye on 3D printing technology. With the variety of uses across all industries, 3D printing has proven its versatility. Besides the ongoing research in a number of directions, such as 3D printing of replacement bones, battle armor, and vehicle parts, the Navy has already successfully tested ballistic missiles containing 3D printed components.
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04/11/2016
Sporadic fighting gripped parts of Yemen on Sunday, hours before a UN-brokered ceasefire aimed at laying the groundwork for upcoming peace talks was due to take effect. The new ceasefire, which was timed to start at midnight (1am UAE), is supposed to be the cornerstone of a long-lasting peace deal negotiated between Yemen’s warring parties from April 18 in Kuwait.
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04/11/2016
BAE Systems (International) Ltd, a UK multinational defence, security and aerospace company that has been vying for the contract to replace the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s (RMAF) Russian-made Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter jet fleet since 2011, remains keen on the deal. And in the current challenging economic environment when governments all around the world are tightening their expenditure, it believes it has the better offer on the table.
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04/11/2016
Washington's unwillingness to take actions toward the Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), designated as a terrorist group by Turkey, may result in Ankara closing the Incirlik airbase to the US, an adviser to the Turkish president said.
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04/11/2016
The Obama administration plans to prevent Russia from selling its Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighters to Iran by vetoing the approval for the possible deal at the UN Security Council, but the US president could well cross his latest self-imposed "red line" like he's done in the past, Washington Times columnist L. Todd Wood asserted.
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04/11/2016
Russia and Belarus have completed the formation of their joint air defense system in the Eastern European region of collective security, the deputy commander of the Russian Aerospace Forces said earlier this week.
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04/10/2016
For a base on the strategic Horn of Africa, the Obama administration will evidently overlook a lot. It has tolerated the leader of Djibouti deploying lethal force against political foes and extending his autocratic rule while allowing the Chinese Navy to open its first overseas base in Africa. The Chinese base will thus be in proximity to a more than 4,000-strong ((HOW MANY??)) American military presence that includes the largest United States drone installation outside Afghanistan.
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04/10/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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04/10/2016
U.S. Air Force B-52 bombers arrived at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, on Saturday joining Operation Inherent Resolve, the American-led campaign against the Islamic State group. The deployment marks the first time the Air Force will use the Cold War-era warplanes — from Barksdale Air Force Base, Louisiana — in the counter-ISIS fight in Iraq and Syria. The service did not disclose the exact number of bombers it deployed.
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04/10/2016
Azerbaijan's Defense Ministry has dismissed the recent Armenian media reports, which said that allegedly an Azerbaijani unmanned aerial vehicle was downed over the city of Khankendi, located in the Azerbaijani lands occupied by Armenia.
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04/10/2016
According to an article on the UK Ministry of Defence website, the Ministry of Defence has announced contracts worth 167 million pounds to upgrade and build new facilities at RAF Marham, the future home of the UK F-35B Lightning II squadrons.
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04/10/2016
Recall the movie “Jaws,” when Police Chief Martin Brody warns shark-hunter Quint that “We’re gonna need a bigger boat”? That, essentially, is the argument that some defense industry analysts are making regarding the selection of an aircraft to house the next Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS).
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04/10/2016
Although the U.S. Navy’s $40 million Laser Weapon System (LaWS) just looks like a backyard telescope on steroids, this piece of equipment may herald the future of warfare — at sea, in the air and on the ground. The first weapon of its kind the Navy has ever deployed, LaWS is mounted on the deck of the USS Ponce, which is based in the Persian Gulf region. In a series of successful tests run in late 2014 after its installation.
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04/10/2016
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter leaves Saturday for a two-week visit that will take him to India, the Philippines and through the Gulf region. The visit has a dual purpose: to bolster partnerships in the Pacific, and then to discuss the ongoing fight against the Islamic State group, commonly known as ISIS or ISIL.
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04/10/2016
A top U.S. general says the Air Force is reviewing the future of its close air-support aircraft, a role currently filled by the A-10 Warthog, which first flew in 1975. "My requirements guys are in the process of building a draft-requirements document for a follow-on (close air-support) airplane," said Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements.
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04/09/2016
The Russian Commission for Military Technical Cooperation has confirmed Egypt as the North African buyer of 50 MiG-29M fighter jets and released fresh details of the Egyptian purchase of several other weapons systems worth at least $5 billion in 2015. In February Russian officials confirmed the sale of 50 MiG-29M fighter jets to a North African country but declined to identify the buyer.
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04/09/2016
India is in talks with the US for possible procurement of about 100 latest drones - both armed and surveillance versions - worth USD 2 billion to bolster its arsenal keeping China and Pakistan in mind. The issue is likely to figure in the talks between the two sides as US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter visits India next week.
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04/09/2016
Just ahead of crucial talks with US defence secretary Ashton Carter, defence minister Manohar Parrikar said that any discussions on America's proposal to sell the F16 Super Viper or F/A 18 Super Hornet to India hinged on the US government's guarantee to permit technology transfer.
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04/09/2016
On March 19, Staff Sgt. Louis F. Cardin, 27, was killed during an Islamic State-launched rocket attack in Iraq. According to reports, Cardin, of California, and several other members of his unit came under enemy rocket fire at a base in Makhmour, southeast of the Islamic State-controlled city of Mosul, very near the front line.
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04/09/2016
BAE Systems is set to build engineering and training facilities at RAF Marham in Norfolk in preparation for the arrival of the UK's first F-35 Lightning II aircraft in 2018. The £118m contract award coincides with a major production milestone for the UK aircraft - the completion of the tenth UK aft fuselage ahead of schedule. The fuselage will now be delivered to the F-35 final assembly line in Fort Worth, Texas.
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04/09/2016
VFC-111, the Sundowners, provide fleet adversary support with their F-5Ns out of gorgeous Key West, Florida. For a recent air show there, headlined by the Blue Angels, the squadron put together their own little four-ship demo team, and by the looks of the video below they did not disappoint.
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04/09/2016
An amphibious force loaded with Marine aircraft for the ISIS fight entered U.S. Central Command Tuesday. The amphibious assault ship Boxer, dock landing ship Harpers Ferry and amphibious transport dock New Orleans, with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit embarked, were in the Indian Ocean when they entered 5th Fleet, the Boxer said in a news release.
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04/09/2016
With the retirement pace fast exceeding the replacement rate, the Indian Air Force faces an ageing aircraft fleet. Shortfalls in squadron strength apart, the IAF is plagued by a long list of ailments reflective of bad planning which is adversely impacting India’s air- power capability.
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04/09/2016
North Korean leader Kim Jong-un issued an order to conduct on Saturday the "jet test of a new type high-power engine of inter-continental ballistic rocket and personally came to the Sohae Space Center to guide the test," North Korea’s Central News Agency (KCNA) said as quoted by South Korea’s Yonhap news agency on Saturday.
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04/09/2016
US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said that a team from the US Department of Defense is holding negotiations in India on potential co-production of fighter jets.
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04/09/2016
The Algerian Air Force (AAF) has ramped up its order of Russian-made Mi-28NE "Night Hunter" attack helicopters from the eight initially reported in January to 42, the Russian-language newspaper RIA-Novosti reported.
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04/08/2016
The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of nearly 3,000 GBU-39/B Small Diameter Bombs and associated equipment, training, and support to Australia, according to a Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) news release. The sale is still subject to approval by U.S. Congress before it can proceed.
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04/08/2016
Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI) is beginning production of the Command, Control, Communications and Computing (C4) systems developed for the Adir - F-35I, Israel's variant of the Fifth Generation Fighter F-35. The company recently completed system definition, prototyping and testing phases.
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04/08/2016
The Air Force is taking a key step toward developing a dedicated close-air support plane to replace the A-10 "Warthog," a top general said Thursday. “My requirements guys are in the process of building a draft-requirements document for a follow-on CAS airplane,” Lt. Gen. Mike Holmes, the deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements, said. “It’s interesting work that at some point we’ll be able to talk [about] with you a little bit more.”
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04/08/2016
Once upon a time, aircraft avoided radar detection by flying low, sometimes ridiculously low. The benefits were obvious; the Earth is a lumpy sphere, and low altitude provides both cover and concealment. No sensor, be it radar, visual, infrared, or electronic surveillance, can see through a hill. The appearance of an aircraft at low level is often a surprise, and aircraft traversing gaps in terrain at high speed are fleeting targets at best.
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04/08/2016
Due to open in 2018, three new buildings on the site with provide training facilities for pilots and ground crews for the UK's first F-35 Lightning II fighter II aircraft. Work on building the three facilities will start this month. The project is being funded by the Ministry of Defence.
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04/08/2016
Israel has done amazing things with their imported U.S. fighter aircraft, innovating and tailoring their capabilities to meet their unique needs. They want to continue this legacy with the F-35. Part of this initiative now includes the ability to externally modify their new stealth jets with the addition of conformal fuel tanks.
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04/08/2016
Egypt and France plan to sign several agreements this month to purchase some €1 billion of weaponry. The agreement includes the sale of fighter aircraft, navy vessels and a military satellite communication system.
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04/08/2016
Beijing’s relations with former regional allies continue to deteriorate as Chinese regime steadfastly continues development efforts throughout the South China Sea.
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04/08/2016
As US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter prepares for a visit to India next week, analysts warn the Indian Government to steer clear of any agreement likely to hamper relations with China.
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04/07/2016
The Sun rises over the land Down-Under, morning dew accumulated from the night before evaporates from the warmth of the golden glow permeating from the east as light ushers forth a new day in Spring. As members from the RAAF leave their loved ones at home ahead of a new day for one of the best jobs in the world, their concentration is transfixed ahead of them they are eager to accomplish the tasks set, ready for one of the biggest exercises the RAAF have ever participated in.
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04/07/2016
Hailed as the most expensive weapon in history, costing an estimated $400 billion to develop so far, the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter jet can dogfight, drop bombs and spy on emery territory. While the US' plane is eight years late and recently had problem with its radar system, a video shows it dropping a particular type of laser-guided bomb for the first time.
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04/07/2016
Despite trouble locking in combat jet sales in 2015, concerns about an erosion in US military exports because of the American government’s burdensome and often sluggish approvals process might be overstated.
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04/07/2016
India has asked the United States to stand guarantee for transfer of technology, if any US-based company bids for the fighter jet programme under the “Make in India” initiative. This was part of the two-day talks held between the defence policy groups of the two countries in the run-up to the meeting between Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar and his US counterpart Ashton Carter. The two leaders will meet for delegation-level talks on April 12 in New Delhi. Carter will arrive in Goa on April 10.
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04/07/2016
Airmen with the 35th Fighter Wing conducted a two-day surge exercise April 4-5 with F-16 Fighting Falcons at Misawa Air Base.
"During surge operations, we're validating our wing's ability to generate (aircraft) in a simulated combat scenario," said Capt. Josh Plocinski, the 14th Fighter Squadron chief of standardization and evaluation.
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04/07/2016
I wrote previously on the need to revisit the decision to procure 126 units of the Rafale at Rs 1,000 crore a piece for India’s multi-role combat aircraft requirement and was happy to see that this was done by the Defence Ministry led ably by Manohar Parrikar. Instead of that large acquisition, Prime Minister Modi announced on his recent visit to France that a smaller number of aircraft (36) would be purchased, at a significantly lower price.
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04/07/2016
Discovery Air Defence Services Inc. ("DA Defence"), a wholly owned subsidiary of Discovery Air Inc., recently deployed aircraft from Wittmundhafen, Germany to participate in the annual Dissimilar Air Combat Training ("DACT") exercise hosted by the Spanish Air Force at Gando Air Base, Canary Islands.
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04/07/2016
NATO intends to cooperate with the Islamic Coalition against the Daesh terror group, the alliance’s Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said in a speech at the Atlantic Council in Washington, DC.
"If the question is whether we [NATO] are going to work together with the Islamic Coalition to counter ISIL [Daesh or Islamic State], then the answer is — yes," Stoltenberg stated on Wednesday. "I welcome that Islamic Countries are going together to fight ISIL."
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04/07/2016
Commander of the Belarusian Air Force Maj. Gen. said that Belarus will receive the fourth and final battalion of S-300 air defense systems as well as another four Yak-130 combat trainers in 2016.
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04/07/2016
Nearly $5 trillion in trade passes annually through the highly contested region of the the South China Sea. China lays claim to most of the area, but there are conflicting claims by Vietnam, Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Indonesia.
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04/06/2016
The pilot of a Syrian warplane shot down by rebels south of Aleppo has been captured, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights has said. The plane was hit by a surface-to-air missile and caught fire before falling in the Talat al-Iss highland, according to the group. The aircraft, reportedly a Su-22, had been on a reconnaissance mission, Syria's military confirmed.
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04/06/2016
F-16 Fighting Falcon pilots from the 80th Fighter Squadron practiced combined flying operations March 28-31 alongside counterparts from the South Korean air force’s 19th Fighter Wing at Jungwon Air Base during Buddy Wing 16-3. Buddy Wing training, conducted multiple times a year, polishes the ability of South Korean and U.S. pilots to train and operate as a combined force.
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04/06/2016
The Indian defence establishment is showing "increasing interest" in the American offer to supply F/A-18 "Super Hornet" fighters to IAF under the Make in India programme, even as US defence secretary Ash Carter is all set to come visiting from April 10 to 12 to further crank up the bilateral strategic partnership.
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04/06/2016
The Air Force is hoping to remedy its lack of infrastructure in Europe with more modular, small-scale bases and runways, the head of U.S. Air Forces Europe said Tuesday. Gen. Frank Gorenc explained that base restructuring under the European Infrastructure Consolidation initiative, which led to the pending closures of RAF Mildenhall, Alconbury and Molesworth, and 12 other installations across Europe, has prompted the Air Force to increase its missions with NATO partners using alternative sites a
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04/06/2016
Italian aerospace and defense supplier Finmeccanica SpA on Tuesday said it has signed a contract with Kuwait for the sale of 28 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets as the Middle East country follows its neighbors in modernizing its air force.
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04/06/2016
As Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan continues his brutal crackdown on Kurdish communities in the country’s southeast, Ankara has also stepped up its efforts abroad. On Tuesday, officials confirmed that the Turkey’s military carried out airstrikes against PKK militants in northern Iraq.
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04/06/2016
Amid North Korea’s recent push to improve its nuclear capabilities, South Korean officials claim that Pyongyang can mount a nuclear warhead on a medium-range missile.
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04/06/2016
Indonesia, India and Malaysia have expressed interest in buying Russian-made Su-34 and Su-35 jets. Su-34 jet fighters/bombers were deployed to Syria from the first day of the operation. They destroyed terrorist infrastructure facilities and command points. Su-35s were deployed to Syria later. They provided protection for the striking force.
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04/06/2016
S-400 is by far Russia's most advanced surface-to-air missile system that has a range of 248 miles and is capable of tracking and destroying all existing aerial targets, including ballistic and cruise missiles.
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04/06/2016
A Lockheed Martin-built Miniature Hit-to-Kill (MHTK) interceptor was successfully launched from a Multi-Mission Launcher (MML) in an engineering demonstration on April 4 at White Sands Missile Range, New Mexico.
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04/05/2016
Lebanese authorities denounced today that four Israeli combat aircraft overflew regions in the Beqaa Valley and around the Anti-Lebanon Mountains, at the border with Syria, at medium altitude. Although they did not give details, the sources quoted by the official news agency NNA said the four violations of the air space followed other disrespectful actions against the sovereignty of this Arab country by Israel, especially in southern border towns.
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04/05/2016
Russian Mi-28N ('Havoc-B') attack helicopter has made its combat debut in Syria, according to the footage provided by Russia`s Ministry of Defense (MoD). The footage shows the usage of at least one Mi-28N helicopter in fighting against the Islamic State terrorists near the city of Palmyra (Homs province).
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04/05/2016
The command, control, communications and computer (C4) system is being developed by Israel Aerospace Industries’ Lahav division, which announced on 3 April it had completed the system definition, prototyping and testing phases ahead of production.
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04/05/2016
The Bulgarian government has approved three programs to acquire new fighter jets, modernize the country’s Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft and purchase new patrol vessels, worth a total of 2.42 billion leva (US $1.4 billion), reports local news agency Novinite.
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04/05/2016
The United States and the Philippines began this year’s iteration of their annual war games on Monday as China issued a pointed warning about outside interference in the ongoing South China Sea disputes. Some 8,000 U.S. and Philippine will participate in the Balikatan exercises, which will run from April 4 to April 15. Australian troops will also participate in Balikatan this year, while several countries sent observers.
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04/05/2016
Armenia’s president has warned that renewed fighting in the breakaway region of Nagorno-Karabakh could spiral into all-out war after a third day of fighting. “A further escalation of military action could lead to unpredictable and irreversible consequences, right up to a full-scale war,” President Serzh Sarksyan said in a speech opening a meeting with foreign ambassadors in the Armenian capital Yerevan.
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04/05/2016
They were the mischievous creatures blamed for causing mechanical failures and faults on aircraft during World War Two and later the destructive monsters in a hit film franchise. So Gremlins might not seem like the first choice for a fleet of robotic aircraft being developed by the US military. But the US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency has given the go ahead for four firms to begin building the craft.
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04/05/2016
The Air Force’s first operational overseas F-35A Lightning II fighters will call Alaska home starting in 2020. Eielson Air Force Base, just south of Fairbanks, was chosen after a lengthy analysis of the area’s operational considerations, installation attributes, environmental factors and cost, the Air Force said in a Monday statement.
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04/05/2016
Combat use of Ka-52 Alligator attacks helicopters by the Russian Aerospace Forces was caught on camera for the first time in history. The Syrian Army published on one of its YouTube channels a video taken near the town of Al-Qaryatayn. On April 3, the Syrian Army and its allies backed by Russian airstrikes fully liberated Al-Qaryatayn from Daesh militants.
(Read More...)
04/05/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry has ordered over 30 Su-30SM jet fighters, after the aircraft successfully made its combat debut in the Syrian campaign. Pilots described it as an "exceptionally reliable" aircraft.
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04/04/2016
The Admiral Kuznetsov heavy aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy in autumn will arrive in the eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea, its aviation grouping will include fighters Sukhoi Su-33 (Flanker-D) and Mikoyan MiG-29K (NATO reporting name: Fulcrum-D), a source told TASS on Saturday.
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04/04/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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04/04/2016
According to an announcement by the US Air Force on Friday, US aircraft units from the 131st Fighter Squadron at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Massachusetts and the 194th Fighter Squadron at Fresno Air National Guard Base in California will support NATO air surveillance missions in Iceland and conduct flying training in the Netherlands.
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04/04/2016
Indonesian Defense Minister Ryamizard Ryacudu has confirmed his intention to sign a contract on the purchase of the Su-35 multi-purpose fighter jets during his upcoming visit to Russia in the next few days. The minister made this statement in an interview with Bloomberg on Thursday.
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04/04/2016
Amid growing bonhomie between India and the US, 12 Indian Air Force (IAF) aircraft, including the Russian origin Sukhoi-30MKI (Su-30MKI), will fly to Alaska this month to take part in the prestigious Red Flag air exercise that will see them in action alongside the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) forces during the war games.
(Read More...)
04/04/2016
Vitaly Kuzmin CC BY-SA 3.0
What if the US Went to War - Russia, China?
WE ARE THE MIGHTY
10:24 AM
We Are The Mighty takes a look at how the world’s three most powerful militaries stack up in 4 major categories:
With the rhetoric about global trade deficits heating up on the campaign trail, it might appropriate to momentarily shift our focus away from the asymmetric threats of the Taliban and ISIS and look at the world of conventional warfare. Here’s how the world’s three most powerful m
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04/04/2016
US military experts will fly over the territory of Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on April 4-9, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov said Sunday.
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04/04/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry and the Irkut aircraft manufacturer have signed a contract to supply over 30 multipurpose Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets to the Russian Aerospace Forces by the end of 2018, the ministry's press service said in a statement Sunday.
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04/03/2016
In early 2016 Israel decided to add up to six more Heron TP (also known as Eitan or Heron 2) UAVs by the end of 2016. This came after Germany decided to lease three to five Heron TPs instead of the similar American Reaper. Despite some reliability problems (and several crashes) since it entered service in 2008 the Heron TP has proved to be very useful as a surveillance aircraft and could also carry missiles as needed.
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04/03/2016
THOUSANDS of US and Filipino soldiers will launch on Monday annual war games that this year are being seen as a show of strength in the face of China’s increasing assertiveness in the region. The 11-day Balikatan (shoulder-to-shoulder) exercises are expected to show how the Philippines, though severely outgunned, can counter China with the help of the United States, its longest-standing ally.
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04/03/2016
The U.S. deployed 12 F-15C Eagles to Iceland on Friday, an indication of the return of an American military presence on the North Atlantic island nation. The deployment of the aircraft to Iceland demonstrates U.S. commitment to a “free” and “secure” Europe, the Air Force said in a press statement.
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04/03/2016
The U.S. and its partners in the coalition targeting Islamic State group militants in Iraq and Syria have conducted more than 11,000 airstrikes since the campaign began, and refueling tankers have been key to those missions.
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04/03/2016
Jointness in defense planning and acquisition is supposed to save money by minimizing redundancy and duplication between the military services. But these benefits often prove illusory in practice, and they never seem to materialize in efforts to build a joint fighter jet. Recent comments by the F-35’s program chief suggest that reality might finally be sinking in.
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03/29/2016
Belgian PM Charles Michel after meeting with US Secretary of State John Kerry: “We will resume the mission of our F-16s and hold a debate in the parliament and the government to decide whether it is possible to expand the mandate”.
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03/29/2016
U.S. warplanes carried out airstrikes around Mosul on Monday in the intensifying effort to set conditions for retaking the ISIS stronghold in northwestern Iraq as part of the overall effort to defeat the terror group that has cost at least $6.5 billion, the U.S. military said.
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03/29/2016
According to the Department of Defense, the government has allowed the sale of nine Boeing Co., Poseidon maritime patrol planes to Britain in a deal valued at $3.2 billion. Congress was originally notified by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DCSA) on Thursday, with officials having 15 days to block the sale. Details of when the aircraft are scheduled to be delivered are not available.
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03/29/2016
The $500 million Russia spent on the military operation in Syria may soon pay off for the Kremlin, reports business daily Kommersant, as Moscow expects $6-7 billion worth of new arms contracts. According to the newspaper’s source, close to military exports and technical cooperation, potential customers are looking to buy the weapons proved in action. These are armaments in the inventory of Russian military or already bought by another country.
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03/29/2016
There's an old adage that in peace, a nation should prepare for war, and when at war, the same nation should prepare for peace. The United States' allies against the Islamic State seem to have forgotten that lesson after reports have emerged that weapons stores from the US are being tapped by other countries operating against ISIS.
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03/29/2016
Five years ago, a phone rang in the 28th Bomb Wing vice commander's office and made history. Less than 72 hours later, on March 27, 2011, more than 1,100 maintenance personnel launched four B-1B Lancer bombers from the Ellsworth Air Force Base flightline in blizzard conditions to support Operation Odyssey Dawn. It was the first time the aircraft had ever launched from a continental U.S. location in support of combat operations.
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03/29/2016
Last week senior Pentagon officials and a representative from a congressional watchdog agency testified before Congress about the status of the tri-service F-35 fighter program. F-35 is by far the biggest weapon development program in the world; to quote two of the officials testifying last week, it will provide the “backbone” of U.S. air combat superiority through 2070, and will serve as a “linchpin” for coalition air operations with allies — many of whom are buying it.
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03/29/2016
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said the Rafale aircraft deal which costs around Rs 60,000 crore is still on and assured that it will be concluded "very soon". His statement comes nearly a year after a government-to- government deal for the multi-medium role combat aircraft was announced. The French team of negotiators is scheduled to arrive in India on Tuesday. The two countries are expected to close the purchase of 36 Rafale mutli-role fighters.
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03/29/2016
Russia's Aerospace Forces will continue to lend support to the Syrian forces in their fight against terrorists despite the major withdrawal of the Russian military from Syria, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
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03/28/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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03/28/2016
The United States government approved a sale of nine PA-8 military aircraft by Boeing to the UK, bringing the $3.2 billion sale a step closer to closure. The United States government made an announcement of the deal, which will be structured as a government-to-government sale, though the delivery date wasn't mentioned in the official statement.
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03/28/2016
Successful advising requires skill in a broad range of competencies that includes political-military relations, operations, and acquisitions. Advising the Afghan air force’s airlift mission seeks to strengthen the legitimacy of the Government of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as part of the counterinsurgency strategy of the International Security Assistance Force (ISAF).
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03/28/2016
As the flagship defence partnership programme between India and Russia, BRAHMOS has charted a highly successful trajectory in a very short span of time. The world’s best supersonic cruise missile has proved its versatility as a multi-platform, multi-mission, multi-target weapon capable of knocking down the adversary in the modern-day complex battlefields.
(Read More...)
03/28/2016
It's not the largest - nor the most talked-about - aspect of Gulfstream's business. But, since 1967, when the U.S. Navy selected the Gulfstream G-I as the standard weapons system and navigational trainer for its A-6 crews, the Savannah business jet manufacturer has been recognized as the definitive choice for smaller-platform special-missions aircraft.
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03/28/2016
The Nigerian Air Force, NAF, has announced a planned expansion of its platforms in North-Eastern Nigeria towards speedy response in counter-insurgency operations. The Chief of Air Staff, Sadiq Abubakar, who stated this while on a visit to military formations and traditional institutions in Borno State announced that “the NAF is exploring the possibility of expanding the Air Force group in the North-East to ensure the total restoration of peace is achieved in the shortest time possible."
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03/28/2016
As the Air Force gets ready for the arrival of its newest aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, a diverse group of Airmen is working hard to make sure the KC-46A Pegasus is ready to meet the service’s needs. Lt. Col. John Mikal is one of them. Mikal, a reservist KC-135 Stratotanker instructor pilot assigned to the 370th Flight Test Squadron, is also a KC-46 test pilot and member of the team that’s putting the Pegasus through a series of critical pre-production tests.
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03/28/2016
West London’s suburbs aren’t what most people would consider the natural home for a company that’s a world leader in sonar technology. But miles from the sea on an industrial estate in Greenford is the base of Ultra Electronics, the FTSE 250 business to which the Western world’s navies turn when they want to hunt submarines.
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03/28/2016
China is the world’s largest arms exporter, after the US and Russia. At the same, Chinese arms producers are still in pursuit of their niche in the global market.
(Read More...)
03/28/2016
According to the Russian Defense Ministry, the operation involved Su-34 bombers and Su-35S multirole jet fighters. Malfunctions were detected in the flight control system and engines of the aircraft, the sources told RNS news agency. They added that the malfunctions were "not critical" and had no impact on the course of the campaign.
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03/26/2016
The People’s Republic of China continues to up the ante in the South China Sea. Various reports, including my own, suggest Beijing has now likely placed anti-ship missiles on Woody Island, a disputed island in this important body of water. This is on top of various other escalatory military deployments including advanced radar platforms, fighter aircraft, anti-aircraft batteries and various other systems that indicate China is seeking to expand its offensive and defensive military footprint.
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03/26/2016
Progress is being made in adding Brimstone to the strike package, and given Brimstone’s performance in the Middle East, that is a good thing. Brimstone has demonstrated its capability as a premier close proximity strike weapon against multiple targets.
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03/26/2016
The Indian Air Force (IAF) recently admitted that it could not fight simultaneously on two fronts. This is not the first time it has expressed this view. In 2009, it had told the government it did not have the capacity to do so. Of course, it did not mean that the IAF would remain a mute spectator on one front while fighting on the other. It was merely the IAF’s way of reminding the government of the urgent need to strengthen its fleet of aircraft.
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03/26/2016
While the world watched President Barack Obama extend a hand of friendship to Cuba’s leader Raul Castro and the Cuban people March 20, Air Force medics from the 59th Medical Wing stood ready to provide life-saving care.
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03/26/2016
As the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter inches toward Air Force combat readiness later this year, the Pentagon will take the troubled combat jet on a 14-stop tour around the world in an effort to boost the F-35’s flagging brand image.
(Read More...)
03/25/2016
As reported by DefenseNews.com, the service has recently revealed the number of A-10s that will be retired each year before the type is completely withdrawn from service in 2022. The plan call for the retirement of 49 planes or 2 squadrons in fiscal year (FY) 2018. This will be followed by 49 aircraft in FY2019, 64 in FY2020, and 96 in FY2021.
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03/25/2016
"The investigation about the refurbishment of Croatian MiGs in Ukraine is not a step towards the abolishment of the Croatian Air Force combat aircraft capability. If we determine that someone was guilty of what happened, they will not be spared", said Defence Minister Josip Buljevic in his first public comments on the scandal which has hit the Croatian Air Force in the last few days, reports tportal.hr on March 24, 2016.
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03/25/2016
The Air Force has flown more than half of the 87,000 coalition sorties over Iraq and Syria since the air campaign against the Islamic State militant group began, striking key locations and assets about 25 times a day, Lt. Gen. John Raymond told reporters Thursday.
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03/25/2016
The Iraqi military backed by U.S.-led coalition aircraft on Thursday launched a long-awaited operation to recapture the northern city of Mosul from Islamic State militants, a military spokesman said. In the push, Iraqi forces retook several villages on the outskirts of the town of Makhmour, east of Mosul, early in the morning on Thursday and hoisted the Iraqi flag there, according to the spokesman for the Joint Military Command, Brig. Gen. Yahya Rasool.
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03/25/2016
A Russian special forces officer has been killed in a combat operation near Palmyra in Syria, Interfax news agency reported on Thursday, citing a Russian military source in Syria. "While performing a special task to direct Russian air strikes onto terrorist targets, a Russian special forces officer was killed," Interfax quoted a source at Russia's Khmeimim air base in Syria's Latakia province as saying.
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03/25/2016
In an effort to keep pace with China’s growing air power, Japan has long sought to upgrade its aging fleet of U.S.-designed F-15J fighter jets. But with the U.S. refusing to sell its Asian ally new F-22 Raptors and persistent problems dogging Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Japan has reportedly opened talks with Western contractors about collaborating on a new stealth fighter.
(Read More...)
03/25/2016
In the early morning of January 17, 1991, 10 F-117 Nighthawks slipped through the air over Iraq. The aircraft, designed for a Soviet threat in Europe, were perfectly suited for penetrating Iraqi airspace, which relied almost entirely on Soviet air defense systems. The F-117 was designed to be as stealthy as possible: Its faceted shape reflected radar waves away, the exhaust was baffled and mixed with cool air, and the aircraft was painted a non-reflective black.
(Read More...)
03/25/2016
This week, Japan opened talks with US defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Boeing to discuss a sixth-generation fighter aircraft. The move comes as Tokyo seeks to repel the expansion of China’s influence as Beijing takes a more aggressive regional posture.
(Read More...)
03/25/2016
Three US Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers operated with approximately 10 Republic of Korea Navy ships for seven days off the coast of the ROK peninsula, according to the US Navy press release.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
The appearance of the Changhe Aircraft Industries Corporation (CAIC) Z-10 Thunderbolt attack helicopter at the 2016 Pakistan Day Parade was interesting. It was the first instance where the Pakistan Army had brought the Z-10 to the public’s attention. As far as the average Pakistani is now concerned, the Z-10 is as much a part of the armed forces as the JF-17 Thunder and Karakoram Eagle airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
Finmeccanica has secured a €300m contract to supply Aermacchi advanced M-346 aircraft from the Italian Ministry of Defense. Under the terms of the agreement, the company will supply an additional nine M-346 aircraft for the Italian Air Force, bringing the total ordered by Italy to 18.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
The US is set to supply the Kenyan Air Force with five special military helicopters to boost efforts against terrorism. The helicopters militarily known as Huey II Standard are improved versions of the decades-old Bell UH-1H combat operation helicopters. The Bell UH- 1H Huey is a daily workhorse with an expansive cabin providing multi-mission flexibility and a standard seating of 12 people.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
The U.S. Air Force is in the process of selling large Global Hawk drones and F-35 multi-role fighter planes to Japan and South Korea as part of a broader effort to better arm and equip allies in the Pacific theater, senior service officials said. “South Korea and Japan are going for the Global Hawk,” Ms. Heidi Grant, Under Secretary of the Air Force, International Affairs, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
In 2009, after two weeks of being embedded as an independent journalist with a small team of U.S. Marines in Afghanistan, I ended up at Combat Outpost Monti, a 14-acre camp of tents, plywood huts, a few concrete bunkers and makeshift guard towers, and a helicopter landing area, all ringed by collapsible barriers.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
Cybersecurity weaknesses in Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 are among “many unresolved deficiencies” hobbling the costliest U.S. weapons program as production of the fighter jet ramps up, the Pentagon’s top tester said. “The limited and incomplete F-35 cybersecurity testing accomplished to date has nonetheless revealed deficiencies that cannot be ignored,” Michael Gilmore, the director of combat testing, said in a prepared statement for a House Armed Services panel hearing Wednesday.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
India is keen to consider Boeing’s offer to supply F/A- 18 Super Hornet fighter jets to the Indian Air Force (IAF). Sources said that New Delhi will take a hard look at the proposal in April when a high-level delegation will engage the Indian officials over the offer. US Defence Secretary Ashton Carter will be in India on April 10 in a visit that is expected to lift cooperation to a new level.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
Federal investigators said Wednesday that Pratt & Whitney's engine for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter still is "not performing at expected levels" and is one of many glitches still plaguing the nation's next generation of fighter jets.
(Read More...)
03/24/2016
A Russian Il-76 (NATO reporting name Candid) military transport plane carrying 160 material and technical support personnel has departed from Syria to return home, a RIA Novosti correspondent reported Wednesday.
(Read More...)
03/23/2016
Sweden’s defense command has responded to the growing unpredictability of a changed security landscape in the greater Baltic Sea area by toughening up the Military Strategy Doctrine (MSD) under which the Swedish Armed Forces (SAF) deals with threats against the country’s sovereignty, Defense News reports.
(Read More...)
03/23/2016
The U.S. Air Force continues to have problems with the weight of its new the "look and shoot" helmet developed for the F-35. These HMDS (Helmet-Mounted Display System) smart helmets were first developed in South Africa during the 1970s and much improved by Israeli firms in the 1990s. HMDS are currently used by F-15, F-16 and F-18 pilots.
(Read More...)
03/23/2016
Lithuanian company FL Technics has won a tender to provide spare parts and components for aircraft operated by the Ethiopian Air Force (EAF), including L-39, An-12 and An-32 trainers and transports. The aircraft maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) company made the announcement on 18 March, saying the company’s military division – FL Technics Defence – will ensure the provision of various spare parts for Aero L-39 Albatros, Antonov An-12 and An-32 aircraft.
(Read More...)
03/23/2016
The second Red Flag of 2016 featured an international coalition training against a dynamic and integrated “Red Adversary” Force. The exercise, running from Feb. 29 to Mar. 11 included some 23 units representing the US Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and contingents from NATO partners: the Aeronautica Militare (AM – Italian Air Force) and the Turkish Air Force (TAF).
(Read More...)
03/23/2016
Known for an ability to keep flying after taking multiple rounds of enemy machine gun fire, land and operate in rugged terrain, destroy groups of enemy fighters with a 30mm cannon and unleash a wide arsenal of attack weapons, the A-10 is described by pilots as a “flying tank” in the sky - able to hover over ground war and provide life-saving close air support in high-threat combat environments.
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03/23/2016
The March 22 terrorist attacks in Brussels come as the European Union is still reeling from the November Paris attacks and scrambling to solve the migrant crisis. More important, they come as nationalist forces are challenging key principles of the Continental bloc, including the free movement of labor and the Schengen Agreement, which eliminated border controls among several member states.
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03/23/2016
With his term set to end in June, it’s an appropriate time to review the Philippines’ military modernization efforts under the administration of President Benigno Aquino III. During his six years in office, military modernization has advanced at a scale unprecedented since the Marcos era – but it remains insufficient.
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03/23/2016
Boeing is likely to miss the first major requirement of its $51 billion tanker program for the U.S. Air Force: delivering the initial 18 aerial refueling planes by August 2017, according to the Pentagon agency that oversees contracts.
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03/23/2016
Japan has opened talks with Western defense contractors about building a new generation of fighter jets, sources say, in what would mark an important milestone in Tokyo's strategy to maintain its air superiority over rival China. The discussions with defense companies including Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Ltd come as Japan readies its ATD-X experimental aircraft for its first test flights within days.
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03/22/2016
A new agreement between the United States and the Philippines clears the way for a new permanent American military presence across five bases that will support rotational deployments near the contested South China Sea. The bases include:
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03/22/2016
Russia's Rostvertol has started mass production of Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters with dual controls. According to Rostec, the Russian state corporation that promotes exports, the dual-control configuration enables the helicopter to perform as a training platform as well as a combat aircraft and is the result of a modernization program.
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03/22/2016
The Indian Navy has retired the Sea Harrier fleet that operated from its aircraft carrier INS Viraat, and plans to replace them with MiG- 29Ks that India has bought from Russia. The Indian Navy bought 30 British-made Sea Harriers in 1983 but only 11 now remain. The Navy once considered upgrading the Sea Harriers but abandoned the plan.
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03/22/2016
A laser-guided bomb fired by the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft missed its target during an exercise in Pokhran in Rajasthan and a probe had been ordered into this, a senior Indian Air Force officer said on Monday. This apart, the 'Iron Fist 2016' exercise on Friday was "largely successful", the officer said, adding the bomb missing the target was not due to pilot error.
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03/22/2016
The Department of Defense announced that the US Army has awarded Boeing a nearly $185 million contract to produce an undisclosed additional number of heavily-armoured Apache AH-64 attack helicopters.
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03/22/2016
The Egyptian Air Force carried out a anti-terrorist operation in the North Sinai province, and killed 20 militants from the Islamic State (Daesh) group, local media reported, citing a source in the military leadership.
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03/22/2016
Aircraft-Manufacturing Corporation MiG (RSK MiG) has built its first batch of pre-production Mikoyan MiG-35 aircraft, according to company CEO Sergei Korotkov. Without specifying how many of the aircraft have been built, he said that the planes will soon be delivered to the Russian Ministry of Defense for early testing.
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03/22/2016
According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying, the recent agreement between the US and the Philippines, allowing for a US military presence at five military bases in the South China Sea, threatens "third party interests and sovereignty."
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03/22/2016
Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed the price tag of the Russian anti-terrorist air operation in Syria – 33 billion rubles (about $464 million US). To get a handle on whether this was a little or a lot, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency has prepared an overview of some of the most expensive military operations since WWII.
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03/21/2016
One often hears of the fact that the US spends more on its military than most other nations combined. This is usually presented as evidence that the US is more powerful militarily—perhaps so powerful that it could take on the rest of the planet, and prevail. I find this attitude highly questionable. If we look at what sort of “defense” the US actually spends money on, and what it gets in return in terms of military capabilities, an entirely different picture emerges.
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03/21/2016
I had the chance to meet with students and to give a presentation at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies which is part of the Australian Defence College. I made a presentation last year to the Williams Foundation, and this discussion was a follow on to that.
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03/21/2016
The death toll from purported Russian airstrikes on the ISIS-held city of Raqqa in the past 24 hours has climbed to at least 55, mostly civilians, Syrian opposition activists and the Islamic State group said Sunday.
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03/21/2016
The plan includes the induction of many man-portable mini and micro UAVs for short-range surveillance, and nuclear, biological, chemical detection in the battlefield. The Indian Army, Air Force and Navy propose to buy tactical UAVs, high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAVs, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs, and medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs.
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03/21/2016
Missions for the Army and Air Force are unique enough that the services will likely need to fly their own separate unmanned platforms for the foreseeable future, service leaders said Thursday.
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03/21/2016
India has been up in arms, so to speak, over last month’s announcement that the U.S. proposed to sell eight F-16 combat aircraft to Pakistan. Yet less than one week from that announcement, New Delhi got a hint that it might have a great opportunity to undercut Pakistan’s F-16 force posture – an offer from F-16 producer Lockheed Martin to add its prized fourth-generation fighter to the list of Make in India products.
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03/21/2016
The MiG-35 has a necessary set of avionics enabling the use of all means of currently available air weapons against aerial, ground and surface targets. It also had a single or a double seat option which was previously assigned to specialized training and combat aircraft.
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03/21/2016
Nearly 20 Russian combat aircraft, an air defense system and some 2,000 personnel will stay at Hmeymim airbase in Syria. According to experts, the task force has several goals – fighting terrorism, supporting President Bashar Assad, and control over the region.
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03/20/2016
Turkish warplanes have struck Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terror bases in northern Iraq late Friday once again, a week after 37 people were killed in a car bombing in Ankara. Turkish military said a total of 30 warplanes were involved in strikes on PKK targets late Friday and on Saturday morning. Ten military aircraft, including F-16, F-4 2020 jet fighters and tanker aircraft launched strikes against PKK targets in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq, the General Staff said.
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03/20/2016
The US and the Philippines announced Friday five locations where American forces will have access under a new defense pact, including one facing disputed islands in the South China Sea. The announcement came at strategic talks in Washington, where the allies reiterated their opposition to the militarization of outposts in those waters, where six Asian governments have competing claims.
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03/20/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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03/20/2016
Air strikes killed at least 39 civilians on Saturday in Raqa, the Islamic State group's main stronghold in Syria, a monitoring group said. At least five children and seven women were among the dead, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The raids came a day after 16 civilians were killed in strikes on the same city.
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03/20/2016
There are three meetings I attend every week, and they're the most important meetings in my current job. The first is wing stand-up, held three days a week, where we cover the status of our aircrew, pararescuemen, all 81 combat aircraft, the airfield, communications and logistics. Our mission is simple - deliver precise combat power from the air - and stand-up sets the tone. This, my most important meeting, lasts about 20 minutes, except when we fold in weekly intelligence updates.
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03/20/2016
The United States military authorities claim that old OV-10 Bronco battle-planes may prove to be more effective and cheap than modern F-15 and F-35 aircrafts.
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03/20/2016
On Mar. 16, the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) welcomed the return of their Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft from Hmeymim airfield, in Syria, to their home base in the Krasnodar region. As reported by the Tass News Agency, during the ceremony, Alexander Galkin, the Russia’s Southern Military District commander, said the Frogfoots flew more than 1,600 sorties and dropped around 6,000 bombs since when Russian aircraft began missions against terrorists in Syria on Sep. 15, 2015.
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03/20/2016
Japanese banks drew on close commercial ties to Qatar when they lent funds that helped Doha pay last year’s down payment for Rafale fighter jets and missiles worth €6.3 billion ($6.8 billion), financial specialists said. A bank loan to Qatar, a nation rich in oil and gas reserves, signaled an economic shift for the Arabian Gulf nation and its strong business ties to Japanese lenders and construction companies.
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03/20/2016
The first Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopter, adapted for freezing Arctic weather conditions, has been delivered to the Russian Armed Forces by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant in southeastern Russia, Zvezda TV reported on Friday.
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03/19/2016
Over the past decade, China has pursued an extensive and far reaching campaign of dredging and creating man-made islands within the South China Sea. These pursuits have put China at odds with Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and large sections of the international community including the US. One of the main areas that China's expansion has focused on has been the Spratly Island chain close to the Philippines.
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03/19/2016
Lockheed Martin has warned against rushing into a sixth-generation fighter programme without first boosting F-35 Lightning II numbers and implementing a “robust” modernisation programme to keep fifth-generation F-22s and F-35s capable against new counter-air threats.
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03/19/2016
In the middle of the Indian Ocean lies a relatively unknown island by the name of Diego Garcia. It’s home to one of America’s most important military bases—and a history of human rights abuse. The island was confiscated in 1966 from the local population of Chagossians in secret deals between the governments of the U.S. and U.K., resulting in the forced displacement of more than 2,000.
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03/19/2016
Eight sailors working on the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower were injured Friday when a cable used to catch a landing aircraft’s tailhook broke, according to the Navy. Four of the sailors were flown by helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening, while two were taken to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. Norfolk General has the only Level 1 trauma center in the region and handles the most severe injuries.
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03/19/2016
A trilateral air exercise conducted by the air forces of Singapore, Thailand and the United States ended on Friday (Mar 18) at Korat Air Base in Thailand, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said. Exercise Cope Tiger, the 22nd in its series, was conducted in two phases – a command post exercise at Changi Naval Base in Singapore from Dec 8 to 11, 2015, and a flying training exercise conducted at Korat Air Base in Thailand from Mar 7 to 18.
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03/19/2016
Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 executed dissimilar air combat training and bilateral tactical mission training during the Komatsu Aviation Training Relocation exercise at Komatsu AB, Japan, March 7-18, 2016. Komatsu ATR is a dissimilar air combat training exercise allowing pilots with diverse aircraft to simulate aerial warfare and execute basic fighter maneuvers,.
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03/19/2016
Russia did carry out air strikes in Syria this week, a US military spokesman said on Friday, hours after asserting the opposite. "While we've seen no Russian air strikes in the northern areas of Syria this week, it appears the Russians have conducted some air strikes after all in southern Syria in the vicinity of Palmyra in support of the Syrian regime," US Central Command spokesman Colonel Patrick Ryder told AFP.
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03/19/2016
Russia has withdrawn most of its strike aircraft from Syria, the US military said on Friday, adding that it was now entirely carrying out strikes in support of Syrian government forces “via artillery systems” instead of aircraft.
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03/19/2016
The deliveries of Russia's advanced President-S onboard defense systems (ODS) to Egypt will begin in "coming days," a senior Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET) executive said Friday.
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03/18/2016
The Philippine Air Force’s brand-new supersonic fighters will be taking part in this year’s “Balikatan” military training exercise with the United States. PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya said the two recently acquired FA-50 lead-in fighter jets from South Korea would be put through aerial maneuvers during the bilateral exercise in April. “This is definitely a good opportunity for us to enhance our training, especially with our American counterparts. This is a good development,” Canaya said T
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03/18/2016
The U.S. military is considering whether a Vietnam-era propeller-driven airplane could be useful in the fight against the Islamic State, after what appeared to be a successful trial run last year. Two OV-10 Broncos were deployed for barely three months last summer and fall as part of the international coalition battling Islamic State militants in the region, according to the U.S. Central Command.
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03/18/2016
Lockheed Martin held its annual media day this week, and CEO Marillyn Hewson assured those attending that the company was financially sound and poised to lead the industry in developing the next generation of military technology, from military lasers to hypersonic weapons. But the bulk of the company’s revenues rely on old-fashioned techniques — buying up other companies, profiting from the sale of big-ticket weapons systems, and pushing foreign sales.
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03/18/2016
President Vladimir V. Putin of Russia said on Thursday that his country’s more than five-month military operation in Syria had been a success, with the upper hand on the battlefield returned to the Syrian government and with President Bashar al-Assad ready to make the compromises necessary for a peaceful settlement.
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03/17/2016
A unique U.S. Navy F/A-18F bearing a brown camouflage scheme has likely had many question why a US Navy Strike Fighter would be such a color. A recent pass by the “Rhino” deep through “Rainbow Canyon” should put those questions to rest as the jet almost disappears as it races through the canyon at a very low level.
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03/17/2016
A military aircraft crashed in the Ecuadorian eastern province of Pastaza, killing all 22 people on board, military authorities said. The accident occurred at around 2:30 pm local time(1930 GMT), when the soldiers were to conduct a parachuting exercise, the Defense Ministry of Ecuador said in a statement.
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03/17/2016
Raytheon engineers have developed a software solution for integrating of new weapons into older aircraft. The software can be implemented across various platforms and current bomb rack systems.
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03/17/2016
Defence giant Lockheed Martin claims to have made a major breakthrough in its bid to perfect the SR-72 – dubbed the "Son of Blackbird". The firm claims to have developed a prototype capable of reaching Mach 6 – six times the speed of sound. The current airspeed record of Mach 3.5 is held by Lockheed's SR-71 Blackbird – seen as the "father" of the new superplane.
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03/17/2016
ISIS has claimed it has shot down an armed Iraqi Air Force Cessna with a 57mm anti-aircraft gun near the city of Kirkuk. The terrorist organisation has released footage showing the aircraft banking at an extreme angle as it plummets to the ground. The Iraqi Air Force has admitted it has lost the Cessna 208 Caravan, which was armed with Hellfire missiles, but blamed the crash on a 'technical fault'.
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03/17/2016
Remotely piloted aircraft don't fly themselves as autonomous super machines. They also don't require only a single pilot and sensor operator to function. The RPA enterprise of MQ-1 Predators and MQ-9 Reapers is maintained or operated by Airmen from more than 30 Air Force career fields, each one playing a key role in supporting every combat air patrol. The patrols enable combatant commanders access to intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities at all times.
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03/17/2016
Despite its history of cost overruns, the Pentagon's fifth-generation fighter program is on course to realize significant savings in coming years, the program manager said this week. Jeff Babione, Lockheed Martin's program manager for the F-35 program, told reporters Tuesday that the cost of the F-35A - the Air Force variant of the aircraft -- was expected to drop from nearly $100 million per plane to about $85 million by 2019, thanks to efficiencies and cost-cutting manufacturing technologies.
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03/17/2016
The F-35A Lightning II program took another step toward initial operational capability on Tuesday when two aircraft assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron successfully employed four laser-guided bombs on the Barry M. Goldwater Range. This marked the first weapons release by F-35s assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base.
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03/17/2016
Additional F-16s from the US remain central to Pakistan’s modernization efforts, but analysts say since there could be hurdles ahead, surplus fighters may be a credible alternative. News reports here citing senior officials have stated that the air force requires some 190 new aircraft to replace its legacy Mirage III/5 and Chengdu F-7 fighter fleets by 2020.
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03/16/2016
The Afghan Air Force flew more than 20,000 missions last year as the Afghan national security forces went through a significantly challenging year after assuming the full security responsibilities from the coalition forces. Hailing the Afghan forces for improving their capabilities, the NATO Secretary General said the Afghan security forces are ‘showing great courage and determination.”
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03/16/2016
RAF pilots were joined by the USAF for low flying training over the Welsh mountains on Monday. Their aircraft were seen flying over the Mach Loop, a set of valleys between Dolgellau and Machynllet, in north Wales, as part of the session between 10 and 11am. An RAF Hawk T2 from Hawks Valley, which is used to train pilots for fast low flying, was seen twirling over the hills at between 100ft and 250ft, at one point inverting over a ridge line - a technique often used to avoid enemy radar.
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03/16/2016
On Mar. 15, the Russian Defence Minister General of the Army Sergei ??Shoigu? ordered to redeploy a large part of the the Russian Aerspace Forces contingent deployed to Syria to fight terrorists.
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03/16/2016
The Senate Foreign Affairs, Defence and Trade Committee is holding an inquiry into the planned acquisition of the F-35 Lightning II (Joint Strike Fighter). ASPI has had a keen interest in this project for over a decade, so we made a submission.
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03/16/2016
If you were the CEO of an airline business and got a negative report about your new, very expensive aircraft that has been in development for a number of years, what would you say to your engineering and production managers? The report highlights look like this:
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03/16/2016
Russia's decision to withdraw its airgroup from Syria is putting pressure on the official Damascus to commit fully to the political transition, Syrian opposition figure and founder of the Organization for Democracy and Freedom in Syria, Ribal Assad told Sputnik.
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03/16/2016
A video look at Russia's mission in Syria over the past six months, and how it accomplished its stated goals, prompting a withdrawal.
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03/16/2016
Tensions on the Korean peninsula escalated to new highs this week, with the US and South Korea carrying out massive military drills, and North Korea test-firing missiles and threatening more nuclear tests. With tensions now threatening to spark open war, military analyst Konstantin Sivkov warns that if war did break out, both sides would lose.
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03/16/2016
Indian defense ministry signed 28 contracts - 18 with Indian companies and 10 with firms from Russia, the United States, Sweden and Israel - totaling to approximately $5.5 billion, according to official statement.
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03/15/2016
Russian defence ministry video showed the first group of aircraft taking off from Hmeimim air base in Syria on Tuesday morning and later in flight. Western officials cautiously welcomed the move, saying it could pressure Syria's government to engage in talks. Peace talks aimed at resolving the conflict are entering a second day.
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03/15/2016
On Monday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to start withdrawing the Russian air group from Syria on Tuesday, as the task assigned to it has been completed. "I think it is a clever decision because if they [aerospace forces] stay longer, it could potentially lead to an additional tension between the sides to the conflict and that could be dangerous. The job is done because the Daesh has been stopped," Mariani said.
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03/15/2016
Indian Air Force vice-chief Air Marshal BS Dhanoa admitted on Thursday that the IAF did not have sufficient number of warplanes to fight a two-front war, setting off alarm bells about the country's ability to tackle a combined threat from China and Pakistan.
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03/15/2016
As reported by world media, Turkish military aircraft carried out the attack early on Monday. This has been confirmed by the Turkish army. It was stated that 11 combat aircraft took part, attacking 18 previously established targets that have "all been destroyed."
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03/15/2016
Bulgaria’s Defence Council has approved the investment project for acquiring new fighter jets for the country’s Air Force, public broadcaster BNR reported on Monday. The decision was taken by the consultative body within the Defence Ministry last week, according to BNR.
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03/15/2016
The Air Force is still relying on tens of thousands of airmen to carry out its mission overseas — but the type of airmen being deployed is changing greatly. The number of airmen deployed last year has dropped from fiscal 2013, according to statistics provided by the Air Force Personnel Center.
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03/15/2016
Two Emirati pilots were martyred after the fighter aircraft they were flying in crashed while performing their national duty in Yemen as part of the Saudi-led coalition's Operation Restoring Hope. As per a statement issued by the UAE Armed Forces on Monday, the martyrs are Mohammed Obaid Salem Al Hammudi, based in Diba Al Hisn in the emirate of Sharjah, and Zayed Ali Al Kaabi, from Mebreh area in Fujairah.
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03/15/2016
For an indigenous light combat aircraft (LCA) disparaged by the Indian Air Force brass as “overweight”, “underpowered”, “obsolete”, “a three-legged cheetah” and, in technical terms, as a plane that “cannot fly without telemetry, pull more than 6G or an angle-of-attack (AoA) greater than 20 degrees” and “with an air intake that starves the engine”, is supposedly afflicted with “53 identified shortfalls”, and fails to meet the “minimum air staff requirements (ASRs)”.
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03/15/2016
Two U.S. officials told CNN that the Obama administration has confirmed that ISIS senior operative Omar al-Shishani is dead. The officials said he was injured in a U.S. airstrike last week and then died subsequently, though they wouldn't say how they know he is dead. The initial U.S. assessment was that he was "likely killed" in the strike, but further assessments led them to understand he had been injured and only later died.
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03/15/2016
Lockheed Martin recently delivered two KC-130J Super Hercules aerial refuelers to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, to be operated by Royal Saudi Air Force crews.
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is the 16th country to operate the C-130J Super Hercules to meet its refueling and airlift needs. Saudi Arabia has the distinction of having the largest legacy Hercules fleet outside of the United States of America.
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03/15/2016
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company, today announced the second CH-53K helicopter has joined the flight test program and achieved first flight. In addition the first aircraft into the test program has achieved flight envelope expansion to 120 knots for the U.S. Marine Corps’ CH-53K King Stallion heavy lift helicopter program.
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03/14/2016
Australia is set to walk a finely balanced diplomatic line as strategic competition heats up over China's heavily disputed and growing territorial claims in the South China Sea. Commander of the US Pacific Air Forces, General Lori Robinson, said in Canberra on Tuesday the U.S. and its partners had to "maintain a credible combat power" with China's "militarisation" of the South China Sea, warning that China's military build-up raised the risk of sparking a miscalculated, unexpected incident.
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03/14/2016
For nearly a month, the kingdom has been hosting forces from 20 allied nations, its first chance to practise integrating the Saudi-led Islamic Coalition announced last year to combat terrorism. This, say the Saudis, is the largest concentration of military forces in the region since the Desert Storm campaign of 1991 drove Iraq's army out of Kuwait.
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03/14/2016
On March 12, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 12 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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03/14/2016
The Egyptian parliament has approved government plans to secure a €3.37 billion (US $3.76 billion) loan to fund the acquisition of weapons and military equipment, including Navy vessels and fighter jets, as part of the country's ongoing force modernization program, a new parliamentary report has said.
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03/14/2016
Jodhpur: Iron Fist 2016, the Indian Air Force exercise in the Pokhran deserts, will prove to be a litmus test for Astra, the Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile (BVRAAM), which having successfully completed its user trials including those for its seekers will be officially fired for the first time on March 18 in full public view, including the presence of Prime Minister Narendra Mod
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03/14/2016
On Mar. 11, RF 16-2 came to an end. Among the more than 70 combat planes that took part in the exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, there were, for the first time ever, also 8 Eurofighter Typhoons of the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force).
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03/14/2016
A quirky aircraft company that helped to win World War II and guide the U.S. into the jet age with its unconventional designs will have its colorful history preserved by the San Diego Air & Space Museum. The museum has acquired a huge archive of photos and records from the hey-dey of Vought Aircraft, the developer of such iconic war planes as the F4U Corsair, whose eerie whine earned it the nickname “Whistling Death.”
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03/14/2016
As Russia and the United States develop concepts for sixth-generation fighter jets, we look at the main demands made by the countries' militaries and the issues the projects would have to overcome.
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03/14/2016
A Syrian Air Force MiG-21US went down near an airfield in Hama province on Saturday. Conflicting reports have emerged over whether the aircraft crashed due to a technical failure, or was downed by jihadist militants; Russian analysts are questioning whether the terrorists now possess anti-aircraft missiles, and whether Russian planes are safe.
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03/13/2016
Deep in the Sahara, in the sun-baked Libyan town of Sabha, a ragtag group of gunmen agreed to show Timothy Michetti their most prized weapons. Michetti, an experienced investigator for a London-based company that tracks the sources of small arms in conflict zones, travelled there on a hunch.
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03/13/2016
China will create an international maritime judicial center to protect its national sovereignty and maritime rights, the country's Supreme People's Court said Sunday, according to state news agency Xinhua. The move comes as tensions rise in the South China Sea, where China is locked in long-standing maritime disputes with several countries.
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03/13/2016
As the Air Force's most advanced aircraft, the F-22 is in such high demand that Raptor pilots and crews are constantly deploying for training and wartime missions. It’s no doubt that the Raptor has been put on a pedestal in the Air Force’s trophy case. Even though the service only has 186 in inventory, according to Air Combat Command, it’s likely the world will see more of it in months to come.
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03/13/2016
Syrian Air Force MiG-21 has been downed by armed militants near a military airfield in western Hama Governorate, a military source told Sputnik. One pilot was able to eject to safety, the second one died in a failed emergency landing, according to the source. "A Syrian warplane MiG-21 was shot down near the Hama military airfield," the source said.
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03/13/2016
A spokesman for the Syrian opposition's High Negotiations Committee (HNC) criticized Saturday's statement of Foreign Minister Walid Muallem on the upcoming Geneva negotiations, calling them "nails in the talks' coffin.
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03/12/2016
In the middle of June 2015, a U.S. Air Force F-16 fighter took off from an air base in Alaska and flew over a military training range at 430 miles per hour. On command, something burst from the fighter’s flare dispenser—a drone roughly the size of a soda can and weighing just one pound.
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03/12/2016
U.S. troops in Jordan launched a GPS-guided rocket artillery attack into Syria for the first time on March 4, defense officials said, revealing an new facet of the American-led coalition’s ground-based fight against Islamic State militants.
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03/12/2016
Pacific Theater: Communist China is completing infrastructure in the South China Sea with which it can project military aggression. The Obama U.S. power vacuum brings “change” to yet another region of the globe. You’ve got to wonder if President Obama’s own national security personnel are crying out for help for America.
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03/12/2016
India’s plans to develop a home-grown regional transport aircraft (RTA) appear to have been scrapped, with state owned airframer Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) releasing a new request for information for the manufacture of a 50-80 seat dual-role regional aircraft in India.
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03/12/2016
The nation’s top generals and admirals will gather in the coming weeks to mull over ideas on what the Pentagon must do to close the gap as Russia and China continue to push the edge of their military capabilities. These talks are likely to shape decisions on what investments, policy and organizational changes the Defense Department would have to make to offset adversaries’ advances in high-tech weaponry such as precision weapons and air defense systems.
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03/12/2016
The Afghan air force will not reach necessary strength levels until 2020, according to a top U.S. general. General John Campbell, who ended his command of U.S. and NATO troops in Afghanistan last week, told reporters Friday that some aircraft procured for the force would not arrive in Afghanistan until 2018. The force would then need an additional two to three years to train the pilots needed for the new aircraft, he explained.
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03/12/2016
US spy satellites, aircraft and ships observed as the North Korean navy searched for the missing submarine for several days, the officials said on Friday. The United States is unaware of the submarine’s current whereabouts. On Thursday, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) said that North Korea had fired two short-range missiles. The missiles hit waters northeast of the port city of Wonsan, the South Korean military said.
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03/11/2016
China will be able to project "substantial offensive military power" from artificial islands it has built in the South China Sea's disputed Spratly Islands within months, the director of US national intelligence said.
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03/11/2016
The United States has deployed three B-2 Spirit nuclear stealth bombers to support U.S. Pacific Command, U.S. Strategic Command announced Wednesday. The aircraft are the United States' most advanced bomber and part of its nuclear deterrent defenses. It is not the first time that the United States deployed the B-2 bombers to the Pacific Command. Last fall, the U.S. Air Force deployed three B-2s to Guam. In March 2013, the U.S. sent two B-2s to conduct a flyover near Seoul, South Korea.
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03/11/2016
As the Army builds its very first AH-64 Apache battalion in Alaska, soldiers in the unit are experiencing a lot of firsts. The 1st Attack Reconnaissance Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment, is the first Apache unit to permanently install skis on the bird. It also is the first to “cold-soak” the aircraft in temperatures as low as 20 degrees below zero for days at a time to see how the system reacts to such extreme cold.
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03/11/2016
India's Air Force has raised objections to the indigenous new generation anti-radiation missile (NGARM) currently in development. The 60-kilometer-range NGARM, developed by state-owned Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), will undertake flight trials in three months but Indian Air Force (IAF) officials say the missile is too bulky. DRDO is developing NGARM for the service's Mirage-2000H, Jaguar, Su-30 MKI and the upcoming Light Combat Aircraft.
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03/11/2016
Military spy drones used for non-war purposes over the United States were almost exclusively for disaster relief or during training for natural disasters, according to the Pentagon. "I can tell you with 100% certainty that these exercises are of a Defense support-to-civil authorities nature. It's (training for or responding to) a natural disaster of some kind, earthquake, flood, hurricane or nuclear-reactor blowing up. Something like that," said Air Force Lt. Col. Tom Crosson, Pentagon spokesman
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03/11/2016
Challenging the orthodoxy isn’t typically encouraged in large organizations, so when it happens, a minor celebration is in order. General Jonathan Vance, the country’s top soldier, is reimagining the future of the Royal Canadian Air Force – and that may include fewer fighter planes, but more drones.
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03/11/2016
At least 181 aircraft of the Indian Air Force will come together over Thar desert this month in a breathtaking aerial ballet during Exercise Iron Fist-2016 to showcase the force's combat capability across the entire spectrum of aerial operations. Defence Attaches from various countries, except those of Pakistan and China, are scheduled to attend the event that will project India's deterrence power.
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03/11/2016
There are no problems with the deliveries of Russian-made S-300 air defense systems to Iran, the chief of staff of the Iranian presidential administration said on Thursday. Earlier this week, an Iranian Defense Ministry source confirmed that there were no problems with the S-300 delivery to Iran, noting that work was underway to resolve the remaining technical issues.
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03/11/2016
The United States has launched airstrikes that destroyed some chemical weapons capabilities of the Islamic State (Daesh) and will continue such operations in the future, US Department of Defense spokesperson Peter Cook told reporters on Wednesday.
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03/11/2016
Russia is developing a multifunction image processing system and an upgraded laser guidance system for guided weapons for its newest Mi-28NM attack helicopter.
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03/10/2016
The US Air Force has begun studying future close air support (CAS) aircraft to succeed the Fairchild Republic A-10 as the Pentagon evaluates the weaponry it needs for “prolonged operations” of one year or more.
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03/10/2016
The Army plans to fly its Vietnam-era workhorse CH-47 Chinook cargo helicopter for 100 years by continuously upgrading the platform through a series of ongoing technological adjustments designed to improve lift, weight, avionics and cargo handling, among other things. The Army goal is to allow the helicopter, which was first produced in the early 1960s, to serve all the way into the 2060s – allowing the aircraft service life to span an entire century.
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03/10/2016
The US Air Force's 90th Fighter Squadron based in Elmendorf-Richardson has equipped an F-22 Raptor with an AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder Tactical Missiles. USAF3rd Wing weapons manager chief master Sergeant Chuck Jenkins said: "This has been in the inventory for the Air Force and Navy for some years; it's nothing new to the military. But to put it on the Ferrari of aircraft, the F-22, the most advanced aircraft we have, it gives the pilots more manoeuvrability, larger range.
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03/10/2016
The government has played down reports that US supersonic long-range B-1B bombers could soon conduct training exercises from an RAAF base in Australia's north. Neither Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull nor Foreign Minister Julie Bishop denied this would happen or commented on a possible reaction from China.
Mr Turnbull said US forces rotated through Australia all the time under the close defence relationship.
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03/10/2016
A mission to recover a U.S. Army reconnaissance plane that went down March 5 in northern Iraq included Navy helicopters and Air Force personnel, according to a news article. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. John Richardson said Air Force pararescuemen and Navy choppers from Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 5 out of Norfolk, Virginia, participated in the mission, which was launched from the nearby city of Erbil, according to an article in The Washington Post.
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03/10/2016
War was just an experiment for two of the U.S. military’s oldest and most unusual warplanes. A pair of OV-10 Broncos—small, Vietnam War-vintage, propeller-driven attack planes—recently spent three months flying top cover for ground troops battling ISIS militants in the Middle East.
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03/10/2016
The French Air Force is looking to recruit more mechanics to maintain fighter jets and also urgently acquiring bombs and equipment to support a high rate of operational use, air chief Gen. André Lanata said Tuesday. Urgent operating requirements have been posted for new munitions and satellite communications, he told defense journalists on March 8, daily Le Monde reported.
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03/10/2016
Congress and American defense officials are realizing that over the last few decades they committed the classic sin of militaries over the centuries. America trained and equipped to fight the last war, a special operations, low intensity conflict, incorrectly defining future threats to the United States. The realization is causing the U.S. government to rethink its procurement of the latest-generation combat aircraft, specifically the F-35 and F-22.
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03/10/2016
British military pilots have been flown to South Carolina to undertake intensive combat aircraft training as the two countries reform the famous 617 Dambusters squadron. Personnel from the Royal Navy and RAF have been embedded with the US Marine Corps as they undertake a unique F-35B Lightning II operational training programme in Beaufort.
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03/09/2016
Northrop Grumman, together with Saab Aerosystems, has supplied the attitude and heading reference system (AHRS) for the nEUROn unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator, it was announced on 7 March. The nEUROn has now completed over 100 test flights in Sweden, Italy and France.
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03/09/2016
ndian Air Force (IAF) will soon get its first women fighter pilot. IAF Chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha announced that the force's fighter stream will no longer be a male domain from June 18, 2016 when the first batch of women fighter pilot trainees is commissioned into the force.
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03/09/2016
Two F-35A Lightning II aircraft assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing here successfully employed two laser-guided bombs Thursday morning at a nearby range, advancing the Air Force’s F-35A training syllabus ahead of F-35A Initial Operational Capability.
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03/09/2016
American B-52 bombers are “ready and able” to strike ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria, a top Air Force official confirmed Monday. The air campaign against ISIS is “taking a toll on our aircraft, our readiness and our airmen” but the “venerable B-52 … remains ready and able to meet combatant commander requirements,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said during a Pentagon press briefing.
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03/09/2016
It’s tough to find a good deal on a fighter jet these days. But if you’re willing to put a little time and money into a restoration project, the formerly communist republic of Albania has a deal for you.
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03/09/2016
Flying in Eurofighter Typhoons and F-16 jets, pilots from the Italian and Turkish air forces joined their U.S. partners in a Red Flag air combat training exercise Tuesday, roaring into partially cloudy skies north of Nellis Air Force Base. For the Italian Air Force, it’s the first time its fighter pilots and aircraft have flown in Red Flag’s 41-year history, officials said. It also marks the longest overseas deployment for the Typhoon detachment commanded by Col. Marco Bertoli.
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03/09/2016
It's a time-tested ploy. When a weapons system can't be justified based on cost, capabilities, and need, the manufacturer touts how many jobs the program will create. So it is with Lockheed Martin and its troubled F-35 combat aircraft.
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03/09/2016
North Korea’s provocative nuclear rhetoric has gotten so bad even the Kremlin has come out against the hermit kingdom, warning continued nuclear threats could justify an invasion. The warning was issued in the form of a written statement from the Russian foreign ministry. It follows North Korea’s threat it would engage in a “preemptive and offensive nuclear strike” in reaction to the start of joint U.S.-South Korean war games Monday.
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03/09/2016
Boeing and the Paramount Group, the South Africa-based global defense and aerospace business, have expanded their 2014 agreement to cooperate on an advanced mission system for a variant of the Advanced, High Performance, Reconnaissance, Light Aircraft (AHRLAC).
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03/09/2016
Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center acting chief Ruslan Shishin said that the US and French experts will conduct an observational flight over Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on March 9-13.
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03/08/2016
On Mar. 1, 2016 the 90th Fighter Squadron (FS) belonging to the 3rd Wing stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska officially became the first combat-operational Raptor unit to equip an F-22 with the AIM-9X Sidewinder.
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03/08/2016
Despite speculation that parameters for the Air Force's T-X trainer are still up in the air, top officials say there will be no more changes to the program requirements. The Air Force’s requirements for 350 T-X jets to replace the service’s aging T-38 trainer fleet are pretty much set, according to Brig. Gen. Andrew Croft, director of plans, programs, requirements and assessments for Air Education and Training Command. Although a formal request for proposals will not be released until later this
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03/08/2016
The Afghan Air Force (AAF) in northern Balkh province of Afghanistan has received two A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft as part of NATO’s efforts to bolster the capabilities of the Afghan forces in fight against terrorism. The light attack aircraft have been deployed in Mazar-e-Sharif city, the provincial capital of northern Balkh province, amid deteriorating security situation in northern parts of the country.
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03/08/2016
The company will complete design and construction of the next evolution of the air-to-air and air-to-ground targeting device this year for carriage on a surrogate Sabreliner test aircraft. Separately, Lockheed will fly the Legion infrared search-and-track (IRST) pod on a Boeing F-15C in the coming months as the US Air Force looks to fill a long-standing "capability gap” related to passive infrared detection of airborne threats.
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03/08/2016
Since the second half of 2015, there has been considerable speculation about China’s rumored military reforms. Speculation became especially intense after Chinese President Xi Jinping announced a plan at the September 3 military parade in Beijing to cut 300,000 troops.
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03/08/2016
The Indian Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) has reportedly approved the purchase of two more Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control Systems (AWACS) in defence sales, totalling approximately $3bn, from Israel. Under the terms of the tripartite agreement with Israel and Russia, the Israeli-made Phalcon radars will be mounted on Russian IL-76 aircraft, reported The Hindu.
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03/08/2016
China is building a second aircraft carrier; its enhanced design will allow the vessel to carry more fighter jets as well as an early warning patrol aircraft, an anti-submarine warplane and several helicopters, according to a spokesman for the Chinese People's Liberation Army's Navy.
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03/08/2016
The pilots of an attack aviation regiment based in Russia's Krasnodar region have commenced special training sessions using a flight simulator which offers them the opportunity to step inside the virtual cockpit of the Su-25SM attack aircraft, according to the press service of the Russian Southern Military District.
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03/08/2016
Since 2010 Russia has finally been able to replace many of its Cold War era electronic warfare aircraft with modern equipment. The Cold War era aircraft was based on military versions of the four engine turboprop Il-10 airliner. The most visible of these was the 66 ton Il-38, which was the Russian answer to the American P-3 anti-submarine aircraft. Like the Americans and other Western nations the Russians replaced the four engine Cold War era aircraft with more modern twin engine jet airliners.
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03/07/2016
On Feb. 17, 2016 the 17th Special Operations Squadron (SOS) of the 353rd Special Operations Group (SOG) from Kadena Air Base, conducted a unit-wide training exercise during which its aircrews performed the first five-ship MC-130J Commando II formation flight in Pacific region.
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03/07/2016
The US is considering deploying its massive Boeing B-52 Stratofortress long-range strategic bomber against Islamic State, a report citing US Air Force officials says. The aircraft is capable of simultaneously dropping 32 tons of bombs.
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03/07/2016
The planes and personnel at Ellsworth Air Force Base are getting a break after 11 years of continual B-1 bomber jet deployments. Members of an Ellsworth squadron finished a six-month deployment in January, and for the first time since 2005, no other B-1s from Ellsworth or Dyess Air Force Base in Texas flew out to the U.S. Central Command’s Area of Responsibility to replace the returning squadron.
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03/07/2016
The “Ramses 2016” military and naval exercise is being held off the coast of the Mediterranean city of Alexandria and are expected to last for several days, the army said on its Facebook page. Paris announced the manoeuvres Tuesday saying the French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle, which is being used to launch air strikes on the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, would also take part.
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03/07/2016
China will raise its defense spending by 7.6 percent this year, a budget report to the country’s Communist-controlled parliament showed on Saturday, a smaller increase than past years as it seeks a more efficient military. It was the “lowest defense budget increase in six years”, the official news agency Xinhua said, adding it came “in the wake of rising economic headwinds and last year’s massive drawdown of service people”.
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03/07/2016
In an ABC News exclusive, "This Week" co-anchor Martha Raddatz went aboard the USS Harry S. Truman, the Navy’s massive aircraft carrier which is home to more than 5,000 sailors, armed with hundreds of precision guided weapons, and is at the heart of the fight against ISIS.
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03/07/2016
When it comes to the Joint Strike Fighter jet, our most expensive defence acquisition yet, Australia is either a nation of rich optimists or fools, according to the man who until recently was the head of test and evaluation for the Australian Defence Force.
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03/07/2016
If the Russian Aerospace Forces’ performance took NATO by surprise, it is because earlier Russian operations did not suggest that level of ability. Russian aviation took serious losses in the 2008 conflict with Georgia: 7 aircraft shot down including a Tu-22M bomber, 4 damaged, or one loss per each 17 combat missions. There was practically no new aircraft procurement since 1994. Russian aircrews flew far fewer hours than their NATO counterparts.
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03/06/2016
Russia's heavy aircraft carrier - Admiral Kuznetsov - in summer may go to the Mediterranean Sea, a high-ranking official at the Russian Navy told TASS on Saturday. "This summer, we plan the Admiral Kuznetsov's campaign in the Mediterranean Sea, where it will lead the Navy group in that region," the source said. Right now, the aircraft carrier is at Murmansk’s 35th Shipyard, where specialists prepare it for the long-distance campaign.
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03/06/2016
A Dutch F-35A Lightning II will touch down on home soil for the first time for environmental compatibility trials this spring according to a Royal Netherlands Air Force release. The F-35 will conduct several low-altitude circuits, take-offs, and landings at both Leeuwarden Air Base and Volkel Air Base, where the aircraft will eventually be based. The RNLAF plans to replace its legacy F-16A/B fleet with a minimum of 37 F-35s, split between the two bases.
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03/06/2016
The Canadian Forces officially marked what it is calling the “transitioning of the Air Task Force-Iraq mission” during a parade Saturday in Kuwait. That transitioning is the end of the CF-18 combat mission.
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03/06/2016
A few days ago a Russian state-owned aircraft manufacturer announced the sale of 50 MiG- 29 fighters to a North African country, most likely Egypt. On mid-February a senior Israeli defense official said, regarding Israel’s need to assimilate the F-35 joint strike fighter, that although there is peace with Egypt the latter focuses on Israel. Therefore Israel “must be ready for every possible scenario and every radical strategic shift, because we have no other choice.”
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03/06/2016
UK Prime Minister David Cameron last week announced a plan with France to invest more than £1.5 billion (US $2.1 billion) to build a prototype combat drone, signaling a further step by the two European partners to stay in the military top tier on a bilateral basis. “Today we have agreed to jointly invest £1.5 billion to develop the next generation of a combat air system,” Cameron said at a March 3 joint press conference with French President François Hollande, at Amiens, northern France.
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03/05/2016
The United States and Russian Federation must make Syria's cessation of hostilities work or else it may become necessary to delay the resumption of peace talks, U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told Reuters on Tuesday. Without progress on the cessation of hostilities and on access for humanitarian aid, de Mistura said he could "slightly" postpone the next round of peace talks, which has been pencilled in for Monday, March 7.
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03/05/2016
The U.S. balance-of-power strategy in the Middle East is approaching a potential pitfall. A number of crucial arms contracts for the sale of U.S. weaponry to several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are at risk of falling through because of Israeli opposition. The United States' final decision on whether to sign will anger one of two sides, Israel or the GCC, and both already harbor misgivings about continued U.S. support.
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03/05/2016
India is mulling manufacturing one more line of fighter aircraft to replenish its dwindling fleet and a decision in this regard is likely to be taken in a year's time, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said today. The Chief of Air Staff said the second line of fighter jets will be in addition to light combat aircraft Tejas and 36 Rafale planes that India will procure from France.
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03/05/2016
Following the announcement by the Saudi Defense Ministry on Saturday February 14th that the kingdom intended to commit both air and ground forces to the fight against ISIS in Syria, the first four Royal Saudi Airforce F-15S strike fighters arrived at Incirlik air base on Friday February 26th. These jets were immediately proceeded by approximately thirty officers and men and supporting equipment aboard two C-130 transports.
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03/05/2016
As we reported last year, the debate between F-35 supporters and critics became more harsh in July 2015, when War Is Boring got their hands on a brief according to which the JSF was outclassed by a two-seat F-16D Block 40 (one of the aircraft the US Air Force intends to replace with the Lightning II) in mock aerial combat.
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03/05/2016
Even though China says its military is growing at a relatively modest pace of about 7 percent this year, it is clear that the country is marching toward a top-to-bottom expansion and modernization of its forces. Here's a look at how it's been changing:
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03/05/2016
The Zoopark-1 missile and artillery ground reconnaissance complex is designed to automatically determine the coordinates of enemy artillery positions (mortars, field artillery, rocket volley fire systems and tactical missile launch positions) to provide target sighting information to its own countermeasure equipment, as well as to monitor its own firing results.
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03/05/2016
The office of the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced on Friday that the country may expand its anti-Daesh campaign in Syria by sending F-16 fighter jets, C130J transport aircraft and 400 military personnel to the war-torn country.
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03/05/2016
Moscow and Jakarta will sign a contract in April for the deliveries of 10 Russian Su-35 Flanker multirole fighter jets to replace Indonesia’s fleet of F-5 Tigers, the Jakarta Globe reported Friday.
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03/04/2016
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), officials announced the first flight of Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range (ER) Long Wing, which is retrofitted with enhanced long-endurance wings with more internal fuel capacity and additional hard points for carrying external stores.
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03/04/2016
British pilots expressed concern about a joint plan with France to allocate 2 billion euros to acquire combat drones, announced the British pilots union. According to the official organization, its employees are particularly skeptical about the safety of planes in mid flight in case they are hit by those unmanned devices that will invade the country's airspace, as this is a strategy in place through year 2015.
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03/04/2016
The loss of the Air Force’s Long Range Strike Bomber contract to rival Northrop Grumman in October has placed Boeing’s defense business in a tough spot. But a list of “unfunded priorities” submitted to Congress by the U.S. Navy could breathe $1.5 billion in new life into the aerospace giant’s fighter jet business, potentially sustaining key production lines until Boeing can find new foreign customers for aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet.
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03/04/2016
House appropriators Thursday questioned the Army’s decision to cut 35 percent of its planned aviation modernization funding from the fiscal 2017 budget request and strongly urged the service to reconsider the move. But Army leaders said the only way the cuts could be reversed would be to get additional funding.
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03/04/2016
The U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning will make its Cleveland National Air Show debut this year. Also in attendance will be the F-22 Raptor tactical fighter. "The Air Combat Command told me we are the only civilian air show to have both," Kim Dell, executive director of the show said Thursday. Both are built by Lockheed Martin.
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03/04/2016
Defense ministers of France and the United Kingdom endorsed today the plan to launch the development of full scale operational demonstrator of the ‘Future Combat Air System’ Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) next year. This phase will prepare for the full-scale development of unmanned combat air system (UCAS) operational demonstrators by 2025.
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03/04/2016
The Boeing test team successfully completed the first flight of the program’s second KC-46A tanker aircraft yesterday, taking off from Paine Field and landing later at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed operational checks on engines, flight controls and environmental systems.
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03/04/2016
By 2030 China will be on par or exceed the United States in terms of its air force capabilities, American defense expert Dave Majumdar writes, adding that the People's Liberation Army Air Force is rapidly fielding newer and much more capable weaponry.
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03/04/2016
The United States has delivered eight UH-60A Blackhawk helicopters to Jordan to help its coalition partner secure its border from Daesh terrorists, the US Embassy in Jordan announced on Thursday.
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03/04/2016
Russia will replace all Su-24 bombers on the Crimean Peninsula with the Su-30SM multirole fighters which can strike targets on the surface and in the air.
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03/03/2016
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded a performance based logistics (PBL) contract to GKN Aerospace to provide support services for the national Armed Forces' JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. A follow-on from an initial five year RM12 PBL agreement, the new agreement requires the company to support the operations for JAS 39 Gripen C/D users for a period of four years.
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03/03/2016
The news has been abuzz before and during the ceasefire announced amid Syria’s conflict about Saudi Arabia’s possible intervention. Saudi Arabia has threatened to intervene amid incomprehensible, contradicting rhetoric, claiming that it would enter Syrian territory to “fight” IS (the Islamic State), but would do so only now because the Syrian government has refused to step down.
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03/03/2016
If one word can sum up the 2016 Australian Defense White Paper (DWP 2016), it is “forward.” The document is more “forward” than its predecessors in terms of projected funding commitments and the dizzying time-scales and costs involved in delivering complex platforms like submarines and frigates. More controversially, since ‘forward defense’ has Vietnam-era connotations in Australia, it also signals a more geographically forward defense posture and pattern of engagement in the region.
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03/03/2016
China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will be able to match or exceed the United States Air Force in the number of fielded combat aircraft by 2030. Moreover, while American forces will still maintain an edge, the technological gap between the two great power will have closed significantly between now and then.
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03/03/2016
The U.S. Army's manual to help troops identify fast-moving aircraft has at least one major issue: it seems to have trouble itself distinguishing planes. The guide is hobbled with misidentifications and misspellings of aircraft names. The vital training doc has also failed to keep up with changes in the geopolitical environment, listing obsolete aircraft and drones, and virtually ignoring the Asia-Pacific.
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03/03/2016
In another milestone before the plane reaches operation, airmen from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, dropped bombs from an F-35 Lightning II, the first combat squad to do so, a press release from the Air Force said. “This is significant because we’re building the confidence of our pilots by actually dropping something off the airplane instead of simulating weapon employment,” said Lt. Col. George Watkins, commander of the 34th Fighter Squadron and one of the pilots who dropped the bombs.
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03/03/2016
The experience of using Russia’s combat aircraft in Syria inspires optimism, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said at a meeting on the development of the country’s combat aviation on Wednesday. "I want to say at once that the experience of the combat use of our aviation in Syria testifies to the high mastership of the design potential and our designers and technologists," Rogozin said, adding that the skills and courage of Russian combat aviation pilots should be added to this.
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03/03/2016
“The upgrade of the Tu-160 bomber is being carried out under the presidential decree. I think that by 2019, this modernized aircraft will start its flights,” Bondarev said following the meeting on the development of Russian combat aircraft. Deputy Defense Minister, Yuri Borisov, in February 2016, said that the work on the restoration of this aircraft includes a great amount of teamwork and collaboration.
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03/03/2016
The Syrian Army and allied popular units have inflicted heavy losses on Daesh terrorists in the northern Raqqa province in a series of fierce clashes with the enemy, Iran’s Fars news agency reported.
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03/02/2016
This variant of the four-engined transport includes modifications to the flight, navigation, radio communication and lighting systems, and has replaced obsolescent parts to keep the aircraft viable for 40 years, United Aircraft Corporation says. The modernisation project was conducted by the company “in accordance with the tactical and technical requirements issued by the military space forces of the Russian Federation”, it says.
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03/02/2016
Decades after the U.S. Air Force unveiled one if its first stealth combat planes, the B-2 bomber, lawyers are still arguing over the origins and legal ownership of the technology that allows pilots to fly virtually undetected by enemy radar. On February 19, a federal appeals court ordered a hearing to determine whether the Pentagon infringed on a patent owned by Zoltek, a materials company from St. Louis, when it developed the stealthy coating for the F-22 fighter plane and B-2 bomber.
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03/02/2016
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Tuesday warned China against what he called "aggressive" actions in the South China Sea region, including the placement of surface-to-air missiles on a disputed island, and said they would have consequences.
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03/02/2016
For a company that suffered a big loss when the U.S. Air Force awarded rival bidder Northrop Grumman Corp. the $80 billion stealth bomber award — with a subsequent protest going in the Falls Church contractor’s favor— The Boeing Co.’s legacy aircraft business is humming along nicely.
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03/02/2016
With tensions high and the United States and South Korea ready to hold their massive annual war games next week, which North Korea sees as a dress rehearsal for invasion, Pyongyang is warning it will respond to any violations of its territory with “merciless” retaliation, including strikes on Seoul and the U.S. mainland.
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03/01/2016
Belarus, Russia’s western neighbor and only ally in East Europe, is ordering at least a dozen new Su-30SM fighter-bombers to replace 37 elderly (1980s vintage) MiG-29 fighters. Belarus tried upgrading the MiG-29s in 2004 but the 13 aircraft that were refurbished demonstrated that it was not worth the effort. Meanwhile in 2013 Belarus decided to retire its Su-27 fighters.
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03/01/2016
Swedish aerospace and defence company Saab introduced the Swordfish long-range, multi-role maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) mission system on Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier's Global 6000 jet aircraft and Q400 turboprop aircraft platforms in February 2016.
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03/01/2016
Kevin Rudd told Hillary Clinton in 2009 that while they needed to integrate China into the world community as much as possible, they also needed to be "preparing to deploy force if everything goes wrong". This conversation, leaked by Wikileaks and never denied, exposed the true thinking behind his government's defence white paper delivered that year. Australia and the US had agreed on a strategy of classic hedging, working towards the best outcome on China while preparing for the worst.
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03/01/2016
I admit it, as a former infantryman, I’m a partial to the A-10 Thunderbolt II. I don’t mind that it’s ugly. I don’t mind that it entered service all the way back in the mid 1970s, making it older than me. I don’t mind that it’s slow, basically a flying 30 mm cannon sheathed in a 1,200-pound titanium “bathtub.” In fact, these are exactly the things that endear the A-10 to grunts like me. It’s our plane. It was made for us and us alone.
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03/01/2016
A European Parliament vote to impose an arms embargo on Saudi Arabia has increased the pressure on Canada to review its own, multi-billion-dollar weapons deal with the Gulf power.
The vote comes as serious questions are being raised in Ottawa over mounting evidence that Canadian-made weapons are being used by parties fighting in the war in Yemen.
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03/01/2016
China is likely to announce a substantial increase in the military’s budget, according to analysts, amid a massive reorganisation of the PLA and increased tensions over territorial claims in the East and South China Seas. The government is expected to reveal its proposed annual budget for the world’s biggest army this Saturday, when the National People’s Congress opens its annual session.
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03/01/2016
The Pentagon’s Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) is working on a new generation of electronic warfare systems that are based on artificial intelligence (AI). If the program were to prove a success, the new A.I.-driven systems would provide the United States military a way to counter evermore-capable Russian and Chinese radars.
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03/01/2016
The SR-10 light dual-pilot jet trainer aircraft caused a sensation when it first took to the Russian skies in late December 2015. For the first time in Russian aviation, a private design bureau had created a plane – from scratch, without public financial support – which can edge out aircraft produced by the aviation industry's big guns in the markets.
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03/01/2016
The Russian center on Syrian reconciliation said Monday that Russian combat jets have carried out airstrikes against the Nusra Front militant group, which is forbidden in Russia, north of the Syrian city of Aleppo to stabilize the situation.
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02/29/2016
On the horn of Africa, as you may have read, the tiny nation of Djibouti, home to American, French, German, Italian, and Japanese military bases. Is about to welcome the Chinese as well.
Last November, China and Djibouti reached an agreement to set up a naval base in the Obock region in the north of the country, where an American outpost was evicted last August. The U.S. base that remains, called Camp Lemmonier, costs the United States $70 million a year in lease fees and development aid.
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02/29/2016
Despite the first major cease-fire of the Syrian civil war appearing to remain intact on its second day, airstrikes believed to have been conducted by Russian or Syrian aircraft have continued to hit targets in Aleppo, the Hama provinces and the Turkmen-populated region of Bayirbucak yesterday.
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02/29/2016
A welcome decision made back in 2008 to purchase U.S.-made Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) jets no longer appears very attractive in 2016 – and Israel is considering backtracking on it. So say Israeli government sources quoted by Middle East Newsline (MENL).
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02/29/2016
At the end of the third quarter of the 2015-16 financial year, 40 per cent (Rs.37,000 crore out of Rs.93,675 crore) of the capital budget of the armed forces remained unspent. As it will not be possible to spend all of the remaining funds in the January-March 2016 quarter, approximately Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 crore (15 to 20 per cent) may be returned unspent.
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02/29/2016
The Cold War was one such example, a vicious confrontation masquerading as a morally clear conflict. The ones to profit enormously from it were, as ever, those working in defence and beavering away on the next murderous device for the next lethal, preferably bogged down conflict. It produced false enemies in search of a fiction, leading to bloody proxy wars, long-ended engagements with lasting consequences, and trillions of dollars in waste.
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02/29/2016
Saudi Arabia's recent actions have caused a great deal of anxiety within its region. On 4 February, a military spokesman suggested that Saudi Arabia was ready to send troops ground troops to fight ISIS in Syria. A week later Saudi Arabia announced that it will send combat aircraft and soldiers to Turkey to participate in the US-led coalition against ISIS.
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02/29/2016
Delaying the purchase of five F-35 joint strike fighters was “an incredibly difficult decision,” but one the Air Force had to make due to budget constraints, a top general said Thursday.
“When we looked at readiness and our ability to win today’s fight, and then our ability to continue to procure F-35s at the current rate, we just ran out of money,” said Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the head of Air Combat Command.
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02/29/2016
Compared to its two sister services (Indian Army and Indian Navy), the Indian Air Force, the world’s fifth largest, is not only the most capital intensive but also the most dependent on foreign supplies. Whether it is fighter planes or transport fleets or mid-air refuellers or trainers or helicopters, the IAF buys everything from foreign vendors. Our indigenously produced fighter aircraft, Tejas (LCA) is yet to get Final Operational Clearance to be inducted inducted into the IAF.
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02/29/2016
Russia's ongoing airborne campaign in Syria wouldn’t have been such a game changer without the help of some of the country’s most sophisticated weapons.
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02/28/2016
This awesome interactive map shows China’s emerging area denial and anti-access military capabilities in the South China Sea. It is useful in visually tracking China’s progress towards creating an overlapping field of control over a vast majority of the area.
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02/28/2016
One reason the Russians have combat troops in Syria is because this gives Russia a chance to put its post-Cold War military to the test. What the Russians are preparing for is the possibility of clashes between Russian and NATO forces in Eastern Europe. Both NATO and Russia are not sure how their respective post-Cold War forces would do against each other. Most East European nations are preparing for the worst and paying close attention to whatever Russia does in Ukraine and Syria.
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02/28/2016
When asked about Russian operations in Syria, most people would immediately mention the Russian fighter-bombers, attack aircraft, combat helicopters, and cruise missile volleys. Few would mention the quiet work behind the scenes that was performed by a large group of highly dedicated professionals who helped transform the Syrian military that was on the brink of defeat, into a force that could once again begin liberating Syria’s territory. Without denying the importance of the air campaign.
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02/28/2016
Remember the USAF’s new Airbus tanker? It has been seen recently over the skies of Edward Air Force base. It did not just go away after being sidelined by the Boeing protest via the GAO route several years ago, it has become a staple of several allied air forces.
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02/28/2016
In a bid to strengthen country's defence forces, the Defence Ministry has issued an order worth Rs 22,000 crores for purchase of helicopters, CH-47 Chinook and AH-64 Apache, which will be inducted in the forces soon. "The ministry has already issued an order for purchase of 15 Chinook Helicopters and 21 Apache helicopters which will soon be inducted in the forces," Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said.
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02/27/2016
A new manned fighter will be defined in an era when unmanned air vehicles are ubiquitous and unmanned combat air vehicles are a reality. UCAVs will not replace manned aircraft but will influence the design of the next fighters by relieving them of some missions, such as suppression/destruction of enemy air defenses or stand-in electronic attack. One argument for the Navy’s RAQ-25 carrier-based air refueling system is that it can extend both the range and life of the strike-fighter force.
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02/27/2016
The U.S. Air Force has revealed the designation and shape of its new stealth bomber. The big, radar-evading warplane—the successor to the Air Force's iconic B-2 stealth bomber—has been designated B-21. And based on the single computer-generated image the flying branch has released, the B-21 looks a lot like ... well, the B-2 from 30 years ago.
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02/27/2016
Not long after Defense Secretary Ash Carter prodded his cyber commanders to be more aggressive in the fight against Islamic State, the U.S. ramped up its offensive cyberattacks on the militant group. According to several U.S. officials, the attacks are targeting the group’s abilities to use social media and the Internet to recruit fighters and inspire followers, U.S. officials told The Associated Press.
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02/27/2016
Saudi and UAE military aircraft have arrived at the Incirlik airbase in southern Turkey. Turkish authorities announced Thursday that Saudi warplanes set to be used in the fight against ISIS would shortly arrive in the country. The planes are to be stationed at the Incirlik base, which is already hosting US, British and French war planes taking part in the strikes against IS fighters in Syria.
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02/27/2016
Finmeccanica has commenced the final assembly of the Polish Air Force's first two Aermacchi M-346 advanced / lead-in fighter trainer aircraft at its Aircraft Division facility in Venegono Superiore, Varese, Italy. The development is part of a contract secured by the company from the Polish Ministry of Defence (MoD) to supply eight aircraft and associated logistic support.
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02/27/2016
China is making increasing inroads into the African defence market with up to two-thirds of militaries on the continent now using its equipment. According to data in the latest annual edition of The Military Balance, produced by the London based International Institute of Security Studies (IISS), and a report this week from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), a rapid rise in Chinese military transfers to the continent has been underway since 2005.
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02/27/2016
The U.S. Air Force has given up on trying to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft at least until 2022 and likely well beyond, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told the House Appropriations Committee on Thursday.
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02/27/2016
The growling in Indian stomachs started last year when in May the US handed over to Pakistan a chunk of used military hardware; over 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers. The pronouncement of selling eight more F-16s by the Obama administration, in an attempt to shore up the two countries’ relationship despite Washington’s reservations about Pakistan’s growing nuclear arsenal, was like sprinkling salt on Indian injuries.
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02/27/2016
Speaking at the Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium in Orlando, Florida., Masiello described the efforts the service is undertaking to develop engines that could travel at or above the widely accepted hypersonic range of Mach 5.
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02/26/2016
The head of US Air Mobility Command says he is not overly concerned about the Boeing KC-46A’s eight-month development delay and legacy KC-10 and KC-135 aerial tankers won’t start retiring until the next-generation tanker is ready for combat.
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02/26/2016
India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas achieved yet anothermilestone ahead of the Final Operational Clearance (FOC) on Wednesday. Sources confirmed to 'Mathrubhumi' on Thursday that the Limited Series Production (LSP-3) variant of Tejas had its first flight fitted with the new quartz radome from Cobham.
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02/26/2016
From Feb. 4 to 12, two T-346As (Italian Air Force designation for the AleniaAermacchi* M346 “Master”) belonging to the 61° Stormo (Wing) based at Lecce Galatina airport, Italy, deployed to Albacete airbase, Spain, to take part in the TLP (Tactical Leadership Programme) in the “Aggressors” role. The Italian Masters had already successfully undertaken such task at Grosseto airbase in May 2015.
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02/26/2016
AROUA INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, proclaimed the sign on the concrete and glass terminal building. The designation was something of a misnomer, because only three or four planes land each week in this sleepy outpost in northern Cameroon, near the Nigerian border, all of them domestic flights. The schedule of the flights tends to be unpredictable.
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02/26/2016
Despite its venerable service to the Air Force, the A-10 is nearing the end of its lifespan, a top general said Thursday. “We have literally flown the wings off it,” said Maj. Gen. Thomas Deale, the director of operations for Air Combat Command and a former A-10 pilot. The Air Force has made several attempts to retire the plane and shift its resources and maintenance crews over to the fifth-gen F-35 — efforts that have repeatedly been shot down by Congress.
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02/26/2016
When the next U.S. president takes office in 11 months he or she will be confronted with China’s four stationary and one mobile aircraft carriers in the South China Sea. As the Obama administration is likely to continue its failed legal and diplomatic strategy for responding to China, it is necessary for the next president to now consider a far more robust strategy.
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02/26/2016
It’s clear that the recently adopted ceasefire threatens the Turkish and Saudi interests in Syria significantly. Both countries support a wide range of Islamic militant groups including Al Nusra Front, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the UNSC.
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02/26/2016
Canada will send about 100 Air Force personnel and four F-18 Hornet fighter jets to train with the Romanian military, Canada’s Defense Ministry announced in a press release. "This exercise continues to build on the strong relationship between Canada and Romania, an important NATO ally, strengthening our mutual confidence in using common NATO procedures," the release quoted Canadian Defense Minister Harjit Sajjan as saying on Thursday.
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02/26/2016
Lockheed Martin recently received a $7.9 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the U.S. Air Force to support additional integration of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM®) onto the Polish Air Force F-16C/D aircraft. This second contract for Poland includes support for a broad range of certification and flight activity. Integrated logistics support and program and technical oversight will conclude in 2018. Poland became JASSM’s third international customer in September 2015.
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02/25/2016
Russia hopes to sign a contract for Su-34 strike aircraft with Algeria later this year, with talks at an advanced stage, according to a Russian military-diplomatic source speaking at the Singapore Airshow. “The related talks are ongoing and they have reached an advanced stage. The contract has yet to be signed,” a high-ranking military-diplomatic source told Russia’s TASS news agency.
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02/25/2016
Rushing across the sky with supersonic speed. Capable of all-weather, low-level, high-speed penetration into enemy territories. Designed to replace a whole range of existing air force fleets of its time. Tornado: a nation-uniting miracle of engineering.
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02/25/2016
Pilots from the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Japan Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian Air Force conducted a large force employment here Feb. 18-26 as part of exercise Cope North 16.
The exercise began with humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training Feb. 14, followed by an LFE exercise that shifted the focus to air-combat tactics.
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02/25/2016
After 30 years, the U.S. Air Force’s eyes behind enemy lines, called JSTARS or Joint Stars (Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System), is finally getting an upgrade. Contracts are expected to be awarded this year for industry to update the system with new technology and a replacement aircraft. It’s been a long wait for JSTARS, which uses airborne radar to monitor targets on the ground—particularly moving vehicles—and relay the data to allied forces below.
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02/25/2016
The Pentagon’s Joint Multirole (JMR) investigation into a new generation of helicopters is highlighting the differences between what the Army and Navy need in terms of vertical lift aircraft, Navy and industry said last week.
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02/25/2016
Flying the next generation F-35A Joint Strike Fighter jet is like stepping out of a Toyota Camry into a Lamborghini, a U.S. Air Force pilot told reporters Wednesday. “That’s as close as I can give you as an example,” Maj. Chris White said. When you take off, it gives you a shove into the back of the pilot’s seat, he said.
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02/25/2016
Australia will increase its annual defence spending by $26bn over the next decade amid concerns about the increasing pace of military modernisation to its north, regional tensions and the continuing threat of terrorism.
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02/25/2016
As tensions escalate in the South China Sea, the US plans to increase its freedom-of-navigation (FON) operations through Chinese waters. Last October, the Pentagon conducted its first FON in the South China Sea, sending the USS Lassen within the 12-mile territorial limit of Beijing’s artificial islands in the Spratly archipelago. The move elicited outrage from Chinese officials.
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02/25/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry on Wednesday handed a map depicting the current operational situation in Syria to the US defense attache in Moscow, the ministry's press service said.
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02/24/2016
Brazil’s Embraer company will be showcasing its basic trainer A-29 ‘Super Tucano’ at the forthcoming DefExpo in Goa for the first time. Keeping in mind that the Super Tucano’s role will not be limited to training alone, the company has equipped the A-29 (the Super Tucano version for the Brazilian Air Force) with systems designed not only to comply with basic requirements, but also to keep pace with the continual changes taking place in the aircraft’s potential operating theatres.
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02/24/2016
Women will finally be allowed to serve in fighter streams of all armed forces in the country.
Four months after the government approved the induction of women into the combat stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF), President Pranab Mukherjee said, “In the future, my government will induct women in all fighter streams of our armed forces.” The announcement was made on Tuesday during his address to the joint sitting of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.
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02/24/2016
For the past 15 or 20 years, China been engaged in a concerted effort to modernize and upgrade its military. To be sure, the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) in 2016 is a much more formidable fighting force than it was in 1996. It has — as the result of a concerted, multi-decade effort, backed up by a rapidly expanding defense budget – crafted a new military force increasingly more capable of projecting power across the modern battlespace, particularly at sea, in outer space, and in cyberspace.
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02/24/2016
Six F-35A of 31st Test Evaluation Squadron have deployed to Mountain Home AFB in Idaho this month for an “operational deployment test” that will clear the way for 10 operational jets from the first combat-coded squadron, which will follow this summer.
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02/24/2016
Organizers of the Smoky Mountain Air Show, featuring the Navy's Blue Angels, on Tuesday announced the rest of the lineup for the April 16-17 show. Besides the Navy's renowned demonstration team, the acts at McGhee Tyson Air National Guard Base will include Greg Koontz Airshows, Younkin Airshows, Aeroshell Acrobatic Team, Commemorative Air Force's Dixie Wing WW II warbirds and Jacquie B Airshows.
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02/24/2016
The partial truce that Russia and the United States have thrashed out in Syria capped something of a foreign policy trifecta for President Vladimir V. Putin, with the Kremlin strong-arming itself into a pivotal role in the Middle East, Ukraine floundering and the European Union developing cracks like a badly glazed pot.
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02/24/2016
Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin Company (NYSE: LMT) today signed an agreement with Taqnia Aeronautics to jointly explore helicopter production opportunities in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The new agreement outlines the investment, technology and skills needed to establish production jobs for Saudi citizens, and could lead to direct involvement in the assembly of Sikorsky S-70 BLACK HAWK helicopters in the Kingdom.
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02/24/2016
China has almost doubled its weapons exports over the past five years, a military think tank said on Monday. According to a new report by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, China’s arms imports have shrunk by twenty five percent from 2011 to 2015.
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02/24/2016
Equipment of the Russian Aerospace Forces has been renewed by more than a half, the forces deputy commander, Lt. Gen. Andrey Yudin, said Tuesday. "We are rearming with modern multi-purpose aircraft, in particular here in the south of Russia, with Su-30SM, Su-35S, new helicopters. In general, the aviation fleet has been seriously renewed and can successfully perform any tasks," Yudin told reporters at the Armavir aviation school in southwestern Russia.
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02/23/2016
Saab will roll out the first Gripen E version at Linkoping, Sweden on May 18, said Richard Smith, the company’s head of marketing and sales for the combat aircraft. In a bullish briefing at the Singapore Airshow last week, Smith said that thanks to the 60 new-build E/F jets for Sweden, plus the Brazilian Gripen order and other surveillance and submarine programs, the Swedish company’s backlog was at an all-time high of $13.5 billion.
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02/23/2016
In a milestone for India’s Tejas light-combat aircraft (LCA), two Tejas fighters travelled from India to performed aerobatics at the Bahrain International Air Show (BIAS-2016) from January 21-23. Business Standard has obtained the first official account of this first international outing, where the Tejas impressed global aerospace experts, taking an important first step towards export in the future.
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02/23/2016
Raytheon on Monday officially announced it is teaming with Italian aerospace company Finmeccanica and CAE to offer the T-100 for the US Air Force T-X advanced trainer competition, a move first reported by Defense News last week.
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02/23/2016
The global transfer of major arms has risen in recent years, with the United States increasing its dominance of the trade while the flow of weaponry to Africa, Asia and the Middle East has increased, a new study published Monday showed.
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02/23/2016
US Ambassador to India Richard Verma on Monday reiterated that Washington's decision to sell F-16 combat aircraft to Pakistan was to help it fight terrorism. “Our security partnership with Pakistan was made clear,” Verma said while answering questions after delivering a lecture on “Indo-US strategic partnership: Present status and future trends”
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02/23/2016
The United States’ aircraft carriers have always been an almost untouchable deterrent, steel behemoths capable of projecting the full weight of the U.S. military wherever they deploy. Yet while many militaries could never hope to match the U.S. carrier fleet in size and strength, countries such as China, Iran and Russia have spent recent years adjusting their forces and fielding equipment designed to counter one of the United States’ greatest military strengths.
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02/23/2016
The Italian government recently cleared the way for expanded U.S. drone operations from an air base in Sicily, giving the American military more options for tracking — and potentially targeting — Islamic State militants and their spread across North Africa.
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02/23/2016
BAE Systems and India's state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) are considering establishing a joint venture to co-produce variants of the Hawk trainer, upgrade the Jaguar aircraft and establish a partnership focused on logistics and producing spares in India.
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02/23/2016
Earlier, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu paid an official visit to Tehran to meet with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani and the Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghani. Representatives of both countries discussed, among others, the sale of S-300 missile systems, Iranian news agency IRNA reported.
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02/23/2016
Daesh terrorists are going door-to-door in Raqqa and in the surrounding villages looking for civilians to be used a human shields against the Syrian army and popular forces moving in from Aleppo and Hama provinces, Iran’s Fars news agency wrote on Sunday.
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02/22/2016
On Feb. 20, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 18 strikes using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets. Additionally in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using rocket artillery and fighter, attack, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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02/22/2016
The commander of the U.S. Navy's 7th Fleet said Monday that he is wary of the situation in the South China Sea being painted as a battle between the United States and China, but added the presence of a Chinese missile system on a disputed island will not stop the U.S. military from flying over the region.
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02/22/2016
When this base opened its gates to the public Feb. 20 for a chance to see dozens of aircraft and support vehicles displayed near the airfield, cars lined up for several miles waiting to get inside. It's rare that top military aircraft from America, Australia and Japan would be gathered in one spot; rarer still that the public would get an up-close look. But Cope North, a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored two-week exercise running through Feb. 26, provided the opportunity for this open house.
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02/22/2016
When the Russian aircraft first arrived at Hmeimim, the war was going badly for the Syrian government. The terrorists were able to make major advances during the prior months, and were close to threatening Damascus itself. Syrian forces were demoralized by their setbacks and suffering from shortages of equipment and ammunition.
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02/22/2016
Hundreds of residents lined up at the gates of Andersen Air Force Base to take part in one of the few events during which the base is open to the public. The Pacific Air Partners Open House event concluded Saturday afternoon but not before providing residents the opportunity to see up close the various aircraft utilized by the U.S. Air Force and its partners in the Pacific.
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02/22/2016
The American head of the global Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program has acknowledged the software in the aircraft is "a big risk" ahead of a Senate inquiry into the Federal Government's acquisition of the jets. Australia is spending $17.8 billion on buying 72 US-made aircraft and associated systems, with the first expected to arrive in Australia in 2018 and enter service in 2020, replacing the F/A-18 Hornet fleet.
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02/22/2016
Dwight David Eisenhower was in the White House when the KC-135 Stratotanker rolled off the assembly line. Tensions with Moscow were running high and the island nation of Cuba was a constant source of news. That was 57 years ago. Friday morning, when the same, now-aging aerial refueling jet rolls down the runway at MacDill Air Force Base, Barack Obama is in the White House, tensions with Moscow are once again running high and Cuba is once again a constant source of news.
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02/22/2016
The Predator unmanned aircraft system and the Hellfire missile were the right technologies at the right time for an America that had just declared war against terror following the horrific events of September 11. Just over six months before planes slammed into the Twin Towers, Pentagon and a field in Pennsylvania, the Predator had gone from aerial intelligence collection asset to flying assassin.
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02/22/2016
China has almost doubled its weapons exports in the past five years, a military think tank said on Monday, as the world’s third-largest weapons exporter pours capital into developing an advanced arms manufacturing industry. In 2011 to 2015, China’s arms imports fell 25% compared with the previous five year period, signaling a growing confidence in the country’s homegrown weaponry despite key areas of weakness.
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02/21/2016
Fighter jets that shoot high-powered lasers. Robots that mine hours of intelligence data in milliseconds. A tactical aircraft that can think for itself. These are just a few of the cutting-edge technology breakthroughs the Air Force hopes will change the game in the future battle space.
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02/21/2016
In the Singapore Airshow 2016 today, Indonesia agreed to buy about one dozen Sukhoi Su-35 fighter planes from Russia, to upgrade its fleet. The transaction will take a month to complete. The Indonesian Air Force wants to replace 12 of its aging Northrop Grumman Corporation (F-5 fighters. The country already has two of Russia’s Su-27SK aircraft, three Su-27SKM, two Su-30MK, and nine Su-30MK2 jet fighters.
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02/21/2016
China has allowed the PLA to export its domestically developed J-10 fighter jet as the country looks to attract buyers at the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp. booth at the Singapore Airshow 2016, which kicked off on Tuesday, Feb .16, according to a report China Daily.
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02/21/2016
The Canadian government has formed a Cabinet committee to shepherd high-profile defense purchases, including those of fighter aircraft, through the country’s notoriously problem-plagued procurement system. The committee will oversee billions of dollars in new purchases and ensure they do not get stalled in a federal bureaucracy that has seen other defense acquisitions derailed or delayed for years.
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02/21/2016
The world powers' view of Iran has significantly shifted. Those days in which Iran was being punished for violating the law seem to have gone. For many, it is baffling that Iran is now capable of getting away with breaking international laws, particularly in the last few months after the nuclear deal was reached between the six world powers (known as P5+1; China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the United States, plus Germany) and the Islamic Republic.
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02/20/2016
India has reportedly unveiled plans to commence captive flight trials of indigenously developed Anti-Radiation Missile (ARM). Developed by the Defence Research and Development Laboratory (DRDL), the air-to-surface tactical missile will also complete its maiden flight test by May this year. With a range of 100 to 125km, the missile is capable of targeting the enemy's air defence capabilities by attacking radars and communication facilities.
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02/20/2016
The Afghan military is expected to field its first specialised surveillance drones as soon as March, a US commander in Kabul said, as the Asian nation slowly expands its own air force. The boost in military hardware comes as Afghan security forces, fighting largely alone since the withdrawal of most international forces in 2014, have struggled for months to hold back a Taliban insurgency.
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02/20/2016
Cameroon has apparently received the first of two refurbished Mi-24 attack helicopters from Russia, as part of an order for six. A Cameroonian military source told IHS Jane's Defence Weekly that the first helicopter was received by Cameroon’s Rapid Intervention Battalion (BIR) in mid-February when it arrived in Douala from Russia, where it is currently being assembled.
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02/20/2016
The company, which employs around 10,000 in Lancashire, said 2015 operating profits rose from £1.3bn to £1.5bn. The solid results come just months after the firm said it was slowing down production of the Eurofighter Typhoon and shedding up to 371 jobs at its sites in Samlesbury and Warton.
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02/20/2016
Moderate rebel groups should be supplied with surface-to-air missiles to defend themselves against air strikes from the Assad regime and its allies, Saudi Arabian foreign minister Adel al-Jubeir told Der Spiegel. n recent months, Syrian government forces have driven back rebel groups, supported by intensive air strikes from the Syrian air force and allies Russia.
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02/20/2016
After years of delay, the Air Force is gearing up to replace its 500 T-38 training jets, which are used to teach young pilots how to fly front-line fighters and bombers. The supersonic T-38 has been in service with the Air Force for over 50 years, and despite periodic upgrades cannot mimic the features of the latest “fifth-generation” fighters.
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02/20/2016
After 20 years, a St. Louis company may finally get its chance to try to prove that the Pentagon used its technology to make stealth combat aircraft stealthy without paying for it. An appeals court on Friday revived a patent-infringement suit that Zoltek Corp. first filed in March 1996. The court said a judge erred in ruling the patent invalid, and ordered a hearing on whether the F-22 fighter plane and B-2 bomber used a Zoltek invention.
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02/20/2016
A U.S. air attack killed dozens of militants in Libya on Friday, marking an escalation in the American campaign against the Islamic State as the militant group expands its reach from North Africa to Central Asia. U.S. and regional officials said that U.S. F-15 fighter jets struck a suspected Islamic State camp on the outskirts of Sabratha, a restive city in western Libya, killing at least 40 people in an early-morning attack that targeted senior militant Noureddine Chouchane.
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02/20/2016
China have given the green signal for exporting its domestically-developed J-10 fighter as the country looks to attract buyers at the Singapore Airshow, the media reported on Thursday. A large-scale model of the FC-20, the export version of the J-10, is on display at the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp booth at the six-day Singapore Airshow 2016 that started on Tuesday.
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02/19/2016
Saab’s next-generation Gripen E combat jet will be rolled out of the assembly site at Linkopping, Sweden, on May 18, the company announced during a briefing with reporters at the Singapore Airshow. Three aircraft are planned for the test phase of the new aircraft E/F variant, which has been purchased by Swedish and Brazilian air forces.
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02/19/2016
What began as a simple lead-in fighter trainer (LIFT) has evolved into an aircraft armed to the teeth. At the Singapore Airshow this week, the China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corp. (CATIC) displayed the supersonic Hongdu-built L-15 Falcon attack/fighter/trainer (AFT) aircraft armed with new weapon systems not seen outfitted on the Falcon before.
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02/19/2016
This is the moment a Russian Blackjack bomber, capable of carrying 16 nuclear missiles, was intercepted by RAF Typhoons as it headed for UK airspace. The Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed two Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack aircraft were spotted heading towards Britain with Typhoons sent out in response.
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02/19/2016
Widely published satellite imagery from Feb. 14 shows the presence of new Chinese air defense systems on Woody Island in the South China Sea, highlighting continuing maritime frictions in the area. But new imagery obtained by Stratfor provides a higher-resolution view of the deployment and activities taking place across the island.
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02/19/2016
The Obama administration said Thursday that a proposed Russian sale of fighter jets to Iran would violate a U.N. arms embargo on Tehran, setting up another standoff related to last year's nuclear negotiations. State Department spokesman Mark Toner said transferring the Sukhoi-30 jets, comparable to American F-15E fighter bombers, requires the U.N. Security Council's approval.
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02/19/2016
On February 15, six Turkish fighter jets and a Navy transport plane violated Greek airspace over island territories in the eastern Aegean Sea nearly two dozen times. Commenting on the latest violation, Russian military analyst Alexei Kupriyanov decided to take a look back at the recent history of the decades-long conflict between Athens and Ankara.
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02/18/2016
China’s deployment of anti-aircraft missiles on a disputed island it has occupied and expanded in the South China Sea ups the ante for the United States and its allies as they seek to deter further Chinese expansion in the area.
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02/18/2016
The Russian Aerospace Forces have received over 60 Yak-130 combat training aircraft since 2010, the plane’s manufacturer said Wednesday. "Deliveries of Yak-130 aircraft to the Russian Defense Ministry were commenced in 2010, and in 2011 for export. As of the beginning of 2016, over 60 Yak-130 aircraft have been delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces, which are widely used in educational centers," the Irkut Corporation representative told reporters at the Singapore Airshow 2016.
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02/18/2016
A formation of four U.S. F-22 stealth fighters swept through the skies of South Korea on Wednesday as the militaries of South Korea and the U.S. flexed their muscles against North Korea following its nuclear and missile tests.
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02/18/2016
CAE reports it has bid on a Canadian government contract to provide combat support training services to the Royal Canadian Air Force, Royal Canadian Navy, and Canadian Army. The bid for the 10-year Contracted Airborne Training Services program was submitted earlier this week and includes CAE's joint venture partner Draken International, a U.S.-based company with the world's largest fleet of privately owned fighter aircraft for adversary and threat training.
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02/18/2016
China is a big country and other countries are small countries, and that’s just a fact,” Beijing’s then foreign minister, Yang Jiechi, impatiently told Southeast Asian leaders looking for U.S. support in the South China Sea in 2010. The message was clear enough: they should do as they were told.
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02/18/2016
The Afghan air force is poised to take a major step forward in 2016 with the initial deployment of the A-29 Super Tucano, an attack plane bought by the Pentagon to give the Afghan military the ability to drop bombs in combat. But before the plane has flown a single combat mission, a new report suggests the Afghan military is struggling to avoid killing civilians with the other aircraft it already has.
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02/18/2016
The Typhoon jets were dispatched from RAF Coningsby in Lincolnshire on Wednesday afternoon following the security alert. An RAF spokesman said the situation was "on-going" and was not uncommon.
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02/18/2016
Officially throwing open the contest for fighter aircraft once again, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said that India will select one or two fighter aircraft which will be manufactured locally by a private company under Make in India initiative. This is in addition to the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the production of which is being scaled up.
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02/18/2016
The Spanish military decided to purchase a Predator B drone system consisting of four planes and two ground control stations with satellite links, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. (GA-ASI) said in a press release on Wednesday.
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02/18/2016
Iraqi officials have lost track of "highly dangerous" radioactive material. Authorities are desperately tracking down the missing materials, and are worried that it may have fallen into the hands of Daesh (IS/Islamic State).
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02/17/2016
According to Richard Fisher, a senior fellow on Asian military affairs with the International Assessment and Strategy Center, the TL-7 is making its debut as the export model of the KD-88 precision-guided air to surface missile that entered PLA Air Force service on the Xian-built JH-7A fighter bombers in 2006 and 2007.
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02/17/2016
The Malaysian government has selected MD Helicopter’s new MD530G as the country’s attack helicopter in competition with Airbus, Bell, Boeing and Turkish Aerospace Industries for the long-running requirement. MD will deliver six MD530Gs to Malaysian Army Aviation. Deliveries are expected to start towards the end of this year, while the full complement will arrive in country during the first quarter of 2017.
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02/17/2016
Welcome to Permanent War, as Russian Prime Minister Dimitri Medvedev dubbed today’s Middle East. It isn’t as bad as it sounds, provided, of course, that you’re not in it. The bonfire built on tribal enmity and national disillusionment will have to burn itself out over time. The risk lies in the possible spread of the fire outside the region.
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02/17/2016
Indonesia’s 24-strong fleet of BAE Systems Hawk light combat aircraft are to receive a self-protection system upgrade from Finmeccanica. Performed by Singaporean prime Aptronics, Finmeccanica’s Seer radar warning receiver will be installed on an initial batch of aircraft for current operations, with an option to provide further systems in future, Finmeccanica says.
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02/17/2016
In late 1995, escalating Chinese threats against Taiwan prompted President Bill Clinton to stage a show of American support for the beleaguered island that Beijing’s leaders couldn’t ignore. Clinton sent two aircraft carrier battle groups steaming into the conflict zone, their heavily armed fighter jets poised on deck for takeoff.
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02/17/2016
Northrop Grumman Corp. can resume work on developing a new Air Force bomber after a federal overseer on Tuesday rejected a protest led by Boeing Co. on Northrop's contract for a program that could ultimately cost more than $80 billion.
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02/17/2016
On February 15, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan arrived in Moscow on an official visit; the minister is expected to meet with Russian presidential aide Vladimir Kozhin, Deputy Premier Dmitry Rogozin and Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu.
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02/17/2016
Iran plans to buy the Sukhoi Su-30SM fighters, the Mil Mi-8 and the Mil Mi-17 helicopters, as well as other weapons from Russia in an arms deal worth more than $8 billion, the Kommersant newspaper reported, citing unnamed sources.
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02/17/2016
Russia has started construction of seven Mi-171Sh combat-transport helicopters for the Bangladesh Air Force, a deputy CEO of the Russian Helicopters company said Tuesday.
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02/17/2016
Russian Helicopters plans to sign a contract with India for the delivery of an additional batch of 48 Mi-17V-5 military transport helicopters in 2016, the company’s deputy director general said Tuesday.
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02/16/2016
A few scattered reports have emerged in Western news outlets over the last couple of years regarding the J-18 V/STOL fighter, but newly available evidence lends additional weight to the theory that China has a third fourth generation fighter program (in addition to J-20 and J-31 that are well known already).
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02/16/2016
The U.S. Air Force will send six F-15s to Finland this spring for exercises that will operate out of a base about 100 miles from the border with Russia, military officials say. The six jets from the 173rd Fighter Wing at Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base in Oregon will fly training missions with Finnish forces as part of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which the United States initiated in 2014 to reassure NATO allies after Russian military intervention in Ukraine.
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02/16/2016
A decision by the US State Department to sell 8 F-16 fighter jets to help Pakistan in its counter-terrorism operations came in the face of intense opposition by the Indian lobby in Washington and some US Congressmen who argued these aircraft would be used against India.
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02/16/2016
Boeing has resurrected the possibility of a sale of its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter to India, as part of a broader concept to support New Delhi’s development of an indigenous aerospace sector. Jeff Kohler, vice-president of international business development for Boeing Defense, says discussions are underway between the US and Indian governments about the potential for the US to support New Delhi’s “Make in India” initiative, which envisages local production across a range of industries.
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02/16/2016
The Tu-214R is a Russian ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft. In other words, a quite advanced spy plane. As we have already explained here in the past, it is a special mission aircraft equipped with all-weather radar systems and electro optical sensors that produce photo-like imagery of a large parts of the ground: these images are then used to identify and map the position of the enemy forces, even if these are camouflaged or hidden.
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02/16/2016
One year ago this week, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works chief Rob Weiss announced that his advanced design team had been working on a clean-sheet aircraft for the US Air Force’s T-X programme as a potential alternative to the South Korean T-50 Golden Eagle, which Lockheed jointly developed with Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) and now exports around the globe.
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02/16/2016
The U.S. Air Force selected Northrop Grumman Corp. to develop and build the new Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) late last year. Like other recent big defense contracts, that award is under protest from competitors. But it’s a good bet the Air Force source selection was a sound one. Why? Because stealth matters.
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02/16/2016
At least 4 Polish F-16 jets could participate in air alert mission in Syria, the head of the National Security Bureau, Pawel Soloch, said Monday. He added that Warsaw was ready to conduct patrol missions, adding that this move would show solidarity with its allies.
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02/16/2016
India is considering an offer from the US defense corporation Lockheed Martin to organize manufacturing of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft in the country, local media reported Monday, citing high-ranking sources. Besides the F-16s, the US side has also offered other options for warplanes, whose production may be launched in India. The proposal includes aircraft production both for the domestic market and exports, The Economic Times noted.
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02/16/2016
Russia will soon send S-300 air defense systems to Iran while the countries have not held any negotiations on the possibility of delivering S-400 systems.
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02/15/2016
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) is preparing to receive its first squadron of 14 Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning IIs in-country in late 2018. They will be preceded by a squadron of 12 Boeing EF-18G Growlers that will arrive next year. Like other air arms receiving advanced combat aircraft from the U.S., the RAAF must make careful choices about weapons and software commonality, and training, if costs are to be restrained.
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02/15/2016
The situation in Syria has reached a watershed moment and a dramatic escalation of the war appears imminent. Let’s look again at how we reached this point.
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02/15/2016
This year’s aerial display at the Singapore Airshow will include a unusual joint performance between a Republic of Singapore Air Force Boeing F-15SG fighter and AH-64D Apache attack helicopter.
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02/15/2016
A defence analyst says a "bizarre" logistics system could ground Joint Strike Fighter jets headed to the Williamtown Air Force base in New South Wales, even if the planes are fit to fly.
Analyst David Archibald has lodged a submission to a Senate inquiry into Australia's Joint Strike Fighters. A total of 72 jets will be based at the Williamtown Air Force base, as well as at Tindal in the Northern Territory.
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02/15/2016
The Iraqi army's recent triumph in Ramadi made it clear that its soldiers aren't cut from the same cloth as those who ditched their gear and fled in terror from the Islamic State group in 2014 — and Marines have been a pivotal part of that transformation.
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02/15/2016
A Saudi defense ministry adviser confirmed late Saturday that the kingdom had sent fighter jets to Turkey’s Incirlik air base for the military campaign against ISIS militants in Syria. Brigadier General Ahmed al-Asiri told Al Arabiya News Channel that Saudi Arabia was committed to stepping up the fight against ISIS and that the move was part of those efforts.
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02/15/2016
Smaller aircraft carriers and more cruisers. Multiple unmanned airframes for tanking, strike missions and dog-fighting. Sixteen carrier strike groups. As budget season kicks into high gear, House lawmakers called in experts Thursday to discuss the future of the carrier air wing.
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02/15/2016
National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center chief Sergei Ryzhkov said that Russian experts will hold an observation flight over Italy under the Treaty on Open Skies this week.
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02/15/2016
The Russian private design bureau ‘Modern Aviation Technologies’ has developed a single-engine, all-composite aircraft SR-10. Developed by a private Russian design bureau called KB SAT, the aircraft features a moderate forward-swept wing (FSW) scheme. This feature allows the plane to be more compact, improves stability at low speeds and takeoff and landing performance.
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02/14/2016
The crisis in Syria has reached a “hinge point,” where decisions made in the near future could either end the war or “define a very difficult set of choices for the future,” says Secretary of State John Kerry .
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02/14/2016
It's 44,500 tonnes of robust Indian diplomacy cruising on the high seas, hot on the trail of the Chinese in the Indian Ocean Region (IOR), first in Sri Lanka and now, Maldives. India has dispatched its largest and most potent warship, aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, accompanied by destroyer INS Mysore and tanker INS Deepak, to Maldives to reaffirm its abiding commitment to be "the net security provider" in the IOR.
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02/14/2016
The U.S. decision to sell F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan will not alter the military balance in the region, but it will reinforce the centrality of Pakistan’s Army, experts say. The F-16 fighting Falcon is one of the most modern fourth generation aircraft in service, and over 4,400 aircraft of the model have been produced so far and are in service with 25 countries.
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02/14/2016
Eurofighter has conducted trials of the Storm Shadow missile and Meteor Beyond Visual Range Air-to-Air missile as part of the improvements to enhance swing-role capability of its Typhoon combat jet.
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02/14/2016
More than twenty advanced MiG-29K ship-based fighter jets will enter service with the Russian Navy before the end of 2016, according to Russian Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu. The MiG29K is a 4++ generation jet which can efficiently engage in high-maneuverability combat by using its cannon and missiles for aerial combat as well as for destroying targets on surface.
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02/14/2016
BRITAIN had to rely on 21 foreign aircraft to plug defences last year. Military chiefs asked Nato for help after Nimrod spotter planes were scrapped in cuts. Since then incursions by Vladimir Putin’s nuclear-powered submarines and combat jets have been reported almost weekly. Germany, France, Canada and the United States have all flown to the rescue amid fears Russia is trying to track British subs carrying Trident nuclear missiles.
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02/14/2016
The Singapore Airshow 2016 will feature fighter jets from countries including Singapore, South Korea and the United States. To be held from Feb 16 to 19 for trade professionals and Feb 20 to 21 for the public, the Airshow's aerobatics lineup will feature a mix of military assets from both the East and West. The Airshow on Sunday (Feb 14) provided a preview of its aerial display show at the Changi Exhibition Centre.
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02/14/2016
China's military modernization effort continues to drive defense procurement in Asia as Beijing develops fifth-generation fighter aircraft, procures Russian Su-35 aircraft, builds aircraft carriers, extends the range and punch of its ballistic missile force, pushes to dominate the South China Sea, and threatens to invade Taiwan and occupy the Japanese-controlled Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea.
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02/14/2016
RSAF aircraft are being deployed to Incirlik airbase, Turkey, from where they will launch air strikes against ISIS, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavusogluy said on Feb. 13. Saudi Arabia has been part of the US-led coalition fighting Daesh since 2014; by moving its combat planes closer to the area of operations it will be able to increase the ops tempo.
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02/14/2016
India's quest to build fighter jets through its "Make in India" industry initiative may not be realistic in the near future due to a financial crunch and the lack of in-house building capability, forcing continued reliance on imports, said officials and defense analysts. The government wants to build over 250 fighters in the next 20 years at a cost of more than $200 billion, which will cover life-cycle cost as well, said an Indian Defence Ministry source.
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02/13/2016
The Air Force must stop relying on older aircraft. It needs to invest in cutting-edge platforms, Gen. Mark Welsh, the service’s chief of staff, told Congress. “The platforms and systems that made us great over the last 50 years will not make us great over the next 50 years,” Welsh told a hearing of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense.
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02/13/2016
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics is being awarded three Navy contracts devoted to military aircraft, including a $141.9 million deal to modernize Greece’s P-3B, the U.S. Department of Defense announced during its Thursday digest of contracts.
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02/13/2016
The commander of the Afghan Air Force Major General Abdul Wahab Wardak said Thursday that the A-29 Super Tucano light attack aircraft will start combat operations with the Afghan Air Force from the month of March. During a ceremony “Re-birth of the Afghan Air Force” at Hamid Karzai International Airport, Gen. Wardak said the Afghan Air Force is expecting to receive a total of 8 A-29 aircraft until March.
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02/13/2016
The Nigerian Air Force has armed two of the four Dassault Aviation-made Alpha jets it procured from the United States in 2015. Prior to arming the jets, the planes purchased from the United States could not be used in combat operations due to their inability to carry weapons. Instead, the jets were designated for training purposes.
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02/13/2016
Alenia Aermacchi (Finmeccanica, Stand G55) is promoting two new roles for the M346–companion training, and dissimilar air combat training (DACT). “Our existing customers told us it would make an excellent aggressor,” company test pilot Giacomo Ianelli told The International Fighter Conference in London last November. Singapore was the first export customer for the Italian jet, and operates 12 of them for advanced pilot training at Cazaux airbase in France.
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02/13/2016
Six test and evaluation F-35 fighters are on a simulated deployment to conduct key initial operational capability mission sets, the Air Force said. The sets are suppression of enemy air defenses, close air support and air interdiction. The achievements of the F-35A squadron's ability to deploy, employ and sustain operations will set the benchmark capability for the Air Force to declare F-35A initial operational capability, which is scheduled for this fall.
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02/13/2016
Last week Nigeria joined a dubious international clique when it bombed a logistics base used by the militant group Boko Haram in the country’s northeast. Though the airstrike itself was unremarkable—the Nigerian Air Force has conducted hundreds of strikes against Boko Haram in recent months—it was the first Nigeria has delivered via an unmanned drone.
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02/13/2016
Now that Iran is sitting on a pile of cash and the import ban on conventional military hardware has been partially lifted following the nuclear deal, the Islamic Republic is looking to replace its hodgepodge of vintage military hardware. This may soon include producing Russian Su-30 multi-role fighters and T-90 tanks within their own borders.
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02/13/2016
A combined Boeing/U.S. Air Force aircrew aboard the KC-46 tanker successfully refueled an F/A-18 aircraft in flight February 10th. The air refueling was the program’s first using the KC-46’s hose and drogue system. During the 4+ hour flight, the tanker’s air refueling operator smoothly transferred fuel to the F/A-18 flying at 20,000 feet.
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02/12/2016
Naval Air Systems Command is set to release a new draft request for proposal for its unmanned aerial refueling tanker to industry later this year, USNI News has learned. Built from the work of its Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program, the draft RfP for the air segment for the follow-on Carrier Based Aerial Refueling System (CBARS) will come out ahead of the a final RfP in FY 2017 and a contract award in FY 2018.
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02/12/2016
Indonesia has agreed to purchase 10 Russian Sukhoi Su-35S multirole fighter jets, according to Indonesian media reports. Indonesia’s Minister of Defense, General Ryamizard Ryacudu, will visit Moscow in March to sign the final agreement.
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02/12/2016
A fuel malfunction almost caused an F-16 pilot to eject over Islamic State group-held territory last year — but a savvy KC-135 tanker crew saved him from abandoning his aircraft over enemy territory. Being careful to not disclose too much information, the Air Force said a Stratotanker deployed from McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas was refueling some A-10s in the area when the F-16 flew up in need of a helping hand.
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02/12/2016
Last year, Foto Poork‘s photographer Filip Modrzejewski had the opportunity to take part in an aerial refueling mission in support of some of the aircraft involved in the exercise. He flew aboard a German Air Force Airbus A310 MRTT (Multi Role Tanker Transport), a tanker-variant of the civilian A310, that operated at 20,000 feet supporting some GAF Panavia Tornados, which can be refueled mid-air using the so-called hose-and-drogue system.
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02/12/2016
Modernization took the biggest hit in the Defense Department's fiscal year 2017 budget request, but the $102.5 billion in the procurement account can purchase a lot of capabilities, Mike McCord, DoD’s chief financial officer, told reporters at a Feb. 9 Pentagon news conference. As part of the Bipartisan Budget Act signed in November, the Defense Department had to make up $22 billion in its budget. Modernization took the biggest hit, McCord said.
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02/12/2016
As battles continue to rage around the embattled Syrian city of Aleppo, so too does the war of words among two far-away countries involved in the fight -- Russia and the United States. The defense ministry for Russia, which has been lambasted for its own airstrikes in support of a Syrian government ground offensive around Aleppo, turned the tables Thursday with an accusation against the United States.
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02/12/2016
India is set to soon offer a locally made combat version of the Hawk aircraft for export to the world with license producer Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) set to roll out the first of the highly weaponised light attack planes by February 2017.
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02/12/2016
Lockheed Martin selected its Greenville Operations facility in Greenville, South Carolina as the preferred Final Assembly and Checkout (FACO) site to manufacture its T-50A aircraft offering in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) competition.
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02/12/2016
Lockheed Martin announced today that it will offer the T-50A in the U.S. Air Force’s Advanced Pilot Training (APT) competition. The T-50A was developed jointly by Lockheed Martin and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) to replace the T-38 and train the next generation of pilots to fly 5th Generation aircraft.
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02/11/2016
Air Force pilots of the 1980s-era stealthy B-2 Spirit bomber plan to upgrade and fly the aircraft on attack missions against enemy air defenses well into the 2050s, service officials said. “It is a dream to fly. It is so smooth,” Maj. Kent Mickelson, director of operations for 394th combat training squadron, told Scout Warrior in an interview.
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02/11/2016
Belarus has signed a preliminary deal with Russian state-owned aircraft maker Irkut to purchase new Sukhoi Su-30SM fighter jets for the country’s Air Force, reports local pro-government daily Sovetskaya Belorussiya — Belarus Segodnya. The new aircraft will replace the outdated Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters.
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02/11/2016
Pressure is growing on the U.S. military to do more to help Afghan forces repel the threat posed by Taliban militants, and commanders in Washington and Kabul agree that enhanced air power may be where it can make the most difference. With fewer American soldiers on the ground and their rules of engagement limited, the outgoing commander of NATO forces in Afghanistan, General John Campbell, believes broader authorization of force is the best way of supporting stretched local troops.
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02/11/2016
Last month’s release of the 2016 Marine Corps Aviation Plan highlighted the service’s struggles to keep its planes flying and its pilots trained. Lt. Gen. Jon Davis, the deputy commandant for aviation, stated in the report’s introduction that the Corps has seen “a decrease in flight hours per month per aircrew and an uptick in [its] mishap rates,” leading to concerns about the readiness of Marine squadrons.
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02/11/2016
Russia’s air power assets operating in Syria are about to be given a significant boost. The most modern fighter aircraft in service today with the Russian Aerospace Forces will deploy to Kheimim aerodrome near Latakia, Syria. The Russian contingent in Syria announced Feb. 5 that the aircraft, the Su-35S will be place in operation for the first time outside the borders of the Russia.
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02/11/2016
As it reconsiders its unmanned aviation strategy, the Navy has decided to cease funding the X-47B bat-winged drone that made aviation history in recent years. The first-ever autonomous unmanned aircraft to be launched from and recovered on a carrier deck, the X-47B, is likely to run out of funding by the end of fiscal year 2016. The Navy has not requested money for the program in its fiscal year 2017 budget.
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02/11/2016
Sri Lanka has reportedly shown interest in purchasing Light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas from India. Light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas is the multi-role light fighter that is in development with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), and recently showcased its acrobatic skills successfully at Bahrain International Airshow 2016, a first such display outside India.
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02/11/2016
An impressive airshow put up by PAF at the old Doha International Airport yesterday was witnessed by HE the Prime Minister and Interior Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Nasser bin Khalifa al-Thani and Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. A JF-17 Thunder, a multi-role light combat aircraft indigenously produced in Pakistan in co-operation with China, and a Super Mushshak trainer jet presented aerial stunts at the show where pilots demonstrated the two aircraft’s advanced capabilities.
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02/11/2016
Russia and India have resumed talks on the joint Sukhoi/HAL Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project after nearly a year of stagnation, The Times of India reports. "We have got the clearance to restart the talks. Accordingly, a Russian team is here and cost negotiations began yesterday," a high-level defense source told the newspaper on Wednesday.
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02/11/2016
The remarkable performance of Russia’s advanced, super-maneuverable Su-35S multirole fighters in Syria has gained the attention of military buyers throughout the world, according to journalist, military expert and Director of the Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade Igor Korotchenko.
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02/10/2016
This lower funding level buys eight fewer fixed-wing aircraft including five Lockheed Martin F-35As and three C-130Js for the US Air Force and 35 fewer rotorcraft for the Army and Navy than are afforded in the current budget, according to US Defense Department (DOD) officials.
The budget does protects other high-priority air force procurements including the Boeing KC-46A and Northrop Grumman Long-Range Strike Bomber.
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02/10/2016
The first time the USAF attempted to refuel an aircraft in flight, aircrews successfully stayed aloft for 151 hours. That was over 85 years ago, and the Air Force today has made quite a few innovations since then. A KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 63rd Air Refueling Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, is providing air refueling support to the F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 480th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron over the skies of Souda Bay, Greece, during a flying training.
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02/10/2016
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet are both American warplanes competing for orders on the international fighter market. While the F-35 represents a new generation of technology, not every nation can afford the stealthy fifth-generation fighter. Moreover, the United States might not always be willing to sell the F-35 to all of its allies and partners. That represents an opportunity for Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.
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02/10/2016
Taiwan's incoming Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) administration is about to come face to face with unprecedented vulnerabilities in national security, thanks to a variety of factors which the new government is likely to find difficult to alter in the near future.
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02/10/2016
Deployment by Russia of its state-of-the-art armaments in the Kaliningrad Region, a Baltic exclave, limits NATO’s capabilities in the Baltic region, Director-General of the International Institute for Strategic Studies John Chipman said during presentation of The Military Balance 2016 report.
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02/10/2016
Drawdown days are officially over for the Marine Corps. The service's fiscal 2017 budget request would keep the active-duty force at a steady state of 182,000 troops, a number projected to remain constant until fiscal 2021. The Marines' base budget request of $23.4 billion represents a $169 million increase over the previous year, with an additional $1.6 billion in overseas contingency operations funding earmarked for operations and maintenance, personnel and procurement.
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02/10/2016
The first group of Iraqi Air Force pilots officially ended training on the L-159 aircraft. It is part of the contract between the company Aero Vodochody Aerospace and the Ministry of Defense of Iraq. Four pilots and 12 technical staff graduated. Czech Defense Minister Martin Stropnický (ANO), Iraqi Ambassador the Czech Republic Walid Hamed Shiltagh and several other Czech and Iraqi officials and Aero representatives attended the graduation ceremony.
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02/10/2016
The west’s decades-long advantage in military technology is being eroded as defence spending in the rest of the world, notably Asia, soars, an authoritative report says. The latest annual Military Balance by the International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) shows that advances in weapons-related technology once the preserve of the west – including cruise missiles, unmanned drones and electronic warfare – are becoming increasingly accessible to more and more countries.
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02/10/2016
India's light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas has reportedly conducted the first test firing of a beyond visual range air-to-air missile (BVRAAM), Derby, in Jamnagar, a city in the Indian state of Gujarat. Carried out by a limited series production (LSP) platform, the LSP-7 Tejas fired the BVRAAM missile on a Ballistic Non Guided (BNG)mode, reported OneIndia.
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02/10/2016
Some 40 combat aircraft have been redeployed at forward airfields in southern Russia as part of the large-scale snap combat readiness drills, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday. "Some 40 combat planes, including fighter jets, tactical bombers, strike aircraft, military-transport planes, as well as attack helicopters from the 4th Air and Air defense Army of the Southern Military District have been redeployed," the ministry said in a statement.
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02/09/2016
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI), Turkey's centre of excellence in defence and aerospace industries, and Polska Grupa Zbrojeniowa (PGZ) are planning to extend cooperation for the Kruk Combat Helicopter Procurement Programme of the Armament Inspectorate of Poland. The proposed plan will see TAI supplying customised T129 ATAK multi-role combat helicopter for Poland's Kruk programme.
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02/09/2016
A proven warfighter appears likely to stay at Selfridge ANGB for the immediate future. The A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft, an air-to-ground attack platform best known as the ‘Warthog,’ will remain in the U.S. Air Force inventory until at least 2022, according to U.S. Secretary of Defense Ash Carter.
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02/09/2016
Once they were the pride of the isolated communist country – a fleet of 210 military aircraft bought decades ago from Russia and China. However, much like the old munitions inherited from that era, many of these planes no longer fit modern needs and have become a burden to the Albanian armed forces. Now the Albanian Defence Ministry has decided to sell off some of these relics in an international auction.
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02/09/2016
The V-22 Osprey was once considered a true “ugly duckling”, one of a number of platforms and systems that were too costly, performed badly and even posed a danger to their users. Without question, designing, building and operating a platform that could fly like an airplane and take off and land like a helicopter was a challenging endeavor.
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02/09/2016
The US Air Force has a problem. While it bets its future on the stealth of the F-22 and F-35 fighters, that stealth has come at a cost: reduced weapon loads. To be stealthy, the aircraft both have to carry all of their weapons in internal bays, significantly limiting how many bombs and missiles they can carry to strike at targets on the surface and defend themselves from other fighters.
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02/09/2016
China toned down vitriolic rhetoric in response to the recent passage of a US warship near a disputed island in the South China Sea. Chinese government-controlled media outlets, however, seized on the transit of the guided-missile destroyer USS Curtis Wilbur on Jan. 30 within 12 miles of Triton Island in the Paracels archipelago with stepped up threats to deploy missiles and warplanes on some of its 3,200 acres of newly-created islands.
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02/09/2016
We now have an idea of how defense giant Northrop Grumman visualizes America's first sixth-generation fighter, and it comes from an unlikely source: A Super Bowl commercial. The plane seen buzzing around during the high-dollar ad may foreshadow the real fighter that will enter service in 15 to 20 years, replacing the F/A-18 Super Hornet and perhaps even the F-22 Raptor.
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02/09/2016
In the bitter quarrel with Turkey over the latest alleged violation of the Turkish airspace by the Russian Sukhoi SU-34 frontline bomber, Russia sees no role for NATO to play. On the contrary, Turkish Prime-Minister Ahmet Davutoglu instructed his country’ s Foreign Ministry to demand from Russia to give the explanations over the alleged incident straight to the NATO secretary general, Russia’s RIA News agency reported.
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02/09/2016
If not a direct opposition from Washington, this machine possibly would have become indispensable in Arab East and in Iran. But tanks aside, Russian fighter jets are taking on a large niche in the markets of many countries of the world. The fighter jets image considerably strengthened when analysts studied and estimated the impact of Russia’s air campaign in Syria.
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02/09/2016
The ongoing snap military exercises in southern Russia involve up to 8,500 troops, some 900 military vehicles and 200 aircraft, Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said Monday.
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02/08/2016
The military is considering using unmanned drones to patrol waters surrounding New Zealand.
At present, six Orion aircraft provide airborne surveillance, support for customs and police operations, search and rescue missions and disaster relief. Illegal fishing and drug smuggling need to be watched for in New Zealand's Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ), which is the fourth largest in the world and 20 times the country's land mass.
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02/08/2016
A damning report last week on the progress of the F-35, by the Pentagon’s top weapons tester, has fuelled concern that delivery schedules for the new fighter could be delayed once again. Any further delay in the delivery of the 72 Australian F-35s would create an acute problem for the RAAF, which would be forced to keep its 71 Classic F/A-18 Hornets flying beyond their effective life expectancy.
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02/08/2016
Sweden’s discomfort over Russia’s long-term political and military ambitions in the Baltic Sea and High North has risen further after a senior military chief stated the Nordic state could find itself under attack "within a few years."
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02/08/2016
Turning the U.S. Navy’s next carrier-based drone into a tanker, as the service announced this week, is probably a reasonable idea. For some time, buddy-tanking F-18 Hornets has been a questionable use of other Hornets, but one completely necessitated since 2009 by the full retirement of the Lockheed S-3 Viking.
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02/08/2016
Canadian fighter jets pounded Islamic State targets in Iraq on Saturday, destroying a fighting position and heavy engineering equipment in two separate attacks. After more than a year of attacking ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria, these could be among the last combat missions flown by CF-18s.
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02/08/2016
China’s purchase of 24 new Russian Su-35 aircraft is essential for Beijing. The Chinese Air Force will not only get new jets that could affect the balance of power in the Taiwan Strait, but may also allow the Chinese military to assess the progress and development of J-11.
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02/08/2016
When asked if the Gulf state was prepared to send troops to Syria, Foreign Minister Anwar Gargash told reporters in Abu Dhabi that this had been his country’s position all along.
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02/08/2016
Syrian Air Force jets pulverized Daesh positions in the eastern part of Aleppo province on Saturday, causing serious damage to the main road used by the militants to send oil tankers into neighboring Turkey.
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02/08/2016
Japan, in close cooperation with the international community, will not hesitate to take measures against North Korea after Pyongyang launched a long-range rocket, the office of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Sunday.
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02/07/2016
Safety concerns have, for now, grounded plans by the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) to fly a radar-equipped balloon that can spot hostile threats coming from as far as Malacca. The 55m-long helium-filled military blimp, known as an aerostat, was supposed to be airborne early last year to watch over Singapore.
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02/07/2016
Things have changed a bit around Al Taqaddum Air Base in Iraq since the 2011 withdraw of U.S. troops in the Anbar province. What once was a busy hub for aircraft coming in to scatter the area with military personnel now seems far more subtle in its footprint. The Iraqi military installation now houses different components of the Iraqi Security Forces (ISF), including the 8th Iraqi Army Division and the Anbar Operations Command (AOC).
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02/07/2016
At 1430 on February 5th, the first Italian made F-35A flew into the pattern at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland and touched down. Known to all Naval Aviators as “Pax” this historic flight of an Italian fighter pilot, wearing his cold water survival suit, flew the single seat, single engine F-35A flew in the dead of winter over the North Atlantic.
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02/07/2016
It’s regrettable but predictable Canadian defence policy and programs under the Liberals are receding toward a new “decade of darkness”. Historically — at least so far as the last 60 years are concerned — the Liberal party has seldom encountered a significant military effort it enthusiastically endorsed or a defence expenditure for which it couldn’t envision a better use of its funds.
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02/07/2016
Senior Fellow at the Center for Arab and Islamic Studies at the Institute of Oriental Studies Boris Dolgov told Radio Sputnik that the prospect of Turkey's military invasion in Syria is "very high."
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02/07/2016
According to the South Korean Yonhap news agency, the rocket is believed to have range of over 10,000 kilometers (6,213 miles). Earlier this week, the International Maritime Organization (IMO) confirmed it had received North Korea’s notification of plans to launch a satellite between February 8 and 25. Pyongyang later changed the launch dates by one day.
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02/06/2016
Belarusian Yak-130 aircraft will test air-to-air rockets for the first time in the former air force exercise area Polessky in Gomel Oblast on 5 February, representatives of the Belarusian Defense Ministry told BelTA. According to the source, Belarusian Air Force and Air Defense units continue mastering the combat and training aircraft Yak-130. “Today Belarusian pilots will launch guided air-to-air missiles using Yak-130 aircraft for the first time ever in the former exercise area Polessky.
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02/06/2016
The F-35 needs to pass new tests at a base in Idaho later this month for it to stay on track toward being combat ready for the Air Force by August. The Air Force is sending its version of the Lockheed Martin (LMT) F-35 to Mountain Home Air Force Base in southwestern Idaho from Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada, according to Maj. Gen. Jay Silveria in a Reuters report.
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02/06/2016
For months, members of Congress and former Pentagon officials have been criticizing the Obama administration's approach to defeating ISIS, arguing that airstrikes and occasional special-forces operations are not enough to destroy the Islamist insurgency. In November, Michael Morell, the former deputy director of the CIA, told CBS's Face the Nation, "I think it's now crystal clear to us that our strategy, our policy vis-à-vis ISIS, is not working."
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02/06/2016
Most ads aren’t designed to break big news, but Northrop Grumman has been in the habit of using dramatic commercials to bring us surprise details on its vision for America’s air combat future. The company’s latest one gives us one of the best looks yet at their evolving sixth-generation fighter concept.
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02/06/2016
Secretary of Defense Ash Carter has been busy highlighting key pieces of the Pentagon’s upcoming budget that will be published on February 9th. One of the primary items identified in it is the development of an aerial arsenal ship. The arsenal ship concept is something we talk about regularly here on Foxtrot Alpha, both those that fly and float.
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02/06/2016
Ashton Carter, the US secretary of defense, is currently on a promo tour for the Pentagon's 2017 budget — and as he's been attempting to sell the proposed $582.7 billion in funding, he has been spilling the beans about a number of previously classified weapons and technology programs.
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02/06/2016
The Eurofighter Typhoon is one of the most advanced combat aircraft in the world and BAE Systems has created a helmet that could make its pilots more effective. Striker II has an integrated night vision camera and a high definition digital display that projects flight information onto the visor. BAE claims the helmet has the ability to virtually see through a Typhoon by linking up to different systems on the aircraft.
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02/06/2016
JSC Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG plans to sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry on the delivery of MiG-35 fighters before the end of this year, MiG Deputy Director General Alexey Beskibalov told journalists.
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02/06/2016
The fighter aviation division of the Russian Southern Military District received four Su-30SM (NATO reporting name Flanker-C) fighter aircraft on Friday, the district’s press service said.
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02/05/2016
The US Air Force has not only ditched long-standing plans to retire the hardy Fairchild Republic A-10 attack airplane but is launching a follow-on wing replacement programme to keep the combat veteran flying well into the next decade.
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02/05/2016
Retired Royal Australian Air Force wing commander Chris Mills doesn’t like the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that Canberra is buying from the United States. Noting the new plane’s sluggishness and poor results in simulated air combat against the latest Russian fighters, Mills has called for Australia to lobby the United States for F-22 Raptors.
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02/05/2016
Equatorial Guinea has acquired two C295s from Airbus Defence and Space. One will be used for troop transport and the other for maritime surveillance. A government announcement late last month said Equatorial Guinea representatives visited the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Seville, Spain to sign the deal. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in September.
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02/05/2016
Indian Navy Aviation today stands poised on a springboard that would propel the Fleet Air Arm to greater heights with a quantum leap in the forces' offensive capabilities. Indian Navy has been building its fleet air arm with an aim to acquire a formidable and sturdy defence capability. The exponential growth of a fledgling Fleet Requirement Unit with ten amphibian Sealand aircraft in 1953 into a modern force is testimony to the Navy’s aspirations and resolve in developing this arm.
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02/05/2016
The Obama administration wants to enlarge the U.S. military presence in eastern and central Europe next year by stockpiling heavy weapons, armored vehicles and other military equipment across the region, a substantial expansion of U.S. efforts to counter a resurgent Russia.
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02/05/2016
In the Department of Defense's budget request for 2017, the Air Force has conceded what to many has been obvious—that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will not be ready to take the place of the A-10 Thunderbolt II (also known as the "Warthog") in close air support missions any time soon. In its budget request, the Air Force is seeking funds to keep the A-10 flying, and DOD officials say the aircraft will remain in service until at least the 2022 fiscal year.
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02/05/2016
The military risks committing itself to buying billions of dollars of F-35 fighter jets before they have demonstrated they are fit for combat, a new Pentagon report warns. The development of the Joint Strike Fighter F-35, a fifth-generation stealth jet, has been beset by spiraling costs and schedule delays. The program's price tag is nearly $400 billion for 2,457 planes -- almost twice the initial estimate.
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02/05/2016
On Thursday, the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC said in a Twitter message that the Saudi Ministry of Defense stands ready to deploy ground troops to Syria to aid in the international anti-Daesh coalition efforts. The Guardian said on Thursday citing unnamed Saudi sources that Saudi Arabia could deploy "thousands of special forces," "probably in coordination with Turkey."
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02/05/2016
Belarus has reached a preliminary agreement with the Russian Irkut Corporation to acquire Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighters for its Air Force, the country’s deputy defense minister said Thursday. According to Igor Lotenkov, as quoted by the SB – Belarus Segodnya newspaper, these aircraft will replace its outdated Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters.
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02/05/2016
A supersonic BrahMos cruise missile will be tested from a Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) fighter jet for the first time in the second half of 2016, the head of Russian-Indian BrahMos Aerospace enterprise, Sudhir Mishra, said Thursday.
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02/04/2016
U.S. aircraft maker Boeing Co is in a "conversation" on manufacturing its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet in India, Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg was quoted on Wednesday as saying on his first visit to the country. "We see the Super Hornet as an opportunity ... to tie directly into the 'Make in India' strategy," Muilenburg told the Hindustan Times in an interview whose authenticity was confirmed by the company.
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02/04/2016
An annual Washington budgeting dance in recent years, where Pentagon officials seek to retire their legacy A-10 fleet and members of Congress take pains to preserve it, appears on hold for awhile after Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he expects the aircraft to fly through 2022.
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02/04/2016
The Pentagon has long discussed the possibility of a bulk order of F-35 joint strike fighters that would span several years and multiple international partners. But now the Department of Defense’s top weapons tester is raising concerns about committing to the so-called “block buy” before testing of the aircraft is complete.
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02/04/2016
Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday announced plans for the Pentagon to buy more Navy ships, aircraft, munitions and capabilities over the next five years. He said the administration's fiscal 2017 defense budget will include money to buy nine Virginia-class attack submarines and 10 Aegis destroyers. The purchase of the submarines had been planned, but Carter said one of them would have a Virginia payload module to triple its firepower.
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02/04/2016
On the night of March 29, 2013, a contingent of Russian combat aircraft flew across the Gulf of Finland and came within 18 to 24 miles of Swedish territory near Gotland Island, which is only 100 miles from Stockholm. The aircraft followed a flight path that deviated from typical Russian air force routes in the region.
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02/04/2016
The Russian military says Turkey has violated an international treaty by barring a planned Russian surveillance flight. Defense Ministry official Sergei Ryzhkov says the Turkish military has refused to allow the mission intended to monitor the areas near Turkey's border with Syria and air bases used by NATO warplanes.
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02/04/2016
The development of India’s indigenous fighter is an important development for India and might well reshape the export market as well. It has been an uphill battle to develop the aircraft and to get it into production and operations. But India is making clear progress with regard to the way ahead for the LCA.
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02/04/2016
Flight testing has begun on the new APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR) as part of an upgrade program for US Air Force’s F-16 combat aircraft, defense contractor Northrop Grumman announced in a news release.
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02/04/2016
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has selected Boeing to provide the service with P-8 maintenance training devices. This is the first international sale of P-8 maintenance training equipment currently used by the U.S. Navy for its P-8A Poseidon fleet. The RAAF virtual trainers were purchased through the U.S. Navy and RAAF Cooperative Program and will be used to train P-8A maintenance personnel starting in early 2018.
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02/04/2016
Russia is considering possibly delivering air defense systems and MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia, a source in the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Wednesday. "We are working on the issue of deliveries of air defense systems and MiG-29s to Serbia. This country is our strategic partner in Europe, in many spheres, including military-technical cooperation," the source told RIA Novosti.
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02/03/2016
A SENIOR Pentagon official has slammed the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet, saying it could not win a dogfight against an older jet, could not meet its test and evaluation deadlines, and could not fly unsupported against a threat.
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02/03/2016
Iraq began receiving its own F-16IQ fighters in 2014 and now has over ten of them regularly in action. To support this effort Iraq recently ordered nearly two billion dollars’ worth of missiles and smart bombs for their F-16s as well as some useful accessories. Iraq bought nearly 20,000 bombs, but only enough laser guidance tail kits for half of them. Most of the bombs were 227 kg (500 pound) types with about a quarter of them being 908 kg.
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02/03/2016
The dawn of the combat laser era might begin in 2021 when the US air force hopes to begin demonstrations of a podded electric laser system for fifth and sixth-generation fighter jets that can destroy incoming missiles, not just steer them off course.
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02/03/2016
Two Chinese military aircraft flew into South Korean and Japanese airspace, and Japan's Self-Defense Force fighter jets scrambled to intercept the planes. Seoul's Joint Chiefs of Staff stated the two combat planes entered the Korea Air Defense Identification Zone, or KADIZ, on Sunday, Yonhap reported. Kyodo News reported the aircraft were the Shaanxi Y-9 – a medium-size plane capable of transporting 25 tons of cargo.
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02/03/2016
The Indian Air Force’s quick fix solution for its fighter crunch is to crank up production of the Su-30 MKI – the backbone of its combat fleet. India had initially contracted with Russia for 272 Sukhois, but that number will in all probability cross 300 by 2019. With multiple squadrons of older MiG-21 interceptors and MiG-27 ground attack jets being retired in quick succession, the IAF fighter fleet is set to decline to a low of 32 squadrons – or around 576 aircraft.
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02/03/2016
One plane has two powerful jet engines with afterburners, flies at almost 2,000 mph, can soar more than 12 miles above the earth, and has 34 air combat victories in Operation Desert Storm. The other hums along at 150 mph, powered by a six-piston engine and a two-bladed propeller. It can't get much higher than 3 miles above the ground. It's more suited to carry your grandma than a gun.
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02/03/2016
The Pentagon is developiong a repurposed “arsenal plane” that would carry large volumes of bombs and missiles into battle alongside modern combat aircraft like the Lockheed Martin F-35. The Department of Defense (DOD) is also investing in “fast, resilient mircodrones” that can launch from fighter jets travelling at Mach 0.9 and fly through strong crosswinds.
(Read More...)
02/03/2016
Michael Dickens and Julian Lopez can't fly the Air Force's most advanced fighter jet, but the F-22 Raptor wouldn't have much of a bite without them. Airman 1st Class Lopez and Tech Sgt. Dickens are among the crews at Langley Air Force Base that keep the stealth fighter supplied with a lethal mix of bombs and missiles, plus a 20-millimeter multi-barrel cannon for close encounters.
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02/03/2016
Tensions between Russia and Turkey continue to escalate following the downing in November of a Russian Su-24 fighter jet that strayed into Turkish airspace. Questions are being raised now whether the two countries are heading for a military confrontation. A leading Turkish military expert told Al-Monitor that such a Russian move could spell disaster for Turkey.
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02/03/2016
Russia has sent its advanced, super-maneuverable Su-35S multirole fighters to Syria to test the brand-new aircraft in a combat environment for the first time ever; aviation experts explain what makes the warplanes so unique.
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02/02/2016
AN RAF fighter jet pilot who suddenly lost his sight while on a training flight was guided down to safety by a colleague who raced to his aid, it has emerged. Leading airmen described the rescue at RAF Leeming as "amazing" - saying the 622mph maximum speed Hawk T Mk 1 combat planes would still have been travelling at 115mph when they landed at the North Yorkshire station.
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02/02/2016
The Aros satellite took photos of the Lattakia air base used by the Russian Air Force, showing the vast array of fighter jets on hand, the operations of the new S-400 batteries, and the intensive amount of sorties in the area.
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02/02/2016
The Navy’s Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) effort is being retooled as primarily a carrier-based unmanned aerial refueling platform as part of several Pentagon naval aviation mandates as part if the the service’s Fiscal Year 2017 budget submission, USNI News has learned.
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02/02/2016
France has placed an order for four Lockheed Martin C-130 aircraft – two standard C-130J transports and two KC-130Js equipped for in-flight refueling of helicopters, the defense procurement office said. “Direction Générale de l’Armement ordered on Jan. 29, 2016 from the US Air Force four new Hercules C-130Js,” the DGA said in a Feb. 1 statement. The first two aircraft will be delivered between the end of 2017 and early2018, with the two refueling versions due in 2019.
(Read More...)
02/02/2016
The Pentagon's next five-year budget proposal seeks over $13 billion in funding for a new submarine to carry nuclear ballistic missiles, plus orders for more Boeing Co and Lockheed Martin Corp fighter jets, according to sources familiar with the plans.
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02/02/2016
One of the biggest questions facing the future of US Navy carrier-based aviation is what will be the primary mission of its new unmanned jet. Some believe the aircraft — to be produced by the Unmanned Carrier-Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) program — should be a stealthy strike jet able to penetrate an enemy’s defenses without risking a pilot. Others want a spy plane, able to launch from a carrier and produce high-quality, real-time intelligence.
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02/02/2016
Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov said Monday that Su-35 fighters have been deployed to Hemeimeem air base in Syria. The Su-35 is Russia’s most advanced fighter that is fielded in significant numbers. NATO designates the aircraft as the SU-35S Flanker-E.
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02/02/2016
Aviation Week has published a 48-page report from Michael Gilmore, the Pentagon's Director of Operational Test and Evaluation, which casts serious doubts on whether the Marines' current version of the F-35, the Block 2B, is capable of entering combat on it own.
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02/02/2016
The Indian armed forces have suffered from time and technology challenges over the last 30 years, but apparently to make up for the lost time, the government has now approved the Indian Air Force's (IAF) requirements for unmanned combat aircraft, technically called Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles (UCAVs).
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02/02/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry, commenting on the statement of a NATO representative regarding the ‘classified images’ of the so-called violation of the Syrian-Turkish border by a Russian jet, said that such allegations were expected from NATO as they are trying to withhold information from the public and media.
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02/01/2016
Dutch F16 fighter jets will take part in bombing raids over Syria, ministers agreed on Friday. ‘We can only prevent attacks if we remove IS’ safe havens in Iraq and Syria,’ prime minister Mark Rutte said at his weekly press conference. The Netherlands currently has four F16 fighters flying missions over Iraq and their mission will now be extended to eastern Syria, Rutte said. In addition, the Netherlands will ‘intensify’ its support for the Iraqi army and Kurdish forces in Iraq Kurdistan.
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02/01/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
02/01/2016
The Canadian government is busy promoting Canada’s defence industry in Kuwait even as a United Nations report accuses a Saudi-led coalition, which includes Kuwait, of “widespread and systematic” bombing of civilians in Yemen.
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02/01/2016
In late January a Russian MiG-31 jet fighter was lost due to unspecified equipment failure. The air force grounded all 120 MiG-31s until the exact cause could be determined. The most likely culprit is age which is why in late 2015 the air force received $378 million to upgrade another 50 of the older MiG-31s to the MiG-31BM standard. Unfortunately the recent crash was of a BM model as were some previous crashes. The latest crash was not unexpected.
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02/01/2016
Chinese jet fighters are likely to be at a disadvantage in the event of an aerial confrontation with Western combat aircraft - or even fighters from US ally Japan - over the East and South China Seas, foreign and Chinese aviation experts have said. Defense admitted that there is a "definite gap" between Chinese military technology and some developed countries. The statement said Beijing will continue to strengthen China's armed forces.
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02/01/2016
On one level the Japanese Ministry of Defense latest budget request for the financial year starting April appears to be business as usual, as the Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) chugs along with its piecemeal procurement of 42 F-35s and decisions on the eventual replacement of its aging F-2 and F-15 fleets shelved.
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02/01/2016
The Ministry of Defence has decided to locally produce 106 upgraded Light Combat Aircraft “Tejas” jets to replace the ageing fleet of MiG fighter aircraft of the Indian Air Force. The “Tejas Mark 1-A” will have 43 improvements over the existing Tejas currently being test-flown by the IAF for various parameters and slated for final operation clearance in March. The existing project is running years behind schedule.
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02/01/2016
The deployment brings the total number of F-15s at Okinawa’s Naha base to 40. Japan and China have had tense relations over the sovereignty of islands in the East China Sea, known as Senkaku in Japan and as Diaoyus in China.
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02/01/2016
The Turkish Air Force has declared an 'orange alert' at key bases after an alleged violation of the country’s airspace by a Russian fighter jet, Anadolu news agency reported, citing military sources in Ankara.
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01/31/2016
A month before Turkey shot down a Russian bomber which it accused of entering its airspace, Russian military intelligence had warned President Vladimir Putin that this was the Turkish plan. Diplomats familiar with the events say that Putin dismissed the warning, probably because he did not believe that Turkey would risk provoking Russia into deeper military engagement in the Syrian war.
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01/31/2016
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
(Read More...)
01/31/2016
Turkey summoned Russia’s ambassador after it said a Russian military aircraft flew into the country’s airspace, two months after a similar incident strained relations between the nations.
The Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighter entered Turkish airspace at 11:46 a.m. local time on Friday, even after warnings from Turkish radar units, according to a statement on the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs website. Russia’s envoy to Ankara was called to the ministry within hours.
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01/31/2016
China has built a potent military machine over the past 30 years but is struggling to develop advanced engines that would allow its warplanes to match Western fighters in combat, foreign and Chinese industry sources said. The country’s engine technology lags that of United Technologies unit Pratt & Whitney, General Electric and Rolls-Royce, said Douglas Barrie, senior fellow for military aerospace at the International Institute for Strategic Studies in London.
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01/31/2016
You remember Top Gun, the movie about Tom Cruise and Val Kilmer playing volleyball. There was that sexy airplane too, the Grumman F-14 Tomcat: A twin engine, swing wing, carrier-borne fighter built to chase off the Russkies. What you may not remember is that we sold Tomcats to Iran. As you can see from the video above, they're still flying today. Sort of.
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01/31/2016
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg urged Russia on Saturday to "take all necessary measures" to ensure NATO airspace was not violated again, after Turkey said a Russian warplane had entered its airspace on Friday despite radar warnings.
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01/31/2016
Turkey warned of consequences on Saturday after saying a Russian SU-34 jet had violated its airspace despite warnings, once more stoking tensions between two countries involved in Syria's war, but Russia denied that there had been any incursion. In a similar incident in November, Turkey shot down a Russian warplane flying a sortie over Syria that it said had violated its airspace, triggering a diplomatic rupture in which Russia imposed economic sanctions.
(Read More...)
01/31/2016
The patrolling near the Paracel Islands archipelago, conducted by a US Navy destroyer, is unlawful as such action can only be allowed with the permission of the Chinese authorities, Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Hua Chunying said.
(Read More...)
01/31/2016
The Iraqi Army is all set to liberate the city of Mosul, which has been controlled by Daesh terrorists since June 2014, Iraqi Media News agency reported, citing a senior military commander.
(Read More...)
01/30/2016
A Russian fighter jet 'buzzed' a US surveillance aircraft passing within 20 feet when it intercepted its target over the Black Sea. The Su-27 Flanker passed dangerously close to the Boeing RC-135 which was 30 miles from the Russian coast while flying over international waters. According to US officials, the Russian jet drew alongside the surveillance aircraft before turning away violently and hitting it with the jet blast from its engines.
(Read More...)
01/30/2016
A number of new planes will be added to the squadron of Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole interceptors deployed in Crimea, the Black Sea Fleet Commander, Admiral Alexander Vitko, said on Friday.
(Read More...)
01/30/2016
France's Dassault Aviation has delivered the second batch of Rafale multirole combat fighters to the Egyptian Air Force (EAF). Three more aircraft were delivered as part of a $5bn deal signed between the company and the Arab Republic of Egypt in February 2015 for the supply of 24 Rafale fighter aircraft. France will also supply an FREMM frigate to Egypt as part of the deal.
(Read More...)
01/30/2016
“We had the impression the crisis was over and the world was back to recovery.” The downturn in markets that as recently as 2014 were darlings of Dassault, and its rivals in large-cabin business jets, surprised the French firm’s boss Éric Trappier, but it illustrates the fragility of a sector that depends on discretionary spending much more than, say, commercial aviation.
(Read More...)
01/30/2016
Tests to determine how Lockheed Martin’s F-35 will perform in combat won’t begin until at least August 2018, a year later than planned, and more than 500 of the fighter jets may be built before the assessment is complete, according to the Pentagon’s test office.
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01/30/2016
Iran flew a drone over a U.S. aircraft carrier and took “precise” photographs of it as part of an ongoing naval drill, state television reported Friday. The U.S. Navy said an unarmed Iranian drone flew near a French and American carrier on Jan. 12, but couldn’t confirm it was the same incident.
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01/30/2016
Boeing will further equip the U.S. Navy and Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with maritime patrol capabilities, building 20 more P-8A Poseidon aircraft following a $2.5 billion U.S. Navy order announced yesterday. The contract, for Lot 7 of the total P-8A program of record, includes 16 aircraft for the U.S. Navy and the next four aircraft for the RAAF. The RAAF’s initial four P-8A aircraft were included in the August 2015 Lot 6 contract award.
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01/30/2016
The US Air Force has given Sallyport Global Holdings in Virginia a $271.8 million contract to run security and life support operations at Balad Air Base in Iraq over the next year, the Department of Defense announced.
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01/30/2016
The Chinese Navy will likely deploy an aircraft carrier for permanent operations in the South China Sea, where China and other countries in the region are feuding over competing territorial claims, an expert said.
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01/30/2016
Airstrikes against Daesh in Syria will make the fight against the group in Iraq, where the Netherlands is already carrying out attacks, more effective, the government said. "Disrupting supply chains in eastern Syria is crucial," Defense Minister Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert said in a statement published by the government.
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01/29/2016
Rolls-Royce has been given two firm-fixed-price Air Force delivery orders, each worth more than $70 million, relating to the C-130J Super Hercules transport aircraft, the U.S. Department of Defense announced in its Wednesday publication of military contracts.
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01/29/2016
The United States and South Korea are conducting a joint drill involving fighter pilots from both air forces in the wake of North Korea's nuclear test. The exercises are ongoing as the United States vowed Thursday to defend another ally, Japan, should a chain of disputed islands claimed by Tokyo and Beijing fall under attack – in a statement that directly warned China against provocations.
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01/29/2016
A Russian fighter intercepted a U.S. Air Force reconnaissance flight in an “unsafe and unprofessional manner’ in international airspace over the Black Sea, a Pentagon spokeswoman confirmed to USNI News on Thursday. According to the Pentagon, a Russian Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker intercepted a RC-135U Combat Sent “flying a routine route in international airspace over the Black Sea,” read a statement provided to USNI News.
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01/29/2016
Ahead of President Barack Obama’s budget rollout next week, an influential Air Force pilot-turned lawmaker called on the commander-in-chief and his defense secretary to request full funding for the legacy A-10 until plans for its replacement take shape.
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01/29/2016
For two years the United States has delayed action on a Qatari attempt to buy 36 (and eventually 73) F-15E fighter bombers (for nearly $4 billion) and Kuwaiti efforts to buy 28 F-18E fighters (for $3 billion). The American Department of Defense and State Department approved the deal and there was support in Congress but for reasons unclear the American president refused to approve (or disapprove) the deal or even explain why not.
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01/29/2016
Queries were received about the country's indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas for possible export, during the recently held Bahrain air show, HAL chief T Suvarna Raju today said but refused to identify the interested countries. He also asserted that the first upgraded Tejas with better radar, missiles system, mid-air refueling capability, would be handed over to the force by 2018.
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01/29/2016
Japan on Thursday unveiled its first stealth fighter jet, officials said, with the maiden test flight planned for next month. The defense ministry's acquisition agency showed off the domestically developed, radar-dodging X-2 fighter at a regional airport near the central city of Komaki.
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01/29/2016
Lockheed Martin and Advanced Electronics Company (AEC) recently celebrated the opening of the Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) Expanded Repair Capability center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. This marks the start of operations at the first Sniper ATP support center located outside the United States.
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01/29/2016
Department of Defense Press Secretary Peter Cook said that the US Department of Defense held a video conference with the Russian Ministry of Defense on ways to further improve safety of military jets operating in Syria.
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01/28/2016
For more than two decades, the Air Force's Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System has provided valuable intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance to commanders by detecting, locating and tracking enemy ground forces from afar. Identified as the service's fourth largest acquisition priority, the JSTARS weapon system is currently undergoing a major recapitalization - including its radar.
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01/28/2016
US air force’s Combat Rescue Helicopter programme is on track to complete a preliminary design review in April that will unlock funds for five more aircraft. Programme officials from the service and Sikorsky say that during 2015 the two sides came to an agreement on more than 1,000 design requirements and 3,000 subsystem specifications through the government’s "system requirements review" process.
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01/28/2016
Combat air force squadrons from across the world joined Tyndall Air Force Base’s Checkertails at Nellis AFB, Nevada, this week for the joint-training, full-spectrum, readiness exercise, Red Flag 16-1.
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01/28/2016
The RSAF Hotshot Challenge is a biennial air-to-surface competition where squadrons undergo several challenges that test skills in areas like basic weaponry, weapon loading, and precision and creative marshalling.
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01/28/2016
The US Army is considering how multi-component units might help it achieve greater capability as the force shrinks in a time of budget austerity and implemented such a structure within its fixed-wing aviation branch for the first time.
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01/28/2016
The push by the U.S. Air Force to modernize its equipment, even as it pursues big-ticket items like the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and a next-generation bomber, is setting up the Defense Department for a budgetary flood of spending, according to a new think-tank study.
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01/28/2016
The F-35 Lightning II will appear at the Royal International Air Tattoo and Farnborough Air Show in July, the US Air Force has announced. It was due to be shown at the 2014 events but was cancelled days before after the entire fleet was grounded in the US following an engine fire. The RAF says the aircraft will place it at the forefront of fighter technology.
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01/28/2016
The Indian Air Force’s requirement for a medium multi-role combat aircraft continues to remain unfulfilled. In the early 2000s, the IAF decided that the logical answer to its problems of obsolescence, attrition, and declining fleet strength was to induct additional numbers of the single-engined Mirage 2000. This aircraft had an excellent safety and serviceability record, and played a decisive role in the Kargil conflict.
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01/28/2016
Citing an unnamed government official, Japan’s Kyodo news agency reports that satellite imagery appears to show Pyongyang preparing to launch a long-range missile from a test site known as Tongchang-ri.
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01/27/2016
A cornerstone of Russia’s national air defense is temporarily down after the Defense Ministry on Monday grounded all of Moscow’s 120 or so serving MiG-31 interceptors pending an investigation into the loss of a MiG-31 in the skies of Siberia earlier that day. The Russian Defense Ministry announced Monday afternoon that a MiG-31 went down over the Siberian region of Krasnoyarsk. The plane’s pilots ejected safely and the crash did not cause any damage on the ground.
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01/27/2016
On January 15, four A-29 attack planes touched down at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Afghanistan. For a project beset by seemingly never-ending delays and military-industrial rivalries, the event was a major milestone.
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01/27/2016
After confronting serious technical and economic difficulties, Russia has dramatically cut back its air force program to field its first radar-evading “stealth” fighter jet. By delaying large-scale acquisition of the Sukhoi T-50 fighter, the Kremlin is tacitly acknowledging a truth that the U.S. military learned decades ago — and that China might also learn in coming years: developing stealth fighters is hard.
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01/27/2016
Germany's military is overstretched and underfunded as its troops are engaged in anti-jihadist missions from Syria and Afghanistan to Mali while also aiding refugees at home, the defense commissioner said Tuesday, according to Agence France-Presse. Plagued by a series of defense equipment failures, the military is "at a crossroads" and has reached "the limit of its capacity for interventions," said Hans-Peter Bartels.
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01/27/2016
As of early 2016 the U.S. Air Force struggle to retire all its A-10 ground attack aircraft is over. For the moment at least. The air force now says that the war against ISIL (Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant) and the threat from Russia caused this change of mind. The real reason is that the A-10 has long been the most effective and popular ground attack aircraft and that Congress agreed with these troops rather than the air force generals.
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01/27/2016
Australia will never achieve regional air superiority with the new Lockheed F-35 Lightning Joint Strike Fighter and should instead look to the US F-22 Raptor, a former RAAF officer says. Retired Wing Commander Chris Mills said the F-35 was never designed to achieve air superiority and was outclassed by advanced new Russian aircraft entering service in regional air forces.
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01/27/2016
A very special F-22 belonging to the 27th Fighter Squadron from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia visited the 411th Fighter Test Squadron at Edwards Air Force Base, California in June and November of 2015 as part of the Signature Management Program, which is aimed to maintain its stealth characteristics.
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01/27/2016
The Nigeria Air Force headquarters says it has reconfigured two demilitarized Alpha Jets acquired without weapons delivery capability for counter-insurgency operations in the north east. A statement on Tuesday by Air Force spokesman Group Captain Ayodele Famuyiwa said the two aircrafts are among the four Alpha Jets bought from the United States in 2015.
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01/27/2016
The Strategic Airlift Capability (SAC) program will soon train C-17 aircrews at Boeing’s [NYSE: BA] C-17 International Training Centre (ITC) in the United Kingdom under a new $8 million contract. SAC is comprised of ten NATO countries and two NATO Partnership for Peace countries. The program will begin training its multinational aircrews early this year. Prior to this contract, the SAC program sent aircrews to the United States for training.
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01/26/2016
Russia’s Defense Ministry has denied speculations about constructing second air base in Syria. The rumor could be a false flag operation by Ankara to cover up the concentration of Turkish forces on the Syrian border, MoD spokesman said. “There are no ‘new’ airbases or additional ‘jump-up bases’ for Russian warplanes in the Syrian Arab Republic, as well as no plans to create any,” Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov told media briefing on Monday.
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01/26/2016
In perfect weather for a test flight Sunday, Boeing's KC-46 tanker successfully passed jet fuel to an F-16 jet fighter in the air, the first time the new tanker has accomplished an air-to-air refueling mission. The Air Force said the tanker passed 1,600 pounds of fuel to an F-16 piloted by Lt. Col. Daniel Alix, 416th Flight Test Squadron, 412th Test Wing out of Edwards AFB, Calif., who characterized the mission as a complete success.
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01/26/2016
The German armed forces has shortlisted the CH-53K from Sikorsky and the CH-47F Chinook from Boeing as potential successors to its aging fleet of CH-53 heavy-lift helicopters, a spokesman for the German Air Force confirmed. A selection should be made by the end of this year, the spokesman said, but added there is currently no favorite.
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01/26/2016
The U.S. Air Force delivered four A-29 Super Tucano airplanes to the Afghan Air Force Jan. 15 at Hamid Karzai International Airport here. Eight combat-ready attack pilots and a handful of maintainers graduated Dec. 17, 2015, and have returned to Afghanistan after a year of training at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, with the 81st Fighter Squadron. These pilots are the first of 30 who will be trained by the 81st FS in the next three years.
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01/26/2016
The Philippines will take part for the first time in Cope North, a large-scale air exercise with the U.S. and four other nations in the western Pacific. Philippine airmen will join more than 1,800 personnel from the U.S., Japan, Australia, South Korea and New Zealand for the exercise, which runs Feb. 10-26 out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam.
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01/26/2016
Dassault says it will “go step by step” to securing further Rafale orders from India after prime minister Narendra Modi signed an agreement on 25 January with his French counterpart to purchase 36 of the type.
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01/26/2016
Speaking at the Bahrain International Air Show on 22 January, Dr S Christopher, director general of New Delhi’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), noted the Make in India policy also extends to seeking international sales of its equipment. “Our aim is to ensure we have a quality product – not just for indigenous requirements, but also for export,” he says.
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01/26/2016
The Russian Defense Ministry has released fresh footage from its combat operation in Syria, publishing a video showing combat sorties of Tu-22M3 long-range bombers against terrorist targets.
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01/26/2016
India’s Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and Russia’s Sukhoi negotiators cut the costs of Fifth-Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project joint project from $12 billion to $8 billion.
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01/25/2016
The Philippines Supreme Court on Tuesday declared constitutional a security deal with the United States, allowing an increased US military presence in the former USA colony as tension rises in the South China Sea. Aquino negotiated the accord to help the Philippines improve its military capabilities and draw the United States closer, partly to counter a fast-expanding Chinese presence in disputed parts of the South China Sea.
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01/25/2016
The final primary batch of PAK-FA fighter jets is almost complete and tests will be finished in 2016, top military officials told the media. The Russian Air Force hopes to start regular production of the new 5G jets soon, with the first planes coming in 2017.
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01/25/2016
The Indian Air Force (IAF), once an ardent backer of the proposed Indo-Russian fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA), has for the last two years sharply attacked the project. Critics say the FGFA is on the back burner to clear the way for the French Rafale fighter.
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01/25/2016
On Sunday, French President Hollande began a three-day state visit to India. Hollande’s visit will address a broad bilateral agenda, covering collaboration on defense, counter-terrorism, clean energy, and economic ties. Notably, Hollande will be the guest of honor at India’s Republic Day celebrations on January 26. India hosts an annual military parade in New Delhi for Republic Day and has in recent years featured foreign heads of state and government to emphasize growing strategic ties.
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01/25/2016
One of the earliest stealth weapons on record was a stone used by the young Israelite David to kill the Philistine giant Goliath. In the biblical account, David shunned the conventional armaments of his time: sword, helmet, armor. Instead, he went forth with a slingshot and a few stones, kept undetected in a pouch. As any schoolchild knows, one well-aimed fling was all it took to put Goliath down for good. The big guy never saw it coming.
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01/25/2016
While awaiting as the Iraqi army gets prepared for the liberation of Mosul, the Kurdish armed militia Peshmerga spent their time in recurrent skirmishes with Daesh fighters who dared to come too close to their outposts. Pilots from the US-led coalition provided air support or, to omit the vague military slang, attacked terrorists from above.
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01/25/2016
The prototype PAK DA may hit the skies before 2021, the chief added. “Work on the PAK DA is coming along and the pace is suiting us. The challenge remains to raise the prototype into air by 2021, but if all continues at the current pace, it will take off even earlier,” Bondarev said.
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01/25/2016
China and Djibouti have “reached consensus” regarding the construction of logistical facilities in the African state. The deal that has been hinted at for months has finally been confirmed.
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01/25/2016
Although Beijing has repeatedly stated that its efforts to modernize its military are aimed strictly at boosting China's defense capabilities, US military officials never miss an opportunity to present these developments as an alarming trend.
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01/24/2016
While Russia already has military facilities in northwestern Syria, in the Latakia Province, the Russian military is believed to be doing some preliminary scouting in northeastern Syria’s Hasakeh Province, with an eye toward setting up a separate airfield in that area. US officials are saying Russia has dispatched personnel to an airfield in Qamishli and are believed to be trying to figure out if they want that site.
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01/24/2016
On Jan. 22, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted four strikes using fighter and attack aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 20 strikes coordinated with and in support of the Government of Iraq using attack, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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01/24/2016
The United Arab Emirates is awaiting final assurances from France and the Iraqi government to sell its fleet of Dassault Mirage 2000-9s before completing their deal for 60 Rafale fighters, Defense News has learned.
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01/24/2016
An increasingly common problem for commercial and military aircraft is bird strikes. This is especially true of Africa where there are larger populations of birds and small land animals. Military air bases, which tend to be in remote areas, are even more exposed to the possibility of bird strikes or animals unexpectedly moving onto air strips. There have been some clever solutions to this problem.
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01/24/2016
The majority of Britain’s fighter jets have not been fitted with safety systems that would help prevent a catastrophic mid-air collision with a passenger plane, despite the Government pledging to install them almost 20 years ago, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.
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01/24/2016
Canada’s military mission against Islamic State extremists has cost close to $300 million so far, the Star has learned. The first six months of the mission, which began in October 2014, actually came in under original estimates at $70 million — some $52 million less than defence planners had originally projected, defence department spokesperson Daniel Le Bouthillier told the Star.
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01/24/2016
To equip the French-made Mistral-class ships, Egypt is buying 46 Russian Ka-52 Alligator reconnaissance and combat helicopters, Austrian online newspaper Die Presse reported.
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01/24/2016
The King of Bahrain visited the hangars of various foreign companies during the Bahrain International Airshow-2016, including hangars of ‘Sukhoi’, ‘Rosoboronexport’ and holding ‘Helicopters of Russia’.
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01/23/2016
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) formally commissioned its third and last Airbus Military C-295 medium transport aircraft during ceremonies at Clark Air Base in Angeles City, Pampanga last Jan. 20. PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya said on Friday the ceremony was led by Air Logistic Command head Major Gen. Isagani Silva. Canaya said the third C-295 transport aircraft arrived at Clark Air Base last Dec. 11.
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01/23/2016
North Korea did not shrug off the recent overflight of a 55-year-old B-52H bomber near Seoul that was escorted by US and South Korean combat jets, according to vice chairmen of the US joint chiefs of staff Gen Paul Selva.
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01/23/2016
According to the London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR)—which is affiliated with the opposition—the U.S. advisors arrived at the Rmelian base several weeks ago. The base’s infrastructure is being expanded so that it can support U.S. military operations in the area. U.S. helicopters are already using the base according to the SOHR. The group expects that fixed-wing aircraft will soon operate from the runways, which are currently being expanded.
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01/23/2016
Although the Joint Program Office maintains the F-35 program remains on track, the Pentagon’s top weapons tester recently raised concerns that the fifth-generation fighter jet’s software development could fall behind.
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01/23/2016
Russia may possibly be exploring a base near the Syrian border with Turkey to build another air base to support Russian offensive air operations against anti-Assad forces and the Islamic State. Russia has been steadily expanding its presence in the Middle East in concert with Syrian forces and the Islamic Republic of Iran.
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01/23/2016
One thing that has helped keep the F-35 program going is a perception that there is no ‘Plane B.’ As Margaret Thatcher famously said,“There is no alternative.” No matter how bad the F-35 is, it is going to be built because the U.S. Air Force needs something to replace its worn-out fighters. That appears to be the fallback position in Lockheed Martin’s marketing plan for the F-35.
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01/23/2016
Indian and French negotiators haggled Friday over the price of 36 combat aircraft for the aging Indian air force, officials of the two nations said, just days before President Francois Hollande visits New Delhi to cement commercial ties, according to Reuters.
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01/23/2016
Indigenously developed India's light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter participated in its first air show on foreign soil in Bahrain. Tejas is a single engine, light weight aircraft with supersonic capability at all altitudes. Here's a look at how the aircraft enthralled the audience at the Bahrain International Airshow, being held from January 21 to January 23.
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01/23/2016
Hungary plans to buy about 30 Russian helicopters with the value of the contract expected to reach $490 million, a spokesperson for Russia’s Center for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT) said Friday.
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01/23/2016
Russia’s nuclear strategic forces have received 10 modernized Tu-160, Tu-95, and Tu-22 strategic bombers, head of the Russian General Staff Gen. Valery Gerasimov said Friday. “We have received new means of weaponry, new missiles…We have received for the Russian Navy two new strategic missile cruisers, the Alexander Nevsky and the Vladimir Monamakh, and from the industry, we have received for the aviation strategic nuclear forces 10 modernized strategic bombers.
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01/22/2016
A student pilot from Taiwan is feared dead after an F-16 fighter jet from Luke Air Force Base near Phoenix crashed Thursday in a remote area of northwestern Arizona, authorities said. Base officials said the man with the Taiwanese Air Force was flying solo and engaged in air-to-air combat training with an instructor when his F-16 went down for still unknown reasons.
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01/22/2016
Twelve Marines who went missing when the two helicopters carrying them apparently crashed off the coast of Hawaii last week have been declared dead. A witness on January 14 saw a fireball in midair; another reported seeing a flare. The U.S. Marine Corps notified the Coast Guard that two CH-53 copters, carrying six men each, were missing. A search ensued involving the Navy, the National Guard, as well as Hawaii fire, police and Ocean Safety.
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01/22/2016
Three Mi-25 gunship helicopters supplied by India are to officially join the Afghan Air Force today. The gunships, delivered at the end of December last year, have been in the assembly process. The decision for the delivery of Mi-25 gunship helicopters was concluded during the recent visit of Afghan National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar to New Delhi.
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01/22/2016
Eight F-22 stealth fighters flew from the United States to the U.S. Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo on Jan. 20 in an apparent show of strength following key developments in East Asia. The headquarters of U.S. Forces Japan, which is located at the U.S. Air Force base straddling Fussa and other western Tokyo suburbs, said the move was nothing special.
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01/22/2016
The low price of oil and a weak currency have led to speculation Norway is questioning its purchase of the costly Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the first example of which was handed over to Oslo in September 2015.
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01/22/2016
The rise of ISIS may have inadvertently saved the A-10 ground attack jets from retirement.
Gen David Goldfein, the Air Force's vice chief of staff, said ISIS and a US air campaign have prompted a reconsideration of plans made by the Air Force to retire the A-10, which first joined the service's fleet in 1975. The Air Force's F-35 is expected to eventually replace the A-10 Thunderbolt, but the new jets have not been battle tested.
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01/22/2016
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar today said full-scale production of the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will begin by next year and that other countries have shown interest in the plane. ”As per my primary report, it is appreciated by other countries who are interested. By next year, we are starting full-scale production,” he told reporters at the NCC Republic Day camp here.
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01/22/2016
Light combat aircraft Tejas, made in India by state-run company Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), flew for the first time at the Bahrain International Air Show on Thursday. “Two Tejas fighters are participating in the three-day Bahrain air show to display its air prowess through aerobatic manoeuvres like 8-G (gravity) pull, vertical loop, slow fly past and barrel roll,” HAL chairman and managing director T. Suvarna Raju said in a statement from the island country in the Persian Gulf.
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01/22/2016
With mayoral elections coming up in Okinawa, the Japanese government is working to ensure that a candidate in the ruling party wins. Dangling financial benefits to voters, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe wants to ensure that a US airbase remains on the island.
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01/22/2016
Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is ready to deliver the required number of naval MiG-29K/KUB multirole fighter aircraft for the new Indian Vishal aircraft carrier, a company spokeswoman, Anastasia Kravchenko, said Thursday.
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01/21/2016
Algeria is negotiating with Russia over the purchase of Su-34 strike aircraft, with around 12 apparently being considered. Sergei Smirov, the director of the Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association (NAPO) plant, which manufactures the aircraft, told Russian business daily Vedomosti on 30 December that talks have resumed on the export of Su-32 bombers (export designation of the Su-34) to Algeria after eight years of negotiations.
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01/21/2016
The Kuwait Ministry of Defence has decided to allocate $10bn towards strengthen the country's military capabilities. The funds will be used to purchase new fighter jets, tanks and air defence systems, enhancing capabilities of the Kuwaiti Armed Forces over the next ten years. The move is part of the country's larger modernisation project, which aims to replace the legacy military weapons currently in use.
(Read More...)
01/21/2016
After confronting serious technical and economic difficulties, Russia has dramatically cut back its air force program to field its first radar-evading “stealth” fighter jet. By delaying large-scale acquisition of the Sukhoi T-50 fighter, the Kremlin is tacitly acknowledging a truth that the U.S. military learned decades ago — and that China might also learn in coming years: developing stealth fighters is hard.
(Read More...)
01/21/2016
Helicopter gunships sweep low around Russia's air base on the Syrian coast and long-range air-defense missile systems tower at the base's edge as warplanes take off one after another. The sound is deafening. Russia's heavy airstrikes in Syria continued Wednesday, days ahead of the hoped-for start of talks on how to end one aspect of the country's five-year-old war, where government forces fight rebels, and militants including the extremist Islamic State have seized substantial stretches of terri
(Read More...)
01/21/2016
China is often considered a “Black Box” in terms of its military research and development. The opacity surrounding the often-hyped Chinese military modernization program has fueled much speculation about its potential, capabilities and its planned intended use by the Chinese Communist Party.
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01/21/2016
The U.S. Air Force’s elite Weapons School at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, has started using contractors flying privately-owned combat aircraft to help train the service’s tactical gurus. The contractors have been hired for what amounts to a trial run. If it goes well, there are likely to be further contracts.
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01/21/2016
On Tuesday evening, the Turkish army reportedly entered Syrian territory near Jarablus. While ostensibly aimed at liberating the city from Daesh, the operation may have more to do with keeping Kurdish People’s Protection Units away from the Turkish border.
(Read More...)
01/21/2016
Canada will continue to provide military support to a US-led coalition against Daesh jihadist group, despite a decision to halt airstrikes on the militants’ positions, Prime Minister of Canada Justin Trudeau said Wednesday.
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01/21/2016
Highly-ranked official in the Russian military industrial complex said that Russia’s only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, will not be used in operations in the Eastern Mediterranean against Daesh terrorists.
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01/21/2016
Northrop Grumman will fly a prototype of its T-X concept aircraft sometime in the next six months, ahead of an upcoming Air Force competition to replace the aging T-38 fleet used for advanced jet training.
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01/20/2016
It was reported late last week that Washington might offer Taipei surplus Boeing AV-8B Harrier II Plus strike aircraft as the U.S. Marine Corps retires the venerable jump-jets in favor the stealthy, supersonic F-35B Joint Strike Fighter. According to Defense News, the Harriers would be offered under the Defense Security Cooperation Agency’s Excess Defense Articles (EDA) program.
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01/20/2016
The U.S. is adding more than 1,100 personnel and spending $1 billion on new C-130J aircraft and support facilities at Yokota Air Base as part of the Pacific pivot. The servicemembers and their families will arrive at the base over the next few years along with a Special Operations Squadron bringing 10 CV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft, said Col. Douglas C. DeLaMater, 374th Airlift Wing commander.
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01/20/2016
Canada has been excluded from a meeting of defense ministers in Paris this week to discuss the fight against Islamic State militants. The apparent snub follows new Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's vow that he would remove the country's six fighter jets from the anti-IS coalition and at a time the U.S. is looking for its allies to step up their contributions.
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01/20/2016
German Tornado jets deployed to Syria for reconnaissance missions can't fly at night, Bild daily reported Tuesday in a new embarrassment for the Defense Ministry, which has been battling equipment problems. The six aircraft sent to Syria are fitted with surveillance technology, and had been touted as being capable of taking high-resolution photos and infrared images, even at night and in bad weather.
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01/20/2016
As the secretary of the air force has put it many times, the US military is on the losing side of the cost curve – with few aircraft coming in, and cuts, cuts and more cuts just to pay the bills. In terms of aircraft, USAF is smaller today than at any point since it split from the army in 1947. This month marks the 25th anniversary of Operation Desert Storm – arguably the greatest display of combat airpower in history. Now, the air branch is reminiscing about how mighty it once was.
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01/20/2016
A record number of Air Force drones crashed in major accidents last year, documents show, straining the U.S. military’s fleet of robotic aircraft when it is in more demand than ever for counterterrorism missions in an expanding array of war zones.
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01/20/2016
For the past two years, Chinese territorial encroachment in the South China Sea has surged to unprecedented levels. Last week the Philippine Supreme Court handed down a decision that could provide the ideal way for the U.S. to respond.
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01/20/2016
wo Chinese soldiers were “co-conspirators” in a plot to steal US military secrets, including designs for the F-35 stealth fighter and other warplanes, a Canadian newspaper reported Tuesday. The unnamed pair allegedly worked with a recent immigrant to Canada now facing extradition to the United States to identify and raid secure databases of US military contractors, said the Globe and Mail newspaper, citing a prosecution summary of a cyber espionage probe launched in 2014.
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01/20/2016
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has won a $43.7 million US Air Force foreign military sales contract to supply France with MQ-9 Reaper Drones, the US Department of Defense announced.
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01/19/2016
Further detail on the UK Ministry of Defence’s November Strategic Defence & Security Review (SDSR) has revealed the retirement of a Panavia Tornado GR4 squadron will be pushed back to 2018, from the previously announced 2017 date.
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01/19/2016
The Russian military presence in Syria is significantly upgrading the military skills of Hezbollah, according to an Israeli general. In a report for a Washington think tank, Gen.Muni Katz, a former commander of the Israeli division posted on the Lebanese border, said that the Lebanese militia, whose strategy against Israel had previously been defense oriented, is indirectly picking up lessons in sophisticated offensive warfare from their new Russian comrades-in-arms.
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01/19/2016
The international media landed itself a gift shortly before ushering in 2016, when it transpired at a recent Chinese Defense Ministry press conference that Beijing’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, and the second one for the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) after the Liaoning entered service since September 25, 2012, is currently under construction.
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01/19/2016
New video footage seems to reveal that the Islamic State (ISIS) operates its own research lab that is developing weapons of unprecedented sophistication for a nonstate actor. If the footage is confirmed, ISIS poses a much more lethal threat than first thought, not only against ground attacks, but also against airpower.
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01/19/2016
Authorities searching the area where two Marine helicopters crashed off Hawaii have found some life rafts that were carried aboard the aircraft, but still no sign of the 12 crew members who were on board. The Coast Guard said Monday that three of the four life rafts confirmed to have been aboard the helicopters have been recovered and efforts were being made to recover the fourth. Some of the rafts were inflated, but it was unclear how they came to be inflated, USCG Chief Petty Officer Sara Mooe
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01/19/2016
As Operation Inherent Resolve (OIR) continues over Iraq and Syria, the U.S. Air Force has maintained the involvement of top-of-the-line Lockheed Martin (LM) F-22 Raptor stealth fighters. On six-month rotations to Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirtates, the Raptors have flown approximately 300 sorties in OIR, dropping weapons and providing “mission assurance” to other elements of the strike package, according to U.S. Air Force officials.
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01/19/2016
In February or early March, a combat-coded F-35A from the 34th Fighter Squadron at Hill AFB will release an inert, laser-guided bomb at the nearby Utah Test and Training Range. What will seem ordinary and routine to the pilot will actually be a “monumental achievement” for the multinational F-35 programme, which has been building to this moment since Lockheed Martin won the Joint Strike Fighter contract in 2001.
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01/19/2016
About 1,200 units of modern and modernized weapons and military hardware are expected to be delivered to the Russian Southern Military District forces, according to Commander of the Southern Military District Col. Gen. Alexander Galkin.
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01/19/2016
For Russian Helicopters company, the end of sanctions against Tehran means an opportunity to supply Iran with new military helicopters and after-sales services, according to the Russian state technology company Rostec.
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01/18/2016
The deepening in bilateral defense collaboration between non-aligned Nordic states Sweden and Finland is expected to include the establishment of joint units and the sharing of naval and Air Force infrastructure. Moreover, Sweden remains interested in selling the JAS Gripen-E to Finland, which has begun the process of replacing the Air Force’s F/A-18 C/D Hornet aircraft, which are scheduled to be retired between 2025 and 2030.
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01/18/2016
US Coast Guard Air Station Astoria received a yellow-painted MH-60 Jayhawk helicopter at its base in Warrenton on Jan. 15, in celebration of 100 years of Coast Guard aviation. The Jayhawk helicopter, the first of all this year’s specially painted aircraft delivered by the Coast Guard to an operational unit, arrived from Coast Guard Aviation Logistics Center in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and will operate out of the Warrenton base for the next 4 years.
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01/18/2016
Fighting Falcon F-16, an American built multi-role fighter jet, has enjoyed a deep-rooted relationship with Pakistan for over three decades. Thanks to its design, it offers an almost complete solution to the tactical and narrowed strategic demands of a compact Air Force like Pakistan’s. Its matchless aerodynamics and upgraded avionics put it a notch above its peers of third generation fighters.
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01/18/2016
Congratulatory messages on several social networking sites flowed in big numbers from Pakistanis around the world saying kudos to their Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on his first ‘sale’ of 8 JF-17 thunder jets to Sri Lanka, but within a few days, it came down with a thud when Sri Lanka said, “Sorry we call it a day with the deal.” Several Pakistani media also quoted that the deal for JF-17s will be inked during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s three-day visit to Colombo that took place two weeks ago.
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01/18/2016
One domestic issue with many foreign policy implications currently generating much national and international interest is that of $2.1 billion arms procurement deal. Under the Goodluck Ebele Jonathan (GEJ) administration, the $2.1 billion was earmarked to purchase arms for the prosecution of the anti-Boko Haram war.
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01/18/2016
With barely a week left for the arrival of French President Francois Hollande in the national capital, a crucial deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets from France has hit turbulence. Nine months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced in Paris India’s plans to buy the fighter aircraft directly from the French government, officials of the finance wing of the Ministry of Defence are worried about the high costs of the warplanes, which has turned out to be the way above their calculations.
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01/18/2016
The ongoing search for 12 Marines who are missing after two helicopters crashed off Hawaii entered the third day with no plans Sunday to call off or suspend the massive effort, the Coast Guard said. While high surf complicated the mission for rescuers on the water, a green laser off Haleiwa Beach Park on Saturday night struck a Coast Guard plane, forcing crew members to alter search patterns.
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01/18/2016
The Canadian minister of defense has openly favored a ground operation against Daesh instead of airstrike-only campaigns. But Canada’s army has a more important job to do at home: engage more women and minorities into the military service. Someone else will have to do the dirty job in the Middle East in the end, most likely.
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01/18/2016
The fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighter and the Y-20 heavy-lifting transport plane are about to enter the initial production stage, the observers said. Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine, said the newest J-20 prototype must be tested to inspect technical changes designers made to it based on test results from earlier prototypes.
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01/18/2016
Currently, Russia has only one aircraft carrier in service – the Admiral Kuznetsov. It was built in the Ukrainian SSR, at the Nikolayev shipyards. After the USSR collapsed in 1991, Russia lost access to the facilities which built all Soviet aircraft carriers. As a result, Moscow was forced to create its own aircraft carrier industrial base.
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01/16/2016
Russian Kamov Ka-52 (NATO reporting name “Hokum-B”) helicopters would be about to deploy to Syria according to a source who talked to ITAR-TASS.vThe attack choppers will be used to protect the Russian Task Force deployed to Hmeymim airbase, near Latakia, as well as to conduct CSAR (Combat Search And Rescue) missions as the one launched to rescue the two pilots who ejected from the Su-24 Fencer shot down by a Turkish Air Force F-16 in November 2015.
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01/16/2016
For starters, the subsonic, twin-engine jet costs $20 million, and operating costs dial in at around $3,000 per flight hour, according to a BBC report by Russell Hotten. For comparison, the efficient A-10 Thunderbolt II, otherwise known as the “Warthog,” costs an initial $19 million and operational costs are estimated at $17,716 per flight hour, though these numbers will vary based on year and modifications.
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01/16/2016
The federal government wants to know if hacked trade secrets are aiding the rise of an army of Chinese androids. At least one China-backed cyberspy operation reportedly snared robotics research from QinetiQ, a Pentagon contractor and the supposed inspiration for gadget-maker “Q” in the James Bond movie franchise.
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01/16/2016
Government and military leaders should make a decision this year about the fate of the Croatian Air Force combat aircraft. In April last year, the National Defence Council decided to retain combat air force capabilities and acquire Western-type aircraft. However, in the meantime, the government and military leadership have reportedly changed their minds.
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01/16/2016
Two Marine Corps helicopters carrying six crew members each collided and went down off the Hawaiian island of Oahu while on a nighttime training mission, and rescuers searched choppy waters Friday where debris had been sighted, military officials said. There was no immediate word on the fate of those aboard or what caused the accident.
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01/16/2016
Italy’s Defense Ministry has ordered the deployment of four AMX fighter aircraft and one Predator drone to its Birgi base near Trapani, Sicily, amid concerns over the situation in Libya, the General Staff said.
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01/16/2016
The turboprop aircraft can fire guided rockets, Dawlat Waziri told the Pajhwok Afghan News agency. The jets would help bolster the Afghan Air Force, he added. A-29 Super Tucano, manufactured by Brazilian Embraer aerospace company, is able to carry out advanced training, border surveillance and internal security missions.
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01/16/2016
The Philippines will offer the US military use of eight bases, a military spokesman said Wednesday after the country's Supreme Court supported a security agreement with Washington; the deal was implemented following the onset of rising tensions with China.
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01/16/2016
Serbia eyes buying Russian-made Tor, Pantsir, and Buk air defense systems as well as MiG-29 jet fighters, in response to Croatia’s plans to purchase US-made MGM-140 ATACMS tactical missiles.
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01/16/2016
Lebanon is due to receive the second arms shipment from France in April, a year after Paris sent the first batch of weapons to Beirut, local media reported Friday.
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01/15/2016
A defense publication reported this week that the Pentagon is preparing to formally delay its long-standing proposal to retire the nation’s fleet of A10 Warthog attack planes, which includes the dozen or so flying out of Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County.
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01/15/2016
Vietnam is negotiating with American and European manufacturers to purchase new warplanes—including fighters, maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned aircraft. The move comes as part of Hanoi’s strategy to lessen its dependence on Russian hardware and to counter China’s growing power.
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01/15/2016
The Department of Defense disclosed on December 30 that it has ordered 32 more C-130J Super Hercules airlifters from Lockheed Martin, the first installment of a multiyear contract for 78 of the four-engine turboprops that will ultimately be worth $5.3 billion.
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01/15/2016
With just days to go before French President Francois Hollande arrives in India, a crucial deal for Delhi to buy 36 French-built Rafale warplanes has not yet been decided. Speaking to Reuters today, the French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that the deal remains evasive, underscoring the considerable differences between negotiators for both sides, nearly nine months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Paris and announced the plans to buy the fighter jets directly from French.
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01/15/2016
The first Japan-made stealth plane will take to the skies in its maiden flight over central Japan next month. The experimental aircraft is designed as a testbed for the stealth technology planned to be incorporated into the next-generation fighter jet for the Air Self-Defense Force. The combat aircraft will be replacing the ASDF's F-2 fighter jets in fiscal 2028 at the earliest, if all goes according to plan.
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01/15/2016
The Russian government on Thursday posted on its legal information portal the full text of the agreement with Damascus on the deployment of the Russian combat air group in Syria.
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01/15/2016
Boeing, which has maintained and supported the U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon trainer fleet for 16 years, will do that for another ten years through a new contract worth up to $855 million. The company will work on avionics, cockpit displays, control panels, and communications systems for 456 of the aircraft as well as upgrading 37 aircrew training devices.
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01/15/2016
The Bulgarian parliament approved amendments to the defense legislation in the first reading on Thursday, allowing NATO member countries to participate in patrolling the country's airspace, local media reported.
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01/15/2016
Russian Air Force will practice intercepting targets with advanced Su-30SM multirole fighters, capable of air-to-air and air-to-ground strikes and equipped with a wide variety of precision-guided munitions.
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01/15/2016
The French Air Force carried out several airstrikes against terrorist targets in the Iraqi city of Mosul, the French Defense Ministry was quoted as saying by Reuters.
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01/14/2016
Defense Secretary Ash Carter signaled Wednesday that the U.S. military will expand efforts to target Islamic State militants beyond the group's territory in Iraq and Syria, potentially involving airstrikes and raids in other Islamic countries. “The threat posed by ISIL, and groups like it, is continually evolving, changing focus and shifting location,” Carter said, using an alternative acronym for the Islamic State group.
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01/14/2016
Further exports of the Sino-Pakistan JF-17 “Thunder” combat aircraft have been reported, following an initial sale last year, which is now known to be 16 aircraft for Myanmar. According to Pakistan's President Mamnoon Hussain, Azerbaijan and Nigeria are both interested. But a proposed sale to Sri Lanka has been opposed by India, according to unconfirmed reports.
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01/14/2016
Vietnam is negotiating with American and European manufacturers to purchase new warplanes—including fighters, maritime patrol aircraft and unmanned aircraft. The move comes as part of Hanoi’s strategy to lessen its dependence on Russian hardware and to counter China’s growing power.
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01/14/2016
The Air Force is delaying plans to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt attack plane due to its usefulness in the campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. Officials say the “Warthog” will still need to be shelved at some point to make room for newer warplanes, but the timeline for its retirement has been thrown off due to increased demand from commanders who now depend on the Warthog to bomb Islamic State targets, Defense One reported, citing unnamed Air Force sources.
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01/14/2016
The Bulgarian Air Force could have its ageing Soviet-made combat aircraft replaced by new multi-role warplanes in the next three to three-and-a half years, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev said on Wednesday. The government commission tasked with studying the available options is expected to submit a report by the end of March, Nenchev told bTV broadcaster.
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01/14/2016
Iran freed 10 U.S. sailors on Wednesday, a day after detaining them aboard two U.S. Navy patrol boats in the Gulf, bringing a swift end to an incident that had rattled nerves just before the expected implementation of a landmark nuclear accord.
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01/14/2016
Six of the U.S. Air Force’s B-52 bombers can now take flight with a greater variety of weapons, thanks to enhanced internal weapons bay launchers delivered by Boeing [NYSE: BA]. The upgraded launchers allow the B-52 to carry GPS-guided or “smart” weapons in the weapons bay for the first time and are ready for use.
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01/14/2016
China is concerned about a growing number of "Chinese-origin" terrorists within Daesh group, which is banned in a range of countries, including Russia and the United States, the newspaper said on Wednesday.
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01/14/2016
According to the sources four F-16s and two F-4 combat aircraft were involved in the operation. Turkish warplanes destroyed Kurdistan Worker's Party (PKK) shelters and warehouses in the Avasin-Basyan, Gare and Zap camps in northern Iraq. The positions were identified by drones prior to the attack.
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01/14/2016
The Russian aerobatic team Russkiye Vityazi (Russian Knights) on Wednesday completed preparations for a performance at the international air show in Bahrain, the Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said in a statement.
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01/13/2016
The Iranian military took control of two U.S. Navy vessels and their crew Tuesday after the boats apparently strayed into Iran’s territorial waters, U.S. officials said. The circumstances surrounding the incident, which comes at a volatile moment in U.S.-Iranian relations, remained unclear late Tuesday. Senior U.S. officials said they expected the crew of ten to be released from Iranian custody Wednesday morning.
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01/12/2016
Korean Air signed a deal late last month with the state-run munitions procurement organization to mass produce a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, for military reconnaissance missions, the top air carrier said on Sunday. The budget for the deal with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, which will conclude in 2020, totals 400 billion won ($334 million), and Korean Air will receive 230 billion won through 2018 in its initial phase.
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01/12/2016
With no fanfare other than the fading rumble of its four turbo-prop engines, one of Patrick's well-worn HC-130P/N King aircraft - number 65-00976 - disappeared into the afternoon sky heading into retirement at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the aircraft retirement "bone yard," in Arizona.
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01/12/2016
The Air Force Chief Scientist said F-35 pilots will be able to control a small group of drones flying nearby from the aircraft cockpit in the air, performing sensing, reconnaissance and targeting functions. At the moment, the flight path, sensor payload and weapons disposal of airborne drones such as Air Force Predators and Reapers are coordinated from ground control stations.
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01/12/2016
This is according to military analyst Aleksandar Radic, who spoke for the Beta agency."It is not possible to realize these promises and obviously these are empty stories and intentional deception. These promises have so far mainly come from the Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, and this time from Chief of General Staff General Dikovic," Radic said, adding that this was "heard the least from the one who should have said it the most - Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic."
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01/12/2016
As Benjamin Baker wrote last week in The Diplomat, the JF-17 Thunder, a low-cost multi-role fighter built collaboratively by China and Pakistan, has run into some problems on the global fighter market. Recently, every time it appears to have locked down a buyer, problem crop up. Malaysia became the latest supposed buyer of the JF-17 to come out publicly and say that there was no finalized deal.
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01/12/2016
India and France are close to a deal to buy 36 combat planes from Dassault, India's defence minister said on Monday, after months of wrangling over price and other terms of the sale.
French President Francois Hollande is due in New Delhi this month as a guest of honour at a military parade and the two sides are expected to seal the pact for the Rafale fighters either just before he arrives or during the visit.
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01/12/2016
An air regiment of Russia's Eastern Military District (EMD) will receive its first two Su-35S fighter jets soon, the head of EMD's press service said Monday. "Two new Su-35S 4++ generation jets are due to enter service with the EMD air regiment deployed in Primorsky Territory," Col. Alexander Gordeyev told reporters.
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01/11/2016
Fairchild Air Force Base gave a behind the scenes look of its KC-135 refueling tanker for the first time in two years on Friday. They allowed KREM 2 cameras on the plane as they headed out to put fuel in six F-15s in Oregon and one C-17 in Lewis-McChord.
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01/11/2016
On Jan. 9, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes using fighter, attack, bomber, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq using rocket artillery, fighter, bomber, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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01/11/2016
The Sri Lankan government cancelled a deal to buy Pakistani fighter jets after a “diplomatic missive” from India, reports The Indian Express. New Delhi reportedly told Sri Lanka that its current defence requirements meant it did not need the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, whilst also sending a negative technical assessment of the aircraft.
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01/11/2016
The Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces have decided that Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft returning home from anti-piracy activities off the coast of Somalia will give priority to stopping along the way at bases of countries facing the South China Sea, including the Philippines and Vietnam, according to sources.
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01/11/2016
The US Air Force wants to double the number of units flying drones and recruit more pilots to decrease the burden on current crews as demand for the missions soars. The Air Force also recently allowed enlisted airmen to become drone pilots for the first time as the military increasingly uses unmanned aircraft for surveillance, protecting US soldiers on the ground and attacking targets.
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01/11/2016
The prime minister of Iraq claimed this weekend that the country’s air force does a better job striking Daesh across the country than the whole US-led '60+ nation' coalition.
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01/11/2016
Russian navy fleet in 2016 will see a significant broadening of training for captains and captains' senior assistants on ships with naval aviation on board, according to naval aviation Chief Igor Kozhin.
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01/11/2016
Four of Russia's airborne troop units received the newest combat equipment supplied in bundles which included the Verba man-portable surface-to-air defense system with the Barnaul-T automatic control system, as well as a single learning and training set, according to a military official.
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01/09/2016
Seven Turkish fighter jets entered Greek air space over the northeastern and southeastern Aegean without permission on Friday, according to local military officials. A formation of six planes breached Greek air space twice, while one jet flying on its own made a single incursion.
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01/09/2016
The French military is continuing to build its fleet of NH90-TTH helicopters, ordering six additional tactical transport aircraft. The order to NH Industries from the French defense procurement agency DGA, bringing the number of Caiman model helicopters ordered to 74, of which 44 will have been delivered by 2019.
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01/09/2016
China will consider developing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after it gains enough experience in operating large vessels, Senior Captain Zhang Junshe with the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute said.
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01/09/2016
An MQ-1 Predator drone crashed Thursday in Iraq but was destroyed and is not in militant hands, the Air Force said in a news release Friday. The remotely piloted aircraft was flying a combat mission when airmen lost control of the aircraft. The craft was not hit by enemy fire, the Air Force said, but an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.
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01/09/2016
The KC-135 Stratotanker fleet at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, flew more than 14,700 sorties in 2015 accumulating 103,419 combat hours in support of Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel. “We provide refueling to every flying unit in the area of responsibility which is Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan and supported 12 coalition nations,” said Lt. Col. James Murray, the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron director of operations.
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01/09/2016
Nigeria plans to buy three JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter jets this year from Pakistan for $25 million, which would make the West African country the first export operator of the warplanes. The Nigerian government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has also set aside money to buy 10 PAC Super Mushshak basic trainers and two Mi-35M helicopters, Nigerian newspaper Punch reported Wednesday.
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01/08/2016
Not withstanding conventional arguments that Russia’s intervention in Syria has sharply increased its influence in the Middle East, Moscow may ultimately find that its gains do not outweigh its losses from the venture. Much will depend on whether, when and how Syria’s civil war ends.
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01/08/2016
During a three-day state visit to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sealed a landmark deal for the purchase of eight Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft.
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01/08/2016
British media confirms that British air campaign in Syria has ground to a complete stop. US media confirms US air campaign in northern Syria has stopped following Russian anti aircraft missile deployments.
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01/08/2016
The Army wants to fuse 3-D imagery to enable its aviators to control manned and unmanned aircraft. The goal is to help UAV operators as they "transition from their current roles actively piloting vehicles to serve instead as Mission Commanders supervising highly intelligent autonomous systems," according to the Army Small Business Innovation Research solicitation.
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01/08/2016
Korea Aerospace Industries and Indonesia have reached a cost-sharing agreement for the development of their next generation KF-X/IF-X fighter aircraft. KAI President Ha Sung-yong (C) signs the work assignment agreement with PTDI head Budi Santoso in Jakarta on January 7, 2016.
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01/08/2016
Lockheed-Martin and the Pentagon’s F-35 Program Office say they’ve finished delivering jets for 2015, increasing their yield from last year by 25 percent. Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman with the F-35 Joint Program Office at the Pentagon, said 45 F-35’s were delivered, which met Lockheed and the program office’s delivery goal for the year and exceeded last year’s deliveries by nine jets.
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01/08/2016
The federal cabinet is reviewing options to bolster Canada’s role in the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State that run the gamut from maintaining surveillance and refuelling aircraft to clandestine operations, military and government officials say.
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01/08/2016
The Defense Department is set to expand its fleet of Super Hercules aircraft, a hi-tech workhorse that mixes versatility with toughness. The DOD is awarding Lockheed Martin a contract worth more than $1 billion to build 32 of the C-130 Super Hercules. It is part of a $5.3 billion contract to eventually provide the U.S. Air Force with 78 of these aircraft - 30 MC-130Js, 13 HC-130Js and 29 C-130J-30s and the U.S. Marine Corps six KC-130Js.
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01/08/2016
The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $54.3 million contract in December 2015 to upgrade the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) on the AH-64E Apache helicopter, bringing color to the cockpit for the first time.
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01/07/2016
Flying under the radar has long been the aim for pilots on secret missions. Now scientists have developed a lightweight anti-reflective coating based on the structure of a moth's eye that could make aircraft invisible to radar. The secret to the new coating is the creation of millions of tiny hollow spheres of carbonised sugar, arranged in a tightly-packed hexagonal monolayer.
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01/07/2016
The U.S. reportedly was sending a WC-135 "sniffer" plane Wednesday to check on North Korea's claim of setting off an underground hydrogen bomb as Defense Secretary Ashton Carter and his South Korean counterpart conferred on a possible response. Susan Romano, a spokeswoman for the Air Force Technical Applications Center, said that the Air Force "as a matter of policy" does not discuss the operations of the WC-135 Constant Phoenix.
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01/07/2016
Six Zambian Air Force pilots have completed training on Hongdu Aircraft Industry Group’s L-15 lead-in fighter trainer. As the first export customer for the type, Zambia will soon introduce it into active service. Hongdu, part of China’s Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC), announced on 28 December that the first Zambian pilots and maintenance personnel had completed conversion to the supersonic L-15 Falcon.
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01/07/2016
On Tuesday, four Tornado combat aircraft of the German Luftwaffe were deployed to the Turkish airbase at Incirlik to support the war against ISIS in Syria. According to the official web site of the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces), the combat jets will conduct their first sorties toward the end of this week. On January 12, two more fighter jets will follow.
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01/07/2016
Last month, Daesh forces (aka IS) launched a surprise offensive against five separate targets in Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq. It was quickly confirmed that members of the Canadian Special Operations Regiment (CSOR) deployed in the area as trainers were involved in the combat effort to contain and ultimately repel the Daesh attackers.
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01/07/2016
A recent directive by the US secretary of defence that pits strike fighters against ships in the navy’s next five-year spending plan will be a showdown to watch going into 2016, with increases in F-35C and F/A-18 spending coming at the expense of the Littoral Combat Ship.
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01/07/2016
The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $31.8 million contract in December 2015 to sustain the AH-64D/E Apache’s targeting and pilotage system, the Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS).
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01/07/2016
Two civilian aircraft took off from the Meilan Airport of Haikou, capital of Hainan Province and landed at the airfield on Yongshu Jiao in the Nansha Islands. They flew back to Haikou on Wednesday afternoon. “China's testing of a newly-built airfield is nothing more than an effort by the country to better serve the needs of the great many vessels and seafarers using one of the world's busiest shipping lanes,” Wang Haiqing wrote for an article in Xinhua.
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01/07/2016
The Indian Ministry of Defense is busy finishing up a final agreement, which is expected to be signed during French President Francois Hollande’s visit to India later this month, the Indian newspaper Financial Express reported.
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01/06/2016
Turkey is getting ready to widen the reach of its military considerably by building a multipurpose aircraft carrier with “trans-continental” capabilities. The 225-meter ship dubbed the Anadolu (or Anatolia), set to enter service in 2021, is designed to take fighter aircraft, attack helicopters, tanks, troops, and landing vessels to areas around the Mediterranean and as far as the Atlantic and the Indian Oceans, officials say.
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01/06/2016
A test flight by a civilian plane landed on an island in the South China Sea, the Chinese Foreign Ministry said. It’s the first time the country has done so in the disputed Spratly Islands. Tensions are now high with neighboring Vietnam and the Philippines.
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01/06/2016
On 7 January, Spain will take the lead role for the next four-month, NATO-led Baltic Air Policing (BAP) rotation, as it deploys four Eurofighters to Šiauliai air base in Lithuania.
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01/06/2016
Pakistan to sell eight combat JF-17 Thunder aircraft to Sri Lanka under an agreement signed during Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s visit on Tuesday. The multi-roll fighter aircraft is the joint production of Pakistan and China. Defence officials accompanying the prime minister said that both countries signed eight agreements related to defence, security, anti-terrorism, trade and science and technology and Pakistan would provide eight JF-17 fighter jets to Sri Lanka at the first phase.
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01/06/2016
The Algerian Air Force has ordered 12 Sukhoi (Su-34) 'Fullback' fighter bombers from Russian aircraft manufacturer Novosibirsk Aircraft Production Association to replace an aged fleet of Soviet-era MiG-25s, which are long over-due for retirement from service, as part of an ongoing force modernization program.
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01/06/2016
The Federal Government is proposing to spend N65.03bn for the acquisition of various military aircraft, combat equipment, trucks and maintenance of boats among others in the 2016 fiscal period. Details of this amount are contained in the 2016 budget which President Muhammadu Buhari presented to a joint session of the National Assembly in December, 2015.
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01/06/2016
India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) will conduct a flight demonstration during this year’s Bahrain International Air Show held from January 21-23, The Business Standard reports based on information obtained from India’s Ministry of Defense. “The show will witness flying demonstration of the ‘Tejas’, the latest and state of the art Light Combat Aircraft, the ‘Four-plus’ generation and highly cost effective fighter aircraft,” a defense ministry spokesperson said on January 1.
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01/06/2016
A group of MiG-29 multirole jet fighters will be deployed to the Russian airbase Erebuni in Armenia in the second half of 2016, the press office of the Russian Southern Military District reported. MiG-29 jets which will be deployed to the airbase after being fully repaired have been used to protect Armenia’s airspace within the joint air defense systems of the CIS. They have also been involved in regular training flights in accordance with the combat readiness program.
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01/06/2016
The units of the SDF, which are also supported by Russia, have been advancing on the Daesh forces near the town of Ain Isa in the country’s northern Al-Raqqa province, SDF spokesman, Colonel Talal Selo, said. "We no longer think as we did before that Daesh cannot be defeated," he added.
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01/05/2016
Two industry heavyweights of electronic warfare have been chosen to equip special-mission Lockheed Martin AC-130J and MC-130Js with next-generation radio frequency countermeasures (RFCM) systems that can “detect, disrupt and defeat” anti-aircraft weapons, radars and other threats that use electromagnetic signals.
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01/05/2016
The military concept of delaying or preventing opposing forces from capturing a specific area is as old as warfare. History is littered with brave examples of the few holding off the many, though "famous last stands" are just as numerous. When discussing contemporary anti-access and area denial, however, the focus is typically on naval and aerial operations that establish tactical superiority, not ground operations.
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01/05/2016
China has apparently begun mass production of its new J-20 stealth fighter, making it only the second country in the world to produce radar-evading warplanes on a large scale. But as with all military developments in China, it’s hard to separate fact from Communist Party-sponsored fiction—and equally difficult to predict just how heavily even large numbers of working J-20s could weigh on the military balance of power in the Pacific region.
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01/05/2016
Will the U.S. Air Force’s new stealth bomber be sufficiently survivable? Naive calculations sometimes presume, to quote Stanley Baldwin’s 1932 speech in the House of Commons, that “the bomber will always get through.” History has proven otherwise, and at the start of a ten-year development effort, the LRS-B’s survivability is clearly a known unknowable.
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01/05/2016
The Indian Air Force's quest for a Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) is finally over with the Indian government confirming the order for 36 Rafale jets with the French government. According to sources, documents for the government-to-government deal were delivered by New Delhi to Paris on New Year's eve, and the agreement is on the same lines as that for the Mirage 2000 aircraft signed in the early 1980s. IAF will buy all the Rafale aircraft from Dassault, in a flyaway condition.
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01/05/2016
The Philippine military will look to purchase more than 100 million pesos ($5.77 million) worth of ammunition for two of its new fighter aircraft from South Korea, defense officials confirmed this week. As I reported for The Diplomat in December, the Philippines had received the first two of a dozen new FA-50 jets it had ordered from South Korea, with the remaining jets expected to be delivered through 2017.
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01/05/2016
The Missile Defense Agency awarded Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) a $528 million contract in December 2015 for production and delivery of interceptors for the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) system. The new interceptors will support a growing number of U.S. Army THAAD units.
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01/05/2016
A prototype of the aircraft, developed by the Defense Ministry's Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI), will undergo taxiing and ground trials at the Mitsubishi Heavy Industries testing center in Aichi Prefecture, before taking to the skies 'sometime in February'. It will be flying to the Gifu Air Field in neighboring Gifu Prefecture.
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01/05/2016
In 2015, the Syrian Army, supported by Russia, Iran and Hezbollah, was able to tip the scales against the dark tide of Islamist jihad. Now, the question on geopolitical analysts' minds is whether 2016 will see an end to the brutal conflict, or its escalation and spillover into neighboring countries.
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01/04/2016
A deal has been reached external link which will see Egypt acquire forty-six of a navalized variant of the Ka-52 Alligator helicopter. The Ka-52K was developed to operate on the French manufactured Mistral class helicopter carrier that had been initially ordered for the Russian Navy.
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01/04/2016
The French military says its warplanes have destroyed a site in Syria used by Islamic State extremists to produce missiles and store weapons. The Defense Ministry said in a statement Sunday that the overnight airstrikes targeted a site east of Aleppo, in an operation conducted by Rafale fighter jets using SCALP cruise missiles.
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01/04/2016
In the past year, China's air force held 4 drills over the western Pacific, aimed at enhancing its combat capabilities over long distances and in the open sea. On March 30, aviation troops of the People's Liberation Army, or PLA, flew to the open sea via the Bashi Channel of Taiwan. This was the troops' first exercise in the western Pacific. The next drill took place on May 21. PLA aircraft flew over the Miyako Strait.
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01/04/2016
Three developments emerged clearly from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to Moscow for the 16th Indo-Russian annual summit with President Vladimir Putin. First, making bilateral ties more broad-based by giving the economic partnership between the two nations its due importance. Secondly, efforts towards transforming Indo-Russian strategic ties from a buyer-seller relationship to that of a partnership.
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01/04/2016
As U.S. commanders in Afghanistan look ahead to the 2016 fighting season, they plan to keep force levels steady while deploying special operations troops and “expeditionary advise-and-assist” teams to support the Afghan army’s ground-level fight against the Taliban insurgency, a top U.S. general in Afghanistan said.
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01/04/2016
The T-X program may most likely be the next lucrative military contract available for the defense sector, as the Government looks to reduce military spending. Designed to replace T-38 Talon—originally manufactured by Northrop Grumman Corporation —about 350 aircraft are expected to be ordered at an estimated $8.4 billion. The lifetime cycle for the entire program is expected to be nearly 50 years.
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01/04/2016
China's second aircraft carrier, which is now under construction, will focus on military operations rather than training and technological experiments, according to a senior military researcher. "This carrier will have different missions than those for the Liaoning (the country's first aircraft carrier)," Senior Captain Zhang Junshe with the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute told the official PLA Daily on Friday.
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01/03/2016
The Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA), an official army of South Sudan, has admitted to have recently acquired supplies of shoulder-fired surface-to-air missiles brought through the neighboring countries of Kenya and Uganda, prompting United States government to warn its citizens of danger to fly in South Sudan.
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01/03/2016
Canada has never been a big spender on the military, outside of wartime. And that’s not likely to change on Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s cash-strapped watch. In its first throne speech the Trudeau government promised to review the country’s defence capabilities and “invest in building a leaner, more agile, better-equipped military.” At the same time the government has signaled it intends to hold the line on defence spending.
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01/03/2016
The status of China’s artificial islands in the disputed Spratly archipelago in the South China Sea hit a new milestone on Saturday. China landed a civilian aircraft on Fiery Cross Reef, drawing a sharp reaction from the Vietnamese government.
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01/03/2016
Britain's controversial air campaign in Syria has been branded a “non-event” after it emerged that the Air Force has carried out only one attack on the country in the last four weeks. Since MPs voted for war over Syria on 1 December, more than a month ago, RAF Tornados and Typhoons have mounted only three strike missions – all in the first five days of the operation.
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01/03/2016
In late 2015 Britain revealed that their Reaper UAVs in Iraq had carried out over 230 missile attacks since November 2014 and killed at least 300 Islamic terrorists. The Reapers have flown many more reconnaissance and surveillance missions. While Britain is quite pleased with the performance of their American built Reapers they have also begun using a British made Watchkeeper UAV as well.
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01/03/2016
Crack counter militant troops and a NSG team prepositioned at the Pathankot air base in anticipation of an attack contained the terror strike, minimizing damage to the installation as well as preventing them from entering the technical area that houses fighter aircraft and choppers.
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01/03/2016
After more than a year in limbo, the Navy has decided to shutdown one of its two dedicated special operations helicopter squadrons, in a money-saving reorganization to retain the service's spec ops expertise. In March, the Navy will shutter Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron 84 in Norfolk, which, along with HSC-85, has flown a decade of shadowy missions in war zones with aging helicopters.
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01/03/2016
Canadian fighter jets taking part in the air campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have had a busy start to 2016. The Canadian Forces says two CF-18 Hornets took to the skies on New Year's Day to attack ISIL fighting positions in Ramadi in support of Iraqi security forces.
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01/03/2016
raqi Kurdistan military officials have announced that two brigades of Kurdish armed forces, known as Pesmerga, will undergo reorganization and armament by the US in mid-January.
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01/02/2016
The Canadian government is setting the stage for a multibillion-dollar training program for its military pilots that will see them receive instruction not just on basic skills but also on flying a new fighter jet and other future aircraft.
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01/02/2016
France said on Friday it would buy four C130 Hercules military transport planes from U.S. weapons maker Lockheed-Martin due to problems with European planemaker Airbus's A400M. A Defense Ministry source had said in May that France had penciled several hundreds of millions of euros into its latest defense budget for the possible purchase of those four planes and would make a decision by year-end.
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01/02/2016
China’s first home-made aircraft carrier will be a copy of a Soviet-era vessel with some refinements, with the navy rushing to ramp up its combat capacity as maritime tensions rise in the region, according to analysts. The defence ministry confirmed on Wednesday that the country’s second aircraft carrier was under construction in the port of Dalian.
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01/02/2016
India's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will take part in Bahrain International Airshow this month to explore export potential in what will be the first time the indigenously developed plane will fly outside the Indian air space. Besides the fighter and naval version of Tejas, India will also showcase state-of-the-art airborne platforms and associated sensors and communication systems designed and developed by DRDO.
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01/02/2016
Lockheed Martin will deliver 78 C-130J Super Hercules to the U.S. government through a C-130J Multiyear II contract, which was announced by the U.S. government on Dec. 30, 2015.
Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced the award of more than $1 billion in funding for the first 32 aircraft of the Multiyear contract. The overall contract, worth $5.3 billion, provides Super Hercules aircraft to the U.S. Air Force (30 MC-130Js, 13 HC-130Js and 29 C-130J-30s) and the U.S.M.C. (six KC-130Js).
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01/02/2016
Two of the attackers have been killed, The Times of India said early on Saturday. The attack started at 03:30 a. m. local time on Saturday, according to NDTV. An official car was used to launch the attack, NDTV said citing authorities.
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01/02/2016
Despite being one of the fastest combat aircraft in the world, the Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) supersonic interceptor went out of production in 1994. However, as Russia still requires this type of aircraft to protect its sizeable airspace, the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is already working on a new combat aircraft which will eventually replace the old reliable Foxhound.
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01/02/2016
Russia has successfully completed testing of the newest multi-purpose Mi-38 helicopter. The Federal Air Transport Agency has issued a certificate of compliance with the requirements of the Mi-38 aircraft standards. This means that the helicopter will launch into production in 2016.
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01/02/2016
The flight crew of Russia’s Eastern Military District (EMD) air regiment carried out over 4,000 flights aboard the advanced Su-30SM Flanker jets this year, the head of EMD’s press service said Thursday.
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