Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Inside the Air Force’s Secret PsyOps Plane

05/28/2010

Name a recent U.S. military operation, and you can pretty much guarantee that a specially modified Air Force plane was somewhere in the vicinity, trying to influencing the minds of the people below. It’s called the Commando Solo. Ordinarily, civilians are not allowed on board.

U.N. Official Set to Ask U.S. to End C.I.A. Drone Strikes

05/28/2010

A senior United Nations official is expected to call on the United States next week to stop Central Intelligence Agency drone strikes against people suspected of belonging to Al Qaeda, complicating the Obama administration’s growing reliance on that tactic in Pakistan.

Taking A Ride On An Osprey

05/28/2010

Today our Fox News team was invited to climb aboard an incredible aviation invention known as the "Osprey" during Fleet Week celebration here in New York City. The Osprey, or V-22 as it's known, takes off and lands like a helicopter, but flies like a plane with it's tilt-rotor design.

Lockheed Martin Awarded Contract For Kuwait Air Force KC-130J Tankers

05/28/2010

Lockheed Martin has received a $245 million contract from the U.S. Government for the Foreign Military Sale of three KC 130J tanker aircraft to Kuwait. The program will be managed by the U.S. Navy.

Boeing Receives 1st F-16 for Conversion into QF-16 Aerial Drone

05/28/2010

The first retired F-16 Falcon arrived at Boeing's Cecil Field facility in Jacksonville on April 22 to begin conversion into a QF-16 aerial drone.

Gripen NG Demo Flies From its Nest

05/27/2010

Last week the Gripen NG demo was making its Iinternational debut by taking part in the last phase of the Indian evaluation trials for the MMRCA (Medium Multi- Role Combat Aircraft) tender in India.

Military adds acquisition staff to help as Afghan security forces grow

05/27/2010

The military is trying to keep pace with the growth of the Afghan Security Forces by purchasing billions of dollars worth of equipment and infrastructure, and boosting its acquisition staff to oversee the spending.

Boeing X-51A WaveRider Breaks Record in 1st Flight

05/27/2010

In its first flight attempt, the Boeing X-51A WaveRider today successfully completed the longest supersonic combustion ramjet-powered flight in history - nearly three and a half minutes at a top speed of Mach 5.

Boeing Conducts Test Flight of ScanEagle Compressed Carriage

05/27/2010

The Boeing Company successfully flew its ScanEagle Compressed Carriage (SECC) unmanned airborne system (UAS) at a testing facility in eastern Oregon on May 12.

Indian official warns of U.S. defense plan

05/26/2010

For a nation that is increasingly outsourcing its defense needs to the United States, India is warning of the serious pitfalls in such a relations.

BAE offers Qatar unmanned aerial vehicles for surveillance

05/26/2010

Qatar can use the unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) made by BAE Systems for routine surveillance of its oil and gas fields as well as stadiums, a company official yesterday said.

Arab states seek air power boosts

05/26/2010

U.S. and French defense giants are focusing on boosting Arab air power these days.

Local manufacturer unveils aerial engine for military

05/26/2010

Van Buren Township-based Ricardo today unveiled its Wolverine family of engines for unmanned aerial vehicles used by the military for intelligence, border patrols and drug enforcement, in addition to civilian applications.

Team to Provide Special Mission Capability

05/26/2010

Lockheed Martin announced today that it has been awarded a four-year contract to supply the Finnish Air Force with an airborne surveillance system and associated ground systems. The value of this contract is approximately $100 million.

X-51 ordinary-fuel scramjet to fly on Tuesday

05/25/2010

The X-51A "Waverider" scramjet will fly at last next Tuesday, it has been announced. It had been expected that the radical engine - capable of Mach 6 velocities while running on fairly ordinary jet fuel - would fly last December, but budgetary and scheduling difficulties have delayed the project.

Dutch parliament wants out of F-35

05/25/2010

The Dutch parliament has voted to pull out of the F-35 joint strike fighter program and cancel an order for one jet the nation has already placed, according to Defense News, which confirmed the development with the Dutch Embassy in Washington.

Lockheed to deliver Sniper ATPs to Royal Saudi Arab Air Force

05/25/2010

Lockheed martin has signed a $40 million foreign military contract for the delivery of Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) to the Royal Saudi Air Force.

US high-tech arms to India stumble on safeguards

05/25/2010

India’s marked shift towards American weaponry is, paradoxically, leading towards a flashpoint between New Delhi and Washington. Over the next three months, key American military platforms — including the AH-64 Apache attack helicopter, the C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft and the M777 ultralight howitzer (ULH) — come to India for user trials. But New Delhi’s reluctance to sign two technology safeguard agreements demanded by the US could lead to India paying top dollar for American equipment

China Extends Military's Reach

05/25/2010

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) is transforming a one-time barefoot peasant army into a modern and deployable military, racking up operational hours in an anti-piracy naval mission in the Gulf of Aden as military officials study strategic airlifter requirements.

New helicopters delivered to troops

05/25/2010

Beefed-up helicopters have taken to the skies in Afghanistan as part of efforts to give British troops more firepower on the frontline.

What is the Air Force doing with space?

05/25/2010

The military uses for space travel are legion: besides the obvious utility of being able to launch weapons much more quickly at a target, it can be used to prevent military action through advanced intelligence gathering.

PAF getting 18 new training jets at P660M

05/25/2010

The Air Force will receive a new batch of 18 brand-new SF-260 basic training aircraft before the Air Force Day celebration on July 2. The jets are being assembled at a facility in Clark Air Base. The whole package is costing the government P660 million.

Massive airship to carry cargo, help military

05/24/2010

They may look like the blimps you see over major sporting events, but E-Green Technologies CEO Michael Lawson is quick to point out: They are airships.

Tensions rise in Korea as Obama promises military support

05/24/2010

Tensions have escalated sharply on the Korean Peninsular, where the sinking of a South Korean warship has created a "highly precarious" situation, increasing the risk of a flare-up in the 60-year old conflict, Hillary Clinton, the US secretary of state, warned on Monday.

Her Majesty's Righteous Reapers

05/24/2010

Four years ago, Britain decided to deploy a force of MQ-9 Reaper UAVs. Since last year, at least two British Reapers have been in Afghanistan at any one time. Britain has now ordered a total of 13 Reapers. The first British Reaper entered service in Afghanistan three years ago, and have, since then, spent over 10,000 hours in the air.