Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Lockheed Martin Awarded $118 Million Contract To Provide Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods and LANTIRN ER Navigation Pods To Turkish Air Force

01/08/2010

Lockheed Martin has signed a foreign military sales contract to deliver Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods (ATPs) and LANTIRN™ Enhanced Resolution (ER) navigation pods to the Turkish Air Force. Valued at $118 million, the contract will provide Sniper ATP and LANTIRN ER navigation pods to equip Turkish Air Force F-16 Block 40 and Block 50 Peace Onyx aircraft.

Boeing, United Arab Emirates Announce Order for 6 C-17s

01/08/2010

Boeing and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Air Force and Air Defence today announced that the UAE has signed a contract for the acquisition of six Boeing C-17 Globemaster III advanced airlifters. The UAE, which announced in 2009 that it would modernize its airlift capabilities with the C-17, is the second Middle East nation to order the airlifter.

Korea Sets Goal of $1.5 Bil. of Arms Sales This Year

01/06/2010

The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) has set a goal of achieving $1.5 billion in defense exports this year, up 28 percent from last year's 1.17 billion, the largest amount ever.

Brazil Air Force prefers Swedish jets-report

01/06/2010

The Brazilian Air Force would prefer to buy its next-generation fighter jets from Sweden, putting it at odds with President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's preference for French planes, a newspaper reported on Tuesday.

India to develop 25% of fifth generation fighter

01/06/2010

Scrutinising the Sukhoi Corporation’s work on the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) — a project that India will soon sign up to co-develop — gives one an idea of Russia’s size, and its aerospace expertise. During daytime, in Moscow, the Sukhoi Design Bureau conceptualises FGFA components; by 10 pm the drawings are electronically transmitted over 5,000 kilometres to a manufacturing unit in Siberia. Here, at KnAAPO (Komsomolsk-on-Amur Aircraft Production Organisation) — seven time zones awa

India Summons French Reinforcements

01/06/2010

The Indian government has overruled its air force and approved French assistance in bailing out an Indian attempt to develop an engine for the Indian designed LCA (Light Combat Aircraft, or "Tejas"). The French engine manufacturer Snecma will provide technical assistance that will cost the Indians over $200 million. Earlier last year, the Indian air force had asserted that Snecma assistance would not bail out the ill-fated Kaveri engine program. But the government apparently believes that it is

Boeing CH-47F Chinook Helicopter Fielded by 5th US Army Unit

01/06/2010

Boeing today announced that a fifth U.S. Army unit has fielded the CH-47F Chinook helicopter. The 6th Battalion, 101st Combat Aviation Brigade, based at Fort Campbell, Ky., completed all required training and officially assumed operation of 12 CH-47F Chinooks on Dec. 8.

Upgraded RAF flight simulator is top gun

01/05/2010

STAFF at a Lincolnshire air base have sung the praises of a new advanced flight simulator.

India, Russia close to PACT on next generation fighter

01/05/2010

Late last year, a defence ministry delegation to Sukhoi’s flagship aircraft facility in Siberia became the first Indians to set eyes upon the next-generation fighter that is slated to form the backbone of the future Indian Air Force (IAF). In that first meeting, carefully choreographed by Sukhoi, the new fighter, standing on the tarmac waved a welcome to the Indians, moving all its control fins simultaneously.

Typhoon Remains In Demand

01/05/2010

Securing Tranche 3 was a victory of sorts for Eurofighter in production of the Typhoon: It guarantees additional work to 2016, but the procurement number is less than half of that originally agreed.

Eurojet Bolsters Engine Offer for India's LCA

01/05/2010

Eurojet of Germany has offered India aircraft engine technology to power India's homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mk2 version.

Russo-Indian 5th-gen fighter to commence flight tests in January

01/04/2010

Russia has started initial tests of its futuristic fifth generation stealth fighter jet, dubbed the PAK-FA programme, which it is partnering with India. The PAK-FA, or the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, as it is referred to in India, hopes to match, or outperform, the American F-22 Raptor.

Forecasts 2010: Defence - selection headaches

01/04/2010

Controversy will remain the buzzword in the defence sector during 2010, with long-running processes to select a new tanker for the US Air Force and a new-generation fighter for Brazil likely to grab early headlines.

Combat ready

01/04/2010

Claims that the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) F/A-18D Hornets are not combat-ready as they are not equipped with source codes are erroneous.

Making Sense of Sensor Data

01/03/2010

As the U.S. military buys more and more sensors, cameras and surveillance gear, it also is purchasing systems to turn the new data feeds into usable information for soldiers.

Why JTRS Can't Handle UAV Video

01/03/2010

More and more U.S. troops are viewing video feeds directly from UAVs - and that is highlighting what is either poor planning or fresh evidence of how hard it is to anticipate future needs.

86th AW expands U.S. Air Forces Africa support with first Super Hercules flight

01/03/2010

The first C-130J Super Hercules mission in support of U.S. Air Forces Africa, or 17th Air Force, opened up doors to a future partnership of support between the 86th Airlift Wing and upcoming missions into Africa.

Raptors to deploy to Guam

01/02/2010

Fifteen F-22 Raptors are scheduled to deploy to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, in January 2010 for approximately three months.

Egypt clinches new F-16s deal

01/01/2010

U.S. Aerospace giant Lockheed Martin has clinched a deal to sell at least 20 advanced F-16 jet fighters to Egypt.

Russia to commission new stealth bomber in 2025-2030

01/01/2010

Russia’s new strategic bomber will use stealth technologies and is expected to enter service in 2025-2030, the commander of Russia’s strategic aviation said on Tuesday.

‘It’s India’s decade in aviation’

12/31/2009

India’s capability of building state -of- the art fighter planes and rockets would be put to test in the New Year.Scientists are confident of propelling the country’s aerospace industry into a new orbit in the coming decade.

UK sanctions purchase of third F-35B Joint Strike Fighter news

12/31/2009

Lockheed Martin has announced that the United Kingdom has sanctioned funds for the purchase of its third Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II operational test aircraft. The decision, it said, reinforced the UK's continued commitment to the Joint Strike Fighter programme's upcoming Operational Test and Evaluation (OT&E).

Sukhoi delivers two Su-34 bombers to Russian Air Force

12/31/2009

After supplying modernised Su-24M2 bombers, the Sukhoi Company has delivered two Su-34 frontline fighter bombers to the Russian Air Force.

Sukhoi Fighter Starting Flight Tests

12/30/2009

The prototype of Sukhoi’s fifth-generation fighter, known as PAK-FA or T-50, has started taxi trials with an aim to make first flight early in January, industry sources say.

Pilot son lost to MiG-21 crash, father turns to help school he saved

12/30/2009

Flight Lieutenant Manu Akhouri’s greatest passion was flying. As a child, his only toys were planes and helicopters and he would rush out to see aircraft flying past. His father, Colonel Sanjay Akhouri, doesn’t know whether the students in a government school at Bhisiana village of Gidderbaha did the same when Manu’s plane went down nearby on September 10, reportedly as the 24-year-old made his best to ensure he didn’t crash into the building.