Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Air Force jets intercept Russian aircraft near Alaska

02/15/2023

Four Russian aircraft, including a fighter jet and bomber, flew into a buffer zone of international airspace near Alaska Monday, according to a release from the North American Aerospace Defense Command on Tuesday, prompting a handful of U.S. Air Force jets to scramble and intercept them.

AI Has Successfully Piloted a U.S. F-16 Fighter Jet, DARPA Says

02/15/2023

On Monday, the US Department of Defense’s research agency, DARPA, announced that its AI algorithms can now control an actual F-16 in flight. The fighter aircraft that was first introduced in 1978 has now seemingly evolved into an autonomous plane.

DoD artificial intelligence agents successfully pilot fighter jet

02/14/2023

A joint Department of Defense team executed 12 flight tests in which artificial intelligence, or AI, agents piloted the X-62A Variable Stability In-Flight Simulator Test Aircraft, or VISTA, to perform advanced fighter maneuvers at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., Dec. 1-16, 2022. Supporting organizations included the U.S. Air Force Test Center, the Air Force Research Laboratory, or AFRL, and Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA.

Air Force mulls remote control of drone wingmen

02/14/2023

The Air Force is studying whether drone wingmen flying alongside piloted fighter aircraft could be controlled by operators in nearby battle management aircraft or refueling tankers, according to Chief of Staff Gen. CQ Brown. The future fleet of collaborative combat aircraft, or CCA, as the service calls the concept, could involve them being partially guided from nearby aircraft such as the KC-46 Pegasus or E-7 Wedgetail, Brown said in a discussion at the Brookings Institution on Monday.

US F-16s Could Pose ‘Serious Challenge’ To Russia’s Su-35, MiG-31 Jets; Its Kill Must Be Incentivized — Russian Captain

02/14/2023

According to Vasily Dandykin, the West failed to break Russia last year despite providing Ukraine with a host of weapon systems, and therefore have resorted to delivering the tanks, long-range Ground Launched Small Diameter Bombs (GLSDBs), and maybe after that, even the combat aircraft.

Winning the battle for the skies of Ukraine

02/13/2023

Winning the battle for the skies of Ukraine is just as important as winning the fight on the ground. Despite recent moves by the United States and NATO allies such as Germany to end their previous objections to supplying Ukraine with heavy armor, their reticence to do the same for aircraft remains.

Taiwan reveals Chinese military balloons fly ‘very frequently’ into its airspace

02/13/2023

Taiwan has observed dozens of Chinese military balloon flights in its airspace in recent years, far more than previously known, adding to concerns that Beijing could be preparing for an attack on the country. “They come very frequently, the last one just a few weeks ago,” said a senior Taiwanese official. Another person briefed on the matter said such incursions were happening on average once a month.

Russian soldier death rate highest since first week of war - Ukraine

02/13/2023

Russian soldiers are dying in greater numbers in Ukraine this month than at any time since the first week of the invasion, according to Ukrainian data. The Ukrainian data shows 824 Russian soldiers dying per day in February. The figures were highlighted by the UK's Ministry of Defence. The figures cannot be verified - but the UK says the trends are "likely accurate". The increase comes as Ukrainian officials say that Russia has launched a "big offensive".

US military shoots down another flying object over Lake Huron

02/13/2023

The US has shot down another unidentified flying object, this time over Lake Huron near the Canadian border, in what is the fourth such incident this month. It was downed by Air Force and National Guard pilots on Sunday, Michigan Congresswoman Elissa Slotkin said. "Great work by all who carried out this mission," she wrote on Twitter.

U.S. F-22 Has Shot Down An Unidentified Object That Violated Canadian Airspace

02/12/2023

Another day, another “unidentified object” has been shot down by a U.S. Air Force F-22. It’s the third “kill” scored by a Raptor in a few days: the first one was the famous Chinese high altitude balloon shot down on February 4, 2023, at 2:39 p.m. by an F-22 Raptor, belonging to the 1st Fighter Wing from Langley Air Force Base, shot down with an AIM-9X infrared-guided air-to-air missile off the coast of South Carolina and within U.S. territorial airspace.

Poland hesitant to send fighter jets to Ukraine over fears it could deplete national fleet

02/12/2023

Poland, among the first to promise tanks to Ukraine, is now hesitating to send fighter jets to its neighbor over fears that it would deplete its own air force’s already small fleet of combat aircraft. President Andrzej Duda told BBC sending F-16 aircraft would be a “very serious decision” that was “not easy to take,” even after meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky this week during his marathon tour through Europe, in which he called for additional air support.

Ukrainian Fighter Pilot Says F-16 Jets The ‘Optimal Choice’ To Battle Russia Over British Eurofighter Typhoons

02/12/2023

As Ukraine continues to request Western-made fighter jets to strengthen its military capabilities against Russia, a Ukrainian fighter pilot has expressed his opinion that the US-made F-16 jets are the “optimal choice” above the extremely capable British Eurofighter Typhoons.

Military Jets Shoot Down 'Object' Over Northern Alaska Just Days After China Spy Balloon

02/12/2023

U.S. fighter jets intercepted and shot down an aerial object over the coast of Alaska on Friday, less than a week after a Chinese spy balloon traversed the country before being destroyed. The latest object was at 40,000 feet above the state's northern coast and judged to be a threat to civilian air traffic when an F-22 Raptor hit it with a Sidewinder missile, according to the Pentagon. President Joe Biden gave the shootdown order after it was detected by U.S. Northern Command on Thursday.

India opens its stealth fighter jet programme to private players

02/11/2023

Developers of India’s stealth fighter jet have opened doors for private players. The Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), under development by the Bengaluru-based Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) of the DRDO (Defence Research and Development Organisation) for close to two decades, is a fifth-generation, medium-weight, multirole, and twin-engine aircraft

Ukraine not getting jet fighters ‘under any circumstances’ in coming weeks – Macron

02/11/2023

Macron said priority should be given to “more useful” and “faster” types of weapons, in the later case meaning ones that could quickly be brought into battle by Ukraine. Despite Ukraine having already requested fighter aircraft several times over the past few months, Macron said that in his opinion the supply of combat aircraft “today does not meet (Ukraine’s) needs.”

Why China's and Russia's 5th-generation stealth jets don't quite live up to the hype, according to a former US Navy pilot

02/11/2023

Beijing and Moscow have increasingly close military ties, sharing hardware and technology. Each has also touted the capabilities of their respective latest jet fighters — even as some experts have continued to downplay the purported attributes.

Fighter jets for Ukraine: The challenges of giving warplanes to Kyiv

02/11/2023

Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelensky spent much of the past week touring European capitals, appealing to leaders to send his country fighter jets. At the start of Russia's full-scale invasion, Ukraine was believed to have around 120 combat capable aircraft - mainly consisting of aging Soviet-era MiG-29s and Su-27s. But officials say they need up to 200 jets to match Moscow's air-power - which is thought to be five or six times greater than Kyiv's.

U.S. Shoots Down High-Altitude Object Over Alaska

02/11/2023

The Pentagon shot down an unidentified object over frozen waters around Alaska on Friday at the order of President Biden, according to U.S. officials, less than a week after a U.S. fighter jet brought down a Chinese spy balloon over the Atlantic. U.S. officials said they could not immediately confirm whether the object was a balloon, but it was traveling at an altitude that made it a potential threat to civilian aircraft.

Sweden's Saab pitches both single, 2-seater variants of Gripen fighter jet to IAF

02/11/2023

As India continues its hunt for 114 combat jets, Swedish aerospace and defence major Saab on Thursday pitched its single- and two-seater variants of the Gripen combat aircraft to the Indian Air Force.

Britain to train Ukraine combat fighter pilots

02/10/2023

British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak has committed to training Ukrainian combat jet pilots, according to a statement made ahead of a Feb. 8 visit to London by Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. Sunak also offered to bolster other initiatives, including training Ukrainian marines and supplying unspecified longer-range weapons. The deal could also be expanded to include military helicopter pilots, according to recent testimony given to lawmakers.

Ukraine war: Zelensky takes fighter jet bid to EU leaders

02/10/2023

Ukraine's leader has called on EU leaders to provide fighter jets and arms for the war against Russia, on his second trip abroad since the war began. "We have to enhance the dynamics of our co-operation, we have to do it faster than the aggressor," said Volodymyr Zelensky. He was earlier given a standing ovation at the European Parliament in Brussels.

North Korea's antique fighter jets are still keeping the US and South Korea on their toes

02/09/2023

North Korea's missile program had a record-setting year in 2022, but Pyongyang has been using its aging air force to keep its neighbors on their toes as well. On October 6, 12 North Korean jets were detected practicing air-to-ground attacks near the DMZ, prompting South Korea to scramble 30 of its fighters. Two days later, North Korea conducted a massive aerial drill reportedly involving as many as 150 aircraft.

Dual-use airfields and expressway strips: A great asset for air power and nation building

02/07/2023

Airport development being a capital intensive and ‘long lead time’ project of national interest, it is desirable that requirements of both Ministry of Defence and Ministry of Civil Aviation converge so as to optimally utilise the newly constructed airports

US Air Force Prepares For ‘Ultimate Clash’ With China’s J-20 Stealth Fighters; USAF Gets 1st Fifth-Gen Aggressor Pilot

02/07/2023

The US Air Force (USAF) has finally got its first fifth-generation aggressor pilot for the recently reactivated 65th Aggressor Squadron (AGRS) at Nellis Air Force Base (AFB), Nevada. The Commander of the USAF’s Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center (AFOTEC), Brig. Gen. Trey “Lou” Rawls has become the first general officer to be certified as a fifth-generation aggressor pilot on the F-35A Lightning II aircraft with the 65th AGRS.

Ukraine working on receiving first squadron of foreign combat aircraft Foreign Minister

02/07/2023

Kuleba specified that the base model for Ukraine, considering the supply and access to maintenance, is the American F-16. But this will not necessarily be the first foreign combat aircraft that Ukraine will receive. "I have no doubt that we will open the possibility of supplying combat aircraft," Kuleba emphasised. He added that the only barriers for partners to provide combat aircraft to Ukraine are psychological.