Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

India’s LCA Navy And MIG-29K Trap Aboard New Aircraft Carrier Vikrant

02/07/2023

The Indian Ministry of Defense announced the maiden landing of an LCA Navy and MIG-29K fighters aboard the Indian Navy's new aircraft carrier INS Vikrant. INS Vikrant is the first indigenous Aircraft Carrier and the most complex warship ever built by our country. It is a matter of pride that the ship has been designed in-house by Indian Navy’s Warship Design Bureau and constructed by M/s Cochin Shipyard Limited. The ship had sailed for maiden Sea Trials on 04 Aug 21.

Canada deploys military aircraft over Haiti to disrupt gangs

02/06/2023

The Canadian government said on Sunday it deployed a military aircraft over Haiti to address what it called a "dire security situation" and to support efforts to disrupt the activities of Haitian gangs. Canada said in a statement that it supports the Haitian National Police and deployed a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) CP-140 Aurora long-range patrol aircraft in response to Haiti's request for support as violence continues to escalate in the country.

Western Combat Aircraft Could Deter Russian Attacks, Report Says

02/06/2023

Ukraine will need Western-made combat aircraft if it is to resecure its skies against Russian invaders, an examination of the air war over Ukraine has concluded. Kyiv’s ground-based air defense missiles have done well in repelling air attacks and preventing the Russian Air Force from achieving air superiority.

Egypt efforts to modernise aircraft inventory to drive defence expenditure at 3.9% through 2028

02/06/2023

The US provides Egypt with $1.3 billion of military assistance annually to facilitate the transition from the outdated Soviet era equipment to advanced equipment made in the US and other Western nations. Against this backdrop, Egypt’s defence expenditure spending, inclusive of the US military funding, is forecast to register a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.9 percent from $9.4 billion in 2024 to $11 billion in 2028, says GlobalData, a data and analytics company.

A Swedish-made fighter jet could tip the scales against Russia in Ukraine, but it might not get there any time soon

02/06/2023

Contrary to all expectations, Ukraine's air force remains in the fight almost a year after Putin launched his shambolic invasion. Yet feats of force preservation and adaptation mustn't obscure that the Air Force's Soviet-vintage MiG-29 and Su-27 fighters remain badly outranged by the radars and weapons of modernized Russian Su-30SM and Su-35S fighters and MiG-31BM interceptors. And while transfers of Soviet aircraft and aircraft parts have helped replace Ukrainian losses.

KF-16 Fighter Jet ‘Fires’ During US Defense Secretary’s Visit To Seoul; South Korea To Investigate The Incident

02/04/2023

On January 31, a South Korean KF-16 multi-role fighter aircraft accidentally fired a flare while in flight, prompting the country’s Air Force to investigate the incident, reported South Korea-based Hankyoreh daily. The misfire happened on the same day when Lee Jong-sup, the South Korean defense minister, and Lloyd Austin, the US defense secretary, met in Seoul’s Yongsan Defense Ministry building.

Manned Naval Aircraft

02/04/2023

In the naval domain, both fixed and rotary wing types perform a wide range of missions. These range from fast-jets flying from aircraft carriers for air-to-air and air-to-surface sorties to helicopters being used. One of the most prolific users of manned naval aircraft is the United States Navy and its NIMITZ class aircraft carriers.

What happened in the Russia-Ukraine war this week? Catch up with the must-read news and analysis

02/04/2023

Kyiv’s forces are preparing for the war’s most intense phase, world affairs editor Julian Borger reported from the Ukrainian town of Huliaipole 60 miles (100km) east of Zaporizhzhia city. Russia is relentlessly building up its forces while Vladimir Putin is moving the economy towards a war footing to churn out new tanks and missiles. The chief of the Russian general staff, Valery Gerasimov, has been put in direct charge of Ukrainian operations, a move seen by many analysts as presaging a major o

Stunning ‘Kill Rate’ In Ukraine, Germany To Include IRIS-T Systems In Its $18.5B Missile Defense Shield Program

02/03/2023

According to a defense ministry paper accessed by Reuters, Germany intends to buy eight IRIS-T air defense systems for its armed forces. The defense deal is listed as one of several planned purchases anticipated to be submitted for approval to parliament in the second quarter of 2023.

US, India seek joint production of GE jet engines for HAL’s combat aircraft

02/03/2023

President Joe Biden’s administration has promised to fast-track the approval the General Electric Company of the United States sought to produce in India the engines to power the combat aircraft manufactured by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited. The Biden Administration also agreed to work with the American Congress to lower the barriers for the export of High-Performance Computing technology and source code from the US to India.

53rd Wing’s MUSTANGS: the future of agile data capture and ACE capability

02/03/2023

The 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron hit major milestones in the development and testing of their Multi-Utilization Secure Tactical and Network Ground Station, or MUSTANGS, through its recent participation in Pacific Edge 22. During the exercise, MUSTANGS proved its ability to process, curate, and send F-35A Lightning II data over-the-horizon to a reprogramming laboratory, all in a matter of minutes.

Air Guard Updates 148th Fighter Wing F-16s with Radar Pods

02/03/2023

Subject matter experts from Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command, the Air National Guard, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Reserve Test Center and the 148th Fighter Wing exercised end-to-end employment of the recently fielded AN/ASQ-236 radar pod and planned how the Air National Guard will operationalize the pods for all ANG F-16 fighter aircraft.

Taiwan scrambles jets, missile systems after Chinese PLA aircraft cross median line

02/02/2023

Taiwan activated its missile systems and sent fighter jets into its skies after Chinese aircraft swarmed towards the democratic nation. It’s the latest in a series of provocative moves by Beijing, which views Taiwan as its own territory despite it never having been under Communist rule. Taiwan offers an alternative version of a China that is Western aligned with multi-party elections.

Air Force Says It Needs More Survivable Tankers By 2040

02/02/2023

The U.S. Air Force says it would like to have a fleet of next-generation aerial refueling tankers in service by 2040. At least for the time being, the service says that it is willing to consider a wide range of options for what the tankers might actually look like, but says they will need to be able to provide support in "contested scenarios." Lockheed Martin and Boeing have already been exploring relevant design concepts with blended wing-body planforms and that are at least somewhat stealthy.

Belgium delays Chad’s plans to arm it’s Cessna 208 aircraft

02/02/2023

The Chadian Air Force trying to improve its firepower by upgrading and arming two of its US-donated Cessna 208 ISR aircraft, as it awaits delivery of Turkish Hükus trainer and light attack aircraft. But the effort is facing stiff resistance from the Belgium government which are worried over Chad’s spotty human rights track record.

AN/ASQ-236 Modernizes Air National Guard and 148th Fighter Wing F-16 capabilities

02/02/2023

Subject matter experts from Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command, the Air National Guard, Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Air Force Reserve Test Center (AATC) and 148th Fighter Wing gathered at the Duluth-based Air National Guard flying unit to exercise the end-to-end employment of the recently fielded AN/ASQ-236 Radar pod and create a plan how the Air National Guard will operationalize the AN/ASQ-236 radar pod for all ANG F-16 fighter aircraft, January 24-26, 2023.

Fighter Jet Training At Salt Ash Air Weapons Range

02/01/2023

Operations are scheduled for Monday to Thursday between 9:00am to 5:00pm and Fridays 9:00am to 3:00pm. PC-21 aircraft also operate intermittently on the range in support of Number 4 Squadron combat control and joint terminal attack training. 4 Squadron has programmed training from 31 January to 2 February. Training will run up to 10:30pm to achieve essential night time objectives.

An F-35 Engine Swap Might not Fly Down Under

02/01/2023

An upcoming international airshow in Geelong, Victoria calls attention to a high-stakes domestic U.S. aerospace industry competition with profound ramifications for Australian defense. As the former chief spokesman for the U.S. 7th Fleet in Japan and later, the U.S. Pacific Fleet in Pearl Harbor, I want to highlight for airshow attendees that the most significant aviation asset available to deter possible Chinese aggression is the F-35A Lightning II.

January 30, 2023 Russia-Ukraine news

01/31/2023

The "constant" fighting in and around the eastern Ukraine city of Bakhmut has been "a living hell" as Russian forces try to take control of the Kostiantynivka-Bakhmut highway, a Ukrainian commander said in an interview on Ukrainian television Monday.

122nd Fighter Wing trains to win during Guardian Blitz

01/31/2023

The 122nd Fighter Wing executed Guardian Blitz, a training exercise with approximately 180 Airmen and ten A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft with the main force located at MacDill Air Force Base and a smaller, contingency force located at Moody Air Force Base, Jan. 23 - Feb. 4, 2023. The 122nd FW performed Guardian Blitz with proactive airpower maneuvers called Agile Combat Employment.

France not ruling out fighter jets to Ukraine, US says no to F-16

01/31/2023

On Monday, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that he would not completely rule out the possibility of France sending fighter jets to Ukraine. During a news conference after Macron met with Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte in The Hague, Macron was questioned about the possibility of handing over fighter jets to Ukraine as a deterrent against Russia’s invasion of the country. “Nothing is excluded in principle,” he said.

One Dead, One Missing After Fighter Jet Crashes in Greece

01/31/2023

The body of the co-pilot of an F-4 Phantom fighter jet of the Hellenic Airforce that crashed on Monday morning in the Ionian Sea, off western Greece has been recovered. The pilot is still missing as a major search and rescue operation is currently underway to locate and rescue him.

China’s ‘Best Selling’ Fighter Jet, Notorious For Crashes Like India’s MiG-21, Nears Full Retirement

01/31/2023

China started to retire the J-7 in earnest since the year 2018. However, Chinese experts have now opined that the legacy aircraft may be decommissioned entirely from the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force this year, state-run Global Times reported. The reason cited for this is China’s burgeoning sophisticated fighter jet production.

Ukraine news – live: Russian mercenary group claims it has taken village as Zelensky hopes for fighter jets

01/30/2023

Ukraine has said its forces repelled an attack in the area of Blahodatne in the eastern part of the Donetsk region on Sunday, responding to claims by Russia’s Wagner private military group that it took control of the village. “Units of Ukraine‘s Defence Forces repelled the attacks of the occupiers in the areas of ... Blahodatne ... in the Donetsk region,” the General Staff of Ukraine‘s Armed Forces said in its daily morning report, referring to fighting over the weekend.

Scholz doubles down on refusal of fighter jets for Ukraine

01/30/2023

German Chancellor Olaf Scholz doubled down on his rejection of demands by Kyiv to supply Ukraine with fighter jets on the heels of Berlin’s agreement to send battle tanks. “The question of combat aircraft does not arise at all,” Scholz said in an interview with Tagesspiegel published on Sunday. “I can only advise against entering into a constant competition to outbid each other when it comes to weapons systems.”