Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

India, US forces to hold air exercises with Japan as observer

04/10/2023

The Indian and US air forces will hold exercises with Japan as an observer, keeping up the high pace of multilateral and bilateral military drills among the countries of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue, or the Quad. India, the United States, Japan and Australia make up the Quad. Called Cope India, the exercises are being held after a gap of four years for 11 days starting on Monday at the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal.

Rolls Royce makes big offer for India’s fighter aircraft engine program

04/10/2023

In order to ensure that India will own all Intellectual Property (IP), Rolls-Royce has expressed its willingness to co-develop a new engine that will not be based on the Eurojet EJ200, a low-bypass turbofan used as the powerplant of the Eurofighter Typhoon. The EJ200 was developed by four companies under a multi-national engine manufacturing consortium.

Turkey: Possible US Sale Of F-16 Aircraft – Analysis

04/09/2023

In February 2023, Secretary of State Antony Blinken publicly confirmed that the Biden Administration supports a possible sale of F-16 fighter aircraft to Turkey, and has engaged Congress on the issue. According to January 2023 media reports citing unnamed U.S. officials, the Administration informally notified Congress of its intent to sell 40 new F-16s in the Block 70/72 Viper configuration (F- 16Vs) and Viper upgrade packages for 79 existing fighters, along with 900 air-to-air missile.

US, Australian military planes arrive in PH for Balikatan preps

04/09/2023

Military aircraft from the United States and Australia have arrived in the Philippines days before the start of the Balikatan exercise next week. This year’s Balikatan, with a focus on maritime defense, coastal defense, and maritime domain awareness, will be held from April 11 to 28 in various areas in the country, including Palawan, Antique, and parts of Northern Luzon.

Defenders Of Ukraine Eliminate Another 570 Invaders, Down Combat Aircraft And 7 UAVs. General Staff Reports Enemy Losses

04/09/2023

Units of the Defense Forces of Ukraine during the battles at the front on April 7 eliminated 570 servicemen of the Russian Armed Forces. In total, in the full 408 days of the war, the defenders have destroyed 177,680 occupiers.

Strike Eagles join Lightning II’s at Keystone of the Pacific

04/09/2023

F-15E Strike Eagles from the 336th Fighter Squadron, Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina, arrived at Kadena Air Base, Japan, April 8, 2023, to ensure continuous fighter presence through the phased return of Kadena’s fleet of F-15C/D Eagles to the United States.

FIRST FLIGHT TEJAS TRAINER FOR INDIAN AIR FORCE

04/09/2023

On 5 April 2023, the first production Tejas LCA-T Mk1, serial LT5201, took to the air for a 35 minute flight. This trainer is the first of eight aircraft that were ordered in the first batch of 40 Tejas LCA Mk.1 fighter aircraft, consisting of 32 single seat and 8 dual seat.

China flies fighter jets near Taiwan after the leader's trip to the U.S.

04/09/2023

China sent warships and dozens of fighter jets toward Taiwan on Saturday, the Taiwanese government said, in retaliation for a meeting between the U.S. House of Representatives speaker and the president of the self-ruled island democracy claimed by Beijing as part of its territory.

Leonardo at LAAD with multi-domain platforms and technologies to suit operational needs

04/08/2023

Leonardo is participating at the 13th edition of LAAD Defense & Security, in Rio de Janeiro 11-14 April, the most important trade exhibition in Latin America. After the recent selection of the Centauro II 120mm armoured vehicle made by the CIO Consortium - of which Leonardo has an equal share with Iveco Defense Vehicles – and in the frame of the Brazilian programme “VBC Cav - MSR 8×8”, the company is now focused on its land defence systems.

3rd Light Combat Aircraft production line opened, 100th Su-30 MKI ROH handed over to IAF

04/08/2023

Defence Secretary Giridhar Aramane on Friday inaugurated the third light combat aircraft (LCA) production line and also handed over the 100th Sukhoi-30 MKI repaired and overhauled (ROH) aircraft to the Indian Air Force at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited's Nashik Division. Aramane appreciated the HAL's efforts in taking up the challenge of setting up an ROH facility for Su-30 MKI and also establishing a new production line for LCA manufacturing.

Russia believed to have sabotaged Slovak MiG-29s provided to Ukraine

04/08/2023

The minister said that while there were parts of the engine Slovak experts could access, there were also parts only accessible to Russian experts. Defects appeared only in the parts where the Russian experts could access, he said. The Slovak army stopped using the planes in August 2022 and they were transferred to Ukraine in March 2023.

Russia To Arm Its MiG-31D Jet With Anti-Satellite Missiles, IL-76 With Combat Lasers To Down Hostile Space Assets

04/08/2023

The information was disclosed in the military journal “Military Thought” published by the Ministry of Defense, Ria reported. According to the article, the Russian military has developed mobile anti-satellite combat systems that can be relocated. These systems include the Kontakt anti-space defense complex, based on the MiG-31 heavy fighter interceptor, the A60 Sokol-Echelon combat laser system mounted on the IL-76 transport aircraft, and the Peresvet combat laser system.

Strengthening Sweden’s military defence and preparations for NATO membership

04/06/2023

Today the Government has presented investment proposals that will be included in its Spring Amending Budget. The proposals aim to create conditions for the continued growth of Sweden’s military defence and make preparations for NATO membership. Increased appropriations totalling SEK 660 million are proposed in the Spring Amending Budget for 2023. In addition, it is proposed that the Swedish Armed Forces’ authorisation to place orders be increased by SEK 16.78 billion.

After 5-year lapse, second Saudi Eurofighter Typhoon deal not dead – but not close

04/06/2023

Despite being trapped in limbo for five-years, there are signs that the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia remains interested in buying an additional tranche of Eurofighter Typhoons — and that the government in London would support such a sale if KSA wants to move forward.

India’s Tejas, Rafale, Su-30MKI to dogfight against USAF F-15E Strike Eagle fighter bombers in Cope India air exercise

04/06/2023

The air forces of India and US will meet at Kalaikunda air base, India next week to resume the Cope India air exercise. Cope India 2023 will be held from Apr. 10 to Apr. 21 and “further enhance operational capability and interoperability between the two air forces”.

Bakhmut, Marinka remain epicenter of fighting - Ukraine's General Staff

04/05/2023

The cities of Marinka and Bakhmut in Ukraine's Donetsk region remain the epicenter of hostilities, with about 20 enemy attacks repelled by Ukrainian defenders near Bakhmut throughout the day. The General Staff of Ukraine's Armed Forces said this in a situation update on Facebook, according to Ukrinform.

NATO Fighter Jets Fly in ‘Large-Scale’ Joint Training Over Baltics

04/05/2023

More than 20 fighter jets from NATO allies and partners joined a “large-scale” training exercise over Baltic airspace. The activity commenced at Amari Air Base in Estonia and was joined by military forces from the US, the UK, Finland, Germany, France, Estonia, and the Netherlands. The exercise saw the deployment of L-39 Albatrosses, F-15 Eagles, Eurofighter Typhoons, F/A-18 Hornets, Rafales, and F-35 Lightning IIs.

PORTUGUESE F-16 JETS CONDUCT FIRST ALERT SCRAMBLE IN LITHUANIA

04/04/2023

On April 2, 2023, two Portuguese F-16 fighter jets from NATO's Baltic Air Policing mission launched from Šiauliai, Lithuania, to identify and escort an IL-76 Russian military aircraft. The Russian aircraft was flying from mainland Russia to the Kaliningrad exclave above international waters off the Baltic Sea coast of Estonia.

Sweden’s defence spending suggests they will catch up

04/04/2023

The Swedish government is on track in their aim to meet Nato’s target to spend 2.0% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on shoring up their defence according to the GlobalData report: Sweden Defence Market 2023-28.

Battle of Kyiv: tactics and tricks that saved Ukrainian capital

04/03/2023

On 2 April 2022, the Russian army was forced to retreat from the vicinities of the Ukrainian capital. After more than a month of heavy fighting, Ukrainian defenders partially destroyed the invading force around Kyiv and pushed the Russians back to neighboring Belarus. What was supposed to be an overwhelming blitzkrieg became a complete debacle for the Russian forces.

Rafale F4.1 Standard Qualified For Fielding

04/03/2023

The French Directorate General of Armaments (DGA) announced that the new Rafale F4.1 standard has been qualified and is now ready for fielding. While the announcement was released just few days ago, the qualification arrived on March 13, 2023, shortly after the first aircraft in the new configuration was delivered to the Base Aérienne 118 at Mont-de-Marsan.

Air force downs unidentified aircraft in north amid escalating tensions with Iran

04/03/2023

Air force combat helicopters and planes downed an unidentified aircraft that appeared to have crossed into Israeli airspace from Syria on Sunday, the military said. The incident came amid escalating tensions between Israel and Iran related to Iran’s presence on Israel’s northern border, and after a series of airstrikes attributed to Israel in Syria.

China to pair new battle drone with J-20 stealth fighter jet, says report

04/03/2023

China's most sophisticated stealth fighter plane, the J-20 Mighty Dragon, will be operated alongside a new cutting-edge combat drone that the country is developing, which may equal the jet's speed. J-20's and the FH-97A's fuselage designs are comparable, indicating that the FH-97A might perhaps fly as quickly as the Mighty Dragon, claims a South China Morning Post (SCMP) report from Saturday.

332d AEW conducts first FARP operation at cluster base in combat AOR

04/02/2023

Airmen from the 332d Air Expeditionary Wing executed a first-of-its-kind Forward Arming and Refueling Point operation at a cluster base in a combat area of responsibility. During the FARP operation, an MQ-9 Reaper from the 361st Expeditionary Attack Squadron was rapidly refueled and re-armed by members of the 26th Expeditionary Rescue Squadron.

Ten Chinese aircraft cross Taiwan Strait median line, island’s defence ministry says

04/02/2023

Ten Chinese aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait median line, normally an unofficial barrier between the mainland and the island, Taiwan’s defence ministry has said. Nine Chinese fighter jets and one military drone crossed the median line in the 24 hours to 6am on Saturday, the ministry said in its daily report on Chinese military activities.