Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Viral In Ukraine! NASAMS ‘Shot Down’ Russia’s Su-35 Fighter Jet; Ukrainian Air Force Issues Clarification

11/20/2022

US Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin recently announced that the NASAMS sent to Ukraine were fully operational, and their performance was very impressive. Shortly after, the internet was abuzz with reports about the NASAMS shooting down Russia’s ‘most powerful’ Su-35 fighters.

F-35s From Italy, U.S. And The Netherlands Train Together During ‘Falcon Strike 2022’

11/20/2022

From November 15 to 28, 2022, F-35s from Italy, United States and the Netherlands are training together at Amendola Air Base, in southeastern Italy. The exercise, currently in full swing, is focused on the integration between fifth and fourth-generation aircraft and integration between different allied F-35 operators which, as you may already know, are two increasingly recurring topics since the entry into service of the Lightning II.

Five NATO aircraft carriers hold drills in major naval deployment

11/20/2022

NATO navies are holding manoeuvres in the Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea throughout November, bringing together five aircraft carriers, numerous warships and thousands of sailors. Carrier activities will include anti-submarine and air warfare drills, deck-to-deck aircraft transfers and at-sea resupplying.

Japan nears deal to develop next-generation fighter with U.K., Italy

11/19/2022

Japan has entered the final stages of talks with the U.K. and Italy to jointly develop and build a next-generation fighter jet, marking a turning point as Japan looks beyond the U.S. for defense cooperation. Tokyo will also consider revising its export rules to allow for defense equipment sales abroad, hoping to reduce development costs for the new plane and boost the domestic defense industry.

Taiwan tracks 15 Chinese military aircraft, 3 naval ships around country

11/19/2022

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 15 Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. Thursday (Nov. 17) and 6 a.m. Friday (Nov. 18). Of the 15 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, seven were monitored in the southwest corner of Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), including four Chengdu J-10 fighter jets, one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare plane, one Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and one Guizhou BZK-007 reconnaissance drone.

Airbus Offers South Korea A ‘Win-Win’ Strategy To Export Its FA-50 Fighting Eagles To Western Europe

11/19/2022

The proposal was made by Michael Schoellhorn, CEO of Airbus Defense and Space, during a meeting with South Korean Industry Minister Lee Chang-yang in Seoul. Both sides are also exploring ways to strengthen collaboration in aviation, space, and other mobility industries. The Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy of South Korea stated on November 16 that Airbus proposed a “win-win strategy” that would involve exporting South Korean aircraft to Western European nations.

Football-sized device could transform how Air Force collects F-35 data

11/19/2022

An Air Force test and evaluation squadron hopes a football-sized device mounted in an F-35 fighter's weapons bay might revolutionize how it collects in-flight data on operational fighter jets. Air Combat Command’s 59th Test and Evaluation Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada earlier this year started adding these devices, dubbed the Quick Reaction Instrumentation Package, or QRIP, to operational F-35s.

How Leonardo’s M-346 helped Italy to become a training Master

11/18/2022

Leonardo is bolstering the credentials of its M-346 thanks to an international school established with the Italian air force – and the airframer is hoping that further sales of the type will follow soon.

Navy asks Boeing to make final procurements of airborne infrared sensors for stealthy Super Hornet attack

11/18/2022

U.S. Navy air combat experts are asking electro-optics engineers at the Boeing Co. to procure 19 airborne infrared search and track (IRST) systems to help Navy combat jets detect enemy aircraft without using radar.

Pakistan’s JF-17 Block-3 Fighter Surfaces With ‘Deadly’ Upgrades; German Expert Compares With India’s LCA Tejas

11/18/2022

A photo of a pilot wearing an advanced Helmet Mounted Display (HMD), claimed to be from inside a JF-17C (or Block III), went around on social media. Also, another report about the jet being further upgraded also interested observers. Reported to share some of the technology from China’s J-20 ‘Mighty Dragon’ stealth fighter, the JF-17 is expected to replace the Pakistan Air Force’s (PAF) aging fleet of Chengdu F-7 and Dassault Mirage-III/V.

A ‘Ridiculously Clean’ Su-24 Flanker Spotted In Dark Grey Coating; Military Watchers Explain The Ukrainian Paint Scheme

11/17/2022

The 59th Separate Motorized Infantry Brigade’s staff sergeant shared pictures of Ukrainian soldiers on his Facebook page as Russian forces were routed in the Kherson region. The photo that caught the most attention was of the Su-24M Flanker.

Here’s all the military planes that keep falling short on readiness

11/17/2022

A new federal watchdog report has flagged a troubling trend among U.S. military aircraft: More than two dozen fleets haven’t met their annual combat-readiness goals in at least a decade. The Government Accountability Office studied 49 types of airframes across the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps for its Nov. 10 report. Those platforms make up the bulk of American military airpower.

Can the Air Force train new pilots without planes?

11/16/2022

Airmen are gearing up for what could be the most consequential move in military pilot training since the Air Force was created in 1947: teaching students to fly without stepping foot in a real airplane. The new program, known as “Air Mobility Fundamentals-Simulator,” is the Air Force’s next step in a yearslong attempt to modernize pilot training without sacrificing quality. It’s also an opportunity for the service to embrace more cost-effective technology and retire its 30-year-old fleet of T-1A

Doomed to Failure — Russia’s Efforts to Restore its Military Muscle

11/16/2022

After almost nine months of aggression against Ukraine, Russia has burned through, and seen destroyed, enormous stocks of arms and munitions. It cannot fully replace them. Faced with an acute loss of advanced components and industrial equipment as a result of Western sanctions, the Russian defense industry will simply be unable to compensate for its losses in the foreseeable future.

Exercise fuels relationship with South Korea

11/16/2022

For the first time, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has provided valuable air-to-air refuelling support in South Korea during Exercise Vigilant Storm 23. A RAAF KC-30A multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) and aviators from 33 Squadron deployed to the exercise from October 28 to November 5. Exercise Vigilant Storm is one of several exercises routinely held by the United States and South Korea, and is intended to enhance combined defence posture and strengthen combined air operations.

Accelerating capability for the fleet: The case of the CMV-22B

11/16/2022

In a period of global competition and conflict, the liberal democracies need to accelerate their capabilities to defend themselves and to find ways to enhance their deterrent capabilities not just for the long haul but in the short to mid-term.

Poland To Carry Out Maintenance, Repair Of F-16 Fighters - Prime Minister

11/15/2022

14th November, 2022) Poland will carry out maintenance and repair works on US-made F-16 fighter jets, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said on Monday.

MiG-31 Armed With Kinzhal Missile Spotted Over Belarus; Russia Orders More Hypersonic Weapons Amid Ukraine War

11/15/2022

Citing the “Belarusian Hajun Project” Telegram channel, the report stated that a MiG-31 with the number RF-92339 was flying over Belarus and carrying a hypersonic missile. A photograph was subsequently released as evidence of the aircraft over Minsk. While the MiG-31s armed with Kinzhal missiles remain reportedly deployed in Belarus, Russia’s Defense Ministry has meanwhile ordered an additional batch of Tsirkon (Zircon) hypersonic missiles, as reported by the state news agency TASS.

Inside Block 4—The Mostly Secret Plan For Making The F-35 Fighter Even More Lethal

11/15/2022

The F-35 fighter is the most advanced tactical aircraft currently in production anywhere. Its low-observable (“stealth”) features give the plane a radar signature similar to that of a steel golf ball, and its onboard sensor fusion gives the pilot unprecedented situational awareness. Designed to perform a diverse array of missions, from air-to-air combat to precision bombing to radar jamming to intelligence gathering, the F-35 is so capable that 16 countries have signed up to buy it—and more wil

South Korea likely to bag Royal Malaysian Air Force deal, not India

11/14/2022

State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has left no stone unturned to close the Royal Malaysian Air Force deal for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark 1A. Amidst the changing political landscape in that country, it is said that South Korea is on the brink of closing the deal.

With Over 2000 Pilots Killed, China Is Struggling With Its Aviators Despite Three Aircraft Carriers & An Enormous Air Force

11/14/2022

According to a Chinese media report, the J-10 project was greatly aided by a five-person team of Chinese test pilots trained to fly US warplanes aircraft in the UK. This also paved the way for creating the technologically sophisticated J-20 fifth-generation aircraft. The SCMP report claimed that Lei Qiang, the son of a Korean war pilot and a member of the five-person team, was chosen to fly the first flight of the J-10 on March 23, 1998.

Taiwan Counters China With Combat Aircraft, Missiles As 36 PLA Warplanes Encroach Island

11/14/2022

In a major development, China has again sent its military fighter jets and bombers near Taiwan, resulting in the Island responding with aircraft in CAP, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems. According to the Taiwan defence ministry, at least 36 fighter jets and three People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessels were detected near the median line in the Taiwan Strait on November 13.

Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter jets take to the skies at Bahrain Airshow

11/13/2022

Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter jets performed breathtaking aerial feats at the Bahrain International Airshow, demonstrating the combat capabilities of Pakistan’s premier multi-role aircraft to thousands of spectators.

South Korea’s second KF-21 fifth-gen advance fighter jet prototype completes maiden flight

11/13/2022

South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter jet's second prototype conducted its first flight. The fighter jet took its first flight out of Korean Aerospace Industries near Sacheon airport, South Korea. It is to be noted that the first prototype of the aircraft took flight four months ago. Reportedly, the aircraft stayed airborne for around 35 minutes, based on the information provided by Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the South Korean procurement agency.

Russia’s ‘Bayraktar Duplicate’ UAV Shot Down By Kyiv Forces; Moscow Brings Several Rare Drones To Ukraine War

11/13/2022

Images of a destroyed Russian UAV resembling Turkish-made Bayraktar drones have surfaced online. The Russian drone is a rare UAV called the ‘Corsair’ or ‘Korsar,’ not to be confused with the Ukrainian Korsar Infantry Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs).