Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

America’s Next Fighter Jet Will Have a Drone Sidekick

09/09/2022

Although the United States’ sixth-generation fighter jet is not yet in service, it is clear that the drones it will fly with will be just as important as the jet itself. However, what remains to be seen is how the development processes for the drones will unfold.

Is HIMARS a Game-Changer in the War in Ukraine?

09/08/2022

More than six months have passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine commenced on February 24. With no end to the war in sight, Ukrainian forces do appear to be slowly gaining the upper hand in the conflict. On August 29, the Ukrainian military announced the beginning of its much-anticipated counteroffensive with the aim of recapturing territory in the country’s south.

F-15 EPAWSS Program Begins Low-Rate Initial Production Installations on F-15E Aircraft

09/08/2022

The U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) program achieved a major milestone on July 19, 2022, when Boeing began installing the Electronic Warfare (EW) system on operational F-15E aircraft at its San Antonio facility. Boeing previously installed EPAWSS hardware on eight developmental test F-15 aircraft and is currently installing the system on the new F-15EX aircraft at its production facility in St. Louis, Mo.

UN Chief Calls for Combat-free Zone at Zaporizhzhya Plant

09/08/2022

UN Secretary General António Guterres has called on Russia and Ukraine to agree on a combat-free zone around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. "The current situation is untenable and the best action to ensure the safety and security of Ukraine's nuclear facilities and its people would be for this armed conflict to end now," Guterres told the UN Security Council in New York.

India to Develop Indigenous AESA Radar for Su-30 MKI Fleet: Report

09/08/2022

India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) will develop an indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the air force’s Su-30 MKI aircraft, Delhi Defence Review revealed, citing sources. The state-run DRDO Electronics and Radar Development Establishment will develop a scaled-up version of the Uttam radar for the Russian-origin fighter in three to four years, the outlet wrote, adding that flight testing will begin in two years.

Singapore reveals it might choose a different F-35 variant

09/07/2022

Singapore is considering buying another F-35 variant despite already selecting and receiving U.S. approval for the “B” version, which can take off from short runways and land vertically, according to a top official with the procurement effort. Speaking to media during a multinational air combat exercise in northern Australia, Major Zhang Jian Wei, who leads his country’s office in charge of the next-generation fighter project, left open the possibility that the nation may choose another variant.

US, British crew get a taste of Australia’s E-7A command planes

09/07/2022

U.S. and British personnel joined a Royal Australian Air Force crew to train on the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft as part of a multinational air combat exercise here in northern Australia.

Taiwan Tracks Military Drone From China in Air Defense Zone

09/07/2022

Taiwan said its forces flew combat air patrols and readied surface-to-air missiles on Monday in response to approaching Chinese aircraft including a military drone, a sign that Beijing's frequent operations around the island are becoming increasingly complex. At least nine People's Liberation Army aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on that day, the Taiwanese defense ministry said.

South Korea, Japan discuss goals at Australia’s Pitch Black exercise

09/07/2022

Japan and South Korea have both sent combat aircraft to Australia for the first time to take part in a large multinational air combat exercise. The South Korean Air Force sent six upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters to northern Australia for the Pitch Black exercise, while the Japan Air Self-Defense Force deployed its F-2A jets.

Air Force faces key questions for next-gen fighters’ drone wingmen

09/07/2022

Over the past year, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has made it clear that “Loyal Wingman”-style combat drones, partnered with stealth fighters like the F-35 or its yet-to-be-revealed sixth-generation fighter, will be a key element of the service’s future tactical aircraft inventory.

Fighter Jets From Germany, Denmark & Sweden Scrambled To Intercept A Private Aircraft That Flew Erratically & Crashed Into The Baltic Sea

09/06/2022

According to the German daily Bild, the plane reported an issue with cabin pressurization immediately after takeoff. Later, officials lost radio communication with the plane, and fighter jets from Germany, Denmark, and Sweden scrambled to intercept it.

Russia ‘shots’ its most advanced fighter – the MiG-35 Fulcrum-F

09/06/2022

Russia is about to fail the most advanced fighter in its fleet. The MiG-35 Fulcrum-F was designed for air superiority, but six prototypes and eight production aircraft have been produced to date. The MiG-35 Fulcrum-F is no ordinary fighter. Little attention is paid to it, both apparently by the Russian government and the Russian media. However, there are no orders. First, it was Egypt, which became interested in this combat aircraft, but subsequently purchased the MiG-29M.

An unexpected air-to-air battle is raging over Ukraine. Here's what we know about the losses on both sides

09/06/2022

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the most sustained air-to-air combat in decades, pitting the Ukrainian Air Force's prewar fleet of roughly 110 operational Soviet-era warplanes (not one purchased after the collapse of the Soviet Union) vs. roughly 1,200 fixed-wing Russian Aerospace Force (VKS) combat aircraft, many relatively new and the rest extensively modernized.

US Navy Assault Ship Takes Part in Baltic Sea Training

09/05/2022

U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge is taking part in international training in the Baltic Sea amid Russia's war in Ukraine and tensions in the region. The Kearsarge is the first ship of the Wasp class to take part in international training in the Baltic in at least two decades. Associated Press journalists visited the ship last week.

Lightning-Speed Deal. Germany to Purchase F-35 for Nuclear Sharing

09/05/2022

In July 2022, the Department of State and the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved the sale of F-35A Lightning II multirole combat aircraft to Germany. This came as a climax of quite a protracted and a rather tragicomic story of Germany’s Luftwaffe purchasing a new carrier of nuclear weapons to carry out “NATO nuclear sharing.”

How the F-35 swept Europe, and the competition it could soon face

09/05/2022

The past four years have proved fruitful for Lockheed Martin in Europe, as six nations have hitched their wagons to the American company’s fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet. Despite calls from French leaders for its neighbors to “buy European,” the F-35 has consistently beat out homegrown candidates in the most recent fighter jet competitions, including the Dassault Rafale, Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon developed by Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.

Iran wants to purchase the ex Egyptian Su-35S fighter aircraft from Russia

09/05/2022

The commander of the Iranian Air Force, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi, says Iran does not refuse to buy Su-35 fighters from Russia. The deal is on the table, but the final decision has not been made yet. Speaking to Barna news agency, he said that Iran is not thinking about buying Su-30SM fighters from Russia, as had been said many times before. Instead, the priority is to buy Su-35 fighters, which can be used for multiple roles.

China's four warplanes, five naval ships cross Taiwan Strait median line as tensions with Taipei simmer

09/04/2022

After the US approved USD 1.1 billion arms package to Taiwan, four aircraft and five ships from China`s military crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of National Defence said it had tracked four aircraft and five ships from China`s military around the country by 5 pm Saturday (September 3), reported Taiwan News.

ALLIED JOINT TACTICAL ATTACK CONTROLLERS TRAIN SKILLS IN CZECH-LED EXERCISE AMPLE STRIKE

09/04/2022

The Czech Armed Forces are hosting the multinational exercise Ample Strike II/Resilient Sky 2022 across the southern parts of the Czech Republic offering theatre-realistic Air-Land Integration (ALI) training. More than 700 participants from the Czech Armed Forces will host approximately 200 international participants from Estonia, Germany, Latvia Slovakia, Slovenia and the United States of America.

Iran Boosts Civil Defense, Lifts Anti-Aircraft Readiness

09/04/2022

Iran has equipped 51 of its cities with civil defense systems and boosted readiness at air defenses to thwart any possible foreign attack, military officials said on Saturday, amid an escalation of tensions with Israel and the United States. The civil defense equipment will enable Iran to “identify and monitor threats by using round-the-clock software according to the type of the threat and risk,” Deputy Defense Minister Brigadier General Mehdi Farahi was quoted as saying by Iranian media.

Germany says it will expand military presence in Indo-Pacific

09/04/2022

Germany will expand its military presence in the Indo-Pacific by sending more warships and joining drills with allies as it keeps an eye on the "enormous" build-up of China's armed forces, the German defence chief told Reuters. Germany is joining other Western nations in showing more muscle in the region amid growing alarm over Beijing's territorial ambitions.

4 Myanmar fighter aircraft reportedly cross into Bangladesh’s air space in Bandarban

09/04/2022

Making the claim, Bandarban Superintendent of Police (SP) Tariqul Islam, said that the incident occurred around 9:20am in the district's Ghumdhum area today (3 September). "Eight to 10 rounds were fired from one of the aircraft. Whereas another aircraft shot 30-35 times.

Ukrainian aviation made more than 40 combat sorties over past day

09/04/2022

This is stated in the report of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine as of 06:00, September 3, published on Facebook. "The enemy continues to focus its efforts on establishing full control over the territory of Donetsk region, maintaining the captured districts of Kherson, Kharkiv, Zaporizhzhia, and Mykolaiv regions. Over the past day, the enemy launched six missile and more than 20 airstrikes on military and civilian objects in the territory of our country.

Exercise Pitch Blank 2022 Is In Full Swing

09/03/2022

After four years of wait the biennial exercise Pitch Blank is back with its largest edition ever. The Australian multi-national large force exercise is now underway, spanning from Aug. 19 to Sept. 8, 2022, and sees over 100 aircraft and 2,500 personnel from 16 countries around the world training together with Australian forces to enhance interoperability and develop strong relationships between participating military forces.

Ukrainian Armed Forces shoot down Russian ground attack aircraft in Kherson region Operational Command Pivden (South)

09/03/2022

An Su-25 ground attack aircraft belonging to the Russian forces, which struck Ukrainian Armed Forces positions in Kherson Oblast has been shot down. "The Su-25 aircraft that was damaged yesterday near Sukhyi Stavok, is confirmed to have been decommissioned from the enemy forces."