Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Four Chinese military aircraft enter Taiwan's ADIZ

07/25/2022

Four Chinese military aircraft flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Saturday, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). The MND revealed that the Chinese planes consisted of two J-16 fighter jets, one Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane, and a Y-8 tactical reconnaissance plane.

US military chief warns of ‘significant’ increase in Chinese aircraft intercepts

07/25/2022

Please use the sharing tools found via the share button at the top or side of articles. Copying articles to share with others is a breach of FT.com T&Cs and Copyright Policy. Email [email protected] to buy additional rights. Subscribers may share up to 10 or 20 articles per month using the gift article service. More information can be found at https://www.ft.com/tour. https://www.ft.com/content/73846d05-932a-47a0-997c-6f307083b912 The US military’s top officer said China had become more a

South Korea world's fastest-growing arms exporter now

07/25/2022

South Korea's share of the global arms exports market has nearly tripled and it is now the world's fastest-growing arms exporter. The country's growth in the arms market has vastly outpaced other major market players in recent years, with the nation's arms exports hitting a record high of more than US$7 billion last year.

South Korea restores military drills once reduced to help Trump

07/24/2022

South Korea will bring back joint military exercises with the U.S. that had been scaled down or halted since about four years ago under former President Donald Trump to facilitate his nuclear negotiations with North Korea.

This Is The Clearest Photo Yet Of Chinese Navy’s J-35 Fighter

07/24/2022

The clearest image to date of China's future carrier-borne stealth fighter known as J-35 surfaced this week on Chinese social media Weibo. The twin engine aircraft will be flown by the People's Liberation Army Navy Air Force (PLANAF) from China's future Type-003 Fujian-class aircraft carriers.

Peru: President guarantees support for Air Force modernization

07/24/2022

The President of the Republic and Supreme Chief of the Armed Forces, Pedro Castillo, on Saturday ensured the Government's support for the Peruvian Air Force modernization process. "My administration supports and will support the process of modernizing the Air Force because we want it to be a solid institution, an efficient and effective institution," Mr. Castillo expressed at the ceremony for the 81st anniversary of Air Force Captain Jose Abelardo Quiñones immolation and Peruvian Air Force Day.

Russian missiles hit Ukraine port; Kyiv says it is still preparing grain exports

07/24/2022

Russian missiles hit Ukraine's southern port of Odesa on Saturday, the Ukrainian military said, threatening a deal signed just a day earlier to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports and ease global food shortages caused by the war.

The New B-21 Stealth Bomber to Be Revealed Later This Year, Senator Says

07/23/2022

Sen. Mike Rounds, R-S.D., said the B-21 Raider stealth bomber will finally be revealed to the public later this year, unveiling an aircraft that has been shrouded in secrecy since the program began in 2014. Rounds, the only elected official in a classified visit July 15 to the B-21 Raider production facility in Palmdale, California, said the project is also on track for a first flight in 2023.

U.S. pledges more military aid to Ukraine, peace seems far off

07/23/2022

The United States promised more military support for Ukraine, including drones, and is doing preliminary work on whether to send fighter aircraft, as fighting raged on in the east of the country five months into Russia's invasion. Moscow and Kyiv signed a landmark deal on Friday to unblock grain exports from Black Sea ports. However, representatives declined to sit at the same table and avoided shaking hands at the agreement ceremony in Istanbul, reflecting wider enmity.

Boeing starts EPAWSS integration on USAF’s first two F-15E aircraft

07/23/2022

Boeing has commenced the integration of new electronic warfare (EW) system onto the US Air Force’s (USAF) first two F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft. The new system is being upgraded as part of the F-15 fighter aircraft modernisation programme. Under this modernisation effort, a total of 43 F-15E fighter aircraft will be equipped with the Eagle passive active warning and survivability system (EPAWSS).

Poland to buy three Korean FA-50 squadrons. Bye-bye Su-22?

07/23/2022

According to Vice-Prime Minister Blaszczak, negotiations between Poland and South Korea for the purchase of 48 KAI FA-50 light fighters are almost concluded. The Vice-Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, Mariusz Blaszczak, announced in an interview to the weekly «Sieci» that Poland will buy South Korean weapons. These will include 48 FA-50 fighter planes, as well as 180 K2 Black Panter heavy tanks and more than 600 K9 155 mm howitzers.

The US military now seems open to gifting Ukraine new fighter jets, but what type?

07/23/2022

Since March, Ukraine has been pleading for Western fighter jets that could eventually replace the aging, worn-down MiG-29s and Su-27s that have been lost in combat. Now, it finally appears that the US Air Force may be willing to transfer some of its unused jets and begin training Ukrainian pilots.

Turkey’s First Beyond-Visual-Range Air-to-Air Missile Gökdogan Successfully Test-Fired

07/22/2022

The Gökdogan beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile, developed by TÜBITAK SAGE as a part of the GÖKTUG Project, has successfully completed another test-fire. Turkish Defense Industry President Ismail Demir posted footage of the aforementioned test-fire on his social media account.

Czech Republic Announces Plans to Buy 24 F-35 Fighter Jets

07/22/2022

The government of Czech Republic has authorized its defense ministry to facilitate the procurement of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets from the U.S. government to support the modernization of the country’s armed forces.

Malaysia to Pick S.Korean FA-50 Fighter Jet Over Indian Tejas: Report

07/22/2022

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) will likely pick the South Korean FA-50 Golden Eagle fighter jet over the Indian Tejas for its light combat aircraft program, Global Business Press revealed, citing sources. RMAF chief Gen. Asghar Khan Goriman Khan has “evinced” interest in the “affordable and efficient supersonic advanced light attack platform” over other aircraft in contention, the Singapore-based outlet wrote, quoting an unnamed official.

U.S. and Allies May Give Ukraine Fighter Jets in NATO Challenge to Russia

07/22/2022

Ukraine may be given Western fighter jets and pilot training to help its forces fight Russia, according to a senior American military figure. Moscow has air superiority over the Ukrainian air force's assortment of Soviet-era aircraft like MiG-29s and other Cold War-era planes. But the U.S. Air Force chief of staff, General Charles Q. Brown Jr., acknowledged that the U.S. and its allies were considering providing Ukraine with new planes.

War In Ukraine Pushes Czechs To Buy F-35s

07/21/2022

The Czech Republic could well become the latest operator of the F-35 stealth jet, with the government in Prague declaring that the Lockheed Martin product is its preferred choice as its future fighter. If the proposed purchase goes through, it will continue the Joint Strike Fighter’s formidable sales record in Europe and spell bad news for Sweden, which reportedly offered the Gripens that the Czechs currently lease “almost free of charge.”

Can Drones Do It All? A New Report Thinks So

07/21/2022

The Congressional Research Service, a non-partisan think tank that prepares reports for the U.S. Congress, recently released a document describing what the future of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) could be and what role they might play in the future.

How Boeing Is Positioning Itself For Advanced Fighter Competitions

07/21/2022

Boeing’s fighter business has a hot production line with a backlog of orders to churn out, but there is a problem approaching: the original fighter designs are old and production will sunset soon.

U.S., allies discuss possible training for Ukrainian air force

07/21/2022

The United States and allies are starting to examine possible training for Ukrainian pilots as part of a long-term effort to potentially help Kyiv build a future Ukrainian air force, Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles "CQ" Brown told Reuters.

127th Wing utilizes Lead-Wing Concepts to project military power anytime, anywhere

07/21/2022

During exercise “Northern Agility 22-1” in Northern Michigan June 27-29, 127th Wing A-Staff planners developed numerous military responses to an imaginary attack, on an imaginary island, countering with not-so-imaginary weaponry, tactics and innovative technologies developed to support long range combat missions.

South Korea records successful maiden flight test of its KF-21 fighter jet

07/20/2022

Korea Aerospace Industries and the country’s Air Force on Tuesday confirmed the first successful test flight of Seoul’s indigenous 4.5th-generation fighter jet, the KF-21 “Boramae.” The test puts South Korea on the map as the world’s eighth country to have developed supersonic fighter jets, 20 years after former president Daejung Kim ordered the development of a Korean fighter.

Swedish Air Force Devising New Combat Aircraft Strategy

07/20/2022

A Swedish Air Force chief has revealed that the Russian invasion of Ukraine has motivated Sweden to develop a brand new strategy for their next-generation of combat aircraft. Now a member of NATO, the Swedish government has chosen to boost their 2022 military budget, from 1.5 percent of gross domestic production to 2 percent GDP. This is an increase of about $3 billion krona (the equivalent of $286.6 million). Swedish Air Force Chief Major General Carl-Johan Edstrom comments that the larger b

US-China Aerial Clash, DoD Red Flags ‘Unsafe’ & ‘Unprofessional’ Encounter

07/20/2022

A Chinese fighter plane had an “unsafe” and “unprofessional” encounter with the US-owned special operations aircraft C-130 last June in the South China Sea, a recently revealed intelligence announced.

The Russians Just Shot Down One Of Their Own Best Jets

07/19/2022

Russian air-defense troops just shot down one of the most sophisticated warplanes involved in Russia’s wider war in Ukraine. One problem. It was a Russian warplane. A brand-new Sukhoi Su-34M fighter-bomber. Russian propagandist Yevgeny Poddubny apparently captured on video the Sunday shoot-down over the city of Alchevsk in Russian-occupied eastern Ukraine. “Last night, the air-defense crew of the allied forces destroyed a target in the sky over Alchevsk,” Poddubny wrote Monday.