Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Technical Problems Ground Myanmar’s JF-17 Fighter Jets Bought From China

11/25/2022

Most of the newly acquired Chinese and Pakistan-made JF-17 fighter jets that the Myanmar regime has taken delivery of have been grounded due to technical malfunctions, according to analysts and former Myanmar Air Force pilots who monitor the junta’s air capabilities. The JF-17 fighters—lightweight multi-role combat aircraft jointly manufactured by China and Pakistan—that the Myanmar Air Force has added to its fleet have structural cracks and other technical issues, they told The Irrawaddy.

NATO ALLIES TEST AIR AND MISSILE DEFENCES IN ROMANIA

11/24/2022

Deployed in Romania since May 2022, the MAMBA has been augmenting NATO’s Integrated Air and Missile Defence (IAMD) system. Allied fighters including F-16s from Türkiye, Spanish Eurofighters - currently deployed in Bulgaria on a NATO mission -, US E/A 18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft and French Navy Rafale fighters flying from the aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle participated in the routine test of the system.

Torpedoes With Wings! US Navy’s ‘Submarine Hunter’ Aircraft Gets Capability To ‘Sink A Sub’ With HAAWC!

11/24/2022

The P-8A maritime patrol aircraft of the US Navy can now carry the High Altitude Anti-Submarine Warfare Weapon Capability or HAAWC. The manufacturer of the aircraft Boeing announced in a press release on November 21 that the US Navy has officially announced Initial operational capability, or IOC, with HAAWC.

First F-16 rolls off new production line

11/24/2022

The first F-16 Fighting Falcon combat aircraft has rolled off the new production line in Greenville, South Carolina, Lockheed Martin announced on 21 November. In a message posted from its official Twitter account titled, ‘Guess who's back‘, Lockheed Martin heralded, “a new era of Falcon is about to take flight”, with a video showing the first Block 70 aircraft for Bahrain being rolled out of the facility.

RAF participates in multi-national air warfare training exercise in UAE

11/23/2022

The UK Royal Air Force (RAF) has deployed its personnel and aircraft to participate in a multinational air warfare exercise in the UAE. Also referred to as the Advanced Tactical Leadership Course (ATLC), the training drills are being held at the Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi.

US Pease ANG’S KC-46A completes 36-hour endurance mission

11/23/2022

US Pease Air National Guard’s (ANG) 157th Air Refueling Wing has successfully completed a 36-hour long non-stop endurance mission on KC-46A Pegasus aircraft. This marks the US Air Mobility Command’s (AMC) longest endurance mission so far, which showcased the total force integration concept. It saw the participation of both active duty and ANG airmen from Pease.

China Turns Its Fighters Into UAVs; Could Swarm Taiwan From Five ‘Hardened’ Forward Airfields – Reports

11/23/2022

Legacy aircraft converted into drones (J-6, J-7, J-8) have been concluded to be pressed in as a part of the initial wave of attacks to soften Taiwanese air defenses. These highly developed and defended airfields with hardened airfields can then be taken over by People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Su-30MKK, J-16, or J-10 fighters for sustained operations against Taiwan.

Awaiting F-16s, Bulgaria closes in on interim fighter potentially from Sweden or France

11/23/2022

The Bulgarian government looks to be edging closer to reaching an agreement for an interim fighter aircraft after holding talks with Sweden and France, while the southeastern European nation awaits American F-16s. The potential acquisition of the jets was prompted by Lockheed Martin when it delayed delivery of F-16 Block 70 aircraft to Sofia from 2023 to 2025, following COVID-19 supplier issues, meaning they wouldn’t go operational until 2028 or so.

Think tanks call for greater USAF striking power in Pacific

11/22/2022

A recent think tank report suggests that the US Air Force needs to substantially upgrade its force structure in Guam and Okinawa, while another warns about the danger posed by hardened Chinese air bases near Taiwan. A new report from the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments calls for increased intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance capabilities in both Guam and Okinawa, as well as sufficient combat assets to conduct retaliatory strikes .

Takeaways From China’s Zhuhai Air Show 2022

11/22/2022

The Zhuhai Air Show in Guangdong China is the largest aviation and military trade expo in all of China. The event ran from November 7-13 and provided an unusually large glimpse into the developmental gains in military technology in a wide array of categories. Everything from small arms to commercial shipping technology had a presence at the show, but the real gains were shown in missile, radar, unmanned systems, and fighter technology.

Turkey’s Fighter-Like Drone Emerges For Taxi Tests

11/22/2022

Turkey’s Baykar company has begun ground tests of its Bayraktar Kizilelma drone, described as the country’s first unmanned fighter aircraft. Accompanying imagery of the tests, at the Akinci Flight Training and Test Center in the northwestern province of Tekirdag, which included taxi runs ahead of its first flight, provide us with our best look so far at this unique uncrewed air vehicle.

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

11/21/2022

Taiwan tracked 15 Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around Taiwan between Thursday and Friday, its Defence Ministry has said. “10 PLA aircraft and 3 PLAN vessels around Taiwan were detected by 6 a.m.(UTC+8) today. R.O.C. Armed Forces have monitored the situation and tasked CAP aircraft, Navy vessels, and land-based missile systems to respond to these activities,” Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence (MND) said in a Twitter post.

U.S. And Dutch F-35s Have Flown Without Radar Reflectors During First Week Of ‘Falcon Strike 2022’

11/21/2022

As we already reported, F-35s from Italy, United States and the Netherlands are training together at Amendola Air Base, in southern Italy, during the exercise “Falcon Strike 2022”, which runs from November 15 to 28, 2022. The exercise is focused on the integration between fifth and fourth-generation aircraft and between different F-35 operators.

Turkey’s Fifth-Gen TF-X Fighter Jet Reaches Pakistan’s Defense Expo Months After Reports Of Joint Production

11/21/2022

About 28 Turkish defense manufacturers participated in Pakistan’s biennial event IDEAS 2022. Turkey, alongside China, is believed to have the most prominent presence at the expo. Turkish media has also reported that their pavilion attracted hundreds of visitors, including Pakistani officials.

Turkish jets hit targets in Syria, Iraq after Istanbul bomb blast

11/20/2022

Turkish military planes have hit targets in northern Syria and Iraq, bombing bases Turkey’s defence ministry claimed were used by those behind an explosion in central Istanbul last weekend that killed six people and wounded more than 80. The Turkish defence ministry announced the launch of the raids in a statement on Twitter on Sunday.

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.