Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Bipartisan support for U.S. to give Ukraine planes and weapons grows

03/15/2022

A growing chorus of lawmakers on both sides of the aisle are calling on the Biden administration to provide Ukraine with fighter jets and weapons to bolster its defense against Russia's continued attacks. The bipartisan, 58-member Problem Solvers Caucus on Sunday became the latest group of lawmakers to push for Ukraine to receive more military assistance from the U.S., including help securing Stinger missiles, air-defense systems and fighter jets.

Issue of aircraft for Ukraine remains urgent on agenda – FM

03/15/2022

The issue of providing aircraft to Ukraine remains extremely urgent on the agenda, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba has said. "Aircraft are needed. This issue remains extremely urgent on the agenda. There is a conversation between the military about which aircraft are needed, for what purposes, but any talk that Ukraine does not need aircraft does not correspond to reality," Kuleba said at the online briefing on Monday.

Taiwan air force loses another fighter

03/15/2022

A Taiwanese Mirage 2000 fighter jet has crashed into the sea off the island's southeast coast after mechanical issues but the pilot was rescued, the air force says, the second combat aircraft loss in the space of three months. The air force said the French-built aircraft took off just after 10am on Monday on a training mission from the Chihhang air base in Taitung and reported it had to return after a mechanical problem.

US, PH fighter jets to join air combat maneuver drills

03/15/2022

PHILIPPINE Air Force (PAF) FA-50PH jet fighter pilots will have the opportunity to practice “air combat maneuvering” (ACM) tactics with American F-16 fighter pilots during the “Bilateral Air Contingent Exchange (BACE)-Philippines which will be held March 14 to 25.

Russia released a video of a combat jet that was hit by a missile over Ukraine and made it back to base

03/15/2022

Footage released by the Russian MOD early on March 14, 2022, proves once again how sturdy the Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot can be. The clip shows the aircraft taxiing with significant damage reportedly caused by a MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense System) that hit the jet on the rear right hand side of the fuselage.

Germany to buy dozens of US fighter jets in spending spree

03/15/2022

The F-35 jets made by Lockheed Martin would replace Germany's decades-old Tornado fleet, according to media reports confirmed by the source. Tornados are the only Luftwaffe planes capable of carrying US nuclear bombs stationed in Germany that are a key part of NATO deterrence.

Ukraine offers £767,000 reward for every defecting fighter pilot as Russian morale sinks

03/14/2022

UKRAINE has offered a million dollars (£767,000) to every Russian fighter pilot who defects from Vladimir Putin's forces and hands over their warplane. Ukraine has offered a million dollars to every Russian pilot who defects from the military and hands over their warplane in working condition. The offer appears to be an attempt to exploit the low morale reported among Russian troops as the war enters its third week. The reward was made by the Ukrainian state arms manufacturer Ukroboronprom.

Govt must tap enormous talent in small, medium industries: Tejas LCA chief designer

03/14/2022

Former programme director and chief designer of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), Dr Kota Harinarayana, said one of his biggest takeaways from the LCA project was that a huge amount of talent is available in small and medium industries and they need to be supported. He opined that if government agencies and big industries treat small-scale industries as partners, India will be at the forefront of innovation.

Analysis: 3 ways Russia has shown military incompetence

03/14/2022

Two weeks into Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, it has become apparent that Russia’s military is experiencing failures — both technical and strategic — that have surprised analysts who study one of the world’s largest military forces. There are multiple issues one could look at in relation to Russia’s poor military performance in Ukraine to date, such as being unable to effectively counter Ukrainian drones, or failing to deliver on the kind of cyberwarfare expected.

Report: Tactical Leadership Programme Flying Course 22-1

03/14/2022

TLP 22-1, the first of this year, took place at the Base Aérea de Los Llanos, home of the Ala 14 of the Spanish Air Force and the Tactical Leadership Programme (TLP) courses, in Albacete, between Feb. 14 and Mar. 4, 2022. The Flying Course saw the attendance of 560 participants, 37 of those were graduates including 30 pilots, 4 Intelligence Officers and 3 Controllers.

Ukrainian military destroys six enemy aircraft over past day – General Staff

03/13/2022

Over the past day, the Ukrainian military destroyed six pieces of equipment of the Russian occupier, the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine reports. "The Armed Forces of Ukraine, in cooperation with other components of the defense forces, give a worthy rebuff to the enemy troops, in particular, two helicopters, two fighter jets [one of which is Su-34] and two UAVs were destroyed over the previous day," according to a report published in Sunday morning.

New air-borne supersonic BrahMos will have 800 km strike range: Sources

03/13/2022

India is developing a new air-launched version of the BrahMos supersonic cruise missile which would be able to strike at enemy targets at more than 800 kilometers. The missile earlier had the capability of hitting targets at around 300 kilometers after being released from a Su-30MKI combat aircraft.

Turkey’s unmanned fighter jet hits production line

03/13/2022

Turkey’s drone magnate Baykar on Saturday announced it has reached a new phase in its unmanned combat aircraft project, unveiling that the first prototype has entered the production line. "A larger and more agile fish has entered the production line three and a half years later," Selçuk Bayraktar, the chief technology officer (CTO) at the drone maker, said on Twitter.

Missiles strike near U.S. Consulate in northern Iraq; no injuries reported

03/13/2022

As many as 12 missiles struck Iraq’s northern city of Irbil on Sunday near the U.S. Consulate, Iraqi security officials said. A U.S. defense official said missiles had been launched at the city from neighboring Iran. No injuries were reported. Officials in Iraq and the U.S. gave different accounts of the strike and the damage it caused. A second U.S. official said there was no damage at any U.S. government facility and that there was no indication the target was the consulate building.

War in Ukraine: How Russia is recruiting mercenaries

03/13/2022

The BBC has spoken to a serving mercenary and a former fighter with close links to one of Russia's leading mercenary organisations, who have shared details of the recruitment campaign. The serving mercenary said many veterans of the secretive Wagner organisation were contacted on a private Telegram group a few weeks before the start of the war. They were invited to a "picnic in Ukraine", with references to tasting "Salo", a pork fat traditionally eaten in Ukraine.

Weapons of the war in Ukraine

03/12/2022

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine began on Feb. 24 with strikes from land, sea and air in the largest military assault by one European state on another since World War Two. Despite an initial battle plan that Western countries said was aimed at swiftly toppling Ukraine’s government in Kyiv, Russia has control of only one Ukrainian city so far - the southern Dnipro River port of Kherson.

NATO AIR CHIEFS MEET IN RAMSTEIN “OUR JOB IS TO ENSURE WE MAINTAIN ALLIANCE SOVEREIGNTY”

03/12/2022

On March 9 and 10, 2022, NATO Air Chiefs and senior representatives of Allied and Partner air forces met at Allied Air Command for the first Air Chiefs' Symposium in 2022 to discuss and share perspectives on Air and Space Power. Against the background of the present war Russia launched in Ukraine, the participants discussed air activities within NATO's strategic context and in support of ongoing Deterrence and Defence of the Euro-Atlantic Area.

HAL Begins Production Of India’s 5th Gen Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA)

03/12/2022

In collaboration with the DRDO’s Aeronautical Development Agency, India’s state-owned aerospace and defence corporation Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has begun producing India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA). With the start of production activity, the AMCA programme entered a critical phase. The plan calls for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy to be equipped with a 5.5 Generation twin-engine stealth fighter.

Iowa National Guard KC-135 retired after 65 years’ service

03/12/2022

An Iowa Air National Guard KC-135 with a giant bat tail flash retired after 65 years of service. Tail number 57-2606, nicknamed “Free Bird,” took off this week for a one-way trip to the Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group (AMARG) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base. Chief Master Sgt. Brian Harder, 185th Air Refueling Wing Maintenance Operations superintendent, said the main contributing factor to retiring the aircraft boiled down to the projected cost of maintenance.

Dassault Aviation Bounces Back on Strong Falcon and Rafale Orders

03/12/2022

Dassault Aviation bounced back strong in 2021. Now the war in Ukraine is expected to weigh on 2022 growth. Dassault Aviation posted 2021 sales of EUR7.2 billion, up almost 32 percent over 2020’s sales of EUR5.5 billion. Net income rose to EUR693 million for 2021, compared with 2020 income of EUR396 million.

India accidentally fires missile into Pakistan

03/11/2022

Delhi said it was "deeply regrettable" and expressed relief no one was killed. Pakistan's military said a "high-speed flying object" had crashed near the eastern city of Mian Channu and its flight path had endangered passenger flights. Both countries have nuclear weapons.

Possible Su-57 observed on Ukraine bombing mission

03/11/2022

In one of the latest video recordings from Ukraine, a Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) Su-57 jet fighter may have been filmed for the first time on a European combat mission on 9 March during the ongoing invasion. An eyewitness was able to film the silhouette of the aircraft as it flew overhead, as well as the moment the bridge in Zhytomyr was being hit. Presumably this was the Berdychiv bridge over the Teterev river.

Russian strikes hit western Ukraine as offensive widens

03/11/2022

Russian strikes hit near airports in western Ukraine on Friday as the military offensive widened, and invading troops kept up pressure on the capital Kyiv and the besieged port city of Mariupol. The airstrikes on the Lutsk military airfield left two Ukrainian servicemen dead and six people wounded, according to the head of the surrounding Volyn region, Yuriy Pohulyayko.

Chinese Military Aircraft Crashed in South China Sea—Taiwan Intel Report

03/11/2022

The Chinese military is searching for a patrol plane that crashed into the South China Sea earlier this month, Taiwan's intelligence agency said on Thursday, becoming the first government in the region to officially confirm several days of speculation.

Super Hercules FMS deal for Egypt stays on track

03/11/2022

The planned $2.2 billion FMS deal for Lockheed Martin to sell a dozen C-130J-30 Super Hercules aircraft and associated equipment to Egypt passed an important milestone on Thursday, after the US Senate voted 81-18 in favour of the proposal.