Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

F-35s Work Best Together: Israel, UK and America Conduct Fifth-Generation Drill

07/08/2021

Israel, the United Kingdom and pilots for the U.S. Marines conducted a trilateral exercise known as Tri-Lightning 2 in Israel as the UK’s Queen Elizabeth carrier is making its way through the Mediterranean. The drill was built on another exercise called the Falcon Strike, which took place in Italy in early June in which the United States, UK, Italians and Israelis practiced with F-35 jets and other aircraft.

NATO scrambles jets 15 times to track Russian military planes over the Baltic

07/07/2021

NATO and Partner nations scrambled fighters to meet increased Russian air activity across the Baltic Sea. Spanish Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon fighters met the Russian aircraft to ensure the safety and security of the Baltic Sea Airspace. Partners Sweden and Finland also joined. According to the Lithuanian Ministry, Spanish Typhoons carried out the most sorties — eight — between June 14 and 20.

China's J-31 fighter may be lacking in combat, says expert

07/07/2021

The Chinese J-31 jet somewhat lacks when it comes to F-35B-like vertical take-off-and-landing, Can China's fifth-generation, carrier-launched J-31 fighter take on US-made F-35C or F-35B? Well, there are some factors to consider that shed light upon this question.

First Marine F-35C Squadron Ready to Deploy on Navy Aircraft Carriers

07/07/2021

The “Black Knights” of U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 314 have taken their next step ahead of deploying on Navy aircraft carriers for the first time. The squadron of Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters officially attained full operational capability, the service said in a news release issued last week.

Raytheon to build 565 AIM-9X Block II infrared-guided air-to-air missiles for U.S. Navy, Air Force, allies

07/07/2021

U.S. Navy aerial warfare experts are asking Raytheon Technologies Corp. to build 565 AIM-9X precision short-range infrared-guided air-to-air missiles for jet fighters and other combat aircraft under terms of a $328.2 million contract announced last week.

Brazilian Navy Fires Exocet AM39 Missile From H225M Helicopter

07/06/2021

In late June, a Brazilian Naval Aviation’s H225M helicopter took off from the Foudre-class landing platform dock ‘NDM Bahia’ to conduct a firing trial of an air-launched anti-ship Exocet AM39 missile. The missile was fired against the ex. Inhaúma-class corvette ‘Jaceguai’ – a ship decomissionned in 2019. It hit the corvette’s bow leading to its sinking.

Israel stands up new ‘Adir' squadron

07/06/2021

117 ‘First Jet' Squadron has been reactivated as an F-35I training unit, ahead of it becoming an operational squadron at a later date. As with the IAF's two existing operational F-35I units – 140 Sqn ‘Golden Eagle' and 116 Sqn ‘Defenders of the South' – 117 Sqn is located at Nevatim Air Base (also known as 28 Air Base) in southern Israel's Negev Desert. All three units form the IAF's Adir Division.

Chinese military plane enters Taiwan’s ADIZ

07/05/2021

A Chinese military aircraft flew into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Sunday afternoon (July 4), marking the third such intrusion this month. A single People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense. In response, Taiwan sent aircraft, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the PLAAF plane.

How US’ F-35 Stealth Jets Beat European Fighters Typhoons & Rafales To Win $6.5B Swiss Deal

07/05/2021

Last September, with a razor-thin majority, 50.1% of Swiss people voted in favor of a $6.5 billion budget to buy 30-40 new jets under the Air 2030 Program, which includes upgrading the country’s aircraft and defense systems. According to Swiss media reports, the 36 F-35A jets can be bought for $5.4 billion costing $2 billion cheaper than other jets. “With 336 points, [the F-35A] showed the highest overall benefit and was the clear winner with a lead of 95 points or more over the other candidates

F-35 global fighter fleet reaches 400,000 flight hours

07/05/2021

“This milestone is a testament to the dedicated work of the joint government, military and industry teams sustaining, maintaining, operating and flying F-35s around the globe,” said Bridget Lauderdale, vice president and general manager of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program. “With every delivery and every flight hour, the enterprise gets more mature and effective and we are laser focused on continuing to deliver the most capable, available and affordable 5th Generation fighter aircraft.”

ASPI’s decades: Betting, fretting and getting—buying and flying the F-35

07/05/2021

When ASPI began its work, the F-35 joint strike fighter was Australia’s biggest and most expensive program ever. (Now that label has passed back to the submarines.) The F-35 arrived 10 years late. (The Attack-class submarine program exhibits similar tardiness.) The F-35 is now slowly delivering what Australia wants. Because of the delay, Australia spent $6 billion on an ‘interim’ Super Hornet capability, later topped up with another $3 billion on Growler electronic-warfare aircraft.

Philippine military plane crashes, 45 dead, 49 rescued

07/04/2021

A Philippine air force C-130 aircraft carrying combat troops assigned to fight Muslim militants crashed and exploded while landing in the south Sunday, killing at least 42 army soldiers on board and three civilians on the ground in one of the worst disasters in the air force’s history.

Wolf Pack develops skills, alliances at Red Flag-Alaska 21-2

07/02/2021

The 80th Fighter Squadron trained in Red Flag-Alaska 21-2 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, from June 14 to 25. The first full-fledged Red Flag exercise following the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Israel Aerospace Industries to Upgrade SLAF Kfir Aircraft

07/02/2021

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) signed a contract, worth USD $50 million with Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defense to upgrade Kfir aircraft for the Sri Lankan Air Force. The deal includes replacing the aircraft’s basic avionics with the advanced 4+ generation fighter aircraft avionics in order to one day integrate advanced radar, sensors, communication systems, and new helmets.

Will The Philippines Buy F-16 Jets To Patrol South China Sea?

07/02/2021

On June 24 the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency authorized the sale of a dozen Lockheed-Martin F-16 Block 70/72 jet fighters and associated weapons to the Philippines totaling $2.43 billion. Such a sale could fulfill Manila’s requirement long-standing plans to procure Multi-Role Fighters (MRF).

Neutral Switzerland plans to buy dozens of US F-35 fighter jets

07/02/2021

Switzerland has chosen Lockheed Martin's F-35A Lightning II as its next-generation fighter jet, the government said on Wednesday, angering opponents who have pledged a new referendum to overturn what they dubbed an unnecessary "Ferrari" option.

‘We have to solve this’: Afghan aircraft maintainers prepare for withdrawal of US contractor support

06/30/2021

Afghans who maintain the country’s military aircraft have been learning to fix damaged aircraft over the past two months via videoconferences with U.S.-funded contractors just a few rooms away. It’s practice for the day when the American contractors will leave the country, said Col. Abdul Fatah Ishaqzai, head of maintenance for the Afghan air force. The future of the country’s air force, one of Kabul’s chief advantages over the Taliban, may depend on calls like these.

Putin puts arsenal of ‘invincible’ hypersonic nuke missiles on ‘combat alert’ in chilling warning to the West

06/30/2021

The Kremlin strongman’s announcement comes after HMS Defender was fired on by a Russia coastguard off Crimea and the presence of a UK carrier strike group in the eastern Mediterranean. Putin issued the chilling warning as he addressed newly graduated military and secret service elites in the Grand Kremlin Palace. “You are the very ones who will be operating this hardware,” Putin told 400 “top graduates” from 18 military schools.

Germany Gives Big Boost To FCAS Fighter Jet Program; Will Compete With UK’ Tempest, US’ NGAD 6th-Gen Aircraft

06/30/2021

But the question remains, can European jets ever match American fighter aircraft. France, Germany, and Spain are partners in the FCAS program. FCAS is the largest defense project that is projected as an anchor in the French-German ties, the two most powerful countries in Europe.

New Air Combat Training System Highlights Need To Speed Modernization Of Ranges

06/30/2021

America’s global military power rests upon twin pillars of training and technology. U.S. forces are the most rigorously trained and best equipped in the world. In recent years, the two pillars have tended to intertwine as digital technologies enabled breakthrough approaches to training. Nowhere is this more true than in the case of air combat training.

UOTT pushes boundaries of F-35 operational testing

06/30/2021

A team of engineers, analysts, and pilots are pushing the boundaries of F-35 combat aircraft operational testing. The United States Operational Test Team is partnered with Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center Detachment 6.

Did Russia Test Hypersonic Missile From Syria? Israel May Know

06/29/2021

Some Israeli observers say the missile test is part of Moscow's effort to gain a very strong presence in the Mediterranean. For example, they say that in recent days the Russian Air Force and the Russian Navy performed a joint combat drill just 30 km from the British aircraft carrier HMS Queen Elizabeth, is currently in the eastern Mediterranean near Cyprus.

Green Light for 'Too Expensive' Philippines' F-16 Purchase

06/29/2021

On June 24 the U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of 12 F-16 Block 70/72 fighters to the Philippines, following a request from the government in Manila as its searches for a Multi-Role Fighter (MRF) to defend the nation's airspace and surrounding seas. However, a day later the Philippine defense secretary, Delfin Lorenzano, told the Philippine Daily Inquirer that the F-16 package was too expensive, and that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) was examining other options.

AS ALLIES DESIGN FIGHTER AIRCRAFT, THE UNITED STATES FACES A DECISION

06/29/2021

The United States has a long history of urging its closest allies to spend more on defense, and over the past few years Europe and Japan have started to respond. But there’s a catch: Rather than content themselves with procuring capabilities that complement U.S. forces, they are about to drop some very expensive investments into the development of their own next-generation fighter aircraft.

US jets strike Iran-backed militia groups in Iraq and Syria in response to ongoing drone, rocket attacks

06/28/2021

After three months of drone and rocket attacks on facilities in Iraq housing U.S. and coalition personnel, President Joe Biden ordered airstrikes Sunday on three Iran-backed militia facilities in Iraq and Syria. “At President Biden’s direction, U.S. military forces earlier this evening conducted defensive precision airstrikes against facilities used by Iran-backed militia groups in the Iraq-Syria border region,” Pentagon spokesman John Kirby said in a statement.