Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Sweden's Gripen Fighter Is One Tough (And Cheap) Weapon of War

03/16/2020

The JAS-39 Gripen is the Swedish defense industry’s largest export, financially. The Gripen has seen considerable success replacing aging fighters in former Warsaw Pact countries, and has also seen sales in Africa, the Americas and Asia. But why is the Gripen successful on the export market? How does it stack up against other NATO products and Soviet jets?

Japan Is Already Making Strides Towards Its 6th Generation Mitsubishi F-3 FIghter

03/16/2020

Japan’s 2019 Mid-Term Defense review quietly revealed that after years of hesitation, Tokyo has decided to press ahead with development of its own domestically designed sixth-generation Mitsubishi F-3 air-superiority stealth fighter, rather than purchasing an additional foreign stealth design to supplement its growing fleet of F-35s.

After The S-400: Will Turkey Continue Buying Russian Military Platforms?

03/16/2020

The Russian S-400 long-range surface-to-air missile system has generated much media interest since its deployment within Russian borders and abroad. It boasts of an impressive capability against a range of aerial targets including aircraft, cruise missiles, and ballistic missiles and has generated controversial international sales. Reputation notwithstanding, the S-400 has not yet been tested in combat.

Could China's J-10 Give America's Upgraded F-15 Eagle A Run For Its Money?

03/15/2020

The Air Force is revving up electronic warfare upgrades for its F-15 fighter as a way to better protect against enemy fire and electronic attacks, service officials said. Boeing has secured a $478 million deal to continue work on a new technology called with a system called the Eagle Passive Active Warning Survivability System, or EPAWSS.

Pentagon to reconsider Jedi $10bn cloud contract

03/14/2020

It comes in response to a court case brought by Amazon Web Services (AWS), claiming the decision was politically motivated. President Trump had previously expressed concern about Amazon's bid. In a court filing, the Pentagon said the U-turn was "in response to.... technical challenges presented by AWS".

CH-47 Chinook production be stretched to 2025 using foreign sales

03/14/2020

The US Army believes a combination of domestic and foreign sales will give the Boeing CH-47 production line in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania the minimum demand needed to remain open until at least 2025. After speaking with Boeing, the service suspects the production line can be sustained at a rate of 18 helicopters annually, says Bruce Jette, assistant secretary of the US Army for acquisition.

Meet the 1 Secret Super Power of the F-22 Raptor

03/13/2020

The F-22 can see things that other planes cannot. This gives its pilots a distinct advantage.Thirteen years after entering service with the U.S. Air Force, the Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighter finally could gain the capability wordlessly to communicate with ships, ground forces and other planes.

U.S. Launches Retaliatory Strikes Against Iranian-Backed Militias in Iraq

03/13/2020

The United States launched retaliatory strikes against five weapons storage facilities across Iraq belonging to the Iranian-backed group Kataib Hezbollah, following the March 11 attack on Camp Taji that killed two Americans and one soldier from the United Kingdom. The Defense Department will not name the two Americans, or what service they were associated with, until their next of kin are notified. Initial reports said at least a dozen others were wounded, but that number has since risen to 14

RAF Typhoon fighter jets scramble to intercept two Russian planes north of Scotland for the third time in six days

03/13/2020

For the third time in a week, RAF Typhoons were scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft encroaching on UK airspace. Two jets were launched from RAF Lossiemouth just after 9am. The activity was first noted by Twitter account @MIL_Radar. A Voyager tanker plane was also launched from RAF Brize Norton, Oxfordshire, in case the Typhoons needed to refuel.

UK still in the game for Japan fighter partnership

03/13/2020

Tokyo has yet to decide on its future international partner for the country’s ambitious FX Future Fighter programme to replace the Mitsubishi F-2. “The [Japanese Ministry of Defense] is in discussion with the U.S. and the UK from the viewpoint of ensuring interoperability, cost effectiveness and technical reliability,” says Japan’s Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA).

India ramping up defence exports to Africa

03/12/2020

According to Narendra Modi, the country is setting high defence production goals. In a few decades, it plans to join the ranks of leading exporters of equipment. The latter will primarily be sold to African nations. The pace of economic development on the continent has attracted many companies to the region, including Alpari Forex Broker in South Africa.

Navy Defends Cutting 36 Super Hornets from Budget Amid Strike Fighter Shortfall

03/12/2020

A top U.S. Navy modernization official on Tuesday had to justify to lawmakers the service's decision to kill plans to build 36 new F/A-18 Super Hornets in the midst of a strike fighter shortage. Modernization officials from the Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force and Army testified at a hearing Tuesday before the House Armed Services Committee's Tactical Air and Land Forces subcommittee on aircraft and helicopter programs in the proposed fiscal 2021 defense budget.

RAF Typhoon pilot tells how he scrambled to intercept two Russian Bear bombers heading for UK airspace over the Shetland Islands

03/12/2020

RAF jets were scrambled to intercept Russian bombers in airspace above the Shetland Islands this morning. The RAF confirmed British QRA Typhoons with Voyager support from Lossiemouth were deployed to shadow the aircraft.

Boeing starts ‘Air Force One’ modifications of 747-8

03/12/2020

Boeing has begun modifications to the first of two commercial 747-8 airliners which are to be turned into US Air Force (USAF) VC-25B aircraft. Known by its “Air Force One” call sign when the US president flies aboard, two VC-25B are to operate as the USA’s top executive transports for the next 30 years. Modifications are being done at Boeing’s San Antonio, Texas facility, says the USAF.

Pakistan plane crash: Fighter jet crashes near Islamabad park

03/11/2020

In a statement, the PAF said the aircraft was carrying out rehearsals for the country's national day parade to be held on 23 March. Police and security forces have now cordoned off the site in the Shakarparian area, near several museums, golf clubs and Jinnah Stadium. The PAF said the pilot Wing Commander Noman Akram died in the crash.

The US Air Force is studying 2 bases to see which is best to handle the new B-21 bomber

03/11/2020

The Air Force is moving forward with assessments to determine where it can safely base its new B-21 Raider bomber. The service will soon start environmental impact studies to assess the effects of putting "Main Operating Base 1" for the new bomber at Ellsworth Air Force Base in South Dakota and at Dyess Air Force Base in Texas, according to a notice published in the US federal register on Friday.

Israeli defense firm Elbit wins US Air Force contract worth up to $476 million

03/11/2020

Israeli defense firm Elbit said Monday that its US subsidiary, Elbit America, had won a US Air Force contract worth up to $471 million. The company will supply a missile warning system to F-16 fighter jets belonging to the US Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve Command.

U.S. F-22s, Canadian CF-18s Intercepted Two Tu-142 Aircraft in Alaskan ADIZ. And Here Are Some Cool Shots.

03/11/2020

Looks like Russian Naval Aviation is pretty active in these days with their Tu-142 maritime reconnaissance and ASW (Anti-Submarine Warfare) aircraft. As you will probably remember, on Mar. 7, 2020, two Tu-142s (a Tu-142MK ASW aircraft and a Tu-142MR VLF band comms relay aircraft) flew close to the NATO airspace in northern Europe and were intercepted by the RNoAF F-16s and F-35s (at their first intercept of Russian aircraft) and by the RAF Eurofighter Typhoons.

CENTCOM, AFRICOM Urge Lawmakers Not to Cut MQ-9, Combat Air Patrols

03/11/2020

The Air Force’s plan to cut MQ-9 Reaper production and some air patrols in its fiscal 2021 budget request would negatively impact the ability to conduct operations and provide enough overwatch in hotspots in the Middle East and Africa, the top officials responsible for those regions said March 10.

Elbit to install infrared missile warning systems on US National Guard and Reserve F-16s

03/11/2020

Elbit Systems of America has won a $472 million fixed-price contract to provide pylon-based infrared missile warning systems for US Air National Guard and US Air Force Reserve Command F-16 fighters. The infrared missile warning systems are to be installed on an undisclosed number of Lockheed Martin F-16s over the course of 10 years, with work to be finished by February 2030, Elbit says on 9 March. Installations will occur in Fort Worth, Texas.

Japanese RF-4E Phantoms Have Just Carried Out Their Last Flight

03/10/2020

On Mar. 9, 2020, the Japan Air Self Defense Force retired its RF-4E/J reconnaissance aircraft at Hyakuri Air Base, in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. Assigned to the 501 Hikotai or Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, the “Photo Phantoms” made their last training sortie and all the unit’s Phantoms, with their peculiar sharkmouth, the unit’s woodpecker mark on the tail and the three camo schemes (European, Vietnam and Blue offshore camouflage) were eventually retired.

India’s HAL looks to boost profile in Asian markets

03/10/2020

India's Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is planning to establish facilities in several Asian markets to boost its international profile. In comments reported by the Press Trust of India (PTI) on 8 March, R Madhavan, HAL's chairman and managing director, said the company is looking at setting up "logistical bases" in Indonesia, Malaysia, Sri Lanka, and Vietnam.

What are Russian bombers doing in Irish airspace?

03/10/2020

The entry into Irish-controlled airspace by Russian air force Tupolev TU-95 “Bear” strategic bomber aircraft last week was unsurprising. We have been here many times before. In 2017 the Royal Air Force scrambled Typhoon combat aircraft from its Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) stations to respond to another sortie by Russian strategic bomber aircraft that skirted close to Irish sovereign airspace, which extends to 12 nautical miles off the Irish coast.

Red Flag 20-2: Maximizing combat readiness, capability, survivability between forces

03/10/2020

Deployed maintainers from all over the world flood the flight line turning wrenches to ensure their assigned aircraft are ready to take over the skies, this controlled chaos signifies Red Flag is back in session March 6-20, here. As one of the U.S. Air Force’s largest combat training exercises, this iteration includes participants from various services, including U.S. Navy and U.S. Marines as well as our allied forces from the Italian, German and Spanish air forces.

US Air Force buys two A-29 light attack aircraft for continued experiment

03/10/2020

Sierra Nevada Corporation has won a $23.2 million contract to supply two Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 light attack aircraft to the US Air Force (USAF). The award includes ground support equipment, pilot training, logistic support, aircraft sparing and sustainment, says Sierra Nevada on 3 March.