Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Spain signs for new PC-21 trainer fleet

02/02/2020

Spain has officially signed for the acquisition of 24 Pilatus PC-21 trainers, confirming its pre-Christmas selection of the Swiss-built turboprops. Madrid will use the new aircraft to replace its fleet of elderly CASA C-101 jet trainers, which have been in service since 1980.

Could F-35s be flying into Selfridge in Macomb County? President Trump is considering it

01/31/2020

After a failed push to get F-35 planes at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Macomb County, they could be headed there. While speaking at Dana Incorporated in Warren on Thursday, President Donald Trump said his administration is strongly considering putting the planes at the Michigan National Guard base.

Lockheed Martin sees F-35 production rising to 180 units per year, despite high flying costs

01/31/2020

Lockheed Martin is projecting annual production of the F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter could rise to as high as 180 examples by 2024.mmThe company sees continued sales to US military services as well as potential wins in international fighter procurement competitions, such as in Finland, Switzerland and Canada, steadily boosting production of the combat aircraft.

Cyber security risks in $17bn F-35 system

01/30/2020

Defence has acknowledged that a logistics system in the 72 Joint Strike Fighters being purchased by Australia for $17bn could create a “risk of cyber intrusion and data loss”. In answers to questions from Labor senator Kimberley Kitching, the department said the Autonomic Logistics Information Systems had “several developmental challenges” but the cyber risks were being managed.

WATCH: Swedish Gripens arrive for winter weather combat tests

01/30/2020

Two Gripen-E fighter jets built by Swedish manufacturer Saab have arrived at Pirkkala Air Force Base to start two weeks of intensive testing and evaluation. They’re the third of five aircraft types coming to Finland through the end of February, as the Air Force weighs up the pros and cons of each in the process to determine which company will win the €10 billion contract to replace the country’s ageing fleet of Hornet jets.

F-15EX is a win-win for US military on cost and effectiveness

01/30/2020

Keeping our country safe is something Americans expect from their government. When it can serve that purpose in a cost-conscious way, all the better. That’s why upgrading our fighter fleet to the modernized and cost-effective F-15EX is a no-brainer.

Vietnam Orders $350M Combat Training Jets From Russia – Vedomosti

01/30/2020

Vietnam has signed a $350 million deal last year to buy a dozen combat training aircraft from Russia, the Vedomosti business daily reported Wednesday. Russia is the biggest arms supplier to Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Vietnam’s fleet deploys Russian-made fighters jets, surface ships and submarines, according to the state-run TASS news agency.

RAAF welcomes first PC-21 trainer aircraft

01/29/2020

Taking training to new heights, Air Force Number 4 Squadron based at RAAF Base Williamtown has welcomed its first three Pilatus PC-21 aircraft to their new home. Regarded as “the world’s most advanced pilot training aircraft”, the PC-21’s arrival on Friday, 24 January, at 4SQN demonstrated the platform’s training versatility – with the aircraft being engaged and immersed in a different but still highly significant training role.

Remotely Piloted Aircraft: Implications for Future Warfare

01/29/2020

When an MQ-1 Predator fired an AGM-114 Hellfire missile in the opening stage of Operation Enduring Freedom over Afghanistan, the world discovered a new form of power projection: kinetic force delivered from unmanned, remotely piloted aircraft (RPA). That proof of concept drove exponential growth in RPA usage, with combat air patrols (CAPs) swelling from just four in 2004 to 65 simultaneous, worldwide CAPs every day in 2014.

The US Air Force private jet that crashed in Afghanistan has been called 'as essential to mission success as bullets'

01/29/2020

The US Air Force confirmed on Monday that one of its aircraft had crashed in Afghanistan, killing all on board. The aircraft was a Bombardier E-11A, the military version of the popular Bombardier Global Express aircraft family used by the world's elite for long-range travel. Though the Taliban has taken credit, Air Force officials have denied that it was shot down.

The Hilarious and Totally Real Reason the F-22 Can't Be Hacked

01/29/2020

“Star Trek” would be a lot less interesting if we found out the Enterprise didn't run on an advanced isolinear computing system but instead ran on something like MS-DOS. We might laugh at how incredulous that work of science fiction would be. But in today's U.S. Air Force, the F-22 – one of the most advanced fighters ever made – runs on a similar disparity.

First USN MQ-4Cs arrive in Asia-Pacific

01/29/2020

The Northrop Grumman MQ-4C Triton UAS has started its first deployment, joining a US Navy (USN) squadron at Andersen AFB in Guam. A pair of MQ-4Cs reached Guam on 26 January, and will be operated as part of an early operational capability (EOC), says the USN. The EOC will inform a concept of operations for the type.

U.S. Plans Creation of Afghan CH-47 Fleet

01/28/2020

Poland will sign on Friday a contract with Lockheed Martin worth USD 4.6 bln for the purchase of F-35 combat aircraft, Minister of Defence Mariusz Blaszczak tweeted on Monday. Blaszczak wrote that he would sign the deal to buy 32 state-of-the-art fifth generation Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters in Deblin, eastern Poland, on Friday afternoon.

Poland to sign contract for purchase of F-35 combat aircraft - MoD

01/28/2020

Poland will sign on Friday a contract with Lockheed Martin worth USD 4.6 bln for the purchase of F-35 combat aircraft, Minister of Defence Mariusz Blaszczak tweeted on Monday. Blaszczak wrote that he would sign the deal to buy 32 state-of-the-art fifth generation Lockheed Martin F-35 fighters in Deblin, eastern Poland, on Friday afternoon.

Total-force aviators take flight during Sentry Aloha 20-1

01/28/2020

More than 1,000 personnel from the U.S. Air Force’s active, national guard and reserve components participated in the decade’s first Sentry Aloha exercise Jan. 8-22, at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam. The air-to-air combat exercise, designated as Sentry Aloha 20-1, is hosted by the Hawaii Air National Guard and designed to train Airmen from around the country in a joint and interoperable venue on a large scale.

US jet comes down in Taliban territory

01/27/2020

Officials told the media there were no indications it had been brought down by enemy activity. The aircraft crashed in Deh Yak district, Ghazni province, an area with a strong Taliban presence. Afghan authorities initially said it belonged to state-owned airline Ariana, but the company issued a denial, saying all its planes were accounted for. The Pentagon has not released further details and it is unclear how many people were on board.

Turkey’s Strive to Achieve Military Nuclear Power

01/27/2020

The warming ties between Iran and Turkey add another factor to the new direction Turkey has taken in its defense policy. In recent months, Turkey has taken a few steps that made the question of whether it can still be a member of NATO a very acute one. The surprising fact is that the organization has not reacted and has not taken any action to try and stop the process. That further puts a question mark on its real value as an organization that may be called for combined military operations.

Military range in the Gulf at risk

01/27/2020

A vital military range is at risk from Big Oil – and the clock is ticking. The eastern Gulf of Mexico is a military range essential to our military’s success and critical to delivering the required combat capabilities to our men and women deployed overseas – and the oil industry wants to drill for oil there.

Republic Day 2020: A Look at the Fighter Jet Fleet of the IAF: Rafale, Tejas, Sukhoi and More

01/27/2020

India is celebrating its 71st Republic Day and like every year, IAF is hosting a a spectacular air display at the Republic Day Parade that includes attack and transport aircrafts of the IAF. Here’s a list of all the active fighter jets also called the multi-role fighters and strike aircraft owned by the Indian Air Force, from Sukhoi Su30MKI to the Tejas LCA.

Navy MH-60S Helicopter Crashes in the Philippine Sea off Okinawa, Crew Rescued

01/26/2020

Five sailors are in stable condition following the crash of their MH-60S helicopter in the Philippine Sea, U.S. 7th Fleet said on Saturday. The MH-60S was operating from 7th Fleet command ship USS Blue Ridge (LCC-19) when it went down about 5:15 p.m. local time, read a statement from the Navy. “Three aircrew were recovered by a Japan Air Self-Defense Force UH-60 search and rescue helicopter, and the other two were recovered by a USS Blue Ridge MH-60S helicopter,” read the statement.

Warning signs of a South China Sea clash

01/26/2020

The spectre of China is looming ever larger over Asia. Now international relations experts are sounding alarms at the risks of an armed clash. There are always tensions between states, says the ANU's Professor John Blaxland, "but there is a gnawing sense that this decade may see us get closer to the brink than in generations".

Afghanistan- U.S. to Provide CH-47 Chinook Helicopters to Afghan Special Mission Wing

01/26/2020

The United States has approved a plan to provide Ch-47 Chinook helicopters to the Special Mission Wing of the Afghan National Defense and Security Forces. The Department of Defense informed regarding the planned delivery of the helicopters in its semiannual report which it recently provided to the U.S. Congress, covering events during the period of June 1 to November 30, 2019.

U.S. Air Force Uses Russian Mi-24 Hind Gunships in Training at Davis-Monthan AFB.

01/25/2020

Russian-built Mi-24 ‘Hind’ attack helicopters are no strangers to U.S. airshow venues like Nellis AFB for previous editions of Aviation Nation, but official mention of the aircraft being used in active training with the USAF is much less common. Last week, the Air Force’s 355th Wing Public Affairs unit officially released a story about the USAF 55th Rescue Squadron of the Air Combat Command training with two Russian Mi-24 attack helicopters at Davis-Monthan AFB outside Tucson, Arizona.

JF-17 Thunder Block-III: Upgrades that bring it at the Top

01/25/2020

JF-17 Thunder Block-III 4+ Generation made its maiden flight back in December 2019 and Pak-China jointly built fighter jet proved its might and air superiority all over again. At Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group’s (CAIG) facilities, the first ever powered up prototype was flown in a test flight hailing some major upgrades and technologies from China’s top of the line J-20 fighter jet.

F-21 Fighter Jet to Take Centrestage at DefExpo 2020

01/25/2020

In its pursuit to sell F-21 multi-role fighter jets to Indian Air Force, US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin will exhibit its cutting-edge technology including aircraft platforms, precision weapons and missile systems at the Defence Expo-2020 (DefExpo), scheduled to be held in Lucknow from 5 to 8 February.