Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Training in the Age of Corona: Israeli, American F-35 Pilots Meet in the Air, Debrief at a Distance

04/03/2020

Israeli and American fighter pilots held a joint F-35 training drill over southern Israel in recent days, meeting only in the air due to the coronavirus pandemic. Face-to-face meetings for briefings and after-drill reviews were instead conducted over the phone and video conferences. The one-day exercise, held on March 29, and dubbed “Enduring Lightening,” saw fifth-generation jets fly in joint squadrons and tackle a range of mock threats in Israeli skies.

Chinese air force’s drill ‘aimed at signalling deterrent around Taiwan’

04/03/2020

The Chinese military command responsible for patrols around Taiwan stepped up its drills by staging a long-endurance early-warning exercise in March, the official PLA Daily reported on Wednesday.

The Air Force is Cutting Tankers (That Seems Like a Big Mistake)

04/03/2020

The United States Air Force is now considering private contractors to help refuel its bombers and fighters within the next two years as it faces a near-term shortage of refueler aircraft. This comes as the USAF's 2021 budget proposal calls for cutting sixteen active-duty KC-10s and thirteen KC-135s from the active and reserve fleets.

US special forces Armed Overwatch light attack demo scheduled for November

04/03/2020

US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) plans to conduct a flight demonstration as part of its Armed Overwatch light-attack aircraft prototype project in November 2020. Should SOCOM decide to move forward with Overwatch after demonstrations, one company could be awarded a production contract for 75 aircraft to be delivered over a five- to seven-year period, the service says in a 2 April online notice.

NAVAIR fast tracks technology to help CH-53E in ‘brownouts’

04/03/2020

The US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is expediting the development of a system that improves low-speed performance of the Sikorsky CH-53E Super Stallion helicopter in poor visibility conditions. US Marine Corps (USMC) operations in the Middle East have showed that in “brownout” conditions caused by sand billowing up from landing zones, helicopters have a tendency to “drift” when attempting to land and take off, NAVAIR says.

AH-64E explores maritime attack role in Arabian Gulf

04/03/2020

The US military has conducted joint operations in the Arabian gulf to demonstrate army attack helicopters teaming with naval assets to engaged simulated surface targets. The work involved the army’s Boeing AH-64E attack helicopters operating from the USS Lewis B Puller, an Expeditionary Sea Base ship, says the US Naval Force Central Command.

The Bronco Is Back! A Fleet Of OV-10s Will Help Train Air Force Forward Air Controllers

04/02/2020

A quarter-century after the last OV-10 Broncos left U.S. military service – not counting experiments and a brief field test in Iraq involving a pair of heavily modified OV-10G+ variants on loan from NASA – U.S. Air Force Forward Air Controllers, now dubbed Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs), may find themselves working with these light attack planes again soon during training programs and exercises.

Iran's F-7 Fighter Is A Copy of a J-7 Fighter from China (That Copies a MiG-21)

04/02/2020

One of their lesser-known, and indeed less-capable airframes is a copy…of a copy. Meet the J/F-7. The F-7 (or sometimes called J-7, after it’s Chinese parent) is an odd duck. The F-7 is a copy of the J-7, which is a copy of the MiG-21. This video of Albanian F-7’s or J-7s shows the decidedly Soviet and antiquated nature of the airframes.

Japan Rejects Lockheed Martin Plans for Next-Generation Fighter Aircraft

04/02/2020

Japan has rejected proposals by foreign aircraft manufacturers, including Lockheed Martin, to develop a next-generation combat aircraft based on existing designs under the F-X future fighter program, according to a spokesperson of the Ministry of Defense’s (MoD’s) Acquisition, Technology & Logistics Agency (ATLA).

Northrop Grumman to start AARGM-ER production for US Navy

04/02/2020

The US Navy (USN) intends to award a sole source contract to Northrop Grumman to start production of the Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile – Extended Range (AARGM-ER). The quantity of the forthcoming order was not disclosed, but would be part of low rate initial production lot one, says the service in a notice posted online on 31 March.

UK Royal Navy sets course for Carrier Strike Group 21 test

04/02/2020

Moored nose-to-tail in Portsmouth harbour for the first time earlier this year, the UK’s two largest ever warships made an imposing presence, despite the absence of the Lockheed Martin F-35Bs which will in time deliver the Royal Navy (RN) vessels’ firepower during operations around the globe.

Captain of Aircraft Carrier Pleads for Help as Virus Cases Increase Onboard

04/01/2020

The captain of an American aircraft carrier deployed to the Pacific Ocean has pleaded with the Pentagon for more help as a coronavirus outbreak aboard his ship continues to spread, officials said Tuesday. Military officials say dozens of sailors have been infected.

Lockheed awarded $4.9B for work on F-35s

04/01/2020

Lockheed Martin picked up three contracts totaling $4.9 billion for work on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft Tuesday, according to the Pentagon. The F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter -- a single-engine stealth multirole combat aircraft used by the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps - is considered the most advanced fighter aircraft in the sky.

Swedish training transition to engage Gripen C/Ds

04/01/2020

The Swedish air force is poised to begin modernising its pilot training system, with the process from later this decade to involve the interim use of Saab Gripen C/Ds during advanced instruction phases. Stockholm has employed the Saab 105 (Sk 60) for both basic and advanced/tactical training since 1986, but Colonel Torgny Falthammar, Gripen programme head at the nation’s air staff organisation, says steps will be taken to replace the aged type.

USA approves new IFF, datalink for Korean F-16s

04/01/2020

The US government has cleared a potential sale of Mode 5 Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) and the Link 16 tactical datalink to South Korea for its Lockheed Martin F-16s. The deal is worth $194 million, and includes a range of services and equipment related to the acquisition, says the US State Department.

Dassault aims to begin gradual restart of production at French sites after coronavirus shutdown

04/01/2020

Dassault hopes to begin gradually recommencing production at its French facilities in the coming days following an agreement with workforce unions. Final assembly of Rafale combat aircraft and Falcon business jets has been suspended since 18 March, with parts manufacturing similarly halted four days later, in the light of the coronavirus pandemic.

Israel and America Just Conducted F-35 Drills (Iran, Take Notice?)

03/31/2020

Israel’s F-35 Adir fighters conducted a training exercise called 'Enduring Lightning' over southern Israel amid the global pandemic. They were joined by the U.S. Air Force American F-35s, pairing the two countries' fifth-generation fighter capabilities at a time of tension in the region

NEWEST MV-22B OSPREY SQUADRON, THE “UGLY ANGELS,” ARE READY

03/31/2020

Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 362, known as the “Ugly Angels,” were declared fully operational capable on Feb. 28, 2020, signifying that the Marine Corps’ newest MV-22B Osprey squadron is prepared to support the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. Following the certification, they continued to work together to accomplish additional training and readiness objectives while conducting precautionary measures to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Boeing wins $1.5bn contract for 18 P-8A patrol aircraft for South Korea, New Zealand and US Navy

03/31/2020

The US Navy (USN) has awarded Boeing a $1.5 billion contract for 18 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft. The deal is for six aircraft for the South Korean navy, four aircraft for the Royal New Zealand Air Force and eight aircraft for the USN, Boeing says on 30 March. New Zealand and South Korea are scheduled to received their first aircraft in 2022 and 2023, respectively.

Fuel is leaking from the Boeing KC-46A in-flight refuelling tanker

03/31/2020

The US Air Force (USAF) says fuel is leaking from its Boeing KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tanker. The problem, which was first discovered in July 2019, was recently upgraded to a category 1 deficiency, says the service on 30 March.

Airbus suspends Spanish production as outbreak restrictions tighten

03/31/2020

Airbus is suspending most of its production in Spain for more than a week, as it continues its efforts to address the coronavirus situation. Spain has been particularly hard-hit among European countries. Airbus says it is to suspend the “majority of production” until 9 April, in the aftermath of new measures imposed by the Spanish government from 30 March.

Pentagon seeks $76 million next year to start replacing Offutt-based 'Doomsday' jets

03/30/2020

The day is coming when Offutt Air Force Base’s giant “Doomsday” planes will fly off into the sunset. The Air Force has started a program to replace the four E-4B Nightwatch jets — also known as the National Airborne Operations Center — within 10 years. The Doomsday moniker is because their primary mission is to take off and maintain control of nuclear weapons in the event of nuclear war. They also frequently are used as a transport plane for the secretary of defense.

Hill fighter wings continue flying operations amid COVID-19 crisis

03/30/2020

The active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing are continuing to train and fly the F-35A Lightning II at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, despite the current global Coronavirus outbreak. There has been one confirmed case on Hill AFB. As cases continue to spread in America and more and more local and national guidelines and restrictions are put in place to prevent the spread of the disease, the wings implemented their own measures two weeks ago. The largest was, “segmented” OPS.

Yes the F-35 Would Wipe out an F-15 or F-16 (But Maybe Not Every Single Time)

03/29/2020

The F-35 wins at long-range due to its stealth capabilities. But it is no dogfighter and if another plane got close enough, maybe the F-35 would lose.

Japan rejecting foreign suitors in favor of homegrown design for new stealth jet, sources say

03/29/2020

Japan wants to develop a stealth fighter domestically, rejecting designs from Lockheed Martin Corp. and Boeing Co. in the United States and Britain’s BAE Systems PLC, three sources with knowledge of the program said.