Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Lockheed Martin signs $1.9bn sustainment contract for F-35

01/07/2020

The F-35 Joint Program Office awarded Lockheed Martin a $1.9 billion contract to sustain and support the worldwide fleet of F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters in 2020. The contract will also fund increasing maintenance capacity for future deliveries of the F-35, says Lockheed Martin. To meet the needs of the growing F-35 fleet, the contract funds hiring industry sustainment experts for base and depot maintenance, pilot and maintainer training, and sustainment engineering efforts, says the compa

Erdogan Announces First Turkish Troops Are Heading to Libya

01/06/2020

Turkey has started deploying troops to Libya, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Sunday evening in a live television interview, keeping his promise to support the fragile government in Tripoli even as Western states have warned against escalating a conflict between the government and rebel forces.

US service member, DoD contractors killed after jihadi attack on base in Kenya

01/06/2020

A U.S. service member and two Department of Defense contractors died Sunday following an attack from al-Shabab militants in Manda Bay, Kenya, according to U.S. Africa Command. Two other Defense Department members were also injured in the attack, but remain in stable condition.

Netanyahu, in apparent stumble, calls Israel 'nuclear power'

01/06/2020

In an apparent slip of the tongue on Sunday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described Israel as a nuclear power before correcting himself with a bashful nod and an embarrassed smile. Israel is widely believed to have an atomic arsenal but has never confirmed or denied that it has nuclear weapons, maintaining a so-called policy of ambiguity on the issue for decades.

Germany seeks talks with Iran to ease tensions

01/06/2020

Germany's foreign minister said Saturday he is hoping for direct talks with Iran, in addition to the country's European partners and the United Nations, as a way of de-escalating tensions in the Middle East following the US assassination of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani.

US military aircraft, vehicles destroyed in Kenya attack linked to al-Shabab extremists; 5 attackers arrested, 4 dead

01/06/2020

The U.S. military said the security situation was "fluid" at a Kenyan airfield used by U.S. forces after a pre-dawn attack Sunday by the al-Shabab extremist group. The attack destroyed U.S. aircraft and vehicles, Kenyan authorities said, and at least four attackers were killed. It was not yet clear whether any U.S. or Kenyan forces were killed. A U.S. Africa Command statement said "an accountability of personnel assessment is underway."

Indonesia beefs up patrols after China fishing boat spat 6 hours ago

01/05/2020

Indonesia is stepping up sea and aerial patrols of islands near the disputed South China Sea, an official said on Saturday, following a diplomatic spat over "trespassing" Chinese vessels. Military aircraft and three warships with some 600 navy, army and air force personnel have been deployed to waters around the Natuna islands, which border the South China Sea.

Qasem Soleimani: How strong is Iran's military?

01/05/2020

"Severe revenge awaits" those behind the attack on General Qasem Soleimani, said Iran's Supreme Leader. So what do we know about Iran's military capabilities?

Turkey All But Gives Up On F-35 Jet Deal, Seeks Alternatives

01/05/2020

Turkey has all but given up on rescuing its deal for 100 F-35 fighter jets with the United States, and instead is seeking alternatives to the American jets besides improving its defensive capabilities. With the new U.S. National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) in effect, it is highly likely that Turkey will not be able to receive its fifth-gen F-35 multirole stealth aircraft in the foreseeable future, according to an article by Dr. Can Kasapoglu of EDAM, an Istanbul based think tank.

Air Force sets foundation for energy optimization, lethality

01/05/2020

With 2020 here and the Air Force prepares to take on the challenges of the next decade, we must also review our successes and lessons learned from the last year. For Air Force Operational Energy, 2019 was a year for laying the foundation to build a more optimized and lethal force in the years to come.

RMAF seeking drones, aircraft and missiles

01/05/2020

The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is diligently pursuing the acquisition of three major assets to bolster its maritime surveillance capabilities. Newly-appointed RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Ackbal Abdul Samad said the assets comprised unmanned aircraft systems, maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) and ground-based radars. “These are vital elements to shore up the air force which needs such requirements to meet the challenges ahead.

Iran’s F-14 Tomcats Take to the Skies: Air Force’s Elite Scrambled to Patrol Western Borders After U.S. Attack Kills Quds Force Commander Qassem Soleimani

01/04/2020

Following a U.S. airstrike on the convoy of Iranian Revolutionary Guards Corps General Qasem Soleimani near Baghdad International Airport, which claimed the life of the senior commander and two dozen others, Tehran has vowed to respond with a "crushing revenge" sparking a rise in tensions across the Middle East.

Here's How Iran's Aging Air Force Would Take On America's F-22 Stealth Fighters

01/04/2020

With the United States withdrawing from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action nuclear deal with Iran, a war with Tehran seems to be a distinct possibility. In the event of a military conflict between Washington and Tehran, there is also the ever growing possibility that the White House might seek regime change in Iran.

Here's Why Iran Is Obsessed With Upgrading Its Older Air Force Jets

01/04/2020

The Iranian air force on paper is one of the biggest air arms in the world. Its order of battle includes around 350 fighters, more than twice as many as the Royal Air Force possesses. But most of Iran’s fighters are old and outdated. The ones that aren’t old are just new copies of old designs. The air force’s squadrons fly American-made F-14s, F-5s and F-4s dating from the 1970s, some 1980s-vintage MiG-29s and Sukhoi fighter-bombers and a few J-7s that the Islamic Republic bought from China.

Lockheed Martin delivers 134 F-35 stealth fighters in 2019

01/04/2020

Lockheed Martin delivered 134 examples of its F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter in 2019 to the US military services, international development partners and Foreign Military Sales customers. The total was three more than the 131 aircraft it expected to deliver in 2019, the company said on 30 December 2019.

Lockheed Martin awarded $7bn contract to maintain F-22 fleet

01/04/2020

Lockheed Martin was awarded a five-year contract worth $7 billion for maintenance of the F-22 Raptor stealth fighter. The contract is an option exercised by the US Air Force (USAF) from its ongoing sustainment deal with Lockheed Martin, the Department of Defense says in an online notice on 20 December. This additional five-year contract will extend the service’s contract work with Lockheed Martin through 31 December 2032.

Boeing KC-46A to resume cargo and passenger flights after cargo lock fixes

01/04/2020

The US Air Force is again allowing Boeing KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tankers to carry passengers and cargo, lifting a ban after accepting Boeing’s cargo-lock retrofit. The USAF announced in September that during test flights multiple cargo-floor restraint locks malfunctioned and came unlocked. At the time, in-service KC-46As were transporting cargo. The service suspended cargo and passenger flights as a precaution.

Indonesia rolls out indigenous MALE UAV

01/04/2020

Indonesian Aerospace has rolled out the first prototype of a medium altitude long endurance (MALE) UAV for which it sees a number of domestic missions. The aircraft was unveiled on 30 December 2019 at Indonesian Aerospace’s Bandung factory, says the company, also known as PTDI.

Pilot shortages could ground China’s plans to develop combat-ready carrier fleet

01/03/2020

A shortage of naval pilots is holding back Beijing’s ambitions to develop a truly combat-ready fleet, military analysts have said. China officially commissioned its second aircraft carrier the Shandong last week, which means it will need at least 70 pilots, along with more supporting flight officers.

Israel-Iran conflict to be major Middle East issue in 2020

01/03/2020

Neither Iran or Israel may seek war. But a diplomatic breakdown after the US pulled out of the Iran nuclear deal, strategic errors and a military buildup make a direct conflict — even an inadvertent one — more likely. Tensions between Israel and Iran have increased since President Donald Trump unilaterally pulled the United States out of the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action— the 2015 accord to wind back Iran's nuclear program in return for sanctions relief — in 2018.

Upgraded version of fighter jet developed jointly by China, Pakistan makes maiden flight

01/03/2020

An upgraded version of a fighter jet being jointly developed by China and Pakistan has made its maiden flight in the Chinese city of Chengdu, official media reported on Thursday. The JF-17 Thunder, earlier named as FC-1 Xiaolong, was a single-engine multi-role light fighter jet jointly produced by the two countries for several years with engines supplied by Russia. The upgraded version features the technologies of China's stealth fighter J-20.

Boeing’s Autonomous Fighter Jet Will Fly Over the Australian Outback

01/03/2020

If you drive along the main northern road through South Australia with a good set of binoculars, you may soon be able to catch a glimpse of a strange, windowless jet, one that is about to embark on its maiden flight. It’s a prototype of the next big thing in aerial combat: a self-piloted warplane designed to work together with human-piloted aircraft.

Beijing celebrates new year with JF-17, J-20 progress

01/03/2020

The Block III version of the Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 fighter has conducted its maiden flight, and China appears to be making progress with indigenous engines for the J-20 stealth fighter. Social media accounts covering Chinese defence aerospace developments were busy over the holidays, with two notable developments.

Israel Now Has a Second Squadron of Deadly F-35I Stealth Fighters

01/02/2020

The first public photograph has appeared depicting an F-35 stealth fighter in the livery of Israel’s second squadron of the radar-evading jets. The Israeli air arm in late December 2019 released a photo of an F-35 wearing the tail markings of 116 Squadron.

‘We are losing control’: China’s ‘dangerous’ South China Sea plan almost complete

01/02/2020

The battle for the South China Sea is heating up. Vietnam. Malaysia. The Philippines. All have drawn lines in the sandbars against China. But it may already be too late. This past year, Vietnam stood its ground over the right to deploy an oil rig within its UN-mandated waters. Malaysia complained publicly of interference by the Chinese coastguard. The Philippines moved to secure its Scarborough Shoal islands.