Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Brimstone 3 test success fires MBDA ambitions

03/27/2019

The latest iteration of MBDA's combat-proven Brimstone precision-strike weapon has undergone a successful first test firing. Conducted at the Vidsel range in Sweden, the telemetry unit-equipped Brimstone 3 was deployed from a surface launcher against a pick-up truck target.

LIMA: Malaysia bolsters Su-30MKM support

03/27/2019

A Malaysian aerospace group has developed a programme for the 10-year service inspection of the Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter. An Su-30MKM that underwent Aerospace Technology Systems’ (ATSC) inspection regime was officially presented to the country’s prime minister at the Langkawi international Maritime Exhibition.

Indian air force accepts first four CH-47F Chinooks

03/27/2019

India’s air force formally inducted its first four Boeing CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters into its inventory on 25 March. The helicopters were handed over during a ceremony held at Air Force Station Chandigarh that was attended by senior air force dignitaries. India’s defence ministry says that the remaining 11 Chinooks from its 2015 order will be delivered progressively by March 2020.

Russian Transport Aircraft Deliver Men And Materiel To Venezuela Direct From Syria

03/26/2019

Russian Air Force An-124 Condor heavy transport plane is back home after a brief trip to Venezuela, where it helped reportedly deliver almost 100 military personnel and tons of unspecified cargo as part of the Kremlin’s ongoing support for embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. For two months now, Maduro has been locked in a political crisis with American-supported opposition leader Juan Guaido and there continue to be signs that a U.S. military intervention might be on the horizon.

US State Department approves sale of 25 F-16s to Morocco

03/26/2019

The US State Department approved the possible sale of 25 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 72 fighters to the Royal Moroccan Air Force, as well as a possible agreement to upgrade 23 of the air force’s Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to the F-16V variant. The F-16C/D fighters and related equipment are estimated to cost $3.79 billion, while the upgrade and related equipment is estimated to cost $985 million.

Laos joins Yak-130 operators list

03/26/2019

Russia's Irkut has confirmed the delivery of Yak-130 advanced jet trainers to Laos, with Cirium's Fleets Analyzer recording four examples as having been handed over to the nation's air force so far this year. Laos has another six of the type on order, our data indicates.

MALAYSIA AND AZERBAIJAN HEADLINE PAKISTAN’S FRESH JF-17 SALES EFFORTS

03/25/2019

The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) are renewing their efforts to secure additional customers for the JF-17 Thunder lightweight multi-role fighter, which is co-produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and PAC, and is the mainstay combat aircraft of the PAF.

During dogfight with Indian planes: All our fighter jets were airborne, says ISPR

03/25/2019

Pakistan is ruling out the possibility of using its nuclear weapons and sees them as more of deterrence tool to prevent actual wars, Spokesman for the Pakistan Army Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor told the international media in an interview. "Since we have gone overtly nuclear, as India also, in 1998, our stance is that this capability eliminates the possibility of a conventional war between the two states. So that is to say, this is a weapon of deterrence and a political choice.

Tejas Fighter Jet To Participate In Malaysia's Aerospace Exhibition

03/25/2019

India's indigenous supersonic fighter jet Tejas will for the first time participate in aerial displays during the five-day Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. India has been projecting the Tejas aircraft in a big way as it has been manufactured indigenously at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.

China's F-16: Meet the J-10 Fighter (Possibly Thanks to Israel)

03/24/2019

The J-10 “Vigorous Dragon” is a mainstay of China’s effort to modernize its large fleet of single-engine jet fighters, with 350 already in service. An agile tactical fighter similar to the ubiquitous F-16 Fighting Falcon , the Vigorous Dragon was the first domestic Chinese design roughly on par with Western and Russian fourth-generation fighters .

Russian Fighter Showdown: Su-35 vs. MiG-35 (Who Wins?)

03/23/2019

Egypt recently turned heads with its decision to purchase twenty advanced Su-35S fighter jets from Russia. This adds yet another unique airframe to Egypt’s inventory, which currently fields Rafales, two generations of F-16s, MiG-29s modernized to near MiG-35 standard, and two generations of Mirages. What could the Su-35S add onto this lineup? What could the political repercussions of the buy be?

General Atomics awarded $123m to produce four Dutch MQ-9 Reapers

03/23/2019

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was awarded a $123 million contract by the Pentagon to manufacture four MQ-9 Block 5 Reapers for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The contract has been anticipated for a while, as the US State Department approved the sale in 2015 and Amsterdam officially announced the order in July 2018 at the Farnborough air show in the United Kingdom.

UK signs E-7 airborne early warning contract

03/23/2019

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed plans to acquire five Boeing 737-based E-7 airborne early warning and control system aircraft, with the platforms to be modified by Marshall Aerospace & Defence Group. Announced on 22 March and worth £1.5 billion ($1.98 billion), the contract will lead to the adapted narrowbody airliners being introduced to service from the early 2020s. They will replace the Royal Air Force's (RAF) current Boeing 707-based E-3D Sentry fleet.

Taipei stepping up efforts to buy new fighters

03/22/2019

The leadership of Taiwan has recently stepped up efforts to obtain a new American fighter aircraft to urgently recapitalise its aging air force. Media reports indicate that president Tsai Ing-wen has publically confirmed that a request for new fighter aircraft has been made to Washington.

C295 purchase to bolster Kazakhstan defences

03/22/2019

Airbus Defence & Space has been awarded a contract to produce a single C295 medium transport for Kazakhstan's border service. Announcing the commitment on 21 March, the European airframer says the asset will be employed for duties including "border control activities and homeland security operations". A delivery schedule has not been revealed.

Meteor, Spear additions to give UK F-35s added punch

03/22/2019

Weapons integration activities on the Lockheed Martin F-35B are to be expanded for the UK, with the pending addition of MBDA's Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile and in-development Spear ground-attack system. Announced on 18 March and placed by Lockheed as "an initial funding award", the integration activity will be conducted by a team including the airframer and European guided weapons specialist, along with BAE Systems.

Boeing in $4 billion deal for F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets

03/22/2019

Boeing has secured a three-year contract for 78 F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets, with a total contract value of approximately $4 billion. “Boeing will begin converting existing Block II Super Hornets to Block III early in the next decade,” says a company statement. “The fighter’s life also will be extended from 6,000 hours to 10,000 hours.”

Ukraine's Joint Forces show video of MiG-29 fighters, Su-25 attack aircraft in combat training flight over Sea of ??Azov

03/21/2019

A MiG-29 fighter wing and a pair of Su-25 attack aircraft performed scheduled flights over the Sea of Azov, providing an air cover for Ukraine Navy ships sailing in the area. The corresponding video was posted by the press service of the Joint Forces Operation HQ on its Facebook page.

Pentagon orders second stealth target drone to be built

03/21/2019

The Department of Defense ordered a second stealth aerial target demonstrator from Sierra Technical Services on 13 February. The so-called 5th Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) is a high-performance, fighter-size unmanned air vehicle that is intended to represent stealthy aircraft threats from advanced adversaries such as China or Russia.

PICTURES: 30 years since Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey’s first flight

03/21/2019

The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey first flew 30 years ago today on 19 March 1989. Since, the Bell-Boeing joint venture behind the tiltrotor has produced more than 375 examples, which have accumulated more than 450,000 flight hours, the manufacturers say.

Boeing to integrate nuclear-tipped cruise missile on B-52

03/21/2019

The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Boeing Defense Space & Security a $250 million contract to integrate the nuclear-tipped Long Range Stand-Off Cruise Missile (LRSO) on the B-52H bomber. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is for aircraft and missile carriage equipment development and modification, engineering, testing, software development, training, facilities, and support necessary to fully integrate the missile on the strategic bomber, says the USAF.

India to potentially acquire Su-57 stealth jets: report

03/19/2019

The Russian Federation’s domestically-produced Su-57 stealth jet will be transferred to their aerospace forces by the end of 2019, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Yuri Slyusar announced this month. While Russia is expected to purchase all fifteen of the Su-57 jets, it appears Moscow may have a potential buyer in India, the National Interest publication reported.

The Brief – Replacing Turkey in NATO

03/19/2019

A global geopolitical shift has taken place without the wider audience noticing. Turkey has drifted apart from the US and NATO, it has got much closer to Russia, and the US is desperately seeking to find ways to fill a huge gap in the strategic Black Sea region. Turkey is still a NATO member. But it has repeatedly said it is committed to buying Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the United States that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system.

The Japanese Air Force Needs an Upgrade

03/19/2019

Japanese leaders will soon need to make a decision that will fundamentally shape their nation’s security: the replacement of their aging F-2 fighter aircraft. One overarching threat sets the bar for Japan: China. Beijing’s increasingly aggressive actions throughout the Pacific, backed by rapid and cutting-edge military buildup, leave no margin for error.

OPINION: The F-15's unlikely renaissance

03/19/2019

Not too long ago, the Boeing F-15's days looked numbered. First flown in 1972 - back when the Vietnam War was still raging and President Nixon remained in office - the "Eagle" had lately seemed too old, too last-century, to compete for sales against modern counterparts, notably the Lockheed Martin F-35.