Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

HAL pitches for 4 more squadrons of Su-30MKI

08/15/2019

State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) has pitched for an order to manufacture four additional squadrons of the Su-30 MKI jets to quickly meet gaps in fighter squadron strength but the air force seems to be only keen on ordering replacements for aircraft that have been lost in accidents.

Video: Tense incident between Spanish and Russian aircraft over Baltic Sea

08/15/2019

A Spanish F-18 fighter jet had a tense encounter with a Russian Su-27 over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, as seen in a video released by Russia’s Defense Ministry. The Spanish aircraft, which is deployed at the Lithuanian base of Siauliau as part of NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission, is seen tagging a plane that was reportedly carrying Russian Defense Minister Serguéi Shoigu.

China Says It Could Locate and Kill Any F-22 or F-35, but Is It True?

08/14/2019

State-run Chinese media is claiming that the People’s Liberation Army has been able to track the U.S. Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor stealth fighters over the East China Sea. While the Chinese report might be easily dismissed as propaganda—it is not beyond the realm of possibility. In fact—it’s very possible that China can track the Raptor. Stealth is not a cloak of invisibility, after all. Stealth technology simply delays detection and tracking.

Majority of C-130s Return to Service Following Wing Crack Inspections

08/14/2019

The U.S. Air Force has given the OK for a majority of its C-130 Hercules fleet to fly again after about a quarter of its cargo aircraft were grounded last week for precautionary inspections. As of Aug. 12, 88 aircraft have been inspected and 87 returned to service, Air Mobility Command spokeswoman Rose Riley told Military.com on Tuesday.

Air Force Completes A-10 Re-Winging to Keep Iconic Aircraft Flying for Years to Come

08/14/2019

The U.S. Air Force has completed a re-winging effort for 173 A-10 Warthog attack aircraft that began nearly a decade ago. As part of the $1.1 billion "Enhanced Wing Assembly" contract awarded to Boeing Co. in 2007, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, recently completed work on the last A-10 slated to receive the upgrade, the service said in a news release Monday. The effort began in 2011.

Rafale jets coming to India! IAF to receive first batch of French fighters in September

08/14/2019

Indian Air Force (IAF) is getting ready to receive the first batch of four `Rafale’ fighter aircraft from Dassault Aviation in France next month. These state-of-the-art Rafale fighter planes are twin-engine multi-role fighter aircraft, nuclear-capable and can engage in both air-to-air and air-to-ground attacks. After receiving these combat aircraft equipped with Meteor missile.

Germany rolls out fix for grounded Tiger fleet

08/14/2019

Germany is working to progressively bring its Airbus Helicopters Tigers back into service after a safety issue forced their grounding on 2 August. Berlin's decision to suspend flight of the army's attack helicopter fleet was based on information from the airframer that certain titanium bolts in "safety critical" areas could suffer from a manufacturing defect.

Massive Pakistan Air Force buildup near Ladakh sector

08/13/2019

Pakistan is moving its fighter aircraft at forward air base Skardu near Ladakh, said reports by the intelligence agencies. Intelligence agencies have spotted atleast three Pakistan Air Force transport aircraft C-130 bringing equipment to Skardu air base.

Marine F-35B Drops 1,000-Pound Bombs on a Sea Target in the Pacific

08/13/2019

Marines in the Pacific carried out the first-ever, at-sea F-35B "hot reloads" in that theater, allowing the aircraft to drop back-to-back 1,000-pound bombs on a target in the middle of the Solomon Sea. Marines from the amphibious assault ship Wasp went to war last week with the "killer tomato," a big red inflatable target that was floating off the coast of Papua New Guinea.

Boeing juggles KC-46 tanker deliveries and boom redesign

08/13/2019

Boeing delivered three more KC-46A Pegasus in-flight refuelling tankers to the US Air Force (USAF) on 8 and 9 August, a week after winning a $55 million contract to redesign the aircraft’s boom telescope actuator.

Marine Women Advance F-35 Program, Make Headlines as Program Accelerates.

08/11/2019

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Anneliese Satz made history on June 27, 2019 when she became the first female USMC fighter pilot to complete the F-35B Lighting II training syllabus. Following her completion of training in the F-35B at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, Capt. Satz attended the grueling SERE school (Survival, Evasion, Resistance, Escape) for training combat pilots how to survive and escape if they are forced down over enemy areas.

Turkey mulling Russia’s proposal for Su-35 jets - Yeni Safak

08/11/2019

The Turkish defence procurement authority has asked the Turkish military to formally weigh in on the possible purchase of Russian Su-35 jets and will start official negotiations with Rosoboronexport if the military approves the proposal, pro-government daily Yeni Safak reported on Saturday.

Agreement reached to postpone Turkish incursion into Syria

08/08/2019

The United States persuaded Turkey to forestall its planned invasion of Syria, the U.S. embassy in Ankara announced on Wednesday. The embassy statement said that U.S. and Turkish military delegations met this week at the Turkish Defense Ministry in Ankara and agreed to "discuss plans to coordinate establishment of a safe zone in northern Syria."

British fighters intercept five Russian planes over Baltic Sea

08/08/2019

Eurofighter Typhoons, the British RAF fighter jets intercepted Russian combat airplanes over the Baltic Sea; the Russian aircraft went for another provocative act in Europe. According to BBC, on Monday, the fighter jets intercepted a Russian Antonov AN-26 “Curl” transport aircraft. Following this and on the same mission, the fighters later diverted to intercept a Russian TU-142 “Bear” Bomber and two SU-27B “Flanker” fighters. The planes approached the airspace of Lithuania.

The pilot shortage: The Army’s struggle to fix its aviation problems

08/08/2019

Despite years of attempts to address the problem, the Army is struggling to deal with a shortage of about 700 pilots, a persistent manpower problem that could impact the readiness of the entire force. Two years ago, the head of Army aviation told lawmakers that the Army was grappling with a hole in its warrant officer corps ? 731 pilots at the time ? and said the Army would tackle the problem through recruiting efforts, increasing seats at training schools and an aggressive push to retain seaso

Lockheed Martin F-35 sends target data to US Army missile control

08/08/2019

Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force (USAF) integrated the F-35 Lightning II’s target tracking data with the US Army’s Integrated Air and Missile Defense (IAMD) Battle Command System (IBCS), an important milestone for the stealth aircraft's ability to act as an elevated sensor.

Japan’s F-35A Fighter Jets Resume Flight Operations

08/07/2019

The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) announced last week that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has resumed training flights of its fifth-generation Lockheed Martin Lightning II F-35A Joint Strike Fighters as of August 1. Following the crash of a JASDF F-35A into the Pacific Ocean off northern Japan on April 9, the service’s entire fleet of 12 Joint Strike Fighters was grounded pending an investigation into the causes of the accident.

Raytheon delivers Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band pod to US Navy

08/07/2019

Raytheon delivered the first Next Generation Jammer Mid-Band (NGJ-MB) Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) pod to the US Navy (USN) for the service to begin ground and aircraft integration testing. The jamming pod is the first of 15 EMD pods to be delivered to the USN for mission systems testing and qualification on the Boeing EA-18G Growler, the service’s carrier-based electronic warfare aircraft, Raytheon says.

ANALYSIS: F-35's next engine to reach for more range

08/07/2019

One criticism – among many – of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is that the fighter lacks the range needed to conduct long-range stealth strike missions. While Lockheed Martin has studied adding external fuel tanks to extend the aircraft's range, slinging the bulky hardware under the F-35 would ruin its minimal radar cross section, giving away the stealth fighter's chief advantage.

Northrop Grumman scramjet engine produces record thrust in test

08/06/2019

A scramjet engine made by Northrop Grumman set a record for the highest thrust produced by an air-breathing hypersonic engine in US Air Force history. Ground tests of the 5.5m (18ft)-long engine were conducted by US Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) and Air Force Test Center staff at Arnold Air Force Base in Tennessee.

Lockheed gets production contract for Slovak F-16s

08/06/2019

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has awarded Lockheed Martin an $800 million contract linked to the production and future support of 14 F-16V Block 70 fighters for Slovakia. Work under the contract will be completed by January 2024, the DoD said on 31 July, with the deal made via the US Foreign Military Sales mechanism.

How America Would Win a War Against Russia or China (Think F-35s and More)

08/02/2019

If land-based precision artillery, maneuvering Air Force fighter jets and Navy destroyers were all able to seamlessly share sensitive targeting information in real time during high-intensity combat, the Pentagon would be closely approaching its currently-envisioned concept of modern joint multi-domain warfare.

Northern Strike 19 fosters Michigan-Latvia cooperation

08/02/2019

In Michigan's 26-year defense cooperation with Latvia under the National Guard Bureau's State Partnership Program (SPP), a defining area of collaboration has been the Joint Terminal Attack Controller (JTAC) program. The latest chapter in this story of cross-cultural teamwork is being written at Grayling Air Gunnery Range, Michigan, July 22 - Aug. 2 during exercise Northern Strike 19, with a visiting team of qualified Range Control Officers from Adazi Military Base, Latvia.

Fighter Jet Crashes in ‘Star Wars’ Canyon, Killing Pilot

08/02/2019

Fighter jets on training missions drop into a narrow canyon in California’s Death Valley National Park, banking and dodging the jagged walls. On a nearby overlook, tourists and aviation enthusiasts crane their necks or aim cameras at the jets, some of them so close that onlookers can glimpse into cockpits.

Germany picks NH90 to replace Sea Lynx

08/02/2019

Germany has selected the NH Industries NH90 as the replacement for its navy's 21-strong fleet of Westland Sea Lynx 88A anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters. Due to be delivered from 2025, Berlin will take a version of the NFH model, which is closest to the "Caiman" ASW variant operated by France, the country's defence ministry says.