Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

China's J-20 stealth fighter has no cannon - and it shows the jet can't dogfight with the US

01/24/2019

China's J-20 stealth fighter jet represents a massive milestone for Beijing's armed forces and the first stealth aircraft ever fielded outside the US, but the impressive effort still falls noticeably short in some areas. The J-20 doesn't have a cannon, and represents the only entry into the world of fifth-generation fighters that skips the gun, which has seen 100 years of aerial combat.

Space debris poses threat to UK and French air force operations

01/24/2019

Modern armed forces could cope with the loss of some space-based capabilities, but disabling orbiting assets would be a "game-changer" in the areas of imaging, positioning and ballistic missiles.

Poland to update Mi-24 helicopter fleet

01/24/2019

Poland has advanced plans to modernise its fleet of Mil Mi-24 attack helicopters operated by the nation's army aviation branch. Warsaw intends to conduct a dialogue with potential suppliers, running from July to September, to analyse the feasibility of the project, which will mean extending the lifespan of the Cold War-era helicopters.

Portugal eyes contracted M-346 fleet for training need

01/24/2019

Portugal is exploring the possibility of contracting advanced jet training for its air force pilots to an external provider that would acquire Leonardo M-346s for the operation. Lisbon has struggled with its pilot training requirements since the retirement of its Dassault Alpha Jets at the beginning of 2018, sending some crews to the USA as a stopgap measure.

Lockheed Martin offers to shift fighter aircraft F-16 production from US to India

01/23/2019

Lockheed Martin sees a potential export market of more than $20 billion for its F-16 fighter aircraft from an assembly line in India it has offered to set up in order to win a large Indian military order, a top executive said. The U.S. defence firm is competing with Boeing's F/A-18, Saab's Gripen, Dassault Aviation's Rafale, the Eurofighter Typhoon and a Russian aircraft to supply the Indian air force with 114 combat planes in a deal estimated to be worth more than $15 billion.

US Marine Corps orders 25 more Bell AH-1Z attack helicopters

01/23/2019

The US Marine Corps has ordered 25 additional Bell AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters for $439.5 million. The helicopters are part of production Lot 16, the Department of Defense said in a notice on 18 January. Naval Air Systems Command is contracting the aircraft on behalf of the USMC.

France signs $89m deal for FLIR micro drones

01/23/2019

France has signed a contract with a ceiling value of $89 million to buy an undisclosed number of FLIR Systems' Black Hornet 3 micro unmanned air vehicles for its armed forces. The contract will be managed and executed by FLIR in Hvalstad, Norway, the manufacturer says. About 30 countries around the world operate variants of the Black Hornet, including a number of NATO allies.

Russian Tu-22M3 Bomber Crashes in Murmansk Region Killing Two Crew Members

01/23/2019

A Russian Air Force Tu-22M3 supersonic bomber crashed at Olenegorsk airbase, in the Murmansk region, shortly after 13:30LT on Jan. 22. According to the first reports, the aircraft was attempting to recover at its homebase in bad weather after a training sortie when it performed a hard landing. Of the four crew members, two were injured and were transported to a medical facility to receive assistance whereas two were killed.

Tokyo casts frugal eye over domestic F-35 production

01/23/2019

Tokyo will review indigenous production of the Lockheed Martin F-35 fighter with an eye to saving production costs. No decision has been made about the fate of long-term F-35 production in Japan, but the Japanese government clearly sees potential to save costs by taking jets from the main Fort Worth production line, according to a government document viewed by FlightGlobal.

2 bodies recovered after Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers collided above Sea of Japan

01/20/2019

The bodies of two airmen were found during a complicated search and rescue operation in stormy waters after two Russian Su-34 warplanes collided during a training flight. One crew member was saved, and one is still missing. The bodies of two crew members were recovered during the search and rescue operation, the military confirmed. An aircraft navigator was earlier located and evacuated to safety. The Defense Ministry said he was found in “satisfactory condition”.

US Air Force wants a new prototype fighter to replace F-22 Raptors and F-35s in dogfights

01/20/2019

The F-35 strike fighter is supposed to be streets ahead of the competition. It’s stealthy. It’s smart. It networks with everything and everybody around it to give its pilot an unprecedented picture of what’s going on. So why does the US Air Force already want to replace it? Warfare is changing fast.

IAF planning to order 8 new Su-30MKI combat aircraft from HAL

01/20/2019

Seeking to make up for the losses in different crashes, the Indian Air Force (IAF) is planning to place an order for eight new Su-30MKI combat aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics LimitedNSE 0.74 % (HAL), likely to be worth over Rs 3,000 crore. "The plan is to acquire eight new Su-30MKI combat planes," top Indian Air Force sources told ANI.

Advanced Russian fighter jets collide in mid-air with at least one crashed near Japan

01/19/2019

Two Russian Su-34 fighter-bombers collided in mid-air during a training event over the Strait of Tartary near Japan, Russian media reported on Friday. A rescue helicopter has recovered one pilot while efforts continue to save others. Russian media quoting Russia's Ministry of Defense carried conflicting reports saying that the pilots ejected and that one of the jets may have managed to stay airborne.

Russia to buy 14 new MiG-35 multirole combat aircraft in 2020

01/19/2019

Russian media announced on 18 January that the country air force had agreed to buy 14 MiG-35 multirole combat aircraft in 2020. According to the state-owned TASS news agency, Russian Aerospace Forces will sign a contract for the delivery of another batch of MiG-35 4++ generation multirole jet fighters in 2020.

USAF 3-D prints metal parts to keep F-22 repair cost down

01/19/2019

For the first time, the US Air Force has 3-D printed and installed a replacement titanium part on a Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor as part of a greater effort to shrink repair costs and time. The USAF has only 186 operational F-22s and has struggled to deploy and maintain the aircraft effectively. Managing the small fleet is especially difficult because the stealth fighters are notoriously expensive to maintain or fix after damage.

ANALYSIS: F-35 production ready to soar in 2019

01/19/2019

Production of the F-35 Lightning II is on course to make its latest rate rise this year, after Lockheed Martin met its contractual target to deliver 91 of the fifth-generation fighter during 2018. Detailing last year's delivery total, Lockheed says a combined 54 aircraft were handed over to the US Air Force, US Marine Corps and US Navy, while 21 went to partner nations. The remaining 16 were shipped to Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programme customers.

Singapore commits to “small” F-35 procurement

01/19/2019

Singapore has confirmed that it will replace its Lockheed Martin F-16s with the F-35, but will assess a “small number” before deciding on its long-term fleet. The country’s defence ministry announced the decision to acquire to acquire the F-35 in a brief statement on its website.

One of the U.S. Air Force Aggressor F-16s Will Get The Russian Su-57 Stealth Jet’s Digital Paint Scheme

01/17/2019

A Nellis Air Force Base’s Aggressor Viper to be painted with the same color scheme as the Russian radar-evading 5th generation aircraft. Eye-catching paint schemes which make fighter planes similar to their Russian counterparts have become a distinguishing feature of U.S. Aggressors and Adversary jets.

Pegasus arrives: KC-46 tanker makes America more effective in era of growing threats

01/17/2019

This was a milestone week in Air Force history. The U.S. Air Force and Boeing found agreement on the terms for the KC-46 air-refueling aircraft to enter the active inventory. The long-sought goal of recapitalizing the KC-135 air-refueling force is set to begin. As former Secretary of the Air Force Donald Rice explained in the 1992 version of the seminal “Global Reach—Global Power” whitepaper: “Our global power ensures our friends are not alone. With our responsiveness, potential adversaries unde

France: development contract for the Rafale F4 aircraft

01/17/2019

On 14 January 2019 Eric Trappier, Chairman and CEO of Dassault Aviation, received the F4-standard development contract for the Rafale combat aircraft during the visit of the Dassault Aviation Mérignac plant by Florence Parly, French Minister of the Armed Forces.

Boeing relationship key to KC-390 costs, marketing

01/17/2019

Embraer’s defence joint venture with Boeing will use the American company’s leverage over suppliers to cut parts and components costs on the KC-390 tactical transport. The Brazilian company said at an investor conference on 16 January that it will also lean on Boeing’s international sales and marketing network, as well as the USA’s geopolitical influence, to expand the transport’s sales.

General Atomics unveils local suppliers for Belgian SkyGuardian

01/17/2019

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has partnered with five Belgium-based suppliers as part of its effort to include local suppliers in its deal to deliver MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned air vehicles to the Belgian Armed Forces.

Russia Claims Its Su-57 Fighter Is Even More Stealth (Be Skeptical)

01/16/2019

Russia reportedly has upgraded the stealth features on its radar-evading Su-57 fighter. But the enhancements don't amount to much. Even with upgrades, the Su-57 still is a niche, mostly experimental aircraft that lacks critical combat systems and which Russia has not committed to building in large numbers.

The F-35 Fighter Is A Success. So How Do We Keep It Ready & Reliable For The Next 50 Years?

01/16/2019

The F-35 fighter has successfully completed flight testing. It is now joining the combat fleets of three U.S. military services and a dozen overseas allies. By the end of 2019, nearly 500 fighters will have been delivered.

Lockheed wins second Long Range Anti-Ship Missile contract

01/16/2019

Lockheed Martin has won a $172 million contract from the US Navy and US Air Force for the second production lot of its stealthy Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM). The contract continues production for the air-launched variant of LRASM, including engineering support, the manufacturer says in a statement. The first set of LRASMs were delivered to the USAF in December, a milestone reached as part of Early Operational Capability for the weapon.