Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Brazilian air force receives first Embraer KC-390

09/06/2019

The Brazilian air force received its first Embraer KC-390 transport in a ceremony at Anápolis Air Base outside of Brasilia on 4 September. The service is starting preparations for the transport’s entry into service with its First Troop Transport Group. Embraer says it has already been conducting “theoretical and practical training with the air force teams to start operations”.

Field shrinks further for Canada fighter contest

09/06/2019

Canada's options for a new fighter have narrowed to three, with the formal withdrawal of the Eurofighter Typhoon from the competition. In a statement on 30 August, the UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) and Airbus Defence & Space announced that the Typhoon would not compete for the 88-fighter deal. This whittles contestants down to just three: the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, Lockheed Martin F-35A and the Saab Gripen.

Two Su-57s Flown To Hmeymim, Syria, As Russia Upgrades Infrastructure At Air Base

09/04/2019

As Russia upgrades infrastructure at its Hmeymim air base in Syria, prototypes of two Sukhoi Su-57 stealth-capable fighters have been sent, presumably to show off Russia's weaponry. This is the “first demonstration of the latest Russian combat aircraft under real war conditions," reports Krasnaya Zvezda.

Croatia aims to buy 12 fighter jets by end-2020

09/04/2019

NATO member Croatia aims to buy 12 fourth-generation fighter jets by the end of 2020, a government official has said. "Our aim is to know by the middle of next year what jets we can buy and have a contract signed by the end of next year," Robert Kopal, a special advisor to prime minister Andrej Plenkovic, said in a government press release on Monday.

Russian jet fighters not a realistic option for Turkey

09/04/2019

Now it is unlikely the United States will allow Turkey to buy fifth-generation F-35 fighters jets, there is renewed speculation the Turkish government could seek to buy warplanes from Russia instead. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan had ice cream with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin during a visit to Russia last week and had a look at Russian Sukhoi Su-35 and Su-57 jet fighter-bombers exhibited at the MAKS-2019 air show. “Yes, you can buy it,” Putin said of the Su-57.

Why Aircraft Carriers Are The Most Cost-Effective Way Of Containing China's Military

09/04/2019

Deterring and/or defeating aggression by China’s military has become a top priority of U.S. defense strategy. Due to China’s geographical circumstances, Pentagon planners assume that any outward thrust of the People’s Liberation Army, Navy and Air Force would occur in the east, presumably using maritime routes. So it is there that America and its allies intend to block aggression—starting at the first island chain off the eastern coast that includes Japan, Taiwan and the Philippines.

Eight Apache attack helicopters to be inducted into IAF at Pathankot on Tuesday

09/03/2019

In a major boost to the Indian Air Force's combat capabilities, eight US-made Apache AH-64E attack helicopters are set to be inducted into the IAF on September 3, officials said on Monday. Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa will be the chief guest during the induction ceremony, which will take place at the Pathankot Air Force station.

ohn Bolton accuses China of stealing F-35 technology to make a stealth fighter. Is this what he was talking about?

09/03/2019

US National Security Adviser John Bolton recently accused China of stealing US technology to make a stealth fighter, a charge Beijing has denied. On a visit to Ukraine last week, Bolton said an unnamed fifth-generation aircraft “looks a lot like the F-35, that’s because it is the F-35. They just stole it”.

COBRA WARRIOR KICKS OFF IN THE UK WITH ISRAELI JETS

09/02/2019

Israeli fighter jets touched down at Waddington Air Force Base in the United Kingdom to take part in a high-intensity tactical drill with aircraft from other nations. The jets joined 50 aircraft of various types from the German, Italian and American air forces for the 20-day Cobra Warrior exercise.

Russian MiG-35D Loses Wing Panel During Flight Demo at MAKS 2019

08/31/2019

Panel Loss is Second Caught on Film This Month Following U.S. F-16 Three Weeks Ago. A new MiG-35D two-seat, advanced “generation 4++” fighter lost a large wing panel from its left wing after takeoff during a flight demonstration at the MAKS Aviasalon 2019 air show at Zhukovsky Air Base outside Moscow on Thursday, August 29, 2019. The aircraft, which may have been crewed by a delegation from the Indian Air Force at the time of the panel separation.

Armed with J-20 stealth fighters, China's future flattops could 'eventually fight US carriers'

08/31/2019

China appears to be considering arming a future aircraft carrier with the country's first fifth-generation stealth fighter, a move that will seriously boost the Chinese navy's combat power if it can overcome the relevant hurdles in the coming decade or so.

The Navy Wants a 6th Generation Stealth Fighter That Would Beat Even the F-35

08/31/2019

The Navy is currently analyzing air frames, targeting systems, AI-enabled sensors, new weapons and engine technologies to engineer a new 6th-Generation fighter to fly alongside the F-35 and ultimately replace the F/A-18.

Russian Su-35s Allegedly Forced Israeli Aircraft Out of Syrian Airspace as they were Preparing for Airstrike

08/30/2019

Russian Su-35s took off from Hmeimim Airbase and made their way towards the Mediterranean Sea as the Israeli aircraft were preparing an attack against Syria. While IAF managed to hit one of its main targets, the Russian publication Tsargrad.TV reported that IAF aircraft were forced out of Syrian airspace as they were preparing for a second wave of strikes.

US military aircraft flies over Taiwan Strait

08/30/2019

A US military plane flew over the Taiwan Strait on Thursday (Aug 29), the island's government said, just days after one of its navy ships sailed through the waters and the latest arms sale between Washington and Taipei. Taiwan's defence ministry said in a statement that the transport aircraft flew south along the "median line" of the narrow strait, a traditionally respected maritime line dividing self-ruled Taiwan and mainland China, in a move likely to provoke Beijing.

Approximately 150 Military Aircraft Arriving In North Texas From East Coast Due To Hurricane Dorian

08/30/2019

The U.S. military has started moving aircraft from the East Coast to the Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth as part of preparations for Hurricane Dorian’s landfall over the weekend. Approximately 150 aircraft will be arriving in the next couple of days. They’ll be coming from as far south as Key West, Florida to as far north as Beaufort, South Carolina.

Russian Air Force Su-34 Fullbacks Operate From An Under Construction Highway In Central Russia

08/30/2019

On Aug. 28, 2019, the Russian Ministry of Defense published a video showing Su-34s bombers operating from a highway strip during a material and technical support exercise (MTO) of the Russian Federation Armed Forces in the Central Military District. During the exercise 12 Su-34 Fullback bombers and two An-26 Curl cargo aircraft landed on the highway strip, where the entire airfield support infrastructure was deployed along with at least three Mi-8 helicopters.

China to send 1,600 troops, about 30 aircraft to Russia’s strategic military drills

08/30/2019

The Chinese Army will send 1,600 troops and around 30 helicopters and aircraft to take part in Russia’s Tsentr-2019 (Center-2019) strategic drills, Spokesman for China’s Defense Ministry Senior Colonel Ren Guoqiang said at a news briefing on Thursday.

Pakistan's JF-17 Jet Has Its First Victory by Destroying an Iranian Drone

08/29/2019

Pakistan's JF-17 Jet Has Its First Victory by Destroying an Iranian Drone. An Iranian drone operating in Pakistan’s Parom area of Panjgur district was shot down by a Pakistan Air Force (PAF) JF-17 fighter. It was unknown when the unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) was shot down but the wreckage was recovered by local security forces on Jun. 19, 2017.

Why Did One Russian MiG-31 Fighter Shoot down Another MiG-31?

08/29/2019

In short, the MiG-31 mistakenly shot down its wingman. It has now emerged that the twin-engine fighter was brought down by another MiG-31 which fired an R-33 air-to-air missile mistakenly.

NATO jets scramble three times over past week to escort Russian military aircraft over Baltics

08/29/2019

Last week, NATO jets scrambled three times to intercept nine Russian warplanes flying over the Baltic in international space, according to Lithuania's Defense Ministry. On Monday, August 19, the NATO air force intercepted a pair of Su-30s flying from the Kaliningrad exclave to another part of the Russian Federation, the report says. On Tuesday, August 20, a NATO jet identified Russia's Su-34 and T-134 aircraft, which were also flying from Kaliningrad region.

Su-57E: Russia unveils export variant of its fifth generation fighter aircraft

08/29/2019

Russia's defence export agency Rosoboronexport has unveiled the Su-57E, the export variant of its fifth generation fighter aircraft, at the MAKS international air show here. Russia said the latest aircraft is a priority in marketing plans and preliminary negotiations for foreign buyers will start.

MAKS: Putin courts Erdogan, but Sukhoi Su-57 deal elusive

08/28/2019

A little over a month after the USA dumped Ankara from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter programme over its decision to buy the Almaz-Antey S-400 Triumph anti-aircraft missile system, Turkey’s President Recip Erdogan showed up at the MAKS air show looking for a new defence partner.

MAKS: India’s BrahMos may test another cruise missile air-launch

08/28/2019

BrahMos Aerospace may conduct a second air-launch test of its supersonic cruise missile to further demonstrate the weapon’s ability to fly to a number of waypoints before reaching its final destination.

PICTURE: First Brazilian Gripen E makes flight debut

08/28/2019

The first Gripen E fighter to have been produced for Brazil completed a 65min flight debut from Saab’s Linkoping site in Sweden on 26 August. Performed by company test pilot Richard Ljungberg, the milestone sortie “included test points to verify basic handling and flying qualities at different altitudes and speeds”, the airframer says.

Elbit to supply EW kit for Portugal KC-390s

08/28/2019

Lisbon has selected Elbit Systems to provide the electronic warfare (EW) suite of its five new Embraer KC-390 tactical transports. The suite includes radar and laser warning systems, an infrared (IR) missile warning systems, a countermeasures dispensing system, DIRCM (Direction IR countermeasures) and an active electronic countermeasures system, says Elbit.