Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Airbus still wrestling with A400M contract revision

05/01/2019

Airbus is aiming to have a revised contract for the A400M signed off by mid-year, as negotiations with the programme's launch nations continue. Speaking on a first-quarter results call on 30 April, chief executive Guillaume Faury said that talks were "progressing".

PICTURE: RAAF C-130Js to get high-speed satcom capability

05/01/2019

The Royal Australian Air Force will equip five Lockheed C-130Js with Ka-Band satellite communications systems. The work will be undertaken from late 2019 and be completed in 2022, says the RAAF. One RAAF C-130J was fitted with the system in 2017 for trial purposes. The work involves installing Honeywell’s JetWave Ka-Band system. This will allow high-definition video to be streamed and support mission planning while the aircraft is in flight.

RAAF EA-18Gs achieve IOC

05/01/2019

The Royal Australian Air Force’s (RAAF) fleet of Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft have achieved initial operating capability (IOC). “Over time, this aircraft will work with Army and Navy platforms to enhance our ability to control the electronic environment, and where necessary, deny or degrade the electronic systems of adversaries,” says Air Marshal Leo Davies.

Israel Nearing Major Aircraft Buy

04/30/2019

The Israeli Air Force is nearing a multi-billion-dollar order for American-made aircraft. On April 28, 2019, IsraelDefense magazine reported on the current status of Israel’s pending acquisition of U.S.-made aircraft. The Israeli Air Force has been known to be considering a potential deal for new fighter jets, transport helicopters, and tanker aircraft, and is looking to make a purchase from either Lockheed Martin or Boeing.

NATO launch exercise "Spring Storm" in Estonia as part of plan to "contain" Russia – media

04/30/2019

On Monday, April 29, Soldiers of the North Atlantic Alliance countries officially began the annual exercise Spring Storm. During exercises from April 29 to May 17, servicemen at different levels will work on techniques for synchronizing combat plans, cooperation in management, and increased readiness for tactical tasks, according to the Defence Blog, an online military magazine.

UAV industry purging hobbyist-grade components from supply chain

04/30/2019

The implementation of aerospace industry standards has helped the unmanned air vehicle (UAV) industry significantly improve the quality of components available compared to 15 years ago when it relied on hobbyist-grade parts and systems.

As China and Russia strengthen economic, military relations, India must seek closer ties with US

04/29/2019

Russian president Vladimir Putin’s red-carpet welcome by Chinese president Xi Jinping in Beijing on the occasion of the second Belt and Road Forum for International Cooperation earlier this month has not surprised anyone. At a time when Xi’s ambitious project – Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) – has alarmed the Western countries and Asian and African nations, including India, by fueling indebtedness to expand Beijing’s political and military influence around the world.

F-22 pilots receives modern GAU-5A automatic rifles

04/29/2019

The U.S. Air Force’s 3rd Wing announced on his Facebook page that the new GAU-5A Aircrew Self Defense Weapon will increase the firepower of the F-22 fighter jet pilots if they ever have to eject over enemy territory.

Military Pilots Aren't Getting the Training Needed to Fight, Watchdog Warns

04/25/2019

The U.S. military's aviation training ranges are outdated and underfunded, leaving pilots operating in the Asia-Pacific region ill-prepared to deal with modern-day threats, a Defense Department investigation found.

Artificial intelligence (AI) changes strategies for B-2 and F-35 combat aircraft

04/25/2019

Faster computer processors, AI-infused algorithms able to fuse sensor information, and automated maintenance and checklists are influencing emerging pilot tactics to anticipate future threat environments. For the F-35 and B-2 stealth combat aircraft, AI enables rapid database access, organizing information, and high-volume procedural functions. Algorithms, for example, increasingly are able to scan, view, and organize targeting, navigation, radar warning, images, and video.

Boeing Defense backlog hits $67bn on surveillance aircraft orders

04/25/2019

Boeing Defense, Space & Security’s revenue in the first quarter of 2019 increase 2% to $6.6 billion year on year due to higher sales volume of satellites, weapons and surveillance aircraft. The company’s first quarter profit increased 12.8% to $847 million.

ANALYSIS: Izumo and Kaga, aircraft carriers in all but name

04/25/2019

Some military secrets are better kept than others. The emergence of Tokyo’s real plan for its pair of Izumo-class helicopter destroyers was always, to naval observers, more a matter when than if. With their 248m (814ft) length, expansive flight decks and large hangars, the JS Izumo and her sister JS Kaga are the largest ships in the Japan Maritime Self-Defence Force (JMSDF) – and aircraft carriers in all but name.

The F-35 versus the F-15x

04/23/2019

In July 1972, the F-15 fighter jet flew for the first time. The F-15 was the American military’s answer to the Soviet block’s mighty Mig-25 and incorporated all the lessons learned in the Vietnam War. The F-15 rapidly replaced the 1950s designed F-4 Phantom as the U.S. Air Force’s dominant air superiority fighter. Also in the 1970s, the Air Force secretly developed the first stealth fighter, the super secret F-117 for strike missions without being detected by radar.

Guard aviators will get the newest advanced helicopters before some active Army units

04/23/2019

The likely next Army chief of staff has made Guard aviators of the future a real part of the service’s next steps in combat aircraft. Army Vice Chief of Staff Gen. James McConville said that the newest helicopter under development, which will replace many UH-60 Black Hawks and CH-47 Chinooks, will go not just to tip-of-the-spear units such as the 101st Airborne Division, 82nd Airborne Division and 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment.

USA and Japan confident China won’t find missing F-35A wreckage

04/23/2019

The defence chiefs of the USA and Japan are confident that China won’t be able to recover pieces of the Lockheed Martin F-35A that crashed off the coast of Japan on 9 April. A flurry of media reports had speculated that parts of the aircraft were vulnerable to discovery by the Chinese or Russian militaries, giving those countries’ armed forces an opportunity to exploit vulnerabilities or copy the fighter’s stealth technology.

Washington, Tokyo go deeper on F-3 tech transfer: report

04/23/2019

Washington and Tokyo appear to be holding deeper talks related to Japan’s development of a new fighter to replace the Mitsubishi F-2. A report in Japan’s Yomiuri Shimbun, citing unnamed government sources, says that the United States is willing to offer a notable degree of intellectual content related to stealth aircraft design. The report adds that a proposal from the US side is on the table, and that Tokyo will decide by the end of 2019.

Why Nothing Could Stop a 6th Generation F-22 Stealth Fighter

04/22/2019

The scenario goes like this: In 2030, Russia invades the Baltic States. As the U.S. sends forces to Europe, China seizes the opportunity to seize disputed islands in the South China Sea. American airpower flies to the rescue, only to discover that sophisticated Russian and Chinese fighters and anti-aircraft defenses have rendered the skies too deadly for older American planes to conduct missions.

U.S. Air Force T-38 Talon celebrate 60 years after maiden flight

04/20/2019

The T-38 Talon prototype embarked on its maiden flight as the U.S. Air Force’s first supersonic trainer on April 10, 1959. Serving critical missions for six decades, the venerable T-38 has consistently performed and has assisted in flight training exercises for 80,000 pilots. And, with various modernizations, the aircraft has maintained low operating costs, is maintenance-friendly and has a great safety record.

Indian Air Force Strike Power Needs Critical Augmentation – OpEd

04/20/2019

The Indian Air Force spectacular and dramatic deep penetration strikes on Pakistan terror camps at Balakot on February 26 2019 by India’s valiant ‘Air Warriors’ enabled by bold & decisive leadership of PM Modi opens new imperatives for fast tracking augmentation of Indian Air Force ‘Strike Power’ in the unfolding geopolitical threatening environment.

Five Japanese F-35A Stealth Jets, Including Crashed Aircraft Involved In Emergency Landings

04/20/2019

The Japanese F-35A stealth jet, which is missing since April 9 was involved in seven emergency landing incidents prior to the crash along with four other F-35s out of 13 in service with the Japanese Self Defence Force (JSDF). The first accident took place on April 9 when one of the fighters crashed into the Pacific during a routine anti-fighter combat training with three other F-35A jets.

US Air Force sends next generation fighter jets to UAE

04/19/2019

The US Air Force has deployed F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters to the Middle East for the first time. The jets arrived at Al Dhafra Air Base in Abu Dhabi earlier this week and are ready to be sent on missions across the region. The aircraft, which cost about $90 million each, are undetectable by radar. The F-35s are equipped with advanced weapons systems which mean they do not have to be pointing at its target. They also have the capability to launch electronic warfare attacks on enemies.

Did India shoot down a Pakistani F-16 in February? This just became a big deal.

04/19/2019

With voting underway in India’s general election, February’s Kashmir conflict is likely to weigh on the minds of voters, especially given last week’s social media uproar over the reported downing of a Pakistani F-16 fighter jet during the crisis. The controversy flared up when a Foreign Policy article stated that the Pentagon had accounted for all of Pakistan’s F-16 jets.

PICTURES: HAL HJT-36 IJT flies after three year hiatus

04/19/2019

Hindustan Aeronautics has recommenced flight testing of its HJT-36 Intermediate Jet Trainer (IJT) from its Bengaluru production centre. “The flight was flawless and its success is an important step towards the IJT program,” says HAL. “The flight testing of IJT (HJT-36), designed and developed by HAL for the stage-II training of IAF pilots was put on hold after the aircraft had encountered problem in the spin test flights in the year 2016.”

Russia Completes Delivery of Su-35 Fighter Jets to China for $2.5Bln

04/18/2019

Russia has completed the delivery of Su-35 combat aircraft to China in defiance of U.S. sanctions, Russia’s military and technical cooperation agency told state media Tuesday. Russia and China signed a $2.5 billion deal on the delivery of 24 Sukhoi Su-35s in 2015, making it the first foreign buyer of the fourth-generation multirole air superiority fighter. The United States imposed sanctions on the Chinese military last September for buying 10 Su-35s in 2017 and missile systems in 2018 from Rus

US offers to renew Taiwan F-16 training at Luke AFB

04/18/2019

The US Department of Defense has approved a possible deal for the continuation of a training and support programme for the pilots of Taiwanese Lockheed Martin F-16s at Luke AFB, Arizona. If accepted by Taipei, the possible $500 million package includes flight training, exercise participation, and other services and equipment consistent with the Luke contingent.