Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Chinese military aircraft again fly close to Taiwan: MND

03/27/2018

Taipei, March 26 (CNA) Several Chinese military aircraft were seen flying Monday over the Bashi Channel, which lies between Taiwan and the Philippines, as part of a long-range flight training mission in the Western Pacific, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) said that day.

The omnibus spending bill would add an extra 143 aircraft for the military

03/27/2018

Congress seems to have come to an agreement on spending for fiscal year 2018, and military aircraft procurement is slated to receive a major bump, funding an additional 143 aircraft above the services’ requests. That’s great news for major defense primes like Lockheed Martin and Boeing, both of which stand to make billions more from the additional sales.

USAF researches bidders to deliver 22 AC-208 armed Caravans

03/27/2018

The US Air Force plans to acquire 22 more Cessna AC-208s to provide to allied governments to use for lightly armed surveillance missions. An acquisition notice published on 23 March suggests the USAF is open to receive bids from companies interested in modifying aircraft to carry weapons and sensors.

Leonardo steps up Typhoon pitch for Poland

03/27/2018

With some sources suggesting that Poland could launch its “Harpia” fighter tender within the next few weeks, Italian airframer Leonardo is stepping up its promotion of the Eurofighter Typhoon.

Afghans soon to fly missions with Black Hawks from US

03/27/2018

The U.S. military has been flying UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter missions in Afghanistan for years, but the storied aircraft will soon take to the country’s battlefields manned by pilots and crews from the Afghan military.

China Flies Long-Range Bombers, Fighter Jets Through Miyako Strait

03/27/2018

The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) sent four Xian H-6K long-range bombers, one Shaanxi Y-8 electronic countermeasures aircraft, one Tupolev Tu-154MD electronic intelligence plane, and at least two Sukhoi Su-35 multirole fighter jets through international airspace between the Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyako in the East China Sea on March 23 as part of a military exercise, Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) said in a statement.

US shows off new F-35 fighter jets ahead of US-South Korea drills

03/27/2018

Roaring off the deck of a 40,000-ton amphibious assault ship, F-35B fighter jets piloted by US Marines soar over the Pacific Ocean near the Japanese island of Okinawa. It's a show of force by the US military, which is demonstrating its newest - and most expensive - weaponry a week before it begins annual war games with South Korea.

The Indian Air Force's next Super Weapon Could Be the F-35 or F/A-18

03/27/2018

When the Times of India revealed that the Indian air force was revising its single-engine fighter competition to encompass twin-engine jet designs, a collective groan likely rang from New Delhi to Washington—and even Stockholm. The competition was meant to acquire a new generation of short-range jets suitable for defending India’s borders. The Indian air force is gradually retiring its 1950s-era MiG-21 single-engine fighter jets over the next few decades.

Defence outsourced

03/26/2018

Despite various govts going slow on hi-tech defence acquisitions, it now emerges that India is the largest weapons importer. This is ‘inglorious’ in the face of stridency over ‘desi’ production. And as we struggle, our neighbours find ways to forge ahead with new defence partners, a fact we can ignore to our peril.

How the U.S. Military Went to War against Vietnam's Radar and Air Defenses

03/26/2018

Captain John E. Donovan, an electronic warfare officer, monitored the equipment in his F-100F Super Sabre fighter. It was December 22, 1965, and his plane was part of a strike mission searching out enemy antiaircraft sites.

Chinese air force holds drills over South China Sea, Western Pacific in ‘preparation for war’

03/26/2018

H-6K bombers, Su-30 and Su-35 fighter jets carry out combat patrols after passing over Miyako Strait between Japanese islands. China’s air force used a number of its latest bombers and fighters in combat patrols over the South China Sea and drills in the Western Pacific after passing over Japan’s southern islands – its first military exercise in the area in more than three months.

Congress appropriates a 28% increase in funding for new aircraft

03/25/2018

President Donald Trump signed into law on 23 March a spending bill that adds 143 aircraft, worth $9.5 billion, to what was already requested by the Department of Defence, including 20 additional F-35 Lightning II fighters, 10 F/A-18 Super Hornets, and three KC-46A tanker aircraft.

Air Force: Ukrainian aircraft moved back from state of high alert

03/24/2018

Ukrainian aircraft have been moved back from a state of high combat preparedness, Ukrainian Air Force spokesman Dmytro Strutynsky has said. “The state of combat preparedness that was declared today has already been lifted,” Hromadske.TV quoted him as saying.

Israel revives interest in V-22 purchase

03/24/2018

Israeli personnel have taken a fresh opportunity to assess the Bell Boeing MV-22 Osprey's capabilities, during a joint exercise conducted with the US Marine Corps. Staged in Israel from mid-March, the "Kia Green" manoeuvres included support from Osprey tiltrotors operating from the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Iwo Jima. Other US military and Israeli air force aircraft were also involved in the joint activity.

Swiss fighter buy to hinge on 2020 referendum

03/24/2018

Fighter manufacturers are eyeing an opportunity to replace the Swiss air force's entire fighter fleet, although the requirement will be the subject of a public vote planned for early 2020. Four years ago, Switzerland's planned acquisition of 22 Saab Gripen Es was scrapped after a public referendum narrowly rejected the allocation of funds required to purchase the Swedish-built type. The deal had been intended to replace the Swiss air force's aged Northrop F-5 interceptors.

Suicide bomber detonates car bomb at California Air Force Base

03/24/2018

A US Air Force Base in California was rocked by an explosion on Wednesday after a car breached the main gate of the base and detonated. Travis AFB officials report that a vehicle gained “unauthorized access” to the facility Wednesday evening, exploding and killing the driver. Explosive Ordnance Disposal crews and emergency units rushed to the scene after the explosion, discovering that the driver had perished in the blast.

Bulgaria signs 81M leva deal with Russian aircraft corporation for logistics support for MiG-29s

03/23/2018

Bulgaria’s Defence Ministry has said that it has signed a framework agreement worth 81 million leva (about 41.4 million euro) with Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG (RSK MiG) for the supply of spare parts and services for the Bulgarian Air Force’s MiG-29 fighter jets. The installation of the spare parts will be carried out by Bulgarian engineers at the Graf Ignatievo Bulgarian Air Force base.

F-35B Block 4 software upgrades will cost Britain £345m

03/23/2018

Britain will spend £345m ($486m) upgrading its F-35B fighter jets to the most recent, combat-ready, version of the aircraft’s operating system. The figure was indirectly revealed by defence procurement minister Guto Bebb, in response to a Parliamentary question. “The UK’s contribution will be around 4.5 per cent of F-35 Program common upgrade costs, from which the UK gains 100 per cent of the benefit,” said Bebb in his answer to Plaid Cymru MP Jonathan Edwards.

Russian combat aviation approaches Ukraine's borders

03/23/2018

Russian bombers and fighters took off from airfields in Crimea and flew close to Ukrainian state border; Ukraine's Air Force is on combat alert. The HQ of Ukraine's Air Force reported another provocative act by the Russian combat aviation - the second time this month. Fighters and bombers were spotted to the east and south of Ukraine's state border, namely near the occupied Crimea.

China’s J-20 stealth fighter designer promises his aircraft will be a battlefield ‘Trump card’

03/23/2018

SMARTER. Better informed. Highly automated. China is striving to prepare for combat. And its new stealth fighters are on the front line. This will allow it to “seize air superiority” in the Asia-Pacific, state media claims. And it’s thinking further ahead.

Swiss fighter buy to hinge on 2020 referendum

03/23/2018

Fighter manufacturers are eyeing an opportunity to replace the Swiss air force's entire fighter fleet, although the requirement will be the subject of a public vote planned for early 2020. Four years ago, Switzerland's planned acquisition of 22 Saab Gripen Es was scrapped after a public referendum narrowly rejected the allocation of funds required to purchase the Swedish-built type. The deal had been intended to replace the Swiss air force's aged Northrop F-5 interceptors.

Israeli military confirms it hit Syrian nuclear site in 2007

03/22/2018

The Israeli military confirmed Wednesday it carried out the 2007 airstrike in Syria that destroyed what was believed to be a nuclear reactor, lifting the veil of secrecy over one of its most daring and mysterious operations in recent memory. Although Israel was widely believed to have been behind the Sept. 6, 2007, airstrike, it has never before commented publicly on it.

Taiwan Military Tails Chinese Aircraft Carrier

03/22/2018

Taiwan’s Defense Ministry said it sent ships and planes to monitor a Chinese aircraft carrier that entered the Taiwan Strait this week. The rise in cross-strait tensions followed the U.S. passing a law greenlighting visits of senior officials between Washington and Taipei. The law’s passage drew protests in Beijing, which sees Taiwan as a renegade province.

Germany studies market for Sea Lynx replacement

03/22/2018

Germany is proceeding with a project to replace its navy's fleet of 22 Westland Sea Lynx anti-submarine warfare helicopters, but does not yet have a date for launching the procurement. The fleet is set to retire in 2025, and in December last year the "functional requirements" for a replacement were approved by the German chief of defence, says the Bundeswehr.

Winglet-equipped C-27J to arrive in 2019

03/22/2018

Leonardo will from 2019 deliver its C-27J Spartan battlefield airlifter in a new baseline configuration featuring updated avionics and winglets as standard. Flight tests of the modernised variant are due to begin later this year, with the modifications in 2017 having passed the critical design review milestone. Although the Italian airframer began flight trials of the winglets in 2015, it has only just revealed its progress on the project.