Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Missile defence creates role for aircraft with U-2 performance

06/28/2017

A missile defence role is emerging after 2023 for an unmanned air system (UAS) with the payload and range capability of today’s manned Lockheed Martin U-2S. The US Missile Defense Agency has released specifications for its next top priority: a high-altitude, long-endurance UAS that uses a high-energy laser weapon to shoot down ballistic missiles within seconds of launching.

ANALYSIS: Why Europe's combat aircraft market is worth fighting for

06/28/2017

With the Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and Saab Gripen – plus Lockheed Martin's incoming F-35 – dominating the fleets of many European nations, it would be easy to overlook the multiple other sales opportunities the continent holds for combat aircraft manufacturers.

PARIS: Scorpion tests 20mm cannon ahead of OA-X

06/28/2017

Textron is demonstrating a 20mm cannon on its Scorpion twin-jet ahead of the US Air Force’s light attack OA-X experiment later this summer. In May, Textron Aviation confirmed the US Air Force invited its Beechcraft AT-6 turboprop and Scorpion jet to participate in the close air support demonstration this August at Holloman Air Force Base, Nevada. Sierra Nevada and Embraer will also fly the A-29 Super Tucano in the OA-X experiment, which will assess off-the-shelf options to fill a low-end fighter

Chinese AFC Liaoning Departs for Drills With a Possible Port Call in Hong Kong

06/28/2017

China is sending its only aircraft carrier on a training mission to mark the 20th anniversary of Beijing’s takeover of Hong Kong. The Liaoning, China's sole aircraft carrier, has departed from its homeport of Qingdao for a training deployment that is projected to include a stop in Hong Kong, to observe the 20th anniversary of the handover of the former British territory to Beijing, according to a report from The Diplomat.

Questions Arise as US-India F-16 Deal Seeks to Get Airborne

06/28/2017

A lucrative aviation deal between US-India firms to manufacture F-16 fighter jets in the south Asian nation has attracted criticism that old technology is being "dumped." US defense contractor Lockheed Martin has taken further steps to secure a deal which would relocate the manufacture of F-16 fighter jets to India. News of the multi-billion dollar agreement with Indian industry giant Tata Group came as Indian Prime Minister Modi met with US President Donald Trump in Washington on Monday.

PARIS: Scorpion tests 20mm cannon ahead of OA-X

06/23/2017

Textron is demonstrating a 20mm cannon on its Scorpion twin-jet ahead of the US Air Force’s light attack OA-X experiment later this summer. In May, Textron Aviation confirmed the US Air Force invited its Beechcraft AT-6 turboprop and Scorpion jet to participate in the close air support demonstration this August at Holloman Air Force Base, Nevada. Sierra Nevada and Embraer will also fly the A-29 Super Tucano in the OA-X experiment, which will assess off-the-shelf options to fill a low-end fighter

Sale of 'Formidable' Ka-52 to Egypt Boosts Russia's Middle East Market Clout

06/23/2017

Commenting on Russia winning the bid to supply its ship-based helicopters to Egypt, Russian military expert Viktor Litovkin said that the supply of the Ka-52Ks is part of Russia's large-scale return to the Egyptian market for military orders.

India Plans to Equip Su-30 Fighter Jets With New Longer Range Missiles

06/23/2017

Indian authorities are planning to enhance the capabilities of the country's Air Force's Su-30 fighter jets with new weapons, including advanced missiles able to hit targets at longer range, local media reported Thursday.

PARIS: UK carrier's helicopter fleet comes to the fore

06/22/2017

While the Lockheed Martin F-35B will inevitably be the main attraction of the Royal Navy’s new Queen Elizabeth-class carrier, the service is expecting the rotary fleet to really come into its own through the deployment of the AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin, plus other possible rotorcraft in the future.

PARIS: Rockwell Collins prototypes fix for F-35 green glow

06/22/2017

Lockheed Martin recently tested a prototype from Rockwell Collins that could solve the F-35’s helmet-mounted display “green glow” issue, F-35 programme Jeff Babione told reporters at the Paris air show this week.

PARIS: NAVAIR exploring shorter test schedule for CH-53K

06/22/2017

US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) is mulling a shorter test schedule for its Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion helicopter programme in an effort to save money, Sikorsky’s president said this week.

PARIS: KC-390 testing proceeds apace

06/22/2017

Embraer says flight testing is going well with its KC-390 tactical transport, as it gears up to deliver the first production aircraft to the Brazilian air force in 2018. The first two KC-390s, prototypes 001 and 002, have clocked over 1,000 flight hours, says Paulo Gastão Silva, vice-president of the KC-390 programme.

PARIS: Finnish competition could line up with Block 3 F/A-18 production

06/22/2017

Boeing could put forward its Block 3 F/A-18 Super Hornet for the Finnish air force competition, assuming the recapitalisation lines up with Boeing’s Block 3 production for the US Navy. Earlier this month, the US Navy signed an agreement to upgrade the service’s Super Hornet fleet to the Block 3 configuration. The potential configuration could include conformal fuel tanks, infrared search and track (IRST21), a centreline pod with an infrared telescope, and advanced cockpit, Boeing says.

Test Imminent? Activity at North Korean Nuclear Site Has US Intelligence Worried

06/22/2017

An unusual uptick in activity at North Korea’s underground nuclear testing facilities picked up by US foreign signals intelligence may mean another nuclear test is imminent. According to Jerusalem Online, Washington is growing concerned that the Strategic Rocket Forces of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (DPRK) will launch yet another test of its nuclear weapons when senior Chinese leaders arrive in Washington for meetings with US leadership on Wednesday.

PARIS: Typhoons having busiest ever year, Eurofighter says

06/21/2017

The Eurofighter programme hit a new high at the Paris air show, with the Typhoon having its busiest ever operational year and further sales prospects coming into view. Raffael Klaschka, Eurofighter's head of marketing, announced at the show that Eurofighter operators have exceeded a combined 400,000 flight hours with the multirole aircraft.

PARIS: MiG-35 flight testing proceeds apace

06/21/2017

MiG is pressing ahead with testing of its MiG-35 fighter, and expects the programme to be completed by the end of 2017. "Flight tests are going well, and the Russian government is satisfied with progress," says Anastasia Kravchenko, publications director of RAC MiG.

PARIS: ?USAF investigates localised F-35A oxygen issues

06/21/2017

The US Air Force is continuing its investigation into oxygen issues on its F-35As at Luke AFB, Arizona, including examining why the problem appears to be confined to one air base. Luke AFB’s F-35As have been grounded since 9 June, after five pilots experienced “hypoxia-like symptoms” over the previous month.

PARIS: South African Air Force boosts Gripen availability

06/21/2017

Previous low availability of South African Air Force (SAAF) Saab Gripen C/Ds has been overcome by bringing stored aircraft back into service, says Lt Col Josias Mashaba, commanding officer of the service's 2 Sqn.

Russian fighter jet flies five feet from US spy plane

06/21/2017

A Russian Su-27 fighter jet flew within five feet of a US Air Force RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft on Monday over the Baltic Sea, according to a US official, an encounter that was assessed to be "unsafe." The Russian plane was armed and flew "erratically," the official added, noting that the maneuvers were deemed unsafe due in part to the proximity of the aircraft.

The U.S. military just shot down another Syrian drone

06/21/2017

The U.S. military shot down an armed Syrian government–operated drone Tuesday after it was seen “advancing on coalition forces” and displaying “hostile intent,” U.S. Central Command said in a statement. The drone, downed near a combat outpost in the town of At-Tanf, was the second one shot down by U.S. forces in 12 days; the downing comes as Pentagon officials are working to defuse heightened tensions in southeastern Syria.

PARIS: Lockheed Martin commits to building F-16 in India

06/20/2017

Lockheed Martin has committed to manufacturing the F-16 in India should it win the air force’s single-engined fighter competition, and has signed a deal with Tata Advanced Systems to carry out this work in-country.

PARIS: Syrian shoot-down marks first 'kill' for Super Hornet

06/20/2017

A US Navy Boeing F/A-18E Super Hornet shot down a Syrian air force Sukhoi Su-22 in an engagement over Syria on 18 June. The US aircraft had been supporting Syrian opposition forces near Ja'Din, south of Tabqah, when the Su-22 released bombs against them.

PARIS: Rafael talks up hard-hitting ground attack weapons

06/20/2017

Israeli defence firm Rafael is reaching the end of the development process for its Spice 250 air-to-ground weapons system. The first units will be delivered to customers early next year, says Yuval Miller, general manager of the company's Air & C4ISR Systems division. The weapon carries a warhead in the 250kg (550lb) class and, using winglets, can glide to targets up to 54nm (100km) away from the launch platform.

PARIS: Bell closing on military sales to Eastern Europe

06/20/2017

Bell Helicopter will this year deliver its military rotorcraft to international customers for the first time in 20 years, a move the US airframer believes will mark its return to the global stage. "I hate to use the phrase 'we are back', but we are back," says Bell vice-president of military sales Rich Harris.

PARIS: China promotes unmanned airpower

06/20/2017

The Wing Loong II is an updated version of the Wing Loong I. According to AVIC, the Wing Loong II has a maximum take-off weight of 4,200kg (9,260lb), nearly four times greater than its predecessor. It also has six hard points, compared with just two for its sibling.