Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Pyongyang Preparations? South Detects 'Some Movement From Missile Facilities'

10/10/2017

A military official in Seoul said that although there is no sign of any impending “provocation” by Pyongyang, South Korea had detected “some movement from the North’s missile facilities and bases” and maintained ”the heightened reconnaissance and preparedness posture."

India’s First Women Air Combatants to Initially Fly MiG-21 Bison

10/10/2017

India's first three women air combatants will be given the Russian made MiG-21 Bison to fly after they are officially inducted into the Indian Air Force (IAF) next month. Air Chief Marshal B S Dhanoa considers the aircraft as the most potent to sharpen the skill of new fighter pilots.

Russia, Saudi Arabia Agree on S-400, Other Weapons Deliveries

10/10/2017

Russia and Saudi Arabia reached agreements on the supply of S-400 anti-aircraft missile systems, as well as Kornet-EM anti-tank missile systems, TOS-1A "Buratino" heavy flame systems, AGS-30 grenade launchers and Kalashnikov AK-103 assault rifles, Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation spokeswoman Maria Vorobyova told Sputnik.

War Analysis: US vs China

10/08/2017

The U.S.-China Economic and Security Review Commission is now reviewing expert proposals to provide a one-time unclassified report on China’s development of advanced weapons. The Request for Proposals seeks unclassified, open-source assessments of specific Chinese weapons systems and areas of ongoing technological inquiry.

India needs an upgraded, two-front Air Force

10/08/2017

The recent standoff between the Indian and Chinese Armies at Doklam reinforced India’s need to develop and maintain the capability of fighting a two-front war. The two fronts, of course, being China and Pakistan, with which India has had long-standing border disputes.

Afghan president, U.S. general vow ambitious air war to defeat Taliban

10/08/2017

With a just-delivered Black Hawk helicopter sitting on a military runway behind him, Gen. John W. Nicholson Jr., the top U.S. military commander in Afghanistan, vowed Saturday that “a tidal wave of air power is on the horizon” in the war against Taliban insurgents and that “this is the beginning of the end for the Taliban.”

India to Soon Float Global RFI for Single Engine Fighter Aircraft

10/08/2017

The Indian Air Force says it is focussing on the immediate purchase of single-engine aircraft despite the pressing need for twin-engine fighter jets too as the former costs less and they would make up for the shortage at the moment.

AF team fuels aerial fight to defeat ISIS

10/07/2017

Comprised of active-duty, Guard and Reserve aircrew service members, the men and women of the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron help project combat power by providing agile, effective air refueling in line with the objectives of the Combined Forces Air Component Command and Combined Joint Special Operations Air Component.

For India, What China Can Bring to Tibet Matters; Not What it Possesses

10/07/2017

The Indian Air Force has been operating at its lowest combat strength in more than a decade. It is down to 33 squadrons as against a mandated 42 squadrons needed for a simultaneous and collusive two-front war scenario with Pakistan and China.

Indian Air Force Claims It Can Strike Pak Nuke Sites at Any Given Time

10/07/2017

This IAF claim comes in response to Pakistani Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi's statement that Islamabad can use nuclear weapons to thwart any Indian attempt to enter Pakistani territory.

USAF teases JSTARS decision for end of October

10/06/2017

The US Air Force could have a decision on the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (JSTARS) recapitalisation programme by the end of the October, the service’s top civilian hinted during a 5 October event in Washington.

Paramount Group bolsters Dassault Mirage F1 fleet

10/06/2017

South Africa's Paramount Group has acquired four twin-seat Dassault Mirage F1s from the French government to support aggressor training. The surplus French air force fighters will be operated by its Paramount Aerospace Systems subsidiary. Paramount declines to disclose the purchase price, but says it is a "multimillion-euro" transaction.

Belgium casts doubts on Rafale offer

10/06/2017

France's bid to offer the Dassault Rafale to Belgium appears increasingly doomed following comments from the latter's defence minister. Under questioning from fellow lawmakers in the Belgian parliament, defence minister Steven Vandeput said Paris had not responded correctly to a request for proposals (RfP) covering the replacement of its Lockheed Martin F-16 fleet.

Japan to Get Surveillance Drones Provided by Northrop Grumman

10/06/2017

"Northrop Grumman Aerospace Systems, San Diego, California, has been awarded a $130,469,576 contract for the Japan Global Hawk program," the release said. "This contract includes long lead material to initiate the program for three global hawk block 30 (I) air vehicles, two ground control elements, enhanced integrated sensor suite, spares, and a site survey."

What the J-20 Fighter's Arrival Means for China's Power Projection Capabilities

10/06/2017

The People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has officially commissioned the Chengdu J-20 fifth-gen stealth fighter into military service, with testing underway to make the plane fully operational. In an exclusive analysis for Sputnik, Russian military observer Vasily Kashin outlines the capabilities that the new plane provides.

IAF women pilots set to fly Sukhoi-30 this month

10/05/2017

India’s first female combat aircraft pilots are likely to fly supersonic fighter jets after they finish the last leg of their training later this month, Indian Air Force officials told Hindustan Times on Tuesday. Three women are currently training on British Hawk advanced jet trainers at an IAF facility at Kalaikunda in West Bengal. Bhawana Kanth, Mohana Singh and Avani Chaturvedi were commissioned as flying officers in the IAF in June 2016.

Turkey Opens First-Ever African Base in Somalia to Fight Al-Shabaab

10/05/2017

The $50 million base opened on Saturday and is staffed with 200 Turkish personnel. However, they will soon be joined by over 10,000 Somali and African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) soldiers participating in the fight against Harakat al-Shabaab al-Mujahideen, or al-Shabaab for short. A branch of al-Qaeda, al-Shabaab has fought the Somali government in an eight-year civil war that has killed thousands and displaced millions.

Long-Range Aviation Exercises Begin in Russia - Defense MinistrySputn

10/05/2017

A Russian Long-Range Aviation unit has started exercises involving over 20 aircraft, airfields and ranges from Kaluga Region in central Russia to the Kamchatka Peninsula in the country's Far East, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Wednesday.

Boost The US Bomber Force: Dollars vs. Operational Needs

10/04/2017

The United States Air Force should consider shifting its balance of its strike forces from fighters to long-range bombers. At the end of the Cold War, the Air Force’s combat aircraft inventory included 411 bombers. Today, it has a total of 158 B-1, B-52, and B-2 bombers, of which only 96 are designated as Primary Mission Aircraft Inventory assigned to operational squadrons to support wartime missions.

UAE REPORTEDLY PLANNING TO SIGN SU-35 CONTRACT IN 2017

10/04/2017

The Russian News Agency TASS reports (citing an unnamed source) that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is planning to sign a contract for “over a squadron” of Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E multi-role fighters from the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) in 2017. “They want a lot, over a squadron but the exact number will be specified in the course of negotiations that may be held in November during an air show in Dubai,” said a source speaking to TASS.

US approves sale of 3,900 SDB IIs for Australia F-35s

10/04/2017

The US State Department has approved the sale of 3,900 Raytheon GBU-53/B Small Diameter Bombs Increment II (SDB II) weapons to Australia for use with its Lockheed Martin F-35As.

Bell pushes Valor’s first flight past September

10/04/2017

Bell Helicopter did not reach first flight with its V-280 Valor on 30 September as originally announced and instead projects the tiltrotor aircraft will meet that milestone in November, V-280’s programme manager tells FlightGlobal this week.

DARPA and AFRL take laser aim at small UAVs

10/03/2017

The US Air Force and the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) are ramping up their efforts to thwart small unmanned air vehicles (UAVs), with two recent requests out looking for sensors and lasers to shoot down or disable them.

US Navy confirms T-45 trainer crash

10/03/2017

The service reported the trainer aircraft missing after the T-45 departed from Knoxville, Tennessee for NAS Meridian, Mississippi on Sunday. At about 6 p.m. 1 October, NAS Meridian received reports of a jet crash near Tellico Plains, Tennessee, about 112km (70mi) south of Knoxville. The training wing had a T-45C flying near Tellico Plains that had not returned to the air station, the navy says in a 2 October statement.

China's J-20 reaches service milestone

10/03/2017

The Chengdu J-20 fighter has entered service with the Chinese air force, as reports of emerge of progress with indigenous engines. A brief, three-line statement from the Chinese ministry of defence said the devleopmental type had entered service, but added little else. It is not clear exactly how many have entered service, but Chinese defence chatrooms suggest the number of in-service examples could be six.