Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Just How Good Is China's New J-20 Stealth Fighter?

04/06/2017

China's first stealth fighter, the Chengdu J-20, "has the potential to provide China with a variety of previously unavailable air combat options and enhance its capability to project power." That's the conclusion of the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington D.C.-based security think tank. CSIS also concludes that the fighter, first flown in 2011, could enter service as soon as 2018.

U.S. Marines Will Keep The Harrier Around Longer As Hornet Fleet Crumbles

04/06/2017

Despite having the highest accident rate of any U.S. Marine Corps fixed-wing aircraft, the Marines will keep the AV-8B Harrier around longer than planned. The reason is simple: Marine F/A-18 Hornets are in far worse shape and need to be replaced sooner. In 2014, the Marines were committed to retiring the Harrier earlier than planned and extending the Hornet fleet, however, after an intensive review of the Harrier fleet and the rapid aging of Marine Hornets, the Harrier will be around longer.

Pilot ditched F-16 jet in woods to miss homes in Maryland neighborhood, military says

04/06/2017

A fighter pilot on a training mission ditched his jet in a wooded area of a suburban Washington neighborhood early Wednesday so that the plane would avoid crashing into a suburban Washington neighborhood, military officials said. The F-16C, which military officials said was at least 30 years old and worth $20 million, went down about 200 yards behind a small subdivision of two-story brick homes in the middle-class suburban community of Clinton, about 3 miles southwest of Joint Base Andrews.

Boeing, Lockheed debate F-35C capability gaps

04/06/2017

Compared to a Lockheed Martin F-35C, a Block III Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet will be able to detect and track stealth aircraft at long range by their heat emissions and carry a full load of external weapons for significantly longer distances, says Boeing programme manager Dan Gillian.

US Navy temporarily grounds T-45 fleet

04/06/2017

The US Navy has ordered a three-day grounding of its T-45 Goshawk trainer jets while US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) looks for ways to correct persistent oxygen issues on the aircraft.

Pyongyang May Have Been Testing New Technology in Latest Launch, Experts Say

04/06/2017

North Korea’s latest missile launch has caused more concern than usual, as experts suspect it may have been a second trial run of a worrisome new technology. Wednesday’s launch came a day ahead of US President Donald Trump’s meeting with Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping, and some think the timing may not be coincidental.

China Reveals How Many Fighter Jets the New Aircraft Carrier Can Dock

04/06/2017

According to Chinese news portal Sina, “At the moment, the aircraft carrier being prepared for launch is optimized in terms of load which compared to the Liaoning aircraft carrier can reach from 28 to 36 units of J-15 fighters.” Currently, the Chinese Navy arsenal consists of the Liaoning aircraft carrier, created on the basis of the Soviet cruiser Varyag. Liaoning can base 24 J-15 fighters.

US-Led Coalition Destroys Daesh Media Facility in Iraq - Inherent Resolve

04/06/2017

The US-led coalition carried out 15 strikes consisting of 22 engagements against the Daesh terror group (outlawed in numerous countries) in Iraq and Syria on Tuesday, and destroyed a Daesh media center near the Iraqi city of Al Qaim, Operation Inherent Resolve said in a press release.

HAL to aggressively market Advanced Hawk to foreign buyers

04/05/2017

Government-controlled Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is looking to aggressively market the upgraded Advanced Hawk trainer jets — jointly developed by HAL and BAE Systems of the UK — to foreign buyers, given the “rather tepid response” from the Indian Air Force for which the jets were initially intended. “We are looking to target friendly countries of both India and the UK, with India (HAL) priming the orders,” official sources said.

The latest drone pilot challenge: Training with manned aircraft for combat missions

04/05/2017

The biggest challenge in preparing pilots to fly remote-piloted aircraft is not one of technological skills and expertise. It’s one of mental and environmental preparedness, as pilots go from a training environment to immediately flying combat missions solo, often with limited live flying with manned aircraft.

Rockwell Collins teams with Embraer for radar technology

04/05/2017

Embraer subsidiaries Bradar and Savis announced beginning of global cooperation with Rockwell Collins on the opening day of the Latin American Aerospace and Defence (LAAD) in Rio de Janeiro on 4 April.

Argentina emerges as potential L-159 customer

04/05/2017

Aero Vodochody is in early negotiations to provide its L-159 light-attack aircraft to Argentina, after the company officially re-established its manufacturing of the type following a 13-year production hiatus.

South Korea Condemns N. Korea New Missile Test

04/05/2017

Foreign Ministry spokesman Cho June-hyuck said trat the government of South Korea has condemned a new missile test carried out by North Korea as a challenge to peace and security of the international community.

Hornet, Growler foreign customers to receive data updates

04/04/2017

Boeing received a $41 million contract modification to provide services for F/A-18 and EA-18G aircraft operated by U.S. foreign military sales customers. Under the agreement, tasks will include engineering services, provisioning, information systems, training and technical data updates. The contract supports planes operated by the governments of Australia, Finland, Kuwait, Malaysia, Switzerland, Canada and Spain.

Botswana military deal triggers regional security fears

04/04/2017

International peace researchers have warned Botswana to reconsider its decision to purchase Gripen fighter jets from Swedish manufacturers, saying the move could trigger a regional arms race. However, Botswana’s Minister of Defence, Justice and Security, Shaw Kgathi, defended the country’ s high military expenditure, following accusations by the opposition that it could spark an arms race in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) region.

Head of US military kit-testing slams F-35, says it's scarcely fit to fly

04/04/2017

Now-retired Dr Michael Gilmore, until recently the Director of Test and Evaluation for the US military, has published his final evaluation of the F-35 program, and it's a treat. In his parting report (PDF), deliciously dated April 1*, Gilmore details a host of issues remaining with the US$391 billion-and-counting project, with everything from its combat-readiness to its wing design under the microscope.

Boeing receives $2.2bn deal for 17 P-8As

04/04/2017

Boeing has secured a $2.2 billion contract covering 17 P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft destined for the US Navy, the Royal Australian Air Force, and the Royal Air Force. The deal includes options for 32 additional aircraft, and money for long-lead parts for future orders, says Boeing. Overall, the entire contract could be worth $6.8 billion if all options are exercised.

HAL posts Rs174 billion in annual revenue

04/04/2017

Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) generated revenues of Rs174 billion ($2.6 billion) in the financial year ended 31 March 2017, while receiving orders of Rs210 billion. The government-owned airframer revealed the performances figures in a brief statement. Sales for the 12 months to 31 March were Rs167 billion.

MH-60 updates could feed into Future Vertical Lift

04/04/2017

A set of mid-life updates to the US Navy’s MH-60R Seahawk helicopter will likely appear in the Future Vertical Lift rotorcraft, along with the service’s next MH-XX maritime helicopter, according to the H-60 programme manager.

USAF completes last tests for F-35 ejection seat

04/04/2017

The US Air Force completed electromagnetic environmental effects (EEE) testing on the Lockheed Martin F-35’s escape system 23 March, marking the last round of testing on the Martin-Baker US16E (MKk16) ejection seat.

Communications gateway between F-35 and F-22 still TBD

04/04/2017

Two of the US Air Force’s premier fifth-generation fighters, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II and F-22A Raptor, still can’t transmit data back and forth but the service’s plan to fix the communication gap is undetermined.

Beijing Set to Commission First Made-in-China Aircraft Carrier

04/04/2017

China’s first domestically constructed aircraft carrier is slated to take on the high seas for the first time within the next three weeks. The Shandong will be the second aircraft carrier to join the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s rapidly growing fleet.

Tu-128: Russia's Supersonic B-52 Killer

04/02/2017

The Soviet Union had extraordinarily lengthy borders that were difficult to patrol against American nuclear bombers and spy planes. New ground-based surface-to-air missiles simply could not cover such a vast area. Confronted with a sizeable problem, the Soviets in typical fashion produced a gargantuan solution: the Tupolev Tu-128 jet fighter, which measured thirty meters long and grossed forty-three tons fully loaded—roughly half over the weight and size of the famously large F-4 Phantom.

VIDEO: Watch the first flight of Saudi Arabia’s AN-132 military aircraft

04/02/2017

After conducting all its ground tests, the Saudi-Ukrainian military aircraft Antonov AN-132 completed its first flight. The AN-132 was first launched last December. Video of the aircraft’s first flight showed Antonov AN-132’s first maneuvers in Ukraine under the supervision of an engineering committee from the Saudi and Ukrainian sides.

BAE Systems Awarded F-35 Lightning II Program Sustainment Contract

04/02/2017

BAE Systems has been awarded a sub-contracted work worth £40 million by Lockheed Martin to work together on speeding up delivery of Royal Air Force’s F-35 Lightning II fleet. Awarded under the main contract worth more than £80m (US$102.2m), sub-contract work will bring together Lockheed Martin and BAE Systems to form a team of more than 100 skilled technicians at RAF Marham, which will provide engineering and technical expertise, deliver air-crew and ground-crew training, facilitate routine main