Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

LIMA: Honeywell sees opportunity in ageing regional military aircraft

03/22/2017

Honeywell sees an opportunity to offer key systems upgrades to help extend the life of Malaysia’s ageing military aircraft fleet. Derek Lockett, director of sales Asia-Pacific for Honeywell, says the firm is expanding its presence in the region, mainly through the addition of sales staff.

Seven Nations to Join Israel in Biggest Air Drill in Country’s History

03/22/2017

The Israeli Air Force (IAF) is set to host one of the most complex air exercises ever later this year, featuring 100 aircraft and hundreds of airmen. India, Greece, Poland, France, Italy, the US and Germany will participate in the two-week Blue Flag air exercises, held every other year.

Israel Warns It Will Destroy Syria's Air Defenses "Without Thinking Twice"

03/21/2017

After six years of fighting, the chances that Israel may wade into the maelstrom that is the Syrian civil war is increasing after two more Israeli airstrikes rocked Syria over the weekend. One of the strikes was delivered Sunday via drone against a truck traveling between the Golan Heights and Damascus. One of the two people killed supposedly had close military ties to the Assad regime. The other strike came overnight and was rumored to have been aimed at another Hezbollah weapons convoy.

Reprieve Likely for U-2 Dragon Lady

03/21/2017

The U.S. Air Force is preparing to extend the service life of the U-2S Dragon Lady for several more years. Under previous budget plans, the evergreen spyplane was due to be retired in 2019-20, leaving only the unmanned RQ-4B Global Hawk to perform the high-altitude reconnaissance mission. Managers at the Lockheed Martin (LM) Skunk Works in Palmdale, California, are preparing upgrade proposals for the U-2’s sensors and communications fit.

Are Low-Cost “COIN” Air Forces the Future of Tactical Air Power?

03/21/2017

Small, inexpensive, easy to operate combat aircraft with precision strike capability and long loiter times to provide close air support. Versatile, scalable rotary wing assets that do double duty as gunships and utility/rescue helicopters. Aircraft that can be disbursed to unimproved airfields and operated from roadways or even fields while being concealed on the ground.

India's Light Combat Aircraft's Body, Wing Production Work Outsourced To Increase Production Rate

03/21/2017

India has outsourced Part-production of its home-made Light Combat Aircraft, ‘Tejas’ to Indian private companies by Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) as part of ‘three pronged program’ to speed up production of the fighter jets.

General Atomics Receives Contract to Boost Range of MQ-9 Reaper Drones

03/21/2017

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems has received a more than $12 million US Air Force contract to boost the range of 10 MQ-9 Reaper drones, the Department of Defense announced.

Afghan Air Forces Receive Four Light Attack Aircraft From US - Pentagon

03/21/2017

Four A-29 Super Tucano aircraft for the Afghanistan Air Force (AAF) have arrived in Kabul from a base in the US state of Georgia, raising the fledgling air force’s inventory of the light-attack aircraft from eight to 12, the US Department of Defense said in a press release on Monday.

Who Benefits From Russia Selling S-400 to Turkey

03/21/2017

The Turkish leadership has indicated that Ankara is interested in purchasing the S-400 Triumf, one of the most advanced air defense systems designed and manufactured in Russia. Both nations stand to gain from the deal if it is finalized.

CHINA TO ‘AUTHORISE’ PAKISTAN TO BUILD MISSILES, TANKS, FC-1 XIAOLONG COMBAT AIRCRAFT

03/20/2017

In what will come as bad news for India, ‘all-weather friends’ China and Pakistan are set to not just increase weapons exchanges, the former is also expected to ‘authorise’ the latter to produce ballistic, cruise, anti-aircraft and anti-ship missiles, and battle tanks, China’s state-run media reported on March 16.

The V-22’s Combat Comeback

03/20/2017

It wasn’t long ago that the V-22 Osprey program seemed to be mired by constant criticized. A 2012 report in Wired’s Danger Room by David Axe called it “an aircraft with a reputation for falling from the sky.” That report detailed a series of mishaps that caused injury and millions of dollars in damage, as well as the fraught development of the V-22, a tilt-rotor aircraft that can land and takeoff like a helicopter, and then fly forward like a propeller-driven airplane.

Navy upgrades Growler Electronic Attack

03/20/2017

Upgrades to the EA-18G aircraft’s airborne electronic attack (AEA) system will take the Navy’s implementation of electronic warfare to the next level with improved radar jamming, target location and destruction, and air defense suppression capabilities.

Air Force likely to get 123 LCA Tejas by 2024-25

03/20/2017

If the present development and capacity enhancement plans go as per schedule, the Indian Air Force will have 123 indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas fighter jets in its fleet by 2024-25.

Syria claims it shot down an Israeli combat plane; Israel denies: dissecting the latest IAF strike on Damascus

03/18/2017

According to a Syrian Army statement, an Israeli jet involved in a raid over Syria was shot down. The Israeli Air Force denies. Early in the morning on Mar. 17, the Israeli Air Force carried out an air strike near Damascus, in Syria. The Israeli jets hit Mezzeh Military Airport, an airbase located south-west of the old centre of Damascus, where a local ammunition depot and a few other military installation were reportedly hit with a surgical strike.

China to produce ballistic, cruise missiles, combat aircraft with Pak

03/18/2017

China plans to step up military cooperation with "all weather" friend Pakistan to produce ballistic missiles, cruise missiles and a multi-role combat aircraft, official media here reported as Pakistan's new army chief held talks with top Chinese officials.

Israel continues talks over additional F-15s

03/18/2017

Negotiations about a possible follow-on purchase of advanced Boeing F-15s for the Israeli air force are continuing, as the nation’s cabinet seeks a possible alternative to acquiring additional Lockheed Martin F-35s.

Boeing Inks $3.2 Billion Agreement to Sell Apache Helicopters to Saudi Arabia

03/18/2017

US-based aerospace firm Boeing received a contract worth $3.2 billion to help facilitate the foreign military sale of US Apache helicopters to the Saudi government. Full-rate production for both current and new AH-64E aircraft is included in the deal, along with training crews, ground support equipment, the construction of new helicopters, engineering services, spares and logistics.

India Signs Spares’ Supply Pact With Russia for Sukhoi Fleet

03/18/2017

In a landmark step to correct the tardy supply of spares for the Sukhoi-30MKI frontline Indian fighter jet, India and Russia have signed a long-term supply contract during the India-Russia Military Industrial Conference in New Delhi. The Conference is part of the celebrations of the 70th Anniversary of India-Russia Diplomatic Relations.

Netanyahu After Airstrikes in Syria: Israel Prevents Arming of Hezbollah

03/18/2017

Earlier, an Israeli military source told Sputnik that its warplanes were targeted by Syrian missiles during an attack on targets on Syrian territory, but said that no Israeli planes had been damaged or lost in the attack. An Israel Defense Forces spokesman later again denied the Syrian claim that an IDF aircraft had been lost.

Air Force Kicks Off F-22 Weapon Software, Hardware Upgrades

03/17/2017

The U.S. Air Force has begun to update weapons software and hardware systems as well as sensors aboard the Lockheed Martin-built F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft, Defense Systems reported Tuesday. Kris Osborn writes that 1st Lt. Carrie Volpe, action officer for the Air Combat Command Public Affairs, said the service branch will begin to integrate the Increment 3.2B software upgrade to its fleet of F-22s in the summer of 2019.

Air Force to Invite Firms to Show Off OA-X Light-Attack Aircraft

03/17/2017

The Air Force on Friday is expected to formally invite companies to participate in a light-attack aircraft demonstration this summer, the service’s top uniformed acquisition official said. “This is … the innovative spirit of trial and error,” Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the service’s military deputy for the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Acquisition at the Pentagon, said during a defense breakfast outside Washington, D.C. on Thursday.

Full tech transfer could derail Indo-Russian fifth-gen fighter program

03/17/2017

The Indo-Russian fifth-generation fighter aircraft under joint development and production by the two countries has taken a hit, with Russia showing reluctance to fully transfer the aircraft technology, particularly stealth capabilities, despite repeated reminders, according to a top Indian Air Force official.

Bomber passes two preliminary design reviews

03/17/2017

The US Air Force’s B-21 bomber passed an additional preliminary design review, service’s military deputy for the assistant secretary of the air force for acquisition says this week. The air force conducted a PDR during the programme’s technology maturation and risk reduction phase before the service chose between Northrop Grumman and the Boeing/Lockheed team.

F-35 firing boosts ASRAAM sales prospects

03/17/2017

Lockheed Martin F-35s have fired their first non-US-produced missiles in testing, with the activity providing a boost to MBDA’s sales efforts for the ASRAAM. Announcing the development on 15 March, MBDA said flight trials and air-launched firings have taken place using test aircraft operating from Edwards AFB, California and NAS Patuxent River, Maryland.

Bulgaria receives responses in fighter contest

03/17/2017

Bulgaria’s defence ministry announced on 13 March that it had opened three proposals to equip the nation’s air force with modern fighters. These were submitted by the Swedish government, offering newly produced Saab Gripen C/Ds; the US and Portuguese governments, jointly offering ex-US Air Force Lockheed Martin F-16A/Bs to be upgraded to the mid-life update standard by Ogma; and an Italian bid using second-hand Tranche 1-standard Eurofighter Typhoons.