Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Bangladesh Invites Bids For Twin-engine, Multi-Role Fighter Jets With AESA Radar

03/03/2017

Bangladesh’s Directorate General of Defence Purchases (DGDP) has issued a global tender for eight multi-role combat aircraft plus four options for the Bangladesh Air Force (BAF). The new fighters are being sought for fortifying Bangladesh’s defensibility against aerial threats as well as providing it with a platform for anti-surface, maritime and offensive counter-air operations, Quwa reported Wednesday.

Boeing suing the government of Denmark

03/03/2017

US aircraft manufacturer Boeing is suing the government for rejecting its bid to produce Denmark’s new fighter aircraft. Boeing’s Super Hornet lost out to a competitor, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter, which will become Denmark’s new fighter. Boeing is bringing the suit against the Defence Ministry because it wants to see the documents that led to the government choosing the F-35 over the Super Hornet – material the government has thus far failed to deliver.

Next-gen tanker must be survivable, not stealthy

03/03/2017

The US Air Force’s KC-Z tanker may not be stealthy, but should be persistent and able to change its waveform signature management, according to the service’s head of air mobility command. Gen Carlton Everhart clarified earlier comments he made last September, when he told reporters the USAF was considering whether the next-generation tanker should include standoff, stealth or penetrating capabilities.

AW139 bid for Huey replacement kicks off with a glitch

03/03/2017

Boeing and Leonardo’s joint bid for the US Air Force’s UH-1N Huey helicopter recapitalisation did not take off last week after a system aboard the AW139 failed. Though an impending thunderstorm had threatened to cancel the 25 February media flight, reporters were waiting on the ground next to the helicopter after one of its modular avionics units malfunctioned.

Vietnam eyes Israeli weapons for air force use

03/03/2017

Vietnam is considering a purchase of advanced weapon systems from Israel, with the nation’s air force eyeing an advanced version of the Israel Military Industries (IMI) Delilah standoff-range air-to-surface missile.

Beijing Sortie Through South China Sea Scares Taiwan; Japan Scrambles Jets

03/03/2017

Chinese aircraft and seagoing vessels have increased the level of military operations being conducted near Taiwan in recent days, prompting the self-governing island to warn the world of a growing Chinese threat. Japanese jets have also scrambled to observe Chinese maritime military movements.

Confirmed: US Conducts 20 'Precision Strikes' Against al-Qaeda in Yemen

03/03/2017

The US military has carried out 20 airstrikes in Yemen against the positions of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (banned in Russia), US Department of Defense Spokesman Capt. Jeff Davis said in a press release on Thursday.

Full Coverage: Russia Expands Naval Air Patrols Throughout Black Sea Region

03/03/2017

The naval aircraft of Russia's Black Sea Fleet have expanded their operational range to the entire perimeter of the Black Sea, Lt. Col. Andrei Kogut, deputy commander of the fleet's naval aviation regiment, told Sputnik on Thursday.

With a View to the Future: Why Russia Needs PAK DA Next-Gen Stealth Bomber

03/03/2017

In a follow up to recent reports that Russian designers have made the first full-size model of the Russia's next-generation strategic bomber, known as the Advanced Long-Range Aviation Complex (PAK DA), Russian defense analysts explained why the country needs such an advanced aircraft.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIS Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

03/02/2017

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Here's how the US military is sticking it to Beijing in the South China Sea

03/02/2017

China has for years been whittling away at the US military's asymmetrical advantage in conventional military strength with a naval buildup, building and militarizing artificial islands in the South China Sea, and creating systems and weapons custom built to negate the US's technological advantage.

With aging jets and a shortage of pilots, the Air Force weighs buying throwback ‘light-attack’ planes

03/02/2017

The U.S. Air Force, faced with a potentially protracted war against the Islamic State, aging fighter jets and a shrinking force of pilots, is examining the adoption of a new fleet of “light-attack” planes that are both a throwback to earlier U.S. operations and a current staple of militaries in South America and the Middle East.

Vishnu Som tells us what it’s like to fly on the IAF’s Tejas LCA

03/02/2017

It isn’t an aircraft that will redefine the rules of air-warfare. However, the Tejas LCA (Light Combat Aircraft) is far better as a package, than merely being a safer and reliable replacement for the aging Mig-21. Sure it spent almost 33 years inside a womb, but now that it has come out, it isn’t late. It’s just a late bloomer whose umbilical cord is still connected to the National Flight Test Center in Bangalore.

Watch British airstrikes blast ISIS vehicles off the road near the group's last stronghold in the country

03/02/2017

British aircraft have participated in the campaign against ISIS in Iraq, which is currently moving on the terror group's last urban stronghold in the country. Dozens of countries have committed personnel and resources to the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. While the US had assumed a leading role in the coalition, the British military has assisted the campaign on both the ground and in the air.

L-159 EARNS PRAISE AS CREDIBLE AGGRESSOR FIGHTER

03/02/2017

In a recent press release, the private contract air support company Draken International praised the Aero Vodochody L-159 advanced light combat aircraft for its role as an aggressor fighter platform during the U.S. Marine Corps’ recent air exercises, Agile Lightning and Wing Fury, which took place in January 2017. As per Draken International, the Aero L-159 is configured with subsystems found in contemporary combat aircraft, such as modern pulse-Doppler radars.

RAAF A330 MRTT fleet achieves final operational capability

03/02/2017

The Royal Australian Air Force has achieved final operational capability for its fleet of Airbus Defence & Space A330 Multi-Role Tanker Transport aircraft. Designated as the KC-30A in RAAF service, the milestone signifies that the full capability of the aircraft, including using its refueling boom, is now available.

Indian Army To Invest $2.5B in Israeli Missile System

03/02/2017

In a sign that Israel and India are strengthening ties, the two nations have agreed to a huge weapons deal to jointly expand India’s aerial defense systems. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has agreed to a deal for a medium-range surface-to-air (MRSAM) missile system to be produced by Israeli Aerospace Industries and India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), the Mail Today reports.

US, South Korea Stage Massive Military Drills to Warn Off North

03/02/2017

This Wednesday marked the start of annual military exercises by the United States and South Korea, described by the North as preparation for an invasion, South Korean media reported.

Boeing Wins $679M Navy Deal to Procure 12 Combat Aircraft

03/01/2017

Aircraft major The Boeing CompanyBA clinched a contract for the procurement of seven EA-18G and five F/A 18E aircraft. Per the terms of the agreement, the company will also obtain airborne electronic attack kits associated with the EA-18G jets. Valued at $678.7 million, this contract was awarded by the Naval Air Systems Command, Patuxent River, MD.

Lockheed scores $1 billion in F-35 maintenance

03/01/2017

The US Navy awarded Lockheed Martin more than $1 billion in logistics and sustainment services for the F-35 Lightning II programme, according to a Defense Department contract announced this week.

Sikorsky pitches HH-60Us to replace USAF Hueys

03/01/2017

Sikorsky and its parent company, Lockheed Martin, would add 84 HH-60Us to the USAF’s existing inventory of three U-model Black Hawks, according to a 28 February Sikorsky press release. “The Air Force previously assigned the HH-60U designation to three UH-60M Black Hawk aircraft, adding among other modifications an electro-optical sensor and a rescue hoist,” the release states. “Air Force pilots and special mission aviators began flying the HH-60U in 2011.”

US think-tank calls for stealthy, carrier-based UCAV

03/01/2017

An influential think-tank has unveiled a vision of a future US Navy strike group composed of two aircraft carriers and supporting ships with 110 aircraft, including new requirements for a stealthy attack unmanned air system (UAS) and a manned fighter optimised for the air-to-air mission.

PZL Mielec details S-70i sales targets

03/01/2017

Warsaw launched negotiations in late February linked to a planned eight-aircraft deal to support special forces operations, for which the S-70i is competing with the Leonardo Helicopters AgustaWestland AW149 and Airbus Helicopters H225M. It is expected to issue a further request linked to a larger acquisition of utility helicopters, and later will advance a Kruk programme requirement to replace its assault-roled Mil Mi-24s.

AVALON: EA-18G Growler makes downunder debut

03/01/2017

The Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic warfare aircraft has made its air show debut in Royal Australian Air Force livery, as Canberra pitches in funds to develop the next generation jammer. Two EA-18Gs arrived at Airshow Australia following a transit from the US Navy air station on Whidbey Island, says Australia’s Department of Defence.

AVALON: Textron sees Asia-Pacific opportunities for Scorpion

03/01/2017

Textron believes that Canberra could be on the verge of issuing a request for proposals for an electronic warfare training jet, says Tom Webster, who heads sales for the US company in the Asia-Pacific. The requirement would be small, for about three aircraft, and would likely see Textron team with a local partner. Textron also believes that Canberra would not obtain the aircraft itself, but rather outsource the work to industry partners, possibly on a “pay by the hour” basis.