Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russian Helicopters produces first Ka-52 Alligator of 2017

02/03/2017

Rostec subsidiary Russian Helicopters has completed production for 2017's first Ka-52 Alligator combat and reconnaissance rotorcraft. The aircraft's completion followed a round of ground and flight tests in accordance with government contracts. According to the the state-owned defense contractor, several more Ka-52 units are scheduled to be transferred to operators by the end of February.

Is The USAF Finally Serious About Fielding A Light Air Support Aircraft?

02/03/2017

After literally flying the wings off its tactical fighter fleet over the last decade and a half of counter-insurgency operations in the Middle East, the USAF maybe finally coming to its senses about the need for a fleet of relatively inexpensive light attack and surveillance aircraft.

Myanmar inches closer to licence-build JF-17 Thunder aircraft

02/03/2017

Myanmar, the country which is undergoing a transition from military junta to democracy, is said to be inching closer to licence-build JF-17 multi-role combat aircraft, according to reports. In 2015, the Myanmar Air Force (MAF) had decided on buying 16 JF-17 aircraft that are the outcome of a collaboration between Pakistan's Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and China's Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (CAC).

DARPA details OFFSET swarming UAVs

02/03/2017

The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has released details on a crucial leg of its third offset initiative, a swarming unmanned vehicle programme known as OFFensive Swarm-Enabled Tactics (OFFSET).

Turkey, UK advance TF-X fighter pact

02/03/2017

BAE Systems and Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) have advanced their collaboration on Ankara’s fifth-generation TF-X fighter project. Signed by the prime ministers of Turkey and the UK, the new heads of agreement pact is expected to lead to a contract worth more than £100 million ($127 million), BAE says.

Russia reveals export ambitions for MiG-35

02/03/2017

Russia has rolled out its first RAC MiG-35 fighter and announced its intention to offer the multirole type to a host of potential export customers, including India. Staged at the airframer’s Lukhovitsy site near Moscow on 27 January, the milestone event was attended by officials including Russian air force chief Col Gen Victor Bondarev and delegations from more than 30 countries. United Aircraft identifies these as having including representatives from nations including China, India, Peru and Vi

Beijing to Deploy Aircraft Carrier in South China Sea Amid Tensions With US

02/03/2017

The decision to station the Shandong aircraft carrier, currently under construction in Dalian, in close vicinity of a Chinese nuclear submarine base on Hainan Island in the South China Sea is fully in line with the original purpose of this particular type of ships, military expert Vasily Kashin told Sputnik.

Up close and personal with the first Saudi F-15SA, the most advanced Eagle ever built

02/02/2017

The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) has officially received its first Boeing F-15SA multirole jets in a ceremony celebrating the 50th anniversary of the King Faisal Air College in Riyadh on Jan. 25, 2017.

New Russian 4++ generation jet fighter Mig-35 test (video)

02/02/2017

In a widely publicized event on Thursday, Jan. 26, 2017 the Mikoyan-Gurevich Design Bureau (MiG) parented by United Aircraft Corporation officially demonstrated the new MiG-35 to the Russian government. A subsequent demonstration for export customers was carried on January 27 Russian President Vladimir Putin is reported to have viewed the first demonstration via remote video due to poor weather in the region.

How Lockheed Martin Could Make the F-22 Raptor Even More 'Stealth

02/02/2017

Lockheed Martin and the United States Air Force have been working on improving the performance of the F-22 Raptor’s stealth coatings. While the Raptor is by far the most capable air superiority fighter ever built, its Achilles’ Heel since it entered service has been maintenance. The F-22’s sensitive radar absorbent coatings have proven to be costly and difficult to repair, but the Air Force and Lockheed have been working on improving the performance.

First F-22 Raptor Delivered from Lockheed Martin Speedline

02/02/2017

Lockheed Martin Corp. completed the first F-22 Raptor at the company's Inlet Coating Repair (ICR) Speedline facility and delivered the aircraft back to the U.S. Air Force ahead of schedule. The U.S. Air Force contracted Lockheed Martin to establish the Speedline in Marietta, Georgia, in August 2016 and the first F-22 arrived there in early November. A second aircraft arrived in early December 2016 and a third in late January 2017.

Deadline passes for Lockheed F-35 contract appeal, but options remain

02/02/2017

The deadline has passed for Lockheed Martin to file an appeal with the Armed Services Board of Contracts Appeals over the unilateral terms imposed on the ninth lot of low-rate initial production contract for F-35s, but alternative legal avenues may still remain to overturn the deal.

Mattis review will validate F-35: USMC aviation chief

02/02/2017

The US Marine Corps deputy commandant for aviation is placing his bets on the Lockheed Martin F-35C ahead of a Pentagon review that will compare the Lightning II to Boeing’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Northrop, BAE withdrawal cuts T-X bidders to two

02/02/2017

Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems have decided not to submit a bid for a $16 billion US Air Force contract for 300-350 advanced jet trainers, narrowing a once diverse field to as little as two competitors.

India's HTT-40 Basic Trainer To Be Equipped With Harzell Propeller

02/01/2017

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd has planned to equip HTT-40 two-place turbine basic trainer aircraft with Hartzell Propeller's four-blade lightweight aluminum propeller. The new indigenous HTT-40 is designed and built by HAL under the country's Make In India initiative. The HTT-40 will be soon replacing the piston-powered HPT-32 Deepak trainer for the Indian Air Force.

New Boeing deal a boost to suppliers

02/01/2017

When news came out late last week that the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing $2.1 billion for 15 KC-46A tanker aircraft, spare engines and wing air refueling pod kits, it was seen as a boost for the aerospace giant. While it was good news for Boeing, it likely is even better news for its suppliers.

U.S. Navy orders radar detection kits for MH-60R aircraft

02/01/2017

The U.S. Navy has awarded Lockheed Martin a $45.8 million contract to deliver automatic radar detection kits to support MH-60R Seahawk helicopters. The order covers 29 automatic periscope detection radars and discrimination standard retrofit p-kits. Periscope detection radars such as the Navy's AN/SPS-74(V) use a high-resolution sensor to quickly scan the surface for threats.

Raytheon marks milestone with another key defense missile

02/01/2017

Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems marked a milestone for one of its key defense programs with the completion of its 20,000th Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile, or AMRAAM. The AIM-120 AMRAAM entered service in 1991 and was originally made by Hughes Aircraft, which was acquired by Raytheon in 1997. It is used by the U.S. and 36 allied nations and has been credited for destroying at least nine enemy planes in combat over Iraq and Kosovo during the 1990s.

MV-22 crash lands during SEAL raid in Yemen

02/01/2017

A US Marine Corps MV-22 Osprey crash landed during a 29 January raid on an alleged terrorist compound in Yemen this week, injuring three service members.

ANALYSIS: India's LCA programme keeps on fighting

02/01/2017

India’s Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) fighter programme has had a long and chequered history. The process from first flight of a technology demonstrator to service entry, in July 2016, took 15 years. The “Tejas” received government approval in 2016 for another 83 airplanes specified to the Mk1A standard, adding to 40 earlier orders for the Mk1 version.

Chinese Aircraft Carrier Program to Make New Advances in 2017

02/01/2017

In November 2016 the Soviet-era Liaoning, Beijing’s only carrier, was declared “combat ready” by political commissar Senior Capt. Li Dongyou. Following the declaration, the ship departed on a training voyage that featured a stop on the edge of the South China Sea, at the People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) base on Hainan Island.

Croatia, Serbia Buying Advanced Weapons

02/01/2017

Serbia has announced that it will acquire two BUK surface-to-air missile systems and eight Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft from Belarus, following Croatia’s plans to obtain new military trucks, transport helicopters, fighter jets, self-propelled howitzers, and patrol vessels this year.

ANALYSIS: Trainers a priority for India's air force

01/31/2017

Despite its declining combat fleet, the Indian air force still requires large numbers of trained pilots and technical personnel, especially given the acquisition of new fixed and rotary wing types.

Russia Does Not Rule Out Assistance to Iraq in Fight Against Daesh

01/31/2017

Russia does not rule out the possibility of assistance to Iraq in the fight against the Daesh terrorist group if Baghdad shows such an interest, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday.

Russia Sees 'Unlimited Possibilities' in Anti-Daesh Cooperation With US

01/31/2017

Moscow sees nearly boundless possibilities in anti-Daesh cooperation with the United States, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Monday. "As regards possible forms of cooperation with the US on fighting Daesh… I see almost unlimited possibilities, with the political will and readiness of our militaries, to implement this political will into concrete agreements, concrete action," Lavrov told reporters.