Military Aviation News Archive

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.

Pyongyang Blasts US B1-B Nuke Bombers Taking Part in South Korea War Games

03/17/2017

On Thursday, North Korea denounced the US and South Korea for conducting joint military drills near the divided peninsula using the USS Carl Vinson and US strategic bombers, accusing the two nations of "escalating nuclear attack threats" against Pyongyang.

Can't Hide From It: Russia to Test Newest A-100 Spy Jet in July

03/17/2017

Tests of Russia’s Beriev A-100 airborne early warning and control (AWACS) prototype aircraft are set to begin in July 2017, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said Thursday. The A-100 is based on the Il-76MD-90A transport aircraft, and it is expected to replace the Beriev A-50 Mainstay AWACS aircraft currently in service with the Russian Aerospace Forces.

Dubious Defense Cooperation With Colombia Whets Saab's Appetite

03/17/2017

During his visit to Colombia, Swedish Industry Minister Mikael Damberg signed off on a defense cooperation agreement. Sweden's Saab is particularly enthusiastic about the agreement, which may help the troubled airplane manufacturer sell some of its vaunted Gripen fighter jets.

Northrop Grumman To Provide LITENING Multi-Sensor Targeting System For Danish F-16 Aircraft

03/16/2017

Northrop Grumman won a contract to provide the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) with pods containing a multi-sensor targeting and surveillance system known as LITENING for use on F-16 aircraft. LITENING allows coordinated air-to-ground and air-to-air capabilities, data links for cooperative targeting, laser spot search and track, laser markers and J-series weapons employment capabilities.

RSAF's new drone Heron 1 now combat-ready

03/16/2017

It can fly as high as 6km in the sky, cruise at speeds as fast as 130kmh, and can be deployed up to 200km away from a remote location. This drone - or unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) - can also fly for more than 24 hours continuously, and take off and land automatically.

Espionage risk to US heightened as China's military presses its domestic tech firms

03/16/2017

China is taking a page from the Pentagon's playbook under the Obama administration: it's partnering with tech companies to develop more cutting-edge weapons. But China's innovation-focused strategy could elevate the espionage risk to the U.S. Ironically, this new threat emerges as the Trump administration is expected to slow its outreach to the tech firms.