Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Royal Navy fleet at 'dangerous and historic low'

11/21/2016

The assessment by the Defence Select Committee will endorse widespread concerns that the Royal Navy has been left too small after recent job and spending cuts. The committee's report, called Restoring The Fleet, said the current number of vessels is "woefully low" and raised doubts over the availability of skilled workers in the service.

India’s Stealth Fighter will be Superior to China’s J-20 and Russia’s PAK FA T-50; will also Launch BrahMos

11/21/2016

India's new fifth generation stealth fighter will be superior in key aspects to Russia's PAK FA T-50 from which it's derived, and will also have the added advantage of being able to fire the newest iteration of the fearsome BrahMos cruise missile, the BrahMos NG.

IAF assesses effects of sleep deprivation on fighter pilots’ performance

11/21/2016

The Indian Air Force is experimenting with the sleeping pattern of its fighter pilots to find out how fatigue affects flight performance in an unforgiving environment. A sleep deprivation study conducted on 40 fighter pilots has revealed significant deviations in their performance and now the IAF will kick off field studies on a larger scale, officers familiar with the research told Hindustan Times.

Trump's military will have more troops and more firepower — if he can find more money

11/21/2016

President-elect Donald Trump wants a much bigger military. All he needs to do is find the money and political support to make it happen. Less than two weeks into the Republican businessman's transition from unlikely presidential candidate to unlikely commander in chief, many details of his plans for the Defense Department remain unsettled.

NATO Multinational Military Exercise Iron Sword 2016 Kick Off in Lithuania

11/21/2016

NATO multinational military exercise Iron Sword 2016 kicked off in Lithuania, with 4,000 troops participating, the country's Defense Ministry announced on Sunday. The exercise, set to last through December 3, will train soldiers from Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, the USA, the United Kingdom, Germany, Canada, Luxembourg, Poland, Romania and Slovenia.

Near miss over Syria

11/20/2016

As a pilot, I have had multiple “near miss” events. Most pilots I know have had similar experiences. Some of these events still scare me today when I think about them, others were less intense and grave, but I also remember all of them…and what they taught me.

Swiss jets escort Russian plane

11/20/2016

The official Russian passenger Ilyushin Il-96 aircraft was carrying journalists to cover the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) economic summit, held in Lima, Peru, when three military jets suddenly appeared to accompany it while it flew through Swiss airspace.

A Deadly Accident Won’t Ground China’s Women Fighter Pilots

11/20/2016

On the morning of Nov. 12, J-10 fighters from China’s prestigious Ba Yi Air Demonstration Team practiced maneuvers over Yutian county, northeast of the city of Tianjin. Sitting in the instructor’s seat of one of the delta-wing J-10s was Capt. Yu Xu, a flight leader and one of four women pilots trained to operate the domestically-designed multi-role fighter.

Russia Preparing to Start Deliveries of Advanced Su-35 Multirole Jets to China

11/20/2016

The deliveries of the Russian Su-35 fighter jets to China have not started yet, works on the aircraft to be supplied continue in accordance with the bilateral deal, Alexander Fomin, the director of the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC), said.

UK Receives New-Generation G-120TP Aircraft for Pilot Training

11/19/2016

Britain has taken delivery of the first of a new generation of aircraft set to revitalize its fixed-wing military pilot training capabilities. Affinity Flying Training Services delivered two Grob G-120TPs to the British Royal Air Force (RAF) base at Cranwell on Nov. 17, kicking off a program which will see 38 aircraft across three different types handed over by the end of 2018 to replace Britain’s aging stock of trainers.

Defence companies move pieces around Asian chessboard

11/19/2016

This is not the first time a major US defence industry has shuttered its office in Taipei due to a wide variety of excuses. In 2006 Boeing closed its Taipei offices and moved staff to Singapore in an effort to placate Beijing for better opportunities in the commercial passenger aircraft market.

IAF responds to Pak muscle flexing by moving combat aircraft to border areas in Punjab and Rajasthan

11/19/2016

Several units of the Su-30MKI, Jaguar deep penetration strike aircraft and other frontline planes have been moved to forward areas in Punjab and Rajasthan and have been retained there, a senior IAF source told Mail Today. Even as Pakistan is flexing its muscles along the Indian border near Punjab, the Indian Air Force is maintaining "high operational tempo" by packing the western front with its lethal combat aircraft.

OPINION: Beijing puts firepower on show with J-20

11/19/2016

Terrorists and Western defence equipment had a bad time at this year’s Airshow China in Zhuhai. Hardened bunkers, speeding trucks and warships were no match for the barrage of missiles and bombs launched by Chinese-built fighters and unmanned air vehicles – all seemingly co-ordinated by emotionless men in sterile control rooms. F-15s, F-16s, F/A-18s and even AH-64 attack helicopters had a tough time, as easy prey for a relentless flow of air-to-air missiles.

USAF completes insulation repairs on operational F-35s

11/19/2016

Lockheed Martin and the US Air Force have finished repairs on the last of 13 F-35As affected by a faulty insulation issue earlier this year, though work continues on Lockheed’s production aircraft.

State Department approves Kuwait and Qatar fighter jet sales

11/19/2016

Pending Congressional approval, the sales of 72 Boeing F-15QA Strike Eagles to Qatar and 40 F/A-18Es and F/A-18Fs Super Hornets to Kuwait are expected to go through, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency announced this week.

Brazilian military validates KC-390 certification compliance

11/19/2016

The Brazilian military has awarded Embraer a provisional type certificate for the basic configuration of the KC-390 tanker-transport, a step on the way to achieving initial operational capability with the air force in the second half of 2017.

India in Talks for Export of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas

11/19/2016

New Delhi’s is trying to export its indigenously assembled LCA `Tejas’ to cost-conscious countries in Asia. It is not known whether export permissions are required from foreign suppliers of critical equipment to the aircraft.

Turkey Seeks to Secure Its Skies With Russian S-400 Air Defense Systems

11/19/2016

Turkey is in talks with Russia on the purchase of S-400 missile systems, Turkish Defense Minister Fikri Isik said Friday. "As for missile defense, work is continuing. We are negotiating on S-400 not only with Russia, but with other countries that have similar systems. Russia's position on this issue now is positive," Isik said in an interview with Turkey's NTV broadcaster.

Game-changer or spoiler

11/18/2016

The pièce de résistance at the Zhuhai air show in Guangdong province was the long-awaited Chinese J-20 stealth fighter jet. The 60-second flypast in a first ever, public sneak-preview was the cynosure of the world as China demonstrated its claim of entering the exclusive club of countries with “fifth generation” fighter planes. Touted as the only other operation-ready answer to America’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Lockheed Martin F-35.

Is the U.S. Military ready for Trump?

11/18/2016

In a September 7th speech, then-candidate Donald Trump described his vision for the future of the American military. “As soon as I take office, I will ask Congress to fully eliminate the defense sequester and will submit a new budget to rebuild our military. This will increase certainty in the defense community as to funding and will allow military leaders to plan for our future defense needs.”

Carter: 'We Have to Be Concerned About' Pilot Shortage

11/18/2016

The loss of highly trained and experienced pilots from the U.S. military to the private sector is a legitimate worry for Pentagon leaders, the Defense Department's top civilian said. "It is something we have to be concerned about," Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Wednesday during a stopover at this installation. The problem is particularly pronounced in the Air Force, which faces a shortage of several hundred aviators.

VISITING RAF LOSSIEMOUTH: THE RAF SHAPES A WAY AHEAD

11/18/2016

The Royal Air Force is in transition as the Tornado is retired, the Typhoon is modernized and the P-8 and F-35 are introduced. Infrastructure of key bases is being modernized as well. This transition as seen by officers involved in the operation and support of combat aircraft at RAF Lossiemouth is presented in this report.

Britain set to purchase $1 billion in advanced U.S. Predator drones

11/18/2016

Britain is set to buy as many as 26 Certifiable Predator B unmanned aerial vehicles from San Diego-based General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, the Pentagon announced Wednesday. The $1 billion sale delivers at least 16 of the aircraft, with the option for the country to buy 10 more. The purchase includes the associated material needed to operate the vehicles, including targeting equipment and ground control stations, in addition to contractor support for the aircraft for up to three years.

Vietnam expanding South China Sea runway, says thinktank

11/18/2016

Vietnam is extending a runway on an island it claims in the South China Sea in apparent response to China’s building of military facilities on artificial islands in the region, a US thinktank has reported. Satellite images taken this month showed Vietnam had lengthened its runway on Spratly Island from less than 760 metres (2,500ft) to more than 1 km, Washington’s Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative said.

For Make in India fighter plan, will create factory designed for future Indian combat plane: Boeing

11/18/2016

Proposing the setting up of a new, futuristic factory for an upcoming Make in India fighter program, Boeing has said that it is in talks with multiple Indian stakeholders to gear it for the production of the indigenous advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA).