Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

France and Germany Want to Build Their Own 5th Generation Fighter Jet

07/14/2017

France and Germany have announced their intention to work together to develop a new advanced "European" fighter jet. Though the final plan is still in the works, the decision appears to be wrapped up in a number of political and economic considerations and could potentially see the end the German military’s interest in the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

US approves new systems for Australian Super Hornets

07/14/2017

The US State Department has approved a potential electronics upgarde for Canberra's fleet of 24 Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. The contractor for the deal is Harris Corporation, which would provide 32 MIDS JTRS tactical radio systems, and 39 AN/ALS-214A (V)4 countermeasures systems, says the Defense Security Cooperation Agency.

Russian Aerospace Forces to Get New Electronic Warfare Complexes at MAKS-2017

07/14/2017

Russia's Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern, part of the Rostec state corporation, says it would hand over new electronic warfare complexes to the country's Aerospace Forces at the International Aviation and Space Salon next week.

Indian Air Force Jets Slated to Have Beyond-Visual-Range Strike Capacity by 2018

07/14/2017

India’s Tejas light combat aircraft is armed and ready with I-Derby missiles for downing other aircraft, according to The Diplomat. The missiles have been integrated into the plane’s weapons suite but have yet to finish testing, which is slated to happen by year’s end, Flight Global reported.

USAF pins F-35A engine fire on strong tailwinds

07/13/2017

A US Air Force investigation blames a Lockheed Martin F-35A engine fire last September at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, on strong tailwinds, according to an accident report released by the service this week.

US, Australia conclude secretive hypersonic flight series

07/13/2017

The United States and Australia have concluded a series of hypersonic test flights at the Woomera test range in South Australia. The tests were conducted under the auspices of the Hypersonic International Flight Research Experimentation (HiFIRE) programme, says Australia's Department of Defence in a statement.

UK to Spend $50Mln on Upgrades of Typhoon Fighter Jets - Defense Secretary

07/13/2017

The United Kingdom will invest 40 million pounds [$50 million] in the development of a technology, which will enhance the defenses of Typhoon fighter jets, according to UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon.

Taiwan: Chinese Navy Sailed Liaoning Carrier Into Its Defense Zone

07/13/2017

The Soviet-built carrier left Hong Kong early Wednesday morning before crossing over into the western side of the Taiwan Strait. Taiwanese defense officials said the ship didn’t present a concern, as there was no suspicious activity, but the situation is being closely watched, according to Channel News Asia.

USAF calls for drone defences after F-22 overflight

07/12/2017

Small, civilian-owned drones can buzz past the US Air Force’s stealthy fighter fleet sitting at domestic bases and the service’s head of Air Combat Command (ACC) has no way to deal with them.

Thailand Approves $257 Million Plan for 8 More South Korean Jets

07/12/2017

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-ocha said Tuesday that Bangkok has approved a plan to buy eight additional South Korea-made T-50 trainer jets. Chan-ocha made the announcement following a cabinet meeting in which members endorsed the $257 million dollar plan. The jets are being purchased in addition to four other South Korean jets Thailand agreed to buy in a $110-million deal signed in September 2015, with deliveries set for 2018.

Russian Scientists Finish Aircraft 'Nervous System' to Improve Flight Safety

07/12/2017

Russia's Foundation for Advanced Research Projects (FPI) has completed the development of the advanced control system of aircraft structures state, which is based on the principles of the nervous system of living organisms and is expected to significantly improve flight safety, head of the project Dmitry Uspensky told Sputnik on Tuesday.

Block 5 MQ-9 debuts in combat

07/11/2017

The latest version of the MQ-9 Reaper, the Block 5 variant, flew its first successful combat mission June 23, 2017, in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. The aircrew flew a sortie of more than 16 hours with a full payload of weapons including GBU-38 Joint Direct Attack Munitions and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles. During the mission, the crew employed one GBU-38 and two Hellfires while providing hours of armed reconnaissance for supported ground forces.

Officials: 16 dead in military plane crash in Mississippi

07/11/2017

A military refueling aircraft crashed Monday afternoon in a soybean field in Leflore County, killing at least 16 and leaving a debris field five miles in radius, officials said. Mississippi Emergency Management Agency Director Lee Smithson said the plane crashed on the Sunflower-Leflore county line. Leflore County EMA Director Frank Randle confirmed that 16 are dead in the crash.

A first strike on North Korea? Bad choice

07/09/2017

Think of the North Korean problem as a set of two dangerous streams of activity, moving rapidly toward each other. One is the increasing range of the Kim Jong Un regime’s intercontinental ballistic missiles, which are now verifiably in the 3,000- to 4,000-mile range — probably far enough to strike the continental United States.

Crowds in Hong Kong Line Up to See China’s First Aircraft Carrier

07/09/2017

Hundreds of people in Hong Kong lined up on Saturday to visit China’s first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, which is making a five-day port call here to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the former British colony’s return to Chinese rule.

Why in the World Does Turkey Want an Aircraft Carrier?

07/09/2017

Upon overseeing the launch of a domestically-built corvette in July 2017, Turkish Pres. Recep Tayyip Erdogan voiced his country’s goal of building “our own aircraft carriers” as part of Ankara’s efforts to “become independent in the field of defense by 2023.” “We must move even faster,” Erdogan declared. “We are proud of our ability to build military ships, especially construction of submarines.”

Sikorsky courts German aerospace on CH-53K supply chain

07/09/2017

Sikorsky hosted German aerospace companies during a recent two-day event at in West Palm Beach, Florida, discussing the US Marine Corps CH-53K and the German Air Force “Schwerer Transporthubschrauber” (STH) heavy-lift helicopter programme.

Austria to retire Eurofighter Typhoons from 2020

07/09/2017

Austria is to phase out its fleet of 15 Tranche 1 Eurofighter Typhoons from 2020, amid a deepening row with the four-nation consortium over the cost and capability of its aircraft. Vienna in February began legal proceedings against Airbus Defence & Space and Eurofighter over alleged fraud and deception related to its near €2 billion ($2.28 billion) acquisition of the Typhoons in 2003. Airbus and the consortium deny the accusations.

India advances on taking additional C-17

07/06/2017

India's planned acquisition of an additional Boeing C-17 strategic transport would boost its air force's fleet of the type to 11 examples, and the proposed purchase would be worth around $366 million.

Merlin makes first landing aboard new UK aircraft carrier

07/06/2017

UK Royal Navy AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin helicopters performed the first deck landings aboard the service's new aircraft carrier, HMS Queen Elizabeth, just four days after the 65,000t vessel embarked on its maiden voyage.

India’s quest for armed drones

07/05/2017

The US government’s decision to grant India the licence for the export of 22 Guardian drones through the US foreign military sales programme will address gaps in India’s maritime surveillance capabilities. However, India’s quest for armed drones in the absence of a defined strategy for the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) has created misconceptions about their utility for India in conducting cross-border strikes or “surgical strikes” against Pakistan-based terrorists.

U.S. Confirms North Korea Fired Intercontinental Ballistic Missile

07/05/2017

The Trump administration on Tuesday confirmed North Korea’s claim that it had launched an intercontinental ballistic missile, and it told Pyongyang that the United States would use “the full range of capabilities at our disposal against the growing threat.”

Sikorsky gets multi-year contract for Black Hawk production

07/05/2017

Sikorsky has agreed to a new multi-year contract with the US Department of Defense, which will lead to it delivering up to 360 UH-60 Black Hawk utility helicopters to the US Army and overseas customers by 2022.

UN Secretary-General Condemns Latest North Korea’s Missile Launch – Statement

07/05/2017

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned the latest Pyongyang’s missile launch, which violated the resolution of the UN Security Council, the statement read. North Korea announced on Tuesday that it had successfully launched its first intercontinental ballistic missile, the Hwasong-14, at 00:30 GMT. It said the missile traveled 580 miles and reached an altitude of 1,740 miles during its 39-minute flight before "accurately hitting the target waters" in the Sea of Japan.

North Korea Claims Ability to Strike 'Any Part of the World' With ICBM Launch

07/05/2017

North Korea is capable of attacking any target on Earth with its intercontinental ballistic missiles, Pyongyang said in an official statement Tuesday. Published by the North Korean Academy of Defense Science as cited by the Korean Central News Agency, the statement claims its new capabilities would "reliably defend the peace and stability of the Korean peninsula and the region."