Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

De-Escalation Zones Take Effect In Syria

05/06/2017

Safe zones across Syria have officially gone into effect as of midnight tonight in the country. Diplomatic efforts in Astana, Kazakhstan, between Russian, Turkish and Iranian delegations have resulted in an agreement to enact safe zones in Syria in what observers hope will be a big step toward peace in the war-torn country. Moscow, Ankara and Tehran emerged as the guarantors of the strategy and authorized the memo creating the safe zones.

Army still working on multi-core processor for UH-60V

05/05/2017

The US Army is upgrading a fleet of Sikorsky UH-60Ls with a glass cockpit layout similar to the UH-60M, but the newly-minted UH-60V fleet's mission computers are still restricted to a single-core processor.

Netherlands secures additional Chinooks

05/05/2017

Boeing will deliver two more CH-47F Chinooks to the Netherlands under an ongoing $541 million contract with the US Army. Under the current multi-year buy, the US Army ordered 12 CH-47Fs last year as part of an effort to replace the Dutch CH-47Ds. The recent contract award adds two more Chinooks for the Dutch, raising the total new aircraft purchased to 14, a Boeing spokesman says in an email to FlightGlobal.

Kenya seeks armed MD530 purchase

05/05/2017

MD Helicopters could supply Kenya with 12 armed MD530 rotorcraft, under a Foreign Military Sales deal worth $253 million. Outlined by the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on 2 May, the potential deal would also cover the provision of armaments including pod-housed cannons, unguided rockets and .50cal machine guns.

Sixth aircraft joins KC-46A tanker test fleet

05/05/2017

Boeing has bolstered its flight-test fleet for the KC-46A programme to six aircraft, as the company strives to complete a development campaign with the 767-based tanker. The latest addition – Boeing's second low-rate initial production example – made its debut flight from the company's Everett site in Washington on 29 April. The new asset will be dedicated to tasks including electromagnetic testing, the company says.

Russian Nuke-Capable Bombers Patrol Alaska in 'Safe and Professional' Manner

05/05/2017

Two US F-22 fighter jets intercepted and visually identified two Russian Tu-95 bombers as well as two Su-35 fighter jets that entered Alaska’s Air Defense identification zone. The flight of Russian bombers and fighter jets off the west coast off Alaska on Wednesday was conducted in a safe and professional manner, North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) spokesperson Capt. Ashleigh Peck told Sputnik.

How the U.S. Air Force Trains for a War with Russia (or Russian Fighters)

05/03/2017

As the United States Air Force continues its struggle with fielding enough aggressor aircraft for its combat aircraft crews to train against, contractors are stepping up to the plate. In some cases, contractors are able to field remarkable aircraft that provide an exceptionally authentic replication of enemy aircraft. Such is case of Air USA—the company has managed to acquire three two-seat trainer versions of the Mikoyan MiG-29UB Fulcrum.

How F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 Raptor Pilots Train for War

05/03/2017

The U.S. Air Force’s Atlantic Trident 17 exercise brought together some of the NATO alliance’s most capable combat aircraft including the fifth-generation Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter as well as the British Eurofighter Typhoon and the French Dassault Rafale at Joint Base Langley Eustis in Virginia.

Boeing puzzles over UH-1N replacement requirements

05/03/2017

Boeing and Leonardo Helicopters, along with their rotorcraft competitors, are baffled by the US Air Force’s requirements for the UH-1N Huey replacement programme but are pressing ahead with a bid based on the MH-139, a militarised version of the commercial AW139 medium-twin.

PICTURE: NATO puts Baltic air defences to the test

05/03/2017

NATO staged the two-day "Ramstein Alloy 4" exercise in late April over Lithuania, giving locally deployed air forces the opportunity to practise quick reaction alert procedures and boost interoperability.

New Zealand requests details about P-8A Poseidon

05/03/2017

The US State Department has approved the possible sale of four Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft to New Zealand. The deal is estimated at $1.46 billion, says the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) in a statement. It follows a request from New Zealand about the Poseidon.

Twin-seat JF-17B takes maiden flight

05/03/2017

The two-seat variant of the Chengdu/Pakistan Aeronautical Complex JF-17 Thunder fighter has conducted its first flight. Reports and images on Chinese defence sites indicate that the jet conducted its maiden sortie on 27 April at 11:04 a.m. from Chengdu.

US Counts on New Air Refueling Tankers - General

05/03/2017

The scheduled delivery of 179 next generation aerial tankers is critical for the air campaign in the Middle East and Afghanistan, as well as other theaters, the Commander of US Transportation Command Gen. Darren McDew told Congress on Tuesday.

India Test-Fires BrahMos Supersonic Cruise Land Attack Missile

05/03/2017

Amid heightened tension at its western border, the Indian Army has successfully test-fired an extended-range version of the BRAHMOS land-attack cruise missile in Andaman and Nicobar Islands.

The North Korean threat is not theoretical, it is reality

05/02/2017

North Korea is surging to the brink. Advancements in their missile technology and nuclear weapons program will soon put the United States in the crosshairs. As Senator John McCain recently remarked: “A North Korean missile tipped with a nuclear warhead, capable of reaching our homeland is no longer a distant hypothetical, but an imminent danger.”

CHINA MARKETED ITS GROWING ARMED DRONE PORTFOLIO IN LATIN AMERICA

05/02/2017

The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) is marketed its growing portfolio of combat aircraft in Latin American by attending Feria Aeroespacial Mexico (FAMEX), which concluded on April 29. The newly revealed Wing Loong II was also in attendance at FAMEX. The Wing Loong II is an update to the Chengdu Wing Loong, also known as the Pterodactyl-I. The Wing Loong II was revealed in November at Air Show China 2016 and had its first flight in February 2017.

US Forces Korea Confirm THAAD Operational, Can Intercept DPRK Missiles

05/02/2017

US Forces Korea spokesman Col. Rob Manning said that the THAAD missile defense system is currently operational and ready to defend South Korea if Pyongyang launches an attack.

Construction Begins on South Korea’s Massive New ‘Light Aircraft Carrier’

05/02/2017

A keel-laying ceremony for the 14,500-ton amphibious landing ship was held in Busan Friday at the Hanjin Heavy Industries & Construction Co. shipyard. The vessel is set to be launched in April 2018.

Ukraine, UK, Canada to Fly Over Russia, Belarus in May

05/02/2017

Head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov said that the joint mission of Canada, the United Kingdom and Ukraine will carry out an observation flight over Russia and Belarus on May 2 – 6 under the Open Skies Treaty.

IAF asked to be ready for ‘wars’ with Pakistan, China

04/30/2017

In keeping with changing military needs, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has been asked by its chief to maintain a state of combat readiness for a possible 10-day war with Pakistan. The force has also been told to be ready for a possible 15-day conflict with China.

Bulgaria ranks first Sweden's offer to supply combat aircraft - report

04/30/2017

Sweden's offer to supply Gripen combat aircraft to Bulgaria's Air Force has been ranked first, public radio broadcaster BNR reported on Wednesday. The offers submitted by Portugal (with a logistics package sourced from the USA) and Italy were ranked second and third, respectively, BNR said following a meeting of the caretaker government which endorsed the conclusions of the working group in charge of assessing the offers.

North Korea's missile test fails, US military says

04/30/2017

A ballistic missile launched early Saturday by North Korea in defiance of international pressure and at a time of heightened regional tensions appears to have failed. The missile blew up over land in North Korean territory, said US Navy Cmdr. Dave Benham, a spokesman for the US Pacific Command

Russia's Air Defense on High Alert After N Korean Missile Launch - Top Lawmaker

04/30/2017

Another ballistic missile launch carried out by Pyongyang has increased the probability of a military conflict in the region, Victor Ozerov, the chairman of the Russian upper house of parliament’s committee on defense and security, told Sputnik Saturday.

US Government Okays $138 Million Sale of Radar Killing Missiles to Australia

04/30/2017

The US government approved the sale of more than 100 supersonic anti-radar missiles to the Australian government, the Department of State said in a press release. "The proposed sale of this equipment and support does not alter the basic military balance in the region," the release stated.

Fighter jet variant jointly built by China, Pakistan makes debut flight

04/28/2017

China on Thursday launched an upgraded version of a fighter jet manufactured jointly with Pakistan that can be used for training in peacetime and for combat missions during wartime. The dual-seat fighter trainer JF-17B is an upgraded version of the military aircraft JF-17. The JF-17B was developed by Aviation Industry Corporation of China to meet the requirements of international customers and the global market, according to AVIC.