Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

'Complex Combat Arena': Israeli Choppers Complete Exercises in Greece

09/27/2016

Increasing regional military cooperation, Israeli transport helicopters trained in Greece over the past two weeks for future short and long-range operations. sraeli Air Force helicopter squadrons, along with gunships from the Greek Air Force, conducted joint exercises in the challenging topography of the Olympic Mountains.

Russia to Conduct Observation Flights Over Greece, US

09/27/2016

Russian monitors will fly over Greece and the United States as part of Russia's Treaty on Open Skies responsibilities, according to the statement published by Russian Defense Ministry on Monday.

Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

09/26/2016

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of yesterday’s strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

U-2 Flights Resume after Pilot Killed in Crash

09/26/2016

A U-2 Dragon Lady roared to life on the runway at Beale Air Force Base at 9:01 a.m. Friday and took flight into the skies above Yuba-Sutter for the first time since a pilot was killed and another injured in a crash in the Sutter Buttes on Tuesday. The time -- 9:01 -- was chosen to honor Lt. Col. Ira Stephen "Shooter" Eadie, the pilot who died, and was representative of the 9th Reconnaissance Wing and the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, the unit Eadie was assigned to, according to a press release fr

China air force holds drills near Japanese islands

09/26/2016

China's air force says it flew more than 40 bombers and other fighter planes through a strait between Japanese islands on their way to military drills in the western Pacific. Regular long-range drills in the western Pacific and patrols over the East China Sea air defence identification zone were to protect China's sovereignty and national security, China's air force spokesman Shen Jinke said on Sunday, according to a statement posted on the Ministry of Defence website.

BOEING AND DENMARK: HERE THERE THEY GO AGAIN

09/26/2016

Last May we published an article entitled: Boeing in Denmark: The New Alabama? Amazingly, having lost the fighter competition in Denmark, Boeing is back taking on a sovereign state and treating Denmark as if it were the state of Alabama in the tanker competition. In a Monty Python sketch they brilliantly played off the name of a then powerful American conglomerate, Gulf and Western, by cleverly changing the name to an American firm called “Engulf and Devour.”

America's Lethal F-15 Fighter vs. Russia's Su-35, PAK-FA and China's J-20: Who Wins?

09/26/2016

The United States Air Force is in the midst of a transformational shift. Since the 1990s, all new combat aircraft accepted into inventory have been designed with stealth in mind. Stealth is considered a key aspect of survival over the modern battlefield.

Big Spending on Warplanes Spurs Aerial Arms Race

09/26/2016

For more than two decades, combat aircraft flown by the U.S. and its European allies have pretty much owned the sky. Now, Russia and China are spending lavishly on new weapons that could challenge that superiority, spurring a new arms race.

Russian, US Military to Agree on Syria Flights Information Exchange Rules

09/26/2016

Russian and US military could within a few days formalize an agreement on basic rules of the exchange of information about aviation activities of the two sides in Syria, media reported.

India’s Deployment of BrahMos Supersonic Stealth Missile is Making China Nervous

09/26/2016

India’s more hawkish foreign policy under Prime Minister Narendra Modi along with a major scoop up of international armaments has Beijing looking to their southern border with concern.

Pakistani air force F-7 jet aircraft crashes, killing pilot

09/25/2016

A Pakistan Air Force jet crashed on Saturday while on a training mission in the country’s northwest, killing the pilot, the military said. The F-7 aircraft went down near the town of Jamrud, near the entrance to the Khyber Pass, and Flight Lieutenant Amer Shazad was killed, the air force said in a statement.

RUSSIA, PAKISTAN CONDUCT FIRST JOINT MILITARY EXERCISE

09/25/2016

Russia and Pakistan will carry out their first joint military exercise this weekend, the Pakistani military said on Friday, at a time of heightened tensions between Islamabad and nuclear-armed rival India. The exercise is being seen as a demonstration of closer defense ties between the two countries after they signed a military cooperation pact in 2014.

Indian Air Force successfully test fires long range air-to-air MICA missile

09/25/2016

The Indian Air Force has successfully fired recently acquired long range air-to-air MICA missile on a manoeuvring target from Mirage-2000 Upgrade combat aircraft. A Defence Ministry release said that the missile achieved a direct hit on a target which was much smaller than an actual aircraft and flying at a low altitude.

Foreign Jet-Fighter Makers Woo India

09/25/2016

India is being offered blueprints to advanced combat aircraft by the world’s aerospace companies, a move unthinkable even a decade ago, as New Delhi gets ready to place another multibillion-dollar air force order.

Fire damages F-35A during Mountain Home deployment

09/25/2016

A fire erupted in the aft end of a Lockheed Martin F-35A during the engine start sequence on 23 September in Mountain Home AFB, Idaho, forcing the pilot to escape, the US Air Force says.

Lockheed Martin and Japan Celebrate Roll Out of Japan Air Self Defense Force’s First F-35A

09/24/2016

Senior Japanese and U.S. government officials joined Lockheed Martin to celebrate the roll out of the first Japan Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) F-35A Lightning II, marking a major milestone in Japan’s enhanced national defense and strengthening the future of the U.S-Japan security alliance.

China Develops Catapult-Launch Aircraft Carrier

09/24/2016

It has been confirmed that China continues to develop its Catapult-Assisted Take-Off But Arrested Recovery (CATOBAR) program for aircraft carriers, after the identification of a Shenyang J-15 Flying Shark carrier-borne fighter with CATOBAR apparatus, the US Naval Institute reported Thursday.

Russian Corporation Says in Talks With Several Countries on MiG-35 Jets Supplies

09/24/2016

According to a spokeswoman for the company, Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is currently holding talks with several potential buyers of the MiG-35 jet fighters.

Russian Troops Arrive in Pakistan for First Druzhba-2016 Joint Drills

09/24/2016

Russian troops with the Southern Military District have arrived in Pakistan for the first Druzhba-2016 ("Friendship-2016") exercises in the country, the district's press service said Friday. "The Southern Military District troops arrived in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan aboard an Il-76 military transport aircraft today to participate in the first joint Russian-Pakistani 'Druzhba-2016' tactical exercises," the district said.

India, France Sign $8.7 Bln Contract on Delivery of 36 Rafale Jets

09/24/2016

The French and Indian defense ministers signed a 7.8 billion euro ($8.7 billion) contract on the delivery of 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets, Indian media reported on Friday. The signing ceremony between Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar and French counterpart Jean-Yves Le Drian was broadcast by NDTV.

A NORWEGIAN F-35 PILOT PROVIDES AN UPDATE: SHAPING NEW COMBAT CAPABILITIES IN THE NORTHERN EDGE OF NATO

09/23/2016

The author of this post, Major Morten “Dolby” Hanche, has more than 2200 hours behind him in the F-16, he is a U.S. Navy Test Pilot School graduate, and on 10 November 2015 he became the first Norwegian to fly the F-35. He now serves as an instructor pilot with the 62nd Fighter Squadron at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

MiG 29 Combat Aircraft Upgradation In Final Stage

09/23/2016

The 11 Base Repair Depot (11 BRD) of Air Force Station at Ojhar in Nashik which undertakes maintenance and overhauling MiG series combat aircraft, is currently engaged in upgradation of MiG 29 which is in final stages. Group Captain and Station Commander of Air Force Station, Ojhar, P K Anand also said at the depot yesterday that overhauling of MiG23 has been stopped since 2015.

US, Russia Discuss Need to Enhance Measures to Avoid Incidents Over Syria

09/23/2016

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said that US Department of Defense and Russian Ministry of Defense officials held a phone conference to discuss avoiding future misunderstandings and accidents in the air space above Syria.

Russia to Supply Angola With Upgraded Mi-24P Attack Helicopters

09/23/2016

According to reports, Russian Helicopters company plans to deliver a batch of upgraded Mi-24P attack helicopters to the Angolan air force later this month.

Obama Administration Considers Arming Syrian Kurds Against ISIS

09/22/2016

The Obama administration is weighing a military plan to directly arm Syrian Kurdish fighters combating the Islamic State, a major policy shift that could speed up the offensive against the terrorist group but also sharply escalate tensions between Turkey and the United States.