Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Congressional language would delay JSTARS IOC by a year

09/22/2016

Congressional language in the 2017 National Defense Authorisation Act would force the US Air Force to pursue a fixed-price engineering, development and manufacturing contract for the joint surveillance target attack radar system (JSTARS) recapitalisation effort, and delay initial operational capability of the new fleet by about a year, top USAF acquisition officials say this week.

US Air Force seeks more CV-22s for combat loss replacements

09/22/2016

Lt Gen Brad Webb says he is not aware of a purchase going forward, but says AFSOC is examining combat loss replacements for the CV-22. He made his comments to reporters at the annual Air Force Association conference Wednesday.

US Approves $1.9Bln Sale of Boeing Refuelling Aircraft to Japan

09/22/2016

The US Department of State approved a sale worth nearly $2 billion of four Boeing aircraft to Japan, the Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release.

Russia to Send Admiral Kuznetsov Cruiser to Mediterranean Sea - Defense Minister

09/22/2016

Russian Defense Minister said that Russia will send an aircraft carrier group with the Admiral Kuznetsov cruiser to the Mediterranean Sea to strengthen its capabilities there.

Over 500 Types of Russian Weaponry to be Showcased at ADEX Expo

09/22/2016

Russia's Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said that a total of 512 types of Russian weaponry, including the latest modification of T-72 tank, attack helicopter Ka-52 and anti-tank guided missile complex 9M133 Kornet will be showcased at the Azerbaijan Defense Exhibition-2016.

TU-2S crash kills one pilot, injures another

09/21/2016

One pilot was killed and another injured after ejecting from a Lockheed Martin TU-2S Dragon Lady training aircraft in California on 20 September, the US Air Force confirms.

US Air Force finds F-35 fuel line fix

09/21/2016

Following a supply chain glitch that delivered the wrong material for the tubing insulation on 15 Lockheed Martin F-35As, the US Air Force has identified a solution and will fix the issue with the original supplier, according to the F-35’s executive officer of the joint programme office.

Russian Tu-95 Strategic Bombers to Participate in Anti-Terror Drills

09/21/2016

Russia's Tu-95MC Bear strategic bombers will take part in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) joint anti-terror exercises dubbed Peace Mission, an aide to the commander of the Russian Defense Ministry’s Central Military District (CMD) forces said Tuesday.

Over 20 Aircraft, Helicopters Set to Take Part in Russia's Baltic Fleet Drills

09/21/2016

More than 20 planes and helicopters will take part in naval aviation military exercises held by Russia's Baltic Fleet, the fleet's press service said in a statement on Tuesday. he statement added that the pilots would also train landing of troops, support of land forces and would conduct missile launching and bombing.

USAF intel eyes new Russian, Chinese bombers in 2020s; proliferation of fifth-gen fighters

09/20/2016

Russia and China are poised to field new stealth bombers as soon as 2025 and 12 foreign fifth-generation fighter aircraft programs are now in development -- including systems designed to challenge the F-22A and F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, according to a new Air Force intelligence assessment of foreign airborne threats.

The US Air Force wants to roll out a cheaper attack aircraft to fly alongside the A-10

09/20/2016

The hullabaloo surrounding the future of the US Air Force’s A-10 Thunderbolt II has been endless. Its effectiveness on the battlefield has been proven with servicemembers on the ground going as far as calling it their “guardian angel” in the heat of battle. Equipped with an arsenal of weapons, including its notorious 30mm Gatling gun, it’s not hard to see why the A-10 commands such respect.

Gulf states gain from new US-Israel aid package

09/20/2016

With the Adir seemingly safeguarding Israel's military advantage, the way is open for US sales of advanced combat aircraft to Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain.

Tata-Lockheed Martin Joint Venture Delivers 50th C-130J Super Hercules Empennage

09/20/2016

The 50th C-130J Super Hercules empennage assembly was delivered by Tata Lockheed Martin Aerostructures Limited (TLMAL) on Sept. 16. TLMAL is a joint venture between Tata Advanced Systems Limited (TASL) and Lockheed Martin Aeroframe Corporation located here.

U.S. Air Force Awards Lockheed Martin $87 Million Contract for Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bombs

09/20/2016

Lockheed Martin received an $87.6 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for follow-on production of Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) kits. The contract represents the majority share of fiscal year 2016 funding and the 8th consecutive majority win for Lockheed Martin in the annual Air Force competition. Deliveries include the guidance and tail assemblies for GBU-10 (2,000-lb.) and GBU-12 (500-lb.) LGB configurations.

Certifiable Predator B nears flight test phase

09/20/2016

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is carrying out ground tests of its newly built Certifiable Predator B unmanned air vehicle, ahead of a flight campaign at the US Army’s Yuma Proving Ground throughout 2017 and 2018.

Russia to Use Syrian Combat Experience in Upgrading Helicopter Optical Systems

09/20/2016

The Russian military will use its experience gained in Syria to upgrade Mi-35M attack helicopters and Mi-8AMTSh multirole helicopters with new 360-degree OPS-24N1 surveillance and targeting opto-electronic systems, a Defense Ministry representative said Monday.

Daesh shoot down Syrian military aircraft in eastern province of Dayr al-Zawr

09/19/2016

Amaq, a news outlet affiliated to Daesh, said in an online statement released on Sunday that the jet came down in Jebel Tharda area, near the Dayr al-Zawr military airport. The airbase, along with some other government-held districts, has been besieged by Daesh over the past year. The Syrian army has confirmed the downing of the warplane, saying it had been on a mission against Daesh when it was shot down.

RAAF was part of fatal air strike in which 80 Syrian troops were killed ‘by mistake’

09/19/2016

AUSTRALIAN aircraft were part of a botched bombing raid against Islamic State terrorists in which 80 Syrian army soldiers were allegedly killed by mistake. It is believed that two RAAF F18 Super Hornets could have been part of the combat operation, which struck at what was thought to be a significant Islamic State fighting position in eastern Syria.

Chinese Media Warns US-Japan 'Fishing for Trouble' in South China Sea

09/19/2016

China’s Xinhua news suggests that Japan has “ulterior motives” for intervening in the South China Sea including cozying up to the United States and garnering influence towards its own territorial dispute over the Senkaku (Diaoyu) Islands.

India’s Rafale Fighter Jets to Serve as ‘Strategic Delivery System’ of Nukes

09/19/2016

India pushed forward the completion of the long-delayed deal for the French fighter jets after determining that the aircraft fulfills a vital strategic purpose – the delivery of nuclear weapons.

Test of Gun for Russia's PAK FA 5th-Gen Stealth Aircraft Spotted on Video

09/19/2016

A video of live fire tests of an automatic rapid-fire cannon developed for Russia’s T-50 fifth generation fighter plane has appeared on the Internet, Rossiiskaya Gazeta reported.

Eurofighter Typhoon is No Pushover

09/18/2016

The Eurofighter Typhoon has joined the Dassault Rafale, the Saab Gripen, and the Sukhoi “Flanker” in pursuit of a growing niche in the international fighter market. These aircraft offer capabilities beyond the Generation 4 platforms developed in the 1970s, but don’t carry the costs and complications of stealth. While the Eurofighter has enjoyed outstanding technical success thus far, the market niche may not be large enough to sustain production over time.

US-led Coalition Airstrike Accidentally Hits Syrian Government Troops

09/18/2016

U.S. military officials said coalition aircraft had accidentally struck Syrian government troops Saturday during a raid against Islamic State fighters. Syrian and Russian sources said dozens of soldiers were killed. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights monitoring group gave a toll of at least 80 soldiers killed.

The Latest F-35 Grounding Isn't That Big a Deal

09/18/2016

The media is making a big deal out of the sudden grounding of 15 F-35s, which includes nearly the entire inventory of “operational” USAF F-35As, or around ten jets. 57 aircraft are affected in all, but 42 of those are in various stages of production and not flying.

The Legend of the Vietnam War’s Mystery Fighter Ace

09/18/2016

Col. Nguyen Tomb?—?or “Toon”?—?is one of the names immortalized in military aviation, like Baron von Richthofen and Eddie Rickenbacker. I first encountered Tomb when I was 10 years old, playing Chuck Yeager’s Air Combat on my dad’s computer. In one mission, you fly against the Vietnamese ace, infamous for having scored 13 air-to-air kills.