Military Aviation News Archive

India to finalise Rafale combat aircraft deal with France

07/21/2016

The Government of India is set to finalise the purchase of 36 Rafale combat aircraft in fly-away condition from France for the Indian Air Force (IAF). The move comes as the IAF is in critical operational necessity for multirole combat aircraft. The Dassault Aviation-built multi-role jet fighter will be supplied as part of an intergovernmental agreement (IGA) signed by France and India in January this year.

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F-15E demonstrates new display system

07/21/2016

Boeing demonstrated an improved display computer system on a US Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles earlier this month, uniting the host of upgrades the service will implement on its F-15Es and F-15Cs.

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USAF sets up process for Scorpion airworthiness testing

07/21/2016

Textron and the air force signed a cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA), allowing the service for the first time to certificate the aircraft’s airworthiness in the absence of a programme of record, according to a 15 July news release.

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F-35 impact from unrest in Turkey unclear: Lockheed

07/21/2016

A failed military coup last week will not affect Lockheed Martin’s business relationship with Turkey, though it could be too early to make that call, according to top Lockheed Martin executives.

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Iran Defense Minister Confirms Receipt of Russian S-300 Systems

07/21/2016

Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan confirmed the delivery of the Russian-made S-300 air defense systems, noting that they were already partially deployed in the country, Iran's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee spokesman Seyed Hossein Naghavi Hosseini said Wednesday.

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Erdogan: Link Between Pilots Who Shot Down Russian Su-24 and Gulen Movement

07/21/2016

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has indicated that there could be a link between the pilots who shot down a Russian jet last November and the Gulen movement, blamed for last week's failed coup attempt, and suggested that foreign countries may have been involved in the attempt, as well.

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Turkey receives first CH-47F Chinook

07/20/2016

Turkey has reportedly received its first Boeing CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift rotorcraft, following its completion in-country at the port of Izmir. Ankara has 11 of the type on order from the US government for its army, Flight Fleets Analyzer shows, plus options for three more.

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Bell, Boeing Win $544Mln Contract to Build Osprey Combat Aircraft for Japan

07/20/2016

Bell Helicopter and Boeing have received a more than half a billion dollar US Navy contract to build four MV-22 Osprey tilt rotors for Japan, the US Department of Defense announced.

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Beijing Launches Combat Air Patrols Over South China Sea

07/20/2016

Taking a page from the Pentagon playbook, China’s People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) will now conduct regular combat patrols of the South China Sea.

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Deadly Grace: Russian MiG-31 Interceptors Refuel in Midair

07/20/2016

The Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) supersonic interceptor is one of the fastest combat aircraft in the world, and remains an integral element of Russia’s aerospace defense arsenal.

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India Set to Miss Another Promise Over Rafale Fighter Jet Deal

07/20/2016

India's deal with France to purchase Rafale fighter planes is taking more time than expected as the two sides have yet to reconcile their differences over a number of issues related to the deal.

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China to Continue Construction on Disputed Islands

07/19/2016

China’s navy chief told his U.S. counterpart that Beijing would continue construction work on disputed South China Sea islands regardless of foreign opposition, state media said, underscoring Chinese defiance toward an unfavorable international-arbitration ruling. Adm. Wu Shengli’s comments on Monday came days after a July 12 arbitration tribunal at The Hague rejected Beijing’s historic and economic claims over much of the South China Sea, handing a legal victory to the Philippines.

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Boeing’s KC-46 Tanker to Receive Production Green Light

07/19/2016

Boeing's KC-46 tanker successfully refueled an A-10 combat aircraft, clearing the final hurdle before the Air Force approves the first production order. The "milestone C" testing was completed July 15 at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio. During a four-hour flight, the KC-46 offloaded 1,500 pounds of fuel to the A-10, at 15,000 feet. "This completed the required air refueling demonstrations needed for the upcoming production milestone decision," said Boeing spokesman Chick Ramey.

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Marines' F-35B preps for air wars during major combat exercise

07/19/2016

The Marine Corps’ F-35B is taking part in the Air Force’s premier air-to-air combat training exercise for the first time ever. The joint strike fighters from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 are participating in Exercise Red Flag, which began on July 11 and runs until July 29 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada.

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General Atomics positions itself in flourishing Indian UAV market

07/19/2016

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems is planning a move into the Indian market with its Predator family of unmanned air vehicles in the wake of diplomatic initiatives that should ease restrictions on the sale of the technology to New Delhi.

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Portuguese C-130 crash kills three

07/19/2016

Three people were killed when a Portuguese air force Lockheed Martin C-130H tactical transport crashed at Montijo air base on 11 July. Flight Fleets Analyzer records the destroyed aircraft – tail number 16804 – as having been 38 years old. The loss leaves Portugal with an active fleet of four Hercules, with another in storage, it adds.

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IAF implements crack fix for F-16 fleet

07/19/2016

The Israeli air force has introduced ultrasound maintenance measures to enable it to swiftly repair cracks in the wings of its fighter fleet. The crack detection system grounds the fleet for the shortest possible time, the IAF says, adding that the service has used it recently to repair cracks in the wing support bulkhead of its Lockheed Martin F-16C/D fleet.

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IAF develops tanking capability

07/19/2016

Aerial refuelling has become one of the top priorities of the Israeli air force, and in recent months various tests have been carried out to help provide longer-range operations for helicopters and heavy transport aircraft.

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The 5 Worst Fighter Aircraft of All Time

07/18/2016

Over the last century of military aviation, several fighters have earned the nickname “flying coffin.” Over the last century of military aviation, several fighters have earned the nickname “flying coffin.” Military aviation inherently pushes up against the limits of technology and human endurance, particularly where fighter and pursuit aviation is concerned. Flying a fighter is remarkably dangerous, even when no one is trying to shoot you down.

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Fighter Jets 2016: Who Makes the 10 Top-Sellers, and How You Can Own Them

07/18/2016

In the 21st century, there are fighter jets, and then there are fighter jets. Which kind you get depends on how much you want to pay. Got hundreds of millions of dollars to toss around? Then like the U.S. government, you can hire Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT) to design and build you an F-22 Raptor stealth fighter -- widely considered the most capable air superiority combat jet in the world.

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The F-35 Stealth Fighter: The Ultimate Weapon or the Ultimate Bust?

07/18/2016

However history ultimately judges the F-35 Lightning II, Lockheed’s stealthy aircraft will surely be described as one of the most hotly debated designs ever. The U.S. Air Force, hoping to declare its version of the “fifth generation” fighter jet ready for by the end of 2016, has launched a new P.R. blitz to show critics that the planes are every bit as good as it says.

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Turkish Soldiers Explain Why They Hijacked Helicopter and Fled to Greece

07/18/2016

On Saturday morning a Black Hawk military helicopter carrying the eight Turkish servicemen made an emergency landing at the airport of the northern Greek city of Alexandroupoli. The arrivals – three Majors, three Captains and two Sergeant Majors — requested political asylum in Greece, which later returned the helicopter to Turkey.

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FAA Bans All Flights Between US and Turkey Indefinitely

07/18/2016

The Federal Aviation Administration has banned all flights between the United States and airports in Turkey. The indefinite ban took effect on Saturday in the wake of the failed coup attempt in Turkey that left 265 dead and over 2,000 injured.

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US, Russia Consider First-Ever Coordination on Syrian Airstrikes

07/17/2016

Secretary of State John F. Kerry wrangled for hours with senior Russian officials in Moscow on Friday, discussing a plan that includes first-time coordination between the U.S. and Russia on airstrikes targeting militant groups operating in Syria. Late Friday, amid distractions over an unfolding military coup in NATO ally Turkey, Kerry announced agreement on a series of steps that he said, "if implemented in good faith," could ease the Syrian civil war, which has claimed nearly a half-million liv

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FAA bans flights between the U.S. and Turkey

07/17/2016

The FAA banned all flights into and out of Turkey for U.S. aircraft on Saturday, one day after a coup attempt rocked the country that is a NATO member and critical U.S. ally. The agency issued a notice saying it was prohibiting all U.S. commercial and private aircraft from operating into or out of any airport in Turkey.

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