Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Final SEAHAWK Helicopter Delivered to US Navy in Support of FMS

07/31/2016

Lockheed Martin has delivered the 24th, and final, MH-60R SEAHAWK® helicopter to the U.S. Navy in support of the Navy’s Foreign Military Sales (FMS) program with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The milestone delivery took place during a July 27 ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility.

Marine from Arcadia killed in Twentynine Palms jet fighter crash accident

07/31/2016

A jet fighter pilot killed in a crash during a training exercise in Twentynine Palms on Thursday has been identified as a 36-year-old Arcadia man, the U.S. Marines announced Saturday. Third Marine Aircraft Wing pilot Maj. Richard “Stranger” Norton died in the F/A-18C Hornet crash, which took place about 10:30 a.m. Thursday near the Marine Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, U.S. Marine Corps officials said in a written statement.

India eyes direct purchase of six refuelling aircraft

07/31/2016

India is now planning "a direct strategic purchase" of six flight refuelling aircraft (FRA) or tankers to enhance the reach of its fighter jets, bombers and surveillance aircraft after the bid to acquire them through global tenders failed twice over the last decade.

India Wants Fleet of 1,317MPH Next-Gen Russian ‘Super Sukhoi’ Fighter Jets

07/31/2016

New Delhi and Moscow near an $8 billion deal to upgrade the fearsome Su-30MKI fighter jet into the Super Sukhoi, but the deal does not threaten the joint Indo-Russia fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) program.

Russian Military Forces in Crimea Possess Modern Air Defense S-400 Systems

07/31/2016

Russian military forces in Crimea are in possession of modern air defense S-400 systems, a source from military in Crimea told RIA Novosti Friday.

F-15 unit tests new game-changing processor

07/30/2016

The Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., completed an historic test mission July 8 on an aircraft system that will enhance the life and lethality of the F-15. The first-ever flight equipped with the Advanced Display Core Processor II tested the aircraft’s flight safety, in-flight refueling and basic landing capabilities over Eglin’s water and land ranges.

Rooivalks the ‘blue eyed boys’ of UN mission in the DRC

07/30/2016

South Africa’s Rooivalk deployment with the United Nations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) is the blue eyed boy of the mission due to its unrivalled effectiveness, according to an SA Air Force (SAAF) official. Lieutenant Colonel Danie Bellingan, OC of 16 Squadron, said the Rooivalk is highly respected in the DRC as it is an effective and well utilised weapon, being preferential to the Mi-24 attack helicopters there.

Lockheed Martin delivers MH-60R Seahawk in support of Royal Australian Navy program

07/30/2016

Lockheed Martin has delivered the 24th, and final, MH-60R Seahawk helicopter to the U.S. Navy in support of the Navy’s foreign military sales (FMS) program with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN). The milestone delivery took place during a July 27 ceremony at Lockheed Martin’s Owego, New York facility.

European Countries’ Use of Military Drones: Deployed in Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya, Sub-Saharan Africa

07/30/2016

The European Forum on Armed Drones (EFAD) launch was on the eve of an important European Parliament meeting, jointly organised by the subcommittee on Human Rights and the Subcommittee on Security and Security and Defence, focusing on the human rights impact of armed drones in counter-terrorism operations. A video of the meeting, including inputs from Jennifer Gibson of Reprieve and Radhya Almutawakel of the Yemeni Mwatana Organisation for Human Rights is availablehere.

Buying American Blades

07/30/2016

On the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s second trip to the US as PM in September last year, the Cabinet Committee on Security cleared the proposal to purchase 22 ‘assault helicopters’, or helicopter gunships, from Boeing for the Indian air force and the army. The decision had come as a surprise to experts then, for Boeing was offering a version of the Apache by way of direct sale. Moreover, this flew in the face of the Make In India policy.

Top Marine aviator: F-35B is ready for war

07/30/2016

The F-35B is “ready to go right now” if it is needed to fly combat missions, the head of Marine Aviation told reporters Friday. Although the F-35B is still being tested, the Marine Corps declared in July 2015 that it was ready to fly operations. The Marine version of the F-35 needs upgraded software and other improvements.

Marines Corps general calls for optionally manned helicopter

07/30/2016

While many have forecasted unmanned aircraft as the future of aviation, Lt Gen Jon “Dog” Davis believes the next generation of medium-lift, long-range rotorcraft should still have a pilot in the cockpit for some missions.

India Upgrades Mirage 2000 Aircraft in Record Time

07/30/2016

In a display of high technical competence and self-dependence, India has successfully upgraded the Mirage 2000 fleet of the Indian Air Force. The mid-life Final Operational Configuration (FOC) upgrade was done in a record time of eight months by the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), a public sector manufacturer.

Turkey’s Akinci Air Base Used by Coup Plotters Will Be Shut Down

07/30/2016

The Akinci Air Base near the Turkish capital of Ankara that served as the de-facto headquarters for attempted coup plotters will be shut down, Turkey’s Prime Minister Binali Yildirim said Friday.

A Russian Victory In Iraq

07/29/2016

Russia is very satisfied with the combat performance of its new generation of armed helicopters. That’s because these new helicopters are performing well in Iraq, where they are not being flown by Russians but by Iraqis. This is a big deal because Russia needs export sales and evidence that locals can handle this new tech in combat is a big selling point.

Naval Air: MQ-25A, The F-35 Replacement

07/29/2016

The U.S. Navy has made it official in early July 2016 and announced what it will call its first carrier-based unmanned combat aircraft. This UCAS (unmanned combat air system) will be called the MQ-25A Stingray and it will enter service in the early 2020s. All this comes after a decade of design, development and test flights. The UAV that made the MQ-25A possible rolled out as the X-47B in 2008.

B-1 bombers will deploy to Guam for first time in a decade

07/29/2016

The Air Force is preparing to send B-1 bombers to Guam for the first time in a decade. The Lancers from Ellsworth Air Force Base, South Dakota, and approximately 300 airmen will deploy on Aug. 6 to Andersen Air Force Base as part of the military's continuous bomber presence mission in the Pacific, according to an Air Force release. The bombers were last in the region in April 2006.

Surprise Bid For Two New Planes Could Wreck Air Force Modernization Plan

07/29/2016

When Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James was asked this week about a surprise proposal from within her service to squeeze two new aircraft types into an already overcrowded modernization plan, she said she hadn't seen the proposal and then asked the obvious question: "Where would we get the money?"

Netherlands, Luxembourg agree joint A330 MRTT buy

07/29/2016

A multinational initiative to acquire a pooled fleet of Airbus A330 multirole tanker/transports has edged closer to take-off, with the Netherlands and Luxembourg agreeing to buy an initial two examples.

PICTURES: First flight for Israel's F-35A Adir

07/29/2016

Lockheed Martin completed the first flight of an F-35A Adir for the Israeli air force on 25 July, just one month after rolling the aircraft out at its Fort Worth site in Texas on 22 June.

UAV incursion strengthens Israeli sales ban with Moscow

07/29/2016

The incursion of an Israeli-made unmanned air vehicle into that nation’s airspace from inside Syria on 17 July has provided the authorities in Washington with another reason to block future sales of such equipment to Moscow.According to the Israeli military, the origin of the intruding UAV has not been verified, but sources suggest that it was probably a Searcher 2 designed by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) which was being operated by Russian forces deployed within Syria.

Russia, China to Hold Joint South China Sea Drills in September

07/29/2016

Russia and China will hold joint naval exercises in the South China Sea, the Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said Thursday. "Based on the consensus reached by the parties, the Chinese and Russian navies will hold joint Sea Cooperation-2016 exercises in the South China Sea in September," Yang told a briefing, noting that the drills "are not aimed at third countries."

Over Kerry's Head: Why Russia is Delivering Its Upgraded Su-24M2s to Syria

07/29/2016

The Syrian Air Force has received its first two upgraded Sukhoi Su-24M2 all-weather attack aircraft from Russian armories. According to media reports, they are expected to improve the combat capabilities of Syrian air power in the fight against the terrorists. However, according to experts, Moscow and Damascus may also have a hidden motive.

Israel’s New F-35 ‘Adir’ Has First Test Flight (Video)

07/28/2016

One month after Israel received the new stealth F-35 “Adir” (Hebrew for “Great One”) in Dallas, Texas, the aircraft was tested for the first time on Tuesday in the southern US. Israel was the first country to buy the fighter jet under the US’s Foreign Military Sales process. The Letter of Agreement was signed in October 2010.

Why India Should Consider Lockheed Martin's F-16 Offer

07/28/2016

In 2007, India began an official tender process for 126 multi-role, medium-range combat aircraft (MMRCA) with Paris-based Dassault at a cost of about $11 billion. It was the world’s largest fighter jet deal at the time. Since then the deal has unraveled. Negotiations stalled over price and quality and, ultimately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi opted to purchase only 36 “ready to fly” aircraft from Dassault. Even this more modest version of deal has yet to fully fructify.