Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

China Now Has A Flying Propaganda Machine

06/15/2016

The Chinese military has a new warplane with an unusual purpose: to beam propaganda and disinformation into hostile territory. In that way, the new, four-engine Y-8GX7 psychological operations plane—also known by its Chinese name, Gaoxin-7—is analogous to the U.S. Air Force’s EC-130J, which it says “conducts military information support operations and civil affairs broadcasts in F.M. radio, television and military communications bands.”

UAE aircraft crash in Yemen leaves two dead

06/15/2016

An United Arab Emirates (UAE) military aircraft has crashed over Yemen, killing two people on board. The General Command of the UAE Armed Forces said in a statement that the pilot and his co-pilot were killed when their military helicopter went down on Monday.

US Marines want to turn MV-22 Osprey into a lethal flying tank

06/15/2016

The U.S. Marine Corps is progressing with a new project to arm its MV-22 Osprey aircraft with new weapons such as laser-guided 2.75in rockets, missiles and heavy guns – a move which would expand the tiltrotor’s mission set beyond supply, weapons and forces transport to include a wider range of offensive and defensive combat missions, Corps officials said.

Why we need an A-10 / F-35 fly-off

06/15/2016

The saying “putting the cart before the horse” surely pre-dates the invention of flight, yet it couldn’t be more accurate to describe the Air Force’s shifting and flawed arguments for retiring the A-10 well ahead of schedule, and before we have a proven, tested replacement.

U.S. Apache Helicopters Join Counter-ISIL Fight, Carter Says

06/15/2016

U.S. Apache helicopters have entered the fight in Iraq against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, Defense Secretary Ash Carter told reporters yesterday. "Commanders have used the Apache capability that we positioned there and that [President Barack Obama] authorized them to use some months ago," Carter said as he traveled to Brussels for meetings with his fellow NATO defense ministers.

USS Carl Vinson Conducts V-22 Operations For Deck Crew, Pilot Familiarization

06/15/2016

The aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) got an early start preparing for the carrier onboard delivery (COD) transition from the C-2 Greyhound to the V-22 Osprey, with the ship’s crew bringing in the tiltrotor aircraft to participate in the command assessment of readiness and training (CARAT) II basic training event.

Typhoon weapons testing on target for UK

06/15/2016

The UK’s Project Centurion activity is on track to deliver a seamless transition between the UK Royal Air Force’s Panavia Tornado GR4 strike aircraft and the multi-role Eurofighter Typhoon later this decade, according to BAE Systems.

Vietnamese Fighter Jet Missing in the South China Sea

06/15/2016

A Vietnamese fighter jet is missing after vanishing from radar during a training flight along the South China Sea coastline. "We haven’t found the jet yet, we are still looking," according to Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, deputy armed services chief of staff.

Next-Generation Bombers: What US, Russia, China Are Set to Roll Out

06/15/2016

Currently, three countries, the United States, Russia and China, are developing strategic next generation bombers.

Bad News for Fierce Dragon from Burma

06/14/2016

Kuala Lumpur datelined report in Jane’s Defence Weekly on April 21, 2016 stated Pakistan remains optimistic about regional sales of JF-17 fighter planes. The report, however, noted that the optimism was tempered by the reality that the Sino-Pak joint venture from the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has had no takers outside Pakistani Air Force (PAF) despite its projection as the best for air defense and ground attack missions.

Apache gunships enter combat as Iraqi forces encircle Mosul, Pentagon says

06/14/2016

As Iraqi forces backed by U.S. support engage the Islamic State across multiple battlefronts in Iraq, Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter announced Monday that American Apache helicopter gunships had been used in combat for the first time since President Obama authorized their use in April.

Depleted IAF forced to fly vintage aircraft

06/14/2016

The crash of an ageing MiG-27 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur today has yet again raised a question mark on the need to operate such vintage aircraft. For the IAF, operating the 1970s MiG-27 is a fait accompli — that is to keep flying outdated fighter jets just to maintain a minimum level in terms of numbers.

Six Capabilities Only Possible in the World’s Most Advanced Fighter Jet

06/14/2016

Imagine flying virtually undetected with a clear 360-degree view of your environment. With advanced targeting and radar systems, you can identify and engage air and ground targets using a combination of infrared search and track technology. Secure datalinks allow you to share information across your entire network – on the ground, in the air and over the seas – improving the lethality and survivability of your entire fleet.

Saber Strike Military Exercises Kick Off in Estoni

06/14/2016

This year, over 10,000 servicemen from 13 NATO and partner nations are taking part in the drills. Participating nations include three Baltic states, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

NATO Chief Reveals Buildup in Eastern Europe, Increased Defense Spending

06/14/2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, has told a meeting of European defense ministers that next month's Warsaw summit will agree four new battalions which will be established in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, as well as an overall increase in defense spending.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey’s pipeline wars in Yemen and Syria

06/13/2016

Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of the war in Yemen, at considerable cost in blood and treasure, is a literal affirmation of the term “backdoor strategy.” However, both the “door” and the actual contours of that strategy remain submerged beneath the murky waters of Mideast politics.

Air Force Adds New Fuel Tanks to Reaper Drone, Increasing Endurance

06/13/2016

The Air Force is upgrading its entire fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones in order to give them much more endurance to stay above key strategic areas and conduct surveillance and strike missions, service officials told Scout Warrior. The Reaper is a large, armed drone with a 66-foot wingspan in service around the globe. The upgrades, called the Reaper Extended Range, in include the addition of two 1,350-pound fuel tanks.

U.S. Military Says it has Killed more than 120 Islamic State Leaders

06/13/2016

U.S. drone operators had been stalking the baby-faced British terrorist for days with infrared cameras and other sensors before the order came to kill him. As night fell on April 25, a U.S. warplane dropped a guided bomb that obliterated the SUV occupied by 23-year-old Raphael Saihou Hostey near Mosul, Islamic State's stronghold in Iraq.

UAE military chopper crashes in Gulf waters, crew killed

06/13/2016

The General Command of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces in Abu Dhabi said on Sunday a military helicopter crashed while the pilot and his assistant were killed. The crash occurred during a "routine flight in international waters" in the Persian Gulf, said the statement released by UAE state news agency WAM.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq

06/13/2016

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

Poland and Baltic states explore anti-aircraft shield

06/13/2016

The Baltic states and Poland are in discussions with defence contractors to create a regional anti-aircraft missile shield to protect against Russian aircraft. Fearful of the build-up of Russian troops on their borders and in the Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad, the four countries believe they must develop capabilities to restrict the Kremlin’s military manoeuvrability and tip the military balance of power in the region back in their favour.

Procurement: Pre-Owned Gripens Invade Africa

06/13/2016

Botswana, one of the best run nations in Africa, is spending billions to upgrade its armed forces. This includes ordering eight Swedish Gripen JAS 39C jet fighters. Normally this would cost about half a billion dollars (including maintenance facilities, training and tech support).

Boeing defence chief looks beyond fighters

06/13/2016

When the new head of defence at Boeing laid out her priorities for the business in April, making jet fighters didn’t make the cut. Leanne Caret has made waves inside and outside the company with the stark admission that a company which has produced fighters for decades won’t be making them beyond the early 2020s.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Is More Than Just Stealth: It’s a 'Flying Antenna'

06/13/2016

The Danish fighter competition is over, it would seem, as the parliament has officially approved a program for 27 F-35 Lightning IIs. As I noted last week, the purchase price remains indeterminate, so the Danish Defense Ministry may be seriously unprepared for the final bill, if it’s really taking seriously the source-selection team’s calculations.

Pilot Intv. - Attack Missions in the A-10

06/13/2016

An A-10 pilot told Scout Warrior the aircraft was the most "rugged" he had ever flown. The Air Force now plans to keep the A-10 flying well into the next-decade.