Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

China’s Newest 1,305MPH Next-Gen Stealth J-20 Fighter Jet Soars the Skies

07/24/2016

China’s Chengdu Aircraft Company (CAC) has built a new Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) J-20 stealth fighter jets with video footage on Chinese websites showing the latest rendition in full fury this week. This is the second known J-20 LRIP fighter jet after the first with the serial number 2101 displayed in late December 2015. There are believed to be a total of four such next generation jets in the possession of the Chinese Air Force.

Is a Secret Deal Underway for Russia's 1,616MPH Supersonic MIG-29M?

07/24/2016

Reports indicate that Russia has produced as many as 46 new supersonic MiG-29M fighter jets with rumors that a buyer has been lined up for a $2 billion warplane contract.

IAF's AN-32 aircraft plunged from 23,000 feet before vanishing from radar, massive search on

07/23/2016

A massive search and rescue operation is currently on in the Bay of Bengal to locate an Indian Air Force's AN-32 aircraft which went missing today morning with 29 people on board. The plane was on a routine weekly flight from Chennai to Port Blair.

The Future of Warfare: Fighters and Bombers with No Pilots?

07/23/2016

After the Abbott government approved the purchase of 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), its fast jet capability was locked in for years to come. From around 2020, the F-35s will join 24 Super Hornets (delivered from 2010) and 12 Growler electronic attack aircraft (delivered from 2015). Project AIR 6000, under which the F-35s are being acquired, still has one squadron of aircraft to acquire in the future.

Modernized Tupolev Tu-95MS: The Old Russian 'Bear' That's Still Got Spunk

07/23/2016

Russian military analyst Vladimir Tuchkov explains why the Russian Defense Ministry continues to order new Tupolev Tu-95 turboprop-powered strategic bombers, which entered into service in the Soviet (and then Russian) air forces over 60 years ago.

India Constructs Special Dock to Build High-Capacity Aircraft Carriers

07/23/2016

India is constructing a special dock for high-capacity aircraft carriers at the existing premises of Cochin Shipyard Limited. According to official sources, the new dry dock will cost an estimated $270 million.

The Air Force fifth-generation team takes shape

07/22/2016

During the past two days at Langley Air Force Base, key fighter wing commanders have been brainstorming over a question that, for security reasons, they can't discuss in detail. They command pilots who fly the two most modern fighters in the nation's inventory: the F-22 Raptor and the F-35 Lightning, fifth-generation stealth aircraft designed to take on other superpowers.

Air Force to Certify Scorpion Jet, Broadening Its International Appeal

07/22/2016

For the first time, the Air Force will test the airworthiness of an aircraft that is currently not planned to be in its inventory, a move that could increase the plane’s chance of success in the international market. The Air Force announced on Wednesday that it had signed a Cooperative Research and Development Agreement (CRADA) with Textron AirLand, under which the service will conduct an airworthiness assessment of Textron’s Scorpion aircraft.

Lockheed Martin Team Achieves First PC-21 Flight under Australia’s Air 5428 Pilot Training System Program

07/22/2016

Lockheed Martin and Pilatus Aircraft Ltd have successfully completed the initial production test flight of the first PC-21 aircraft destined for the Australian Defence Force under the AIR 5428 Pilot Training System program.

USAF not settled on number of B-21s

07/22/2016

The US Air Force will determine how many Northrop Grumman B-21 bombers are needed for the fleet after the first aircraft is fielded in the 2020s, according to the service’s deputy chief of staff for strategic deterrence and nuclear integration.

China Hints at Economic Costs After India Deploys Tanks, Troops to Border

07/22/2016

On Wednesday, reports surfaced that New Delhi deployed nearly 100 Russian-made T-72 tanks to the Chinese border, in the northern region of Ladakh. Indian military officials cite a Chinese buildup on its side of the border as necessitating the move.

Final plane in billion-dollar deal with Italy lands in Israel

07/21/2016

Two years after the first of Israel’s new top-of-the-line trainer jets rolled onto the tarmac, the last batch of planes — acquired in a multi-billion dollar deal with Italy — landed in Israel Wednesday morning. The three Aermacchi M-346s, known in the Israeli Air Force as the Lavi, complete a 30-plane, $1-billion deal inked in 2012 with the Italian government. Rome, in exchange, purchased an equivalent value of Israeli aerospace technology, including satellites and surveillance planes.

Cannon, Missile Upgrade For French Mirage-2000D Aircraft

07/21/2016

The French defense procurement agency DGA has awarded Dassault Aviation and MBDA a contract for the mid-life upgrade of 55 Mirage 2000D aircraft in service with the French Air Force. The goal of the mid-life upgrade is to allow them to operate alongside the Rafale combat aircraft beyond 2030, DGA said in a statement Tuesday.

100-plus aircraft fly in for exercise Red Flag 16-3

07/21/2016

The three-week long Red Flag 16-3, a U.S.-only exercise that tests all participating units’ combat capabilities in a joint environment that centers on multi-domain integration, kicked off here July 11.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.