Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

F-16’s manufacturing in India to affect Pakistan’s aerial defence

08/25/2016

An American global security and aerospace company's offer to shift all of its F-16 manufacturing to India could give New Delhi partial control, along with the US, over which countries are able to purchase the jets and spare, according to a media report.

India: Delivery of 4th Combat Helicopter to Afghanistan Faces Delay

08/25/2016

India has yet to hand over the last of four Mi-25 (Mi-24D) helicopter gunships to the Afghan Air Force (AAF) due to missing parts from Russia, according to local media reports. The helicopter is currently grounded at the Indian Air Force station in Pathankot in the Indian state of Punjab.

Colombians kick off Green Flag East in Louisiana

08/25/2016

Forty-five Colombian Airmen and four Colombian Air Force A-29B Super Tucanos are operating from Barksdale Air Force Base, La., as part of Exercise Green Flag East Aug. 15-29. The Colombian contingent arrived Aug. 13 and immediately started engaging with their U.S. Air Force counterparts in order to prepare for the two-week exercise.

Government report: USAF lacks info to back A-10 retirement

08/25/2016

Champions of the Fairchild Republic A-10 may be able to eke out a few more years for the Warthog following the release of a government report criticising the US Air Force’s plan to retire the aircraft.

Pentagon's top weapons tester doubts F-35A capabilities

08/25/2016

A recent memo from the Pentagon’s top weapons tester throws cold water on the US Air Force’s initial operational capability announcement earlier this month, which declared the Lockheed Martin F-35A equipped with Block 3i software could provide basic capabilities.

Video: A400M carries out sand strip landing tests

08/25/2016

The surface is the last of three unprepared landing strips that the company is certifying the aircraft to operate from, and involved aircraft MSN2 performing three weeks of testing in August.

US Air Force Jets to Begin Policing Bulgarian Airspace in September

08/25/2016

“The US Air Force and the Bulgarian Air Force will jointly conduct air policing to protect Bulgarian airspace starting on 9 September 2016,” the release stated. “Two US F-15 fighter jets will join Bulgaria’s MIG-29s for a week on this mission.”

Lawmaker Confirms Iran Received S-300 Air Defense Systems From Russia

08/25/2016

The chairman of the Iranian parliamentary committee on foreign policy and national security confirmed Wednesday that Iran had received S-300 air defense systems from Russia.

India May Spend Over $220 Bln to Buy Weapons in Next Decade - Reports

08/25/2016

The Indian government may spend $223 billion by 2027 to acquire new weapon systems in order to increase the military preparedness of the country's Armed Forces, according to the NDTV broadcaster.

Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

08/24/2016

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

Turkey Raises Possibility of Opening Incirlik Air Base to Russia

08/24/2016

Turkish Prime Minister Binali Yildirim rattled NATO allies with recent remarks suggesting that Russian warplanes could share Incirlik Air Base with the U.S. before adding that it wasn't likely to happen. Moscow hasn't asked to use Incirlik, and "Russia doesn't need to use the base. They have bases in Syria," Yildirim told foreign reporters in Istanbul on Saturday, according to Turkish news outlets. "Russia had no demands to use Incirlik Air Base. Those reports are not true."

Iran eyes Sukhoi combat aircraft

08/24/2016

Iran`s Ministry of Defense (MoD) is planning to start negotiations with Russia over the acquisition of Sukhoi combat aircraft, Iranian Defense Minister, Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said in an interview to an Iranian TV channel on August 22.

Air Force and Lockheed to initiate airworthiness tests for FA-50

08/24/2016

Following an airworthiness assessment of Textron AirLand’s dual light attack fighter and trainer, Scorpion, the US Air Force is moving toward a second cooperative research and development agreement (CRADA) with Lockheed Martin.

North Korea Fires Ballistic Missile From Submarine

08/24/2016

In its latest missile test, North Korea has reportedly launched a projectile from a submarine, according to South Korea's Yonhap news agency. The launch occurred from a vessel in the Sea of Japan, off North Korea's eastern coast, officials with South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff told Yonhap.

Wish List: Afghanistan Turns to India for Supplies and Equipment

08/24/2016

Afghanistan has prepared a list of lethal military equipment it wishes to acquire from India as military assistance but there are plenty of reasons why India will not be able to grant the wish without Russia's support.

Up Close and Personal: Footage of a MiG-29 Dogfight (VIDEO)

08/24/2016

A video filmed from the cockpit of a MiG-29SMT fighter jet engaged in a mock dogfight was recently released by the press service of Russia’s Western Military District.The fight was filmed by two GoPro cameras – one was installed on a cockpit canopy while the other was mounted on pilot's helmet.

China Gets Flying Boats: Regional Waters Just Got Murkier

08/23/2016

These were the mainstay of colonial empires east of Suez for many decades. With China announcing its “largest flying boat in the world” and India placing orders for 18 from Japan, the strategic environment in the Asia-Pacific oceanic region is about to become murkier than ever.

Russia says future use of Iran air base depends on Syria circumstances

08/23/2016

The Russian military said on Monday its aircraft operating from an Iranian air base to conduct strikes in Syria had completed their tasks, but left open the possibility of using the Hamadan base again if circumstances warranted. Iran's Foreign Ministry said Russia had stopped using the base for strikes in Syria, bringing an abrupt halt to an unprecedented deployment that was criticized both by the White House and by some Iranian lawmakers.

Light Combat Aircraft manufacturing facility to come up in Andhra Pradesh

08/23/2016

A weapons integration facility to manufacture Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), said to be the first-of-its-kind in the country in the private sector, will be set up in West Godavari district of Andhra Pradesh at a total cost of Rs 2,135 crore.

Block 3F software aids F-35 weapons test

08/23/2016

With the aide of its new Block 3F software, the Lockheed Martin F-35 recently completed twelve weapons delivery accuracy and 13 weapon separation events during a month-long weapon test on the US West Coast.

Boeing Delivers AH-64E Apache Training System to South Korea

08/23/2016

Boeing has delivered to the Republic of Korea an Apache Longbow Crew Trainer that the country’s Army air crews will use to prepare for the AH-64E Apache Guardian helicopters that Boeing begins delivering later this year.The system uses the Apache’s flight software and matured flight and avionics simulation models to create an accurate training environment that increases mission readiness.

Russian Plane With AWACS-Styled Radar to Make Maiden Flight in 2018

08/23/2016

Russia’s first plane with a long-range surveillance and control system will make its maiden flight in 2018, the local media cited a military source as saying Monday. The airborne A-100 Premier system will be set on an Ilyushin Il-76MD plane for the first test run due next year. It was dubbed an airborne lab and given the codename A-100LL.

Military Strikes Target ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

08/22/2016

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

Chinese military aircraft enter Korea's air defense area: source

08/22/2016

Three Chinese military planes "briefly" flew into an overlapping air defense intensification zone of South Korea and China amid tensions between the two countries over Seoul's decision to place a missile defense system on its soil, a military source in Seoul said Monday.

U.S. Air Force Dispatches F-22 Stealth Fighters To Intercept Syrian Aircraft, Target ISIS

08/22/2016

The U.S. military on Friday dispatched two F-22 Raptors stealth fighter jets to intercept a pair of Syrian Su-24 Fencer aircraft that flew in the vicinity of Hasakah, Syria, according to news accounts citing an unnamed Pentagon official.