Military Aviation News Archive
12/02/2015
The U.S. Navy and Boeing recently demonstrated new targeting technologies that greatly enhance aircrew safety and effectiveness through the rapid integration and distribution of target information across multiple aircraft.
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12/02/2015
Greece scrambled its fighter aircraft on Tuesday to intercept a group of Turkish F-16 fighter jets that violated its airspace in the eastern Aegean Sea, the General Staff of the Hellenic National Defense said in statement.
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12/02/2015
The US Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $914 million contract to upgrade F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter jets for the government of Singapore, the US Department of Defense said in an announcement. "Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2023," the announcement on stated on Tuesday.
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12/01/2015
In May 2014, many South Koreans were struck by the discovery of three crashed drones in frontline areas that had been flown in from North Korea. Albeit crude, the small devices had taken photos of major military installations on border islands, potential infiltration routes and the presidential palace in downtown Seoul, kindling concerns over a potential security breach and lax air defense.
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12/01/2015
The Defense Ministry will allow females to be Air Self-Defense Force jet fighter pilots for the first time in its history, according to sources. So far, the ministry has barred women from becoming jet fighter pilots because of the physical and mental burdens. Behind the decision is a plan to demonstrate acrobatic flying by ASDF pilots —including women — at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
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12/01/2015
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile has long been a mainstay of the U.S. strike weapon inventory. Launching from ranges out to 1,000 miles and armed with a 1,000-pound warhead, it is the Navy’s “Kick Down the Door” weapon, attacking well-defended high-value land targets. The BLK IV missile is the latest variant in a steady progression of capability, incorporating mission planning, navigation and guidance, and command and control upgrades designed to improve responsiveness and target flexibility.
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12/01/2015
Russia’s Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers (NATO reporting name: Fullback) have for the first time taken, in addition to bombs, short-and medium-range air-to-air missiles on combat mission in Syria for their protection, spokesman for the Russian Aerospace Forces Colonel Igor Klimov reported on Monday.
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12/01/2015
The U.S. should conduct far more commando raids against Islamic State, say lawmakers and former defense officials who are pushing President Barack Obama to deploy special-operations forces more aggressively against the extremists. With the attacks in Paris putting new pressure on Obama to show progress in the stalemated war against terrorists, defense analysts are calling for an intensified campaign of raids to disrupt the group’s leadership, gather intelligence and build momentum.
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12/01/2015
As the Diplomat has noted recently, the Asia-Pacific has become an important market for modern military aircraft. Companies from countries such as France, Sweden, Russia, and China have been attempting to sell their platforms to a range of states in the region (see here and here for Beijing’s Asian aircraft bids). Several states, including Indonesia, Malaysia and India, are either planning to or are in the process of acquiring modern fighter jets.
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12/01/2015
Tension in the skies over Syria intensified Monday as the Pentagon confirmed that Russia is moving advanced surface-to-air missile systems onto its military base near the Turkish border. U.S. intelligence shows that Russia is following through on plans to send S-400 missile systems into its primary airfield near Latakia, a Pentagon spokesman said. With a reported range of up to 248 miles, the missile system could put at risk most U.S. combat aircraft flying over Syria.
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12/01/2015
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) plans to set up a working group to determine the appropriate choice of a Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). The PAF is looking for a specific model of multirole fighters that would best suit its needs, PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya was quoted as saying by Philippines Star newspaper after a ceremony to welcome FA-50 jets acquired from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
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12/01/2015
The Philippines on Monday received two Korean-made fighter jets as it strengthens its underfunded military in the midst of an escalating territorial dispute with China. The Philippines bought 12 FA-50s from Korea Aerospace Industries for 18.9 billion pesos ($402 million), Reuters reported. The 10 other jets will be delivered in batches through 2017. Weapons for the aircraft will be purchased later.
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12/01/2015
Russia's Tupolev Tu-160M2, a modernized variant of the legendary Tu-160 supersonic strategic bomber, is expected to become "an entirely new aircraft," with all-new components more than doubling its effectiveness. Now, developers involved in the plane's modernization have announced that they will be installing brand new weapons control systems.
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11/30/2015
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, 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.
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11/30/2015
Chinese leaders plan to build a military base in Djibouti to "extend their reach," the head of the United States Africa Command said last week. The reported comments by Gen David Rodriguez serve to confirm speculation that China intends to buttress its growing economic involvement in Africa with a military presence, which US officials have however been downplayed.
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11/30/2015
Marking the end of an era, the final Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military airlifter will fly one last time over the Long Beach facility where the aircrafts were made. According to a Boeing spokeswoman, the final C-17 prepared to depart from the Long Beach airport Sunday around noon.
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11/30/2015
Israeli defense minister Moshe “Bogey” Ya’alon confirmed Sunday that Russian military aircraft, on at least one occasion, have breached Israeli airspace–without confrontation.
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11/30/2015
In early November, Lockheed Martin and the United States Armed Forces declared that they had signed a defence contract worth $9.1 million. As part of the deal, Lockheed Martin- the U.S. government’s go-to defence equipment provider- will outfit the B-52 ‘Stratofortress’ bombers with new long-range missiles.
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11/30/2015
Russia has a long history of violating airspace and territorial waters as a means of applying pressure to achieve political aims. On Tuesday, the Turkish Armed Forces shot down an unidentified bomber, which Russian authorities claimed was a Russian Su-24 fighter jet. The jet had violated Turkey's airspace, according to a radar tracking diagram provided by the Turkish Chief of General Staff.
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11/30/2015
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals say they will carry through on their campaign pledge to “end Canada’s combat mission” in Iraq and Syria. They are defining the word “combat” very carefully. As my colleague Bruce Campion-Smith reported Thursday, the defence department now says that even after Canada pulls back its six fighter jets from the battlefield, it could leave five other military aircraft there.
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11/30/2015
India's largest-ever military deal is likely to bring in big business for the private sector with the French side looking to set up a production centre for the Rafale fighter aircraft as well as a low-cost executive jet in India, besides sharing vital aircraft technology for the indigenous Tejas project.
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11/30/2015
Indonesia, long a regional power, has been seeking a replacement for its antique US F-5 Tiger II fighters. General Agus Supriatnahas told Indonesian media he has signed a deal to buy 12 of the new Russian air superiority fighters instead of US F-16 Fighting Falcons because “the aircraft have more modern technology”.
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11/30/2015
The first Russian fifth generation fighter is not the much advertised T-50, which according to plan should begin to arrive into the Russian Military and Space Forces in early 2016, but the almost forgotten project MiG 1.44, which was abandoned in the early 2000s.
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11/29/2015
Why President Xi Jinping should want a divided military command when he presently has all the benefits of a unified one seems a puzzle at first. The experience of the United States military would certainly not suggest such an initiative. Take the US Navy, which has long absorbed the largest share of US military spending.
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11/29/2015
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, 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.
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