Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Flight tests of Russia’s 5th-generation fighter jet "practically completed"

12/08/2015

The tests confirming the flight characteristics of Russia’s fifth-generation PAK FA (Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) fighter jet have been actually completed, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said in an interview with Rossiya 24 TV Channel on Monday. "Several planes are now primarily testing airborne avionics. The tests proving the aircraft’s flight characteristics have practically been completed," the deputy defense minister said.

Pentagon says Russian — not American — warplanes hit a Syrian army base

12/08/2015

The U.S. military alleged Monday that Russian warplanes were responsible for an attack on a Syrian army position in eastern Syria, an airstrike that Syria blamed on the U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State militant group in the country. The Syrian government issued a statement earlier in the day accusing coalition aircraft of carrying out the overnight attack in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. The government said three Syrian soldiers were killed and 13 injured in the strike.

Europe's Role Grows in Syria, but Boots Unlikely

12/08/2015

Votes by the British and German parliaments last week expanded Europe's role in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, but analysts believe that the addition of European forces is more symbolic than a game-changer — and that European boots on the ground remain unlikely.

A Little Bombing, a Lot of Surveillance: What Britain Brings to the Syria Air War

12/08/2015

On December 3, just a few hours after a vote from the British parliament, the Royal Air Force flew its first airstrike on Islamic State targets inside Syria. The British have been bombing IS targets in Iraq since last year, but this was the first time — amid heated protests at home — they took part in the campaign over Syria.

JF-17 Still an Option in Egypt-Pakistan Defense Cooperation Drive

12/08/2015

Despite having opted for French and Russian fighter aircraft earlier this year, Egypt has reportedly expressed an interest in the Sino-Pakistan JF-17 Thunder. This has come as a surprise to analysts who had considered the possibility of Egypt acquiring the JF-17 to be lost.

Boeing delivery of 14th new-build Mk6 Chinook completes current orders for the United Kingdom

12/08/2015

Boeing has delivered its 14th Mk6 Chinook, completing the United Kingdom’s most recent order and growing the RAF Chinook fleet to 60 aircraft. The order completion coincided with the 35th anniversary of Chinook operations for the U.K.

US Spy Planes to Fly From Singapore Over South China Sea

12/08/2015

Despite having no territorial claims to the waterway, Washington has fiercely contested Beijing’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. To monitor the progress of those islands, the Pentagon has flown P-8 Poseidon surveillance planes out of the Philippines and Japan.

Customers ‘Lining Up’ to Buy Russian Su-34, Su-35 Aircraft

12/08/2015

Foreign states are "lining up" to purchase Su-34 and Su-35 jets, which demonstrated their outstanding capabilities during the Syrian military operation, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Monday. "Today, military forces are receiving such advanced models as the Su-34 and Su-35, with characteristics equal to those of Western models,” Borisov said.

THREE HISTORIC FIRSTS FOR ITALY IN THE F-35 PROGRAM DURING 2015

12/07/2015

At the beginning of the 20th Century, Italy was a pioneer in combat aviation. Although different at the beginning of the 21st century, Italy has again emerged as an important player in military aviation. They are key players in the two key 21st century multinational military aviation industrial coalitions, Eurofighter and F-35, as well as establishing a center of excellence for pilot training along with introducing one of the best 21st century trainers, the Aermacchi M-346.

Keeping America's Pacific Bases Competitive

12/07/2015

Joint warfare as a national way of war has become deeply ingrained in U.S. strategic thinking since the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. Within the command structure of the various regional U.S. Combatant Commands, the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines have become hardwired to fight joint military operations around the world.

Bangladesh Air Force gets Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft, AW 139 rescue helicopters

12/07/2015

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed them over to the Air Force on Sunday at the BAF Bangabandhu Base in Dhaka. The Yakovlev Yak-130 is a subsonic two-seat advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft or lead-in fighter trainer. The AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engine search and rescue helicopter developed by Italy’s AgustaWestland.

U.K. carries out 2nd airstrike against Islamic State oilfields

12/06/2015

Britain's defense secretary says U.K. fighter jets have targeted a Syrian oilfield during a second combat operation against the Islamic State group. Michael Fallon says the four jets from the British base in Cyprus bombed wellheads at the Omar oilfield in eastern Syria. Late Friday's operation, which aimed to cut off the militants' oil revenues, followed a similar strike the day before.

Air Force pilots excited over new fighter jets

12/05/2015

The Philippine Air Force recently enjoyed an assets upgrade after the recent arrival of new aircraft units. Two FA-50 Golden Eagle fighter jets ordered from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) touched down at Clark Air Base in Pampanga last Saturday. Weeks earlier, the Air Force also acquired an Airbus C295 transport plane and six AgustaWestland 109 attack helicopters as part of the military's modernization efforts.

Women to fly fighter jets for 5 yrs

12/05/2015

The defence ministry on Friday said women would be inducted into the combat stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to fly fighter aircraft on an ‘experimental basis’ for five years beginning June 2016. “Government has accorded the approval to entry of women into the fighter stream of IAF on an experimental basis for five years,” the Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said.

UK Air Chief Hopes To Add Combat Squadron

12/05/2015

Having secured three extra combat squadrons a little more than a week ago in a strategic defense and security review (SDSR), Britain’s Air Force chief said that he has a plan to add a fourth unit to further boost air power. “We were destined to be down to six [combat] squadrons by 2020," the Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford told an audience of senior military and industry executives at an Air Power Association dinner at the House of Commons on Thursday.

Can Eurofighter Beat Its Competition on the Asian Market?

12/05/2015

The Diplomat has recently been writing a series on the prospects of combat aircraft sales in the Pacific states. I’ve earlier covered French Dassault’s Rafale, U.S. Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, and Sweden’s Saab’s Gripen. Robert Farley and myself have also written about the development and prospects for fifth-generation stealth aircraft in the region.

Fighting not over for US F-16 pilots in Afghanistan

12/05/2015

American F-16 fighter pilots deployed to Afghanistan say their mission hasn’t changed in the last year, even though the international military force here has transitioned to a more advisory role. The coalition might have declared that it ended the combat mission in 2015, but the pilots from the 388th Fighter Wing’s 421st Fighter Squadron are still flying round-the-clock patrols, and they are still dropping bombs on the enemy.

France Conducts Intelligence Flight Over Daesh-Controlled Parts of Libya

12/05/2015

France has carried out reconnaissance and intelligence flights over Libya in the areas controlled by Daesh, also known as ISIL or Islamic State terrorist group. The French military plans to continue to conduct similar missions over the North African country, a presidential press document released on Friday said.

Moscow Calls for Removal of Data on Russian Pilots From Canadian Website

12/05/2015

Russia has contacted the Canadian authorities over a website that has posted details about Russian pilots involved in counter-terrorism operations in Syria to request the information be removed, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for New Challenges and Threats said Friday.

Russian MiG-35 Fighter Jets to Be Equipped With Brand New Navigation System

12/05/2015

Russian multirole MiG-35 fighter jets will receive the latest platform-less inertial navigation system, the CEO of the Moscow Institute of Electro Mechanics and Automation, Alexei Kuznetsov, said Friday.

German Parliament Approves Military Operation Against Daesh in Syria

12/05/2015

The German parliament (Bundestag) has approved launching a military campaign against Daesh terrorist organization, also known as ISIL or Islamic State, in Syria. The move was supported by 445 German lawmakers, while 146 voted against the anti-Daesh campaign, seven lawmakers abstained.

Former Daesh Captive: West is 'Fueling the Misery and Disaster'

12/05/2015

A former captive of Daesh, also known as ISIL/The Islamic State, French journalist Nicolas Henin has spoken out on the ways in which Western policies are not only ineffectual in fighting the terrorist group, but actually fueling its growth.

Pentagon burning through Hellfire, bomb stockpiles striking ISIL

12/04/2015

The Air Force has fired more than 20,000 missiles and bombs in the air war against the Islamic State, depleting its stocks of munitions and prompting the service to scour depots around the world for more weapons and to find money to buy them, according to records obtained by USA Today. The Air Force efforts come as the Pentagon has stepped up airstrikes on Islamic State, or ISIL, targets in Iraq and Syria.

Russia warns Turkey it 'will regret' downing jet near Syria border

12/04/2015

Vladimir Putin has issued a stern warning to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the war of words between the two leaders continues to escalate. The Russian president said Turkey "will regret" the downing of one of its fighter jets near the Syrian border last week, the BBC reports. Moscow has already imposed a range of sanctions against Ankara, including banning the import of certain Turkish goods and restricting Russian travel to the country.

US Lawmakers Criticize China on Disputed Islands

12/04/2015

Some U.S. congressmen have criticized China for what they say is a lack of sincerity in its pledge of non-militarization of the disputed reefs and islands in the South China Sea.