Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

What Would a War between Russia and the USA Look Like?

05/21/2016

It all depends by what you mean by “advantage”. The US armed forces are much larger than the Russian ones, that is true. But, unlike the Russians ones, they are spread all over the planet. In warfare what matters is not the size of your military, but how much of it is actually available for combat in the theater of military operations TMO (conflict area).

Sikorsky HH-60W team moves into detailed design phase

05/21/2016

The US Air Force is buying 112 HH-60W Combat Rescue Helicopters to replace the HH-60G Pave Hawk that was introduced under the Reagan administration in the 1980s. The Sikorsky design was selected in late 2013 and a $1.2 billion development contract that funds four pre-production examples and six aircrew and maintenance trainers was awarded in July 2014.

First sqaudron of India’s indigenous jet Tejas to fly before Diwali

05/21/2016

The first squadron of Tejas fighter jets will be flying before Diwali this year as a step towards taking the fighter formations the Indian Air Force (IAF) closer to the sanctioned strength, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said. In an interview to All India Radio, the minister also said that the share of imports in defence will go down to 30-35 percent in next five to eight years.

Russia’s MiG-35 to Boast State-of-the-Art Ship-Relative Navigation System

05/21/2016

Russia’s MiG-35 multirole fighter jets will soon be equipped with the latest platform-less inertial navigation system, Igor Nasenkov, deputy head of the Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (KRET), told RIA Novosti.

Russia Developing 'Fundamentally New' Advanced Naval Chopper From Scratch

05/21/2016

The advanced helicopter under development for the needs of Russia's Navy will be essentially an entirely new vehicle, Kamov Design Bureau General Designer Sergei Mikheev said Friday.

Sikorsky CH-53K likely to fall short of upper lifting requirement

05/20/2016

The US Marine Corps ideally wants its new Sikorsky CH-53K King Stallion to carry 13.6t (30,000lb) externally over 110nm (204km) unrefueled, but early analysis indicates that it will fall approximately 907kg short of that “objective” key performance requirement.

Saab offers next gen Gripen aircraft under Make in India initiative

05/20/2016

Swedish defence major Saab has unveiled its next generation fighter aircraft, Gripen E, which the company today said is being offered to the country under the 'Make in India' initiative with transfer of technology. Gripen E, which was unveiled yesterday, has significantly improved avionics system when compared to previous versions of the Gripen.

Russia to Renew Production of Mi-14 Nuclear-Capable Anti-Sub Helicopters

05/20/2016

Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said that ministry plans to renew the production of Mi-14 Haze nuclear-capable amphibious anti-submarine helicopters.

Russia Confirms First Batch of S-300 Air Defense Systems Delivered to Iran

05/20/2016

Russia has provided Iran with the first batch of S-300 air defense systems, Russian presidential aide Vladimir Kozhin said Thursday. "We have a signed contract with Iran, the first batch has now been unloaded, approximately a battalion. We will continue to fulfill our commitments until year-end," Kozhin said.

China Confirms Intercepting US Reconnaissance Plane Over South China Sea

05/20/2016

Chinese fighter jets shadowed a US reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea, but kept a safe distance and did not make any dangerous maneuvers, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Lei said Thursday.

EgyptAir flight disappears from radar

05/19/2016

An EgyptAir flight heading from Paris to Cairo disappeared from radar with 69 people on board, the airline said. The plane was flying at 37,000 feet when it disappeared shortly after entering Egyptian airspace, the airline tweeted. A total of 69 people were on board -- 59 passengers and 10 crew members.

Air Force B-52 crashes in Guam, crew bails to safety

05/19/2016

A B-52H Stratofortress crashed around 8:30 a.m. on Andersen Air Force Base's flight line, the base's public affairs office has confirmed. All seven aircrew members safely exited the aircraft. No injuries have been reported. Emergency responders are on scene, according to Andersen's public affairs.

HOW GOOD ARE THEY? THE LATEST INSIGHTS INTO CHINA’S MILITARY TECH

05/19/2016

It’s that time of year again, and the end of an era. On Friday, the Obama Administration released the last annual Pentagon China report under its watch. Working the China military observers’ graveyard shift this weekend, I published analyses of the report’s overall content, and its key omissions — namely, any mention whatsoever of China’s maritime militia of “little blue men” trolling for territorial claims.

The New York Times Editorial Board Oppose Sale Of U.S. Military Aircraft to Nigeria

05/19/2016

Fourteen months after the election of President Muhammadu Buhari in Nigeria, the Obama administration is considering selling his government 12 warplanes. It is a thorny decision because Mr. Buhari is an improvement over his disastrous predecessor, Goodluck Jonathan, and is fighting Boko Haram, the Islamist extremists who have terrorized the region. But he has not done enough to end corruption and respond to charges that the army has committed war crimes in its fight against the group.

LEVERAGING THE RAF MARHAM AND RAF LAKENHEATH STRATEGIC OPPORTUNITY: THE USAF AND THE RAF SHAPE 21ST OPERATIONAL CAPABILITIES

05/19/2016

With the RAF and the USAF setting up four squadrons of aircraft between them at two nearby RAF bases, there is a clear opportunity to shape a common sustainment solution. And the impact of so doing could be significant on the North Sea neighbors, namely, the Danes the Norwegians and the Dutch.

S. Korea to pick foreign jet engine by June to equip indigenous combat jets

05/19/2016

South Korea will select a foreign jet engine maker to power the country's first indigenously-developed combat aircraft by next month, the defense procurement agency said Wednesday. European jet engine giant Eurojet Turbo GmbH is competing against U.S. rival General Electric (GE) for the South Korean deal to procure engines for its high-profile indigenous fighter jet project, known as the Korean Fighter Experimental, or KF-X.

Why Concerns Over Drone Proliferation Are Overblown

05/19/2016

In a recent article in Foreign Policy, “Terrorist Have Drones Now. Thanks, Obama,” James Barmfort summarizes the conventional wisdom in the media and among analysts about the diffusion of drones. According to this view, drones represent a “game-changer” that could promote instability and conflict around the world and even lead to a shift in the distribution of military power in the international system.

PICTURES: Saab rolls out first Gripen E fighter

05/19/2016

Saab has unveiled its next-generation Gripen E fighter, some three years before delivering its first of at least 96 production examples to the air forces of Sweden and Brazil. Rolled out at the Swedish manufacturer's Linköping site in Sweden on 18 May, aircraft 39-8 is the first of three test aircraft which will support the Gripen E programme.

‘Unsafe and Unprofessional’: Chinese Intercept US Jet Over South China Sea

05/19/2016

According to the US Department of Defense, two Chinese military aircraft intercepted a US military reconnaissance plane over the South China Sea in an “unsafe” manner this Tuesday.

Can’t the U.S. Air Force Be Trusted to Buy a Few Helicopters?

05/19/2016

Senator John McCain of Arizona, chairman of the Senate Armed Services Committee, wants to blow up the Pentagon’s Under Secretariat for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics (USD AT&L). More specifically, his committee’s writing of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2017 would cleave that office into two new under secretariats, for research and engineering (USD R&E), and management and support (USD M&S).

ANALYSIS: Taranis developers reveal test flight specifics

05/18/2016

Despite having performed a maiden sortie some three years ago, details remain sketchy on the flight-test campaign of the BAE Systems Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator.

Maduro: U.S. spy plane violated Venezuelan airspace

05/18/2016

A U.S. military aircraft "with lethal technical abilities" illegally entered Venezuelan airspace twice over the past week, President Nicolas Maduro said Tuesday. "Our military aviation detected the illegal entry, for unusual espionage tasks, of the Boeing 707 E-3 Sentry, which is an airborne early warning control center system that has all the mechanisms for espionage," said Maduro during a press conference at the presidential palace.

RMAF aircraft crashes in Pahang, pilots eject to safety

05/18/2016

A Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) training aircraft crash in a paddy field in Nenasi, near here this afternoon. The Aermacchi MB339CM aircraft was in the midst of a training flight when it encountered technical difficulties.

Sri Lanka To Buy China-Made JF-17 Fighter Aircraft – OpEd

05/18/2016

Of late, Sri Lankan President Sirisena has announced, apart from the reconciliation efforts with Tamils and other minorities in the island country, also a few other important decisions of his government. One of those decisions is to make the country a bigger military power — which may be possible in the immediate future. Another is, to fight corruption in the government and nation at large which is also not easy ambition considering that he really meant what he said.

RAF Jets Scrambled To Intercept Russian Planes

05/18/2016

The British planes were initially shadowing two Su-27 Flanker fighters and an IL-20 'Coot-A' Reconnaissance plane when two more Su-27s were detected, according to the Ministry of Defense. It was the second time in a week that RAF Typhoons had been scrambled to intercept Russian aircraft as part of the policing mission in the region.