Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Naval Tejas successfully tested in Goa, will fly off aircraft carrier next year

05/11/2016

The naval version of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), which will operate from India’s indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, after it is commissioned in 2018, has completed a successful flight-test campaign in Goa. Commodore (Retired) CD Balaji, chief of the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA), which oversees the Tejas development programme, told Business Standard that taking off and landing from a 200-metre deck has been fully established.

US Navy Continues Provocative 'Freedom of Navigation' Drills in S China Sea

05/11/2016

On Tuesday, the Pentagon conducted its latest maritime reconnaissance in the South China Sea, performing a freedom of navigation patrol within the 12-mile territorial limit of Beijing’s recently-constructed artificial island. This time, China responded in kind.

Indian Air Force to Get Russian S-400 Triumf Missile System in 2017

05/11/2016

According to Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, "The five firing units of the S-400 Long Range Surface to Air Missile system are planned for induction in Indian Air Force in the 13th plan period (2017-2022)."

F-35 Test Flights Struggle To Boot Up, But Jets Fly On

05/10/2016

F-35 critics often point to the Pentagon's decision to start building the fifth-generation fighter before design and testing is complete as the root of the program's problems. Even now, as the Air Force prepares to declare its F-35A jets operational this year, so-called "concurrency" remains an obstacle.

U.S. airstrike takes out ISIS ‘emir’ in Iraq

05/10/2016

A U.S. airstrike has killed the so-called “emir” heading Islamic State operations in Iraq’s volatile Anbar province as well as a number of the group’s top commanders, the Pentagon confirmed on Monday. Shaker Wahib al-Fahdawi al-Dulaimi, also known as Abu Waheeb, was traveling in the Iraqi city of Rutba when his convoy was struck by American aircraft, according to Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook.

The Real Chinese 'Dragon': Exposing the Power of China's Deadly Air Force

05/10/2016

Tensions in the South China Sea and continued warnings about Chinese militarization of the disputed areas has led many Pentagon planners and analysts to sharpen focus on Chinese Air Force acquisitions and technological advances.

Air Force will have first combat lasers on C-17, C-130 aircrafts

05/10/2016

The U.S. Air Force plans to arms its fleet of drones and fighter jet with high-tech laser weapons, according to Next Big Future. The Air Force plans to begin firing laser weapons from larger platforms such as C-17s and C-130s until the technological miniaturization efforts can configure the weapon to fire from fighter jets such as an F-15, F-16 or F-35.

Russia's military in Syria: Bigger than you think and not going anywhere

05/10/2016

Last week the Russian military brought more than a hundred international journalists, including our CNN crew, to Palmyra. The trip was orchestrated to showcase Moscow's role in liberating the ancient heritage site but it also said a lot about the Russian army's capabilities and the scale of their assets in Syria.

Jihadi Terror Creates New Global Market For Close Air Support Aircraft

05/10/2016

Back in 2009, when the Department of Defense had but one problem on its mind, the war in Iraq and Afghanistan, the Air Force had the idea of developing a light air support (LAS) aircraft for the close air support (CAS) mission for counterinsurgency operations. The focus was on a non-developmental platform, one that was cheap and easy to operate and maintain, intended primarily for foreign militaries with limited budgets, infrastructure and trained personnel.

Raytheon Wins $100Mln Contract to Build More Air-to-Air Missiles - Pentagon

05/10/2016

The US Air Force has awarded the Raytheon Company a more than $104 million contract to produce additional air-to-air missiles for US allies Australia, Romania, Saudi Arabia and South Korea, the US Department of Defense said in a press release.

First Base: US Fighter Jets Make Their Debut on Finnish Soil

05/10/2016

The US military is bringing a number of F-15C fighter jets to Finland for joint exercises with the country's armed forces, which kick off today. This is the first time that US military aircraft have engaged in such large scale maneuvers in Finland, even though the exercise would considered trivial by US standards.

Rafale Scores Another Win

05/09/2016

India has finally, after years of negotiations, placed an order for 36 Dassault Rafale Fighter jets. This includes accessories, training, tech support and a ten year maintenance contract. All this drives the per-aircraft price up to $247 million.

Putin's Pullout: A Failing Public Relations Campaign

05/09/2016

On March 14, Russian President Vladimir Putin surprised observers by ordering the withdrawal of the “main part” of Russia’s forces from Syria. In a meeting with Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu, he said, “the task which was given to the Defense Ministry and the armed forces has overall been fulfilled.” A month later, in his annual call-in program, Primaya Liniya, Putin claimed that the Syrian army was capable of “serious offensive operations” even after the supposed withdrawal.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL Terrorists in Syria, Iraq

05/09/2016

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in 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.

Nothing scares Hornet pilots more than losing oxygen — and it happens all the time

05/09/2016

The third time the high-pitched alarm rang "deedle deedle" in the F/A-18F Super Hornet's cockpit, it was clear that something with the air flowing into their regulators had gone horribly wrong. "That's when I realize my lips were tingling, my fingers are tingling, and I'm like, 'S---, man, something's wrong,' " a Navy pilot recalled. "And the guy in the back's like, 'Hey, dude! My fingers are blue!' "

Indian Air Force in focus

05/09/2016

The Indian Air Force is massive and so are the problems it faces. The BJP chief whip in Lok Sabha, Arjun Ram Meghwal, admitted recently that Indian women were afraid of flying the MiG-21 fighters due to its high accident rate. On a supplementary to defence minister Manohar Parrikar on induction of women in the IAF’s combat stream, Meghwal said women were afraid of flying the MiG-21s due to their high accident rate.

ROC to start upgrade of its F-16 jets in 2017: AIDC

05/09/2016

An upgrade of Taiwan's fleet of F-16 fighter planes will begin in early 2017, shortly after the completion of a hangar that is being built for that purpose, according to the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. Upon completion next January, Taiwan's biggest fighter jet maintenance facility will have the capacity to handle the upgrade of 24 aircraft per year in the country's F-16A/B fleet, AIDC Chairman Anson Liao said.

Customs Act change may delay modernisation of Mirage, Jaguar, other fighter planes

05/09/2016

The Indian Air Force has asked the Defence Ministry to find a way out in the wake of a recent amendment in the Customs Act removing blanket duty exemption for defence goods, a move that may delay modernisation and maintenance programmes of fighter planes like Mirage and Jaguar. Under the new rules, which came into effect from April 1, customs duty exemption has been given to specific projects, all of which are in production in the country.

U.S. Role in Afghanistan Turns to Combat Again, With a Tragic Error

05/09/2016

The Taliban attacked the Afghan police compound at first light, coming from all sides at the American Green Berets holed up inside. The insurgents fired assault rifles, heavy machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. They came in what a soldier called “human waves.” Not even strafing runs by American F-16 fighters stopped the assault. The elite American soldiers — whose mission was only to train and advise Afghan troops — had never seen a firefight as intense.

Air Force planes to land on highways

05/08/2016

Don’t be surprised if the traffic on a highway is stopped and a military aircraft lands, an experiment carried out a year ago when the Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft descended on the Yamuna Expressway connecting Delhi with Agra. The Indian Air Force (IAF) has drawn up plans to expand the scope of using the highways as “alternative landing grounds” for war-time operations or in an emergency

Russian Military Involved In Shooting Down Flight MH17, Researchers Say

05/08/2016

Russian officials are trying to discredit a new report that implicates the Russian military in the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines flight 17. Nearly two years ago, that attack in the skies over eastern Ukraine killed 298 people. The latest report comes from a U.K.-based organization called Bellingcat, which bills itself as a group of citizen investigative journalists.

Russia Says No Aircraft Flew over Bombed Syria Camp

05/08/2016

Russia's military on Friday insisted no aircraft flew over a Syrian refugee camp the day it was hit by deadly strikes, suggesting the al-Qaida-linked Al-Nusra Front could have shelled the location. "We have attentively studied the information from the air space monitoring data in this area for May 4 and 5, 2016. There were no flights by Russian or any other aircraft," spokesman Igor Konashenkov told Russian news agencies.

US Air Force A-10s Challenge China in the South China Sea

05/08/2016

It’s no surprise that the A-10’s first mission was a show of force over the Scarborough Shoal, which China refers to as Huangyan Island and claims as its own. With plans to develop the narrow strip of land into a tourist destination, Beijing was incensed to see the Warthogs fly by.

F-35 Pilots Not Happy to Perform A-10 Comparison Tests

05/08/2016

J. Michael Gilmore, the U.S. Defense Department’s top weapons-tester,confirmed on April 26 that the Pentagon will conduct a head-to-head test of a new F-35 stealth fighter and an old A-10 attack jet in the close-air-support mission. Critics of the high-tech, budget-busting F-35 and fans of the tried-and-true A-10?—?a rugged, purpose-built ground-attack plane?—?applauded the announcement.

Over 100 Aircraft Take Part in Final Rehearsal of V-Day Parade in Moscow

05/08/2016

More than one hundred aircraft participated in the final rehearsal of Victory Day military parade in Moscow, a source in the Russian Defense Ministry press service said Saturday.