Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Future at Risk: 'Syrian Rebel Groups Preparing for New Round of War'

04/20/2016

In a corresponding statement the leaders of about a dozen armed factions announced the formation of a so-called “joint operation room” to coordinate new attacks on government forces. The statement came just hours after the chief negotiator of the Syrian opposition delegation in Geneva called to ignore the months-long ceasefire and resume the fighting.

10 Cancelled Warplanes That Might Have Been

04/19/2016

For every military aircraft that makes it into service, a thousand projects survive only in tattered blueprints in filing cabinets or as lonely prototypes in museums. Here, courtesy of War Is Boring’s David Axe and Hush-Kit’s Joe Coles, are 10 warplanes that might have been.

Russia’s Military Built or Modernized More Than 1,200 Aircraft

04/19/2016

Russia’s military has received more than 1,200 new and modernized aircraft over the past three years, the Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said at a Russian aviation industry conference last week, according to TASS.

Russia delivers ground support aircraft to Iraq

04/19/2016

A batch of three Russian Sukhoi Su-25 strike fighters has been delivered to Iraq and will soon enter service, an Iraqi Defense Ministry spokesman said. Nasir Nouri Mohammed al-Tamimi said on Monday the new jets will strengthen Iraq's capabilities in combating terrorist groups such as the Islamic State, according to a report from Tass, a government-owned Russian new agency.

F-35 Will Fly Despite Software Glitches That Could Ground the Entire Fleet

04/19/2016

Problems with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s software could lead to a fleet-wide grounding, a new report by the Government Accountability Office says. In an analysis released late last week, the GAO reports that problems with the software system, known as the Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), are serious enough that “it could take the entire F-35 fleet offline.”

China launches upgraded drills for South China Sea fleets

04/19/2016

China's South China Sea fleets have conducted training drills with upgraded methods that resemble actual combat conditions to increase the fleets' combat effectiveness, according to an article published by the PLA Daily on Sunday.

Sri Lanka, Egypt Indicate Interest In Indigenous Tejas Combat Aircraft

04/19/2016

India's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which was several years in the making, has now caught the attention of foreign buyers with Sri Lanka and Egypt evincing interest in the indigenously built fighter jet. Sri Lanka had recently rejected Pakistan's JF-17 aircraft built with Chinese help, while Egypt had last year signed a contract for 24 French-made Rafale fighter jets.

WATCH: Russia Su-30 Fighter Jets Escort UN Aid Delivery

04/19/2016

"The delivery of the UN humanitarian goods under the cover of Russian fighters was successful," the Russian military said in a statement. Over the weekend, an IL-76 cargo plane dropped pallets of food and medicine for the 200,000 residents of the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor. The city is in the heart of territory held by Daesh, also known as IS/Islamic State, and the humanitarian mission was accompanied by Russian Su-30s.

Erdogan’s Turkey Looks to Develop Next-Gen Drone Subsystems

04/19/2016

Turkey’s foray into drone technology comes amid increased crackdowns against political and intellectual dissent as well as on the country’s Kurdish minority, while emboldening the government’s imperial ambitions.

UK Defense Ministry Admits Gaffe Over Leaked War Games Report

04/19/2016

The UK Ministry of Defense has admitted a "communications issue" which led to a manual about a joint exercise off the Scottish coast containing codewords and "special instructions" being sent out accidentally to fishermen and ferry operators.

Moscow Prioritizes Russian Army Over Foreign Customers in Supply of S-400

04/19/2016

China and India are interested in purchasing the Russian S-400 Triumf air defense systems, but the priority will be given to the Russian army, Russian President Vladimir Putin’s aide for military-technical cooperation said.

Chinese military aircraft makes first public landing on disputed island

04/18/2016

A Chinese military aircraft has for the first time publicly landed at a new airport on an island China has built in the disputed South China Sea, state media said on Monday, raising the prospect that China could base fighter jets there.The United States has criticized China's construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea and worries that it plans to use them for military purposes, even though China says it has no hostile intent.

Russian aircraft shot down despite ‘President-S’ system

04/18/2016

The Russian Defense Ministry announced on April 12 “the crash of a Russian Mi-28H attack helicopter near the city of Homs“ the previous night. The two pilots were killed in the crash, and their bodies were recovered by Russian special forces who transferred them to Hmeimim airbase in northern Syria.

Russia refutes "aggressive" encounter with U.S. military aircraft

04/18/2016

The Russian Defense Ministry on Sunday refuted media reports of a dangerous encounter of Russian and U.S. aircraft over the Baltic. "The reports of foreign media are not true, which said a Russian Su-27 allegedly flew in dangerously close proximity to a U.S. RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in the skies over the Baltic Sea on April 14," the ministry's spokesman Igor Konashenkov told reporters.

Russian Aerospace Forces to Receive 30 Yak-130 Aircraft By End of 2018

04/18/2016

The Russian Defense Ministry and Irkut Corporation have successfully reached a deal for the supply of 30 Yak-130 combat training aircraft to the Russian Aerospace Forces, the ministry’s press service said.

India-US Logistics deal a US coup, but India needs to tread carefully

04/18/2016

After years of rejecting to be part of the US camp, India appears to be more than willing to sign the Logistics Exchange Memorandum of Agreement (LEMOA). All these years even after signing the civilian nuclear deal, India was wary of the idea of a logistical support agreement. For the US, getting India this close to signing is a coup as the latter is not only the most populous democracy in the world, but also one of the most aggressive military arms buyers.

Russian Su-27 interceptor performs Top Gun stunt over U.S. spyplane

04/18/2016

On April 14, a U.S. Air Force RC-135U Combat Sent electronic intelligence gathering aircraft flying a routine mission (in international airspace) over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in “an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” Navy Capt. Danny Hernandez, U.S. European Command spokesman told the CNN.

Seems Like We Have a Situation: Signs of Preparation for Nuclear Test Detected in N. Korea

04/18/2016

On Sunday, local media reported citing government sources in Seoul that Pyongyang is likely to carry out an additional nuclear test before early May, as North Korea had increased activity at its Punggye-ri nuclear test site. “We are in a situation, in which we don't know whether North Korea could stage any provocation to avoid isolation and consolidate its internal unity," Park said, as quoted by the Yonhap news agency.

What's Israel's Role in the Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict?

04/18/2016

With the decades-long Azeri-Armenian conflict over the disputed Nagorno-Karabakh region burning out of control for four intense, blood-soaked days at the beginning of this month, questions have emerged over the secretive role played by Israel in the conflict.

Iran Puts Its New Russian S-300 on Display During Army Parade (VIDEO)

04/18/2016

Iran has displayed what is believed to be a part of the Russian-made S-300 air defense missile system during a military parade in Tehran, Tasnim Nes Agency reports. The parade, which is held to mark the National Army Day, was attended by foreign military attaches and experts.

Privatizing search-and-rescue would be a reckless, pointless move

04/17/2016

The Liberal government’s defence policy review will be revealed to Canadians like the infamous water torture: drip by drip. The latest pellet of water concerns the potential privatizing of search and rescue, a crucial operation that is currently under the operational control of the Royal Canadian Air Force. Clearly the Trudeau Liberals are a regime that reverses the legitimate role of government.

US Defense Chief Visits Aircraft Carrier in South China Sea

04/17/2016

For the second time in five months, Defense Secretary Ash Carter landed aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier in the bitterly contested South China Sea, sending a deliberate message to China on American power in the region.

Russian Jet Threatened U.S. Recon Aircraft

04/17/2016

A Russian fighter jet flew dangerously close to a U.S. RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft on Thursday in the latest military provocation by Moscow over the Baltic Sea, the U.S. European Command said Saturday. “On April 14, a U.S. Air Force RC-135 aircraft flying a routine route in international airspace over the Baltic Sea was intercepted by a Russian Su-27 in an unsafe and unprofessional manner,” said Navy Capt. Danny Hernandez.

France, India finalize $8.8 billion Rafale fighter deal

04/16/2016

Indian defense officials have agreed to an $8.8 billion deal to buy 36 Rafale jet fighters from French military aviation firm Dassault. The formal procurement pact is expected to be signed within three weeks, with initial deliveries of the jets to begin in 18 months according to reports by Indian news outlet NDTV. The sale had been expected to be completed earlier this year, ahead of a planned visit to India by French president François Hollande.

THE US-CHINA ARRANGEMENT FOR AIR-TO-AIR ENCOUNTERS WEAKENS INTERNATIONAL LAW

04/16/2016

As part of the September 2015 fanfare visit by Xi Xinping to the United States, the United States and China signed an arrangement on rules of behavior for safety of air-to-air encounters of military aircraft. The deal is supposed to avert aviation incidents in international airspace between military aircraft of the United States and China.