Military Aviation News Archive

Russian Military Official Explains Aims of Syrian Operation to Uzbek Gov’t

10/08/2015

The Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said that the Russian Deputy Defense Minister explained the objectives of the Russian operation in Syria to the Uzbek foreign minister.

Defense Ministry Releases Video of Cruise Missile Strikes on ISIL Targets

10/08/2015

The assembled footage features video and animation of Russian ships launching cruise missile strikes against Islamic State targets from the Caspian Sea. The video combines computer-generated imagery showing the cruise missiles' trajectory with footage of the missiles flying over western Iran and northern Iraq before arriving at their targets in northern Syria.

Russia May Implement US Proposals on Coordination of Anti-ISIL Fight

10/08/2015

The Russian Defense Ministry is willing to put into action the Pentagon proposals on cooperation on fight against the Islamic State (ISIL) extremists, a spokesman for the ministry said Wednesday.

Senate advances bill that would save Selfridge planes

10/07/2015

The U.S. Senate voted to advance a $604 billion defense authorization bill Tuesday that again would bar the Pentagon from retiring the A-10 airplanes at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan and around the country.

Lasers Could Be Coming To The F-35

10/07/2015

Lockheed Martin’s new modular fiber lasers now convert fully 40 percent of input energy to output, which means that — along with advances in manufacturing, targeting, and size-weight-power minimization — the company’s now talking about putting a laser weapon on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.

Television Report Raises Doubts About China’s Fighter Jet Industry

10/07/2015

While “hand-made” is usually a good thing, this isn’t the case for the equipment used in modern combat aircraft. A propaganda video aired by the official Chinese broadcast mouthpiece shows key components of the J-15 fighter jet, which are made for aircraft carriers, being manually polished at Shenyang Aircraft Corp.

India’s Air Force Will Field 42 Combat Squadrons by 2027

10/07/2015

The head of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, recently announced that the Indian Air Force (IAF) will in all likelihood be able to deploy 42 combat squadrons by 2027 the Business Standard reports. “We are looking forward to building up our combat fleet to 42 squadrons by the end of the 14th plan, by 2027. I think it is possible, it is viable, there are a lot of options available with us, and discussions are already on,” he told reporters last Saturday in New Delhi.

IAF frets over Russian fighter aircraft deal

10/07/2015

The worries of the air force on getting a capable fifth generation fighter aircraft to counter the development of two futuristic fighters by China are mounting with little clarity on the Russian program that New Delhi had signed onto in 2010.

NATO rejects Russia explanation on Turkish air space

10/07/2015

NATO on Tuesday rejected Moscow's explanation that its warplanes had violated alliance member Turkey's air space by mistake and said Russia was sending more ground troops to Syria and building up its naval presence. With Russia extending its air strikes to include the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he was losing patience with Russian violations of his country's air space.

US State Department Approves Possible $243Mln Drone Sale to Spain

10/07/2015

The US State Department has approved a potential $243 million sale of five MQ-9 Block drones and associated equipment to Spain, US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release on Tuesday. "The Spanish Air Force intends to use the MQ-9s for homeland security, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations," the press release read. "The estimated total cost [of the sale] is $243 million."

Russian Military: Turkey Proposes Syria Missions Working Group With Russia

10/07/2015

A spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Turkish Defense Ministry proposed to Russia on Tuesday setting up a joint working group to coordinate actions and prevent incidents regarding the Russian operations in Syria.

Russia Deploys Mi-24 Helicopter Gunships to Syria Anti-ISIL Operation

10/07/2015

Russia has deployed its notorious Mi-24 helicopter gunships to Syria, where they are part of the operation against Islamic State terrorist targets. According to Colonel Igor Klimov of the Russian Air Force in Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, the Mi-24 helicopters are currently being used for patrolling the area around the airfield and for potential search and rescue missions. The Mi-24 is considered to be one of most deadly and versatile helicopters in the world.

Turkey Threatens to Shoot Down Russian Planes that Stray from Syria

10/06/2015

As Russian warplanes fly over Syria, neighboring NATO member Turkey says its fighter jets could open fire on them if they stray into Turkish airspace. The threat is serious and highlights the danger of a direct military confrontation between Russia and its old Cold War adversaries, including not just Turkey but the United States.

Lockheed F-35C begins second round of sea trials as bombs drop

10/06/2015

Two US Navy F-35C test aircraft have begun a second round of developmental testing at sea aboard the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower, aimed at smoothing the aircraft’s entry into service in 2018.

AN UPDATE ON THE INDIAN RAFALE CONTRACT BY INDIA STRATEGIC

10/06/2015

In an interview with India Strategic and at remarks at his annual pre-Air Force Day briefing here October 3, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha observed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) was “terribly short” of modern aircraft, and that the Government was alive to this. “The contract negotiations with the French are in process… Our intent is to conclude the agreement at the earliest,” he said.

Norway's Defence Review Underscores F-35 Commitment

10/06/2015

Norway's ministry of defence is using a strategic defence review to push for significant funding increases for the country's armed forces, as well as underscore the importance of the F-35 joint strike fighter to the Norwegian Air Force.

Russia could agree to combat role inside Iraq

10/06/2015

Following its deployment of combat aircraft inside Syria, Russia may also be considering placing some of its air force assets in Iraq. Speculation has increased after Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi on 1 October said that he would "welcome" air strikes by Russia in his country if Moscow made such a proposal – a scenario which he told television channel France 24 has not happened yet.

Russia Could Fly 96 Sorties a Day over Syria

10/06/2015

The Russian expeditionary force in Syria could generate as many as ninety-six fixed-wing combat aircraft sorties per day, assuming they have well-oiled logistics and properly trained maintenance crews. But that is a best-case scenario during a “combat surge”; more realistically, the thirty-two Russian jets at Latakia might be able to generate only twenty sorties per day.

NATO says Russian combat jets entered Turkey twice

10/06/2015

Russian warplanes on bombing runs over Syria twice entered Turkish airspace over the weekend, causing “extreme danger” through “irresponsible behavior,” NATO said Monday. Turkish fighter planes scrambled both times and identified the intruding aircraft, which then returned to Syria.

The Netherlands Chooses Lockheed Martin’s Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod for F-16 Fleet

10/06/2015

The Royal Netherlands Air Force selected Lockheed Martin’s Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) to equip its F-16 fleet, becoming the 21st international customer to acquire the multi-mission system. The contract was awarded through the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation and includes 29 Sniper ATPs as well as support equipment, training and sustainment. Pod deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2016.

Northrop, Lockheed Duke it Out Over Future of USAF Surveillance Aircraft

10/06/2015

Lockheed Martin is trying to convince the US Air Force to abandon its plans to replace Lockheed's U-2 spy plane with Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk, an unmanned, long-range surveillance platform.

China’s New Attack Helicopter Takes to the Skies for First Flight

10/06/2015

In November of 2010, Chinese state-owned manufacturer Avicopter unveiled the AC-311, a single-engine helicopter capable of carrying up to six people. On September 28, the company conducted the first test-flight of its military version, the Z-11WB. Maintaining the high visibility of the AC-311, the new helicopter has modifications which allow it to "carry out ground support, attack, battlefield reconnaissance, command, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, and other tasks,".

NATO Warns Russia After Warplane Enters Turkish Airspace

10/05/2015

NATO officials issued a warning to Russia on Monday, and the United States began what officials called urgent consultations with Turkey, after Turkish fighter jets intercepted a Russian warplane that entered its airspace over the weekend.

Russia says Turkish airspace violation 'a mistake,' Turkish media report

10/05/2015

Turkey said it intercepted a Russian jet that violated its airspace over the weekend. The country called in the Russian ambassador and lodged a strong condemnation of the violation, Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement Monday. "The Russian Federation will be responsible for any undesired incident that may occur," the ministry warned.

Chinese warplanes to join Russian air strikes in Syria. Russia gains Iraqi air base

10/05/2015

Russia’s military intervention in Syria has expanded radically in two directions. DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources report that China sent word to Moscow Friday, Oct. 2, that J-15 fighter bombers would shortly join the Russian air campaign that was launched Wednesday, Sept. 30. Baghdad has moreover offered Moscow an air base for targeting the Islamic State.