Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Depleted IAF forced to fly vintage aircraft

06/14/2016

The crash of an ageing MiG-27 fighter jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Jodhpur today has yet again raised a question mark on the need to operate such vintage aircraft. For the IAF, operating the 1970s MiG-27 is a fait accompli — that is to keep flying outdated fighter jets just to maintain a minimum level in terms of numbers.

Six Capabilities Only Possible in the World’s Most Advanced Fighter Jet

06/14/2016

Imagine flying virtually undetected with a clear 360-degree view of your environment. With advanced targeting and radar systems, you can identify and engage air and ground targets using a combination of infrared search and track technology. Secure datalinks allow you to share information across your entire network – on the ground, in the air and over the seas – improving the lethality and survivability of your entire fleet.

Saber Strike Military Exercises Kick Off in Estoni

06/14/2016

This year, over 10,000 servicemen from 13 NATO and partner nations are taking part in the drills. Participating nations include three Baltic states, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, the United Kingdom and the United States.

NATO Chief Reveals Buildup in Eastern Europe, Increased Defense Spending

06/14/2016

NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg, has told a meeting of European defense ministers that next month's Warsaw summit will agree four new battalions which will be established in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Poland, as well as an overall increase in defense spending.

Saudi Arabia and Turkey’s pipeline wars in Yemen and Syria

06/13/2016

Saudi Arabia’s pursuit of the war in Yemen, at considerable cost in blood and treasure, is a literal affirmation of the term “backdoor strategy.” However, both the “door” and the actual contours of that strategy remain submerged beneath the murky waters of Mideast politics.

Air Force Adds New Fuel Tanks to Reaper Drone, Increasing Endurance

06/13/2016

The Air Force is upgrading its entire fleet of MQ-9 Reaper drones in order to give them much more endurance to stay above key strategic areas and conduct surveillance and strike missions, service officials told Scout Warrior. The Reaper is a large, armed drone with a 66-foot wingspan in service around the globe. The upgrades, called the Reaper Extended Range, in include the addition of two 1,350-pound fuel tanks.

U.S. Military Says it has Killed more than 120 Islamic State Leaders

06/13/2016

U.S. drone operators had been stalking the baby-faced British terrorist for days with infrared cameras and other sensors before the order came to kill him. As night fell on April 25, a U.S. warplane dropped a guided bomb that obliterated the SUV occupied by 23-year-old Raphael Saihou Hostey near Mosul, Islamic State's stronghold in Iraq.

UAE military chopper crashes in Gulf waters, crew killed

06/13/2016

The General Command of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Armed Forces in Abu Dhabi said on Sunday a military helicopter crashed while the pilot and his assistant were killed. The crash occurred during a "routine flight in international waters" in the Persian Gulf, said the statement released by UAE state news agency WAM.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq

06/13/2016

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Iraq and Syria yesterday, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Poland and Baltic states explore anti-aircraft shield

06/13/2016

The Baltic states and Poland are in discussions with defence contractors to create a regional anti-aircraft missile shield to protect against Russian aircraft. Fearful of the build-up of Russian troops on their borders and in the Baltic Sea enclave of Kaliningrad, the four countries believe they must develop capabilities to restrict the Kremlin’s military manoeuvrability and tip the military balance of power in the region back in their favour.

Procurement: Pre-Owned Gripens Invade Africa

06/13/2016

Botswana, one of the best run nations in Africa, is spending billions to upgrade its armed forces. This includes ordering eight Swedish Gripen JAS 39C jet fighters. Normally this would cost about half a billion dollars (including maintenance facilities, training and tech support).

Boeing defence chief looks beyond fighters

06/13/2016

When the new head of defence at Boeing laid out her priorities for the business in April, making jet fighters didn’t make the cut. Leanne Caret has made waves inside and outside the company with the stark admission that a company which has produced fighters for decades won’t be making them beyond the early 2020s.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Is More Than Just Stealth: It’s a 'Flying Antenna'

06/13/2016

The Danish fighter competition is over, it would seem, as the parliament has officially approved a program for 27 F-35 Lightning IIs. As I noted last week, the purchase price remains indeterminate, so the Danish Defense Ministry may be seriously unprepared for the final bill, if it’s really taking seriously the source-selection team’s calculations.

Pilot Intv. - Attack Missions in the A-10

06/13/2016

An A-10 pilot told Scout Warrior the aircraft was the most "rugged" he had ever flown. The Air Force now plans to keep the A-10 flying well into the next-decade.

NATO's military might on display in the skies over the Baltic Sea in three-week long military operation

06/12/2016

Militaries from NATO countries are taking part in the Baltops training exercises, which have been held since 1971. The US-led exercise is involving around 6,000 troops, 50 ships, 60 aircraft and one submarine in the Baltic Sea. Nations bordering Russia called on US to bolster its number of troops as the country continue to parade its power.

The U.S. Military Is Betting On “Smart” Drones — Lots And Lots Of Them

06/12/2016

In the Pentagon briefing room, filled with requisite overstuffed chairs surrounding a heavy wooden table, the future of drone warfare flashed on a large screen. The depiction wasn’t a single, ominous glider high over a training camp in Afghanistan, or another flashpoint in the long war on Al Qaeda. Instead it was dozens of synchronized drones, looking like a swarm of wasps, slicing through the layered air defenses of an enemy, unnamed but possibly China or Russia.

CRAFTING P-8 TACTICS FOR THE EXTENDED BATTLESPACE: AN INTERVIEW WITH LT. TUCKER

06/12/2016

During our visit to Jacksonville Naval Air Station, we had a chance to talk with Lt. Alan Tucker, the VP-16 Squadron Maritime Tactics Instructor (SMTI). He has surface fleet experience and came to the P-8 four years ago and started as a weapons school instructor in VP-30. VP-30 is the squadron where initial training for P-8 crews occurs.

An F-22 Raptor restart for the Air Force may not be so far-fetched

06/12/2016

Reviving production of the U.S. military’s pricey F-22 Raptor jet may not be so far-fetched after all, Bloomberg News reports. Although canceled over cost a few years ago, the stealth fighter still has its supporters and now a House subcommittee has asked Air Force to investigate what it would cost to begin building the aircraft again, Bloomberg reported this week.

Air Force F-16s, MQ-1 Predators likely to step up airstrikes in Afghanistan

06/12/2016

U.S. generals, who for months have been arguing in favor of employing more air power in Afghanistan to counter the Taliban’s advances, are finally getting their wish. Defense officials on Friday announced that the White House has approved an expansion of U.S. airstrikes against the fundamentalist group, giving more authority to U.S. commanders to call in aerial backup for Afghan and U.S. forces on the ground.

Boeing Restores 30 F/A-18C+ Models for Marine Corps

06/11/2016

Boeing is modifying 30 legacy F/A-18C Hornets recovered from the aircraft “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base to a “C+” standard at the request of the U.S. Marine Corps. The updated strike fighters will support two new squadrons, the manufacturer said. Thus far, Boeing has delivered two F/A-18C+ fighters to the Marines from its maintenance facility at Cecil Field, Fla. Five more fighters were undergoing the update and four were expected to arrive by September.

BAE proposes autonomous combat drone to work alongside fighter pilots

06/11/2016

UK defence and security company BAE Systems has unveiled plans to build the world’s first autonomous military drone, proposing a scenario where unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) would work alongside conventional manned aircraft.

BAE Systems Working on ‘Combat’ Hawk Jet for India

06/11/2016

BAE Systems is proceeding with design and wind-tunnel testing of a new wing for the evergreen Hawk jet trainer. The work, which is being done in the UK, was prompted by Indian interest in producing a “combat” version of the aircraft, as a follow-on to the current licensed production of the Mk132 advanced jet trainer (AJT) version by Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). BAE and HAL signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in May 2015 to explore future cooperation, and discussions continue.

IAF Chief On Sweden Visit, Flies Gripen Fighter Aircraft

06/11/2016

Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, on an official trip to Sweden, has flown the Gripen fighter aircraft, a move that comes at a time when the government is in the process of shortlisting a combat assault plane under 'Make in India' initiative. Air Chief Marshal flew the Gripen at the Saab's facility at Linkoping in Sweden yesterday, IAF officials said on Friday. He flew the Gripen D aircraft with Wing Commander (Flying) Michael Lundquist.

Boeing’s Defense Chief Looks Beyond Fighters

06/11/2016

When the new head of defense at Boeing Co. laid out her priorities for the business in April, making jet fighters didn’t make the cut. Leanne Caret has made waves inside and outside the company with the stark admission that a company which has produced fighters for decades won’t be making them beyond the early 2020s.

What If Iran Started Flying Combat Missions From Syria?

06/11/2016

The wars in Syria and Iraq feature long list of stakeholders that are connected to a tangled web of shaky alliances, tacit allowances and contradicting goals. Yet since Russia pulled its fixed-wing tactical fighters and attack aircraft out of Syria, the US appears to be enjoying less complex and volatile skies over the war-torn country.