Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Egypt to Buy Russia’s Ka-52 Alligator Attack Helicopters

09/01/2015

Egypt has ordered Ka-52 helicopters but the delivery has not started yet, according to the source that did not specify the timeframe and sum of the contract. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is currently on a visit to Moscow. During talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Sisi reached an agreement to extend Russian grain supplies and switch to ruble transactions in the tourist industry.

China ready to launch military power from artificial islands in South China Sea

08/31/2015

China has won the first round of its contest for control in the South China Sea by completing construction of an archipelago of artificial islands, say senior Australian sources. And there is little that will stop China from winning the next round, too, as an indecisive US Administration and allies including Australia struggle to follow through on earlier promises to challenge unlawful Chinese claims with "freedom of navigation" exercises, the sources say.

China's military might goes on show

08/31/2015

On Thursday, 12,000 People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops, between 100 - 200 aircraft and about 500 pieces of military equipment will participate in a military parade in the Chinese capital commemorating the 70th anniversary of the surrender of regional rival Japan to end World War II.

Combat Effectiveness of Yak-130 Enhanced

08/31/2015

Irkut has demonstrated Yak-130 trainer aircraft fitted with laser rangefinder intended for visual identification of ground and surface targets and measurement of slant range to them at the MAKS-2015. Russia has upgraded the the Yak-130 (tail number 01)in a bid to showcase it as not just a trainer but also as a light attack aircraft to its foreign customers.

To Prove Its CAS Capabilities, F-35 To Face Off Against A-10

08/31/2015

To gauge the joint strike fighter's ability to perform in a close-air support role, the Pentagon's top weapons tester has declared the sleek new fighter jet must face off against the lumbering A-10.

KC-46A: Big airplane being delayed by a few big problems

08/31/2015

Delays with development of a new Air Force tanker scheduled to be based and serviced in Oklahoma are causing turbulence at the Pentagon, but local leaders say they're not too worried about a project that is expected to pump millions of dollars into their economies.

Turkey conducts first joint air strikes as part of coalition against ISIL

08/31/2015

The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that Turkish military aircraft had started bombing ISIL targets late on Friday. “Our fighter aircraft, along with coalition fighter jets, began carrying out joint air operations as of yesterday (Friday) evening against ISIL targets in Syria that also present a threat to our national security,” said the ministry on Saturday.

Russian Mi-28N Helicopters Receive Cutting-Edge Helmet Imaging Systems

08/31/2015

Pilots flying the modernized version of Russia’s Mi-28N attack helicopters will receive a new helmet imaging and targeting system. The device was unveiled at the MAKS-2015 air expo on Saturday.

US wants F-22s to cooperate with Gripens

08/29/2015

The US wants its F-22 Raptor fighters, which its plans to deploy in Europe, to learn to cooperate with the supersonic fighters of the allies, not only with the most widespread Eurofighter Typhoons but also the Gripen fighters used by the Czechs, daily Lidové noviny (LN) writes today.

Pentagon Awards Deal for Wearable Devices in Silicon Valley Push

08/29/2015

The Pentagon has awarded a $171 million contract to a California-based consortium to develop wearable electronic devices as part of a push to work more closely with Silicon Valley. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced the award for the so-called FlexTech Alliance, a group of companies, nonprofits, labs and universities — from Apple Inc. to Boeing Co., from the Cleveland Clinic to MIT — during a speech Friday at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, which is also home to Google Inc.

Poland to Overhaul Six Bulgarian MiG-29 Fighter Jets by end-2016

08/29/2015

Six Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets will have their engines overhauled in Poland, according to an intergovernmental letter of intent signed in Sofia on Friday. Poland’s state-owned Miltary Aviation Works WZL 2, 4 will carry out the repair and upgrade of the engines of three MiG-29s by the middle of next year and a further three by end-2016, according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence.

Tests show F-35s can share data with older aircraft

08/29/2015

Aug 28 Two weeks of joint testing of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet at a California air base by the Royal Netherlands Air Force showed that the new stealthy jets are able to share a significant amount of data with older warplanes, the pilot in charge of Dutch F-35 testing told Reuters.

Airbus Helicopters to demo Tiger combat aircraft in Poland

08/29/2015

Airbus Helicopters reports its Tiger aircraft will perform a flight demonstration in Poland prior to the start next week's MSPO defense exhibition. The Tiger HAD chosen for the demonstration is from the French Army, which has used Tigers in operations in Afghanistan and the Sahel.

Boeing Receives $1.49 Billion Contract for 13 P-8A Poseidon Aircraft

08/29/2015

Boeing will provide the first P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft for Australia and additional P-8As for the U.S. Navy following a $1.49 billion contract award from the Navy for 13 aircraft. The order includes nine aircraft for the U.S. Navy and four Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a long-time partner to the U.S. Navy on P-8A development.

Belarus Plans Purchasing More Russian Jet Trainers

08/29/2015

Belarus plans to purchase eight more Yakovlev (Mitten) Yak-130 jet trainers from Russia, in addition to the four planes that Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut Corporation agreed to deliver on Wednesday, the country’s military said.

US Airstrike Killed Top ISIL Hacker – CENTCOM

08/29/2015

A top hacker for the Islamic State (ISIL) was killed in a US military airstrike earlier in the week, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Friday.

US F-22 Fighter Jets Arrive in Germany to Begin NATO Training Mission

08/29/2015

Four US F-22 tactical fighter jets meant to bolster NATO have arrived at the Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to begin training exercises, the US Air Force announced in a Friday press release.

Brazil and Sweden sign financial agreement for Gripen NG acquisition

08/28/2015

Brazil and Sweden have signed the financing agreement for the acquisition of Gripen NG fighters for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), allowing Saab to start the production of aircraft. Recently, both the countries had agreed on interest rates in a financial deal to support the aircraft acquisition programme.

China's new bomber to debut in V-Day parade

08/28/2015

China will showcase a novel model of bomber aircraft in the military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3, according to military sources. The aircraft, independently developed for long-distance precision strikes, was loosely based on a previous bomber model, but 90 percent has been refitted, according to Bao Lianjing, leading pilot of the parade debut formation. "Besides the tiller and the rudder, everything else has been upgraded," Bao said.

US Army test fires AIM-9X Block II missile from multi-mission launcher

08/28/2015

The US Army has successfully test-fired the Raytheon-built AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missile from its ground-based indirect fire protection capability increment 2-I (IFPC 2-I) Block 1 multi-mission launcher (MML).

Opinion: What if They Held a Salvo Competition and Nobody Came?

08/28/2015

After Vietnam, the Department of Defense turned its attention back to the Soviet threat in Europe. Faced with an opposing force that was numerically superior, land-power-focused, and strategically positioned to overrun Western Europe, the United States initially turned to nuclear weapons to offset a battlefield disadvantage.

Syria combat missions: Kevin Andrews calls for more detail on protecting pilots

08/28/2015

The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, has asked for detailed advice on pilot and air crew safety before signing off on air combat missions over Syria. Key concerns are the ability to rescue crew if they are shot down, and keeping out of the way of other aircraft in the increasingly crowded skies. Andrews said the safety of RAAF pilots and aircrew would be foremost in the government’s mind as it considers extending existing air operations over Iraq to include Syria.

India may seal $5bn Rafale deal next week

08/28/2015

A $5-billion deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France is on the agenda of a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council in South Block on Friday, August 28. The Rafale deal has been listed for discussion as a ‘confidential project’ in the meeting. The government hopes the DAC will clear the purchase of the jets before French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian arrives in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Moscow confused as IAF puts fifth-generation fighter on back burner to buy Rafale

08/28/2015

The ongoing MAKS 2015 air show in Moscow features an impressive flying display by the Sukhoi T-50, the fifth-generation prototype fighter's first public outing in two years. But even the rousing applause fails to mask the disappointment of Russian officials at the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) foot-dragging in co-developing the T-50 into a "fifth generation fighter aircraft" (FGFA) that the IAF will buy.

Japan Launches Newest Izumo-Class Helicopter Carrier

08/28/2015

Japan launched the second and final ship in its new Izumo-class helicopter carrier – the largest Japanese ships since World War II – at the Japan Marine United shipyard in Yokohama on Thursday.