Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

HAL In Talks With Swedish Firm For Upgraded Tejas

04/15/2016

State-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited or HAL is in talks with Swedish aerospace major Saab, makers of single engine Gripen fighter planes, to collaborate on the upgraded version of the indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft 'Tejas' which will replace IAF's aging fleet of MiG combat jets.

U.S. Sending Commandos, Combat Aircraft to Philippines

04/15/2016

The United States on Thursday revealed for the first time that American ships have started conducting joint patrols with the Philippines in the South China Sea, a somewhat rare move not done with many other partners in the region.

Boeing, U.S. Army to Remanufacture 117 Apache Helicopters

04/15/2016

Boeing continues its role as the United States’ leading provider of attack helicopters with a contract to remanufacture 117 AH-64D Apaches to the new, more capable AH-64E model. The agreement, which also includes the acquisition of Longbow Crew Trainers, logistical support and spares, carries a total contract value of about $1.5 billion.

Russian Military Research Agency Starts Contest for UAV-Based Flying Lab

04/15/2016

Russian Foundation for Advanced Research Projects on Thursday announced a competition for the best project to build a flying laboratory based on Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) technologies.

Watch Out: China and Russia Are Working Together at Sea

04/14/2016

Despite plentiful signs that Russia-China relations are growing ever closer, naysayers suggest that Moscow and Beijing are constrained from moving beyond a tepid collaboration. An awkward Cold War history, cultural misunderstanding, geopolitical competition, economic and demographic asymmetries and even a visceral contempt are said to comprise the myriad reasons why Chinese and Russians just cannot get along, let alone engage in strategic coordination.

Special Operations Gunships to Be Equipped With Improved Sensors

04/14/2016

Air Force Special Operations Command plans to fly small, tactical off-board drones from its AC-130 gunships in combat for the first time later this year, which will give crews better views of the battlefield. Tactical off-board sensing, or TOBS, is intended to improve AFSOC’s targeting capabilities in poor weather or other challenging conditions.

Radar Planes: Why Does The Air Force Need A Dozen Years To Buy 17 Off-the-Shelf Aircraft?

04/14/2016

The U.S. Air Force operates a small fleet of radar planes that can track the movement of ground forces day or night, rain or shine. No kidding, the planes can peer through the murkiest sandstorm to pinpoint the location of hostile forces, identifying what kind of vehicles they are operating, what direction they are moving in, and at what speed.

Canada Expected To Scale Back Programs, Post Defense Review

04/14/2016

The Canadian government has launched a defense review that is widely expected to scale back or eliminate some of the military’s planned equipment programs and could see niche roles emerge for the country’s military. But the Liberal Party government, which came to power in October promising a leaner, more agile Canadian military, has assured Parliament that some key roles, such as search and rescue operations and equipment, will remain untouched.

Saudi arms deal: Enough with the hypocrisy

04/14/2016

Current Saudi orders “include 150 combat aircraft and thousands of air-to-surface missiles and anti-tank missiles from the [United States], 14 combat aircraft from [Britain] and an undisclosed but large number of armoured vehicles from Canada with turrets from Belgium,” the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute noted in its 2016 review of global arms sales.

U.S. Air Force says combat-ready F-35 fighter jets on track for 2016

04/14/2016

The U.S. Air Force said on Wednesday said it still expected to declare an initial squadron of Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets ready for combat between August and December, despite delays in the jets' computer-based logistics system. The four-star generals who run Air Combat Command and Air Force Materiel Command reviewed flight milestones and other aspects of the $379 billion F-35 program at Hill Air Force Base in Utah last week.

Jordan May Be Looking To Buy An Export Variant Of Russia's Su-34 Fullback Fighter-Bomber

04/14/2016

Russian media reports that Jordan is consulting with Moscow on buying a batch of Su-32s, a export derivative of Russia’s Su-34 Fullback fighter-bomber, which itself is an evolution of the Su-27 Flanker series of fighter aircraft.

Russian attack aircraft just flew within 30 feet of a U.S. Navy ship

04/14/2016

In one of the most aggressive actions in recent memory, Russian warplanes conducted “simulated attacks” on the a U.S. Navy vessel in the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, repeatedly flying within 30 feet of the ship, according to a defense official.

South Korea Says North Deployed Musudan Ballistic Missiles on Eastern Coast

04/14/2016

North Korea has allegedly deployed one or two Musudan intermediate-range ballistic missiles (also known as Rodong-B or BM-25) on its eastern coast, South Korean media reports. The missiles were spotted in the area of the eastern port city of Wonsan, South Korea’s Yonhap news agency said early on Thursday citing government sources.

Emerging Presence of Daesh in Egypt Forces Pentagon to Consider Drawdown

04/14/2016

As the Pentagon prepares to increase its troop numbers in Iraq to combat Daesh, the terrorist group’s presence in Egypt is having the opposite effect, prompting a US military drawdown.

Sikorksy lands new UH-60 Black Hawk order for Mexico

04/13/2016

Sikorsky Aircraft, now a division of Lockheed Martin, has received a U.S. Army contract to build seven specialized variants of its UH-60M Black Hawk combat helicopter for the Mexican military. The $54 million contract, through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, will cover the construction and modification of the "uniquely configured" Black Hawks for Mexico, according to a Defense Department contract notice.

Company Develops Laser-Blocking Eyewear for Pilots

04/13/2016

When someone on the ground shines a laser at an aircraft cockpit, there’s not much a pilot can do, and the effect can be disorienting and dangerous to crew and passengers. But a new line of eyewear developed to combat the increasing problem of laser flashes has been developed and is now available for preorder.

Russian pilots set world record for non-stop MiG-31 flight

04/13/2016

Russian pilots recently carried out the longest ever non-stop flight for a MiG-31 supersonic interceptor jet in the 36-year history of the aircraft. The flight lasted seven hours and four minutes. The pilots covered a distance of nearly 5,000 miles between military airfields in the Krasnoyarsk Territory and the Astrakhan Region with three mid-air refueling procedures performed en route.

Weeks after ‘pullout’ from Syria, Russian military is as busy as ever

04/13/2016

Russia portrayed last month’s drawdown from Syria as a victory and a homecoming after a six-month deployment in which its air force turned the tide of the long-running conflict. So it was a surprise when Russian state outlets reported in recent days that powerful new Russian helicopters were seeing Syrian combat for the first time.

AF releases criteria for basing new RPA units

04/13/2016

The Air Force released basing criteria April 12 that will be used to select candidate bases for a potential new MQ-9 Reaper wing with units at up to two locations. The Air Force is pursuing additional locations to help diversify assignment opportunities for personnel within the MQ-9 enterprise, provide increased opportunities for leadership from within the community, and provide flexibility to enhance integration with other organizations and capabilities.

This is the advanced Russian helicopter that just crashed in Syria

04/13/2016

A Russian Mi-28 helicopter crashed in Syria Tuesday, according to a statement by the Russian Ministry of Defense. Its two crew members were killed, and the aircraft was said to have crashed because of technical reasons.

Air Force F-22s deploy to England

04/13/2016

The U.S. Air Force has deployed its top-of-the-line F-22 fighters to Europe for the second time in a year in a show of commitment to NATO allies, the U.S. European Command announced Monday. F-22 Raptors from 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base in the Florida panhandle arrived at Royal Air Force Lakenheath in England on Monday for a deployment that will last into next month, the command said in a statement.

US, India Agree to Increase Bilateral Defense Technology Collaboration

04/13/2016

US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi to discuss the strategic importance of the US-India relationship and bilateral defense cooperation, the US Department of Defense said in a press release on Tuesday.

Iran Needs S-300 Systems While Moscow Needs 'Reliable Ally' to Fight Daesh

04/13/2016

Russian-made S-300 air defense systems would play an important role in maintaining Iran’s national security. At the same time, Moscow is interested in supporting Tehran on a number of issues, including the fight against Daesh in Syria, the settlement in Nagorno-Karabakh, and deterring Turkey.

Russian Bomber Pilots Destroy Simulated Enemy Airfields in Night Drills

04/13/2016

Russian Su-24M2 Fencer bomber pilots carried out a successful nighttime destruction of simulated enemy airfields in Khabarovsk Territory, the Eastern Military District spokesman said Tuesday.

F-22 Raptors are back in Europe

04/12/2016

F-22 stealth jets are back in Europe for more exercises with NATO and partner allies, U.S. European Command announced Monday. The Raptors deployed to RAF Lakenheath, England, from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and will continue training in Europe until May, EUCOM said. The exact number of fighter jets and airmen was not disclosed.