Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Iran holds 10 U.S. sailors but pledges to release them soon, Pentagon says

01/13/2016

The Iranian military took control of two U.S. Navy vessels and their crew Tuesday after the boats apparently strayed into Iran’s territorial waters, U.S. officials said. The circumstances surrounding the incident, which comes at a volatile moment in U.S.-Iranian relations, remained unclear late Tuesday. Senior U.S. officials said they expected the crew of ten to be released from Iranian custody Wednesday morning.

Korean Air inks big military drone deal

01/12/2016

Korean Air signed a deal late last month with the state-run munitions procurement organization to mass produce a new unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), or drone, for military reconnaissance missions, the top air carrier said on Sunday. The budget for the deal with the Defense Acquisition Program Administration, which will conclude in 2020, totals 400 billion won ($334 million), and Korean Air will receive 230 billion won through 2018 in its initial phase.

Rescue wing retiring aging HC-130s

01/12/2016

With no fanfare other than the fading rumble of its four turbo-prop engines, one of Patrick's well-worn HC-130P/N King aircraft - number 65-00976 - disappeared into the afternoon sky heading into retirement at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's 309th Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group, the aircraft retirement "bone yard," in Arizona.

Air Force Fighter Jets Will Control Drones

01/12/2016

The Air Force Chief Scientist said F-35 pilots will be able to control a small group of drones flying nearby from the aircraft cockpit in the air, performing sensing, reconnaissance and targeting functions. At the moment, the flight path, sensor payload and weapons disposal of airborne drones such as Air Force Predators and Reapers are coordinated from ground control stations.

Serbia can't modernize army with current budget - analyst

01/12/2016

This is according to military analyst Aleksandar Radic, who spoke for the Beta agency."It is not possible to realize these promises and obviously these are empty stories and intentional deception. These promises have so far mainly come from the Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic, and this time from Chief of General Staff General Dikovic," Radic said, adding that this was "heard the least from the one who should have said it the most - Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic."

Why Sri Lanka Backed Off the Sino-Pakistani JF-17 Thunder

01/12/2016

As Benjamin Baker wrote last week in The Diplomat, the JF-17 Thunder, a low-cost multi-role fighter built collaboratively by China and Pakistan, has run into some problems on the global fighter market. Recently, every time it appears to have locked down a buyer, problem crop up. Malaysia became the latest supposed buyer of the JF-17 to come out publicly and say that there was no finalized deal.

India says closing in on French fighter plane deal

01/12/2016

India and France are close to a deal to buy 36 combat planes from Dassault, India's defence minister said on Monday, after months of wrangling over price and other terms of the sale. French President Francois Hollande is due in New Delhi this month as a guest of honour at a military parade and the two sides are expected to seal the pact for the Rafale fighters either just before he arrives or during the visit.

A Late Holiday Gift: Two Su-35S Jets Enter Service in Russia's Far East

01/12/2016

An air regiment of Russia's Eastern Military District (EMD) will receive its first two Su-35S fighter jets soon, the head of EMD's press service said Monday. "Two new Su-35S 4++ generation jets are due to enter service with the EMD air regiment deployed in Primorsky Territory," Col. Alexander Gordeyev told reporters.

Behind the scenes of a refueling mission at Fairchild AFB

01/11/2016

Fairchild Air Force Base gave a behind the scenes look of its KC-135 refueling tanker for the first time in two years on Friday. They allowed KREM 2 cameras on the plane as they headed out to put fuel in six F-15s in Oregon and one C-17 in Lewis-McChord.

Military strikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq

01/11/2016

On Jan. 9, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 strikes using fighter, attack, bomber, and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 strikes coordinated with and in support of the government of Iraq using rocket artillery, fighter, bomber, and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.

Sri Lanka cancels Pakistan jet deal after Indian opposition

01/11/2016

The Sri Lankan government cancelled a deal to buy Pakistani fighter jets after a “diplomatic missive” from India, reports The Indian Express. New Delhi reportedly told Sri Lanka that its current defence requirements meant it did not need the JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft from Pakistan, whilst also sending a negative technical assessment of the aircraft.

Japan's Self-Defense Forces to cover more of South China Sea

01/11/2016

The Defense Ministry and the Self-Defense Forces have decided that Japanese P-3C patrol aircraft returning home from anti-piracy activities off the coast of Somalia will give priority to stopping along the way at bases of countries facing the South China Sea, including the Philippines and Vietnam, according to sources.

Air Force Looks to Double Number of Drone Pilots

01/11/2016

The US Air Force wants to double the number of units flying drones and recruit more pilots to decrease the burden on current crews as demand for the missions soars. The Air Force also recently allowed enlisted airmen to become drone pilots for the first time as the military increasingly uses unmanned aircraft for surveillance, protecting US soldiers on the ground and attacking targets.

Iraq Argues It Does Better Job in Anti-Daesh Air War Than Int’l Coalition

01/11/2016

The prime minister of Iraq claimed this weekend that the country’s air force does a better job striking Daesh across the country than the whole US-led '60+ nation' coalition.

Russian Navy to Enhance Captains' Training in Naval Aviation Operations

01/11/2016

Russian navy fleet in 2016 will see a significant broadening of training for captains and captains' senior assistants on ships with naval aviation on board, according to naval aviation Chief Igor Kozhin.

Russian Army Airborne Units Receive New Portable Air Defense Systems

01/11/2016

Four of Russia's airborne troop units received the newest combat equipment supplied in bundles which included the Verba man-portable surface-to-air defense system with the Barnaul-T automatic control system, as well as a single learning and training set, according to a military official.

Turkish military aircraft breach Greek air space

01/09/2016

Seven Turkish fighter jets entered Greek air space over the northeastern and southeastern Aegean without permission on Friday, according to local military officials. A formation of six planes breached Greek air space twice, while one jet flying on its own made a single incursion.

French military orders more tactical transport helicopters

01/09/2016

The French military is continuing to build its fleet of NH90-TTH helicopters, ordering six additional tactical transport aircraft. The order to NH Industries from the French defense procurement agency DGA, bringing the number of Caiman model helicopters ordered to 74, of which 44 will have been delivered by 2019.

China domestic aircraft carrier has conservative updating of the Soviet version they converted and the next ships will upgrade to nuclear propulsion and electromag launching of planes

01/09/2016

China will consider developing a nuclear-powered aircraft carrier after it gains enough experience in operating large vessels, Senior Captain Zhang Junshe with the People's Liberation Army Naval Military Studies Research Institute said.

Air Force says drone crash in Iraq was an accident

01/09/2016

An MQ-1 Predator drone crashed Thursday in Iraq but was destroyed and is not in militant hands, the Air Force said in a news release Friday. The remotely piloted aircraft was flying a combat mission when airmen lost control of the aircraft. The craft was not hit by enemy fire, the Air Force said, but an investigation is underway to determine the cause of the crash.

KC-135s surpass 100,000 combat hours

01/09/2016

The KC-135 Stratotanker fleet at Al Udeid Air Base, Qatar, flew more than 14,700 sorties in 2015 accumulating 103,419 combat hours in support of Operations Inherent Resolve and Freedom’s Sentinel. “We provide refueling to every flying unit in the area of responsibility which is Syria, Yemen, Iraq, and Afghanistan and supported 12 coalition nations,” said Lt. Col. James Murray, the 340th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron director of operations.

Amid Boko Haram Insurgency, Nigeria To Buy JF-17 Thunder Fighter Jets From Pakistan For $25M

01/09/2016

Nigeria plans to buy three JF-17 Thunder multirole fighter jets this year from Pakistan for $25 million, which would make the West African country the first export operator of the warplanes. The Nigerian government, led by President Muhammadu Buhari, has also set aside money to buy 10 PAC Super Mushshak basic trainers and two Mi-35M helicopters, Nigerian newspaper Punch reported Wednesday.

Was Syria intervention worth it for Russia?

01/08/2016

Not withstanding conventional arguments that Russia’s intervention in Syria has sharply increased its influence in the Middle East, Moscow may ultimately find that its gains do not outweigh its losses from the venture. Much will depend on whether, when and how Syria’s civil war ends.

Sri Lanka to Buy 8 Sino-Pak JF-17 Fighter Jets

01/08/2016

During a three-day state visit to Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan President Maithripala Sirisena and Pakistan’s Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif sealed a landmark deal for the purchase of eight Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft.

Russia Deploys Anti Aircraft Missiles to Syria: US Bombing Fades; British Bombing Stops

01/08/2016

British media confirms that British air campaign in Syria has ground to a complete stop. US media confirms US air campaign in northern Syria has stopped following Russian anti aircraft missile deployments.