Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Canada, Hungary to Hold Observation Flight Over Russia – Security Official

07/27/2015

Canadian and Hungarian experts will fly over Russia on Monday as part of the Treaty on Open Skies, the head of the Russian National Center for Reducing the Nuclear Threat said. Sergei Ryzhkov said the joint Canadian-Hungarian mission will be carried out by a Hungarian An-26 observation aircraft.

Turkish Jets Strike Kurdish Targets in Northern Iraq

07/27/2015

The Turkish jets, scrambled from the Diyarbakir airbase, struck PKK positions in the area of Harkurk along the Iraqi-Turkish border, according to the MyNet web portal. Ankara is yet to confirm the strikes.

Taiwan Pursues MH-60R ASW Helos

07/26/2015

Taiwan's Navy seeks to procure eight to 10 MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters via the US Foreign Military Sales program to replace aging MD500 "Defender" helicopters, a local defense industry source said. An announcement is expected by the end of this year and a possible letter of acceptance in 2016, the source said. A US-based defense industry analyst said the deal was estimated at $700 million to $800 million.

Turkey Says it Could Send Troops into Syria to Fight ISIS

07/26/2015

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday Turkey could send troops into Syria to combat ISIS shortly after it was announced that coalition aircraft could start flying missions against ISIS from Turkish airbases. In the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), NATO ally Turkey would be prepared to send its army across the border into Syria "if there was such a need," Davutoglu said at a news conference Friday.

Augmenting operational strength: IAF in the process of inducting more aircraft

07/26/2015

Augmenting its operational strength, the IAF is in the process of inducting additional Su-30 MKI aircraft manufactured under licence by HAL and Light Combat Aircraft ( LCA), which is manufactured indigenously by HAL, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed the Lok Sabha. He said that the requirement of fighter aircraft is periodically reviewed to ensure that the IAF meets its operational needs.

Russia Creating Air Force, Air Defense Forces for Northern Fleet

07/26/2015

Russia is set to form an air force and an air defense force within the Northern Fleet, its commander said on Saturday. The decision to establish these forces in the Northern Fleet was announced by the head of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov in late 2014. "We have started the development of air force and air defense force armies within the ranks of the Northern Fleet," Admiral Vladimir Korolev said.

Moscow Close to Selling Air Defense System Better Than S-300 to Tehran

07/26/2015

Negotiations on delivery of a more modernized Russian air defense system than S-300 to Iran are close to a successful conclusion, a source in the Iranian Defense Ministry told Sputnik on Saturday.

Raytheon to Provide US, Saudi Arabia With $180Mln in Air-to-Ground Missiles

07/26/2015

US defense contractor Raytheon has been awarded a $180 million contract to provide the US Navy and Saudi Arabia with guided air-to-ground missiles, the US Defense Department announced.

US State Dep't Confirms Use of Turkish Base for Airstrikes on ISIL in Syria

07/26/2015

The Turkish government approved the use of the Incirlik airbase by US and other anti-Islamic State coalition partners to carry out airstrikes in Syria, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said on Friday.

Turkish Planes Carry Out Fresh Strikes on ISIL Positions in Syria - TV

07/26/2015

Turkish F-16 Falcon combat jets are carrying out a second wave of airstrikes on Friday against positions of Islamic State militants in Syria, the NTV television reported citing military sources.

US to Continue Training Ukraine Security Forces in Autumn

07/26/2015

Washington plans to continue training Ukraine’s defense personnel in the autumn 2015 in the West of the country, US State Department Deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said on Friday. “The United States intends to continue training Ukrainian security forces this fall in western Ukraine,” Toner said during a press briefing.

Russian Navy to Get Over 20 Ship-Borne Fighter Jets by Year-End

07/26/2015

The aviation branch of the Russian Navy will get more than 20 new ship-borne MiG-29K fighters by the end of 2015, the Defense Ministry’s press service said. The warplanes will serve as a backbone for a new aviation unit within the Northern Feet.

Philippines Boosts Military Spending to Record Highs Amid S. China Sea Row

07/22/2015

The proposed 2016 national budget, which President Benigno Aquino is to present to parliament for approval on Monday, would reserve a record 25 billion pesos ($552 million) for defense spending, Agence France-Presse reported.

Lockheed Martin to acquire United Technologies’ Sikorsky Aircraft Unit

07/20/2015

Lockheed Martin Corp., the largest U.S. weapons maker, has agreed to buy United Technologies Corp.’s Sikorsky Aircraft unit, the maker of Black Hawk helicopters, for more than $8-billion (U.S.), a source familiar with the negotiations said on Sunday. The two companies plan to announce the deal on Monday before both report second-quarter results on Tuesday, said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly.

Russia Orders 'Submarine-Killer' Be-200 Amphibious Aircraft For Production By 2020, Official Says

07/20/2015

The Russian navy plans to purchase a “submarine-killer” version of its Be-200 amphibious aircraft by 2020, an unnamed official said Sunday. President Vladimir Putin has made the modernization of Russia’s military aircraft a priority as part of a larger plan to revamp the armed forces by the end of the decade.

Intrigues Surround Militants’ Shooting Of Nigerian Military Plane With Ukrainian Mercenaries

07/20/2015

A shroud of secrecy appears to surround the shooting down last week of a military plane allegedly carrying Ukrainian mercenaries. Nigerian military officials as well as Ukrainian diplomats deflected questions on the attack in which five occupants of a surveillance plane, according to details provided to SaharaReporters by a military source.

Pacific Fleet commander signals intent by joining flight over South China Sea

07/20/2015

The new commander of the United States Pacific Fleet took part in a seven-hour “surveillance mission” over the disputed South China Sea over the weekend, a move that could spark another diplomatic row with China. The fleet said via Facebook yesterday that Admiral Scott Swift, who arrived in the Philippines on Thursday for a four-day visit, was aboard the P-8A Poseidon aircraft on Saturday “to witness firsthand the full range of the Poseidon’s capabilities”.

Philippine Military Upgrade Stalls

07/20/2015

A push by the Philippines to overhaul its obsolete military has ground to a halt just as the U.S. ally is striving to deter China in the disputed waters between them. A string of programs collectively valued at $1 billion stalled early last year, according to military officials and executives involved in Philippine defense deals.

Critics of Iran Nuclear Deal Target Arms

07/20/2015

Critics of the nuclear deal with Iran have expanded their attacks to provisions they say that could allow Tehran to vastly improve its abilities to provide conventional weapons to its allies. The deal reached in Vienna last week restricting Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting economic sanctions will give Tehran a financial windfall of tens of billions of dollars.

UK Leaders Highlight Need To Boost ISTAR

07/20/2015

Britain's upcoming strategic defense and security review (SDSR) could boost surveillance assets after the prime minister, the defense secretary and the chief of the Defence Staff last week all said they support spending in the sector.

Super Tucano, Embraer Soaring in Africa

07/20/2015

African demand for Embraer Defense and Security's flagship A-29 Super Tucano light attack/trainer turbo-prop aircraft is set to surge as economically strained countries seeking cheaper multirole aircraft settle for its lower price tag, operational simplicity and ease of maintenance, a senior African military analyst said.

Russia to Hold Observation Flights Over Baltics, Land Inspection in Latvia

07/20/2015

Russia’s observation aircraft will fly over Latvian and Lithuanian territories, while Russian inspectors will visit portions of Latvian territory as part of mutual transparency agreements, the head of the Russian National Center for Reducing the Nuclear Threat said.

Israel wants US 'compensation' for Iran nuclear deal

07/18/2015

Israel is preparing to deliver a list of aircraft and weapons it wants from the USA as a “compensation package” for the recent agreement with Iran that limited Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The pact between Iran and the USA, Europe, China and Russia was signed on 14 July in Vienna and sees sanctions – including those preventing the sale of commercial aircraft – lifted on the nation in return for a halt to the country’s nuclear weapons programme.

Several types of missiles being developed for Russia's Tupolev Tu-160M2 bombers — ministry

07/18/2015

Several types of new aircraft missiles are being developed for the Tupolev Tu-160M2 strategic bombers, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Friday. "Yes, certainly," he said, answering a question if a new missile was being developed. "It will be not one, but several types of missiles - both in terms of the range and capacity. Several [missiles] are being developed," the deputy minister said during a visit to the Kazan-based Gorbunov Aviation Plant (branch of JSC Tupolev).

Philippines to station fighter planes, frigates at Subic Bay

07/18/2015

The Philippines will station new fighter jets and two frigates at the former US naval facility in Subic Bay from early next year, officials said, the first time the massive installation has functioned as a military base in 23 years. Using Subic Bay would allow the Philippine air force and navy to respond more effectively to Chinese moves in the disputed South China Sea, security experts said.