Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Government planning to export Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, to take part in Bahrain Airshow

01/02/2016

India's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will take part in Bahrain International Airshow this month to explore export potential in what will be the first time the indigenously developed plane will fly outside the Indian air space. Besides the fighter and naval version of Tejas, India will also showcase state-of-the-art airborne platforms and associated sensors and communication systems designed and developed by DRDO.

U.S. Government, Lockheed Martin Announce C-130J Super Hercules Multiyear II Contract

01/02/2016

Lockheed Martin will deliver 78 C-130J Super Hercules to the U.S. government through a C-130J Multiyear II contract, which was announced by the U.S. government on Dec. 30, 2015. Yesterday, the Department of Defense announced the award of more than $1 billion in funding for the first 32 aircraft of the Multiyear contract. The overall contract, worth $5.3 billion, provides Super Hercules aircraft to the U.S. Air Force (30 MC-130Js, 13 HC-130Js and 29 C-130J-30s) and the U.S.M.C. (six KC-130Js).

Indian Air Base Under Attack, Four Dead Including 2 Servicemen

01/02/2016

Two of the attackers have been killed, The Times of India said early on Saturday. The attack started at 03:30 a. m. local time on Saturday, according to NDTV. An official car was used to launch the attack, NDTV said citing authorities.

Adapt and Overcome: New Russian Interceptor to Replace MiG-31

01/02/2016

Despite being one of the fastest combat aircraft in the world, the Mikoyan MiG-31 (NATO reporting name: Foxhound) supersonic interceptor went out of production in 1994. However, as Russia still requires this type of aircraft to protect its sizeable airspace, the Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is already working on a new combat aircraft which will eventually replace the old reliable Foxhound.

Brand New: Russia's Advanced Mi-38 Helicopter to Hit Production in 2016

01/02/2016

Russia has successfully completed testing of the newest multi-purpose Mi-38 helicopter. The Federal Air Transport Agency has issued a certificate of compliance with the requirements of the Mi-38 aircraft standards. This means that the helicopter will launch into production in 2016.

Russian Pilots Perform Over 4,000 Flights Aboard New Su-30SM in 2015

01/02/2016

The flight crew of Russia’s Eastern Military District (EMD) air regiment carried out over 4,000 flights aboard the advanced Su-30SM Flanker jets this year, the head of EMD’s press service said Thursday.

RAF Lossiemouth jets tackle terrorists in Syria

12/31/2015

Jets from RAF Lossiemouth have played a key role in strikes over Syria and Iraq during the Christmas period, the Ministry of Defence has revealed. Six Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft deployed from the Moray base to take part in action against the Islamic State terrorist group have been integral to several fruitful missions.

Need to know, 2016: Air Force budget outlook

12/31/2015

The Air Force is expected to submit its fiscal 2017 budget in February, said Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Melissa Milner. Lawmakers recently reached a bipartisan agreement that set federal spending limits for fiscal 2016 and 2017, but Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has said that the agreement provides $17 billion less than the Defense Department needs in fiscal 2017.

These are the Navy jets that just started striking the Islamic State

12/31/2015

After steaming across the Atlantic and following a close call with an Iranian training exercise in the Straits of Hormuz, the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman arrived in the Persian Gulf earlier this week and began combat operations against the Islamic State. The carrier, along with its accompanying strike group of destroyers, frigates and submarines, fills a strategic capability gap that had been left open when the carrier the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt departed the region in October.

Pakistan pushes for JF-17 fighter aircraft sale to Sri Lanka - report

12/31/2015

Pakistan is pushing hard to secure an agreement in principle with Sri Lanka to sell its multi-role combat aircraft JF-17 Thunder to the island nation, according to a UK-based defense publication. Following the first export deal for its JF-17 multirole fighter to Myanmar, Pakistan is expected to be pushing hard for a follow-up agreement with Sri Lanka that would mark an important step in further extending its defense co-operation footprint in the Indian Ocean region.

Multi-Million Pound Hercules Contract Supports RAF Fleet

12/31/2015

A £369 million contract to support the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) fleet of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft has been awarded to three companies by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The deal will see Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, Lockheed Martin and Rolls-Royce, who jointly deliver the Hercules Integrated Operational Support (HIOS), provide continued support for the C-130J fleet until 2022.

Northrop Grumman Wins Japan Order for Hawkeye Surveillance Aircraft

12/31/2015

The US Department of Defense announced the winner of $286 million US Navy contract for the production and delivery of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to Japan.

Russia to Supply Egypt With 46 Ka-52K Naval Attack Helicopters

12/31/2015

Russia has struck a deal with Egypt to deliver 46 Kamov Ka-52K navalized attack helicopters, the director-general of the state-run Russian Helicopters aircraft maker said Wednesday.

Kuwait to Send Troops to Join Saudi War in Yemen

12/31/2015

Kuwait is ready to send an artillery battalion to protect Saudi Arabia against cross-border incursions by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al-Qabas reported.

Russian PAK FA to be Equipped With Futuristic Photonic

12/31/2015

The radar will be based on Radio-Optical Phased Arrays (ROFAR), explained the adviser of the first deputy general director of concern Radio-Electronic Technology (KRET) Vladimir Mikheev. KRET is a part of Russia’s Rostec corporation, it developed the electronic systems for the aircraft.

Iran Paying for S-300 Air Defense System Contract - Russian Deputy PM

12/31/2015

Russia has begun fulfilling a contract with Iran on the delivery of S-300 air defense systems that the Islamic Republic has already been paying for, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Wednesday. In 2007, Moscow and Tehran signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems to Iran. In 2010, Russia suspended the contract, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an armed embargo on Tehran until it proved a peaceful nature of its nuclear project.

Navy Jets Return to ISIS Fight as USS Truman Enters Arabian Gulf

12/30/2015

Strike aircraft from nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman flew their first missions against ISIS terrorists Tuesday in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. It was the first strike by Navy jets since the San Diego-based carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt left the region in October. The Defense Department reported that U.S. an coalition aircraft conducted nine strikes against targets in Syria and 22 in Iraq.

The only man to ever shoot at a UFO

12/30/2015

Thirty-five years ago, fighter pilot Oscar Santa Maria Huerta had a real-life Independence Day moment when he attempted to shoot down a mysterious light-bulb shaped craft, in what to this day remains the only documented case of a military aircraft firing on a UFO.

Was 2015 a good year for India's defence sector?

12/30/2015

The most significant development of 2015 was the scrapping of the $20-billion (Rs 1.45 lakh crore) Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal for the purchase of 126 French Dassault Rafale fighter jets. Expense could have been a major reason, IndiaSpend reported. To boost squadron strength, the government cleared the off-the-shelf purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft in fly-away condition from Dassault’s factories in France at an estimated cost of $8-9 billion (Rs 52,800-59,400 crore).

Pentagon says F-35 program on the right track

12/30/2015

Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office say they've finished delivering jets for 2015, increasing their yield from last year by 25 percent. Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman with the F-35 office at the Pentagon, said 45 F-35s were delivered, which met Lockheed and the program office's delivery goal for the year and exceeded last year's deliveries by nine jets.

Russian Arms Transfers and Asian Military Modernisation

12/30/2015

The Russian defence industry is a critical segment of the country’s economy, employing at least 2.5 million workers, and accounting for 20 per cent of all manufacturing jobs. The arms industry suffered considerably after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and subsequent years of neglect due to a precipitous drop in military spending.

China’s Lethal New J-20 Warplane Takes Off

12/30/2015

Beijing’s stealthy Chengdu J-20 fifth-generation combat aircraft, pictured above in an artist’s rendering, may have entered low rate initial production according to state-owned Chinese media. Xinhua—Beijing’s official news agency—published photos of the newest J-20 aircraft, which is still coated in primer paint, earlier this week.

Russia-NATO Standonff Will Continue in 2016, But Military Conflict Unlikely

12/30/2015

Stratfor, an American global intelligence company, stated that the crisis between Russia and the Western states was "central in shaping the global system for the past two years," adding that it was likely to remain in place next year, "though the levels of conflict and potential cooperation will wax and wane from issue to issue."

Venezuelan Military Helicopter Crashes in Colombia, Injures 4

12/29/2015

Venezuela’s National Guard helicopter has crashed in Colombia, injuring several people, local media reported Monday, citing Colombian Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II generates a charged debate

12/29/2015

It’s an aircraft like no other, in both its design and most definitely its cost. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history, with a price tag of $400 billion for development and procurement.