Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Iraqi Air Force Jet Accidentally Bombs Baghdad, Killing 7

07/07/2015

An Iraqi fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb on a Baghdad residential neighborhood on Monday, killing seven people, government officials said. The Russian-made Sukhoi jet was returning from a mission against Islamic State targets in western Iraq at the time, Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan said. The bomb, which had failed to release from the aircraft earlier in the flight, detached as it flew over the neighborhood, he said.

China's J-10B Fighter Aircraft To Enter Export Market

07/07/2015

China could possibly export its J-10B fighter to Pakistan, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Russia has agreed for a deal to sell its advanced AL31FN engines which will be fitted to the J-10B, Kanwa defense review reported Sunday adding that the first batch of the engines is expected this year.

Russia, Pakistan Negotiating on Military Mi-35 Helicopters Deal

07/07/2015

Russia is holding the talks with Pakistan on the sale of the combat Mi-35 helicopters to Islamabad, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Monday. "Currently, negotiations are underway to supply Islamabad with a consignment of Mi-35 military transport helicopters, which will be used for the counter-terrorism operations in the north-west of the country," Ushakov said.

US Jets Scramble to Intercept Russian Bombers off States’ West Coast

07/07/2015

At 10:30 on the morning of July 4, the US Air Force launched two F-22 fighter jets to intercept a pair of Tu-95 Bear long-range bombers off the coast of Alaska. According to NORAD, the aircraft were within the Air Defense Identification Zone, but were over 100 miles from US airspace. Half an hour later, NORAD detected two more Tu-95’s flying off the coast of California. A pair of F-15s were scrambled, but again, the aircraft were hundreds of miles from US airspace.

Russian Investigative Committee to Probe Su-24M Jet Crash

07/07/2015

A criminal case has been open for alleged violations of flights rules which led to a Monday crash of a Russian Su-24M Fencer supersonic attack jet in Russia's eastern Khabarovsk region, a representative of the Military Investigation Department of the Eastern Military District of Russian Armed Forces said Tuesday.

Reconsidering Australia’s Iraq role in fighting Islamic Jihad

07/06/2015

Last month, US President Barack Obama announced the dispatch of 450 US military “trainers” to Anbar, adding to the 3000 US non-combat soldiers already in Iraq. Despite admitting that he does not yet have “a complete strategy” for countering Islamic State, Mr Obama has insisted he will not reconsider the tactics currently being used. Understandably, he remains resolutely opposed to deploying troops to fight on the ground.

HAL production under lens after Hawk trainer crash

07/06/2015

Production quality of the country's only aircraft manufacturer, defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), is once again under the scanner after the crash of a Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) last month. Sources said "quill-shaft failure" in the engine has emerged as the prime reason behind the crash of the twin-seat Hawk AJT, which went down in Odisha while on a training sortie from the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal on June 3. Fortunately, the two pilots managed to eject safely.

First Tejas Mark II engine to arrive in September

07/06/2015

The plan to develop a more powerful, modernised version of the current Tejas fighter is getting a welcome boost. In September, US engine-maker General Electric (GE) plans to deliver the first F-414INS6 engine (hereafter F-414), which will power the Tejas Mark II.

IAF combats lowest fighter strength

07/06/2015

Continuous warnings over the past decade as regards the alleged tardy pace of induction of new fighter jets into the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the resultant loss of “combative edge” are now ringing true. By the end of this year, the IAF would be at its lowest combat strength in more than a decade, a source said.

US-led Coalition Conducts Largest Attack on ISIL Held Syrian City

07/06/2015

The recent airstrikes conducted by US-led coalition have severely constricted the Islamic State militant's freedom of movement. US-led coalition forces said they accomplished a series of 16 airstrikes on Saturday on Islamic State militants in the Syrian city of Raqa.

Egypt foiled IS in Sinai

07/05/2015

President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, wearing battle dress for the first time in over a year, said Saturday that Egypt had foiled an attempt by the Islamic State group to seize territory and set up an extremist state with its recent assault on the military in the troubled northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula.

NZ defence teams in Darwin for warfighting exercise

07/05/2015

More than 600 New Zealand defence personnel are taking part in a warfighting exercise with Australia and the United States. The NZDF has deployed two ships, four aircraft including two NH90 helicopters, 22 Light Armoured Vehicles and 23 other military vehicles for the exercise. "Over the next three weeks, we will be training with key partners, Australia and the United States, in a challenging multi-national environment," said Colonel Glenn King, Senior National Officer (SNO) for the NZDF contin

IAF seeks 80 fighters, not 36

07/05/2015

The Indian Air Force has told the government it needs at least 80 aircraft of the capabilities of the Rafale to make up for the shortfall in its fighter jet squadrons. In April this year, during a visit to Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the air force would go for an outright purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, made by French firm Dassault Aviation.

Tests of Extended Range Missiles for S-400 Almost Finished

07/05/2015

Official tests of extended range missiles for advanced S-400 Triumf air defense systems are in the final stage, the head of the Russian Air Force's anti-aircraft missile troops said Saturday. "The official tests of this missile are in the final stage. I think that in the near future they will be successfully completed," Maj. Gen. Sergey Babakov told the Russian News Service radio.

Saab receives order to provide spare parts for Sweden’s Gripen E aircraft

07/04/2015

The Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) has contracted Saab to deliver spare parts for Gripen E multirole combat aircraft. The new development is valued at SEK250m ($30.02m). It is part of a framework agreement signed between Saab and FMV in February 2013 for development work on the JAS 39 Gripen E.

Sabre rattling, or preparing for war?

07/04/2015

After the Vietnam War, I served in West Germany in the 1970s and 1980s before the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact dissolved. Back then there were fearful thoughts about massive Soviet armor and infantry units coming across the border in Central Europe in overwhelming numbers.

The ‘new’ type of war that finally has the Pentagon’s attention

07/04/2015

The Pentagon is increasingly concerned about how to combat “hybrid warfare,” the combination of stealth invasion, local proxy forces and international propaganda that Russia used to annex Crimea and destabilize eastern Ukraine, U.S. officials said. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday released the 2015 National Military Strategy, in which he cited Russia’s actions in Ukraine and said “hybrid conflicts” will persist well into the future.

Russian warplanes not invited to Royal International Air Tattoo

07/04/2015

RUSSIAN aircraft have not been invited to the prestigious Royal International Air Tattoo this year amid rising tensions with NATO countries. Vladimir Putin’s warplanes are not welcome at the world’s biggest military airshow following flashpoints in the skies and eastern Europe. The event has a reputation for showcasing aircraft from Russia, including the Yakovlev Yak-130, a state-of-the-art combat jet.

Pentagon say reason most expensive fighter jet ever the F35 lost a dogfight with an F16 from 40 years ago was because it did not have a special coat of stealth paint

07/04/2015

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin have leapt to the defence of the expensive F-35 stealth jet after it was embarrassingly outperformed by a 40-year-old F-16 jet in a dogfight. A mock air battle was held over the Pacific Ocean between the cutting-edge F-35 - meant to be the most sophisticated jet ever - and an F-16, which was designed in the 1970s. But according to the test pilot, the F-35 is still too slow to hit an enemy plane or dodge gunfire.

Russia's 5 Most Dangerous Warplanes

07/04/2015

When it comes to air power, it’s no secret that the United States and the West have often held an edge over Russia. This dates at least as far back to World War II, when the United States and Britain were allied with Russia. While Russia supplied much of the manpower that ultimately defeated Nazi Germany, it was the United States and UK that took the lead in the strategic bombing campaigns against Germany.

80 Rafale-type jets needed: IAF

07/04/2015

Facing a crisis of a dwindling fleet of fighter jets, the Indian Air Force (IAF), has formally told the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that it needs at least 80 Rafale-type multi-role combat fighter jets to be battle-ready in the next few years.

In defence of the F-35: Why future air combat will be different

07/04/2015

Former RAF group captain shoots down claims F-35 can't protect itself as modern aerial battles demand a new way of thinking Air combat is advancing at such a pace and about to head in a new direction that reports of a hi-tech F-35 fighter “losing” a simulated dogfight to a 1970s-design F-16 are irrelevant to the new stealth jet’s future, according to an ex-RAF group captain.

Russia Ramps Up Black Sea Fleet With Modernized War Aircraft

07/04/2015

The aviation units of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Air Force, Air Defense and Naval aviation have received modernized attack aircraft and fighter jets, including Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-30M2 fighters, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters and Mi-8MTPR electronic warfare helicopters.

Iraq receives four more Russian combat helicopters

07/03/2015

The Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 2 July that it has taken delivery of four more "advanced combat helicopters" from Russia. It did not identify the type of aircraft that has been delivered. Iraq currently has Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters and Mi-35M assault helicopters on order from Russia.

A-10 Warthog "Is Ruthlessly Effective, and the Grunts on the Ground Absolutely Love It Because It Keeps Them Safe"

07/03/2015

The Air Force claims shutting down the A-10 program would save $4.2 billion over five years, but a new report from the Government Accountability Office shoots that down, finding USAF analysis incomplete. More worrying (and unsurprising, to anyone who’s been paying attention), the GAO report says dropping the A-10 would “create potential gaps” in close air support.