Military Aviation News Archive

Parade marks end of CF-18 mission in Iraq and Syria

03/06/2016

The Canadian Forces officially marked what it is calling the “transitioning of the Air Task Force-Iraq mission” during a parade Saturday in Kuwait. That transitioning is the end of the CF-18 combat mission.

Could there be a clash between Israel and Egypt?

03/06/2016

A few days ago a Russian state-owned aircraft manufacturer announced the sale of 50 MiG- 29 fighters to a North African country, most likely Egypt. On mid-February a senior Israeli defense official said, regarding Israel’s need to assimilate the F-35 joint strike fighter, that although there is peace with Egypt the latter focuses on Israel. Therefore Israel “must be ready for every possible scenario and every radical strategic shift, because we have no other choice.”

France, UK To Invest £1.5 Billion in Combat Drone

03/06/2016

UK Prime Minister David Cameron last week announced a plan with France to invest more than £1.5 billion (US $2.1 billion) to build a prototype combat drone, signaling a further step by the two European partners to stay in the military top tier on a bilateral basis. “Today we have agreed to jointly invest £1.5 billion to develop the next generation of a combat air system,” Cameron said at a March 3 joint press conference with French President François Hollande, at Amiens, northern France.

As Syria truce holds, time to assess the damage

03/05/2016

The United States and Russian Federation must make Syria's cessation of hostilities work or else it may become necessary to delay the resumption of peace talks, U.N. Syria envoy Staffan de Mistura told Reuters on Tuesday. Without progress on the cessation of hostilities and on access for humanitarian aid, de Mistura said he could "slightly" postpone the next round of peace talks, which has been pencilled in for Monday, March 7.

Israel, GCC: United Only by a Mistrust in the U.S.

03/05/2016

The U.S. balance-of-power strategy in the Middle East is approaching a potential pitfall. A number of crucial arms contracts for the sale of U.S. weaponry to several Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states are at risk of falling through because of Israeli opposition. The United States' final decision on whether to sign will anger one of two sides, Israel or the GCC, and both already harbor misgivings about continued U.S. support.

India mulling manufacturing second line of fighter jets: IAF

03/05/2016

India is mulling manufacturing one more line of fighter aircraft to replenish its dwindling fleet and a decision in this regard is likely to be taken in a year's time, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said today. The Chief of Air Staff said the second line of fighter jets will be in addition to light combat aircraft Tejas and 36 Rafale planes that India will procure from France.

Video: Saudi Air Force Deploys in Support of Turkey’s Ground Invasion of Syria

03/05/2016

Following the announcement by the Saudi Defense Ministry on Saturday February 14th that the kingdom intended to commit both air and ground forces to the fight against ISIS in Syria, the first four Royal Saudi Airforce F-15S strike fighters arrived at Incirlik air base on Friday February 26th. These jets were immediately proceeded by approximately thirty officers and men and supporting equipment aboard two C-130 transports.

Here's what I've learned so far dogfighting in the F-35: a JSF pilot's first-hand account

03/05/2016

As we reported last year, the debate between F-35 supporters and critics became more harsh in July 2015, when War Is Boring got their hands on a brief according to which the JSF was outclassed by a two-seat F-16D Block 40 (one of the aircraft the US Air Force intends to replace with the Lightning II) in mock aerial combat.

How China is transforming its military

03/05/2016

Even though China says its military is growing at a relatively modest pace of about 7 percent this year, it is clear that the country is marching toward a top-to-bottom expansion and modernization of its forces. Here's a look at how it's been changing:

All Hands On Deck: Russian Military Sets Up High-Tech Radar System in Syria

03/05/2016

The Zoopark-1 missile and artillery ground reconnaissance complex is designed to automatically determine the coordinates of enemy artillery positions (mortars, field artillery, rocket volley fire systems and tactical missile launch positions) to provide target sighting information to its own countermeasure equipment, as well as to monitor its own firing results.

Denmark Considers Sending Extra Servicemen, Fighter Jets to Syria

03/05/2016

The office of the Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen announced on Friday that the country may expand its anti-Daesh campaign in Syria by sending F-16 fighter jets, C130J transport aircraft and 400 military personnel to the war-torn country.

Best Choice: Indonesia to Ink Contract for 10 Russian Su-35 Jets in April

03/05/2016

Moscow and Jakarta will sign a contract in April for the deliveries of 10 Russian Su-35 Flanker multirole fighter jets to replace Indonesia’s fleet of F-5 Tigers, the Jakarta Globe reported Friday.

Predator B Extended Range aircraft increases flight time

03/04/2016

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI), officials announced the first flight of Predator B/MQ-9 Reaper Extended Range (ER) Long Wing, which is retrofitted with enhanced long-endurance wings with more internal fuel capacity and additional hard points for carrying external stores.

British Pilots Concerned about Presence of Combat Drones

03/04/2016

British pilots expressed concern about a joint plan with France to allocate 2 billion euros to acquire combat drones, announced the British pilots union. According to the official organization, its employees are particularly skeptical about the safety of planes in mid flight in case they are hit by those unmanned devices that will invade the country's airspace, as this is a strategy in place through year 2015.

The Navy Could Throw Boeing’s Fighter Jet Business a Life Preserver

03/04/2016

The loss of the Air Force’s Long Range Strike Bomber contract to rival Northrop Grumman in October has placed Boeing’s defense business in a tough spot. But a list of “unfunded priorities” submitted to Congress by the U.S. Navy could breathe $1.5 billion in new life into the aerospace giant’s fighter jet business, potentially sustaining key production lines until Boeing can find new foreign customers for aircraft like the F/A-18 Super Hornet.

House Appropriators Push Back on Army Aviation Cuts

03/04/2016

House appropriators Thursday questioned the Army’s decision to cut 35 percent of its planned aviation modernization funding from the fiscal 2017 budget request and strongly urged the service to reconsider the move. But Army leaders said the only way the cuts could be reversed would be to get additional funding.

F-35 Lightning fighter at Cleveland National Air show (video)

03/04/2016

The U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning will make its Cleveland National Air Show debut this year. Also in attendance will be the F-22 Raptor tactical fighter. "The Air Combat Command told me we are the only civilian air show to have both," Kim Dell, executive director of the show said Thursday. Both are built by Lockheed Martin.

France, UK To Fly Unmanned Combat Aircraft Demonstrator in 2025

03/04/2016

Defense ministers of France and the United Kingdom endorsed today the plan to launch the development of full scale operational demonstrator of the ‘Future Combat Air System’ Unmanned Combat Air System (UCAS) next year. This phase will prepare for the full-scale development of unmanned combat air system (UCAS) operational demonstrators by 2025.

Second Boeing, U.S. Air Force KC-46A Tanker Completes First Flight

03/04/2016

The Boeing test team successfully completed the first flight of the program’s second KC-46A tanker aircraft yesterday, taking off from Paine Field and landing later at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed operational checks on engines, flight controls and environmental systems.

Against the Clock: China's Air Force Will Be on Par With US' by 2030

03/04/2016

By 2030 China will be on par or exceed the United States in terms of its air force capabilities, American defense expert Dave Majumdar writes, adding that the People's Liberation Army Air Force is rapidly fielding newer and much more capable weaponry.

US Delivers Blackhawk Helicopters to Jordan to Guard Border From Daesh

03/04/2016

The United States has delivered eight UH-60A Blackhawk helicopters to Jordan to help its coalition partner secure its border from Daesh terrorists, the US Embassy in Jordan announced on Thursday.

Russia to Replace All Su-24's With Su-30SM's in Black Sea Fleet by 2020

03/04/2016

Russia will replace all Su-24 bombers on the Crimean Peninsula with the Su-30SM multirole fighters which can strike targets on the surface and in the air.

Swedish FMV contracts GKN Aerospace for Gripen’s RM12 engine

03/03/2016

The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded a performance based logistics (PBL) contract to GKN Aerospace to provide support services for the national Armed Forces' JAS 39 Gripen fighter aircraft. A follow-on from an initial five year RM12 PBL agreement, the new agreement requires the company to support the operations for JAS 39 Gripen C/D users for a period of four years.

Saudi Arabia Threatens Military Intervention “To Remove Bashar al Assad”. “Northern Thunder” Military Exercise

03/03/2016

The news has been abuzz before and during the ceasefire announced amid Syria’s conflict about Saudi Arabia’s possible intervention. Saudi Arabia has threatened to intervene amid incomprehensible, contradicting rhetoric, claiming that it would enter Syrian territory to “fight” IS (the Islamic State), but would do so only now because the Syrian government has refused to step down.

Australia's 'Forward' Defense White Paper

03/03/2016

If one word can sum up the 2016 Australian Defense White Paper (DWP 2016), it is “forward.” The document is more “forward” than its predecessors in terms of projected funding commitments and the dizzying time-scales and costs involved in delivering complex platforms like submarines and frigates. More controversially, since ‘forward defense’ has Vietnam-era connotations in Australia, it also signals a more geographically forward defense posture and pattern of engagement in the region.