Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

The Five Most Expensive Military Operations Since WWII

03/22/2016

Last week, Russian President Vladimir Putin revealed the price tag of the Russian anti-terrorist air operation in Syria – 33 billion rubles (about $464 million US). To get a handle on whether this was a little or a lot, Russia's RIA Novosti news agency has prepared an overview of some of the most expensive military operations since WWII.

The Wrong Kind Of Victory: Is the US More Powerful Militarily?

03/21/2016

One often hears of the fact that the US spends more on its military than most other nations combined. This is usually presented as evidence that the US is more powerful militarily—perhaps so powerful that it could take on the rest of the planet, and prevail. I find this attitude highly questionable. If we look at what sort of “defense” the US actually spends money on, and what it gets in return in terms of military capabilities, an entirely different picture emerges.

RUSSIA, AUSTRALIA AND THE CHANGING STRATEGIC ENVIRONMENT

03/21/2016

I had the chance to meet with students and to give a presentation at the Centre for Defence and Strategic Studies which is part of the Australian Defence College. I made a presentation last year to the Williams Foundation, and this discussion was a follow on to that.

Death toll climbs from airstrikes on ISIS-held Syrian city

03/21/2016

The death toll from purported Russian airstrikes on the ISIS-held city of Raqqa in the past 24 hours has climbed to at least 55, mostly civilians, Syrian opposition activists and the Islamic State group said Sunday.

India Finalizes $3B Blueprint for UAV Fleets

03/21/2016

The plan includes the induction of many man-portable mini and micro UAVs for short-range surveillance, and nuclear, biological, chemical detection in the battlefield. The Indian Army, Air Force and Navy propose to buy tactical UAVs, high-altitude long-endurance (HALE) UAVs, vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) UAVs, and medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs.

Air Force, Army need separate drones, generals tell Congress

03/21/2016

Missions for the Army and Air Force are unique enough that the services will likely need to fly their own separate unmanned platforms for the foreseeable future, service leaders said Thursday.

Embracing America’s war machines – F16 may roll out of an Indian factory

03/21/2016

India has been up in arms, so to speak, over last month’s announcement that the U.S. proposed to sell eight F-16 combat aircraft to Pakistan. Yet less than one week from that announcement, New Delhi got a hint that it might have a great opportunity to undercut Pakistan’s F-16 force posture – an offer from F-16 producer Lockheed Martin to add its prized fourth-generation fighter to the list of Make in India products.

Russian MiG-35: Super Jet Can ‘Capture Ten Targets Simultaneously’ (VIDEO)

03/21/2016

The MiG-35 has a necessary set of avionics enabling the use of all means of currently available air weapons against aerial, ground and surface targets. It also had a single or a double seat option which was previously assigned to specialized training and combat aircraft.

Not Coming Home: What Russian Hardware Stays in Syria After Pullout and Why

03/21/2016

Nearly 20 Russian combat aircraft, an air defense system and some 2,000 personnel will stay at Hmeymim airbase in Syria. According to experts, the task force has several goals – fighting terrorism, supporting President Bashar Assad, and control over the region.

30 Turkish warplanes strike PKK bases in northern Iraq

03/20/2016

Turkish warplanes have struck Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) terror bases in northern Iraq late Friday once again, a week after 37 people were killed in a car bombing in Ankara. Turkish military said a total of 30 warplanes were involved in strikes on PKK targets late Friday and on Saturday morning. Ten military aircraft, including F-16, F-4 2020 jet fighters and tanker aircraft launched strikes against PKK targets in the Hakurk region in northern Iraq, the General Staff said.

US, Philippines Announce Locations Covered by Defense Pact

03/20/2016

The US and the Philippines announced Friday five locations where American forces will have access under a new defense pact, including one facing disputed islands in the South China Sea. The announcement came at strategic talks in Washington, where the allies reiterated their opposition to the militarization of outposts in those waters, where six Asian governments have competing claims.

Military Strikes Continue Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq

03/20/2016

U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.

Airstrikes kill 39 civilians in ISIS stronghold in Syria

03/20/2016

Air strikes killed at least 39 civilians on Saturday in Raqa, the Islamic State group's main stronghold in Syria, a monitoring group said. At least five children and seven women were among the dead, according to the Britain-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights. The raids came a day after 16 civilians were killed in strikes on the same city.

Be the 'Wolf'

03/20/2016

There are three meetings I attend every week, and they're the most important meetings in my current job. The first is wing stand-up, held three days a week, where we cover the status of our aircrew, pararescuemen, all 81 combat aircraft, the airfield, communications and logistics. Our mission is simple - deliver precise combat power from the air - and stand-up sets the tone. This, my most important meeting, lasts about 20 minutes, except when we fold in weekly intelligence updates.

US Uses Vintage Planes From Vietnam War Era Against Daesh

03/20/2016

The United States military authorities claim that old OV-10 Bronco battle-planes may prove to be more effective and cheap than modern F-15 and F-35 aircrafts.

Russian Air Force Su-25 Frogfoot attack aircraft dropped 6,000 (mostly unguided) bombs over Syria

03/20/2016

On Mar. 16, the Russian Aerospace Forces (RuAF) welcomed the return of their Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft from Hmeymim airfield, in Syria, to their home base in the Krasnodar region. As reported by the Tass News Agency, during the ceremony, Alexander Galkin, the Russia’s Southern Military District commander, said the Frogfoots flew more than 1,600 sorties and dropped around 6,000 bombs since when Russian aircraft began missions against terrorists in Syria on Sep. 15, 2015.

Japan-Qatar Ties Help Fund Rafale Order

03/20/2016

Japanese banks drew on close commercial ties to Qatar when they lent funds that helped Doha pay last year’s down payment for Rafale fighter jets and missiles worth €6.3 billion ($6.8 billion), financial specialists said. A bank loan to Qatar, a nation rich in oil and gas reserves, signaled an economic shift for the Arabian Gulf nation and its strong business ties to Japanese lenders and construction companies.

Arctic Version of Mi-8AMTSh Helicopter Joins Russian Air Force

03/20/2016

The first Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopter, adapted for freezing Arctic weather conditions, has been delivered to the Russian Armed Forces by the Ulan-Ude Aviation Plant in southeastern Russia, Zvezda TV reported on Friday.

These images might just be the clearest signs of China's expansion in the disputed South China Sea

03/19/2016

Over the past decade, China has pursued an extensive and far reaching campaign of dredging and creating man-made islands within the South China Sea. These pursuits have put China at odds with Vietnam, the Philippines, Taiwan, Malaysia, and large sections of the international community including the US. One of the main areas that China's expansion has focused on has been the Spratly Island chain close to the Philippines.

Skunk Works pushes investment in F-22 and F-35 over new aircraft

03/19/2016

Lockheed Martin has warned against rushing into a sixth-generation fighter programme without first boosting F-35 Lightning II numbers and implementing a “robust” modernisation programme to keep fifth-generation F-22s and F-35s capable against new counter-air threats.

This Tiny Island Shelters a History of Human Rights Abuse

03/19/2016

In the middle of the Indian Ocean lies a relatively unknown island by the name of Diego Garcia. It’s home to one of America’s most important military bases—and a history of human rights abuse. The island was confiscated in 1966 from the local population of Chagossians in secret deals between the governments of the U.S. and U.K., resulting in the forced displacement of more than 2,000.

Navy: 8 sailors aboard USS Eisenhower injured when cable breaks during E-2C Hawkeye landing

03/19/2016

Eight sailors working on the flight deck of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower were injured Friday when a cable used to catch a landing aircraft’s tailhook broke, according to the Navy. Four of the sailors were flown by helicopter to Sentara Norfolk General Hospital with injuries that weren’t life-threatening, while two were taken to Portsmouth Naval Medical Center. Norfolk General has the only Level 1 trauma center in the region and handles the most severe injuries.

Singapore, Thailand and US conclude trilateral air exercise

03/19/2016

A trilateral air exercise conducted by the air forces of Singapore, Thailand and the United States ended on Friday (Mar 18) at Korat Air Base in Thailand, Singapore’s Ministry of Defence (MINDEF) said. Exercise Cope Tiger, the 22nd in its series, was conducted in two phases – a command post exercise at Changi Naval Base in Singapore from Dec 8 to 11, 2015, and a flying training exercise conducted at Korat Air Base in Thailand from Mar 7 to 18.

BLACK KNIGHTS FLY BEAK-TO-BEAK WITH JAPANESE AVIATORS

03/19/2016

Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 executed dissimilar air combat training and bilateral tactical mission training during the Komatsu Aviation Training Relocation exercise at Komatsu AB, Japan, March 7-18, 2016. Komatsu ATR is a dissimilar air combat training exercise allowing pilots with diverse aircraft to simulate aerial warfare and execute basic fighter maneuvers,.

Russia conducted strikes in Syria this week after all: US military

03/19/2016

Russia did carry out air strikes in Syria this week, a US military spokesman said on Friday, hours after asserting the opposite. "While we've seen no Russian air strikes in the northern areas of Syria this week, it appears the Russians have conducted some air strikes after all in southern Syria in the vicinity of Palmyra in support of the Syrian regime," US Central Command spokesman Colonel Patrick Ryder told AFP.