Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Asian Thunder: China Signs Deal to Sell JF-17 Fighters

11/18/2015

An agreement on the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets was announced by China during the 14th Dubai International Air Show, media reports said. The JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight single-seat multirole supersonic combat aircraft which is jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation.

Putin, Turnbull discuss Syria crisis

11/18/2015

Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has talked briefly with Vladimir Putin as the US and Russia consider stepping up military action against Islamic State. Mr Turnbull and the Russian president met briefly during a session of the G20 summit in the Turkish resort city of Antalya before the prime minister jetted off to Manila for the start of the APEC summit.

After Paris attacks, Pentagon quietly shifts to new phase of ISIL war

11/18/2015

The Islamic State group's ferocious attack on Paris will be met with "intensification" of the U.S.-led fight against the terror group, President Obama said Monday, but it will not fundamentally alter his strategy nor his reluctance to put more U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria. "We have the right strategy and we're seeing it through," Obama said during the close of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey.

The Human Cost of India’s LCA Program

11/18/2015

Make in India – for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this has become a maxim of state policy. Ever since he graduated to the prime minister’s office in 2014, Modi’s message to the world has been unchanged: Come, Make in India. From day one the government’s articulated policy has been clear: The way forward involves increasing manufacturing growth and raising it to global competitiveness standards.

Tu-160 Blackjack: Putin deploys world's largest combat warplane against Isis

11/18/2015

Even as president Vladimir Putin vowed revenge against the Islamic State (Isis) for its role in bringing down the Russian passenger plane in Egypt's Sinai region, Moscow has announced the deployment of Tu-160, a Soviet-era bomber known as the "Blackjack."

Russia, Saying Its Jet Was Bombed, Allies With France Against ISIS

11/18/2015

Russia said for the first time on Tuesday that a bomb aboard a Russian charter jet full of vacationers had destroyed the aircraft that crashed more than two weeks ago on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and the Kremlin responded immediately by escalating airstrikes across Syria.

Rafale Combat Aircraft Deal in Final Stages: Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar

11/18/2015

The multi-billion dollar deal for purchase of 36 Rafale combat aircraft is in "final stages" of price negotiations, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said. A new roadmap for the upgradation of the inventory in the Indian Air Force is being prepared with focus on 'Make in India' initiative, and any future acquisition will be based on it, he told news agency PTI.

Syria Operation Highlights Growth in Russia's Warfighting Capability

11/18/2015

US military expert Dmitri Gorenburg suggests that Russia's military operation in Syria has demonstrated major improvements to the country's warfighting capabilities, the result of years of military reform.

France Blasts ISIL Targets in Third Night of Airstrikes on Syria’s Raqqa

11/18/2015

"At this moment, our air force…10 fighter jets are against hitting Raqqa, and as you know tomorrow the aircraft carrier Charles De Gualle will leave for the eastern Mediterranean to continue strikes on specific targets in particular around Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour," said French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, according to Reuters.

China Maintains It’s Shown 'Great Restraint' in South China Sea Dispute

11/18/2015

As Washington and its allies criticize Beijing for what they perceive to be aggressive actions in the South China Sea, the Chinese government has pointed out that it has demonstrated "great restraint," even as the Pentagon patrols its territorial waters.

Rafale Fighters Lead French Raids on IS After Paris Attacks

11/17/2015

French bombing sorties against Islamic State targets in Syria following the terrorist attacks in Paris have provided a further platform for the Dassault Aviation SA Rafale warplane to burnish its combat credentials. Raids on IS targets in the city of Raqqa identified as a training camp and arms depot saw the use of six Rafales and four Mirage 2000 jets in an action coordinated with U.S. forces, according to the French defense ministry.

How two F/A-18s brought their pilots home after colliding mid-air during air combat training

11/17/2015

Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) is one of the most important parts in the training of modern fighter pilots. At the same time, an air combat maneuvering (ACM) session, where friendly and (simulated) enemy fighters fly against each other, can be one of the most dangerous training environment. Although quite rarely, mid-air collisions do occur, sometimes with fatal results.

FROM “TROUBLED” TO TRAILBLAZING PROGRAM: THE WEDGETAIL AND 21ST CENTURY COMBAT INNOVATION

11/17/2015

The Wedgetail is part of the Royal Australian’s 21st century air power transformation effort and strategy. It is the core air battle management platform in the RAAF and is often referred to as an AWACs, although it is not.

US A-10 Attack Planes Hit ISIS Oil Convoy to Crimp Terror Funding

11/17/2015

In the first wave of U.S. airstrikes since the Paris attacks, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AC-130 gunships raked a convoy of more than 100 ISIS oil tanker trucks in Syria in a stepped-up effort to cut off a main source of terror funding, the Pentagon said Monday.

Opinion: This new high-tech bomber is designed to keep China and Russia at bay

11/17/2015

The U.S. Air Force is developing a new bomber that promises to secure the U.S. advantage in modern warfare. The next-generation long-range strike bomber, recently awarded to Northrop Grumman Corp. for development, will not be designed to rely on as yet undeveloped technologies, as is so often the case with new aircraft and weaponry. Instead, the aircraft will combine and fully exploit existing advanced stealth technology, integrated software, ordnance and countermeasures.

Russia's Syria Operation Reveals Significant Improvement in Military Capability

11/17/2015

Although relatively small in scale, Russia's military operation in Syria has highlighted some major improvements in Russian military capabilities. Compared to the 2008 Georgia War, which was the last time the Russian Air Force operated in a combat environment, the Russian military appears to have made great strides in increasing operational tempo and improving inter-service integration.

France's Safran Shelves Plan for Rafale Fighter Project in India

11/17/2015

France’s Safran SA has shelved plans to make engine parts for Rafale combat aircraft in India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi scaled back purchases of the warplane. The company won’t make the components with state-run Indian defense contractor Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. since the nation has ordered only 36 jets rather the more lucrative 126 originally mooted, according to Safran’s India Chief Executive Officer Stephane Lauret.

After Paris attacks, Pentagon quietly shifts to new phase of ISIS war

11/17/2015

The Islamic State group's ferocious attack on Paris will be met with "intensification" of the U.S.-led fight against the terror group, President Obama said Monday, but it will not fundamentally alter his strategy nor his reluctance to put more U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria. "We have the right strategy and we're seeing it through," Obama said during the close of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey.

No decision on French request for warship

11/17/2015

The federal government is still considering attaching a warship to a French carrier task group set to conduct air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. But it's ruled out relaxing current rules of engagement to allow RAAF combat aircraft to step up attacks on IS targets in Syria.

Five Russia-Made Weapons Iran Would Love to Have, as Seen by US Media

11/17/2015

Russia is expected to deliver the S-300 missile defense systems to Iran no later than March 2016, and while no additional details have been made public, the US media decided to speculate what other Russian weapon systems Iran might be interested in.

World Leaders Pledge Strong Response to Paris Attacks

11/16/2015

World leaders promised a forceful response to Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris, including intensified airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, intelligence cooperation and measures to tighten border security. In the earliest sign of that commitment, the French launched a series of strikes late Sunday against Islamic State targets in Syria, in part based on the new intelligence provided by the U.S.

Tokyo, Manila to agree framework for Japanese military aid: sources

11/16/2015

The Japanese and Philippine leaders will agree this week on a deal paving the way for Tokyo to supply Manila with used military equipment, possibly including aircraft that could be deployed to patrol the disputed South China Sea, sources said. The deal will mark the first time Japan has agreed to directly donate military equipment to another country, and is the latest example of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's more muscular security agenda.

Government sets up new office to buy replacement aircraft for CF-18s

11/16/2015

The federal government has started taking action on a Liberal promise to dump the F-35 stealth fighter and purchase a cheaper aircraft to replace the military’s CF-18 jets. Public Services and Procurement Canada has created a new office to oversee the purchase. Paula Folkes-Dallaire, a senior public servant from the Fisheries department, is slated to start Monday as senior director of the Future Fighter Capability project, sources told the Citizen.

What Is France Doing in Syria?

11/16/2015

After Friday’s attacks in Paris, two sides that don’t usually agree on anything found common ground on one issue: Both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and ISIS said the attacks were retaliation for France’s own foreign policy.

Australia and the F-35 Debate

11/16/2015

Australia has on order 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) planes. The problem? For years many have been saying that they’re simply… not very good. Yet public debate over this large purchase has been largely absent, though Canada’s rethink could drive up costs further for other nations.