Military Aviation News Archive

Russian MiG to Sign MiG-35 Fighter Contract With Defense Ministry This Year

02/06/2016

JSC Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG plans to sign a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry on the delivery of MiG-35 fighters before the end of this year, MiG Deputy Director General Alexey Beskibalov told journalists.

Russian Southern Military District Receives 4 Su-30SM Fighters

02/06/2016

The fighter aviation division of the Russian Southern Military District received four Su-30SM (NATO reporting name Flanker-C) fighter aircraft on Friday, the district’s press service said.

USAF to continue A-10 ‘Warthog’ wing production

02/05/2016

The US Air Force has not only ditched long-standing plans to retire the hardy Fairchild Republic A-10 attack airplane but is launching a follow-on wing replacement programme to keep the combat veteran flying well into the next decade.

This Nation Wants America's Most Lethal Stealth Warplane Ever

02/05/2016

Retired Royal Australian Air Force wing commander Chris Mills doesn’t like the new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter that Canberra is buying from the United States. Noting the new plane’s sluggishness and poor results in simulated air combat against the latest Russian fighters, Mills has called for Australia to lobby the United States for F-22 Raptors.

Two C295s going to Equatorial Guinea

02/05/2016

Equatorial Guinea has acquired two C295s from Airbus Defence and Space. One will be used for troop transport and the other for maritime surveillance. A government announcement late last month said Equatorial Guinea representatives visited the Airbus Defence and Space facility in Seville, Spain to sign the deal. The first aircraft is expected to be delivered in September.

In pics: The aerial combat platforms of Indian Navy

02/05/2016

Indian Navy Aviation today stands poised on a springboard that would propel the Fleet Air Arm to greater heights with a quantum leap in the forces' offensive capabilities. Indian Navy has been building its fleet air arm with an aim to acquire a formidable and sturdy defence capability. The exponential growth of a fledgling Fleet Requirement Unit with ten amphibian Sealand aircraft in 1953 into a modern force is testimony to the Navy’s aspirations and resolve in developing this arm.

Pentagon seeks to boost defense in Europe to counter Russia

02/05/2016

The Obama administration wants to enlarge the U.S. military presence in eastern and central Europe next year by stockpiling heavy weapons, armored vehicles and other military equipment across the region, a substantial expansion of U.S. efforts to counter a resurgent Russia.

A-10 to fly until 2022 as DOD test chief warns against F-35 “block buy”

02/05/2016

In the Department of Defense's budget request for 2017, the Air Force has conceded what to many has been obvious—that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will not be ready to take the place of the A-10 Thunderbolt II (also known as the "Warthog") in close air support missions any time soon. In its budget request, the Air Force is seeking funds to keep the A-10 flying, and DOD officials say the aircraft will remain in service until at least the 2022 fiscal year.

Are F-35s fit for combat? Pentagon doesn't know

02/05/2016

The military risks committing itself to buying billions of dollars of F-35 fighter jets before they have demonstrated they are fit for combat, a new Pentagon report warns. The development of the Joint Strike Fighter F-35, a fifth-generation stealth jet, has been beset by spiraling costs and schedule delays. The program's price tag is nearly $400 billion for 2,457 planes -- almost twice the initial estimate.

Saudi Arabia May Deploy Thousands of Troops to Syria

02/05/2016

On Thursday, the Saudi embassy in Washington, DC said in a Twitter message that the Saudi Ministry of Defense stands ready to deploy ground troops to Syria to aid in the international anti-Daesh coalition efforts. The Guardian said on Thursday citing unnamed Saudi sources that Saudi Arabia could deploy "thousands of special forces," "probably in coordination with Turkey."

Belarus Concludes Preliminary Purchase Agreement for Russian Su-30 Fighters

02/05/2016

Belarus has reached a preliminary agreement with the Russian Irkut Corporation to acquire Sukhoi Su-30 multirole fighters for its Air Force, the country’s deputy defense minister said Thursday. According to Igor Lotenkov, as quoted by the SB – Belarus Segodnya newspaper, these aircraft will replace its outdated Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters.

Russian-Indian Missile to BeTest Fired From Su-30MKI Jet Before End 2016

02/05/2016

A supersonic BrahMos cruise missile will be tested from a Su-30MKI (NATO reporting name: Flanker-H) fighter jet for the first time in the second half of 2016, the head of Russian-Indian BrahMos Aerospace enterprise, Sudhir Mishra, said Thursday.

Boeing CEO pitches F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet to India

02/04/2016

U.S. aircraft maker Boeing Co is in a "conversation" on manufacturing its F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jet in India, Chief Executive Officer Dennis Muilenburg was quoted on Wednesday as saying on his first visit to the country. "We see the Super Hornet as an opportunity ... to tie directly into the 'Make in India' strategy," Muilenburg told the Hindustan Times in an interview whose authenticity was confirmed by the company.

Defense secretary: A-10 retirement plans on hold until 2022

02/04/2016

An annual Washington budgeting dance in recent years, where Pentagon officials seek to retire their legacy A-10 fleet and members of Congress take pains to preserve it, appears on hold for awhile after Defense Secretary Ash Carter said he expects the aircraft to fly through 2022.

DoD Weapons Tester Raises Red Flags Over Possible F-35 Block Buy

02/04/2016

The Pentagon has long discussed the possibility of a bulk order of F-35 joint strike fighters that would span several years and multiple international partners. But now the Department of Defense’s top weapons tester is raising concerns about committing to the so-called “block buy” before testing of the aircraft is complete.

Pentagon chief unveils plan to buy more ships, aircraft and munitions

02/04/2016

Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Wednesday announced plans for the Pentagon to buy more Navy ships, aircraft, munitions and capabilities over the next five years. He said the administration's fiscal 2017 defense budget will include money to buy nine Virginia-class attack submarines and 10 Aegis destroyers. The purchase of the submarines had been planned, but Carter said one of them would have a Virginia payload module to triple its firepower.

NATO report: A 2013 Russian aerial exercise was actually a 'simulated nuclear attack' on Sweden

02/04/2016

On the night of March 29, 2013, a contingent of Russian combat aircraft flew across the Gulf of Finland and came within 18 to 24 miles of Swedish territory near Gotland Island, which is only 100 miles from Stockholm. The aircraft followed a flight path that deviated from typical Russian air force routes in the region.

Turkey bans Russian observation flight near Syria border

02/04/2016

The Russian military says Turkey has violated an international treaty by barring a planned Russian surveillance flight. Defense Ministry official Sergei Ryzhkov says the Turkish military has refused to allow the mission intended to monitor the areas near Turkey's border with Syria and air bases used by NATO warplanes.

AN UPDATE ON INDIA’S LIGHT COMBAT AIRCRAFT

02/04/2016

The development of India’s indigenous fighter is an important development for India and might well reshape the export market as well. It has been an uphill battle to develop the aircraft and to get it into production and operations. But India is making clear progress with regard to the way ahead for the LCA.

US Starts Flight Testing New Radars for Upgraded F-16 Combat Aircraft

02/04/2016

Flight testing has begun on the new APG-83 Scalable Agile Beam Radars (SABR) as part of an upgrade program for US Air Force’s F-16 combat aircraft, defense contractor Northrop Grumman announced in a news release.

Boeing to Provide P-8 Training Systems to Royal Australian Air Force

02/04/2016

The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has selected Boeing to provide the service with P-8 maintenance training devices. This is the first international sale of P-8 maintenance training equipment currently used by the U.S. Navy for its P-8A Poseidon fleet. The RAAF virtual trainers were purchased through the U.S. Navy and RAAF Cooperative Program and will be used to train P-8A maintenance personnel starting in early 2018.

Moscow Considers Delivery of Russian MiG-29s to Serbia

02/04/2016

Russia is considering possibly delivering air defense systems and MiG-29 fighter jets to Serbia, a source in the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Wednesday. "We are working on the issue of deliveries of air defense systems and MiG-29s to Serbia. This country is our strategic partner in Europe, in many spheres, including military-technical cooperation," the source told RIA Novosti.

Serious concerns raised about F-35 jet and Australia's $24 billion commitment

02/03/2016

A SENIOR Pentagon official has slammed the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet, saying it could not win a dogfight against an older jet, could not meet its test and evaluation deadlines, and could not fly unsupported against a threat.

Iraq Orders A Boatload Of Bombs

02/03/2016

Iraq began receiving its own F-16IQ fighters in 2014 and now has over ten of them regularly in action. To support this effort Iraq recently ordered nearly two billion dollars’ worth of missiles and smart bombs for their F-16s as well as some useful accessories. Iraq bought nearly 20,000 bombs, but only enough laser guidance tail kits for half of them. Most of the bombs were 227 kg (500 pound) types with about a quarter of them being 908 kg.

USAF considers defensive lasers for future fighters

02/03/2016

The dawn of the combat laser era might begin in 2021 when the US air force hopes to begin demonstrations of a podded electric laser system for fifth and sixth-generation fighter jets that can destroy incoming missiles, not just steer them off course.