Military Aviation News Archive

Russia to Showcase Hundreds of New Weapons, Aircraft at Dubai Airshow

11/06/2015

Twenty-three Russian arms and aircraft makers will display hundreds of military weapons and hardware at the upcoming Dubai Airshow, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Thursday.

Iranian Planes Bring Iraqi Volunteer Battalion to Fight ISIL in Syria

11/06/2015

The first photographic evidence of an Iranian Air Force plane that brought Iraqi Shiite volunteer fighters to Syria to fight against ISIL terrorists has appeared on the Internet. A picture posted on the Instagram account of the Iranian group Holy Defense shows an Iraqi soldier standing in front of an Iranian C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft supposedly in Syria.

What China's 'Militarization' of the South China Sea Would Actually Look Like

11/05/2015

Much has been said about the legal and geopolitical aspects of Chinese land reclamation in the South China Sea, but U.S. PACOM Commander Admiral Harry Harris’s Congressional testimony last month gave a closer look at specific U.S. military concerns posed by China’s artificial islands. Harris detailed the military utility of deep water port facilities and 3,000 meter runways on three newly built Chinese islands.

Bomb by Islamic State likely caused Russian plane crash: security sources

11/05/2015

Evidence now suggests that a bomb planted by the Islamic State militant group is the likely cause of last weekend's crash of a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula, U.S. and European security sources said on Wednesday. Islamic State, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria and is battling the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula, said again on Wednesday it brought down the airplane, adding it would eventually tell the world how it carried out the attack.

The Air Force’s New Bomber Faces a Pentagon Budget Battle

11/05/2015

The battle over who will build the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber came to a close last week, but a new conflict is already developing at the Pentagon. A defense budget passed Friday has Congress and military planners seeking $5 billion in defense cuts, as the Air Force prepares to squeeze another costly development program into a Pentagon budget already packed with big-ticket weapons buys.

Crew of the last Vulcan bomber investigated over footage of the plane performing an 'illegal' barrel roll in its final weeks in the air

11/05/2015

The last flying Vulcan bomber might have performed an illegal roll in the weeks leading up to its final flight, it was claimed today. Footage is being investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority to establish whether the much-loved Cold War aircraft - XH558 - performed the manoeuvre during a recent flight.

Watch 'cursed' $3.5bn F-35A fighter finally fire its 3,000 bullets a minute cannon in flight - but it STILL won't have a fully working gun until 2017

11/05/2015

It has so far cost over $3.5bn, and is eight years late. Hailed as the most expensive weapon in history, the controversial F-35 stealth fighter jet is undergoing rigorous testing at California's Edwards Air Force Base. Now, researchers have revealed the hugely delayed and over budget project has finally fired its first shots in the air.

Cold War-style jousting between combat aircraft a high-stakes game of chicken

11/05/2015

DEADLY games of chicken are once again playing out in the skies above Europe and the South China Sea. Combat planes from Russia, China and the United States are all out to prove a point. But a declassified video reveals how horribly wrong things can go. In recent months, footage of fully armed Russian and Chinese aircraft passing dangerously close to US and European counterparts have breathed a fresh chill into a Cold War long thought over.

Pentagon Approves Sale of 200 Hellfire Missiles to France

11/05/2015

The US Department of State has approved the sale of up to 200 Hellfire air-to-ground (AGM) missiles to France, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a news release on Wednesday. "The government of France has requested a possible sale of two-hundred (200) AGM-114K1A Hellfire Missiles; Hellfire Missile conversion kits; blast fragmentation sleeves and installation kits; containers; and transportation," the release stated. "[T]he total estimated cost is $30 million."

Southeast Asia Market Eyes BrahMos Missiles Jointly Made by Russia, India

11/05/2015

Several Southeast Asian nations, including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, have shown interest in buying Russian-Indian supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles, a spokesman for the manufacturer said Wednesday.

Russia, U.S. Air Forces Held Joint 'Training Exercise' Over Syria

11/04/2015

The Russian and U.S. air forces held a joint training exercise in Syria on Tuesday, Russian news agencies reported, citing a general with Russia's armed forces, while the U.S. downplayed the report, saying event was merely a test of safety protocols. Russian and U.S. air forces held a joint training exercise in Syria on Tuesday meant to prevent dangerous encounters between their aircraft, Russia's defense ministry said.

Deal on defense bill would protect A-10s

11/04/2015

Republicans and Democrats announced agreement Tuesday on a revised version of the massive defense policy bill to align it with the new budget agreement the president has signed into law. Among other things, the deal retains provisions in the vetoed 2016 defense authorization bill that block for a year the Air Force’s plan to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II close air-support jet — a mainstay of operations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Boeing's Stealthy F-15 "Silent Eagle" May Fly After All

11/04/2015

In 2009, Boeing had an idea. Instead of developing an entirely new fighter for a market already dominated by the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, it would update an already existing fighter with the latest in technology. Even better, it would be low observable—a step below stealthy planes such the F-35 and F-22 Raptor.

The Russian Air Force Has A Problem (And It's Not NATO or ISIS)

11/04/2015

Russia’s air campaign in Syria has demonstrated that the Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily has made great strides toward recovery since its near collapse in the mid-1990s. However, while the Russian air force is receiving much needed new hardware, the service’s modernization plans could create some challenges in the years to come.

Israel, Jordan fighter pilots flew together in recent US exercise

11/04/2015

Israeli and Jordanian pilots are reported to have trained together at a US-hosted air force exercise this past summer, an American official told Reuters on Tuesday. Israel's Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon also vaguely confirmed the rare acknowledgment of military cooperation between Israel and it's Arab neighbor in a speech on Tuesday saying that Israeli pilots trained with unspecified Arab pilots in July's "Red Flag" exercise.

Will India Purchase 154 Fighter Jets From Russia?

11/04/2015

A collaboration contract for joint work and delivery of 154 Perspective Multirole Fighter (PMF), the derivative Indian version of the PAK FA T-50 fifth generation fighter jet, is expected to finally be signed during the Indo-Russian summit this December, The Financial Express reports.

The US is moving jets intended for air-to-air combat to Syria — and Russia might be why

11/04/2015

Russia's military intervention in Syria in support of the regime of Bashar al-Assad has made US operations in the country more complicated. Although both countries are purportedly fighting ISIS, their larger strategies are at cross-purposes in Syria, where the US advocates a political transition in which Assad eventually steps down.

Lockheed Martin Completes F-16 Durability Testing Milestone

11/04/2015

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) completed more than 27,000 hours of simulated flight time on an F-16C Block 50 aircraft and is now analyzing the data to determine the durability of the aircraft beyond its original design service life of 8,000 hours.

Lockheed Martin Receives Final Regulatory Approval Needed to Close Sikorsky Acquisition

11/04/2015

Lockheed Martin has received the final regulatory approval needed to close its acquisition of Sikorsky Aircraft, a world leader in military and commercial rotary-wing aircraft, from United Technologies Corp. The completion of the regulatory review by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China marks the end of a successful and comprehensive regulatory review process in eight jurisdictions.

Russia Tests Cutting Edge Helicopter Electronic Defense System

11/04/2015

Recent tests have proven that the 'President-S' electronic warfare defense system has been successful in protecting Russian helicopters from enemy attacks.

Egypt’s upheaval has transformed much of the Sinai into a no-go zone

11/03/2015

Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula was long known for its stunning desert treks and pristine diving. But in recent years, the territory has gained a reputation for its violence and militancy. Some of the same arid landscapes that drew tourists for desert safaris are now lawless badlands stalked by dangerous militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.

Airbus Targets Helo Refueling, Paratrooper Airdrops for A400M

11/03/2015

Airbus is seeking ways to allow the A400M to refuel helicopters and airdrop paratroopers on both sides of the fuselage, two capabilities seen as key for the military transport, said Fernando Alonso, head of military aircraft. The plane is a “fantastic platform,” but Airbus Defense & Space knows air forces of the client nations are “very frustrated” and eager to have the capabilities fitted, Alonso told journalists Oct. 26.

RAAF superior to regional air forces: ASPI

11/03/2015

A modernised RAAF equipped with new combat aircraft will easily overmatch credible regional adversaries and could even take on a great power threatening Australia, a new study says. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says the RAAF is updating almost its entire aircraft fleet, from basic trainers through to frontline combat aircraft.

Outwitting Pakistan? India Offers Sri Lanka Its Newest Fighter Jet

11/03/2015

In an attempt to outdo its archrival Pakistan, which has offered its JF-17 fighter jet, India is trying to sell the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to Sri Lanka, the Sunday Observer reports. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is looking to procure 18 to 24 new fighter aircraft to replace its obsolete fleet of Chinese license-built MIG-21 by 2017, although there have been debates within the country about whether the SLAF is in genuine need of a next-generation fighter aircraft.

Hypersonic Space Plane Set to Revolutionize How We Move Through the Cosmos

11/03/2015

One of Britain’s most promising space plane technology companies has just secured investment for what may mark a turning point for the future of air transportation: a non-expendable unmanned hypersonic aircraft capable of operating in space at 25 times the speed of sound.