Military Aviation News Archive

New Air-to-Surface Missiles to Arm Russian PAK FA Fighter Jet

10/13/2015

Images of several types of new air-to-surface missiles designed to arm Russian jets have emerged recently. The missiles are planned to equip Russian aircraft, including the PAK FA. The missiles are known as X-59MK2 and X-58USHKE.

Stratfor: Russia Can Build Air Bases in Iraq, but Probably Won’t Do It

10/13/2015

The recent events in Syria have snown that Russia is capable of building an air base in about a month; this is what the Kremlin may decide to do to strike ISIL targets in Iraq more effectively. However, in the end Moscow probably won’t do it, according to US military magazine and global intelligence company Stratfor.

The cost of Russian military involvement in Syria still uncertain

10/12/2015

While it’s difficult to estimate the financial cost of the Syria military campaign for Russia’s treasury, it might not be more expensive than the large-scale military exercises that Russia has already been conducting.

Competition is fierce to build the airplane of the future

10/12/2015

Within weeks, the Department of Defense will grant one of four competitors a $95 million contract to build an exotic new aircraft — of the sort 20th century inventors went broke and nearly mad trying to create.

RAF helicopter crash: Five Nato staff die in Afghanistan

10/12/2015

The Puma Mk2 helicopter crashed as it was landing at Nato's Resolute Support mission headquarters, Kabul. Nato has not released the nationalities of the other victims or the five left injured. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the crash was "an accident and not the result of insurgent activity".

US, Romania to Hold Joint Anti-Submarine Black Sea Drills

10/12/2015

The United States will hold joint anti-submarine exercises with Romania in the Black Sea, the US Navy’s Europe and Africa operational fleet announced. “Constantly improving and exercising our anti-submarine warfare capabilities with NATO allies such as Romania is a priority for our fleet and the Alliance,” commander of the 6th Fleet Task Force 67, Capt. Bryan Durkee, said late Sunday.

Russian Inspectors to Fly Over Turkey Under Open Skies Treaty

10/12/2015

The head of the Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said that Russian military experts will conduct an observation flight over Turkey this week to facilitate transparency of mutual military activity.

Iraq Joint Operation Center Confirms ISIL Leader Injured in Airstrike

10/12/2015

he leader of the Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group has been injured in an airstrike in Iraq, the Baghdad Information Center confirmed. “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was injured in the bombing that targeted his motorcade,” the center said in a statement on Sunday.

India May Buy 12 Russian Next Generation S-400 Air Defense Systems - Media

10/12/2015

The purchase of 12 S-400 systems was initiated by the Indian Air Forces and would be discussed at the next summit of the Indian Defense Acquisition Council chaired by Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, the source said, as quoted by Times of India.

Turkey Says Its Jets Harassed by Syrian Warplanes, Missile Systems

10/12/2015

Syrian fighter jets and missile systems harassed Turkish F-16 warplanes near the Turkish-Syrian border on Saturday, the Turkish military said on Sunday, once again bringing the conflict to NATO's southeastern flank.

Threats Arising on NATO's Southern Flank

10/11/2015

US Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s visit to Europe last week inevitably focused on Russian bombing in Syria, but he also stressed the growing danger of instability in North Africa after making stops in Spain and Italy. Speaking at the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Carter described "the challenges facing NATO's southern flank, including the ripple effects of [the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant] and state instability in North Africa and the Middle East.”

Why Beijing Isn't Backing Down on South China Sea

10/11/2015

Late last month in Shanghai, a top Chinese businessman gave me and three other visiting journalists as clear a distillation as any of Beijing’s attitude toward the United States. “The U.S. wants to dominate the world, China only wants to keep America from dominating its neighborhood,” said Eric Li, a prominent Stanford- and Berkeley-educated political scientist and venture capitalist.

Urgently Wanted: A Protocol to Keep Russia and the West From Slipping Into War

10/11/2015

We all know that over the last 18 months the relationship between Russia and the West has deteriorated considerably. There has been a fundamental breakdown of trust amid divergent and, at this point, totally incompatible accounts of what has happened in Ukraine and why.

Pratt, GE Battle for Future of Military Engines

10/11/2015

The US Air Force and the Army are moving full speed ahead toward next-generation engines the services hope will significantly increase fuel efficiency and power. And both endeavors pit two giants in the engine-building world against each other: GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney.

RAF ready to shoot down Russian aircraft over Syria

10/11/2015

RAF Tornados bombing Isis targets in Iraq are to be armed with air-to-air missiles to protect them from attack by Russian aircraft — as a senior cabinet minister warned that Britain was prepared to shoot down Vladimir Putin’s jets. Combat aircraft involved in Operation Shader over Iraq will be fitted with Asraam heat-seeking missiles, which can destroy any military aircraft flying today.

Chinese Company Builds Growing African Presence

10/11/2015

A Chinese aviation company reported progress in its ambitious African expansion plans to set up an aviation training center, two regional marketing offices, two maintenance and support centers, and three spare-parts warehouses to promote sales and maintenance for Chinese-made aircraft.

Moscow, Washington Make Progress on Flight Safety Issue in Syria

10/11/2015

Russia and the United States discussed their proposals on flight safety in Syria during a video conference, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday in a statement.

US-China Military Agreements Dodge Deep Differences

10/10/2015

The new U.S.-China agreed rules for military air-to-air encounters are being hailed in some quarters as “ground-breaking” and a “milestone.” But like their 2014 agreement on safe military encounters at sea, this “annex” does not address the fundamental differences that give rise to these encounters .

US weighing Russian response on Syria flight safety

10/10/2015

Russian leaders have responded to a proposed draft of safety guidelines for military aircraft flying missions in the increasingly crowded skies over Syria, the Pentagon said Friday.Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Friday that a second round of talks between the two countries about the plan could take place as soon as this weekend. The U.S. and Russia are trying to hash out flight procedures to ensure that there are no collisions or other incidents as both countries conduct bombing operat

Russian planes complete 67 combat missions in Syria, hitting 60 ISIS facilities

10/10/2015

The Aerospace Forces of Russia continue to strike positions of the international terrorist organization ISIS in the Syrian territory, Chief of the Russian Air Force's Main Staff Lt. Gen. Igor Makushev has said. "Sixty-seven combat flights were completed from the Hmeimim airbase in the past 24 hours. Sukhoi Su-34M, Su-25SM planes defeated 60 facilities held by terrorists," Makushev told a briefing conference on Oct. 9.

South Africa's Dirt-Cheap War Machine

10/10/2015

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker dominate the headlines when it comes to the combat aircraft market, but there are many places in the world where such extravagant machines are just not needed.

As Russia Bombs Syria, U.S. Pulls Aircraft Carrier Out of Persian Gulf

10/10/2015

As Russian warships rain down cruise missiles as part of its military strike in Syria, there's now a glaring absence in the region: For the first time since 2007, the U.S. Navy has no aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Military officials said Thursday that they've pulled the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is home to about 5,000 service members and 65 combat planes, so that it can undergo maintenance.

Now on Sale: China Set to Export New Fifth Generation Fighter Jet

10/10/2015

China's leading aircraft manufacturer is about to start exporting its fifth-generation fighter jet, according to industry sources. In a recent report, China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) revealed some tactical and technical characteristics of the J-31 Gyrfalcon fighter at the last air show in Beijing.

Greece Scrambles Jets After Turkish F16s Violate Airspace

10/10/2015

Greece scrambled fighter jets to intercept a pair of Turkish F16 planes over neutral waters of the Aegean Sea in a move condemned by Ankara but described by Athens as fully consistent with international procedure.

Russian Army to Receive 16 Helicopters, 29 Combat Aircraft by Year End

10/10/2015

The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive 16 Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, 18 Su-30SM Flanker multi-role fighter jets and 11 MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft before the end of the year, the aircraft manufacturers told Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Friday.