Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Pentagon Awards Deal for Wearable Devices in Silicon Valley Push

08/29/2015

The Pentagon has awarded a $171 million contract to a California-based consortium to develop wearable electronic devices as part of a push to work more closely with Silicon Valley. Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced the award for the so-called FlexTech Alliance, a group of companies, nonprofits, labs and universities — from Apple Inc. to Boeing Co., from the Cleveland Clinic to MIT — during a speech Friday at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, which is also home to Google Inc.

Poland to Overhaul Six Bulgarian MiG-29 Fighter Jets by end-2016

08/29/2015

Six Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets will have their engines overhauled in Poland, according to an intergovernmental letter of intent signed in Sofia on Friday. Poland’s state-owned Miltary Aviation Works WZL 2, 4 will carry out the repair and upgrade of the engines of three MiG-29s by the middle of next year and a further three by end-2016, according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence.

Tests show F-35s can share data with older aircraft

08/29/2015

Aug 28 Two weeks of joint testing of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet at a California air base by the Royal Netherlands Air Force showed that the new stealthy jets are able to share a significant amount of data with older warplanes, the pilot in charge of Dutch F-35 testing told Reuters.

Airbus Helicopters to demo Tiger combat aircraft in Poland

08/29/2015

Airbus Helicopters reports its Tiger aircraft will perform a flight demonstration in Poland prior to the start next week's MSPO defense exhibition. The Tiger HAD chosen for the demonstration is from the French Army, which has used Tigers in operations in Afghanistan and the Sahel.

Boeing Receives $1.49 Billion Contract for 13 P-8A Poseidon Aircraft

08/29/2015

Boeing will provide the first P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft for Australia and additional P-8As for the U.S. Navy following a $1.49 billion contract award from the Navy for 13 aircraft. The order includes nine aircraft for the U.S. Navy and four Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a long-time partner to the U.S. Navy on P-8A development.

Belarus Plans Purchasing More Russian Jet Trainers

08/29/2015

Belarus plans to purchase eight more Yakovlev (Mitten) Yak-130 jet trainers from Russia, in addition to the four planes that Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut Corporation agreed to deliver on Wednesday, the country’s military said.

US Airstrike Killed Top ISIL Hacker – CENTCOM

08/29/2015

A top hacker for the Islamic State (ISIL) was killed in a US military airstrike earlier in the week, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Friday.

US F-22 Fighter Jets Arrive in Germany to Begin NATO Training Mission

08/29/2015

Four US F-22 tactical fighter jets meant to bolster NATO have arrived at the Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to begin training exercises, the US Air Force announced in a Friday press release.

Brazil and Sweden sign financial agreement for Gripen NG acquisition

08/28/2015

Brazil and Sweden have signed the financing agreement for the acquisition of Gripen NG fighters for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), allowing Saab to start the production of aircraft. Recently, both the countries had agreed on interest rates in a financial deal to support the aircraft acquisition programme.

China's new bomber to debut in V-Day parade

08/28/2015

China will showcase a novel model of bomber aircraft in the military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3, according to military sources. The aircraft, independently developed for long-distance precision strikes, was loosely based on a previous bomber model, but 90 percent has been refitted, according to Bao Lianjing, leading pilot of the parade debut formation. "Besides the tiller and the rudder, everything else has been upgraded," Bao said.

US Army test fires AIM-9X Block II missile from multi-mission launcher

08/28/2015

The US Army has successfully test-fired the Raytheon-built AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missile from its ground-based indirect fire protection capability increment 2-I (IFPC 2-I) Block 1 multi-mission launcher (MML).

Opinion: What if They Held a Salvo Competition and Nobody Came?

08/28/2015

After Vietnam, the Department of Defense turned its attention back to the Soviet threat in Europe. Faced with an opposing force that was numerically superior, land-power-focused, and strategically positioned to overrun Western Europe, the United States initially turned to nuclear weapons to offset a battlefield disadvantage.

Syria combat missions: Kevin Andrews calls for more detail on protecting pilots

08/28/2015

The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, has asked for detailed advice on pilot and air crew safety before signing off on air combat missions over Syria. Key concerns are the ability to rescue crew if they are shot down, and keeping out of the way of other aircraft in the increasingly crowded skies. Andrews said the safety of RAAF pilots and aircrew would be foremost in the government’s mind as it considers extending existing air operations over Iraq to include Syria.

India may seal $5bn Rafale deal next week

08/28/2015

A $5-billion deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France is on the agenda of a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council in South Block on Friday, August 28. The Rafale deal has been listed for discussion as a ‘confidential project’ in the meeting. The government hopes the DAC will clear the purchase of the jets before French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian arrives in New Delhi on Tuesday.

Moscow confused as IAF puts fifth-generation fighter on back burner to buy Rafale

08/28/2015

The ongoing MAKS 2015 air show in Moscow features an impressive flying display by the Sukhoi T-50, the fifth-generation prototype fighter's first public outing in two years. But even the rousing applause fails to mask the disappointment of Russian officials at the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) foot-dragging in co-developing the T-50 into a "fifth generation fighter aircraft" (FGFA) that the IAF will buy.

Japan Launches Newest Izumo-Class Helicopter Carrier

08/28/2015

Japan launched the second and final ship in its new Izumo-class helicopter carrier – the largest Japanese ships since World War II – at the Japan Marine United shipyard in Yokohama on Thursday.

Moscow, Tehran Sign Roadmap For S-300 Deal Implementation

08/28/2015

A memorandum on the implementation of the agreement to supply Russian S-300 missile defense systems to Iran was signed, according to a senior official from the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation.

Su-30 MKIs to fire BrahMos missiles in 2016

08/27/2015

The missile and the launcher are ready. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has modernized its first multi-role combat aircraft, the Su-30 MKI and integrated the launch system. Recently, we carried out the first flights with the launch system and everything has gone well.

USAF reserve pilots drop JDAMs from upgraded F-22 Raptor

08/27/2015

The US Air Force's reserve pilots from the 302nd fighter squadron have successfully dropped joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) from the F-22 Raptor tactical fighter aircraft. Conducted during a recent unit training assembly (UTA), the training involved the upgraded F-22 aircraft installed with increment 3.2A, a software upgrade package.

Raytheon air-to-air missile scores direct hit from U.S. Army ground launcher

08/27/2015

The U.S. Army and Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) successfully test fired an AIM-9X Block II missile from the Army's ground-based Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-I (IFPC 2-I) Block 1 Multi-Mission Launcher (MML). AIM-9X is traditionally fired from aircraft toward aerial targets and this test demonstrated that the latest AIM-9X can be used in both air-to-air combat and now, without modification, in ground-based air defense.

MAKS: Chinese firm unveils new sensors for J-20, J-31

08/27/2015

A privately-owned Chinese sensor company has unveiled a suite of air-to-air and air-to-ground sensors in development for the latest Chinese and Russian fighters. Wang Yanyong, technical director for Beijing A-Star Science and Technology, confirms that two systems – the EOTS-89 electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) and the EORD-31 infrared search and track (IRST) – are in development for China’s J-20 and J-31 fighters.

Neuron Program Completes Stealth Test Flights

08/27/2015

Alenia Aermacchi reported the successful completion of the flight-test phase in Italy of the pan-European Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator. The company said that “12 highly sensitive sorties to verify the radar cross section (RCS) and infrared signature” had taken place from Decimomannu airbase in Sardinia. The single Neuron air vehicle is now undertaking further RCS flight tests in Sweden, plus the dropping of GPS-guided bombs on the Vidsel range.

NATO Military Buildup on Russia’s Doorstep: Who Is Doing the Saber-Rattling in Eastern Europe?

08/27/2015

Last week, NATO headquarters announced Exercise Swift Response-15, the largest Allied airborne training event on the European continent since the end of the Cold War. About 5,000 soldiers from 11 countries in the alliance will take part in the maneuvers, which will last until Sept. 13.

Pakistan shows interest in Russia's Yak-130 trainer aircraft

08/27/2015

Pakistan could become the fourth country to operate the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft, the website Defenseworld.net has reported, saying that Islamabad has expressed an interest in the aircraft. The website claims that the parties have already held preliminary talks. Industry sources told defenseworld.net that Pakistan Air Force officials have been talking to executives from Rosoboronexport and Irkut.

Boeing, Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries and Alsalam Aircraft Company to Establish Saudi Rotorcraft Support Center in Saudi Arabia

08/27/2015

Boeing has signed an agreement with Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) and Alsalam Aircraft Company to create the Saudi Rotorcraft Support Center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The joint venture will have locations in Riyadh and Jeddah providing comprehensive, in-country maintenance repair and overhaul support for Saudi Arabia’s diverse rotorcraft fleet.