Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russia sends fighter jets to Syria after talks with U.S.

09/19/2015

Defense Secretary Ashton Carter spoke with his Russian counterpart Friday as Russian military moves inside Syria continued to escalate with the arrival of fighter jets. In a "constructive conversation," both Carter and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu agreed to "further discuss mechanisms for deconfliction in Syria," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, as the United States and its allies continue military operations against ISIS inside Syria.

World's Largest Combat Aircraft Take Part in Russia's Center-2015 Drills

09/19/2015

The Tu-160 (NATO reporting name Blackjack) bombers were escorted by MiG-31BM (Foxhound) fighter aircraft, which took off from an airfield near Russia's city of Perm. "Each pair of fighters practiced one by one escorting of Tu-160s and enemy interception at long distances," the ministry said.

Thorn in Pentagon's Side: China's New J-11D Jets Boast Advanced Features

09/19/2015

"Are short-range American tactical fighters relevant in the Pacific theatre?" US defense expert Dave Majumdar asks, adding that F-22 Raptors and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters could be outperformed by the sheer numbers of Chinese jets.

Beijing 'Extremely Concerned' by US Challenge to China's Territorial Claims

09/19/2015

A top commander in the US military has suggested active patrols near China’s islands in the Spratly archipelago. On Friday, Beijing announced that it was “extremely concerned” about such an aggressive proposal.

China Unveils Next-Generation Wing Loong II Drone

09/19/2015

Chinese defense contractor Chengdu Aircraft Corporation unveiled its second-generation Wing Loong II unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) at the biennial Beijing Air Show earlier this month.

DSEI: U.S. Marine F-35Bs Will Operate From British Queen Elizabeth Carriers

09/18/2015

The U.S. Marine Corps will deploy its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II strike fighters on combat sorties from Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, a senior U.K. Royal Navy officer has confirmed. Rear Adm. Keith Blount, who is responsible for delivering the two 65,000 ton ships, said that using Marine aircraft and pilots to bolster the U.K.’s nascent carrier strike capability would be a natural extension of coalition doctrine.

The A-10 ‘sparks panic’ in ISIS fighters, so why does the Air Force want to kill it?

09/18/2015

The A-10 Thunderbolt II (often called the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and the teeth often pained on its nose cone) is beloved by the troops who need its close-air support and by its pilots — who hear the calls for that support from the controllers on the ground.

Analysis: RAND Says US Facing Tough Fight With China

09/18/2015

A new RAND report challenges the US military to rethink a war with China. The report examines US and Chinese military capabilities in 10 operational areas, producing a “scorecard” for each, from four years: 1996, 2003, 2010, and 2017. Each of the scorecards evaluates capabilities in the context of geography and distance, each of the scorecards evaluates capabilities in the context of two scenarios: a Taiwan invasion and a Spratly Islands campaign.

BAE Systems tests night vision helmet for fighter pilots

09/18/2015

BAE Systems' new Striker II helmet-mounted display is undergoing trials to evaluate its digital night vision capabilities. If the trials prove successful, Striker II will replace analog night vision goggles worn by fighter pilots. "Striker II has a high-definition, lightweight night vision camera which translates information and displays it on the helmet's visor," said Peter Kosogorin, a test pilot for BAE Systems.

Tornados Get Tail Fin Makeover

09/18/2015

Five RAF Tornado GR4s have taken to the skies sporting new painted tail fins. The tradition of painting combat aircraft is common to virtually all air forces, offering a way for crews to celebrate achievements or commemorate past events. The aircraft, four from RAF Marham and one from RAF Lossiemouth, are carrying special centenary markings to commemorate the 100th anniversary of squadrons, and 40 years of Tornado service.

Deal for France’s Rafale Fighter Jets Still Stuck in Negotiations

09/18/2015

Five months after India announced a deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets "off the shelf" from France, much of the expectations from the big-ticket deal appears to have evaporated due to protracted negotiations. While voices from both sides say there is hope for the deal being concluded by December, on the French side there is some frustration at the long-winded nature of the negotiations.

Air Force Admits: Our New Stealth Fighter Can’t Fight

09/18/2015

The U.S. Air Force has finally admitted that its new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter isn’t maneuverable enough to beat older jets in a dogfight. But despite its earlier promises that the pricey, radar-evading warplane would excel in close combat, now the flying branch insists that the stealthy F-35 doesn’t even need to dogfight.

HAL seeks to lighten LCA burden

09/18/2015

Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which manufactures the Light Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, plans to offload to industry larger chunks of the fighter plane to produce than is being done now. It is working on a process to rope in eight to 12 large industry partners as tier-1 or tier-2 suppliers of bigger ‘modules’ or structures, according to HAL Chairman and Managing Director T. Suvarna Raju. He said an industry partner may gear up to the task over a couple of years.

China Reveals Air-to-Air Missile for Its Fifth-Generation Fighter Jet

09/18/2015

Rumors about China’s latest PL-10 short-range air-to-air missile have been circling for the last two years. Speaking during a Chinese television interview, the missile’s chief designer revealed that the missile is nearly complete, and offered new key details.

For U.S. Pilots, the Real War on ISIS Is a Far Cry From ‘Top Gun’

09/17/2015

Soon after this aircraft carrier arrived here for its Middle East deployment, two F/A-18 Super Hornets catapulted off its deck for a six-and-a-half-hour bombing run toward Islamic State targets in Iraq. In one of the fighter jets was Navy Lt. Michael Smallwood, 28, call sign Bones, and in the other was his friend and roommate, Navy Lt. Nick Smith, also 28, call sign Yip Yip.

Air Force delivers new and innovative vision of future warfare

09/17/2015

It’s 2035, and US Air Force pilots are flying “D” model Joint Strike Fighters. This afterburning F-35D controls an uninhabited long-range strike bomber in tandem with a team of cyber operators. Using line-of-sight data links, the fighter pilot of 2035 can control the drone bomber, if the enemy cuts out the link to the drone pilot back in the United States, while a cyber team constantly updates the level of autonomy the unmanned bomber are able to perform.

RAAF blows up IS troop carrier in Syria

09/17/2015

An Australian warplane has conducted the first air strike on Islamic State in Syria, destroying an armoured personnel carrier with a precision guided bomb. In another major development, Australia will withdraw more than 100 troops from Iraq in what the government describes as reshaping the scope of the mission to advise and assist the Iraqi army.

Shoulder-fired Missile Threat to Civilian Aircraft

09/17/2015

The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recently issued a warning to all national aviation authorities and aircraft operators of enhanced risk to the safety of civilian aircraft from terrorists, while flying over Pakistan. This warning has been issued at the behest of the civil aviation regulator of France, DGAC, that has made it mandatory for French aircraft operators not to fly below an altitude of 24,000 ft in Pakistan.

Directed Energy Weapons on Aircraft by 2020, Air Force Officials Say

09/17/2015

Air Force officials said they are confident that the service can field a directed energy weapon on combat aircraft by 2020. "I want a high-energy laser on an AC-130J gunship by the close of this decade," Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, commander of the Air Force special operations command said Sept. 15 at the Air Force Association conference. "The technology is ripe [for doing this]. I have the space, I have the weight and I have the power on an AC-130J to put a high-energy laser on an aircraft."

Lockheed Martin and Roketsan to Develop Mid-Range Cruise Missile for the F-35

09/17/2015

Lockheed Martin and Turkish company Roketsan signed a contract to cooperatively develop the SOM-J missile for integration into the F-35 internal weapons bay. SOM-J is a new generation air-to-surface standoff cruise missile. The contract enables the companies to move forward with their Technical Assistance Agreement, making the SOM-J missile available to international customers.

Air Force Receives Two Additional MC-130Js

09/17/2015

U.S. Air Force crews recently ferried two MC-130J Commando II aircraft from the Lockheed Martin facility here. Both aircraft are operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). One aircraft is assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, and the other to Hurlburt Field, Florida.

Russian Paratroopers Set to Hold Anti-Terror Drills in Egypt for First Time

09/17/2015

Russian paratroopers plan to hold anti-terrorist exercises for the first time in Egypt in October and November this year, the paratroopers’ press service said Wednesday. Cairo and Moscow agreed to increase military, trade, security and economic cooperation earlier this year after a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Egypt in February.

Japan Requests Explanations After ‘Russian’ Plane Enters Airspace

09/17/2015

Tokyo sought explanations from Russia after it scrambled four fighter jets to intercept a foreign aircraft - believed to be Russian - which briefly violated its airspace, government officials said Wednesday.

Russia sends artillery and tanks to Syria as part of continued military buildup

09/16/2015

Russia has sent tanks and artillery to Syria amid a reported military buildup, US officials say, raising concerns about a potential mission to bolster President Bashar al-Assad’s embattled regime. Moscow has sent artillery units and seven tanks to the Syrian airbase near Latakia on the Mediterranean coast as part of an ongoing military buildup, a US official told AFP on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.

U.S. Air Force planning for increased stealth bomber availability

09/16/2015

The U.S. Air Force is overhauling maintenance and restoration of its B-2 stealth bombers, shortening maintenance periods to keep more aircraft mission-ready. The Air Force is working with contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation in an effort to improve the B-2's readiness and sustainability. Under the contract signed by both parties in April, each jet will undergo a complete restoration process known as programmed depot maintenance (PDM).