Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Rafale International Reaffirms Commitment To Malaysia

03/16/2015

Rafale International has re- emphasised its commitment to Malaysia that goes beyond defence technology through its participation in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2015 (LIMA'15). In a statement Monday, it said its two combat-proven Rafale, a single-seater and two-seater fighter aircraft, were already parked on the LIMA tarmac, ready to take to the skies over the five days of the exhibition.

Allies a Key Factor in New US Sea Strategy

03/16/2015

The US Navy is aiming to have a forward presence of 120 ships by 2020, up from 97 ships today, putting ships "where it matters, when it matters." That's according to the latest update of the US maritime strategy, a document that guides the concepts and development of the sea services — the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.

How America’s Drones Can Defeat ISIS

03/16/2015

As Defense Secretary Ashton Carter settles into office, a formidable challenge awaits him: eradicating the menace of the Islamic State, or ISIS, in Syria and Iraq. In his Senate confirmation hearing, Carter reiterated that he and the Obama administration hope “with our air power and other kinds of assistance, [to] inflict defeat on ISIS, and then make it a lasting defeat.”

B-52 bomber a marathon aircraft both in time and distance

03/16/2015

They’re big. They’re ugly. And they fly. No, they’re not mosquitoes from Alaska. They’re B-52 Stratofortress bombers from North Dakota. And they’re old, too. Older than the pilots who fly them. The one that 32-year-old Capt. Jeffrey “Shredder” Stock flew in last week’s Red Flag air combat exercises at Nellis Air Force Base.

China Overtakes Germany as World’s Third-Largest Arms Exporter

03/16/2015

China has overtaken Germany as the world’s third-largest arms exporter and cut its own dependence on imports by producing more-sophisticated weapons, according to a new report. State-owned defense suppliers such as Norinco Group have become prominent at arms fairs, opening new markets beyond established customers in South Asia by, for example, selling armed drones to Nigeria in its battle against Boko Haram rebels.

Kanwa: China should reveal more details of J-31 fighter

03/15/2015

China should allow potential overseas buyers to learn more details of the FC-31 or Shenyang J-31, the nation's second fifth-generation stealth fighter designed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, writes the Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.

Training Cited in Turkish Aircraft Losses

03/15/2015

In December 2013, Turkish officials warned that because military pilots were leaving service at such an alarming rate, much greater attention must be paid to the training regime. Slightly over a year later, Turkey mourns the loss of six pilots in a span of six days. Two Turkish RF-4E reconnaissance jets crashed into a hill on Feb. 27 near Malatya, eastern Turkey, killing all four pilots aboard.

France To Modify Rafales for Egypt

03/15/2015

The Rafale fighter jets sold to Egypt will be modified to remove nuclear missile capability and NATO standard communications, a source close to the deal said. "There will be a few modifications," the source said. Once adapted, the fighters will be delivered, with the first three in time for Egyptian pilots to fly the twin-engine fighter in Egyptian colors over the opening of a new waterway on the Suez Canal in August.

New U.S. stealth bomber shrouded in mystery

03/15/2015

Nearly 30 years after the first U.S. stealth bomber took flight, the Air Force's aging fleet is primed for a makeover; albeit an expensive one. The Pentagon is looking to upgrade its stealth aircraft for the first time since the 1970s, developing a high-priority, super-classified, next-generation bomber.

Oops: US Close-Air Support Bomb Doesn't Fit on the F35

03/14/2015

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will not receive the software package required to operate the Pentagon’s top close-air support bomb until 2022, according to military.com. The article also stated that the JSF office already had discovered earlier that the precision-guided air-dropped Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) does not fit onto Joint Strike Fighter Marine Corps variant without modifications to the aircraft’s weapons bay.

Pentagon’s woes are Sikorsky’s woes

03/14/2015

Restrictions on Pentagon spending and uncertainty over federal government budgets is a key reason the company is considering selling or spinning off Sikorsky Aircraft, United Technology CEO Greg Hayes said. “Defense spending is going to be the governor of growth for them,” Hayes told CNBC. “As much as I like doing business with the DOD, there is huge uncertainty, as well as the margin cap.”

Eight facts about Russian combat patrol missions

03/14/2015

Since the end of last year, countries from Sweden to the United States have noted increased activity of Russian long-range bombers above international waters. What is the point of these patrols and is there reason for the EU and the U.S. to be concerned? RBTH presents eight facts about these flights.

Photos of Czech subsonic planes headed to Iraq

03/14/2015

Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody's subsonic L-159 combat aircraft stand in a hangar in the town of Odolena Voda near Prague, March 11, 2015. REUTERS/David W Cerny The Czech government has approved a sale of 15 subsonic fighter planes to Iraq, the defense minister said on Monday, following the failure of a previous attempt to offload surplus stock to Baghdad.

Pakistan Successfully Tests Its First Armed Drones

03/14/2015

According to a statement released by the Pakistani army, its military has just tested its own indigenously developed, armed drones. The unmanned aircraft come equipped with laser-guided missiles and will be deployed against terrorists along the country’s northwestern border with Afghanistan.

Pakistan and China May Finally Have a JF-17 Buyer

03/13/2015

The JF-17 Thunder (also known as the FC-1 Xiaolong), a combined development project between “all-weather” partners China and Pakistan, hasn’t quite been selling like hotcakes on the international budget fighter market. The lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat jet, jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, sells at an attractive price point, with a unit cost of just around $15-25 million.

First-Ever Italian F-35a ‘Rolls Out’ Of Cameri Production Facility

03/13/2015

History was achieved today when the first Italian F-35A Lightning II rolled out of the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility, marking the first F-35A assembled internationally and the first of eight aircraft currently being assembled. The aircraft, designated as AL-1, will now proceed to additional check-out activities before its anticipated first flight later this year.

NATO, US Air Force AWACS Modernization Moves Forward - Boeing

03/13/2015

NATO is moving forward to modernize its Airborne early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft with new flight deck and avionics systems, US defense contractor Boeing said in a statement on Thursday. “These improvements provide NATO with an AWACS fleet that will save time and fuel, and will also decrease operational costs by allowing a reduction in the flight crew size,” Boeing AWACS Program Manager Jon Hunsberger said.

Indian Army Wives Urge Government to Replace Outdated French Helicopters

03/13/2015

The Indian Army Wives Agitation Group has urged the country’s defense ministry to scrap old French-developed helicopters that put military personnel’s lives at risk, Meenal Wagh Bhosale, a founding member of the group, told Sputnik on Thursday. “During my meeting with the defense minister, I, on behalf of the Army Officers’ Wives, demanded that these vintage choppers should be phased out,” Bhosale said.

Russia, Serbia to Carry Out Joint Air Force Drills

03/13/2015

Military pilots from Russia and Serbia will conduct joint training exercises in September 2015, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. "Air Force officials from Russia and Serbia agreed at planing conference in the Russian Defense Ministry on March 12 to carry out joint tactical drills in September this year," spokesman Col. Igor Klimov said in a statement.

ANALYSIS: Procurement questions to dominate LIMA show

03/12/2015

Langkawi is an idyllic location for an air show, but its sunny skies aren’t likely to shed much light on Kuala Lumpur’s procurement agenda. The two years since the last instalment of the biennial Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition have been eventful for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

U.S. military helicopter crashes off Florida; human remains found

03/12/2015

Seven Marines and four Army aircrew were presumed dead Wednesday, according to a U.S. Defense official, after their Black Hawk helicopter crashed into waters off the Florida Panhandle during a nighttime training mission. By late Wednesday morning, human remains had washed ashore in the area near Eglin Air Force Base, base spokeswoman Jasmine Porterfield said.

Czech Republic confirms sale of combat jets to Iraq

03/12/2015

The Czech Republic has announced plans to sell 15 training and combat aircraft to Iraq for a approximately EUR 28 million. Martin Stropnicky, Czech Defence Minister: "The contract consists of 15 units (of L-159 aircraft) for Iraq. These are three single-seated and one double-seated aircraft directly from the Czech army arsenal and 11 pieces that are stored in Aero Vodochody."

Russia's MiG-31 Interceptors to Stay in Service Until 2026 - Manufacturer

03/12/2015

The Mykoyan MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft will stay in service with the Russian Air Force until 2026, the head of the MiG corporation said Wednesday. "The MiG corporation is currently developing heavy fighter-interceptor aircraft to replace the MiG-31, but the MiG-31 will remain in service until 2026," Sergei Korotkov told RIA Novosti.

Russia Launches Simultaneous Military Drills in West, South, Far East

03/12/2015

A series of military exercises with live firing were launched Wednesday in Russia’s southern and western regions and in the Far East, the Defense Ministry said. During a tactical fight training exercise in South Russia’s Stavropol Territory, about 20 Su-25SM (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) fighter-bombers will make 30 sorties with live firing of missiles and rockets.

NATO Fighter Jets Scramble to Intercept Russian Fuel Tanker Over Baltic Sea

03/12/2015

Italian fighter jets protecting airspace over the Baltic states were deployed to intercept a Russian refueling aircraft over the Baltic Sea, Latvian National Armed Forces said via Twitter. The IL-78 (Midas) is an air-to-air refueling tanker and is part of a regiment based in western Russia's Ryazan Region nearly 200 kilometers (122 miles) southeast of Moscow.