Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Turkey and Azerbaijan to conduct joint aerial military exercise

08/20/2015

Turkey and Azerbaijan will conduct joint air force exercises next week on Saturday. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that the exercises will include a series of operations such as airstrikes against joint targets. They will feature a variety of military aircraft including Mig-29, F-16 and Su-25 fighters, F-4E bombers, C-130 Hercules transport planes and Mi-35, Mi-17 and Skorski UH-60 attack helicopters.

What is the F-35B and Why is the UK Buying It?

08/20/2015

Over the past few years, the F-35 Lightning II – the fifth-generation, Lockheed Martin wunder-plane set to eventually take over from almost every fighter jet in the US and UK militaries – has received a public relations kicking. It’s expensive – the total cost for the programme so far is an incredible, not-even-hyperbolic trillion dollars.

Israel upgrades F-16Is to cope with missile threat

08/20/2015

Israel is upgrading its Lockheed Martin F-16I combat aircraft with several undisclosed systems in order to cope with the increased threat from surface-launched missiles. A senior air force officer tells Flightglobal that intelligence reports indicate that the enhancement is necessary.“The threats we are facing and will face, according to intelligence assessments, require the installation of new systems," he says.

Generator failure caused drone crash near Africa, investigation finds

08/20/2015

The failure of an onboard electrical generator caused the crash of a drone in February during a mission over Africa, an Air Force investigation announced Wednesday. The Air Force crew in charge of the aircraft intentionally crashed the MQ-9A Reaper over international waters after they were unable to fix the problem Feb. 4, according to the report by the Accident Investigation Board.

Indian Industry Could Lose Out in Revised Rafale Deal

08/20/2015

India’s expanding aerospace industry has expressed regret about the government’s decision to buy 36 Dassault Rafale combat jets directly from France, without an offsets clause. Delhi has committed to signing the inter-government contract by the end of calendar year 2015, AIN has learned from sources close to the negotiations. The tender for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), which has now been withdrawn, specified 50 percent offsets as well as licensed production of 108 aircraft.

China's military aircraft walk fine line between copying and 'referencing'

08/20/2015

An internet user recently published a black and white photograph of the "number 2013" prototype of the Chengdu J-20 fighter, which hasn't made an appearance in quite some time, on a test flight, according to Sina's military news web portal. The angle of the photograph suggests that the area of the canard wings are quite large and that the body of the plane is long and thin, which suggests that it will have quite a high-speed cruise capability.

Syrian Army Retakes 16 Villages, Kills Over 300 Rebels in Hama Province

08/20/2015

The Syrian army has retaken 16 villages and killed up to 350 rebels during the ongoing offensive in Syria's central Hama province, a military source said on Wednesday. The Syrian military launched a large-scale offensive on Monday aiming to take back territories captured by a rebel alliance that includes al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, the Al-Nusra Front.

'Combat Commonwealth': CIS Air Defense Drills Kick Off in Russia

08/19/2015

The first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) integrated air-defense-system combat-training exercises kicked off near Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday.

Is the U.S. Air Force Looking For Another All-New Airplane?

08/19/2015

The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC) last week released its 2015 strategy review, “Securing the High Ground,” primarily a guide for updating and modernizing the existing fleet. Near the end of the 15-page document the ACC says, “We must also continue to develop a balanced close air support (CAS) capability across all [Global Precision Attack] platforms, explore opportunities for a future CAS platform, and enact specific initiatives to ensure we maintain a CAS culture throughout the.”

US sends fresh tanks, planes, troops to Europe as ‘message’ to Moscow

08/19/2015

At the weekend, the United States air force also declared it will be sending another 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack planes to reinforce NATO’s Operation Atlantic Resolve — an ongoing show of force aimed at deterring mounting Russian hostility towards Ukraine and East European states.

Marine Corps Sees Growing Demand for V-22 Osprey

08/19/2015

The Marine Corps is working on training V-22 Osprey crews faster in order to keep pace with the growing demand for the tilt-rotor aircraft, officials said. With its ability to hover like a helicopter and fly like an airplane, cargo carrying capacity, 280-knot speed and 450 nautical mile combat radius, the Osprey is proving to be an indispensable asset for amphibious and expeditionary Corps units involved in training exercises, humanitarian missions and other operations.

First Apaches arrive in Alaska as Army reorganizes

08/19/2015

The first of 24 AH-64 Apache helicopters were scheduled to arrive Tuesday in Alaska as part of the Army’s sweeping five-year reorganization of its aviation assets. The Apaches, which were coming from Germany, were being delivered via an Air Force C-5 Galaxy, landing Tuesday afternoon local time at Ladd Army Airfield on Fort Wainwright.

Air Force looking for more advanced fighter aircraft

08/19/2015

Despite the “air-to-air” capabilities of its South Korean-made F/A-50 “Fighting Eagle” jet aircraft, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) still has its sights on acquiring a more advanced and capable jet fighter. This was announced by PAF chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado in an interview Monday.

DoD Tries to Reduce Human Factor by Increasing Drone Use - Advocacy Group

08/19/2015

The US government’s intention to significantly expand drone flights over the next four years indicates that Washington is trying to remove a human role in wars, activist Melinda Pillsbury-Foster of the Drone Free Zone group told Sputnik.

'Loose Tweets Destroy Fleets': Air Force Issues Social Media Warning

08/19/2015

The US Air Force is urging service people to show discretion when it comes to their social media accounts, warning in a new poster: "Loose tweets destroy fleets." The poster, issued by Captain Jonathan McDonald of US Air Force Central Command, is an updated version of the World War II warning "Loose lips sink ships."

Russia Transfer of S-300 Missile System to Iran Continues to Trouble US

08/19/2015

The United States continues to have concerns about Russia’s sale and potential delivery of a defensive weapons system to Iran even though the transaction does not violate any UN resolutions, US State Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.

Syria reportedly receives MiG-31 interceptors from Russia

08/18/2015

The Syrian government has received six MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptor aircraft from Russia under a deal that was said to have been signed in 2007, a regional media source has reported. The aircraft recently arrived at Mezze Airbase on the outskirts of Damascus, the Turkish BGN News agency reported on 16 August.

These 3 charts show just how enormous the US Air Force really is

08/18/2015

The US has the largest and most powerful Air Force in the world. The US Air Force operates more than 5,000 total aircraft, and the air service flies more than just fighters and bombers. The Air Force also runs missions ranging from surveillance to aerial refuelling to supply airlift, each of which requires a specialised aircraft.

Delay to Tejas Mk 2 could push IAF into accepting modified Mk 1s

08/18/2015

The Pentagon will significantly expand the number of daily drone sorties conducted around the globe during the next several years and will for the first time expand the mission beyond the Air Force, a defense official said. The plan reflects a high-level recognition that the Air Force's remotely piloted vehicle fleet can no longer meet the forcewide demand for combat air patrols flown by drone pilots, mainly due to severe pilot shortages.

New ACC Strategy Underlines Need for A-10 Replacement

08/18/2015

A new strategy document released last week by US Air Combat Command lays out an updated roadmap for modernizing the Air Force's legacy fleet, underlining in particular an effort to develop a future close-air support platform. The ACC's 2015 command strategy, unveiled Aug. 10, calls for "exploring opportunities" for developing a future close-air support platform — presumably a replacement for the Air Force's primary close-in attack aircraft used to protect ground troops, the legacy A-10.

Russia To Unveil Futuristic Fighter, Bomber Aircraft Models At MAKS

08/18/2015

Russia is working on several futuristic fighter and bomber models in addition to the PAK-FA stealth fighters, scale models of some of which will be displayed at the upcoming MAKS 2015 air and defense exhibition in Moscow this month-end.

Formal farewell for Argentine Malvinas Mirage aircraft, after 40 years service

08/18/2015

Last week the Argentine Air Force formally bid farewell to the remaining French built Mirage jet fighters, which saw combat during the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982, since in three months time they will be decommissioned after four decades service. The occasion was the 103 anniversary of the Air Force (10th August but celebrated on the 13th).

Off the Coast of Iran, a High-Stakes Version of Spy Versus Spy

08/18/2015

The commander of the Navy’s Fifth Fleet was in his office on the afternoon of July 25 when he got the phone call: An Iranian Navy frigate in the Gulf of Aden had approached a ship where an American military helicopter had just landed.

US Awards Bell Helicopter $85Mln to Upgrade Navy, Pakistan Weapons Systems

08/18/2015

The Department of Defense awarded a contract worth more than $85 million to Textron’s Bell Helicopter division to develop updates for weapons systems for the US and Pakistani helicopter fleets, the US Navy said in a press release.

Saudi Arabia Needs Mistrals for Power Projection in Middle East

08/18/2015

Saudi Arabia has been on a course to boost its military capabilities focusing lately on its naval forces and the possible purchase of the two Mistrals originally built for Russia by France could be central to these efforts.