Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

No matter how you spin it, we are fighting ISIS in Iraq

01/26/2015

On Jan. 19, the National Defence Department hosted one of its routine technical briefings to update the media on recent developments in the allied military campaign against ISIS in Iraq. In the past, various commanders have detailed the number of sorties undertaken by our combat aircraft and the targets they had successfully engaged.

Marine Prowler officers will soon operate drones

01/26/2015

As the EA-6B Prowler flies into retirement and the Corps takes a new approach to electronic warfare, Marines who spent their careers in the radar-jamming aircraft will be transferred to other military occupation specialties. Most Marines in the 7588 electronic warfare officer MOS will become 7315 unmanned aircraft systems officers. Concurrently, the Corps is changing the duties of the 7315 MOS.

Chinese Spies Expand Operations in Taiwan

01/26/2015

As relations continue to expand between China and Taiwan since the election of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in 2008, so does espionage. With the 2009 Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, cross-strait ties have flourished. The number of Chinese visitors to the island is now around 3 million annually. The joke among many government officials in Beijing, according to media reports, is that it will be easier to buy Taiwan than invade it.

India, US to kick off joint production on 4 defence projects

01/26/2015

Renewing their expansive defence framework for another 10 years, India and the US on Sunday decided to kick off joint manufacturing of four relatively modest military products and explore the development of two more high-end technologies.

Afghan air force ascent slow, imperilling battle with Taliban

01/26/2015

Afghanistan's armed forces are so short of combat-ready aircraft that, late last year, they began fitting machine guns and rockets to Russian-made Mi-17 transport helicopters, dubbed "flying tractors", to bolster their air power. With new planes capable of engaging Taliban insurgents delayed by over two years, and NATO air missions backing up troops on the ground now at a minimum, the fledgling Afghan Air Force is scrambling to provide even basic support.

Germany Stops Arms Exports to Saudi Arabia Amid Instability in Region

01/26/2015

Germany ceased arms exports to Saudi Arabia, with some of the delivery contracts cancelled or left for later revision amid region's instability, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported Sunday citing government sources. According to the newspaper, the decision was made after the Bundessicherheitsrat (Germany’s Federal Security Council) meeting on Wednesday, which involved German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.

RAF Tornado jets get anti-crash system 25 years after recommendation

01/25/2015

Moray-based Tornado fighter jets are finally being fitted with anti-crash systems – a quarter of a century after they were first recommended. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that eight of the RAF’s Tornado GR4s now have the collision avoidance technology installed, with more to follow.

Iran’s Drones Are Back in Iraq

01/25/2015

In recent years Iran’s drones have buzzed into action over Israel, Syria and Lebanon. And now Iranian drones are returning to the scene of their birth—the skies of Iraq, where Tehran’s flying robots saw their combat debut during the 198os Iran-Iraq war.

Red Flag training exercise to begin at Nellis Monday

01/25/2015

Aircraft from 21 Air Force and Marine Corps squadrons, as well as aircraft from the United Kingdom and Australia, will take part in three weeks of combat training exercises beginning Monday at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Under Red Flag 15-1, more than 125 aircraft will depart Nellis twice a day. Some aircraft will stay in the air for up to five hours as pilots practice combat maneuvers.

2 Marines die after their helicopter crashes in Southern California

01/25/2015

Two Marines died after their helicopter crashed on a training mission in Southern California, the military said in a statement. The aircraft went down around 4:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) Friday at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.

UK Taranis unmanned combat aircraft demostrator likely basis for post-2030 UK airforce

01/25/2015

Taranis is an unmanned combat aircraft system advanced technology demonstrator programme. The Taranis demonstrator is the result of one-and-a-half-million man hours of work by the UK’s leading scientists, aerodynamicists and systems engineers from 250 UK companies.

CENTCOM Says US-Led Coalition Launches 26 Airstrikes in One Day Against IS

01/25/2015

The international US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) has launched 26 airstrikes against the militants' positions in Syria and Iraq in one day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday. The United States and its allies have “continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 13 airstrikes.

Northrop Developing 6th Gen Fighter Plans

01/24/2015

Northrop Grumman has stood up a pair of teams dedicated to developing a "sixth-generation" fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, years before the services intend to issue requests for information on potential replacements for current aircraft. It's an aggressive move that Tom Vice, president of Northrop's aerospace division, hopes will pay off in a big way for his company.

Bahraini air force details modernisation plans

01/24/2015

The Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) is to embark on a comprehensive modernisation plan to enhance the capabilities of both its fixed- and rotary-winged combat fleets, a senior officer disclosed on 22 January. Speaking at the IQPC International Military Helicopter conference in London, Colonel Salah Al Mansoor, Head of Planning, HQ, RBAF, said that the service is about to undertake a two-phased recapitalisation programme that will see some of its current inventory first upgraded, with new platfor

Colombian Air Force grounds IAI-built Kfir aircraft fleet

01/24/2015

The Colombian Air Force (FAC) has reportedly grounded its entire fleet of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)-built Kfir C-10 all-weather, multirole combat aircraft. The move is a precautionary measure against the risks of their operation after one aircraft crashed while performing approach manoeuvres near the Air Combat Command Base No. 1 in Colombia last month, as reported by Defensa.com.

A-10s Fly Combat Missions Over Syria

01/24/2015

A-10 Warthogs are attacking Islamic State targets in Syria. But even with this newest round of combat, the U.S. Air Force still asserts that the venerable attack plane isn’t worth keeping around. In November 2014, the flying branch sent the blunt-nosed, straight-winged attack planes back to the Middle East for the first time since the American withdrawal from Iraq.

NATO Scrambles Fighters After Russian Il-20 Spotted Over Baltic Sea

01/24/2015

NATO scrambled Typhoon fighters after a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft was spotted over the Baltic Sea, Bloomberg reports. "NATO Baltic Air Policing QRA ESP Typhoon jest on 23 JAN scrambled to intercept RU Armed Forces Il-20 over the Baltic Sea," Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) said via a post on Twitter.

2 star's 'treason' comments spark call for an investigation

01/23/2015

A prominent lawmaker is calling for an investigation of a major general's reported comments blasting officers as treasonous if they work with Congress against Air Force plans to retire the A-10. Maj. Gen. James Post, vice commander of Air Combat Command, reportedly told officers at a recent meeting of the Tactics Review Board at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, that they were not to speak with Congress about the service's attempt to retire the attack jet.

Russia’s Plans for Arctic Supremacy

01/23/2015

Russia’s traditional view of the outside world is colored by a deep sense of insecurity and paranoia. This is best exemplified by the events in Ukraine, where the Kremlin acted to preserve its traditional geographic bulwark against the West. This pattern of protectionism is also apparent in Moscow’s current understanding and approach to the situation in the Arctic.

NAS JAX to mark final deployment of P-3C Orion

01/23/2015

The local naval aviation community is gearing up for a historic day. On Thursday morning, the last remaining P-3C Orion squadron on the East Coast will deploy for the final time. The United States Navy is phasing out the aircraft. Naval Air Station Jacksonville has been home to the P-3C Orion since the Cold War era of the 1960s. People on the First Coast might recognize it by its four propellers. It's often seen flying over the city.

IG: AF risks spending $8.8B on excess drones

01/23/2015

A 2013 Air Force plan to expand its drone fleet is flawed and risks overspending $8.8 billion on unneeded aircraft, the Defense Department Inspector General says in a September report obtained by Air Force Times this week. Forty-six of the 401 MQ-9 Reapers in the planned procurement are potentially excess, according to the report, which comes as the Air Force says it is in dire need of personnel and aircraft to address the increased need for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties.

Taiwan Arrests Alleged Chinese Spy

01/23/2015

Taiwan has arrested an alleged Chinese spy, the first such apprehension in Taiwan in decades, according to the National Security Bureau. The question many here in Taipei are asking is whether China will attempt some sort of swap to get him back. China is holding two Military Intelligence Bureau agents who were captured in Vietnam more than a decade ago.

Big Air Effort for Small Reward Over Iraq, Syria

01/23/2015

Only one in five of allied combat aircraft sorties over Iraq and Syria have dropped a weapon, according to statistics from the U.S. Central Command for the first five months of Operation Inherent Resolve. By the end of December, a total of 6,981 close air support/escort/interdiction sorties had been flown, plus 2,164 ISR sorties and 1,992 airlift/airdrop sorties.

This Tilt-Rotor Aircraft Could Be The Future Of The US Army's Helicopter Fleet

01/23/2015

The US military wants to upgrade its stable of combat choppers. One possible model for future combat aircraft can take off and land vertically, and then fly like a traditional airplane. Bell's V-280, which combines a combat helicopter's fuselage with tilt-rotors, would basically be a Black Hawk that can adjust its thrust to fly like a fixed-wing aircraft once it's airborne.

US Navy Approves F/A-18 Super Hornet IRST System for Production

01/23/2015

The F/A-18 Super Hornet infrared search and track (IRST) system, developed and integrated by Boeing and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], received approval from the U.S. Navy to enter low-rate initial production. The IRST system consists of Lockheed Martin’s IRST21™ sensor, the GE Aviation FPU-13 Fuel Tank Assembly and the Meggitt Defense Industry Environmental Control unit.