Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Delivery of CH-47F supports modernization of cargo helicopter fleet

09/10/2015

Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered the seventh CH-47F Chinook to the Australian Army on budget August 10th, three weeks ahead of schedule, supporting modernization of Australia’s cargo helicopter fleet and eventually replacing the Commonwealth’s six older CH-47D Chinooks. The seven advanced Chinooks were ordered as part of a U.S. Government Foreign Military Sales agreement with Australia in 2012.

British Military to Buy Solar-Powered Drones Flying on Edge of Space

09/10/2015

Britain's Ministry of Defense (MoD) will acquire three solar-powered drones that can fly on the edge of space for up to three months, the drone's manufacturer said on Wednesday. The Zephyr 8 drones being supplied by Airbus Defence and Space will be capable of flying at a height of about 70,000 feet.

Russia-Pakistan Military Cooperation Not Threatening Relations With India

09/10/2015

Moscow and Islamabad are currently in talks on the delivery of Russian multirole Mi-35M attack helicopters and the latest Su-35 fighter jets. "I do not think that the contacts under discussion will cause jealousy on the part of any of the two sides," Ryabkov told journalists.

Dozens of Emirati Soldiers Beheaded by ISIL in Yemen

09/10/2015

ISIL terrorists have cut off the heads of several dozen Emirati soldiers who fled the war in Yemen's Maarib after a Houthi missile attack killed at least 65 of their comrades along with 240 others from the Saudi-led coalition, Iranian media reports said.

Russian Fighter Pilots Polishing Low Altitude Skills on Su-25s

09/10/2015

Russian pilots in the Southern Military District are currently increasing their skills in extremely low altitude flights on Su-25SM Frogfoot close air support jets, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Southern Military District’s press service said Wednesday.

The F-35 Program Gets a Major Boost in Italy

09/09/2015

The first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assembled outside the U.S. made its inaugural flight on Monday. taly’s conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, dubbed the AL-1, is the first such jet built overseas. All previous F-35 aircraft have been built at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth production hub in Texas. The Italian F-35A/AL-1 successfully completed an 88-minute flight out of Cameri Air Base, about 60 miles north of Turin.

RAF doubles drone attacks against Isis

09/09/2015

Royal Air Force drone strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have more than doubled in recent weeks, according to an FT analysis of defence data, putting them at the forefront of the UK’s campaign against the insurgency.

100,000,000 Reasons Why America's New Stealth Bomber Matters

09/09/2015

The U.S. Air Force is expected to award a contract for its secretive Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) program later this month. The LRS-B award could determine the fate of the U.S. defense-aerospace industry as Northrop Grumman and a combined Boeing/Lockheed Martin team vie to secure a program that could be worth more than $100 billion.

Russia's Airborne Units Put On Full Alert Amid NATO Tensions, Combat Readiness Inspections

09/09/2015

Russian air force units were put on full alert as a part of an inspection of combat readiness in the Central Military District, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday, according to the official news agency Tass. The planned inspection includes testing a number of aircraft and their abilities.

Giant Russian transport aircraft in Syria raise concerns

09/09/2015

Three giant Russian Condor transport aircraft have flown into the Assad International Airport near Latakia, Syria, over the past few days. They have unloaded large containers but it's not known yet what's in the containers, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin.

Small but Deadly: China Presents Z-19E Attack Helicopter

09/09/2015

The helicopter can provide offensive air support and destroy the armored vehicles of any potential enemy with its “air-to-surface” armament including anti-tank missiles, a 23mm cannon and other weapons. It also has gun pods and can carry air-to-air missiles, and its tandem-seated cockpit is armored.

French Rafale Jets Conduct First Reconnaissance Flights Over Syria

09/09/2015

On Monday, President Francois Hollande announced that France would start inspection flights over Syria before initiating targeted airstrikes against the Islamic State jihadist group. Two Rafale jets conducted France's first intelligence flights over the Syrian territory on Tuesday, French media reported.

Ukraine, Saudi Arabia to Jointly Produce New Antonov Transport Aircraft

09/09/2015

Ukraine’s Antonov aircraft manufacturing company, part of the Ukroboronprom Conglomerate, and Saudi Arabia have reached an agreement on the joint production of the new An-132 light multirole transport aircraft.

Sky is Safe: Brazil to Buy Russian Pantsir-S1 Missile Systems in 2016

09/09/2015

Brazil will acquire a shipment of Russian Pantsir-S1 missile systems in 2016, a highly-ranked official in the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said Tuesday. The two countries commenced negotiations on Pantsir deliveries in 2012, but the talks were delayed due to Brazilian state budgetary restrictions.

RUSSIA CLAIMS IT ‘NEVER CONCEALED’ SENDING WEAPONS TO SYRIA

09/08/2015

The Russian government is claiming officials never denied or misled anyone about sending weapons and equipment to Syria. The report comes days after terrorist groups in Syria published photos of Russians in Syria, and the U.S. warning the Kremlin about military activity in the war-torn country.

OPINION: What to expect from UK defence review

09/08/2015

It might barely have registered in the minds of the British public ahead of the May general election, but the future direction of the UK’s armed forces is within weeks of again dominating the news agenda.

The Kamov factory, second rotor in the rise of the Russian helicopter

09/08/2015

While the helicopter design bureau of Nikolai Kamov was in some aspects eclipsed by the work of the Mil plant under engineer Mikhail Mil, the brain behind classics like the Mi-8, Kamov was the other driving force in the sector’s massive growth from the 1940s.

Helicopter manufacturers’ financial results

09/08/2015

During July and August, the five main helicopter manufacturers released their financial results for the first six months of 2015. It is time to have a look at the results of each company for the first half of 2015 and to highlight the common trends of the industry. Following Sikorsky’s sale to Lockheed Martin, United Technologies Corporation was the first to present its results to financial analysts on July 21.

U-2 Pioneers Open-mission Systems for U.S. Air Force

09/08/2015

The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is planning more test flights of an open-mission system (OMS) that promises true “plug and play” functionality for airborne communications, electronic warfare and sensor systems. The platform for the flights is the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, which has already demonstrated machine-to-machine integration in two series of flights since November last year.

Airstrikes on Terrorists in Syria and Iraq Continue over Labor Day

09/08/2015

U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria and Iraq over Labor Day, carrying out 15 airstrikes in the past 24 hours. The forces in the region include the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which will make San Diego its new home port after the current tour of duty. The Roosevelt is taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve, which is targeting the self-declared Islamic state, also known known as ISIL or ISIS.

Russian Fighters Fly High at MAKS 2015

09/08/2015

Facing the pressure of economic sanctions imposed by Western countries, the Russian civilian aviation market has experienced reduced business volume, due to dropping demand from domestic airlines. Against this background the military aviation market took center stage at the MAKS 2015 airshow at Zhukhovsky near Moscow, Russia. Despite the absence of new military aircraft, Russian manufacturers unveiled a number of new systems and capabilities at the airshow.

Putin orders snap military exercise in central Russia

09/08/2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered snap checks on troop combat readiness in Russia's central military district, the defence ministry said. "According to the order, troops in the central district... are being brought into full combat readiness from 09:30 Moscow time (0630 GMT)," defence minister Sergei Shoigu said.

Pakistani military says its drone killed 3 suspected militants

09/08/2015

An unmanned Pakistani aircraft killed three suspected terrorists Monday, marking the first time that the country’s military has used drone technology on the battlefield, officials said. In March, Pakistan’s military declared that it had successfully armed an indigenously produced drone, which it calls the Burraq, with a laser-guided missile. But the weapon had not been used in combat until now, officials said.

Iran Launches Air Drills In Isfahan Province

09/07/2015

Iran has launched a two-day air drill involving a range of military aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers. Iranian state media report that the "massive" war games that kicked off on September 5 in the central province of Isfahan conveys “Iran’s message of security, stability, and lasting peace to regional countries.”

16 photos of China's cutting-edge military assets

09/07/2015

Last Thursday's spectacle involved more than 12,000 troops, 500 pieces of military hardware and 200 aircrafts of various types in celebration of Japan's defeat in World War II seven decades ago. The parade also represented what military officials say is the Chinese military's most cutting-edge technology.