Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Turkey To Buy Reconnaissance Aircraft

08/04/2015

Turkey’s procurement authorities approved a new contract to acquire reconnaissance and observation aircraft. The procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), released a request for information (RfI) to which potential bidders must reply no later than Aug. 12.

Dozens dead as Syrian army plane crashes in rebel-held town

08/04/2015

A Syrian military aircraft crashed while on a bombing run over the rebel-held northwestern town of Ariha on Monday, leaving at least 23 people dead, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear how many of the dead were from the crash and how many from the prior bombardment.

Beijing South China Sea Military Expansion: World's Largest Aircraft Carrier Dock Helps China Expand Naval Ambitions

08/04/2015

China has reportedly built the world's largest aircraft carrier dock at its naval base in the South China Sea. The 700 meter-long dock is able to accommodate ships on both sides, allowing it to service two aircraft carriers or other large ships at the same time.

Nato reports surge in jet interceptions as Russia tensions increase

08/04/2015

World powers are reporting surges in airspace violations and instances where aircraft are scrambled to intercept foreign jets, amid a sharp rise in geopolitical tensions in Europe and Asia. Nato member aircraft were forced to conduct more than 500 scrambles over Europe in 2014 – a fourfold increase on the previous year. Nearly 85% of these were to intercept Russian aircraft.

How China's expert fighter jet designer avoids America's mistakes

08/04/2015

There's aircraft designers, and then there's ace designers. There are thousands of engineers around the world producing planes, but ace designers only come along once every few decades. The United States had Kelly Johnson, the designer of the SR-71 Blackbird. Germany's Willy Messerschmitt produced a line of famous fighter planes. The Soviet Union's Mikhail Simonov created the muscular Su-27 fighter-bomber to compete with America's F-15 Eagle.

U.S. Military Aircraft to Defend ‘Moderate’ Syrian Rebels

08/04/2015

U.S. military aircraft will provide defensive air cover to “moderate” Syrian rebels, the Pentagon announced on Monday. My colleague, Richard Sisk, has the story on Military?.com: The small group of lightly equipped “moderate” Syrian rebels vetted and trained by the U.S. and now on the ground in northern Syria will be provided with limited defensive air cover, a Pentagon official said Monday.

Lockheed Martin Technology Helps Pilots and UAS Operators Share Data, Stay Safe

08/04/2015

As Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) take to the skies, it is essential for safety that UAS operators and pilots are aware of each other. To help provide this shared situational awareness, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has deployed the first components of a UAS traffic management (UTM) system that is available to the UAS community now.

Saudi-Led Coalition Deploys Nearly 3,000 Troops in Yemen - Reports

08/04/2015

A ground force of 2,800 pro-government troops, accompanied by tanks and armored personnel carriers, pushed toward a Houthi-controlled military base in Yemen Monday as Saudi-led coalition airstrikes cleared their path.

US Begins Launching Armed Drones From Turkish Airbase Read more

08/04/2015

The United States has started flying armed drones from a Turkish airbase, but they have not conducted any airstrikes against the Islamic State yet, according to US media reports citing Pentagon on Monday.

Egypt kills leading IS militant in Sinai

08/03/2015

Egyptian armed forces killed a leading member of the country's Islamic State affiliate in a shootout outside his North Sinai home, the army spokesman said in a statement on Saturday. Selim Suleiman al-Haram, identified in the statement as a leader of the militant group known as Sinai Province, was asked to turn himself in by a group of soldiers that surrounded his house in the town of Sheikh Zuweid, the army said.

U.S. to defend Syrian rebels with airpower, including from Assad

08/03/2015

The United States has decided to allow airstrikes to defend Syrian rebels trained by the U.S. military from any attackers, even if the enemies hail from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, U.S. officials said on Sunday. The decision by President Barack Obama, which could deepen the U.S. role in Syria's conflict, aims to shield a still-fledging group of Syrian fighters armed and trained by the United States to battle Islamic State militants -- not forces loyal to Assad.

First F-35 squadron in military history becomes operational

08/03/2015

Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 based in Yuma, Arizona, is the first squadron in military history to become operational with an F-35 variant, according to a Marine Corps release. A five-day Operational Readiness Inspection that ended July 17 cleared the way for Friday’s announcement.

Latvian military spots ‘Russian navy ship’ near its borders

08/03/2015

Latvia’s National Defense Forces say a Russian naval ship was spotted nine kilometers from the country’s territorial waters. According to the Latvian military’s official Twitter feed, the vessel was a Russian mine launcher, the Aleksandr Obukhov, which had entered the country’s exclusive economic zone, an area stretching some 200 nautical miles from its shores.

IAF fighters makes first staging visit to Kingdom

08/03/2015

A flying contingent of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are on a maiden visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They are in the Kingdom from Aug. 1-4. Indian Embassy Charge d’Affaires Hemant Kotalwar, while addressing a press conference, called the visit significant, and yet another feature that is set to give the Indo-Saudi relations a boost.

What’s the story with the Top Gun sequel?

08/03/2015

It is one of the most famous lines in 1980s movies. “I feel the need...” bellows an impossibly young Tom Cruise as he marches across the runway to a waiting F14-A Tomcat fighter jet, “...the need for speed!” And there have been plenty of Top Gun fans who’ve felt a similar desire to experience the heady rush of combat aircraft roaring across cinema screens one more time.

John Kerry Urges Egypt to Move Forward With Political Reform

08/03/2015

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Egypt’s leadership to move forward with political reform as part of a strategy to combat religious extremism, citing parliamentary elections this fall as an important test for the Arab country. The Obama administration’s top diplomat stressed in weekend meetings with senior Egyptian officials that the U.S. is committed to supporting President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s fight against extremist groups who have launched attacks across their country.

'Make in India' for 90 medium combat jets

08/03/2015

In another major step towards self reliance in the defence sector, a plan is being finalised to produce 90 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in India, informed sources said. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is expected to be drafted soon after the new Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) comes in place.

Mi-28 Helicopter Crashes at Air Show, One Pilot Escapes (VIDEO)

08/03/2015

A video reveals a Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopter crash at a competition in central Russia. The commander of the crew was killed in the crash as the second pilot narrowly escaped from the burning fuselage.

First squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters cleared for active combat

08/02/2015

After nearly 15 years of development and a half-dozen years of testing, the first squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters is officially operational. The decision was formally announced by Marine Commandant General Joseph Dunford on Friday, making the Marines the first military branch to declare its version of the aircraft combat-ready.

Military plane crashes in Colombia - 11 dead

08/02/2015

Airbus confirmed the news that a CN235 military transport aircraft crashed in Colombia today claiming the lives of 11 Colombian military personnel. Their transport plane suffered motor failure and crashed in the northern province of Cesar, killing all on board, according to a statement from the Air Force.

North Korea military aircraft may have crashed, says Seoul

08/02/2015

South Korea authorities confirmed a North Korea military aircraft crashed at an airfield in the port city of Wonsan around July 15 and the casualties may have included members of Kim Jong Un's entourage. The site of the accident is most likely the same place where Kim Jong Un attended an air force tournament held in commemoration of North Korea's July 27 "Victory Day," South Korean television network SBS reported.

China's Super Weapons: Beware the J-20 and J-31 Stealth Fighters

08/02/2015

Throughout its history, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has lagged behind the aerial programs of other world powers such as the United States. Now, the PRC has set its sights on producing indigenously designed “fifth generation” fighter jets comparable to the US F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.

Argentina buying 18 Israeli Kfir Fighter Planes

08/02/2015

The Block 60 is the latest upgraded version of the Kfir, which was used by the Israeli air force between 1975 and 1994. Some aircraft are being offered with General Electric J79 engines with zero hours following a complete overhaul, while other examples would need to have this work performed after their powerplant reaches 1,600 flight hours.

Iraq authorities plead with Kurdish PKK to retreat from ISIS fight amid Turkish air strikes

08/02/2015

TURKEY has killed 260 Kurdish militants in a week-long air offensive on targets in northern Iraq as regional Iraqi authorities said it was time the Kurds withdraw from the front line with ISIS as concerns grow over civilian casualties.

Russian MiG-31s Perform Unique Non-Stop Flight With Three Aerial Refuelings

08/02/2015

Russian MiG-31 interceptor jet pilots performed a unique six-hour non-stop flight with three air refueling operations, head of the press service of the Russian Central Military District, Col. Yaroslav Roshchupkin, said Saturday. "The pilots from the Central Military District devoted the unique flight of MiG-31BM interceptor jets to today's opening of the International Army Games," Roshchupkin said in a statement.