Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Tony Abbott defends purchase of F-35

07/02/2015

Prime Minister Tony Abbott has defended Australia's decision to fork out $12.4 billion to buy the troubled F-35 joint strike fighter, with the first aircraft being introduced to limited roles by the United States Marine Corps next week. Mr Abbott, who on Wednesday announced a $275 million upgrade to Williamtown RAAF Base near Newcastle to accommodate the new fighters, insisted Australia was "absolutely buying the right plane".

No More Easy Victories for the U.S. Military?

07/02/2015

Last week, in a speech delivered to a Rand Corp. audience in Washington D.C., U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work preached his usual sermon about the slipping technological edge of the United States military and the growing danger posed by effective countermeasures to the American Way of War primarily based on precision-strike regimes (see: “The End of the American Way of War?”).

Controversy Flares Over F-35 Air Combat Report

07/02/2015

A Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) was outperformed in the type’s first basic fighter maneuvering exercise by a 20-plus-year-old F-16 fighter, according to a leaked Lockheed Martin report prepared by the pilot who flew the mission.

Hunt You Down: China’s New Submarine Hunter Plane to Enter Service

07/02/2015

The new anti-submarine warfare aircraft Y-8Q’s most distinctive feature is its seven-meter-long Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) boom, which is possibly the largest of its kind among airplanes, making it the most magnificent submarine hunter.

Red zeppelin: Russia set to unveil military airships capable of carrying 200 personnel and traveling up to 105mph without the need for a runway

07/01/2015

Vladimir Putin is set to kit out the Russian military with a top secret spaceship-like aircraft that promises to be 'lighter than air'. Work is already underway on the hi-tech 130-metre-long Atlant, which will be created merging the technology from planes, hovercraft and airships. Capable of taking off and landing without a runway it will be able to carry 200 military personnel or as much as 60 tonnes of cargo at speeds of up to 86mph.

Michael Byers: The F/A-18 Super Hornet — a better fighter jet

07/01/2015

Pity Canada’s fighter jet pilots: their 33-year-old CF-18 Hornets are suffering from metal fatigue, to the point where strong G-forces could rip off their wings. Some of the CF-18s are being refitted in a move that officials claim will extend their lives to 2025. But metal fatigue is difficult to address through refits and for safety reasons, the planes are no longer used for training in aerial combat, or sent to places where they might become involved in a “dogfight.”

Super Tucanos Raise Embraer's African Profile

07/01/2015

Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer Defense and Security continued expanding its African presence with a sale to Mali and the announcement at the recent Paris Air Show of a sale to Ghana.

U.S. Air Force's most sophisticated stealth jet is beaten in dogfight by plane from 1970s... despite being the most expensive weapon in history

07/01/2015

It’s the most expensive weapon in history but America's F-35 stealth jet has been outperformed by a 40-year-old F-16 jet in a dogfight. A mock air battle was held over the Pacific Ocean between the cutting-edge F-35 - meant to be the most sophisticated jet ever - and an F-16, which was designed in the 1970s. But according to the test pilot, the F-35 is still too slow to hit an enemy plane or dodge gunfire. So far it has cost the US military more than $350billion.

Airbus to help develop India's light combat aircraft

07/01/2015

European aerspace major Airbus has offered to help develop the Mark II version of IndiaÂ’s light combat aircraft (LCA MkII) and also set up a manufacturing hub in India.Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh told India Strategic (www.indiastrategic.in) on the sidelines of the just-concluded Paris Air Show that some preliminary discussions had been held with him by Airbus officials here and that a top level delegation of the conglomerate would be in New Delhi for discussions from July 1

Lockheed Martin’s Legion Pod™ Takes to the Skies

07/01/2015

Lockheed Martin’s Legion Pod recently completed its first flight test, successfully tracking multiple airborne targets while flying on an F-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Legion Pod was integrated onto the F-16 without making any hardware or software changes to the aircraft. Additional flight tests on the F-16 and F-15C will continue throughout the year.

Russia’s Western Military District to Get Over 20 Attack Choppers by 2016

07/01/2015

The Russian Army will be reinforced with new Mi-28Ns, Mi-26Ts and Mi-8MTV5s equipped with cutting-edge electronics. Over 20 attack helicopters will boost the Russian Armed Forces on the country’s western border by the end of 2015, the senior spokesperson of Russia’s Western Military District said Tuesday.

Russian Tu-160 and PAK DA Strategic Bombers to Use Star Power

07/01/2015

Russian long-range aircraft such as Tu-160 strategic bombers will be equipped with a technologically new system that figures out a plane's coordinates based on the position of the stars. The new ANS-2009 astronavigation system can determine an aircraft's position and speed with high precision.

ISIL Executes Top Official in Mosul for Plotting Coup Against Caliphate

07/01/2015

In a bizarre sign of political infighting within the ranks of the Islamic State terrorist group, reports are emerging that a top official has been executed for plotting an insurrection against ISIL leadership.

RNZAF NH90s practise formation in run-up to Talisman Sabre

06/30/2015

The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s 3 Squadron have practised flying and landing the NH90 helicopters in formation at the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area in Central Queensland in the run-up to Exercise Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest warfighting exercise.

PICTURES: RAAF F-18s slam IS militants

06/30/2015

Australia says it has deployed over 400 precision weapons in combat operations against Islamic State (IS) militants in support of the Iraqi military. The weapons have been delivered from two Royal Australian Air Force types, the Boeing F/A-18A Hornet and F/A-1F Super Hornet, says Australia’s Departent of Defence in a statement.

Air Force: Lost Predator was shot down in Syria

06/30/2015

The Air Force has acknowledged that an MQ-1B Predator, lost March 17 during an intelligence flight over Syria, was shot down. While Syria's official news agency at the time claimed the remotely piloted aircraft was shot down, U.S. Defense Department officials only would say the drone was lost, and didn't provide additional information because the incident was under investigation.

Coastguards find debris of Bangladesh Air Force’s F-7 fighter jet, pilot still missing

06/30/2015

The fighter’s pilot Flight Lieutenant Rumman Tahmid Chowdhury is still missing since the crash that occurred during a training run around noon. The joint search and rescue operation, that includes Air Force, Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard personnel, did not find him until 7:30pm. Rumman Chowdhury is the son of Abdul Qader Chowdhury of Chittagong’s Anwara Upazila. The family lives in Dhaka.

Carpet bombing: Tejas to demonstrate fire power ahead of FOC

06/30/2015

The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is all set undertake critical test flights carrying an array of missiles and bombs to complete its scheduled weapon trials. Top sources with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to this Correspondent that the integration of Russian-made Close Combat Missile (CCM) R-73 has been completed.

Dassault's Deal With India Was Important

06/30/2015

Amid some controversy, India took to the news with a June announcement of the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. It was an important move for the nation, which counts China and Pakistan as border ‘mates’. India, which plans to spend about $100 million on modernizing its defense resources in the next 10 years, has suffered a spate of air fatalities in the past months as a result of an ailing air force.

Georgia to Buy Advanced Air Defense Missiles From France

06/30/2015

On June 15 Georgian Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli signed an agreement with ThalesRaytheonSystems President Gerome Bedel for the purchase of “advanced” air defense systems that will “guarantee the country’s air defense,” Khidasheli said.

Brazil to Buy Russian Pantsir Air Defense Systems in First Half of 2016

06/30/2015

Brazil is apt to purchase Russian Pantsir air defense systems as early as in the first half of 2016, Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Jose Vallim Guerreiro said. “A general decision on the purchase has been made…As far as I know, the deal is expected in the first half of 2016,” Guerreiro told RIA Novosti.

Seoul to decide on aerial tanker bid Tuesday

06/29/2015

South Korea is expected to pick the winner of its 1.4 trillion won ($1.25 billion) project to procure four in-flight refueling tankers at a session of the National Defense Acquisition Program Committee on Tuesday, a procurement official said Sunday.

Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq

06/29/2015

Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq June 27. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 17 airstrikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 10 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.

Go big to destroy the Islamic State group

06/29/2015

The announcement this month that 450 additional U.S. trainers and support troops will deploy to Iraq represents a modest step forward in the fight against the Islamic State group. But the move by itself will not turn the tide in a faltering effort. To succeed in the president’s ambition of ultimately destroying the Islamic State — or even to contain its gains or roll them back — a broader and more intensive effort is needed.

Better Defenses Change Nature of Precision Strike Warfare

06/29/2015

Over the past quarter century, precision guided munitions (PGMs) such as laser-guided bombs and cruise missiles have become the weapons of choice for the US military, providing a high degree of accuracy while avoiding widespread collateral damage.