Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russian Yak-130 Training Jet Being Lined Up For Sale As Fighter-Bomber To Foreign Customers, Including Syria

06/19/2015

Russia is considering plans to convert its Yakovlev Yak-130 combat training aircraft into a fighter-bomber for future foreign customers, possibly including the Syrian regime. The proposal, which was floated by an executive of the Russian state-owned weapons exporter Rosoboronexport at the Paris Air Show on Thursday, would offer air forces unable to afford high-end fighter jets a chance to operate a state-of-the-art machine that can fulfill several roles.

Lockheed Martin to Deliver Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods to Royal Jordanian Air Force

06/19/2015

Lockheed Martin recently received a contract to deliver Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) in support of urgent operational requirements. Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver 10 Sniper ATPs and provide integration support beginning later this year. The RJAF is currently conducting precision-strike missions with five Sniper ATPs it acquired in 2014.

Japan: New Chinese Islands Don’t Resolve South China Sea Tensions

06/19/2015

As Beijing announces it’s nearing completion of its controversial land reclamation projects in the South China Sea, it’s received a fresh warning from Tokyo. The message: just because you built it, doesn’t mean you own it.

US-led Coalition Conducts 22 Airstrikes Against Islamic State

06/19/2015

The airstrikes in Syria destroyed two IS tunnel systems, multiple fighting positions and several vehicles, according to the anti-IS coalition. The airstrikes in Iraq destroyed an IS pontoon bridge, weaponry, a bunker and fighting units.

Hungarian Air Force is in a 'Catastrophic' State – Ex-Defense Minister

06/19/2015

Commenting on several incidents involving Hungarian Airforce Saab JAS-39 Gripens over the past few months, Hungarian Defense Minister Imre Szekeres stated that the Hungarian air force is in a catastrophic state, Slovakian newspaper Sme reported.

Crash of Airbus A400M military transport plane last month hasn't affected orders: CEO

06/18/2015

The A400M military transport plane last month hasn't affected export orders, the firm's chief executive said Wednesday, adding Airbus hoped to land new customers soon. An A400M plane crashed during a test flight on May 9 near Seville in Spain, killing four of the six people on board and seriously injuring the two others.

Navy, Air Force to Develop Sixth-Generation Unmanned Fighter

06/18/2015

Navy and Air Force developers are immersed in early conceptual work on a new, sixth-generation fighter aircraft designed with breakthrough technologies and an ability to perform for both manned and unmanned missions. Few details are available about the new aircraft, called F/A-XX by the Navy, because the early work is at this point purely conceptual, said Rear Adm. Michael Manazir, Director of Air Warfare.

The US-Philippine military agreement that was supposed to counter China is facing another roadblock

06/18/2015

A U.S.-Philippine defense agreement that would help counter China's growing naval power in the disputed South China Sea has yet to be implemented more than a year after it was signed, and could now face a fresh political hurdle in Manila.

JF-17 Thunder displays eye-catching manoeuvres

06/18/2015

A large number of people gathered to witness the eye-catching manoeuvres of JF-17 Thunder, the latest addition in the inventory of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) which displayed aerobatics at Paris Air Show on Wednesday.

Textron’s Scorpion Heads To UK For RAF, Royal Navy Trials

06/18/2015

When Textron unveiled the Scorpion I will admit I was a serious sceptic. Where was the market? Who were the likely customers? Why did they spend their own money on such a venture? The first crack in my skepticism occurred when Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, told reporters that the Scorpion might make sense as a lower-cost COIN (CounterInsurgency) and CAS (Close Air Support) platform.

One Does Not Simply Embed US Troops In Iraq

06/18/2015

It may be tempting to put U.S. troops alongside Iraqis on the front lines against ISIS, but it would be far more difficult and complicated than it may seem, the military’s top officer told Congress Wednesday. Augmenting an Iraqi unit with a U.S. specialist — say, a joint terminal attack controller, skilled in guiding air strikes — would require a lot of hidden support.

Air Force struggles to keep pace with explosion in the use of combat drones

06/18/2015

Under a searing desert sun, a man in silhouette is pacing sentry-like around a cluster of buildings, a dark object slung over his shoulder. “Yeah, it looks like a gun,” says an American drone pilot, peering into a gray-tone screen in a darkened, distant trailer.

RAF Scrambled As Russians Stray Near NATO Drill

06/18/2015

The deployment of the combat aircraft, based in Estonia, came as Britain warned Moscow the NATO exercises were "not a game". Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, speaking to Sky News aboard HMS Ocean, also said the UK will "stand tall, shoulder-to-shoulder" with other alliance members to defend eastern Europe's borders.

India and Russia to Press on With Fifth-Generation Fighter Development

06/18/2015

This week, the head of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) announced that a full R&D collaboration contract would be signed in 2015 with New Delhi for joint work on the derivative Indian version of the PAK FA T-50 fifth-generation fighter jet, the Perspective Multi-role Fighter (PMF).

Pak-Chinese JF-17 Knocks At World Fighter Aircraft Market

06/18/2015

Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 Thunder fighter might be the beginning of the end of western dominance of the global fighter aircraft market. The JF-17’s international flight debut at the Paris Air Show 2015 was further enhanced by the absence of US fighters such as the F-16 and F/A-18. In addition the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab Gripen and BAE Systems Hawk too did not take to the Skies.

Saudi Arabia orders four Airbus C295W military aircraft

06/17/2015

Saudi Arabia has ordered four Airbus C295W medium transport and patrol aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space said at the Paris air show on Tuesday. The C295Ws join the Airbus A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport and CN235 transports previously ordered by Saudi Arabia, Airbus said.

Building of V-280 aircraft's fuselage begins

06/17/2015

Major assembly of Bell Helicopter's V-280 tilt-rotor technology demonstrator has been started by its fuselage manufacturer, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. Work on the fuselage, which is being made with composite materials, is expected to be completed later this year.

A bolt to the Blue: This history-making female pilot is making a difference

06/17/2015

The most shocking thing about flying with Capt. Katie Higgins isn’t surviving three G’s when she rockets her monster airplane into the sky at 375 miles per hour. Or going weightless four times when she dives it, amped on the squeals and screams coming from the passengers behind her. Or watching veteran troops who swaggered onto her C-130 cargo plane lose it in their barf bags, one after another.

Year’s 6th crash: IAF losing fighter spirit

06/17/2015

Ageing fighters, shoddy product quality and maintenance by defence PSU HAL and inadequate training to rookie pilots continues to exact a heavy toll on the country's air combat power. Down to just 35 fighter squadrons, a few of which exist just in name, the IAF got another jolt on Tuesday morning when a twin-seat Jaguar fighter went down 13 km southeast of Allahabad. Fortunately, the two pilots managed to bail out safely in "a planned ejection".

India Compromises To Smooth FGFA Disputes

06/17/2015

Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia on July 7, the Defence Ministry is toning down points of conflict about the joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program to reach final agreement with Russia, said an MoD source.

Air Force may send F-22s to Europe over Russia ‘threat’

06/17/2015

The U.S. Air Force could be sending some of its most advanced warplanes to Europe in a show of force against Russian actions in Ukraine and elsewhere around the continent, the service’s top civilian said Monday. “The biggest threat on my mind is what’s happening with Russia and the activities of Russia,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James said during a visit to the Paris Air Show. “It’s extremely worrisome on what’s going on in the Ukraine.”

Lockheed Martin Launches Worldwide Hybrid Airship Sales With Hybrid Enterprises

06/17/2015

Hybrid Enterprises LLC, acting on behalf of Lockheed Martin, announced they will be taking orders for Hybrid Airships with deliveries planned as early as 2018. More than two-thirds of the world’s land area and more than half the world’s population have no direct access to paved roads. As you move farther away from infrastructure, cost, time and the safety of transport becomes more of a challenge.

Lockheed Martin, Raytheon and Bombardier Join Forces For JSTARS Recap Program

06/17/2015

Raytheon Company [NYSE: RTN] and Bombardier (TSX: BBD.B) have teamed with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] to deliver a low-risk, affordable solution for the United States Air Force’s JSTARS Recapitalization program. Embracing the United States government’s desire for strong industry partnerships, the Lockheed Martin-led team will provide the Air Force capabilities superior to the current JSTARS.

Buyers Wanted? Boeing Looks to Sell Retired A-10 Warthogs to Allies

06/17/2015

Boeing is now talking to the Air Force about potentially selling the gunship – commonly referred to as the "Warthog" – to US allies, according to Chris Raymond, a vice president at the Chicago-based aerospace giant. "There's been talk about what the international opportunities might be," he was quoted as saying by DoD Buzz while at the Paris Air Show.

Has India Put the FGFA Project with Russia on Back-burner?

06/16/2015

India may delay its involvement in the Future Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) Project with Russia and instead focus on the acquisition of medium multi role combat aircraft(MMRCA) such as the Dassault Rafale and another lighter jet to meet the immediate requirements of the Indian Air Force.