Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

India Offers To Spend $12B To Break Monopoly

10/05/2014

The Indian government, acting on Air Force demands, has offered to spend $12 billion to encourage private firms to establish an aircraft manufacturing facility — a move that would break Hindustan Aeronautics Limited’s monopoly on aircraft manufacturing after years of delays on several projects. Specifically, the Indian government has offered an advance order for the homemade light combat aircraft (LCA) Mark-2, a Defence Ministry source said.

Miramar Air Show gives public a look at military aircraft capabilities

10/05/2014

Keith Barton, who came from Ventura County to attend the opening ceremony of the Miramar Air Show, looked at the fighter jets and other military gear and was pleased. "The world can be a very nasty place," said Barton, 47, who runs a medical supply outfit. "It's good to know we have this kind of capability."

Russian Inspectors to Conduct Observation Flight Over Spain

10/05/2014

Russian team of inspectors is planning to conduct an observation flight with Russian An-30B observation aircraft over the territory of Spain, said the head of the Russian National Center for Reducing Nuclear Threat, Sergei Ryzhkov. This will be the 31st Russian observation flight over the territories of the states, parties to the Treaty on Open Skies, in 2014.

Sikorsky S-97 helicopter shoots for speed with unusual design

10/04/2014

First came the superfast X2 helicopter. Now Sikorsky Aircraft has put that experimental technology into a more mature package, the S-97 Raider. Sikorsky hopes that the sleek, speedy design of the S-97, unveiled Thursday, will win the favor of the US Army as a potential replacement for OH-58D Kiowa Warrior helicopter, an airframe whose history dates back to the Vietnam War era, and as an aerial platform for special operations units.

Air Force Rebuts Report Due to Outdated Data

10/04/2014

The Air Force believes a recent Department of Defense Inspector General report that critiqued Air Force MQ-9 procurement plans to buy 401 Reaper aircraft, stating that 46 aircraft may not be needed, is based on data that is out of date. "The data in the report is a year old," said Lt Gen Robert Otto, Air Force deputy chief of staff for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. "The Air Force is only buying 346 aircraft, 55 fewer than the 401 figure contained in the report.

Want to beat Islamic State? Try the Afghan model, circa 2001

10/04/2014

Pesident Obama, who swept to power in 2008 in part on his promise to pull U.S. troops out of Iraq, is clearly a reluctant warrior. His concern about getting involved in "mission creep" in the deserts of Iraq, where nearly 4,500 troops have died, recently led him to make this promise to U.S. soldiers: "I will not commit you and the rest of our armed forces to fighting another ground war in Iraq."

Nations rally to support U.S. efforts attacking Islamic State

10/04/2014

The U.S.-led coalition attacking Islamic State in Iraq and Syria now boasts dozens of nations although President Barack Obama has yet to secure UN Security Council authorization and the legality of the entire campaign remains murky. In Iraq, the attacks have the legitimacy conferred by being formally at the request of the Baghdad government. In Syria, where a civil war is raging, there’s no request from Bashar al-Assad’s regime – which Mr. Obama still wants toppled – or the UNSC.

A guide to Canada's proposed combat mission in Iraq

10/04/2014

Prime Minister Stephen Harper Friday announced a combat mission for Canada in Iraq. Here’s what you need to know.

IS Fighters Try to Hide From US Warplanes: Pentagon

10/04/2014

Islamic State (IS) fighters in Iraq and Syria have switched tactics and started concealing their forces in response to a campaign of US-led airstrikes, Pentagon spokesman Rear Adm. John Kirby said Friday. "Not surprisingly, they have gotten better at concealment. Before the airstrikes ... they pretty much had free reign. They don't have that free rein anymore, because they know we're watching from the air," Rear Adm. Kirby told reporters at the Pentagon.

Any Turkish Action on Syrian Territory to Be Interpreted As Aggression: Foreign Ministry

10/04/2014

Any Turkish action on the territory of Syria will be interpreted as aggression by Damascus, the country's foreign ministry said Friday as quoted by SANA news agency. "Damascus will interpret any action on the part of Turkey on its [Syria's] territory as aggression," the ministry said in a statement.

MANUFACTURING FAULT HALTS PRODUCTION ON COSTLY EUROFIGHTER TYPHOONS

10/03/2014

Britain’s Royal Air Force has detected a defect within the Eurofighter Typhoon jets, causing production in Germany to be put on hold whilst the fault is investigated. Both Germany and Britain have halved the recommended annual flight time for the jets from 3,000 to 1,500 hours annually as a precaution, and Germany is refusing to take possession of any new jets until the problem is solved.

First series production Tejas aircraft completes maiden flight

10/03/2014

Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has successfully conducted the maiden test flight of the first series production standard Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) from its facility in Bangalore, India. Piloted by HAL Test Flying Chief Air Commandore (Retd) KA Muthana, the aircraft took off without any telemetry support and landed safely in less than 30 minutes, as reported by Flightglobal. The flight test takes the indigenously built aircraft closer to final clearance and induction into the IAF.

Islamic State steps up attack on Syrian town of Kobane

10/03/2014

A BBC correspondent across the border in Turkey saw explosions and smoke rising from buildings hit by shells. IS has moved to within a few kilometres of the town despite US-led air strikes seeking to halt its two-week offensive. On Thursday, Turkey's prime minister promised it would do whatever it could to prevent the fall of Kobane.

Harper to outline details of combat mission Friday

10/03/2014

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will provide details on Friday of an expanded military contribution to battle militants in northern Iraq. A spokesman for Harper says the prime minister will also talk about ongoing humanitarian support.

The Bleeding Edge Of Combat Software

10/03/2014

The U.S. Air Force and Navy agree on one thing; AI (artificial intelligence) is going to be a major element in future combat aircraft avionics (aircraft electronics). This is in large part due to the fact that AI has been a growing factor in avionics for decades in the form of software controlled landingsystems for commercial aircraft, system monitoring and a growing number of other uses. All this began with the software developed for instrument landings (where the pilot relied on instruments, w

RAF Tornado aircraft in 60 seconds

10/03/2014

David Cameron has announced that II Squadron, comprising 16 Tornados, will no longer be disbanded in March as it will help with air strikes in Iraq. The squadron was due to be broken down in March as Britain withdraws from operations in Afghanistan and replaced by a new squadron of advanced Typhoon fighters.

U.S. Sending A-10 Plane to Combat While Trying to Kill It

10/03/2014

Another batch of Cold War-vintage A-10 “Warthogs” is on its way to Afghanistan, even though the Pentagon says it no longer needs the plane. About a dozen of the snout-nosed “flying guns” will arrive in Afghanistan early this month as part of a six-month deployment for the 122nd Fighter Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard, according to U.S. Central Command.

Russian Mi-17 Helicopter ‘Game Changer’ for Afghan Forces: US General

10/03/2014

Russian Mi-17 helicopter has been a "game changer" in the movement of Afghan forces and supplies in the fight against Taliban insurgents, the United States Army general in charge of American operations and the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan said.

Islamic State: Turkey MPs back Iraq-Syria deployment

10/02/2014

The resolution - passed with a three-quarters majority - will also permit foreign troops to use Turkish territory for the operation. Turkey has been under pressure to play a more active role in the US-led fight. The government dropped its reluctance to combat IS militants directly after the release of 46 hostages last month. The Turkish citizens had been held by IS in northern Iraq.

Royal Australian Air Force planes complete first flights over Iraq as part of international coalition against 'apocalyptic death cult'

10/02/2014

Defence said an RAAF surveillance aircraft and refuelling plane supported a coalition flight and returned to Australia's base in the Middle East. Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced yesterday that Australian planes would be supporting the US-led coalition against IS targets in Iraq. He told Parliament no decision had been taken yet to commit Australian combat aircraft to the fight against the "apocalyptic death cult".

Fighter plane Tejas undergoes safety audit

10/02/2014

As the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas) prepares to go into series production, a safety audit of the entire fighter jet development programme is underway to ensure reliability of the new combatant. Sources said EADS, now known as Airbus Group, has been hired as the consultant for the safety audit. The move comes before IAF pilots start training on the aircraft. The training of the pilots has been delayed as the flight manuals of the aircraft were still being written.

Canadian fighter jets intercept Russian military aircraft in Baltics

10/02/2014

Canadian CF18 Hornet fighter jets armed with Sidewinder missiles intercepted a Russian air force aircraft over the Baltic Sea, the RCAF revealed Monday.The drama took place Sept. 11 in international air space, Lt.-Col. David Pletz said in an interview. The Canadian warplanes flew beside a Russian An26, looked into the cockpit and then followed the potential intruder for several minutes, said Pletz, the commander of the detachment of four CF18s based in Lithuania and head of the CATF.

Boeing Delivers First New-Build MH-47G Special Operations Chinook

10/02/2014

Boeing completed initial flight and delivery of the first, new-build MH-47G configured Chinook helicopter to the U.S. Army Special Operations Aviation Command Sept. 29, 2014 – a full month ahead of schedule.

Iraq Gets Third Batch of Russian Mi-35M Helicopters: Arms Think Tank

10/02/2014

Iraq's Ministry of Defense has received the third batch of Russian Mi-35M helicopters, as part of a contract signed in 2012, an official representative of the Centre for Analysis of World Arms Trade (CAWAT) told RIA Novosti Wednesday. "The exact number of helicopters in the third batch is not mentioned, but, most likely, Baghdad received four Mi-35Ms, like in the first two batches," the CAWAT representative said.

The A-10s of Selfridge, and others, could win the war on ISIS

09/28/2014

The implications are thick with irony – the A-10 aircraft that the Air Force brass have tried for years to kill, to send to the military boneyard, may be just the weapon to help defeat the ISIS terror group without exposing large numbers of U.S. ground troops to combat. On the battlefield, the A-10s, such as those stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township, pave the way for ground troops by obliterating enemy military vehicles and inflicting mass casualties.