Military Aviation News Archive

US, Russian Navies Meet to Discuss How to Avoid 'Accidental Clashes'

06/13/2015

For the first time since the Ukraine crisis drove a wedge between the two countries, officials from the Russian and American navies have met to discuss how to avoid accidental clashes, incidents which could lead - unintentionally - to war.

Israeli Media: Yemeni Rocket Attack Killed Saudi Air Force Commander

06/13/2015

A Saudi Arabian Air Force commander, reported to have died from a heart attack, was actually killed by a Houthi cross-border attack earlier this month, according to an Israeli intelligence and military website.

China Sends Most Lethal Bombers Near Taiwan, Philippines

06/12/2015

Chinese bombers participated in a joint air-sea military exercise near Taiwan and the Philippines this week. On Wednesday China announced that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) were conducting a joint exercise near the Bashi Channel. The channel sits near islands owned by the Philippines and Taiwan, and the drills were conducted near both of those countries’ Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ).

Taiwan showcases newly acquired Black Hawk helicopters in drill

06/12/2015

Taiwan's military showcased its newly acquired UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during a drill Thursday, as part of a rehearsal for a military display in July to mark the 70th anniversary of the Republic of China's 1945 victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The ROC's eight-year fight against Japan was a part of World War II, in which Japan and the other axis powers were defeated.

Military leaders believe US escalation in Iraq is inevitable

06/12/2015

President Barack Obama’s plan to send an additional 450 to 500 soldiers to Iraq’s Anbar province won’t be his last word on the crisis posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), several senior serving and retired U.S. military officers believe. Turning the tide against ISIL in Iraq will require a more robust U.S. military commitment, with options for escalation a matter of lively debate.

House passes defense spending bill; votes down amendment requiring vote on new war powers

06/12/2015

The House on Thursday approved a $579 billion defense spending bill that offers a slight pay raise to U.S. troops, but reflects deep divisions on budget priorities and whether President Barack Obama needs new war powers to fight Islamic State militants. The vote was 278 to 149 in favor of the bill, which drew stiff opposition from Democrats because it uses a war-fighting account to raise defense spending next year.

European Air Power: A Grizzly Outlook

06/12/2015

Recent events in Iraq, Libya, Russia, Syria and Yemen have sharpened the fundamental questions European nations face as they consider medium- and long-term force structure and equipment needs. In the short term, the focus for much of Europe’s defense aerospace sector is on understanding fully the cause of the crash of an Airbus A400M, that lead to the death of four of the six crew. It served as a sad reminder that risk remains an inherent element of aerospace development.

First steps towards new combat aircraft purchase

06/12/2015

At present, the Finnish Air Force has 62 of the American-made F-18 Hornet jet fighters. Several different aircraft are initially being looked at as replacements. A working group report turned over to Defense Minister Jussi Niinistö proposes that the Hornets, which will reach the end of their lifecycle in 2030, be replaced by new multirole combat jets.

F-16 Durability Testing: 25,000 Hours and Counting

06/12/2015

Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently completed 25,000 hours of simulated flight time on an F-16C Block 50 aircraft, demonstrating the safety and durability of the F-16 well beyond the aircraft’s original design service life of 8,000 Equivalent Flight Hours (EFH). Further testing is being conducted to identify a definitive, safe flight hour limit for the aircraft.

US Says Turkey Must Play Bigger Role to Cut Flow of Terrorists Into Syria

06/12/2015

Turkey should play a bigger role in cutting the flow of terrorists into Syria as part of its cooperation with the US-led coalition against the Islamic State, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a briefing on Thursday.

US-Led Coalition Launches 29 Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq

06/12/2015

In Iraq, airstrikes eliminated tactical units, fighting positions, weapons and ammunition as well as infrastructure near Al Qaim, Bayji, Haditha, Kirkuk, Mosul, Sinjar and Tal Afar. Airstrikes in Syria similarly led to the destruction of Islamic State personnel, weapons and infrastructure in Al Hasakah, Ar Raqqah, Dayr Az Zawr and Kobani.

Military airstrikes continue against ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq

06/11/2015

Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq June 9. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes using bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 16 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.

Know the enemy

06/11/2015

Almost unnoticed and barely reported, except in some national dailies, was a news in the website of the People's Liberation Army indicating that China's aviation industry is working on a new short-takeoff, vertical-landing aircraft that is "needed for an important role in the Chinese navy's future operations" and that research and development of the fighter aircraft's engine and other components have already begun.

Sweden offers Gripen jet to India

06/11/2015

Sweden is interested in selling its next generation Gripen fighter aircraft to India under a government-to-government deal, Defence Minister Peter Hultqrist, who is on a day’s visit to India, told The Indian Express. Gripen, manufactured by Swedish aerospace company Saab, was one of the contenders for the 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) fighters to be supplied to the Indian Air Force.

India launches its first homegrown aircraft carrier amid surging Asian arms race

06/11/2015

Yesterday the INS Vikrant — India’s first homemade aircraft carrier — was undocked for the first time in a low-profile ceremony. The ambitious 40,000 tonne warship is undergoing final fitout and is expected to begin sea trials early next year. Once active, the Vikrant will add India to an elite group of nations capable of building such vessels — The US, Russia, UK and France.

This tiny Russian plane has a ridiculous number of weapons

06/11/2015

In the world of Russian jet fighters, Moscow's finest? — ?such as the Flanker and the fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50? — ?tend to grab the most headlines. But the Yakovlev Yak-130, a comparatively non-glamorous twin-seat jet trainer, is quietly turning heads … because it's obviously more than just a trainer. The twin-engine jet dubbed "Mitten" by Western intelligence is now showing its credentials as a genuine multi-role fighter.

Canada's Fighter Aircraft: Threats and Priorities

06/11/2015

What factors will shape Canada’s decision to replace its fleet of CF-18 fighters? Ernie Regehr thinks that Ottawa will have to reconcile its military costs and needs with more pressing national security concerns, and the alternative contributions the country makes to international security.

US Approves $462 Mln Lebanon Warplane Sale

06/11/2015

The US State Department has approved a possible $462 million sale of light attack aircraft to Lebanon to increase the country’s counterterrorism capability, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a press release.

Terrorists May Use Commercial Drones for Chemical, Biological Attacks

06/11/2015

Commercial drones and drones used for hobby could increasingly be weaponized to carry out chemical, biological or kamikaze-style attacks, according to a Center for a New American Security report published on Wednesday.

Australian Intel: ISIL on Its Way to Building Large 'Dirty Bomb'

06/11/2015

The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terror group has seized enough radioactive material to build a large "dirty bomb" capable of inflicting devastating damage, according to Australian intelligence reports.

Russian Fighter Jets Fly over US Ships During NATO Baltic Exercise

06/10/2015

Russian ships and fighter jets made their presence known during the opening days of a 17-nation strong NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea by shadowing alliance ship movements and buzzing aircraft over ship formations. "During our formations shortly after we left port, we had some company from Russian ships shadowing us, and about mid-afternoon we were overflown by two Russian jets.

RAF Typhoons intercept two Russian military aircraft

06/10/2015

RAF Typhoons have intercepted and shadowed two Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, it has been disclosed. The jets were scrambled from Amari Air base in Estonia yesterday after the planes approached Baltic airspace without sharing a flight plan. They initially identified and shadowed an Il-20M "Coot" A surveillance aircraft, before checking out a an An-26 "Curl" transport plane flying north from Kaliningrad.

One year after shocking capture of Mosul, Islamic State remains formidable

06/10/2015

One year after the Islamic State stormed out of eastern Syria to take control of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, last June 10, it remains a formidable force, with few signs that a U.S.-led bombing campaign has significantly blunted its abilities or ambitions. U.S. officials say the bombing campaign has killed more than 10,000 Islamic State fighters and insist that the group controls 25 percent less territory in Iraq than it did when the U.S. began bombing Islamic State positions there 10 mont

Everything you need to know about the South China Sea conflict

06/10/2015

China’s claim to the South China Sea is based in history, dating back to records from the Xia and Han dynasties. China delineates its claims via the nine-dash line, which Chiang Kai Shek advanced in 1947. During China’s republican era, China surveyed, mapped and named 291 islands and reefs in the region.

Japan Is Running out of Fighter Jets

06/10/2015

Japan could be facing a fighter jet shortage over the coming decade plus as it phases out some of its older aircraft. Last week Defense News reported that Japan will face a fighter jet shortage as it starts phasing out its fleetes of F-2s and F-15s starting in the 2020s.