Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Interview: Dassault's Eric Trappier

06/10/2015

Dassault Aviation is poised to enter a new era with renewed strength in the order book for the Rafale fighter and preparing for the future with studies on combat and surveillance drones, said Eric Trappier, chairman and chief executive. New versions of the Falcon business jet also usher in a bright outlook.

Navy Air Boss: F-35C Advanced Sensors, Situational Awareness a ‘Game-Changer’

06/10/2015

The Navy’s top aviator checked out a simulator for its next-generation fighter jet, the F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), on Monday and lauded its advanced capabilities that will give it a leg up compared to legacy strike aircraft.

US Intelligence Seizes Data on Islamic State Leadership Structure

06/10/2015

Data from electronic devices of Islamic State members gathered during a US raid has allowed American intelligence to better understand how the radicals’ leaders operate in Syria, The New York Times reports citing US officials.

Israel Enraged With US Over Advanced Arms Supplies to Arab States

06/10/2015

Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon raised concerns that the United States' move to supply various Gulf Arab states with arms as a counterweight to Iran could weaken Israel's own US-backed regional military dominance.

Russia grounds Tu-95 bombers after engine fire

06/09/2015

At least five Russian servicemen were injured on Monday during a failed takeoff of a Tu-95 bomber in the Amur region, some 9,000 kilometers (about 5,600 miles) east of Moscow. "According to information from the scene, several crew members received injuries of varying degree while leaving the plane and were hospitalized," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.

Indo-Israel defense ties: What Modi should pitch for the country

06/09/2015

Amidst strong protests from the opposition, Narendra Modi is all geared up to visit Israel later this year. He will become the first prime minister of India to visit the country. Prior to Modi's visit, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj will visit Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.

US ups pressure with overflights

06/09/2015

The dispute over the strategic waterways of the South China Sea has intensified, pitting a rising China against its smaller and militarily weaker neighbors who all lay claim to a string of isles, coral reefs and lagoons known as the Spratly and the Paracel islands. Only about 45 of them are occupied. The area is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, rich in fish and potentially gas and oil reserves, but it has now emerged as a possible flashpoint involving world powers and regional claiman

Pakistani Thunders over Paris

06/09/2015

Three Pakistani Air Force (PAF) JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft will be taking part in the Paris Air Show opening at the Paris Le Bourget airport next week. This Chinese-Pakistani fighter jet will participate in the daily flight demonstration. It will also be on display in the ground exhibit.

Kuwait set to buy Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets from Italy

06/09/2015

The Kuwaiti Government has began talks with Italy to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets, in a bid to upgrade the country's air force capabilities. According to a source, this possible deal would see the purchase of two squadrons of fighter planes and around 24 to 28 of the twin-engine jets, The Wall Street Journal reported. The deal, which is expected to worth more than €4bn, could also cover pilot training and other related items.

Is Japan Facing a Shortage of Fighter Aircraft?

06/09/2015

Japan’s Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) might face a shortage of fighter jets in the 2020, unless Tokyo accelerates upgrading its fleet of legacy aircraft and expands the scope of current modernization efforts, Defense News reports.

Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist coming with Gripen NG fighter aircraft offer

06/09/2015

Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist will arrive here tomorrow on a four-day visit during which he is expected to offer Gripen NG fighter aircraft or a possible joint collaboration in manufacturing single engine light combat planes. Hultqvist, who will arrive tomorrow night, will also visit the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited units in Bengaluru.

US, South Korean Navies Hold Joint Anti-Submarine Exercise – US Navy

06/09/2015

The United States and South Korea launched a five day joint anti-submarine exercise near Guam, the US Navy said in a release on Monday. “The exercise integrates US and Republic of Korean anti-submarine warfare assets to bolster relations and interoperability,” the US Navy said.

US-Led Saber Strike Military Drills to Kick Off in Baltics, Poland

06/09/2015

Large-scale US-led military exercises, codenamed Saber Strike 2015, will start in three Baltic states and Poland on Monday. The drills, running through June 19, are hosted by Lithuania this year. Joint tactical maneuvers will also take place in Estonia and Latvia. Poland will join the annual event for the first time.

B-2, B-52 bombers deploy to Europe for military exercises

06/08/2015

Two U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers on Sunday joined B-52s in Europe for additional exercises. The Spirits and airmen from the 509th and 131st Bomb Wings traveled from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to RAF Fairford, England, and conducted hot-pit refueling and engine-running crew change skills tests, according to an Air Force news release.

In a first, U.S.-led raids in Syria target Islamic State fighters as they fight al-Qaida rebels

06/08/2015

U.S.-led aircraft bombed Islamic State group fighters as they battled rival Syrian rebels, including al-Qaida loyalists, in a first such intervention, a monitoring group said on Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the overnight raids in northern Aleppo as an intervention on the side of the rival rebels, which include forces who have been targeted previously by U.S.-led strikes.

Stakes Are High for BAE Systems in Upcoming Army Contract Award

06/08/2015

The Army is expected to select a contractor next month to design and produce a new antimissile system for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The estimated billion-dollar competition pits BAE Systems against archrival Northrop Grumman.

Trust pilots, ramp up airstrikes to defeat Islamic State

06/08/2015

Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s recent remarks on the efficacy of Iraq’s army reflect the fact that, despite years of training by thousands of U.S. and coalition forces, the army has not been able to halt the Islamic State group’s aggression. What makes anyone think that a few more months of similar training will yield success?

Britain's defence chiefs face tough choices ahead

06/08/2015

America is anxious about Britain's defence expenditure. Perhaps the problem is the escalating cost of overly complex equipment. Prior to the 1992 British election, discussing the case for cancelling the increasingly expensive Anglo-European Eurofighter aircraft with Labour's defence spokesman, I suggested the defence requirement for this aircraft to be out-dated with the fall of the Berlin Wall; and the shifting Russian political and military landscape.

F-35 and other future aircraft – not older planes – will handle electronic warfare needs, says U.S. Air Force general

06/08/2015

The U.S. Air Force has said it aims to meet electronic warfare needs using next-generation aircraft such as Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 fighter and a new long-range bomber, rather than older planes like Boeing’s EA-18G Growler, Reuters news agency has reported.

How Hard Is It to Land on a Carrier Really Bobbing in the Waves?

06/08/2015

Pitching deck landings are some of the most challenging semi-common aviation experiences. Of course, there are different levels of deck motion and it seems like it should just keep getting a little tougher with each foot of displacement. This isn't the case. Displacement matters, but speed is an even greater factor. There's also a nasty Dutch roll that the ship can pull off that not only messes with the glide slope, but also line-up—equally critical, but usually more stable.

New Finn, Danish Leaders To Decide Future Fighters

06/08/2015

The final selection process for Finland's and Denmark's fighter replacement programs will be managed by two newly installed governments. Finland's center-right government took office on May 29 and is expected to provisionally examine aircraft replacement options by the end of June, while assessing the pros and cons of candidate aircraft based on expert reports in August and September.

Belarus Stages Military Drills at Ukrainian Border, Tightens Border Control

06/08/2015

Belarus is staging military drills aimed at testing the reinforcement systems of its border control and territorial defense, according to the country’s Defense Ministry. "The servicemen of the 38th Independent Mobile Brigade of the Special Operations Section of the Armed Forces have been alerted in the framework of an inspection of the reinforcement of border protection in the south,” states the ministry's website.

San Diego ships pivot to Pacific

06/07/2015

The U.S. Defense Secretary flew over the Strait of Malacca last month during a visit to Singapore, getting a bird’s-eye view from a Marine MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor of one of the busiest waterways in the world. The maritime superhighway of container ships the Pentagon chief looked down on will get a bit more crowded in coming years, with an expanding fleet of U.S. Navy warships deployed full-time to the South China Sea gateway.

SOUTH CHINA SEA WATCH: US ups pressure with overflights

06/07/2015

The dispute over the strategic waterways of the South China Sea has intensified, pitting a rising China against its smaller and militarily weaker neighbors who all lay claim to a string of isles, coral reefs and lagoons known as the Spratly and the Paracel islands. Only about 45 of them are occupied. The area is one of the world's busiest shipping routes, rich in fish and potentially gas and oil reserves, but it has now emerged as a possible flashpoint involving world powers and regional claiman

Japan's Fighter Procurement Crunch

06/07/2015

The purchase of the F-35 should give the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) next-generation intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance performance, but upgrades to Japan's F-2 and F-15 fleets can continue for only so long, and replacements will be needed in the mid-to-late 2020s, analysts say.