Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Indian Rafale Cost Criticism Raises Doubts on MMRCA

06/07/2015

India's criticism of a high price tag on the Dassault Rafale has sharpened public focus on French negotiations to extend sale of the twin-jet fighter beyond a planned 36 units for the Indian Air Force. Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar fueled speculation about the final size of the Rafale order May 31 when he said the French fighters were "way too expensive" and there was no longer a plan to buy a total of 126 Rafales.

E. Europe Allies Eye Fighter, Helo Tenders

06/07/2015

Some Eastern European allies are developing tenders to acquire new fighter jets and helicopters, but the prospects for increased regional defense collaboration remain uncertain. Procurements are in the pipeline in Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and the Czech Republic, which primarily are equipped with Soviet-built aircraft.

Russia’s S-300 Missiles in Iran May Alter Power Balance in Middle East

06/07/2015

The selling of one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, the S-300 missiles, to Iran will potentially alter the balance of power in the Middle East, journalist Jeremy Bender wrote. The deal will give Iran a double advantage. It will be able to control the air space far beyond its borders and at the same time it will be able to protect its nuclear facilities against potential attacks.

Islamic State Captures Another Town in Libya

06/07/2015

A source in the Libyan armed forces confirmed the town’s capture in an interview with Reuters, adding that all local government buildings were now under IS control. Late last month the ISIL-affiliated fighters captured a key airport in central Libya. The militants took control of the al-Qardabiya airbase in Sirte after a local militia tasked with defending the facility withdrew from their positions.

Navy kicks off Baltic Sea exercise Friday

06/06/2015

One of the Navy’s largest exercises in Europe began Friday, bringing more than 5,500 troops and dozens of ships and aircraft from 17 nations together in the Baltic Sea. The annual BALTOPS exercise will focus on interoperability among maritime forces on tasks such as air defense, maritime interdiction and anti-submarine warfare, according to the Navy. Participants are expected to bring 49 ships, 61 aircraft and one submarine.

The China challenge in the West Philippine Sea

06/06/2015

Throughout various periods in its ancient history, China stood as the de facto hegemon in East Asia, exercising imperial influence through a wide and sophisticated network of tributary relations with smaller kingdoms on its peripheries.

ISIS selfie leads to U.S. air strike on headquarters

06/06/2015

Airmen at Hurlburt Field, near Pensacola, used social media posts by the insurgent group to track the location of an Islamic State group headquarters building. Twenty-two hours later, three joint direct attack munitions destroyed the target, said Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, at a June 1 speech in Arlington, Virginia.

Putin’s Thinly Veiled Threat of Nuclear War Is Working

06/06/2015

Moscow recently announced that it will procure 50 new nuclear-capable bombers, the Tupolev TU-160 or Blackjacks, which are the world's largest combat aircraft. This seemingly anodyne announcement points to a critically important element of Russian strategy that we overlook at our and our allies' peril.

Finnish F/A-18s capture beautiful low-level video of mountains and fjords

06/06/2015

Two F/A-18s with the Finnish Air Force shot this gorgeous video as they flew over the Norwegian coastline recently. The pair were among jets from nine nations that took part in Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015, an exercise that included approximately 115 combat aircraft deployed at several airbases in Sweden and Norway, according to The Aviationist. The jets were returning to Bodo, Norway after the exercise when they shot this video.

How to defeat the Islamic State

06/06/2015

Defense Secretary Ashton B. 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 Islamic State aggression. What makes anyone think that a few more months of similar training will yield success?

Pentagon chief says new action needed on Russia over Ukraine

06/06/2015

The United States needs to take new steps to respond to the Ukraine conflict because economic sanctions and other Western actions have failed to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to reverse course, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday. Carter, speaking after conferring with U.S. officials in Europe, said the Pentagon was watching the Ukraine situation very closely and was concerned about "further things happening" after the worst upsurge in fighting in months.

5 differences between Navy and Air Force fighter pilots

06/06/2015

Both the Navy and Air Force fly jets, right? So what’s the difference between fighter pilots from the two branches of service?

Go Ahead, China—Copy Our Crappiest Warplane

06/06/2015

China’s been introducing new high-tech weapons at a breakneck pace as it races to catch up to the U.S. military. And the tanks, ships, planes, and other hardware that Beijing can’t invent on its own, it tends to copy from American, Russian, European, or Israeli designs.

US Deploys B-52 Strategic Bombers for Military Exercises in Baltic Region

06/06/2015

Three B-52 strategic bombers deployed to Europe on Friday to participate in military exercises with NATO partners in the Baltic region and Poland, the US Strategic Command said in a statement. The deployment also provides opportunities to “synchronize strategic activities and capabilities with allies and partners” in the US European Command.

PLA VTOL fighter could turn reefs into 'unsinkable carriers'

06/05/2015

China is planning to continue developing its short-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter, according to Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik International, cited by the military news web portal of China's state-run Reference News. Given the cost of the project, there is seemingly an important strategic decision behind it, according to the report.

Kuwait in Talks with Italy to Buy Eurofighter Typhoon Combat Jets

06/05/2015

The Italian and Kuwaiti governments have begun negotiations over the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets, as the Middle East country seeks to follow neighbors in modernizing its air force, according to a person familiar with the matter.

Vietnam eyes Western warplanes, patrol aircraft to counter China

06/05/2015

Vietnam is in talks with European and U.S. contractors to buy fighter jets, maritime patrol planes and unarmed drones, sources said, as it looks to beef up its aerial defences in the face of China's growing assertiveness in disputed waters.

Fearful of Putin, Finland Explores NATO Membership

06/05/2015

Last week, Finland's new government announced that it will explore the possibility of NATO membership. While wariness is still evident in Finland's public and membership likely a ways off, the government's clear focus on NATO underscores the serious threat it faces from an aggressive Russia.

UK minister: Coalition airstrikes against ISIS limited by uncertainty

06/05/2015

The British foreign secretary says the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is not hitting all the terrorist targets it identifies. "We have the capability to mount as many airstrikes as we have targets," Secretary Philip Hammond told Vice News in an interview this week. "The constraints, as I understand it at the moment, is identifying enough targets where we can be absolutely confident there will not be collateral damage or civilian casualties," he said.

Lessons from Las Vegas: Protect your base at all costs

06/05/2015

Ample airspace at the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range makes Nellis Air Force Base attractive for missions such as this, involving aircraft conducting air and ground operations. Col. Richard Boutwell gives local leaders an overview of missions at Nellis and Creech Air Force bases, and the Nevada Test and Training Range.

Is It Time For Finland to Join NATO?

06/05/2015

Last week, Finland's new government announced that they will explore the possibility of NATO membership. While wariness is still evident in Finland's public and membership likely a ways off, the government's clear focus on NATO underscores the serious threat they face from an aggressive Russia. Helsinki's stance makes a full exploration of the benefits of future Alliance membership by its policy makers more crucial than ever.

India Requests ISTAR Aircraft From US

06/05/2015

India has offered to buy two intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft from Raytheon on a government-to-government basis. The request was made to visiting US Defense Secretary Ash Carter Wednesday, said a Defence Ministry source. Another project which India and the US are discussing, on India's request, is joint development of the GE-414 jet engine for use by India's homemade Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the source added.

Russia to Produce Successor of Tu-160 Strategic Bomber After 2023

06/05/2015

Russia is planning to resume production of Tu-160 supersonic strategic bombers after 2023, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Thursday. "According to the current schedule, this will happen sometime after 2023," Borisov, who is on a visit to France, said.

Russian Air Force to Receive Two Il-476 Transport Planes by 2016

06/05/2015

The Il-76MD-90A is a significantly modernized version of Russia's Il-76 Candid transport plane, featuring a fully-digital flight control system, new avionics and engines with improved fuel efficiency systems.

Why the Indian Air Force has a high crash rate

06/04/2015

More than 200 Sukhoi Flankers currently form the core of the Indian Air Force’s strike element, for a planned force of over 272 Su-30 fighter-bombers. India received the initial batch of Sukhois in 2002. The first of these aircraft crashed in 2009, and since then five more have crashed.