Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Drones Will Airdrop Relief Supplies To Combat Zones In Syria

05/09/2015

Drones-like sharks and William Shatner-are often misunderstood by the public. Many associate the autonomous fliers with warfare and creepy government spies. But drones can be heroic, dropping life-saving supplies to civilians in combat zones. That's what U.S. Air Force member/Stanford PhD student Mark Jacobsen wants to do with his crowdfunding effort, the Syria Airlift Project.

Report outlines FY 2001-FY 2014 Pakistan FMS deals

05/09/2015

The U.S. Congressional Research Service reports that Pakistan has signed $5.4 billion in Foreign Military Sales contracts from fiscal 2001 to fiscal 2014. Procurement of F-16 aircraft and related equipment account for more than half of the sum. "Major U.S. arms sales and grants to Pakistan since 2001 have included numerous items useful for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, along with a number of "big ticket" platforms more suited to conventional warfare."

Two civilians killed as MiG-27 crashes; Pilot safe

05/09/2015

A MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Alipurdwar in West Bengal on Friday evening killing two civilians on the ground even as the pilot ejected safely. The aircraft had taken off from the Hasimara air base in Jalpaiguri district. The crash happened at 8.30pm about 10 minutes after it went airborne, an IAF official in New Delhi said.

Government's Auditor Faults Tejas Light Combat Aircraft Project, Says it Fails to Meet Air Force's Needs

05/09/2015

India's Tejas Light Combat Aircraft project, in the works for over three decades, came under severe criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Friday, which said the Mark-I version has several shortcomings and does not meet IAF specifications. Not only that, Indian Air Force (IAF) would be "constrained" to induct the fighter LCA without availability of a trainer model, thereby "adversely impacting pilot training", the audit body said in a report tabled in Parliament.

Pakistan helicopter crash kills foreign envoys

05/08/2015

It crashed during an emergency landing in the Gilgit-Baltistan territory. The wives of the Indonesian and Malaysian envoys and two Pakistani pilots also died. They were to attend the opening of a tourism project. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) said they were behind the attack, but there is no confirmation of the claim.

ndia Outlines New Carrier Ambitions

05/08/2015

The Indian Navy will present a report on the configuration options for the second indigenous Indian Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2) to the Ministry of Defense next month. At a recent seminar on the country’s naval aviation, it became clear that the vessel will likely be in the 65,000 ton class. It could be equipped with American aircraft – or a combination that might include the naval version of the French Rafale fighter.

On the 'Prowl'

05/08/2015

The old EA-6B Prowler taxied slowly down the main runway at the Monroe County Airport on Tuesday afternoon beneath two arcing plumes of water shooting out from firetrucks stationed on each side. Then a rainbow appeared. Naval Flight Officer Matthew Wickersham had just landed the aircraft for the final time. It had served since 1991 in combat, and in training missions at Whidbey Island in Washington state. The EA-6B received an official military water salute at the end of its last flight.

The Russian Air Force's 5 Most Deadly Weapons of War

05/08/2015

In 1990, the air forces of the Soviet Union consisted of over ten thousand aircraft, excluding those operated by the Soviet Army (mostly helicopters). This included not only the Soviet Air Force proper, divided between Frontal Aviation, Long Range Aviation, and Military Transport, but also the Soviet Air Defense Command, and Soviet Naval Aviation.

France offers India 36 fly-away Rafale fighter jets at same rate as to own air

05/08/2015

France is offering India 36 Rafale fighter jets in fly-away condition at the same price which it pays to French defence major Dassault Aviation to equip its own air force, defence sources said. They added that this means that the cost per aircraft will be much lower than the price that was being worked out under the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender, which also involved transfer of technology.

Angola To Receive Upgraded Sukhoi Combat Aircraft

05/08/2015

Angola is set to be become the third operator of the Sukhoi Su-30 series twin-seat fighter jets in Africa, following Algeria and Uganda. Six former Indian air force Su-30K (mod) aircraft are due for delivery in the second half of this year. Originally destined for the Belarus air force, they have undergone a major overhaul and repair program at the Aircraft Repair Plant no. 558 in Baranovichi, Belarus, arranged by Sukhoi.

US Navy also purchases four new P-8A trainers

05/08/2015

Boeing will provide the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with a complete training system for the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft under a contract that also includes the sale of four P-8A training systems for the U.S. Navy. This combined domestic and foreign military sale further strengthens the growing partnership between the U.S. Navy and the RAAF on the P-8 program.

US Approves $130 Million Upgrade to Singapore’s F-16 Fighter Jet Fleet

05/08/2015

The US State Department approved a $130 million deal for an upgrade of Singapore’s F-16 fighter jet fleet, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Thursday. "The proposed upgrade improves both the capabilities and reliability of the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) aging fleet of F-16s," DSCA said.

China Warns Philippines Military to Stay Away from Disputed Territory

05/08/2015

China has warned Philippine military planes six times to leave disputed areas of the South China Sea and may be “testing the waters” to see if it can establish a no-fly zone in the region, senior Philippine military officials said.

Finland to Join 100 Plane NATO Exercises in Northern Scandinavia

05/08/2015

Finnish Air Force F-18 Hornet fighters are set to participate in an exercise known as Arctic Challenge, a twelve day, nine country exercise involving nearly 100 planes, set to begin May 25, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) reported.

Pentagon considered stopping intercepts of Russian aircraft

05/07/2015

The Pentagon considered, and then rejected, the idea of stopping routine intercepts of Russian military aircraft flying off the coast of Alaska, because the U.S. intercept flights appeared to have limited deterrent or intelligence value, according to two U.S. defense officials. While the Russian military flights, usually bomber aircraft, were entering a U.S. "air defense identification zone," they were not entering U.S. airspace.

Airbus aims for new A400M military plane sale this year -executive

05/07/2015

irbus aims to strike a new sales deal for its A400M military aircraft this year and hopes it will bolster interest in the delay-plagued transporter, a senior executive from its defence division said. Several buyers, including Turkey and Germany, have expressed frustration at repeated delays in deliveries of the heavy cargo and troop carrier, Europe's largest defence project.

Reports attribute airstrikes in Sudan to Israel

05/07/2015

Foreign warplanes struck a number of targets in the Khartoum area in central Sudan overnight Tuesday, the London-based news outlet al-Araby al-Jadeed reported. Several Arab media outlets attributed the airstrikes to Israel, which did not comment on the reports.

French courtship of Gulf monarchies is risky: experts

05/07/2015

Hungry for defence deals, France has cosied up to the Gulf monarchies, winning several billion-euro contracts in the process, but its strategy of backing one side in the region's Sunni-Shia power struggle is risky, say experts.

Congress Should Stop Playing Games With the Pentagon Budget

05/07/2015

Ever since the Budget Control Act of 2011 placed caps on the Pentagon's base budget, Congress and the Obama administration have been using creative accounting to evade them. But this year's House Armed Services Committee (HASC) version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) set a new standard for budget gimmickry.

Air Force announces first female F-35 pilot

05/07/2015

The Air Force announced Wednesday it has crossed a new milestone for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter this week — its first female pilot. Lt. Col. Christine Mau, deputy commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing Operations, completed her first training flight in the fifth-generation fighter jet Tuesday, according to an official Air Force report.

India's Tejas and China's Xiaolong fighters compared

05/07/2015

An article in Sina's Chinese-language military news web portal compared the abilities of India's HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the FC-1 Xiaolong/JF-17 Thunder developed jointly by China and Pakistan. Overview of the Aircraft

Parliamentary panel concerned that Sukhoi-30 fighters have no protective shelters

05/07/2015

The Parliamentary Committee on Defence has noted with concern that the frontline combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Sukhoi-30MKI, do not have protection of hardened shelters in air bases which would save them from direct hits of bombs in the event of a war.

US arms Pakistan with 14 combat aircrafts, 59 trainer jets, 374 armoured carriers

05/07/2015

The US has handed over to Pakistan 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers, which were earlier used by American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the US withdraws its forces from neighbouring Afghanistan, the major defence articles have been transferred to Pakistan under its 'Excessive Defence Article' category, an internal Congressional report has said.

France offers 25% discount to India on purchase of 36 Rafale jets

05/06/2015

France agreed to a 25% discount on its earlier offer to clinch the deal for an off the-shelf purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris last month. This will be the base on which further negotiations will take place on Wednesday. The ballpark cost per aircraft as per Dassault's winning bid for the 126 MMRCA programme — the old, nowscrapped, Rafale deal — came to about $300 million, taking into account the estimates of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).

Saudis’ UK-made war jets outnumber RAF’s

05/06/2015

Saudi Arabia has twice as many British-made warplanes at its disposal for its bombing campaign in Yemen than those that are available for the entire Royal Air Force, The Telegraph can disclose. British-made Tornado GR4 ground attack fighters and Eurofighter Typhoons are playing a central role in the Royal Saudi Air Force’s bombing campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.