Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

U.S., China set for high-stakes rivalry in skies above South China Sea

05/16/2015

When the U.S. navy sent a littoral combat ship on its first patrol of the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea during the past week, it was watching the skies as well. The USS Fort Worth, one of the most modern ships in the U.S. navy, dispatched a reconnaissance drone and a Seahawk helicopter to patrol the airspace, according to a little-noticed statement on the navy's website.

U.S. 'expedites' weapons shipments to Iraq in wake of ISIS advances

05/16/2015

The U.S. is "expediting" weapons shipments to Iraq in light of the ISIS advances in Ramadi, Vice President Joe Biden told Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in a telephone call on Friday. The announcement from the White House comes on the heels of a flurry of new airstrikes against ISIS, also known as ISIL, as Iraqi forces desperately try to hold the key city, the capital of the key Anbar province.

No sign of survivors amid wreckage of U.S. Marine chopper in Nepal

05/16/2015

The wreckage of a Marine helicopter from Camp Pendleton missing in Nepal since Tuesday has been found and there are no apparent survivors, the U.S. military said Friday. Six Marines and two Nepalese soldiers were aboard the UH-1Y Huey when it disappeared while on a relief mission after a pair of earthquakes in the mountainous nation.

Russia Close to Signing Arms Deals in Latin America

05/16/2015

According to deputy director from the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Russia plans to sign a number of contracts with countries in Latin America this year on the purchases of arms and military equipment.

US-Led Coalition Launches 24 Airstrikes Against ISIL in Syria, Iraq

05/16/2015

The US-led Coalition comprises some 60 nations that began carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq in August 2014, and expanded the air campaign to Syria in September 2014, albeit without the approval of the Syrian government. In Syria, the Coalition struck the militants’ fighting positions, light vehicles, tanks and tactical units.

Raytheon successfully tests APG-79 (V) X AESA radar

05/14/2015

Raytheon has successfully completed the flight test of its APG-79(V) X AESA radar system, demonstrating the functions required to extend the combat relevance of F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft for 15 to 20 years. The Hornet fleets, upgraded with new APG-79V(X) radar, will benefit from extended detection ranges, simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, production of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping and better reliability.

JSTARS Recap moves to next phase

05/14/2015

A senior Department of Defense official signed a key acquisition memo May 7 that will allow the Joint STARS Recapitalization program office here to begin awarding contracts. Frank Kendall, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, signed a Materiel Development Decision Acquisition Decision Memo officially ushering the program into the Materiel Solution Analysis phase.

Why the Indonesian air force wants the Su-35

05/14/2015

The Indonesian air force wants to replace its outdated American built F-5 fighters with the brand new Russian Su-35 Super Flanker, but the country’s political leadership is unable to act quickly because the U.S. is pitching in with its F-16 and F-18 jets. The Indonesians operate both American F-16s and Russian made Flankers – five Su-27s and 11 Su-30s. How Russian aircraft ended up in the air force of an American ally is interesting.

Fighter jets and machine gun fire in the South China Sea

05/14/2015

I was never told where I would be taken to. The only instructions I received was to arrive on time in the morning in front of the McDonald’s in Subang Airport. And so I was there on time. Several Americans were there, a few in military garb and the rest in civilian clothes. They greeted me and said that we will be boarding a United States Navy C-2 Greyhound aircraft.

Congressman, Former SEAL Pushing to Keep Helicopter Combat Squadrons in Navy Budget

05/14/2015

The defense authorization bill the House will debate this week includes a provision from a congressman and retired Navy SEAL that prevents the Navy from disestablishing Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons 84 and 85. These U.S. Navy Reserve squadrons use the HH-60H Rescue Hawk helicopter and are responsible for training SEALs. HSC-84 is based at Chambers Field at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., and HSC-85 is based at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.

Inside the Royal Australian Air Force school preparing fighter pilots for likely combat against Islamic State

05/14/2015

Among the trainee fighter pilots of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Introductory Fighter School is a Qantas captain who has taken leave without pay and a former Australian Army soldier. Another is from Melbourne and a fourth from country Western Australia. "It's a dream they've been chasing for quite a while," Squadron Leader Grant Taylor said, standing on the tarmac at RAAF Base Darwin as the trainees prepared their jets for takeoff. "A lot of the pressure is self-induced," he said.

China developing new STOVL fighter for Navy, similar to America's F 35B aircraft

05/14/2015

Seeking to boost its maritime firepower, Beijing has announced that it is developing a new naval fighter that will be able to operate from amphibious warships and would be able to land vertically, similar to the F 35 B fifth generation aircraft. This is the third, new generation fighter program being under taken by China in the last five years, with the J 20 and J 31 being the others.

CENTCOM Does Not Confirm Reports About ISIL Deputy Leader Killing

05/14/2015

The Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced on its website on Wednesday that, according to critical intelligence information, the second-ranking ISIL leader Abu Alaa al-Afri was killed during an airstrike led by the international coalition forces. The Ministry claimed that the killing occurred during a gathering at a mosque.

India Approves Purchase of Some 200 Russian Kamov Helicopters – Reports

05/14/2015

The contract is worth around $467 million, the newspaper said. The project, alongside other major long-pending contracts, has been cleared by the defense acquisitions council chaired by Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar. The helicopters will reportedly be assembled in India.

Airbus A400M Stays on Ground Across Europe After Crash

05/13/2015

Air forces across Europe suspended flights of the Airbus Group NV A400M and shares of the planemaker slumped after one of the military transport aircraft crashed near Seville, Spain, killing four people. Britain’s Royal Air Force and Germany’s Luftwaffe both said they’d pause operations until more information is available on the cause of the crash, which a German media report suggested may have been engine failure.

How Turkish army put boots on Syrian ground

05/13/2015

In a recent act of heroism, the Turkish military headquarters proudly announced that its howitzers (with 40 km firing range) shelled a Syrian missile battery. Even more heroically than that, at the weekend, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s military convoy, protected by helicopters and armored vehicles, stepped foot deep into the Syrian soil: 253 meters from the Turkish side. They were paying a visit to the tomb of Süleyman Sah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire.

Governors to Congress: Don't make cuts to National Guard

05/13/2015

The nation's governors on Tuesday urged Congress to reject any personnel or equipment cuts from the Army National Guard, as lawmakers craft the defense bill that authorizes spending and activities in 2016. "The nation’s governors call on Congress to maintain Army National Guard (ARNG) aircraft, personnel and force structure," said a statement by the National Governors Association (NGA), which represents all governors.

How we destroyed Boko Haram with new aircrafts — ?Nigerian Air Force?

05/13/2015

The Nigerian Air Force has said the acquisition of new aircrafts has helped the military in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeastern part of Nigeria. Speaking in Abuja at the 51st anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, the Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosun, said the force has recorded giant strides in the past one year which has led to the successful onslaught against terrorists in the Northeast.

Estonia stages biggest military exercise in country's history amid fears of Russian 'aggression'

05/13/2015

The Estonian reservist usually works in a car showroom, but Raido Reinsalu has spent the past week manning a battery of howitzers in his country’s pine forests. The 24-year-old sergeant is one of 13,000 soldiers mobilised by Estonia for the biggest military exercise in the nation’s history, joined by another 1,000 Nato troops from the US and Europe, including Britain.

Air Force chief: US must decide how to protect Syrian rebels

05/13/2015

The United States needs to decide how it's going to protect Syrian rebels it is training before they head back into battle, Air Force Gen. Mark Welsh III said Tuesday. "We’ve done a lot of support in the past for forces from the air, we do a lot of support from the ground and the policy decisions are going to have to be finalized before these guys go back and do their work," Welsh said on Fox News' "Shepard Smith Reporting."

Why the world's most powerful countries are on a fighter jet spending spree

05/13/2015

In an average year, the global fighter jet industry does well to ink two or three blockbuster deals, the kind in which military groups decide to upgrade their fleet by ordering a couple of high-powered aircraft. By these standards, 2015 looks like it will be an above-average year after a surge in jet orders in March and April.

U.S. Military Proposes Challenge to China Sea Claims

05/13/2015

The U.S. military is considering using aircraft and Navy ships to directly contest Chinese territorial claims to a chain of rapidly expanding artificial islands, U.S. officials said, in a move that would raise the stakes in a regional showdown over who controls disputed waters in the South China Sea.

Weak crown complicating sale of Czech combat planes to Iraq

05/13/2015

The weak Czech crown is complicating the sale of the Czech L-159 combat aircraft to Iraq as the state wants Penta, the owner of the mediating firm, to pay it 100 million crowns more than originally, daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) writes yesterday. The ministry agreed on the sale of 15 L-159 planes to Iraq with the Aero Vodochody aircraft maker for 750 million crowns last August.

NATO Holds Aerial Drill in Czech Republic

05/13/2015

The exercise, codenamed Lion Effort, marks a decade that Gripen fighter jets have been used to guard Czech airspace, Radio Prague said in a broadcast. In 2009 and 2011, similar exercises were held in Hungary and Sweden. The Czech air force sent L-159 light combat planes, Mi-24 assault helicopters, Mi-171 multipurpose helicopters and C-295 CASA transport aircraft to take part in live flying training.

Scale of UK attacks on Islamic State in Iraq revealed

05/12/2015

British aircraft and unmanned drones have attacked Islamic State targets in Iraq with more than 200 bombs and missiles in military operations that have been largely ignored, a Guardian analysis has shown. The air strikes, which began in the autumn, have been undertaken by the RAF’s oldest bombers – Tornado GR4s and its newest weapon – the remotely piloted Reaper.