Military Aviation News Archive

Panel: ISIS, Al Qaeda Franchising Efforts Changed the Face of Terrorism

04/04/2015

Creating franchises among groups claiming affiliation with al Qaeda or the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is among the biggest change in international terrorism, two leading experts told the Atlantic Council on Thursday.

Saudi air campaign fails to halt rebel advance in Yemen

04/04/2015

A Saudi-led air campaign has failed to halt the advance of Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, where growing violence is plunging the country deeper into chaos and further undermining the U.S.-backed government. Houthi rebels continued to advance toward the port city of Aden, where forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi are attempting to make a stand. Friday, the Arab coalition dropped weapons and supplies for the first time to forces battling Houthis around Aden.

War Buddies: US to Refuel Saudi Jets Used in Yemen Airstrikes

04/04/2015

As the Saudi-led bombing campaign against Houthi forces in Yemen continue, the US is standing by one of its key allies in the Middle East. On Thursday, a senior military official said that American tankers will begin refueling Saudi warplanes.

U.S. Deploys Twelve A-10s to Romania to Deter Russian Aggression

04/03/2015

The U.S. has deployed 12 A-10 Warthog planes to Romania as part of a theater-security effort to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine – all while debate over whether to retire the close-air support platform rages on in Congress and the Pentagon. "The 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron forward deployed 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and approximately 200 Airmen and support equipment from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany to Campia Turzii, Romania over the weekend.

The politics of restoring Egypt’s military aid

04/03/2015

On Tuesday, President Obama called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and conveyed news of long-brewing decisions in the Obama administration regarding U.S. military aid to Egypt – including the release of some long-withheld arms that Egypt desperately wants.

Navy to Conduct First Aerial Refueling of X-47B Carrier Drone

04/03/2015

The Navy plans to perform an aerial refueling for the first time on its carrier-launched demonstrator drone aircraft, the X-47B, within the next few weeks, service officials said. The refueling, to take place at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., will have the X-47B link up with an Omega air refueling tanker, Navy officials told Military.com. Omega is a contractor that works with the Defense Department.

Tough Choices For DoD On Long Range Strike Bomber

04/03/2015

When the Pentagon picks the winner of the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) contest in the next few months, it faces an interesting choice. It could give Lockheed Martin — which is doing the design work for the Boeing-Lockheed team — almost all of the country’s advanced stealth design work. Or it could maintain the status quo, in which the entire stealth bomber fleet is made by Northrop Grumman.

Tehran and West Agree on Parameters of Deal for Iran’s Nuclear Program

04/03/2015

Iran and six world powers agreed to a path that would block Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, but key points left unresolved in the marathon negotiations and fierce regional and U.S. political opposition suggested major hurdles remain to reaching a final deal. Officials laid out on Thursday what amounted to goals for a deal by the end of June that would place constraints and controls on Iran’s nuclear work for up to 25 years, with severe limits for the first decade.

US Air Force Demonstrates Reaper Drone Strike Capability

04/03/2015

After an exercise in the Gulf of Mexico, the US Air Force said that an armed Reaper drone demonstrated that it can hit maritime targets in coordination with other aircrafts, including A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-35A Lightning IIs.

US Fighter Jets Send Message to China With ‘Emergency’ Landing in Taiwan

04/03/2015

The landing of two US fighter jets on Taiwan on Wednesday has angered China’s Foreign Ministry. While the Pentagon says the planes suffered mechanical trouble while flying a routine training exercise, others see it as a political message, warning China to slow its growing influence.

Updated Ka-27 Helicopter to Join Russian Navy in 2015

04/03/2015

A batch of Kamov Ka-27 ship-based antisubmarine warfare helicopters will be repaired and upgraded by the Russian Helicopters Holding Company, with the first updated units slated to enter service already before the end of this year, the company press service said Thursday.

Russia Slams NATO Military Buildup in Europe as 'Unprecedentedly Dangerous'

04/03/2015

NATO military buildup in Eastern Europe is an unprecedentedly dangerous move, which violates all existing agreements, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. "NATO buildup on the Eastern flank, or in the so-called 'front-line countries,' is an unprecedentedly dangerous step that violates all agreements, including the Russia-NATO Founding Act, which is still in force," the ministry's spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said at a news briefing.

China Reveals New Long-Range Bombers

04/02/2015

China has released pictures of an unnamed “new-type of bomber”, along with an announcement that it has carried out its first military drills in the airspace above the Western Pacific Ocean. According to a statement on the Chinese Ministry of Defence website, the drills took place over the Bashi Canal, which is between a Taiwanese island and a Philippines island.

Analysis: Yemen ground operation carries major risks

04/02/2015

Saudi Arabia and its allies plan an ambitious ground offensive on multiple fronts in Yemen. It may be inevitable if they want to defeat Iranian-backed Shiite rebels but it also carries enormous risks, from the inhospitable, mountainous terrain and a possible guerrilla war to al-Qaida militants waiting in the wings.

F-35 program facing new challenges

04/02/2015

Lockheed Martin, maker of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, whose engines are produced by Pratt & Whitney, recently held a glitzy reception in the atrium of the Rayburn House Office Building, complete with a buffet and the chance to “fly” the F-35 in a cockpit simulator, to press home a point – don’t cut funding for the program. The F-35 faces a host of challenges. A recent Pentagon report detailed significant technical and design issues, including engine problems and serious computer glitches.

$400K helmet helps F-35 Lightning II pilot 'see through the plane'

04/02/2015

The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most complicated weapons systems ever developed, a sleek and stealthy fighter jet years in the making that is often called a flying computer because of its more than 8 million lines of code. The Joint Strike Fighter comes in three versions, including one that is designed to take off and land on an aircraft carrier and another that lands vertically, as if it were a helicopter.

Iraq War planners urge U.S. military presence once Islamic State is defeated

04/02/2015

This time, when the terrorist insurgency is defeated in Iraq, Washington needs to keep American forces on the ground to sustain the victory, former war planners say. The former military officers talk of a robust presence that would extend beyond mere advisers to include standby combat troops and air power.

U.K., Argentina: Territorial Tensions Re-Emerge

04/02/2015

Ahead of the April 2 anniversary of the invasion of the Falkland Islands, tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the islands are predictably on the rise again. For the next several years, the United Kingdom's capability to respond to potential threats to the Falklands will be limited by the lack of deployable aircraft carriers.

Defence ministry ignores Russia's requests to discuss fighter project

04/02/2015

The programme for India and Russia to jointly develop a Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), long touted as the flagship of a time-tested defence relationship, has run into a stone wall. Documents available with Business Standard indicate India's defence ministry is cold-shouldering Russian requests to continue the negotiations on a "R&D Draft Contract", which will govern the partnership to develop a futuristic, fifth-generation fighter.

Iranian aircraft buzzed Navy helicopter in Persian Gulf

04/01/2015

An Iranian military observation aircraft flew within 50 yards of an armed U.S. Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf this month, sparking concern that top Iranian commanders might not be in full control of local forces, CNN has learned. The incident, which has not been publicly disclosed, troubled U.S. military officials because the unsafe maneuver could have triggered a serious incident.

Yemen: Iran’s Strategy, Saudis’ Response And The U.S. Stance

04/01/2015

Last week, a coalition of predominantly Sunni Arab countries, primarily from the Arabian Peninsula and organized by Saudi Arabia, launched airstrikes in Yemen that have continued into this week. The airstrikes target Yemeni al-Houthis, a Shiite sect supported by Iran, and their Sunni partners, which include the majority of military forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. What made the strikes particularly interesting was what was lacking: U.S. aircraft.

Operation Decisive Storm -- Air Power Over Yemen

04/01/2015

After Houthi rebels toppled the Yemeni government causing president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee to Aden earlier this month, a Saudi-led coalition of Middle Eastern states launched an air campaign to intervene. Operation Decisive Storm began on March 26 and has resulted in one of the most extraordinary gatherings of air power seen in recent years, with air arms from the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, except Oman, joined by aircraft from Morocco, Egypt and Sudan, as well as Jordan.

Navy, Air Force advocate for modernizing combat aviation

04/01/2015

Top Navy and Air Force officials today told the House Armed Services subcommittee on tactical air and land forces the president’s budget request for fiscal year 2016 will support modernizing combat aviation programs.

Marine Corps Identifies $2.1B in Unfunded Priorities, Mostly in Aviation

04/01/2015

The Marine Corps would purchase 10 new aircraft, improve the digital interoperability of existing aircraft and boost connectivity through additional communications systems and unmanned aerial vehicles if Congress provided additional funding.

A-10 Thunderbolt Warplane Deployed To Romania As Congressional Supporters Attempt To Save It For Years To Come

04/01/2015

After surviving numerous attempts to scrap it from the U.S. defense budget over the last few years, the 40-year-old A-10, a warplane built during the Cold War to destroy Soviet tanks, is back on the front lines of what could become a confrontation between NATO and the Russian army. The plane is about to take part in long-term exercises in Romania designed to counter Russian moves in the region.