Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Indian Army Wives Urge Government to Replace Outdated French Helicopters

03/13/2015

The Indian Army Wives Agitation Group has urged the country’s defense ministry to scrap old French-developed helicopters that put military personnel’s lives at risk, Meenal Wagh Bhosale, a founding member of the group, told Sputnik on Thursday. “During my meeting with the defense minister, I, on behalf of the Army Officers’ Wives, demanded that these vintage choppers should be phased out,” Bhosale said.

Russia, Serbia to Carry Out Joint Air Force Drills

03/13/2015

Military pilots from Russia and Serbia will conduct joint training exercises in September 2015, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. "Air Force officials from Russia and Serbia agreed at planing conference in the Russian Defense Ministry on March 12 to carry out joint tactical drills in September this year," spokesman Col. Igor Klimov said in a statement.

ANALYSIS: Procurement questions to dominate LIMA show

03/12/2015

Langkawi is an idyllic location for an air show, but its sunny skies aren’t likely to shed much light on Kuala Lumpur’s procurement agenda. The two years since the last instalment of the biennial Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition have been eventful for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.

U.S. military helicopter crashes off Florida; human remains found

03/12/2015

Seven Marines and four Army aircrew were presumed dead Wednesday, according to a U.S. Defense official, after their Black Hawk helicopter crashed into waters off the Florida Panhandle during a nighttime training mission. By late Wednesday morning, human remains had washed ashore in the area near Eglin Air Force Base, base spokeswoman Jasmine Porterfield said.

Czech Republic confirms sale of combat jets to Iraq

03/12/2015

The Czech Republic has announced plans to sell 15 training and combat aircraft to Iraq for a approximately EUR 28 million. Martin Stropnicky, Czech Defence Minister: "The contract consists of 15 units (of L-159 aircraft) for Iraq. These are three single-seated and one double-seated aircraft directly from the Czech army arsenal and 11 pieces that are stored in Aero Vodochody."

Russia's MiG-31 Interceptors to Stay in Service Until 2026 - Manufacturer

03/12/2015

The Mykoyan MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft will stay in service with the Russian Air Force until 2026, the head of the MiG corporation said Wednesday. "The MiG corporation is currently developing heavy fighter-interceptor aircraft to replace the MiG-31, but the MiG-31 will remain in service until 2026," Sergei Korotkov told RIA Novosti.

Russia Launches Simultaneous Military Drills in West, South, Far East

03/12/2015

A series of military exercises with live firing were launched Wednesday in Russia’s southern and western regions and in the Far East, the Defense Ministry said. During a tactical fight training exercise in South Russia’s Stavropol Territory, about 20 Su-25SM (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) fighter-bombers will make 30 sorties with live firing of missiles and rockets.

NATO Fighter Jets Scramble to Intercept Russian Fuel Tanker Over Baltic Sea

03/12/2015

Italian fighter jets protecting airspace over the Baltic states were deployed to intercept a Russian refueling aircraft over the Baltic Sea, Latvian National Armed Forces said via Twitter. The IL-78 (Midas) is an air-to-air refueling tanker and is part of a regiment based in western Russia's Ryazan Region nearly 200 kilometers (122 miles) southeast of Moscow.

Analysis: Is the time right for a European Air Force?

03/11/2015

The European President recently called for the formation of a 'European Army' in order for the continent to better face the growing threats on its doorstep from Moscow and others. While Jean-Claude Juncker's proposal was dismissed by key member states almost as soon as it was announced, might not the formation of a European Air Force gain more traction at a time of heightened security concerns and squeezed defence budgets?

F-35 Will Not Reach Full Close-Air-Support Potential Until 2022

03/11/2015

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pilots will have to wait until 2022 to fire the U.S. military’s top close-air-support bomb after the Small Diameter Bomb II enters service in 2017, JSF officials explained. The Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) is an upgrade from previous precision-guided air-dropped weapons because of its ability to track and hit moving targets from up to 40 miles.

Why Putin Annexed Crimea

03/11/2015

Russian President Vladimir Putin expands on his motivations for annexing Crimea last year in a preview for an upcoming documentary. Putin notes that Russia was “forced to start working on returning Crimea to Russia because we could not abandon this territory and the people who live there to the mercy of fate, to be crushed by nationalists.” ”It wasn’t us who committed a coup d’etat, it was done by nationalists and people with extreme views, they were given support,” Putin said."

Pakistan To Offer JF-17 Fighters to Bulgaria

03/11/2015

Pakistan plans to offer its PAC JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to Bulgaria under the country's tender to acquire 16 combat aircraft for its military. The Bulgarian Air Force is aiming to replace its outdated Soviet-designed Mikoyan MiG-21 aircraft, reports local news agency Novinite.

Tech complexities among reasons for Light Combat Aircraft project delay: Manohar Parrikar

03/11/2015

Development of hi-tech technology from the scratch, lack of skilled manpower and technological complexities were some of the reasons the government today gave for delay in completion of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project.

Islamic State Weakened by 12 US, Coalition Airstrikes - Pentagon

03/11/2015

US and anti-Islamic State Coalition military forces continued to weaken the militant group by launching 12 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, the US Defense Department said in a statement. “Fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted four airstrikes near Kobani [in Syria],” the statement, issued on Tuesday, said. “Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted eight airstrikes in Iraq.”

Here's how the Air Force is trying to limit the fallout from its controversial decision to retire the A-10

03/10/2015

As it faces yet more political backlash over the mothballing of the A-10 warplane, the Air Force is launching a new effort to prove that it truly cares about the mission of supporting ground troops with massive firepower. In an unprecedented move, top Air Force leaders last week convened a “Close Air Support Summit” at the Pentagon with senior officials from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard Bureau and Special Operations Command.

Turkey's 'flying coffins'

03/10/2015

On Feb. 24, two Turkish RF-4E Phantom planes on reconnaissance crashed into a mountain near Malatya, in southeast Turkey, killing four pilots. Eight days later, two more pilots died when an F-4E-2020 Phantom, upgraded by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), crashed during a Turkish-Azerbaijani joint air exercise.

The Air Force's B-3 Bomber Isn't As Secret As It Seems

03/10/2015

Last week Air Force officials appeared on Capitol Hill to discuss the weapons programs they want to fund in 2016. As usual, details about one of the biggest programs, the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), were few and far between. The Air Force wants to keep potential adversaries guessing about the bomber’s capabilities, so all it has said is that it plans to buy 80-100 strike aircraft at a cost of $550 million each with initial fielding in 2025.

HAL To Fulfill Future Indian AF Training Needs

03/10/2015

Much against the wishes of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Defence Ministry has decided that only state-owned monopoly Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) will meet the service's future basic trainer requirements through its HTT-40 trainer, which is still under development. However, to meet the Air Force's immediate needs, until the homemade HTT-40 is inducted, MoD has ordered another 38 Swiss-made Pilatus PC-7 Mark-IIs to top the 75 ordered by the outgoing government in 2012.

India Pushing Russia For Faster Development For Stealth Aircraft As Rafale Deal Stuck

03/10/2015

Faced with delays over its biggest airforce deal, a worried Indian government has asked Russia to expedite production of the planned fifth-generation fighter aircraft and given up its earlier condition that it should be a 50-50 joint venture, a report says. The deal for buying 126 Rafale fighter aircraft from France's Dassault has been delayed over negotiations over the $11 billion price tag and guarantees over quality.

Russian Military Aircraft Continue To Encroach On European Airspace

03/10/2015

Russia continues to flex its military muscles throughout Europe. Russian President Putin has sent tens of thousands of Russians troops and heavy equipment into Georgia and now eastern Ukraine, and has only received a light slap on the wrist for his illegal military aggression. Is it any wonder Russian military aircraft are now constantly buzzing European aircraft and encroaching on European airspace? Putin is doing what any bully will do when unchallenged…that is, continue to act belligerently.

UAE, Sikorsky Work to Weaponize Black Hawks

03/09/2015

Sikorsky is close to beginning upgrades to the UAE's helicopters that would them the "most advanced armed Black Hawks ever produced," a company vice president told Defense News. Robert Kokorda, vice president of sales, said the UAE-funded development program of the kits to weaponize UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters is in its final development stages.

Rafale deadlock gives thrust to Russian 5th-gen jet project

03/09/2015

Faced with continuing deadlock in the mega deal to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters, India is now pressing the throttle to seal the even bigger project with Russia for the stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). India has told Russia it wants deliveries of the FGFA to begin in 36 months after the main contract is inked, instead of the 94 months envisaged earlier, top defence sources said.

China's maritime rise offers risks, rewards for U.S. sailors

03/09/2015

As part of the U.S. military's shift to the Asia-Pacific region, the Navy is dispatching more ships and sailors for exercises with partner nations. There are also opportunities to work alongside the Chinese military in training and humanitarian operations. But make no mistake — China is at the heart of the new strategy, and the Middle Kingdom is pushing back.

Modern bomb vs medieval belief

03/09/2015

On board the USS Carl Vinson: The morning after the night Gepetto bombed a suspected Islamic State facility in Iraq, he was saying in the aircrew room of this carrier that "typically, when I launch I do not have a target". The 29-year-old lieutenant, who can be identified only by his call sign, is a pilot with the Fighting Redcocks squadron of F/A 18F Super Hornet and F/A 18C Hornet fighter jets.

US, Czech Inspectors to Conduct Observation Flight Over Russia

03/09/2015

American and Czech specialists will fly over Russia on March 9-14 under the Treaty on Open Skies, Sergei Ryzhkov, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center has announced. "In the period of March 9-14, within the framework of the international Treaty on Open Skies, a joint mission of the United States and the Czech Republic will conduct an observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation aboard the American observation aircraft OC-135B," Ryzhkov said.