Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Spanish Fighter Jets to Fly Training Mission Over Estonia

03/09/2015

On January 2 the German Luftwaffe, which had provided a contingent of four Eurofighters on base for NATO Baltic Policing patrols since September, handed over to a Spanish air force detachment of the same aircraft type, which took over patrolling duties at Estonia’s Amari Air Base near Tallinn. The Spanish war jets will fly a training mission over Estonian territory on Sunday, the country’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.

That One Time Lockheed Hated on the Taiwanese Air Force

03/08/2015

Five years ago, Lockheed Martin told U.S. Air Force officials that Taiwan’s air force was on the verge of collapse and no other defense contractor in the world could help. Eager to sell F-16s, the company went on a PR blitz. The pitch—Washington and the Pentagon needed to sell fighter jets to Taiwan … or else.

U.S. sees bigger test for Iraq after Tikrit battle

03/08/2015

The top U.S. military officer will press the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi during a visit to Iraq this week about its plans for avoiding sectarian fallout once the Iranian-backed operation to dislodge the Islamic State from the city of Tikrit concludes. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was confident that Iraq would ultimately defeat the Sunni militants in Tikrit, a largely Sunni city northwest of Baghdad.

Red Alert: The South China Sea's New Danger Zone

03/07/2015

Indonesia’s Natuna Archipelago, with only 27 of its 154 islands inhabited, is the republic’s northernmost region in the South China Sea and potentially its most vulnerable. Due to their proximity to the disputed areas and features in the South China Sea, the Natuna Islands could become yet another flashpoint in the area.

Under Putin, Russia poses a growing threat to peace

03/07/2015

The assassination of Boris Nemtsov, the Russian opposition leader, in broad daylight on a bridge near the Kremlin at the end of February was a terrorist act. We shall probably never know for certain who was behind this murder, which happened to be very convenient for President Vladimir Putin as Nemtsov had planned to lead a protest march against Russia’s dictatorial regime and to expose Putin’s aim of destabilizing Ukraine.

McCain vows to 'reverse' A-10 retirement process

03/07/2015

Arizona Sen. John McCain says he will work to reverse the process of retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II close air-support jet, after the recent announcement that the Air Force will put nine A-10s at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base into backup status. “We will be working hard and most likely reverse that decision in the defense authorization bill,” McCain, Republican chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, said Friday.

Air Force lays plans for life after the A-10

03/07/2015

The Air Force plans to set up new squadrons of F-15Es and F-16s with a specific focus on close air support for ground troops — a role now primarily done by the A-10 that the Air Force wants to retire. Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, briefed reporters on the plan Friday, following a week-long Pentagon summit of top Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy leaders on the future of the close air support.

Air Guard Exercises Will Soar Over Oahu

03/07/2015

Those who enjoyed the sight of Air Force fighters arcing over southern Oahu in January during the "Sentry Aloha" air combat exercise are about to get a second helping. The Hawaii Air National Guard said it will host its second large-scale Sentry Aloha exercise running for the next two weeks.

Over 40 Russian Fighter Jet Crews Hold Airstrike Drills in Barents Sea

03/07/2015

More than 40 Russian fighter jet crews practiced destroying enemy missiles and aircraft during military exercises over the Barents Sea, the Russian Defense Minister said Friday. "Over 40 crews flying MiG-31 (Foxhound) fighter-interceptors and Su-24 (Fencer) attack bombers from the Central Military District participated in tactical flight exercises over the Barents Sea.

Afghan Military to Receive A-29 Close Air Support Planes in December

03/06/2015

The Afghan military will be without its own fixed-wing close air support for another fighting season this summer against the Taliban, with the first of 20 A-29 Super Tucano turboprops expected to begin arriving in December. "This is a huge asset they're looking forward to getting inside Afghanistan," Army Gen. John Campbell told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, but "they won't have much for the next fighting season."

Alaska watches as Russia plans to build its Arctic military presence

03/06/2015

During an Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said the world is watching — allies and enemies — to see if our country continues to invest in its own defense, especially in the Arctic. Some of the people responsible for that defense are in Alaska. At Anchorage’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, dozens of plaques with red stars on them line a wall of an operations floor.

Bulgaria to be offered JF-17 fighter by Pakistan

03/06/2015

Bulgaria is to be offered the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft, according to national media reports. The single-seat, single-engined fighter is to be offered by Pakistan as an alternative to the several Western aircraft types that are all vying to be selected by Bulgaria as it looks to replace its ageing MiG-29 'Fulcrum' and Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' platforms, the novinite.com Sofia News Agency reported on 4 March.

This single Pentagon program is going to upend the combat jet industry

03/06/2015

For all the talk of shrinking global defense budgets and sequestration, the U.S. military’s three prime combat aircraft contractors—Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman—have enjoyed a good run of late, with each company’s stock currently bumping up against its 52-week high. But don’t expect the smooth sailing to last, says one prominent industry analyst.

Lockheed Martin P-3 Orion Wing Line Restarted

03/06/2015

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] restarted the wing production line for the P-3 Orion Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) program for Canada and Chile on March 4. The P-3 wing line was last in production in August 2014. The gap in production extended the opportunities for global operators to assess their fleet needs.

Pentagon Announces U-turn on Use of Depleted Uranium Ammunition in Iraq and Syria

03/05/2015

The Pentagon has announced that depleted uranium (DU) munitions have not, and will not, be used by US aircraft in the conflict against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The policy U-turn contrasts with statements made over previous months, where Pentagon officials claimed that DU would be used if needed; the decision reflects a growing stigmatisation of the controversial weapons.

USAF moves 18 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft to 'backup status'

03/05/2015

The US Air Force (USAF) has placed 18 primary combat-coded A-10 Thunderbolt II close-combat support aircraft into the backup-aircraft inventory (BAI) status. Congress has authorised an increase a total of 36 A-10 aircraft into BAI status. The service, however mothballed a fewer number of aircraft to assess whether the action adequately balances ongoing requirements and the need for upgrade.

Red Flag at 40: ISR, coalition integration at its best

03/05/2015

This year marks the 40th anniversary of Red Flag - the United States Air Force's premiere air-to-air combat training exercise. For the last four decades it's evolved and today it continues to hone the skills of its participants to meet current and future real world adversarial challenges.

Russia Reportedly Ready to Build Aircraft Carrier Larger Than US Ships

03/05/2015

Though questions remain about how realistic the plans are, Moscow reportedly said Monday that it hopes to build its second aircraft carrier -- which would measure about 10 percent larger than the ones currently in the United States' Nimitz-class fleet. The National Interest, citing Itar-Tass News Agency, reported that the proposed carrier would be able to hold about 100 aircraft and would use a catapult take-off system.

Russian combat jets conduct ‘mock’ attack runs on NATO warships

03/05/2015

RUSSIA says it has been conducting mock “attack runs” on NATO warships in the Black Sea as reports emerge of commercial airliners having to “dodge” prowling Russian bombers. As tensions continue to escalate over Russia’s barely concealed involvement in the Ukrainian civil war, it has adopted an increasingly aggressive posture towards its old Cold War enemies.

Analysis - Iranian fighter programmes: Bona fide or bluff?

03/05/2015

Over recent years, Iran has made great play of its burgeoning domestic aerospace capabilities by revealing a number of 'new' combat aircraft types to the world. For about the last five years, state media has heralded a steady stream of new fighters and other types which, it claims, demonstrate the Islamic republic's ability to design, develop, and manufacture the latest generation of combat aviation.

China Gives Military Budget Another Double Digit Raise

03/05/2015

The increase comes despite a slowing Chinese economy. State-run Xinhua news agency notes that it is a smaller increase than previous years. In 2014 the budget had increased by over 12% over 2013, and this year's would be the smallest increase in five years. The total military budget will rise to 886.9 billion yuan ($141.45 billion) which will still be a distant second to the US' more than $600 billion in military spending in 2013.

India’s Defense Minister Says Unclear When Rafale Deal to Be Finalized

03/05/2015

Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said that it is yet unclear whether the deal on the deliveries of French Rafale fighter jets will be finalized before the April's visit of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France.

Russian Military Unveils Revolutionary Electronic Warfare System

03/05/2015

Russia's new Richag-AV radar and sonar jamming system can be mounted on helicopters, ships and other military equipment to jam potential adversaries' weapons systems from distances of several hundred kilometers away; it has been hailed by developers as having no analogue anywhere in the world.

UK details extent of combat activity over Iraq

03/03/2015

The UK Royal Air Force has conducted 159 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq with Panavia Tornado GR4s since deploying the type to the region late last year, the Ministry of Defence has revealed. Details of the combat activity were disclosed during a visit to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus by defence secretary Michael Fallon on 1 March.

Su-25: Old warrior is future of Russian attack aviation

03/03/2015

Forty years ago, an attack aircraft Su-25 (GrachRook) took off from an airfield in Moscow suburb Kubinka for its maiden flight. Time has not dimmed its lustre. This aircraft remains a fearsome fighting machine, and can be called the future of Russian attack aviation. At the beginning of 2015, there were 14 air assault squadrons, composed of 150 Su-25; 60 Su-25SM; 52 Su-25SM2 /SM3; and 15 Su-25UB. Of all these storm-troopers 80 more machines will be upgraded to the SM version by 2020.