Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Fire Scout Helo Deployments Intensify

12/07/2014

An entirely new level of activity is taking place right now with the US Navy’s Fire Scout unmanned helicopter program — for the first time, Fire Scout will be at sea on at least four ships at the same time — and they’ll be different kinds of ships, and both aircraft variants will be active.

Canada rules out Syria airstrikes

12/07/2014

Canada has no plans to follow its neighbor the United States in expanding airstrikes against the Islamic State group into Syria, the country's top diplomat said Saturday during a visit to the Middle East. In an interview with The Associated Press, Foreign Minister John Baird said Canada has a responsibility to contribute to the U.S.-led bombing campaign in part because the Islamic State group has attracted Canadian fighters to its ranks.

India and Russia signed Inter-Governmental Agreement for developing Multi Role Fighter Aircraft

12/07/2014

India and Russia signed an Inter-Governmental Agreement for designing, developing and producing the Multi Role Fighter Aircraft. The announcement was made by Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar on 5 December 2014 during the parliamentary session. Moreover, Indian Fighter aircraft MIG 21 is being phased out and aircrafts MIG 29 are being procured from Russia. With the fifth generation stealth technology, the aircraft strikes would be high as they cannot be immediately detected by radar.

The Pentagon’s 2016 Budget Will Focus on the Pacific

12/06/2014

The Pentagon’s 2016 budget proposal will focus investments heavily on pivoting the military to the Pacific and continuing security operations in the Middle East, according to defense officials and experts. That means continued investments in high-end weapons, including the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and Air Force’s new Long-Range Strike Bomber.

America’s Toughest, Ugliest Warplane Is Going Back Into Battle

12/06/2014

For more than 30 years, the A-10 Thunderbolt II—better known as the Warthog because it’s so ugly—has performed a crucial role: attacking hostile targets that threaten troops on the ground, a task called close air support. The plane, designed for the Cold War, is old. It’s slow. And it’s about as sophisticated as a hammer. But it is heavily armored and wickedly armed, making it a ruthlessly effective weapon.

Shortage Of Aircraft

12/06/2014

The requirement of aircraft is periodically reviewed to ensure that the operational requirements of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are met. The IAF is in the process of inducting additional Su-30 MKI aircraft, Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). These would augment the operational strength of the IAF. In order to enhance the air-lift and heli-lift capability of the IAF, cases regarding procurement of additional transport aircraft and helicopters are also being progressed.

Manohar Parrikar: ’20-30 Tejas aircraft to be commissioned soon’

12/06/2014

As many as 20-30 indigenously built Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, which will replace the aging MIG fighters, will be commissioned soon, government informed the Lok Sabha today. Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) is working on the Light Combat Aircraft Tejas Programme, which has been running behind schedule. During Question Hour, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said "20-30" Tejas aircraft are to be commissioned soon.

1st LD: Al-Shabaab burns Kenya's military aircraft in Somalia

12/06/2014

Kenya Defence Forces (KDF) confirmed on Friday that its combat aircraft which crashed in southern Somalia on Thursday after developing mechanical problems came down within Al-Shabaab territory who later set it on fire. KDF spokesman Colonel David Obonyo said the Al-Shabaab set the plane on fire and the fate of the pilot remains unknown. The aircraft crashed at 3:15 p.m. (1215 GMT) in Jamaame, Southern Somalia.

Iran Possesses Drones That Can Roam Up to 1,800 Miles: Military Official

12/06/2014

Speaking with university professors in Tehran,Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps (IRGC) Brigadier General Hossein Salami stated that Iran is able to produce a pistonless engine for unmanned aerial vehicle without the use of UK or US technology.

Russian MiG-29 Jet Fighter Crashes Outside Moscow, Both Pilots Survived

12/06/2014

A Russian MiG-29 Fulcrum trainer jet has crashed outside Moscow and both pilots survived, a military source told RIA Novosti on Thursday. “A MiG-29 jet fighter crashed near the settlement of Chemodurovo in the Voskresensky region. Both pilots have been hospitalized,” the source said.

China’s New Hypersonic Strike Vehicle Takes Flight Again

12/06/2014

China has performed the third test of its new Hypersonic Strike Vehicle (HGV), which is capable of traveling up to eight times the speed of sound and dodging the US anti-missile defense system; the test was monitored by US intelligence.

What’s in the defense bill?

12/05/2014

A look at some key points in the annual defense budget being considered by Congress: PAY RAISES — Troops will see a pay increase of 1 percent as proposed by the White House, instead of the 1.8 percent indexed to private-sector growth, and which some in Congress had hoped to preserve.

China Wants To Grow Its Navy To Over 350 Ships By The End Of The Decade

12/05/2014

China has plans to grow its navy to 351 ships by 2020 as the Chinese continue to develop their military’s ability to strike global targets, according to a new report. The 2014 US-China Economic and Security Review Commission recommended to Congress the US Navy respond by building more ships and increase its presence in the Pacific region – a strategy they US military has already started.

China's Xi Jinping wants faster weapons development to make world's largest army stronger

12/05/2014

Chinese President Xi Jinping has urged faster development of advanced new military equipment to help build a strong army, state media reported, as the country steps up an ambitious modernisation plan that has rattled nerves across the region. Speaking at a two-day conference of the People's Liberation Army, Mr Xi said that military reforms should be "guided by the objective of building a strong army", the official Xinhua news agency reported late on Thursday.

Does the JF-17 Finally Have Buyers?

12/05/2014

The JF-17, a joint Sino-Pakistani fighter project, is a single engine fighter developed, conceptually, as a modern MiG-21. Given how global fighter fleets have deteriorated since the end of the Cold War, the idea seemed sound; a low-cost fighter that didn’t present major technical challenges, and that could serve as a cheap option for revitalizing many air forces.

Ghana Announces Plans for Combat, Trainer, Transport Aircraft Buys

12/05/2014

Ghanaian President John Dramani Mahama says his government has set aside $300 million for the purchase of new combat, trainer and transport aircraft to support United Nations peacekeeping operations.

Rising Gripen Sales Show Global Need For Light Fighter Aircraft

12/05/2014

The Saab Gripen is quietly usurping fighter aircraft sales while competitors like the Lockheed F-35 face cuts in global sales orders. In October, Saab won a $5.4 billion contract for the development and production of 36 Gripen NG fighter for Brazil.

Kenyan military plane crashes in Somalia, rebels say shot down

12/05/2014

A Kenyan warplane crashed in southern Somalia on Thursday, with the Kenyan military saying the crash was due to technical problems while Somali rebels said they had shot it down with a missile. The aircraft, which had been on a combat mission, came down in the area of the southern port city of Kismayu, where Kenyan troops are deployed as part of an African Union peacekeeping force battling the Islamist rebel group al Shabaab.

Defense spending plan could modernize Air Guard C-130s

12/04/2014

A compromise defense spending plan for the current fiscal year "opens the door" for modernizing the Air Force's aging C-130s and is a "critical step forward" for the Delaware Air National Guard, members of the state's congressional delegation said Wednesday. The state Air Guard needs upgrades for its eight mid-1980s C-130s to meet a 2020 worldwide deadline to operate in the coming all-digital worldwide navigation environment.

INS Vikramaditya not fully operational yet

12/04/2014

The 45,400-tonne INS Vikramaditya, the largest Indian aircraft carrier procured from Russia at a cost of $2.3 million, is still to get a close-in weapon system (CIWS) and hence will not be fully operational. For the aircraft carrier that stands nearly 23-deck tall, CIWS is critical if the vessel has to be deployed in forward areas, said Navy sources.

Germany Investigates Airbus Defense Deals in Saudi Arabia, Romania

12/04/2014

German prosecutors have launched an investigation into Airbus Group NV for alleged corruption in multibillion-dollar border security projects in Saudi Arabia and Romania and raided the German premises of the aircraft maker as part of the probe. Munich state prosecutors searched the German premises of Airbus this fall as part of their investigations into alleged corruption and tax evasion by individuals, the Munich prosecutor’s office said on Wednesday.

Budget deal saves A-10 planes at Selfridge

12/04/2014

A deal struck by Congress late Tuesday will save more than 20 A-10 planes at Selfridge Air National Guard base — despite a Pentagon plan to retire the planes. Under the deal announced Wednesday, the Pentagon couldn’t get rid of the planes but could reduce flying time for active duties — but not for the 21 planes at Selfridge in Harrison Township.

Iran's Air Force Is Bombing ISIS With This 40-Year-Old US Fighter Jet

12/04/2014

n late November Iran carried out a series of airstrikes close to its border with Iraq against ISIS. Although the airstrikes are already notable for signaling possible military coordination between Iran and the US, they become even more notable in light of Iran’s choice of aircraft. Iran provided air support to the Iraqi military and the Kurdish Peshmerga with its ageing fleet of F-4 Phantoms. The Phantom, which first flew in 1958, was originally used by the US Navy as an interceptor.

US Military Aircraft Crash in Middle East Under Investigation: CENTCOM

12/04/2014

he United States is investigating the F-16 fighter jet crash in the Middle East that killed a US citizen, a statement issued on Monday by the United States Central Command (CENTCOM) said. "First responders remain on the scene. The cause of the incident is under investigation," the release read. "It is the US military's policy to defer identification until 24 hours after next-of-kin notification."

Kerry: It Will Take Years to Defeat Islamic State

12/04/2014

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry says it will take years to defeat the Islamic State militants, but that coalition airstrikes against the insurgents have made it "much harder" for them to launch new attacks. Kerry spoke Wednesday in Brussels, opening a meeting with foreign ministers from 60 coalition partners to discuss efforts to combat the militant group that took over large areas of northern and western Iraq and eastern Syria earlier this year.