Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

We’re ill-prepared for new military threats

11/20/2014

An MP today called for a revamp of Malaysia’s defence policy to meet new threats, especially those coming from the South China Sea. “The Defence Ministry must implement a 50:50 deployment ratio between the Peninsula and Sabah/Sarawak and a 35:35:30 split in resources among the Army, the Navy and the Air Force,” Kluang MP Liew Chin Tong told the Dewan Rakyat today.

Air Force begs for F-35 to be top priority over A-10 jet

11/20/2014

Despite attempts by the Air Force to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II, nicknamed for its toughness and one of the military’s most beloved airplanes, a scrappy band of lawmakers has put up a fight that has started to yield some results. But if the A-10 survives, the Air Force warns, the already delayed introduction of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter could face another setback.

The Missile Men of North Vietnam

11/20/2014

What does it feel like to push a button, launch a surface-to-air missile, and blow a B-52 bomber out of the sky? Ask Nguyen Van Phiet. As a young North Vietnamese military officer, his SA-2 rockets were credited with downing four of the giant Boeing Stratofortresses during U.S. raids on and around Hanoi in December 1972.

United Wa State Army Denies Anti-Aircraft Purchase

11/20/2014

Burma’s largest ethnic armed group, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), has denied reports that it recently acquired a “large number” of Chinese-manufactured anti-aircraft weapons. A Nov. 18 report by Jane’s Defence Weekly stated that the UWSA had come into possession of the third-generation FN-6 shoulder-mounted surface-to-air missile launchers.

France to send more combat aircraft to fight ISIL

11/20/2014

France is soon to send more combat aircraft to join those already fighting ISIL in northern Iraq, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said on Wednesday. Defence sources said Le Drian indicated during parliamentary question time that six Mirage fighter-bombers would be deployed to reinforce French air operations against ISIL which are currently being assured by nine Rafale combat aircraft based in the UAE.

Russia Is Moving Combat Aircraft To The Ukrainian Border

11/20/2014

According to the National Security and Defense Council of Ukraine, the Russian Federation is continuing to amass forces at the border. These forces include radar stations and Mig-31 Foxhound combat planes, which are interceptors capable of a maximum speed of Mach 2.83. An unspecified amount of Mig-31s based at Perm have been deployed to Millerovo airfield, in the Rostov region, close to the border with Ukraine.

Danish Military Unit Arrives in Lithuania for Joint Exercises: Ministry

11/20/2014

A military intelligence unit has arrived in Lithuania from Denmark to take part in joint exercises, the Lithuanian Defense Ministry has announced. "In order to strengthen deterrence in the Baltic region, in accordance with an agreement of NATO countries, military personnel from Denmark arrived in Lithuania on November 19. About 140 of the Danish military servicemen from an intelligence unit will take part in joint exercises with Lithuanian ground force military units," the ministry said.

Pakistan Continues JF-17 Upgrades, Possible Interest in FC-31 Emerges

11/19/2014

Pakistan continues to proceed with improvements to its JF-17 Thunder jet fighter program, but the recent Zhuhai air show also revealed possible longer term ambitions to acquire stealth aircraft, namely the Shenyang FC-31. According to Pakistan officials at Zhuhai, progress is being made to improve the JF-17’s avionics and software, and to fix a probe.

Nigerian air force eyes Scorpion combat surveillance aircraft

11/19/2014

Nigeria's air force has expressed an interest in acquiring the Textron AirLand Scorpion strike and surveillance aircraft in order to counter the Boko Haram Islamist insurgency in the country. The service currently operates both dedicated strike and surveillance types – the Chengdu F-7Ni and ATR 42, respectively – but believes that a low-cost aircraft with a dual capability would enable quicker and more precise counter-insurgency operations.

At a glance: Sukhoi-30 MKI ,India's frontline combat aircraft

11/19/2014

India has a vast landscape and to protect its territory Indian Air Force has inducted Sukhoi-30 MKI as the premiere fighter airplane. It is a stealth aircraft which can deceive the enemy’s radar and can hit the accurate target even in the enemy’s area and can return back successfully. The fighter aircraft was originally inducted from Russia.

2014 Secretary of Defense PBL Award Goes to Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod Team

11/19/2014

The Office of the Secretary of Defense awarded the U.S. Air Force and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) team the 2014 Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) Award, which recognizes outstanding achievements in providing operational support to warfighters. The team received the subsystem PBL award, which is one of three PBL awards presented annually to government/industry teams.

Russian-Chinese Military Cooperation Gains Importance: Defense Minister

11/19/2014

Military and military-technical cooperation between Russia and China are becoming increasingly important as the international situation is becoming more complex, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday. "Unfortunately, the situation in this [Asia-Pacific] region, in North Africa and elsewhere in the world generally becomes more and more difficult each year.

NATO Missile Defense Not Targeted at Russia: Senior US Official

11/19/2014

A senior US arms control official announced that the NATO ballistic missile defense system is aimed at defending US allies against a limited number of ballistic missile strikes from rogue groups or states such as Iran and North Korea and not targeted at Russia.

U.S. approves $700 million in military sales to Iraq following catastrophic reverses

11/18/2014

The United States has approved additional military sales to Iraq despite devastating failures by the Iraqi military this summer which resulted in the surrender to Islamic State of Iraq and Levant of U.S. origin military platforms. The State Department has endorsed two Iraqi military requests from the United States as it struggles to recover territory lost to ISIL. Officials said the requests, which amount to nearly $700 million, would include air weapons as well as spare parts.

F-35 and F-22 combine capabilities in operational integration training mission

11/18/2014

The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, to Eglin Air Force Base, earlier this month for the unit's first operational integration training mission with the F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing here. The purpose of the training was to improve integrated employment of fifth-generation assets and tactics. The training allowed both units to gain operational familiarization and capture lessons learned to improve future exercises.

Helicopter drone makes history

11/18/2014

When the littoral combat ship Fort Worth left San Diego Bay on Monday, it marked a new chapter in drone use by the Navy. The ship’s 16-month deployment to Asian waters is the first to send manned and unmanned helicopters out to work together. The Fort Worth carried one MQ-8B Fire Scout, an unmanned helicopter engineered in San Diego by Northrop Grumman.

Indian Phase of Aviaindra-2014 Russia-India Air Forces Drills Kicks Off

11/18/2014

The Aviaindra-2014 Russian and Indian joint drills have started at the Halwara air base in northwest India, Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Col. Igor Klimov told the reporters on Monday. "The drills' scenario comprises joint day and night flying with the engagement of ground targets by Russian-Indian crews on Sukhoi Su-30MKI (Flanker-H) fighters, and Mil Mi-35 (Hind-E) and Mil Mi-17 (Hip) helicopters," the official said.

Israel Air Force Hones Patriot Batteries for UAV Defense

11/17/2014

With newly war-tested batteries of drone-killing Patriots, air defenders of Israel Air Force (IAF) Wing 168 are earning equal footing with F-16s in guarding the skies against new and growing unmanned threats. The Wing’s Patriot force forms the ground-based node of Israel’s extensively integrated air defense network — historically junior partner to IAF fighters in their joint intercept mission against air-breathing threats.

Boeing to Train Australian Army and Navy Helicopter Pilots for Next 25 Years

11/17/2014

Boeing will train Royal Australian Navy and Australian Army helicopter pilots for the next 25 years through a $A600 million contract that broadens the company’s partnership with Australia’s armed forces. For the JP 9000 Phase 7-Helicopter Aircrew Training System (HATS) effort, Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) teamed with Thales to develop a low-risk solution around the Airbus EC135, one of the world’s most proven helicopters.

Viva handed magazine brief by Eurofighter

11/17/2014

PR agency Viva has been appointed by Eurofighter GMBH – management company for the Typhoon combat aircraft – to work on its new in-house magazine. Viva is working with the organisation’s communications team in Munich to produce a series of features for the new quarterly, Eurofighter World, which focuses on the Typhoon aircraft.

US Document Riles Critics of Proposed Canadian F-35 Buy

11/17/2014

A leaked US document has raised new questions about Canada’s involvement in the F-35 program and given critics of the fighter jet as well as opposition members of Parliament new ammunition to accuse the Canadian government of misleading the public about the proposed acquisition. An Oct. 27 briefing by US Air Force Lt. Gen. Chris Bogdan, F-35 Program Executive Office director, outlined how Canada intends to initially purchase four F-35s.

OFFSET 3.0, OR: HOW I LEARNED TO STOP WORRYING AND LOVE COMMERCIAL TECHNOLOGY

11/17/2014

America loves technology. As a nation, our cultural predilection for technical ingenuity has created the conditions for economic prosperity, scientific discovery, and military superiority. However, the worldwide proliferation of American free market ideas and liberalism (not to mention technology) has led to the emergence of an increasingly competitive global innovation landscape.

Another military helicopter crashes in Adamawa

11/16/2014

Less than three days after a military helicopter on surveillance mission crashed in Damare, a suburb of Girei Local Government Area of Adamawa state, another chopper believed to belong to the Nigerian Air Force has gone down around the same area.

Russian warplanes risking safety of European airliners, says Nato chief

11/16/2014

Russia is placing civilian flights at risk by dispatching jet fighters and bombers into European airspace without following safety procedures, according to Nato’s secretary general. Jens Stoltenberg told the Telegraph that Nato fighters had intercepted Russian military aircraft over 100 times so far this year, compared with 30 such incidents in 2013.

Jens Stoltenberg: the new man at Nato who must stand up to Putin and his tanks

11/16/2014

Outside Nato’s headquarters in Brussels, the national flags of 28 member states fly in a proud circle. Even after decades of defence cuts, these countries still account for 58 per cent of global military spending, giving Nato more firepower than any other alliance on Earth.