Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

A note on India’s Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project

12/28/2014

The LCA program has taken the time it has to mature precisely because there was a hiatus in domestic fighter aircraft development post the HAL HF-24 Marut that was India's first homegrown jet fighter. No timely follow on programme to the Marut meant that both human and capital resources had to be built up concurrently even as the LCA program progressed contributing to delays.

Blame Game: Speculation Rife After Jordanian Jet Crash in Syria

12/26/2014

A Jordanian F-16 was downed in Syria on Wednesday, with ISIL claiming responsibility for the crash after capturing its pilot. The US, however, refutes that the terrorist group shot it down, but did not offer any other details about its version of events.

Diversifying arms

12/26/2014

Diversifying the sources of Egypt’s armaments became a priority among state strategists after the 30 June Revolution. Overreliance on one provider was now seen as shortsighted. Egypt was also keen to ensure its armaments policy responded to international political developments, including the growing influence of China and Russia.

Russian Army to Receive Corsair Surveillance Drones in Late 2016

12/26/2014

Russia's United Instrument Corporation (UIC) will start supplying the small-class Corsair surveillance unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to the Russian Armed Forces in late 2016, the company's CEO Alexander Yakunin told RIA Novosti. "We are currently implementing a big project on the creation of a prospective small-class Corsair UAV and organization of its serial production. The production is scheduled to begin in the first quarter of 2017 and reach its planned capacity before the end of 2017.

Iranian Army Detects Foreign Spy Planes During Large-Scale Drills: Reports

12/26/2014

Iran's military have detected and issued warnings to several foreign aircraft intercepted during the first day of a large-scale military exercise, Tasnim News Agency reported on Thursday, quoting the Iranian Air Defense Force Commander, Farzad Esmaili. Farzad Esmaili told Tasnim that the mentioned aircraft were not from countries in the region. He did not specify their number.

US Federal Aviation Bans Flights Over Simferopol, Dnipropetrovsk

12/26/2014

The United States’ Federal Aviation Administration has extended its earlier flight regulations introduced previously, which forbids flights over Ukraine's city of Dnipropetrovsk and the Russian city of Simferopol in Crimea.

China will have better aircraft carriers than India, Japan: Kanwa

12/25/2014

If China can successfully carry out its Type 001A aircraft carrier program, the People's Liberation Army Navy will eventually have better carriers than its Indian and Japanese counterparts, according to Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.

Cockpit video of Turkish 4-Star General flying F-16 solo display at the age of 62

12/25/2014

Solo Türk is the name of the solo aerobatics demo team of the F-16 combat plane whose role is to display the capabilities and skills of the Turkish Air Force pilots. Established in 2011, as part of the Turkish Air Force’s 100th anniversary, the TuAF F-16C Block 40 aircraft in a stunning bright black, silver and golden livery has become one of the highlights of airshows across Europe.

Air Force Range Infrastructure Study Underway

12/25/2014

The Air Force began a major study into the future of its test-range infrastructure, one which could decide how the service runs its live-flight testing for the next 20 years. Ed Chupein, chief for Air Force ranges, airspace and operations sustainment, told Defense News that a review is underway to provide Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh with options on how to revitalize the training infrastructure.

Sad and Hopeful Tales of Extinct Air Forces

12/25/2014

Air power is tough. All the world’s air forces work hard to maintain old warplanes and acquire expensive new ones and still fund adequate training—all in the context of national strategy and air power doctrine that can be complex, confusing, even self-defeating.So it should come as no surprise that, sometimes, countries fail to do air power right—or at all.

US think tank proposes shake-up of Taiwan defense

12/25/2014

" Fears of war between Taiwan and China have eased in recent years, but the growing gap in their military capabilities has prompted a U.S. think tank to lay out a radical new approach in how Taiwan could defend itself if China invaded, relying less on conventional forces and more on guerrilla-style tactics and cyberwarfare.

'Ukrainian military worker' claims one of his country's fighter jets shot down MH17 after confusing the passenger plane for Russian air force

12/25/2014

A Ukrainian military base employee has made the sensational claim that a one his country's own air force planes shot down Malaysian flight MH17 killing all 298 on board. The unnamed employee claimed to a Moscow newspaper that a Ukrainian air force Su-25 combat jet took off from an airbase in eastern Dnipropetrovsk carrying air-to-air missiles - and returned without them - on the day the Boeing 777 was shot out of the sky.

Russia Plans to Deliver New Aircraft to Belarus Air Base: Defense Minister

12/25/2014

Russia will increase the number of airplanes and helicopters at its base to be opened in Belarus, Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said Tuesday during a meeting with his Belarusian counterpart Andrei Ravkov. “I’m ready to continue our discussion of cooperation on a practical basis today. This is in regard to the S-300 [anti-aircraft missile system], as well as the creation and basing of [our] aviation in Belarus by increasing the number of airplanes and helicopters.

Islamic State did not shoot down Jordan plane, says US

12/25/2014

The plane was lost in IS territory on Wednesday morning, and the pilot has been captured. IS militants said that they shot down the plane with a heat-seeking missile. However, the US says "evidence clearly indicates" that this is not true. Jordan is one of four Arab states in a US-led coalition that has launched air strikes on IS targets in Syria.

IS captures Jordanian pilot after warplane crashes in Syria

12/24/2014

The jihadist group claimed it had shot down the jet with a heat-seeking missile near the city of Raqqa. It published photographs showing the pilot, who has been named as Flight Lieutenant Moaz Youssef al-Kasasbeh. This is the first US-led coalition aircraft to be lost on IS territory since air strikes began in September. Jordan is one of four Arab states which have bombed targets in Syria.

D-models return to flight after longeron repair

12/24/2014

Air Force officials removed 82 two-seat F-16D Fighting Falcons from flight earlier this summer after discovering cracks along the canopy sill longeron between the front and rear pilot seats. The longeron is a major structural component that carries significant loads during dynamic flight operations of the F-16. Of these 82 aircraft, 32 belong to the 56th Fighter Wing.

Raytheon wins $491.5M for air-combat missiles

12/24/2014

Tucson-based Raytheon Missile Systems has won a contract worth nearly half a billion dollars to supply advanced air-combat missiles, in a deal that involves sales to South Korea, Oman, Singapore and Thailand. The $491.5 million Air Force contract includes production of an undisclosed number of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles and other AMRAAM system items, including a captive air-training missile, computer reprogramming equipment and an airborne instrumentation unit.

Military involvement escalates as US helps Iraq face Islamic State threat

12/24/2014

During the first half of 2014, a militant group calling itself the Islamic State overran large swathes of Iraq. Much of the Iraqi army, which the U.S. spent many years and billions of dollars training and equipping, collapsed. Alarmed at the deteriorating situation, the Obama administration in June began deploying hundreds of security personnel to Iraq to protect U.S. personnel and facilities. The Pentagon also stepped up its intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance flights over the country

Joint Chiefs warn: 'We can't do more with less'

12/23/2014

The nation's top military officer praised the troops on Monday in his annual holiday message while pressuring Congress to accept the “hard choices” he says are needed under a tightened budget. "The Joint Chiefs and I remain concerned that we still lack support for the reforms necessary to ensure that you are combat ready and to preserve military options for our nation," Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said in a video.

SEIZING THE ASUW INITIATIVE WITH LAND BASED PATROL AIRCRAFT

12/23/2014

Recent months have found uniformed officers and naval strategists writing and speaking about regaining the ability of U.S. Navy (USN) ships to conduct offensive anti-surface warfare (ASuW). The discussion has been lively and featured many authors and many different approaches. Some solutions are incremental, such as fielding more capable long-range weapons in existing launch systems.

Russia’s long-range aviation marking centenary jubilee

12/23/2014

Russia’s long-range (fighter-bomber) aviation is marking the centenary anniversary since its foundation on Tuesday. Gala functions devoted to the jubilee will be held in all the branches and units of the Air Force, its official spokesman Igor Klimov told reporters. “Long-range aviation is a crucial component element of Russia’s forces of nuclear deterrence,” Colonel Klimov said.

A look at the first Air National Guard unit destined to transition from the F-16 to the F-35

12/23/2014

The 134th Fighter Squadron of the Vermont ANG (Air National Guard) based at Burlington, VT, is well known as ” The Green Mountain Boys.” his ANG squadron, flying 18 F-16C/D Block 30s is part of the 158th Fighter Wing, and will be the first ANG group to operate the F-35.

Iraqi Air Force, In Combat Debut, Assists Peshmerga, Coalition In Mission To Push ISIS Back From Mount Sinjar

12/23/2014

The U.S. State Department said Monday Iraqi air power helped the Kurdish peshmerga and U.S.-led coalition forces push back the Islamic State group from Mount Sinjar. The offensive on the mountain marks the first time the Iraqi air force contributed to a high-profile offensive against the Sunni militant group. Previously, only the U.S.-led coalition air forces, as well as some Iranian jets, had carried out strikes against ISIS.

Airbus Helicopters delivers aircraft to Spanish military

12/23/2014

The Spanish military has received the first three of 46 Spanish-assembled utility and combat helicopters under separate contracts given to Airbus Helicopters. The aircraft officially delivered by the company were two Tiger attack helicopters in the HAD-E version and one NH90 GSPA, a Spanish-version tactical transport.

Need to know, 2015: Major changes in aviation

12/23/2014

One of the biggest changes in Marine Corps aviation in years will happen in 2015, and it promises to not only change the way that anyone in a flight suit operates, but how anyone with boots on the ground receives support from the air. Marine Operational Test and Evaluation Squadron 22 will relocate from Marine Corps Air Station, Jacksonville, North Carolina, to Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.