Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Army names inactivating combat aviation brigade

11/21/2014

The Army will inactivate the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade this year, officials announced Thursday. The 159th CAB is the first of three aviation brigades expected to be cut as part of a five-year aviation restructuring initiative. The other two have not been announced. The 159th, which recently returned from Afghanistan, is one of two combat aviation brigades in the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky.

Viral video shows Ukrainian soldier launching drone in combat zone

11/21/2014

A new viral video appears to depict a Ukrainian soldier hurling a small drone aircraft into the air, providing a glimpse into how Kiev’s soldiers are using low-grade military technology against Russian-backed separatists. The footage has gone viral after being posted to YouTube on Monday and appears to show the drone under gunfire after it takes off. It isn’t clear what kind of aircraft it is, but the video shows the drone buzzing over fields riddled with craters and what looks like an airfield.

50 Totally Stunning Combat Aircraft Photos Taken Around Alaska

11/21/2014

Wildlife is not the only thing that enjoys the vast empty expanses of America's northern-most state. There is so much room to train over Alaska's fully outfitted air combat ranges that there is really no other place in the world quite like it for military aircrews and weapons and tactics testers to push their hardware and skills to the limit.

NATO Concerned Over France’s Possible Delivery of Mistral Ships to Russia

11/21/2014

NATO allies are concerned over France’s possible delivery of Mistral-class helicopter carriers to Russia, NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said on Thursday at a press conference at a military air base close to Tallinn. Russia and France signed the €1.2 billion ($1.5 billion) deal for the two Mistral-class ships in June 2011.

Islamic State now hiring: Gunsmiths needed to maintain growing arsenal

11/20/2014

The Islamic State terrorist army, in its rapid arms buildup, is now searching for foreign technicians who can come to Syria and Iraq and show its fighters how to use and maintain their weapons. A U.S. military officer familiar with the Islamic State said that the Sunni extremist group is sending word through the arms trade’s secretive black market that it needs outside advisers — and is willing to pay.

Coalition jets bomb ISIS underground fortress discovered during earlier strike

11/20/2014

Allied jets in Iraq Wednesday targeted a complex of bunkers and tunnels that was uncovered by chance in an earlier U.S. strike. The bunkers were found when Islamic State of Iraq & Al-Sham jihadists were seen withdrawing to the area, between the Kurdish-held city of Kirkuk and ISIS-held Mosul, during a concerted attack by Kurdish peshmerga and Iraqi government forces.

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.