Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Saab Hopes Gripen Deal Will Secure More Aircraft Orders

02/14/2014

Swedish defense group Saab AB hopes that a recent Brazilian order for its Gripen aircraft will help it win more fighter-jet deals from other countries, even as the company’s fourth-quarter earnings fell amid tough market conditions, its chief executive said Thursday. “Brazil’s choice of Gripen has received attention across the globe,” Hakan Buskhe told The Wall Street Journal in an interview. “This gives an extra boost to a number of other discussions that we are involved in.”

UK keen to offer Eurofighter to India

02/14/2014

A UK trade body has said that it still sees the potential of supplying Eurofighter to India, which has postponed till the next fiscal its plan to buy 126 fighter planes from France's Dassault Aviation. "We are very keen, should the opportunity arise, to offer India a cost effective solution," Adam Thomas, a senior spokesman for the Defence & Security Organization at the UK Trade and Investment, told PTI at the Singapore Airshow here.

Boeing looks to Congress to fund fighters after Navy skips orders

02/14/2014

Boeing Co is mounting a last-ditch campaign to convince U.S. lawmakers to buy more fighter jets and stave off a shutdown of a St. Louis production line after the U.S. Navy failed to fund the jets. The Navy's fiscal 2015 budget plan omits funding for any extra F/A-18E/F Super Hornets or EA-18G Growlers, according to several sources familiar with the issue. The White House is due to submit its 2015 budget request to Congress on March 4.

Indonesian Arms Industry Seeks to Drum Up Business

02/14/2014

While the Indonesian government is snubbing the Singapore Airshow this week, the country’s main military manufacturer is using it as an opportunity for a coming-out party, with staff members in orange flight suits courting potential buyers. The showing for the state-owned manufacturer, Indonesian Aerospace, which almost collapsed after the 1997-98 Asian financial crisis, represents a new sense of optimism that has not been seen in the country’s domestic military sector since the 1980s.

Russia Plans to Build 150 Aircraft in 2014

02/14/2014

Russian aircraft makers are expected to manufacture about 150 military and civilian aircraft in 2014, a government official said Thursday. “The plan for 2014 stipulates production of over 100 combat aircraft and 46 civilian planes, including 40 Sukhoi Superjets,” said Andrei Boginsky, who heads the aviation construction department at the Ministry of Industry and Trade.

Pakistan plans to sell JF-17 Thunder combat jets to Saudi Arabia

02/14/2014

Pakistan today said it is looking to sell JF-17 Thunder combat jets and trainer aircraft to Saudi Arabia, but rejected reports it was in talks with the oil-rich nation for nuclear cooperation. Saudi Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud is scheduled to visit Pakistan during February 15-17. The visit is expected to focus on deeper security and defence cooperation between the two sides.

Boeing Delivers Kuwait Air Force’s 1st C-17 Globemaster III

02/14/2014

Boeing today delivered Kuwait's first C-17 Globemaster III airlifter, an aircraft that will expand the Kuwait Air Force's capabilities in military and civilian operations, including humanitarian aid and disaster relief.

Russian Air Force Increases Planes with Artificial Intelligence

02/13/2014

The President of IRKUT, part of the Russian aerospace conglomerate United Aircraft Corporation, Oleg Demichenko, stated today the air force of his country has already received more than 40 combat aircraft Yak-130 with built-in artificial intelligence. Demichenko pointed out that 42 planes of that type were delivered, and a contract establishes the Ministry of Defence shall receive 55.

Now You See It, Now You Don't: Britain Unveils Stealthy Super-Drone

02/13/2014

A new video released by aerospace giant BAE shows a bat-shaped drone zipping down a runway, taking off smoothly, and then coasting over an empty expanse of mountains and valleys before landing back at the empty airstrip. The next-generation unmanned aerial vehicle is outfitted with stealth technology and designed to fly - and theoretically fire at targets on the ground - without a human controller.

Korea Aerospace to Participate in South Korea’s New Fighter Jet

02/13/2014

Korea Aerospace Industries Ltd., the country’s only planemaker, said it will participate in South Korea’s plan to build its own new fighter jet that will replace the older F-4s, F-5s and F-16s. The Asian nation’s air force is expected to order about 100 aircraft, Chief Executive Officer Ha Sung Yong said in an interview in Singapore today. The government is looking for a foreign partner to collaborate on this project to provide some technical assistance, he said.

A new arms race is exploding into Asia, with an expensive and extensive shopping list of new weapons. Who’s buying what — and where does Australia stand?

02/13/2014

In the aftermath of the Cold War, the region has become a confused place where foes have become friends and supposed friends bicker over minor — and major — territorial differences. The problem is, the scatterings of conflicted islets which were once “no-go” zones, both diplomatically and developmentally, are now being seen as potentially valuable assets.

Tejas project to cost Rs 55,000 crore

02/13/2014

The Tejas light combat aircraft programme will end up costing India well over Rs 55,000 crore at the very least. The overall developmental cost of the home-grown fighter, which remains a critical operational necessity despite still being in the making after 30 years, currently stands at Rs 17,269 crore.

Raytheon: Stealth Means More Than Low RCS

02/13/2014

Raytheon has warned against overreliance on stealthy platforms alone in future air combat. Despite their low radar cross-sections (RCS), fifth-generation fighters such as the F-35 can be detected by modern air defense systems. To defeat these defenses, air forces should take full advantage of the latest sensors and weapons that can be carried on less stealthy aircraft, the company said.

Japan Responds to Regional Threats With Air Power Boost

02/13/2014

Faced with China’s increasingly assertive military posture, as well as a continuing ballistic missile threat from North Korea, Japan plans to spend more on defense, boosting its air and maritime forces. The plan commits to buying 28 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II combat aircraft, 17 Bell-Boeing MV-22 Osprey tiltrotors, and three Northrop Grumman Global Hawk UAVs over the next five years. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) will also upgrade existing fleets of F-2 and F-15 fighters.

Russian Air Force to Get 21 Su-30 Fighter Jets in 2014

02/13/2014

Russia’s air force will receive 21 Sukhoi Su-30SM multirole fighter jets in 2014, the Irkut aircraft maker said Wednesday. “We have delivered 16 Su-30SM planes so far. An additional 21 aircraft will be supplied this year,” Irkut Corporation president Oleg Demchenko said at the Singapore Air Show. Irkut and the Defense Ministry have signed three separate contracts on the delivery of 65 Su-30SM fighters by 2016.

Russia Arms Air Regiment in Far East With Su-35S Fighter Jets

02/13/2014

The Russian Air Force received 12 advanced Su-35S multirole fighters Wednesday to be deployed with an air regiment based in Russia’s Far East. The Defense Ministry ordered 48 of the aircraft in 2009, of which 34 have been delivered so far. The final deliveries of the remaining 14 are due in 2015.

China Pushing Into SE Asia's Defense Market

02/12/2014

At this year’s Singapore Airshow, Chinese aviation companies AVIC and CATIC are pushing into the export defense market for Southeast Asia. Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and China National Aero-Technology Import and Export Corporation (CATIC) provided brochures and models of their platforms at this year’s airshow.

'No More Benghazis:' Marines Leverage MV-22B Osprey For Rapid Crisis Response

02/12/2014

It appears the U.S. Marine Corps has found a partial solution to this problem in the form of quick-reaction units organized around the MV-22B Osprey tilt-rotor, the first operational aircraft in history that combines the vertical agility of a helicopter with the speed and range of a turboprop airplane.

64th Aggressors sharpen combat edge at Red Flag 14-1

02/12/2014

The red force's simulated enemy plays a critical role as the opposing force during Red Flag 14-1 by providing U.S. and coalition combat forces from around the world challenges for tomorrow's threats. The aggressor program started as a direct result of a high air combat loss rate experience during the Vietnam War. The tactics the 64th Aggressor Squadron use during Red Flag are designed to train pilots for a higher survivability rate within their first 10 sorties in combat situations.

UK to spend £2.5bn on F-35 fighters

02/12/2014

The UK is about to commit to the F-35 fighter project, a US-led effort to produce 3,000 aircraft which is set to cost more than £600bn globally. The initial UK order for 14 F-35Bs will, with support costs added, cost about £2.5bn, Newsnight has learned.

77 die, 1 survives in Algerian military plane crash

02/12/2014

Algeria’s Ministry of Defense says 77 people were killed and one man survived after a military transport plane crashed into a mountain in eastern Algeria. The statement said Tuesday the C130 Hercules turboprop was carrying 74 passengers and four crew members. After radio and radar contact with the flight was lost at 11:37 a.m. local time, three helicopters were sent to find the plane.

No Excuse to Put Off Military Modernisation

02/12/2014

Defence minister A K Antony’s announcement that the IAF’s multi-combat aircraft deal cannot be inked this year because of financial constraints means that the modernisation of the military has once again been put on hold. This does not redound to the credit of the government which has not managed its finances well.

Austerity drive, politics clipping RMAF’s wings, says analyst

02/12/2014

Putrajaya’s aim to trim its chronic budget deficit and an increasingly vocal opposition are forcing the country to defer updates to existing military assets that are already behind schedule, according to an international aviation news site. Some programmes such as the Royal Malaysian Airforce’s (RMAF) plan to retire some long-serving combat aircraft have already been put on hold and may not be revived before 2016.

Lockheed Martin Receives $22 Million Support Contract for Saudi Arabia Apache Pilotage and Targeting Systems

02/12/2014

Lockheed Martin received a $22 million contract from the U.S. Army to provide Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) Special Repair Activities for the Royal Saudi Land Forces Aviation Command’s Apache attack helicopters.

New Russian Air Force Stunt Team to Have 12 Yak-130 Jets

02/12/2014

Russia’s third aerobatics team will comprise 12 Yak-130 combat trainer jets, the Irkut aircraft maker said Tuesday. According to Irkut president Oleg Demchenko, the company in December signed a contract with the Defense Ministry on the delivery of 12 Yak-130 aircraft to form a new aerobatics team.