Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

UN and EU demand immediate ceasefire

08/14/2014

Both the UN an the EU had demanded that the fighting in Libya stop. In a strongly worded statement released yesterday United Nations Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL) condemned the ongoing violence and the refusal of those in the conflict to heed calls for an immediate ceasefire. UNSMIL said it “strongly condemns” the refusal to “refrain from the use of force to resolve political differences”.

The Ten Largest Air-To-Air Battles In Military History

08/14/2014

Air-to-air combat was a staple of modern war almost as soon as the technology for aerial warfare became practical. From the early 20th century through the end of the Cold War, air battles were determining factors in military campaigns. Today, air superiority allows the United States to engage in conflicts around the world relatively free of the risks inherent in ground warfare — as is currently being demonstrated in the U.S.'s bombing of ISIS targets in Iraq.

UK to suspend sale of military equipment to Israel

08/14/2014

Britain has finally decided to suspend sale of all military equipment to Israel and also revoke the licenses for arms if the cease fire is broken. The government has identified 12 licences for components which could be part of equipment used by Israel in its attacks on Gaza.

U.S. military aircraft operating in northern Iraq

08/14/2014

U.S. helicopters and MV-22 Ospreys are on the ground in northern Iraq and operating from a secure airfield protected by Kurdish forces, the latest sign of an expanding Iraq mission that now includes about 1,000 U.S. troops, defense officials said Wednesday. The Ospreys arrived overnight Tuesday as they ferried about 130 additional U.S. troops into the airfield, which is in or near the Kurdish city of Irbil, said Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman.

France to Supply Arms to Iraqi Kurds

08/14/2014

France has made a decision to supply arms to Iraqi Kurds so that they can help the Iraqi government fight against Islamic State (IS) militants, the Elysee Palace said in a statement Wednesday. “In order to reply to the urgent needs expressed by the regional authorities of Kurdistan, the head of state [President Francois Hollande] decided, having agreed with Baghdad, to send arms in the coming hours,” the statement reads.

US partners with Greece for bilateral training

08/13/2014

Nearly 20 U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 480th Fighter Squadron at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, deployed to Souda Bay, Greece, for bilateral training with the Hellenic air force Aug. 11-23. The Hellenic air force is Greece's air force, and the flying training deployment includes large force training events aimed to gauge the compatibility between the two nations with a focus on strengthening joint readiness.

Obama, Iran both throw support to new Iraqi P.M.-designate

08/13/2014

Iraq’s new prime minister-designate won pledges of extra military and economic support from the Obama administration Tuesday, while Iran also endorsed the nominee, who called for an end to the sectarian feuds that have allowed Islamist extremists to seize a third of the country. Secretary of State John F. Kerry and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel said the U.S. is willing to provide more cash and military equipment to Iraq if Haider al-Ibadi can quickly form a new, more diverse government.

China conducts test flights for nine aircraft: Kanwa

08/13/2014

To strengthen the fighting and power projection capabilities of its air force, China is currently testing nine different new types of aircraft, according to the Canada-based Kanwa Defense Review. One of those aircraft is China's first fifth-generation stealth fighter, the J-20. Photos released on a Chinese military website indicate that the J-20 is a multirole fighter designed for both aerial combat and ground attack because of its longer and larger build than Russian fighters such as the Su-33

Japan's defense plans raise hackles in China

08/13/2014

Japan's new defense white paper has done little to mend fences with Beijing, with the Chinese government complaining that its Asian neighbor is using the "China threat" to justify a bigger defense budget. Japan will spend about $49 billion on defense in the fiscal year to March 2015 -- up about 3% from the previous year -- in the face of what it says is a worsening security environment in the region.

Iraq War III

08/13/2014

So once again the U.S. is bombing Iraq, as it has done under every U.S. president since George H. W. Bush. It’s worth remembering how thrilled U.S. diplomats were in 1984 when the U.S. finally established full diplomatic relations with Baghdad. The State Department’s Arab experts were overjoyed that the U.S. would have relations with, and a modicum of influence over, one of the largest and most powerful Arab states.

Negotiation on for Rafale aircraft: India

08/13/2014

The negotiation for Rafale aircraft is on, Defence Minister Arun Jaitley said Tuesday. The minister told the Rajya Sabha that Dassault Aviation of France, the original equipment maker of Rafale aircraft, had emerged as the lowest bidder for procurement of medium multi-role combat aircraft. "Given the complexity of the procurement case, the process of negotiations with Dassault Aviation on various aspects of the commercial proposal and provisions of draft contract is on," Jaitley said.

Light Combat Aircraft business partners decide to increase indigenisation

08/13/2014

The business partners working on India's prestigious Light Combat Aircraft - a lightweight multirole fighter jet - have decided to ensure the indigenous content of components used in the aircraft touches 80 per cent in the next three years.

Sikorsky, Boeing Selected to Build Technology Demonstrator for Future Vertical Lift

08/13/2014

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., and Boeing have been selected to build a helicopter for the U.S. Army’s Joint Multi-Role Technology Demonstrator Phase 1 program (JMR TD), paving the way for the next generation of vertical lift aircraft.

Russia Builds New $28Mln Fighter Jets

08/13/2014

Russia's new Sukhoi fighter jets cost more than 1 billion rubles ($28 million), Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev, the Russian Air Force commander-in-chief, said Tuesday. "New aircrafts appear, and their cost is enormous. Each plane costs more than 1 billion rubles: Su-30, Su-35, Su-34," Bondarev told Rossiya-24 television channel.

Moderate rebels face worsening situation in Aleppo

08/12/2014

Moderate rebel forces are warning that they are in danger of losing their last foothold in Aleppo, once Syria’s commercial center, and that government troops are pressing an offensive that is just three miles from completely cutting rebel supply lines.

Pentagon Will Arm Kurds Directly to Fight the Islamic State

08/12/2014

The Obama administration on Monday made clear that U.S. airstrikes against the Islamist militants sweeping toward the capital of Iraq's quasi-independent Kurdistan were meant to blunt their advance while giving the Kurds' vaunted Peshmerga fighters, who have not easily dispatched with the Sunni guerillas, time to regroup. But as the Islamic State gains ground, the question is whether these storied Kurdish fighters are up to the task.

Biden Signals Potential for Deeper U.S. Involvement in Iraq

08/12/2014

Vice President Joe Biden on Monday told Iraqi leaders the U.S. is ready to help a new government in its fight against Islamic State militants, signaling the potential for deeper U.S. involvement in Iraq. Mr. Biden spoke separately with Iraqi President Fuad Masum and Haider Al Abadi, the country's new prime minister-designate, by telephone the White House said. Mr. Masum selected Mr. Abadi on Monday to lead a new government.

Australia pledges support to US in Iraq

08/12/2014

Australia has pledged support to the United States to prevent further atrocities being carried out in Iraq. The offer came as US Secretary of State John Kerry arrived in Sydney ahead of the annual AUSMIN talks between the US and Australian defence and foreign affairs ministers in Sydney. Australia is planning the deployment of military aircraft to drop aid packages in northern Iraq following a request from the US.

Pentagon: Effectiveness of U.S. airstrikes in Iraq remain limited

08/12/2014

The Pentagon’s top war planner said the military campaign’s impact remains limited after four days of airstrikes in northern Iraq, and the Islamic militants continue to be a powerful force capable of terrorizing Iraqi civilians and seizing territory. “I in no way want to suggest that we have effectively contained, or that we are somehow breaking the momentum of [the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant],” said Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville, the director of operations, or “J-3” for the Joint Sta

Exercise Anatolian Eagle 2014-2: Turkey, Jordan, Qatar, Spain and the UK train for real combat ops

08/12/2014

Attracting an increasing number of foreign air arms, Anatolian Eagle has become a high-tech exercise that gives participating units the opportunity to assess their capabilities and readiness for war, to improve multinational cooperation, and to test new weapons systems: some extremely important tasks, especially for nations such as Turkey which face increasing instability, pressure and threats along their borders.

Obama Applauds Naming of New Prime Minister Designate in Iraq

08/12/2014

The president today lauded Iraqi President Fouad Massoum for naming Haider al-Ibadi as Iraq’s new prime minister-designate, calling it an “important step” on the path towards a more inclusive government that would “unite Iraq’s different communities.” Mobilizing international support to combat terrorism in the region would be “easier” once a new government was put into place, said Obama.

Poroshenko announces international humanitarian mission in eastern Ukraine

08/12/2014

Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko announced Monday that an international humanitarian mission would be sent to the war-torn east of his country, in a fragile move toward peace on a day in which fighting continued unabated. The announcement came shortly after the Kremlin said it was sending a “humanitarian convoy” of its own to Ukraine with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross.

Here's how military aircraft are supporting Iraq operations. And what's up with those 500-pound bombs?

08/12/2014

From air strikes to humanitarian airdrops, the Pentagon kicked off operations in Iraq to combat terrorist attacks. Here are some specifics on the aircraft they're using — and perspective on the much-hyped 500-pound bombs. Two F/A-18 aircraft from The Boeing Co. — twin-engine multirole fighters known as Super Hornets and often used for air-to-air missiles and air-to-surface weapons — dropped laser-guided bombs on a mobile artillery piece near Erbil.

Russia to Start Developing Replacement for MiG-31 in 2017

08/12/2014

Russia will start developing a replacement for its MiG-31 "Foxhound" interceptors in 2017, Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev, commander of the Russian Air Force, said. “From 2017 we will start working on a new long-range interceptor to replace MiG-31,” he said. According to the official, the new aircraft is to enter service in 2025.

U.S. warns Russia not to intervene in Ukraine under 'peacekeeping' pretext

08/11/2014

U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry warned his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, on Saturday that "Russia should not intervene in Ukraine under the guise of humanitarian convoys or any other pretext of 'peacekeeping,'" according to a senior State Department official. Kerry urged "all parties to work through international organizations" to provide humanitarian assistance in eastern Ukraine, the official said.