Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

IAF to replace crashed C-130J medium-lift aircraft

08/20/2014

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will buy one more Lockheed Martin C 130J Super Hercules medium-lift aircraft apart from the 12 contracted for to make up for the loss of one plane in an accident in March. The IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, told India Strategic magazine (www.indiastrategic.in ) in an interview that the induction of the C-130Js, as also the heavy-lift Boeing C-17 Globemaster IIIs had "brought about a paradigm shift in our airlift capabilities".

Air Force grounds 82 F-16Ds after cracks discovered

08/20/2014

The Air Force has grounded over half of its F-16D Fighting Falcons, the service’s Air Combat Command (ACC) announced Tuesday. The initial damage, described in a Pentagon release as “canopy sill longeron cracks found between the front and rear pilot seats,” was discovered after a routine post-flight inspection on one of the jets. The discovery of cracks led to a fleet-wide inspection order.

Greece, US continue to enhance NATO airpower

08/20/2014

The bilateral training between the Greek and U.S. air forces continues this week with more large-force employments, or LFE. Fighter pilots normally fly together in what is called a four-ship formation -- four pilots with assigned roles and duties who protect each other. During this week's LFE, multiple groups of four-ships, both Greek and U.S., must partner to execute a mission or overcome a simulated threat.

U.S. military stops identifying planes involved in Iraq airstrikes

08/20/2014

The U.S. military, at the request of host nations in the region, is no longer identifying the specific land-based aircraft carrying out airstrikes in Iraq, a defense official told Military Times on Tuesday. When airstrikes against the Islamic State began Aug. 8, a Pentagon spokesman identified the aircraft involved as carrier-based F/A-18s. But when land-based aircraft joined the mission, U.S. Central Command identified them only generically, as fighters, bombers or drones.

Israel Hindering War Crimes Investigations in Gaza - Amnesty International Representatives

08/20/2014

Israel is interfering with Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch (HRW) investigations into alleged war crimes and human rights violations in the Gaza Strip, according to Amnesty International representatives. “We’re doing everything we can, both Human Rights Watch and us, to do all the documentation we can, both on the ground in Gaza and remotely. But not being able to have researchers there does create difficulties,” Deborah Hyams told Reuters Monday.

Navy flies manned, unmanned carrier jets together for first time

08/19/2014

It was one small button push for man and one giant catapult launch for the Navy’s unmanned air combat program Sunday as the X-47B flew its first takeoffs and landings with F/A-18s on the aircraft carrier Roosevelt. Off the Virginia coast, two Hornets and one X-47B practiced launches and traps in the same pattern, testing the unmanned jet’s ability to take off and land safely, then move out of the way to allow a manned aircraft to come in right behind it.

US aircraft hit 90 Isis targets in three days: Pentagon

08/19/2014

US military aircraft have carried out 35 air strikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq over the past three days, destroying more than 90 targets, the Pentagon said Monday. The strikes marked the most intensive US bombardments of IS positions since they began on August 8.

C-130 Hercules Airlifter Celebrates 60th Anniversary Aug. 23; Got Stories?

08/19/2014

The Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] C-130 Hercules reaches another major milestone Aug. 23 marking the 60th anniversary of its first flight at Burbank, California, in 1954. To honor this historic C-130 anniversary, Lockheed Martin invites members of the worldwide Hercules community to share their C-130 memories, experiences, photos and videos. From Aug. 18 through Sept. 30, stories can be shared through Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Flickr, LinkedIn, Google+ and YouTube.

Iraq Military Claims It Controls Country’s Largest Dam

08/19/2014

Iraqi counterterrorism forces and Kurdish Peshmerga have retaken the Mosul Dam, previously controlled by Islamic State (IS) militants since August 7, AFP reports citing Iraqi security spokesman Lieutenant General Qassim Atta. According to BBC, he told state television that the dam had been “fully cleansed”. According to another source, IS militants still control the dam and are hiding in “sensitive places” of the structure to avoid airstrikes.

US Air Forces Attack IS Militants Near Mosul in Iraq

08/19/2014

US military on Sunday conducted airstrikes against Islamic State (IS) insurgents, formerly known as ISIS or ISIL, near the Iraqi’s largest dam, located near the northern city of Mosul, according to United States Central Command website. “The strikes destroyed three ISIL armed vehicles, an ISIL vehicle-mounted anti-aircraft artillery gun, an ISIL checkpoint and an IED emplacement,” the US Central Command said. All strike aircraft exited the strike area safely.

U.S. Widens Air Campaign in Northern Iraq

08/18/2014

The U.S. widened its air campaign against Sunni extremists in Iraq, sending bombers for the first time in support of a Kurdish ground offensive to retake the Mosul Dam and promising to keep up strikes until the strategic post is out of the hands of Islamic State fighters. Kurdish forces who launched the ground operation on Sunday managed to push back the militants from some positions around the dam by the end of the day.

RCAF aircraft in Cyprus, ready to transport military equipment into Iraq

08/18/2014

RCAF aircraft were in Cyprus on Friday, waiting to pick up military equipment to transport into Iraq. Senior government officials said the two RCAF cargo planes would use Cyprus as a staging area for its flights. The C-17 and C-130J would be ferrying military equipment and ammunition to Kurdish forces in northern Iraq.

US Airstrikes In Iraq: Watch As A Plane Takes Out ISIS Armored Truck Near Mosul Dam [VIDEO]

08/18/2014

The U.S. Central Command released a video, taken on Saturday, showing a U.S. airstrike targeting, and destroying, an Islamic State armored truck. With the aid of U.S. airstrikes, Kurdish troops are advancing on the Mosul dam, currently controlled by Sunni militants.

Kiev Says Militia Downed MiG-29 Aircraft in Luhansk Region - Report

08/18/2014

Independence supporters have downed a Ukrainian Air Forces MiG-29 fighter in the Luhansk region early Sunday morning, the pilot successfully catapulted and managed to escape, Ukrainian Defense Ministry spokesman Leonid Matyukhin told Ukrainian Channel 5.

Britain expands role in Iraq as warplanes monitor Isis positions

08/18/2014

Britain is stepping up its military involvement in the fight against jihadi forces from the Islamic State in Iraq after the defence secretary Michael Fallon confirmed that British warplanes are flying deeper into Iraq in a mission that could last "months". As David Cameron declared that Britain should be prepared to deploy its "military prowess" to help defeat the jihadis.

Rafale fighter jet deal contract with France almost ready: Defence ministry

08/18/2014

The much-awaited multi-billion Rafale combat aircraft deal with France has moved a step further with the defence ministry finalizing a 'draft contract', according to top defence ministry officials. Rafale was declared the lowest bidder in Janaury 2012 but the deal has not been inked so far on account of escalation in the cost. The Cost Negotiation Committee, which was set up in February 2012 to work out the modalities for the deal has not reached a conclusion after 30 months of negotiations.

Army asks U.S. for aircraft to combat terror

08/18/2014

The Lebanese Army has asked the United States for military aid that includes new fixed-wing airplanes to use as close air support while battling extremist militants encamped in the mountains outside Arsal, an official briefed on the request told The Daily Star. The aid request also includes replenishing the Army’s ammunition.

Danish Inspectors to Conduct Observation Flight over Russia

08/18/2014

A military delegation from Denmark will conduct an observation flight over Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, an official at Russia’s Defense Ministry said on Sunday. “From August 18 to 22, a mission from the Kingdom of Denmark will be conducting an observation flight aboard an An-30B over the territory of the Russian Federation under the Treaty on Open Skies," Ruslan Shishin, acting head of the ministry’s National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, said.

Ukraine Says Rebels Shoot Down Fighter Jet

08/17/2014

Oleksiy Dmitrashkovsky said that the plane was shot down over the Luhansk region after launching an attack on rebels. The pilot ejected and was taken to a secure place, he said. Further details about the incident or the condition of the pilot were not immediately available.

Challenges for the Indian Defence Sector

08/17/2014

India’s Defence Sector includes the three Armed Forces (the Army, the Navy and the Air Force), and other Departments, primarily Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and Defence Ordnance Factories. India has the third largest Army, the fourth largest Air force and the seventh largest Navy in the world but half of its defence equipment is considered to be largely obsolete.

Western Military Support Surges for Iraqi Kurds Fighting IS

08/17/2014

Some 20 European Union (EU) ministers are meeting in Brussels on Friday to discuss arms supplies to Iraq’s Kurds, an initiative well under way with France and the United States already sending weapons and Britain and Germany ready to do the same.Meanwhile, a UN Security Council meeting on Friday is expected to threaten sanctions against any country financing or backing the Islamic State (IS/ISIS). US jets have been involved in airstrikes against IS positions in Erbil since last Saturday.

How to Beat Down a Bully

08/17/2014

The international community is at long last beginning to take a strong stand against Moscow's aggression in eastern Ukraine. There is solid evidence indicating not only that Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 was shot down by Russian-aided rebels in eastern Ukraine, but that the Kremlin has bolstered the rebels with heavy artillery despite toughened Western sanctions.

Canada to send cargo planes, 30 military personnel to shuttle weapons to Kurdish forces in Iraq

08/17/2014

Canada is committing two cargo planes to move military supplies into northern Iraq as part of the international effort to bolster Kurdish forces in the embattled region. Prime Minister Stephen Harper says a CC-177 Globemaster and a CC-130J Hercules transport will begin shuttling arms provided by allies to the Iraqi city of Irbil over the next few days.

First African military aircraft takes to the skies, making aviation history

08/17/2014

Billed as Africa’s first home-grown military aircraft, the Advanced High-Performance Reconnaissance Light Aircraft (AHRLAC) made its first test flight in South Africa this week, marking a milestone in the continent’s aviation history. On Wednesday, August, 13, as the AHRLAC descended from the Pretoria skies and taxied to a halt outside a hangar at the Wonderboom airport north of the South African capital, engineers and officials beamed and high-fived each other.

NATO air force training slated for Czech Republic

08/17/2014

A large NATO aviation training with the participation of pilots and soldiers from 11 allied countries will take place in the Czech Republic in early September, Magdaléna Dvoráková, from the general staff press department, told CTK. Along with Czech Gripen fighters and Soviet-made Mi helicopters, there will be the F-16s combat aircraft and Apache helicopters, Dvoráková said.