Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Australia Embraces Marine Presence in Darwin

08/15/2014

Australia—U.S. warplanes are thundering across the tropical sky here every day this week as they participate in one of Asia's biggest air combat exercises. Their presence also points to the growing importance U.S. and Australian defense officials place on this remote port city, and its rugged Outback surroundings, as Washington looks for more places where it can expand its military footprint in Asia without triggering too much of a backlash.

Arms co-prodcution, designing with foreign allies could take off during Narendra Modi's Japan trip

08/15/2014

India wants to set an example in defence joint production and co-development with foreign states by collaborating with old ally Russia and growing partner Japan to manufacture advanced fighter jets and state-of-the-art amphibious aircraft.

Obama Cites Progress With Targeted U.S. Operations in Iraq

08/15/2014

President Barack Obama on Thursday said that U.S. efforts in Iraq have allowed most members of a religious minority to escape a barren mountain range, though U.S. airstrikes will continue to combat the Sunni extremist group that calls itself Islamic State. "The situation on the mountain has greatly improved, and Americans should be very proud of our efforts," Mr. Obama said.

Washington Approves $320 Million Missile Sale to Turkey

08/15/2014

The United States has approved the possible sale of Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) to Turkey following a request from the Turkish government, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement. “The Turkish Air Force [TAF] intends to obtain these missiles to modernize its inventory, which will support its own air defense needs and improve its interoperability with the US and other NATO allies,” said the news release, published on the DSCA website.

Saudi Arabia set for $2bn AWACS modernisation

08/15/2014

The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for an AWACS modernisation programme and associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support for an estimated cost of $2 billion.

Convoy Said to Pause at Russian Base as Questions Persist

08/14/2014

Confusion swirled around the fate of an enormous Russian aid convoy as it apparently halted on Wednesday at a military base in the southern Russian city of Voronezh, temporarily suspending its march toward southeastern Ukraine. Moscow and Kiev seemed headed toward at least a standoff over the convoy, with Russia saying it still expected the hundreds of trucks to be allowed across the border and Ukraine vowing that they would be barred.

Iraq mission creep: What are the risks?

08/14/2014

Things are moving very fast in Iraq. Three months ago the country barely got a mention in Cabinet meetings in Whitehall. British forces left in 2011, after 8 troubled years there, and even the Americans had only a very limited presence. Iraq was essentially being left to itself. Today, following the lightning land-grab by the jihadists of Islamic State (IS) who now control roughly a third of Iraq and much of north-east Syria.

Japan's defense plans raise hackles in China

08/14/2014

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 percent from the previous year - in the face of what it says is a worsening security environment in the region. It cites tensions on the Korean peninsula and territorial disputes in the sea lanes runnin

British military sending Tornado fighter jets for Iraq air campaign

08/14/2014

The Royal Air Force will deploy Tornado GR4 fighter jets in support of the growing military air campaign over northern Iraq, British officials said Tuesday. The officials stressed the aircraft would be part of humanitarian operations there, but the deployment nonetheless sparked speculation that Britain might soon join the United States in launching airstrikes.

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.