Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Cessna’s Low Cost Scorpion Tactical Jet sports a brand new, cool Color Scheme

06/18/2014

Cessna parent company Textron has released the first image of its Scorpion combat aircraft in a new two-tone grey color scheme that has eventually replaced the initial overall white livery. The new “camouflage” gives the multi-role, low cost twin-engine jet a more aggressive appearance.

Pakistan jets hit militant bomb factory - military

06/18/2014

Pakistani combat aircraft destroyed a bomb making factory in the tribal region of North Waziristan and at least 25 militants were killed in a wave of air strikes, the military said on Tuesday, as part of a major operation against Taliban insurgents. Pakistani fighters jets have been bombing Taliban positions in North Waziristan since Sunday when the army announced it was sending troops and helicopter gunships to the region to flush out al Qaeda-linked Jihadists.

US airstrikes in Iraq would be complicated

06/18/2014

The Defence Department has enough forces in the Persian Gulf to conduct airstrikes that would probably prevent Sunni insurgents from marching into Baghdad, but other missions would be far more complex and risk drawing the United States back into an Iraqi civil war, according to retired military commanders.

Taliban discussed using high powered lasers at coalition aircraft and helicopters in Afghanistan!

06/18/2014

Top level Taliban commanders recently discussed the possibility of using high powered laser and laser pointers at fighter aircraft and helicopters in Afghanistan”, according to confidential source in Pakistan. They discussed in some detail “how best to deploy and use lasers in the field in planned attacks against commercial and military aircraft/airports.”

Saft Awarded $17.5 Million Contract for the Supply of Multiple Batteries for Military Aircraft

06/18/2014

Saft, the world’s leading designer and manufacturer of advanced technology batteries for industry, has been awarded a multi-million dollar contract from Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime (DLA). Under the contract, totaling $17.5 million, Saft will provide nickel-based batteries and cells for military aircraft applications to be used by the United States military.

India's Fighter Jet Negotiations Stall Over Delivery Commitments

06/18/2014

India’s $12 billion Medium Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) program has run into turbulence due to a disagreement over delivery commitments, according to an Indian Defence Ministry source. The Indian Air Force has told the new government that Dassault Aviation, maker of the Rafale jet, and Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL), which will produce the aircraft in India, must put their delivery guarantees in writing before the MoD signs the contract, the MoD source said.

Lockheed Martin’s DAGR and HELLFIRE II Missiles Score Direct Hits During Ground-Vehicle Launch Tests

06/18/2014

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] successfully fired HELLFIRE and DAGR missiles from its Long Range Surveillance and Attack Vehicle (LRSAV) turreted weapon system during recent ground-to-ground tests at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida.

Rafale contract elusive, Eurofighter and Saab remain hopeful

06/17/2014

More than two years after India's ministry of defence (MoD) chose to buy 126 Dassault Rafale fighters for the Indian Air Force (IAF), the world's biggest fighter contract swings in the wind. With no deal in sight after 28 months of haggling with Dassault, two of the losing vendors -Eurofighter and Saab - believe they could yet come out tops. Eurofighter GmbH, whose Typhoon fighter narrowly lost out to the Rafale, still retains a senior executive in New Delhi.

Norway goes four-for-four with Raytheon's NASAMS

06/17/2014

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) successfully fired four Raytheon Company Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM) from a National Advanced Surface-to-Air Missile System (NASAMS). All four AMRAAMS intercepted their airborne targets during the annual live fire exercise at the Andoya Rocket Range in Northern Norway.

ASDF to delay use of C-2 plane by 2 years

06/17/2014

The Defense Ministry on Monday decided to postpone the introduction of the Air Self-Defense Force C-2 transport plane for about two years, due to problems in the aircraft’s body structure. The new model of the ASDF’s primary transport plane was set to be introduced in late fiscal 2014. Faulty points were found in C-2 bodies in January, however, and the ministry judged it necessary to improve the aircraft.

Myanmar looks to purchase the Xiaolong from China

06/17/2014

Through introducing technology from China and Pakistan, Myanmar plans to produce FC-1/JF-17 Xiaolong/Thunder multirole fighters domestically for its air force, reports the Yangon-based Myanmar Times. The Myanmar Air Force has 23,000 pilots and ground personnel. With 10 major air force bases, it currently operates 32 Russian-built MiG-29B and MiG-29SE fighters, 25 Chinese-built J-7M fighters, 21 Chinese built Q-5 attackers and 16 trainers.

Kerry Says U.S. Open to Talks With Iran on Iraq

06/17/2014

The U.S. signaled it’s ready to talk with Iran about how to deal with the crisis in Iraq, as Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki’s forces battle an offensive by Sunni Muslim militants that threatens to split apart the country. U.S. and Iranian officials spoke briefly on Iraq in an initial conversation on the sidelines of talks in Vienna on Iran’s nuclear program, according to a U.S. State Department official who commented on condition of anonymity.

Pakistan jets strike insurgents in full-scale offensive

06/17/2014

Pakistani fighter jets pounded North Waziristan on Monday, a day after the army announced the start of a full-scale drive to flush Islamist insurgents out of the volatile region bordering Afghanistan. In a long-awaited military operation precipitated by a deadly insurgent attack on Pakistan's biggest airport a week ago, Islamabad has deployed troops, artillery and helicopter gunships to fight insurgents in North Waziristan.

FAST Marines, U.S. soldiers arrive at the U.S. Embassy compound in Iraq

06/17/2014

The Pentagon has deployed about 100 troops — including more than 50 Marines attached to a Fleet Antiterrorism Security Team to the U.S. Embassy compound in Baghdad, Iraq, to help protect diplomatic personnel and property. Meanwhile, President Obama is considering miltiary action against the Islamic insurgents, who have seized vast swaths of northern Iraq and are moving south toward the capital.

The extreme power of a CF-18

06/17/2014

After more than 30 years, the modified CF-18 Hornet is still a frontline fighter jet for the Royal Canadian Air Force. CF-18s support NORAD air sovereignty patrols, based out of Alberta and Quebec. They saw action in the 1991 Gulf War, and more recently were involved in the 2011 Libyan no-fly zone. "Absolutely, still very relevant," said Capt. Adam Runge, pilot for the CF-18 Demonstration Team, at the Jade Engineering office Friday morning in Tillsonburg.

Rule the Sea, Build Alliances, and Sweat the Small Stuff

06/17/2014

With all eyes locked on Iraq and Ukraine, China and Japan keep ratcheting up tensions over islands and waters in the East China Sea. On June 11, two Japanese planes flew dangerously close to a Chinese plane -- with both sides blaming the other for the encounter. This follows an incident in late May, when armed Chinese fighter planes buzzed Japanese maritime patrol aircraft, passing within 100 feet in one case -- a hand's breadth for high-speed aircraft. In mid-June, China Defense Ministry spokes

Russia Tests Pantsir Air Defense Systems in Arctic

06/17/2014

Russia is testing its Pantsir S-1 short-range air defense system in the Arctic to ensure security in the resource-rich region, which is soon expected to become the centre of oil and gas exploration for the country, Alexander Denisov, head of the High-Precision Systems holding told RIA Novosti Monday.

Thousands of Iraqi Shiites join military to turn back ISIS militants

06/16/2014

Thousands of young Iraqi Shiite Muslims volunteered for military service Saturday and an American aircraft carrier headed toward the Persian Gulf in efforts to counter the blitz attack by Sunni militants sweeping through Iraq's northern provinces. The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria, an Al Qaeda splinter group notorious for its harsh application of Islamic sharia law, continued its advance, seizing the small town of Adeim in Diyala province after Iraqi security forces pulled out.

Unmanned aerial vehicle tested in conjunction with U.S. Navy Sea Hawk helicopter for the first time

06/16/2014

Northrop Grumman Corporation and the U.S. Navy report that they have successfully flown the unmanned MQ-8B Fire Scout simultaneously with the MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter for the first time. More from the Northrop Grumman news release: The capability demonstrates how a mix of aircraft can increase a ship commander’s intelligence-gathering capabilities aboard the Littoral Combat Ship.

US to evacuate Baghdad embassy staff

06/16/2014

The US embassy in Baghdad is evacuating personnel and increasing military security after militants captured vast swathes of territory and advanced toward the capital, officials say. It was unclear how many staff members would be evacuated from the mission. Located within the heavily fortified Green Zone that houses much of the international presence in the city, the US embassy is the largest in the world.

F-35 Fighter Jets Temporarily Grounded by Engine Problems

06/16/2014

The Pentagon temporarily grounded the entire F-35 Joint Strike Fighter fleet at the start of the weekend after one of the advanced jets suffered an engine oil leak and declared an in-flight emergency. While the suspension of flight and ground testing on Friday was described by F-35 program officials as a precautionary move, it is the second time in 16 months that engine problems have grounded the entire fleet.

Turkey Looks To Have Dual Fighter Fleet by 2023

06/16/2014

Turkey’s procurement and military officials are hoping to build a new generation, dual fighter jet fleet by their country’s centennial — 2023 — comprising F-35s and indigenous aircraft Ankara has been designing. “Despite ups and downs, we remain fully committed to the [Joint Strike Fighter] program. But independently, we will develop our own fighter. There is an established policy understanding to keep our [fighter] fleet limited to these two only,” said a senior government official for defense

Is Israel Building an All-Drone Army?

06/16/2014

When you hear the word "drone," do you picture a small robotic airplane, flying through the sky bearing a stars-and-stripes decal on its chassis? If you do, then chances are you live in America. Because for most of the world, drones more often than not bear the flag of Israel as an insignia.

US expert says China close to producing fighter engines

06/16/2014

China is close to volume production of aero-engines that will be used in advanced combat aircraft, according to Bradley Perrett, Asia-Pacific bureau chief of the Washington-based Aviation Week & Space Technology. In his newest article published on June 16, Perrett said that China needs large supplies of rhenium — a rare metal that increases the temperature-resistance of turbine blades — to design and produce an engine that can handle higher internal temperatures, increasing performance and durab

Australia buys up, enters Asian arms race

06/16/2014

Australia is now the seventh-largest importer of major arms in the world and the biggest customer of the largest weapons producer, the US. Australia buys 10 per cent of all American weapons exports. Figures from the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) show Australian imports of major arms – large-scale military materiel such as warships, fighter planes and tanks – jumped by 83 per cent in the five years to 2013.