Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Ukraine says military plane was ‘probably’ shot down from Russian territory

07/15/2014

Ukraine’s top defense official said Monday that Russia may have shot down a Ukrainian military transport plane, an action that would represent a dramatic new step in the months-long conflict that has engulfed eastern Ukraine. Pro-Russian separatists immediately asserted responsibility for the downing of the An-26 plane over Luhansk, but Ukrainian Defense Minister Valery Heletey said the aircraft had been flying too high for their shoulder-mounted rockets to reach it.

B-2 stealth bomber, at age 25, to get major upgrades from Air Force

07/15/2014

The most intimidating aircraft in the world is 25 years old this week and is about to become even more advanced. The nation’s fleet of B-2 stealth bombers, the pride of Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, is poised to get nearly $10 billion in upgrades over the next several years to ensure it remains the most fearsome attack platform in the U.S arsenal.

Farnborough Airshow Gets Underway in Britain

07/15/2014

The Farnborough International Airshow has kicked off in a small town west of London, although many Russian aerospace industry delegates had to stay at home due to visa problems. The week-long event, which combines a well-respected trade exhibition for aerospace and defense industries with a spectacular airshow, will run until July 20.

UAC Brings Greater Cohesion To Russian Aerospace

07/15/2014

The successful consolidation of key parts of Russia’s aerospace industry into the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) is more evident at this year’s Farnborough International Airshow then at any time since the group’s formation back in February 2006. In several press briefings in the months ahead of this year’s show, CEO Mikhail Pogosian, who has been at the helm for much of this vital re-ordering of the once scattered Russian design bureaus, research bodies and production facilities.

Saab Masters Low-Cost Weapons Integration

07/15/2014

The integration of new weapons on some combat aircraft has become so expensive that European Defence Agency (EDA) held a workshop to discuss the problem. But Saab (Hall 4 Stand E5 and Chalet C35) has some helpful suggestions, based on its experience with the Gripen. The Swedish fighter served as the development platform for the Iris-T and Meteor air-to-air missiles, and other weapons were successfully added on time and budget.

BrahMos Missile for Planes, Submarines

07/15/2014

The Indo-Russian joint venture BrahMos Aerospace is ready to test by this year end a smaller version of its 290-km eponymous supersonic cruise missile for deployment on combat aircraft and submarines. BrahMos chief A Sivathanu Pillai also supported the idea of the country relying on its own weapons and systems to meet the needs of its armed forces, saying that Indian defence scientists and production agencies have proved their capabilities in this regard.

Czech government signs contract for sale of combat aircraft

07/15/2014

The Czech Defense Ministry on Monday signed a contract with local aircraft producer Aero Vodochody on the sale of the state's redundant L-159 combat aircraft to the U.S. company Draken, said Aero Vodochody Vice-president Petr Kudrna. Aero Vodochody has a license with Czech government for the sale of military materiel abroad.

Boeing Awarded New Contract to Provide Warhead Arming Devices to U.S. Air Force

07/15/2014

The U.S. Air Force has extended Boeing’s [NYSE: BA] work remanufacturing warhead arming devices for the nation’s air-launched cruise missile (ALCM), helping to ensure the readiness of the system. Under a new two-year contract, valued at $7.3 million, Boeing will remanufacture warhead arming devices for the air-launched cruise missile. The contract includes an option for six additional years at an estimated value of $50 million.

Russian Helicopters to Present Best-Selling Models at Farnborough Airshow

07/15/2014

Russian Helicopters Company is to present its latest models of civilian and combat helicopters at the Farnborough International Airshow 2014 in Britain, the company’s spokesperson stated. Together with Russian arms exporter Rosoboronexport, Russian Helicopters will present Ansat-U, a light helicopter designed for training military pilots.

First Modernized Il-38N Be Delivered to Russian Navy on July 15

07/15/2014

The first modernized Il-38N anti-submarine warfare plane will be delivered to the Russian Navy on July 15, an Ilyushin Aviation Complex spokesperson told RIA Novosti. The company completed repair and modernization work on the first mass-produced Il-38N anti-submarine warfare plane for the Russian Navy.

£1bn high-tech SAS war chest to combat ISIS terrorists

07/14/2014

BRITAIN’S Special Forces will be backed by a £1.1billion war chest in the battle on terror, David Cameron will announce today. Drones, state-of-the- art radar and high-tech surveillance equipment will beef up our military might at home and abroad. They will also provide vital intelligence for the SAS on secret missions or in hostage situations. The equipment will also be used to counter the rising threat from Isis militants in Iraq.

US Marines air chief wants to curb "big wish lists" for arms upgrades

07/14/2014

The U.S. Marine Corps' new aviation chief this week said he plans to hold down "big wish lists" for upgrades to existing warplanes and helicopters so he can maximize purchases of new planes like the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet.

FARNBOROUGH: Typhoon brews up radar storm

07/14/2014

Eurofighter is wheeling out some heavy artillery for Farnborough, with the world premier on Tuesday of the new Captor-E active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar which it believes will power up its export sales campaign. The AESA-equipped aircraft on display is a UK Royal Air Force Tranche 1 single-seater. IPA5 has been extensively modified at BAE Systems' site at Warton in Lancashire to carry Captor-E and performed its first "shakedown" flight last week.

PM to unveil £1.1bn defence boost

07/14/2014

The Farnborough air show opens today with Prime Minister David Cameron announcing a £1.1 billion package of investment in military capabilities such as drones. Visiting the biennial show in Hampshire, Mr Cameron will be unable to see the new F-35 fighter aircraft which had been due to be at Farnborough today but has still not been given clearance to fly by the Americans following an engine fire in Florida last month.

Multirole Combat Jets Propagate Across Sub-Saharan Africa

07/14/2014

Sub-Saharan African countries have ramped up acquisition of sophisticated multirole fighter aircraft and combat helicopters in a continental buying spree driven by efforts to confront evolving security threats, but also by national aspirations to assert regional power.

US Air Force integrating Raytheon aircraft-tracking transponders

07/14/2014

Raytheon Company has started integrating Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) capabilities for the U.S. Air Force's largest airplanes to ensure that the service meets an international deadline for equipping military aircraft with the latest satellite-based cooperative aircraft tracking technology.

The Philippines offer US$1.5bn to modernize its armed forces

07/14/2014

The Philippines has offered a US$1.5 billion budget to defense contractors around the world for phase one of its three-tier armed forces modernization program. It wishes to strengthen its bargaining chips in the dispute over the South China Sea's disputed territories, reports the US Defense News Weekly.

Russia Bolsters Crimean Air Defense, E. Europe Eyes Countermeasures

07/14/2014

Russia’s military intervention in Ukraine is shaping Moscow’s military priorities, but also sparking a response by some East European NATO members. In Russia, the Defense Ministry is planning to boost the country’s air defense capability in Crimea while some East European neighbors are raising military spending to overhaul their air defense and air combat capacities.

Teething Troubles Beset New UK Military Air Safety Regime

07/14/2014

The UK’s new military air safety regime has contributed to the delayed entry into British service of some new platforms, such as the Airbus A330MRTT Voyager tanker, the Thales Watchkeeper UAS and the L-3 Integrated Systems Airseeker (the UK version of the USAF’s RC-135 Rivet Joint SIGINT aircraft). As a result, some UK aerospace industry managers have expressed dissatisfaction with the Military Aviation Authority (MAA), in off-the-record comments to this editor and others.

Air Force office puts all military aircraft names through the wringer

07/14/2014

There’s the beloved Warthog. The stealthy Raptor. And now: the Pegasus. These names for the A-10, F-22 and new KC-46 tanker — just like all other U.S. military aircraft names — were put through the wringer at an Air Force office established to make sure new planes get names that reflect their missions.

Israel air strike 'hits charitable association for disabled' in Gaza

07/13/2014

An Israeli air strike hit a home for disabled people on Saturday as the Operation Protective Edge in Gaza continued for a fifth day, with the death toll passing 120 Palestinians. Two were killed in the strike that hit a charitable association for the disabled in Beit Lahiya in northern Gaza, while three others died in a second attack in western Gaza City, local health ministry spokesman Ashraf al-Qudra said.

Russia: Plan B In Ukraine

07/13/2014

In Ukraine the Russian backed Donbas separatists have suffered serious defeats in the last few weeks and are further weakened by internal disputes and less support from Russia. Ukrainian security forces have entered most rebel held areas and basically crippled Russian efforts to annex the Donbas. The two Ukrainian provinces (Donetsk and Luhansk) which comprise the Donbas are now mostly under government control.

Chinese Businessman Is Charged in Plot to Steal U.S. Military Data

07/13/2014

A Chinese businessman in Canada hacked into Boeing’s computers and stole information about United States military aircraft and weapons, the Justice Department said on Friday, describing a corporate espionage case that is unusual for the huge amount of data involved. The businessman, Su Bin, spent years taking data from Boeing, the FBI said in court documents, and working with two unidentified contacts in China sought to sell the information to companies there.

Donetsk militia downs Ukraine’s Mi-24 chopper

07/13/2014

Militia of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR) downed a Mil-24 (Mi-24) helicopter of the Ukrainian Air Force, the Novorossiya news agency of the self-proclaimed People’s Republics of Donetsk and Lugansk said on Saturday. On the outskirts of the town of Snezhny in the Donetsk region the militiamen managed to shoot down a Ukrainian Mi-24 helicopter from a shoulder-carried air defence system and to destroy the enemy’s several combat units, it said.

India's Promise of Defense Funding Boost Fizzles

07/13/2014

Despite the new administration’s plans to hike defense spending by 20 percent, funding will rise by only 2.3 percent above proposals announced by the outgoing government due to India’s sluggish economy. In addition, the government is boosting foreign direct investment (FDI) from 26 percent to 49 percent. Yet analysts say that since foreign investors lose out on the control that a 51 percent stake provides, the new FDI limit still won’t be lucrative for the overseas firms.