Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Airmen at odds with Air Force brass over future of beloved A-10 plane

04/09/2014

The Defense Department decision to retire an Air Force plane built specifically to support ground forces has ignited a firestorm of criticism from the airmen whose job is to embed with Army ground forces and spot enemy targets. Meanwhile, one top Air Force commander is defending his service’s decision to eliminate the A-10 Warthog, despite acknowledging the aircraft’s value.

Boeing Phantom Badger Certified for V-22 Transport

04/09/2014

After a series of successful tests, the U.S. Navy last month certified that the Boeing Phantom Badger combat support vehicle can be transported inside a V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft. That is another step toward providing warfighters with more options to deploy the versatile vehicle.

Advanced Mig-31BM Interceptors Stationed in Western Russia

04/09/2014

Modernized MiG-31BM interceptor aircraft have started combat alert duty at an airbase in Tver Region in western Russia, with the full modernization of the unit to be completed by the end of the year, a military spokesperson said Tuesday.

NNS: Navy's Laser Weapon Ready for Summer Deployment

04/08/2014

Navy engineers are making final adjustments to a laser weapon prototype that will be the first of its kind to deploy aboard a ship late this summer. The prototype, an improved version of the Laser Weapon System (LaWS), will be installed on USS Ponce for at-sea testing in the Persian Gulf, fulfilling plans announced by Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert at the 2013 Sea-Air-Space Expo.

Should we reduce our military?

04/08/2014

You know the old saying “you could knock me over with a feather?” Well, that is the way I felt when I heard Secretary of Defense [Chuck] Hagel state that the Obama administration wants to reduce the U.S. military forces back to pre-WWII size. Huh! Have any of these people read a history book?

Congress and Pentagon are engaged in a new fight: Where do Apache helicopters belong?

04/08/2014

The Pentagon has a new fight with Congress. This one is over the Pentagon’s plan to cut costs by moving the AH-64 Apache attack helicopters assigned to Army National Guard units to the active Army and replacing them with newer UH-60 Black Hawks, which are used mainly for transportation.

Iraq to Buy 12 Mothballed L-159s from Czech Military

04/08/2014

Representatives from Iraqi Defense Ministry have signed a purchase contract with Aero Vodochody on buying 12 mothballed L-159 combat planes from the Czech military on Sunday. Penta Investments that owns Aero Vodochody confirmed the news on Monday.

Israeli squadrons trial joint combat formation

04/08/2014

The Israeli air force has unveiled a new strategy intended to increase the operational capabilities of its fighting squadrons at a time of war – operating two different types of aircraft very closely.

More American fighter planes heading East: U.S. F-16s to be deployed to Romania

04/08/2014

The U.S. is going to station more F-16 fighter jets to Romania, amind rising tensions after Russia’s invasion and subsequent annexiation of Crimea. Even if the aircraft will take part in a pre-planned joint exercise, the deployment of the American warplanes close to Ukraine, is a just the last of a series of actions aimed at reassuring eastern Europe and Baltic allies worried by Russia’s seemingly aggressive posture.

Oman Air Force Continues F-16 Legacy

04/08/2014

The Sultanate of Oman accepted the first of its second order of Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcons in a ceremony April 3 at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth facility. The fighter aircraft will ferry to Oman later this year. In 2002, the Sultanate of Oman became the 23rd member of the F-16 family and now joins the 15 other countries which have ordered additional F-16 jets for their air defense.

Boeing to Provide Maintenance Training Devices for US Navy P-8A Poseidon

04/08/2014

Boeing will broaden its support for the U.S. Navy's fleet of Boeing P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft through a recent order for maintenance simulators. The Navy plans to begin using six virtual trainers, one ordnance load trainer and 14 hardware-based devices to train P-8A maintenance personnel at Naval Air Station Jacksonville starting in 2016.

Boeing Updates Timing of C-17 Production Line Closure

04/08/2014

Boeing today adjusted slightly the timing for ending C-17 Globemaster III production and closing its Long Beach, Calif., C-17 final assembly facility after a successful two-decade production run of the world’s premier airlifter.

Nato chief tells allies: spend more on defence to deter Russia

04/07/2014

Britain and its Nato allies must respond to Russia’s “illegal aggression” against Ukraine by spending more on defence, the alliance’s secretary general has said. Writing in The Telegraph, Anders Fogh Rasmussen appeals for Nato members to modernise their armed forces as Russia tries to “carve up” Europe.

Third RMAF plane joins search

04/07/2014

The third Royal Malaysia Air Force (RMAF) C-130 Hercules aircraft has arrived today at the Royal Australian Air Force Pearce base to assist the search of the missing MAS flight MH370. The additional third military aircraft is part of the Malaysian programme to intensify the search for the jetliner after Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Abdul Razak announced the plan to send more military assets during his two-day visit to Australia last Thursday.

ARMY TO CONDUCT MILITARY DRILLS AMID REGIONAL TENSIONS

04/07/2014

The Turkish army is preparing to launch a naval and land exercise on Monday. The major exercise comes amid tensions with Syria and a changing map in Ukraine, both in close proximity and of geopolitical importance to Turkey. The Turkish Air Force's 11-day military exercise, nicknamed Anadolu Kartali (Anatolian Eagle), will commence on Monday in the central Turkish province of Konya.

Turkish Hellfire

04/07/2014

Turkey recently conducted a successful test of its Hellfire clone, the Mizrak-U. With a range of 8 kilometers the Turkish missile can use either an infrared imaging guidance system or laser homing. Turkey becomes one of a growing list of nations that have produced their own version of the Hellfire. Britain produces a Hellfire variant, called Brimstone which is unique mainly in that it can be fire from jets. This version has become very popular as well.

Edgy Antony's Red Flags on Deals Meant to Slow Bullish Successors

04/07/2014

India’s 13.1-lakh strong armed forces may be waiting for the new government in May to sign key defence deals, but the defence ministry under the present UPA regime seems to be working to make that difficult. At least three of the five major deals—cumulatively worth over `1.2 lakh crore—that are almost ready and waiting to be signed have been pushed into controversies.

Nellis A-10 squadron prepares for end of legendary plane’s flying days

04/07/2014

Those are words that describe Lt. Col. Colin “Rage” Donnelly when he talks about his squadron’s A-10 “Warthog” attack jets, the airmen who maintain them, the pilots who fly them, and the troops they train for combat search-and-rescue, close air support and forward-air control.

Italian Air Force to feature heavily at Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford

04/07/2014

The Italian Air Force will be well represented at this summer’s Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds. Headlining the Italian involvement in the weekend’s flying display on July 12-13 will be the country’s national aerobatic team, the world-renowned Frecce Tricolori. Flying 10 examples of the Aermacchi MB339 PAN jet trainer, the Frecce are joining celebrations to mark the 50th display season of their British counterparts, the Red Arrows.

Navy Drones With a Mind of Their Own

04/06/2014

Rear Adm. Matthew Klunder has positioned himself to become the Jeff Bezos of the Pentagon. Much as the Amazon.com Inc. founder envisions mini-drones that deliver small packages across America, Adm. Klunder, the Navy's research chief, wants to create innovative unmanned helicopters able to perform tasks now carried out by humans: resupplying troops in remote areas and rescuing wounded Marines from the battlefield.

N. Korea's unmanned attack drones capable of striking S. Korea: official

04/06/2014

North Korea's unmanned attack drones are believed to be capable of striking all targets in South Korea, a government official said Sunday, amid new security concerns over North Korea's spy drones. North Korea has deployed unmanned attack drones it unveiled in March last year during military drills meant to destroy low-flying cruise missiles and test the accuracy of unmanned combat aerial vehicles.

ONR's latest gear is a step toward the end of old-school logistics

04/06/2014

In a continued effort to reduce the number of convoys and rapidly resupply front-line troops, the Office of Naval Research recently tested technology that could eventually enable any rotary wing aircraft to take off, complete a mission, and then land with little or no guidance from the ground.

French Unit May Work With UK UAV Team in Afghanistan

04/06/2014

Britain plans to send the Watchkeeper to Afghanistan this year, possibly to serve with a French Army unit working with the British Army team flying the tactical UAV, a British officer said on April 3 at a high-level defense conference here by the Franco-British Council.

A new lease of life for Nato

04/06/2014

A few weeks ago, at the height of the crisis in Ukraine, representatives of some of the biggest defence contractors in the US were munching canapes on Capitol Hill at a fundraiser for a top Republican congressman and committee chairman. Russian president Vladimir Putin’s annexation of Crimea may have frightened Russia’s neighbours and generated widespread fears of a new cold war, but the mood at the fundraiser was, according to one attendee, “borderline euphoric”.

Joint Strike Fighter aims to soar

04/06/2014

The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program is flying into this year’s budget wars on Capitol Hill with renewed lift under its wings from a lower government cost estimate and progress refining technical glitches. Another boost for the long-delayed and over budget program — testimonials by pilots who say its flight control systems could usher in a new era of naval aviation, one in which landing by night on ships is a breeze, freeing training dollars and time.