Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

S. Korea mulls measures against N. Korean drones

04/05/2014

South Korea's defense chief vowed Friday to promptly prepare measures to step up its air defense, in light of recent border incursions by North Korea's spy drones that have emerged as a new security challenge. In an interpellation session, Kim Kwan-jin said Pyongyang could develop more advanced unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for attack, though the two small aircraft, equipped with small cameras, recently found near the inter-Korean border were rudimentary spy drones.

Air Force to start upgrading F-16 fighter jets in 2016

04/05/2014

Taiwan's Air Force said Friday that it will begin the process of upgrading its fleet of over 100 F-16 A/B fighter jets in the second half of 2016. Before upgrading its entire fleet of the fighters, Taiwan has sent several of the planes to the United States for a trial to see if the upgrade will work. The planes will be brought back to Taiwan once they pass the testing process, the air force said.

Ukraine cuts military ties to Russia

04/05/2014

Ukraine’s belated decision on March 29 to stop supplying weapons and military equipment to Russia, a month after its troops seized the Crimean peninsula, is likely to lead to the cancellation of numerous international contracts signed by Moscow. The decision is likely to impede Russia’s military-defense industry significantly.

Joint Strike Fighter and a revolution in targeting

04/05/2014

I made a simple mathematical error a couple of weeks ago. I said we’ll be buying 54 Joint Strike Fighters but we’re actually getting 58 for a total of 72; unless, of course, we add a couple of spares. At less than $100 million each the nice people from Lockheed will tell you these are virtually giveaway prices – even if the jets do (currently) require more than 16 hours of maintenance for every hour they spend in the sky.

Philippines buying new helicopters

04/05/2014

Eight 412EP aircraft are being supplied to the Philippine military by Bell Helicopters in a deal financed by the Canadian Commercial Corporation. The utility helicopters that will be manufactured in Canada by Bell have a normal cruise speed of 140 miles per hour and a range of 463 miles.

Explaining The NATO-Russia War Of Words

04/05/2014

In a ratcheting up of tensions between NATO and Russia, both are accusing the other of failing to uphold agreements signed between the two sides since the dissolution of the Soviet Union. Following Russia's annexation of Crimea and the buildup of Russian troops on the border with Ukraine, NATO announced that it was suspending "all practical civilian and military cooperation" with Moscow.

Gripen flies with passive targeting sensor

04/05/2014

Saab has successfully test flown a key passive detection capability for its in-development Gripen E fighter, using dedicated test aircraft 39-7. Developed by Selex ES’s Airborne & Space Systems division, the Skyward-G infrared search and track (IRST) sensor will give the combat aircraft a long-range means of detecting and identifying potential airborne threats, without the need to first switch on its active electronically scanned array radar.

Fleet Modernization Drives Requirements Across South America

04/05/2014

As South America continues increasing its defense expenditures, air fleet modernization is driving numerous requirements and will continue to do so into the foreseeable future. Brazil, accounting for half of South America’s defense expenditure, is conducting the region’s most ambitious modernization of air military assets, and local industry is involved in both the production of foreign equipment under license as well as indigenous development.

Ukraine Puts Mothballed Mig-29 Fighter Jets Back in Service

04/05/2014

Several mothballed Mikoyan Mig-29 Fulcrum fourth-generation fighter jets were returned to combat service in western Ukraine, the country’s Defense Ministry said on Friday. “Specialists of our team have already returned several planes to service,” the ministry quoted an unnamed commander of an Air Force unit near Ivano-Frankivsk as saying. “We are now conducting test flights. Soon, more mothballed fighter jets will take off again.”

Launch of First European Air-To-Air Refuelling Exercise

04/03/2014

The first ever European Air-to-Air Refuelling Training (EART14) taking place at the Eindhoven Air Base in the Netherlands starts today. Between 31 March and 11 April aircraft and crews from Germany, Italy, and the Netherlands will participate in realistic Air-to-Air Refuelling training scenarios within a modern air combat environment.

NATO beefs up military response to Moscow’s threats

04/03/2014

NATO foreign ministers moved yesterday to beef up the defences of frontline alliance members feeling menaced by Russia, with Secretary of State John Kerry proclaiming the US commitment to their security is “unwavering”.

Unmanned Predator lost power, crashed into Mediterranean

04/03/2014

An MQ-1B Predator flying a 20-hour mission in Africa crashed into the Mediterranean Sea on Sept. 17, the Air Force announced today. A failed power converter led to the crash, which destroyed the unarmed drone and its communication pod valued at $5.3 million, according to an Air Combat Command abbreviated accident investigation board report released Wednesday.

NATO and Swedish Fighter Jets train together over the Baltic Sea

04/03/2014

Two U.S. fighter jets under NATO command were scrambled from the Siauliai air base in Lithuania Tuesday (1 April 2014) to exercise with two Swedish Gripen fighter aircraft over the Baltic Sea, in a training event designed to improve coordination and emergency procedures.

NATO to Suspend Cooperation with Russia on Afghan Choppers, Training – NATO Source

04/03/2014

NATO will suspend cooperation with Russia on the maintenance of Afghan helicopters and a joint anti-drug operation, a source in the alliance told RIA Novosti. Foreign chiefs of NATO's 28 member states earlier froze "practical civilian and military cooperation" with Moscow but vowed to keep intact the NATO-Russia Council and diplomatic contacts at the ambassadorial level and above.

U.S. denies withholding repaired Egypt Apaches

04/02/2014

The U.S. embassy in Cairo on Tuesday denied that Washington had refused to return to Egypt a number of Apache combat helicopters that had been sent to the U.S. for maintenance, conflicting with earlier claims by a retired Egyptian army general.

Suspected N. Korean “drone plane” recovered by S. Korean military

04/02/2014

Last year, North Korean state media reported that the country’s leader, Kim Jong Un, had overseen North Korea's biggest annual military exercise using “super-precision drone planes.” Now, South Korea has recovered what may be part of the vaunted North Korean drone force after it crashed on an island south of the countries' border. And let’s just say that it wasn’t exactly the height of drone technology.

Bulgaria wary as Russia steps up military flights over Black Sea

04/02/2014

Bulgaria has put on high alert or deployed its air force about 30 times in two months in response to a recent spike in Russian military aircraft flying near its aerial borders on the Black Sea, its defense minister said on Tuesday.

NATO Steps Up Military Pressure on Russia

04/02/2014

NATO continued its military build-up on the Russian border even as US Secretary of State John Kerry and Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met in Paris Sunday evening to discuss the conflict over Ukraine. The meeting, involving four hours of “frank” talks, ended with no breakthrough and separate news conferences.

NATO suspends cooperation with Russia

04/02/2014

Nato's foreign ministers have ordered an end to civilian and military co-operation with Russia and told their generals and admirals to quickly devise ways to better protect alliance members that feel threatened by Moscow.

Why the F-5 Tiger was the perfect plane to simulate Soviet “Bandits” in adversary missions

04/02/2014

Developed as an advanced version of the F-5 fighter, the Northrop F-5E was selected to be the International Fighter Aircraft to follow the F-5A, and over 950 Tiger II were delivered to a wide variety of countries around the world. Moreover the F-5E demonstrated to be the perfect fighter to provide Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT), that’s why U.S. Navy and Marines still use it as adversary in mock air-to-air engagements.

Behind the scenes with the British pilots learning to fly F-35 fighter jet which absorbs radar, flies backwards...and costs a cool £100m

04/02/2014

These photos show how British pilots are putting a £100million fighter jet through its paces ahead of its first appearance in British skies this summer. The first of the UK's F-35s – dubbed the Lightning II by maker Lockheed Martin – are at a giant military airfield in Florida’s Panhandle region, where pilots are practicing flying them backwards, stopping them in mid-air and reaching top speeds of 1.6 times the speed of sound.

Outgunned Ukraine strives for military overhaul

04/02/2014

Tanks headed north into Ukraine this week from Russian-controlled Crimea. Not at the head of an invading army, but on a trainload of military equipment in such poor shape that Moscow had no use for it. This humiliation illustrates the yawning chasm in the two former Soviet nations' armed forces — one hollowed out by a lack of finances, the other benefiting from booming oil revenues.

Seeing Double: Two C-130Js Delivered to Korea

04/02/2014

Two C-130J Super Hercules aircraft operated by the Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) ferried from the Lockheed Martin facility here today to South Korea. ROKAF accepted delivery of these two aircraft last week at a ceremony in Marietta, home to the C-130J Super Hercules production line. These Super Hercs will be flown by ROKAF aircrews, which currently operate a fleet of C-130H legacy aircraft.

Report: Israel Deploys Unmanned Patrol Vehicle on Lebanese Border

04/01/2014

Israel installed a “spying device” near its border with Lebanon, Lebanon’s Daily Star reported on Monday. Residents of Kfar Kila, a village near the border, saw a military unmanned vehicle driving slowly before the device was planted along the border’s barbed wire fence, according to the report. Israeli combat aircraft were also spotted flying over the Kfarshouba and the Shebaa Farms, as well as over other areas in south Lebanon.

Marand Delivers First Australian Made Vertical Tails For F-35 Lightning II

04/01/2014

A ceremony was held today at Australian company, Marand, commemorating the delivery of the first ship of Australian made F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter vertical tails. The Honourable Dr. Denis Napthine, Premier of Victoria, and The Honourable Michael Ronaldson, Senator for Victoria representing the Defence Minister, were among the distinguished guests in attendance.