Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russian Air Force Receives New Stealth Fighter Prototype

02/22/2014

A new advanced fighter jet prototype has been delivered to the Russian Air Force for testing, the manufacturer said Friday. The first T-50 “stealth” fighter had been delivered to a military airfield in Russia’s southern Astrakhan region for test flights, the Sukhoi company said in a statement.

Red Force exposed: Rare insight into Nellis Aggressors and their hunt for stealth planes

02/22/2014

The Aggressors have always been one of the highlights of the Red Flag exercises. Their presence and their way to play the adversary role to train coalition combat planes to deal with tomorrow’s air threats is one of the factors that make the drills held at Nellis Air Force Base, near Las Vegas, so realistic and useful. The Aggressors were created to improve the proficiency of the U.S. fighter pilots following the high combat losses recorded during the Vietnam War.

UPDATE 1-F-35 cracks need redesign, Marines still on track for 2015 combat use

02/22/2014

Lockheed Martin Corp must redesign bulkheads on its F-35 fighter jet that developed cracks after extended stress testing, but the issue is not expected to delay the U.S. Marine Corps' plans to start using the plane in combat beginning in 2015, Pentagon and Marine Corps officials said on Friday.

Stealth jet 'set for maiden flight'

02/22/2014

China is said to be planning the maiden flight soon of the upgraded version of the J-20 stealth fighter. A number of photos recently taken by aviation enthusiasts at an unidentified base, and widely circulated on websites that follow the Chinese military, show a prototype of the twin-engine, fifth-generation aircraft with the serial code "2011" painted on both sides of the cockpit.

Armed unmanned aircraft a threat to US military in near future

02/22/2014

U.S. forces will be increasingly threatened by reconnaissance and armed Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) in the near future, the U.S. Army said in contract documents released Thursday. The U.S. Army Aviation and Missile Research, Development, and Engineering Center (AMRDEC) is currently conducting market research for the development of a Counter UAV. The AMRDEC announced the research in a Request For Information (RFI) document released Thursday.

BAE secures deal with Saudi Arabia on Typhoon jet pricing

02/22/2014

BAE, the world's third-largest defense company, has secured an agreement with Saudi Arabia over the pricing of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon strike jets, after two years of fraught negotiations and unsuccessful efforts to export the aircraft elsewhere. The deal is a major boost for BAE at a critical time, even though it's not expected to make significant financial gains from the agreement in Riyadh.

MiG-31: A fighter ahead of its time

02/22/2014

Russian airspace is guarded by a unique aircraft, which can intercept any target, from hidden cruise missiles to satellites – day and night, rain or shine, and at any speed. Defence analysts believe that no other aircraft of its kind would be able to compete with the Russian MiG-31 in the next 10 to 15 years.

Two-man F-16I becomes Israel’s go-to aircraft for combat ops

02/22/2014

The Israel Air Force has deemed the F-16I the lead aircraft in combat operations. The Air Force said its fleet of 100 F-16I multi-role fighters was bearing the brunt of combat operations. The service cited such missions as air strikes, air defense and reconnaissance. “We have become a leading component in the IAF,” an F-16I squadron commander, identified only as Lt. Col. Amir, said.

Deal to buy 12 fighters jets from South Korea reached

02/22/2014

The Philippines said Friday a deal has been reached to buy 12 fighter jets worth P18.9 billion ($415.7 million) from South Korea as the country struggles to modernize its military. “We did not only inch closer, we are almost there,” Undersecretary Fernando Manalo, chairman of Bids and Awards Committee, told reporters in Camp Aguinaldo Friday after Manila and Seoul reached a conclusion on the negotiations for the acquisition of 12 FA 50 lead-in fighter jets.

RAAF returns to Guam for Cope North 14

02/21/2014

RAAF 75 Squadron Hornet and 37SQN C-130J aircraft are currently deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam to take part in Cope North 2014, which began on February 14. The exercise involves, according to a US Air Force statement, “a full spectrum of fighters, bombers, transport, refuelling and command and control aircraft from the US, JASDF, and RAAF designed to improve combat readiness, develop a synergistic disaster response, and increase interoperability between partner nations.”

35 militants killed in PAF air strikes in tribal areas

02/21/2014

Pakistani jets and AH-1 Cobra gunships of Army Aviation bombed militant hideouts in a northwestern tribal district late Wednesday night, killing at least 35 militants. The mastermind behind the 13 February attack on a police bus in Karachi and foreign militant commanders were among those killed.

USAF Eyes Future of ISR

02/21/2014

The conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan will leave lasting changes on the US military, but their biggest legacy on the Air Force has been the impact on intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR). The service’s ISR mission underwent a renaissance during the decade-plus missions in the region, transforming from a support tool to a vital part of every combat operation, with unmanned systems such as the MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper seen as defining symbols of the conflicts.

Air Force backs twin-engine design for indigenous fighter

02/21/2014

The Air Force has officially expressed its support for a twin-engine concept for the country's indigenous fighter jet development program, saying the design would allow for improved combat capabilities and long-term economic feasibility, officials said Friday. The move comes amid disagreement over the engine choice for the long-delayed 20 trillion won (US$18.6 billion) project to develop and build some 120 units of F-16 class aircraft to replace the aging fleet of F-4s and F-5s.

U-2 Vs. Global Hawk: Why Drones Aren't The Answer To Every Military Need

02/21/2014

Earlier this month, four of Washington’s most respected public-policy “think tanks” offered their views on how the U.S. military posture should be organized. They differed on many issues, but one place where they all agreed was on the desirability of retiring the venerable U-2 spy plane in favor of an unmanned reconnaissance aircraft called Global Hawk.

Fire Up Defence Industry

02/21/2014

The recent Singapore Air Show opened a week after the Indian Defence Expo (Defexpo 2014) ended in Delhi. What evoked interest in Singapore was the CN-235 turboprop maritime patrol aircraft that Indonesia displayed there. Considering the Indonesian defence industry was revived only in 1976 with the establishment of Indonesian Aerospace (IA), this is quite an accomplishment.

Lockheed Martin Receives $92 Million U.S. Army Apache Targeting and Pilotage System Sustainment Contract

02/21/2014

Lockheed Martin received a $92 million Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contract in December 2013 from the U.S. Army for sustainment of the AH-64 Apache helicopter Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) system.

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates JAGM Dual-Mode Guidance Section in Recent Flight Test

02/21/2014

Lockheed Martin recently demonstrated the Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM) dual-mode guidance section engaging a laser-designated moving target during an internally funded flight test at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. The rail-mounted JAGM guidance section flew six kilometers, engaged its precision-strike, semi-active laser and hit the moving target.

KSA and UK agree Typhoon price escalation

02/21/2014

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) has now agreed price escalation terms with the UK relating to the Typhoon aircraft under the Salam program me. The Understanding Document signed by the governments of the United Kingdom and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) in 2005 included provision for the Typhoon aircraft acquisition by the KSA to be at 2005 economic conditions.

Elbit Systems of America showcasing the JHMCS II and Embedded Training at Air Force Association Air Warfare Symposium and Technology Exposition

02/20/2014

JHMCS II is the next generation Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System from the joint venture of Elbit Systems of America and Rockwell Collins. Featuring more intelligence and capabilities than its predecessor, the JHMCS II provides pilot intelligent vision, enhanced situational awareness across the entire battle space during day and night operations, and uses high definition, color symbology while keeping the pilot's head up and eyes out.

Yak-130 Does It All

02/20/2014

Bangladesh recently ordered 24 Yak-130 jet trainers from Russia. This makes six export customers for Russia’s new jet trainer. One of these customers may not be able to complete the transaction. In late 2011 Syria agreed to pay $550 million for 36 Yak-130s. Russian officials recently (late January) admitted that delivery to Syria had not yet been made and probably won't as long as the Syrian government is dealing with a growing rebellion.

$150 bn opportunity in defence system requirements: DRDO

02/20/2014

The defence system requirements for the country is opening up an opportunity of $150 billion for the industry in the next five years, said A Sivathanu Pillai, chief controller (R&D), Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) and CEO & managing director of BrahMos Aerospace Pvt Ltd. Out of this, over $100 billion opportunity is for the Indian companies.

Saudi-Pakistan Military Ties Getting Stronger

02/20/2014

Crown Prince Salman bin Abdulaziz, who is Saudi Arabia’s deputy prime minister and defense minister has just concluded an official visit to Pakistan. Some defense experts say that Saudi Arabia’s close military ties with Pakistan, though not new, now have a new dimension - namely countering the threat of a nuclear-capable Iran.

Analyst: It’s the End of an Era for Military Aviation Industry

02/20/2014

In a few years, Lockheed Martin Corp. might be the sole U.S. manufacturer of military fighter aircraft. Lockheed's current rival, The Boeing Co., would limit its offerings to jetliner derivatives such as refueling tankers and surveillance planes. This is the picture that is emerging from the Pentagon's buying decisions over the past decade, says Richard Aboulafia, aviation analyst at the Teal Group.

BAE agrees pricing on Typhoon deal with Saudi Arabia

02/20/2014

BAE has finally agreed a deal over price increases for the sale of 72 Eurofighter Typhoon jets to Saudi Arabia. The FTSE 100 defence company signed a £4.5bn contract to provide the supersonic fighters to the Middle East nation seven years ago but the sale has faced hurdles over cost, forcing BAE to defer earnings from the so-called "Salam" deal.

F-35B Aircraft Fly In Formation In Short Takeoff/Vertical Landing Mode

02/20/2014

Two F-35B aircraft fly in close formation while in short takeoff/vertical landing (STOVL) mode for the first time last week. Pilots Peter Wilson and Dan Levin flew the test jets in STOVL mode, also known as Mode 4, with the F-35B LiftFan engaged and engine rotated downward. The mission measured the effects the aircraft had on each other while in Mode 4 to ensure they can operate in formation safely in an operational environment.