Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Series of Errors by Malaysia Mounts, Complicating the Task of Finding Flight 370

03/16/2014

The radar blip that was Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 did a wide U-turn over the Gulf of Thailand and then began moving inexorably past at least three military radar arrays as it traversed northern Malaysia, even flying high over one of the country’s biggest cities before heading out over the Strait of Malacca.

Luke Air Force Base Receives First F-35A Lightning II

03/16/2014

Luke Air Force Base, Ariz., March 14, 2014 - The first Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing was officially delivered during a ceremony attended by dignitaries and hundreds of local civic leaders, wing military and civilian members here today. The F-35A Conventional Takeoff and Landing variant, known as LF 5030, is the first of 144 F-35As scheduled for delivery to the base.

Russia Sends 4 Strategic Bombers on 24-Hour Arctic Patrol

03/16/2014

Russia has dispatched four Tu-95MS strategic bombers on a 24-hour patrol over the Arctic Ocean, Air Force commander Lt. Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Friday. Bondarev said the four aircraft left their home base at the Ukrainka airbase in Russia’s Far East late on Thursday to carry out a 12-hour non-stop combat patrol mission over the Arctic.

Oman C-130s to get integrated avionics upgrade

03/16/2014

The LynxOS-178 real-time operating system (RTOS) will be used in the Rockwell Collins Flight2 avionics management system, for the Royal Air Force of Oman's C-130 upgrade program. The Rockwell Collins Flight2 avionics system will provide the Royal Air Force of Oman C-130 aircraft with unrestricted access to global airspace by meeting Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) airspace requirements that are currently identified.

Dassault Holds Out Hope For Canada Jet Order

03/14/2014

Dassault Aviation said on Thursday it is ready to rebid for a multibillion-dollar Canadian combat-aircraft contract if Ottawa backs out of a plan to buy U.S.-made F-35 combat aircraft to replace the country's aging fleet of F-18 fighter jets. The Canadian government needs to start replacing the F-18s by 2017 which would imply an initial order by this year.

Pentagon North Korea Report for 2013: Unimpressive Hardware, Focus on Cyber Attacks

03/14/2014

The U.S. Department of Defense released its annual report on the state of North Korea’s military earlier this month. The short 22-page document paints a picture of a North Korean military that is slowly atrophying under a lack of funding. Nevertheless, the report begins by acknowledging that North Korea “remains one of the United States’ most critical security challenges.”

Russia Sends 6 Fighter Jets to Belarus

03/14/2014

Six Russian Su-27 fighter jets and three military transport planes with ground support personnel arrived Thursday at an airbase in Belarus to boost the airspace defenses of the two countries' Union State, the Russian Defense Ministry said.The ministry said the aircraft from the Western military district have been deployed to the Babruysk airbase in line with a bilateral agreement on the joint protection of the Union State's airspace.

Harper to outline details of combat mission Friday

03/13/2014

Prime Minister Stephen Harper will provide details on Friday of an expanded military contribution to battle militants in northern Iraq. A spokesman for Harper says the prime minister will also talk about ongoing humanitarian support

Czech Republic Signs New Lease Deal for Gripen Fighters

03/13/2014

Sweden's Defence and Security Export Agency said Wednesday the Czech Republic has approved an agreement to lease 14 Gripen fighter aircraft until at least 2026, opening the way to potential new maintenance contracts for the aircraft's manufacturer, Swedish defense group Saab AB.

The F-16 training mission has arrived at Holloman Air Force Base

03/13/2014

More than 300 members of Team Holloman from in and around the Tularosa Basin and the Sacramento Mountains gathered to witness the future of the 49th Wing as the 54th Fighter Group was officially welcomed to the base in an activation ceremony here March 11.

The case for speeding up India’s domestic fifth generation fighter

03/13/2014

The Indian Air Force's (IAF) quest for its first fifth generation fighter has been running into the usual back and forth with the Russians as well as domestic discord with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) . It seems on top of the reported delays, the Russians are also hiking the costs associated with the Fifth generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) project.

NATO sends 2 surveillance planes to Ukraine border

03/13/2014

NATO deployed two surveillance aircraft Wednesday to monitor Ukraine's air space and Black Sea ship movements as Russia consolidated its military buildup in Crimea. NATO headquarters spokesman Lt. Col. Jay Janzen said one aircraft based in England would observe Russian air and sea movements from Polish air space, while the other based in Germany would fly over Romania.

Cutbacks mean Selfridge A-10s may be traded for tanker planes

03/13/2014

The future of Selfridge Air National Guard Base took a dramatic turn Wednesday as a new Air Force plan called for the elimination of the A-10 aircraft at the Harrison Township facility in exchange for the addition of KC-135 mid-air refueling planes. The proposal would retire the base’s 18 A-10 Thunderbolts in fiscal year 2017 and then mitigate the damage to Selfridge’s viability by doubling the number of KC-135 tankers to 16.

Ukraine accuses Russia of military buildup

03/13/2014

Ukraine accused Russia on Wednesday of conducting a large military buildup near the countries’ border that raises the threat of an invasion, but Moscow denied that. Andriy Parubiy, secretary of Ukraine’s National Security and Defense Council, told reporters in Kiev that Russia has deployed more than 80,000 troops, up to 270 tanks and 140 combat planes close to the border, creating the “threat of a full-scale invasion from various directions.”

LONGBOW International Receives $96 Million Support Contract for U.K. Apache Fire Control Systems

03/13/2014

LONGBOW International, a joint venture of Lockheed Martin and Northrop Grumman, received a $96 million contract in 2013 from AgustaWestland to support LONGBOW Fire Control Radars on U.K. Apache AH Mk.1 aircraft. The five-year contract includes engineering services, integrated logistics support and an in-country repair capability.

Belarus Seeks to Host More Russian Jets Amid Ukraine Crisis

03/13/2014

Belarus will ask Russia to deploy up to 15 additional combat aircraft on its territory in response to increased NATO military activity along the country’s borders, President Alexander Lukashenko said Wednesday. NATO has begun military exercises in Poland near the borders with Belarus and Ukraine amid the current political standoff between Russia and the West over the fate of Ukraine’s Crimea region.

US Begins Navy Drills in Black Sea Near Crimea

03/13/2014

A US navy destroyer began joint exercises Wednesday with Romanian and Bulgarian warships in the Black Sea, about 130 miles from Crimea, the Reuters news agency reported. The mission was cited by the White House last week as a sign of the United States’ commitment to the region amid ongoing turmoil in Ukraine – which also borders the Black Sea – that threatens to split the country apart.

Turkey, Airbus Clash Over A400M Delivery

03/12/2014

Turkey, a partner in the multinational A400M airlifter consortium, is wrangling with the group over disputed technical snags blocking acceptance of its first aircraft. Turkey received its first A400M late last year. But it has not yet given its official acceptance, citing technical failures, which has deeply annoyed consortium members.

Russian Arms to Egypt Threaten to Undermine U.S. in Mideast

03/12/2014

Russia, which is at loggerheads with Washington over the spreading political crisis in Ukraine, is threatening to undermine a longstanding military relationship between the United States and one of its traditional allies in the Middle East: Egypt. A photograph of Russian President Vladimir Putin shaking hands with Egypt's de facto leader Field Marshal Abdel Fateh Al Sisi was flashed across newspapers and TV screens in the Arab world last month.

Ukraine appeals to the West as Crimea turns to Russia

03/12/2014

Ukraine's government appealed for Western help on Tuesday to stop Moscow annexing Crimea but the Black Sea peninsula, overrun by Russian troops, seemed fixed on a course that could formalize rule from Moscow within days. With their own troops in Crimea effectively prisoners in their bases, the new authorities in Kiev painted a sorry picture of the military bequeathed them by the pro-Moscow president overthrown two weeks ago.

Deal to buy 12 fighters jets from South Korea reached

03/12/2014

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.

Air Force to eliminate nearly 500 aircraft in 25 states, D.C. and overseas

03/12/2014

The Air Force plans to cut nearly 500 planes from its inventory over the next five years if the Defense Department’s Fiscal 2015 budget request is approved by Congress, the service announced Monday. The reductions — which would affect the active duty, Guard and Reserve — would be implemented in 25 states and the District of Columbia, according to a diagram provided by the Air Force.

Women physically not suited for flying fighter planes, says Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha

03/12/2014

Women are physically not suited to fly fighter planes, Indian Air Force chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said on Tuesday. Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a function here, the Air Force chief said women are physically not suited for the job and they might face problems while flying fighter planes. He was responding to questions on why women are not allowed to fly fighter planes of the Indian Air Force when the forces of Pakistan and China had allowed them.

Top Gun veterans learn to fly RAAF’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighters

03/12/2014

Say hello to Top Gun 5.0. Veteran fighter pilots Andrew Jackson and David Bell are the two men at the tip of the spear as the RAAF shifts towards its next-generation combat aircraft, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. The two Squadron Leaders, based at RAAF base Williamtown near Newcastle, will be the first Australians to fly the multi-billion dollar machine, billed as the most tech-heavy fighter plane on the planet.

Russian Paratroopers Hold Massive Drills as Crimea Vote Nears

03/12/2014

An airborne division based in central Russia began large-scale exercises Tuesday against the backdrop of an ongoing political and security crisis in Ukraine. The Defense Ministry said units of the 98th Guards Airborne Division, based in Ivanovo, a city east of Moscow, were put on high alert and moved to unspecified locations to “check readiness” in simulated combat conditions.