Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Hungary takes over Slovenian air policing

01/08/2014

Hungary has taken over responsibility for policing Slovenia's airspace, it was announced on 3 January. Under the arrangement, Hungarian Air Force Saab JAS 39 Gripen C/D fighter aircraft will provide air policing coverage of Slovenian airspace. Since Slovenia's accession to NATO in 2004, Italy has provided air policing of Slovenian airspace with Italian Air Force aircraft based in Italy. The policing of Slovenian airspace is one of three extant NATO air policing missions.

US air force helicopter crashes in Norfolk, killing at least four people

01/08/2014

At least four people have been killed after a US military helicopter crashed during a training exercise near a Royal Air Force base close to the Norfolk coast. A 400m area was cordoned off by police following the incident near the village of Cley-next-the-Sea, at around 6pm and local people were told to stay clear.

First combat deployable F-22s arrive at Tyndall

01/08/2014

Tyndall Air Force Base received the first five-of-24 F-22 Raptors scheduled to transfer from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., Jan. 6 as part of their new combat mission. The aircraft are now a part of the 95th Fighter Squadron, which was reactivated in October 2013.

'Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft by 2018'

01/08/2014

The product design work of Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft has been started by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) and the vehicle is expected to be ready in 2018, Dr Tamilmani, Director General (Aeronautical Systems) DRDO, Bangalore has said.

Boeing and Israel Aerospace Industries' Arrow 3 Interceptor Successfully Completes 2nd Flight Test

01/08/2014

The next-generation Arrow 3 interceptor, co-developed by Boeing and Israel Aerospace Industries’ MLM Division, has completed its second successful flight test, further demonstrating its ability to enhance Israel’s multi-tier anti-ballistic missile defense strategy.

Every Russian Region to Get Drones Department – Minister

01/07/2014

Every Russian region is to have its own drones department, the Emergencies Minister said Monday. "Special branches that will be equipped with unmanned aerial vehicles and other necessary robotic systems will be created in all regions. We plan to make very active use of all robotic technology, including drones," Vladimir Puchkov told journalists during a working trip to the Urals city of Yekaterinburg.

Japan’s National Security Strategy and Reactions from China

01/06/2014

The East Asian region is witnessing a turbulent period in its history. Never before in history of East Asia, there had been an absence of power competition when a rising power threatened to challenge the established and sole recognized power in the region. Japan’s ascendance as the dominant military power during the pre-War years when Japan emerged as a major colonial power in Asia coincided with China’s eclipse from its preeminence position of the Middle Kingdom period.

Czech Government Finally Finds A Customer For Surplus Fighter Jets

01/06/2014

Surplus Czech fighter aircraft will be sold to a U.S. company. For much of the last decade the Czech army has been touting its excess L-159 fighter and trainer aircraft for sale to foreign armies or companies. During that time the planes have been wrapped in protective covers in hangers and accumulating ever growing storage costs met by the Ministry of Defense.

Printing planes: BAE Systems now using 3D printed parts in fighter jets

01/06/2014

BAE Systems is using 3D printed components in fighter jets flown in the UK. The news suggests that in the future, parts could simply be printed out when needed on the battlefield. The first parts where used on board Tornado fighter jets flying out of the defence firm's airfield at Warton, Lancashire, last month.

Defense bill a boon for JBLM, Pacific Northwest

01/06/2014

The $526.8 billion defense budget President Barack Obama signed Christmas week steers hundreds of millions of dollars to Puget Sound military installations and billions more for Boeing-made aircraft being developed here. It also buys some peace of mind for Northwest defense contractors. The spending plan coupled with a two-year bipartisan budget deal adopted last month gives them the stability they’ve been missing in an era marked by repeated fiscal crises.

India's in an Uproar Over This $1 Billion Contract With Lockheed Martin

01/06/2014

When India confirmed this week that it plans to order six more C-130J Hercules transport aircraft for its air force, Lockheed Martin investors in America were thrilled. Over in India, however, the reaction can be summed up in one word: shock.

Long journey to the sky

01/06/2014

It has been 30 years in the making, has cost Rs.172.69 billion, and will easily take another year if not more to clear the last lap. Tejas, the Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd-manufactured Light Combat Aircraft that received its second “initial operational clearance” — it got the first IOC in January 2011 — and was inducted into the Indian Air Force last month, is meant to replace the ageing fleet of MiG21s and MiG27s.

Russian Pilots to Train in Enhanced Il-38N Aircraft in 2014

01/06/2014

Pilots from Russia’s Northern Fleet will undergo retraining in 2014 to master the modernized Ilyushin Il-38N anti-submarine aircraft, a military official told journalists Sunday. The first crew has already completed the theoretical part of the program and has begun the practical flight training, said Captain First Rank Vadim Serga, a representative of the Northern Fleet.

Libyan prime minister takes a close look at TAI's ATAK

01/06/2014

The Turkish undersecretary for defense industries, Murad Bayar accompanied the delegation. During the visit, Zidan watched the flight demonstrations of T129 ATAK Advanced Attack and Tactical Reconnaissance Helicopter, which were designed and manufactured by TAI, from the flight tower at TAI’s facilities.

Syrian warplanes bomb hills inside Lebanon, 10 Syrians wounded

01/05/2014

Syrian warplanes bombed on Wednesday a barren range of Lebanese hills used by Syrian rebels and refugees to cross between the two countries, wounding at least 10 Syrians who were rushed to hospital in a nearby Lebanese town, Beirut’s state-run National News Agency said.

China's newest fighter jet J-16 revealed online

01/05/2014

China's most advanced fighter jet J-16 has been revealed online in flight mode, the latest in a series of news items on developments in the Chinese military since last November. An image of the J-16, a 3.5-generation multi-role twin-seat fighter jet, was posted on the China-based Dingsheng military website Friday along with other types of Chinese fighter jets, such as the J-11 and J-15.

Vikramaditya joins Indian fleet in Indian Ocean to start full 'integration' process

01/05/2014

New floating airfield INS Vikramaditya entered the Indian Ocean Region earlier this week where it was joined by INS Viraat, the Navy's second aircraft carrier. The Viraat's meeting with the Vikramaditya was momentous occasion for the Navy as it was only the first time since 1992 when two carriers operated together.

Drones Are the Future of War, So Why Is the Pentagon Spending Over $1 Trillion on the F-35 Fighter J

01/05/2014

To the left is an F-35. It is - at least in theory - the pinnacle of American military aviation. The F-35 has been in development since the 1990s, when by rare coincidence the three branches of the American military that fly all approached Congress with multibillion-dollar requests for aircraft updates. It is the result of the Joint Strike Fighter program, which resulted in Lockheed Martin gaining a virtual monopoly on next-generation military aircraft production.

Pentagon waived sanctions rules on Chinese parts for F-35 fighter

01/05/2014

The Pentagon waived bans on the use of Chinese-built components on US weapons systems in an effort to keep the colossal F-35 joint strike fighter program on track in 2012 and 2013. Pentagon documents show its top arms buyer, Frank Kendall, granted waivers to two main F-35 suppliers, Northrop Grumman and Honeywell International, for the use of Chinese magnets in the fighter plane’s radar system, landing gear and other hardware.

How the Su-30 MKI is changing the IAF’s combat strategy

01/05/2014

With the induction of large numbers of class leading Sukhoi-30 MKI fighters, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has not only made a huge technological transition from a MiG-21 dominated fleet, its war fighting doctrine has also changed, focusing on long-range and strategic missions.

Afghanistan Gets Spooky Ghostriders as the AC-130H Retires

01/04/2014

For more than 40 years, American ground forces have relied on the AC-130 gunship for protection and close air support. However, the venerable AC-130H Specter variant, which has been deployed in every major combat operation since Vietnam, is beginning to show its age.

DoD Official Concerned US Losing Technological Edge

01/04/2014

The Pentagon and defense industry have been behind some of the most important technological achievements in history, said defense acquisition chief Frank Kendall, but continued advances are threatened by reduced research spending. The military played a role in the creation of radar, stealth and even the Internet. These achievements — and many others — have given the US military an unmatched edge since the end of World War II.

The Philippines Creates Its Own Combat UAVs

01/04/2014

In the Philippines the military has long been used to getting by on very tight budgets. That means developing tactics, techniques and improvised weapons and equipment to get the job done. The latest example is two micro-UAVs called Raptor (costing $3,400 each) and Knight Falcon (goes for about $6,700 each). Both of these are similar to the American Raven, which has been used in the Philippines in small quantities.

Generational Changes Important to Air Dominance

01/04/2014

The last time American soldiers or Marines came under aerial attack was during the Korean War. The fact that it has been more than 60 years since an enemy launched a successful aerial attack against Americans did not happen by accident. U.S. airpower strategy is based on having air dominance in any conflict. Air dominance means marrying the best pilots in the world with the best aircraft, and tying them together with the best tactics.

Airbus Defence and Space Revamp Aims To Tackle Decline

01/04/2014

Airbus Defence and Space may be a new brand, but the former defense and space businesses of EADS face a familiar problem: how to remain profitable when European defense budgets are in decline and export competition is intensifying. The combining of Airbus Military, Astrium and Cassidian took effect at the executive level on January 1. Three weeks earlier, a reduction of 5,800 jobs at the new combined division over the next three years was announced.