Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Shenyang designing bomber version of J-31 stealth fighter

01/01/2014

A bomber version of the Shenyang J-31, China's second fifth-generation stealth fighter, is likely to be designed by Shenyang Aircraft Corporation in the near future to meet the demands of the People's Liberation Army Air Force, the Beijing-based Sina Military Network reported on Dec. 30.

India Awards $1B Contract for 6 More C-130Js

01/01/2014

Top brass in the Indian Army and Air Force expressed shock over the Defence Ministry’s decision to award a $1 billion repeat contract on Dec. 27 for six additional C-130J Hercules transport aircraft, saying the military has many more pressing purchases to tackle.

Top 10 Achievements and Developments of Indian Military in 2013

01/01/2014

India lies in a dangerous neighbourhood with two hostile countries, which have gone to war against it in the past. However, there has been a change in the dynamics and the economics of the Asian region that has seen the rise of China, which can now challenge not just India but even the US, along with intimidating other countries in the area.

U.S. Army seeks bigger Pacific role

12/31/2013

Approaching from the Hawaii coast, the mosquito-shaped helicopter buzzed around the guided-missile cruiser USS Lake Erie twice before swooping toward the landing pad. The U.S. Navy crew on the deck crouched, the helmeted faces betraying more than routine concern as the aircraft, flown by a pilot who had never before alighted upon a ship, hovered just off the tarmac and then set down with a thud.

The Mysterious Copy Hawk Lands In China

12/31/2013

Recently photos from China showed what appeared to be an American UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter landing at a Chinese military base. This mystery helicopter was promptly dubbed “Copy Hawk” for the Chinese eagerness to copy foreign military gear. While China has never had any Black Hawks, they did manage to buy 24 S-70s, the civilian version of the UH-60, 30 years ago (before the Tiananmen Square massacre and subsequent arms embargo).

Lebanese army fires on Syrian warplanes that violated Lebanon's airspace

12/31/2013

The Lebanese army fired on Syrian aircraft that violated the country's airspace Monday, the first time Lebanon has done so since Syria's uprising broke out nearly three years ago, security officials said. The move suggests Beirut is trying to enforce greater respect for its borders in the hopes of slowing the expansion of the conflict into Lebanon, where it has exacerbated sectarian tensions and prompted shadowy groups to conduct attacks that have killed dozens this year.

Liaoning to conduct core weapon system training to assess three core capabilities

12/31/2013

At the end of November China's first aircraft carrier, the Liaoning, formed a battle group to undertake ocean-based maneuvers in the South China Sea for the first time. Military expert Cao Weidong told the CCTV in an interview that during the training the Liaoning would assess its performance in three combat areas: air and missile defense, anti-ship offense, and anti-submarine offense.

New U.S. Air Force Stealth Drone Ushers In Old Era Of Cold War Surveillance

12/31/2013

The United States Air Force is almost finished testing a top-secret stealth drone at its Area 51 installation in Arizona, according to a report by Aviation Week. The Northrup Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)-built drone, named the RQ-180, will primarily be used for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) missions and is seen as the direct replacement for the Lockheed Martin Corporation (NYSE:LMT) SR-71 “Blackbird,” which was retired in 1998.

Your Very Own Drone-Watching Guide

12/31/2013

What’s that strange bird flying overhead? Why, it’s a gray-breasted Dronus Predatorus, and it must be hungry, because it looks like it’s searching for prey. I know this thanks to my handy Drone Survival Guide poster, which describes itself as a 21st Century birdwatching guide. “Our ancestors could spot natural predators from far by their silhouettes,” say the Dutch graphic artist who wrote it. “Are we equally aware of the predators in the present-day?”

Air Marshal Arup Raha to take over as Air Force chief on Tuesday

12/31/2013

Air Marshal Arup Raha, an ace fighter pilot, will on Tuesday take over as the Air Force chief succeeding incumbent Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne. Eastern Air Command chief Air Marshal RK Sharma will succeed Raha as the Vice Chief of Air Staff. Born on December 26, 1954, 59 year-old Raha is expected to have a tenure of three years as the Chief of Air Staff.

N.J. Pinelands site could be part of drone aircraft research

12/31/2013

A bombing range in the Pinelands in southern New Jersey and airspace over the Atlantic Ocean could be part of a nationwide effort to develop guidelines for using unmanned aerial drones in civilian life. The Federal Aviation Administration on Monday picked a proposal using those test sites, developed by Rutgers University, Virginia Tech and the University of Maryland, as one of six projects around the country that will oversee “critical research.”

Attrition: Fighter Pilots Doomed By Poverty

12/31/2013

The political battles over chronic deficit spending in the United States has led to sharp and often unexpected cuts in the military budget over the last few years. This has forced the U.S. Air force to make major cuts in the hours combat pilots fly for training. The latest cut reduces many pilots to 120 hours a year. That’s about half of what it was a decade ago. There is concern that this will threaten the domination of the air the United States has had since World War II.

Selfridge faces loss of 'Warthog,' possible personnel cuts

12/30/2013

A year after escaping a round of job cuts, Michigan’s largest military base faces a possible loss of personnel under a U.S. Air Force plan to eliminate an air-to-ground attack fighter. After next year, the Air Force plans to remove the A-10 Thunderbolt, also known as the “Warthog,” from its inventory due to budget cuts.

Attrition: Another Mysterious MiG-31 Crash

12/30/2013

Russia grounded all its 122 MiG-31 fighters after one of them crashed (because both of its engines failed) in the Far East (outside Vladivostok) on December 14th. The two man crew managed to glide to an unpopulated area where they ejected and came safely to the ground. The aircraft was a total loss. This incident was doubly disturbing because this was its first flight after a major overhaul.

Preparing for the Pacific pivot

12/30/2013

The United States’ planned military pivot to the Pacific was largely clouded by fiscal uncertainty as Congress and the Department of Defense wrestled with budget cuts throughout 2013. Even as aircraft and a new warship moved to the region this year, the department’s top leaders warned a full shift will never be possible if lawmakers allow the defense budget to be slashed by a half-trillion dollars over the coming decade.

China: Inexorable

12/30/2013

The Chinese campaign of conquering real, or imagined, nearby “lost territories” by winning many little victories in battles none of the victims is willing to go to war over continues. This campaign is quite active in the South China Sea, North Korea and along the Indian border. China has, in the last few years, taken control of sizable chunks of India and large swaths of the South China Sea one tiny piece at a time.

HAL to build 8, then 12, Tejas fighters each

12/30/2013

On December 20, the Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) was cleared to enter operational service with the Indian Air Force (IAF). Now Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) faces the daunting transition from handcrafting Tejas prototypes into factory-assembling the 200-fighter Tejas fleet that Defence Minister A K Antony has envisioned.

France Gets Its Reapers And Puts Them To Work

12/30/2013

France has begun operating one of its new RQ-9 Reaper UAVs in Mali. Earlier in 2013 France decided to buy two RQ-9s and by the middle of the year had upped the order to a dozen. This was apparently with the understanding that one or two would be available for French use in Mali before the end of the year.

Blackhawk helicopter crash in Afghanistan could be related to age and ongoing maintenance issues and problems

12/29/2013

U.S. Army Black Hawk UH-60 helicopters are widely used transport aircraft for the U.S. Military. first introduced in 1979 they have been used in very major conflict since then. Today they are equipped with advanced avionics and electronics, such as global positioning systems. With that being said the helicopter has had numerous safety problems in the past some attributable to their age.

Looming battle: China vs. Japan

12/29/2013

When U.S. Vice President Joe Biden travelled to Asia last week, his message to Chinese President Xi Jinping and Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe was simple: start talking. While tensions have ratcheted up in the fight over a cluster of islands in the East China Sea, experts worry things could get far worse. In fact, the most optimistic outcome for the year ahead is that the two old foes settle into an uncomfortable Cold War.

US, Canada firms bag PAF Huey deal

12/29/2013

A joint venture of two companies based in North America has bagged the deal to supply 21 UH-1 combat utility helicopters to the Philippine Air Force. The joint venture of American firm Rice Aircraft Services Inc. and Canadian company Eagle Copters Ltd. won the contract for the supply and delivery of Huey helicopters, the workhorse of the military’s operations.

Light combat aircraft Tejas completes 500th sortie

12/29/2013

Achieving yet another milestone, India’s indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) completed 500 sorties in a year after attaining initial operational clearance last week. According to a defence ministry release issued on Saturday, 500 sorties by Tejas completed on Friday, are the highest by the aircraft in a calendar year. The highest number of sorties attained earlier in a calendar year was below 300.

PH expects delivery of Korean fighter jets in 2015

12/29/2013

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Saturday said the government expected the first of the 12 Korean FA-50 lead in fighter jets to be delivered in June 2015. Gazmin made this statement after the defense department recommended that President Benigno Aquino III allow the payment of the 52-percent down payment for the P18.9-billion fighter jets. “We recommended the approval of the DP (down payment) and progress billing,” he said.

Russian Troops to Start Getting Advanced Air Defense Systems in 2016

12/29/2013

The Russian armed forces will start getting advanced Buk-M3 air defense missile systems in 2016, the Air Defense Force's chief said on Saturday. “We are now in the midst of planned rearmament to replace Buk-M1 with Buk-M2. We expect to receive Buk-M3s starting from 2016,” Maj. Gen. Alexander Leonov told the Ekho Moskvy radio station.

Nepal To Buy 2 Military Transport Helicopters from Russia

12/29/2013

The armed forces of Nepal have signed a deal with Russia’s state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport to buy two Mil Mi-17V-5 military transport helicopters, the Himalayan Times has reported. The agreement was signed on December 19. The country’s government, which had earlier allocated more than $30 million for purchasing helicopters for the armed forces, approved the deal earlier this week.