Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Nato troops die in Afghanistan helicopter crash

04/26/2014

Five Nato troops have been killed in a helicopter crash in southern Afghanistan, the Nato-led security mission Isaf has said. Isaf gave no further details, saying in a statement that it was still reviewing the circumstances of the crash. Afghan officials said the helicopter had come down in Kandahar province because of a mechanical failure.

Saudi Arabia joins the killer drone arms race

04/26/2014

Last week, Saudi Arabia bought its first drone fleet, according to a dispatch from Tactical Reports. Saudi Crown Prince Salman met with Chinese General Wang Guanzhong to sign a contract for a shipment of Chinese Wing Loong drones, also known as Pterodactyls.

Ukraine Crisis Boosting Interest in Military Hardware, Says Saab AB CEO

04/26/2014

The Ukrainian crisis that has already prompted Sweden to consider raising military spending is boosting interest in military hardware in other European states, Saab AB Chief Executive Hakan Buskhe said. "The number of questions about enhancing defense capabilities from a handful of nations in continental Europe and also in the Nordic area have increased," Mr. Bushke said in an interview. "The discussion about possibilities is more active today than just a couple of months ago."

Ukraine crisis: Pentagon says Russian jets violated airspace

04/26/2014

The US says Russian military aircraft have entered Ukrainian airspace several times in the past 24 hours, amid rising tension in the east of the country. A Pentagon spokesman told the BBC late on Friday that the incidents had happened mainly near the border with Russia, but gave no further details.

Russian Defense Ministry Ready to Discuss Ukraine With Pentagon

04/26/2014

The Russian Defense Ministry is prepared to discuss the crisis in Ukraine with the Pentagon, although it has not received a request for such talks, Gen. Maj. Igor Konashenkov said Friday. Media reports earlier said that Pentagon chief Chuck Hagel had attempted to contact Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu to discuss the situation on Ukraine’s border.

Replacing Russian Helicopters in Afghanistan Would Cost US

04/26/2014

The replacement of Russian helicopters with American ones in Afghanistan will be costly and quite troublesome for the Pentagon, Lajos Szaszdi, a defense analyst and expert in international affairs, told RIA Novosti Friday.

Fully configured MC-27J completes first flight

04/26/2014

Alenia Aermacchi, and ATK announced today that the demonstrator of a fully configured MC-27J multi-mission tactical transport aircraft completed its first flight from the company's Turin test flight centre.

US forces take lead in NATO’s response to Ukraine crisis

04/25/2014

The U.S. is so far providing more resources to shoring up eastern European allies made nervous by a newly assertive Russia than other NATO members, again testing the alliance that has struggled throughout the war in Afghanistan. On Wednesday, a company from the Vicenza-based 173rd Infantry Brigade Combat Team arrived at an air base in northwestern Poland, part of a commitment the U.S. announced Tuesday to send about 600 troops to Poland and the Baltics for training exercises.

Meet Boeing's Ramis Tactical ISR Testbed

04/25/2014

Boeing has been pushing hard to come on strong into the tactical ISR market. Despite the sputtering of the Enhanced Medium-Altitude Reconnaissance Surveillance System (Emarss) program for the U.S. Army, it seems the company had secretive customer that helped underpin the business a few years ago. But, what was known as the Yellow Jacket demonstrator for that unnamed customer has been morphed for roughly three years into what we now know as Ramis.

Sweden To Arm Fighter Jets With Cruise Missile 'Deterrent'

04/25/2014

The Swedish government defended plans Thursday to equip fighter jets with cruise missiles capable of striking targets in Russia, days after announcing a military spending hike linked to the Ukraine conflict. “In the future the ability to combat longer range targets can be important,” Defence Minister Karin Enstroem told public broadcaster Sveriges Radio, adding that the missiles would have “a high precision which acts as a deterrent.”

AH-64s Join The Navy

04/25/2014

In the last year the U.S. Army has been experimenting with the use of its AH-64 Apache helicopter gunships from navy ships. This is all about being ready to participate more fully in future military operations in the Pacific. For the last few years the United States has been shifting its military forces and war plans to the Pacific.

China splurging on military as U.S. pulls back

04/25/2014

China’s navy commissioned 17 new warships last year, the most of any nation. In a little more than a decade, it’s expected to have three aircraft carriers, giving it more clout than ever in a region of contested seas and festering territorial disputes. Those numbers testify to huge increases in defense spending that have endowed China with the largest military budget behind the United States and fueled an increasingly large and sophisticated defense industry.

IESF 2014: Aerospace and defense systems and supply chains grow in complexity

04/25/2014

Technical complexity is rising, as engineers work toward “more electric aircraft,” including commercial airliners and military combat aircraft, points out Dr. Nick Smith, business development director, Integrated Electrical Systems Division at Mentor Graphics. Dr. Smith delivered the keynote presentation opening the Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum (IESF) 2014, hosted by Mentor Graphics, at the Future of Flight Museum at Boeing’s Paine Field in Everett, Wa.

Aboulafia at IESF: Military aircraft market eroding, enveloped by F-35

04/25/2014

In the military aircraft market, the sky is not falling; we are just experiencing erosion” and the effects of sequestration, budgets, and politics, says Richard Aboulafia, vice president of analysis at Teal Group Corp., “Back in Black: Aviation/Defense Industry Overview and Forecast” at the Integrated Electrical Solutions Forum (IESF) hosted by Mentor Graphics at the Future of Flight Museum at Boeing’s Paine Field in Everett, Wa.

Lockheed Martin Wins Contract To Develop Weapons Grade Fiber Laser for U.S. Army Field Test

04/25/2014

he U.S. Army has awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a $25 million contract to design, build and test a 60-kilowatt electric laser to be integrated and tested in a truck-mounted weapon system demonstrator. The laser weapon is designed to significantly improve the warfighters’ ability to counter rockets, artillery, mortars and unmanned aerial threats.

Russia to Hold Military Drills in Response to Ukraine Crackdown

04/25/2014

Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu announced Thursday that Russia will conduct military drills in response to the developing situation in Ukraine’s southeast, where a special operation has targeted the country’s own citizens. “We are forced to react to such a development in the situation,” Shoigu said.

Russian Bombers Conduct Test Flights Over Northern Europe

04/25/2014

Russian Tu-95MS “Bear” strategic bombers, accompanied by supersonic Mikoyan MiG-31 interceptors, have conducted test flights over neutral waters of the North Sea, a senior Air Force official told reporters Thursday. Russia’s strategic bomber force regularly performs flights over neutral waters of the Arctic, the Atlantic, the Black Sea and the Pacific Ocean.

RAF fighter jets scrambled to investigate Russian planes

04/24/2014

Fighter jets were scrambled after two Russian military aircraft were spotted approaching UK airspace, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has said. Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets took off from RAF Leuchars in St Andrews, Fife, on Wednesday. The jets were sent to investigate the Russian planes, which are believed to have turned away shortly afterwards.

Dutch fighter jets intercept 2 Russian bombers in their airspace

04/24/2014

Dutch fighter jets scrambled Wednesday to intercept a pair of Russian military aircraft that entered their airspace, a fairly routine action that comes amid heightened tensions between Russia and NATO, a Dutch official said. Maj. Wilko Ter Horst said that the military learned around 3:50 p.m. (9:50 a.m. ET) that two Russian TU-95 bombers, known as Bears, had come a half-mile inside its airspace.

Top Gun, robot-style: Navy moves ahead on carrier-based drone program

04/24/2014

The US Navy is close to the next phase of its plan to build squadrons of robotic “top guns,” carrier-based unmanned aircraft capable of collecting intelligence, watching for enemies, and bombing them if necessary. On April 17, the Naval Air Systems Command issued a “restricted” draft request for proposals for the Unmanned Carrier Launched Airborne Surveillance and Strike (UCLASS) system to the four contenders who have already been involved in the preliminary design review.

As Assad gains momentum, Jordan feels the heat from the Syrian fire

04/24/2014

After a series of battle successes in the Syrian civil war over the last few months, Syrian President Bashar Assad may direct his army to renew efforts in the south of the country, primarily along the border with Jordan. The Arab media have published several reports in recent weeks to the effect that a major military campaign is in the works for the region in which the Syrian uprising erupted a little more than three years ago.

Pilots blamed in October crash that killed guardsman

04/24/2014

The failure of contracted pilots to keep their aircraft over water during an Oct. 5 night flight over Panama led to a crash that killed an Air National Guard member and three other crew members, according to an Air Combat Command-directed Accident Investigation Board report released Wednesday. The two pilots survived.

China Army Targets Students for Officers to Match Modern Weapons

04/24/2014

China’s military has used annual budget increases in excess of 10 percent to buy precision-guided weapons, fighter jets and an aircraft carrier. Now it’s seeking to upgrade its recruits to operate them. For Wu, a 20-year-old journalism student at a university in Beijing, that means his college fees are paid and he has an extra 3,500 yuan ($561) a year to live on.

Australia acquires $12B jets to boost air combat force

04/24/2014

Prime Minister Tony Abbott announced in Canberra his government has approved the acquisition of a multi-billion jet fighters to boost Australia’s air defence capability. Australia will spend $12. 4 billion for 58 Texan-built F-35 Lighting II Joint Strike Fighter jets. Boasting the fighter planes’ capability, the prime minister gave some specs: a top speed of 1960km/h, fire air-to-air missiles, guided bombs and a cannon using the most sophisticated avionics and sensors.

Why is Canada sending fighter jets to Poland?

04/24/2014

Canada is about to station combat-ready fighter aircraft in Eastern Europe. The six CF-18s we are sending abroad will apparently be based in Poland. The only reason for their presence is a perceived threat from one country only – Russia. While this gesture may be tokenism, be assured it will nonethless be expensive (our contribution to the “liberation” of Libya came in at around $100-million).