Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Counting The Squishy Bits

03/21/2014

Large air forces are rare. As a result ten nations (U.S., China, Russia, India, North Korea, Egypt, South Korea, Pakistan, Japan, and Taiwan) have about 60 percent of the combat aircraft in service. But while the U.S. has only 19 percent of the 15,000 combat aircraft in service, they have a far higher percentage of the air combat capability. This becomes clear when you take into account the quality of the aircraft, pilots and support services.

Breaking Defense Ties With Russia Would Hurt Ukraine – Official

03/21/2014

Ukraine would be inflicting unnecessary damage upon itself if it breaks off ongoing cooperation with Russia’s defense industry, a senior Russian official said Thursday. “If the Ukrainian leaders who recently came to power choose the path of destructive engagement with Russia, I think they will be punishing themselves, punishing the Ukrainian people, who are happy to work with our businesses,” Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said.

Russia Signs Treaty to Annex Crimea

03/20/2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin defied Western warnings and signed a treaty to annex Ukraine's Crimean peninsula Tuesday, while accusing the United States and its allies of going too far in luring post-Soviet nations away from Moscow.

Israeli air force strikes Syrian targets

03/20/2014

After many so-called "phantom attacks" conducted inside Syria in recent months were attributed to Israel, the nation's air force performed widespread attacks on Syrian targets over the night of 18 March.

U.S. lawmakers urge end to Pentagon contracts with Russian firm

03/20/2014

U.S. lawmakers who oppose the Pentagon's dealings with Russia's state-owned arms exporting firm are using Moscow's intervention in Ukraine to press the argument that contracts with Rosoboronexport should end.

How Ukraine’s Military Stacks Up Against Russia’s

03/20/2014

The worst-case scenario in the Russia-Ukraine crisis would be a war between the two states. How do their respective forces compare? Russia has about four times as many soldiers as Ukraine does, twice as many tanks, and more than six times as many combat aircraft. The huge imbalance in forces reflects the defense budgets of the two countries. Russia spends about $78 billion on its armed forces annually, Ukraine $1.6 billion.

SIPRI on international arms exports and imports

03/20/2014

The volume of Indian imports of major weapons rose by 111% between 2004/08 and 2009/13 and its share of the volume of international arms imports increased from seven to 14 % the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute reports. At the same time Pakistan’s imports of major arms increased by 119%.

A-10 On Death Row Again

03/20/2014

Citing growing budget shortages (and the enormous costs of developing and building the new F-35) the air force plans to retire 410 combat aircraft (and about a hundred support planes) in the next five years. These include 340 A-10s and 70 F-15Cs. In that same time period over a hundred new F-35s would enter service leaving the air force with about 300 fewer combat aircraft.

Boeing Phantom Swift Selected for DARPA X-Plane Competition

03/20/2014

Phantom Swift, a prototype Boeing initially built in less than a month, has been accepted to be part of the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency (DARPA) Vertical Takeoff and Landing (VTOL) X-plane program. DARPA is trying to mature a new aircraft configuration capable of both efficient hover and high-speed cruise.

France Should Return Money if Warship Deal Cancelled – Rogozin

03/20/2014

France should either fulfill its contract obligations under a June 2011 contract to deliver two Mistral-class warships to the Russian navy or return the money, a Russian deputy premier said on Wednesday. French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said on Monday that Paris will consider canceling the 1.2-billion-euro deal if Moscow provokes further escalation in Ukraine.

India’s Military Hardware Used in Search for Flight MH370

03/19/2014

Although India has temporarily suspended its part in the search for missing Malaysia Airlines jet, it has turned out to be a costly affair, experts say. In the hunt for MH370–which India dubbed Operation Search Light—the country deployed six ships – three each from the navy and the coast guard. It also lent Dornier aircraft belonging to the navy and the coast guard and even its P-8I, a long-range maritime patrol and anti-submarine aircraft, to the effort.

B-1B, F-16s could be next if Congress blocks Air Force plan to retire A-10

03/19/2014

The Air Force would be forced to make heavy cuts to its fighters and bombers if Congress rejects plans to retire the A-10 without providing additional funding, a top budget official said today. The administration’s plan to cut the entire A-10 fleet, including infrastructure and depots, would save the Air Force $3.7 billion, plus another $500 million in cost avoidance, said Maj. Gen. James Jones, the deputy chief of staff for operations, plans and requirements.

How a Sub-Hunting Plane Could Find a Lost Airliner

03/19/2014

The U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon has been making headlines for its role in the search for Malaysia Airlines Flight 370. The long-range aircraft's main mission is hunting and killing submarines, but it's not just a tool for dropping torpedoes and killing enemy ships. The sensors and hardware on board can make this 130-foot airplane an essential part for the MH370 search.

First Typhoon Flight With AESA Could Open Door to Exports

03/19/2014

A Eurofighter Typhoon combat jet is due to fly for the first time with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar later this year, marking a crucial milestone in the drawn-out development of the fighter’s new sensor. Managers at Selex, a partner in the Euroradar consortium planning the Typhoon’s leap to AESA, are confident the demonstration will persuade all four partner countries to sign a development contract this summer, possibly at the Farnborough International Airshow.

Crimea: A Death on Each Side After Gunfight at Army Base, Tougher Sanctions

03/19/2014

In Crimea today, soldiers wearing Russian uniforms stormed a Ukrainian army base and took its commander captive, killing one Ukrainian officer, according to the Ukrainian government, while a Crimean news agency reported that a pro-Russian defense force member had been shot and killed. These events came shortly after Russian President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty making Crimea a part of Russia.

UK offers Typhoons for Baltic Air Policing Mission

03/19/2014

The UK has offered to deploy a number of Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft to Lithuania to bolster the NATO-led Baltic Air Policing Mission, a senior government minister announced on 17 March.

F-35's French rival pitches 'Canadianized' fighter jet

03/19/2014

Dassault Aviation of France is making an aggressive bid to sideline the F-35 and to sell its own jet fighter to Canada, offering to transfer technology, create jobs and share billions of dollars in business if Canada buys its Rafale fighter to replace its outdated fleet of CF-18s.

Moscow Opposed to NATO Presence on Historic Russian Territory

03/19/2014

Russian President Vladimir Putin said Tuesday that the country was open to further cooperation with NATO, but remained opposed to the organization’s presence in historic Russian territories. “We are not opposed to cooperation with NATO, not at all, but we are opposed to a military alliance … hosted outside our fences next to our home or on our historic territories,” Putin said.

Russian military tactical exercises leave Ukraine unreasonably worried

03/18/2014

The Russian Army’s recent tactical exercises in the Rostov, Belgorod and Kursk regions have attracted heightened attention from her neighbours, with Kiev being particularly alarmed. The acting defence Minister in Ukraine Admiral Igor Tenyukh even suspected Moscow of preparing for an offensive. According to Admiral Tenyukh, Russia had amassed an alignment of forces consisting of 220,000 troops, 1,800 tanks and more than 400 helicopters allegedly for these exercises.

Japan-China COLD WAR / Senkaku ‘choke points’ to check China’s Pacific advance

03/18/2014

This is the fifth installment in a series on the worsening relations between Japan and China. In October last year, about one month before China established an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea, the People’s Liberation Army Navy carried out a large-scale military drill called Maneuver-5 on the high seas about 700 kilometers south of Okinawa Island.

Selfridge Museum announces 2014 schedule

03/18/2014

Selfridge Military Air Museum officials recently announced their 2014 general public hours of operation for their Museum and Air Park as noon to 4:30 pm on Saturdays, Sundays, Independence Day and Memorial Day, from April 5 through October 26. The Air Museum and Air Park will be closed during the 2014 Selfridge Air Show on September 6 and 7 due to traffic flow considerations.

RAAF fighter jets train near Bulahdelah, Great Lakes

03/18/2014

Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18A/B Hornet and Hawk 127 Lead-In Fighter aircraft from RAAF Base Williamtown will conduct intensive air support training in the Great Lakes Area near Bulahdelah on Tuesday, March 18 and Wednesday, March 19. Commander of Air Combat Group, Air Commodore Tony Grady said the two types of jet aircraft would carry out training activities that involved the provision of medium level and close air support for ground-based personnel.

Missing Malaysia plane flew at 5,000ft and used 'terrain masking' to avoid radar detection

03/18/2014

The missing Malaysian Airlines plane reportedly flew as low as 5,000ft and used “terrain masking” to avoid radar detection for almost eight hours after it was apparently hijacked. As dozens of nations continued to search for the plane, Malaysia’s New Straits Times newspaper reported that the Boeing 777 dropped to low altitude to avoid commercial radars.

Lockheed Martin Delivers First KC-130J Super Hercules Tanker To U.S. Marine Corps Reserve

03/18/2014

The first KC-130J Super Hercules tanker assigned to a U.S. Marine Corps Reserve squadron was ferried today from the Lockheed Martin facility located here. This KC-130J is assigned to the Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 234 (VMGR-234) stationed at Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas.

U.S. Air Force Declares Initial Operational Capability for Lockheed Martin’s Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod – Sensor Enhancement

03/18/2014

The U.S. Air Force declared initial operational capability (IOC) for Lockheed Martin’s Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod - Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) and has now deployed the system to support combat operations in theater.