Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russian Knights hail high standard of air show

01/18/2014

THE Russian Knights, the aerobatic team of the Russian Air Force, yesterday praised the high standard of BIAS 2014. "The show compares highly positively with other air shows and we are pleased with its high standards," the team said at a Press conference in Sakhir. "We took part with four Sukhois in 2012 and we have increased the number to five this year. We are so pleased with the air show in Bahrain and we are planning to have six planes in our participation in 2016," they said.

Russia Forms Helicopter Squadron for Armenian Base

01/18/2014

The Russian military has formed a helicopter squadron to strengthen its air contingent at the Erebuni air base in Armenia, the press service of Russia’s Southern Military District said Friday. Russia’s 3624th Air Base at the Erebuni airport in Yerevan currently hosts at least 16 MiG-29 Fulcrum fighter jets operating under the framework of air defense agreements concluded between the members of the Commonwealth of Independent States.

Bahrain Airshow: Saudi Hawks demo at show

01/18/2014

The Royal Saudi Air Force's (RSAF) official demonstration team, the Saudi Hawks, is at the show, revisiting the scene of its first appearance outside Saudi Arabia in February 2000. Formed in 1998, the team is equipped with Hawk Mk.65s, which can produce a single colour of smoke. The last six Hawk Mk.65As have an enhanced smoke capability, with provision for a pod identical to those carried by the RAF’s Red Arrows Hawks, and capable of producing three colours.

Bahrain Airshow: Lockheed bullish over F-16 upgrade plans

01/18/2014

Rick Groesch, Lockheed Martin's regional director for the Middle East, was in bullish form at the show describing the company's F-16 upgrade plans. A number of regional air forces still operate the F-16 Fighting Falcon, among them the Royal Bahraini Air Force. Though a number of companies are offering upgrades for the F-16, Groesch, himself a former F-16 and F-117 pilot, was keen to stress the unique advantages that Lockheed, as the original manufacturer, was able to offer.

Military: 1 killed, 2 injured aboard Army helicopter in 'hard landing' at US airfield

01/17/2014

A member of an elite U.S. Army helicopter unit was killed and two crew members suffered injuries when their aircraft slammed into the ground as they tried to land at Hunter Army Airfield in Savannah, Georgia, a military spokesman said Thursday. The MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter was returning from a routine training flight when it made a "hard landing" just before 11:30 p.m. Wednesday on or near the airstrip at the base in coastal Georgia, said Army Maj. Allen Hill.

Israel, Singapore seek FMS deals

01/17/2014

Israel is seeking to purchase V-22B Block C Osprey aircraft from the United States through a Foreign Military Sales deal worth about $1.13 billion. The proposed sale, reported to Congress this week, is one of two, billion-dollar contract requests announced by the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency. The Republic of Singapore is seeking an upgrade of its F-16 Block 52 aircraft at a cost of $2.43 billion.

Naval Air: China Develops Specialized Aerial Refueling

01/17/2014

The first Chinese combat aircraft built specifically for aircraft carrier use, the J-15, appears to have been equipped with the in-air refueling pod. These pods contain additional fuel and the hose and drogue refueling gear for getting the fuel to other fighters. Thus when a carrier launches four fighters, two can be equipped with the refueling pod and transfer their fuel to the other two, providing those two with more range and time in the air.

Eurofighter consortium signs draft deal to sell 28 planes to Kuwait

01/17/2014

PARIS The European Eurofighter consortium has signed a draft agreement to sell 28 of its fighter planes to Kuwait, online French newspaper La Tribune reported on Thursday. Of the 28 outline sales, which are not yet binding, four are covered by options to purchase, the report said.

Ceremony held to mark weapons upgrade for IDF jets

01/17/2014

A ceremony was held at an air base in the southern city of Tainan Thursday to mark the completion of the first batch of upgraded indigenous defense fighter (IDF) jets and the installation of a new weapons system.

Does China rank second in the world in combat aircraft numbers?

01/17/2014

According to a special report -"World Air Force 2014" - China has overtaken Russia in terms of its combat aircraft numbers, and for the first time ranks in second place worldwide. Flight Global, a British aerospace weekly magazine released the free report on its website in early January this year.

Boeing Starts Assembly of Final KC-46A Test Aircraft

01/17/2014

Boeing is assembling the fourth and final KC-46A test aircraft for the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling tanker program at the company’s Everett factory, keeping the program on track to deliver the initial 18 tankers to the Air Force by 2017.

Bahrain Airshow: Turkey's TAI T-129 ATAK attack helicopter makes debut

01/17/2014

This is far from being a coincidence, as the machine is being heavily promoted as a potential replacement for the Royal Bahrain Air Force’s (RBAF) ageing Bell AH-1 Cobra attack helicopters. Major Rakan Ateytalla, an instructor pilot on the RBAF Cobra, was clearly taken by the T-129, and compared it favourably with the USMC Bell AH-1Z Super Cobra that he had also been shown over before the show.

The F-18 fighter jet: America’s go-to multipurpose strike fighter

01/16/2014

Since the 1960s, the U.S. Navy has needed a reliable carrier-based strike fighter, and the F-18 and its different iterations have answered the call. To this day, the fighter jet is considered “the most advanced multi-role strike fighter available” to the U.S. Armed Forces, according to the U.S. Navy.

T-50 Fighter To Feature Higher Stealth Capabilities

01/16/2014

Sukhoi Aircraft has introduced the new design solutions to increase the stealth capabilities of T-50 by managing to greatly reduce the effective surface scattering of the fighter, which is the basic element for visibility on aircraft radars.

Patent analysis shows how PAK-FA differs from F-22 in air combat philosophy

01/16/2014

The PAK-FA patent document published by Russia’s Federal Service for Intellectual Property shows the fifth generation stealth aircraft’s design is heavily influenced by low radar visibility requirements. At the same time, the Russians are prepared to sacrifice some stealth in their quest for super maneuverability and excellent flight characteristics.

Red Flag bringing air combat, some noise to Las Vegas

01/16/2014

There’s a whole lot of man-made thunder coming for folks in the north Las Vegas Valley. Military aircraft taking off and landing at Nellis Air Force Base will increase noise levels for residents around the base as fighter jets and support planes from the United States and partner nations take to the skies for Red Flag air combat training exercises beginning in late January.

F/A-18E pilot in critical condition

01/16/2014

A single-seat Navy FA-18E super hornet crashed 45 miles off the coast of Virginia Beach Wednesday afternoon, the U.S. Coast Guard confirms. Commander Mike Kafka with Naval Air Atlantic said the jet is part of VFA-143, assigned to Carrier Air Wing 7, and is currently assigned to USS Eisenhower. The flight originated from Oceana Naval Air Station and was conducting routine training exercises when the jet crashed at approximately 2:30 p.m.

US to sell Israel six Osprey military aircraft

01/16/2014

The Pentagon plans to sell six tilt-rotor Osprey aircraft to Israel in a long-planned deal worth $1.13 billion, officials said Tuesday. Israel will become the first foreign country to be allowed to purchase the V-22 Osprey, which can take off like a helicopter and fly like a turboprop airplane.

Greek fighter jets harass Turkish recon aircraft

01/16/2014

A Turkish aircraft conducting a reconnaissance flight over Aegean international airspace was harassed by Greek F-16s five times, the Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) announced on Tuesday. A CN-235 aircraft was harassed by Greek fighter jets for two minutes and 37 seconds while the radar lock of the Greek air defense system was kept on.

Singapore to buy upgrade for its F-16 fighter jets: US

01/15/2014

Singapore is ready to invest USD 2.43 billion to modernize its F-16 fighter jets in an arms deal with the United States, the Pentagon has said. The Defense Department yesterday informed Congress of the planned sale that would involve new radar, navigation systems, missiles and other advanced equipment for Singapore's aging fleet of F-16s.

Venezuelan military downs suspected smuggling plane

01/15/2014

Venezuela's armed forces reported Tuesday that it intercepted a Cessna 210 aircraft arriving from Central America after its crew ignored orders to land. The incident occurred over the coast of the western Venezuelan state of Zulia that borders on Colombia, the head of the Strategic Operational Command, Gen. Vladimir Padrino Lopez said on Twitter.

War Funding Climbs in Omnibus Bill for First Time Since 2010

01/15/2014

A massive US government spending bill introduced Monday evening would ramp up war spending for the first time in four years, and it includes billions for new weapon systems. A trillion-dollar, government-wide omnibus spending measure crafted by the Republican and Democratic leaders of the House and Senate Appropriations committees includes $5 billion more for America’s overseas conflicts than requested by the White House.

U.S. to replace nuclear-powered aircraft carrier near Korea

01/15/2014

The U.S. Navy announced Tuesday that it would deploy a newer nuclear-powered aircraft carrier to Japan to replace USS George Washington. USS Ronald Reagan, commissioned in 2003 and currently based in San Diego, will be deployed at the Yokosuka Naval Base as part of the Pentagon's efforts to bolster combat readiness in the region. It is known to carry more than 6,000 crew members.

Dozen F-22 Raptor jets deploying to Okinawa

01/15/2014

About 12 Virginia-based F-22 Raptor fighter jets will deploy this month to Okinawa, according to an announcement posted on the 5th Air Force website. The rotational deployment to Kadena Air Base will include about 300 people from Langley Air Force Base as part of a routine assignment, according to 5th Air Force officials.

Documents and plans relating to the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter have been recovered from shipping containers destined for Iran

01/15/2014

The secret plans for America's - and Australia's - next stealth fighter have been recovered from boxes labelled "household goods" on their way to Iran. It's just the latest scare for the troubled multi-billion dollar Joint Strike Fighter F-35 Lightning II program. It's turned out to be the most expensive defence program in history, costing about $400 billion so far. Tens of more billions are expected to be spent in ironing out the many problems with its ultra-advanced electronics.