Military Aviation News Archive

Report warns of cost overruns on new U.S. aircraft carrier

09/06/2013

The first Ford-class aircraft carrier being built by Huntington Ingalls Industries Inc may see further cost increases after it is commissioned, according to a congressional report that urged the U.S. Navy to delay a contract for a follow-on ship.

Putin's strident defense of Assad sets him apart

09/06/2013

Russian President Vladimir Putin's strident defense of a Syrian regime that has killed tens of thousands of its people in a civil war that has divided him from many world powers viewing Syria as a humanitarian disaster that demands intervention.

The US Military’s Pivot to Africa

09/06/2013

They’re involved in Algeria and Angola, Benin and Botswana, Burkina Faso and Burundi, Cameroon and the Cape Verde Islands. And that’s just the ABCs of the situation. Skip to the end of the alphabet and the story remains the same: Senegal and the Seychelles, Togo and Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.

Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey Deploys Refueling Equipment in Flight Test

09/06/2013

The Bell Boeing V-22 Program, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter Textron Inc. [NYSE: TXT] and Boeing, has successfully completed an initial test of the V-22 Osprey performing as an aerial refueling tanker. Adding this capability to the tiltrotor aircraft would further advance its versatility in combat, humanitarian and ship-based operations.

Al-Qaeda working to defeat US drones since 2010 - report

09/05/2013

For the past three years, Al-Qaeda has sought to hire engineers and other experts to help the terrorist organization fend off US drone strikes that have increasingly hobbled the militant network, according to documents leaked by Edward Snowden.

Revealed: How Prince Harry was whisked to Camp Bastion safe-house as US Marines battled Taliban suicide-squad who infiltrated base in assassination attempt

09/05/2013

Prince Harry was frantically rushed into a heavily secured safe-house during the Camp Bastion raid of September 2012 as 15 heavily armed Taliban soldiers ran amok in the British base a new report claims. The fourth-in-line to the British throne was serving at the base in Afghanistan when fighters dressed in U.S. Army uniforms unleashed a ground assault on September 14th and destroyed or damaged eight aircraft worth a total of $200 million.

SAAF jets aren’t in storage, says general

09/05/2013

The SAAF bought 26 Gripen fighter jets and 24 Hawk trainer fighters in the 1999 arms deal, which the commission is investigating. “To date the Hawks have flown over 10 000 major accident-free flying hours since 2005 and the Gripens 3 500 since 2008,” said Bayne.

Pentagon arms chief aims to preserve R&D weapons funding

09/05/2013

The Pentagon's chief weapons buyer said he was considering funding early work on a next-generation ground combat vehicle and rotorcraft to ensure the United States maintained its edge in weapons despite steep budget cuts.

Lockheed Martin’s paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb Successfully Employed in Navy Exercises

09/05/2013

Lockheed Martin’s Paveway II Dual Mode Laser Guided Bomb (DMLGB) was successfully employed in recent U.S. Navy Tactics Development exercises at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Fallon, Nev.

US Air Force, Boeing Finalize KC-46A Tanker Aircraft Design

09/05/2013

The U.S. Air Force and Boeing have validated the final design elements of the KC-46A Tanker and concluded that the proposed design embodies and can meet Air Force requirements, clearing the way for production and testing of the next-generation aerial refueling tanker.

Boeing to Build 56 Additional A-10 Wings for US Air Force

09/05/2013

Boeing will continue improving U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II mission readiness, and decreasing maintenance costs, through a follow-on order for 56 replacement wings for that aircraft. Boeing is on contract to build up to 242 wings, including these, at its plant in Macon, Ga. Refitting the fleet with new wings will improve the mission availability of A-10s by an estimated 4 percent and will help save the Air Force an estimated $1.3 billion in maintenance costs during the next 30 years.

US Wary in Courting Russian Support for Syria Strike – Experts

09/05/2013

US officials are likely cautious about disclosing to Russia comprehensive intelligence about an apparent chemical weapons attack in Syria and see little chance of convincing Moscow to accept outside military intervention in the civil war there regardless of the facts on the ground, US national security experts said Wednesday.

US Senate Committee OKs Military Force Against Syria

09/05/2013

The US Senate Foreign Relations Committee voted Wednesday to give President Barack Obama the authority to use military force against the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad in response to an alleged chemical weapons attack last month.

Airbus Military A400M successfully performs unpaved runway trials

09/05/2013

Airbus Military has completed an important set of trials of the A400M new generation airlifter, demonstrating the aircraft's excellent performance on gravel runways. In tests lasting more than a week at Ablitas in northern Spain, development aircraft MSN2 performed 25 landings during six flights on the same runway.

Boehner supports Obama for Syria strike

09/04/2013

President Barack Obama won critical support from House Speaker John Boehner for a punitive strike against Syria on Tuesday and dispatched senior Cabinet officials to persuade Congress that Bashar Assad's government must be punished for a suspected chemical weapons attack the administration blames for more than 1,000 dead.

Pakistani jets leave for wargame in China

09/04/2013

A contingent of Pakistan Air Force fighter jets on Tuesday left for China to participate in a joint exercise, the first time that any country will join manoeuvres in Chinese airspace. The Shaheen-II exercise will be conducted by the PAF and People’s Liberation Army Air Force during September 3-22. The PAF's Mirage and F-7PG aircraft are taking part in the wargame.

JSTARS takes part in Exercise Black Dart

09/04/2013

Recently, the 605th Test and Evaluation Squadron Detachment 2, Melbourne, Fla., utilized the JSTARS to perform a tactics development & evaluation (TD&E) during Exercise BLACK DART at Naval Base Ventura County, in Oxnard, Calif. Tactics development and testing during Exercise BLACK DART was supported by the JSTARS Test Force (JTF); a combined group of active-duty Air Force aviators and engineers, and software developers from Northrop-Grumman Aerospace Systems.

This Silent Eagle Could Soon Be Patrolling the Korean Peninsula

09/04/2013

The new fifth-generation Silent Eagle has finally cleared export restrictions meaning it may soon be the new face of South Korea's aerial fleet. That's good news for an unsteady place. The original F-15 Eagle entered service in 1976 and has become one of the most successful air combat platforms in the modern era. McDonnell Douglas designed the twin-engine, all-weather tactical fighter for a single purpose: blowing other aircraft out of the sky.

Ghana confirms plans to acquire more C295s

09/04/2013

Ghana’s President John Mahama has confirmed that the country will acquire another two C295 military transport aircraft from Airbus Military, which will be used on behalf of the United Nations in Mali.

Russian Air Force to undergo extensive modernization

09/04/2013

Although new aircraft models were practically non-existent at the International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) 2013 that was held in Zhukovsky near Moscow, it was possible to reveal certain tendencies in the Russian aircraft construction and related industries. The development of the Russian Air Force and air-defence systems in the coming 10 years will add much to Russia’s military might.

With the MiG-29 on steroids, who needs the Rafale

09/04/2013

More than a year after the French Rafale won the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) dogfight, a contract is nowhere in sight – forget the delivery date. Not only is it the usual drawn-out drama that comes with India’s defence acquisitions, it is also clear the French have overpromised on the technology transfer provisions and now want to welch out.

Boeing Tanker Remains on Schedule with Start of 2nd Refueling Boom Assembly

09/04/2013

Boeing workers in Seattle took another step toward delivering next-generation aerial refueling capability to the U.S. Air Force today when they began assembling the second refueling boom for the KC-46A Tanker program. Based on the Boeing 767 commercial airplane, the KC-46A will feature a modernized fly-by-wire boom and hose and drogue systems, making it capable of refueling any U.S. or allied fixed wing aircraft any time on any mission.

Boeing, Polish Defence Holding to Explore Collaboration on Future Defense Work

09/04/2013

Boeing and Polish Defence Holding (PDH) on Sept. 2 signed a Memorandum of Understanding to explore areas where Boeing and PDH can work together to meet Poland’s defense needs while supporting the growth of local industry.

US-Israel Missile Test ‘Nothing to Do’ with Syria - Pentagon

09/04/2013

A joint US-Israeli missile test over the Mediterranean Sea was “long planned” and had “nothing to do” with a possible US military response to the chemical weapons attack on a Damascus suburb that Washington has blamed on the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad, the Pentagon said Tuesday.

Syrian crisis: Latest developments

09/03/2013

The world is waiting to see whether the United States will strike against the Syrian regime -- and whether anyone will join in. U.S. President Barack Obama said there's no doubt Syria used chemical weapons on its own civilians and he wants to launch attacks, but he first wants to get Congress' approval after lawmakers come back from recess September 9.