Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Iran Expects Russia to Fulfill S-300 System Contract – Ambassador

12/18/2013

Iran believes its contract to buy S-300 missile defense systems from Russia is legitimate and expects it to be fulfilled, Iran’s ambassador to Russia said Tuesday. Mehdi Sanai said the systems “are defensive, so no international laws, norms and rules are violated.” Sanai said that he had discussed the issue with Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov during the latter’s visit to Iran, and noted Moscow’s “good will in its resolution.”

Russian MiG-31 crashes in Far Eastern region

12/17/2013

A MiG-31 'Foxhound' combat aircraft operated by the Russian Air Force (Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily - VVS) crashed in the Far Eastern Primorye region on 14 December, national media disclosed. The twin-seat interceptor came down some 26 km from the Tsentralnaya Uglovaya airbase near Vladivostok, RIA Novosti reported. Both crew members are said to have ejected safely.

System Upgrades are Turning the Typhoon into a Multi-Mission Fighter

12/17/2013

Cassidian, EADS’ military division soon to be transformed into Airbus Defense and Space) celebrated last week the delivery of the 400s Typhoons jet fighter to the customer – the German Luftwaffe. On December 4th the 400th Typhoon that received the marking ‘31+06’ at the company’s Military Air Systems Center at Manching, near Munich was the 112 Typhoon delivered to the German Air Force.

Mansfield, Ohio, air base’s fate reflects a larger battle between active duty, Guard

12/17/2013

The four diminutive cargo planes parked on the National Guard air base in this Rust Belt town last year never would have been selected for a recruiting poster. Lacking the grace of a fighter or the girth of a freighter, the newly built twin-prop aircraft were the minivans of combat aviation — unsexy, utilitarian haulers of people and gear. But that didn’t matter to pilots and ground crews here. They loved the planes, as did troops in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hagel seeks to reassure gulf states amid interest in F-35

12/17/2013

U.S. Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel toured the Arab monarchies of the Persian Gulf last week reassuring them the United States is not abandoning them while seeking a rapprochement with Iran, their main rival, and one way to do that is make available advanced weapons systems that have long been withheld.

Japan to bolster military, boost Asia ties to counter China

12/17/2013

Japan will boost its military spending in coming years, buying early-warning planes, beach-assault vehicles and troop-carrying aircraft, while seeking closer ties with Asian partners to counter a more militarily assertive China.

Air Force Looks to Boost Combat Readiness

12/17/2013

The Air Force will spend more money to boost combat readiness if Congress passes a budget to reduce the impact of sequestration, but the military branch is still exploring how additional dollars might impact spending, the service branch's top leaders said Friday. Acting Secretary of the Air Force Eric Fanning and Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh briefed reporters on the state of the military service in an annual address.

Deal for Aero L-159s officially dead

12/17/2013

The plan to export Czech-made L-159 fighter jets to Iraq has definitively failed, daily Hospodárské noviny (HN) writes today, adding that Iraq signed a contract for the purchase of 24 FA-50 combat aircraft from South Korea earlier this month. The Czech Aero Vodochody aircraft maker negotiated about the possible sale of L-159s worth about $1 billion for several years.

Sukhoi Completes Delivery of Su-34 Fighters Under 2008 Contract

12/17/2013

A batch of Su-34 fighter jets was delivered to Russia’s military Monday in the final consignment under a 2008 deal with the Defense Ministry for Sukhoi aircraft maker to deliver 32 of the two-seat bombers. The aircraft, also known by the NATO codename Fullback, were handed over at the Novosibirsk aircraft plant, which is part of the Sukhoi holding company.

MiG-31 Flights Suspended in Russia After Crash

12/17/2013

Russia’s Air Force has grounded all MiG-31 Foxhound interceptor jets while investigators establish the cause of a crash of one of the planes, RIA Novosti has learned. The temporary suspension was imposed after a MiG-31 crashed near the Tsentralnaya Uglovaya airbase outside Vladivostok in Russia’s Far East on Saturday, an Air Force source said. The two-man crew guided the aircraft to a deserted area before ejecting to safety and they were released from hospital Monday.

Warplanes: The Chinese UAV Pipeline To Pakistan

12/16/2013

On November 25th Pakistan announced that it had put the two locally made UAVs designs (Burraq and Shahpar) into service. Pakistan has used some foreign (mostly Chinese) made UAVs in the last decade, without much success. These two new models are means to give the Pakistani military something they can use on a regular basis. While the basic technology of recon UAVs is widely available, the ability to build and maintain reliable UAVs is another matter.

Pentagon unveils laser capable of shooting down drones, mortars

12/16/2013

The US Army has successfully used a vehicle-mounted laser to shoot down numerous mortar rounds and drone aircraft for the first time. Taking place over the course of several weeks, the test involved destroying more than 90 incoming mortar rounds and multiple drones. Eventually, the Army hopes to test an even more advanced laser system that could shoot down more dangerous weapons, such as incoming cruise missiles.

India No Match For China’s Combat Power, Say Defence Ministry

12/16/2013

India is yearsbehind the Chinese military withthe Communist neighbour currentlyoutnumbering the country’scombat power by a 3:1ratio, a defence ministry documenthas revealed.India hopes to bridge the gap inthe next 15 years by improvingits fighting capacity with newstealth jets, aircraft carriers,nuclear-powered submarines,warships and land-based strikeformations.

The Foreign Policy Essay: Oriana Skylar Mastro on “China’s ADIZ – A Successful Test of U.S. Resolve?”

12/16/2013

China’s declaration of an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ) in the East China Sea on November 23 confounded many observers, including veteran China-watchers. The move alarmed China’s neighbors and was met with a rapid U.S. response, which involved flying two unarmed B-52s through the zone as a form of calibrated defiance.

Yemeni parliament passes motion to stop drone attacks

12/16/2013

Yemen's parliament on Sunday called for a stop to drone attacks in a symbolic vote that reflected growing public anxiety about Washington's use of the unmanned aircraft to combat al-Qaeda in the impoverished country. Motions passed by the Yemeni parliament are not binding and can be struck down by the president, and are seen as no more than recommendations to the government.

Air Force approaches industry for power upgrades that enable B-52H bomber to carry MIL-STD-1760 weapons

12/16/2013

U.S. Air Force bomber experts are surveying industry to find companies with the expertise to upgrade power control and distribution systems aboard the B-52H jet bomber to apply MIL-STD-1760 power to the B-52H's bomb-bay and underwing weapons.

30 years in making, Tejas finally ready for production

12/16/2013

Three decades after the project started, India's Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is all set for initial operational clearance and production, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) chief Avinash Chander said Sunday. The DRDO got permission to start the programme to design and develop an indigenous Light Combat Aircraft way back in 1983.

DRDO parachute to drop heavy combat vehicles from IL-76

12/16/2013

Enhancing the Army Special Forces' capabilities to airdrop combat vehicles and heavy equipment, DRDO has developed a a heavy system which can drop loads up to 16 tonnes from the IL-76 transport aircraft using parachutes.

Attrition: India Starts Retiring All Its MiG-21s

12/16/2013

On December 11th India retired its 124 remaining MiG-21FL jet fighters. This is the first phase of India retiring all of its MiG-21s. There were originally twice as many MiG-21FLs, which was the first MiG and first supersonic jet in Indian service. These aircraft arrived in the 1960s and 70s and until their retirement were used for training new fighter pilots. The MiG-21FL trainers and will be replaced by the new Indian designed and made Tejas light fighter.

Iraq Expects Russian Weapons Delivery Next Month

12/16/2013

The second consignment of Russian weapons and military equipment, to be delivered to Iraq under the deal signed in 2012, will arrive later than previously announced, a senior Iraqi lawmaker said on Sunday. Last year, Iraq signed a $4.3 billion deal with Moscow to buy Russian weapons and military equipment, including around 40 Mi-35 and Mi-28NE attack helicopters. Iraq took collection of the first four Mi-35 helicopter gunships this fall.

Chinese air force pilot killed in fighter jet crash

12/15/2013

A Chinese air force pilot was killed when a fighter plane crashed during night training in east China's Zhejiang Province, the defence ministry announced on Friday. The Jian-8 plane crashed in Anji County in Zhejiang Province on last night, leaving the pilot dead, the ministry said in a statement on its website.

Official: Two Russian IL-76 military transport aircraft staying near Kyiv

12/15/2013

MP Yuriy Syrotiuk (the Svoboda faction) said that two Russian IL-76 military transport aircraft are staying in Hostomel in Kyiv region with unknown purposes. "It’s known for sure that two Russian military aircraft are staying in Hostomel. It's unknown whom and what they brought to Kyiv, but they are staying there," Syrotiuk told a briefing in Kyiv on Saturday.

IAF set to induct indigenously-developed LCA

12/15/2013

Operational Clearance (IOC) later this month. Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, said the '4plus generation' LCA designated as 'Tejas', is all set to be inducted in the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the project for Mark II, designed to be more powerful and capable, will commence soon. After long delays and several cost overruns, Tejas, which will replace aged fighter aircraft MIG 21, will be inducted on December 20 in Bangalore by Defence Minister A.K. Antony.

EADS: Seoul Could Benefit from Splitting Fighter Buy Between F-35, Typhoon

12/15/2013

Typhoon has lost the bid offering 60 aircraft for the Government of South Korea. The Koreans initially favored the newest version of the Boeing F-15, known as the ‘Silent Eagle’, but later reverted to opt buying only 40 of the F-35A stealth fighter from Lockheed Martin. Given this precondition, EADS is currently offering the Koreans a mix of two jet fighters – namely, buying 40 Eurofighter Typhoons and 20 F-35s for their next-generation fighter procurement project.

Canada not on board with investigating legality of drones

12/15/2013

Canada is rejecting a Vatican call for the United Nations to take a closer look at the ethics and legality of drone warfare, The Catholic Register has learned. The Holy See made its first statement ever about weaponized drones and other automated weapons systems at a United Nations arms control meeting in Geneva Nov. 14.