Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Spared from sequestration cuts, Red Flag-Alaska wraps up

08/26/2013

U.S. and international troops spent much of August flying simulated combat sorties at Red Flag in Alaska, one training exercise allowed to continue despite sequestration budget cuts. Red Flag-Alaska 13-3, which wrapped up Aug. 23, involved 60 aircraft and 2,600 people. The group included Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps troops, and military members from South Korea, Japan and Australia.

How the West could smash Assad's arsenal: UK and US military chiefs drawing up a list of targets for precision-guided bombs and missiles

08/26/2013

UK and US military chiefs are drawing up a list of targets for precision-guided bombs and missiles to strike at the heart of Bashar Al-Assad’s regime. Defence correspondent Ian Drury looks at the options.

Hunter fighter jets join exercise

08/26/2013

HUNTER-based fighter jets will join a major exercise off the coast from today. The East Coast Air Defence Exercise will run this week, giving the Royal Australian Air Force a chance to maintain its operational skills. The exercise scenario is designed to test passive and active capabilities with a ‘‘Blue’’ force protecting Australian air space while a ‘‘Red’’ force attacks.

Italian Military Inspectors to Fly over Russia

08/26/2013

Italian military inspectors will fly over the territory of Russia starting from Monday under the international Open Skies Treaty, a Russian Defense Ministry official said. “In the period between August 26 and 31, a group of Italian inspectors will make a surveillance flight over the territory of the Russian Federation on board an Italian [Lockheed Martin] C-130J aircraft,” Col. Ruslan Shishin, acting head of the ministry’s National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, said.

Factbox - U.S., UK and French forces near Syria

08/25/2013

The United States is repositioning naval forces in the Mediterranean as it considers a possible military response to an alleged chemical attack near the Syrian capital, Damascus, that killed hundreds. Below are details of U.S., French and British forces in the region that could be involved in any attack.

Pentagon notifies Congress of possible $1.2B military sale to Saudi Arabia for aircraft support

08/25/2013

The Pentagon notified Congress Friday of a possible $1.2 billion foreign military sale to Saudi Arabia, which would support the ally's fleet of aircraft with associated equipment, parts, training and logistical support.

Red Flag Training Draws International Air Forces to Alaska

08/25/2013

A two week series of training missions that concluded today attracted military air crews from around the world to Alaska. Crews from Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and South Korea have been simulating war scenarios using F-22 jets, C-130s, C-17s and AWAC Airbornes.

Pentagon could cut 6K jobs next year

08/25/2013

The Defense Department may have to fire at least 6,272 civilian employees if automatic cuts known as sequestration slice $52 billion from its fiscal 2014 budget, according to a Pentagon planning document. Additional budget analysis is “likely to produce further reductions” as the services focus on shrinking their contract labor forces, according to a Pentagon “execution plan” obtained by Bloomberg News.

Syria gas attack: US sends warship

08/25/2013

The US Navy has sent an extra missile warship to the Mediterranean as President Barack Obama considered his options for a possible military strike on Syria in response to a gas attack that has killed hundreds. Syria hasd sought to avert blame by saying its soldiers had found chemical weapons in rebel tunnels. A senior UN official arrived in Damascus to seek access for inspectors to the site of last Wednesday's attack.

Obama Weighs Possible Military Response After Syria Chemical Attack

08/25/2013

U.S. President Barack Obama considered options on Saturday for a possible military strike on Syria in response to a nerve gas attack that killed hundreds as Syria sought to avert blame by saying its soldiers had found chemical weapons in rebel tunnels. A senior U.N. official arrived in Damascus to seek access for inspectors to the site of last Wednesday's attack, in which opposition accounts say between 500 and well over 1,000 civilians were killed by gas fired by pro-government forces.

‘Fighter plane critical for US’

08/25/2013

As combat operations resume in Afghanistan while the situation in Egypt continues to deteriorate, it’s clear we live in uncertain times and defense must remain a top priority in Washington. Not only is it important to our national security, but also for ensuring the safety of our brave soldiers when we ask them to serve in the most hostile regions of the world.

Russian Delegation Flies to US for Intl. Antiterror Drills

08/25/2013

A Russian military delegation has left for the United States Saturday to take part in a US-Canadian-Russian air-defense exercise, the Russian Defense Ministry said. The live-fly exercise Vigilant Eagle 2013 will take place from August 26 through 30.

MiG-35 Deal ‘On Track’ - Minister

08/25/2013

Russia’s Defense Ministry is not abandoning the purchase of MiG-35 fighter jets and could sign a deal next week, Trade and Industry Minister Denis Manturov said Saturday. The contract could be signed at Moscow’s MAKS International Aviation and Space show, which will run from August 27 through September 1, while first deliveries could start in 2015-2016, he said.

Russia showcasing new Sukhoi fighters at Moscow air show

08/24/2013

Russia is highlighting some of its most advanced fighter aircraft at Moscow's MAKS-2013 air show. After energy, armaments remain the Russian Federation's most popular exports. The fifth-generation jet combat aircraft on display and performing aerial acrobatics include the Sukhoi T-50 PAKFA and Sukhoi Su-35S multirole fighter jets. The MAKS-2013 air show opens Tuesday in the Moscow regional town of Zhukovsky, the Russian news agency RIA Novosti reported Thursday.

Vietnam to buy dozen Sukhoi fighter planes from Russia

08/24/2013

Vietnam has signed a contract to buy 12 Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia, which is its third purchase of this aircraft, Interfax reported Tuesday (August 20). The Su-30MK2 combat aircraft made by Sukhoi, a major Russian aircraft maker, will be delivered in 2014 and 2015 under a deal signed last week, the Russia-based news agency cited a military-diplomatic source as saying. Experts estimate that the contract is worth more than US$600 million, according to Interfax.

F-35C Completes First In-Flight Refuel With USAF KC-135

08/24/2013

On Aug. 20, an F-35 Lightning II carrier variant (CV) refueled from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 for the first time. With the completion of this test, the F-35C joins the A and B models in proving that all three variants of the F-35 can be refueled from a common tanker platform, despite different methods.

Boeing Begins Assembling 2nd KC-46A Tanker Aircraft

08/24/2013

Boeing officially began assembling the second KC-46A Tanker this week as workers loaded the aircraft’s wing spar into an Automated Spar Assembly Tool. The on-time milestone brings the program another step closer to delivering the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation aerial refueling tanker.

Russia to Unveil New Air Defense System at MAKS-2013

08/24/2013

Russia’s Almaz-Antei corporation will showcase for the first time its newest S-350E Vityaz mid-range air defense system at the upcoming MAKS-2013 air show near Moscow, the company said. The Vityaz, which is expected to replace the outdated S-300 systems, is superior to similar foreign models, according to Almaz-Antei statement released on Friday.

Afghan Air Force Solos In Combat

08/23/2013

On August 8th the Afghan Air Force (AAF) conducted its first independent air assault operation. In the past AAF helicopters were part of larger NATO air operations and under NATO command. This time it was an entirely Afghan operation, with only a few NATO advisors (mostly for support functions). Operating from Jalalabad airfield (east of Kabul near the Pakistan border).

Pentagon Weighs Firing Thousands Under 2014 Spending Cuts

08/23/2013

The Defense Department may have to fire at least 6,272 civilian employees if automatic cuts known as sequestration slice $52 billion from its fiscal 2014 budget, according to a Pentagon planning document. Additional budget analysis is “likely to produce further reductions” as the services focus on shrinking their contract labor forces, according to a Pentagon “execution plan” obtained by Bloomberg News.

Upgrades point ageless B-52 to distant horizon

08/23/2013

For Air Force Capt. Daniel “Swoop” Welch, flying a B-52 bomber has become the family business. His father, retired Lt. Col. Don Welch, was trained to drop nuclear bombs with the aircraft during the height of the Cold War. His grandfather, retired Col. Don Sprague, flew B-52 combat missions in Vietnam. “It is definitely a testament to the robust design of the B-52,” said Welch, 28. “Getting to fly the same aircraft as my father and grandfather has been pretty cool.”

US drone pilot demand outstrips supply

08/23/2013

The US Air Force is now facing a shortage in the number of pilots able to operate the military’s quickly expanding drone fleet, according to a new report published by a top Washington, DC, think tank. According to Air Force Colonel Bradley Hoagland, who contributed to a recent report on the Air Force’s drone program prepared by the Brookings Institution, it is quickly hitting a wall in the number of operators for its 159 Predators, 96 Reapers and 23 Global Hawks.

'Stealthy' F-15 SE leaves questions over future warfare capabilities

08/23/2013

Boeing's F-15 Silent Eagle (SE) is the only remaining candidate for South Korea's next-generation fighter jet project, but questions persist over whether it can meet operational needs to counter potential threats from North Korea and other Asian neighbors flexing their military muscles, experts say.

Obama Officials Weigh Response to Syria Assault

08/23/2013

The day after a deadly assault in Syria that bore many of the hallmarks of a chemical weapons attack, a sharply divided Obama administration on Thursday began weighing potential military responses to President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Senior officials from the Pentagon, the State Department and the intelligence agencies met for three and a half hours at the White House on Thursday to deliberate over options, which officials say could range from a cruise missile strike to a more sustained air ca

Korea Favors F-15 Silent Eagle Fighter Over F-35, Typhoon

08/23/2013

The Republic of Korea seems set to launch the F-15SE Silent Eagle, by confirming Boeing as winner of the F-X III contest for 60 more combat aircraft. The Yonhap news agency reported that the Eurofighter Typhoon and the Lockheed Martin F-35A have been eliminated. Boeing, Eurofighter and Lockheed Martin all said this week that they had received no official notification on the outcome of the F-X III contest.