Military Aviation News Archive

Shutdown grounds Air Combat Command jets

10/03/2013

Air Combat Command is grounding aircraft that are not immediately training to deploy, officials said Wednesday. The stand down is because of the government shutdown, the command said.

Watchkeeper Versus Reaper

10/02/2013

Britain is supposed to finally get its own locally made large UAVs this year. Back in 2006 the British began developing the Watchkeeper UAV and by 2010 got its Watchkeeper into the air for the first time. There are two models of this UAV; the Watchkeeper 180 and the Watchkeeper 450. Both are based on Israeli designs (the Hermes 180 and 450).

Bell Boeing team tests Osprey's ability to refuel other aircraft

10/02/2013

The medium-lift MV-22 Osprey, proven in combat as a troop and equipment transport, could soon get a new mission — refueling other aircraft. A series of tests in August and September has given aviation officials hope that the Osprey could be used to extend the range of other platforms.

Russia and NATO fly high in the sky to make each other fall

10/02/2013

Russia's National Anti-Terrorism Committee and NATO conducted joint exercises Vigilant Skies. This is a rare example of cooperation in the face of the deteriorating situation on the Syrian issue where the parties stick to the opposite positions.

F-35C Aircraft Rolled Out in Eglin AFB Ceremony

10/02/2013

The F-35C aircraft, affectionately dubbed "Charlie" was rolled out in a special ceremony at Eglin Air Force Base, Tuesday. The fifth generation jet is the latest in defense machinery and it's what some call "the future" of naval aviation.

IAF plans to replace ageing planes with superior Sukhois

10/02/2013

The Indian Air Force (IAF) will not let its fighter squadron strength drop below the existing 34 till 2017 as the Soviet-era workhorse, Mig-21s, are being gradually replaced with Sukhoi-30 MKIs.

PLA Navy prepares countermeasures against US, Japanese submarines

10/01/2013

Facing the challenge of US and Japanese submarines operating within disputed territorial waters, the People's Liberation Army is preparing for a three-dimensional anti-submarine system consisted of aircraft, surface combat vessels and submarines, according to the Hong Kong-based Wen Wei Po.

As Military Fighter Fleet Shrinks, National Guard Eyes Commercial Alternatives

10/01/2013

The U.S. Air Force is moving to retire outdated aircraft from its fighter inventory, including F-16s and A-10s that have for decades been operated by the Air National Guard.Scorpion

China Perfects Its F-18

10/01/2013

The first Chinese combat aircraft built specifically for aircraft carrier use, the J-15, appears to have started mass production. Last November one was seen making touch and go landings on the new carrier Liaoning. Since then several J-15s have been seen at navy air bases painted as combat (gray), not development (yellow), aircraft.

Denmark Prioritizes Jobs in New Fighter Competition

10/01/2013

Job creation will stand as the chief factor when the Danish government convenes to select a replacement type for its aging F-16 fleet in mid-2015.

UK military R&D is aggressive and counter-productive

10/01/2013

UK public spending on military research and development has long been among the highest in the world. Its advocates argue that this spending is focused on defending Britain and keeping our soldiers safe – an argument that has been hard to challenge because of the opaque nature of Ministry of Defence accounting practices.

Boeing's Options After Its Legacy Military Aircraft Wind Down

10/01/2013

September was not a good month for Boeing’s military platforms. Last week, South Korea’s air force indicated that Boeing’s F-15SE (Silent Eagle) proposal, which had earlier been selected as sole compliant bidder by the country’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), would not be acceptable for the FX-3 fighter competition.

Springfield Guard unit in need of more drone pilots

09/30/2013

About 40 pilots fly the MQ-1 Predator on armed recon missions abroad from inside a building at the Springfield Air National Guard Base, but the local Air Guard wing has openings for 10 more. The Air Force as a whole has embraced unmanned aerial technology so rapidly that it can’t find and train those pilots fast enough, according to a recent think tank report.

Robert Perkin: One-size-fits all F-35 does not fit Tucson

09/30/2013

Tim Steller’s recent column is a valuable addition to the debate over the deployment of the F-35 aircraft. Populated with an abundance of military retirees and a supportive business community, there is no question that Tucson is an Air Force town that will continue to favor the presence of Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.

Airbus delivers first A400M military transport plane

09/30/2013

After years of delays and huge cost over-runs, Airbus on Monday delivers its first A400M military transport plane, handing over the huge turboprop to France at its Spanish assembly plant. The pan-European aircraft maker expects the ceremony at the Airbus Military plant in Seville, southern Spain, to be the start of sales to military forces worldwide.

Russia, US Neck and Neck in Hypersonic Research – Rogozin

09/30/2013

Russia and the United States are running neck and neck in their research of hypersonic military technologies, Russia's deputy PM in charge of the defense industry said on Monday.

Lockheed Martin Wins More Than $4.4 Billion in Defense Contracts Friday

09/29/2013

The Department of Defense announced a mind-boggling 113 separate contract awards on Friday, worth $10.92 billion in total. Amazing as this number is, however, three other numbers are even more impressive: One single company won nine of these contracts -- and more than 40% of the Pentagon's money.

Jets Scrambled Twice Saturday; IDF Mum

09/29/2013

IAF fighter jets were scrambled into Israel's skies twice Saturday, for reasons that are unknown. Such events usually occur when it is believed that a foreign aircraft is invading Israeli airspace. The IDF has refused to say why the jets were scrambled.

Hagel calls govt shutdown threat 'shortsighted'

09/29/2013

Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel criticized Congress on Saturday as "astoundingly irresponsible" and said that using threats to shut down the government to satisfy a political whim is dangerously shortsighted.

Iran's military launches new indigenous combat drone, Yasir (Video)

09/29/2013

According to the Iranian Press TV, the Iranian Army unveiled Saturday, a new indigenously manufactured combat drone, the Yasir, at a ceremony attended by senior military officials, including the Commander of the Iranian Army's Ground Forces Brigadier General Ahmad-Reza Pourdastan.

F-35 Back in S. Korea Fighter Contest

09/29/2013

After it was dropped from consideration in South Korea’s fighter competition, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter appears to be back in the running after a Defense Ministry source cited the need to counter North Korea with a fifth-generation fighter.

Team Eglin improves CAF capability

09/28/2013

To provide Air Combat Command the best assessment of Maritime Strike Operations, the 53rd Wing partnered with other members of the Team Eglin test community to deliver increased combat capability for the warfighter. The final phase of the two-year evaluation was a month-long test over the Gulf of Mexico that ended Sept. 6.

U.S. Navy Blue Angels look toward a return in 2014

09/28/2013

As the sunshine and blue sky lay above the warm waves on Pensacola Beach, a pair of high performance jets soar high over the northern gulf waters in a aerobatic display which captures the attention of the sunbathers below. The twin U.S. Navy jets quickly break away in a planned maneuver and begin to soar higher into the cloudless sky. Suddenly, the jets ignite a white smoke trail which begins to trace their flight path of twin circles.

Ace Combat Infinity's Story Mode Is Free. As For Multiplayer...

09/28/2013

Ace Combat Infinity is Namco Bandai’s upcoming free to play aerial combat game for the PlayStation 3. Project leader Kazutoki Kono says that for this game, they’re going back to the roots and standards of the Ace Combat series.

Gridlock, sequester deepen military budget morass

09/28/2013

The uniformed chiefs of Army, Navy, Air Force and Marine Corps got another shot Wednesday at describing the deepening readiness crisis that Congress has inflicted on the armed forces.