Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Iran Not in S-300 Missile Replacement Talks – Envoy

08/01/2013

Iran and Russia have not discussed Moscow’s tentative offer to supply Tehran with Antei-2500 surface-to-air missile systems instead of the S-300, whose sale was previously blocked by the Kremlin, Iran’s envoy to Russia said Wednesday. “As for the Antei-2500 [missile] systems, it’s just words,” Seyed Mahmoud-Reza Sajjadi told RIA Novosti. “There were no agreements, and there are no talks [on the matter].”

Israel F-35 sale might drive down export prices

07/31/2013

Israel intends to order 25 Lockheed Martin F-35 fifth-generation fighters, with an option for 50 more. If it wants them quickly, as expected, the news could help some other international partners in the Joint Strike Fighter program. The Israelis have asked for an early multi-year buy (MYB) to reduce the unit cost of their first F-35s. At more than $120 million each, early production F-35As are almost three times as expensive as those to be procured during full-rate production.

Senate panel approves $594B DoD spending bill

07/31/2013

A Senate subcommittee on Tuesday approved a spending measure that would give the Pentagon $594 billion in fiscal 2014, slap new spending restrictions on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program, and provide more money for two shipbuilding initiatives.

Improving the Army’s Gray Eagle (MQ-1C)

07/31/2013

An enhanced version of the MQ-1C version of General Atomics’ Predator Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) took to the air July 26, 2013 at the company’s El Mirage Flight Operations Facility in Palmdale, Calif. It was the first flight of the U.S. Army’s Improved Gray Eagle (IGE), a next-generation derivative of the combat-proven Block 1 Gray Eagle Unmanned Aircraft System (UAS) that has accumulated over 70,000 flight hours since 2008.

Turkey’s $50 billion jet programme raises questions

07/31/2013

Turkish ambitions to build a “made-in-Turkey” fighter aircraft and buy scores of the new generation, multinational combat jet F-35 may go beyond Turkey’s financing capacity. Defence industry officials estimate that building eight prototypes for what will become the Turkish national fighter would cost Ankara over $10 billion. “Any figure in the range of $11 billion to $13 billion would be realistic,” a senior official familiar with the programme said.

IAF-HAL battle threatens to shatter military aviation indigenization

07/31/2013

India's quest to indigenize its military aviation sector has taken a sharp nosedive, with a bitter battle raging between the country's only aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) and its primary customer IAF on projects ranging from trainer aircraft to the futuristic fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA).

No decision yet on replacements for MiG-29 jets

07/31/2013

The combat aircraft to replace the Royal Malaysian Air Force’s current fleet of MiG-29 jet fighters has not been decided on, said the Prime Minister. Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak added that the recent incursion in Sabah by Sulu terrorists had forced the Government to take a look at the country’s defence strategies.

Principle Agreement Reached On Two Lower Cost F-35 Contracts

07/31/2013

The U.S. Department of Defense and Lockheed Martin reached an agreement in principle for the next two F-35 Lightning II aircraft production contracts (Low-Rate Initial Production (LRIP) lots 6 and 7), which is expected to include 71 stealth fighter aircraft and continue a reduction in F-35 aircraft pricing. The contracting effort spanned six months from proposal to settlement.

Boeing Defence Australia Takes on Prime Role for Wedgetail Sustainment

07/31/2013

Boeing Defence Australia (BDA), a local subsidiary of The Boeing Company, has taken over prime responsibility for supporting the Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) fleet from Boeing in the U.S. The move ensures a continued high level of readiness for the nation’s command and control aircraft fleet.

Indian Aircraft Carrier Passes Engine Tests in Russian Sea Trials

07/31/2013

A Russian-built aircraft carrier due to be delivered to the Indian Navy following a much-delayed refit has successfully passed engine tests during the first stage of final sea trials in the White Sea, shipbuilder Sevmash said Tuesday. The current trials focused on the ship's propulsion system and its ability to perform as required.

Russian PM Approves Aviation Industry Development Plan

07/31/2013

Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has approved a plan to implement a state program on aviation industry development in 2013-2015, the government said in a statement Tuesday. The plan is part of a broader state program to develop the industry until 2025 that was endorsed by the government in December 2012. The program aims to make the sector highly competitive and help it regain its positions on the international market.

Sequester Weakens Military, Fails to Address Real Pentagon Waste

07/30/2013

For most of last year, Democrats and Republicans in Congress agreed that the sequester was a defense calamity that would undermine military readiness and break faith with our troops and veterans. It’s hard to watch their prediction come true while the real waste at the Pentagon goes unchecked.

Budget consideration for mig-29n replacement programme

07/30/2013

Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak said the government will look into the budgetary consideration for the contract for the MiG-29N replacement programme. He said: “We are looking at our defence requirement in the future but it is not so much in terms of our future needs, but it is a question whether we can afford and it is also the question of budgetary consideration.”

China's worrying blue-water ambitions

07/30/2013

There may be good diplomatic and political reasons for this. Yet however much these concerns weighed on Canberra, one thing needs to be clear: there is no strategic basis for the newly optimistic assessment of China's rise. To the contrary, military developments in China since the late 2000s reveal a more ominous picture than many previously anticipated, or indeed than many within our defence and security establishment are today prepared to openly acknowledge.

IAF plans air combat game to attract young recruits

07/30/2013

With an aim to boost recruitment, the Indian Air Force (IAF), for the first time, plans to develop a gaming app that gives the youth a taste of air combat using advanced weapons and aircraft. The IAF has issued a request through the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity (DAVP) to interested gaming companies. 'Air headquarters, Vayu Bhawan, New Delhi, invites expressions of interest for a mobile gaming application for the IAF.

A pilot's 'unrealistic' dream comes true

07/30/2013

After three years of rigorous U.S. Air Force pilot training, 25-year-old 1st Lt. Andrew Van Timmeren, 7th Fighter Squadron pilot, finally got to climb into the world’s most advanced fighter jet and take it for a spin. Holloman Air Force Base has 24 F-22 Raptors. The single-seat, twin-engine fighter aircraft is an air dominance fighter, which utilizes stealth technology, and was delivered to the Air Force inventory to be flown operationally in 2005.

Turkey’s $50-billion jet program in question

07/30/2013

Turkey must spend nearly $50 billion if it goes ahead with its plans to build and buy 200 locally built fighter jets and acquire 100 more F-35s from an US arms maker. And that amount doesn’t even include the cost of engines for the Turkish fighter.

Rafale and F-35

07/30/2013

No one disputes the fact that Canada needs to procure new fighter jets, but that’s where universal agreement ends. Several aircraft types are competing to be Canada’s next fighter jet. In this ongoing series, defence analyst Richard Shimooka examines the pros and cons of each contender. He wraps up the final installment with a look at the Dassault Rafale and the Lockheed Martin F-35.

Squadron groundings affecting readiness, pilot careers

07/30/2013

The grounding of Air Force combat squadrons will not only have an effect on the long-term readiness of the fleet but also on the careers of pilots and maintainers whose planes were idle. The Air Force on July 15 lifted the four-month grounding of 19 combat squadrons, with pilots returning to the air at a rate that will restore their currency in about three to four months.

China shows off military hardware ahead of PLA Army's anniversary

07/30/2013

Was it a charm offensive, or a show of force by the largest army in the world? In a rare move to allow access to foreign journalists to tour a military base, the People's Liberation Army showed off its anti-aircraft brigade in Lintong, about an hour's drive east of Xi'an in Shaanxi province, ahead of the important August 1 anniversary recognised as the army's founding in 1929.

M’sia to enhance defence spending, says Najib

07/30/2013

Malaysia is looking to enhance its defence expenditure, Prime Minister Datuk Seri Mohd Najib Razak said. Najib said this will be done through deficit reduction and strengthening of the Malaysian economic and fiscal position. He said the question on the country’s defence requirements in the future is of budgetary consideration.

Rafale jet deal put on the back burner, French Minister leaves with hopes alone

07/29/2013

French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian came to Delhi, charmed his counterpart A K Antony, but could not conquer. After three days in India, when he held formal talks with the Indian defence ministry top brass and also lectured the Indian military think-tank IDSA, Le Drian returned home Saturday empty-handed, without even the Rs 1 lakh crore combat jets deal for which French Rafale was chosen as the lowest bidder in January 2012.

Luke AFB preparing for arrival of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets early next year

07/29/2013

With the arrival of the first wave of F-35 Lightning II fighter jets at Luke Air Force Base just months away, construction is under way on facilities where pilots will be trained and the planes will be maintained. In all, Air Force executives have projected a $265 million, seven-year construction program specifically to accommodate the F-35 pilot-training program at the base in west Glendale.

U.S. Army Scales Back Plans For Large UAVs

07/29/2013

The U.S. Army recently began full rate production of its new MQ-1C Gray Eagle UAV. After eight years of development and field testing, the army is ordering as many production models as it believes it can afford. The current order is for 49, the last of them to be delivered by late 2015.

SPANISH GOVERNMENT INCREASES MILITARY SPENDING

07/29/2013

Almost half of the total budget, 337.5 million euro, is destined for the Eurofighter program, whose prime contractor, EADS, will gain. Over 93 million will go towards the public shipbuilding company Navatia, who will be constructing the Juan Carlos I. Another 88.26 million will be spent on the Tiger helicopter.