Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Agreement Finalized for US Engines for Indigenous Indian Fighter Jet

01/21/2013

India has finalized an agreement for 99 GE 414 engines to power its indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA). This is the first, and significant, engine contract for GE Aviation to power fighter jets for India and the LCA will be the first combat aircraft in the inventory of the Indian Air Force (IAF) and Indian Navy with engines from the US. Both services have US-made transport aircraft though and all the three US engine majors, GE, Honeywell and Pratt & Whitney have supplied power units for them

How The French Air War In Mali Really Went Down

01/21/2013

Launched on Jan. 11, 2013, at the request of the Malian authorities and the United Nations to help the local army stop the advance of rebel groups towards southern Mali, the French military campaign in West Africa, dubbed “Operation Serval” kicked off with a raid performed by attack helicopters to stop the progression of a column of jihadist elements enroute to Konna, near Mopti in the center of the country.

F-35B grounded following fuel leak during takeoff

01/21/2013

F-35B aircraft under evaluation were grounded Friday after a fuel line part failed and caused a Wednesday testing takeoff to be aborted. The Pentagon’s official “red stripe” suspends flight operations until an engineering investigation is complete for the short take off and vertical landing version of the plane being developed to replace most Marine Corps aircraft.

Russia Offers Help to Transport French Troops to Mali

01/21/2013

French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Moscow has offered its help to Paris in transporting French troops and supplies to crisis-hit Mali. "The Russians have proposed to provide means of transport for the French," Fabius said in the interview with Europe 1 radio on Sunday. The Russian Foreign Ministry has not made official comment on the statement, which was made following Saturday’s phone conversation between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and his French counterpart.

Nigeria: Air Force Deploys Two Alpha Jets to Mali

01/20/2013

Nigerian Air Force (NAF) in continuation of its forces deployment to Mali has sent two Alpha Jets to strengthen the ECOWAS intervention force battling extremist rebel forces in Mali's northern flank. The fighter jets, which was authorized for combat operation by the Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Badeh, took off yesterday from the domestic wing of Nnamdi Azikiwe International Airport, Abuja.

Tyndall aids in airspace superiority

01/20/2013

Since 1953, no enemy aircraft has fired on American ground troop service members, according to Lt. Col. Lance A. Wilkins. That airspace superiority is due to testing completed in conditions that are safe and controlled but as close to combat as possible, said Wilkins, commander of the 82nd Aerial Target Squadron on Tyndall Air Force Base. He said they are doing their part to continue that tradition.

Washington: China Escalates Military Activity Around Japan, Senkakus

01/20/2013

Over the past year, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has been increasingly assertive regarding its various maritime claims—both in the South China Sea with various Southeast Asian states, as well as in the East China Sea—with America’s Japanese ally. Part of this effort has seen a larger, more constant Chinese presence in the areas around the Senkaku Islands.

Foreign nations supplying aircraft for Mali intervention

01/20/2013

Several Western and African nations are supplying transport and combat aircraft in support of the operation to free Mali from Islamist rebels, including Canada, the UK and Nigeria. The Nigerian Air Force’s Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Alex Barde, on Wednesday said that the Nigerian Air Force would start deploying aircraft to Mali in order to assist the country contain Islamist fighters. “As I speak to you now, our airplanes have arrived in Port Harcourt,” he said.

Russia ‘Flexes Muscles’ in Mediterranean Amid Syrian Crisis

01/20/2013

Russia has started the largest naval exercises in the past few decades in the Mediterranean and Black Seas as a civil war in Syria continues to gain momentum. The drills involve task forces from Russia’s Black Sea, Northern and Baltic fleets, strategic bombers, tactical aircraft, air defense units, paratroopers and naval infantry.

Swedish, Swiss Gripen buys closer

01/19/2013

It's been a promising week for Saab of Sweden – the Swedish government decided to buy its Gripen fighters and the Swiss moved closer to doing so. The decision to purchase 60 JAS 39E aircraft was made announced by Swedish Minster of Defense Karin Enstrom after the deal received strong approval in the Riksdag, Sweden's parliament.

Russian weapons are most appropriate for Bangladesh

01/19/2013

She gave an interview about the results of Prime Minister of Bangladesh Sheikh Hasina’s visit to Russia. “The decision to receive a loan of one billion dollars from Russia for the purchase of new Russian military equipment is important for us”, Dipu Moni noted.

Trainer aircraft, UAVs to debut at Aero India ’13

01/19/2013

Aviation aficionados are set to miss the sonic boom of fighter jets as transport aircraft, helicopters, trainers and UAVs (unmanned air vehicles) will steal the show during “Aero India 2013” commencing at Air Force Station Yelahanka on February 6.

REPORTS: U.S. ADDS AIRLIFT TO AID IN MALI

01/19/2013

As French military forces continue to battle extremist rebels in Mali, the U.S. will send American military aircraft to assist, reports NBC News. Citing an anonymous U.S. defense official, the station reports that American military aircraft including two KC-130 Hercules planes based in Sigonella, Italy, and an assortment of C-17 Globemaster III and C-5 Galaxy aircraft will deploy from the states.

Airbus Military delivers first two C295s to Kazakhstan and receives order for 6 more from Egypt

01/19/2013

Kazakhstan has taken delivery of the first two C295 transport aircraft that it ordered last year, marking Airbus Military´s entry into the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) regional market. The aircraft, the first two on firm contract and a further six on options to be progressively confirmed in the coming years, were formally handed over in Sevilla before the ferry flights, via Astana, to Almaty, where they will be based.

Spain to Send Plane, Military Trainers to Mali

01/19/2013

Spain will contribute to the French-led European Union operation against Islamist militants in Mali by dispatching a Hercules military transport aircraft and as many as 50 military trainers, Defense Minister Pedro Morenes said Friday. At the same time Spain, which will not send combat troops to Mali, agreed to open its airspace to EU and NATO aircraft involved in operations there, Morenes said.

Airbus Seeks to Oust Alenia for Afghan Transport Plane

01/19/2013

Airbus Military is in talks to provide troop-transport aircraft to the Afghan National Army in the wake of a Pentagon decision to scrap a contract to use planes built by Finmeccanica SpA. (FNC) The discussions involve provision of CN235s and larger C295s aircraft, Domingo Urena-Raso, the Airbus Military chief executive officer, said in an interview. The Airbus SAS unit is targeting 30 new orders this year, he said in Toulouse in souther France yesterday.

China-Japan Island Dispute Escalates to Air

01/19/2013

The action in the skies over the East China Sea started simply enough. Last week, the Chinese government sent a civilian surveillance plane, a twin propeller aircraft, to fly near the uninhabited islands at the heart of a growing feud between China and Japan. Tokyo, in response, ordered F-15 fighter jets to take a look at what it considered Chinese meddling. The Chinese then sent their own fighters.

Sikorsky, Boeing Partner for Joint Multi-Role Future Vertical Lift Requirements

01/19/2013

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., and Boeing signed a teaming agreement on Jan. 13 to submit a joint proposal in response to the U.S. Army Aviation Applied Technology Directorate solicitation for the Army's Joint Multi-Role (JMR) Technology Demonstrator (TD) Phase 1 program.

UAV competition launched for UAE

01/19/2013

Northrop Grumman and Abu Dhabi's Higher College of Technology have launched the 2013 Innovation Challenge unmanned aircraft competition. The event, which is open to the public as spectators, will be held April 23-24 at the Zayed Cricket Stadium in Abu Dhabi.

General Dynamics And Alenia Aermacchi Join Forces On U.S. Air Force Trainer Program

01/18/2013

General Dynamics and Alenia Aermacchi, a Finmeccanica company, announced today the signing of a Letter of Intent (LOI) to join forces and compete for the U.S. Air Force’s T-X trainer program, which will replace aging T-38 trainer jets and related training systems. The agreement leverages General Dynamics’ legacy of successfully integrating and delivering large, complex systems to the U.S. Air Force, Army, Navy and other government customers.

India mulls huge rise in French Rafale combat jet order, may buy up to 189 jets in multi-billion dollar deal

01/18/2013

India could buy up to 189 of the Rafale fighter jets currently being used by France to bomb Islamist militants in Mali, sources close to negotiations on the multi-billion dollar deal have told AFP.The possibility of an additional 63 jets being added to an expected order for 126 was raised during a visit by India's Foreign Minister Salman Khurshid to Paris last week, they said.

Swedish government approves 60-aircraft Gripen E programme

01/18/2013

Sweden's government has approved a proposal by the armed forces to acquire 60 Saab Gripen E combat aircraft, delivering a major boost for the developmental version of the manufacturer's flagship product. Confirmed on 17 January, the decision to field the new aircraft from 2018 is also of significance to the Swiss government, which last year signed a framework agreement with its Swedish counterpart to jointly advance the E-model programme.

Canadian C-17 completes first cargo drop to Mali in support of France

01/18/2013

Canada's C-17 heavy-lift military transport plane touched down on Malian soil for the first time Thursday carrying a French military armoured vehicle among other equipment. The aircraft departed Le Tube, France, and landed in Bamako, Mali's capital, arriving at 10 a.m. local time (5 a.m. ET). Jay Paxton, spokesman for Defence Minister Peter MacKay, said the aircraft also carried 900 kilograms of batteries.

Pilots Hone Skills in Helicopter Simulators

01/18/2013

The weather outside the cockpit looked frightful for CH-47 Chinook pilots, Capt. Ron Braasch and Chief Warrant Officer 2 Ryan Drouin as they approached Simmons Army Airfield, Jan 10. Once they had safely landed and logged their flight hours, the two 82nd Combat Aviation Brigade aviators stepped into the parking lot where the weather was bright and sunny — a far cry from the fog, rain, snow and ice they encountered during their flight.

Kazakhstan buys new military aircraft

01/18/2013

The Kazakh Air Force fleet is being replenished with new generation aircraft for the first time during the 20-year history of independent Kazakhstan, the defence ministry said today. 'Today, Astana's air base has received two C-295 aircraft from the European aviation group Airbus from Spain', the report says. According to the Defence Ministry's information, the Kazakh Air Force fleet will be replenished with eight C-295 aircraft up till late 2018.