Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Budding leaders get a glimpse into aero industry

07/14/2013

The Maylaysian students are sponsored by the company on the Chevening Scholarship and were treated to a tour of the Warton plant. The scholars, all post-graduates, were in Lancashire to get a first hand glimpse of the company’s products, and capabilities, especially the Typhoon, which is currently been promoted to Malaysia as the best option for a new multi-role combat aircraft.

Israeli fighter jets and Saudi missiles

07/14/2013

Earlier this month, a report by Reuters on the state of Israeli air defenses flew under the radar. The story noted that an F-16 on a training mission crashed into the Mediterranean due to apparent engine failure. The jet is made by Lockheed Martin and the engines by Pratt and Whitney, a division of United Technologies. Both Reuters and Agence France-Presse said the head of Israel's air force then grounded all F-15s and F-16s pending further review.

Russia’s Snap Military Drills Expand – Defense Minister

07/14/2013

Russia’s defense minister on Saturday said that up to 160,000 servicemen are involved in the large-scale exercises in the Eastern Military District, double the number initially reported. “The total number of servicemen involved in the snap drills was up to 81,000 last night, the figure this morning was up to 160,000 servicemen,” Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu said.

Freeze possible on military promotions, recruiting

07/13/2013

Failure by Congress to end budget sequestration could force the services in fiscal 2014 to freeze military promotions, suspend recruiting and halt all change-of-station moves, Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel warned in letter Wednesday to leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee.

IDF to offer tanks, planes, missile boats for sale

07/13/2013

The multi-year program, Teuza (Boldness), created by IDF Chief of Staff Benny Gantz, will turn bases into sales-lots for tanks, armored personnel carriers, warships, combat flight equipment, vehicle logistic accessories, cannons and air force ballistic systems. These items and others are expected to be on the sales block in the coming two years, as part of the cutback program taking place in the military.

UAV command, control & communications

07/13/2013

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) for years has been a focal point of the aerospace and defense community, as well as a bright spot in an otherwise bleak economic picture. The impressive growth and advancement of unmanned technologies show few signs of slowing, as militaries worldwide continue to adopt and adapt unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) for a variety of missions.

Congress fuming over U.S. purchase of Russian helicopters for Afghanistan

07/13/2013

By the end of 2016, Afghanistan’s air force is due to have 86 Russian-made Mi-17 helicopters. Most of them will have been purchased by the United States from Rosoboronexport, the same state weapons exporter that continues to arm the Syrian government of Bashar al-Assad.

Air Force Begins Massive B-52 Overhaul

07/13/2013

The U.S. Air Force is in the early phases of a massive, fleet-wide technological upgrade of its B-52 bombers, giving the war-tested platform new electronics and an increased ability to carry weapons, service officials said.

Air Force 2027: Fewer pilots, more drones, more challenges

07/13/2013

The Air Force of the future is likely to be slightly smaller and more reliant on remotely piloted aircraft, face growing challenges from the rise of Asia and rapidly increasing space traffic, and struggle to maintain its technological superiority as the United States produces fewer scientists, engineers and other highly skilled graduates.

The fighter ace has taken one more step towards extinction

07/13/2013

For kids-at-heart it was the story of the week: the US Navy has successfully landed its pointy, bat-winged “X-47B” jet-engined drone on an aircraft carrier at sea for the first time. As Ray Mabus, the Secretary of the Navy, rushed to point out, this was an historic moment – a glimpse into a future where we “radically change the way presence and combat power are delivered from our aircraft carriers.”

Lockheed Martin Delivers 100th Targeting System for F-35

07/13/2013

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] recently delivered the 100th Electro-Optical Targeting System (EOTS) for the F-35 Lightning II. EOTS provides affordable, high performance multifunction targeting to the F-35’s full spectrum of military operations.

Massive Snap Military Drills Begin in Eastern Russia

07/13/2013

The Russian military began early on Saturday large-scale exercises in the Eastern Military District aimed at improving combat readiness of the Russian armed forces, the Defense Ministry said. The exercise, which involves over 80,000 servicemen, some 1,000 armored vehicles, 130 aircraft and 70 warships from the Pacific Fleet, will continue until July 20. It is the largest surprise check of combat readiness of the Russian military in the post-Soviet period.

Egypt army to get four fighter jets from US

07/12/2013

US officials have agreed to donate four fighter jets to Egypt's army, in the latest indication of international support for the country's interim government despite growing internal unease at the new regime's management of the power transition. America's donation of the F-16s suggests the Obama administration is coming to terms with the downfall of the former president Mohamed Morsi, after initially displaying an ambiguous attitude to the military's role in the Islamist's ouster.

Pratt & Whitney Powers Northrop Grumman and Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System to Aviation History

07/12/2013

Pratt & Whitney's F100-PW-220U engine and exhaust system recently powered the first ever carrier-based catapult launch, touch and go, and arrested landing of Northrop Grumman's X-47B flight test aircraft for the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. The historic events took place aboard the USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH (CV 77) off the coast of Virginia. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.

Cruise Missiles: Everyone's Building Them

07/12/2013

It's bad enough that the United States is losing its monopoly on drones, stealth technology, and advanced electronic warfare gear. But what makes matters worse is that America is also beginning to losing its edge on a particularly deadly and effective weapon, according to a new U.S. Air Force report: long-range "land attack" cruise missiles.

Does anyone need 4th and 5th generation fighter aircraft?

07/12/2013

Russia's Mikoyan Design bureau has been going through hard times during the recent years. Not that long ago, the word "MIG" was a symbol of power of the Soviet military aviation. Nowadays, despite its glorious history, the corporation reports losses annually and becomes a regular recipient of government subsidies.

Lockheed Martin Completes Captive Carry Tests with LRASM, Future U.S. Air Force and Navy Missile

07/12/2013

Lockheed Martin recently completed a series of Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) captive carry flight tests at the Sea Range in Point Mugu, Calif., advancing the research program toward its first missile release and free flight test later this year.

F-35 Pilot Cadre Grows to 100 as Training Ramps Up at Eglin Air Force Base

07/12/2013

Maj. Robert Miller became the 100th pilot to fly the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II when he took to the skies above Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., for a training flight on July 9. Miller’s 90-minute familiarization flight included normal operations for aircraft handling and landings in an F-35A fighter. The flight followed academic and simulator instruction at Eglin Air Force Base’s Integrated Training Center, which provides pilot and maintainer training for the three F-35 variants.

Russian Aerobatics Chief Found Guilty of Bribery

07/12/2013

The former commander of Russia’s acclaimed Swifts aerobatics team was fined $25,000 (775,000 rubles) on Thursday for attempting to accept a $1,000 bribe to let a subordinate skip duty. The accused, Lt. Col. Valery Morozov, had been detained as he accepted the 31,000 ruble bribe in a sting operation in August, the RAPSI legal news agency reported from the Moscow Region military courtroom.

Russia Has No Plans to Use Nitka Pilot Training Site in 2013

07/12/2013

Moscow has officially informed Kiev that it will not use a carrier-deck pilot training site in Crimea this year, the Ukrainian Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti on Thursday. Under a 1997 bilateral agreement, Russia has occasionally used Ukraine's Nitka Naval Pilot Training Center as the only training facility for its carrier-based fixed-wing pilots.

Russia to Offer Post-Sales Services for Malaysia Jet Deal - Minister

07/12/2013

Russia is interested in adding post-sales maintenance and training to future arms contracts with Malaysia, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Thursday, in an apparent attempt to give Russia a competitive edge in an upcoming combat jet tender.

S. Korea to re-examine fighter jet project

07/11/2013

South Korea will stop the current bidding for fighter jets and revise the project as high price tags have made the chance of selecting a satisfactory contractor slim, a senior official said Thursday. The move comes after the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) carried out 55 separate biddings with three defense groups to buy 60 advanced jets with an 8.3 trillion won (US$7.2 billion) budget, but the procedure was put on hold last week due to their expensive price tags.

Japanese fighter jets scramble record 115 times against foreign planes

07/11/2013

Japan's Air Self-Defense Force (ASDF) scrambled its fighter planes a record 115 times in the second quarter of this year in response to foreign aircraft approaching Japanese airspace, the Defense Ministry's Joint Staff said Wednesday. This marked the highest level for the April-June period since comparable data became available in fiscal 2005.

Former Navy Blue Angels Pilot to Tell of Adventures Aloft

07/11/2013

Retired four-star Adm. Patrick M. Walsh of Dallas will discuss his experience as a combat pilot and member of the Navy’s precision Blue Angels flight squadron in a sold-out public lecture Saturday, July 13.

Germany's Ernst takes command of NATO Maritime Air Forces

07/11/2013

Rear Admiral Thomas Ernst, German Navy, has relieved French Navy Rear Admiral Jacques de Solms as NATO's Commander, Maritime Air (COMMARAIR) and Deputy Chief of Staff Maritime Air for NATO Allied Maritime Command (MARCOM).