Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

PAC meeting: US refuses to pay Pakistan for breach of airspace

12/21/2012

During a meeting of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Thursday, Malik said the US refused to pay Rs72.4 million it owed to Pakistan, maintaining that military aircraft belonged to the state and were, as such, exempted from airspace navigation charges as per international norms. He added that Washington similarly did not charge Pakistan’s C-130 aircraft for using US airspace on several occasions.

MiG-21: People’s fighter or plane dangerous?

12/21/2012

If safety is an issue, how come more than 20 air forces around the world continue to operate the Russian fighter? In fact, with upgrades this old warhorse is now able to take on more modern combat aircraft.

Military will contract out air-to-air refuelling if Canada goes with F-35

12/21/2012

The Canadian military has decided it will rely on the U.S., other allies and private companies for air-to-air refuelling if the government purchases the F-35 because the stealth fighters aren’t compatible with Canada’s current refuelling aircraft. The revelation is buried in an explosive report released last week and means the Canadian military would be reliant on third parties to realize the full benefits of its F-35s — a situation opposition critics and analysts say is completely unacceptable.

Boeing's Final Design for Wedgetail AEW&C Airborne Mission Segment Accepted by Australia

12/21/2012

The Commonwealth of Australia has completed its acquisition of six Boeing [NYSE: BA] 737 Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft and related mission systems by accepting the final design of the Wedgetail airborne mission segment. The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) operates the aircraft, which provide Australia with advanced airborne surveillance, communications and battle management.

Boeing Delivers 1st P-8I Maritime Patrol Aircraft

12/21/2012

Boeing on Dec. 19 made an on-site delivery of the first P-8I aircraft to the Indian Navy in Seattle, in accordance with the contract. India will receive this aircraft and two more of its eight contracted P-8Is in 2013. The program is progressing on schedule as Boeing assembles the fourth and fifth P-8Is, which are designed for long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare.

Indonesia to Get $400 Mln Arms Credit from Russia

12/21/2012

Russia’s Vnesheconombank (VEB) will provide Indonesia with a total of $399.5 million in credit to finance purchases of aircraft and related equipment from Russia’s state-run arms export company Rosoboronexport. The credit will be provided for a seven-year term, Rosoboronexport said. This is the second credit agreement between VEB and Indonesia’s Finance Ministry in the past two years.

Oman agrees on Typhoon and Hawk purchase

12/21/2012

The Royal Air Force of Oman has formally agreed a $4.2 billion deal with BAE Systems for Typhoon and Hawk aircraft. The UK based company will deliver 12 Eurofighter Typhoon fightets and eight Hawk 128 class jet trainers to Oman, the company said a statement published this morning. The deliveries will begin in 2017.

VIPs in Japan impressed by flight on controversial Osprey

12/20/2012

Critics claim the Osprey is unsafe. Backers praise its flexibility and cite its track record in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya. Queasy fliers have lost their lunches as it makes the mid-air switch from helicopter to airplane. No matter what you think of this hybrid aircraft, one word fits best: unique.

Mauritania hikes defence budget

12/20/2012

Mauritania is looking to substantially increase its budget for 2013, notably in the defence and national security sector. The 2013 budget draft was presented to Parliament in Nouakchott at the start of December. If approved by Parliament, the defence sector should receive 44.547 billion ouguiyas. Funds would cover the operating budget, equipment for the National Gendarmerie, salaries and equipment, and military healthcare.

BAE Said Ready to Seal Typhoon Combat Jet Order From Oman

12/20/2012

BAE Systems will sell 12 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets to Oman in a deal to be announced this week, two people familiar with the talks said. The contract is set to be announced Dec. 21 in Oman, said one person who asked not to be named because the plans are private. The deal is valued at more than $1 billion.

X-47B robotic drone aircraft completes deck trials aboard nuclear aircraft carrier

12/20/2012

Would you tell a killer robot where to park? The rise of the machines is one step closer, and this flight director had better get out of the way. This sleek and stealthy robotic combat drone has just completed its first at-sea trials aboard the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman.

Combat Aircraft Are Safer Than You Think

12/20/2012

A Hawaii based F-22 fighter scrapped its tail while landing after a Pearl Harbor Day (December 7) flyover. The damage caused will cost about $1.8 to repair. Until quite recently that would have made it a Class A (killing someone or costing a million dollars or more to repair) accident.

Chinese-Made Military Helicopters to Arrive in April 2013

12/20/2012

The Royal Cambodian Air Force will start to take delivery of 12 Chinese-made military helicopters from April next year to be used for “humanitarian” purposes and defending Cambodian airspace, an official said yesterday. Air Force Commander Lieutenant General Soeung Samnang said that the arrival of the Z-9 military utility helicopter was announced during an annual military meeting held in Phnom Penh on Tuesday.

Russia eyes big arms deal with India on sale of fighter jets, aircraft engines

12/20/2012

Russian President Vladimir Putin hopes to conclude deals on the sale of fighter jets and aircraft engines to India next week which could be worth more than $7.5 billion, defence industry sources said on Wednesday. Putin, who visits India on Monday, has his sights set on selling 42 Sukhoi SU-30MKI fighters and on the long-term supply of 970 warplane engines, one of the sources said.

Bulgaria wants to choose supplier of 8 fighter jets by March

12/20/2012

Bulgaria wants to choose a supplier of at least eight fighter jets by March in a long-delayed deal estimated at about 700 million levs ($473 million), defence minister Anyo Angelov said on Wednesday. The European Union's poorest state, which joined NATO in 2004 and is a staunch backer of U.S. military operations in Afghanistan, needs to bring its ageing Russian-made aircraft up to the standards of the military alliance.

Drones to replace F-16 fighter jets over Des Moines

12/20/2012

The roar of F-16 fighter jets streaking across the sky over Des Moines on training missions will soon be silenced. Under a budget deal set for approval this week, the Iowa National Guard's 132nd Fighter Wing will lose the jets. The decision comes after months of wrangling between Iowa's congressional delegation and the Air Force.

Russian Military to Get 30 More Su-30SM Fighter Jets

12/20/2012

The Russian Defense Ministry and the Irkut aircraft maker have signed a contract on the delivery of an additional 30 Su-30SM multirole fighter jets to the Russian Air Force by 2016. The first contract between the Defense Ministry and Irkut for the delivery of 30 Su-30SMs was signed in March. The Russian Air Force received the first two Su-30SM aircraft on November 22.

House-Senate Defense Conference Agrees on $640.7 Billion

12/19/2012

House and Senate negotiators agreed on U.S. defense legislation authorizing about $640.7 billion in the current fiscal year for the Pentagon and related programs at agencies such as the Energy Department. The annual authorization legislation calls for added economic sanctions on Iran, while giving President Barack Obama more time to implement them, lawmakers told reporters yesterday at the Capitol. The administration had said it was too soon to add to the sanctions already in place.

Airbus Expects Military Albatross to Finally Take Wing

12/19/2012

Airbus believes it can get a lift from a plane that has been dragging it down. The European aerospace company has spent five years trying to fix engineering problems with its A400M Atlas military transport aircraft, which is roughly four years behind schedule, billions of euros over budget and has become a symbol of the company's troubles in the defense industry.

Airborne intelligence: U.S. Army building NextGen surveillance planes

12/19/2012

Army scientists and engineers are developing a next generation surveillance aircraft, an ‘intelligence collection, processing, and targeting support system.’ EMARSS will ‘provide persistent multi-intelligence capability to detect, locate, classify/identify, and track surface targets with a high degree of timeliness and accuracy.’

Ace Combat Assault Horizon Xbox Live release officially delayed

12/19/2012

Originally scheduled for a December 18, 2012 launch on Xbox Live, Ace Combat Assault Horizon has now officially been postponed until sometime in January 2013.

MoD rejects HAL's proposal to build basic trainer

12/19/2012

In a sharp rebuff to Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL), the ministry of defence ( MoD) has rejected the public sector aerospace company’s proposal to build basic trainer aircraft for the Indian Air Force (IAF). This comes after the MoD discovered that HAL-built trainers would cost twice as much as proven aircraft procured from the international market.

Induction of Brahmos Air version, C-17 aircraft next year

12/19/2012

Induction of Brahmos Air version and C-17 Aircraft would form part of the major expansion in the Indian Air Force during next year, Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N A K Browne said today The first C-17 Globemaster Aircraft would reach India and the Air Force by June next and would be mainly utilised for strategic lifting and transport ofBSE 0.51 % goods and troops, besides humanitarian relief works, Browne told reporters at Sulur Aircraft Station.

Probe says military helicopters need ‘crash- worthy’ seats

12/19/2012

A final report into the crash of a Canadian battlefield helicopter outside of Kandahar city in the summer of 2010 has concluded that CH-47 Chinook helicopters need “crash-worthy seating” and restraints for passengers. The helicopter, which was on a routine supply mission and had just departed a nearby base, was reportedly shot down by Taliban ground fire.

US military reveals plans to deploy more fighter jets to Japanese bases

12/19/2012

United States Defense Leon Panetta has stated plans are in motion to deploy the F-35 stealth fighter jet to military bases in Japan. This would be the first overseas deployment of the aircraft, and they are scheduled to be sent to the U.S. Air Force base in Iwakuni by the year 2017. Panetta says the jets will be an important enhancement to the U.S.’s security presence in the Asia-Pacific.