Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Work on Tranche 3 Typhoon progresses

11/06/2012

BAE Systems in Britain reports that the fuselage, wings and undercarriage for the first Tranche 3A Typhoon jet fighter have been integrated. The aircraft, ordered by four European countries that are involved in its development, is ready for the next stage of assembly, the company said. "Over the next few months, the fin and foreplanes will be fitted and all the systems will be married-up," BAE Systems said.

Strong Tailwinds for Aerospace Electronics

11/06/2012

As worldwide defense spending shows more strength than widely anticipated and the battered civilian aerospace market shakes off its slump, companies with long-time expertise in aircraft electronics will emerge as huge winners.

Eglin Completes 500TH F-35 Sortie

11/06/2012

The Integrated Training Center (ITC) here completed its 500th combined sortie for both the F-35A conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) and F-35B short takeoff and vertical landing (STOVL) aircraft Friday. Flight operations for the F-35 began on the Emerald Coast March 6. There are currently 22 F-35s at Eglin as the fleet continues to grow supporting the team as it trains instructor pilots and maintainers.

Boeing Delivers 5th Production P-8A Poseidon Aircraft to US Navy

11/06/2012

Boeing [NYSE: BA] on Nov. 2 delivered the fifth production P-8A Poseidon aircraft to the U.S. Navy. The P-8A is one of 24 low-rate initial production (LRIP) maritime patrol aircraft that Boeing is building for the Navy as part of contracts awarded in 2011 and 2012.

Flight tests on China’s air carrier confirmed by Ministry of Defense

11/05/2012

Military authorities confirmed Sunday that carrier-based jets have been conducting take-off and landing training on the country's first aircraft carrier Liaoning. According to an official report released by the Ministry of Defense, jets have practiced touch-and-go landings, a maneuver that involves landing on the flight deck of the carrier and taking off again without coming to a stop.

UK PM Cameron visits Gulf, Typhoon jet sales high on agenda

11/05/2012

British Prime Minister David Cameron will visit the Gulf and Middle East on a three-day diplomacy and trade trip this week, his office said on Monday, adding that selling BAE Systems-built fighter jets would be high on the agenda. Cameron will visit the United Arab Emirates on Monday, and Saudi Arabia on Tuesday before travelling to another destination in the Middle East, in a trip his office said "was to help Britain compete and thrive in the global race".

Marines replacing Harriers lost in attack

11/05/2012

The U.S. Marine Corps is in the process of replacing the six Marine Attack Squadron 211 (VMA-211) AV-8B Harriers destroyed during an insurgent attack Sept. 14 at Camp Bastion, Afghanistan. “We are slowly building back up,” Capt. Brett Ackerbauer told the Yuma Sun Saturday afternoon in a hangar at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma.

JF-17 Thunder to participate in China Air Show

11/05/2012

According to a press release issued on Sunday, the Thunder’s Squadron pilots have completed series of aerobatics training drill program and are fully prepared to steal the show on the eve of 9th Zhuhai Air Show.

US Air Force keeps fleet of aging warhorses flying

11/05/2012

For decades, the U.S. Air Force has grown accustomed to such superlatives as unrivaled and unbeatable. These days, some of its key combat aircraft are being described with terms like geriatric, or decrepit.

Syrian rebels attack military airport

11/04/2012

Syrian rebels attacked a military airport in the country's north on Saturday in a push to cut off Syria's biggest city Aleppo from the capital Damascus, and secure a strategic north-south corridor. President Bashar al-Assad's forces appear over-stretched with fewer fighters on the ground and have sought to limit rebel advances with far superior firepower, increasingly from the air and especially in the Aleppo and Damascus areas.

U.S. LOOKING TO NEW GENERATION FIGHTER

11/04/2012

The Department of Defense has signaled that it wants the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy to begin working on the next generation aircraft even though these services are having a hard time obtaining the fifth-generation stealth F-35 due to serious cost overruns and production delays, according to a report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin.

Saudi Air Force to get upgraded F-15S as part of modernisation deal

11/04/2012

In an announcement from the US Government on Friday it was confirmed that the order covers conversion of 68 existing F15S jets to the new F15S-A configuration. The order was widely reported in June but had been awaiting the approvals from the US Government.

US military flying power equipment to storm area

11/03/2012

In a rare airlift, the Defense Department is flying 17 aircraft from California to New York loaded with power generation equipment and crews to help restore electricity to the millions of homes and businesses devastated by Superstorm Sandy. The Pentagon says the 630 tons of equipment is being provided by Southern California power companies, including Southern California Edison and Pacific Gas and Electric Co.

Osprey flights over main isles to start this month

11/03/2012

The U.S. military has told Japan it plans to start training flights for the Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft over the main islands later this month, Defense Minister Satoshi Morimoto said Friday. Morimoto revealed the prospect during a meeting in Tokyo of all 47 prefectural governors. He said the training will be staged out of the Marine Corps base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture, and Camp Fuji in Gotenba, Shizuoka Prefecture.

UK 'considers' deploying Eurofighter Typhoon jets in Persian Gulf region

11/03/2012

Britain may deploy its warplanes in the Gulf region amid the mounting tension over a possible war between Israel and Iran and the overall turbulence in the wake of the Arab Spring, according to a British newspaper. The arrival of Eurofighter Typhoon fighter jets may be announced soon by Prime Minister David Cameron, who has been discussing the issue with rulers of the United Arab Emirates, says The Independent.

UK details 335-strong UAV force in Afghanistan

11/03/2012

The UK's armed forces currently operate 335 unmanned air vehicles in support of operations in Afghanistan, the Ministry of Defence has revealed. Responding to a question in the House of Lords on 30 October, parliamentary under-secretary of state Lord Hever detailed the current number of deployed remotely piloted air systems (RPAS) across five types.

Taking Off: Implications of China’s Second Stealth Fighter Test Flight

11/03/2012

China’s fighter aircraft development efforts appeared to take another leap forward after local media reported that Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (SAC) had successfully tested its J-31 stealth fighter prototype this week. Following the test flight of a Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) J-20 prototype less than two years ago, the test of the J-31 suggests China could eventually become only the second country behind the U.S. to develop two stealth fighter programs.

Sikorsky Continues to Expand Its Capabilities in Colombia

11/02/2012

Sikorsky Aircraft today announced it has expanded its support of the Colombia Armed Forces BLACK HAWK helicopter fleet by opening an office in Bogota, Colombia. In addition, Sikorsky will open South America's first BLACK HAWK helicopter training center in Melgar, Colombia, in early 2013. Sikorsky is a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp.

Kenya among Africa’s top spenders on military

11/02/2012

Kenya has been ranked among the countries with the highest defence budgets in Africa, thanks to two decades of a steady increase in military expenditure. It is ranked seventh behind Algeria, South Africa, Angola, Libya, Nigeria, Egypt and Morocco, having surpassed Tunisia last year.

MiG-29K carrier trials for India completed

11/02/2012

RAC MiG has completed sea trials of its MiG-29K/KUB combat aircraft involving the Indian navy's future aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya, with deliveries under New Delhi's 2010 contract on track to start late this year. "All tests on the ship have been completed successfully, and the customer signed the respective protocol. We no longer need a carrier [for trials]," says RAC MiG general director Sergei Korotkov.

Korea, UAE Negotiating Construction of International Military Flight Training Center

11/02/2012

If a deal is reached between Korea and the United Arab Emirates on the international military flight training center, it would allow Korea to increase exports of aircraft and related equipment, including its home-made supersonic advanced trainers, the T-50 Golden Eagle. All told, the project would increase exports to the UAE by more than 600 million U.S. dollars.

Canada launches review into F/A-18 fighter replacement

11/02/2012

Canada has initiated an independent assessment into the acquisition process used to replace its air force fleet of Boeing F/A-18 combat aircraft, which has so far favoured the purchase of Lockheed Martin's F-35A Joint Strike Fighter. The Public Works and Government Services Canada body on 26 October issued a request for proposals "to obtain the services of a firm to conduct an independent review of the steps taken up to June 2012 in the acquisition process for the replacement of the CF-18".

Hammond underscores joint force model for UK F-35s

11/02/2012

UK defence secretary Philip Hammond has underscored the importance of the nation's future Lockheed Martin F-35 combat aircraft as a joint asset between the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy, and revealed the expected extra cost of bringing the latter's second new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carrier into operational use.

China 'makes first test flight' of new stealth fighter jet

11/02/2012

The J-31, the second stealth plane to be unveiled by China in less than two years, flew for 11 minutes on Wednesday morning, the state-run Global Times reported, citing an eyewitness. Photos posted online by Chinese military enthusiasts appeared to show the black-painted combat plane in mid-flight. Images of the aircraft were first leaked online in September.

Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Variants Declared 'Mission Capable' After U.S. Air Force Testing

11/02/2012

The Lockheed Martin HC-130J Combat King II and the MC-130J Commando II aircraft have been certified as “Effective, Suitable and Mission Capable” by the Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center. The U.S. Air Force is currently recapitalizing the HC, MC and AC-130 gunship fleets with new C 130J variants.