Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

ILA: MiG-29 production takes off, as Indian carrier trials near end

09/13/2012

RAC MiG is boosting production activities to meet increased demand for its MiG-29 series of combat aircraft, with the design bureau also close to completing a series of aircraft carrier-based trials for India. Following its receipt of major orders to supply the Indian and Russian navies with its MiG-29K deck fighter and MiG-29KUB trainer, MiG's production partners will complete 24 aircraft in 2012, up from 11 last year.

Airbus Military Targets India as It Revives Delayed Export Drive

09/13/2012

Airbus Military is preparing to push A400M troop-transporter sales to India and other countries as the aircraft maker ramps up the pursuit of overseas customers to turn a profit on Europe’s largest defense program. Airbus is putting more efforts into exports after delays in completing the development program held back those activities for several months, Domingo Urena-Raso, the head of Airbus Military, said in an interview in Berlin yesterday.

US Osprey Military Aircraft Deployment In Okinawa May Be Delayed

09/13/2012

Deployment of the controversial U.S. Osprey military aircraft at an American airbase in Japan's Okinawa island is likely to be delayed in the context of increasing public concern over its safety.

Russian Strategic Bombers Carry out North Patrols

09/13/2012

Two Russian Tu-95MS Bear-H strategic bombers have successfully completed a routine patrol mission over the Barents, North and Norwegian seas, the Defense Ministry said on Wednesday. "Two Tu-95MS strategic bombers based at the Engels Airbase [in Saratov Region] carried out patrols over neutral waters in the Barents, Northern and Norwegian seas on September 11-12 in line with the plan of strategic deterrent," spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said.

Airbus Tanker Loses Refueling Boom Hose During Flight Over Spain

09/12/2012

Airbus Military said a refueling tanker due for delivery this month to the United Arab Emirates lost a boom in mid flight over Spain yesterday. The aircraft was performing a test flight when the boom detached at about 7:30 p.m. and landed in a forest in the province of Caceres, in central Spain. The boom was later recovered by police, and the fallen part hasn’t damaged any property, spokeswoman Maggie Bergsma said today.

Syria’s rebels counting on captured anti-aircraft guns to defeat air force

09/12/2012

Most of the civilians already have left this city of about 30,000, and many of those who remained could be seen Saturday piling trucks with their belongings. Abu al Dahour is the closest city to a military airport that bears the same name. Now it’s become the setting for a strategic confrontation that rebels hope will undercut the military’s dominance of the air.

Northrop Grumman to Supply Navigation System for Embraer's New KC-390

09/12/2012

Northrop Grumman Corporation has been awarded a contract to supply the hybrid global positioning system (GPS) and inertial reference system for the Embraer Defense and Security KC-390 medium-lift military transport aircraft.

Top military unit showcases air combat skills

09/12/2012

An Air Force tactical fighter group, which was selected as a model military unit, showcased its combat readiness and flight skills Tuesday at an air base. Pilots of the 28th Tactical Fighter Group, flying Indigenous Defense Fighters (IDFs), performed a series of maneuvers such as short landing

Cloudy Prospects for Europe's Combat Aircraft Makers

09/12/2012

Europe's combat aircraft industry faces an uncertain future. While it still has several types of fighter aircraft in production, there is no new European-developed manned combat aircraft currently in prospect and the outlook for the development and production of unmanned air systems is also unclear.

Kyrgyzstan Revises Agreements on Russian Military Bases

09/12/2012

The Kyrgyz parliament has started hearings on the revision of agreements determining the status and maintenance of Russian military facilities located on the territory of the Central Asian state. Moscow and Bishkek signed in August a new deal, which extends the presence of Russian military facilities in Kyrgyzstan for another 15 years. Their status is currently regulated by five intergovernmental agreements.

Taliban on Prince Harry: 'We will kill him'

09/11/2012

The Taliban said today it was determined to kill Prince Harry, serving in Afghanistan four years after his previous deployment was cut short over security concerns. A militia spokesman said the group had a "high-value plan" to attack the third-in-line to the throne in the southern province of Helmand, one of the toughest battlefields in the 10-year war.

India conducting paradrop training near LAC to check China

09/11/2012

India is quietly practising airdrops of paratroopers in high-altitude areas near the Line of Actual Control (LAC) to bolster operational readiness. The combat drills are a part of the overall plan to strategically counter China's massive build-up of military infrastructure all along the unresolved border.

Japanese Project F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Will Cost 50 Percent More Than Previously Estimated

09/11/2012

Japan’s Kyodo News Service recently reported that Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) projects that the cost for the Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighters (JSF) will be 50 percent greater than in the current year. The fifth-generation stealth fighters Japan has agreed to buy during Fiscal Year 2013 (FY13) may total as much as $196.9 million per aircraft instead of the current year cost of $128.6 million per plane.

Philippines eyes Indonesian patrol aircraft

09/11/2012

Indonesia could be another source of patrol aircraft for the Philippines as part of the Armed Forces' modernization program, the Department of National Defense (DND) said Monday. "Indonesia is in the shortlist. We have Indonesia, some are European countries," DND spokesman Peter Paul Galvez told reporters. A military source said the Philippines is specifically eyeing Indonesia's CN-235 medium-range twin-engined transport plane and Italy's Alenia C-27J Spartan aircraft.

F-35A Reaches Milestone in Program Development

09/11/2012

Air Force officials begin their F-35A Lightning II Operational Utility Evaluation Sept. 10, an instrumental step in beginning Joint Strike Fighter pilot and maintenance training for the service. Two 33rd Fighter Wing pilots at Eglin AFB, Fla., along with two Air Force test pilots, will conduct the review expected to last approximately 65 days.

US steps up military operations in Yemen

09/11/2012

An aerial attack in Yemen killed eleven civilians, including three women and three children, in the town of Radda last week. The atrocity, one of a growing number of deadly strikes carried out either by US drone aircraft or by the Yemeni armed forces operating under US direction, also injured several other civilians in the area.

Boeing, US Navy Successfully Complete 1st Test of Advanced Mission Computer for Super Hornet, Growler

09/11/2012

Boeing and the U.S. Navy on Sept. 6 successfully flight tested a new mission computer that will expand the performance of the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler. The new Type 4 Advanced Mission Computer (AMC) increases computing power and accelerates image and mission processing functions.

U.S. Attack on Iran Would Take Hundreds of Planes, Ships, and Missiles

09/10/2012

Should the U.S. actually take Benjamin Netanyahu’s advice and attack Iran, don’t expect a few sorties flown by a couple of fighter jocks. Setting back Iran’s nuclear efforts will need to be an all-out effort, with squadrons of bombers and fighter jets, teams of commandos, rings of interceptor missiles and whole Navy carrier strike groups — plus enough drones, surveillance gear, tanker aircraft and logistical support to make such a massive mission go.

China multiplies its war toys, India plays catch-up

09/10/2012

In 2009, the Indian Army carried out top-secret war games — codenamed Divine Matrix — aimed at analysing China’s threat to the country. The conclusion: China could attack India by 2017, and there was a possibility of Pakistan stirring the pot by trying to trouble India at the same time.

Military planners worried about strain of Libyan campaign on jet fleet: documents

09/10/2012

There was a fair amount of fretting within air force ranks about the impact last year’s bombing campaign in Libya was having on Canada’s aging fleet of CF-18 fighter jets and the country’s ability to keep pilots in the cockpits, newly released documents reveal. The multi-role fighters were called upon to enforce a UN-sanctioned no-fly zone, which eventually led to the ouster of dictator Moammar Gadhafi.

Mass protest in Japan against deployment of US military aircraft

09/10/2012

Tens of thousands of people rallied on Japan's southern island of Okinawa today against the deployment of US Osprey military aircraft after a series of accidents elsewhere involving the planes. Protesters demanded the United States and Japan immediately scrap plans to deploy 12 MV-22 Ospreys at the Futenma US base on Okinawa and shut down the Futenma base in the crowded city of Ginowan.

Russian Military Inspectors to Fly Over Latvia, Estonia

09/10/2012

A group of Russian military observers begin on Monday a six-day inspection mission in the skies of Latvia and Estonia under the Open Skies Treaty, the Defense Ministry’s press office reported. The flights will be conducted on September 10-15 from the Latvia’s Riga and Estonia’s Tartu airports. The maximum flight range will total about 1,600 km (some 1,000 miles) under the agreed flight routes.

Concerns of a Looming Crisis in European Defence Industry

09/09/2012

According to the report, Europe’s ability to develop advanced, next generation aircraft has been severely eroded and collective funding decisions are necessary to revive the industry. The study was commissioned by the Future Air Systems for Europe (FAS4Europe) and the European Defence Agency (EDA).

Upgraded Predator UAV takes flight

09/09/2012

An upgraded version of the Predator MQ-9 Reaper, the U.S. military's premier unmanned aerial vehicle, has successfully completed its first flight. General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc. said Friday its Block 1-plus Predator took to the air in early summer in California and performed without problem.

Turkey looks to Lockheed's F-35 models

09/08/2012

Turkey has expressed interest in Lockheed Martin's three F-35 fifth-generation Joint Strike Fighter variants. Ankara is close to a decision on ordering a second pair of the stealth F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Lightning II aircraft following production of the first two F-35s for the Turkish air force, a senior Turkish procurement official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.