Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Norwegian F-35 jets scramble to intercept Russian planes

11/19/2023

NATO Air Command disclosed on Friday an urgent scramble of Norwegian F-35 fighter jets from Evenes base as Russian military aircraft encroached upon the fringes of NATO Allied airspace. The Norwegian 5th Generation F-35 fighters were mobilized in response to the identification of two Tu-160 strategic bombers, accompanied by two MiG-31 interceptors and two Il-78 Midas aerial refueling aircraft.

Pakistan in talks to buy Chinese light combat jet

11/19/2023

During the 2023 Dubai Airshow, China’s Hongdu Aircraft Company confirmed that Pakistan is engaged in formal negotiations to acquire light attack aircraft from China. This potential acquisition aims to replace the aging F-7PG fighters currently used by the Pakistan Air Force for combat pilot conversion. According to Hongdu, Pakistan wants to buy a light attack aircraft version of the L-15 trainer.

NATO Picks E-7 as Its New AWACS; Six Aircraft to Start

11/18/2023

NATO has selected Boeing’s E-7 Wedgetail as its next airborne moving target indicator and air battle management aircraft, succeeding the aging Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS, the alliance announced this week. The first of six aircraft will be operational by 2031, but the fleet may grow beyond that number.

Boeing's F/A-18 Block III Super Hornet Is a Special Fighter Plane

11/18/2023

The McDonnell Douglas F-18 multi-role fighter has been the versatile workhorse of the US Navy for nearly 40 years. To stay relevant and competitive over four decades, multiple iterations of the F-18 have been released, each an upgrade from the previous. The original Block I “Hornet” was a fourth-generation fighter, designed in the 1970s, that became operational in 1984. The upgraded Block II “Super Hornet” was delivered in 2005.

China’s new carrier-based AEW aircraft undergoes intensive trials

11/18/2023

Recent updates on developing the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy’s (PLAN) KJ-600 carrier-based airborne early-warning (AEW) aircraft indicate intensive trials underway for this critical component of the new domestically built Type 003 aircraft carrier Fujian.

Australia considers supplying Ukraine with combat aircraft a "complicated issue"

11/18/2023

Australian Defense Minister announced on Thursday that Ukraine's request to enhance its air combat capabilities is a "complex issue," casting doubt on the proposal to support the Ukrainian army with outdated warplanes. Australia has increased its support for Ukraine on the sidelines of the NATO summit held in Lithuania. It pledged to send an additional 30 Bushmaster armored vehicles worth $67 million US dollars.

Russia concerned about prospect of Ukraine deploying Western-provided combat aircraft – UK intel

11/18/2023

For the first time, Russia has likely started using A-50 MAINSTAY D, its Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft, to identify targets over Ukraine for its SA-21 long-range ground-based air defence missile system.

The F-35 Is About to Get Even Better

11/16/2023

The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is already considered by many to be among the most capable combat aircraft in service anywhere in the world today, but the United States Navy has called for the aircraft to be potentially even deadlier.

China's J-10 Fighter: Why Won't Any Air Force Buy It?

11/16/2023

Earlier this month, Beijing sent seven of its J-10C jet fighters to the Middle East. The aircraft weren't deployed as part of any Chinese military operations – and rather were from the People's Liberation Army Air Force's August 1st Aerobatics Team, which performed during the Dubai Air Show. Named for the date of the founding of the PLAAF – the first of August 1927 – and established in 1962, the elite aviation team has performed at air shows around the world.

Boeing Preparing Strategy For Future T-7 Variants

11/16/2023

Boeing plans to release a strategy soon for adapting the T-7A for new missions after the trainer jet enters full-rate production, but several changes—including a switch to a classified infrastructure—are needed for the Red Hawk to perform an emerging “surrogate” mission and become an operational fighter.

US Official: Major Ukraine F-16 Maintenance Will Take Place in Poland

11/16/2023

Ukraine’s new F-16 fighter jets once deployed for combat will undergo major maintenance in the NATO member state Poland, a senior US government official said on Tuesday. Bill Laplante, US Deputy Secretary of Defense for Procurement and Logistics, announced at a Defense Summit organized by the newspaper Politico in Washington.

Indonesian, Singaporean Air Forces conduct joint training at Pekanbaru

11/15/2023

Indonesian Air Force and Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) conducted joint training in Pekanbaru regarding war tactics currently entering the final phase of Mission Oriented Training (MOT) or 4th Joint Fighter Weapon Course (JFWC). The arrival of six F-16 fighter aircraft comprising five F-16 AM/BM aircraft from Air Squadron 3, one F-16 D aircraft from Air Squadron 14 at the Iswahjudi Air Base, and one CN 295 aircraft from Air Squadron 2 marked the start of the final phase.

Pakistan’s JF-17 Block III Aircraft ‘Thunders’ At Dubai Air Show In Its Debut International Exhibition

11/15/2023

The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) & Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) JF-17 Thunder Block III fighters are making their debut appearance at an international defense exhibition, the Dubai Air Show 2023.

Air Force plans production of CCA wingman drones by FY28: Kendall

11/15/2023

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall said today that the service intends to have the wingman drones being developed under the Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) programin production by fiscal 2028. “We intend to have the uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft in production by the end of the five year plan, if we can get started,” he told Politico’s Defense Summit.

In first, Emirati guided weapons to be equipped on UAE’s French Rafale F4 fighter fleet

11/15/2023

The United Arab Emirates’ largest defense conglomerate plans to equip the nation’s new Rafale F4 fighter jets with a subsidiary’s precision-guided munitions, in what would be a first for the French-made jet. Three different munitions — the Mk81, Mk82 and longer-range Mk83 guided bombs made by EDGE subsidiary Al Tariq — will all be integrated on the fourth generation plane in due course, according to Al Tariq CEO Theunis Botha.

Kendall Reveals Secret X-Plane Program Paved the Way for NGAD

11/15/2023

There was a secret, multi-agency X-plane program to explore future fighters that paved the way for the Next-Generation Air Dominance program, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall revealed at the POLITICO Defense Summit on Nov. 14. Although Kendall and other Air Force officials have previously said there were flying prototypes before the current stage of the NGAD program,

U.S. Air Force begins flight tests for T-7A Red Hawk digital trainer aircraft

11/14/2023

The aircraft - using the call sign APT-2 - is the first production representative jet off the assembly line and was piloted by a joint U.S. Air Force and Boeing aircrew. According to the Air Force announcement, the aircrew collaboration in the cockpit represents the structure of the T-7A Integrated Test Force, which will see Air Force and Boeing team members working shoulder-to-shoulder to rapidly test and certify the aircraft.

F-15EX not currently at risk of schedule breach, despite delivery delays: USAF

11/14/2023

The first batch of Boeing’s F-15EX Eagle II fighters is running late, but not late enough to trigger a schedule breach if current plans hold, according to an Air Force spokesperson. However, the service also confirmed that the first four lots of jets — about half the total expected buy — will not come with conformal fuel tanks, a decision that would reduce those fighters’ potential ranges and limit their ability to conduct ground attack missions.

Commercial tanker refuels US Air Force fighters for Singapore exercise

11/14/2023

The U.S. Air Force conducted its first aerial refueling of fighter aircraft by a commercial tanker on Nov. 6. The commercial refueling of F-16 Fighting Falcons from Osan Air Base in South Korea took place as part of the Commando Sling 23 joint exercise conducted in Singapore. The bilateral training event with the Republic of Singapore Air Force is sponsored by Pacific Air Forces and is intended to improve how the island nation operates with the United States.

Europe opens F-16 warplane training center for Ukrainian pilots

11/14/2023

The European training center to teach Ukrainian pilots how to operate F-16 combat planes was officially opened on Monday in Romania. "The center will be an international hub for the training of F-16 pilots and will facilitate increased interoperability among allies," the Romanian defense ministry said. It was inaugurated by Romanian Defense Minister Angel Tîlvar and his Dutch counterpart Kajsa Ollongren at an air base east of Bucharest.

China’s J-10 Firebird Looks To Eat Into Rafale’s Market As Many Nations Not Keen On US, Russian Warplanes

11/12/2023

The upcoming Dubai Airshow 2023 is poised to witness a showdown between one of the world’s most popular 4+ generation fighter jets, the French Dassault Rafale, and one that is looking for a breakthrough in the international markets, i.e., the Chinese J-10C.

US military aircraft crashes over eastern Mediterranean Sea

11/12/2023

A US military aircraft has gone down over the eastern Mediterranean Sea, US European Command said Saturday. The command said in a statement that the aircraft crashed while conducting training operations. It said the cause is under investigation, but there are no indications of any hostile activity involved.

A military jet crashes in eastern Myanmar. Ethnic resistance groups claim they shot it down

11/12/2023

A Myanmar military jet fighter crashed Saturday in a combat zone in the eastern state of Kayah, a military officer and a member of an anti-military resistance organization said. The resistance group said the plane had been shot down, but its claim could not immediately be confirmed.

Boeing Announces Arrival Of ‘World’s Best Dogfighter’ – F-15QA In Dubai; Here Is What Makes Them The ‘Best’

11/12/2023

On November 10, US aerospace manufacturer Boeing announced that its advanced F-15QA Ababil fighter aircraft, operated by the Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF), successfully touched down in Dubai for their inaugural participation in the Dubai Air Show.

Emirati firm to put missiles on MQ-9B, as US official says SkyGuardian, F-35 deal still ‘on the table’

11/11/2023

General Atomics plans try adding missile systems made by the Emirati defense conglomerate EDGE Group to its MQ-9B SkyGuardian unmanned aerial vehicle, as a multi-billion dollar deal between the United Arab Emirates and General Atomics to buy several of the drones remains stalled but alive.