Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

BAE says Asian, Mideast jet demand to offset Western cuts

06/12/2013

Sales of combat aircraft in the Middle East and Asia will more than compensate for cutbacks in U.S. and European spending, Britain's BAE Systems forecast on Tuesday. Europe's largest defence contractor said international markets outside its U.S. and European heartlands would grow to account for around half of turnover at its military air and information unit by 2016, up from around a quarter now.

Britain refused Israel military equipment for fear it would add to 'internal repression'

06/12/2013

Britain refused to provide Israel with certain types of military equipment in recent years out of fears there was a “risk of their use for internal repression” and a “risk of contributing to internal tensions or conflict in the recipient country.” The equipment, Britain worried, might also damage “regional stability” or be transferred from Israel due to the “risk of diversion or re-export to undesirable end-users.”

BAE Sees South Korea Typhoon Choice Leading Other Bids

06/12/2013

BAE Systems Plc, Europe’s largest defense company, said South Korea is poised to decide whether to buy Eurofighter Typhoon combat planes, in one of the biggest decisions since the jet lost tenders in India and Japan. South Korea may buy as many as 36 Typhoons in the next two months, Peter Anstiss, BAE’s business development director for military aircraft, told reporters today.

Pak says Indian fighter jets enter its airspace

06/12/2013

Pakistan today said it had scrambled warplanes after two Indian jets allegedly entered three nautical miles into the country's airspace over Punjab province. Officials said the incident occurred over Pakpattan district, 200 km from Lahore, the capital of Punjab. They alleged the jets remained in Pakistani airspace for about two minutes.

Lockheed Martin Releases Paris Air Show 2013 Media Briefing Schedule

06/12/2013

Lockheed Martin will offer several briefings for journalists at the 2013 Paris Air Show. These events will underscore Lockheed Martin's position as the world’s leading global security company and a trusted partner for governments around the world, delivering innovative and affordable technology to customers in more than 50 countries.

Lockheed Martin Real-Time Intelligence Support Provides Battlespace View to U.S. Air Force Aerial War Games

06/12/2013

Lockheed Martin teams provided exploitation of intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities at a level never before achieved during Red Flag, the U.S. Air Force premiere aerial warfare exercise. During the exercise, live imagery from manned and unmanned aircraft was disseminated in near real-time to the Distributed Common Ground Station Imagery (DCGS-I) mobile test bed.

Boeing Transfers 1st C-17 to Indian Air Force

06/12/2013

The Indian Air Force (IAF) flew its first Boeing [NYSE: BA] C-17 Globemaster III to India today, becoming the newest operator of the leading airlifter. "The C-17 will equip the Indian Air Force with amongst the world's most advanced humanitarian and strategic capabilities," said Air Vice Marshal SRK Nair, Assistant Chief of Air Staff Operations (Transport and Helicopters). "We have looked forward to this day when our Indian Air Force flies the first C-17 to its new home in India."

Boeing Receives US Army Contract for Up to 215 Chinook Helicopters

06/12/2013

In an agreement that will save the U.S. government more than $800 million, the Army and Boeing [NYSE:BA] have signed a $4 billion multi-year contract for 177 CH-47F Chinook helicopters, with the Army holding options that could increase its total buy to 215 aircraft. Deliveries from the agreement, which is a cost-effective alternative to annually contracting for the aircraft, begin in 2015.

Netanyahu: Israel prepared for any scenario in 'new, volatile Middle East'

06/11/2013

Citing “very volatile” conditions on the northern border with Syria and throughout the region, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu asserted on Monday that the most basic principle guiding Israel is that “whoever hurts Israel, or threatens to hurt it, will get hurt.”

NATO forces repel bold Taliban attack

06/11/2013

Seven Taliban fighters with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns launched a rare assault on NATO’s operational headquarters at the military section of Kabul’s international airport on Monday. All seven militants were killed. Their failed attack showed that despite an asphyxiating security blanket around the capital, Afghanistan’s insurgency is far from defeated after nearly 12 years of war, and militants can still menace the capital.

France Rallies Around Reaper

06/11/2013

France is apparently not pleased with the performance of its locally developed Harfang UAV and is buying two American RQ-9 Reapers, with the intention getting more and standardizing on this proven UAV design. Currently two Harfang UAVs are present in Mali (operating from neighboring Niger) and some American RQ-9s are helping out as well.

Finland Looks East Again

06/11/2013

Finland has opened a potentially significant dialogue with Russia with the goal of identifying avenues for industrial cooperation. Apart from the potential for weapons purchases and sales, future cooperation could increase Finland’s involvement in providing subcontracting capacity to Russia’s military modernization programs.

Flying colours of Air Command's 50-year celebrations

06/11/2013

The year-long golden jubilee celebrations of Central Air Command, Allahabad came to a close on Monday. In the ceremony held at Air Force Station Bamrauli, Governor B L Joshi released the 'First day cover' of Central Air Command. Earlier in the day, Air Marshal J Chauhan Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Central Air Command laid a wreath at War Memorial to pay tributes to air warriors of CAC who laid down their lives for the nation.

Bell, Boeing to get order for 99 more V-22 Ospreys

06/11/2013

The U.S. Navy plans to sign this week a five-year contract valued just under $6.5 billion to buy 99 new V-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft built by Boeing Co and Bell Helicopter, a unit of Textron Inc, the program's manager said in an interview on Monday. Marine Corps Colonel Gregory Masiello said the multiyear contract, the second one signed for the program, covers the period from fiscal year 2013 through 2017 and includes options for 22 additional aircraft.

Airmen Own the Night During Joint-Service Training

06/11/2013

A joint-coalition team led by the 451st Expeditionary Logistics Readiness Squadron peers into a dark, moonless sky in preparation for a nighttime helicopter sling load mission. All of their other senses are heightened to compensate for the reduced visibility as a UH-60 Black Hawk flown by Soldiers of the 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade approaches the site.

Academy cadets operate small unmanned aircraft systems

06/11/2013

Eleven U.S. Air Force Academy cadets learned to operate RQ-11B Raven small unmanned aircraft systems, or SUAS, during an initial qualification training course at Choctaw Airfield, Fla., June 3-14. The RQ-11B Raven is a lightweight and low-altitude, remotely piloted system that provides real-time imagery. Similar in size and shape to a baseball bat, Ravens are designed to be flown beyond a visual line-of-site from a position of cover or concealment.

Lockheed Martin Receives $34 Million JASSM® Contract for Additional Integration onto Finish Air Force F-18

06/11/2013

Lockheed Martin received a $34.2 million Foreign Military Sales contract from the U.S. Air Force to support additional integration of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) onto the Finnish Air Force F-18C/D aircraft. Finland is the second international customer for JASSM. This second contract for Finland includes test missiles, software development and engineering documentation.

Russia Scrambles Combat Aircraft in Snap Alert Drills

06/11/2013

The Russian Air Force has redeployed some 20 combat aircraft and helicopters from their home bases to forward airfields in western Russia as part of a new round of snap combat readiness check of the Russian military, the Defense Ministry said. The drills involve Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer fighter-bombers, Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker fighter jets, Mi-8 combat transport helicopters and Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters based in the Western Military District.

Tanks in Beirut as Syria protest leaves one dead

06/10/2013

Lebanese troops blocked streets in Beirut with tanks and barbed wire for several hours on Sunday after the killing of a protester outside the Iranian embassy raised factional tensions already inflamed by the war in Syria. The man died during a clash between rival groups of Shi'ite Muslims after militiamen from the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement opened fire when protesters drew up at the embassy, the latest sign of Syria's violence spilling over to its neighbours.

Japan sending soldiers in warships to US for first time for training amid tensions with China

06/10/2013

Japanese troops will converge on California's southern coast in the next two weeks as part of a military exercise with U.S. troops aimed at improving that country's amphibious attack abilities. U.S. and Japanese military officials said the unprecedented training, led by U.S. Marines and sailors, will help Japan's Self-Defense Force operate in stronger coordination with the United States, its main ally, and better respond to crises such as natural disasters.

You Know The War Is Over When. . .

06/10/2013

With combat operations winding down in Afghanistan, the U.S. Army is cutting back on purchases of its popular RQ-11B Raven micro-UAV. In the last decade the U.S. has bought most of the 19,000 Ravens produced. But now those purchases are fading to zero. Last year the army bought 1,134, this year it was 234, and next year it is zero.

YPSILANTI: ‘Wooden Wonder’ confirmed for Thunder Over Michigan Air Show

06/10/2013

Thunder Over Michigan Air Show officials announced that the World’s only flying Mosquito will perform at the 2013 Thunder Over Michigan Air Show Aug. 10 and 11 at Willow Run Airport. Thunder Over Michigan is produced by the Yankee Air Museum. Proceeds from the event help support the museum and many other charitable organizations.

Viewpoint: Blue Angels are more than recruiting tool

06/10/2013

A debate is emerging within the narrative of sequestration that calls into question the military department’s choice to continue funding service demonstration teams like the Blue Angels. In order to properly shape the debate, opponents on both sides of the argument need to broaden their perspectives beyond the current justification of recruiting or the local negative financial impact of air show cancellations.

Report urges US to supply fighter jets

06/09/2013

On the eve of US President Barack Obama’s summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping , the Washington-based Heritage Foundation has released a detailed paper urging the White House to sell F-16C/D jets to Taiwan. Arms sales to Taiwan are thought certain to be raised and condemned by Xi during the two-day California meeting which opened yesterday.

GUESS WHO'S COMING TO MILITARY EXERCISES

06/09/2013

Even though China has displayed hostility toward the United States for having its warships into the South China Sea, Beijing has been invited to participate in the 2014 Rim of the Pacific, or RIMPAC, naval exercise to be held off Hawaii, according to report from Joseph Farah’s G2 Bulletin. However, there are concerns about this participation.