Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Osprey Gets Support Role in Marine One Squadron

04/20/2013

The Marine helicopter squadron responsible for flying President Barack Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, cabinet members and other VIPs has a new aircraft: An MV-22 Osprey. HMX-1's tilt-rotor aircraft is painted green and will be used in a support role, transporting the president's staff and the media, Marine spokesman Capt. Richard Ulsh confirmed. Helicopters that transport the president are typically painted white on top and referred to as "white tops."

Home for China's 1st aircraft carrier introduced

04/20/2013

Taipei, April 19 (CNA) China's first aircraft carrier has been given a permanent base in the eastern port of Qingdao, and some of the special features of the harbor built to contain it were introduced Friday by a Hong Kong media outlet. TVB News said the harbor took five years to construct and had to overcome more than 40 major technical problems, including the installment of two specially designed giant buoyancy tanks to ensure that the carrier, the Liaoning, remains moored safely.

US eyes 'billions of dollars' of arms sales to India

04/20/2013

As the US enhances its security partnership with India as part of Asia rebalance, American companies could see "billions of dollars" in additional weapons sales to New Delhi, according to a senior US defence official. Noting that US military sales to India have grown from virtually zero in 2008 to more than $8 billion, Andrew Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, told reporters Thursday "we think there's going to be billions dollars more in the next couple of year

Very best of the next generation

04/20/2013

The idea is simple. In the air, if you can't see your enemy, he kills you. This is the poster's droll rendering of stealth technology, the sheath of radar semi-invisibility that cloaks the F-22 Raptor fighter and its first cousin, the F-35 Lightning 11, the Joint Strike Fighter, the plane slated to become the backbone of Australia's air defence.

Russia Ratifies Central Asia Base Deals

04/20/2013

Russia’s lower house of parliament, the State Duma, ratified agreements with Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan on Friday extending the presence of Russian military bases in those countries. Both bases are seen by Moscow as a bulwark against the threat of Islamist militancy and drug-trafficking in Central Asia. Moscow and Dushanbe clinched an agreement in October last year to extend the lease of the Russian Army's 201st Division's base in Tajikistan until at least 2042.

China calls on Japan to lower tensions by stopping fighter plane scrambles

04/19/2013

In a statement by the Chinese foreign ministry, Beijing is calling on Japan to stop sending its fighter planes against Chinese aircraft amidst heightened tensions in the territorial dispute between the two countries. Japan, in numbers released by its own defense ministry, has revealed that it had scrambled its fighters twice more in the past year than the years before that.

U.S. Military Aircraft Won’t Be Coming To Canadian Air Shows

04/19/2013

“Initially, a lot of heads were in the sand, thinking it wouldn’t affect us,” said Dan McLaren, who operates Mach 1 Productions, which provides airshow sound and communications services at events throughout Canada and the U.S. “But it hit home once we knew we were going to lose all of our American fly-bys, our demos, our static line participation. The Canadian military is not that big, so we rely on our American friends to fill our ramps.”

FLIR imaging system for Super Tucanos

04/19/2013

FLIR Systems Inc.'s BRITE Star DP advanced imaging system is being integrated onto aircraft for Afghanistan under the U.S. Air Force LAS program. The Brazilian aircraft, the A-29 Super Tucano, will be assembled in the United States under the Air Force's Light Air Support contract awarded in February to the Sierra Nevada Corp. and Embraer of Brazil.

Edwards Airmen Vital To Raptor's Return

04/19/2013

The U.S. Air Force Edwards Air Force Base issued the following news release: It was a proud moment for the Edwards community when Air Combat Command announced the F-22 Raptor had resumed normal flight operations April 4, particularly for the F-22 Combined Test Force and 412th Aerospace Medicine Squadron, which played vital roles in the jet's full-force return.

Canadian Forces mission to Mali ends “with a bit of a whimper”

04/19/2013

The Canadian Forces mission to Mali quietly ended two weeks ago with no official announcement or explanation. Military sources say the Royal Canadian Air Force C-17 transport plane, as well as RCAF personnel in Mali assigned to the mission, returned to Canada on April 3. Military personnel were told to remain quiet about the end of the mission but were not given any explanation why it abruptly ended.

Air Force Combat Talons fly for last time

04/19/2013

The Air Force's last four MC-130E Combat Talon I's spread their wings for a final mission from their home at Duke Field April 15. The Talons will be officially retired in a ceremony at Duke Field April 25 and the aircraft will then be flown to the "boneyard" at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz. April 25 commemorates the 33rd anniversary of the Desert One mission to free the Iranian hostages - several of the MC-130Es at Duke Field took part in that mission.

Too darned Canadian

04/19/2013

Canucks are just too darned nice and polite in the brutal business of the world grain trade. Foreign buyers of our stuff – people who like our stuff – keep telling me that. And Canadian ag trade promoters tell me they hear the same things overseas. Foreign buyers say the Yanks, the Aussies, the Europeans and others are banging down their doors, trying to sell their wheat, vegoil crops, pork, beef, whatever. They say their stuff is the best and that our best customers should buy it instead.

Services Outline Air Combat Assets in Light of Budget Cuts

04/19/2013

The Air Force told Congress yesterday the budget sequester will lead to a marked decrease in force readiness by October, including reduced flying hours and unit stand-downs which will in turn lead to long-term degradation of combat readiness.

US budget cut grounds joint air combat exercise

04/19/2013

A showcase air combat exercise of the Indian Air Force with some of the best fighters in the world, scheduled to be held in July, has been called off after a series of budget cuts by Washington have affected the US military training programe. While the IAF has been prepared for several months for the exercise that traditionally features the very latest of air combat technology and strategy, besides combat aircraft from several nations, it was informed about the cancellation a few days ago.

Demand for Russian military hardware growing in the world

04/19/2013

Russia’s positions on the world arms market are very strong - especially, in the combat aviation sector. The jet fighters Su-30 and MiG-29 are well known in many countries, including the South East Asian countries in the first place. The demand for Russian combat aircraft remains very high due to the appearance of such clients as Algeria, Venezuela, Malaysia, Vietnam, Uganda, and Indonesia. Bangladesh is expected to appear on that list soon.

Su-35 fighter jet to premiere at Le Bourget

04/19/2013

The 50th International Paris Air Show at Le Bourget, which will be held on June 17-23, will feature 27 national pavilions and at least 110 aircraft. Russia’s Su-35 fighter jet will be making its world premiere at the show. "The UAC will present two combat aircraft in Paris: the Yak-130, produced by the Irkut corporation, and Sukhoi's Su-35.

F-35 Costs Driving Away Buyers

04/18/2013

The increasing costs of the new U.S. F-35 fighter are scaring off foreign buyers. The latest country to express doubts about the cost and effectiveness of the F-35 versus their current jet fighters (often F-16s) is the Netherlands. Although the Dutch are buying two F-35s for evaluation, it’s already been noted that the F-35 costs 60 percent more (than the F-16, per flight hour) to operate.

Israel hopes deal with Turkey defuses risk of friendly fire over Syria

04/18/2013

Not only Syrian air defenses worried Israel when its warplanes bombed a suspected Hezbollah-bound arms convoy near Damascus on Jan. 30. Also probing the skies were the radars of an unfriendly NATO member close by: Turkey. That helped persuade Israel to end its almost three-year rift with Ankara in a U.S.-brokered reconciliation on March 22.

Raytheon: No US block on Patriot sales to Turkey

04/18/2013

A senior executive at U.S. defense company Raytheon has ruled out the possibility of a U.S. governmental or congressional blockade against the delivery of a critical air defense and anti-missile system, dubbed as T-LORAMIDS, if Turkey chose the Patriot solution in multi-billion dollar international bidding.

Chinook stays ‘viable, suitable and effective’

04/18/2013

The CH-47 Chinook’s reputation as the Army’s workhorse is built on solid ground as the government-contractor team behind the heavylift cargo helicopter continues to improve its capabilities. During a media roundtable Thursday that was conducted with members of the media primarily on teleconference to the Army Aviation Association of America annual professional forum and exposition at the Fort Worth, Texas, Convention Center.

Sen. Levin: Void 2014 Sequester Cuts if 'Grand Bargain' Fails

04/18/2013

An influential Senate Democrat on Wednesday said Congress should pass a plan that would void pending cuts to the Pentagon’s 2014 budget if Washington fails this year to craft a “grand bargain” fiscal deal. The 2011 Budget Control Act mandated that Congress and President Barack Obama would need to agree on a $1.2 trillion package of deficit-cutting measures or twin $500 billion defense and domestic cuts would be triggered.

F-15 test pilots now using advanced helmets

04/18/2013

F-15 test pilots at Robins are learning to use futuristic helmet technology. The pilots are being trained in the use of electronic helmets that essentially put the heads-up display inside the helmet, which they say offers many advantages in combat. Information such as speed, heading, altitude and the location of friendly and enemy aircraft is projected onto the helmet visor.

Boeing wins $1.6 bln contract for S. Korean attack helicopter fleet

04/18/2013

South Korea on Wednesday selected Boeing's AH-64E Apache Guardian to replace its aging Army helicopters, the Defense Acquisition Procurement Administration (DAPA) said. Under the 1.8 trillion won (US$1.6 billion) contract, U.S. firm Boeing will supply 36 Apache Guardians for Army battalions by 2018, along with training and logistical support, DAPA said.

Delegation Encourages Forest Service to Use Retired C-27J Aircraft to Fight Wildland Fires

04/18/2013

Senators John Thune (R-S.D.), Tim Johnson (D-S.D.), and Representative Kristi Noem (R-S.D.) today sent a letter to the Chief of the U.S. Forest Service, Tom Tidwell, encouraging the agency to consider the use of the Air Force's soon-to-be retired C-27J aircraft to fight wildland fires in the Rocky Mountain Region, including the Black Hills National Forest. The Air Force plans to divest the C-27J aircraft as part of the 2013 National Defense Authorization Act Implementation Plan.

Sequestration cuts Georgia base's budget by 20 percent

04/18/2013

The budget at Keesler Air Force Base has been cut 20 percent by sequestration, grounding planes and reducing training, Brig. Gen. Brad Spacy said Tuesday. The commander of the 81st Training Wing spoke about the effects of sequestration at the Biloxi Chamber's Morning Call at Edgewater Mall. He said one of the biggest challenges is the across-the-board cuts came so late in the budget year.