Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Northrop Grumman Supplies Two Global Hawk Unmanned Aircraft to U.S. Air Force

01/09/2013

Northrop Grumman Corporation has completed early delivery of two Global Hawk unmanned aircraft to the U.S. Air Force. Global Hawk allows military commanders to receive high-resolution imagery, survey vast geographic regions and pinpoint targets on the ground. Both aircraft were delivered ahead of schedule in late November.

IN FOCUS: China’s new strategic airlifter

01/09/2013

Few aircraft are as intriguing - and vexing - as the prototypes that periodically appear at Chinese airfields. The most recent example to have set China' blogosphere abuzz is the Xian Y-20 strategic airlifter, a type that could one day enhance Beijing's ability to project power as far abroad as the Indian Ocean and even Africa.

Recovered Drone Used As Unarmed Target – US

01/09/2013

The unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) recovered off the waters of Masbate early Sunday morning came from Guam where it was launched during a military exercise, the United States embassy said yesterday. This, as the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) maintained that the said UAV “is not a spy plane but an aerial target drone.”

BAE Butts Into Lockheed’s $3 Billion F-16 Servicing Work

01/09/2013

BAE Systems Plc is encroaching on a $3 billion market for F-16 upgrades dominated by Lockheed Martin Corp., which makes the fighter jets. BAE last year beat the Pentagon’s biggest contractor for a deal to refurbish about 130 of South Korea’s jets. It was the first time a company other than Lockheed has won such work through the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program, according to Dave Herr, president of BAE’s support solutions business.

Pratt & Whitney gets $300M contract from South Korea Air Force

01/09/2013

Pratt & Whitney, the largest unit of East Hartford, Conn.-based United Technologies Corp., received a $300 million contract from the government of South Korea to maintain F100 engines for the country’s fleet of Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters and Boeing F-15K fighters. The performance-based logistics (PBL) contract is for five years, and covers more than 230 engines, according to a statement from the company.

Military at loggerheads over carriers

01/09/2013

Even as the first of Britain’s two new aircraft carriers rises from the dry docks in Rosyth, debate over how they will be used and whether they are needed continues to rage among military chiefs and experts. The Royal Navy has long argued that the new ships – Queen Elizabeth and Prince of Wales – are essential if the UK is to project military power against potential adversaries in the 21st century.

Blue Sky Network and S4A Announce Issuance of EASA Supplemental Type Certificate for Iridium® Communication System on Airbus Military Aircraft

01/09/2013

Blue Sky Network, a leading global provider of satellite tracking and communication solutions for aviation, land, and marine, and its reseller partner, S4A (Solutions For Aviation), today announced the issuance of a Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) for Blue Sky Network’s voice system on C-212-200 Airbus Military aircraft. The certification was supplied by the European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA).

Russia to Get 20 New Aerospace Defense Radars

01/09/2013

Russia’s Aerospace Defense Forces will received about 20 new radar stations this year, a Defense Ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. The radars will include systems of different classes and modifications, including Gamma-S, Nebo-U and Podlyot-K, as well as modernized Desna and Kasta systems, Col. Alexei Zolotukhin said.

First rigid airship since the Hindenburg enters trials

01/08/2013

The first rigid airship to be built since the 1930s is about to commence trials in California: and the Pelican prototype also features a new technology, never yet flown, which could finally change things for lighter-than-air craft and see the leviathans of the skies make a serious comeback at last.

Unmanned J-6 fighter jets put on Fujian air base

01/08/2013

A large number of old J-6 fighter jets that have been converted into unmanned attack aircraft are being stationed at Liancheng Air Base in Fujian province, according to the latest issue of Kanwa Defense Review. China's Huanqiu.com cited the Canadian online magazine as saying that satellite photos taken on July 31, 2011 showed there were at least 55 of the J-6 aircraft on the base.

Why Canada Should Buy The Saab JAS39 Gripen E “Next Generation” Fighter

01/08/2013

Contrary to the assertions of politicians and officials[1], there are several viable alternatives to the F-35A. The Rafale, Eurofighter, Next Generation Gripen, and F/A-18 E Super Hornet are all very capable fighter jets that could serve Canada very well.

Israel backpedals on plans not to deliver AWACS equipment [Cihan News Agency (Turkey)]

01/08/2013

Israel, whose relations with Turkey have been strained since its troops staged a deadly attack on a Turkish passenger ship in which nine civilians were killed as part of a flotilla bringing supplies to Gaza in May 2010, has changed its mind about not delivering hardware to be installed on Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) military aircraft to Turkey.

Russia takes delivery of fighters, bombers

01/08/2013

The Russian air force has received two new batches of fighter and bomber aircraft from Sukhoi. Sukhoi said the deliveries last month were comprised of six Su-35S production multifunctional fighter aircraft and five serial Su-34 frontline bombers. The Su-35S, called the Flanker-E by NATO, is an upgraded single-seat, twin-engined 4++ generation fighter with a maximum speed of more than 1,400 miles per hour at altitude and a maximum ceiling of 59,100 feet.

Think outside the box when replacing search planes, bidders urge Ottawa

01/08/2013

A pair of leading U.S. aircraft-makers is urging Ottawa to think outside the box as the government prepares to revive a long-stalled program to replace the country's search-and-rescue planes. Boeing and Bell Helicopter, partners in the V-22 Osprey, plan to enter into the competition the tilt-rotor aircraft that can fly like a plane, but also hover like a helicopter.

Cobham plc Cobham Awarded $31 Million U.S. Navy Contract

01/08/2013

Cobham has been awarded a $31.7 million contract from the US Navy's Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) to manufacture the AN/ALQ-99 Low Band Transmitter-Antenna Group for Navy and Marine Corps EA-6B and EA-18G electronic warfare aircraft. The contract funds the sixth full-rate production lot, and includes the first instalment of two-part procurement for a Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to undisclosed customers.

India selects Airbus Military MRTT for six-aircraft deal

01/08/2013

India has selected the Airbus Military A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) as its preferred bid for a six aircraft requirement to supply the nation's air force. Airbus Military says it expects the deal to be finalised later this year. The decision follows a flight test campaign carried out in India where the aircraft was used to refuel multiple fighter types and also performed operations from high-altitude air bases.

Russia Buys Its Way In

01/07/2013

A Russian bank will handle a $400 million loan to Indonesia for the purchase of six more Su-30 jet fighters. The Russian government is guaranteeing the seven year loan. Indonesia agreed to this purchase a year ago, but sorting out details delayed closing the contract until recently. Indonesia already has ten Su-27s and Su-30s, but wants at least 16 of these modern aircraft so they will have a full squadron.

5% budget cut stalls Defence plans

01/07/2013

Battling the ongoing economic slowdown, the Centre has effected a five per cent cut in the Rs.1.93-lakh-crore defence budget for this financial year. The cut is estimated to be around Rs.10,000 crore, Defence Ministry sources said. It is likely to put the brakes on ambitious plans of modernisation within the Army, the Navy and the Air Force and push, to the next fiscal, several key acquisition plans.

Fiscal-cliff fears trigger potential bonanza for Lockheed, region's military contractors

01/07/2013

In the weeks leading up to the dreaded "fiscal cliff," the U.S. military flung open its coffers and awarded a slew of defense contracts before Jan. 1, when automatic spending cuts had been scheduled to take effect. Agencies within the Department of Defense committed billions of dollars to the contract pipeline in December — for everything from fighter jets and missiles to training simulators and construction projects.

Obama's Asia Pivot in 2013

01/07/2013

As political tensions increase in East Asia, various pundits are questioning American strategy and ability to address security issues. Most of these questions challenged President Obama’s “Asia Pivot” – the new American defense strategy that calls for strengthening American military might in the Asia-Pacific. This debate resurfaced as North Korea launched a satellite on December 12th.

Next-generation fighter jet spurs debate in Vermont

01/07/2013

Plans on where to base the U.S. military's next-generation fighter jet, the F-35, concern people in communities from California to Florida to Maine who worry the aircraft are too loud. In Vermont, where the Air National Guard has flown planes from Burlington International Airport for more than 60 years, opponents are especially vocal. But in other communities, even some long accustomed to the roar of military aircraft, the noise of the F-35 has been an issue.

The Booming Business of Drones

01/06/2013

Less than a decade ago, the Pentagon had about fifty unmanned combat air vehicles (known as drones or UAV — unmanned aerial vehicles). It is estimated that they currently have about seven thousand of them (and Congress asked for about $5 billion worth of more drones in 2012).

Resetting the F-35 buy

01/06/2013

Much of the recent commentary on the F-35 procurement misses a central point: exorbitant cost is not the only reason to reconsider the aircraft. Defence Minister Peter Mackay's December 2012 announcement of a "reset" on the F-35 acquisition has spurred plenty of debate on the $46-billion price tag for 65 aircraft over 42 years. What the conversation is missing, however, is the military-strategic elements.

First female commander of carrier air wing takes reins

01/06/2013

Capt. Sara Joyner laughed when she realized that as the first female fighter pilot to command a carrier air wing, she would answer to the call sign "Battle Axe." "If you look up the word 'battle-axe,' it is a slightly overbearing and domineering woman," Joyner told reporters Friday after assuming command of Carrier Air Wing 3 - nicknamed "Battle Axe" - during a ceremony at Oceana Naval Air Station. "I found that humorous."

A year on, deal with Dasault not in sight

01/06/2013

Contrary to expectations of an early push towards finalising the contract for the 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) for the Indian Air Force, the deal will not be signed before the current financial year comes to an end in March this year. The IAF is keen that the negotiations are concluded and the way is paved to finalise the multi-billion dollar deal with the French manufacturer Dasault Aviation for its Rafale ominrole fighter plane.