Military Aviation News Archive

Boeing Receives $2 Billion C-17 Aircraft Sustainment Contract

10/11/2012

Boeing will continue assuring the worldwide availability of C-17 aircraft, which provide vital military and humanitarian airlift capability, through a $2 billion follow-on contract it recently received from the U.S. Department of Defense.

$3.77 bn Super Sukhois deal to be signed during Putin’s visit

10/10/2012

Defence ties have clearly been the engine of India-Russia bilateral relationship for over half a century now. The same engine is set to be roaring once again when Russian President Vladimir Putin undertakes a visit to India this month-end. The two countries are going to sign numerous agreements – at least half a dozen, according to knowledgeable sources – and one of these is going to be a $3.77 billion deal for the supply of 40 SU-30MKI Russian fighter aircraft to India.

Osprey Flight Operations Tested Aboard Nimitz

10/10/2012

The aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) received and refueled an MV-22 Osprey, a potential replacement for the C-2 Greyhound, for the first time Oct. 6. The Osprey, assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 165, was the first from (VMM) 165 to make a carrier-based landing and was part of an on-going initiative from the Joint Program Manager Air (PMA) 275 office to increase the number of available platforms.

Japanese Premier Urged To Shift US Airbase From Okinawa

10/10/2012

Okinawa Governor Hirokazu Nakaima met Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda in Tokyo on Tuesday and urged him to relocate the U.S. Marine Corps Futenma Air Station from the densely-populated Ginowan city in the prefecture as early as possible.

Green Blade exercise validates EDA helicopter initiative

10/10/2012

The European Defence Agency's (EDA's) helicopter training programme has concluded its second multinational exercise this year, with its "Green Blade" manoeuvres having run between 18 September and 5 October in Belgium.

Iraq PM Confirms $4 Bln Arms Deal with Russia

10/10/2012

Russia will deliver attack helicopters and mobile air-defense systems to Iraq in arms deals worth $4.2 billion signed earlier this year, it was disclosed today during a visit to Moscow by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki in which he met his counterpart Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev.

Lockheed Martin-Led Industry Team Receives $13.5 Million Contract to Develop New Autonomous Technology Aboard Unmanned Aircraft

10/10/2012

The Office of Naval Research has awarded a $13.5 million contract to an industry team led by Lockheed Martin to explore highly advanced autonomous technologies aboard an unmanned vertical take-off and landing aircraft.

Boeing, KAL-ASD Broadening Defense Collaboration for Miltary Aircraft

10/10/2012

Boeing and Korean Air Aerospace Division (KAL-ASD) will broaden their cooperative relationship to include rotorcraft, fixed-wing aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles, and military aircraft maintenance and support through a memorandum of understanding (MOU) signed on Oct. 4.

Boeing Names Managing Director for Its Defense Business in Saudi Arabia

10/10/2012

Boeing has named Chris Smith vice president and managing director for its defense business in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia to further strengthen customer relationships and establish new in-country partnerships. Smith will be based in Riyadh and focus on ensuring that the best of Boeing and industry are brought to support the Kingdom's defense and security needs. He will report to Chris Raymond, vice president of Business Development and Strategy for Boeing Defense, Space & Security (BDS).

IAF decides on 144 Fifth Generation Fighters

10/09/2012

Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal NAK Browne told India Strategic in an interview on IAF’s 80th Anniversary that all these aircraft would be single seaters, the same which the Russian Air Force will have but some components like onboard computers and systems would be different as in the case of SU 30 MKIs.

India’s Aircraft Carrier Challenge

10/09/2012

Strategist Edward Luttwak likens warships to “black boxes” during peacetime strategic competition. Without peering inside, outsiders have a hard time judging how well designed, maintained, and operated a ship is. Combat clarifies a ship’s fitness by the most stringent standard possible, but battles are infrequent. The U.S. Navy’s last major fleet engagement, for example, took place at Leyte Gulf in October 1944.

Miramar Creates Home for Future Squadrons

10/09/2012

Aircraft noise on the flight line aboard Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, Calif., is not the only thing heard across the air station. Construction on a new MV-22B "Osprey" hangar, an addition to an existing CH-53E "Super Stallion" hangar and work on taxi ways and aircraft parking areas, known as aprons, are all underway.

Sudan military plane crashes near Khartoum, killing 15

10/09/2012

A Sudanese military transport plane crashed near the country's capital on Sunday morning, killing fifteen people and injuring the seven survivors, a military spokesman said on Monday. It follows a deadly plane crash in the southern region of Sudan in August. The Antonov An-12, which was carrying sixteen service members and six crew members, crashed on Sunday morning while attempting to carry out an emergency landing about 40 kilometers (24.8 miles) west of Omdurman.

Drone flight shows Israel is vulnerable: Iran military official

10/09/2012

The incursion by an unmanned aircraft into Israeli airspace at the weekend exposed the weakness of Israeli air defenses, an Iranian military official was quoted as saying on Monday. The Israeli air force shot down a drone on Saturday after it crossed into southern Israel, the military said, but it remained unclear where the aircraft had come from.

Thinking About the Unthinkable: War in the Senkakus

10/08/2012

I am more sanguine than most about how the Japanese Self-Defense Forces stack up against China’s People’s Liberation Army. The SDF would acquit itself well in combat if commanders artfully combined all warfighting implements at their disposal, from ships to aircraft to shore-fired missiles. Tokyo has options; it even has advantages.

A strategic pact with Afghanistan

10/08/2012

This is with reference to the press conference by Afghan President Hamid Karzai in which he put forward conditions for signing a strategic pact with Pakistan. Afghanistan has already signed two strategic pacts: one was with India, signed in October 2011, which allows it to provide military training to the Afghan army; and the other was with the US, signed in May 2012, and it binds the US to maintain a military presence in Afghanistan till 2024.

Indian Air Force breaks new ground, puts women pilots in combat mode

10/08/2012

Another male bastion, this time in the air, has gone to women. For the first time ever, the Indian Air Force is preparing two of its women pilots for combat roles. Flight Lieutenants Alka Shukla and M P Shumathi were trained at the Yelahanka station in flying twin-engine Mi-8, a utility and medium-size assault helicopter. Both pilots are at their operational units where they will continue with their armament and special heli-operations training.

Bangalore bids to be India's aerospace hub

10/08/2012

This is the Rudra - one of the modern fighter aircraft produced at Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (Hal), India's oldest and largest aircraft manufacturer. The helicopter has been fitted with technology including laser rangefinder and thermal vision to enable the detection of targets in all weather conditions.

India Successfully Test Fires BrahMos Cruise Missile BrahMos supersonic cruise missile

10/08/2012

The Indian Navy has successfully test-fired a BrahMos supersonic cruise missile launched from a warship off the western Goa coast, India’s Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO) reported on Sunday. The BrahMos missile, a joint development of Russian and Indian specialists, was launched from the guided missile frigate INS Teg built by Russia on order from the Indian Navy. “The missile hit the designated target at a distance of 290 km,” the DRDO said.

British Inspectors to Make Surveillance Flight over Russia

10/08/2012

Inspectors from Britain will conduct an inspection flight over Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said. “In the period from October 8 to 12, a British mission will conduct a surveillance flight on board Swedish SAAB OS-100 surveillance aircraft over the territory of the Russian Federation under the international Treaty on Open Skies,” the spokesman told journalists.

Lockheed Martin hopes to cash in by upgrading F-16s

10/07/2012

For nearly four decades, the F-16 has ruled the skies in the international market for fighter jet sales, a money-making flying machine for Lockheed Martin and its predecessor, General Dynamics. Now a number of nations are planning to spend billions to upgrade their fleets of older F-16s with modern "avionics," digital electronic controls, communications and combat systems.

FBI Creates an Initiative to Combat Laser Attacks

10/07/2012

Be careful how you use a laser pointer. Operating the device in a malicious manner could land you in some serious trouble. According to the FBI, laser attacks have reached "epidemic levels." Since 2005, incidents involving laser pointers has risen 1,100 percent and they're predicting that 3,700 incidents would occur by the end of the year.

Danish Firms Want Bigger Slice of JSF Pie

10/07/2012

Denmark’s center-left minority coalition has come under renewed fire from rankled industry chiefs, who claim the government has not done enough to help local companies win more systems and component contracts from the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) development program.

US Completes Ospreys Deployment in Okinawa

10/07/2012

The US Marine Corps completed the deployment of 12 Osprey transport aircraft in Okinawa on Saturday amid strong public opposition, NHK TV reported. Three tilt rotor Ospreys arrived at the US Futenma Air Station hours after leaving a US air base in Iwakuni, Yamaguchi Prefecture. As nine Ospreys flew to Futenma on Monday and Tuesday, the US Marines now have all of their planned 12 aircraft deployed in Okinawa.

Israel downs unmanned aircraft

10/07/2012

The Israeli air force has shot down a small unmanned aircraft after it entered the south of the country, the military has said. Troops are searching for remains of the aircraft in the north of the Negev desert. It is not clear where it came from. Local media quoted officials as saying the aircraft flew in from the west, but not from the Gaza Strip. It was intercepted at around 10:00 local time (08:00 GMT).