Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Poland ups military helicopter contest to 70 aircraft

10/03/2012

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has announced that a previously planned order for 26 new military helicopters will be expanded to a roughly 70-aircraft deal. Defence minister Tomasz Siemoniak should launch the new process early this month, clearing the way for technical consultations to start with bidding manufacturers. Contenders are AgustaWestland, Eurocopter with the EC725, PZL Swidnik with the AgustaWestland AW149, and Sikorsky, which is offering the S-70i.

QEAF works with Symbiotics and DCI on pilot aptitude solution

10/03/2012

The Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) has been working with Défense Conseil International (DCI) and Symbiotics Ltd, to implement a new aircrew pre-selection solution that helps stream potential pilots (fixed and rotary wing) into the QEAF elite flying training programme, whilst improving efficiency of assessment and recruitment programmes.

New planes with an extra lift

10/02/2012

Deputy Royal Malaysian Air Force chief Lt-Gen Datuk Roslan Saad recently tested the nation's next-generation transport aircraft in France. Following the test flight, which took place in Toulouse, the country's second highest ranking military pilot gave the thumbs up to the Airbus Military A400M airlifter, which was recently given the codename Atlas. "It is an enormous pleasure to fly the aircraft that is going to be at the heart of the RMAF's transport capabilities in the future.

Dobritoiu: Romania to pay around 600 million dollars over five years for 12 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Portugal

10/02/2012

Minister of National Defence Corneliu Dobritoiu told Agerpres that the 12 multirole combat aircraft Romania is to purchase 'second-hand' from Portugal cost about 120 million euros out of the total of 670 million euros which is the total value of the contract. The difference between the figures goes to logistic support, which 'would have been the same if we had purchased new aircraft,' says the minister.

Eurofighter makes multirole software advance

10/02/2012

The Eurofighter consortium has moved a step closer to delivering a package of major enhancements for the Typhoon combat aircraft, with test flights having been performed over recent weeks in all four partner nations. Final elements of the P1E(b) upgrade were taken to the air using four instrumented production aircraft, including IPA 7, which was flown by EADS company Cassidian with the modifications in late August.

Aircraft procurement struggling to fly

10/02/2012

An audit of the Department of Defence’s procurement of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft (JSF) from the United States, has found the project to be progressing slower than expected and costing more, but there were signs it could be improving. In his audit report, Management of Australia’s Air Combat Capability—F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Acquisition, Auditor-General.

U.S. Sends Aircraft to Okinawa, Despite Fierce Opposition

10/02/2012

The United States military sent the first batch of a sophisticated but accident-plagued new aircraft to an air base on Okinawa on Monday, going forward with its planned deployment despite unexpectedly fierce opposition by islanders and warnings that any crash could threaten the huge American military presence on the island.

Russian Military Rejects Court Ruling on Flights Suspension

10/02/2012

The Russian military will appeal a court ruling that deemed combat jet flights over the city of Chelyabinsk illegal, a spokesman for the Central Military District said on Monday. A regional court earlier on Monday ordered a temporary suspension of flights by Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer strike aircraft from a nearby base, in response to complaints about jet noise when they overfly the city.

Russian Court Grounds Military Jet Flights Over Noise

10/02/2012

A regional court in the Russian city of Chelyabinsk on Monday ordered a temporary suspension of flights by Sukhoi Su-24 Fencer strike aircraft from a nearby base, in response to complaints about jet noise when they overfly the city. “The court has ordered the Defense Ministry and the respective Air Force unit to suspend flights by combat aircraft on the flight path over five residential areas of the city, as these flights are deemed illegal,” the court said in a statement.

Turkish Inspectors Set for Surveillance Flight over Russia

10/02/2012

Inspectors from Turkey and Norway will conduct an inspection flight over Russia under the Open Skies Treaty, the Russian Defense Ministry said on Monday. “In the period from October 1 to 5, 2012, a joint group of Turkish and Norwegian inspectors will conduct a surveillance flight on board a CN-235 surveillance aircraft over the territory of the Russian Federation under the international Treaty on Open Skies,” a ministry spokesman said.

U.S. Coast Guard To Acquire Three Additional Lockheed Martin HC-130J Surveillance Aircraft

10/02/2012

Lockheed Martin received a $218 million contract for three additional HC-130Js for the U.S. Coast Guard. This will increase the U.S. Coast Guard fleet of HC-130Js from six to nine. The contract also includes funding for two mission suites, which are critical in supporting U.S. Coast Guard search and rescue operations. The new aircraft are scheduled to be delivered in early 2015.

Lockheed Martin Awarded Upgrade Contract For 145 F-16S Of The Republic Of China Air Force

10/02/2012

Lockheed Martin was awarded a contract valued up to $1.85 billion by the U.S. Government to initiate the upgrade of 145 Block 20 F-16A/B aircraft for the Republic of China (RoC). This retrofit program will include the addition of an Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) radar, embedded global positioning, as well as upgrades to the electronic warfare and other avionics systems of Taiwan’s F-16s.

Investing for Competitiveness

10/01/2012

For decades, tiny Sweden has developed some of the world’s most innovative and capable fighter aircraft thanks to government investment in native aircraft builder Saab. But as Saab prepares to design the next generation of Gripen fighters, the government appears to be balking at its development cost, estimated to be less than $2 billion.

C-17 partnership wins Department of Defense award

10/01/2012

The Department of Defense has honored the partnership between Boeing and Robins Air Force Base that supports the C-17 Globemaster cargo plane. The partnership won the 2012 Secretary of Defense Gerald R. Beck Performance Based Logistics Award in the system level category for global sustainnment of the aircraft, according to a story in Friday’s Robins Rev Up. The C-17 Globemaster III Combined Program Office employs 196 civilians, contractors and military personnel.

Early warning plane to be displayed at IAF anniversary parade

10/01/2012

he indigenous airborne early warning aircraft and the Russian-origin Mi-17 V5 helicopter would be displayed for the first time by IAF at the parade here to mark its 80th anniversary. "The Airborne Early Warning and Control (AWAC) system aircraft and the Mi-17 V5 would be showcased for the first time at the IAF day parade this year on October 8," IAF officials said here.

The V-22 Osprey: like no other aircraft

10/01/2012

Cutting edge. That’s how Capt. Michael Whiteford describes the MV-22B Osprey, the plane he pilots in the Marine Corps and the newest aircraft to be added to Marine Corps Aviation. “It’s something that has never existed before in the history of aviation,” Whiteford said. Whiteford, the son of a pilot, says he always knew he wanted to fly, but didn’t decide to fly the Osprey until he was in flight school as a Marine.

An Israeli Radar in India’s Jet Fighter?

10/01/2012

Will the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) being developed in India be equipped with an advanced radar system developed in Israel? The chances for that have increased in the recent days. Sources in India have informed that the Indian Air Force which is acquiring the LCA is interested in having it equipped with an AESA radar. Such a radar has been developed and is being produced by Elta, a subsidiary of Israel Aerospace Industries.

Edmonton Centre MP shoots down latest F-35 flap

09/30/2012

A Former Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Defence is weighing in on the latest F-35 controversy. Edmonton Centre MP Laurie Hawn is denying a media report that the fighter jet recommendation was missing key information on competing aircraft.

Defense contractor worker stole military tech for China

09/30/2012

A jury on Thursday convicted an employee of a defense contractor for exporting sensitive U.S. military technology to the People’s Republic of China (PRC), stealing military secrets, and making false statements to federal law enforcement, according to a report obtained by the National Association of Chiefs of Police.

Germany plans to buy armed combat drones

09/30/2012

The use of drones in warfare is highly controversial. So far Germany has only used unarmed drones but Berlin has now confirmed it was planning to order armed drones starting 2014. They're remotely piloted and circle over, among other places, the Afghan-Pakistan border areas to spy on terrorists and kill them. The "eye in the sky" as the unmanned aircraft are sometimes called are seen by many as delivering precision strikes without the need for more intrusive military action.

Moscow Hopes NATO to Use Russian Planes for Afghan Transit

09/30/2012

Moscow hopes that NATO will be using Russian aircraft for its cargo deliveries to and from Afghanistan via the Ulyanovsk transit base in the Volga area, Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Grushko said. “There is Volga-Dnepr air carrier company in the Vostochny airport [in Ulyanovsk], which has all types of aircraft capable of safely delivering any kind of cargo to Afghanistan,” Grushko said.

Uganda: What Could Have Caused Uganda's Helicopter Crashes?

09/29/2012

On the night of August 12, three Ugandan army Mi-24 helicopter gunships operating under the African Union Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) umbrella crashed in mysterious circumstances over Mount Kenya. The combat helicopters were en-route to Kismayo to combat the Islamist militants al-Shabaab when the crashes occurred, killing seven crew members and leaving twenty-one injured.

New aircrafts and the future of the Air Force: What’s the price of power?

09/29/2012

Emboldened by the successful export of the Su-30 MKI fighter aircraft, the Russian Air Force gave the green signal for the testing of the Sukhoi Su-30 SM at the Irkutsk aircraft factory’s airfield in Siberia. Several thousand kilometres to the West, in the city of Ulyanovsk, the Ilyushin Il-76 MD-90A made its first flight. This is the first Russian made Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft and a significantly more modernised version in comparison to its Soviet predecessors.

Air Force Expands F-35 Trials Over Tester’s Objections

09/29/2012

The U.S. Air Force is expanding pilot training for Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT)’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter over objections from the Pentagon’s top weapons tester that the move increases the danger of a “serious mishap.”

US Osprey Military Aircraft Continues To Draw Japanese Protests

09/29/2012

The U.S. military is facing increased resistance from Japanese people over its plan to deploy the controversial Osprey transport aircraft at a U.S. Marine Corps base in Japan's Okinawa prefecture, despite the Pentagon reaching an agreement with the Japanese government.