Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Female pilots trained for new fighter jet

08/17/2012

A group of Chinese female pilots have recently made their first solo flights in the J-10 combat aircraft, becoming the first female air force pilots capable of flying the multirole aircraft - the country's most advanced fighter jet. The five female pilots completed solo flights and missions navigating the J-10 on July 29 and 30, the PLA Daily reported on Wednesday.

Canadians work with Americans on Pacific military exercise

08/17/2012

Residents of the Comox Valley are familiar with various military aircraft passing overhead and perhaps wonder what roles they play in Canada’s air defence or rescue capability. Recently I had the opportunity to observe one aspect of their role. I was permitted to fly on one of the CC 130 Hercules tankers out of Winnipeg Squadron 435, used to refuel other aircraft while in flight, as part of the biannual RIMPAC Exercise 2012 in Hawaii.

Replacement Snowbirds aircraft to cost $755 million

08/17/2012

The Canadian Forces is planning to spend $755 million on a new fleet of aircraft for its Snowbirds aerobatics team, according to documents obtained by the Citizen. The Snowbirds will need new planes by 2020 and the Royal Canadian Air Force is now examining various options.

Syrian Rebels Step Up Efforts to Get Anti-Aircraft Missiles

08/17/2012

Syrian rebels are redoubling their efforts to acquire portable anti-aircraft missiles following government airstrikes on cities and towns in the north of the country.In the latest such strike, a Syrian Air Force jet bombed the rebel-held town of Azaz near the Turkish border, killing at least 50 people and wounding more than 100.Rebel commanders and activists say their buyers are now scouring the arms black markets in the region to get the shoulder-fired missiles that can counter the government.

Russian Mi-28 Helicopter Gunship Crashes

08/17/2012

A Russian Army Mil Mi-28N, one of the force's newest machines, crashed on Thursday at its base in Mozdok, North Ossetia. The two-man crew was not injured according to preliminary information. "An Mi-28N made a heavy landing while on a training flight," a source in the Southern Military District said. "The crew was not hurt and neither was anyone on the ground. The cause is being investigated."

Boeing Marks 50 Years of Delivering Chinook Helicopters

08/17/2012

As Boeing marks the 50th anniversary of delivering the first H-47 Chinook military helicopter, the company is nearing completion of a $130 million renovation of its production line near Philadelphia that will help it meet global demand for the latest model, the CH-47F.

Yemen set for new counter-terror aircraft

08/16/2012

A single CN-235-300M medium-range twin-turboprop transport aircraft destined for the Yemen Arab Republic Air Force has been undergoing flight-testing at Airbus Military's facility at Seville San Pablo airport. Jon Lake reports.

Mission Accomplished: Refueling Fighter Jets in Mid-air with the US Air Force

08/16/2012

Not words you want to hear from a man in a flightsuit, controlling a plane on which you're flying. That is, unless it's Wayne Hanna, who spends his work days in American Airlines aircraft maintenance and his free days as a KC-10 Extender Flight Engineer with the U.S. Air Force Reserve.

Unmanned military aircraft fails in Mach 6 attempt

08/16/2012

An unmanned experimental aircraft failed during an attempt to fly at six times the speed of sound in the latest setback for hypersonic flight. The X-51A Waverider was designed to reach Mach 6, or 3,600 mph, after being dropped by a B-52 bomber off the Southern California coast on Tuesday. Engineers hoped it would sustain its top speed for five minutes, twice as long as an X-51A has gone before.

Kenya keeps up search after Uganda choppers crash

08/16/2012

Kenyan emergency teams searched for a third day Wednesday for five personnel still unaccounted for after three Ugandan military helicopters crashed at the weekend, officials said. "Search and rescue operations are underway and our teams are on the mountain," said Simon Gitau, a senior warden with the Kenya Wildlife Service, which is assisting in the rescue operations.

Russian military aviation celebrated a milestone

08/16/2012

In the 100 years since the Romanov family established the Russian air force, it has served in both war and peace and survived both the creation and collapse of the Soviet Union. The Russian air force is 100 years old. In 1912, Grand Prince Alexander Mikhailovich Romanov declared: “The Russian air force should be stronger than that of our neighbors.

Oman's new C-130J takes flight

08/16/2012

A new C-130J Super Hercules for the Sultanate of Oman successfully conducted a test flight last week at Lockheed Martin's Marietta facility in the US. It is the first of three C-130Js on order for Oman and is scheduled for delivery later this year. Oman currently operates a fleet of three C-130Hs purchased in the early 1980s.

A New Air Force Procurement Strategy for Taiwan

08/15/2012

It is reported that Taiwan has more than halved the number of F-16 fighter planes it requests from the United States government, from sixty-six down to twenty-four. The China Times based in Taipei quotes a supposedly authoritative military source on the matter.

Singapore's new combat planes debut in biennial exercise

08/15/2012

The Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) debuted the fighter aircraft (F-15SG) and Gulfstream 550 airborne early warning aircraft (G550-AEW) at the biennial multilateral air combat exercise in Darwin, Australia. Codenamed Exercise Pitch Black, the exercise is being held from July 27 to Aug 16. It is attended by around 2,500 personnel and 100 aircraft.

Poland to Replace Su-22 Bombers with UCAV

08/15/2012

Poland is planning to replace its obsolete Soviet-built Sukhoi Su-22 strike aircraft with an unmanned strike aircraft (UCAV) system, Deputy Defense Minister Waldemar Skrzypczak told TVN24 television on Tuesday. "We are looking at possibly swapping some of our Su-22 fleet for long-range pilotless systems with high strike capability," Skrzypczak said on the Poland and World program. Skrzypczak has responsibility for defense procurement.

Sukhoi Su-35S is Tested for Combat Employment

08/14/2012

Flight tests with actual combat employment of the Su-35S super-maneuverable multi-purpose fighter aircraft are currently being held under the State Joint Tests (SJT) program at the National Flight Test Center of the Russian Air Force. The resulting technical and accuracy characteristics of the surveillance-aiming systems and combat modes are largely consistent with the stated technical specifications.

Uganda Military Helicopters Have Rough Landings

08/14/2012

One Ugandan military helicopter made an emergency landing and two others came down hard and went missing while being deployed to strengthen peacekeeping troops in Somalia, a Ugandan military spokesman said Monday.

Military to test hypersonic jet that could zip across the U.S. in less than 1 hour

08/14/2012

A superfast jet that could fly from L.A. to New York City in less than an hour may be one step closer to reality after a key test this week. The X-51A WaveRider, an unmanned aircraft that could reach speeds up to Mach 6 will be launched from the wing of a B-52 bomber high above the Pacific Ocean on Tuesday, the Los Angeles Times reports.

Japanese Defense Experts Leave For US To Probe Military Aircraft Crash

08/14/2012

A Japanese government mission left for the United States on Monday to verify the safety of the Osprey transport aircraft in response to mounting public concerns in Japan over the deployment of the controversial military aircraft. The team headed by Parliamentary Vice-Defense Minister Hideo Jinpu is to be briefed by U.S. officials on the crash of an MV-22 Osprey in Morocco in April.

Syrian Rebels Claim To Have Shot Down Military Aircraft Near Iraq Border

08/14/2012

Syrian rebels have claimed to have shot down a military fighter jet in eastern Syria near Iraqi border, but the Syrian state media says it crashed due to "technical problems." Video footage uploaded online by the rebel Free Syrian Army (FSA) on Monday shows an aircraft that looks like Syrian air force's Russian-built MiG-23 fighter jet bursting into flames amidst the sound of gunfire, reports say.

Ramstein Spy Linked to Russia

08/14/2012

A NATO civilian worker arrested last week on suspicion of espionage in western Germany has been linked to Russian intelligence, The Times reported on Monday. The 60-year-old NATO employee at the Ramstein Air Force Base, whose name was given only as Manfred K., was offered over $10 million by Russia’s Federal Security Service (FSB) for access to classified information, the paper said citing a German journalist.

Saudi Arabia Requests Follow-On Support for Aircraft in Possible $850 Million Deal

08/13/2012

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. Congress Aug. 6 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to the Government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for follow-on support and services for the Royal Saudi Air Force at an estimated cost of $850 million.

Germany Seizes Russian Military Plane Engines

08/13/2012

German customs have seized two shipments of military airplane engines from Russia on the grounds that they violate the country's stringent arms trading rules, a news report said Sunday. Customs stopped the shipment of four turboprop engines for Tu-142 reconnaissance aircraft destined for India and a shipment of MiG-29 fighter jet engines en route to Algeria because they lacked the necessary permits, the weekly news magazine Spiegel reported.

T-34C Trainer Aircraft Gets 5-Year Checkup/Makeover at FRCSE

08/13/2012

Fleet Readiness Center Southeast (FRCSE) completed painting its first T-34C Turbomentor Trainer aircraft for a California-based detachment aligned under Commander, Strike Fighter Wing Pacific (CSFWP) July 31. FRCSE painters completed the aircraft’s unique paint scheme by applying primer and a white topcoat with blue and black markings to protect the airframe from water intrusion and corrosion.

More Than 2500 Sukhoi-family Combat Aircraft Were Exported

08/13/2012

Su-family combat aircraft have been exported since 1964. More than 2,500 Su-7, Su-17, Su-20, Su-22, Su-24, Su-25, Su-27, Su-30 aircraft and their modifications were delivered to the Air Force of more than 30 countries for all these years.