Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

US to build rocket-boosted hypersonic aircraft by 2016

07/12/2012

The US agency responsible for developing military technology has announced plans to design and build a hypersonic rocket launch aircraft by 2016. The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (Darpa) claims the vehicle, developed as part of the Integrated Hypersonics program, will have the capacity to be "anywhere in the world in under an hour". This is down to the proposed onboard booster rocket, which will be employed for some extra speed - and flare.

Syrian air force conducts military drills

07/12/2012

The Syrian Air Force has conducted military exercises involving fighter and attack aircraft, state-run Sana news agency reported. The drills were conducted Tuesday. Sana said they simulated "real battle conditions", and continued a series of military exercises which began during last weekend.

Lockheed's F-35 fighter attracts foreign interest

07/12/2012

More than 25 countries have expressed interest in Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, including Singapore, which is still evaluating its options, and South Korea, which is due to pick a winner in its fighter competition by year's end, top Lockheed officials said on Wednesday.

Hawker Beechcraft T-6 Military Trainer Platform Reaches 2 Million Flight Hours

07/12/2012

Hawker Beechcraft Defense Company (HBDC) announced Jul. 9 that its worldwide fleet of Beechcraft T-6 military trainer aircraft exceeded 2 million flight hours in June.

U.S. Admiral Questions the Long Term Benefits of Stealth

07/12/2012

The U.S. Navy’s top commander has publicly questioned the long-term benefits of stealth technology like that employed in the F-35 jet fighter, suggesting drones and other alternatives are the way of the future. The comments from Admiral Jonathan Greenert stand in sharp contrast to repeated Conservative government and Defence Department assertions about the overwhelming need for stealth in whatever aircraft replaces Canada’s CF-18s.

Russia to Draft New Rules on International Airshow Participation

07/12/2012

Russia’s Federal Service for Military and Technical Cooperation and the Defense Ministry will prepare a framework agreement regulating Russia’s participation in international airshows. The decision was made following a scandal over required paperwork and visa travel issues that prevented the Russian Knights aerobatic display team from participating in the ongoing Farnborough 2012 airshow near London.

Boeing P-8I Begins Flight Test Program

07/12/2012

Boeing's first P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy began its official flight test program July 7, taking off from Boeing Field in Seattle at 9:15 a.m. and landing three hours and 49 minutes later after demonstrating flying qualities and handling characteristics. The flight went as planned with all test objectives met.

Airbus Military C295 certified for civic operations

07/12/2012

Airbus Military has obtained civil certification of the C295 transport in a move which responds to the evolving requirements of agencies and operators conducting humanitarian and other 'civic' operations. The new certification is awarded by Spain’s civil aviation authority AESA (Agencia Estatal de Seguridad Aérea) confirms the C295’s compliance with the enhanced regulatory environment in this sector of the market.

French Air Force Fighters Cunduct Final Combat Mission in Afghanistan

07/11/2012

On July 5, 2012, the French combat aircraft detachment, comprising a hundred airmen and three Mirage 2000D tactical fighters, conducted its last mission in Afghanistan before being withdrawn in the coming days. At 9:45 in the morning, the two Mirage 2000Ds flew on an escort mission in support of a coalition convoy in Farah province in western Afghanistan. The mission took place as planned, and the aircraft returned to base at around 14:00.

Embraer sells 8 Super Tucano turboprops at Farnborough Tuesday to bring show total to 15

07/11/2012

The Indonesian air force ordered eight A-29 Super Tucano high-performance military turboprop aircraft for light attack and tactical training from South American aircraft manufacturer Embraer S.A. in São José Dos Campos, Brazil. Embraer made the announcement Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow in Farnborough, England.

Countries vying to be first non-U.S. buyer of V-22 Osprey

07/11/2012

Several countries are competing to become the first foreign buyer of the U.S. military's V-22 tilt-rotor aircraft, which flies like a plane but takes off and lands like a helicopter, according to the Marine Corps colonel who runs the program. Colonel Greg Masiello said officials from more than 12 countries, including eight air chiefs, got demonstration flights at the Farnborough International Airshow this week.

Lockheed Martin F-35 Flight Test Progress Report

07/11/2012

Lockheed Martin’s [NYSE: LMT] F-35 program accrued the highest number of test points in a single month during June, an accomplishment indicative of the program’s ongoing maturation. Additionally, for the 18th consecutive month the F-35 test program remained ahead of plan. As of June 30, the F-35 Lightning II 5th Generation multirole fighter had conducted 595 test flights in 2012 versus a plan of 445 and accrued 4,830 test points against a plan of 3,901.

Lockheed Martin Delivers Four F-35s To U.S. Air Force And Marine Corps

07/11/2012

With the delivery of four Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft since June 29, an important milestone was achieved as the Department of Defense now possesses more operational-coded F-35s than test aircraft. A total of nine F-35s have been delivered for the year, giving the DOD a total of 30 aircraft fleet-wide. Of these, 16 are operational aircraft and 14 are test planes.

Lockheed Martin Receives $23 Million Contract To Deliver Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods To Royal Air Force Of Oman

07/11/2012

Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] has received a $23 million contract from the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO) to provide additional Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) for their F-16 fleet. In addition to the new Sniper pod deliveries, the contract also includes upgrades to the RAFO’s existing pods and support.

Embraer Selects Boeing to Provide Weapons Integration for A-29 Super Tucano

07/11/2012

Embraer and Boeing today at the Farnborough Airshow announced an agreement that further enhances the collaboration between the two companies and brings additional capabilities to Embraer's A-29 Super Tucano through new weapons integration developments to meet future customer requirements.

Boeing to Collaborate with Elbit Systems on Marketing and Sales of Hermes 450 and 900 Unmanned Airborne Systems

07/11/2012

The Boeing Company and Elbit Systems today at the Farnborough Airshow signed a Memorandum of Understanding to collaborate on the marketing and sales of Elbit Systems' Hermes 450 and 900 unmanned airborne system (UAS) product lines in the United States and select international countries.

Boeing Offers Medium-sized Maritime Surveillance Aircraft

07/11/2012

Boeing today announced that it is offering a medium-sized Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) to the global market. MSA builds on technologies developed for Boeing's larger Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (ISR) platforms to provide a highly capable, low-risk and cost-effective ISR solution.

Morocco orders AIM-9X sidewinders for F-16s

07/11/2012

Raytheon's AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder air-to-air missile has been ordered by Morocco for integration with its 24 Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters.

U.K. boosts up-armed Typhoon for Mideast

07/10/2012

British Prime Minister David Cameron has unveiled a major sales push for the Eurofighter Typhoon armed with new weapons systems, with the Persian Gulf states of the United Arab Emirates and Oman as key targets. The Typhoon is built by the German and Spanish arms of European aerospace giant EADS, BAE Systems, Britain's leading defense contractor, and Italy's Finmeccanica.

MiG-29s Begin Sea Trials Aboard India’s New Aircraft Carrier

07/10/2012

Open-sea testing of the new Indian Navy aircraft carrier Vikramaditya and her primary weapons, in the form of MiG-29K/KUB deck fighters, means that the MiGs won’t be making appearance here at the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow. The ship has been bought from Russia to replace the former British-built HMS Hermes, which India acquired in 1986 and renamed Viraat.

Pratt & Whitney Pushes To Drive Down F-35 Costs As Production Peaks

07/10/2012

Production of Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engines that power Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter is set to peak this year at 50 units before flattening out in the coming years as the U.S. defers deliveries of the new aircraft. According to Pratt & Whitney Military Engines president Bennett Croswell, the engine maker won’t have to substantially reduce its production rates in response to the slowdown, it will defer plans it had hatched to ramp up output that would have compensated for reduced rates of produ

RAF's Newest Transport Aircraft Named Atlas

07/10/2012

The RAF's next generation military transport aircraft has officially been named Atlas at the Royal International Air Tattoo, which is taking place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The aircraft, which has until now been known as the A400M, will replace the RAF's existing C-130 Hercules fleet and, along with the Voyager and C-17, will provide the UK military's future air transport force.

Esterline CMC Electronics Launches Next Generation Cockpit For Military Training and Light Attack Aircraft

07/10/2012

Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) will launch its new Cockpit 4000 NexGen technology demonstrator at the Farnborough Air Show. The Cockpit 4000 NexGen avionics suite is a configurable, fully integrated glass cockpit solution featuring a Large Area Display (LAD) with touchscreen technology. It is designed to enhance mission effectiveness and provide cross-platform training flexibility for advanced military trainers, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and light attack aircraft.

Sikorsky wins 5-year U.S. military helicopter deal

07/10/2012

United Technologies Corp on Monday announced that its Sikorsky Aircraft unit had signed a five-year, $8.5 billion contract to build 653 H-60 Black Hawk and Seahawk helicopters for the U.S. Army and Navy. The contract includes options for up to 263 more aircraft that would increase the value of the contract to $11.7 billion if exercised. Actual production quantities will be determined year-by-year based on funding allocations set by Congress and Pentagon acquisition priorities, the company said.

Lockheed Martin And Marshall Aerospace Sign Agreement To Increase C-130 Hercules Refurbishment Capability

07/10/2012

Lockheed Martin has signed an agreement authorizing Marshall Aerospace to become the world’s first commercial company to install C-130 Center Wing Boxes (CWB). Marshall Aerospace is also the first C-130J Heavy Maintenance Centre (HMC) in the world.