Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Samara Plant to Build 6 An-140 Military Planes in 2012

07/05/2012

Samara-based AVIACOR aircraft maker will build six Antonov An-140-100 light transport planes under a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry by the end of 2012, the regional government said on Wednesday. The An-140-100 was developed by Russia's Antonov design bureau as a replacement for the An-24 and An-26 series aircraft. It can carry up to 6 metric tons of cargo to a range of over 2,000 kilometers, and can be used for patrol, military transport and spec-ops missions.

Russia’s Yak-130 Combat Trainer to Debut at Farnborough 2012

07/05/2012

Russia’s Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten trainer/light attack aircraft will be showcased for the first time at the Farnborough International Air Show as part of a large Russian exhibit. About 55 Russian companies, including 19 defense industry firms, will take part in the airshow near London on July 9-15 to exhibit the latest achievements in the Russian aircraft industry.

China awaits fighter export breakthrough

07/04/2012

The atmosphere in the Dubai air show briefing room in November 2011 was electric. Journalists occupied every seat and photographers squeezed into the back of the room. Also present were a dozen senior Pakistan air force officials, who were forced to stand along one wall, as well as several Chinese executives in business suits.

Two airmen missing after UK military jets crash in Scotland

07/04/2012

Two RAF Tornado jets crashed Tuesday on Scotland's coast, leaving two British airmen missing after two others were plucked from the sea by helicopter. It was not clear if the jets crashed into each other. The search for the two missing airmen and the wreckage was continuing, British officials said.

Turkish military aircraft carries out control flights near Syrian border

07/04/2012

In response to a flight of three Syrian military helicopters near Turkish border, a Turkish 2XF-16 military aircraft carried out a control flight over territory of Turkish Province of Hatay, which borders with Syria, the Sabah newspaper quotes Turkish General Staff's website as reporting on Tuesday.

German Eurofighters impress during Red Flag debut

07/04/2012

The German air force's Fighter Wing 74 (JG74) brought eight of its Eurofighter combat aircraft to a Red Flag-Alaska exercise at Eielson AFB in Alaska during June, representing its first ever such deployment.

Russian Air Force To Take Part In USAF Training Exercises – OpEd

07/04/2012

Despite a cooling off in relations between Russia and NATO countries, neither party has refused taking part in joint military programs. One such program is the regular aerial combat training exercise of the US Air Force and its allies, called “Red Flag”. The next exercise is scheduled for October 2012.

U.S. beefs up military in Persian Gulf

07/04/2012

The United States has quietly moved significant military reinforcements into the Persian Gulf to deter the Iranian military from any possible attempt to shut the Strait of Hormuz and to increase the number of fighter jets capable of striking deep into Iran if the standoff over its nuclear program escalates.

Australia to Grant Five Hercules C-130 Aircraft to Indonesia

07/03/2012

Among a broad range of topics to be addressed by Indonesian and Australian leaders in Darwin this week, the two nations will discuss the Australian government’s plan to grant military aircraft and cooperation on disaster mitigation and transnational crime. President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono said he would discuss the grant for Hercules C-130 military transport planes at a meeting to be held on Monday afternoon.

Poland orders five Airbus military C295 aircraft

07/03/2012

Aircraft maker Airbus said Monday Poland has ordered five Airbus Military C295 aircraft, increasing its fleet to 16 aircraft.

Stealth: Not-So-Secret Secrets

07/03/2012

We are now seeing Russian and Chinese "stealth" aircraft appear, at least in prototype form. The Chinese have prototypes of the J-20 large fighter bomber, which looks as if it may enter service with the Chinese Air Force in 2018. In a recently published report on Chinese military power, the US Department of Defense wrote that the J-20 shows "China's ambition to produce a fighter aircraft that incorporates stealth attributes, advanced avionics and supercruise capable engines.

Philippines may ask for U.S. spy planes over South China Sea

07/03/2012

The Philippines may ask the United States to deploy spy planes over the South China Sea to help monitor the disputed waters, President Benigno Aquino told Reuters on Monday, a move that could worsen tensions with its giant neighbor China. The two countries only recently stepped back from a months-long standoff at the Scarborough Shoal, a horseshoe shaped reef near the Philippines in waters they both claim - the latest round of naval brinkmanship over the resource-rich sea.

Eurocopter's Revolutionary X3 Helicopter Begins Military Leg of Its U.S. Tour

07/03/2012

Eurocopter continues its U.S. tour of the X3 high-speed hybrid helicopter today in Huntsville, Ala., where the aircraft will perform the first of several flight demonstrations for military leaders and aviators in several locations across the country. The X3 will demonstrate its unique flight characteristics, which include a cruise speed of 200 knots, high rates of climb and executing high-speed maneuvers that are not routine for conventional rotary-wing aircraft.

Russia’s Arms Exports Top $6.5 Bln in H1 2012

07/03/2012

Russia exported over $6.5 billion worth of military equipment in the first half of 2012, President Vladimir Putin said on Monday. “Exports of Russian weaponry exceeded $6.5 billion, registering a 14% increase year-on-year,” Putin said at a meeting of the Committee on Military-Industrial Cooperation. Putin said Russian annual arms exports doubled over six years from $6 billion in 2005 to over $13 billion in 2011.

Russia Looking at 2020 for New Generation Long-Range Bomber

07/03/2012

The Russian Air Force may receive its first PAK DA next generation long-range bomber about 2020 instead of 2025 as initially planned, Russia’s acting deputy Air Force commander, Major General Alexander Chernyayev, has said. “I think the first models of the Prospective Air Complex for Long Range Aviation (PAK DA) will be supplied to the Air Force approximately by 2020,” Chernyayev said in an interview published on the Russian Defense Ministry website late last week.

Drone makers urge US to let them sell more overseas

07/02/2012

Despite concerns about U.S.-made drones ending up in enemy hands, American military contractors are lobbying the government to loosen export restrictions and open up foreign markets to the unmanned aircraft that have reshaped modern warfare. Companies such as Northrop Grumman Corp.and other arms makers are eager to tap a growing foreign appetite for high-tech — and relatively cheap — drones, already being sold on the world market by countries such as Israel and China.

Okinawa governor rejects US Osprey deployment

07/02/2012

With the threat of a mass protest, the governor of Okinawa on Sunday rejected a US plan to deploy Osprey military aircraft on the sub-tropic Japanese island chain amid safety concerns. "We have no choice but to reject it if they forcibly bring in something which is questioned over its safety," Okinawa governor Hirokazu Nakaima told Japanese Defence Minister Satoshi Morimoto, according to Japanese media.

Turk jets scramble after Syria aircraft near border

07/02/2012

Turkey's armed forces command said on Sunday it had scrambled a total of six F-16 fighter jets in three separate incidents responding to Syrian military helicopters approaching the border on Saturday, but there was no violation of Turkish airspace.

Russian Realpolitik: Inside the Arms Trade with Syria

07/02/2012

“This weapon is perfect for close-quarters combat, house to house,” the Russian arms dealer explains, gently passing a silencer-equipped assault rifle, the AK-104, to the official from Syria, who brings the gun’s sight level with his eye and aims it across pavilion C3 of Russia‘s semi-annual arms bazaar.

Estonia Concerned by NATO Spending Cuts

07/02/2012

Estonia is worried over defense spending cuts by NATO member states, President Toomas Hendrik Ilves said on Wednesday. “Allied spending, required to maintain NATO’s defense capability, is a matter of trust in the organization,” Ilves told Knud Bartels,chairman of NATO 's Military Committee, on a two day visit in Tallinn.

IAF to spend Rs 2,900 cr for buying Swiss aircraft

07/01/2012

The Indian Air Force will spend over Rs 2,900 crore for acquiring 75 trainer aircraft from the Swiss manufacturer, Pilatus Aircraft Ltd. The move is to replace the ageing Kiran aircraft. Stating this, the Chief of Air Staff, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne said the deal, finalised two months ago, involves purchase of 75 Pilatus PC-7 aircraft. It will help in imparting better training to the IAF cadets, he told newspersons at the Dundigal Air Force Station today.

India Completes Light Combat Aircraft Weapon Trials

07/01/2012

India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) has completed weapons trials in preparation for its operational clearance before the end of this year. The single-seat, single-engine supersonic fighter also underwent flight trials in the western desert state of Rajasthan, a defense ministry official says.

U.S. push for more defence sales to India

07/01/2012

For all the buzz about the U.S.’ disappointment after New Delhi ejected Washington from the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender competition, it would appear that 2012 is the year of intensified efforts by the Pentagon to deepen its defence ties with India.

Syria Vs. NATO: A Breakdown Of Forces

07/01/2012

With heated talk of foreign military intervention in Syria rising, it makes sense to take time for a calm comparison of the forces arrayed against one another in the Middle East. After all, the process of determining the future of the country is drawing interest from numerous, heavily armed powers, both within the region and without.

Army Preps Spy Blimp

07/01/2012

The U.S. military is preparing for the maiden flight of a football-field-size airship laden with surveillance gear designed to do the work of a dozen drones—and destined for Afghanistan. The experimental craft, known as the Long Endurance Multi-Intelligence Vehicle, or LEMV, is designed to loiter over combat zones for weeks at a time, outfitted with high-tech sensors that can intercept phone calls, shoot full-motion video or track the movement of insurgents.