Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

French military to use U.S. trainer planes

08/25/2012

U.S. company Cirrus Aircraft reports its SR20 and SR22 single-engine aircraft are to be used in training pilots of the French armed forces. Cirrus Aircraft, a subsidiary of China Aviation Industry General Aircraft Co. Ltd, said the planes were selected by Cassidian Aviation Training Services of France in a public tender for the French air force and navy.

Russian Military Aircraft Violated Finland’s Air Space?

08/25/2012

Russian military aircraft has allegedly violated the air space of Finland. The incident occurred in the Eastern part of the Gulf of Finland, Finland’s frontier service reported on Friday. Border guards have begun to investigate the incident.

Warships, Fighter Jets, S-400 to 'Protect Russia APEC Summit'

08/25/2012

Warships, warplanes as well as S-400 missile defense systems will be deployed to protect the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum during a summit in Russia's Far East next month, an official said on Friday. The summit will be held in the port city of Vladivostok on September 2-9.

U.S. Fears for Safety of Syrian Chemical Weapons Stockpiles

08/25/2012

The United States is concerned with the issue of safety of chemical weapons stockpiles in Syria and views it as one of the areas of importance in dealing with the conflict-hit country, U.S. Secretary of Defense Leon Panetta said. Speaking to journalists in Washington, Panetta said that one of the serious concerns is the “whole threat of chemical and biological weapons. There are sites in Syria. We're concerned about the security of those sites.”

Australia fighter jets first to get hi-tech U.S. jammers

08/24/2012

Australia will upgrade half of its frontline warplanes with sophisticated American jammers to become the first nation outside of the United States to use the system, the country's defense minister said on Thursday. Australia is a close U.S. ally and last year agreed to host 2,500 U.S. Marines in the northern city of Darwin under President Barack Obama's "pivot" to the Asia-Pacific.

Jets cross into Iraq to bomb Syria town: officials

08/24/2012

Syrian military planes crossed into Iraqi airspace on Thursday in order to carry out air strikes against the border town of Albu Kamal, which is held by rebel forces, Iraqi officials said. "Syrian combat aircraft crossed into Iraqi airspace at about 8:00 am (0500 GMT) for about 15 minutes, and targeted Albu Kamal in Syrian territory," a lieutenant colonel in the Iraqi border guards said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

Tejas aircraft to be put to test at Pokhran in February 2013

08/24/2012

The much-awaited indigenously developed Light Combat Aircraft Tejas will now be put to test in the forthcoming air exercise "Iron Feast", to be held in February next year in Pokhran of Jaisalmer. The Tejas will display its capabilities in the exercise, where its lethality, endurance and precision will be tested, Air Marshal Anjan Kumar Gogoi, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, South-Western Air command, said at a press conference here.

United Aircraft Seeks Global Aerospace Alliance

08/24/2012

Russia's United Aircraft Corporation is interested in the creation of a major international alliance of aircraft-makers including companies from a range of countries, its president Mikhail Pogosyan said on Thursday. UAC wants to move from participation in joint projects on an individual basis to creation of a united alliance for integration into the world aerospace industry, he said.

BEIJING: Chinese military flaunts state-of-the-art helicopters

08/24/2012

A buzz of rotors from the mountainside heralded the appearance of a fleet of four Z-9WZ helicopters, state-of-the-art Chinese military aircraft. Without disrupting its formation, the fleet ascended abruptly at a 90-degree angle, turned sharply, descended to within a hairbreadth of the ground and flaunted their hovering capability.

C-130 slowdown prompts cuts at Lockheed plant

08/23/2012

Lockheed Martin is cutting about 550 jobs at its Marietta plant as it slows production of its primary aircraft line. The move, announced Wednesday but already underway, is a blow to the sprawling Marietta plant and poses concerns about the future of the company's C-130 Hercules cargo plane. The program's production line in Marietta is the longest continuously operating military aircraft production line in history.

Russia hints India could refloat MMRCA tender

08/23/2012

A senior Russian official has hinted that India could cancel the results of the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender and refloat it. A report in the The Hindu newspaper quoted Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Vyacheslav Dzirkaln as saying that India and France had failed to reach agreement on crucial issues including technology transfer and financial terms.

Yuma squadron visits Cherry Point to conduct air-to-air combat training with Harrier pilots

08/23/2012

Marine Fighter Training Squadron 401 “Snipers” out of Yuma, Ariz., visited Cherry Point, Aug. 7-16, for the first time in nearly 18 years to conduct training with Marine Attack Squadron 223. VMFT-401’s primary mission is to train military pilots in air-to-air combat utilizing the F-5N Tiger II tactical fighter and attack aircraft.

CAE wins military contracts valued at more than $55 million

08/23/2012

CAE today announced that it has won a series of military contracts valued at more than C$55 million. They include a contract from Airbus Military to develop a C295 full-flight simulator (FFS) for the Royal Air Force of Oman (RAFO), a contract from BAE Systems to provide maintenance and support services for the Indian Air Force's Hawk training devices, and contracts from the UK Ministry of Defence to upgrade C-130J and Lynx simulators.

US military boss unharmed in attack on airbase

08/22/2012

Two insurgent rockets struck the vast Bagram airfield early Tuesday (local time) with one causing damage to the C-17 used by General Martin Dempsey, chairman of the US joint chiefs of staff, who left the base using another plane, his spokesman Colonel Dave Lapan said. Shrapnel from the rocket struck the door of the plane while it was parked on the runway, with two American maintenance crew suffering minor injuries in the attack, Colonel Lapan said.

Tactical Air Defense Services to Acquire Northrop TF5-1 Corp.

08/22/2012

Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc., an aerospace/defense services contractor that offers tactical aviation services, aircraft maintenance, and other aerospace/defense services to the United States and Foreign militaries, is pleased to announce that it has signed a letter of intent (the "LOI") to acquire, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TADF, 100% of Northrop TF5-1 Corp. ("Northrop"), a military aircraft holding company.

Kazan aircraft maker hopes An-70 program will contribute to personnel recovery

08/22/2012

Kazan Aviation Production Association (Russia, Tatarstan) hopes that the assembly of An-70 military transport aircraft at the plant will contribute to the revival of its production and ensure personnel recovery.

Osprey test flights in Japan to be put off until September

08/22/2012

Test flights of U.S. MV-22 Osprey military aircraft, initially planned for later this month, won't start until early September at the soonest, according to government sources. More time is required to verify the causes of two recent crashes involving the tilt-rotor transport aircraft, the sources said Tuesday.

Military Drones Only 'Slightly' Cheaper Than Piloted Jets

08/22/2012

Military drones are only slightly cheaper than manned warplanes, and data indicates the remotely piloted aircraft also are more prone to mishaps, a new report says. The Pentagon has since the onset of the post-9/11 Iraq and Afghanistan wars substantially ramped up its use of drone aircraft. Recently, Obama administration officials have acknowledged a U.S. drone mission in Yemen, the newest major front in the struggle against al Qaeda.

Russian Plant to Make Mi-171 Helicopters for China

08/22/2012

Russian Helicopters’ Ulan Ude factory will build Mi-171E multipurpose helicopters under a recent contract with China, a high-ranking defense industry source said on Tuesday. Moscow and Beijing signed a contract in late July on the delivery of 55 Mi-171E helicopters to China. The cost of one unit in its basic configuration is estimated at $10-12 million.

Sukhoi T-50 Stealth Fighter Completes Tanker Plug Trial

08/22/2012

Russian fighter maker Sukhoi's T-50 fifth-generation stealth fighter has completed initial approach trials to a flight refuelling aircraft, the company said on Tuesday. The second prototype, T-50-2 is currently conducting a range of flight trials to test the new plane's flight envelope in subsonic and supersonic regimes and in different configurations. The aircraft, T-50-2, made approaches to an Il-78 tanker in company with a Su-25UB trainer/strike aircraft.

Saudi Arabia seeks aircraft systems

08/21/2012

Data link systems and ISR suites for use on King Air 350ER aircraft are being sought from the United States by Saudi Arabia. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency said sale of the 10 Link-16 capable data link systems and Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance, along with associated equipment, is worth an estimated $257 million.

Sinai military build-up: Egypt to deploy tanks and aircraft to tackle Islamist militants

08/21/2012

Egypt is set to put tanks and aircraft on duty in Sinai for the first time since its 1973 war with Israel in a bid to tighten security in the region. Meanwhile, Tel Aviv has installed its Iron Dome anti-rocket system near the Egyptian border. The plan was first voiced by President Morsi after an August 5 attack blamed on Islamist militants that killed 16 Egyptian border guards.

India, US set to ink $1.4bn deal for 22 Apache helicopters

08/21/2012

India is getting ready to order 22 heavy-duty Apache helicopters for around $1.4 billion, in what will be yet another big defence deal to be bagged by the US. The US has already made military sales worth over $8 billion to India over the last few years, despite it having lost out to France in the almost $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to supply 126 fighters to IAF, which is in the final commercial negotiations stage.

Original Tuskegee airman Hickman dies at 88

08/21/2012

George Hickman, one of the original Tuskegee airmen and a longtime usher at University of Washington and Seattle Seahawks games, has died at age 88. His wife, Doris, confirmed Monday that he died early Sunday morning in Seattle. Hickman was one of the country’s first black military pilots and ground crew members who fought in World War II.

Marine Corps' CH-53D helicopter makes last flight

08/21/2012

The Marine Corps has flown its last mission using Vietnam-era CH-53D heavy lift helicopters. Pilots with Heavy Helicopter Squadron 362, under the direction of Miramar Marine Corps Air Station command, made the last flight over the skies of Helmand province in Afghanistan on Thursday. The squadron started using the model in 1969. The twin-engine helicopters are being phased out in favor other versions of the CH-53 that have three engines.