Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russia, Ukraine Revise Nitka Facility Lease

08/21/2012

Russia and Ukraine signed on Monday a protocol on amendments to an agreement on the rent of facilities on Ukraine's Crimean Peninsula for training of Russian carrier pilots. In line with a 1997 bilateral agreement, Russia occasionally uses the Nitka Naval Pilot Training Center in Ukraine as the only training facility for its carrier pilots.

First Tata-made Sikorsky S 92 helicopter airframe is flying

08/20/2012

Air Vice Marshal Arvind Walia (Retd), Sikorsky’s Regional Executive for India and South Asia, told India Strategic that the Tatas had already supplied 15 airframes to the US company, which is fitting them with Cockpit, engines, systems and rotors. These completed helicopters are then ready for supply to global customers.

Fifth gen fighter aircraft to be unveiled in India by 2014

08/20/2012

The initial version of a fighter plane, being jointly developed by India and Russia and tipped to be one of the most-advanced in the world, will be unveiled in India in 2014. The Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) with stealth features is slated to be inducted in the Indian Air Force by 2022.

U.S. Navy Adding Air Surveillance to Asia-Pacific Fleet

08/18/2012

The U.S. Navy is stepping up its ocean surveillance capabilities in the Asia-Pacific region, with new manned aircraft arriving within the next year and preparations for next-generation drones beginning as soon as October 2013.

F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Sneak Peek

08/18/2012

The late Steve Jobs said it best: "Most of the time, people don't know what they want until you show it to them." Well, after taking a tour of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft factory in Ft. Worth, Texas, I believe yet another advancement in aviation is about to grace Yuma’s presence that will make us wonder for many years to come how it came to be.

Taiwan denies it still seeks F-16C/D jets

08/18/2012

A Taiwanese military spokesman denied media reports that Taiwan is pursuing a reduced order for F-16C/D jet fighters after being refused the purchase last year. The Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense said there is no truth that Taiwan recently proposed to the United States that it buy 24 F-16C/D aircraft instead of the 66 it originally sought to purchase.

Delaying Iran's nuke program

08/18/2012

There are those who call it a “strike,” while others refer to it as an “operation.” What exactly it will entail no one really knows, although most assessments stress that there will be surprises – and lots of them. Either way, when Israel decides to launch an attack against Iran’s nuclear facilities it will be looking to inflict as much damage as possible with the aim of preventing Tehran from rebuilding its nuclear program for years to come.

Germany’s military can run combat operations

08/18/2012

Germany’s top court ruled yesterday that the military may conduct combat operations within the country’s borders in case of a terror attack of “catastrophic proportions”, ending a post-war taboo. The Federal Constitutional Court said the Bundeswehr armed forces could deploy under strict conditions in case of an assault with the potential for scores of casualties, in a decision largely welcomed by the government.

Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro EFB solution for Apple iPad now available

08/18/2012

Jeppesen FliteDeck Pro helps streamline the use of navigational information for airlines, fractional business jet operators and military fleet programs. Jeppesen says its FliteDeck Pro also enables significant weight savings and reduced fuel burn through regulatory authorization to remove paper content from the operation and improved safety through increased situational awareness.

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.