Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

U.S. Navy Says It is One Year Away From Landing Its First Unmanned Jet Aboard an Aircraft Carrier

07/21/2012

The Navy is one year away from landing its first unmanned jet aircraft aboard a carrier after completing the most recent round of surrogate tests aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75). In early July, members from the Unmanned Combat Air System Demonstration (UCAS-D) carrier integration team engaged in extensive software testing aboard Truman to validate the concept of autonomous UAV operations around an aircraft carrier and prepare for the X-47B unmanned aircraft’s arrival on a carrier next year.

UK Takes Delivery of First Lightning II Fighter Jet

07/21/2012

The first of the UK's next generation stealth combat aircraft has yesterday been handed over to the UK Ministry of Defence (MOD). At a ceremony in Fort Worth, Texas, Defence Secretary Philip Hammond formally accepted the first of the jets, which will be known as Lightning II. The aircraft are short take-off and vertical landing (STOVL) F-35 Joint Strike Fighters and are manufactured by Lockheed Martin.

Denel in fresh talks on military aircraft deal

07/21/2012

DENEL, the state-owned arms company, was renegotiating the country’s purchase of Airbus A400M carriers after the collapse of an earlier contract for the aircraft, which were intended to play a crucial role in SA’s contribution to peacekeeping efforts in Africa, Denel Saab Aerostructures CEO Ismail Dockrat said yesterday.

Israel, Italy ink deal for military aircraft

07/21/2012

Israel and Italy Thursday signed a $750 million agreement to provide the Italian Air Force with two early warning aircraft. The contract includes ground control stations and a "comprehensive logistical support package", Xinhua quoted the government-run Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) as saying.

Russian Arms Ship Offloads Syria Helicopters

07/21/2012

A Russian cargo ship carrying a batch of Mi-25 attack helicopters and air defense systems for Syria has offloaded the aircraft in the Russian port of Baltiysk in the Kaliningrad region, a security source said on Friday. "The ship has unloaded," the source said. "These helicopters are now on the shore. A decision from Rosoboronexport on what to do with them is expected shortly."

Boeing Receives US Navy Contracts for SLAM ER and Harpoon Missiles

07/20/2012

Boeing on June 29 received a firm-fixed-price contract from U.S. Naval Air Systems Command for the production of nearly 90 Harpoon Block II missiles and associated hardware for the U.S. and four foreign militaries. The $145.1 million contract also includes exercise and test variants of the Standoff Land Attack Missile Expanded Response (SLAM ER). The first missile deliveries are scheduled for this August and contract work is expected to run through December 2013.

United Kingdom Accepts First International Lockheed Martin F-35

07/19/2012

The United Kingdom accepted the first international Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II aircraft in a ceremony today with senior representatives of the U.K. Ministry of Defence and the U.S. Department of Defense. The Right Honourable Philip Hammond, U.K. Secretary of State for Defence, and Mr. Frank Kendall, U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, represented their governments.

Sikorsky Delivers 500th 'M' Model BLACK HAWK Helicopter

07/19/2012

Sikorsky Aircraft Corp., a subsidiary of United Technologies Corp., and the U.S. Army today celebrated the delivery of the 500th H-60M BLACK HAWK helicopter. The deliveries to date comprise 400 UH-60M utility and 100 HH-60M MEDEVAC aircraft, the latter used exclusively as an air ambulance by the U.S. Army to rush wounded soldiers to field hospitals. Also included in the 500 are 73 UH-60M aircraft sold by the Army to six foreign militaries via the U.S. Government's Foreign Military Sales program.

Panetta praises F-35 progress

07/19/2012

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta said Wednesday that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft represents the "future of tactical aviation" for U.S. and British forces, as Britain prepares to take delivery of its first test aircraft on Thursday in Fort Worth. The scheduled delivery at the Lockheed Martin plant in west Fort Worth shows there has been considerable progress made in the F-35 program, particularly in the past year, according to a report by Reuters new service.

Venezuela’s Chavez Eyes Russian Su-35 Fighters

07/19/2012

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez said on Thursday he is interested in buying Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E multirole fighter jets from Russia to enhance his country’s defense capabilities. “I have already sent a statement to the government of Russia that we are ready to consider buying in the next few years Su-35 fighters to modernize and enhance our defense powers,” Venezuela’s national radio quoted Chavez as saying.

Irkut Plans Yak-130 Sensor Upgrade

07/19/2012

Russian aircraft maker Irkut is planning a sensor-package upgrade program for the Yak-130 advanced jet trainer, including the installation of radar and electro-optical systems, Irkut head Alexei Fedorov said on Wednesday. "We plan to 'grow' the capabilities of this aircraft, fitting a radar and electro-optical, thermal and laser systems," Fedorov said. The upgrades are primarily to enable the aircraft to be used for advanced weapon training, he said, as well as combat roles.

2nd Boeing P-8I Aircraft for India Completes 1st Flight

07/19/2012

The second Boeing P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy completed its initial flight on July 12, taking off from Renton Field at 3:29 p.m. and landing two hours and 14 minutes later at Boeing Field in Seattle. The P-8I, a derivative of the Boeing Next-Generation 737-800 commercial airplane, is the second of eight long-range maritime reconnaissance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft Boeing is building for India.

Did the FARC Shoot Down Colombian War Plane?

07/17/2012

On July 11, a Colombian Air Force plane disappeared while on a mission in the Pacific province of Cauca, after taking off from the city of Cali earlier that afternoon. The wreckage was eventually found in the municipality of Jambalo, some 20 kilometers from Toribio, where fighting between the security forces and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has been raging for days.

Boeing Sees F-18 Program Growth In U.S. And Abroad

07/17/2012

With prices rising and schedules slipping for Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing says it is seeing a resurgent interest in the F-18 in U.S. foreign markets. The company is especially keen on potential international sales, says Mike Gibbons, vice president of F/A-18 & EA-18 programs for Boeing Military Aircraft. The company can leverage its global footprint to offer better deals to international customers.

Ministers 'confident' over aircraft carrier fighter planes

07/17/2012

The government has said it is confident there will not be a second U-turn on the type of fighter planes to be used on the navy's new aircraft carrier. In May, the coalition said it was changing from its proposed "catapult and trap" planes to jump jets. But newspaper reports say problems with the US-led Joint Strike Fighter project could force another change on the UK.

US sends aircraft carrier to Gulf as tensions are raised

07/17/2012

America has announced the deployment of a US carrier group to the Gulf as it moved to strengthen its forces surrounding Iran while simultaneously embarking on an diplomatic offensive to reassure Israel of its resolve in the Middle East.

The Global Military Aviation MRO Market 2012-2022

07/17/2012

This report is the result of ICD Research / Strategic Defence Intelligence's extensive market and company research covering the global military aviation MRO industry. It provides detailed analysis of both historic and forecast global industry values, factors influencing demand, the challenges faced by industry participants, analysis of the leading companies in the industry, and key news.

Indian Aircraft Carrier Heads For Second Sea Trials

07/17/2012

The Indian Navy's newest aircraft carrier, the Vikramaditya, has headed into the Barents Sea for second-stage sea trials, as part of its refit by Russia's Sevmash shipyard, Captain Vadim Serga of Russia's Northern Fleet information service said on Monday.

In Fleeing Pilot, Hints of Trouble for Syria’s Assad

07/15/2012

To escape the government he served until it gave him an order he could not obey, Capt. Akhmed Trad, a pilot in Syria’s air force, needed a plan: how to spirit himself over a border quickly, and leave no family behind.

Philippines Plane Sights Stranded Chinese Ship

07/15/2012

A Philippine military aircraft confirmed Saturday that a Chinese naval frigate remains stranded in disputed waters of the South China Sea, a military spokesman said. The Chinese frigate and smaller craft were sighted by a Philippine Islander plane.

Battle for the Pacific: Naval arms race in the China Sea

07/15/2012

U.S. navy Capt. Rick Labranche streaks across the horizon at 1,000 kilometres an hour in his F-18 Hornet strike fighter. It has been 12 minutes since a catapult slung Labranche’s plane from the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS Carl Vinson and Labranche is preparing to drop a pair of 225-kilogram bombs into the Indian Ocean’s two-metre swells.

Russia's aircraft makers spread their wings

07/15/2012

If there was ever a one-stop shop for your aviation needs it was the Russian stands at last week's Farnborough International Airshow just outside London. From fighter jets and trainers to narrow-body airliners, executive helicopters to helicopter gunships, a resurgent Russian aerospace industry was out in force to catch the eyes - and the orders - of plane-buying air forces and airlines from around the world.

Russian war-games included simulated attacks on American air defenses

07/14/2012

The Washington Free Beacon reports: Two Russian strategic nuclear bombers entered the U.S. air defense zone near the Pacific coast in early July 2012 and the combat aircraft were met by U.S. interceptor warplanes, most likely F-16’s, scrambled by NORAD at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado. This was twice now that Russia has dispatched “nuclear-capable bombers into the 322 kilometer zone surrounding U.S. territory in the past two weeks.”

Queasy reporter gets firsthand ride aboard an Osprey MV-22

07/14/2012

Although the U.S. military is touting the safety of its MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft, media representatives wanting a demonstration ride first had to sign an unsettling form. We were asked to sign an agreement stating that we were fully aware of the risk of serious injury and death, and to provide an emergency contact number. Just in case. With this less than reassuring start, reporters were allowed to ride an MV-22 on July 12.

C-295 Aircraft Completes First Flight With Anti-Ship Missile

07/14/2012

Airbus Military and MBDA have successfully completed the first flight of the C295 maritime patrol aircraft with an instrumented Marte MK2/S anti-ship inert missile installed under the wing. The flight was the first of a series of trials planned in a joint Airbus Military – MBDA collaboration to validate the aerodynamic integration of Marte on the C295. Subsequent flights will include handling qualities tests and aircraft flight performance tests.