Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Boeing and Embraer Sign Agreement to Collaborate on KC-390 Program

06/27/2012

The Boeing Company and Embraer today announced an agreement to collaborate on the KC-390 aircraft program. Under this agreement, Boeing and Embraer will share some specific technical knowledge and evaluate markets where they may join their sales efforts for medium-lift military transport opportunities.

Philippines Orders South Korean TA-50 Jets

06/26/2012

With new territorial challenges facing the Philippines and an antiquated military force riddled with inefficiencies, the Philippine’s ABS-CBN news released a report on 20 June that the Philippine Air Force (PAF) has decided to acquire twelve South Korean TA-50 trainer/fighter jets.

Denmark to upgrade its F-16 aircraft with LITENING G4 Targeting Pods

06/26/2012

The Danish Ministry of Defence announced that it has selected Northrop Grumman’s LITENING G4 targeting system for its F-16 fighter aircraft. First deliveries are expected in August 2013. The Litening G4 pods will be supplied with datalinks and full logistics support package.

A new £16 million contract to provide Tornado GR4 aircraft with new kit

06/26/2012

For anyone who is a computer gamer, it’s a familiar story. Advances in software development provide real advantages but inevitably you need the latest hardware if you want to play the games at blistering speeds. Well it’s pretty much the same with today’s combat aircraft – operational flight programmes are becoming more capable as functionality is added but you need some pretty powerful kit to play it on.

Turkey Accuses Syria Of Firing At Second Military Aircraft

06/26/2012

Turkey on Monday accused Syria of firing at one of its search and rescue aircraft while searching for a Turkish warplane shot down by Syrian forces last week, making the second such confrontation between the two nations in less than a week.

Troops continue 'provocative' military drills on the 62nd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War

06/26/2012

North Korea today called the use of its flag during U.S.-South Korean military drills last week a serious provocation and evidence of U.S. hostility that justifies the growth of Pyongyang's nuclear arms program. The statement from an unidentified Foreign Ministry spokesman came on the 62nd anniversary of the start of the 1950-53 Korean War, which ended in a truce, leaving the Korean Peninsula still technically at war.

Syrian conflict expands into Turkey

06/26/2012

The civil war in Syria has now escalated to crisis status as of last Friday. Syria shot down a Turkish warplane over the Mediterranean. Ankara ominously warned the trigger-happy Syrians they would “respond decisively” to the knee-jerk incident This action opens a whole new chapter in the growing conflict creating an international dimension to the 16-month revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

EU Condemns Syria’s Downing of Turkish Jet, Urges Probe

06/26/2012

The foreign ministers of 27 EU members states condemned on Monday Syria’s shooting down of a Turkish military plane and urged a thorough investigation into the incident. “The European Union notes that this is a matter which needs to be investigated thoroughly and urgently,” the EU Council of Ministers said in a statement. Syria downed a Turkish F-4 Phantom jet on June 22, saying that it had violated Syria’s airspace.

Lockheed Martin Provides Italian Ministry of Defence with Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Aircraft

06/26/2012

An innovative Airborne Multi-Intelligence Laboratory (AML) developed by Lockheed Martin for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) is now being used by the Italian Air Force in a live operational environment. Lockheed Martin signed a use agreement with the Italian Ministry of Defence (MoD) to provide the AML aircraft, three ground intelligence processing systems as well as flight crew and maintenance personnel for the plane. This agreement is for one year.

Boeing Completes Wind Tunnel Tests on Silent Eagle Conformal Weapons Bay

06/26/2012

Boeing recently completed wind tunnel tests on the Silent Eagle Conformal Weapons Bay (CWB). The tests, conducted at the company's St. Louis facility, validated the aerodynamics of the CWB design. CWBs are integral to the adaptable configuration and balanced survivability of the Silent Eagle.

Turkey says its F4 was in international airspace

06/25/2012

Turkey on Sunday charged that Syria shot down a Turkish F4 Phantom jet Friday over international waters without any warning and called for a meeting of its NATO allies. Both the United States and Britain denounced Syria in response to the new details, and NATO set a meeting for meeting for Tuesday under its treaty, which allows any party can to call for consultations if it feels its territory or security is threatened. The meeting, however, falls well short of asking for military support.

Turkey Vows Retaliation For Downing Of Military Jet By Syria

06/24/2012

Turkey was weighing its response Saturday to the shooting down by Syria of one of its planes, an incident that sent tensions soaring between two neighbors already at odds over the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule.

Russian aircraft arrives in North America to observe Canadian forces

06/24/2012

A Russian Federation Tupolev TU-154M aircraft will conduct observation flights over Canada between June 26 and 28 in accordance with the Treaty on Open Skies, an agreement that allows aerial observation flights over the territories of 34 countries to promote openness and the transparency of military forces and activities.

Canadian military ups Asian presence

06/24/2012

Last month China sent its first aircraft carrier Shi Lang to sea for trials. At 66,000-tons, the reconfigured former Soviet ship is a significant new player in a building South Asia arms race that has drawn the attention of both the US and Canada. Now India has followed suit. Its refurbished aircraft carrier INS Vikramaditya began long-delayed sea trials June 8, leaving Sevmash shipyard in northern Russia for the White Sea.

Syria downs Turkish jet, Ankara to act decisively

06/23/2012

Syria shot down a Turkish warplane over the Mediterranean on Friday and Ankara warned it would respond decisively to the incident that threatened a new international dimension to the 16-month revolt against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Syria said the Turkish aircraft was flying low, well inside Syrian territorial waters when it was shot down.

Crashes Fuel Uproar in Japan Over Osprey

06/23/2012

Recent crashes involving the U.S. military's latest transport aircraft are fueling an uproar in Japan that could threaten plans to deploy them to the southern island of Okinawa by the end of the year. Following an uproar on Okinawa and in another city likely to host the Osprey aircraft, U.S. officials were to brief Japanese government representatives in Washington on Friday.

Boeing Delivers 100th Modified Chinook to US Army

06/23/2012

Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered the 100th modified CH-47F Chinook helicopter to the U.S. Army today in a ceremony at the company's modification center in Millville. "The Boeing Millville team is proud to have delivered 100 modified Chinooks to the Army on time, using efficient, cost-saving processes," said Peri Widener, Boeing vice president of Rotorcraft Support.

Turkish warplane 'missing' near Syrian border

06/22/2012

Turkey's government has called an emergency security meeting amid reports that one of its fighter jets was shot down by Syrian security forces. The Turkish military lost contact with an F-4 Phantom over the Mediterranean Sea, south-west of Hatay province.

Norway buys 2 US-built Joint Strike Fighter jets

06/22/2012

Norway on Friday ordered the first two fighter jets of an expected combined order of 52 from Lockheed Martin's troubled Joint Strike Fighter program as it embarked on a 2008 plan to replace its aging fleet of F-16 combat aircraft. Defense Minister Espen Barth Eide said in a statement that the F-35A Lightning II jets are expected to arrive in 2015, with a further 50 aircraft expected to follow two years later at a total cost of 60 billion kroner ($10 billion).

Syrian fighter pilot defects to Jordan, gets asylum

06/22/2012

A Syrian air force pilot flew his MiG-21 fighter plane over the border to Jordan and was granted political asylum on Thursday, the first defection with a military aircraft since the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad. olonel Hassan Hamada landed at the King Hussein military air base 80 km (50 miles) northeast of Amman and immediately asked for sanctuary, Jordanian officials told Reuters.

U.S. weighs plan to send military aircraft to aid Yemen

06/22/2012

Spurred by recent battlefield gains, the Pentagon is making plans to send U.S. military aircraft to Yemen for the first time to help move government troops and supplies more quickly into battle against Islamic militants, U.S. officials said.

U.S., Japanese Defense Officials to Meet to Discuss Osprey Issues

06/22/2012

Senior Defense Department officials will brief a Japanese delegation at the Pentagon tomorrow on recent incidents involving U.S. MV-22 and CV-22 Osprey aircraft variants, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said today. “This is a tangible demonstration of how seriously the Department of Defense takes the issue and inquiries made by the government of Japan on this matter,” Little said.

Military plane crashes into Jakarta homes; 10 die

06/22/2012

An Indonesian air force plane slammed into a military housing complex and ignited a huge fireball Thursday while trying to land in Jakarta, killing all seven people aboard as well as two toddlers and their nanny in a home. The pilot, co-pilot and five trainees aboard the Fokker F-27 were on a routine training flight when it crashed into houses in a neighborhood about 1.5 kilometers (nearly a mile) from the runway where it was trying to land, Indonesian military spokesmen said.

Syrian Air Force One of Middle East's Largest

06/21/2012

The Syrian air force is one of the largest in the Middle East, with 30,000 members and composed of aircraft provided first by the Soviet Union and, later, by Russia. They include MiG-21 interceptors, MiG-23 ground assault aircraft and the more modern MiG-29 combat aircraft. They also have a fleet of Sukhoi fighter jets.

Air Force to acquire 18 aircraft within 2 years

06/21/2012

The Air Force will acquire 12 fighter jets and six other fixed-wing aircraft by next year. Defense Assistant Secretary Patrick Velez told The STAR the jet fighters would be acquired from suppliers based in South Korea, Italy, United Kingdom and Russia. Each jet costs about P1.2 billion, he added.