Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Boeing to Provide Performance-Based Logistics for CH-47 Chinook Helicopters

10/06/2012

The U.S. Army has awarded Boeing a five-year Performance-Based Logistics (PBL) contract for CH-47 Chinook support, an arrangement that reduces customer costs while allowing Boeing to invest in improving products and processes. The $185 million contract covers management of the production, overhaul and distribution of the Army's supply of Chinook helicopter rotor blades.

Moscow snubs New Delhi

10/05/2012

Russia snubbed India as it postponed Russian Defence Minister Anatoly Serdyukov's visit to New Delhi as the dates are clashing with Pakistan Army Chief General Ashfaq Kayani's visit to Moscow starting from October 5.Apparently, Moscow has conveyed to New Delhi that the meeting of annual India-Russia Inter-Governmental Commission on Military Technical Cooperation (IRIGC-MTC), which was to be held on Thursday.

Gripen demonstrator arrives for latest Swiss promotion

10/05/2012

Saab's Gripen F test aircraft touched down in Emmen, Switzerland, on 3 October, as part of a campaign to sell 22 of the new-generation combat aircraft to the nation's air force. Accompanied on its 2h journey from Linköping in Sweden by a twin-seat Gripen D, the next-generation development aircraft will remain in Switzerland for 10 days. During this time it will be shown to personnel from the nation's defence committees and also appear at the Axalp air show on 10-11 October.

159th shares helicopter knowledge with South Korean delegates, pilots

10/05/2012

Pilots, maintainers and analysts from the Republic of Korea Army, Test and Evaluation Group, and the Boeing Company received guided tours and operational briefings from the 3rd Battalion, 101st Aviation Regiment, 159th Combat Aviation Brigade, Sept. 24-25. The South Korean government is currently looking at several attack helicopter platforms for purchase that would improve their ability to meet current and future threats in the Pacific region.

Aircraft maker Dassault aims to sell the Rafale to the Government

10/05/2012

Military aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation is upping the ante in Malaysia with the hopes of supplying its combat aircraft Rafale to the Government, which considering to retire the ageing fleet of Russian made MIG-29N under the Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) programme.

Former RAAF 'pigs' go to new homes

10/05/2012

Six of the RAAF's now retired F-111 strike bombers, affectionately referred to as "pigs", are set to go on display at aircraft museums and historical organisations across Australia. Defence Materiel Minister Jason Clare said these aircraft, which retired in 2010, would be loaned out to help preserve an important part of Australia's military heritage.

Russian Air Force Accepts First Yak-130

10/05/2012

Russia’s Irkut aircraft-manufacturing plant delivered the first six Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten combat trainers to the Russian Air Force on Thursday, a spokesman for the Western Military District said. “On October 4, the first batch of Yak-130 combat trainers fly from the Irkut plant to the Borisoglebsk airfield [Voronezh region] after an extensive flight testing program,” Col. Andrei Bobrun said.

Russian Defense Ministry Signs Multi-billion-dollar Plane Contract

10/05/2012

Russia's Defense Ministry on Thursday signed a contract worth about 140 billion rubles ($4 billion) to buy 39 IL-476 transport planes, President Vladimir Putin announced. "This is the first, essentially new plane, that Russia's aviation industry has produced in the past 21 years" President Putin said "I am confident that this plane will enjoy great demand here, and among our possible partners abroad."

ISAF denies Taliban downed helicopter

10/04/2012

The Taliban have claimed credit for the downing of a NATO helicopter but international forces denied the allegation. The NATO Boeing CH-47D Chinook twin-engine, tandem rotor heavy-lift military transport helicopter crashed Monday Zabul province in southern Afghanistan. The Taliban stated that, in addition to downing the helicopter, all aboard were killed.

F-22 pilot safety problem known early

10/04/2012

Years before F-22 pilots began getting dizzy in the cockpit, before one struggled to breathe as he tried to pull out of a fatal crash, before two more went on television to say the plane was so unsafe they refused to fly it, a small circle of Air Force experts knew something was wrong with the prized stealth fighter jet.

Syria blasts Aleppo from above

10/04/2012

The Syrian government's army has been driven out of many areas in this province, a stronghold of the opposition forces arrayed against Syrian leader Bashar Assad. Even so, it would be a mistake to call this a liberated zone. Unable to make much headway on the ground, the Syrian air force is hitting back with increasing ferocity, dropping bombs from planes and helicopters and chasing the civilians who are trying to get out of the war.

Saudis Intercept “Horn of Africa” Aircraft

10/04/2012

On Tuesday, two Saudi F-15 fighter planes intercepted “an unidentified aircraft coming from the Horn of Africa [and] flying at a low level,” according to Saudi Arabian Arabic website, Jazan News. The Saudi website didn’t mention its sources and did not provide additional details but said the authorities will treat the matter as “the situation requires.”

Taiwanese pilot dies in fighter crash

10/04/2012

A Taiwanese pilot died yesterday morning after his Mirage 2000-5F crashed in France. The pilot, identified as Wang Tung-yi was on a training exchange program at the BA 116 airforce base in Luxeuil-les-Bains, Haute-Saone, and his aircraft crashed north of Luxeuil, near the Froideconche community soon after takeoff at 10:05am, French military officials told media.

Army Developing New Fixed-Wing Aircraft

10/04/2012

The Army is refining an initial capabilities document for a new fixed-wing utility aircraft that is designed to replace more than 112 airframes with a common platform. The new platform should be able to perform a range of key mission sets and services, officials said.

France accepts first AESA-equipped Rafale

10/03/2012

Dassault and its industry partners on the Rafale combat aircraft have achieved a significant programme milestone with the delivery of the first production example to feature an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar. Handed over to France's DGA defence procurement agency at Dassault's Merignac assembly site on 2 October, single-seat aircraft C137 will enter French air force service with the Thales RBE2 radar.

IAF planning to phase out MiG-27 combat planes by 2017

10/03/2012

Concerned over recurring problems in MiG-27 combat aircraft engines, Indian Air Force is planning to phase out these Russian-origin planes by 2017. IAF operates about 80 (four squadrons) of these aircraft in its fleet and due to the recurring problems in their engines, it had to ground all of them after a crash about two years ago.

Friends again, Israel and China boost ties

10/03/2012

Israel and China have been renewing military ties in recent months after a lengthy chill caused by hefty Israeli arms deals that the United States shot down. The upswing in relations between the defense establishments has raised eyebrows in Washington, which views China's expansion in the Pacific with growing concern. Israel once seemed set to be a major arms supplier to China.

New Competition For C-130J Aircraft With Successful Flight Of The An-70 Heavy Airlifter

10/03/2012

In a joint venture between Russia and Ukraine, the An-70 military transport aircraft has been flight tested after two years in development. The An-70 is certain to add to the competition between heavy airlift aircraft such as the C-130J Super Hercules and A400M aircraft. The An-70 can carry 47 tons for 1350 kilometers while C130J can take up 20 tons and the A400M with 37 tons.

Tactical Air Defense Services Closes Acquisition of Northrop TF5-1 Corp.

10/03/2012

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 closed the acquisition of Northrop TF5-1 Corp. ("Northrop"), a military aircraft holding company, as a wholly-owned subsidiary of TADF.

Poland ups military helicopter contest to 70 aircraft

10/03/2012

Polish prime minister Donald Tusk has announced that a previously planned order for 26 new military helicopters will be expanded to a roughly 70-aircraft deal. Defence minister Tomasz Siemoniak should launch the new process early this month, clearing the way for technical consultations to start with bidding manufacturers. Contenders are AgustaWestland, Eurocopter with the EC725, PZL Swidnik with the AgustaWestland AW149, and Sikorsky, which is offering the S-70i.

QEAF works with Symbiotics and DCI on pilot aptitude solution

10/03/2012

The Qatar Emiri Air Force (QEAF) has been working with Défense Conseil International (DCI) and Symbiotics Ltd, to implement a new aircrew pre-selection solution that helps stream potential pilots (fixed and rotary wing) into the QEAF elite flying training programme, whilst improving efficiency of assessment and recruitment programmes.

New planes with an extra lift

10/02/2012

Deputy Royal Malaysian Air Force chief Lt-Gen Datuk Roslan Saad recently tested the nation's next-generation transport aircraft in France. Following the test flight, which took place in Toulouse, the country's second highest ranking military pilot gave the thumbs up to the Airbus Military A400M airlifter, which was recently given the codename Atlas. "It is an enormous pleasure to fly the aircraft that is going to be at the heart of the RMAF's transport capabilities in the future.

Dobritoiu: Romania to pay around 600 million dollars over five years for 12 second-hand F-16 fighter jets from Portugal

10/02/2012

Minister of National Defence Corneliu Dobritoiu told Agerpres that the 12 multirole combat aircraft Romania is to purchase 'second-hand' from Portugal cost about 120 million euros out of the total of 670 million euros which is the total value of the contract. The difference between the figures goes to logistic support, which 'would have been the same if we had purchased new aircraft,' says the minister.

Eurofighter makes multirole software advance

10/02/2012

The Eurofighter consortium has moved a step closer to delivering a package of major enhancements for the Typhoon combat aircraft, with test flights having been performed over recent weeks in all four partner nations. Final elements of the P1E(b) upgrade were taken to the air using four instrumented production aircraft, including IPA 7, which was flown by EADS company Cassidian with the modifications in late August.

Aircraft procurement struggling to fly

10/02/2012

An audit of the Department of Defence’s procurement of the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter aircraft (JSF) from the United States, has found the project to be progressing slower than expected and costing more, but there were signs it could be improving. In his audit report, Management of Australia’s Air Combat Capability—F-35A Joint Strike Fighter Acquisition, Auditor-General.