Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

South Korea Announces Evaluation of F-X Fighter Bids to Begin Next Week

07/08/2012

South Korea’s primary defense acquisition agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), announced that evaluations would begin next week to select the winning bid in the competition for a $7.3 billion contract for 60 advanced fighter aircraft. Previously submitted bids from three defense contractors were found to be lacking relevant details and were resubmitted, at South Korea’s request, on 5 July.

Irkut Plows Fighter Earnings Into Fulfilling Its Airliner Ambitions With The MC-21

07/08/2012

Irkut is pursuing its ambition of capturing a 10-percent share in the world market for narrowbody airliners by funding its new MC-21 twinjet largely from funds earned from fighter sales. The Russian airframer now claims a 15-percent share of Russia’s overall military exports by value.

Russian Military Exports Grow As Rosoboronexport Seeks To Expand Client Base

07/08/2012

Geopolitical shifts including regime-change in Libya, the stiffening of international sanctions against Iran and violent unrest in Syria, are among the trends compelling Russian military export agency Rosoboronexport to keep looking for new clients worldwide. This is, to a large degree, one of its primary motives for exhibiting at the Farnborough International Airshow.

RM12b Eurofighters among five bids to replace combat jets

07/07/2012

Malaysia is considering five competing bids, including a reported RM12 billion deal with UK-based BAE Systems, to replace its 10 Russian-made MiG fighter jets delivered 17 years ago. BAE was reported in March to be “bullish” about securing the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) replacement deal, but Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi today said, “Everyone says they are bullish.”

Japan to US: Don't deploy Osprey aircraft

07/07/2012

Hirokazu Nakaima, governor of Japan’s Okinawa prefecture, has been making headlines this summer for his persistent calls to cancel the United States' planned deployment of 24 MV-22 Osprey aircraft to its Futenma base due to concerns over the aircraft’s safety record.

Italian Military Buys $100M Spy Satellite from Israel in Exchange Deal

07/07/2012

The Italian Defense Ministry is buying a high-resolution optical reconnaissance satellite from Israel as part of an offset package agreed to in exchange for the Israeli Defense Ministry’s purchase of Italian trainer aircraft, according to industry officials.

Israel to Upgrade Air Force With F-35 Advanced Aircrafts

07/07/2012

Not long ago, a thick cloud of rumors settled on the new, much-talked-about IDF [Israel Defense Forces] acquisition of 20 F-35's, a fighter plane known as the Stealth produced by the American Lockheed Martin Company. There were rumors regarding production slowdowns and delays of the F-35, known as the “fifth generation fighter plane” (in contrast to the Israeli fourth-generation F-16's). The fear is that they will reach Israel very late — too late to serve the IDF in coping with future challenge

Air Force General Pilots Raptor Fighter

07/07/2012

Air Combat Command's senior airman completed F-22 Raptor pilot qualification recently, reinforcing his personal stake in the Air Force's efforts to identify the root cause of unexplained physiological incidents involving a small number of Raptor crews.

Philippine defense chief: Military modernization 'in full swing'

07/07/2012

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Friday vowed to meet his agency’s goal to approve the contracts of 138 military modernization projects by the end of the month. Speaking during the 65th anniversary of the Air Force here, Gazmin said the Armed Forces’ upgrade program is “in full swing” and that efforts are underway to equip troops.

Poland orders more C295s, produces helos

07/07/2012

Poland was in the news in Europe and Asia this week for acquisition of aircraft and delivery of others. Spain-based Airbus Military reported that the Polish air force had signed a contract for five C295 transports. The Ministry of Defense of Brunei Darussalam, meanwhile, reported that PZL Mielec, the Polish subsidiary of Sikorsky, had completed the construction of several S-70i baseline Black Hawk helicopters that the country had ordered.

Boeing, Lockheed Fight Europe's Typhoon For South Korea's Multibillion-Dollar Jet Fighter Order

07/07/2012

It's America versus Europe again in the latest battle for a giant, multibillion-dollar international order for fighter jets. South Korea is looking to replace some of its older warplanes with more modern machines, and has selected Boeing (NYSE: BA), Lockheed Martin and EADS (Paris: EAD) Eurofighter as finalists, the Korea Times reported.

Pentagon Contractor Caught Illegally Selling Military Technology to China

07/07/2012

The Canadian arm of the aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney closed a six-year U.S. government probe last week by admitting that it helped China produce its first modern attack helicopter, a serious violation of U.S. export laws that drew a multimillion dollar fine.

Sales Activity at Air Show Expected to Be Subdued

07/07/2012

The titans of the global aerospace industry will converge Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow, ready to talk shop and wow the crowds with impressive flying displays of the latest in civil and military aircraft. But inside the sprawling maze of corporate chalets and exhibition halls in Hampshire, England, the pace of deal making at the show — the world’s biggest aviation bazaar — is likely to be more subdued than in recent years.

Taiwan close to sealing F-16 A/Bs upgrade deal with U.S.

07/06/2012

Taiwan will send back a proposal by the United States to overhaul the country's aging F-16 A/B jet fighters to seal the arms sales deal by the end of next week, Taiwan's military said Thursday. The Ministry of National Defense has recently completed its review of the letter detailing a retrofit package for Taiwan's 145 F-16A/B fighters, and will send back a reply to the U.S. by mid-July, the military told CNA.

V-22 Osprey, F/A-18 Super Hornet, Su-27 fighter, Lockheed Super Constellation highlight air displays at Farnborough

07/06/2012

The Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet jet fighter-bomber and the U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft are among the aircraft scheduled to make flight demonstrations during the Farnborough International Airshow from 9 to 13 July in Farnborough, England.

Aviastar Sends First Il-76MD-90A Plane for Tests

07/06/2012

Russia's Aviastar aircraft plant has completed the first flying prototype of the Ilyushin Il-76MD-90A transport aircraft and sent it off for test-flights, the plant's general director, Sergei Dementyev, said on Thursday. The plant has built two of the modernized aircraft, he said.

Russian Participation in UK Airshow Mired in Scandals

07/06/2012

The Russian Knights, one of the world’s best aerobatic teams, missed on Thursday the planned deadline for their departure to the British airshow in Farnborough over the lack of Russian bureaucratic paperwork, a source from the team said. The move could be an implicit answer to Britain stalling on visas for Russian participants of the show in punishment for Russia supporting the Syrian government, Russian media reported earlier.

A400M engine woes sees aircraft remaining static at show

07/06/2012

Newsagency Reuters has reported that the Airbus A400M has pulled out of the flying display at next week's Farnborough Airshow due to continued engine problems. The move repeats a decision at last year's Paris Airshow, but is not expected to disrupt plans to deliver it to its first customer, France, around the end of the year.

US sending Ospreys to Japan despite local protests

07/05/2012

The United States is moving ahead with plans to deploy its first Osprey military transport aircraft to Japan, despite strong opposition from residents over safety issues following two recent crashes, officials said Wednesday. The first 12 Ospreys left San Diego on a ship bound for Japan on Sunday. They will be assembled at a Marine base in the city of Iwakuni before being deployed to the southern island of Okinawa, which has a large and often sensitive U.S. military presence.

Taiwan's military set to commission new additions to rescue squadron

07/05/2012

Taiwan's Air Force will formally commission three search-and-rescue helicopters purchased from Europe to beef up its disaster response capabilities at a ceremony July 10, the military said recently. The advanced EC-225 Super Puma helicopters, which Eurocopter delivered to Taiwan's military last November, will be the first Europe-made choppers to be incorporated into the Air Force's rescue squadron.

Bodies of Turkish Pilots of Downed Plane Found

07/05/2012

The bodies of two Turkish pilots of a jet downed by Syria in the Mediterranean Sea were found on Wednesday, the Hurriyet daily reported. Pilot Cpt. Gokhan Ertan and pilot Lt. Hasan Huseyin Aksoy had been missing since their RF-4 plane was shot down by Syria on June 22. The bodies were located at a depth of 1,260 meters.

Samara Plant to Build 6 An-140 Military Planes in 2012

07/05/2012

Samara-based AVIACOR aircraft maker will build six Antonov An-140-100 light transport planes under a contract with the Russian Defense Ministry by the end of 2012, the regional government said on Wednesday. The An-140-100 was developed by Russia's Antonov design bureau as a replacement for the An-24 and An-26 series aircraft. It can carry up to 6 metric tons of cargo to a range of over 2,000 kilometers, and can be used for patrol, military transport and spec-ops missions.

Russia’s Yak-130 Combat Trainer to Debut at Farnborough 2012

07/05/2012

Russia’s Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten trainer/light attack aircraft will be showcased for the first time at the Farnborough International Air Show as part of a large Russian exhibit. About 55 Russian companies, including 19 defense industry firms, will take part in the airshow near London on July 9-15 to exhibit the latest achievements in the Russian aircraft industry.

China awaits fighter export breakthrough

07/04/2012

The atmosphere in the Dubai air show briefing room in November 2011 was electric. Journalists occupied every seat and photographers squeezed into the back of the room. Also present were a dozen senior Pakistan air force officials, who were forced to stand along one wall, as well as several Chinese executives in business suits.

Two airmen missing after UK military jets crash in Scotland

07/04/2012

Two RAF Tornado jets crashed Tuesday on Scotland's coast, leaving two British airmen missing after two others were plucked from the sea by helicopter. It was not clear if the jets crashed into each other. The search for the two missing airmen and the wreckage was continuing, British officials said.