Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russian Specialists to Modernize Helicopters in Bulgaria

03/16/2012

Moscow and Sofia signed a deal to repair and modernize Soviet-era helicopters in Bulgaria, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said on Thursday. The agreement “to organize repairs and modernization of Mi-17 (Mi-8) and Mi-35 (Mi-24) helicopters and its modifications” was signed in Bulgaria’s defense ministry on March 9.

First Flight For Last Raptor

03/16/2012

The final Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor took to the skies for its first test flight here yesterday with company test pilot, Bret Luedke at the controls. Raptor 4195 has a May delivery date and will join other F-22s in the U.S. Air Force’s 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska.

Boeing Wins Contract to Paint Royal Australian Air Force Fleet

03/16/2012

Boeing subsidiary Boeing Defence Australia (BDA) has been awarded a three-year contract to perform aircraft surface finishing services for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) aircraft fleet. The contract, worth approximately AUS$20 million, involves preparing, remediating and painting AP-3C Orion, C-130H Hercules, F/A-18 Hornet, and Hawk-127 aircraft across multiple locations in Australia and New Zealand.

Boeing Delivers 1st Aircraft Under US Navy F/A-18E/F and EA-18G MYP III Contract

03/16/2012

Boeing has completed delivery of the U.S. Navy's first aircraft acquired through the F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Multi-Year Procurement (MYP) III contract, ahead of schedule. Aircraft G-57, an EA-18G Growler, was the first of 148 F/A-18E/Fs and EA-18Gs that the Navy will purchase through the contract. The aircraft was delivered to the Navy on Jan. 26 and arrived at its home base at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island on Jan. 30.

F-22 Pilot's Widow Sues Maker Over His Death

03/15/2012

The widow of an Air Force pilot who died in an F-22 Raptor crash has sued the makers of the fighter, claiming that malfunctions in the aircraft’s oxygen generation system killed her husband. Anna Haney filed suit Monday against Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Honeywell International and Pratt & Whitney in Cook County Court, Ill. Her husband, Capt. Jeff Haney, crashed his F-22 in November 2010 in Alaska, where he was stationed at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson.

Canada mulls nixing F-35 purchase

03/15/2012

Canada is actively rethinking a multibillion-dollar purchase of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter jet or reducing numbers to keep within its present budget, senior officials said. The F-35 has seen its development costs balloon out of control over the past decade, critics said, and the result is a price which is almost double the original figure.

Joint Fact Sheet: U.S. and UK Defense Cooperatio

03/15/2012

Today President Obama and Prime Minister Cameron reaffirmed their commitment to continue close cooperation on defense as the United States and United Kingdom build their Armed Forces for the future. The U.S. and UK share an unprecedented defense relationship that has helped secure our shared interests and values since the World Wars of the last century.

Indian MoD Comments Various Defence and Security Issues

03/15/2012

According to the Indian Press Information Bureau, the following information was given March 14, 2012, by the Indian Minister of Defence, Shri AK Antony, and Minister of State for Defence, Shri MM Pallam Raju, in written replies to members of the Parliament of India.

Show of force: Hundreds of F-16 fighters on parade as U.S. air force and South Korea put on display of military might for North and its new leader

03/15/2012

After the North Korean leader made his first visit to the tense demilitarised border and Pyongyang agreed to freeze its nuclear weapons programme, United States and South Korean aircraft joined forces in this huge display of F-16 Fighting Falcons. As these pictures from Kunsan Air Base show, hundreds of the jet fighters stretched as far as the eye could see.

Marines to cut four battalions, 12 air squadrons

03/15/2012

The Marine Corps said on Wednesday it would cut four infantry battalions and 12 flying squadrons over the next five years as it shrinks by 20,000 personnel to meet budget constraints and peacetime needs after more than a decade of war.

Spy Blimp Caught Rogue Soldier on Tape After Shooting Spree

03/15/2012

Above a small base in southern Afghanistan, a spy blimp captured video of the perpetrator of Sunday’s massacre surrendering to base forces. The question now becomes what other aspects of the killings, which left 16 Afghan civilians dead, are detailed in that video — or in any other footage that may have been shot by the U.S. military’s innumerable surveillance sensors in the region.

High-tech military gear makes its way from drawing board to battlefield

03/15/2012

Technology has become more important than ever in the defense of our country. From drone aircraft to something as small as a smartphone, new technology encompasses nearly every part of military life.

Vehicle Crashes On Runway During Panetta Visit In Afghanistan

03/15/2012

An Afghan civilian stole a military pickup truck, rammed through a fence, and crashed into a ditch by a runway around the time that a plane carrying Defense Secretary Leon Panetta landed at an airfield in southern Afghanistan Wednesday, US officials said. Panetta was unharmed and carried on with his visit as planned. Pentagon officials said they could not immediately confirm that the crash was an attempt to attack Panetta or that it was linked to his visit.

Navy looks to Boeing for repair and upgrade of Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier jump jets

03/14/2012

U.S. Navy aviation experts are asking the Boeing Co. Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis to repair and upgrade the U.S. Marine Corps fleet of ageing AV-8B Harrier jump jets under terms of a $30.9 million contract awarded late last week. Boeing will repair various parts supporting the AV-8 vertical-and-short-takeoff-and-landing (VSTOL) attack jets as part of the contract, which was awarded by Naval Supply Systems Command (NAVSSUP) Weapon Systems Support segment in Philadelphia.

Minister: Fighter jets not a done deal

03/14/2012

The point man on the F-35 stealth fighter purchase says the Conservative government has not ruled out abandoning the troubled project. "We have not, as yet, discounted the possibility, of course, of backing out of any of the program," Julian Fantino, associate defence minister, told the House of Commons defence committee Tuesday.

NATO’s Libyan Lessons

03/14/2012

NATO's intervention in Libya one year ago helped to avert a humanitarian catastrophe and created the conditions for Libya's citizens to end Colonel Muammar el-Qaddafi's dictatorship. The military operation highlighted important improvements in European leadership since the Bosnian debacle in the 1990s, but the conditions underlying the Libya mission's success cannot be counted upon to exist again in the future.

Russia eyes second 5th generation fighter

03/14/2012

Russian media and military pundits have been heatedly discussing a second project of a cutting-edge fifth generation fighter that may join the Russian air force. A strong argument in favour of this backup project is competition, although such duplication of effort isn’t always a good thing.

Out of Balance: Obama Cut Weapons Too Much, Personnel Not Enough

03/14/2012

The Obama administration has assured the American public that any cuts to defense spending would be part of a reasonably balanced package of reductions, would help reduce record budget deficits, and will be "reversible" if future contingencies require it.

Turkey, US air forces conduct military exercise in Konya

03/14/2012

Turkey and the United States began a joint military exercise, Anatolian Falcon 2012, in the Central Anatolian city of Konya last week as tensions escalate in Iran and Syria. The combat exercise began March 5 and will continue until March 15, according to a statement released by the Press Operations Center of the US Department of Defense. The point of the 11-day air combat exercise is to increase the interoperability of the two states' air forces.

End of Life Military Planes to be Auctioned as Scrap Metal by Government Liquidation

03/14/2012

March 13, 2012 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ -- For the second time in its 10-year history auctioning surplus and scrap property for the Department of Defense, Government Liquidation will be selling a record-amount of scrap metal made up of decommissioned military aircraft including F-111 Aardvarks, C-5 Galaxies, F-15 Eagles, C-130 Hercules, S-3 Vikings and A-4 Skyhawks.

Russia: No Plans to Resume S-300 Sales to Iran

03/14/2012

Russia has no plans to resume the sale of S-300 air defense systems to Iran, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said on Tuesday. “All restrictions imposed by the UN Security Council will be observed,” the deputy minister said. “I assure you that [the restrictions] are strictly observed and Russia is not acting in breach of sanctions.” The $800-million contract to supply Iran with the missile system was signed at the end of 2007.

Dropping Russian Chopper Deal May 'Seriously Hurt' Security

03/14/2012

Cancelling a contract with Russia state arms exporter Rosoboronexport on the delivery of military helicopters would put the U.S. program of sustaining security in Afghanistan at risk, U.S. State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said during a briefing on Tuesday.

How Elbit is closing Israel's pilot training gap

03/13/2012

The operational needs of the Israeli air force are increasing constantly, while in parallel its resources are becoming more and more limited. This problem seems international, as is the solution initiated for the Israeli service by Elbit Systems.

India’s MMRCA deal unravels

03/13/2012

The Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft deal [MRCA], worth at least 18 billion dollars is turning into a controversy. The whispers of unhappiness that were audible for the past month about the government’s decision to award the contract to the French firm Dassault for its bid for Rafale aircraft, are distinctly getting louder. A first-rate controversy threatens to cast a shadow on this ‘mother of all arms deals’ and may refuse to go away till the 2014 general election.

South Korea Coast Guard receives fourth CN-235

03/13/2012

The South Korean Coast Guard has taken delivery of its fourth and final Dirgantara Indonesia/Airbus Military CN-235 maritime patrol aircraft (MPA). The first two aircraft were delivered in May 2011 and the third in December 2011, said Dirgantara Indonesia in a statement.