Military Aviation News Archive
04/22/2012
The Nato aircraft changing their flying levels without taking orders from the traffic control department during the monsoon season, is creating issues for the other traffic flying on different levels and thus making the airspace near Afghan border area more vulnerable to any collision.
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04/22/2012
The radar-evading F-35 fighter jet, a nearly $400 billion weapons program under development for more than a decade, is facing its worst turbulence since Washington decided to buy it in 2001 — when it was billed as the most affordable, lethal and survivable military aircraft ever built for the U.S. and its allies.
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04/22/2012
China is sending a group of 16 ships, including destroyers, frigates, and a hospital ship. Russia is sending 4 ships, including the cruiser Varyag and three air defense destroyers now moving south from Vladivostok to join the Chinese after navigating through the Sea of Japan. Another Varyag, though, might steal the spotlight from the assembled fleet. It is the Chinese aircraft carrier of the same name, the first carrier in the People's Liberation Army Navy.
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04/22/2012
The failed mid-April launch of a long-range North Korean rocket, billed as a satellite launch but widely seen as the test of a ballistic missile, was the latest reminder of how the Pacific region remains one of the world’s most volatile. It’s also a key focus of the Obama administration’s new national defense strategy.
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04/22/2012
The Daily Telegraph has seen a Ministry of Defence document setting out secret contingency planning for future military operations in Afghanistan, the Falklands, Saudi Arabia and Africa.
The highly-classified report shows that planners have grave doubts about the capabilities of the jump jets ministers now want to buy for the Royal Navy’s aircraft carriers which are still under-construction.
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04/22/2012
As the dispute between Sudan and South Sudan over oil transportation dues deteriorates into full-fledged war, The Independent reports of an intense rhetoric that could see Kenya and Uganda sucked in. Following separation, most of the oil fields fell in South Sudan’s territory but Sudan remains the owner of refineries and pipelines and the South’s oil is exported through the north.
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04/22/2012
IT might be big business in the developed and industrialised countries but the defence industry is flexing its muscle with greater intent when it comes to displaying, developing and selling their wares to countries in Asia. That was aptly displayed at the recent Defence Services Asia (DSA) expo, where 850 companies from 45 countries participated in the four-day event, showing the variety of arsenal from handguns to jetfighters.
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04/22/2012
For the first time, two Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II carrier variant test aircraft launched together and conducted formation flying at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Md., Wednesday. The test aircraft, known as CF-1 and CF-2, were piloted by Navy Cdr. Eric Buus and Marine Corps Lt. Col. Matt Taylor, respectively. The mission tested flying qualities of the aircraft while taking off, landing and flying in formation for more than one hour.
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04/22/2012
Russia will test fly its first domestically-produced strike unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) in 2014, First Deputy Defense Minister Alexander Sukhorukov said on Friday. In February, Army General Nikolay Makarov, the chief of the Russian General Staff, said the drone would be first test flied in late 2012, a revision of the initial 2015 timeframe.
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04/22/2012
A Russian naval task group arrived at the eastern Chinese port city of Qingdao on Saturday for joint exercises with the Chinese navy, a captain said. "Each vessel was welcomed individually," Captain Roman Martov told RIA Novosti. The naval squadron, including the Varyag missile cruiser, three Udaloy class destroyers and three fleet support ships, will join 16 Chinese surface ships for drills in the Yellow Sea between Aril 22 and 27.
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04/20/2012
Eaton Corporation will provide significant content on 84 new Boeing F-15SA fighter aircraft for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) in a purchase agreement announced between the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and the US Government. The deal also includes upgrades to the SA configuration for 70 F-15S fighter jets in the RSAF fleet.
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04/20/2012
Members of the public accounts committee gathered in Ottawa Thursday for a special meeting to discuss the auditor general's report on Canada's contentious F-35 purchase plans. But opposition members faced roadblocks in launching a comprehensive probe as the majority Conservatives used their power in the all-party committee to postpone discussion of who would appear until next week.
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04/20/2012
The increased pace of counterterrorism strikes in Yemen by U.S. drones and aircraft is a result of what U.S. military and intelligence officials describe as improved intelligence about the leadership of the al Qaeda movement in that country.
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04/20/2012
The Airbus Military A400M, the new generation airlifter for the 21st Century, is today flying over Thailand for the very first time as it takes part in the celebrations of the 100th anniversary of the Royal Thai Air Force – “The Centennial of the RTAF Founding Fathers’ Aviation”. The visit is part of the first Asia Pacific Tour the A400M is making, visiting Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, then Chiang Mai and finally Bangkok, before returning to Europe.
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04/20/2012
A Black Hawk helicopter crashed Thursday in southern Afghanistan, likely killing all four of its crew members -- all of them Americans -- a U.S. military official said. The crash occurred in bad weather, though the official said, "We cannot yet rule out enemy action."
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04/20/2012
The visit will be the first by a high-level official of Pentagon to India after bilateral defence ties came under stress last year following New Delhi’s decision to drop two US contenders from the fray of a contract for 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft for the Indian Air Force. Panetta will hold talks with Defence Minister A K Antony. While the dates for his visit are yet to be finalised.
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04/20/2012
Lockheed Martin delivered another C-130J Super Hercules to Dyess Air Force Base, Texas yesterday. This aircraft was the 18th C-130J delivered to Dyess by Lockheed Martin. Colonel Gerald Goodfellow, Vice Commander of the 7th Bomb Wing at Dyess accepted delivery of the aircraft.
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04/20/2012
Russia and Malaysia have signed a $35-million contract on the delivery of RVV-AE air-to-air missiles for the Malaysian air force, state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Thursday. The deal was inked at the Defense Services Asia-2012 arms show currently under way in Malaysia.
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04/19/2012
The Airbus Military A400M aircraft which the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) is set to receive from January 2015 has a higher capacity and travels faster, RMAF air operations commander Gen Datuk Seri Ackbal Abdul Samad said. Compared to the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft which the RMAF currently owns, the travel speed of the A400M is between 400 and 420 knots per hour, which is nearly 50 per cent faster than the C-130, he said.
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04/19/2012
The radar-evading F-35 fighter jet, a nearly $400-billion weapons program under development for more than a decade, is facing its worst turbulence since Washington decided to buy it in 2001 — when it was billed as the most affordable, lethal and survivable military aircraft ever built for the U.S. and its allies.
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04/19/2012
How do you hide an aeroplane behind a bird? Very skilfully. Lt Col William B. O’Connor (ret) flew the F-117 Nighthawk during the Bosnia Conflict, and in Stealth Fighter, he explains the history, operation and soul America’s most advanced stealth jet.
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04/19/2012
The Boeing Company has begun an extensive maintenance training program for Turkey's Peace Eagle Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) program at a Boeing facility near Seattle. Classroom training for 10 Turkish Air Force personnel and two Turkish Airlines employees is being conducted by instructors from Boeing Defence Australia and Boeing Training and Flight Services.
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04/19/2012
Russia has decided to join a tender on the delivery of six light fighter jets to the Philippines with its new Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten combat trainer, state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport said on Wednesday. “We are taking part in the Philippine tender with the Yak-130 aircraft,” deputy general director of Rosoboronexport, Viktor Komardin, said at the Defense Services Asia-2012 arms show in Malaysia.
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04/18/2012
A military aircraft museum at the Selfridge Air National Guard Base has started a project to restore an F-89 Scorpion, officials said Tuesday. The Michigan Air National Guard used the jet in the 1950s and '60s. Officials said the project may be the only one of its kind in the country and possibly the world. Once completed, the aircraft will be the only known restored F-89 in the "C" model configuration.
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04/18/2012
The Airbus Military A400M new generation airlifter recently arrived in Malaysia at the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) Subang Airbase as part of its Asia tour, where a welcome ceremony took place today in the presence of the Chief of the Royal Malaysian Air Force. The visit, the first time that the A400M will be seen in Asia, will give the Malaysian Government and Air Force a chance to see the A400M at first hand. The Malaysian Government has ordered four of the new aircraft which has as its la
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