Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russia’s Baltic Radar to Go on Stream 2014

03/01/2012

Russia’s new radar in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad will go into operation in 2014, Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said on Wednesday. The Voronezh-DM facility was unveiled in November to counter the perceived threat from a U.S.-NATO missile defense system in Europe. “This is a new radar station, which is now on trial duty and will be put on full alert in two years,” he said.

Russia Signs Contract for Navy MiG-29K Fighter

03/01/2012

The Russian Defense Ministry has signed a contract with aircraft maker MiG for the delivery of 20 MiG-29K and four MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighter aircraft, MiG said on Wednesday. "Defense Minister Anatoly Serdyukov and MiG General Director Sergei Korotkov have signed the contract for the delivery of MiG-29K and MiG-29KUB carrier-based fighters," MiG said in a statement. MiG wil deliver the aircraft from 2013-2015.

US Getting a New Bomber

02/29/2012

The U.S. Air Force is making progress on a new long-range bomber, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said at a trade conference in Florida last week. “There’s a competition,” Donley said, according to DoDBuzz. “The program is underway, the requirements, the cost parameters have been set by the Secretary of Defense and we’re executing in that direction…we’ve identified the target delivery for the mid ‘20s.”

The Air Force Still Doesn’t Know What’s Choking Its Stealth Fighter Pilots

02/29/2012

America’s newest stealth fighters have a major problem: their pilots can’t breathe, due to some sort of malfunction in the planes’ oxygen-generation systems. For months, the Air Force has been studying the problem, which temporarily grounded the entire fleet of F-22 Raptors and may have contributed to a pilot’s death. Today, the Air Force admitted they still don’t know exactly what’s causing the issue.

Conflict looms in South China Sea oil rush

02/29/2012

When Lt.-Gen. Juancho Sabban received an urgent phone call from an oil company saying two Chinese vessels were threatening to ram its survey ship, the Philippine commander’s message was clear: don’t move, we will come to the rescue. Within hours, a Philippine surveillance plane, patrol ships and light attack aircraft arrived in the disputed area of Reed Bank in the South China Sea. By then the Chinese boats had left after chasing away the survey ship, Veritas Voyager, hired by U.K.-based Forum

Defense Market Survey: U.S. Firms Continue to Rule Global Arms Sales

02/29/2012

The world’s top suppliers of military hardware and combat support services scored sales of $411.1 billion in 2010, and 60 percent of that business went to U.S. companies, according to a study published today by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.

The MQ-9's Cost and Performance

02/29/2012

Because of Reaper’s nature, unit-cost estimates can be tricky. Various media reports cite a per-unit cost from $4 million to $5 million. They are quite incorrect.

US Air Force cancels deal for Brazilian-made aircraft

02/29/2012

The US Air Force has canceled a $355 million contract for a light attack aircraft made by Brazil's Embraer, saying it would open an investigation after protests from a rival US aerospace firm, officials said Tuesday. The contract for 20 Embraer AT-29 Super Tucano aircraft was awarded in December as part of plans to arm the Afghan military amid a NATO troop drawdown.

Su-30 Caught Fire Before Crash – Investigators

02/29/2012

The crew of a Su-30 fighter that crashed earlier on Tuesday in Russia’s Far East reported an engine fire before the crash, a spokesman for the Main Military Investigative Directorate said. The Su-30MK2 fighter jet crashed 130 km northeast of Komsomolsk-na-Amure during a post-construction test flight. Both pilots ejected safely, although one of them was hurt on landing.

Su-24 Bombers Resume Flights After Crash

02/29/2012

Russia has partially resumed flights of Su-24 Fencer tactical bombers after one of them crashed in Russia’s Urals, Defense Ministry spokesman Col Vladimir Drik said on Tuesday. “After tests, unit commanders… will receive permission to resume flights of this type of aircraft,” he said. All Su-24s were grounded after one of them crashed in the woods of the Kurgan region during a routine flight on February 13. Both pilots ejected safely.

Despite Weak Economies, Global Military Industrial Complex Sales Still Rising

02/28/2012

Nations around the world are still buying anti-aircraft missiles and fighter plans, no matter the social turmoil or declining economic output their country’s are facing. The total arms sales including sales of military services of the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute’s annual top 100 international defense contractors maintained their upward trend in 2010, although at just a 1% gain in real terms.

Boeing B-1 Bomber Completes 10,000th Combat Mission

02/28/2012

The Boeing B-1 bomber aircraft has completed its 10,000th combat mission. The heavy bomber entered service with the U.S. Air Force on June 29, 1985, and has been in nearly continuous combat for the past 10 years. The milestone mission took off from a base in Southwest Asia and was flown in support of operations over Afghanistan before returning to base.

Su-30 Fighter Jet Crashes, Crew Ejects Safely

02/28/2012

Two crew members ejected safely after their Su-30 fighter jet crashed 130 km northeast of Komsomolsk-na-Amure during a test flight on Tuesday, according to sources in the regional administration. "Both crew members ejected safely but one was hurt on landing," a regional administration source said. The aircraft belonged to the Komsomolsk-na-Amure factory where Su-30s are manufactured.

Russia Upgrades Syrian Radars to Warn of U.S., Israeli Attack

02/28/2012

Russia has modernized two radars in Syria and Lebanon that could threaten U.S. or Israel’s ability to launch a surprise attack against Syria and Iran, Israeli DEBKAfile portal said on Monday. The range of the Jabal Al Harrah electronic and surveillance station south of Damascus has been increased to cover all parts of Israel and Jordan, the Gulf of Aqaba and northern Saudi Arabia.

Azerbaijan Makes Massive Israeli Weapons Purchase - But Not Because Of Iran

02/27/2012

Azerbaijan has agreed to buy $1.6 billion in weapons from Israel, a massive deal that is likely Azerbaijan's largest single arms purchase ever. The deal will include drones, anti-aircraft and missile defense systems, Israeli officials have told news agencies. The deal would be almost equal to Azerbaijan's stated 2012 defense budget of $1.7 billion (though will certainly be spread out over many years).

New fighter jet training stalls, grounding pilots

02/27/2012

The best fighter pilots from the Air Force, Marines and Navy arrived in the Florida Panhandle last year to learn to fly the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, the most expensive, most advanced weapons program in U.S. history. They are still waiting.

U.S. eyes V-22 aircraft sales to Israel, Canada, UAE

02/27/2012

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Florida (Reuters) - The U.S. government is eyeing Israel, Canada and the United Arab Emirates as possible initial foreign buyers of the V-22 Osprey, a tilt-rotor aircraft built by Boeing Co and Bell Helicopter, a top U.S. Marine Corps official told Reuters.

Sikorsky Wants to Develop Copter Without Help

02/27/2012

Facing the likelihood of tight budgets for years, the Army and the Defense Department may not have much money anytime soon to develop helicopter technology. That's not stopping Sikorsky Aircraft Corp. from forging ahead and spending tens of millions of dollars to try to reinvent the helicopter for the military.

No Need For Russian Air Base Says New Kyrgyz President

02/27/2012

Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev has called for a Russian air base in the country to be closed, saying neither Russia or Kyrgyzstan need it. The Kant air base does nothing except "flatter the vanity of Russian generals," Atambayev said in an interview to Kommersant newspaper, adding Russia has not paid for the lease for four years.

Think Tank Names Lockheed Martin World’s Largest Arms Producer

02/27/2012

Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), an independent international institute researching into conflicts, arms control and disarmament, named U.S. Lockheed Martin the biggest arms vendor in 2010, with sales totalling $35.7 billion.

Russia to Clear Military Base Lease Debt with Kyrgyzstan

02/27/2012

The Kremlin confirmed on Saturday that Russia would fully pay off its $15-million debt to Kyrgyzstan for leasing military facilities there. Earlier in the day, Kyrgyz President Almazbek Atambayev, currently on a visit to Moscow, said in a radio interview that Russia was ready to pay off its debts for the lease of the Kant air base and several smaller military facilities “within ten days.”

United States set to ramp up aircraft trade war

02/26/2012

Boeing and US goverment to demand EU be punished with sanctions over Airbus subsidies

Britain 'may struggle to pay for new fighter jets'

02/26/2012

Britain’s Armed Forces may be unable to afford all the new fighter jets they want as American defence cuts and European austerity measures push up the aircraft’s price.

Air Force cites factors in Oct. 24 crash

02/24/2012

While Air Force investigators couldn't say conclusively what caused an F-15C Eagle fighter jet to crash in rural Southern Nevada, they noted six factors in a report released Friday that might have played a role in the Oct. 24 accident.

Japan Requests $170 Million Support for its KC-130R Aircraft

02/24/2012

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) notified U.S. Congress Feb. 16 of a possible Foreign Military Sale (FMS) to Japan to provide regeneration, overhaul, modifications and support for 6 KC-130R aircraft and associated engines for an estimated cost of $170 million.