Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Ukraine launches ‘massive’ drone strikes on six regions of Russia – destroying war planes

09/01/2023

Ukrainian drones have hit at least six regions deep inside Russia in one of the largest such strikes since the start of Moscow’s invasion. Russian officials confirmed attacks on targets in the Pskov, Bryansk, Kaluga, Orlov, Ryazan and Moscow regions, with the assault on the military airfield in Pskov that damaged aircraft as the most significant. Situated more than 600km (400 miles) from Ukraine, it was where a number of elite paratroopers are stationed.

The China Threat

09/01/2023

When Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall said in 2021 that his top concerns were “China, China, and China,” it wasn’t exactly a surprise. Kendall came back into government specifically because of his growing concern over competition with China, which he saw in terms of the Cold War competition between the U.S. and the Soviet Union. The 2022 U.S. National Defense Strategy (NDS) pinpointed China as the nation’s pacing threat.

Turkey seeks partners for TF-X fighter program amid fiscal uncertainty

09/01/2023

The first aircraft of Turkey’s indigenous fighter program, the TF-X, sits in a hangar ahead of its maiden flight at the end of the year. But fiscal problems could stand in the way of its success, according to an analyst, even as the country’s president seeks partners for the program.

Next-Gen Fighter: Co-Developed With UK & Spain, Japan Intends To Export Its 6th-Gen Aircraft To Other Nations

08/30/2023

In a strategic maneuver geared toward facilitating the export of next-generation fighters to other countries, the Japanese government conveyed its intention to the ruling parties to expand the scope of permissible exports for jointly developed defense equipment, including lethal weapons.

Pakistan fails to find solution to Myanmar’s military junta JF-17 nightmare

08/30/2023

In what could be good news for the resistance movement and Myanmar’s National Unity Government (NUG), there appears to be shimmering tensions between Islamabad and Naypyitaw over the supply of a set of newly acquired JF-17s fighter planes.

Taiwan warns of surge in tensions as Chinese fighter jets cross median line

08/30/2023

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defence has warned of a possible “sharp increase” in military tensions after reporting renewed Chinese military activity, including fighter jets crossing the sensitive median line of the Taiwan Strait. Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for three years of increased military pressure from Beijing, mostly in the form of China’s air force flying near the island.

Japanese F-35 fighter jets visit Australia in 1st deployment abroad

08/29/2023

Two Japanese Air Self-Defense Force's F-35A fighter jets have arrived at a military base in Australia for training, marking the first time Japan deployed the aircraft overseas, the Australian Defense Department said Monday. The move comes as the two nations seek to boost security ties amid China's growing military assertiveness in the region and marks the first activity under a new agreement to facilitate reciprocal access and cooperation between their defense forces.

Saudi fighter plane crashes during training mission

08/29/2023

A fighter plane in Saudi Arabia has crashed during a training mission, according to the Ministry of Defense in the Kingdom. The crew aboard the Royal Saudi Air Force combat aircraft 'Tornado' fighter plane survived, the ministry said.

Pentagon Wants to Buy 1,000s of Small, Cheap, Autonomous Drones in Next Two Years

08/29/2023

The Pentagon is launching a new effort to build up mass with inexpensive autonomous systems, Deputy Secretary of Defense Kathleen Hicks announced Aug. 28. And the department wants lots of those systems fast—within 18-24 months. The goal, Hicks said, is simple: “small, smart, cheap, and many.”

The US Air Force wants $5.8 billion to build 1,000 AI-driven unmanned combat aircraft, possibly more, as part of its next generation air dominance initiative

08/29/2023

The Air Force is seeking a multibillion-dollar budgetary allowance to research and build at least a thousand, but possibly more, unmanned aircraft driven by AI pilots, according to service plans. The XQ-58A Valkyrie aircraft, a potential contender for the Air Force's collaborative combat aircraft program, is meant to serve as a robotic wingman to human-piloted aircraft able to provide cover and maneuver around in scenarios where a flesh-and-blood pilot might struggle, The New York Times reported

Ukraine-Russia war: Russia scrambles fighter jet to intercept US drone

08/28/2023

Russia said it scrambled a fighter plane to deter a US air force reconnaissance drone from crossing its borders over the Black Sea. “As the Russian fighter approached, the foreign reconnaissance UAV made a U-turn away from the state border of the Russian Federation,” Russia’s defence ministry said.

U.S., Australia, Japan Drill with the Philippines in South China Sea; China Flies Military Drone Near Taiwan

08/28/2023

The U.S., Australia, Japan and the Philippines carried out a joint exercise in the waters off Manila on Thursday involving the Australian and Japanese large-deck ships on deployment in the region. Meanwhile, Chinese bombers flew near Japan while a Chinese unmanned air vehicle conducted a flight off Taiwan’s east coast, according to Japan Ministry of Defense press releases.

Ukrainian Air Force flew more than 14,000 combat air sorties

08/28/2023

Citing a report from the Ukrainian Air Force, Militarnyi reported that Ukraine’s combat aircraft target enemy command posts and warehouses, intercept enemy planes and helicopters and shoot down drones and missiles used by the Russian Federation to attack Ukraine.

Michigan air show crash report suggests pilot, backseater out of sync on whether to eject

08/27/2023

The pilot of the Russian-made fighter jet that crashed earlier this month during the Thunder Over Michigan air show in Belleville was trying to land the plane while the backseater acknowledged to investigators he likely pulled the ejection handles for both of them, a preliminary investigation found.

Two Ukrainian Combat Planes Collide West Of Kyiv, Killing Three Pilots

08/27/2023

Two Ukrainian aircraft collided in midair while on a training mission over Ukraine’s Zhytomyr region, killing three pilots, the State Bureau of Investigation (DBR) said on August 26. The DBR said the two L-39 aircraft collided on August 25 in the sky over the region west of Kyiv.

Ukraine's efforts to rack up Russian defectors and their equipment helped land the country an Mi-8 helicopter and fighter jet parts

08/26/2023

Ukraine's longstanding efforts to convince Russian soldiers to defect alongside their equipment paid off in a cinematic way this week. A Russian helicopter pilot landed an Mi-8 AMTSh on a Ukrainian air base on Wednesday in what Ukrainian officials said was the culmination of a six-month secret defection plot that involved moving the pilot's family out of Russia and into Ukraine.

Taiwan reports combat drone as China military activities continue

08/26/2023

Taiwan's defence ministry said on Saturday morning that over the past 24 hours it had detected 20 Chinese air force planes entering the island's air defence zone, including a combat drone the flew along Taiwan's Pacific east coast. Democratically governed Taiwan, which China claims as its own territory, has complained for three years of increased military pressure from Beijing.

With 900 Aircraft In Arsenal, Russian Fighter Jets Are Being Turned Into Kamikaze UAVs By North Korea

08/26/2023

North Korea has reportedly begun a military modernization program involving converting hundreds of outdated fighter jets into kamikaze drones, aiming to use them to target major industrial and infrastructure locations in South Korea.

Ukraine Military Situation Report: The F-16 Decision – Analysis

08/25/2023

The Ukrainian Armed Forces have a problem. In the twenty-first century, no land power—regardless of the potency of its heavy armor, infantry, or artillery—can prevail in war without a bare minimum of air superiority. Even the chief of Ukraine’s General Staff, General Valerii Zaluzhnyi, admitted this in a recent interview with the Washington Post.

Northrop Grumman to develop and demonstrate infrared search and track sensors for use on military aircraft

08/25/2023

U.S. Air Force researchers needed help in developing infrared sensors to enable combat aircraft to search wide areas covertly. They found their solution from the Northrop Grumman Corp. Mission Systems segment in Linthicum, Md. Officials of the Multispectral Sensing & Detection Division of the Air Force Research Laboratory Sensors Directorate at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, announced a $8.1 million follow-on contract to Northrop Grumman last week.

US Will Train Ukrainian Pilots, Maintainers on the F-16 at Air National Guard Base

08/25/2023

The U.S. will train Ukrainian pilots and maintainers on F-16s at Morris Air National Guard Base, Ariz., in October, Pentagon Press Secretary Air Force Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder announced Aug. 24—the most direct American involvement yet in the international effort to equip and train Ukraine with fighter aircraft.

Norway gives F-16 jets to Ukraine, joining Denmark, Netherlands

08/25/2023

Norway will donate U.S.-made F-16 combat aircraft to Ukraine, the Norwegian prime minister announced during a visit to Kyiv on Thursday, joining an effort led by the Netherlands and Denmark. F-16s have been on Ukraine's wish list for a long time because of their destructive power and global availability. The fighter jet is equipped with a 20mm cannon and can carry bombs, rockets and missiles.

Ukrainian forces damage Russian plane in combat near Zmiinyi Island – Ukraine's Defence Intelligence

08/24/2023

Recently, the Armed Forces of Ukraine attacked a Russian plane over the Black Sea when it tried to destroy a Ukrainian military boat near Zmiinyi (Snake) Island; the Russian jet was damaged in the fight.

Brazil to double air fleet as part of $10.6 billion investment

08/24/2023

Brazil plans to invest 52.8 billion reals (U.S. $10.6 billion) for research, development and equipment acquisition efforts for its military, including nearly doubling the size of its Gripen fighter fleet and financing projects by local aircraft manufacturer Embraer for aerial refueling planes, the government announced earlier this month.

Russia says fighter jet intercepts Norwegian plane over Barents Sea

08/24/2023

A Russian fighter jet intercepted a Norwegian military plane over the Barents Sea on Wednesday, the Russian defence ministry said. It said the Norwegian aircraft, a U.S.-made P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol and reconnaissance plane, was nearing the Russian border but turned back after being approached by the Russian MiG-29 fighter.