Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Europe Decides Not to Play America’s Game

02/08/2012

The annual Munich Security Conference is regularly the scene for the complaints of American official and semiofficial participants deploring Europe’s failure “to pull its weight” in defense, “free-riding” on American efforts, and failing to spend more money on trans-Atlantic arms purchases. Instead they spend money on their own-make arms and military aircraft, such as the French Rafale and EADS’ Eurofighter, which they sell to such overseas markets as India that might otherwise buy American.

Boeing confirms Indian order for 10 C-17s as Indian defence market grows

02/08/2012

Boeing was awarded a US$1 781 413 Foreign Military Sales contract on February 2, concluding a three year negotiation process. However, the contract’s value represents only a fraction of the amount that India is expected to pay for its ten C-17s. In April 2010 the US Defence Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress of the possible sale to India, and quoted the value of potential sale as amounting to US$5.8 billion.

India to share its $10 bn fighter selection experience with Brazil

02/08/2012

In an unusual bilateral tie-up, India has agreed to share with Brazil some of its experiences of carrying out an open tender evaluation to select a fighter for the over $10 billion MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) contract. Brazil is presently in the process of selecting a fighter for its air force.

OH-58 Kiowa Warrior Helicopters Achieve 2 Million Flight Hour Milestone

02/08/2012

Bell Helicopter, a Textron Inc. (NYSE: TXT) company, today announced that the U. S. Army's OH-58 Kiowa Warrior helicopter fleet have accumulated 2 million flight hours. Over 750,000 of these flight hours have been flown in combat.

F-35 sensors used in military exercise

02/08/2012

Electronic sensors that will be used on F-35 aircraft have been deployed in a major U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps amphibious exercise. Northrop Grumman said the AN/AAQ-37 active electronically scanned array radar and AN/AAQ-37 infrared distributed aperture system were fitted on its BAC1-11 test aircraft for Bold Alligator 2012 to provide F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter sensor capability in air-to-air and air-to-ground reconnaissance missions for participating forces.

Russia to Upgrade Over 10 Tu-160 Bombers by 2020

02/08/2012

The Russian Air Force will receive more than 10 modernized Tu-160 Blackjack strategic bombers by 2020, the Defense Ministry said on Tuesday. According to official data, Russia has at least 16 Tu-160 aircraft in service. There are plans to increase their number to 30. “The Tu-160 in service with the Air Force are already undergoing modernization,” Air Force spokesman Col. Vladimir Drik said. “We are planning to receive more than 10 aircraft of this type.”

FSB Officer Accused of Killing Ex-Army Jet Designer

02/08/2012

Investigators have solved the murder of Idris Faizullin, a businessman and retired plane designer who worked on the Su-27 fighter jet. The Investigative Committee did not identify the five suspects it reported detaining, saying only that they were unemployed. But Lifenews.ru tabloid claimed the group was headed by Andrei Leletko, an officer with the Federal Security Service (FSB).

Check out some of India's major modernisation programmes

02/07/2012

India plans to spend about $100 billion over the next 10 years to upgrade its largely Soviet-era military equipment, as Asia's third largest economy looks to match its military power with its economic clout.

US extends olive branch with delivery of three F-16s

02/07/2012

In a fresh sign of thaw in Pakistan-United States strained relations, the US on Monday delivered three F-16 aircraft to Pakistan, which included a new fighter plane and two that were returned after being refurbished. “One F-16 D Block 52 and two F-16 Block 15 MLU (Mid Life Upgrade) aircraft arrived from USA at PAF Shahbaz Base. The arrival of last F-16 D Block 52 aircraft marked the completion of delivery of 18 aircraft of this category,” said a PAF spokesman in a statement.

Global Aviation Seeks to Cut Aircraft Citing End of Missions

02/07/2012

Global Aviation Holdings Inc., the biggest charter-flight company for U.S. military troops, plans to reorganize by getting rid of more than half of its aircraft, citing the end of flying missions to Iraq and Afghanistan. Of 30 aircraft leases, the company would like to reject 16 “excess aircraft” to save about $40 million a year. The leases are for aircraft made by General Electric Co., Pratt & Whitney, and Rolls-Royce Holdings Plc, according to papers filed today in U.S. Bankruptcy Court in B

Top senators question Pentagon move on fighter jet

02/07/2012

The leaders of the Senate Armed Services Committee suggested on Monday that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta rushed a decision to develop the Marine Corps version of the next-generation strike fighter jet despite new technical problems with the troubled program.

Reversibility is the Key to the United States’ New Defense Strategy

02/07/2012

Since the release of the new defense strategy, much has been made of the shift to the Asia-Pacific region, its abandonment of the so-called two Major Theater Wars (MTWs) construct and the force structure reductions. The Administration will need to flesh out these ideas, explaining how it will implement the shift and why prospective adversaries will be deterred given the change from two to one MTWs and the associated force structure reductions.

Philippine lawmaker seeks probe into US active role in military ops, use of drones in Mindanao

02/07/2012

Filipino law maker Luz Ilagan on Monday called for a probe into what she dubbed as the extensive and intensive intrusion of the US military in AFP operations. AFP refers to the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The solon she will be filing a resolution within the week as she expressed her concern following various reports on the use of US spy planes, predator drones and unmanned aerial vehicles in recent military operations in the Philippines.

The Real Red Flag: Up Close at the Air Force’s Largest Combat Exercise

02/07/2012

The two week event is the US Air Force’s largest and most important air combat training exercise. Held up to four times per year, more than 145,000 aircrew members and 440,000 military personnel have participated in Red Flag during its 37 year history.

New American Military Strategy: Go Off-Shore

02/07/2012

Make no mistake: we’re entering a new world of military planning. Admittedly, the latest proposed Pentagon budget manages to preserve just about every costly toy-cum-boondoggle from the good old days when MiGs still roamed the skies, including an uncut nuclear arsenal.

Lockheed Martin Selected to Provide Distributed Training Mission Support for U.S. Air Force

02/07/2012

The U.S. Air Force awarded Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] a five-year competitive contract to provide technical support of the Distributed Mission Operations Center (DMOC) located at Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. The indefinite delivery, indefinite quantity contract has a $94 million ceiling value.

Litening deployed with US National Guard in Afghanistan

02/07/2012

Northrop Grumman's Litening G4 advanced targeting pod has embarked on its first combat deployment with the Air National Guard on A-10 and F-16 Block 30 aircraft supporting Operation Enduring Freedom in Afghanistan.

Rafale win leaves UK smarting

02/06/2012

Last year, a group of Indian journalists were taken on a tour of BAE System's Warton Aerodrome on Britain's northwest coast, where Eurofighter Typhoons for British and Saudi contracts were being assembled.

Mexico is Adapting its Military to meet the Cartel Threats

02/06/2012

Woe is the diplomat who uses the wrong word, no matter its veracity. Over the past year, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Undersecretary of the Army Joseph Westphal separately have used the word "insurgency" to describe the Mexican government's fight against indigenous criminal cartels.

Viewpoint: Restructuring military - time to get it right

02/06/2012

Today’s active-duty force, a legacy of the Cold War, is simply too large for the nation’s needs, a tremendous waste of dollars. In restructuring, however, we simply cannot afford to apply the same business model used over the past 60 years and expect different results. Getting it right will require a new approach.

Why India chose Rafale

02/06/2012

When Pratibha Patil travelled to Europe last October, she and others in her entourage had a pleasant surprise in the sky. At one point along the air space that the President’s flight was using, half a squadron of Eurofighters appeared on both sides of her Air India plane. In the graceful style of these sleek war machines, they escorted the presidential aircraft to its safe landing at Patil’s next destination. Even so, those manning the Eurofighters could not resist showing off.

China's Role In JSF's Spiraling Costs

02/05/2012

How much of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter’s spiraling cost in recent years can be traced to China’s cybertheft of technology and the subsequent need to reduce the fifth-generation aircraft’s vulnerability to detection and electronic attack? That is a central question that budget planners are asking, and their queries appear to have validity. Moreover, senior Pentagon and industry officials say other classified weapon programs are suffering from the same problem.

Designation as active associate secures future of Duluth's 148th Fighter Wing

02/05/2012

The U.S. Air Force on Friday announced that Duluth’s 148th Fighter Wing will become one of only six active associate units in the country - meaning active-duty personnel will train and work with guardsmen at the base. The announcement all but erases concerns that the base will be targeted for cuts after the Defense Department said it will seek to trim total defense spending by $33 billion next year and $487 billion over 10 years.

Local Air Guard base to stay open

02/05/2012

Fort Wayne’s Air National Guard base would lose its nearly 20-plane fighter squadron but gain half as many manned surveillance aircraft under plans announced Friday. The commander of the 122nd Fighter Wing said the Air Force is recommending that the A-10 jets the base has flown in recent years be retired and replaced with MC-12 turboprop planes.

Panetta reassures European allies over defence cuts

02/05/2012

U.S. Defense Secretary Leon Panetta reassured European allies on Saturday that Washington remains committed to their security despite an austerity drive, as NATO pushed for new ways for alliance members to maintain capabilities at lower cost. The declarations came amid declining defence budgets and growing U.S. discontent over Europe's low spending and diminishing capabilities, which add to the United States' defence burden.