Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

MiG-29s Begin Sea Trials Aboard India’s New Aircraft Carrier

07/10/2012

Open-sea testing of the new Indian Navy aircraft carrier Vikramaditya and her primary weapons, in the form of MiG-29K/KUB deck fighters, means that the MiGs won’t be making appearance here at the 2012 Farnborough International Airshow. The ship has been bought from Russia to replace the former British-built HMS Hermes, which India acquired in 1986 and renamed Viraat.

Pratt & Whitney Pushes To Drive Down F-35 Costs As Production Peaks

07/10/2012

Production of Pratt & Whitney’s F135 engines that power Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighter is set to peak this year at 50 units before flattening out in the coming years as the U.S. defers deliveries of the new aircraft. According to Pratt & Whitney Military Engines president Bennett Croswell, the engine maker won’t have to substantially reduce its production rates in response to the slowdown, it will defer plans it had hatched to ramp up output that would have compensated for reduced rates of produ

RAF's Newest Transport Aircraft Named Atlas

07/10/2012

The RAF's next generation military transport aircraft has officially been named Atlas at the Royal International Air Tattoo, which is taking place at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire. The aircraft, which has until now been known as the A400M, will replace the RAF's existing C-130 Hercules fleet and, along with the Voyager and C-17, will provide the UK military's future air transport force.

Esterline CMC Electronics Launches Next Generation Cockpit For Military Training and Light Attack Aircraft

07/10/2012

Esterline CMC Electronics (CMC) will launch its new Cockpit 4000 NexGen technology demonstrator at the Farnborough Air Show. The Cockpit 4000 NexGen avionics suite is a configurable, fully integrated glass cockpit solution featuring a Large Area Display (LAD) with touchscreen technology. It is designed to enhance mission effectiveness and provide cross-platform training flexibility for advanced military trainers, ISR (Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance) and light attack aircraft.

Sikorsky wins 5-year U.S. military helicopter deal

07/10/2012

United Technologies Corp on Monday announced that its Sikorsky Aircraft unit had signed a five-year, $8.5 billion contract to build 653 H-60 Black Hawk and Seahawk helicopters for the U.S. Army and Navy. The contract includes options for up to 263 more aircraft that would increase the value of the contract to $11.7 billion if exercised. Actual production quantities will be determined year-by-year based on funding allocations set by Congress and Pentagon acquisition priorities, the company said.

Lockheed Martin And Marshall Aerospace Sign Agreement To Increase C-130 Hercules Refurbishment Capability

07/10/2012

Lockheed Martin has signed an agreement authorizing Marshall Aerospace to become the world’s first commercial company to install C-130 Center Wing Boxes (CWB). Marshall Aerospace is also the first C-130J Heavy Maintenance Centre (HMC) in the world.

Lockheed Martin Delivers Ground Support Stations To Finnish Air Force

07/10/2012

The initial ground shelter for a vigilant “Dragon Shield” has been delivered to the Finnish Air Force by Lockheed Martin. The ground system will support a CASA C-295 aircraft that Lockheed Martin is modifying to accommodate an advanced surveillance system for the Finnish Air Command.

Farnborough: Oman selects F-16 engines

07/10/2012

Oman has selected the General Electric F110-GE-129D for the 12 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 50 fighters it ordered last year. Deliveries are due to begin next year. The order was for ten single seat and a pair of two-seaters. The Oman force already operates F-16s with a further 12 in service.

Indian air force to resume operation to salvage missing MIG-29 pilot

07/09/2012

Rise in temperature triggering snow melt in the mountains have revived hopes of locating the wreckage of the plane that reportedly exploded in air during nocturnal combat exercise. Two planes had left Adampur air base in Jalandhar on October 18, last year. While one came back safely, the other plane went missing.

Raytheon demonstrates WiPAK® (Wireless Paveway™ Avionics Kit) on French Navy RAFALE aircraft

07/08/2012

Raytheon Company successfully demonstrated a wireless method of integrating its combat-proven Enhanced Paveway™ II precision-guided bomb on the French Navy RAFALE aircraft. Called WiPAK®, the avionics kit enables integration of Paveway on a variety of aircraft without any modifications to aircraft wiring or changes to the flight and stores management software.

Extreme hypersonic flight could restore military advantage to U.S.

07/08/2012

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) has another high-tech project in the works, according to an agency press release. The same agency whose stealth technology in the 1970s and 1980s led to the world’s most advanced radar-evading aircraft will once again flex its muscles to give a strategic national security advantage to the United States. DARPA says that to restore a military advantage to the U.S. it will need invest in hypersonic technologies.

South Korea Announces Evaluation of F-X Fighter Bids to Begin Next Week

07/08/2012

South Korea’s primary defense acquisition agency, the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), announced that evaluations would begin next week to select the winning bid in the competition for a $7.3 billion contract for 60 advanced fighter aircraft. Previously submitted bids from three defense contractors were found to be lacking relevant details and were resubmitted, at South Korea’s request, on 5 July.

Irkut Plows Fighter Earnings Into Fulfilling Its Airliner Ambitions With The MC-21

07/08/2012

Irkut is pursuing its ambition of capturing a 10-percent share in the world market for narrowbody airliners by funding its new MC-21 twinjet largely from funds earned from fighter sales. The Russian airframer now claims a 15-percent share of Russia’s overall military exports by value.

Russian Military Exports Grow As Rosoboronexport Seeks To Expand Client Base

07/08/2012

Geopolitical shifts including regime-change in Libya, the stiffening of international sanctions against Iran and violent unrest in Syria, are among the trends compelling Russian military export agency Rosoboronexport to keep looking for new clients worldwide. This is, to a large degree, one of its primary motives for exhibiting at the Farnborough International Airshow.

RM12b Eurofighters among five bids to replace combat jets

07/07/2012

Malaysia is considering five competing bids, including a reported RM12 billion deal with UK-based BAE Systems, to replace its 10 Russian-made MiG fighter jets delivered 17 years ago. BAE was reported in March to be “bullish” about securing the Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) replacement deal, but Defence Minister Datuk Seri Zahid Hamidi today said, “Everyone says they are bullish.”

Japan to US: Don't deploy Osprey aircraft

07/07/2012

Hirokazu Nakaima, governor of Japan’s Okinawa prefecture, has been making headlines this summer for his persistent calls to cancel the United States' planned deployment of 24 MV-22 Osprey aircraft to its Futenma base due to concerns over the aircraft’s safety record.

Italian Military Buys $100M Spy Satellite from Israel in Exchange Deal

07/07/2012

The Italian Defense Ministry is buying a high-resolution optical reconnaissance satellite from Israel as part of an offset package agreed to in exchange for the Israeli Defense Ministry’s purchase of Italian trainer aircraft, according to industry officials.

Israel to Upgrade Air Force With F-35 Advanced Aircrafts

07/07/2012

Not long ago, a thick cloud of rumors settled on the new, much-talked-about IDF [Israel Defense Forces] acquisition of 20 F-35's, a fighter plane known as the Stealth produced by the American Lockheed Martin Company. There were rumors regarding production slowdowns and delays of the F-35, known as the “fifth generation fighter plane” (in contrast to the Israeli fourth-generation F-16's). The fear is that they will reach Israel very late — too late to serve the IDF in coping with future challenge

Air Force General Pilots Raptor Fighter

07/07/2012

Air Combat Command's senior airman completed F-22 Raptor pilot qualification recently, reinforcing his personal stake in the Air Force's efforts to identify the root cause of unexplained physiological incidents involving a small number of Raptor crews.

Philippine defense chief: Military modernization 'in full swing'

07/07/2012

Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin on Friday vowed to meet his agency’s goal to approve the contracts of 138 military modernization projects by the end of the month. Speaking during the 65th anniversary of the Air Force here, Gazmin said the Armed Forces’ upgrade program is “in full swing” and that efforts are underway to equip troops.

Poland orders more C295s, produces helos

07/07/2012

Poland was in the news in Europe and Asia this week for acquisition of aircraft and delivery of others. Spain-based Airbus Military reported that the Polish air force had signed a contract for five C295 transports. The Ministry of Defense of Brunei Darussalam, meanwhile, reported that PZL Mielec, the Polish subsidiary of Sikorsky, had completed the construction of several S-70i baseline Black Hawk helicopters that the country had ordered.

Boeing, Lockheed Fight Europe's Typhoon For South Korea's Multibillion-Dollar Jet Fighter Order

07/07/2012

It's America versus Europe again in the latest battle for a giant, multibillion-dollar international order for fighter jets. South Korea is looking to replace some of its older warplanes with more modern machines, and has selected Boeing (NYSE: BA), Lockheed Martin and EADS (Paris: EAD) Eurofighter as finalists, the Korea Times reported.

Pentagon Contractor Caught Illegally Selling Military Technology to China

07/07/2012

The Canadian arm of the aircraft engine manufacturer Pratt & Whitney closed a six-year U.S. government probe last week by admitting that it helped China produce its first modern attack helicopter, a serious violation of U.S. export laws that drew a multimillion dollar fine.

Sales Activity at Air Show Expected to Be Subdued

07/07/2012

The titans of the global aerospace industry will converge Monday at the Farnborough International Airshow, ready to talk shop and wow the crowds with impressive flying displays of the latest in civil and military aircraft. But inside the sprawling maze of corporate chalets and exhibition halls in Hampshire, England, the pace of deal making at the show — the world’s biggest aviation bazaar — is likely to be more subdued than in recent years.

Taiwan close to sealing F-16 A/Bs upgrade deal with U.S.

07/06/2012

Taiwan will send back a proposal by the United States to overhaul the country's aging F-16 A/B jet fighters to seal the arms sales deal by the end of next week, Taiwan's military said Thursday. The Ministry of National Defense has recently completed its review of the letter detailing a retrofit package for Taiwan's 145 F-16A/B fighters, and will send back a reply to the U.S. by mid-July, the military told CNA.