Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

DHS eyes military blimp to stop illegal border traffic

04/07/2012

The Homeland Security Department is vetting surveillance blimps as possible additions to its Southwest border fleet of unmanned aircraft, DHS officials said. To more quickly capture illegal entrants, drug smugglers and gunrunners, DHS Customs and Border Protection increasingly is embracing robotic technologies once relegated to battlefields.

F-35 jet still popular with aerospace industry

04/07/2012

The F-35 jet has been the whipping boy for auditors and politicians all week, but it remains the darling of Canada’s aerospace industry. Industry veterans are shrugging off the vitriol of “scandal” and “fiasco” by remaining focused on the $12 billion they say the troubled program can bring to Canada. “It’s a state of the art platform,” says Maryse Harvey, an official at Aerospace Industries Association of Canada (AIAC).

Precision Air Drops Keep Remote Bases Fighting

04/07/2012

A cold, isolated outpost high in the mountains of Afghanistan was running low on fuel, which provides all the power and heating for forces there. Within six hours, the fuel tank would be empty, with no way to keep warm as temperatures drop below freezing.

Defence auditors raise concerns about frigate, patrol plane upgrades

04/07/2012

Defence Department officials have been kept in the dark on a $369-million program to upgrade maritime patrol planes while a $2.8-billion dollar modernization effort for the navy’s frigates could be running into trouble. Two newly released reports from Defence Department auditors have raised concerns about military equipment programs being handled by the same organizations that had overseen the troubled plan to purchase of the F-35 stealth fighter.

U.S. Navy Jet Crashes in Virginia Beach; Six Injured

04/07/2012

A U.S. Navy F/A-18D Superhornet has crashed in Virginia Beach, Virginia, destroying a number of homes, although so far no fatalities have been reported. Both pilots ejected after dumping at least some of the malfunctioning jet’s fuel. Six people, including both pilots, were injured, three seriously, when the plane crashed into an apartment building not far from its airbase, local officials said.

Boeing's Military Programs Looking Up?

04/06/2012

Boeing's military aircraft program continues to offer opportunities for the company. The Chicago-based defense contractor currently produces the C-17 strategic transport for use by the U.S. Air Force and the F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter and attack aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps and is well over a year into the development of the new KC-46A aerial tanker.

More BAE gear for KC-390

04/06/2012

Cockpit controls on Embraer's KC-390 military transports for the Brazilian air force will feature active side sticks from Britain's BAE Systems. "We are very pleased that Embraer Defense and Security and the Brazilian air force have selected our fifth generation active side stick," said Ehtisham Siddiqui, vice president and general manager of Commercial Aircraft Solutions for BAE Systems.

Navy Readies F-35 Training Squadron

04/06/2012

Navy personnel are busy preparing to teach the next generation of Sailors how to work with and fly the newest military aircraft, the F-35C Lightening II Joint Strike Fighter, as Strike Fighter Squadron 101 (VFA-101) readies for their stand-up ceremony May 1 on Eglin Air Force Base.

500th test flight for Russian fighter

04/06/2012

Sukhoi's Su-35S stealth fighter, being built for the Russian air force, has completed a 500th test flight for evaluation of equipment and maneuverability. The multi-role aircraft reached the maximum ground-level speed of 869 miles per hour, speed at altitude of 1,491 mph and an altitude of about 59,000 feet, the company said.

MCCASKILL REACHES OUT TO BRAZIL, SUPPORTS SALE OF BOEINGS F/A-18 AHEAD OF BRAZILIAN PRESIDENTS VISIT, MCCASKILL PRAISES STRONG PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO NATIONS

04/06/2012

In advance of the President of Brazil's visit to the United States, U.S Senator Claire McCaskill has reached out to the nation's leader to express her support for the sale of the Boeing F/A-18-largely produced in St. Louis-to Brazil's military, and to praise the strong working relationship between the two nations. In a letter to President Dilma Vana Rouseff, McCaskill reiterated the United States' and Brazil's mutual security interests.

Drones inflicting information overload on Air Force

04/06/2012

The Air Force has such a glut of data – photos and videos and such – captured by its fleet of drone aircraft that it can’t keep up with analyzing the information, Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said Thursday. Because of the lack people and machinery to make sense of the information, the Air Force will cut back on how many of the drone aircraft it buys, Donley told a group of defense writers in Washington. National Defense magazine was among the publications attending the interview.

'Singapore not considering deployment of US troops'

04/06/2012

Singapore and the United States reaffirmed the excellent and long-standing bilateral defence ties between the two countries, as Defence Minister Ng Eng Hen met US Secretary of Defence Leon Panetta yesterday. They also discussed a wide range of defence and security issues - including a proposal for the US to deploy up to four littoral combat ships to Singapore.

Boeing, US Navy Conduct Networked Distributed Targeting Capability Flight Test on Super Hornet

04/06/2012

The Boeing Company and the U.S. Navy have successfully completed a flight test of the prototype Distributed Targeting System-Networked (DTS-N) on a Super Hornet. The system is designed to enhance the F/A-18E/F fighter jet’s targeting capabilities. The test took place in late 2011 at the Naval Air Warfare Center Weapons Division Advanced Weapons Lab in China Lake, Calif., and was conducted by Air Test and Evaluation Squadron VX-31.

U.S. military wanted nuclear drones that fly nonstop for months

04/05/2012

Even on military flights, regular manned aircraft need to stop regularly so the crew can rest, bathe and unwind. But an unmanned drone can keep flying until it runs low on fuel, so the U.S. military drew up plans for nuclear powered drones that could stay airborne for months at a time.

U.S. to Share Combat Expertise With Colombia

04/05/2012

The top U.S. military officer is pushing to expand the Pentagon's advisory role in Colombia's fight against insurgents and narcotics traffickers, but made clear he is wary of rushing to supply the country with drones and other hardware Bogota says it wants to accelerate the campaign.

NATO awards Typhoon support contract

04/05/2012

NATO has signed a five-year contract with Germany's Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH for support of Typhoon aircraft flown by four countries. The countries covered under the contract from the NATO Eurofighter and Tornado Management Agency are Germany, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. Eurofighter Jagdflugzeug GmbH is the holding company for the three-company consortium that builds the aircraft. The consortium includes EADS, Alenia Aermacchi and BAE Systems.

U.S. and allies move to counter Chinese power

04/05/2012

The pieces of a new strategic kaleidoscope in the Asia-Pacific region are starting to fall into place as allies and security partners of the United States seek to deter China from using or threatening force to achieve its expansive aims, particularly in the South China Sea, which forms the maritime heart of Southeast Asia.

Britain and Japan to agree lucrative defence deal

04/05/2012

It is understood that part of the pact could lead to the more regular deployment of a Royal Navy hunter killer submarine in the region joining America's build up in the region. Stronger ties could lead to Japan investing in several major defence projects in including the purchase of more than a dozen of the British-designed Future Combat Ships at £300 million each and a large order for Merlin helicopters.

The dragon’s new teeth

04/05/2012

AT A meeting of South-East Asian nations in 2010, China’s foreign minister Yang Jiechi, facing a barrage of complaints about his country’s behaviour in the region, blurted out the sort of thing polite leaders usually prefer to leave unsaid. “China is a big country,” he pointed out, “and other countries are small countries and that is just a fact.” Indeed it is, and China is big not merely in terms of territory and population, but also military might.

Mobility Commander Delivers Dyess C-130J

04/05/2012

Gen. Raymond Johns, commander of the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, accepted delivery of another C-130J Super Hercules for Dyess Air Force Base, Texas. Johns praised the increased capabilities of the C-130J for resupply of the warfighter in forward operating locations, aeromedical evacuations, Antarctic support and humanitarian relief.

Interior Ministry Orders 8 Aerial Drones

04/05/2012

Russia's Interior Ministry has said it plans to spend up to 120 million rubles ($4 million) to buy eight unmanned aerial vehicles. The ministry would also require vans and radios to operate the drones, according to a tender document posted on the government purchasing agency website zakupki.gov.ru on Tuesday.

First F-35 For The Netherlands Rolls Out Of F-35 Production Facility

04/04/2012

The first F-35 Lightning II for The Netherlands rolled out of the F-35 production facility on April 1. This is the latest step in the production process leading to its eventual assignment to Eglin AFB, Fla., later this summer. The Netherlands will use the conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) jet, known as AN-1, for training and operational tests for pilots and maintainers.

Belarus to Build Vertical Takeoff Drones

04/04/2012

The Belarusian State Military-Industrial Committee is planning to develop a range of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) with vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) capability, the committee’s chairman Sergei Gurulev said. “We are considering a wide range of UAVs with VTOL capability – from mini-sized to medium and heavy class UAVs,” Gurulev said in an interview with “VPK.Belarus” publication.

Brazil to insist on technology transfer in defense deals

04/04/2012

Brazil, which is close to awarding a lucrative jet fighter contract, said Tuesday that it would insist on technology transfer in its defense agreements. "In all its alliances, Brazil will put on the table the demand for technology transfer," Education Minister Aloizio Mercadante told foreign correspondents. "We no longer intend to have the passive attitude we used to have throughout our history," he added.

American Eurocopter unveils new military aircraft

04/04/2012

American Eurocopter unveiled a helicopter if plans to build at its Columbus manufacturing facility. On Monday, company officials introduced the Armed Aerial Scout 72X plus combat helicopter during a presentation in Nashville. The company says the aircraft is an armed version of the UH-72 Lakota light utility helicopter currently being built in Columbus.