Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Flying ‘Typhoons'

05/27/2011

With a roar the Mikado yellow Eurofighter Typhoon jet zipped overhead as Mark Bowman, Chief Test Pilot for combat aircraft at BAE Systems, deftly took the plane into a somersault above the company's aerodrome at Preston in the north-east of England and disappeared into the clouds. The ground-trembling sound subsided as quickly as it made itself felt and peace returned to the Warton Aerodrome.

Timing is key in Pakistan-China aerobatics

05/26/2011

The recent headlines have been dominated by the progressively deteriorating relationship between the United States and Pakistan. The killing of al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden on Pakistani territory in May by US forces exacerbated the widening rift and further overshadowed the recent staging of a sensitive military exercise involving Pakistani and Chinese forces.

France and UK Deploy Attack Helicopters to Libya

05/26/2011

While NATO and allied Arab forces continue to apply strong military pressure to Kadhafi’s forces along the Western coast of Libya, France and the UK prepare to deploy additional assets to the operation that are expected to bring a shift in allied tactics. According to French officials, both countries are deploying attack helicopters to provide more flexibility, firepower and precision to airborne operations in Libya.

Switzerland renews military exports to UAE

05/26/2011

n renewing a two-year-old authorisation to export the aircraft, the cabinet reviewed the situation in North Africa and the Gulf region and concluded the UAE was one of the most politically and economically stable countries in the region. The government first approved the country’s order for 25 PC-21 planes in May 2009, to replace the PC-7 engines exported by Switzerland in the 1990s.

MARINE CORPS HARRIERS RETURN TO AFGHANISTAN

05/26/2011

One of the first Marine Corps Harrier squadrons to see action in Afghanistan has returned after nearly a decade. Marine Attack Squadron 513, which first deployed to Afghanistan in 2002, will also be the first Marine Corps Harrier squadron to fully operate in Afghanistan since the departure of VMA-231 in 2010.

UAE hosts military drills for GCC and US

05/26/2011

This year's exercises involve hundreds of troops as well as representatives from government sectors and civil authorities from Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar and the US. The exercises will be directed by Centcom, according to WAM, the state news agency. Saudi Arabia, Oman, Jordan, Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon, Yemen, France and South Korea are participating as observers.

Libya Apache deployment signals Britain's escalating role in conflict

05/26/2011

Ministers are to announce the deployment of Apache attack helicopters to Libya, a move seen as a significant escalation of Britain's role in the conflict despite government denials, according to well-placed Whitehall sources.

Planes, graft and national security

05/26/2011

At a time when the credibility of the Manmohan Singh regime lies in tatters, thanks to the scandal-a-day allegations of corruption that it faces, the recent announcement of the Government, narrowing the list of qualified bidders, on the acquisition of 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft has, happily, not invited any accusations of corruption, cronyism or nepotism. This is unquestionably because of the impeccable reputation for honesty and probity that Defence Minister AK Antony enjoys in India

Lockheed Martin Demonstrates Full Range of Capabilities at Empire Challenge 2011

05/26/2011

Lockheed Martin will demonstrate its advanced intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR), and battlefield communication technologies in a nine-day exercise at Empire Challenge 11 (EC 11), May 23 to June 3, at Fort Huachuca, Ariz.

Lockheed Martin Delivers AH-1Z Cobra Targeting Systems to the U.S. Marine Corps Ahead of Schedule

05/26/2011

Lockheed Martin recently began early delivery of Target Sight System (TSS) follow-on production units for the U.S. Marine Corps’ AH-1Z Cobra attack helicopter. The TSS units feature upgraded software to provide additional targeting capabilities.

Romanian Air Force chooses Elbit Systems to upgrade avionics on fleet of C-130 military transport aircraft

05/25/2011

Leaders of the Romanian Air Force in Bucharest, Romania, needed advanced avionics and other aircraft electronics for the Romanian fleet of Lockheed-Martin C-130 four-engine turboprop transport aircraft. They found their solution from Elbit Systems Ltd. in Haifa, Israel.

Philippine defence chief says military too weak to stop potential foreign intrusions

05/25/2011

The Philippine military, one of Asia's weakest, is too weak to stop foreign intrusions in areas such as disputed territories in the South China Sea, and the only recourse is diplomatic protests, the defence secretary said Tuesday.

'New kind of militant' behind Pakistan Karachi attack

05/25/2011

The deadly 15-hour siege on Pakistan's Mehran naval airbase in Karachi on Monday was carried out by attackers with military-level training, raising suspicions they had inside help. Questions are being asked about the security of Pakistan's vital military installations after a well-organised group of gunmen held off Pakistan's equivalent of the US Navy Seals - the Special Services Group - Navy (SSG-N) - for 15 hours.

Victory in Libya is closer than we think

05/25/2011

The advancement of technology has so reshaped our lives that we expect actions to have instant effects, inquiries to receive immediate answers, decisions to achieve rapid results. We don’t like or understand delay – so, as the Nato campaign in Libya has dragged on, it has been viewed increasingly as a failure. When David Cameron and Barack Obama issue joint statements of resolve, as they did yesterday, they are seen as empty words. The idea that the situation has become a stalemate – or worse, a

Strong military is key to long-term U.S. success, Gates says

05/25/2011

The ultimate guarantee against success of aggressors, dictators and terrorists in the 21st century is the size, strength and global reach of the United States military, Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said May 22.

Gates: Defense cuts must be prioritized, strategic

05/25/2011

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates said he is determined that the department not fall victim to the mistakes of the past, "where the budget targets were met mostly by taking a percentage off the top of everything, the simplest and most politically expedient approach both inside the Pentagon and outside of it.

Sky Wars: Pakistan, India and China

05/25/2011

Pakistan's Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani (2nd R) and China's Premier Wen Jiabao (2nd L) attend a meeting at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, May 18, 2011. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani's visit to China from Tuesday allows Islamabad to show it has another major power to turn to just as relations with the United States have faced intense strain after the killing of Osama bin Laden.

China, U.S. military ties to increase transparency in Asia Pacific

05/24/2011

The recent talks between General Chen Bingde, the chief of the General Staff of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and Admiral Mike Mullen, the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff, have hit the headlines. The PLA top military leader’s one-week visit to the United States, the first of its kind in seven years, signals that Chinese-U.S. relations are back on track.

Rosoboronexport at MILEX 2011

05/24/2011

The Rosoboronexport Corporation takes part in the MILEX 2011 International Exhibition of Arms and Materiel in Minsk, Belarus, on 24-27 May, 2011.

Iraq says ready to buy Czech-made combat jets

05/24/2011

Iraq is ready to buy light attack aircraft, offered for sale by the Czech republic earlier this month, Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki said after talks with his Czech counterpart in Baghdad. The visit to Baghdad by Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas, which began on Monday, focused on bilateral economic and political cooperation.

Final F-35 Flight Test Aircraft Completes First Flight

05/24/2011

The final F-35 Lightning II flight test aircraft, a carrier variant designated CF-3, launches from Naval Air Station (NAS) Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base on May 21 on the way to completing its first test flight. CF-3 continues its flight testing in Fort Worth, preparing to fly to NAS Patuxent River, Md., later this year.

First Lockheed Martin Advanced Block 50 F-16 Unveiled For Turkish Air Force

05/24/2011

Turkish Aerospace Industries, Inc. (TAI) and Lockheed Martin unveiled the first of 30 new Turkish-built F-16s in ceremonies today at TAI’s facility near Ankara.

'Golden hour' initiative pays off in Afghanistan

05/23/2011

Two years ago, Defense Secretary Robert Gates traveled throughout Afghanistan, promising deployed troops he would make sure they had everything they needed to accomplish their mission -- including more forward-deployed medical capabilities in the event they were wounded.

F-35C Over Andrews

05/23/2011

An aircraft carrier variant of the F-35C Joint Strike Fighter flies over Andrews Air Force Base, Md., during the Joint Service Open House. This is the first public appearance of a joint strike fighter aircraft at an air show. Lt. Cmdr. Eric "Magic" Buus piloted the aircraft. The F-35C is a fifth generation strike fighter with stealth capability and has larger wing surfaces and reinforced landing gear for the demanding carrier environment. The aircraft is undergoing test and evaluation at Naval A

9 killed, several airplanes destroyed in air force base attack in Pakistan

05/23/2011

At least nine people including three troops and six militants were killed in a terrorist attack on a Pakistan air force base in the country's southern port city of Karachi late Sunday night, local Urdu TV channel ARY reported. Besides, several military airplanes including imported U.S. made P.3.C Orion aircraft were reportedly destroyed in the attack.