Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Dassault 'Astonished' By Swiss Decision To Buy Swedish Fighters

12/01/2011

French military and business jet manufacturer Dassault Aviation SA (AM.FR) said Wednesday it was "astonished" at the Swiss government's decision to buy 22 Gripen fighter jets from Swedish defense and aerospace company Saab AB (SAABF, SAAB-B.SK) instead of Dassault's Rafale multirole combat aircraft.

Russian Navy to take part in several joint drills in 2012

12/01/2011

The Russian Navy will take part in several international drills, including those involving the United States, Britain and France, in the new training year which begins on Thursday, a Russian Defense Ministry spokesman said.

Turkey signs a cooperation treaty with UK Ministry of Defence

12/01/2011

The Armed Forces of Turkey and the UK have signed a military cooperation treaty during an official state visit to Britain. The treaty was signed by the deputy chief of the Turkish general staff, General Hulusi Akar and the UK's Secretary of State for defence, the Rt Hon Phillip Hammond and will enable greater cooperation between the Armed Forces of Turkey and the UK.

U.S. prepares to vacate Pakistan air base

11/30/2011

The United States is preparing to accede to Pakistani demands that it vacate a remote air base in Pakistan used for drone flights, but the move is not expected to have a significant impact on operations against militants, U.S. government sources say.

Airbus Military begins final assembly of the first A400M for France

11/30/2011

Following the launch of A400M series production last February, Airbus Military has begun final assembly of the first A400M that will be delivered to a customer – the French Air Force.

Planning for RAAF Hawk upgrade path approved

11/30/2011

The Government has given first pass approval for Phase 1A of the Air 5438 Lead-In Fighter Capability Assurance Program (CAP). This first phase will identify the requirements for the upgrade the RAAF’s Hawk 127 lead in fighter capability, so that it may continue to produce aircrew with the necessary skills to operate current RAAF combat aircraft, like the F/A-18 Classic and Super Hornet fleets, as well as the future combat aircraft such as the F-35 JSF.

Jet commitment keeps carrier strategy alive

11/30/2011

Britain’s commitment to buy the US-led Joint Strike Fighter combat aircraft and the diplomatic and commercial sensitivities surrounding the project were the prime factors that saved the Royal Navy’s new aircraft carriers last year, according to information released by the government on Monday.

F-15s May Out-Maneuver Sequestration Impact

11/30/2011

Even with the F-22 on the ramp, if the F-35 program is delayed or killed, the U.S. and its allies will need more aircraft with a reduced radar signature or the ability to carry standoff weapons at a range to penetrate sophisticated air defenses.

Malaysia's fighter contest intensifies ahead of LIMA air show

11/30/2011

Malaysia has a commanding position astride two of the world's most strategic waterways, the Straits of Malacca and the South China Sea. The importance of these sea lines of communication to major powers such as China, Japan and South Korea cannot be overstated. Through these waters flows the lifeblood of their economies. From the west flows oil from the Middle East and from the east flows finished goods bound for Europe.

Some Syrian Oppositions Groups Want Intervention—Sort Of

11/30/2011

After nine months of brutal repression that has killed over 3,500 people-the vast majority being nonviolent protestors--Syrian opposition groups are escalating the frequency and variety of their demands for international military support. What form that external intervention might take, what the intended military and political objectives would be, and what countries may contribute, remain altogether unclear.

Pratt & Whitney Powers Flight of Second Northrop Grumman X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System for U.S. Navy

11/30/2011

Pratt & Whitney's F100-PW-220U engine and exhaust system have successfully powered the first flight of the second Northrop Grumman X-47B flight test aircraft for the U.S. Navy's Unmanned Combat Air System Carrier Demonstration (UCAS-D) program. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.

Boeing Receives $20 Million Contract to Upgrade F-15C Trainers

11/30/2011

The Boeing Company received a $20 million contract in September from the U.S. Air Force to upgrade the visual systems in the F-15C Mission Training Centers. Twelve MTCs, located at Langley Air Force Base, Va., Royal Air Force Lakenheath, United Kingdom, and Kadena Air Base, Japan, will be upgraded with Boeing’s Constant Resolution Visual System (CRVS).

Russian Navy drills in Mediterranean ‘unrelated to Syria’

11/30/2011

The dispatch of a Russian Navy task force to the Mediterranean Sea is part of a scheduled exercise and is not connected to the situation in Syria, General Staff chief Nikolai Makarov said on Tuesday. “We are not sending anything [to Syria],” he said. He did not say when the exercise would take place. Earlier in the day a Russian Defense Ministry source denied media reports that a group of Russian warships led by the Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier would arrive at the Syrian port of Tartus

India, China Militaries Go Local

11/28/2011

Fighter technologies have evolved at an impressive rate since the end of the Cold War. In industrial defense establishments across the world, the production and development of relatively cheap and viable versions of fourth generation aircraft continues. Incorporation of modern electronics suites and advanced upgrades have extended the life of such platforms for decades.

US, Australian rulers deepen military ties, target China

11/27/2011

U.S. President Barack Obama used a visit to Australia November 16-17 to announce a strengthening of military ties between the global imperial power and its longtime key imperialist ally in the southwest Pacific. For the first time since World War II, significant U.S. armed forces will be stationed at Australian military bases in the north and west of the country.

IAI awarded $35m for its advanced EHUD Autonomous Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation system

11/27/2011

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) has been awarded a $35 million contract to supply the next generation of its EHUD Autonomous Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation (AACMI) system to a foreign customer. The system will provide a significant leap in performance to modern joint training capabilities for air, ground and naval forces.

Israel could gain from Korean bid for IAF contract

11/27/2011

A competition to sell the Israel Air Force’s new advanced combat trainers is heating up as a Korean defense delegation plans to arrive in Israel next month to sign an agreement paving the way for increased cooperation and potentially $5 billion in sales for Israeli companies.

War By Remote Control: Drones Make It Easy

11/27/2011

From his spot beneath the famous Wright Military Flyer in the Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum, Peter Singer is reminded of a modern military drone. "The story of manned airplanes is a great parallel to what's happening now with unmanned airplanes," he tells weekends on All Things Considered guest host Rachel Martin.

Pakistan orders US to close Shamsi airbase

11/27/2011

Pakistani authorities on Saturday gave the United States 15 days to leave the Shamsi airbase, and closed NATO supply lines into Afghanistan in response to a deadly NATO air strike, the DawnNews TV channel reported. The Federal Cabinet's Defense Committee said no compromise would be made on the country’s sovereignty and security. "The people and the army will ensure Pakistan's sovereignty and integrity at any cost," it said.

Third PAK FA jet joined flight test program

11/26/2011

The third Advanced Tactical Frontline Fighter (PAK FA) performed its first flight November 22 in Komsomolsk-on-Amur KnAAPO. The jet was piloted by honored test-pilot Sergey Bogdan. The jet spent about an hour in the air and landed at KnAAPO runway after successful and complete fulfillment of the flight assignment. Aircraft stability and power plant performance were checked during flight, the pilot noting reliability of all systems and equipment.

UAE Snubs Dassault

11/26/2011

Wall also reported on the United Arab Emirates’ invitation to Eurofighter to bid its Typhoon for its combat aircraft replacement and how this was another swipe by the UAE at Dassault and its Rafale offering.

Appeal against AT-6 exclusion from LAS bid

11/26/2011

Aircraft manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) has requested a review of the US Air Force (USAF) Light Air Support (LAS) bidding process, after the USAF notified the firm that its AT-6 fixed-wing aircraft had been excluded from continuing in the process.

Gone before Christmas: The U.S. military’s move out of Iraq the biggest since WWII

11/26/2011

At the peak of the United States’s war in Iraq, the U.S. military had more than 170,000 troops, 500 bases replete with tents and toilets, kitchens and motor pools, and an airline that flew hundreds of times a day across the country.

F-35 makes headway amid criticism, US budget crunch

11/26/2011

The 16-ton fighter jet slowed to a stop off the warship's port beam, where it hovered like a floating rock as thousands of pounds of thrust from its engine and lift fan stirred up a cloud of mist from the Atlantic Ocean 100 feet below. After a brief hesitation, the sleek, new gray airplane - a Marine Corps version of the radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighter - slipped quickly sideways over the amphibious assault ship and then dropped to the flight deck with a gentle bump.

Russia’s Baltic radar to monitor missile launches across Europe, Atlantic

11/26/2011

Russia’s radar station in the Baltic exclave of Kaliningrad will monitor missile launches from the North Atlantic, as well as the future European missile defense system, the Aerospace Defense Forces chief said on Friday. “We will be able to control the entire European continent and the Atlantic, including the European missile defense system,” Lt. Gen. Oleg Ostapenko said.