Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Renewing Japan’s air force

09/30/2011

On most days for the past several years, pilots from the Japan Air Self-Defence Force have scrambled to stop military aircraft from China and Russia buzzing Japan’s air space. It is a reminder of how prickly Japan’s ties with its neighbours have become, not least because of contested sovereignty over a few remote islands. Intercepts of Chinese planes almost tripled last year, to 96 (see chart). Russia, meanwhile, recently sent two bombers skirting provocatively around the Japanese archipelago.

BAE Systems bringing new Hawk trainer jet to Randolph Air Show

09/30/2011

BAE Systems Inc. said Thursday that two UK Royal Air Force Hawk Advanced Jet Trainers will for the first time participate in Air Shows sponsored by the U.S. Air Force. The company will demonstrate the Hawk Advanced Jet Trainer Aircraft’s capabilities at the Randolph Air Force Base Air Show in San Antonio on Oct. 29-30.

Brazil arms industry growth draws Boeing

09/30/2011

Brazilian defense industry growth has prompted the Boeing Co., a U.S. company, to expand operations in the South American country. Boeing has set sights on winning a multibillion-dollar order in Brazil's FX-2 competition which aims to replace the Brazilian air force's aging inventory of fighter aircraft with modern, multipurpose jets capable of performing under challenging conditions in overland and offshore defense duties.

F-22s return to flying over Tularosa Basin

09/30/2011

Residents in the communities surrounding Holloman Air Force Base can expect the possibility of a periodic sonic boom over the next two weeks as the base returns to regular F-22 flying operations.

Iraq is likely to buy more F-16s after the first 18

09/30/2011

Iraq's decision to purchase 18 F-16 fighter jets will provide a "very robust capability" where now there is none and will allow the country to protect its airspace, the chief U.S. military spokesman in Iraq said Thursday.

Boeing P-8I Aircraft Completes 1st Flight

09/30/2011

Boeing's first P-8I aircraft for the Indian Navy completed its initial flight today, taking off from Renton Field at 12:02 p.m. Pacific time and landing two hours and 31 minutes later at Boeing Field in Seattle.

Iraq Makes First Payment for 18 F-16 Fighters

09/29/2011

The Iraqi government has transferred its first payment for 18 F-16C fighter aircraft, bringing Iraq closer to independently securing its airspace, Pentagon Press Secretary George Little said yesterday. “These aircraft will help provide air sovereignty for Iraq to protect its own territory, and deter or counter regional threats,” Little said. The fighter aircraft, he added, “are also a symbol of the commitment to a long-term strategic partnership between the United States and Iraq.

Sukhoi-30MkIs increase night flying to enhance fighting capabilities

09/29/2011

Be prepared to hear loud roars of fighter jets every night. The Indian Air Force’s (IAF) Sukhoi-30MkI air dominance fighters have just stepped up their night flying, and will continue to do so in the coming days. This was disclosed to media persons by Wing Commander B Satish, commanding officer of the 30 Squadron (The Rhinos) at the IAF base at Lohegaon on Tuesday. The media visit had been organised as part of the Air Force Day celebrations, to be held on October 8 across the country.

China’s ability to make quality jet engines

09/29/2011

While there’s no question that China is rapidly growing and modernizing its military, analysts have long seen the PRC’s lack of expertise in making high-performance jet engines as a major obstacle in Beijing’s quest to field a 21st Century air force.

Tribesmen Said to Bring Down Military Plane in Yemen

09/29/2011

Rebel tribesmen in a mountainous region just north of the capital brought down a military aircraft on Wednesday, Yemen’s Defense Ministry said in a statement. The Soviet-era crashed roughly 30 miles north of the capital, Sana, as it was “carrying out a routine task this morning,” according to the statement, which was published on a Web site run by the ministry.

Fewer US Choppers Fall to Enemy Fire, but Results More Deadly

09/29/2011

Most U.S. military helicopter crashes in Afghanistan have resulted from human error, bad weather, and mechanical problems rather than insurgent attacks — but the assaults were more deadly, reports USA Today.

iPhone App Can Fly Unmanned Aircraft

09/29/2011

Researchers from Boeing and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) have created a prototype application that allows someone to fly a miniature unmanned aircraft from an iPhone. Eventually, the technology may be applied to remotely control unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) such as drones used by the U.S. military in combat and reconnaissance missions.

Boeing KC-46 Tanker Program Completes Integrated Baseline Review

09/29/2011

The Boeing KC-46 Tanker program successfully completed its Integrated Baseline Review (IBR) with the U.S. Air Force on Aug. 24 at Boeing program headquarters in Mukilteo. The assessment, attended by senior Air Force program officials, validated the program’s technical scope and finalized key milestones for the design and development phase of the Air Force's next-generation aerial refueling tanker.

Lockheed Martin Delivers Four C-130J Super Hercules Airlifters To Qatar

09/29/2011

At ceremonies today at the Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] facility here, company officials formally delivered four C-130J Super Hercules airlifters to the State of Qatar.

Turkey seeks to offset the pilotless aircraft setbacks

09/28/2011

Turkey’s first drone airplane called Anka is seen during a roll out ceremony at the Turkish Aerospace Space Industries, or TAI, near Ankara. Turkey is striving to bolster its unmanned aerial vehicle, or UAV, fleet through international means, as domestic work to develop large pilotless aircraft has been faltering.

Foreign aircraft builders vie for lucrative Korean project?

09/28/2011

“The Rafale took the lead (built by French aircraft manufacturer Dassault Aviation) by a narrow margin in the first stage of the assessment, but considering interoperability and the alliance between Korea and the U.S., we have finally chosen the F-15K (built by the American company Boeing).”

Iraqi air defense: A work in progress?

09/28/2011

Saddam Hussein once commanded one of the most powerful airforces in the Middle East with 40,000 personnel and 1,000 aircraft including Soviet MiG and French Mirage fighters. Now its combat capability lies largely in three Cessna propeller planes armed with Hellfire missiles.

Russia expands military-technical ties with its traditional partners

09/28/2011

India and China remain Russia’s main partners in terms of military-technical cooperation. The value of the Russian-Chinese military and technical cooperation stands at one billion dollars, while the value of the Russian-Indian military-technical ties is annually assessed at 3.5 billion dollars.

South Africa Firms Build Niche Plane

09/28/2011

Two South African companies are attempting to elbow their way into the global defense market with an unusual new aircraft developed on home soil. Paramount Group and Aerosud Holdings Ltd. on Tuesday will unveil the Ahrlac, a compact plane that they say merges the capabilities of a drone, an attack helicopter and surveillance aircraft.

Australia to let women fight on the front line

09/28/2011

Australia will allow women to serve in front-line combat roles for the first time, joining a handful of other countries that have removed gender restrictions in their armed forces. The decision, which has bilateral political support, means women will be permitted to perform any role, provided they meet the physical and psychological requirements. The changes, to be phased in over the next five years, could lead to them serving in infantry combat units and special forces.

China Strikes Back After Taiwan Weapons Deal

09/28/2011

China will likely suspend some military ties with the U.S. following the Obama administration's approval of a $5.85 billion package of upgrades for Taiwan's aging fleet of F-16 fighter jets and pilot training, a senior U.S. State Department official said Monday. That announcement comes one week after the U.S. said it would provide upgrades to aging combat aircraft supplied to Taiwan in the 1990s.

Boeing F-15E Radar Modernization Program to Enter Production

09/28/2011

Boeing today announced that the U.S. Air Force has granted the F-15E Radar Modernization Program (RMP) approval to begin low-rate initial production (LRIP) of the APG-82(V)1 radar system. Boeing and radar supplier Raytheon also performed extensive flight tests to validate the design and development of the system. The RMP leverages prior radar development programs on F-15C and F/A-18E/F aircraft to significantly reduce cost and integration risk for this new radar.

U.S. Air Force Leaders Defend F-35, ISR, Bomber Programs

09/27/2011

Civilian and military leaders of the U.S. Air Force outlined priorities they plan to defend against potentially severe budget cuts, citing the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, remotely piloted aircraft and a future long-range bomber specifically, among other systems and capabilities. In keynote addresses on successive days at the Air Force Association conference last week, Air Force secretary Michael Donley and chief of staff Gen. Norton Schwartz warned that a “hollow force” could result from indiscri

Belize offers premier training opportunities to Marines

09/27/2011

Belize is a premier training ground for many NATO allies. Military units from Britain, Poland, Norway, Spain and others have all taken advantage of the unique training experiences the Central American country can provide. Recently, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 365 from MCAS New River and Marine Wing Support Squadron 271 self-deployed four MV-22B Ospreys to Belize to evaluate the merit of future Marine Corps exercises in the region.

Pentagon Moves To Put Vital Global Hawk Recon Aircraft On Sustainable Path

09/27/2011

This is the week that Pentagon policymakers begin sorting out how to assure that one of the military's most important reconnaissance systems will be available to warfighters at an affordable price. The RQ-4 Global Hawk is an unmanned aircraft conceived to replace the venerable U-2 spy plane with a longer-endurance platform that could host a wider array of sensors.