Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

CSIO device to perfect fighter pilots' aim

10/22/2010

Indian fighter pilots will be able to strike at the enemy with an accuracy that others can only hope to achieve. All thanks to the head up display (HUD) developed and tested by Central Scientific Instruments Organization (CSIO), Chandigarh. Overcoming limitations of hitting a target within a range of 10-100m, they have cut it down to single digit accuracy.

Airbus Military looks to India for A400M Grizzly airlifter

10/22/2010

European aerospace major EADS is on the verge of bringing into markets its new A400M Grizzly to compete in Indian military proposals for inducting giant airlifters to boost its strategic reach.

Noise: IAF planes on radar

10/22/2010

In the first ever move of its kind in India to mitigate noise pollution around an airport, the aviation ministry and DGCA have asked the defence ministry to avoid flying their old and extremely noisy military aircraft in and out of Delhi airport. At the same time realising the security requirements, the aviation authorities have suggested a practical alternate also by suggesting the movement of such aircraft be limited to runway 27 (that's closest to Dwarka side).

Russian, Kazakh pilots to hone live-firing skills prior to CSTO drills

10/22/2010

Russian and Kazakh combat pilots will take part on Friday in live-firing exercises in preparation for the upcoming large-scale exercises of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Russian Defense Ministry said.

Hard bargain on US pacts

10/21/2010

New Delhi has decided to play hardball on military pacts with the Pentagon after expectations were raised that the pending agreements may be signed during the visit of Barack Obama in about two weeks from now.

Boeing confident with Indian Super Hornet bid

10/21/2010

Boeing is optimistic it will make the shortlist for India's medium multirole combat aircraft (MMRCA) requirement in 2011 with its F/A-18E/F Super Hornet, says Rick McCrary, capture team manager for its Defense, Space & Security business unit.

UN’s plea for helicopters in Congo going unheard

10/21/2010

Struggling to contain a horrifying epidemic of mass rapes and murders, United Nations peacekeepers in Congo say they desperately need one thing above all: helicopters. But more than 50 countries – including Canada – have failed to help.

World's fastest helicopter races above Palm Beach County

10/21/2010

Sikorsky had picture perfect weather to show off the world's fastest helicopter Wednesday morning, and X2 test pilot Kevin Brendenbeck didn't waste the opportunity.

U.S. Agrees to Sell Up to $60 Billion of Military Aircraft to Saudi Arabia

10/21/2010

Boeing and United Technologies could win billions of dollars of orders from a U.S. deal to sell military aircraft to Saudi Arabia. The U.S. State Department plans to sell as much as $60 billion worth of planes and helicopters to the Arab country over the next two decades, in an attempt to help protect the Middle East against the threat of Iranian military expansion, Andrew Shapiro, assistant secretary of state for political-military affairs, said during a news conference Wednesday.

Indonesia set to continue buying arms from Russia

10/20/2010

Indonesia will continue its military-technical cooperation with Russia, the country's defense minister said on Wednesday.

Gulf states eye new combat jets

10/20/2010

As the U.S. Congress mulls the administration's plans to sell Saudi Arabia advanced F-15S strike jets and other weapons worth some $60 billion, Riyadh's Persian Gulf partners are also looking at new combat aircraft to counter Iran.

First Gripen flight for Saab´s new CEO

10/20/2010

Håkan Buskhe has only been CEO of Saab for one and a half months but he has already travelled the globe marketing Gripen to several countries. Yesterday, Mr Buskhe got his first flight in the Gripen fighter, taking-off from the Saab airfield in Linköping, Sweden.

Navy aircraft carriers not operational for 26 years

10/20/2010

The Royal Navy is set to lose its ability to fly combat jets off aircraft carriers for the next 26 years under defence cuts to be announced today, The Daily Telegraph has learnt.

Scrap the MMRCA, buy US F-35s

10/20/2010

Given the global buzz around the Indian Air Force ongoing $10-billion procurement of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), my suggestion to scrap the process and, instead, go in for a straight buy of Lockheed Martin's F-35 Lightening II fighters is admittedly radical. But consider this: when the F-35 enters service, a couple of years from now, it will comfortably outclass every one of the six fighters that the IAF is currently evaluating.

India mulls Boeing Globemaster III deal

10/20/2010

India and Boeing remained locked in negotiations for the former's purchase of as many as 10 military transport aircraft by Dec. 15.

U.K. considers dropping STOVL version of F-35

10/19/2010

Britain may drop plans to purchase the short-takeoff, vertical-landing (STOVL) version of the Lockheed Martin F-35 strike aircraft and replace it with the conventional carrier variant of the Lighting II.

Taxed by wars, aging air tankers suffer fleet fatigue

10/19/2010

The last new KC-135 Stratotanker was delivered to the U.S. Air Force in 1964. After nearly a decade of war, the fleet’s age is showing, most profoundly to the men and women on the ground who keep the 415 tankers flying.

Taiwan interested in F-35 fighters

10/19/2010

Deputy defense minister Andrew Yang says Taiwan is interested in buying F-35 fighter jets in the future. Those jets are more advanced than the F-16C/Ds which Taiwan has requested to purchase from the United States.

Ukraine and Venezuela to develop cooperation in aviation

10/19/2010

Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez has said he highly appreciates the prospects for cooperation with Ukraine in the aviation industry.

China welcomes U.S. intent to waive ban on C-130 aircraft export

10/19/2010

China's Ministry of Commerce (MOC) spokesman Yao Jian said Friday that China welcomes the U.S. intent to waive the embargo on the export of C-130 planes to China for use in oil spill response operations.

PAF to participate in aviation, aerospace exhibition in Beijing

10/18/2010

Pakistan Air Force (PAF) will participate for the first time in an international aviation and aerospace exhibition being held in China next month.

Israel Ministry of Defense Signs Agreement for Purchase of F-35 Aircraft

10/18/2010

The Israeli Minister of Defense Director General (Maj. Gen. Ret.) Udi Shani, has signed a Letter of Offer and Acceptance for the procurement of F-35 Lightning II aircraft, produced by Lockheed Martin. Pratt & Whitney's F135 engine will power the initial purchase of the Israel Air Force's F-35 aircraft. The F135 is the only engine currently powering the F-35 aircraft and is in production today. Pratt & Whitney is a United Technologies Corp. company.

Thai fighter jet crashes, killing pilot

10/18/2010

Authorities say a Thai air force pilot was killed when his F16 fighter jet crashed into a mountain in northern Thailand during a training drill.Police Maj. Gen. Chamlong Nomsien says the aircraft has one of four planes from the Royal Thai Air Force taking part in the Monday exercise.He said the planes took off from an air base in central Thailand and one of them suddenly vanished from radar.

CF-18 contract stays in Calgary

10/18/2010

The Harris Corporation will continue to provide avionics maintenance on the CF-18 until the military replaces the craft with the controversial F-35 Lightning II fighter in 2020.

Airbus Military mulls plan to bag multi-billion India deal

10/18/2010

As India seeks to boost its strategic reach by inducting more mid-air refuellers, European defence major EADS has announced that it would aggressively bid for the multi-billion reopened contract by offering latest technology.