Military Aviation News Archive

U.K. Eyes Improved Counter-IED Capabilities

08/11/2010

The U.K.’s effort to upgrade the Astor ground-surveillance aircraft to enhance detection of improvised explosive devices (IED) is one in a series of equipment upgrades European militaries plan to bolster their military presence in Afghanistan.

Israeli jets violate Lebanese airspace

08/11/2010

The Lebanese Army says Israeli aircraft have violated the country's southern airspace for the second time in less than a week.

MiG-35 stalls in Indian fighter tender contract

08/11/2010

Russia's MiG-35 multirole fighter aircraft has failed to make the short-list in a $10 billion international tender for 126 combat aircraft for the Indian air force, according to Indian media reports quoted by Kommersant daily.

Lockheed Martin Hypersonic ATACMS Motor Boosts Experimental Scramjet in First Flight

08/11/2010

Lockheed Martin announced today that its Army Tactical Missile System (ATACMS) rocket motor successfully boosted the experimental X-51A WaveRider beyond Mach 4.5, the speed at which a scramjet will start and begin to provide thrust. The successful boost helped the X-51 hypersonic scramjet engine to accelerate to a historic Mach 5, a first for the vehicle.

Chinese fighter jets train over Tibet

08/10/2010

J-11 planes, the most modern Chinese jet fighters said to be pirated copies of Russia’s Su-27, have for the first time been shown in training over the Tibetan Plateau recently.

A force to be reckoned with

08/10/2010

The Egyptian Air Force (EAF) or Al Quwwat Al Jawwiya Il Misriya, is one of the largest air arms in the region and is also one of the longest established. Formed in 1930 as the Egyptian Army Air Force, it became fully independent in 1937.

President says requested combat aircraft are for defense

08/10/2010

President Ma Ying-jeou said Friday that the reason Taiwan wants to purchase high-performance combat aircraft from the United States is to maintain its self-defense capability.

RAF to shrink to World War One levels

08/10/2010

The RAF will shrink to its smallest size since the First World War, under unprecedented cuts being proposed at the Ministry of Defence.

Former enemies US, Vietnam now military mates

08/09/2010

Cold War enemies the United States and Vietnam demonstrated their blossoming military relations Sunday as a U.S. nuclear supercarrier cruised in waters off the Southeast Asian nation's coast — sending a message that China is not the region's only big player.

U.S. to Sell F-15s to Saudis

08/09/2010

The Obama administration plans to sell advanced F-15 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia but won't equip them with long-range weapons systems and other arms whose inclusion was strongly opposed by Israel, diplomats and officials said.

NORAD, Russia to conduct first-ever joint air defense drills

08/09/2010

The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and the Russian Air Force are beginning on Sunday their first-ever joint air defense exercise, NORAD said.

Kyrgyzstan denies new U.S. base talks

08/09/2010

The Kyrgyz interim government is not negotiating with the United States on the establishment of a new military base in the republic, government spokesman Farid Niyazov said on Monday.

Israel concerned over Lebanese arms imports

08/07/2010

This week's military clash along the Israeli-Lebanese border has raised concerns in Israel about U.S. military assistance to Lebanon.

China and Pakistan Push Chengdu JF-17 Fighter for Export

08/07/2010

In the same week that the Chengdu JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft made its international debut at the Farnborough airshow, the product of this co-development between China and Pakistan was offered to Indonesia.

Azerbaijan to buy training target drones from Turkey

08/07/2010

Azerbaijan will buy Turna unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) for training and target practice from Turkey, the Baku based ARA news agency reported on Friday.

Lockheed's F-16 shows resilience as Oman is interested in buying more

08/06/2010

Lockheed Martin will someday build the last F-16 fighter jet at its Fort Worth plant, but that day is still years away.

Iran claims to have smuggled anti aircraft missile systems into country

08/06/2010

Iran claimed it had smuggled four S-300 anti aircraft missile systems with a 90 mile range in defiance of United Nations sanction that prompted a Russian ban on selling the sophisticated defence system to Tehran.

War or jaw-jaw?

08/06/2010

Although the UN, the US and the EU have separately adopted new sanctions to force Iran to abandon its nuclear programme, and in spite of the relative calm that has since prevailed between the Western and Iranian camps, Israel evidently feels that the sanctions are not enough. Claiming that the sanctions will not work, Israel has begun to advise its friends not to rule out "other options", meaning war.

5 Minute Delay Scuttles Chance at $40 Billion Air Force Deal

08/06/2010

Somehow, against all odds, the already-surreal competition to build America’s next fleet of tanker planes just got sillier and more venal. A tiny, troubled aerospace firm and its Ukrainian partner have been disqualified from the bidding because they handed in their proposal five minutes too late. The companies, for their part, insist that their messenger had a few minutes to spare.

Tensions Rise As China Launches Show Of Force

08/06/2010

China's air force this week is conducting a five-day exercise involving scores of aircraft and 12,000 soldiers. Dubbed "Vanguard 2010," it is the latest sign of China flexing its muscles amid rising military tensions with the United States.

Tactical Air Defense Submits Proposal to Purchase Military Aircraft

08/06/2010

Tactical Air Defense Services, Inc., an Aerospace/Defense Services contractor that offers air-combat training, aerial refueling, aircraft maintenance, disaster response services, and other Aerospace/Defense services to the United States and Foreign militaries and agencies, is pleased to announce that it has submitted a proposal for the purchase of 12 Dassault Mirage military aircraft to the government of a foreign allied country.

Chinese missile could shift Pacific power balance

08/06/2010

U.S. naval planners are scrambling to deal with what analysts say is a game-changing weapon being developed by China — an unprecedented carrier-killing missile called the Dong Feng 21D that could be launched from land with enough accuracy to penetrate the defenses of even the most advanced moving aircraft carrier at a distance of more than 1,500 kilometers (900 miles).

Sikorsky Challenges Navy Plan To Buy Russian-Made Helicopters for Afghanistan

08/05/2010

Sikorsky Aircraft has formally protested a Navy plan to buy Russian-made helicopters for military operations in Afghanistan.

Bulgaria seeks to cut military aircraft deals

08/05/2010

Bulgaria will try to renegotiate deals worth hundreds of millions of euros for the delivery of army helicopters and transport airplanes due to financial constraints, Defence Minister Anyo Angelov said on Wednesday.

Beneath Simmering Relations, Turkey and Israel Do a Brisk Business

08/05/2010

Israeli business executives here like to point out that most of the angry Turks who protested Israel’s deadly raid on a Turkish-led flotilla to Gaza this summer do not know that their cellphones, personal computers and plasma televisions were made using parts and technology from Tel Aviv.