Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Spooked By Ladakh Standoff, India Signs $200m Deal for Israeli SPICE Bombs

12/27/2020

India has signed a secretive $200 million deal for assorted Israeli materiel, similar to innumerable defence-related procurements it has previously sourced from Tel Aviv following the establishment of formal bilateral diplomatic relations between the two countries in early 1992.

U.S.-Trained Afghan Fighter Pilot Is in Hiding After Being Denied Safe Passage

12/26/2020

Maj. Naiem Asadi, an Afghan pilot trained by the U.S. military, became known for his bravery during six years of fighting in the country’s war, from battling Taliban and Islamic State fighters to helping rescue a crashed American pilot. Today, facing death threats from the Taliban, he is in hiding with his wife and 4-year-old daughter, after the U.S. reversed its decision to help him leave Afghanistan and live in America.

Leonardo Hack Allegedly Targeted Details Of nEUROn UCAV Program

12/25/2020

Preliminary inquiry documents in the Leonardo hack suggest hackers were targeting nEUROn drone, C-27J and ATR-72 documents. For almost two years, between May 2015 and January 2017, the IT infrastructure of Leonardo, the Italian multinational aerospace and defense company, and the 8th largest defence contractor in the world, was targeted by a persistent cyber attack (known as Advanced Persistent Threat or APT), carried out with installation in systems, networks and in the target machines

BAE Brough: Aircraft manufacturing ends after 104 years

12/25/2020

BAE Systems in Brough has built aircraft since 1916 but after the final delivery of Hawk jets to Qatar, it will focus on engineering. Almost 400 manufacturing job losses were announced at the site in October 2017. Despite the ending of more than a century of history, BAE Systems said the factory had a "bright future". The site confirmed 238 staff were taking voluntary redundancy, with 135 manufacturing workers moving into other areas of the business.

NAF to receive fighter aircraft in 2021

12/25/2020

The Chief of Air Staff Air, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar, says the Nigeria Air Force will receive a new A-29 Super Tucano fighter aircraft in 2021 to strengthen defence. Abubakar said this during the inauguration of officers accommodation and a 1.3-kilometre road at NAF Base Kainji, Niger.

Japan going ahead with ‘Godzilla’ fighter jet

12/25/2020

US$12 billion (A$15 billion) is not a lot of money for developing a fighter jet. But it turns out to be a steep bill if you build only 90 units. Yet Japan has decided it has little choice but to spend that money to create a combat aircraft for the 2030s. The government is going ahead with its F-X program, though work has not passed what is usually regarded as the critical point of commitment, the launch of full-scale development. It is close, however.

With Rival American And Chinese Naval Transits Through The Taiwan Strait, The Advanced F-16s Taiwan Is Buying Will Come In Handy

12/24/2020

Last Saturday’s transit of the Taiwan Strait by the U.S. Navy guided missile destroyer USS Mustin was followed 24 hours later by passage of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Navy aircraft carrier Shandong through the same waters, signaling a heightened level of symbolic navigation of the contentious sea-way. In both cases, fighter aircraft from China and Taiwan monitored the transits.

Two Chinese military aircraft encroach on Taiwan’s ADIZ

12/24/2020

Two Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone on Tuesday (Dec. 22), marking the 14th such intrusion this month. A People’s Liberation Army Air Force Shaanxi Y-8 anti-submarine warfare plane and a Shaanxi Y-8 electronic warfare aircraft flew into the southwest corner of the AZID, according to the Ministry of National Defense. In response, Taiwan scrambled fighter jets, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the two plane.

Belgian Air Force receives first Airbus A400M military transport aircraft

12/24/2020

The Belgian Air Force has received the first Airbus A400M, a military transport aircraft designed to carry loads to tactical locations. Airbus is set to deliver six additional units to the Belgian Air Force. The customer received the first aircraft at the A400M Final Assembly Line in Seville (Spain). Subsequently, it performed a ferry flight to its base at Melsbroek in Belgium to join the 15th Wing Air Transport.

PAF chief lauds Chinese aviation hi-tech in meeting modern challenges

12/24/2020

Chief of the Air Staff (CAS) Air Chief Marshal Mujahid Anwar Khan, after flying a hi-tech Chinese aircraft on Monday, said that Military Aviation Technology of the friendly country was at par with contemporary requirements and having full capacity to meet the challenges of modern warfare.

Florida-based F-22 instructor pilots got to fire live Sidewinder missiles for the first time

12/24/2020

The 43rd Fighter Squadron tested its combat capabilities this week during a live-fire exercise where five F-22 Raptor aircraft launched five AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, December 15, 2020. Team Tyndall worked from beginning to end to ensure the successful flight of the 43rd FS instructor pilots who flew the aircraft and fired the missiles.

With New Aircraft Carrier, France Looks to Bolster Military Ties With U.S.

12/24/2020

U.S. allies in Europe want to show the incoming Biden administration that they have the means and the guts for serious military action. The latest example: French President Emmanuel Macron’s unveiling of plans for a new nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

Russian and Chinese bombers conducted another joint patrol between South Korea and Japan

12/24/2020

A year and a half after Russia and China's first joint aerial patrol over the Sea of Japan and East China Sea, Russian and Chinese bombers carried out another joint patrol in the area. South Korea said Tuesday that it had scrambled fighter jets in response to an intrusion by 19 Russian and Chinese military aircraft.

Chinese aircraft carrier follows US warship through Taiwan Strait

12/22/2020

China's homegrown aircraft carrier Shandong has passed through the Taiwan Strait to conduct training in the South China Sea, the People's Liberation Army Navy said Monday. The Sunday transit came the day after the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Mustin made a similar passage and reflects the American and Chinese navies' resolve to demonstrate their presence in the body of water running between the mainland's Fujian Province and the island of Taiwan.

Tyndall AFB replaces T-38's with new aircraft to simulate realistic air-to-air combat

12/22/2020

Tyndall will be undergoing more realistic air-to-air combat for the next year or two with the arrival of the F-1 Mirage aircraft unit. The F-1 made its arrival on Dec. 14 and now Tyndall will house the unit of six aircraft, five pilots and 30 maintenance personnel. Tyndall has partnered with Airborne Tactical Advantage Company (ATAC) to bring in the F-1's to replace the T-38 Talons.

Boeing’s unmanned combat aircraft completes key taxi test

12/22/2020

Boeing’s Australia division, based in Brisbane, has announced on Mandy that pre-production unmanned teaming aircraft, called the Loyal Wingman, completed the first high-speed taxi test in preparation for first flight.

Process on to buy modern fighter jets

12/21/2020

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said process was on to purchase ultra-modern and high-performance fighter planes for Bangladesh Air Force as part of the government's move to implement the "Forces Goal-2030".

KBR secures US$49 million order to support US Army Chinook availability

12/21/2020

KBR has won a US$49 million recompete to provide system acquisition support and reliability improvements on the CH-47 Chinook Helicopter and other select aircraft for the Cargo Helicopter Project Management Office within the US Army’s Program Executive Office (PEO) Aviation.

Taiwan sends ships, aircraft as Chinese carrier passes island

12/21/2020

Taiwan’s navy and air force were deployed on Sunday as a Chinese aircraft carrier group led by the country’s newest carrier, the Shandong, sailed through the sensitive Taiwan Strait, the day after a U.S. warship transited the same waterway.

Advantage at Sea: A U.S. Military Tri-Service Combat Strategy?

12/21/2020

Citing the fast-growing Russian and Chinese threat, the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard document outlines could clearly be referred to as a “war attack” plan. Volleys of networked munitions, drone attacks, undersea maneuvers, long-range missile fires, hypersonic weapons and 5th-Generation fighter aircraft, supported by aircraft carrier strike groups will bring new dimensions to offensive maritime warfare, according to a recently released tri-service sea combat strategy.

US warship sails through Taiwan Strait

12/20/2020

The USS Mustin, an Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer, sailed through the Taiwan Strait yesterday, the 12th time this year that a US warship transited the waterway. The US 7th Fleet said in a statement that the Mustin conducted a routine transit in accordance with international law. “The ship’s transit through the Taiwan Strait demonstrates the US commitment to a free and open Indo-Pacific.

Top Gun 2: Why Tom Cruise Wasn't Allowed To Fly An F-18 Fighter Jet

12/20/2020

Although Tom Cruise pilots multiple aircraft in Top Gun: Maverick, the US Navy forbade him from piloting the F-18 Super Hornet. Set for release in July 2021, Joseph Kosinski's sequel to Tony Scott's 1986 hit Top Gun promises unmatched and unforgettable aerial combat scenes that emphasize practical effects over CGI. Although Cruise is known for performing the vast majority of his own cinematic stunts, some of his proposed tricks for Top Gun: Maverick proved overly ambitious even by his standards.

WW3 Fears: Sweden unveils HUGE military spending amid fears of ‘Russian attack’

12/20/2020

Sweden's Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist told the newspaper Dagens Nyheter that Sweden could not dismiss potential military threats to the country’s territory. He said: “We are acting based on the presumption that the state of affairs in terms of security policies continues to worsen.”

Myanmar’s Purchase of Planes From Jordan a Sign of Things to Come

12/19/2020

News reports have emerged that Myanmar’s air force is buying two Airbus CASA C295 aircraft worth US$38.6 million (52.29 billion kyats) from the Royal Jordanian Air Force. While Airbus, based in the EU, would be prevented from entering such a deal directly by the bloc’s arms embargo against Myanmar, the Middle Eastern kingdom has no such sanctions preventing the sale.

Contracted Adversary Air Training comes to Tyndall

12/18/2020

Tyndall AFB made history December 14 as a unit of F-1 Mirage aircraft arrived at the base in support of an Air Combat Command mass training effort in partnership with the Airborne Tactical Advantage Company. For the next year or two, Tyndall AFB will house and support the contracted unit of about six aircraft, five pilots and 30 maintenance personnel.