2015 Military Aviation News
12/31/2015
Jets from RAF Lossiemouth have played a key role in strikes over Syria and Iraq during the Christmas period, the Ministry of Defence has revealed. Six Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft deployed from the Moray base to take part in action against the Islamic State terrorist group have been integral to several fruitful missions.
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12/31/2015
The Air Force is expected to submit its fiscal 2017 budget in February, said Air Force spokeswoman Maj. Melissa Milner. Lawmakers recently reached a bipartisan agreement that set federal spending limits for fiscal 2016 and 2017, but Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has said that the agreement provides $17 billion less than the Defense Department needs in fiscal 2017.
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12/31/2015
After steaming across the Atlantic and following a close call with an Iranian training exercise in the Straits of Hormuz, the aircraft carrier the U.S.S. Harry S. Truman arrived in the Persian Gulf earlier this week and began combat operations against the Islamic State. The carrier, along with its accompanying strike group of destroyers, frigates and submarines, fills a strategic capability gap that had been left open when the carrier the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt departed the region in October.
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12/31/2015
Pakistan is pushing hard to secure an agreement in principle with Sri Lanka to sell its multi-role combat aircraft JF-17 Thunder to the island nation, according to a UK-based defense publication. Following the first export deal for its JF-17 multirole fighter to Myanmar, Pakistan is expected to be pushing hard for a follow-up agreement with Sri Lanka that would mark an important step in further extending its defense co-operation footprint in the Indian Ocean region.
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12/31/2015
A £369 million contract to support the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) fleet of C-130 Hercules transport aircraft has been awarded to three companies by the Ministry of Defence (MoD). The deal will see Marshall Aerospace and Defence Group, Lockheed Martin and Rolls-Royce, who jointly deliver the Hercules Integrated Operational Support (HIOS), provide continued support for the C-130J fleet until 2022.
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12/31/2015
The US Department of Defense announced the winner of $286 million US Navy contract for the production and delivery of an E-2D Advanced Hawkeye aircraft to Japan.
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12/31/2015
Russia has struck a deal with Egypt to deliver 46 Kamov Ka-52K navalized attack helicopters, the director-general of the state-run Russian Helicopters aircraft maker said Wednesday.
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12/31/2015
Kuwait is ready to send an artillery battalion to protect Saudi Arabia against cross-border incursions by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Kuwaiti daily newspaper Al-Qabas reported.
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12/31/2015
The radar will be based on Radio-Optical Phased Arrays (ROFAR), explained the adviser of the first deputy general director of concern Radio-Electronic Technology (KRET) Vladimir Mikheev.
KRET is a part of Russia’s Rostec corporation, it developed the electronic systems for the aircraft.
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12/31/2015
Russia has begun fulfilling a contract with Iran on the delivery of S-300 air defense systems that the Islamic Republic has already been paying for, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said Wednesday. In 2007, Moscow and Tehran signed an $800-million deal for the delivery of five S-300 missile systems to Iran. In 2010, Russia suspended the contract, citing a UN Security Council resolution that placed an armed embargo on Tehran until it proved a peaceful nature of its nuclear project.
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12/30/2015
Strike aircraft from nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman flew their first missions against ISIS terrorists Tuesday in support of Operation Inherent Resolve. It was the first strike by Navy jets since the San Diego-based carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt left the region in October. The Defense Department reported that U.S. an coalition aircraft conducted nine strikes against targets in Syria and 22 in Iraq.
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12/30/2015
Thirty-five years ago, fighter pilot Oscar Santa Maria Huerta had a real-life Independence Day moment when he attempted to shoot down a mysterious light-bulb shaped craft, in what to this day remains the only documented case of a military aircraft firing on a UFO.
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12/30/2015
The most significant development of 2015 was the scrapping of the $20-billion (Rs 1.45 lakh crore) Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) deal for the purchase of 126 French Dassault Rafale fighter jets. Expense could have been a major reason, IndiaSpend reported.
To boost squadron strength, the government cleared the off-the-shelf purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft in fly-away condition from Dassault’s factories in France at an estimated cost of $8-9 billion (Rs 52,800-59,400 crore).
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12/30/2015
Lockheed Martin and the Pentagon's F-35 Joint Program Office say they've finished delivering jets for 2015, increasing their yield from last year by 25 percent. Joe DellaVedova, a spokesman with the F-35 office at the Pentagon, said 45 F-35s were delivered, which met Lockheed and the program office's delivery goal for the year and exceeded last year's deliveries by nine jets.
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12/30/2015
The Russian defence industry is a critical segment of the country’s economy, employing at least 2.5 million workers, and accounting for 20 per cent of all manufacturing jobs. The arms industry suffered considerably after the collapse of the Soviet Union in the early 1990s and subsequent years of neglect due to a precipitous drop in military spending.
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12/30/2015
Beijing’s stealthy Chengdu J-20 fifth-generation combat aircraft, pictured above in an artist’s rendering, may have entered low rate initial production according to state-owned Chinese media. Xinhua—Beijing’s official news agency—published photos of the newest J-20 aircraft, which is still coated in primer paint, earlier this week.
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12/30/2015
Stratfor, an American global intelligence company, stated that the crisis between Russia and the Western states was "central in shaping the global system for the past two years," adding that it was likely to remain in place next year, "though the levels of conflict and potential cooperation will wax and wane from issue to issue."
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12/29/2015
Venezuela’s National Guard helicopter has crashed in Colombia, injuring several people, local media reported Monday, citing Colombian Defense Minister Luis Carlos Villegas.
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12/29/2015
It’s an aircraft like no other, in both its design and most definitely its cost. The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is the most expensive weapons system in U.S. history, with a price tag of $400 billion for development and procurement.
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12/29/2015
The cabinet of Japan’s Prime Minister Shinzo Abe approved a record 5.05 trillion yen ($41.4 billion) defense budget for fiscal year 2016/2017 and slightly below the 5.09 trillion yen requested by Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD), The Japan Times reports. This marks the fourth consecutive rise in defense spending since Shinzo Abe assumed office in December 2012.
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12/29/2015
Iraqi officials said security forces recaptured a second strategic city from Islamic State militants, dealing a blow to the group's military campaign in OPEC's second-biggest oil producer. The reversal in Ramadi, 110 kilometers (68 miles) west of Baghdad, came after U.S. and coalition aircraft stepped up their bombing of Islamic State positions, including four airstrikes near the city on Saturday targeting vehicles, weaponry and tactical staging areas.
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12/29/2015
Elbit Systems Ltd. has been awarded a contract by the Directorate of Production and Procurement of the Israeli Ministry of Defense valued at approximately $70 million for the supply of Electronic Warfare (EW) systems. The systems, developed and manufactured by Elbit Systems EW and SIGINT – Elisra Ltd., are to be delivered over a 5-year period. They will be installed on board all types of Israeli Air Force fighter jets.
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12/29/2015
Pakistan Aeronau-tical Complex (PAC) on Monday achieved another milestone in the country's aviation history by indigenously manufacturing 16 fighter jets (JF-17 Thunder) during 2015. Ceremony to highlight the hallmark achievement of PAC was clubbed with the formal induction of newly manufactured 16th JF-17 Thunder in the fleet of Pakistan Air Force.
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12/29/2015
On Dec. 24, the U.S. Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency announced its award of a $93 million contract to Falls Church-based Northrop Grumman Corp. for the design of an unmanned aerial vehicle that can be launched from destroyers and other small surface ships. This is just days after the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration handed down new rules for recreational owners of commercial drones.
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12/29/2015
Pakistan’s air chief marshal Sohail Aman on Monday said that the country was in negotiations with the US to procure the latest F-16 fighter jets and by 2020 it will phase out some of its old combat aircraft, including Mirage. “We are in talks with US defence officials to get some latest F-16s but the deal may take some time,” the Air chief told reporters after the rolling out ceremony of the 16th JF-17 Thunder aircraft at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) Kamra near Islamabad.
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12/29/2015
South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) and Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) have formally signed an agreement to develop KF-X fighter aircraft. According to the agreement signed today, DAPA will finance 60 per cent of the 8 trillion won (US$6.9 billion) costs required in the development phase, with KAI to pay 20 per cent, Yonhap news agency reported Monday.
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12/29/2015
President Mohammad Ashraf Ghani said Monday that the Afghan Air Force (AAF) will receive additional combat aircraft within the next three weeks. In his speech during the inauguration of the new compound of Ministry of Defense, President Ghani thanked India for the delivery of Mi-25 gunships, calling the close-air support for the Afghan forces a critical need durig the current situation.
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12/28/2015
Islamic State group fighters pulled out of their last stronghold in Ramadi Sunday, bringing Iraqi federal forces within sight of their biggest victory since last year’s debacle. The elite counterterrorism service was hours away from moving into the former government complex in Ramadi, which the jihadis had fiercely defended for several days, the force’s spokesman said.
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12/28/2015
The inaugural Trilateral Exercise held Dec. 2-18 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) in Virginia not only represented a visible component of the collaboration between Allies, it also provided the back drop for the leadership of the respective Air Forces to lay out future challenges and direction.
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12/28/2015
Next month, a new force will awaken in the desert of New Mexico, where the US Defense Department is about to start testing a weapon worthy of Star Wars — a silent, invisible laser that needs just a couple of seconds to burn a hole through targets miles away.
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12/28/2015
Germany will send Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) military aircraft to Turkey after NATO last week decided to bolster Turkey's air defense, German officials told the Bundestag in Berlin on Sunday.
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12/28/2015
The U.S. military’s increasing demand for drones has forced changes in the Air Force’s “flyboy” culture over the years, plucking pilots out of the cockpit and sending some to high-tech desert trailers to operate remotely piloted aircraft, leaving their proverbial white scarves at home.
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12/28/2015
The aerospace and defense industry is one of the few sectors to consistently throw up end-of-year surprises as companies look to meet or exceed prior commitments, and 2015 is no exception. The tussle between Airbus Group SE and Boeing Co. has a history of throwing up last-minute aircraft orders, with the European plane maker last year pulling out deals for more than 450 jets in December alone to overtake its rival, an unprecedented haul seldom seen even at air shows.
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12/28/2015
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) ended 2015 not with a bang, but with the loud full-throated roar as the first of its two Mach 1.5 capable South Korean-made FA-50PHs light-interim fighter aircraft sped through the skies last November 28. The arrival of the two jet aircraft, the first pair out of the 12-plane contract from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) worth P18.9 billion, highlights the return of supersonic capability to the PAF after an absence of 10 years.
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12/28/2015
Swedish defence major has offered to collaborate with India on production of sea version of its light combat fighter aircraft Gripen. "We have a great opportunity for technology transfer," Ulf Nilsson, head of Saab's aeronautics division said as he spoke about the naval version of the aircraft and the ongoing project of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) to develop the naval version of the LCA Tejas.
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12/28/2015
India and France are likely to sign a deal for the sale of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft to New Delhi on January 25 during French President Francois Hollande's visit to India, media reported.
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12/28/2015
Ever since Saudi Arabia announced that it had formed a new 34-nation 'Islamic coalition against terrorism', experts have been debating whether the new alliance will entangle itself in a military operation in Iraq and Syria. Recently, analytical website Iranian Diplomacy posed that very question to regional Iraqi official Ibrahim al-Jinabi.
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12/27/2015
The United States and its allies conducted 17 air strikes on Christmas Day against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the coalition leading the operations said in a statement on Saturday. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted five air strikes using attack and remotely piloted aircraft, targeting ISIS militants near Ar Raqqah, Manbij and Mar’a.
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12/27/2015
China has been aggressively asserting its claims to virtually all man-made islands in the South China Sea, reefs and their surrounding seas. The information office of the ministry said the Chinese military kept close surveillance on the bombers' activities and gave it warnings. CCTV's Jim Spellman has a timeline of previous incidents between the two countries in and above the waters off China.
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12/27/2015
High-definition video has emerged of China's lone aircraft carrier, CV-16 Liaoning practicing aircraft takeoffs and landings. The video was apparently shot during a visit to the carrier by the head of China's Navy during drills in the Bohai Sea.
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12/27/2015
Russia’s airbase in the Armenian capital has started implementing flight inspections of Mi-24P helicopter gunships that have been deployed to Erebuni air base in December, a spokesperson for the Southern Military District of Russia’s Armed Forces said Friday, December 25, TASS reports.
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12/27/2015
For the first time since World War II, the Air Force is set to get enlisted pilots. Air Combat Command is developing entry requirements for enlisted airmen to fly RQ-4 Global Hawks, remotely piloted aircraft that fly high-altitude reconnaissance missions.
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12/27/2015
South Block is abuzz with hectic activities ahead of the signing of the defence deal to buy Rafale fighter jets, with barely a month left for the scheduled visit of French President Francois Hollande to New Delhi. The two countries are expected to sign the deal for 36 Rafale fighter aircraft in fly-away condition during Hollande’s next month visit.
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12/27/2015
On October 7th, at an “undisclosed location” somewhere in “Southwest Asia,” men wearing different types of camouflage and dun-colored boots gathered before a black backdrop adorned with Arabic script. They were attending a ceremony that mixed solemnity with celebration, the commemoration of a year of combat that left scores of their enemies slain. One of their leaders spoke of comraderie and honor, of forging a family and continuing a legacy.
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12/27/2015
An Indo-Russian proposal to jointly produce fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) is expected to soon take off thanks to Prime Minister Narendra Modi's recent visit to that country. A decision on the project is expected in the next six months, chairman of Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) T Suvarna Raju said today.
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12/27/2015
The fate of Raqqa, the de-facto capital of Daesh, has come under serious threat as one of the chief supply roads across the Euphrates has now been cut off by Kurdish-led forces Saturday.
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12/26/2015
Ever wonder what presents a strong military? The answer lies within its logistical capability. Militaries that are capable of providing a good logistical answer for their troops generally have an easier time bringing the battle to the enemy more effectively. The US Military has long been known for its military might, the proof of that lays within the confines of the 305 Air Mobility Wing.
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12/26/2015
It’s likely to be a banner year for aircraft, as the service takes big steps forward for several of its newest planes: The Air Force is aiming for Aug. 1 as the date for initial operating capability for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. Developing the plane has long caused a headache for the Air Force, which saw the aircraft wind up more than $150 billion over budget and between three and seven years behind schedule, depending how you count.
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12/26/2015
Fighters from the Daesh and the al-Nusra Front have begun giving up heavy weapons to the Syrian army south of the Arab republic’s capital of Damascus, a military source said Friday.
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12/26/2015
Russia is preparing for short-term deliveries of its President-S onboard defense system (ODS) for civil and military aircraft to Egypt, a senior Radio-electronic Technologies Concern (KRET) executive said Friday.
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12/26/2015
Commander of the Russian Land Force’s air defense stated that Russia is developing a new 57 caliber anti-aircraft weapon system to replace two existing systems.
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12/25/2015
ISIS terrorists are using human shields and have booby-trapped entire houses in Ramadi in a bid to prevent the Iraqi army from retaking the strategically important town. An estimated 100 jihadis are surrounded by Iraqi troops who are being supported by US airstrikes, who are targeting the remaining ISIS strong points. ISIS captured the city, which is about 60 miles from Baghdad, in May. The defeat was a major propaganda victory for the terrorists.
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12/25/2015
Malaysia Defense Minister Datuk Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein is denying media reports his country is interested in purchasing the JF-17 multi-role fighter. Hussein responded to the media as Malaysian defense officials discuss the implementation of air force modernization plans. Malaysian media reported Malaysian High Commissioner to Pakistan Dr. Hasrul Sani bin Mujtabar discussed purchasing the Joint Fighter-17, a collaboration between Pakistan and China.
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12/25/2015
On October 7th, at an “undisclosed location” somewhere in “Southwest Asia,” men wearing different types of camouflage and dun-colored boots gathered before a black backdrop adorned with Arabic script. They were attending a ceremony that mixed solemnity with celebration, the commemoration of a year of combat that left scores of their enemies slain. One of their leaders spoke of camaraderie and honor, of forging a family and continuing a legacy.
(Read More...)
12/25/2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday pledged closer ties between their historically allied countries as their governments signed agreements in the defense, nuclear and energy sectors.
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12/25/2015
China is getting better and better at operating fighter jets from its lone aircraft carrier, with confident pilots and an increasing number of flying operations, the military's newspaper said on Friday as China's navy chief visited the ship.
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12/25/2015
Russia has bolstered its military and asserted itself on the world stage with a forcefulness not seen since the Cold War, ratcheting up tensions with the West. Here is what Russia has been doing to reclaim its influence.
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12/25/2015
The Indian Ministry of Defense (MoD) will be showcasing its indigenous fighter jet Tejas at the Bahrain International Air Show next month. Two Tejas fighter jets will demonstrate their agility and other attributes at BIAS 2016, Sakhir Airbase, commencing on January 21, 2016 — the first by any made-in-India aircraft. In the run-up to the aerobatics display, Asian Age news daily reported Thursday.
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12/25/2015
A new electronic warfare variant of the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation J-16 twin-seat strike fighter made its first flight on December 18, IHS Jane’s reported, citing Chinese sources.
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12/23/2015
The French military has ordered seven additional Tiger combat helicopters, which will bring their fleet of the aircraft to 67. The order, which is to strengthen the capability of French forces in air-land operations, was made to Airbus Helicopters by the French Directorate General of Armaments, or DGA, through the European Union's Organization for Joint Armament Cooperation.
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12/23/2015
India has sought from the US 100 latest unmanned aerial vehicles, both armed and surveillance versions, worth USD 2 billion to bolster its arsenal amid recurring incursions by Chinese troops. Industry sources familiar with New Delhi's interest and ongoing talks between the two governments, said that India is interested in the latest Avenger drones, which is basically an unmanned combat air vehicle, and is mainly being sought with an eye on China.
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12/23/2015
Speculation is rife about the defence deals likely to be signed during Prime Minister Modi’s visit to Moscow. The front runners are S-400 ‘Triumf’ air defence systems, Ka-226 ‘Kamov’ helicopters, and Grigorovich-class stealth frigates. The lease of a second nuclear-powered attack submarine is also believed to be on the cards.
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12/23/2015
Christmas is a time for reflection, celebration and… buying really expensive gadgets which might or might not be obsolete in a few years. As Robert Farley noted earlier, several states in Asia are getting in the holiday spirit with the presentation of so-called “fifth generation” combat aircraft.
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12/23/2015
US F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-18 and Sukhoi Su-27/30 family of fighter jets are ranked most popular combat aircraft in the world. According to a report published by Flight International analytical center Monday, US F-16 fighter jet makes up 16 per cent with 2264 jets ranked at number one is followed by F-18 with 1,047 aircraft making up seven per cent jets around the world.
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12/23/2015
General Atomics drones have now amassed more than 2.1 million cumulative flight hours and recorded the highest mission capable rate of any aircraft in the US Air Force's inventory, Pace added. "With the delivery of these aircraft, GA-ASI completes over two decades of delivering Predator A capabilities to the United States and allied countries," said GA-ASI Aircraft Systems President Frank Pace said on Tuesday.
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12/23/2015
Philippine President Benigno Aquino on Monday promised that an 83.9-billion-peso ($1.77 billion) allocation for military modernization projects would be spent by 2017 as the country is in the midst of a territorial dispute with China.
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12/23/2015
In late November, Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon said that an aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces task unit deployed to Syria had entered by mistake the Israeli-controlled airspace over Golan Heights and left it. According to Yaalon, a communication channel established between the military of the two countries was involved to settle the issue.
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12/23/2015
Afghanistan expects to receive four Russian-made combat helicopters from India within days, an acting Afghan Charge d’Affairs to Russia told Sputnik. "The agreement to deliver helicopters from India is in place, it has been signed," Ahadzada Abdul Ghayour said. "The transfer of the four helicopters from India should take place in the coming days."
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12/22/2015
For the first time since World War II, the Air Force will use enlisted airmen as pilots. Rather than climbing into cockpits, though, they'll be seated at workstations in places like Beale Air Force Base north of Sacramento, CA.
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12/22/2015
Philippine President Benigno Aquino has vowed leave behind a stronger and a more capable armed forces to face maritime challenges in the South China Sea when he leaves office next year. Aquino, ineligible to run for re-election under the constitution, promised to spend about 83.90bn pesos ($1.77bn) in a five-year period until 2017 to strengthen the military as China asserts its claims to most of the waters.
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12/22/2015
The F-35 fighter, destined to replace the Cold War tactical aircraft of three U.S. military services and ten overseas allies, is ending 2015 on a positive note. An omnibus spending bill passed by Congress last week to fund government programs for the rest of the fiscal year added $1.33 billion for eleven more of the planes.
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12/22/2015
Afghanistan’s air force will be getting its first block of fixed-wing aircraft in early 2016, expanding the force's limited close-air support capability, defense officials said. The delivery of the first four A-29 Super Tucanos, a turbo prop light attack aircraft, will arrive in Afghanistan in January, and a total of eight are due before the end of 2016. A fleet of 20 will be in place by 2018, according to a senior U.S. defense official.
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12/22/2015
U.S. Air Force crews recently ferried two additional C-130J Super Hercules aircraft from the Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) facility here. These aircraft are a C-130J-30 Super Hercules assigned to Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas, and an HC-130J Combat King II assigned to Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.
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12/22/2015
Despite a ceasefire and peace talks, attacks have continued in Yemen between rebels and a Saudi-led coalition, which on Monday said it had intercepted a missile targeting Saudi Arabia’s southern border region.
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12/22/2015
China this month tested a new rail-car-mounted long-range missile capable of hitting targets in the United States, according to American intelligence agencies monitoring the test. A canister ejection test for a DF-41 missile mounted on a rail launch platform was detected December 5 in western China, defense officials familiar with reports of the test told the Washington Free Beacon.
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12/22/2015
The Turkish defense industry has successfully conducted a test of an armed tactical drone amid the country’s plan to launch a serial production of unmanned aerial vehicles with firepower, US media reported on Friday.
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12/22/2015
Moscow denies allegations its Aerospace Forces have used cluster bombs in the fight against terrorism in Syria, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Monday.
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12/22/2015
In late November, the Indian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Moscow on December 24-25. According to the Kommersant newspaper, breakthrough deals in the military-technical sphere could be expected from Modi’s visit. The total package of contracts is estimated to be worth more than $7 billion.
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12/21/2015
The UK's Press Association reported on Saturday that British Typhoon fighters have been deployed for the first time in the mission to defeat Islamic State in Syria and Iraq. The U.K. on Thursday also doubled its combat aircraft assigned to the Syria and Iraq mission, adding two Tornado jets and six Eurofighter Typhoon combat planes to the base in Cyprus, where eight Tornado planes were already located.
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12/21/2015
New Delhi has given the green light to purchase several Russian-made S-400 air defense systems, local media report. Indian military could become the second country in the world after China to procure state-of-the-art S-400s.On Friday, the Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) chaired by India’s Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar cleared the purchase 5 regimental units of the S-400 from Russia, the Economic Times reports.
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12/21/2015
There might be some red tape attached to junior’s favorite Christmas gift this year. The Federal Aviation administration estimates hundreds of thousands of remote-controlled drones will be given as gifts, and starting today many of them must be registered with the agency to avoid a fine and potential jail time. The Federal Aviation Administration requires all drones weighing a half-pound or more to be registered in a federal database to combat numerous reports of close calls with aircraft.
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12/21/2015
As it tries to sort out its strategy for the war in Iraq and Syria, Justin Trudeau’s Liberal government faces the same question that bedevilled Stephen Harper’s Conservatives: What exactly is combat? That question came to the fore Thursday after Canadian special forces on the ground helped repel a blistering offensive by Islamic State (ISIS) militants in northern Iraq.
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12/21/2015
France-based contractor Dassault Aviation received its down payment from the government of Qatar for the delivery of 24 Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft. The contract for the jets was signed in May 2015 by French President Francois Hollande and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Qatari officials say the contract represents a closer defense relationship between the two countries.
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12/21/2015
There is renewed hope in the aviation industry with Swedish defence major Saab offering to manufacture its fifth generation Gripen fighter aircraft under 'Make in India' with technology transfer to India, in a renewed bid for a pie in the multi-billion dollar worth IAF modernisation plan.
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12/21/2015
In late November, the Indian Foreign Ministry told Sputnik that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to visit Moscow on December 24-25. According to the Kommersant newspaper, breakthrough deals in the military-technical sphere could be expected from Modi’s visit. The total package of contracts is estimated to be worth more than $7 billion.
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12/21/2015
Sajjan is currently on a surprise visit to the Middle Eastern country and has met his counterpart Khaled Obeidi as well as several high-ranking Kurdish officials.
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12/21/2015
A senior Hezbollah official and about ten other people were killed in an Israeli airstrike on a Damascus suburb on Saturday evening, Syrian and Lebanese media reported. According to Syrian and Lebanese media reports, Israeli warplanes struck a building in Jaramana, just outside Damascus, around 10.15 p.m. on Saturday, killing Samir Quntar and several Syrian civilians.
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12/20/2015
The Defence Ministry yesterday condemned the United States for committing a “serious military provocation” by flying strategic bombers over a Chinese artificial island in the South China Sea. Foreign Minister spokesman Hong Lei urged the US to stop provocative actions following the flight of two B-52 bombers over the area near China-controlled islands in the disputed waters, saying: “China takes the incident seriously, and has lodged solemn representation with the United States.”
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12/20/2015
The Airbus Group is selling its defence electronics in Germany and said a deal can be expected before the end of December 2015 as it will be finalising the buyer in a few days. According to strategy chief of Airbus, Marwan Lahoud, half a dozen candidates have been shortlisted for the final selection. The sale is part of its divestment plan to focus more on civil and military aeronautical and space assets, as defence spending is dwindling in Europe.
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12/20/2015
American planes had been striking savage ISIS on the Turkey-Syria border, when operations were allegedly stopped by the Russian missile systems. US officials accused Russia of using the opportunity to bomb rebels that US forces had been helping to the fight against the depraved death cult. The air defences have caused issues between the US and Russia – particularly as ISIS, also known as Daesh, don’t have any air force.
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12/20/2015
The People’s Republic of China: The only nation on Earth building not one but two “carrier-killer” missiles. Yet, China is also one of just a handful of countries who wants to build more carriers. Odd? Not exactly, if you know the history and why Beijing wants carriers in the first place.
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12/20/2015
India’s Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) has slammed the Indian Air Force (IAF) for underutilization of operational capabilities of Air-borne Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft purchased for INR 5,042 crore (US $760 million) in 2004.
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12/20/2015
Russian long-range warplanes have carried out 145 sorties against Islamic State targets since joining the country’s anti-terror campaign in Syria in mid-November. “In total, long-range aviation aircraft in Syria have carried out around 145 mission sorties, some 1,500 bombs have been dropped and about 20 cruise missiles have been fired," Gen. Anatoly Konovalov, deputy commander of Russia’s long-range aviation force, told Ekho Moskvy radio station.
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12/20/2015
The latest milestone in aircraft engine development that Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd unveiled, counted with its other helicopter engines project, may be two new tiny steps which, however, may be no match for the giant gap that exists for indigenous aero engines, experts in the field say.
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12/20/2015
The Russian military can "train" in Syria "for a long time without any serious harm to Russia's budget," Russian President Vladimir Putin said in his annual marathon press conference Thursday morning.
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12/20/2015
Unconfirmed reports suggesting that Russia plans to expand its presence in Syria, and rumors regarding a possible airbase in Belarus, have been swirling around in the Russian and Western media in recent months. How much truth is there in these rumors, and where is Russia's military power abroad really concentrated?
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12/19/2015
Russian warplanes are using an Iranian air base to launch attacks on anit-Assad regime rebels in Syria, according to a report. “The Iranian armed forces appear to be allowing Russian aircraft to use their military airfields in support of combat operations over Syria,” said a report by the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) titled “The Russo-Iranian Military Coalition In Syria May Be Deepening.”
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12/19/2015
The Iraqi military said an airstrike by the U.S.-led coalition hit its forces Friday, the first time it has reported a friendly fire incident since American jets began bombing Islamic State militants in the country last year.
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12/19/2015
Contacts between the militaries of Russia and France on operations against the Islamic State (ISIL) group (also known as Daesh) in Syria will be maintained, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
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12/19/2015
As part of Russia’s anti-terror campaign in Syria, the Kremlin has deployed sophisticated air defense systems to protect its aircraft. According to the Pentagon, those units have effectively grounded US aircraft.
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12/19/2015
The French side agreed to reinvest in the Indian economy 50 percent worth of the contract on the delivery of French-built Rafale fighters for Indian Air Force, the Indian Ministry of Defense said Friday.
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12/19/2015
An agreement on joint Russian-Indian production of Ka-226T helicopters is likely to be signed either during or after the December 23-24 visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to Moscow, a source close to the Indian Defense Ministry said.
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12/18/2015
Russian defense and aerospace equipment manufacturer Russian Helicopters says that,over the next two years, it will undertake comprehensive maintenance, repair and overhaul works on 41 Mi-8 T and three Mi-17 helicopters of the Egyptian Air Force at the country's main military industrial complex outside Cairo.
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12/18/2015
The rumble started early Tuesday, as one fighter jet after another ascended from a runway here near the Atlantic Ocean and into a bright, clear sky. The mission: Prepare for war against potential adversaries like Russia, which is now patrolling the same skies as the United States over Syria and flexing its muscles in eastern Europe.
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12/18/2015
Australian combat aircraft, special forces and training troops have contributed to operations which have killed about 1000 Islamic State insurgents in bitter fighting around the Iraqi city of Ramadi.
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12/18/2015
Only about 55 percent of India's military aircraft are in operational order, with a large number grounded due to technical issues according to reports. The surprisingly dismal state of India's military aircraft fleet was reported to a parliamentary panel by Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar in a notice, according to The Economic Times. This means just over 350 of India's 700 combat aircraft are cleared to take flight.
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12/18/2015
France-based contractor Dassault Aviation received its down payment from the government of Qatar for the delivery of 24 Rafale multi-role fighter aircraft. The contract for the jets was signed in May 2015 by French President Francois Hollande and Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani. Qatari officials say the contract represents a closer defense relationship between the two countries.
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12/18/2015
The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $107.8 million foreign military sale contract to provide Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) systems to the Indian Army, making India the 15th international customer for the M-TADS/PNVS system.
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12/18/2015
Russian inspectors will conduct an observation flight over the territory of Canada, under the Treaty on Open Skies, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov said.
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12/18/2015
Deputy Chief of the Russian General Staff Ilya Makushev and UK Vice Chief of the Defense Staff Stuart Peach have discussed establishing channels of communication.
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12/18/2015
The United States will provide equipment to the Kurds in northern Iraq in an attempt to help take back the Iraqi city of Mosul from the Islamic State (ISIL or Daesh), US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said in a release on Thursday.
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12/17/2015
In a rare, official admission of the dismal state of the combat aircraft fleet, the government has admitted that at any given point of time, just over half of the planes in the air force inventory are in a state to fly, with a large number of platforms grounded due to technical issues.
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12/17/2015
Lockheed Martin has received a $302.2 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for continued production of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM®) and its Extended Range (ER) version. The Lot 14 contract includes 146 baseline JASSMs for U.S. and international partners, 140 JASSM-ER missiles for the U.S., as well as data, tooling and test equipment. The award brings the total number of missiles under contract to more than 2,600.
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12/17/2015
The US Department of Defense announced that Lockheed Martin won a $215 million foreign sales contract to sell night vision systems for Apache attack helicopters to India.
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12/17/2015
Norwegian pilot training at the Luke Air Force Base in Arizona became the first pilot in his country’s air force to fly a US-built F-35 Lightning II multirole fighter jet, the US Air Force News Service reported.
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12/17/2015
Nevskoye Planning and Design Bureau General Director Sergei Vlasov said that he Indians refused to install Russian air defense systems on the Vikramaditya, but there is reserved space for Russian air defense systems.
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12/17/2015
Despite pledging not to put "boots on the ground" in either Iraq or Syria, military sources have revealed that the UK is preparing to provide air support and "command and control" resources to the recently formed Muslim nations' coalition against Daesh, also known as ISIL.
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12/16/2015
An Australian military surveillance plane has flown near disputed areas of the South China Sea, it emerged Wednesday, with the crew heard warning China's navy it was on a freedom of navigation mission.
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12/16/2015
The authoritative Congressional Research Service has just published a report asking the questions in the headline. It;’s a basic problem we’ve written about before. The Air Force faces a funding crunch in the next six years as the F-35 and the tanker programs ramp up. the B-3 (Long Range Strike Bomber) program gets rolling and the service keeps buying drones and C-130s.
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12/16/2015
Canada's foreign affairs and defence ministers insist there is "no pressure" from the Americans to step up Canada's contributions to the fight against ISIS, despite a letter from U.S. Defence Secretary Ashton Carter asking for more military contributions from its allies. "This letter is just the regular course of routine," Defence Minister Harjit Sajjan told reporters Tuesday.
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12/16/2015
The F-22 Raptor is a familiar sight in the skies above Hampton Roads. For the past two weeks, however, it hasn't been the only fighter jet up there. The United Kingdom Royal Air Force and French Air Force brought more than a dozen aircraft and 250 pilots and ground personnel to Langley to train with their U.S. counterparts. The training, named Trilateral Exercise, started Dec. 2 and extends through Friday.
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12/16/2015
U.S. fighter jets and armed drones scream skyward every few minutes from this sprawling air base in southern Turkey, flying deep into neighboring Syria on bombing runs against Islamic State targets. The intensity of the U.S.-led air war has increased sharply since Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan agreed in September to let U.S. warplanes fly combat sorties from Incirlik, drastically reducing the flight time into Syria compared with using more distant U.S. bases.
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12/16/2015
India and the US will jointly develop a jet engine for the proposed Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) project and participate in development of Electromagnetic Launch Systems (EMALS) for future aircraft carriers on government-to-government basis under the Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI). Joint working groups on both projects were reviewed by defence minister Manohar Parrikar and his counterpart Ashton Carter during the former’s four-day US visit this month.
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12/16/2015
With tensions high between Washington and Beijing, American defense officials claim that a Chinese submarine recently conducted a simulated cruise missile attack on the USS Reagan.
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12/16/2015
Defense Department spokeswoman Michelle Baldanza said that the US and Russian military chiefs discussed safe interaction of the two countries’ aircraft in the Syrian airspace during a phone conversation.
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12/16/2015
The Russian military will help coordinate efforts by the Syrian army and numerous armed opposition groups in the fight against Daesh, the Russian General Staff said Tuesday.
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12/15/2015
It was the first time Typhoon jets flew missions over Syria. Four Tornado jets launched the first air strikes on Thursday, hitting the Omar oil fields in eastern Syria. MPs backed United Kingdom military action against IS in Syria, by 397 votes to 223, after a 10-hour Commons debate on Wednesday. Across the border in Iraq, an unmanned RAF Reaper drone – flying close support for Kurdish peshmerga ground forces – destroyed an IS truck bomb with a direct hit from a Hellfire missile, the MoD said.
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12/15/2015
US Air Force pilots are flying the newest fighter jets in a virtual world. The military’s fifth generation fighter jet, the F-35 Lightning II, will be flown by the Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force. They are not expected to be deployed until 2016 but that’s not stopping Air Force pilots from getting ready to fly missions.
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12/15/2015
The Russo-Iranian military coalition in Syria may be deeper than many have believed. The Iranian armed forces appear to be allowing Russian aircraft to use their military airfields in support of combat operations over Syria. This development is remarkable: Iran is one of the most virulently anti-colonial regimes in the world, and yet it is allowing a former colonial power that had partitioned Persia with Great Britain to place military forces on its territory.
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12/15/2015
Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Navy recently completed the first Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) prototype captive-carry flight tests on the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The flights were conducted at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Maryland. These initial airworthiness flight tests used a LRASM mass-simulator vehicle attached to the Navy’s F/A-18E/F to evaluate flight and handling characteristics, as well as to measure structural loads and strains on the aircraft.
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12/15/2015
Lockheed Martin delivered the 32nd modernized C-5M Super Galaxy to the U. S. Air Force on Dec. 9. This aircraft was the ninth and final C-5M scheduled for delivery in 2015. The aircraft was delivered more than a week ahead of the contract commitment delivery date.
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12/15/2015
Saudi Arabia has set up an Islamic military alliance to fight terrorism, local media reported Tuesday, citing a governmental statement. According to Arabiya TV, the coalition consists of 34 countries. The joint operations command center will be based in the Saudi capital of Riyadh, the TV channel said.
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12/15/2015
"The first two Su-25SM3 aircraft must be commissioned in December. Both aircraft will be shipped for trials. One of them will be delivered to the combat operation and pilot retraining center in Lipetsk for performance evaluation," the source said.
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12/15/2015
The Free Syrian Army is ready to provide Russia with data indicating positions of Daesh terrorists in Syria, head of FSA intelligence, Gen. Hossam Awak, told Sputnik on Monday. "We have precise intelligence, documents, maps, and we can share them with the Russians so that their strikes on Daesh are more effective," Awak said.
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12/15/2015
Russia will continue deliveries of S-300 air defense systems to Iran through 2016, Vladimir Kozhin, Russian presidential aide on military-technical cooperation said Monday. "Iran is fulfilling its obligations on advanced payments, while we are fulfilling our obligations on timely deliveries," Kozhin said. The official added that the deliveries would take time and will most likely continue through 2016.
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12/14/2015
Embraer is set to shake up the competition to provide Canada with search-and-rescue aircraft as the Brazilian firm seeks export orders for its new KC-390. The CAN $3.1 billion (US $2.3 billion) search-and-rescue aircraft procurement has long been seen as a competition between Airbus’ C-295 and Alenia’s C-27J. But Embraer officials told Defense News the company will submit its bid in January when Canada requests formal proposals from aerospace firms.
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12/14/2015
Chancellor Angela Merkel on Sunday brushed off what a Germany magazine said was a request from the United States to provide more military help in the fight against Islamic State. "I believe Germany is fulfilling its part and we don't need to talk about new issues related to this question at the moment," Merkel told the ZDF broadcaster when asked about the Der Spiegel magazine report of the U.S. request.
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12/14/2015
Russia has an established reputation as one of the world’s leading exporters for military aircraft. A significant portion of Moscow’s defense sales comes from Asia, where most countries still prefer trading with Russia as compared to other global military equipment suppliers. It is worth noting that while Russia’s defense-related trade in Asia has been declining gradually as most states look to increase their own R&D capabilities or pursue new bilateral trade agreements.
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12/14/2015
The Israeli and US air forces have been conducting a dialogue over the past few months on Israel's procurement of a full stealth squadron. The stealth F-35 fighter aircraft can land vertically like a helicopter and take off on a 500 foot runway, sources inform "Walla." The F-35B stealth STOVL (short take-off and vertical-landing) model, manufactured by US aerospace giant Lockheed Martin, is designed to land and take off from naval aircraft carriers.
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12/14/2015
Israel is in talks with the US about a possible acquisition of a squadron of F-35B fighter jets. Discussions over a new US decade-long defense package for Israel, starting in 2016, have expanded to include the possible acquisition of F-35B Lightning II short takeoff/vertical landing jets. The story was first reported by Walla.
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12/14/2015
India is finally getting set to launch an ambitious project to develop its own stealth combat drones or UCAVs (unmanned combat aerial vehicles), which will be capable of firing missiles and precision-guided munitions at enemy targets and then returning to home bases to re-arm for further missions.
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12/14/2015
Japan’s indigenous stealth fighter project is the ATD-X (Advanced Technology Demonstrator eXperimental) ShinShin (Spirit of the Heart), which is being developed with the Technical Research and Development Institute (TRDI) of Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MoD) and Mitsubishi Heavy Industries. The ATD-X project developed out of planning in Tokyo for a future fifth-generation aircraft to serve the Japan Air-Self Defense Force (JASDF).
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12/14/2015
India intends to sign an agreement with Russia for the purchase of spare parts for Su-30MKI fighter jets for the next five years. “The visit of representatives of the Indian Ministry of Defense is expected in the second half of December and we hope to be able to come to a positive solution and conclude an agreement as soon as possible,” representative of the Sukhoi holding told the Economic Times.
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12/14/2015
The Syrian Air Force intensified its bombing campaign of Daesh positions across the provinces of Homs, Hama and Aleppo, Fars news agency reported on Sunday. “The ISIL [Daesh] positions in Maheen and Quaryatayn in the Central Homs province came under several air attacks by Syrian bombers, inflicting heavy damage on the terrorists' sites,” FARS news agency reported citing sources as saying.
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12/12/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry has got within the 2015 state defense order 243 modern aircraft and 90 air defense missile systems and complexes, Defense Minister Sergey Shoigu said on Friday. "We received within the 2015 state defense order 243 modern aircraft, 90 air defense missile systems and complexes and 208 radar systems," he said.
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12/12/2015
The first top Indian official to board a U.S. aircraft carrier checked out flight operations and aircraft engines on the Eisenhower to take back lessons learned for the carrier India is building partly to offset China's rise in the Pacific. Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, an engineer by training.
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12/12/2015
Although NATO ground combat operations in Afghanistan were officially declared over at the end of 2014, for the U.S. Air Force’s sole remaining squadron of F-16 fighter jets in the country the fight is continuing much like before. The 421st Expeditionary Fighter Squadron has been stationed at Bagram Air Field in Parwan Province for the past six weeks providing close air-support for Afghan and NATO ground forces in Afghanistan.
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12/12/2015
Russia has provided air cover to a leading Western-backed opposition group in Syria, President Vladimir Putin said Friday, calling for closer coordination with the U.S.-allied coalition — comments that may reflect Moscow's desire to narrow its differences with the West over the Syrian crisis.
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12/12/2015
Thermal management will be a critical factor in a brewing competition to replace hundreds of Lockheed Martin F-22s and Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornets, says a top Northrop Grumman executive. Releasing a new artistic concept of a so-called sixth-generation fighter on 11 December, Northrop Aerospace Systems president Tom Vice singled-out the critical but often overlooked quality of managing all the heat generated by ever-more powerful weapons and sensors anticipated on future combat aircraft.
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12/12/2015
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) delivered the 2,500th C-130 Hercules from its production line here today. This landmark Hercules is an HC-130J Combat King II personnel recovery aircraft assigned to the U.S. Air Force’s 71st Rescue Squadron, which is part of the 347th Rescue Group. A U.S. Air Force crew ferried the HC-130J to its new home at Moody Air Force Base in Valdosta, Georgia.
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12/12/2015
Russian military experts will fly over the territory of the United States under the Treaty on Open Skies on December 12-17, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced.
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12/12/2015
A number of Western media outlets reported last week that Russia was planning to set up additional airbase in Syria. On December 9, the Russian Defense Ministry denied the reports.
"It is not true. If there was [intention to build the base], they would have announced it. And we would have announced it at the same time," Assad said in an interview to Spanish EFE news agency.
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12/12/2015
Claims by UK Defense Secretary Michael Fallon that British Royal Air Force (RAF) sorties and airstrikes against Daesh, also known as ISIL, over Syria have made "a fairly impressive start" have been called into question.
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12/11/2015
Pakistan has been invited by the organizers of the upcoming Marrakesh Air Show being held from 27 April next year to showcase the JF-17 Thunder fighter jet it has jointly developed with China. The JF -17 is a lightweight multi-role combat aircraft manufactured at the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) in Kamra, Pakistan. It can be used for aerial reconnaissance, ground attack and aircraft interception.
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12/11/2015
A group of MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft from Russia's Pacific Fleet Kamchatka-based naval aviation squadron has practiced air combat maneuvering at different speeds and heights, the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement Thursday.
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12/11/2015
The photographs in this post were taken recently in the skies near Langley Air Force Base, Virginia. They show a U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, a Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon and a French Air Force Dassault Rafale, flying together during the inaugural Trilateral anti-access/area denial exercise scheduled for Dec. 2 – 18.
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12/11/2015
Despite a call from the U.S. defense secretary for allies to do more in the fight against ISIS, the Canadian government is refusing to confirm whether it will keep surveillance and refuelling aircraft in Iraq and Syria after the CF-18s are pulled from the mission.
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12/11/2015
US cooperation in engine technology was a top issue for Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar when he met US Defense Secretary Ash Carter Wednesday and Thursday in Washington, said an Indian Defence Ministry source.
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12/11/2015
By September of last year, President Barack Obama had had enough of ISIS. The terror group had beheaded two American journalists and was seizing strategic cities and territory in Syria and Iraq. "We will hunt down terrorists who threaten our country, wherever they are," Obama vowed, expanding his bombing campaign from Iraq into Syria as well.
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12/11/2015
The UK Defense Ministry confirmed on Thursday the intention to respect flight safety rules over Syria signed by Russia and the United States, the press service of the Russian Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday following the talks between Russian and British defense officials.
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12/11/2015
All the helicopters supplied to Bangladesh are equipped with modern navigation systems, which enable the aircraft to be operated at any time of the day and in any weather conditions, the company said.
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12/11/2015
Many Middle Eastern countries have expressed increased interest in Russian military hardware, including armored vehicles and aircraft, at the Gulf Defence & Aerospace exhibition in Kuwait, the deputy head of Russia’s state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said Thursday.
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12/10/2015
Germany stepped up its contribution to the fight against the Islamic State group on Friday, with lawmakers overwhelmingly voting in favor of sending reconnaissance jets, a tanker plane and a frigate to provide broad noncombat support to the U.S.-led coalition flying airstrikes against the militants. The move answers a call for help from France following last month's deadly attacks in Paris. IS militants claimed responsibility for the Nov. 13 attacks that killed 130 people and wounded hundreds.
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12/10/2015
Six F-16 fighter aircraft from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF) are taking part in a Joint Military Training (JMT) with four Su-30 fighter aircraft from the Indian Air Force (IAF) from Nov 12 to Dec 17. The bilateral exercise conducted at Kalaikunda Air Force Station, India, also involves more than 100 RSAF personnel.
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12/10/2015
Russia is known for exporting combat aircraft throughout the world. From the beginning of the Cold War onward, Soviet and Russian MiGs, Sukhois and Yaks have formed the backbone of many air forces throughout the world. This was partly due to old Cold War politics, where states were basically obliged to acquire military equipment from whichever bloc they were aligned with.
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12/10/2015
British forces have successfully executed air sorties from Cyprus against ISIS targets in Iraq since September 2014 — over the subsequent fourteen months of “Operation Shader,” Britain was just above France and the Netherlands and second only to the United States in total number of airstrikes against enemy targets. British press reports indicate that if Parliament approves the expansion, the Defense Ministry will double its manned combat aircraft numbers (Tornado and Typhoon fighter jets).
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12/10/2015
Russian warplanes have made 82 sorties, including 32 under night cover, in Syria over the past 24 hours, Russian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Major General Igor Konashenkov told journalists on Wednesday. "Over the past 24 hours, Russian warplanes have made 82 combat sorties to attack 204 terrorist targets located in the Syrian provinces of Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama and Homs," the general said adding that 32 sorties had been made at night time.
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12/10/2015
First, the United States has a problem—there are no bases in Iraq which currently support the coalition’s fast-jet fighters. The existing fighter bases which served us through Operation Iraqi Freedom are generally too close to the enemy or no longer in the hands of the Iraqi government. Fighters operating over Mosul in northern Iraq have to come from Kuwait, a carrier in the Persian Gulf or airfields in the Gulf states—a one-way trip covering 500 to 1,000 nautical miles, depending on the base.
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12/10/2015
?The U.S. Navy's flight demonstration team, the Blue Angels, may be getting new planes. According to Flightglobal, the Navy wants to replace the existing F/A-18 Hornet fighters with the newer F/A-18 Super Hornet. However, the Blue Angels may be less than enthusiastic about the switch.
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12/10/2015
The United States is prepared to deploy advisers and attack helicopters if requested by Iraq to help it "finish the job" of retaking the city of Ramadi from Islamic State, U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Wednesday. Carter's remarks were the latest sign of U.S. preparations to intensify its military campaign against the group, which controls wide swaths of Iraq and Syria and has orchestrated and inspired attacks abroad.
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12/10/2015
Boeing delivered the fourth and final Peace Eagle Airborne Early Warning & Control (AEW&C) aircraft to the Turkish Air Force at Konya Air Base today, completing the Turkish AEW&C fleet and enhancing Turkey’s airspace surveillance and battle management capabilities.
This final aircraft includes upgraded software for the platform and the final element of the ground support segment, the Software Support Center. Previously delivered Peace Eagles will receive the upgraded software soon.
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12/10/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry has released a video of its first-ever submarine launch of Kalibr cruise missiles. The missiles, launched by the Russian submarine Rostov-on-Don from the Mediterranean Sea, obliterated two Daesh (ISIL) command posts in Syria.
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12/09/2015
An Afghan official says the Taliban have launched an attack at the airport in the southern city of Kandahar, where clashes are still underway. Samim Khopalwaq, the spokesman for the Kandahar provincial governor, says Tuesday's attack started with the Taliban targeting the facility's main gate. The sprawling Kandahar Air Field has both a military and a civilian section.
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12/09/2015
Something unusual happened shortly before Thanksgiving in the often fractious debate of defense priorities on Capitol Hill. Sixty legislators from both parties signed a letter to Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter complaining that the Pentagon is dragging its feet on replacing a small fleet of radar planes that could prove vital to tracking and targeting terrorists.
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12/09/2015
Russia has unleashed another barrage of airstrikes on Syria, including the first combat launch of a new cruise missile from a Russian submarine in the Mediterranean Sea, the country's defense minister said Tuesday. The Kalibr cruise missiles launched by the Rostov-on-Don submarine successfully hit the designated targets in Raqqa, Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu reported to President Vladimir Putin. The submarine was in a submerged position during the launch, he added.
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12/09/2015
Russia's top aircraft manufacturer Sukhoi is exploring the possibility of investing in an Indian joint venture (JV) for the maintenance and spares production of its combat aircraft Su 30 in what could make India a hub for the fighter fleets operating in the region. Atop Sukhoi executive told ETthat the liberalised foreign direct investment (FDI) norms have opened the possibility of a JV and the Russian manufacturer is in talks with Indian private sector companies.
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12/09/2015
Kratos Defense & Security Solutions, Inc. announced this week the completion of a second test flight of a jet-powered unmanned aerial combat vehicle (UCAV) on November 23, 2015. the flight that took place on the US Navy test range at China Lake, CA involved a newly developed jet-powered drone developed by Kratos, and a US Navy/Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier manned jet fighter.
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12/09/2015
The Australian Department of Defence has awarded the AIR 5428 Pilot Training System contract to Lockheed Martin-led Team 21 to train the next generation of Australian Defence Force pilots. The initial seven year program is valued at AU$1.2 billion. Performance-based options for up to 25 years will provide the opportunity to extend the length and increase the value of the total contract.
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12/09/2015
A day earlier, on Monday, US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and his Singapore counterpart Ng Eng Hen signed an enhanced defense cooperation agreement, which includes the deployment of US Navy P-8 Poseidon surveillance aircraft to Singapore.
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12/09/2015
Seven of Russia’s advanced Mi-24 Hind attack helicopters and Mi-8MT Hip transport helicopters have been deployed to a Russian air base in Armenia, the Southern Military District (SMD) said Tuesday.
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12/08/2015
The tests confirming the flight characteristics of Russia’s fifth-generation PAK FA (Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) fighter jet have been actually completed, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said in an interview with Rossiya 24 TV Channel on Monday. "Several planes are now primarily testing airborne avionics. The tests proving the aircraft’s flight characteristics have practically been completed," the deputy defense minister said.
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12/08/2015
The U.S. military alleged Monday that Russian warplanes were responsible for an attack on a Syrian army position in eastern Syria, an airstrike that Syria blamed on the U.S.-led coalition battling the Islamic State militant group in the country. The Syrian government issued a statement earlier in the day accusing coalition aircraft of carrying out the overnight attack in the eastern province of Deir al-Zour. The government said three Syrian soldiers were killed and 13 injured in the strike.
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12/08/2015
Votes by the British and German parliaments last week expanded Europe's role in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria, but analysts believe that the addition of European forces is more symbolic than a game-changer — and that European boots on the ground remain unlikely.
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12/08/2015
On December 3, just a few hours after a vote from the British parliament, the Royal Air Force flew its first airstrike on Islamic State targets inside Syria. The British have been bombing IS targets in Iraq since last year, but this was the first time — amid heated protests at home — they took part in the campaign over Syria.
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12/08/2015
Despite having opted for French and Russian fighter aircraft earlier this year, Egypt has reportedly expressed an interest in the Sino-Pakistan JF-17 Thunder. This has come as a surprise to analysts who had considered the possibility of Egypt acquiring the JF-17 to be lost.
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12/08/2015
Boeing has delivered its 14th Mk6 Chinook, completing the United Kingdom’s most recent order and growing the RAF Chinook fleet to 60 aircraft. The order completion coincided with the 35th anniversary of Chinook operations for the U.K.
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12/08/2015
Despite having no territorial claims to the waterway, Washington has fiercely contested Beijing’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. To monitor the progress of those islands, the Pentagon has flown P-8 Poseidon surveillance planes out of the Philippines and Japan.
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12/08/2015
Foreign states are "lining up" to purchase Su-34 and Su-35 jets, which demonstrated their outstanding capabilities during the Syrian military operation, Russia’s Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Monday. "Today, military forces are receiving such advanced models as the Su-34 and Su-35, with characteristics equal to those of Western models,” Borisov said.
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12/07/2015
At the beginning of the 20th Century, Italy was a pioneer in combat aviation. Although different at the beginning of the 21st century, Italy has again emerged as an important player in military aviation. They are key players in the two key 21st century multinational military aviation industrial coalitions, Eurofighter and F-35, as well as establishing a center of excellence for pilot training along with introducing one of the best 21st century trainers, the Aermacchi M-346.
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12/07/2015
Joint warfare as a national way of war has become deeply ingrained in U.S. strategic thinking since the Goldwater-Nichols Act of 1986. Within the command structure of the various regional U.S. Combatant Commands, the Navy, Air Force, Army and Marines have become hardwired to fight joint military operations around the world.
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12/07/2015
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina handed them over to the Air Force on Sunday at the BAF Bangabandhu Base in Dhaka. The Yakovlev Yak-130 is a subsonic two-seat advanced jet trainer and light attack aircraft or lead-in fighter trainer. The AW139 is a 15-seat medium sized twin-engine search and rescue helicopter developed by Italy’s AgustaWestland.
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12/06/2015
Britain's defense secretary says U.K. fighter jets have targeted a Syrian oilfield during a second combat operation against the Islamic State group. Michael Fallon says the four jets from the British base in Cyprus bombed wellheads at the Omar oilfield in eastern Syria. Late Friday's operation, which aimed to cut off the militants' oil revenues, followed a similar strike the day before.
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12/05/2015
The Philippine Air Force recently enjoyed an assets upgrade after the recent arrival of new aircraft units. Two FA-50 Golden Eagle fighter jets ordered from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) touched down at Clark Air Base in Pampanga last Saturday. Weeks earlier, the Air Force also acquired an Airbus C295 transport plane and six AgustaWestland 109 attack helicopters as part of the military's modernization efforts.
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12/05/2015
The defence ministry on Friday said women would be inducted into the combat stream of the Indian Air Force (IAF) to fly fighter aircraft on an ‘experimental basis’ for five years beginning June 2016. “Government has accorded the approval to entry of women into the fighter stream of IAF on an experimental basis for five years,” the Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh said.
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12/05/2015
Having secured three extra combat squadrons a little more than a week ago in a strategic defense and security review (SDSR), Britain’s Air Force chief said that he has a plan to add a fourth unit to further boost air power. “We were destined to be down to six [combat] squadrons by 2020," the Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Sir Andrew Pulford told an audience of senior military and industry executives at an Air Power Association dinner at the House of Commons on Thursday.
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12/05/2015
The Diplomat has recently been writing a series on the prospects of combat aircraft sales in the Pacific states. I’ve earlier covered French Dassault’s Rafale, U.S. Boeing’s F/A-18 Super Hornet, and Sweden’s Saab’s Gripen. Robert Farley and myself have also written about the development and prospects for fifth-generation stealth aircraft in the region.
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12/05/2015
American F-16 fighter pilots deployed to Afghanistan say their mission hasn’t changed in the last year, even though the international military force here has transitioned to a more advisory role. The coalition might have declared that it ended the combat mission in 2015, but the pilots from the 388th Fighter Wing’s 421st Fighter Squadron are still flying round-the-clock patrols, and they are still dropping bombs on the enemy.
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12/05/2015
France has carried out reconnaissance and intelligence flights over Libya in the areas controlled by Daesh, also known as ISIL or Islamic State terrorist group. The French military plans to continue to conduct similar missions over the North African country, a presidential press document released on Friday said.
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12/05/2015
Russia has contacted the Canadian authorities over a website that has posted details about Russian pilots involved in counter-terrorism operations in Syria to request the information be removed, the director of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Department for New Challenges and Threats said Friday.
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12/05/2015
Russian multirole MiG-35 fighter jets will receive the latest platform-less inertial navigation system, the CEO of the Moscow Institute of Electro Mechanics and Automation, Alexei Kuznetsov, said Friday.
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12/05/2015
The German parliament (Bundestag) has approved launching a military campaign against Daesh terrorist organization, also known as ISIL or Islamic State, in Syria. The move was supported by 445 German lawmakers, while 146 voted against the anti-Daesh campaign, seven lawmakers abstained.
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12/05/2015
A former captive of Daesh, also known as ISIL/The Islamic State, French journalist Nicolas Henin has spoken out on the ways in which Western policies are not only ineffectual in fighting the terrorist group, but actually fueling its growth.
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12/04/2015
The Air Force has fired more than 20,000 missiles and bombs in the air war against the Islamic State, depleting its stocks of munitions and prompting the service to scour depots around the world for more weapons and to find money to buy them, according to records obtained by USA Today. The Air Force efforts come as the Pentagon has stepped up airstrikes on Islamic State, or ISIL, targets in Iraq and Syria.
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12/04/2015
Vladimir Putin has issued a stern warning to his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the war of words between the two leaders continues to escalate. The Russian president said Turkey "will regret" the downing of one of its fighter jets near the Syrian border last week, the BBC reports. Moscow has already imposed a range of sanctions against Ankara, including banning the import of certain Turkish goods and restricting Russian travel to the country.
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12/04/2015
Some U.S. congressmen have criticized China for what they say is a lack of sincerity in its pledge of non-militarization of the disputed reefs and islands in the South China Sea.
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12/04/2015
The U.S. Air Force's 71st Rescue Squadron deployed two HC-130J Combat King II aircraft in support of Operation Inherent Resolve for the first time. The fixed-wing, personnel recovery aircraft deployed with over 60 aircrew, support, and maintenance personnel. Flight missions for the HC-130J Combat King II aim to ensure U.S. personnel can be recovered quickly and effectively, avoiding isolation in hostile environments.
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12/04/2015
While military operations against the Islamic State group intensified this last summer, the U.S. Marine Corps quietly worked to bolster a key ally in the fight. During their six-month deployment to the region, troops from 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines worked side-by-side with Jordanian troops to train the kingdom's elite 77th Marine Reconnaissance Battalion and help stand up a brand-new, quick-reaction force.
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12/04/2015
Reinforcements to the British combat jet force fighting the Islamic State group departed bases in the UK on Thursday just hours after a parliamentary vote approved a government move to extend strike operations to Syria.
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12/04/2015
Even as it welcomed Britain’s decision to expand air strikes from Iraq into Syria, the Obama administration still finds itself responsible for the vast bulk of the international air campaign against Isis. In the aftermath of the Paris terrorist attacks, the US has been able to count on important support from first France, and now the UK, where parliament voted on Wednesday night to authorise air strikes in Syria after a dramatic 10-hour debate.
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12/04/2015
The move was already backed by German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s Cabinet on Tuesday. In addition to the mandate to dispatch German servicemen, the Bundestag is also expected to approve the sending of six Tornado reconnaissance jets, a frigate and refuelling aircraft. German involvement is expected to be limited to support and reconnaissance.
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12/04/2015
A Russian Aerospace Forces' air regiment located in the Far Eastern Primorye Territory will receive three advanced MiG-31BM (NATO reporting name Foxhound) interceptor aircraft by the end of 2015, the country's Defense Ministry said in a statement on Thursday. At the moment the Eastern Military District's acceptance commission is completing the inspection of the jets at Nizhny Novgorod-based Sokol aircraft manufacturing plant.
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12/03/2015
Lockheed Martin demonstrated its ability to integrate unmanned aircraft system (UAS) operations into the National Airspace System (NAS) using its prototype UAS Traffic Management capabilities. During the demonstration on Nov. 18, the Stalker XE UAS provided data and a precise geolocation to the unmanned K-MAX cargo helicopter, which conducted water drops to extinguish a fire, while the UTM tracked the UAS operations and communicated with Air Traffic Control in real time.
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12/03/2015
Chief of Russian General Staff Army General Valery Gerasimov has discussed cooperation in the fight against Islamic State (ISIL, also known as Daesh) with his French counterpart General Pierre de Villiers, the Russian Defense Ministry informs.
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12/03/2015
Members of Parliament voted 397 to 223 in favor of launching an air campaign in Syria. Following the approval, two Tornado warplanes and six Typhoon attack jets are set to take to the skies from British bases and begin their five-hour journey to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, the Daily Mail reported.
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12/03/2015
The United States shares the information on Russian flights in Syria with members of the anti-Daesh (ISIL) coalition under the US-Russian memorandum of understanding, US Air Force Chief Deborah Lee James said at the National Press Club on Wednesday.
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12/03/2015
During the last two months the aircraft of Russian Aerospace Forces launched strikes against 32 oil complexes and 11 oil refineries controlled by Daesh (also known as ISIL), Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov told the press.
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12/02/2015
Russia is setting up a second airbase at Sharyat in Syria expanding the sphere of its military operations in the region to contain and destroy Isis. Russia is also putting efforts into creating strong military posts that have both offensive and defensive capabilities, according to intelligence reports emanating from the US.
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12/02/2015
The United States is truly involved in a Long War. While the Army and Marine Corps have enjoyed long periods between combat operations, the Air Force and naval aviation have been continuously deployed for combat since the just after the Iraqis invaded Kuwait in August of 1990. Continuous combat operations have now stretched for twenty-five years, making our commitment to the Middle East the longest war involving a major Western power since the Thirty Years’ War, which ended in 1648.
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12/02/2015
Ten newly repaired MiG-29 aircraft were delivered to the 61st fighter airbase in Baranovichi on 1 December, BelTA has learned. The number includes eight combat aircraft and two training ones. The aircraft were sent for scheduled overhaul to 558 Aircraft Repair Plant in April 2014. The aircraft were fixed, the service life period was restored, and video registration of flight parameters for more objective control was enabled.
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12/02/2015
The U.S. Air Force operates an aged fleet of 500 Cold War training aircraft that are used to instruct young pilots in how to fly fighters and bombers. The planes average 44 years of age, and should have been replaced by something more modern, not to mention safer, a long time ago. But the Air Force’s plan for developing a next-generation “T-X” trainer doesn’t envision a replacement becoming operational until 2023, and most of the needed aircraft won’t be built until years after that.
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12/02/2015
Tensions are rising high throughout the Asia-Pacific. From the Indo-Pakistani border, through Australia’s controversial border policies to China’s disputes with its neighbors in the South and East China Seas, Asian states have been increasing investments in their military capabilities. In all these cases, having forceful and credible aerial assets is a crucial part of deterrence. This is reflected in regional defense spending.
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12/02/2015
As the U.S. Air Force prepares for initial F-35 Lightning II operations, pilots at Hill AFB are rehearsing missions with new simulators delivered by Lockheed Martin. Pilots are now training with four Full Mission Simulators linked together to hone their tactical employment of the F-35 against ground and airborne threats.
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12/02/2015
The U.S. Navy and Boeing recently demonstrated new targeting technologies that greatly enhance aircrew safety and effectiveness through the rapid integration and distribution of target information across multiple aircraft.
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12/02/2015
Greece scrambled its fighter aircraft on Tuesday to intercept a group of Turkish F-16 fighter jets that violated its airspace in the eastern Aegean Sea, the General Staff of the Hellenic National Defense said in statement.
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12/02/2015
The US Air Force has awarded Lockheed Martin a $914 million contract to upgrade F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter jets for the government of Singapore, the US Department of Defense said in an announcement. "Work will be performed at Fort Worth, Texas, and is expected to be complete by June 30, 2023," the announcement on stated on Tuesday.
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12/01/2015
In May 2014, many South Koreans were struck by the discovery of three crashed drones in frontline areas that had been flown in from North Korea. Albeit crude, the small devices had taken photos of major military installations on border islands, potential infiltration routes and the presidential palace in downtown Seoul, kindling concerns over a potential security breach and lax air defense.
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12/01/2015
The Defense Ministry will allow females to be Air Self-Defense Force jet fighter pilots for the first time in its history, according to sources. So far, the ministry has barred women from becoming jet fighter pilots because of the physical and mental burdens. Behind the decision is a plan to demonstrate acrobatic flying by ASDF pilots —including women — at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics.
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12/01/2015
The Tomahawk Land Attack Missile has long been a mainstay of the U.S. strike weapon inventory. Launching from ranges out to 1,000 miles and armed with a 1,000-pound warhead, it is the Navy’s “Kick Down the Door” weapon, attacking well-defended high-value land targets. The BLK IV missile is the latest variant in a steady progression of capability, incorporating mission planning, navigation and guidance, and command and control upgrades designed to improve responsiveness and target flexibility.
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12/01/2015
Russia’s Sukhoi Su-34 fighter-bombers (NATO reporting name: Fullback) have for the first time taken, in addition to bombs, short-and medium-range air-to-air missiles on combat mission in Syria for their protection, spokesman for the Russian Aerospace Forces Colonel Igor Klimov reported on Monday.
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12/01/2015
The U.S. should conduct far more commando raids against Islamic State, say lawmakers and former defense officials who are pushing President Barack Obama to deploy special-operations forces more aggressively against the extremists. With the attacks in Paris putting new pressure on Obama to show progress in the stalemated war against terrorists, defense analysts are calling for an intensified campaign of raids to disrupt the group’s leadership, gather intelligence and build momentum.
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12/01/2015
As the Diplomat has noted recently, the Asia-Pacific has become an important market for modern military aircraft. Companies from countries such as France, Sweden, Russia, and China have been attempting to sell their platforms to a range of states in the region (see here and here for Beijing’s Asian aircraft bids). Several states, including Indonesia, Malaysia and India, are either planning to or are in the process of acquiring modern fighter jets.
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12/01/2015
Tension in the skies over Syria intensified Monday as the Pentagon confirmed that Russia is moving advanced surface-to-air missile systems onto its military base near the Turkish border. U.S. intelligence shows that Russia is following through on plans to send S-400 missile systems into its primary airfield near Latakia, a Pentagon spokesman said. With a reported range of up to 248 miles, the missile system could put at risk most U.S. combat aircraft flying over Syria.
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12/01/2015
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) plans to set up a working group to determine the appropriate choice of a Multi-role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). The PAF is looking for a specific model of multirole fighters that would best suit its needs, PAF spokesperson Col. Enrico Canaya was quoted as saying by Philippines Star newspaper after a ceremony to welcome FA-50 jets acquired from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).
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12/01/2015
The Philippines on Monday received two Korean-made fighter jets as it strengthens its underfunded military in the midst of an escalating territorial dispute with China. The Philippines bought 12 FA-50s from Korea Aerospace Industries for 18.9 billion pesos ($402 million), Reuters reported. The 10 other jets will be delivered in batches through 2017. Weapons for the aircraft will be purchased later.
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12/01/2015
Russia's Tupolev Tu-160M2, a modernized variant of the legendary Tu-160 supersonic strategic bomber, is expected to become "an entirely new aircraft," with all-new components more than doubling its effectiveness. Now, developers involved in the plane's modernization have announced that they will be installing brand new weapons control systems.
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11/30/2015
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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11/30/2015
Chinese leaders plan to build a military base in Djibouti to "extend their reach," the head of the United States Africa Command said last week. The reported comments by Gen David Rodriguez serve to confirm speculation that China intends to buttress its growing economic involvement in Africa with a military presence, which US officials have however been downplayed.
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11/30/2015
Marking the end of an era, the final Boeing C-17 Globemaster III military airlifter will fly one last time over the Long Beach facility where the aircrafts were made. According to a Boeing spokeswoman, the final C-17 prepared to depart from the Long Beach airport Sunday around noon.
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11/30/2015
Israeli defense minister Moshe “Bogey” Ya’alon confirmed Sunday that Russian military aircraft, on at least one occasion, have breached Israeli airspace–without confrontation.
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11/30/2015
In early November, Lockheed Martin and the United States Armed Forces declared that they had signed a defence contract worth $9.1 million. As part of the deal, Lockheed Martin- the U.S. government’s go-to defence equipment provider- will outfit the B-52 ‘Stratofortress’ bombers with new long-range missiles.
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11/30/2015
Russia has a long history of violating airspace and territorial waters as a means of applying pressure to achieve political aims. On Tuesday, the Turkish Armed Forces shot down an unidentified bomber, which Russian authorities claimed was a Russian Su-24 fighter jet. The jet had violated Turkey's airspace, according to a radar tracking diagram provided by the Turkish Chief of General Staff.
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11/30/2015
Justin Trudeau’s Liberals say they will carry through on their campaign pledge to “end Canada’s combat mission” in Iraq and Syria. They are defining the word “combat” very carefully. As my colleague Bruce Campion-Smith reported Thursday, the defence department now says that even after Canada pulls back its six fighter jets from the battlefield, it could leave five other military aircraft there.
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11/30/2015
India's largest-ever military deal is likely to bring in big business for the private sector with the French side looking to set up a production centre for the Rafale fighter aircraft as well as a low-cost executive jet in India, besides sharing vital aircraft technology for the indigenous Tejas project.
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11/30/2015
Indonesia, long a regional power, has been seeking a replacement for its antique US F-5 Tiger II fighters. General Agus Supriatnahas told Indonesian media he has signed a deal to buy 12 of the new Russian air superiority fighters instead of US F-16 Fighting Falcons because “the aircraft have more modern technology”.
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11/30/2015
The first Russian fifth generation fighter is not the much advertised T-50, which according to plan should begin to arrive into the Russian Military and Space Forces in early 2016, but the almost forgotten project MiG 1.44, which was abandoned in the early 2000s.
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11/29/2015
Why President Xi Jinping should want a divided military command when he presently has all the benefits of a unified one seems a puzzle at first. The experience of the United States military would certainly not suggest such an initiative. Take the US Navy, which has long absorbed the largest share of US military spending.
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11/29/2015
U.S. and coalition military forces have continued to attack Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant terrorists in Syria and Iraq, Combined Joint Task Force Operation Inherent Resolve officials reported today. Officials reported details of the latest strikes, noting that assessments of results are based on initial reports.
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11/29/2015
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is hunting for fighter aircraft apart from the Rafale medium multi-role combat ones and the indigenous Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to meet the existing shortage, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said after the handing over of Presidential Standards to two Mig-27ML squadrons by President Pranab Mukherjee at Air Force Station Hasimara on Saturday. The IAF would be forming several more squadrons in the next few years, the air chief said.
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11/29/2015
“Six of the Chinese aircrafts flew over open seas between the southern Japanese islands of Okinawa and Miyako, about 1,700 kilometers south-west of Tokyo, on Friday morning, Jiji Press cited Defense Ministry officials as saying,” DPA agency reported. A Chinese air force spokesman told media that several types of planes, including H-6K bombers, a TU-154 information-gathering plane and a Y-8 observation plane were involved in Friday's drill.
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11/29/2015
The German armed forces may send up to 1,200 servicemen to enable the country’s Air Force take part in combat missions in Syria, Inspector General of the Bundeswehr Volker Wieker said.
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11/28/2015
A defensive laser and imaging system from Elbit Systems Ltd. was successfully implemented on an Airbus C295 military transport plane, jamming IR, ground-to-air, heat-seeking man-portable missiles (MANPADS) during a test flight. Elbit's MUSIC series of directed IR countermeasure (DIRCM) systems was integrated with an IR missile warning system able to detect, acquire, track and jam trial test equipment on the ground during extreme conditions.
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11/28/2015
Germany will join the military campaign against ISIS militants in Syria by deploying Tornado reconnaissance jets, refueling aircraft and a frigate to the region, after a direct appeal from close partner France for Berlin to do more. The decision to commit military personnel and hardware is a shift for Germany, which has resisted such direct involvement in the conflict. It still has no plans to join France, the United States and Russia in conducting air strikes in Syria.
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11/28/2015
The Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) has strongly rejected reports claiming that they are planning to replace the Russian-made engine of JF-17 fighter jet with a new Chinese-made engine. Those reports were mainly from the Chinese media, however, PAC officials have shown their satisfaction with the Russian-made RD-93 engines that are currently in the jets.
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11/28/2015
The Philippines has lacked fighter jets for 10 years, but that situation—which has long embarrassed the military here—is set to end Saturday when two Korean-built FA-50 fighters touch down at Clark Air Base north of Manila.
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11/28/2015
America is home to three military air forces including the United States Air Force (USAF), United States Naval Air Forces (USN, USMC), and United States Army Aviation (USA). With roots stretching back to the early 20th century, these air arms are well understood by most Americans.
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11/28/2015
The Canadian government is leaning towards keeping a military refuelling aircraft and Aurora surveillance planes overseas and allowing them to continue taking part in the war against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. The move would placate coalition allies, particularly the United States, who view the refuelling plane and the surveillance aircraft as valuable contributions to the ongoing air campaign.
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11/28/2015
India's largest-ever military deal is likely to bring in big business for the private sector with the French side looking to set up a production centre for the Rafale fighter aircraft as well as a low-cost executive jet in India, besides sharing vital aircraft technology for the indigenous Tejas project.
(Read More...)
11/28/2015
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) slowly but surely are becoming a force to be reckoned with not only in the Middle East, but well beyond the region, Nafeesa Syeed wrote for Bloomberg.While Saudi Arabia and Iran are scrambling for leadership in the Middle East, the UAE has continued to increase its military power.
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11/28/2015
The recent attack on a Russian Su-24 bomber will hardly provoke a military conflict between NATO and Russia. But the both parties need to come to the negotiating table soon, otherwise similar incidents will follow and may eventually lead to a war, Latvian political observer Karlis Dauksts said in an interview with Latvian Radio-4.
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11/26/2015
The decision was announced by Ukrainian Prime Minister Arseniy Yatsenyuk at a televised government meeting. Gazprom said it had halted gas deliveries to Ukraine because it had used up all the gas it had paid for. But Ukraine said it had stopped buying from Gazprom because it could get cheaper gas from Europe.
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11/26/2015
India and Japan are set to firm up an agreement to jointly produce amphibious military aircraft during the upcoming visit of Japanese PM Shinzo Abe, in what could be the first defence deal between the two countries. The US 2 amphibious aircraft, that has applications for search and rescue, surveillance as well as intelligence gathering, will be produced in India not only for domestic orders but will also be pitched jointly for exports in the region and beyond.
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11/26/2015
A French military aircraft which crash-landed at Masvingo Airport on Saturday night after developing a technical fault, was coming from South Africa and wanted to refuel in Harare, where the officials also intended to drop some items at their embassy, sources told NewsDay.
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11/26/2015
President Vladimir Putin on Wednesday ordered state-of-the art air defense missile systems to be deployed at a Russian air base in Syria following the downing of one of its warplanes by Turkey, a move that raised the threat of a military confrontation between the NATO member and Moscow.
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11/26/2015
India and France are set to sign the deal for 36 Rafale fighter aircraft on the eve of French President François Hollande’s visit to India for the Republic Day celebrations. The draft contract, which envisages supply of the first fighter within 36 months of signing the deal, has been finalised.
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11/26/2015
In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, Britain has offered France the use of its airbase in Cyprus, strategically located on the island in the eastern Mediterranean Sea off Syria, to support air strikes on ISIS. Primarily, the base is going to act as a reserve diversion airfield for the jets operating from the French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles De Gaulle that has been operating in the eastern Mediterranean Sea, from where it launched the first raids against ISIS earlier this week
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11/26/2015
Turkey and Russia should resolve the Su-24 downing crisis and join their efforts in countering Islamic State militants, Spain's Foreign Minister Jose Garcia-Margallo said Wednesday. On Tuesday, a Russian Su-24 combat aircraft crashed in Syria while carrying out precision strikes against terrorists. Moscow said it was downed by an air-to-air missile, fired from a Turkish F-16 fighter in response to alleged violation of Turkish airspace.
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11/26/2015
The pilot is "alive and well" at a Russian air base in Syria, it says. His co-pilot and a marine involved in a rescue were killed. Turkey said the jet had strayed into its airspace but Russian President Vladimir Putin says the plane was flying over Syrian territory. It is not clear what has happened to the body of the other pilot, who was killed by gunfire as he parachuted from his burning plane.
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11/25/2015
Four crew members on an Army helicopter died when it crashed at Fort Hood, the Texas base's press office said. The UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter went down sometime after 5:49 p.m. Monday in the northeastern part of the Fort Hood Range. Emergency crews conducted "an extensive search" that ended with the discovery of the four deceased crew members.
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11/25/2015
Islamic State terrorists are seeking experts to repair captured military aircraft for future use in suicide attacks against U.S. and allied forces in Iraq. The terrorist group that occupies large areas of Iraq and Syria has two Russian-made Sukhoi aircraft and three Russian helicopters that it plans to use in the attacks, according to a recent report in a London-based Arabic language news outlet.
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11/25/2015
Marius Fotiu, head of the organization, pointed out that Cyprus is the closest EU member-state to Syria so the probability of terrorist attacks in the country is extremely high. Activists asked Anastasiades to “invite units of Russian Aerospace Forces and Navy to Cyprus territory,” according to Izvestia newspaper.
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11/25/2015
The UK will acquire nine Boeing P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft (MPA) after a Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR) that restored a capability that was eliminated in a similar review five years ago. That previous decision was controversial, and so is this one, because the P-8 has been chosen without a competition. The new SDSR was otherwise unremarkable, with a slight increase in defense spending confirmed, after an 8 percent cut in real terms from 2010-15.
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11/25/2015
Marium Mukhtiar was on a routine training mission when her plane met an "in-flight emergency" over Mianwali district, the air force said. She and her co-pilot ejected. She later died from her injuries in hospital. Flying Officer Mukhtiar was one of a small number of women to work as fighter pilots in Pakistan, and the first to die on operational service.
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11/25/2015
Pakistan will not replace the JF-17’s Russian-made Klimov/Sarkisov RD-93 power plant with a new Chinese engine in the foreseeable future despite Chinese reports to the contrary, IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly reveals. “We are completely satisfied with this Russian-made engine,” a representative of Pakistan Aeronautical Complex recently told IHS Jane’s Defense Weekly. The JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft was jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation.
(Read More...)
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11/25/2015
Two FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets will be arriving in the country on Friday as part of the Philippine Air Force’s efforts to modernize its aircraft. The aircraft will land for the first time on Philippine soil at Clark Air Base, officially becoming property of the PAF. The two jets are the first of the PAF’s 12 newly ordered fighter jets from the Korea Aerospace Industries worth P18.9 billion.
(Read More...)
11/25/2015
Moscow will deploy a warship off the Syrian coast near Latakia to strengthen the defense of its air base there, the General Staff of the Russian Armed Forces announced on Tuesday after Turkish warplanes shot down a Russian strike aircraft.
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11/25/2015
Russia will have to resort to electronic warfare in Syria to protect its pilots and prevent incidents similar to the downing of Russia’s Su-24 jet on Tuesday, according to Lieutenant-General Evgeny Buzhinsky; they will include both ground-based systems and equipment installed on special aircraft.
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11/24/2015
Turkish fighter jets shot down a military plane close to the border with Syria on Tuesday after it violated Turkey’s airspace, the military said. The Russian Defense Ministry confirmed that one of its jets, a Sukhoi SU-24, had crashed in Syria but said it had been downed “presumably as a result of shelling from the ground,” according to the Russian news agency Interfax.
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11/24/2015
Argentine Defense Minister Agustin Rossi recently cancelled, at the last minute, an agreement his government signed to buy 14 Kfir C10 combat planes for $360 million. The Kfir was manufactured by Israeli Aircraft Industries (IAI) from the mid-1970s to the middle of the 1980s, and was sold to a number of foreign air forces and was even in use by the US Navy for a short period.
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11/24/2015
The British have released their Strategic Defense Review, declaring they will plug the gaping hole in their anti-submarine warfare capablities by buying nine P-8s from Boeing and showing considerable confidence in Lockheed Martin’s F-35 as they pledge to buy more earlier.
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11/24/2015
The Government’s announcement that it is to spend £178 billion on re-equipping the Armed Forces with new kit is an important first step towards rebuilding Britain’s military credibility. After the disastrous cuts that followed the 2010 Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), which resulted in vital capabilities such our aircraft carrier strike capability being scrapped, David Cameron’s announcement in the Telegraph that he is committing billions of pounds in extra funding to defense.
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11/24/2015
Aircraft of the Russian aviation group in Syria over the past two days have destroyed a major oil depot and an oil refinery of terrorists in the vicinity of Raqqa, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Major General Igor Konashenkov said on Monday. "Russian bombers, taking off from the Hmeimim airbase were flying on combat missions to destroy tank truck convoys and oil refineries in the areas of oilfields in the north and east of Syria," the spokesman said.
(Read More...)
11/24/2015
Canada’s options for a ground-training mission in Iraq range from putting regular forces into the country helping instruct troops to overseeing the creation of a Kurdish special forces unit to battle the Islamic State.
(Read More...)
11/24/2015
China has finally been confirmed as the first export customer for the Sukhoi Su-35 combat aircraft, with an order for 24 worth an estimated $2 billion. The deal was sealed at a meeting on November 17 between Russian president Vladimir Putin and Xu Qiliang, vice chairman of China’s Central Military Commission. The Chinese guest came to Moscow for 20th session of the Russian-Chinese Intergovernmental Commission on Military-Technical Cooperation.
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11/24/2015
Indonesia is to participate in South Korea's KF-X program to develop a new jet fighter by the year 2025, South Korean newspapers report. Korea Aerospace Industries, chosen by the government as prime contractor for the fighter program, signed a preliminary contract Sunday with the Indonesian government through which Jakarta would provide 20 percent – about $1.5 billion -- of the project's cost, The Korea Herald reported.
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11/24/2015
According to Russia’s United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation press service, UIMC will begin supplying China with state-of-the-art communication systems for its newly purchased jet fighters next year.
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11/24/2015
On November 9, Russia signed a new contract with Iran on the delivery of "about 300" S-300 air defense systems, according to Russia’s state technologies corporation Roster. The delivery of Russian-made missiles is expected to be completed by the end of 2015, Iranian Defense Minister Brig. Gen. Hossein Dehqan said on November 10.
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11/24/2015
The airstrikes were confirmed by an Israeli military statement released on Monday, according to the Jerusalem Post. "The IDF views Hamas as being the party responsible for what takes place in the Gaza Strip," the statement said. The Israeli military also added that it "will continue to act with severity to keep the calm in southern communities."
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11/23/2015
For the first time in British history, the country's Prime Minister will have his owe military aircraft and not have to rely on charter flights from privately owned air carriers. British Prime Minister David Cameron will be the first Prime Minister to be provided with an aircraft, "Cam Force One" that will be taxpayer funded and appoint to the Prime Minister. The UK is one of handful major countries that does not have a presidential fleet.
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11/23/2015
China and the US clashed over the South China Sea at an annual meeting of Asia-Pacific leaders at the weekend, blaming each other for “militarising” the region as tensions over longstanding maritime disputes continue to simmer. China’s intense programme of reclamation on reefs in the contested waters, and the construction of airfields and other military facilities has sparked concern in Southeast Asian capitals as well as Washington and Tokyo.
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11/23/2015
France's defense minister says French aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle sent to help operations against Islamic State militants in Syria will be "operational" from Monday and "ready to act."
France has intensified its aerial bombing in Syria since IS militants attacked a concert hall, cafes and restaurants and a stadium in Paris, killing 130 people and wounding hundreds.
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11/23/2015
A French military aircraft believed to be laden with amour, en-route to Zambia, crash-landed at the Masvingo Airport on Saturday night after developing a technical fault, NewsDay established.
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11/23/2015
In September Kuwait agreed to purchase 28 Eurofighter Typhoon fighter aircraft. This includes (22 single seat and six twin-seat versions. This deal was made with the Italians, who are part of a multinational consortium that produced the Typhoon.
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11/23/2015
Satoshi Yamamoto took his 13-year-old daughter to the edge of the U.S. Air Force’s busiest runway in the Pacific on their summer vacation, hoping to give her a thrill while looking at the front lines of a military standoff in the western Pacific. It worked. After seeing four fighter jets roar into the skies of the East China Sea, she declared herself ready to enlist in the American military.
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11/23/2015
After an impasse over technicalities, India and France are working to finalise the agreement for the direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets before the visit of French President Francois Hollande to India as the chief guest of the next Republic Day parade here. “Negotiations are in an advanced stage and both sides are working to reach an agreement before the visit,” a Defence Ministry official told The Hindu.
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11/23/2015
ISIL militants have been surrendering to advancing Peshmerga troops on the regular basis since supply routes connecting Iraq and Syria have been cut off heavy pounding by the US-led coalition airstrikes, a frontline commander of Kurdish forces in Gwer, Qadr Qadr, told Kurdish media outlet Bas News on Sunday.
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11/23/2015
London will allocate about 200 billion pounds ($300 billion) over the next ten years to strengthen its defense capabilities, including for the fight against terrorism, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said. “We cannot leave the burden and risks of protecting our country to others,” Cameron said in an article for The Telegraph.
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11/22/2015
Russia’s Aviakor aviation factory has delivered to the Russian Aerospace Forces the first modernized Tu-95MSM strategic bomber/missile carrier, the company’s press office reported.
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11/22/2015
China displayed its latest and biggest military unmanned aircraft at an industry expo that closed in Shenzhen, Guangdong province, on Friday, in an attempt to attract more buyers for its combat drones. The CH-5 combat drone, developed by China Academy of Aerospace Aerodynamics under China Aerospace Science and Technology Corp, made its first flight in August, becoming the heaviest and strongest military drone in China.
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11/22/2015
World leaders have united against ISIS in a United Nations Security Council resolution calling on countries to take 'all necessary measures' to fight ISIS in Syria and Iraq. The Security Council unanimously agreed to the resolution, which states that the barbaric group 'constitutes a global and unprecedented threat to international peace and security'.
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11/22/2015
India has added eight Boeing P-81 Poseidon planes to its naval fleet this month. The planes will be housed at the Rajali Naval Air Station and are classified as the Indian Naval Air Squadron 312-A unit. The unit will be managed by Commander Venkateshwaran Ranganathan.
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11/22/2015
The United States recently stepped in and blocked an effort by Uzbekistan to buy twelve South Korean T-50 jet trainers. These aircraft go for $34 million each (including training, spare parts, and some tech support). The United States was able to block the T-50 sale because the aircraft uses American jet engines and a lot of American electronics. All this stuff requires American permission before it can be exported as part of an aircraft.
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11/22/2015
Russia continues waging effective war on terrorism in Syria round-the-clock - compared to America’s phony war, creating and supporting its scourge, used to advance its imperial interests. After transforming a neglected Latakia, Syria airfield into the Khmeimim strategic hub, Russian aerial operations against ISIS and likeminded groups continue effectively without letup.
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11/22/2015
The purchase of new fighter jets is to be speeded up, Chancellor George Osborne said, as he promised funding to ensure the Royal Navy can deploy one if its new aircraft carriers at all times by 2023. Details of the upgrade will be at the centre of the Government's Strategic Defence and Security Review (SDSR), due to be set out to the Commons by Prime Minister David Cameron tomorrow.
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11/22/2015
"The upgrade has significantly boosted the combat capabilities of the aircraft and the operating conditions for the crew," Alexei Gusev, CEO of Aviakor, said. The aircraft was named Dubna (after a town outside Moscow). The adjustment of the Tu-95 for the new armament and new military requirements took three months. The second aircraft is currently being upgraded by Aviakor and will be delivered to the Defense Ministry later in 2015.
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11/22/2015
Experts across the world seem to be impressed by the latest addition to Russia's war arsenal – the Kh-101 cruise missile, which has been spotted in footage released by the Russian Ministry of Defense earlier this week.
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11/21/2015
The government of Lebanon is warning that a Russian military maneuver being conducted this weekend "will have a direct effect on Lebanon's airspace and will bring air traffic to and from Beirut's airport to a complete halt." According to a post on the Lebanese government's website, "specialized authorities at Rafik Hariri International Airport received information from the Russian navy notifying them that they will be carrying out training and maneuvers for three days, starting midnight tonight.
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11/21/2015
Data Link Solutions (DLS), a joint venture between BAE Systems and Rockwell Collins, won a contract from the Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR) to help bridge the communications gap between fifth-generation stealth aircraft and fourth-generation fighter jets.
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11/21/2015
In the wake of the Paris terror attacks, President Barack Obama took some very intense questions about whether the United States is hitting ISIS hard enough. Was it time to change strategy? He said no, that the answer was to ramp it up. A variety of military powers are engaged against ISIS -- the United States, France, Russia, the United Kingdom -- along with several Arab nations and the Kurds, who are fighting them in northern Iraq and Syria.
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11/21/2015
Air power advocates in Washington have called for the Pentagon to consider building to a force of 150 to 160 mission-ready heavy bombers before the Boeing B-1 and B-52 retire in 2045. According to estimates presented in a new report by the Mitchell Institute, America would need to muster 258 heavy bombers to succeed in a large-scale conflict with Russia if 50% of the targets in 180 days of campaigning were assigned to long-range bombers.
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11/21/2015
Twenty nine long-range bomber aircraft have delivered strikes at positions of the Islamic State terrorist group in Syrian territory from direction of the Caspian Sea, Russian Defense Minister General of the Army Sergey Shoigu said in a report to Russian President Vladimir Putin, the commander-in-chief of the Russian Armed Forces, on Friday.
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11/21/2015
RAF Typhoons from Lossiemouth in Scotland scrambled to escort the two Blackjack Tu-160 bombers as the skirted UK airspace along the Atlantic. The supersonic Russian jet bombers then flew south to Gibraltar before entering the Mediterranean and firing cruise missiles at targets in Syria and heading home north eastwards.
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11/21/2015
The US State Department has approved a possible sale of a high-altitude, long-endurance drones and related equipment to Japan amounting to more than a billion dollars, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release on Friday.
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11/21/2015
Russia has used its successful aerial campaign in Syria to showcase the best weapons the country has in its arsenal. Some of them, including the Tupolev Tu-160 (Blackjack) strategic bombers and the Raduga Kh-101 cruise missiles, were combat tested for the first time.
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11/21/2015
India will supply Afghanistan with four Russia-made attack helicopters within the next two months to help in its fight against the Taliban militant group, an Indian broadcaster cited its sources as saying.
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11/20/2015
The long-awaited, highly anticipated deployment of the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) Block 40/45 is finally over, with the deployment of the first upgraded weapon system to a combat theater of operations. The first E-3G arrived in Southwest Asia Nov. 18, marking the deployment of the most comprehensive modification to the weapon system in its 38-year history. The changes improved communications, computer processing power, threat tracking and other capabilities.
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11/20/2015
November 19. /TASS/. Russia’s combat aircraft based at Hmeimim have been attacking terrorist positions in Syria round the clock. The intensity of their strikes grew noticeably over the past few days, Russia’s Aerospace Force spokesman Igor Klimov has said. "We have been actively using all combat aircraft at the Hmeimim base," he said. "The planes fly sorties round the clock, day and night."
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11/20/2015
Syria, November 19. /TASS/. Russia’s combat aircraft based at Hmeimim have been attacking terrorist positions in Syria round the clock. The intensity of their strikes grew noticeably over the past few days, Russia’s Aerospace Force spokesman Igor Klimov has said. "We have been actively using all combat aircraft at the Hmeimim base," he said. "The planes fly sorties round the clock, day and night."
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11/20/2015
The Tupolev Tu-160 Blackjack supersonic strategic bomber made its combat debut on Tuesday as the Russian Aerospace Forces attacked Islamic State (ISIL) positions in Syria. The Tu-160 was the last strategic bomber developed in the USSR. It became a formidable answer to the stealthy Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit – the last US-made Cold War-era strategic bomber, military analyst Dave Majumdar wrote in his article for The National Interest.
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11/20/2015
Russia and China have signed a contract on the delivery of 24 multirole Su-35 Flanker jet fighters, Rostec’s director of international cooperation and regional policy Viktor Kladov said Thursday.
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11/19/2015
Russia has intensified all types of intelligence in the Middle East region, including space reconnaissance, the head of the Main Operations Directorate of the Russian Armed Forces General Staff, Col. Gen. Andrey Kartapolov, said Wednesday.
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11/19/2015
While Canada’s newly elected leader is seriously considering pulling that nation out of the global partnership building the F-35 joint strike fighter, the action is not expected to slow down the production ramp-up underway at the Lockheed Martin plant in Fort Worth.
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11/19/2015
The US Marine Corps' (USMC) MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor aircraft are set to extend support to a series of US / UK exercises from the flightdeck of HMS Ocean. During the amphibious assault training in the Mediterranean, an Osprey detachment will be based on the Royal Navy flagship for several weeks to transport US and Royal Marines from ship to shore.
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11/19/2015
An Air Force Special Operations AC-130J Ghostrider plane valued at $115 million will be scrapped due to a “mishap” that occurred during a test flight earlier this year, the military announced this month.
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11/19/2015
Whatever Islamic State made of Vladimir Putin’s order to the Russian navy to treat French forces “as allies” in the waters off Syria, it will have sent a shiver through at least a couple of Paris’s allies. Russia’s president gave the command on Tuesday, as he and his French counterpart pledged separately to crush a terror group that claims to have launched Friday’s attacks in Paris and downed a Russian airliner over Egypt two weeks earlier.
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11/19/2015
The Russian Armed Forces will organize joint military operations with the French Navy to combat terrorists in Syria, chief of the main operations directorate of Russian army’s General Staff Andrey Kartapolov said on Wednesday.
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11/19/2015
It is, to say the least, an awkward situation: Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s new Liberal government is committed to pulling Canadian jet fighters out of combat against the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, just as the attacks on Paris have prompted French President François Hollande to urge much greater international co-operation to fight the terrorists.
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11/19/2015
The United States has authorized an $80 million sale of Bell helicopters and related equipment and parts to Argentina, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a release on Wednesday.
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11/19/2015
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said that aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be ready to begin its operation against ISIL radicals before the end of the week.
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11/18/2015
An agreement on the sale of JF-17 Thunder fighter jets was announced by China during the 14th Dubai International Air Show, media reports said. The JF-17 Thunder is a lightweight single-seat multirole supersonic combat aircraft which is jointly developed by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Chinese Chengdu Aircraft Industries Corporation.
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11/18/2015
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull has talked briefly with Vladimir Putin as the US and Russia consider stepping up military action against Islamic State. Mr Turnbull and the Russian president met briefly during a session of the G20 summit in the Turkish resort city of Antalya before the prime minister jetted off to Manila for the start of the APEC summit.
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11/18/2015
The Islamic State group's ferocious attack on Paris will be met with "intensification" of the U.S.-led fight against the terror group, President Obama said Monday, but it will not fundamentally alter his strategy nor his reluctance to put more U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria. "We have the right strategy and we're seeing it through," Obama said during the close of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey.
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11/18/2015
Make in India – for Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this has become a maxim of state policy. Ever since he graduated to the prime minister’s office in 2014, Modi’s message to the world has been unchanged: Come, Make in India. From day one the government’s articulated policy has been clear: The way forward involves increasing manufacturing growth and raising it to global competitiveness standards.
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11/18/2015
Even as president Vladimir Putin vowed revenge against the Islamic State (Isis) for its role in bringing down the Russian passenger plane in Egypt's Sinai region, Moscow has announced the deployment of Tu-160, a Soviet-era bomber known as the "Blackjack."
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11/18/2015
Russia said for the first time on Tuesday that a bomb aboard a Russian charter jet full of vacationers had destroyed the aircraft that crashed more than two weeks ago on Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, and the Kremlin responded immediately by escalating airstrikes across Syria.
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11/18/2015
The multi-billion dollar deal for purchase of 36 Rafale combat aircraft is in "final stages" of price negotiations, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has said. A new roadmap for the upgradation of the inventory in the Indian Air Force is being prepared with focus on 'Make in India' initiative, and any future acquisition will be based on it, he told news agency PTI.
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11/18/2015
US military expert Dmitri Gorenburg suggests that Russia's military operation in Syria has demonstrated major improvements to the country's warfighting capabilities, the result of years of military reform.
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11/18/2015
"At this moment, our air force…10 fighter jets are against hitting Raqqa, and as you know tomorrow the aircraft carrier Charles De Gualle will leave for the eastern Mediterranean to continue strikes on specific targets in particular around Raqqa and Deir ez-Zour," said French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian, according to Reuters.
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11/18/2015
As Washington and its allies criticize Beijing for what they perceive to be aggressive actions in the South China Sea, the Chinese government has pointed out that it has demonstrated "great restraint," even as the Pentagon patrols its territorial waters.
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11/17/2015
French bombing sorties against Islamic State targets in Syria following the terrorist attacks in Paris have provided a further platform for the Dassault Aviation SA Rafale warplane to burnish its combat credentials. Raids on IS targets in the city of Raqqa identified as a training camp and arms depot saw the use of six Rafales and four Mirage 2000 jets in an action coordinated with U.S. forces, according to the French defense ministry.
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11/17/2015
Dissimilar Air Combat Training (DACT) is one of the most important parts in the training of modern fighter pilots. At the same time, an air combat maneuvering (ACM) session, where friendly and (simulated) enemy fighters fly against each other, can be one of the most dangerous training environment. Although quite rarely, mid-air collisions do occur, sometimes with fatal results.
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11/17/2015
The Wedgetail is part of the Royal Australian’s 21st century air power transformation effort and strategy. It is the core air battle management platform in the RAAF and is often referred to as an AWACs, although it is not.
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11/17/2015
In the first wave of U.S. airstrikes since the Paris attacks, A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack aircraft and AC-130 gunships raked a convoy of more than 100 ISIS oil tanker trucks in Syria in a stepped-up effort to cut off a main source of terror funding, the Pentagon said Monday.
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11/17/2015
The U.S. Air Force is developing a new bomber that promises to secure the U.S. advantage in modern warfare. The next-generation long-range strike bomber, recently awarded to Northrop Grumman Corp. for development, will not be designed to rely on as yet undeveloped technologies, as is so often the case with new aircraft and weaponry. Instead, the aircraft will combine and fully exploit existing advanced stealth technology, integrated software, ordnance and countermeasures.
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11/17/2015
Although relatively small in scale, Russia's military operation in Syria has highlighted some major improvements in Russian military capabilities. Compared to the 2008 Georgia War, which was the last time the Russian Air Force operated in a combat environment, the Russian military appears to have made great strides in increasing operational tempo and improving inter-service integration.
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11/17/2015
France’s Safran SA has shelved plans to make engine parts for Rafale combat aircraft in India after Prime Minister Narendra Modi scaled back purchases of the warplane. The company won’t make the components with state-run Indian defense contractor Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. since the nation has ordered only 36 jets rather the more lucrative 126 originally mooted, according to Safran’s India Chief Executive Officer Stephane Lauret.
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11/17/2015
The Islamic State group's ferocious attack on Paris will be met with "intensification" of the U.S.-led fight against the terror group, President Obama said Monday, but it will not fundamentally alter his strategy nor his reluctance to put more U.S. troops on the ground in Iraq and Syria. "We have the right strategy and we're seeing it through," Obama said during the close of the G20 summit in Antalya, Turkey.
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11/17/2015
The federal government is still considering attaching a warship to a French carrier task group set to conduct air strikes against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. But it's ruled out relaxing current rules of engagement to allow RAAF combat aircraft to step up attacks on IS targets in Syria.
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11/17/2015
Russia is expected to deliver the S-300 missile defense systems to Iran no later than March 2016, and while no additional details have been made public, the US media decided to speculate what other Russian weapon systems Iran might be interested in.
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11/16/2015
World leaders promised a forceful response to Friday’s terrorist attacks in Paris, including intensified airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria, intelligence cooperation and measures to tighten border security. In the earliest sign of that commitment, the French launched a series of strikes late Sunday against Islamic State targets in Syria, in part based on the new intelligence provided by the U.S.
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11/16/2015
The Japanese and Philippine leaders will agree this week on a deal paving the way for Tokyo to supply Manila with used military equipment, possibly including aircraft that could be deployed to patrol the disputed South China Sea, sources said. The deal will mark the first time Japan has agreed to directly donate military equipment to another country, and is the latest example of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe's more muscular security agenda.
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11/16/2015
The federal government has started taking action on a Liberal promise to dump the F-35 stealth fighter and purchase a cheaper aircraft to replace the military’s CF-18 jets. Public Services and Procurement Canada has created a new office to oversee the purchase. Paula Folkes-Dallaire, a senior public servant from the Fisheries department, is slated to start Monday as senior director of the Future Fighter Capability project, sources told the Citizen.
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11/16/2015
After Friday’s attacks in Paris, two sides that don’t usually agree on anything found common ground on one issue: Both Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and ISIS said the attacks were retaliation for France’s own foreign policy.
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11/16/2015
Australia has on order 72 F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) planes. The problem? For years many have been saying that they’re simply… not very good. Yet public debate over this large purchase has been largely absent, though Canada’s rethink could drive up costs further for other nations.
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11/16/2015
Mohammed Emwazi, from London, who killed Western hostages including British aid workers Alan Henning and David Haines, was himself killed on Thursday evening in a drone attack involving two American and one British aircraft.
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11/16/2015
French warplanes launched a ferocious retaliatory assault late Sunday on targets in Raqqa, Syria - the Islamic State's de facto capital - after coordination with U.S. defense officials who helped with the targeting.
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11/16/2015
The Danish aircraft should broaden its participation in the anti-Islamic State coalition, and participate in its aerial operations in Syria, Foreign Minister Kristian Jensen said.
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11/16/2015
The US and Czech experts will conduct an observational flight over Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on November 16-21, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov said Monday.
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11/16/2015
The Russian experts will conduct an observation flight over Austria under the Treaty on Open Skies on November 16-19, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov said Monday.
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11/15/2015
As this stunned city tried to come to terms with the horror that struck it the night of Friday the 13th, the word “war” echoed in cafes, on the streets, and in the statements of government officials. Teams of suicide bombers from the so-called Islamic State, striking at soft targets in the heart of the city and a stadium on the outskirts, had taken their own lives along with those of at least 129 innocents, blasting away with Kalashnikovs at a rock concert and restaurants, and at a soccer game.
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11/15/2015
On the morning after France’s long night of terror, the language of war has been impossible to avoid. President François Hollande declared the attacks on Paris “an act of war that was waged by a terrorist army, a jihadist army, by Daesh [the Islamic State], against France.” The Islamic State has hailed the “blessed” operation of its “soldiers” and has vowed continued attacks. Pope Francis has described the current state of events as “a piece” of a piecemeal Third World War.
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11/15/2015
The Paris terror attacks are likely to galvanize a stronger global military response to Islamic State, after a U.S.-led air war that has lasted more than a year has failed to contain a group now proving itself to be a growing worldwide threat. The United States, long accused of taking an incremental approach to the struggle, is under growing political pressure at home and abroad to do more and it is expected to examine ways to intensify the campaign, including through expanded air power.
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11/15/2015
The nation’s first female fighter pilots will be combat-ready and take to the skies by around 2018, the Defense Ministry said. The move is touted as part of the government's push to add more women in the workplace, as women, only about 30 in total, pilot transport aircraft, patrol planes and patrol helicopters.
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11/15/2015
France, which has been hit by deadly terror attacks twice this year, is paying the price for its front-line role in combating Islamic militants. French special forces have been tracking Islamist militants in the Sahara since 2013. France was the first European country to join the U.S. air strikes on Islamic State in Iraq last year and is the only European country to join the U.S. in air strikes in Syria.
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11/15/2015
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is likely to manufacture the combat version of military aircraft Hawk in the coming months. HAL and BAE Systems discussed this in London during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the UK.
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11/15/2015
The F-35 joint strike fighter program is transitioning to a day when its pilots will come fresh out of flight school and the new jet fighter will be their first assignment. The services’ cadre of pilots so far have been veterans of other programs such as the F-15, F-16, Harrier or A-10s, said Mike Luntz, director of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 training systems. “Many of the pilots that we have trained to date have been the more experienced pilots,” he said in an interview.
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11/15/2015
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau arrived at a G20 leaders’ summit that has been overshadowed by the brazen terror attacks in Paris, a killing spree blamed on Islamic State extremists that will test the commitment of the new Liberal government to end its combat mission against the militants.
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11/14/2015
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has given new defence minister his marching orders - and Harjitt Sajjan's top priority is to end Canada's combat mission in Iraq and Syria. The Nov. 6 letter, released Friday in a package of so-called "mandate letters" from the prime minister to his cabinet members, was also notable for what it didn't say in terms of the other thorny defence issues facing the new Liberal government.
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11/14/2015
The French Navy has completed the test of Rafale's new RBE2 active electronically-scanned array (AESA) radar from the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle during combat missions over Iraq. The French Navy operated an AESA radar-equipped Rafale M F3 omnirole combat aircraft in the test during actual close air support (CAS) and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) combat missions over Iraq, Naval-Technology reported Thursday.
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11/14/2015
The Pentagon is unflinchingly tight-lipped about any new, high tech planes it has in the works. But every so often, a bit of information manages to squeak out into the public domain. In 2013, the U.S. Air Force sent a secret spy plane out over the Pacific region. The unknown aircraft — possibly a drone — flew "national collection missions" — a euphemism for strategic intelligence against states like North Korea or China.
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11/14/2015
The Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and its and its partner, the Pakistan Aeronautical complex (PAC) Kamra, is once-again reiterating that it has signed a deal to sell the JF-17 Thunder to an unnamed customer at the Dubai airshow.
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11/14/2015
A team of researchers from China is said to have created a material that could hide the world's best war machines from the all-seeing eyes of the most powerful anti-stealth microwave radars… and they have made the technology publicly available.
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11/14/2015
The Russian T-50 (PAK FA) fifth-generation jet fighters is a "100 percent digital aircraft" because of the "smart covering" of its body, Igor Nasenkov, Deputy CEO of KRET Holding, told RIA Novosti. KRET, part of Russia’s Rostec hi-tech corporation, developed electronic systems for the aircraft.
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11/14/2015
The US government has approved the sale of advanced electronic surveillance aircraft to Japan and Australia, the Department of Defense said in two contract notifications.
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11/13/2015
A UNITED States B-52 strategic bomber flew over artificial Chinese islands in the South China Sea recently and was contacted by Chinese ground controllers but continued its mission undeterred, a Pentagon spokesman said overnight.
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11/13/2015
Air Force Col. Martha McSally was leading a squadron of A-10 attack jets over Afghanistan when they encountered U.S. forces engaged in a desperate fight against Islamist insurgents. One of the embattled troops signaled his unit’s location with a small mirror that reflected sunlight upward. McSally, the first American woman to fly in combat, and the other pilots flew to the light and opened fire with the seven-barrel Gatling cannons nestled in the A-10s’ noses.
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11/13/2015
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is the best air superiority fighter ever built, but could America have done better? When the YF-22 prototype won the contract for the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) in April 1991, it was a lesser plane compared to the Northrop YF-23 in many ways. Though the YF-22 was a more maneuverable aircraft, the YF-23 had far greater supersonic cruise capability—especially when outfitted with the General Electric YF120 variable cycle engines.
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11/13/2015
Turkey, perhaps for the first time, allowed its soil to be used for combat operations by both NATO allies and non-NATO countries when it struck a deal with the US in late July to open Incirlik Air Base in southern Turkey to the US-led coalition forces of about 60 nations in their fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
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11/13/2015
BAE Systems PLC on Thursday cut its earnings outlook for the year and said it would reduce production and jobs for the Typhoon combat jet after failing to secure export business it had expected to win. BAE Systems said full-year earnings per share should be 38 pence, the same as last year, after previously saying they would be “marginally higher,” the London-based arms maker said on Thursday. Earnings would have been lower if not for a 2 pence-a-share tax benefit.
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11/13/2015
The Pentagon is unflinchingly tight-lipped about any new, high tech planes it has in the works. But every so often, a bit of information manages to squeak out into the public domain. In 2013, the U.S. Air Force sent a secret spy plane out over the Pacific region. The unknown aircraft – possibly a drone – flew “national collection missions” – a euphemism for strategic intelligence against states like North Korea or China.
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11/13/2015
The Indian government will increase orders for its homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), called Tejas, from 20 to 120, but Air Force officials question the plane's capabilities, and the scheduled arrival of a more advanced model remains murky.
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11/13/2015
Argentine defence minister Agustin Rossi has announced that negotiations for new fighter jets are under way, but will be left to the next government to purchase. Rossi’s decision comes only a day after the Argentine government announced the purchase of Israeli manufactured Kfir fighters.
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11/13/2015
A Russian engine is being installed in Pakistan’s JF-17 Thunder fighter jet which inspires hope for cooperation between the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and the Russian engine maker, a PAC representative said on Monday.
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11/12/2015
Indonesia could take China to an international tribunal if Beijing’s South China Sea territorial claims, which include Indonesia’s resource-rich Natuna islands, aren’t resolved through dialogue, Jakarta’s chief security minister said Wednesday.
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11/12/2015
The U.S. State Department has approved the possible sale of for Lockheed Martin C-130J transports and associated equipment to France. The proposed deal under the U.S. Foreign Military Sales program - administered by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency - would be worth an estimated $650 million.
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11/12/2015
The United States military is far by the most technologically advanced and capable force the Earth has ever seen. From satellites, to stealth fighters and bombers, to advanced surface ships and submarines, America’s arsenal is unmatched by any other power. But American military supremacy rests on maintaining that technological edge. Even now, Russia and China are advancing their capabilities in the hopes of one day matching or even exceeding U.S. capabilities.
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11/12/2015
Northrop Grumman didn't get long to celebrate winning one of the most important defense contracts of the 21st century. The week after it secured a $55 billion-and-growing deal to build the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LSRB), the successor to the B-2, losing bidders Boeing and Lockheed filed a protest against the stealth bomber contract award.
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11/12/2015
The FC-1 Fierce Dragon, or JF-17 Thunder, a fourth-generation fighter jet co-developed by China and Pakistan, has found a buyer following several years of speculation and promotion. The aircraft's developers, Aviation Industry Corp of China and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex, signed a contract with an unidentified buyer, AVIC said in a statement sent to China Daily on Tuesday.
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11/12/2015
The Lockheed Martin F-16 Auto Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS) team was presented a 2015 Aviation Week Program Excellence Award for its role in managing part of the F-16 Auto GCAS program.
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11/12/2015
The results of Russian anti-terrorism efforts in Syria are reassuring against a backdrop of ineffective military action of the US-led international anti-ISIL coalition, Thierry Mariani, the head of a French National Assembly delegation to Syria, told journalists.
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11/12/2015
The Russian Helicopters Company has signed contracts with the Iranian Helicopter Support and Renewal Company (PANHA) on upgrading its maintenance and overhaul facility for Mi-17 helicopters, the Russian company’s deputy head said Wednesday.
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11/12/2015
China and Thailand will conduct joint air force exercises for the first time in November, China’s Ministry of Defense said in a statement Wednesday. "The Air Forces of China and Thailand will hold first joint exercises Falcon Strike-2015 on November 12-30," the ministry stated on its website.
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11/11/2015
The French military has stepped up its bombing campaign against the Islamic State group's oil infrastructure with two new strikes in eastern Syria, Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian said Tuesday. "We struck again twice last night in the Deir Ezzor region, firstly on an oil distribution station and secondly on a gas separation plant," Le Drian told journalists on the sidelines of a forum on African peace and security in Dakar, Senegal.
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11/11/2015
The Finnish defence ministry said Tuesday it has scrapped plans to renew its aging fleet of trainer aircraft after none of the planes on offer seemed to fit. A German model, made by Grob Aircraft, was deemed too expensive, daily Helsingin Sanomat reported.
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11/11/2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, on his visit to the United Kingdom this week, will cite the growing cooperation between UK-headquartered BAE Systems, and Bengaluru-based Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL). Together, BAE Systems and HAL have created a major assembly line for the Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) in Bengaluru, which has built for the Indian Air Force (IAF) the world's largest Hawk fleet outside the UK.
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11/11/2015
Argentina is expected to sign a contract on 10 November covering the purchase of 14 Kfir Block 60 fighters. The nation's air force opted to acquire upgraded examples of the Israel Aerospace Industries-produced combat aircraft, which have been non-operational for two decades.
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11/11/2015
"The UAE is about to sign a contract for buying three AgustaWestland 609s for the Joint Aviation Command," announced Maj. Gen. Abdullah Al Hashimi, the executive director of Strategic Analysis at the UAE Ministry of Defense. "We have signed a memorandum of understanding with AgustaWestland and wanted to announce our interest in the aircrafts, [and] contracts will be signed soon."
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11/11/2015
Pakistan could become the fourth country to operate the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft as Islamabad has expressed an interest in the aircraft, an online news outlet reported on Tuesday.
The new outlet claimed that the parties had already held preliminary talks. Quoting industry sources, the news outlet claimed that Pakistan Air Force officials had been talking to executives from Rosoboronexport and Irkut.
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11/11/2015
The criticisms are not new, the development is slow and they say time is constant here like a black hole circling over India. Many shortfalls and many waivers but still to see the bird on IAF’s hand, yes am talking about HAL Tejas (LCA), will take you back to 1960’s with up and downs in Indian aerospace industry and finally a glimpse of hope with a big order and future development plan.
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11/11/2015
The Pentagon has deployed fighter jets to Turkey to protect slow-flying U.S. attack planes hitting Islamic State targets in Syria and to deter Russian aggression in the region, a Defense official said Tuesday. The F-15Cs will provide cover for bombers, attack and cargo planes from Syrian and Russian fighters, said a Defense official who spoke about that role on condition of anonymity, because officials were not authorized to discuss the role of the aircraft.
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11/11/2015
Afghanistan, Africa, Iraq and Syria—all three conflicts might lead the U.S. Air Force to delay retirement of the A-10 'Warthog,' a top general said. The United States Air Force is rethinking its plans to retire the venerable A-10 attack plane in response to an uptick in the demand for combat aircraft across the Middle East and Africa, the Pentagon’s air combat chief said Tuesday.
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11/10/2015
This is a big move, not just for the Army, but for the Pentagon, who haven't always been that successful with recent dives into the deep end of the innovation pool. In the past few decades, "the Pentagon generally has not bought what we call 'clean sheet designs,' or helicopters that are designed from scratch, but instead they keep buying the next improved version of the helicopter already in their fleet," explains Ray Jaworowski, a senior aerospace analyst at Forecast International.
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11/10/2015
The director general of the state corporation Rostec Sergei Chemezov, confirmed today that countries of the Persian Gulf are negotiating with Russia the purchase of S-300 missile air defense systems and Su-35 fighters. According to the executive, not only did Moscow sign a contract with Iran for the supply of anti-aircraft systems, but it is already in force.
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11/10/2015
“We intervened in Syria… yesterday evening with a strike on an oil supply center near Deir Ezzor on the border between Iraq and Syria,” Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian announced today. Given the location of the strikes, it’s likely the fighters were launched from their forward location in the Kingdom of Jordan. Satellite imagery has confirmed that the French Air Force deployed its six Mirage 2000 fighters to Prince Hassan AB, Mafraq Governorate.
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11/10/2015
The Swedish Defence Materiel Administration (FMV) has awarded a SEK154m ($17.8m) contract to Saab to provide support and maintenance for Gripen aircraft. Saab signed a contract in 2012 with FMV for performance-based support and maintenance of the Gripen fighter and the new contract is an exercise of an option held under that contract.
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11/10/2015
Two FA-50 lead-in fighter trainer jets will be arriving by the end of the year as part of the Philippine Air Force’s efforts to modernize its aircraft, according to the PAF. Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado, the PAF commanding general, personally tested one of the units in a test flight last Friday in South Korea, the PAF spokesman said on Monday. “He co-piloted one of the flights… He was very excited since it flew at the speed of sound, it was a supersonic flight,” said Col. Enrico Canaya.
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11/10/2015
It’s no revelation that the Egyptian resort destination of Sharm El-Sheikh is also a well-known Israeli Mossad ‘intelligence playground’. If indeed Israeli covert operatives were somehow involved in this incident, it wouldn’t be the first time that Israel carried out a false flag attack in order to manipulate another nation into a wider war. The case of Israel’s attack on the USS Libertyis a prime example of this.
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11/10/2015
For decades the West has mocked Russia’s military as an aged, low-tech throwback to a defunct Cold War. But a new air campaign in Syria and a swath of fresh technology is turning that notion on its head.
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11/10/2015
Saudi Arabia will upgrade its US-built F-15 Eagle fighter jets, defense contractor Lockheed Martin with the sensor suite that includes Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP), LANTIRN Extended Range (ER) navigation pods and Infrared Search and Track (IRST) systems.
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11/10/2015
Russia’s state technologies corporation Rostec head Sergey Chemezov said that the United Arab Emirates, Indonesia and Brazil are interested in the purchase of Sukhoi Su-35 jet fighters.
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11/10/2015
According to the head of Russia’s state technologies corporation Rostec, Saudi Arabia is interested in acquiring Russia’s S-400 missile defense systems.
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11/09/2015
Chinese airframer AVIC has delivered a shock at Dubai by revealing a surprising level of detail about its proposed FC-31 Gyrfalcon fifth-generation multi-role fighter, even though the type has yet to secure a launch customer. The aircraft being promoted appears to be a follow-on development of the company’s J-31, a mysterious black fighter aircraft that appeared in at the flying display at Airshow China in Zhuhai last November.
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11/09/2015
Fighter aircraft from the US, UK and France dominated the aerial displays, while on the ground many more multi-million-dollar jets and helicopters were on view. Among the 160 aircraft on display at the Dubai Airshow, it is the sleek, shiny passenger aircraft of Boeing and Airbus which Gulf carriers normally order in their hundreds.
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11/09/2015
China’s deployment of the more advanced J-11BH/BHS fighter aircraft to Woody Island, revealed in photographs released via online Chinese-language media websites in late October, underscores how seriously the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) is taking its claims to the South China Sea.
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11/09/2015
The main bell in St. Isaac’s Cathedral in St. Petersburg tolled 224 times on Sunday, once for each victim of the destruction of a Russian charter flight in Egypt a week ago. Although President Vladimir V. Putin and his aides at first indignantly dismissed suspicions of a terrorist act, the Kremlin has since then clearly come to grips with the idea that a bomb was probably involved in the crash: Late Friday it suspended all travel by Russians to Egypt.
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11/09/2015
There is probably no air force in modern history that deserves more credit for innovation and adaptive skills than the Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF). For more than 35 years the Iranian force has struggled to maintain a fleet of aging American-made equipment, acquired under the reign of the former Shah of Iran.
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11/09/2015
Italy’s air force appears set to join an elite group of services capable of fighting their way into hostile territory by using combat aircraft carrying active jamming technology. Elettronica chief executive Enzo Benigni welcomed Italian defence minister Roberta Pinotti to the company’s stand on the opening day of the show, before announcing that a teaming agreement has been signed to work on an escort jammer pod.
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11/09/2015
After almost two years of negotiations and endless speculations surrounding the question of what fighter jet Argentina would go for, Argentine media report that a decision has been made to purchase the IAI Kfir jets to replace the South American Air Force’s 14 Mirages 3. According to the report, in Interdefensa Militar Argentina, the decision is currently awaiting final approval from the Cabinet.
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11/09/2015
The Syrian armed forces have repelled an attack of Islamic State (ISIL) militants on an airbase near the eastern city of Deir ez-Zor, destroying 58 jihadists, local media said early Monday.
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11/09/2015
Russia is holding talks with Egypt on the delivery of Antey-2500 anti-ballistic missile system and Buk surface-to-air missile system, Russia’s state technologies corporation Rostec head Sergey Chemezov said Sunday.
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11/08/2015
Boeing and Lockheed Martin formally challenged the selection of Northrop Grumman to build a heavy bomber valued at up to $80 billion, calling the process “fundamentally flawed.” Boeing believes its “game-changing” innovations were ignored in the Pentagon’s calculations.
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11/08/2015
As the United States prepares to intensify airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria, the Arab allies who with great fanfare sent warplanes on the initial missions there a year ago have largely vanished from the campaign.
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11/08/2015
Five years after Britain’s dire finances triggered a Strategic Defense and Security Review (SDSR) that axed capabilities, force numbers, readiness and ambition, the government gets to have another go at setting out its military priorities in the next few weeks when it wheels out the new version of the review.
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11/08/2015
France's planned acquisition of four C-130 Hercules for €330 million (US $361 million) has fueled a debate between the armed forces and procurement officials over buying the US airlifter, while Airbus scrambles to develop a competing offer, defense executive and analyst sources said. Later this month, France expects to receive a US letter of acceptance setting out the price of four Lockheed Martin C-130Js, a defense specialist said.
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11/08/2015
One of three Airbus Defence & Space-modified widebodies operated by the service, the aircraft is equipped with under-wing hose-and-drogue refuelling pods, which support operations with the Dassault Mirage 2000. It also has an advanced refuelling boom system, cleared to support other MRTTs – and crucially the UAE’s Lockheed Martin F-16E/Fs. These have been used in an offensive role as part of the international campaign to tackle Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria.
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11/08/2015
The US Air Force has deployed air superiority planes near Syria. Six F-15C Eagle jets, belonging to the 493rd Fighter Squadron of the 48th Fighter Wing, from RAF Lakenheath, UK, have just deployed to Incirlik airbase, in Turkey. According to the US Air Force, the air planes were moved close to Syria “in a demonstration of the United States unwavering support for Turkish sovereignty and the collective security of the region.”
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11/08/2015
Lockheed Martin has closed its acquisition of Sikorsky Aircraft, a world leader in military and commercial rotary-wing aircraft. Aligned under the Lockheed Martin Mission Systems and Training (MST) business segment, Sikorsky Aircraft is now known as Sikorsky, a Lockheed Martin company.
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11/08/2015
The Middle East continues to be a key market for growth in both the commercial and defense aerospace sectors, according to the latest Boeing market forecasts released ahead of the Dubai Airshow which opens tomorrow. Boeing will showcase a range of products and services at the show, including flydubai’s Next-Generation 737-800, Qatar Airways’ 25th 787 Dreamliner, the Maritime Surveillance Aircraft, the U.S. Navy’s P-8 Poseidon and the U.S. Marine Corps MV-22, among others.
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11/08/2015
The seventh Indra exercises will take place in India's northern Mahajan firing range until November 20 with the focus on the so-called Counter-Terrorism Operations in Desert Terrain under a United Nations Mandate, according to a press release of the Indian Defense Ministry.
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11/06/2015
NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg attends a press conference after the NATO military demonstration in Zaragoza, Spain, Wednesday Nov. 4, 2015. NATO is putting on its most fearsome display of military might in over a decade with soldiers, ships and planes meant to hone and test its abilities as well as send an unequivocal sign to Russia and other real or potential foes.
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11/06/2015
Canada’s new minister of National Defence is still a serving member of the Canadian Forces, putting him in the unusual position of theoretically having to take orders from generals who are supposed to answer to him. Harjit Sajjan, a lieutenant colonel in the army reserves, is trying to obtain his release from the Canadian Forces but at this point is still a member of the military.
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11/06/2015
Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko has announced plans to acquire new weapons and military gear to boost the country’s deterrence capability. The acquisitions will include new Polonez long-range multiple launch rocket systems fitted with a 200-kilometer strike range, to be delivered in the years 2016-2017.
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11/06/2015
France will deploy its only aircraft carrier to support military operations to combat the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq, French President Francois Hollande said Thursday. In a statement by the French presidency following a meeting of its defense cabinet, the government said the Charles de Gaulle warship would be sent to the eastern Mediterranean for operations against Isis in both Syria and Iraq.
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11/06/2015
The U.S. Air Force is developing a new bomber that promises to secure the U.S. advantage in modern warfare. The next-generation long-range strike bomber, recently awarded to Northrop Grumman Corp. for development, will not be designed to rely on as yet undeveloped technologies, as is so often the case with new aircraft and weaponry.
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11/06/2015
Ultra advanced stealth, fighter jet speed … and now the military’s F-35 has a new weapon.
The F-35 Lightning II is a truly fifth-generation fighter jet. This advanced powerful single-seat and single-engine fighter is designed to be capable of a range of missions with just one aircraft.
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11/06/2015
Russia has sent missile systems to Syria to avert the hijacking of their combat aircraft, said a top commander. The "Islamic State" has reiterated claims it downed a Russian civilian plane as retribution for airstrikes.
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11/06/2015
Twenty-three Russian arms and aircraft makers will display hundreds of military weapons and hardware at the upcoming Dubai Airshow, the Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation (FSMTC) said Thursday.
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11/06/2015
The first photographic evidence of an Iranian Air Force plane that brought Iraqi Shiite volunteer fighters to Syria to fight against ISIL terrorists has appeared on the Internet. A picture posted on the Instagram account of the Iranian group Holy Defense shows an Iraqi soldier standing in front of an Iranian C-130 Hercules military transport aircraft supposedly in Syria.
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11/05/2015
Much has been said about the legal and geopolitical aspects of Chinese land reclamation in the South China Sea, but U.S. PACOM Commander Admiral Harry Harris’s Congressional testimony last month gave a closer look at specific U.S. military concerns posed by China’s artificial islands. Harris detailed the military utility of deep water port facilities and 3,000 meter runways on three newly built Chinese islands.
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11/05/2015
Evidence now suggests that a bomb planted by the Islamic State militant group is the likely cause of last weekend's crash of a Russian airliner over Egypt's Sinai peninsula, U.S. and European security sources said on Wednesday. Islamic State, which controls swathes of Iraq and Syria and is battling the Egyptian army in the Sinai Peninsula, said again on Wednesday it brought down the airplane, adding it would eventually tell the world how it carried out the attack.
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11/05/2015
The battle over who will build the U.S. Air Force’s next-generation stealth bomber came to a close last week, but a new conflict is already developing at the Pentagon. A defense budget passed Friday has Congress and military planners seeking $5 billion in defense cuts, as the Air Force prepares to squeeze another costly development program into a Pentagon budget already packed with big-ticket weapons buys.
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11/05/2015
The last flying Vulcan bomber might have performed an illegal roll in the weeks leading up to its final flight, it was claimed today. Footage is being investigated by the Civil Aviation Authority to establish whether the much-loved Cold War aircraft - XH558 - performed the manoeuvre during a recent flight.
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11/05/2015
It has so far cost over $3.5bn, and is eight years late. Hailed as the most expensive weapon in history, the controversial F-35 stealth fighter jet is undergoing rigorous testing at California's Edwards Air Force Base. Now, researchers have revealed the hugely delayed and over budget project has finally fired its first shots in the air.
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11/05/2015
DEADLY games of chicken are once again playing out in the skies above Europe and the South China Sea. Combat planes from Russia, China and the United States are all out to prove a point. But a declassified video reveals how horribly wrong things can go. In recent months, footage of fully armed Russian and Chinese aircraft passing dangerously close to US and European counterparts have breathed a fresh chill into a Cold War long thought over.
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11/05/2015
The US Department of State has approved the sale of up to 200 Hellfire air-to-ground (AGM) missiles to France, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a news release on Wednesday. "The government of France has requested a possible sale of two-hundred (200) AGM-114K1A Hellfire Missiles; Hellfire Missile conversion kits; blast fragmentation sleeves and installation kits; containers; and transportation," the release stated. "[T]he total estimated cost is $30 million."
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11/05/2015
Several Southeast Asian nations, including Thailand, Vietnam and Indonesia, have shown interest in buying Russian-Indian supersonic BrahMos cruise missiles, a spokesman for the manufacturer said Wednesday.
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11/04/2015
The Russian and U.S. air forces held a joint training exercise in Syria on Tuesday, Russian news agencies reported, citing a general with Russia's armed forces, while the U.S. downplayed the report, saying event was merely a test of safety protocols. Russian and U.S. air forces held a joint training exercise in Syria on Tuesday meant to prevent dangerous encounters between their aircraft, Russia's defense ministry said.
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11/04/2015
Republicans and Democrats announced agreement Tuesday on a revised version of the massive defense policy bill to align it with the new budget agreement the president has signed into law. Among other things, the deal retains provisions in the vetoed 2016 defense authorization bill that block for a year the Air Force’s plan to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II close air-support jet — a mainstay of operations at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base.
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11/04/2015
In 2009, Boeing had an idea. Instead of developing an entirely new fighter for a market already dominated by the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, it would update an already existing fighter with the latest in technology. Even better, it would be low observable—a step below stealthy planes such the F-35 and F-22 Raptor.
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11/04/2015
Russia’s air campaign in Syria has demonstrated that the Voyenno-Vozdushnye Sily has made great strides toward recovery since its near collapse in the mid-1990s. However, while the Russian air force is receiving much needed new hardware, the service’s modernization plans could create some challenges in the years to come.
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11/04/2015
Israeli and Jordanian pilots are reported to have trained together at a US-hosted air force exercise this past summer, an American official told Reuters on Tuesday. Israel's Defense Minister Moshe Ya’alon also vaguely confirmed the rare acknowledgment of military cooperation between Israel and it's Arab neighbor in a speech on Tuesday saying that Israeli pilots trained with unspecified Arab pilots in July's "Red Flag" exercise.
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11/04/2015
A collaboration contract for joint work and delivery of 154 Perspective Multirole Fighter (PMF), the derivative Indian version of the PAK FA T-50 fifth generation fighter jet, is expected to finally be signed during the Indo-Russian summit this December, The Financial Express reports.
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11/04/2015
Russia's military intervention in Syria in support of the regime of Bashar al-Assad has made US operations in the country more complicated. Although both countries are purportedly fighting ISIS, their larger strategies are at cross-purposes in Syria, where the US advocates a political transition in which Assad eventually steps down.
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11/04/2015
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) completed more than 27,000 hours of simulated flight time on an F-16C Block 50 aircraft and is now analyzing the data to determine the durability of the aircraft beyond its original design service life of 8,000 hours.
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11/04/2015
Lockheed Martin has received the final regulatory approval needed to close its acquisition of Sikorsky Aircraft, a world leader in military and commercial rotary-wing aircraft, from United Technologies Corp. The completion of the regulatory review by the Ministry of Commerce of the People’s Republic of China marks the end of a successful and comprehensive regulatory review process in eight jurisdictions.
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11/04/2015
Recent tests have proven that the 'President-S' electronic warfare defense system has been successful in protecting Russian helicopters from enemy attacks.
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11/03/2015
Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula was long known for its stunning desert treks and pristine diving. But in recent years, the territory has gained a reputation for its violence and militancy. Some of the same arid landscapes that drew tourists for desert safaris are now lawless badlands stalked by dangerous militant groups linked to al-Qaeda and the Islamic State.
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11/03/2015
Airbus is seeking ways to allow the A400M to refuel helicopters and airdrop paratroopers on both sides of the fuselage, two capabilities seen as key for the military transport, said Fernando Alonso, head of military aircraft. The plane is a “fantastic platform,” but Airbus Defense & Space knows air forces of the client nations are “very frustrated” and eager to have the capabilities fitted, Alonso told journalists Oct. 26.
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11/03/2015
A modernised RAAF equipped with new combat aircraft will easily overmatch credible regional adversaries and could even take on a great power threatening Australia, a new study says. The Australian Strategic Policy Institute says the RAAF is updating almost its entire aircraft fleet, from basic trainers through to frontline combat aircraft.
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11/03/2015
In an attempt to outdo its archrival Pakistan, which has offered its JF-17 fighter jet, India is trying to sell the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft to Sri Lanka, the Sunday Observer reports. The Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) is looking to procure 18 to 24 new fighter aircraft to replace its obsolete fleet of Chinese license-built MIG-21 by 2017, although there have been debates within the country about whether the SLAF is in genuine need of a next-generation fighter aircraft.
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11/03/2015
One of Britain’s most promising space plane technology companies has just secured investment for what may mark a turning point for the future of air transportation: a non-expendable unmanned hypersonic aircraft capable of operating in space at 25 times the speed of sound.
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11/03/2015
Director general of Russia's state arms exporter Rosoboronexport said that Russia has been supplying Iran with air defense systems and several types of radio electronics, while continuing negotiations on military-technical cooperation.
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11/03/2015
Last year, aircraft manufacturer Sikorsky announced its intention to develop a brand new version of the UH-60A, also known as the Black Hawk helicopter. The goal: To make the aircraft fully functional without the need of a pilot. Last week, the company took a major step toward that goal. Conducting tests at Sikorsky’s Aircraft Development Flight Center, an autonomous Black Hawk successfully delivered an amphibious all-terrain vehicle.
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11/03/2015
Although the conflicting sides aren't ready for an all-out war against each other, any incident might potentially lead to a military escalation. Last week, the USS Lassen, a US Navy missile destroyer, sailed through the disputed waters in the South China Sea in an attempt to challenge Chinese territorial claims. China strongly criticized the action and immediately issued a statement saying that it would take all necessary measures to safeguard its sovereignty and security.
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11/03/2015
A US surveillance satellite detected a heat flash over the Sinai Peninsula at the same time the Russian Kogalymavia airliner crashed on Saturday killing all 224 people on board, according to media reports. The satellite’s evidence does not support the theory that the airliner was shot down by a surface-to-air missile, NBC News reported on Monday evening.
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11/02/2015
Four US-made F-16 fighter jets joined the Egyptian Air Force as part of Egyptian-American military cooperation. Commander of the Air Force Younes Al Masry said the Egyptian Air Force fighters are in war with terrorism to protect the Egyptian borders as part of the Egyptian national security.
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11/02/2015
Disputes over territory in the South China Sea are causing countries in the region to increase their demand for an American security presence, the United States defence chief said yesterday. “The attention to disputed claims in the South China Sea, the prominence of those disputes, is having the effect of causing many countries in the region to want to intensify their security cooperation with the United States,” US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told reporters during his trip to South Korea.
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11/02/2015
air strikes by Turkish and US aircraft in Syria on Saturday killed more than 50 Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) militants and wounded around 30, Turkish media said on Sunday. A senior government official told Reuters on Saturday that Turkish jets had bombed ISIL targets in Syria, as before Turks prepared to vote in Sunday's parliamentary election.
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11/02/2015
Fearful of a possible military intervention by Moscow, Eastern European NATO member states are resisting acquiring new equipment from Russia and scrapping their cooperation with Russian defense manufacturers to service their existing gear. In Slovakia, the Defence Ministry is planning to replace a large portion of its Warsaw Pact-era military equipment with new gear, preferably purchased from other NATO member states, local analysts said.
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11/02/2015
In the wake of a Russian passenger plane crash that killed all 224 people on board, several major airlines announced they will avoid the area where the tragedy occurred, as details of the crash grew murkier. Air France, Lufthansa and Emirates all said they will no longer fly over the area in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula, where a Metrojet plane reportedly snapped in half while traveling from Sharm el-Sheikh to St. Petersburg Saturday.
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11/02/2015
The White House announced last week that it will dispatch no more than 50 U.S. military advisers to Syria to help rebels battle the Islamic State militants. Here are answers to some key questions surrounding the developments.
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11/02/2015
With prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau sticking by his campaign promise to end Canada’s bombing mission against ISIS in Iraq and Syria, the usual warmongers and fear mongers have stepped up their game. Desperate to keep Canada’s military in a fighting war — any war — the retired Colonel Blimps brigade has been furiously penning editorials arguing why Trudeau must stay the course and keep on bombing.
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11/02/2015
China’s military conducted aerial and maritime drills this past week, its official news portal said, just days after a U.S. warship sailed through disputed waters in the South China Sea in a direct challenge to Beijing’s territorial claims.
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11/02/2015
Canadian, US military experts will fly over the territory of Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on November 2-6, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced.
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11/01/2015
After two F-14As from VF-41 Black Aces shot down two Su-22 Fitters on Aug. 19, 1981, the Tomcat faced again LARAF (Libyan Arab Republic Air Force) fighters on Jan. 4, 1989, when two jets from VF-32 Swordsmen shot down a pair of MiG-23 Floggers. In the following video you can see, for the very first time, the whole dogfight, including previously unreleased (at least not available on the Web) footage.
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11/01/2015
Gen. Carlton "Dewey" Everhart, Air Mobility Command commander, delivered the final keynote address of the 2015 AMC and Airlift/Tanker Association Symposium on Oct. 31, addressing more than 1,500 Mobility Airmen and civilian partners in attendance. This was Everhart's first opportunity to engage such a large crowd of mobility experts in one location on the past, present and future state of global mobility operations.
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11/01/2015
Two Russian anti-submarine planes flew close to a US aircraft carrier in the Pacific, prompting four F-18 combat jet to be scrambled to escort them away, according to a US Navy official. The jets were launched from the USS Ronald Reagan on Tuesday after two Russian anti-submarine TU-142 “Bear” aircraft flew past the warship at a distance of one nautical mile, the official told Reuters on Thursday.
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11/01/2015
The biggest factors that stem from the sudden Russian deployment of air and ground forces to Syria are several fold. Firstly, it does highlight a major failure of intelligence – and even if it wasn’t the intelligence, then it was failure in interpretation of the data, a serious degree of wishful thinking. Second, it highlights the fact that many/most western armed forces have taken a “capability holiday” from high intensity threats over the past decade and more.
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11/01/2015
The crash of a Russian jetliner in the Sinai Peninsula once again raises concerns about planes flying near combat zones, which have been a growing worry for aviation regulators. U.S. aviation officials earlier this year warned airlines and pilots not to traverse the area of the Sinai Peninsula below 26,000 feet out of concerns that ground fire could put planes at risk.
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11/01/2015
For much of the last decade, workers at Boeing's aircraft manufacturing plant in St. Louis, Missouri, continued in the aviation company's long tradition of churning out quality major defense items for a steady stream of customers at home and abroad. According to the labor union chief for many Boeing employees there, the last thing on the workers' minds was the possibility of being laid off.
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11/01/2015
The air war over Syria has seen the combat debut of some of the most advanced warplanes from around the world. No less than three new fighter types from the United States and Russia have dropped weapons in anger for the first time. But those new jets are accompanied by their older stablemates, which are often the mainstays of the war on both sides.
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11/01/2015
Ever since ISIL got the world's attention in 2014 by swallowing large chunks of Iraq and Syria, US politicians have been asking themselves the rhetorical question of whether the terror group would have been able to rise if US forces never left Iraq. The National Interest contributor Daniel L. Davis explains why it would have made little difference.
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11/01/2015
Representatives from Syrian opposition groups, as well as officials from the government of Syrian President Bashar Assad will take part in future talks on settling a conflict in the country, US State Department spokesperson John Kirby said in a briefing on Friday.
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10/31/2015
When Buzz Aldrin arrived in Australia in October 1969 on a world tour with fellow Apollo 11 astronauts Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins, the three intrepid space explorers agreed on one thing: the girls in Perth had the shortest miniskirts they had seen.
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10/31/2015
The J-31 "Falcon Hawk" stealth fighter being developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation could eventually be paired with the J-15 on the Liaoning, China's first and so far only aircraft carrier, reports Duowei News, a US-based Chinese political news outlet. The J-31 with its new vertical tail design recently went on display at the 16th China Aviation Expo in Beijing.
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10/31/2015
OTTAWA - Incoming Prime Minister Justin Trudeau will consult with President Barack Obama before restarting a process to replace Canada's aging fleet of combat jets, in a bid to head off damage to relations between the two countries, according to an official familiar with the plans.
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10/31/2015
On Wednesday, many watched in amazement as a "blimp" broke loose from its mooring outside Aberdeen, Maryland. Dragging a 6,000-foot steel mooring cable -- which caused local power outages as it made contact with power lines -- and escorted by circling F-16s aircraft that cleared civilian aircraft flight paths, the balloon finally deflated and came to rest 100 miles north in a wooded area near Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania.
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10/31/2015
The 50 or so U.S. Special Operations Forces being sent to northeast Syria will not be advising Syrian rebels on the front lines engaging in combat or conducting special operations raids, a Defense Department official said today. Instead they will work at a rebel headquarters far from enemy lines to see what more help the U.S. can provide them in the fight against ISIS.
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10/31/2015
Indonesia is currently in the process of updating a part of its eclectic mix of military aircraft. The three platforms which represent Jakarta’s most formidable airborne capability are the U.S. General Dynamics (GD) F-16, Russian Sukhoi-27, and Sukhoi-30MK. The Indonesian Air Force (TNI-AU) reflects the country’s recent history international relations, operating a mixed bag of Russian, U.S., Brazilian, and European aircraft.
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10/31/2015
Coming shifts in the U.S. military's footprint in Europe will include sending warplanes and support troops into Turkey to help fight Islamic State militants and moving more heavy Army equipment into Eastern Europe to deter Russian aggression, the top U.S. commander in the region said Friday.
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10/31/2015
The 4th Air Force and Air Defense Forces Command of Russia's Southern Military District has received more than 10 new aircraft and helicopters, the Defense Ministry said in a statement issued on Friday.
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10/31/2015
Russia's Baltic Sea Fleet Naval Aviation carried out air combat exercises during night flights, the Defense Ministry said in a statement released on Friday. "Within the unannounced combat readiness inspection of the air defense and naval aviation formations of the Baltic Fleet in the Kaliningrad Region, crews of Su-27 fighters and Su-24M bombers performed night training flights," the statement reads.
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10/31/2015
Last month, Maduro announced that Venezuela would purchase at least 12 Sukhoi fighter jets from Russia. "The president [Nicolas Maduro] just authorized [the payment] of $480 million so that the service life of our Sukhoi planes… so they could continue to fulfill or give protection to the Venezuelan airspace," the minister said on Thursday.
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10/30/2015
Several military commanders from Libya’s self-styled government in Tripoli have been killed after their helicopter was shot down by another of the country’s armed factions, triggering clashes west of the capital. Libya is caught up in a conflict between that government and a second, internationally recognised one in the east, and the shooting comes as the UN pursues fragile negotiations between them to form a unity administration.
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10/30/2015
China on Thursday called on Japan to stop "hampering" flights by Chinese military aircraft, after Japan said its scrambled fighter jets to prevent possible incursions by Chinese planes a record high number of times in the summer. Japan jets scrambled 117 times from July to September, up from 103 in the same period of last year, although it was lower than the all-time high of 164 times recorded in the final quarter of 2014.
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10/30/2015
The Republic of China Army is currently investigating the grounding of the majority of its AH-64E Apache “Guardian” attack helicopters purchased from the United States, Taipei Times reports. The aircraft’s manufacturer Boeing has also dispatched a special task force to help identify the cause of the technical difficulties, which could be due to Taiwan’s “wet and high humidity climate.
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10/30/2015
No sooner did Tyndall’s F-22 Raptors return from a successful mission in Europe, they took off again for an exercise in the Mardi Gras City. Over the past two weeks, 220 Tyndall Airmen participated in exercise Southern Strike at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base, Belle Chasse, La., just outside of New Orleans. The mock deployment gave F-22 pilots the chance to fly with F-15 Eagles, F-16 Fighting Falcons, F-18 Hornets, T-38 Talons, F-35 Lightning II’s and B-1 Lancer’s.
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10/30/2015
Ahead of the visit of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar to Russia tomorrow, the decks have been cleared for the acquisition of what is widely considered the world's most advanced anti-ballistic missile system - the S-400.
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10/30/2015
Defence giant BAE Systems is unlikely to sell more Typhoon jets to Saudia Arabia because of political tensions with the UK, according to Credit Suisse. The impact of not landing a deal to sell more to the supersonic fighters has resulted in the broker downgrading the FTSE 100 business from “outperform” to “neutral” and cutting its target price from 590p to 460p.
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10/30/2015
AN Australian air force tanker jet has come to the rescue of a US F/A-18 Hornet experiencing difficulties over northern Iraq. The RAAF KC-30A tanker was diverted to refuel the United States Marine Corps fighter after it experienced engine troubles during a combat mission against the Islamic State.
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10/30/2015
While the Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker series was originally developed in the Soviet Union to counter the American F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter, the design has evolved beyond what its designers might have imagined. Variations of the Flanker are not just built in Russia; China has its own knock-offs.
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10/30/2015
Cubic Global Defense (CGD), a business unit of Cubic Corporation (NYSE: CUB), today announced the completion of its first live flight demonstration of the Cubic Miniature Encryptor (CME) in Lakeland, Florida with partner Draken International, operator of the largest privately-owned fleet of ex-military aircraft.
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10/30/2015
Russian bombers came within one nautical mile of the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Ronald Reagan earlier this week off Korea, prompting the nuclear-powered vessel to scramble fighter jets, a 7th Fleet spokeswoman told Stars and Stripes Thursday. The giant Tupolev bomber aircraft, also known as the Bear, flew as low as 500 feet as it approached the Reagan, which had been conducting scheduled maneuvers with the South Korean navy.
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10/29/2015
China appears to have started testing a new “indigenous” combat aircraft derived from the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 Flanker family. The aircraft would be the latest in a series of Chinese fighters that are unlicensed copies of Russian jets. If a photo—posted on the Chinese internet site Weibo yesterday—is genuine, the new Chinese aircraft appears to be similar in concept to the Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback.
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10/29/2015
Canadian military aircraft continue to fly missions in Iraq and Syria and have bombed Islamic State forces on at least three separate occasions since the federal election, despite the fact prime minister-designate Justin Trudeau wants to end the combat mission.
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10/29/2015
Iraq’s government has told the United States that it will not permit Russian military forces to conduct air and missile strikes inside the country. But Baghdad is allowing Russian military aircraft to overfly its territory to resupply its forces, despite a request from the United States to deny the flights.
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10/29/2015
Modernising its airforce at a rapid pace, China has introduced a third-generation supersonic trainer aircraft to its military flight schools to shorten pilots' training time and prepare them for advanced fighter jets. People's Liberation Army Air Force Aviation University deployed an undisclosed number of JL-9 Mountain Eagle two-seater trainer jets this month and has started to use them to train students, PLA Air Force's Daily, the official organ of the Chinese military, reported.
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10/29/2015
Northrop Grumman won the U.S. Air Force’s Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) contract, beating out a joint bid by Lockheed Martin and Boeing. Under the contract, which may exceed $55 billion over its lifetime, Northrop will build the Air Forces’ next-generation stealth bomber, greatly bolstering the company’s position as a defense aircraft manufacturer, while throwing doubt over Boeing’s position.
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10/29/2015
Turkey will provide 34 T-37 aircraft and their spare parts to Pakistan free of cost under a landmark defence cooperation agreement signed between the two countries in Ankara on Wednesday. Turkish defence ministry spokesman Narita Farhan told media that the T-37 is a jet trainer light combat aircraft and Turkey, on Pakistan’s desire, extended a fleet of 34 aircraft along with spare parts to Pakistan.
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10/29/2015
Lockheed Martin received a $76 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for follow-on production of PavewayTM II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) kits. The contract represents the majority share of fiscal year 2015 funding, as well as 100 percent of available funding for Foreign Military Sales. Deliveries will begin in the second quarter of 2016 and include the guidance and tail assemblies for GBU-10 and GBU-12 LGBs.
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10/29/2015
The United States is inviting its European partners to relocate military forces to the Incirlik air base in Turkey to bolster anti-Islamic State operations in Syria, US head of the Global Anti-ISIL Coalition Gen. John Allen said on Wednesday.
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10/29/2015
A French warship docked in a Chinese port Tuesday to start an extended visit to China's naval fleet in the South China Sea, where disputed territorial claims have ignited a row between Beijing and Washington.
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10/28/2015
Historically, China has been a great innovator contributing inventions such as gunpowder, paper and the compass to human advancement. However, China has earned an international reputation in recent decades as being the home of a prolific copycat culture.
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10/28/2015
In New Delhi on September 23, decades of friction came to an end when key stakeholders in the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) finally agreed on the specifications of a fighter that would join the Indian Air Force (IAF) in large numbers, starting in 2018-19.
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10/28/2015
Ten Air National Guard A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and hundreds of airmen supporting them are back in Michigan after a six-month deployment flying missions against Islamic State group targets in Iraq and Syria. The pilots and their combat jets were part of the largest and longest mass deployment from Selfridge Air National Guard Base since the Korean War, guard officials said in a statement.
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10/28/2015
Signaling a possible escalation of U.S. military action in the Middle East, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said Tuesday that the United States is retooling its strategy in Iraq and Syria and would conduct unilateral ground raids if needed to target Islamic State militants.
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10/28/2015
Four times a week, a fighter jet from California lifts off from Joint Base Lewis-McChord for a rendezvous in the Northwest skies with one of the military’s newest machines. It’s a noticeable new routine at JBLM that’s meant to help the Air Force test its KC-46 tanker, a jet built by Boeing in King County to replace a third of the military’s aging fleet of Cold War-era refueling aircraft.
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10/28/2015
Northrop Grumman has won the contract to build the US Air Force’s next-generation Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), an industry-shaping deal that breathes new life into the world's sixth-largest defense company. After US financial markets closed Tuesday evening, Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Air Force leadership announced that Northrop beat out the team of Boeing and Lockheed Martin for the contract,
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10/28/2015
The Boeing and Lockheed Martin team is disappointed by today’s announcement. We will have further discussions with our customer before determining our next steps. We are interested in knowing how the competition was scored in terms of price and risk, as we believe that the combination of Boeing and Lockheed Martin offers unparalleled experience, capability and resources for this critically important recapitalization program.
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10/28/2015
According to US State Department Bureau of East Asian and Pacific Affairs (EAP) spokesperson Katrina Adams comments on the US-China contacts after China summoned the US Ambassador over the South China Sea patrol.
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10/28/2015
The US Navy did send its destroyer within the 12-mile limit of a disputed island in the South China Sea and it will carry out more operations of the same kind in coming months, Defense Secretary Ashton Carter told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Tuesday.
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10/28/2015
Beijing will take measures to strengthen its national security after a US destroyer sailed through disputed territorial waters in the South China Sea, Chinese Defense Ministry spokesman Yang Yujun said in a statement Tuesday.
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10/27/2015
The first batch of women officers will start piloting fighter jets by mid-2017. Even though women officers have been flying transport aircraft and helicopters for many years, this goes a step further.
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10/27/2015
The United States on Monday sent a guided-missile destroyer to challenge 12-nautical-mile territorial limits that China claims around artificial islands it built in the South China Sea. A U.S. defense official said the USS Lassen was nearing Subi and Mischief reefs in the Spratly archipelago, features that were submerged at high tide before China began a massive dredging project to turn them into islands in 2014.
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10/27/2015
Russia conducted firing drills in the Barents Sea near Norway Monday, testing a missile amid speculation that the country's only aircraft carrier could be preparing to travel to Syria to fight the Islamic State group. The spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry’s Northern Fleet told the Russian News Agency TASS that the drill on carrier Admiral Kuznetsov was part of a combat readiness check that also included an examination of its radio equipment.
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10/27/2015
The Russian air force has carried air strikes against Islamic State extremist forces in Syria for nearly a month. The air combat situation in the Middle East is growing more complex, since the United States and Russia have not reached a consensus on intelligence-sharing. Both sides have expressed concerns over the risk of US and Russian military aircraft colliding or fighting against each other. They are exploring how to evade such incidents.
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10/27/2015
In the courtyard of an apartment building in the town of Gori in ex-Soviet Georgia is a clue to whether Russia's air strikes on targets in Syria are as accurate as the Kremlin would like the rest of the world to believe.
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10/27/2015
They’re huge. They’re mighty. They’re mega-expensive. Aircraft carriers represent the height of military might. But the argument that they have had their day is gaining strength.
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10/27/2015
Beating out its main European competitor Airbus, Boeing has secured the first oversea sale of its new KC-46 Pegasus tanker aircraft Kyodo News reports. Japan’s Defense Minister, Gen Nakatani, confirmed the deal at a news conference last Friday noting that “with more aerial tankers, our aerial defense capability will be reinforced.”
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10/27/2015
Lockheed Martin delivered the 31st C-5M Super Galaxy to the U. S. Air Force on Oct. 23. A crew from the 22nd Airlift Squadron at Travis Air Force Base, Travis Air Force Base, California, ferried the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin facility here to Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York, where it will undergo internal paint restoration.
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10/27/2015
The Russian Air Force in Syria left many Western military experts surprised, as they didn’t expect that Russia had the capacity to carry out military operations with such efficiency, the Washington-based Brookings Institution said.
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10/27/2015
During the upcoming annual Indo-Russian summit, an agreement is expected to be inked on the delivery of Sukhoi T-50 (PAK FA) fighter jets to India under the joint FGFA initiative, The Financial Express reported citing a senior military official.
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10/26/2015
Are we heading for a new Cold War in the Mediterranean and Black seas? Russia's military intervention in Syria has suggested this scenario, along with its growing display of warships and submarines around the Mediterranean, in the Black Sea and at the Syrian port of Latakia (28 miles from Turkish border) — a main "homeport" of the Russian Navy.
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10/26/2015
Once the dust settles on Justin Trudeau’s historic election victory, it will be time for the Liberal party to roll up its sleeves and set to work bringing about all that “real change” they have promised Canadians. Focusing purely on defence issues, Trudeau vowed during the campaign that one of his first priorities would be to end the Royal Canadian Air Force commitment in the allied air campaign against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
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10/26/2015
India has offered to Sri Lanka its Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to counter Pakistan’s earlier bid to sell to the island nation its JF-17 fighters developed in collaboration with China, the Colombo-based Sunday Observer says. Independent sources confirmed to Express that both Pakistan and India have made their respective offers in the light of the Sri Lanka Air Force’s bid to replace its ageing Israeli Kfirs and MIG 27s.
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10/26/2015
The United States and its allies have been bombing ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria for more than a year now and all we've seen of it is a handful of videos released by the Pentagon. So 60 Minutes asked for permission to witness the air campaign first hand. And we were allowed into the war's $60 million command center located in the Persian Gulf country of Qatar.
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10/26/2015
The Indian Air Force (IAF), after years of opposing the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA), now accepts it is on track to be a world-class light fighter. The specifications of the new Tejas - termed Standard of Preparation-2018 (SoP-18) - were agreed in New Delhi on September 23, between the air force and the Tejas' designers and manufacturers. One hundred SoP-18 Tejas fighters will join the IAF, starting 2018-19.
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10/26/2015
Russian warplanes sent to Syria to back the regime of Bashar Assad are breaking down at a rapid rate that appears to be affecting their ability to strike targets, according to a senior Defense official. Nearly one-third of Russian attack planes and half of its transport aircraft are grounded at any time as the harsh, desert conditions take a toll on equipment and crews, said the official who was not authorized to speak publicly about sensitive intelligence matters.
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10/26/2015
The US government has opposed South Korea’s plans to export T-50 Golden Eagle supersonic training jets to Uzbekistan as it fears a possible leakage of technology to Russia, the Korea Times newspaper reported citing a military source on Sunday.
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10/26/2015
Russian soldiers in Syria live in neat housing units, eat in a clean canteen and wear crisp new uniforms, AP journalists reported after visiting the Hemeimeem Airbase in Latakia.
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10/26/2015
China began testing on a new type of helium stratospheric airship. The Yuanmeng aircraft can reach a height of 100 kilometers and conduct reconnaissance without being seen by other aircraft or rockets.
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10/25/2015
Dassault Aviation Chairman Eric Trappier said Thursday he had written a letter of congratulations to Justin Trudeau, the newly elected Canadian prime minister, and pitched an offer of the Rafale fighter if Ottawa pulled out of the US F-35 program. “We have to wait and see what he decides now he is in office,” Trappier told the association of aerospace journalists. “I wrote a letter to congratulate him and to remind him that if the F-35 were canceled, the Rafale would be potentially proposed."
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10/25/2015
About 500 airmen from Selfridge Air National Guard Base now are home. The majority returned Saturday. Airmen from the 127th Wing have been returning home over the past several weeks, with the largest contingency returning to Michigan this weekend, with ten jets and pilots returning on October 22. Most of the airmen and aircraft spent 6 months in Southwest Asia, supporting Operation Inherent Resolve and other missions.
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10/25/2015
Sleek combat jets loaded with precision bunker-buster bombs roar into the skies as soldiers in desert-style uniforms march past rows of neat housing at this Russian military base at one of Syria's largest airports. The air campaign in Syria, Russia's first military action outside the former Soviet Union since the war in Afghanistan, shows a revamped Russian military, which sharply differs in both capability and mindset from the old, Soviet-style force.
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10/25/2015
The induction of women as fighter pilots in the Indian Air Force was cleared on Saturday by the government in a landmark move for the armed forces, which have so far dithered over combat role for women. As per the plan, the first women pilots would be selected from the batch, which is presently undergoing flying training at the Air Force Academy.
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10/25/2015
The Russian Aerospace Forces' precise airstrikes on the Islamic State (ISIL) positions in Syria are conducted simultaneously in various regions in order to contain terrorists, Russian Defense Ministry spokesman Gen. Maj. Igor Konashenkov told RT TV channel Saturday.
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10/25/2015
According to the federal budget draft for 2016, Russian defense spending will grow 0.8 percent in comparison with 2015, and will total some 3.1 trillion rubles ($50.1 billion at the current exchange rate).
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10/24/2015
For the first time in 25 years, the U.S. Air Force is starting up five squadrons to increase its nuclear monitoring capabilities, and the units are likely to survey North Korea and Iran. The Air Force Technical Applications Center, or AFTAC, which operates under the U.S. Air Combat Command, is the "sole organization in the federal government whose mission is to detect and report technical data from foreign nuclear explosions," the Military Times reported on Thursday.
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10/24/2015
Five Apache helicopters have been removed from Johnstown National Guard hangars and reassigned to active duty Army units. The remaining 11 Apaches stationed at the John Murtha Johnstown-Cambria County Airport facility are scheduled for reassignment by May 31. President Barack Obama vetoed a bill Thursday that included an amendment to delay the May action for at least a month.
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10/24/2015
Presiding over a ceremony mourning the loss of his country’s top commander in Syria, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Deqhan vowed the total extermination of the Sunni Muslim rebels fighting to topple President Bashar Assad. “We are witnessing the start of new developments in Syria (that) will pave the way for the full annihilation of the Takfiri groups,” Deqhan declared at the Oct. 14 memorial for the late Brig. Gen. Hossein Hamadani, according to the semi-official FARS news agency.
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10/24/2015
In a significant breakthrough, India and France reached an understanding on the offsets segment of the $4.5 billion (Rs 30,000-crore) Rafale deal on 21 October under which the French agreed to invest 50 per cent of the 36-aircraft Rafale fighter deal's worth in related sectors. But the development, being cited as oxygen for the Indian Air Force, seems to have overlooked one point.
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10/24/2015
The 4th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron hosted members of the 16th Electronic Warfare Squadron from Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, during Combat Shield, Oct. 19-23. Combat Shield is an annual program aimed to provide operational combat Air Force units in Air Combat Command, a system-specific capability assessment for their aircraft’s radar warning receivers, electronic attack pods and integrated EW systems.
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10/24/2015
The first death in four years of an American service member under enemy fire in Iraq is raising questions about the nature of the U.S. commitment there and whether the administration is correct to claim that it's not engaged in a combat role.
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10/24/2015
An F18 fighter jet pilot has died after ejecting moments before the aircraft crashed near the RAF Lakenheath base in Suffolk. The crash is believed to have happened five miles north west of the airfield at around 10.30am. Cambridgeshire Constabulary confirmed officers at the scene are dealing with one fatality. The US jet was one of six returning from combat operations in the Middle East.
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10/24/2015
Technology creates new capabilities and that affect the role of some forces including that of the Israeli Air Force (IAF). While the IAF has and will have a crucial role in the task of protecting Israel’s security with some missions that it has performed solely, there is a quiet fight in the Israeli defence establishment to re-define some of the combat missions.
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10/24/2015
A recent study release by the Center for a New American Security (CNAS) claims that the United States has made a huge strategic mistake in how the Navy has composed its air wings. But what the study does not mention is probably more important than what they say.
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10/23/2015
Pentagon said a number of A-10 Thunderbolt ground attack planes are arriving in Incirlik to replace F-16 jets as part of a "regular rotation that was planned." The AFP news agency put the number of newly arriving aircraft at 12 while Pentagon spokesman Peter Cook said he does not have the exact number.
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10/23/2015
The Obama Administration is gearing up to sell eight new Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon jets to Pakistan, the New York Times reports. Those jets will add to Pakistan’s fleet of seventy-six existing “Vipers” as the type is colloquially known. Meanwhile, its arch-nemesis India’s air force shrinks by the day as planes age out and squadron are disbanded.
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10/23/2015
The Abbott government last year said it would spend an additional $12 billion to secure a fleet of 72 of the ultra-advanced ‘flying supercomputers’ — even as doubts continued to grow over its ability to meet already significantly delayed performance deadlines.
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10/23/2015
The United States is preparing to sell eight new F-16 fighter jets to Pakistan, a media report has said ahead of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's meeting with President Barack Obama today. According to a report in The New York Times, the Congress was notified just days ago about the proposed sale of the additional fighter jets, although it is not clear if the White House plans to announce the sale of the aircraft during Mr Sharif's trip.
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10/23/2015
Poland has signed a contract with Bulgaria for repairing Russian-made Mikoyan MiG-29 aircraft in service with the Bulgarian Air Force. The contract envisages the repair of six engines and temporary use of two Polish-made engines for two years. The repair of each of the engines will cost 1.023 million [$1.13 million], transport expenses will be paid by the Polish side, Tass Defense reported today.
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10/23/2015
China’s government-owned aviation industry has an expansion plan in Africa to promote sales of Chinese-made aircraft that includes an aviation training center, regional marketing offices, maintenance centers, and spare-parts warehouses, TheDiplomat reports. China says at least 80 percent of training aircraft operated by African air forces are Chinese-made and it wants to increase exports of combat aircraft, according to the report.
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10/23/2015
One member of a U.S. special operations force was killed during an overnight mission to rescue hostages held by Islamic State militants in northern Iraq, the first American to die in ground combat with the militant group, U.S. officials said on Thursday. Sixty-nine hostages were rescued in the action, which targeted an Islamic State prison around 7 kilometers north of the town of Hawija, according to the security council of the Kurdistan region, whose counterterrorism forces took part.
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10/23/2015
The U.S. Navy accepted the first MH-60R helicopter slated for Denmark from Lockheed Martin in a ceremony today at the Lockheed Martin facility in Owego, New York. "We are excited to accept this aircraft bound for Denmark," said Rear Adm. CJ Jaynes, program executive officer for air anti-submarine warfare, assault and special mission programs, which oversees the U.S. Navy's H-60 program office.
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10/23/2015
Lockheed Martin received $176.1 million in contracts from the U.S. Air Force for Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement (ATP-SE) production and upgrade kits that will convert Sniper ATPs to the ATP-SE configuration. Sniper ATP-SE has improved sensors, a two-way datalink and algorithms that increase air-to-ground, air-to-air and maritime targeting capability. Upgrade kits consist of line replaceable units that will be installed in fielded ATPs. Deliveries of pods and upgrade kits will b
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10/23/2015
Lockheed Martin successfully completed the maiden flight of the F-16V, the latest and most advanced F-16 on the market today. The October 16 flight marks the first time an F-16 has flown with Northrop Grumman’s advanced APG-83 Active Electronically Scanned Array (AESA) Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR), which will deliver a quantum leap in capability for the venerable F-16.
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10/21/2015
Behind the provocative rhetoric by American and Chinese officials over the plan of the United States to test freedom of navigation in the South China Sea after China reclaimed some 2,900 acres of land in the disputed waters, there are efforts by both countries to avoid war. Especially hostilities breaking out over unintentional incidents as tension increase in the area claimed by China, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei and Taiwan.
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10/21/2015
In 1996, when China tried to intimidate voters on Taiwan by firing missiles close to the island, U.S. President Bill Clinton swiftly sent in two aircraft-carrier battle groups. His blunt message to Beijing: back off. America was at the zenith of its power, while China was virtually defenseless at sea and in the air, so the Pentagon could afford to act with swagger. A conflict, had China been foolish enough to provoke one, would have exposed its chronic military backwardness.
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10/21/2015
The state-owned Chinese company International Aero Development Corporation (IADC) recently launched an ambitious new expansion plan in Africa, according to Defense News. This includes an aviation training center, two regional marketing offices, two maintenance and support centers, and three spare-parts warehouses to promote sales and maintenance for Chinese-made aircraft.
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10/21/2015
U.S. adversaries including China, Russia, and Iran are developing military capabilities that will allow them to compete with shrinking and aging American forces in the coming years, according to a new report. The report, authored by the American Enterprise Institute and the Foreign Policy Initiative, warns that U.S. adversaries have been bolstering their militaries and purchasing cheaper weapon systems as the United States cuts its defense budget and delays acquisition of new equipment.
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10/21/2015
US defense contractor Lockheed Martin’s prospects for selling its F-35 Lightning II stealth fighter-bomber to Canada took a serious blow when Justin Trudeau and his Liberal Party won Canada’s general election, according to media reports.
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10/21/2015
Mere hours after defeating Stephen Harper, Canadian Prime Minister-designate Justin Trudeau has told US President Obama that he will withdraw Canadian jets from Syria and Iraq.
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10/21/2015
US Department of Defense spokesperson Lt. Col. Michelle Baldanza said that members of the US-led coalition against ISIL will receive the text of the Memorandum of Understanding on deconfliction of operations in Syrian airspace.
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10/21/2015
The US military is deploying A-10 ground attack aircraft to the Incirlik airbase in Turkey, Department of Defense spokesperson Peter Cook told reporters on Tuesday. About a dozen of the planes arrived to Turkey over the weekend and are expected to fly missions against ISIL terrorists in Iraq and Syria, according to media reports.
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10/21/2015
Moscow hopes that the memorandum will concern all countries taking part in the US-led coalition's air campaign against ISIL. The US vowed to share the safety rules with all parties operating in Syria, Konashenkov added. "We believe that the signing of such a document is an important step that has practical importance."
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10/20/2015
The actions of the Russian Air Force in Syria are very effective, making it possible that soon ISIL will be capitulated and the Syrian refugees will be able to return home, according to a political analyst at George Washington University.
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10/20/2015
Foreign buyers of Russian-made military equipment will now be able to take a good look at the Sukhoi Su-34 strike fighters which have been actively engaged in the Russian-led aerial campaign targeting extremists in Syria and hailed as the best hardware Moscow can offer, military expert Igor Korotchenko told RIA Novosti.
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10/20/2015
Cairo and Paris signed a contract earlier this month for the purchase of two French-made Mistral-class helicopter carriers originally built for Russia. "Russia will be, if you want, a sub-contractor, who will supply the missing equipment without which the Mistral warships are just a tin can. And of course, all the helicopters,” Sergei Ivanov said.
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10/19/2015
Anne crawled out of bed in her North Las Vegas house around 10 p.m. and started to get ready for her shift. She pulled her chestnut hair into a bun and slipped on her olive green flight suit. In the kitchen, she packed fruit to snack on during her shift and stuffed her schoolwork into her backpack-sized lunchbox just in case it’s a boring night. Most nights she doesn’t have a chance to open a book.
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10/19/2015
After a week of heavy operations over Syria, Russia's Air Force is scaling back its efforts so it can analyze its progress and identify new targets after the Ministry of Defense last week claimed to have helped the Syrian regime push back opposition forces. Moving into the third week of Russia's surprise aerial intervention in Syria's four-and-a-half-year-old civil war, Moscow has not only claimed early successes.
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10/19/2015
While China’s unilateral declaration of an air defense identification zone (ADIZ) over disputed waters in the East China Sea (ECS) caught many by surprise, today’s debate circles around the likelihood that Beijing might take the same action over the South China Sea (SCS). In its pursuit of maritime primacy in Northeast Asia, China has strayed far from the international norms that dictate the implementation and use of an ADIZ.
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10/19/2015
At the special training facility, the classroom is the sky and the learning tool is the plane. At 4:30 am one day, the camp of Air Regiment 910 at the academy was busy. Trainers, trainees, technicians and staff of the army ordnance were leaving for the nearby airport. Trainees were queuing for health checks, including blood pressure readings, to ensure that they were eligible for flight.
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10/19/2015
Russia has invented a new type of diplomacy that defies easy categorization. It might be called "post hoc diplomacy" because Moscow begins negotiations with partners and adversaries not before taking action, as is customary, but only afterward, and with the goal of either consolidating the results of that action or using it as leverage in subsequent negotiations.
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10/19/2015
A number of congressional leaders, former officials, and presidential candidates have advocated the establishment of a no-fly zone or safe zone in Syria to protect Syrian civilians against attack from both the Islamic State and the regime of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
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10/19/2015
The impression created by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s meetings with western leaders is that India will buy any de-rated military goods offered. His announcement about purchasing 36 1980s-vintage French Rafale planes to meet the Indian Air Force’s requirement for ‘medium multi-role combat aircraft’ (MMRCA) wrong-footed defence minister Manohar Parrikar, who favoured the bigger, more versatile and economical Su-30 — superior to the Rafale in all roles, including nuclear delivery.
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10/19/2015
Warships and aircraft from the U.S., India and Japan practiced hunting enemy submarines during wide-ranging exercises in the Bay of Bengal over the weekend, signaling the three powers’ deepening ties as they contend with a more assertive China. Worries about Beijing’s rapidly increasing military strength and its growing ability to deploy forces far from Chinese shores have helped drive a convergence of strategic thinking in Washington.
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10/19/2015
More than 120 members of the 180th Fighter Wing, Ohio Air National Guard, deployed 38 short tons of cargo and eight F-16 fighter jets to Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, in September to participate in Combat Archer. The two-week exercise is part of the Air Combat Command Air-to-Air Weapons Systems Evaluation Program, which assesses a units overall operational effectiveness, weapons systems performance and reliability.
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10/19/2015
Syrian military officials reported army and popular forces, backed by Russian air support, took control of southeastern territories of the northern province of Aleppo after killing and wounding dozens of terrorists in the liberation operation.
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10/18/2015
Japan's Air Self-Defense Force will run more refueling missions once it introduces a new Boeing KC-46A aerial tanker to its fleet in fiscal 2016. The plan is to expand the number of joint operations between Japan's Self-Defense Forces and the U.S. military as well as to better protect remote islands and respond to major disasters.
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10/18/2015
The imminent deployment of 300 US soldiers in Cameroon is intended to provide nations around Lake Chad with what they most lack in the battle against Boko Haram: reliable intelligence.
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10/18/2015
The relationship between Russia and the West is becoming increasingly dangerous with potential flashpoints developing in both eastern Europe and Syria. After repeated incursions into Turkish airspace by Russian warplanes on bombing raids over Syria, NATO’s secretary general Jens Stoltenberg warned Moscow that it stands ready to “defend all allies”.
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10/18/2015
Across the board success was how the test pilots scored the second carrier testing run for the Navy's F-35C Joint Strike Fighter, which wrapped up Oct. 9 aboard the carrier Dwight D. Eisenhower. The multifaceted two-week flight test was used to develop launch and recovery bulletins. The former focused on 55,000 and 60,000-pound catapult shots at military, the catapult shot with standard jet thrust, and maximum power.
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10/18/2015
'We downed a drone yesterday. If it was a plane we'd do the same,' Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu tells a party rally; Turkey is still investigating where the drone came from, but U.S believes it was Russians'.
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10/18/2015
The skies over Syria are dangerously crowded these days with the US, Russia, and the Assad regime all bombing various actors on vaguely opposite sides of the country's multidimensional conflict. In both Iraq and Syria, the reality of overlapping aerial operations among countries with little geopolitical fondness toward one another has already led to claims that British aircraft have been authorized to engage Russian aircraft over Iraq if threatened.
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10/18/2015
The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), which is an agency of the U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) is responsible for developing emerging technologies for military use, is coming up with a technology that will keep squadrons connected even when during jamming attacks.
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10/18/2015
The People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) has revealed its long-range precision strike capabilities. Beijing’s H-6K bomber can strike distant targets with precise ammunition, according to Chinese media.
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10/18/2015
Russia will hold talks with Egypt on the possible purchase by Cairo of the Russian equipment for the Mistral helicopter carriers on October 21-23, a source in the military-technical cooperation sphere said Saturday.
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10/17/2015
In the latest hurdle for the Pentagon's F-35 joint strike fighter, testers this summer discovered an increased risk of neck damage when a lightweight pilot is ejecting from the plane. The Joint Program Office blamed the phenomenon on the jet's ejection seat, Martin-Baker's US16E. But interviews conducted by Defense News in recent weeks indicate the added weight and bulk of the new F-35 helmet complicates the problem.
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10/17/2015
Boko Haram has spilled out of the forests and villages of northern Nigeria and into the cross hairs of the U.S. military. Nearly 100 American military personnel are headed to the Central African nation of Cameroon, with another 200 expected to follow in the near future. Using drones to gather intelligence, they will help their counterparts in Cameroon monitor the growing threat from the Islamic terrorist group as it expands its bloody reign out of its stronghold in Nigeria.
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10/17/2015
The Air Force Security Assistance and Cooperation Directorate, headquartered at Wright-Patterson, had the second highest sales to foreign militaries in a decade reaching $19 billion, more than doubling sales from the year prior, figures show. Sales of the fifth generation F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter to South Korea at $6.3 billion, to Israel at $2.8 billion and to Japan at $1 billion were the biggest driver of higher spending, according to figures released to this newspaper Friday.
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10/17/2015
Air Force leaders recently made a decision to restrict pilots weighing less than 136 pounds from flying the F-35A Lightning II due to safety concerns about the ejection seat in a portion of the flight envelope. The manufacturer of the seat has been conducting tests to ensure the escape system works reliably and safely in all planned conditions.
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10/17/2015
U.S. Defense Secretary Ash Carter on Thursday denied South Korea’s request for transfer of key American technologies for its project to develop KF-X indigenous fighter jet, Yonhap News Agency reported. South Korea is represented by the Defense Acquisition Program Administration and Korea Aerospace Industries for the KF-X program, for which America's Lockheed Martin Corporation was selected in March.
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10/17/2015
The Iraqi military has released a video displaying the combat deployment of a CH-4B drone which the country recently bought from China. Baghdad has been diversifying its arms supply to decrease its reliance on American producers. The Caihong (Rainbow) 4B drone flew from the al-Kut Air Base southeast of Baghdad and shot an AR-1 laser-guided anti-tank missile at an Islamic State target, according to the Iraqi Defense Ministry.
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10/17/2015
“Sweeter than the sweetest honey in this world, deeper than the deepest sea in the world . . . ,” the suitor crooned, “higher than the highest peak . . .” Soul singer Barry White? No, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, remarking on Pakistan's relationship with China in 2014, using words that had been repeated many times before over the past 40 years.
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10/17/2015
In what may come as a boost to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Make in India campaign, American aviation manufacturer Boeing on Friday said that it will assemble its Chinook heavy-lift helicopters or Apache attack helicopters in India.
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10/17/2015
Turkey has shot down an aircraft that US officials have suggested was a Russian drone in its air space near the Syrian border. The Turkish general staff said it shot the aircraft in accordance with its rules of engagement, giving three warnings, and would continue to follow its duties in line with its rules, in a statement posted on the military's website.
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10/16/2015
On Oct. 10, a Russian Su-30SM belonging to the contingent deployed to Latakia, in Syria, had a close encounter with a unspecified U.S. combat plane supporting Operation Inherent Resolve. According to Russia’s Ministry of Defense, the Flanker-derivative 4++ Gen aircraft was providing air escort for a package of attack planes in Syria when it approached the American plane, to perform a VID (Visual Identification).
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10/16/2015
Base officials and the Top of Utah community officially welcomed the F-35 Lightning II at a ceremony here Oct. 14, an event that formally marked the beginning of F-35 operations for the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings. Members of the Utah congressional delegation, Lockheed Martin and the Air Force addressed a crowd of more than 500 people, which included Airmen and their families, local civic leaders and the media.
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10/16/2015
Burning OilfieldsDARPA issued a Broad Agency Announcement solicitation for a new program called Dynamic Network Adaptation for Mission Optimization (DyNAMO) which aims to keep America's manned (and unmanned) combat aircraft connected even if enemy forces attempt to jam their communications. But that's not as straightforward as it sounds. US aircraft are additionally hindered by the fact that many of the platforms operate on incompatible radio networks using different encryption schemes.
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10/16/2015
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor and the Boeing F/A-18E/F are both aging platforms and will need to be replaced in the mid-2030s. Moreover, for the U.S. Air Force, it needs to replace the venerable F-15C Eagle—which was supposed to have been replaced by the Raptor until that program was prematurely terminated.
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10/16/2015
‘India doubles down on crappy homemade jets‘, proclaims one analyst. ‘Modi pushes ‘obsolete’ made-in-India plane on reluctant military‘, a newspaper headline asserts. A third suggests that the jet ‘could hurt [the] Indian Air Force‘. With the Indian government deciding this September to limit the purchase of French Rafale multi-role fighters to just 36 airframes and acquire 120 Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) instead, criticisms of the Tejas seem to have surfaced with renewed vigour.
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10/16/2015
President Obama's long dream of concluding the war in Afghanistan before he departs the White House officially ended Thursday with the announcement that the U.S. will leave up to 5,500 troops there into 2017. The announcement came after months of bad news from Afghanistan: The Taliban has scored a series of battlefield victories, the Afghan army's casualties are soaring and there are mounting worries that the Islamic State is gaining a foothold in rural areas.
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10/16/2015
Lockheed Martin has received a $305.4 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for continued production of the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) and its Extended Range (ER) version. The Lot 13 contract includes 140 baseline JASSMs for U.S. and international partners, 140 JASSM-ER missiles, data, tooling and test equipment. The Lot 13 award represents the largest JASSM-ER order to date and brings total missiles under contract to more than 2,300.
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10/16/2015
Airstrikes of the US-led international coalition destroyed on Thursday an Islamic State (ISIL) coordination headquarters, killing one of the group's northern Iraq military commanders, local media reported, citing a military source.
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10/16/2015
Over the past 24 hours, Russian warplanes completed 33 sorties in Syria, striking ISIL facilities in the provinces of Idlib, Hama, Damascus, Aleppo, and Deir az-Zor, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday.
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10/15/2015
Russian military officials denied Wednesday that its sole aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, was on its way to Syria to help the Russian military in the conflict against Syrian rebels and the Islamic State militant group, also known as ISIS, according to Russian news site Sputnik.
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10/15/2015
The United States is sending 300 troops, along with surveillance drones, to Cameroon to bolster a West African effort to counter the Nigerian militant Islamist group Boko Haram, US officials said on Wednesday. In a notification to Congress, US President Barack Obama said an advance force of about 90 military personnel began deploying to Cameroon on Monday, with the consent of the Yaounde government.
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10/15/2015
The US State Department has approved a possible Foreign Military Sale to Saudi Arabia for nine UH-60M Black Hawk utility helicopters at an estimated cost of US $495 million. The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on Tuesday delivered the required certification notifying Congress of this possible sale, the agency stated on its website.
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10/15/2015
The Swiss air force has no immediate explanation as to how an F/A-18 fighter jet suddenly lost altitude and crashed in France on Wednesday, injuring the pilot. Air force commander Aldo Schellenberg said that there was no mid-air collision.
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10/15/2015
The Goverment of Germany has reportedly halted the delivery of Eurofighter combat aircraft following the discovery of a manufacturing defect. Citing a German lawmaker from the Defence Ministry, Reuters reported that the manufacturing issue found in the fuselage of the aircraft was caused by rivet holes in the rear part of the fuselage being incorrectly filed off.
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10/15/2015
Russian Aerospace Forces have completed 41 sorties against 40 Islamic State infrastructure facilities in Syria’s governorates of Aleppo, Idlib, Latakia, Hama, and Deir ez-Zor.
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10/15/2015
Improvements to the system used to process veteran benefits will soon ensure that recently transitioned veterans and eligible spouses will have access to money for continuing education. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has awarded a contract that will advance the reliability of their Chapter 33 (CH33) system to Systems Made Simple, a Lockheed Martin company.
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10/15/2015
The Iraqi army liberated on Wednesday the country's largest oil refinery in the central city of Baiji, Salah al-Din province, from Islamic State militants, an officer in counter-terrorist forces said.
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10/15/2015
"America is rejoicing over the killing of Abu Mutaz al-Qurashi and considers this a great victory," IS spokesman Abu Mohamed al-Adnani said in an audio recording posted on jihadist websites. He didn't comment on the details of the circumstances surrounding the second-in-command's death.
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10/15/2015
Russian and US military experts held a professional and constructive discussion of the flight safety in air missions over Syria during a conference call on Wednesday, the Russian Defense Ministry said.
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10/14/2015
The US Air Force's (USAF) Boeing-built KC-46A Pegasus tanker (EMD-2) has marked another millstone with the deployment of both drogue systems and the boom to support aerial refueling. As part of this development, EMD-2 extended the drogue refuelling baskets from both the Centerline Drogue System (CDS) and the wing aerial refuelling pods (WARP) for probe receiver aircraft.
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10/14/2015
While China’s unilateral declaration of an Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ) over disputed waters in the East China Sea (ECS) caught many by surprise, today’s debate circles around the likelihood that Beijing might take the same action over the South China Sea (SCS). In its pursuit of maritime primacy in Northeast Asia, China has strayed far from the international norms that dictate the implementation and use of an ADIZ.
(Read More...)
10/14/2015
A fighter jet was called to intercept a holiday flight into the UK after the plane lost contact with air traffic control. Stunned passengers on the Monarch Airlines flight ZB983 from Madeira to Birmingham said the military plane was so close they could see the pilot in the other cockpit.
Grandma Caroline Regan, who was on board with her husband Tony, said passengers were offered no firm explanation of why the jet was so close to their plane.
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10/14/2015
The Danish Safety Board has determined that a Buk surface-to-air missile was used to take down Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 over Ukraine in July 2014. All 298 passengers were killed. At the time of the crash, analysts suggested that this particular missile system was likely used, but both Ukrainian and Russian officials accused the other of responsibility.
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10/14/2015
In the 25 years since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the Pentagon has more or less taken air superiority for granted; but that complacency is coming back to haunt the Department of Defense. Neither Donald Rumsfeld nor Robert Gates took air power seriously, and as such, the U.S. Air Force is left with a tiny fleet of 186 Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors instead of the minimum 381 it needs.
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10/14/2015
While the requirement for a carrier-based long-range strike capability is a frequent subject of discussion around Washington, the U.S. Navy’s need for improved air superiority capabilities is often neglected. The service has not had a dedicated air-to-air combat aircraft since it retired the Grumman F-14 Tomcat in 2006. But even the Tomcat was adapted into a strike aircraft during its last years in service after the Soviet threat evaporated.
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10/14/2015
With Russian airstrikes dealing heavy losses to the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group, reports have surfaced that Iranian troops will soon launch a ground offensive alongside the Syrian army to retake Aleppo.
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10/14/2015
The United States and Russia have made progress in discussing deconfliction mechanisms in Syria and the issue is expected to be settled soon, US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter said on Tuesday.
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10/13/2015
In Monday’s crashes, two pilots were killed and five passengers were injured when a small Afghan military transport plane struck a mountain ridge while delivering the body of a deceased soldier in central Bamian province, officials said. And in the eastern province of Logar, a transport helicopter carrying Afghan troops between districts made an emergency landing that left two crew members injured.
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10/13/2015
French Prime Minister Manuel Valls is due in Saudi Arabia Monday on the third leg of a Middle East tour, hoping to secure large sales of French military equipment despite the kingdom’s questionable human rights record.
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10/13/2015
America has dropped more than 50 tons of ammunition on Syria to arm rebel groups. Military cargo planes released batches of small arms and hand grenades over Ras Al-Ayn, near the Turkish border, over Sunday night. They all successfully reached a group of fighters vetted by the U.S. government, sources told CNN.
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10/13/2015
Italy’s Air Force, like that of Britain, is undergoing a double transition as they bring together the F-35 and the Eurofighter. I met with Air Force Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Pasquale Preziosa and discussed Italy’s way ahead. For Preziosa, the close relationship with the British is important in learning how to accomplish both Eurofighter modernization and working with the F-35.
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10/13/2015
The indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft will be able to thrash the Pakistani JF-17 'Thunder' fighters in "reach, punch and ability to kill and survive in an engagement", top Indian defence officials asserted. But that will be possible only when the Tejas is ready with an AESA (active electronically scanned array) radar, mid-air refuelling, long-range BVR (beyond visual range) missiles and advanced electronic warfare capabilities.
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10/13/2015
A group of Russian MiG-31BM (NATO reporting name Foxhound) interceptor aircraft will practice take off, convergence with targets and destruction of said targets with air-to-air missiles on Monday, a Central Military District spokesman said.
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10/13/2015
A number of Su-30 fighter jets have been deployed in Syria as part of Russia’s ongoing aerial campaign against the Islamic State terrorist group, Russian media reported on Monday. The Su-30 Flankers provide air cover for Russian bombers pounding ISIL positions across Syrian territory, Gazeta.Ru quoted Defense Ministry spokesman Igor Konashenkov as saying in Moscow.
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10/13/2015
Images of several types of new air-to-surface missiles designed to arm Russian jets have emerged recently. The missiles are planned to equip Russian aircraft, including the PAK FA. The missiles are known as X-59MK2 and X-58USHKE.
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10/13/2015
The recent events in Syria have snown that Russia is capable of building an air base in about a month; this is what the Kremlin may decide to do to strike ISIL targets in Iraq more effectively. However, in the end Moscow probably won’t do it, according to US military magazine and global intelligence company Stratfor.
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10/12/2015
While it’s difficult to estimate the financial cost of the Syria military campaign for Russia’s treasury, it might not be more expensive than the large-scale military exercises that Russia has already been conducting.
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10/12/2015
Within weeks, the Department of Defense will grant one of four competitors a $95 million contract to build an exotic new aircraft — of the sort 20th century inventors went broke and nearly mad trying to create.
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10/12/2015
The Puma Mk2 helicopter crashed as it was landing at Nato's Resolute Support mission headquarters, Kabul. Nato has not released the nationalities of the other victims or the five left injured. A Ministry of Defence spokesman said the crash was "an accident and not the result of insurgent activity".
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10/12/2015
The United States will hold joint anti-submarine exercises with Romania in the Black Sea, the US Navy’s Europe and Africa operational fleet announced. “Constantly improving and exercising our anti-submarine warfare capabilities with NATO allies such as Romania is a priority for our fleet and the Alliance,” commander of the 6th Fleet Task Force 67, Capt. Bryan Durkee, said late Sunday.
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10/12/2015
The head of the Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center said that Russian military experts will conduct an observation flight over Turkey this week to facilitate transparency of mutual military activity.
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10/12/2015
he leader of the Islamic State (ISIL) jihadist group has been injured in an airstrike in Iraq, the Baghdad Information Center confirmed. “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was injured in the bombing that targeted his motorcade,” the center said in a statement on Sunday.
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10/12/2015
The purchase of 12 S-400 systems was initiated by the Indian Air Forces and would be discussed at the next summit of the Indian Defense Acquisition Council chaired by Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar, the source said, as quoted by Times of India.
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10/12/2015
Syrian fighter jets and missile systems harassed Turkish F-16 warplanes near the Turkish-Syrian border on Saturday, the Turkish military said on Sunday, once again bringing the conflict to NATO's southeastern flank.
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10/11/2015
US Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s visit to Europe last week inevitably focused on Russian bombing in Syria, but he also stressed the growing danger of instability in North Africa after making stops in Spain and Italy. Speaking at the NATO defense ministers’ meeting in Brussels, Carter described "the challenges facing NATO's southern flank, including the ripple effects of [the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant] and state instability in North Africa and the Middle East.”
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10/11/2015
Late last month in Shanghai, a top Chinese businessman gave me and three other visiting journalists as clear a distillation as any of Beijing’s attitude toward the United States. “The U.S. wants to dominate the world, China only wants to keep America from dominating its neighborhood,” said Eric Li, a prominent Stanford- and Berkeley-educated political scientist and venture capitalist.
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10/11/2015
We all know that over the last 18 months the relationship between Russia and the West has deteriorated considerably. There has been a fundamental breakdown of trust amid divergent and, at this point, totally incompatible accounts of what has happened in Ukraine and why.
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10/11/2015
The US Air Force and the Army are moving full speed ahead toward next-generation engines the services hope will significantly increase fuel efficiency and power. And both endeavors pit two giants in the engine-building world against each other: GE Aviation and Pratt & Whitney.
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10/11/2015
RAF Tornados bombing Isis targets in Iraq are to be armed with air-to-air missiles to protect them from attack by Russian aircraft — as a senior cabinet minister warned that Britain was prepared to shoot down Vladimir Putin’s jets. Combat aircraft involved in Operation Shader over Iraq will be fitted with Asraam heat-seeking missiles, which can destroy any military aircraft flying today.
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10/11/2015
A Chinese aviation company reported progress in its ambitious African expansion plans to set up an aviation training center, two regional marketing offices, two maintenance and support centers, and three spare-parts warehouses to promote sales and maintenance for Chinese-made aircraft.
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10/11/2015
Russia and the United States discussed their proposals on flight safety in Syria during a video conference, the Russian Defense Ministry said Saturday in a statement.
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10/10/2015
The new U.S.-China agreed rules for military air-to-air encounters are being hailed in some quarters as “ground-breaking” and a “milestone.” But like their 2014 agreement on safe military encounters at sea, this “annex” does not address the fundamental differences that give rise to these encounters .
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10/10/2015
Russian leaders have responded to a proposed draft of safety guidelines for military aircraft flying missions in the increasingly crowded skies over Syria, the Pentagon said Friday.Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said Friday that a second round of talks between the two countries about the plan could take place as soon as this weekend. The U.S. and Russia are trying to hash out flight procedures to ensure that there are no collisions or other incidents as both countries conduct bombing operat
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10/10/2015
The Aerospace Forces of Russia continue to strike positions of the international terrorist organization ISIS in the Syrian territory, Chief of the Russian Air Force's Main Staff Lt. Gen. Igor Makushev has said. "Sixty-seven combat flights were completed from the Hmeimim airbase in the past 24 hours. Sukhoi Su-34M, Su-25SM planes defeated 60 facilities held by terrorists," Makushev told a briefing conference on Oct. 9.
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10/10/2015
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet Dassault Rafale, Eurofighter Typhoon and the Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker dominate the headlines when it comes to the combat aircraft market, but there are many places in the world where such extravagant machines are just not needed.
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10/10/2015
As Russian warships rain down cruise missiles as part of its military strike in Syria, there's now a glaring absence in the region: For the first time since 2007, the U.S. Navy has no aircraft carrier in the Persian Gulf. Military officials said Thursday that they've pulled the USS Theodore Roosevelt, which is home to about 5,000 service members and 65 combat planes, so that it can undergo maintenance.
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10/10/2015
China's leading aircraft manufacturer is about to start exporting its fifth-generation fighter jet, according to industry sources. In a recent report, China Aviation Industry Corporation (AVIC) revealed some tactical and technical characteristics of the J-31 Gyrfalcon fighter at the last air show in Beijing.
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10/10/2015
Greece scrambled fighter jets to intercept a pair of Turkish F16 planes over neutral waters of the Aegean Sea in a move condemned by Ankara but described by Athens as fully consistent with international procedure.
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10/10/2015
The Russian Aerospace Forces will receive 16 Ka-52 Alligator attack helicopters, 18 Su-30SM Flanker multi-role fighter jets and 11 MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft before the end of the year, the aircraft manufacturers told Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu Friday.
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10/10/2015
Russia and the United States are expected to hold military-to-military talks on Syria, where both countries have been carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State (ISIL) militants, this weekend, the Pentagon said. Pentagon spokesperson Peter Cook said on Friday that the US Department of Defense had received a formal response from Russia on the issue of ensuring safe air operations over Syria and was in the process of reviewing the response.
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10/09/2015
Today’s U.S. military is shrinking and using older equipment as troops face more deployments and emboldened adversaries abroad, according to a new report that lays out a plan to revitalize American defenses. The new report from the American Enterprise Institute said that “America’s military power has been declining ever since the first wave of cuts in the aftermath of the Cold War.”
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10/09/2015
A number of cruise missiles launched from a Russian ship and aimed at targets in Syria have crashed in Iran, two U.S. officials told CNN Thursday. Monitoring by U.S. military and intelligence assets has concluded that at least four missiles crashed as they flew over Iran. The U.S. believes, based on intelligence reports of damage assessments, that some buildings were damaged and civilians may have been hurt.
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10/09/2015
China’s military is getting its ducks in a row for what many experts see as a realistic competence at destroying US aircraft carriers during a confrontation scenario over Taiwan. In a recent issue of the Chinese-language state-run China Youth Daily newspaper, a report claims that the Gaofen-4 geostationary earth observation satellite will be launched by the end of this year with the express purpose of hunting US aircraft carriers.
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10/09/2015
The test programme had gone quiet after two phases of testing in Woomera in Australia, but it will now continue for one more phase to develop technology that could be incorporated into a future combat air system. Details of what will be tested in this third phase remain unknown.
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10/09/2015
Lockheed Martin has sent an F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter cockpit demonstrator to Indonesia, in a bid to demonstrate the capabilities of F-16V. Indonesia is planning to replace its old fighter aircraft. The latest version of Lockheed's Fighting Falcon, the F-16V features advanced fourth generation capabilities, including scalable agile beam radar (SABR).
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10/09/2015
On its 83rd anniversary, the Indian Air Force has made a surprise announcement: Women pilots will soon fly its fighter aircraft. “We have women pilots flying transport aircraft and helicopters, we are now planning to induct them into the fighter stream to meet the aspirations of young women of India,” Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said, according to an NDTV report.
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10/09/2015
The latest version of Russia's KAB-250 precision-guided bomb will soon complete trials, according to the weapon's manufacturer, Moscow-based Region Scientific & Production Enterprise JSC.
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10/09/2015
Russia will continue providing support to Afghan government forces and plans to sign a contract on the delivery of several Mi-35 helicopters to Afghanistan in October, Russian presidential envoy to Afghanistan and head of the Russian Foreign Ministry's Second Asia Department Zamir Kabulov told the Izvestia newspaper.
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10/08/2015
Bulgarian government approved on Wednesday a draft intergovernmental agreement on the repair of six engines of the country's MiG-29 aircraft in Poland, and authorized Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev to sign it, officials said. The repair would cost 1.023 million euros (some 1.151 million U.S. dollars) per engine, the Defense Ministry said in a press release.
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10/08/2015
Australian combat aircraft have not flown over Syria since Russian aircraft began bombing operations last week but that doesn't mean missions are on hold. Chief of defence force joint operations David Johnston said the RAAF F/A-18 Hornets had so far flown over Syria nine times, dropping bombs on a Daesh armoured personnel carrier and a checkpoint on separate days.
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10/08/2015
Draken International, a provider of 4th generation tactical flight services, has been contracted to provide adversary support for the United States Air Force. Flying advanced Douglas A-4K Skyhawk and Aero Vodochody L-159E advanced light combat aircraft (ALCA) fighter jets, Draken is able to replicate numerous types of threat aircraft. Draken aircraft are equipped with modern radars, electronic attack pods, and are operated by highly skilled reserve and former-military professionals.
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10/08/2015
Russian troops in Syria used artillery and multiple rocket launchers to fire at Syrian rebel positions Wednesday, in what appears to be a further expansion of the Russian military’s role to support the regime of Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. The development came on the same day that Russia launched two dozen cruise missiles from navy ships in the Caspian Sea aimed at what it said were ISIS targets in Syria.
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10/08/2015
The U.S. military has had to divert two aircraft over Syria to ensure they could maintain a safe flying distance from a Russian fighter aircraft in the same area, according to Captain Jeff Davis, Pentagon spokesman. It was the first time the U.S. needed to do so since Russia began military operations in Syria at the end of last month.
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10/08/2015
India's government has turned down the military's request to expand the acquisition of 36 fighter planes from Dassault Aviation SA to plug vital gaps, officials said, nudging it to accept an indigenous combat plane 32 years in the making. Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision, in line with his Make-in-India policy to encourage domestic industry, is a blow for not only the French manufacturer but also others circling over the Indian military aviation market worth billions of dollars.
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10/08/2015
Lockheed Martin brought its F-16 cockpit demonstrator to Indonesia this week to highlight the F-16V, the latest version of Lockheed Martin’s venerable F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighter. The F-16V offers the most advanced 4th Generation capability available on the market today, including Scalable Agile Beam Radar (SABR) and enhancements to the aircraft’s mission computer, vehicle systems, aircraft structure, cockpit and electronic warfare system.
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10/08/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry’s press service said that the Russian Deputy Defense Minister explained the objectives of the Russian operation in Syria to the Uzbek foreign minister.
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10/08/2015
The assembled footage features video and animation of Russian ships launching cruise missile strikes against Islamic State targets from the Caspian Sea. The video combines computer-generated imagery showing the cruise missiles' trajectory with footage of the missiles flying over western Iran and northern Iraq before arriving at their targets in northern Syria.
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10/08/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry is willing to put into action the Pentagon proposals on cooperation on fight against the Islamic State (ISIL) extremists, a spokesman for the ministry said Wednesday.
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10/07/2015
The U.S. Senate voted to advance a $604 billion defense authorization bill Tuesday that again would bar the Pentagon from retiring the A-10 airplanes at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Michigan and around the country.
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10/07/2015
Lockheed Martin’s new modular fiber lasers now convert fully 40 percent of input energy to output, which means that — along with advances in manufacturing, targeting, and size-weight-power minimization — the company’s now talking about putting a laser weapon on the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter.
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10/07/2015
While “hand-made” is usually a good thing, this isn’t the case for the equipment used in modern combat aircraft. A propaganda video aired by the official Chinese broadcast mouthpiece shows key components of the J-15 fighter jet, which are made for aircraft carriers, being manually polished at Shenyang Aircraft Corp.
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10/07/2015
The head of the Indian Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha, recently announced that the Indian Air Force (IAF) will in all likelihood be able to deploy 42 combat squadrons by 2027 the Business Standard reports. “We are looking forward to building up our combat fleet to 42 squadrons by the end of the 14th plan, by 2027. I think it is possible, it is viable, there are a lot of options available with us, and discussions are already on,” he told reporters last Saturday in New Delhi.
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10/07/2015
The worries of the air force on getting a capable fifth generation fighter aircraft to counter the development of two futuristic fighters by China are mounting with little clarity on the Russian program that New Delhi had signed onto in 2010.
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10/07/2015
NATO on Tuesday rejected Moscow's explanation that its warplanes had violated alliance member Turkey's air space by mistake and said Russia was sending more ground troops to Syria and building up its naval presence. With Russia extending its air strikes to include the ancient Syrian city of Palmyra, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said he was losing patience with Russian violations of his country's air space.
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10/07/2015
The US State Department has approved a potential $243 million sale of five MQ-9 Block drones and associated equipment to Spain, US Defense Security Cooperation Agency said in a press release on Tuesday. "The Spanish Air Force intends to use the MQ-9s for homeland security, peacekeeping, peace enforcement, counterinsurgency and counterterrorism operations," the press release read. "The estimated total cost [of the sale] is $243 million."
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10/07/2015
A spokesman for the Russian Defense Ministry said that the Turkish Defense Ministry proposed to Russia on Tuesday setting up a joint working group to coordinate actions and prevent incidents regarding the Russian operations in Syria.
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10/07/2015
Russia has deployed its notorious Mi-24 helicopter gunships to Syria, where they are part of the operation against Islamic State terrorist targets. According to Colonel Igor Klimov of the Russian Air Force in Hmeymim Air Base in Syria, the Mi-24 helicopters are currently being used for patrolling the area around the airfield and for potential search and rescue missions. The Mi-24 is considered to be one of most deadly and versatile helicopters in the world.
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10/06/2015
As Russian warplanes fly over Syria, neighboring NATO member Turkey says its fighter jets could open fire on them if they stray into Turkish airspace. The threat is serious and highlights the danger of a direct military confrontation between Russia and its old Cold War adversaries, including not just Turkey but the United States.
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10/06/2015
Two US Navy F-35C test aircraft have begun a second round of developmental testing at sea aboard the aircraft carrier USS Eisenhower, aimed at smoothing the aircraft’s entry into service in 2018.
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10/06/2015
In an interview with India Strategic and at remarks at his annual pre-Air Force Day briefing here October 3, Chief of the Air Staff Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha observed that the Indian Air Force (IAF) was “terribly short” of modern aircraft, and that the Government was alive to this. “The contract negotiations with the French are in process… Our intent is to conclude the agreement at the earliest,” he said.
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10/06/2015
Norway's ministry of defence is using a strategic defence review to push for significant funding increases for the country's armed forces, as well as underscore the importance of the F-35 joint strike fighter to the Norwegian Air Force.
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10/06/2015
Following its deployment of combat aircraft inside Syria, Russia may also be considering placing some of its air force assets in Iraq. Speculation has increased after Iraq's prime minister Haider al-Abadi on 1 October said that he would "welcome" air strikes by Russia in his country if Moscow made such a proposal – a scenario which he told television channel France 24 has not happened yet.
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10/06/2015
The Russian expeditionary force in Syria could generate as many as ninety-six fixed-wing combat aircraft sorties per day, assuming they have well-oiled logistics and properly trained maintenance crews. But that is a best-case scenario during a “combat surge”; more realistically, the thirty-two Russian jets at Latakia might be able to generate only twenty sorties per day.
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10/06/2015
Russian warplanes on bombing runs over Syria twice entered Turkish airspace over the weekend, causing “extreme danger” through “irresponsible behavior,” NATO said Monday. Turkish fighter planes scrambled both times and identified the intruding aircraft, which then returned to Syria.
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10/06/2015
The Royal Netherlands Air Force selected Lockheed Martin’s Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) to equip its F-16 fleet, becoming the 21st international customer to acquire the multi-mission system. The contract was awarded through the Dutch Defence Materiel Organisation and includes 29 Sniper ATPs as well as support equipment, training and sustainment. Pod deliveries will begin in the first quarter of 2016.
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10/06/2015
Lockheed Martin is trying to convince the US Air Force to abandon its plans to replace Lockheed's U-2 spy plane with Northrop Grumman's RQ-4 Global Hawk, an unmanned, long-range surveillance platform.
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10/06/2015
In November of 2010, Chinese state-owned manufacturer Avicopter unveiled the AC-311, a single-engine helicopter capable of carrying up to six people. On September 28, the company conducted the first test-flight of its military version, the Z-11WB. Maintaining the high visibility of the AC-311, the new helicopter has modifications which allow it to "carry out ground support, attack, battlefield reconnaissance, command, counter-terrorism, counter-narcotics, counter-smuggling, and other tasks,".
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10/05/2015
NATO officials issued a warning to Russia on Monday, and the United States began what officials called urgent consultations with Turkey, after Turkish fighter jets intercepted a Russian warplane that entered its airspace over the weekend.
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10/05/2015
Turkey said it intercepted a Russian jet that violated its airspace over the weekend. The country called in the Russian ambassador and lodged a strong condemnation of the violation, Turkey's foreign ministry said in a statement Monday. "The Russian Federation will be responsible for any undesired incident that may occur," the ministry warned.
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10/05/2015
Russia’s military intervention in Syria has expanded radically in two directions. DEBKAfile’s military and intelligence sources report that China sent word to Moscow Friday, Oct. 2, that J-15 fighter bombers would shortly join the Russian air campaign that was launched Wednesday, Sept. 30. Baghdad has moreover offered Moscow an air base for targeting the Islamic State.
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10/05/2015
The contract for the French-made Mistral aircraft carrier was signed while President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi was on a visit to Paris in September, and the aircraft carrier is scheduled to arrive in Egypt in March. France had originally agreed to build two Mistral class aircraft carriers for Russia. When the deal was frozen over the Ukraine crisis, Russia retained the right to ensure that the ships could only be sold to third parties acceptable to Moscow. It had no objection to Egypt purchasing one
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10/05/2015
Russia’s bombing of anti-regime rebels in Syria has been described as a disaster for the US-led coalition’s efforts to destroy Isis, the Islamist militant group, but the Kremlin’s real challenge to Washington is in the skies above the war-torn country.
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10/05/2015
The Department of National Defense (DND) has scheduled on Oct. 12 the bid opening for the P4.9-billion contract for six close-air support aircraft. The procurement is one of 30 multibillion contracts suspended earlier in May pending the go-ahead of President Benigno S. C. Aquino III. These include two navy frigates worth P18 billion, two long-range patrol aircraft worth P5.9 billion, and three air surveillance radars worth P2.68 billion.
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10/05/2015
Satellite photos analyzed by IHS Janes show China has dramatically ramped up efforts to construct a second aircraft carrier—the first to be built indigenously there. While the new ship will likely not be a match for US aircraft carriers, it is important for a number of reasons, and representative of China's ambitions to be a naval superpower.
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10/05/2015
The Kh-29L air-to-surface missile used by Russian planes against ISIL in Syria is a weapon that strikes targets with a precision less than two meters, give or take.
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10/05/2015
Early on the morning of Sept. 30, a Russian three-star general approached the American embassy in Baghdad, walked past a wall of well-armed Marines, to deliver face-to-face a diplomatic demarche to the United States. His statement was blunt: The Russia military would begin air strikes in neighboring Syria within the hour — and the American military should clear the area immediately.
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10/04/2015
Given heightened tensions over Russia’s support for Iran and the Syrian regime, the recently announced sale of ten unmanned IAI Searcher 3 drones to Russia seems unusual at face value.
However, Israel’s decision to sell weapons to the country it sees as the principal benefactor of its enemies is just the latest chapter of a long and often complicated history of military cooperation between Israel and Russia.
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10/04/2015
Making up the core of the force deployed in Syria are SU-24 fighters (known to Nato as Fencers) and SU-25 ground-attack jets (Frogfoots), two workhorse warplanes. The battle-tested models, which date back to Soviet times, were familiar sights over battlefields such as Chechnya and Ukraine.
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10/04/2015
IAF chief Arup Raha sounded optimistic about the ongoing negotiations with the French government for buying Rafales but admitted that adding up numbers to increase fighter jet strength remains a challenge.
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10/04/2015
The Russian air force’s long-range striking power in the region comes from the twelve Su-24M2 Fencer jets that Russia has sent to its base in Latakia, Syria. The Fencer is a mature design as it was launched in the 1960s. But despite the age, Russia’s remaining fleet of Su-24s has been heavily upgraded with modern systems.
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10/04/2015
UK Prime Minister David Cameron has promised to by 20 new drones to fight Islamic State militants in Iraq and Syria. Britain is part of an international coalition of more than 60 countries, including the United States, Arab and European nations, working together to dismantle and destroy ISIL in Syria and Iraq.
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10/03/2015
U.S.-backed rebels in Syria appealed to the Obama administration Friday for antiaircraft missiles to defend their positions against relentless Russian airstrikes that have so far mostly targeted the moderate opposition to President Bashar al-Assad’s rule.
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10/03/2015
In another sign of the increasingly close relationship between the two nations, Pakistan is to use Chinese technology in its drones. Pakistan had several requests for drone technology rejected by the United States, and went on to manufacture its own indigenous drones. Those drones have seen combat action in the tribal regions, where Pakistani troops are fighting Islamic militants along the border with Afghanistan, writes Syed Fazl-e-Haider for The National.
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10/03/2015
IAF's Su-30 fighter plane pilots are focusing on beyond visual range combat and night flying capabilities even as they gear up for the installation of the 'game changer' BrahMos missiles, with a strike range of nearly 300 kms, in the aircraft.
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10/03/2015
A United States military transport plane crashed at an airfield in Afghanistan on Friday, killing all 11 people on board, the U.S. military said, adding there were no reports of enemy fire at the time. The cause of the crash at Jalalabad airfield was under investigation, a spokesman said, refusing to rule out the possibility that there may be dead or wounded on the ground. First responders were on the scene, he said.
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10/03/2015
Sea and air power were major winners in the fiscal year 2016 National Defense Authorization Act conference report released on Tuesday. In their versions of the NDAA, both the House and Senate proposed funding increases that would boost the number of fighters, increase the pace of shipbuilding and number of vessels procured. For the most part the Senate’s larger increases were adopted in the reconciled bill, resulting in a $1 billion hike for Navy shipbuilding and the procurement of additional fi
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10/03/2015
Boeing has completed its upgrade of all U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor Mission Training Centers with its high-fidelity Constant Resolution Visual System (CRVS). The system trains pilots in a more realistic visual environment than current simulators and allows them to experience extreme maneuvers that typically are only practiced in a simulator.
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10/03/2015
The nation’s entire B-52 bomber fleet will soon be equipped with technology that greatly enhances the aircraft’s combat capabilities in the digital battlespace. The U.S. Air Force on August 28 awarded Boeing a contract for B-52 bomber Combat Network Communications Technology, known as CONECT.
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10/03/2015
Since the beginning of the Russian Armed Forces operation in Syria, everyone’s attention has been captured by the top-of-the-line Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker-H fighters and the Su-34 Fullback bombers, but the single most effective Russian aircraft deployed to Syria is the Su-25 SM, or as NATO calls it, the ‘Frogfoot.’
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10/03/2015
The Days of Innovations of the Southern, Western and Central military districts are scheduled for October 5-6 in the southwest city of Rostov-on-Don, Kubinka in Moscow Region, and Yekaterinburg respectively. "The company will introduce modifications of Ka-52K, Mi-26T2, Mi-8AMTSh-VA helicopters and a VR-Technologies UAV in the Moscow region," Russian Helicopters said.
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10/02/2015
Russian air strikes risk driving Syria’s “entire opposition” into the arms of Isil, Britain warned on Wednesday, as President Vladimir Putin's jets bombed targets in three different provinces, report Harriet Alexander in New York and Roland Oliphant in Moscow.
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10/01/2015
Russian aircraft carried out a bombing attack against Syrian opposition fighters on Wednesday, including at least one group trained by the C.I.A., eliciting angry protests from American officials and plunging the complex sectarian war there into dangerous new territory.
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10/01/2015
The India Minat will greatly enhance India’s capabilities across a range of militaristry of Defence has finalized its order with Boeing for production, training and support of Apache and Chinook helicopters thy and humanitarian missions. India will receive 22 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters and 15 CH-47F Chinook heavy-lift helicopters. Both are the newest models of those aircraft.
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10/01/2015
As Russia begins its air campaign against the self-proclaimed Islamic State terrorist group in Syria, the jet responsible is the Sukhoi Su-34 Fullback, Russia’s secret weapon in the skies.
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10/01/2015
Russia’s upper house of parliament on Wednesday approved the country’s armed forces to be used abroad. The decision includes only the use of the Air Force and does not foresee any ground troops operations, Kremlin Administration Aide Sergei Ivanov said Wednesday.
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09/27/2015
Using optics, material sciences, electronics and precise designing to develop an advanced head-up display for aircraft. Consider a pilot in a fighter aircraft, flying at 2,000 km per hour. All the controls inside the cockpit are placed either besides the pilot’s seat or at positions for which he needs to divert his attention from his ‘forward vision’. A pilot needs to change his line of vision repeatedly to keep track of information like airspeed, heading scale, climb descent rate, angle of atta
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09/27/2015
Russia’s Sukhoi T-50 fifth generation prototype fighter jets will enter into service with the Russian Armed Force in 2017, Russian Air and Space Forces Commander Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev told reporters Saturday.
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09/26/2015
Over a period of nearly 10 years, the Harper government has been at pains to project an image of Canada as a military nation and a military power. It has done so in a wide variety of ways. It lavishly celebrated the 200th anniversary of the War of 1812, even though that war took place long before Canada was a nation and primarily pitted the forces of Great Britain and the United States against each other.
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09/26/2015
Recently revealed details concerning China’s Shenyang J-31 fighter suggest that the aircraft not only looks like the Pentagon’s Lockheed Martin F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), but it also offers comparable aerodynamic performance. But the real question is how far along Beijing has come in the development of subsystems like radars and engines. Moreover, there is the question of how well Chinese industry can integrate all of those disparate technologies into an operational aircraft.
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09/24/2015
India is opening up the designs of its first indigenously developed drones to domestic private companies, seeking to spur further technological advances and encourage manufacturing as Prime Minister Narendra Modi modernizes the military.
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09/24/2015
The military has yet to locate an AT-3 Air Force Academy training aircraft and its two pilots after the plane lost contact with air traffic controllers on Tuesday during a routine training flight. In a statement, the Ministry of National Defense said it set up a search and rescue center shortly after the incident to look for the pilots and the aircraft that was last seen on radar screens in skies over central Taiwan early Tuesday afternoon.
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09/24/2015
A Chinese military aircraft performed an “unsafe” maneuver while intercepting a U.S. spy plane last week, a Pentagon spokesman said Tuesday. The incident was revealed the same day that China’s President Xi Jinping touched down in the United States for a weeklong and potentially pivotal visit, according to Reuters.
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09/24/2015
South Korea’s ambitious project to develop an indigenous fighter jet is running into a major impasse as the United States’ rejection of a core technology transfer sent the country scrambling to find replacements for the multi-billion dollar project. In what would be one of South Korea’s biggest defense projects, the country has been pushing the Korean Fighter Experimental, or KF-X, project, also dubbed locally “Boramae.”
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09/24/2015
The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon has been the mainstay of the U.S. and allied air forces for decades. Over the years, the aircraft has evolved from a lightweight visual range dogfighter into a potent multirole warplane that flies the gamut of missions ranging from the suppression of enemy air defenses to air superiority.
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09/24/2015
Satellite imagery released in the last couple of days has exposed the presence of 28 Russian aircraft at al-Assad airfield, near Latakia, in western Syria. The photographs taken from space gave us the possibility to identify the combat planes as 4x Su-30SMs, 12x Su-25s (based on their color scheme, these are Su-25SMs belonging to the 368th Assault Aviation Regiment from Budyonnovsk) and 12 Su-24M2s along with about a dozen helicopters, including 10 Mi-24PN, Mi-35M and a couple of Mi-8AMTSh.
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09/24/2015
An operation launched Tuesday by the Nigerian military in the villages of Jangurori and Bulatori rescued 241 women and children from two camps controlled by the Boko Haram terrorist group.
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09/24/2015
Russia’s modernized anti-submarine warfare planes have entered into service with Russia’s Pacific Fleet, the aircraft’s developer announced Wednesday. "The Il-38N anti-submarine planes [NATO reporting name May] upgraded by the Ilyushin Aviation Complex has entered service with the Naval Aviation of the Russian Pacific Fleet," the developer’s press service said in a statement.
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09/23/2015
Breakthrough research from the University of California-San Diego could take the US military one step closer towards having cloaked aircraft and drones. Researchers Li Yi Hsu, Thomas Lepetit, and Boubacar Kante have succeeded in creating an ultra thin “dielectric metasurface cloak,” which is composed of a multitude of ceramic cylinders embedded into a layer of Teflon.
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09/23/2015
New details surfaced last week outlining Chinese military activities in the South China Sea where construction on several thousand acres of disputed islands is now the center of Beijing’s bid to gain control the strategic waterway. Despite appeals from US leaders to halt the island construction and militarization on them, the build up of military facilities by China in the South China Sea is continuing.
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09/23/2015
One of the officials told AFP of the additional presence of around 20 combat helicopters and said Russian forces are flying surveillance drones over the Middle Eastern nation’s airspace.
“The equipment and personnel just keep flowing in,” another official told the Times. “They were very busy over the weekend.” According to the New York Times, Russia’s military presence in Syria also includes at least three surface-to-air missiles, nine tanks and around 500 marines.
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09/23/2015
Post-Afghanistan missions will likely be dispersed and unpredictable, creating unique challenges for leaders who develop the gear Marines need to defeat the enemy. Framing those efforts is Expeditionary Force 21, the Corps' 10-year road map that predicts Marines will be conducting crisis response missions that could leave small teams of Marines deployed independently for weeks at a time, said Lt. Gen. Robert Walsh.
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09/23/2015
Twelve A-10s arrived Monday at Amari Air Base in Estonia, the first stop in a deployment to Europe that’s expected to last about six months, the Air Force said Tuesday. The deployment marks the second time the Warthogs have been sent to Europe as part of a so-called theater security package.
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09/23/2015
During my visit to Australia in August 2015, I had a chance to talk with an experienced fighter pilot and squadron commander, and now commander of Air Combat Group about his time in Operation Okra and the way ahead for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
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09/23/2015
At the AFA Conference last week, Northrop Grumman (NG) and Selex ES revealed details of the InfraRed Search and Track (IRST) pod that they are proposing to meet a new U.S. Air Force requirement. The transatlantic partnership is building on NG’s new concept of an Open Pod that can be adapted for various tasks, including communications, electronic warfare and targeting.
(Read More...)
09/23/2015
Ceremonies were held today at the Lockheed Martin F-35 production facility celebrating the rollout of the first F-35A Lightning II for the Norwegian Armed Forces. The event marked an important production milestone for the future of Norway’s national defense.
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09/23/2015
A long-term agreement has been signed with the Norway-based Kitron AS to supply subassembly electronic modules for F-35 Lightning II aircraft avionics, defense contractor Northrop Grumman said in a statement on Tuesday.
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09/23/2015
A Chinese jet made a dangerous aerial intercept near a US spy plane over the Yellow Sea earlier this month, almost causing the two aircraft to collide, two Pentagon officials said.
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09/22/2015
Russia has deployed at least four advanced Sukhoi Su-30SM Flankers to its base near Latakia, Syria. The jets are the latest in a series of Russian deployments to the war-torn Arab nation that includes tanks, armored personnel carriers, heavy artillery and a sizable infantry contingent.
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09/22/2015
A fighter jet assigned to Lemoore Naval Air Station crashed just before 4 p.m. Monday in a field near the base, the Navy confirmed Monday evening. The pilot of the single-seat aircraft ejected safely and is in good condition, said base commander Capt. Monty Ashliman. He was taken for a medical evaluation, Ashliman said. The pilot’s name was not released.
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09/22/2015
New satellite imagery, provided through Stratfor's partnership with AllSource Analysis, shows at least 16 combat aircraft stationed at the Bassel al Assad air base near the Syrian city of Latakia. Construction on the base continues, and the persistent deployment of combat helicopters and other military assets to the airfield has given the Russians a significant military capability in Syria.
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09/22/2015
Russia has deployed 28 combat planes in Syria, US officials said Monday, confirming the latest move in Moscow's increasing military presence in the war-torn nation. Washington in recent weeks has expressed growing concern over Russia's moves to support Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and warned that militarily backing his regime risks further hampering efforts at bringing peace. Experts said the buildup is likely a prelude to military action.
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09/22/2015
Joint exercises of the US and Estonian Air Forces that will involve participation of 12 US A-10 ground-attack aircraft are expected to begin on Tuesday in Estonia, the country’s Defense Ministry announced Monday.
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09/21/2015
Russia is conducting a series of massive military exercises with live ammunition in the Mediterranean Sea between the Syrian port of Tartus and the island of Cyprus. Aircraft-carriers and missile units are involved in the exercise, thereby confirming Moscow’s commitment to support the Syrian regime led by President Bashar Al Assad.
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09/21/2015
China and Pakistan have entered into an agreement to keep technology secrets of the PAC JF-17 combat aircraft from India and the US, a Beijing based quasi-government military website said. The jet has been jointly developed by the two countries. Pakistan has also resisted a recent attempt by the US to delve into the secrets of the technology, the Sina Military Network said. JF-17 Thunder multi-role combat aircraft is superior to F-16 of the US, it said.
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09/21/2015
It's been a busy year for anyone who counts Russia as its neighbor. Ever since Vladimir Putin began his Great Ukrainian Adventure last year, the cycle of reaction, counter-reaction, and counter-counter-reaction has raised tensions in the North Atlantic. In the skies above Europe, Russian combat aircraft repeatedly probe NATO air defenses. In the waters below, unidentified submarines - presumed to be Russian -- keep popping up off the shores of Sweden, Finland, and beyond.
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09/21/2015
Israel joined the U.S. in expressing concerns about Russia’s military buildup in Syria ahead of a planned meeting in Moscow on Monday between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Russian President Vladimir Putin, Israeli officials said.
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09/21/2015
By my calculation, about 79% of India's combat aircraft squadrons and 96% of its main battle tanks are of Soviet-design, a legacy of New Delhi's close relationship with Moscow in the 1970s and 1980s. A country's defence choices can define the shape of its armed forces for decades to come.
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09/21/2015
The U.S. Air Force wants to equip its war planes with the High Energy Liquid Laser Area Defense System (HELLADS) by 2020, upping its defense game. The Army and the Navy have already moved to upgrade their systems and boost their arsenal — now it's the Air Force's turn to make significant changes. The Air Force plans to employ combat lasers of its own to make its war planes more effective.
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09/21/2015
Venezuela's President is going to purchase at least 12 Russian fighter jets after the recent Su-30 fighter jet crash.
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09/21/2015
A Pakistani government official spoke to IHS Jane's, confirming that the sides had already discussed a possible purchase of the advanced aircraft, as the Pakistani Air Force requires a two-engine fighter "that can fly for a longer range than the JF-17 and penetrate more deeply into the enemy's territory".
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09/21/2015
India has an epic story of purchasing – or, rather, non-purchasing – attack helicopters for its military needs. Now, the country is reportedly close to strike a bargain with a US manufacturer for a purchase of its world famous choppers.
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09/20/2015
Fighter jocks aren’t the only Blue Angels who challenge the limits of capability and precision. The team’s maintenance and support crew also takes pride in pushing the envelope with a C-130 Hercules, and on Friday they took Navy Times along for the ride.
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09/20/2015
Inhabitants of the village of Majayura in the Colombian municipality of Maicao reported that troops of Venezuela's Bolivarian National Guard, or GNB, had crossed the border and entered the country.
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09/20/2015
Modern ground combat is a mess of factors that result in an overwhelming amount of friction. People are trying to kill one another, communication can be near impossible and separating civilians from the enemy is a herculean task.
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09/20/2015
For India to have a greater strategic footprint in the existing world order, it will have to improve its aerial platforms, Air Force Chief Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha said today. Enhanced air mobility, heavy lift, airborne early warning and in-flight refueling were considered inescapable, were among the platforms that India will need to build on over time, he said.
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09/20/2015
As the first Russian combat aircraft arrived in Syria, the Obama administration reached out to Moscow on Friday to try to coordinate actions in the war zone and avoid an accidental escalation of one of the world's most volatile conflicts.
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09/20/2015
Seventy-five years ago, the Battle of Britain was being fought in the skies above our country.
From June 1940, Britain had stood alone as the last bastion of freedom and democracy in Europe. Between Hitler’s invasion plans and our freedom stood the Royal Air Force and its ability to secure the skies.
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09/20/2015
As the first Russian combat aircraft arrived in Syria, the Obama administration reached out to Moscow to try to coordinate actions in the war zone and avoid an accidental escalation of one of the world's most volatile conflicts.
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09/20/2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin has given the go-ahead for a contract that will green-light the establishment of a Russian air base in Belarus. A corresponding document was released on Saturday on the official internet-portal for legal information.
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09/19/2015
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter spoke with his Russian counterpart Friday as Russian military moves inside Syria continued to escalate with the arrival of fighter jets. In a "constructive conversation," both Carter and Russian Defense Minister Sergei Shoygu agreed to "further discuss mechanisms for deconfliction in Syria," Pentagon Press Secretary Peter Cook said in a statement, as the United States and its allies continue military operations against ISIS inside Syria.
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09/19/2015
The Tu-160 (NATO reporting name Blackjack) bombers were escorted by MiG-31BM (Foxhound) fighter aircraft, which took off from an airfield near Russia's city of Perm. "Each pair of fighters practiced one by one escorting of Tu-160s and enemy interception at long distances," the ministry said.
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09/19/2015
"Are short-range American tactical fighters relevant in the Pacific theatre?" US defense expert Dave Majumdar asks, adding that F-22 Raptors and F-35 Joint Strike Fighters could be outperformed by the sheer numbers of Chinese jets.
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09/19/2015
A top commander in the US military has suggested active patrols near China’s islands in the Spratly archipelago. On Friday, Beijing announced that it was “extremely concerned” about such an aggressive proposal.
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09/19/2015
Chinese defense contractor Chengdu Aircraft Corporation unveiled its second-generation Wing Loong II unmanned combat aerial vehicle (UCAV) at the biennial Beijing Air Show earlier this month.
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09/18/2015
The U.S. Marine Corps will deploy its Lockheed Martin F-35B Lightning II strike fighters on combat sorties from Britain’s new Queen Elizabeth-class aircraft carriers, a senior U.K. Royal Navy officer has confirmed. Rear Adm. Keith Blount, who is responsible for delivering the two 65,000 ton ships, said that using Marine aircraft and pilots to bolster the U.K.’s nascent carrier strike capability would be a natural extension of coalition doctrine.
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09/18/2015
The A-10 Thunderbolt II (often called the “Warthog” for its aggressive look and the teeth often pained on its nose cone) is beloved by the troops who need its close-air support and by its pilots — who hear the calls for that support from the controllers on the ground.
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09/18/2015
A new RAND report challenges the US military to rethink a war with China. The report examines US and Chinese military capabilities in 10 operational areas, producing a “scorecard” for each, from four years: 1996, 2003, 2010, and 2017. Each of the scorecards evaluates capabilities in the context of geography and distance, each of the scorecards evaluates capabilities in the context of two scenarios: a Taiwan invasion and a Spratly Islands campaign.
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09/18/2015
BAE Systems' new Striker II helmet-mounted display is undergoing trials to evaluate its digital night vision capabilities. If the trials prove successful, Striker II will replace analog night vision goggles worn by fighter pilots. "Striker II has a high-definition, lightweight night vision camera which translates information and displays it on the helmet's visor," said Peter Kosogorin, a test pilot for BAE Systems.
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09/18/2015
Five RAF Tornado GR4s have taken to the skies sporting new painted tail fins. The tradition of painting combat aircraft is common to virtually all air forces, offering a way for crews to celebrate achievements or commemorate past events. The aircraft, four from RAF Marham and one from RAF Lossiemouth, are carrying special centenary markings to commemorate the 100th anniversary of squadrons, and 40 years of Tornado service.
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09/18/2015
Five months after India announced a deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter jets "off the shelf" from France, much of the expectations from the big-ticket deal appears to have evaporated due to protracted negotiations. While voices from both sides say there is hope for the deal being concluded by December, on the French side there is some frustration at the long-winded nature of the negotiations.
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09/18/2015
The U.S. Air Force has finally admitted that its new F-35 Joint Strike Fighter isn’t maneuverable enough to beat older jets in a dogfight. But despite its earlier promises that the pricey, radar-evading warplane would excel in close combat, now the flying branch insists that the stealthy F-35 doesn’t even need to dogfight.
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09/18/2015
Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, which manufactures the Light Combat Aircraft for the Air Force, plans to offload to industry larger chunks of the fighter plane to produce than is being done now. It is working on a process to rope in eight to 12 large industry partners as tier-1 or tier-2 suppliers of bigger ‘modules’ or structures, according to HAL Chairman and Managing Director T. Suvarna Raju. He said an industry partner may gear up to the task over a couple of years.
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09/18/2015
Rumors about China’s latest PL-10 short-range air-to-air missile have been circling for the last two years. Speaking during a Chinese television interview, the missile’s chief designer revealed that the missile is nearly complete, and offered new key details.
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09/17/2015
Soon after this aircraft carrier arrived here for its Middle East deployment, two F/A-18 Super Hornets catapulted off its deck for a six-and-a-half-hour bombing run toward Islamic State targets in Iraq. In one of the fighter jets was Navy Lt. Michael Smallwood, 28, call sign Bones, and in the other was his friend and roommate, Navy Lt. Nick Smith, also 28, call sign Yip Yip.
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09/17/2015
It’s 2035, and US Air Force pilots are flying “D” model Joint Strike Fighters. This afterburning F-35D controls an uninhabited long-range strike bomber in tandem with a team of cyber operators. Using line-of-sight data links, the fighter pilot of 2035 can control the drone bomber, if the enemy cuts out the link to the drone pilot back in the United States, while a cyber team constantly updates the level of autonomy the unmanned bomber are able to perform.
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09/17/2015
An Australian warplane has conducted the first air strike on Islamic State in Syria, destroying an armoured personnel carrier with a precision guided bomb. In another major development, Australia will withdraw more than 100 troops from Iraq in what the government describes as reshaping the scope of the mission to advise and assist the Iraqi army.
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09/17/2015
The European Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) has recently issued a warning to all national aviation authorities and aircraft operators of enhanced risk to the safety of civilian aircraft from terrorists, while flying over Pakistan. This warning has been issued at the behest of the civil aviation regulator of France, DGAC, that has made it mandatory for French aircraft operators not to fly below an altitude of 24,000 ft in Pakistan.
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09/17/2015
Air Force officials said they are confident that the service can field a directed energy weapon on combat aircraft by 2020. "I want a high-energy laser on an AC-130J gunship by the close of this decade," Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, commander of the Air Force special operations command said Sept. 15 at the Air Force Association conference. "The technology is ripe [for doing this]. I have the space, I have the weight and I have the power on an AC-130J to put a high-energy laser on an aircraft."
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09/17/2015
Lockheed Martin and Turkish company Roketsan signed a contract to cooperatively develop the SOM-J missile for integration into the F-35 internal weapons bay. SOM-J is a new generation air-to-surface standoff cruise missile. The contract enables the companies to move forward with their Technical Assistance Agreement, making the SOM-J missile available to international customers.
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09/17/2015
U.S. Air Force crews recently ferried two MC-130J Commando II aircraft from the Lockheed Martin facility here. Both aircraft are operated by the Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC). One aircraft is assigned to Kadena Air Base, Japan, and the other to Hurlburt Field, Florida.
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09/17/2015
Russian paratroopers plan to hold anti-terrorist exercises for the first time in Egypt in October and November this year, the paratroopers’ press service said Wednesday. Cairo and Moscow agreed to increase military, trade, security and economic cooperation earlier this year after a visit by Russian President Vladimir Putin to Egypt in February.
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09/17/2015
Tokyo sought explanations from Russia after it scrambled four fighter jets to intercept a foreign aircraft - believed to be Russian - which briefly violated its airspace, government officials said Wednesday.
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09/16/2015
Russia has sent tanks and artillery to Syria amid a reported military buildup, US officials say, raising concerns about a potential mission to bolster President Bashar al-Assad’s embattled regime. Moscow has sent artillery units and seven tanks to the Syrian airbase near Latakia on the Mediterranean coast as part of an ongoing military buildup, a US official told AFP on Monday, speaking on condition of anonymity.
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09/16/2015
The U.S. Air Force is overhauling maintenance and restoration of its B-2 stealth bombers, shortening maintenance periods to keep more aircraft mission-ready. The Air Force is working with contractor Northrop Grumman Corporation in an effort to improve the B-2's readiness and sustainability. Under the contract signed by both parties in April, each jet will undergo a complete restoration process known as programmed depot maintenance (PDM).
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09/16/2015
The apparent Israeli-Saudi alliance, even though hidden from the masses for now, matches the interests of the US in the Middle East and Western Asia. Washington hopes that this will weaken anti-Israeli feelings in the Arab and Muslim world, create a reliable counterweight in the region to a possible strengthening of Iran, and isolate to the extent possible radical islamist Sunni and Shiite groups.
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09/16/2015
DEFENCE Minister Kevin Andrews says Australian aircraft have dropped bombs on ISIS targets in Syria for the first time. Mr Andrews confirmed the mission, that occurred two days ago, this morning. “An Australian hornet fighter aircraft destroyed a Daesh armoured personnel carrier with a precision guided missile,” Mr Andrews said.
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09/16/2015
U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff General Mark Welsh on Tuesday warned that short-term moves to revise downward the Air Force's planned purchase of 1,763 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 stealth fighters could damage the program and scare off foreign buyers. "Let’s delay this discussion for a little while until we see what happens in the world," Welsh told reporters at the annual Air Force Association conference, citing efforts by Russia and China to field more advanced fighter aircraft of their own.
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09/16/2015
A RECENTLY restored Pilatus Porter army aircraft that was deployed during the Vietnam War is on display at the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre. The centre has its monthly, free public open day this Sunday giving visitors a chance to not only see the extensive collection of restored military aircraft but to learn their story as well.
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09/16/2015
After nearly 15 years of schedule delays and highly criticized cost increases, U.S. military officials and defense contractors confidently proclaimed the much maligned Joint Strike Fighter program back on track when the Marine Corps declared its version of the F-35 fighter jet combat-ready last month.
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09/16/2015
The negotiations between France and potential buyers of the two Mistral-class helicopter carriers that were initially constructed for Russia are being held in "good conditions", French Foreign Minister claimed Tuesday.
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09/16/2015
Brazil is planning to sign a contract with Russia in 2016 on the purchase of three advanced Pantsir-S1 air defense systems, Ambassador to Russia Jose Vallim Guerreiro said on Tuesday.
"As far as I know, a contract on delivery of three [Pantsir-S1] systems, worth around $500 million, could be signed in 2016," the diplomat told RIA Novosti.
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09/15/2015
Russia seems to be eager to antagonize both friend and foe alike these days. In a move that seems to be completely inexplicable, Russia is apparently negotiating to sell Pakistan advanced Sukhoi Su-35 Flanker-E fighters along with Mi-35 Hind-E attack helicopters. Perhaps more amazingly, the Russians don’t seem to grasp that their Indian allies are likely to react extremely negatively at the prospect of such a deal.
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09/15/2015
Kuwait has signed an agreement with Italy to purchase 28 Eurofighter Typhoon swing-role combat aircraft, strengthening the country's military capabilities. Under this new deal, Kuwait is expected to receive 22 single-side jets and six dual-seat aircraft. Eurofighter CEO Alberto Gutierrez said: "This new agreement is the confirmation of the superiority of the Eurofighter over its competitors and will provide a great opportunity for further Eurofighter orders.
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09/15/2015
The aerospace industrial base is healthy but entering a transitional period, a panel of experts said Monday at the Air Force Association Air and Space Conference. Richard Aboulafia, an analyst with the Teal Group; Jim McAleese, consultant and founder of McAleese associates; and David Melcher, president and CEO of the Aerospace Industries Association discussed the coming paradigm shift as the US transforms from an aviation nation to an aerospace nation.
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09/15/2015
Over the past year, evidence has steadily emerged of a growing Russian military presence in Syria. As Bashar al-Assad’s armies have failed him in the field, he has increasingly relied on outside help. Initially, that help came from Hezbollah and Iran, but now it appears to be Moscow’s turn. And Washington may finally be waking up to what looks like a substantial Russian intervention in Syria.
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09/15/2015
In Death Valley National Park, north of Barstow, California, is Rainbow Canyon. It’s not especially remarkable, just one canyon in an area full of them, all but indistinguishable from its neighbors in an area populated mainly by snakes. But stand on one of the canyon tops for long enough and a fighter jet will suddenly roar into the valley below you, flying fast and very, very low.
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09/15/2015
Lockheed Martin has received a Foreign Military Sales contract from the U.S. Air Force to provide the Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM®) to the Polish Air Force for its F-16 fleet. Lockheed Martin is providing hardware and software, documentation, program management and missiles in support of the Polish Shield initiative. Poland is the third international customer for JASSM.
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09/15/2015
China appears to be building a third airstrip in contested territory in the South China Sea, a US expert said on Monday, citing satellite photographs taken last week.
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09/15/2015
A French official cited by defense news website Defense One said that Moscow has signaled that Russian telecommunications and missile control systems installed onboard the Mistral helicopter carriers may not be removed, if Egypt or India were to purchase the warships.
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09/15/2015
The US magazine The National Interest, which takes much interest in comparing countries' military hardware, has chosen a new pair of war machines to compare: Russia’s Sukhoi PAK-FA and China's Chengdu J-20. Though both aircraft are positioned as air superiority fighters, the magazine’s defense analyst doubts that the J-20 could be called as such.
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09/14/2015
With more than half of the world’s land and population as its responsibility, the task facing Pacific Air Forces is sometimes daunting. “The Indo-Asian Pacific is vast and it is complex,” said Gen. Lori Robinson, commander of Pacific Air Forces and air component commander for U.S. Pacific Command. “It is more than 60 percent of the world’s population,” including speakers of nearly 3,000 languages.
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09/14/2015
Colombia is demanding an explanation from Venezuela after spotting two military aircraft flying in Colombian airspace, the defense ministry said Sunday. The confrontation comes amid a larger diplomatic rupture between the countries as Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro has closed major border crossings and deported of thousands of Colombian nationals.
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09/14/2015
Jordan recently revealed more details of the Israeli assistance it was receiving for the fight against Islamic terrorism. Israel has supplied Jordan with a dozen lightweight Slylark UAVs and the services of one or more larger Heron TP UAVs. Israel has also provided special electronics and software so that Jordan can more effectively track its own troops and possible Islamic terrorist activity.
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09/14/2015
On the morning of September 11th, 2001, Lt. Heather “Lucky” Penney readied herself for the ultimate sacrifice. According to MSN, Penney, one of America’s very first female combat pilots, sat on the runway at Andrews Air Force Base in Prince George’s County, Maryland preparing to fly. The day’s fourth airliner had been hijacked and it seemed to be headed straight for Washington, D.C. Penney was one of the first two combat pilots in the air that morning, so the task fell on her and her commanding
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09/14/2015
Britain’s top secret stealth drone will complete its third and possibly final round of test flights later this year, the Ministry of Defence has said. The £200 million Taranis programme, making the most advanced aircraft ever built by British engineers, will have achieved all its objectives if this year’s trials go well, officials said. No decision has been made on further tests.
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09/14/2015
The Air Force Reserve components are ready to serve the nation, but need to retain their identity as a part-time force to allow airmen to fulfill their requirements to civilian jobs and family, Reserve leaders said. “A lot of our drill status guardsmen have to balance the life of the Guard versus their civilian employment versus what they do with their families — not counting having any personal time for themselves,” said Lt. Gen. Stanley Clarke, Air National Guard director.
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09/14/2015
For 70 years American Presidents from both parties have sought to thwart Russian influence in the Middle East. Harry Truman forced the Red Army to withdraw from northern Iran in 1946. Richard Nixon raised a nuclear alert to deter Moscow from resupplying its Arab clients during the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Even Jimmy Carter threatened military force to protect the Persian Gulf after the 1979 Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.
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09/14/2015
As China inches ahead with the flight testing of its first fifth-generation J-20 stealth fighters, India is reportedly mulling over the option of making better of its rock-steady friendship with Russia by buying its off-the-shelf Sukhoi T-50 (also known as PAK FA) stealth fighter.
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09/14/2015
The absence of strategic and tactical-level military-to-military communication between Russian advisors and US aircraft on bombing missions in Syria poses imminent risks of unintended military incidents and needs to change, according to US-based defense news site Defense One.
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09/13/2015
The Indian government recently approved a plan to procure ten new missile-armed drones from Israel. “The $400-million proposal for buying armed Heron TP drones from Israel was cleared last week,” The Economic Times reported.
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09/13/2015
The Italian and Kuwaiti governments have struck an agreement over the sale of 28 Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets, as the Middle East country seeks to follow neighbors in modernizing its air force, the plane maker said Friday. “We are delighted to welcome Kuwait as the newest member of our Eurofighter Typhoon family,” said Alberto Gutierrez, chief executive of the Eurofighter consortium.
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09/13/2015
On Sept. 11, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted three airstrikes using fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 22 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, bomber, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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09/13/2015
U.S. military commanders around the globe need more eyes in the sky amid a proliferation of global threats, and the Army is moving to help fill that shortage. Although primarily a land force, the Army is planning to stand up new units this fall to expand its aerial exploitation battalions forces, which fly manned intelligence missions around the world.
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09/13/2015
It comes amid reports that Russia is stepping up military support to the Syrian government. The planes flew into an air base near the coastal city of Latakia, a stronghold of President Bashar al-Assad. Russia has been a key ally of President Assad during Syria's bloody four-year civil war.
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09/13/2015
Australian aircraft have completed their first operation in Syria, defense officials said Saturday, just days after Canberra extended the mission from Iraq to better fight Islamic State jihadis. “The Australian Air Task Group completed its first operational mission in Syria overnight, returning to base in the Middle East without incident,” the Defence Department said in a statement. “No weapons were released during the mission.”
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09/13/2015
Denmark's military command says two Danish fighters jets were scrambled to intercept two Russian military planes flying near the country's airspace over the Baltic Sea. Military spokesman Major Erik Boettger said Saturday it was "normal procedure when foreign aircraft approach Danish airspace", adding the Russian Tupolev TU-22M bombers never entered Danish territorial airspace.
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09/13/2015
Britain is exporting drone components worth hundreds of millions pounds to countries that include Saudi Arabia and South Korea, as it tries to regain lost ground in a global arms race to meet burgeoning demand for lethal remote-controlled military aircraft, The Independent on Sunday can reveal.
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09/12/2015
For the 14th year in a row, a wartime U.S. military remembered the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks. But this was the first 9/11 anniversary for U.S. military members deployed as part of Operation Inherent Resolve—the U.S.-led air war against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
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09/12/2015
The Gripen NG program in Brazil has officially launched. The Brazilian Federal Government’s contract for 36 Gripen NG military aircraft from Saab AB in Sweden has come into effect now that all required conditions have been fulfilled, officials explain.
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09/12/2015
The Dutch government’s defense expenditure decreased by 191 millions euro to 7.4 billion euros last year. Investments in new military weapons showed a particularly strong decrease. The biggest expenses – wages and social contributions – remained the same.
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09/12/2015
Analysts are generally skeptical at present of reports Pakistan and Russia are engaged in negotiations for the delivery of a number of Su-35 Flanker E fighter aircraft, though there is a potential requirement for such a heavy fighter.
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09/12/2015
Moscow is sending an advanced anti-aircraft missile system to Syria, two Western officials and a Russian source said, as part of what the West believes is stepped-up military support for embattled President Bashar Assad. The Western officials said the SA-22 system would be operated by Russian troops, rather than Syrians. It was on its way to Syria but had not yet arrived.
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09/12/2015
Russia will deliver the first batch of Yakovlev Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft (NATO reporting name Mitten) to Bangladesh on September 17, Rostec Director General Sergei Chemezov said on Friday. "The shipping of the first Yak-130 consignment to Bangladesh will start on September 17, with six aircraft out of the 16 ordered planes to be delivered," Chemezov said.
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09/12/2015
This week the Federal Government announced Australia's air campaign against Islamic State (IS) would be expanded beyond Iraq to include parts of Syria. "Our planes are now striking at terrorist targets inside Syria as well as in Iraq too," Mr Abbott said.
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09/12/2015
RAF Typhoon fighters have scrambled to intercept Russian long-range bombers flying north of the UK. The incident on Thursday saw jets from RAF Lossiemouth called to the 'Blackjack' bombers flying in international airspace near the UK.
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09/12/2015
Kuwait has agreed to purchase 28 Typhoon combat jets from the Italian government in a deal worth billions of euro, industry sources in the region said Friday. The deal, which has not yet been finalized calls for Kuwait to buy 22 single seat and six twin-seat Typhoons in a government-to-government agreement, Defense News reported.
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09/12/2015
Aviation Industry Corp of China (AVIC) has confirmed it has started the development of a fourth-generation attack helicopter with “stealth capability”; it will “feature supreme maneuverability in complicated environments, outstanding survivability and joint operational ability” and is set to enter the service by 2020.
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09/11/2015
Pakistan and Russia are in talks about the delivery of Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets and previously agreed upon delivery of Mi-35M helicopters, Russian Deputy Foreign Minister (FM) Sergei Ryabkov said, Sputnik reported. Earlier this year, a draft contract for the delivery of four Mi-35M 'Hind E' combat helicopters was sent to Pakistan from Russia, a source in the Russian military and technical cooperation was quoted by the Russian news agency TASS.
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09/11/2015
For generations, the American military—and the US Air Force in particular— has relied on the technological superiority of its systems to dominate any battlefield. Against conventional enemies, this paradigm has been so successful for so long that it is often taken for granted. Unfortunately, the question of how much longer we can expect that to be the case is very much open to debate. Many people observe that, in terms of technology, we have fallen into something of a lull.
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09/11/2015
A multibillion dollar contract between Saab and Brazil for the procurement of 36 Gripen NG fighter aircraft is now in effect, the company announced. The status was achieved following the fulfillment of all required conditions of the $4.6 billion agreement signed last year. "This important milestone marks the formal start to the Brazilian Gripen NG program," said Hakan Buskhe, president and chief executive officer of Saab.
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09/11/2015
Pakistan this week became the world’s fifth known country to use an armed drone in combat, and it can probably thank China. Laser-guided missiles fired from the Burraq armed drone killed three "terrorists" in a mountainous region near the Afghan border on Sunday, according to Pakistan’s military.
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09/11/2015
After developing one of the best fighter jets across the globe, now the top countries have started working on the next generation aircrafts that is known as ‘Fifth Generation Fighter’ (FGF) in aviation’s dictionary. The introductions of high-end technologies like stealth, multiple combat efficiencies and best-in-class avionics for dog-fights (air-to-air combat) will be USP of the gen-next fighter machines.
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09/11/2015
Four new Russian-made aircraft in the framework of a contract that had been previously signed with Moscow arrived in Iraq, the country’s Air Force commander General Hamid Al-Maliki announced yesterday. Al-Maliki said in a press release: “Today we have received four Russian-made combat aircraft, in accordance with an earlier contract signed by Iraq with Moscow.”
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09/11/2015
Today, Lockheed Martin introduced Advanced EOTS, an evolutionary electro-optical targeting system, which is available for the F-35’s Block 4 development. Designed to replace EOTS, the F-35’s current electro-optical targeting system, Advanced EOTS incorporates a wide range of enhancements and upgrades, including short-wave infrared, high-definition television, an infrared marker and improved image detector resolution.
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09/11/2015
Russia supplies Syrian government forces with firearms, grenade launchers and armored personnel carriers as the country is struggling with radical ISIL militants, the Russian Kommersant daily reports citing military-technical sources.
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09/10/2015
The Air Force ushered in a new era of combat air power today as Hill Air Force Base received the service's first two operational F-35As. Hill's active duty 388th Fighter Wing and Reserve 419th Fighter Wing will be the first combat-coded units to fly and maintain the Air Force's newest fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
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09/10/2015
Last weekend, the Italian Air Force celebrated the Frecce Tricolori‘s 55th anniversary with an airshow at Rivolto airbase, in northeastern Italy, attended by 450,000 spectators and featuring more than 100 planes, helicopters and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles) and 11 national display teams.
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09/10/2015
Australian combat aircraft could make their first strike on Islamic State forces in Syria within a week now the federal government has given the go-ahead. Prime Minister Tony Abbott said after careful consideration of the request from US President Barack Obama the government decided to extend current air strikes against IS forces in Iraq to IS targets inside Syria.
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09/10/2015
Boeing [NYSE: BA] delivered the seventh CH-47F Chinook to the Australian Army on budget August 10th, three weeks ahead of schedule, supporting modernization of Australia’s cargo helicopter fleet and eventually replacing the Commonwealth’s six older CH-47D Chinooks. The seven advanced Chinooks were ordered as part of a U.S. Government Foreign Military Sales agreement with Australia in 2012.
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09/10/2015
Britain's Ministry of Defense (MoD) will acquire three solar-powered drones that can fly on the edge of space for up to three months, the drone's manufacturer said on Wednesday. The Zephyr 8 drones being supplied by Airbus Defence and Space will be capable of flying at a height of about 70,000 feet.
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09/10/2015
Moscow and Islamabad are currently in talks on the delivery of Russian multirole Mi-35M attack helicopters and the latest Su-35 fighter jets. "I do not think that the contacts under discussion will cause jealousy on the part of any of the two sides," Ryabkov told journalists.
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09/10/2015
ISIL terrorists have cut off the heads of several dozen Emirati soldiers who fled the war in Yemen's Maarib after a Houthi missile attack killed at least 65 of their comrades along with 240 others from the Saudi-led coalition, Iranian media reports said.
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09/10/2015
Russian pilots in the Southern Military District are currently increasing their skills in extremely low altitude flights on Su-25SM Frogfoot close air support jets, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Southern Military District’s press service said Wednesday.
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09/09/2015
The first F-35 Joint Strike Fighter assembled outside the U.S. made its inaugural flight on Monday. taly’s conventional takeoff and landing aircraft, dubbed the AL-1, is the first such jet built overseas. All previous F-35 aircraft have been built at Lockheed Martin’s Fort Worth production hub in Texas. The Italian F-35A/AL-1 successfully completed an 88-minute flight out of Cameri Air Base, about 60 miles north of Turin.
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09/09/2015
Royal Air Force drone strikes against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant have more than doubled in recent weeks, according to an FT analysis of defence data, putting them at the forefront of the UK’s campaign against the insurgency.
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09/09/2015
The U.S. Air Force is expected to award a contract for its secretive Long Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) program later this month. The LRS-B award could determine the fate of the U.S. defense-aerospace industry as Northrop Grumman and a combined Boeing/Lockheed Martin team vie to secure a program that could be worth more than $100 billion.
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09/09/2015
Russian air force units were put on full alert as a part of an inspection of combat readiness in the Central Military District, the Russian Defense Ministry said Tuesday, according to the official news agency Tass. The planned inspection includes testing a number of aircraft and their abilities.
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09/09/2015
Three giant Russian Condor transport aircraft have flown into the Assad International Airport near Latakia, Syria, over the past few days. They have unloaded large containers but it's not known yet what's in the containers, reports CBS News correspondent David Martin.
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09/09/2015
The helicopter can provide offensive air support and destroy the armored vehicles of any potential enemy with its “air-to-surface” armament including anti-tank missiles, a 23mm cannon and other weapons. It also has gun pods and can carry air-to-air missiles, and its tandem-seated cockpit is armored.
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09/09/2015
On Monday, President Francois Hollande announced that France would start inspection flights over Syria before initiating targeted airstrikes against the Islamic State jihadist group. Two Rafale jets conducted France's first intelligence flights over the Syrian territory on Tuesday, French media reported.
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09/09/2015
Ukraine’s Antonov aircraft manufacturing company, part of the Ukroboronprom Conglomerate, and Saudi Arabia have reached an agreement on the joint production of the new An-132 light multirole transport aircraft.
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09/09/2015
Brazil will acquire a shipment of Russian Pantsir-S1 missile systems in 2016, a highly-ranked official in the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation said Tuesday. The two countries commenced negotiations on Pantsir deliveries in 2012, but the talks were delayed due to Brazilian state budgetary restrictions.
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09/08/2015
The Russian government is claiming officials never denied or misled anyone about sending weapons and equipment to Syria. The report comes days after terrorist groups in Syria published photos of Russians in Syria, and the U.S. warning the Kremlin about military activity in the war-torn country.
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09/08/2015
It might barely have registered in the minds of the British public ahead of the May general election, but the future direction of the UK’s armed forces is within weeks of again dominating the news agenda.
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09/08/2015
While the helicopter design bureau of Nikolai Kamov was in some aspects eclipsed by the work of the Mil plant under engineer Mikhail Mil, the brain behind classics like the Mi-8, Kamov was the other driving force in the sector’s massive growth from the 1940s.
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09/08/2015
During July and August, the five main helicopter manufacturers released their financial results for the first six months of 2015. It is time to have a look at the results of each company for the first half of 2015 and to highlight the common trends of the industry. Following Sikorsky’s sale to Lockheed Martin, United Technologies Corporation was the first to present its results to financial analysts on July 21.
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09/08/2015
The Lockheed Martin Skunk Works is planning more test flights of an open-mission system (OMS) that promises true “plug and play” functionality for airborne communications, electronic warfare and sensor systems. The platform for the flights is the U-2 reconnaissance aircraft, which has already demonstrated machine-to-machine integration in two series of flights since November last year.
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09/08/2015
U.S. and coalition military forces continued to attack the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant in Syria and Iraq over Labor Day, carrying out 15 airstrikes in the past 24 hours. The forces in the region include the nuclear aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt, which will make San Diego its new home port after the current tour of duty. The Roosevelt is taking part in Operation Inherent Resolve, which is targeting the self-declared Islamic state, also known known as ISIL or ISIS.
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09/08/2015
Facing the pressure of economic sanctions imposed by Western countries, the Russian civilian aviation market has experienced reduced business volume, due to dropping demand from domestic airlines. Against this background the military aviation market took center stage at the MAKS 2015 airshow at Zhukhovsky near Moscow, Russia. Despite the absence of new military aircraft, Russian manufacturers unveiled a number of new systems and capabilities at the airshow.
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09/08/2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday ordered snap checks on troop combat readiness in Russia's central military district, the defence ministry said. "According to the order, troops in the central district... are being brought into full combat readiness from 09:30 Moscow time (0630 GMT)," defence minister Sergei Shoigu said.
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09/08/2015
An unmanned Pakistani aircraft killed three suspected terrorists Monday, marking the first time that the country’s military has used drone technology on the battlefield, officials said. In March, Pakistan’s military declared that it had successfully armed an indigenously produced drone, which it calls the Burraq, with a laser-guided missile. But the weapon had not been used in combat until now, officials said.
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09/07/2015
Iran has launched a two-day air drill involving a range of military aircraft, including fighter jets and bombers. Iranian state media report that the "massive" war games that kicked off on September 5 in the central province of Isfahan conveys “Iran’s message of security, stability, and lasting peace to regional countries.”
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09/07/2015
Last Thursday's spectacle involved more than 12,000 troops, 500 pieces of military hardware and 200 aircrafts of various types in celebration of Japan's defeat in World War II seven decades ago. The parade also represented what military officials say is the Chinese military's most cutting-edge technology.
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09/07/2015
Just last week, The Wall Street Journal reported that Egypt is in talks with France about buying both Mistrals originally destined for Russia. While other buyers may still poach the ships, French officials described the Egyptian talks as "among the serious options." Such a sale would also fall in line with recent French policy of bolstering the Egyptian military through the sale of two dozen Rafale fighter jets, a deal announced in February .
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09/07/2015
Defence minister Ryamizard Ryacudu says the air force’s familiarty with the Su-27, of which Jakarta has 16, was a key influencer in the air force’s decision for the Su-35. His comments were carried by state news agency Antara. He adds that the acquisition will take place “gradually” and depends on the availability of funds. Jakarta will also require technology transfer as part of the any order, which is still contingent on government approval.
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09/07/2015
The F-22 fighter jets’ visit to Estonia might have been brief, but their presence spoke volumes.
As the sun rose over western Germany on Friday morning, two F-22s and a KC-135 tanker took off from Spangdahlem Air Base and headed east. The planes and their crews were back in Germany in time for dinner.
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09/07/2015
Even at the ripe age of 88 years, it is difficult to miss the spark of daredevilry in Wing Commander JC Sabherwal, VSM, a decorated war veteran of the 1965 and 1971 wars with Pakistan. Wing Commander Sabherwal resides in Dehradun and his eyes light up as he begins to talk about the war and the role he played in it.
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09/07/2015
The Iraqi military has used the F-16 fighter jet in combat operations for the first time, more than a year after Iraqi officials began pressing Washington to deliver them to assist in the fight against Islamic State militants. Defense officials in Iraq and Washington on Sunday confirmed the operations, which should significantly upgrade the Iraqi military’s ability to strike Islamic State militants in coming months.
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09/07/2015
Iraq will take delivery this month of four advanced jet fighters bought from the Czech Republic, an Iraqi official said Sunday. “According to a deal struck between the Czech Republic and Iraq, the Czech government will hand over four 159T1 warplanes to Iraq,” said Hakim Zamli, head of the Iraqi parliament’s defense and security committee.
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09/07/2015
A year ago US defence research organisation DARPA made a public call for ideas on how drone carrying aircraft could operate. It appears they got some good answers. In a world of exorbitantly expensive defence projects, such as the controversial F-35 Stealth Fighter, the idea of mass produced, cheap and extendible drones has obvious appeal.
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09/06/2015
India's Reliance Defence and Aerospace has partnered with Russian Helicopters and Rosoboronexport to manufacture Ka-226 helicopters in India, said an executive of parent company Reliance Infrastructure. India gave a firm order to Russia, on nomination basis, to manufacture 200 Ka-226 helicopters for the Indian military. The order could increase because India has a need for more than 400 light utility helicopters in the Ka-226 category.
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09/06/2015
The United Arab Emirates has bombarded Yemeni rebels with airstrikes after 50 people, including 45 soldiers, were killed in the deadliest day yet for a Saudi-led coalition fighting the insurgents.
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09/06/2015
The controversial Joint Strike Fighter stealth jet is being dogged by new technical problems every week, the most senior British engineer working on the aircraft has revealed. The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) has already cost £5 billion and taken 15 years to develop. It has suffered a series of setbacks including a freak fire which grounded the fleet and the admission earlier this year that it was beaten in a combat exercise by a jet designed 40 years ago.
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09/06/2015
The North Atlantic Treaty Organization was formed on April 4th, 1949. A political military alliance, it was the result of Cold War tensions between the United States and Western Europe on one side and the Soviet Union on the other. The continued stationing of large amounts Soviet forces in Eastern Europe made a common defense organization necessary.
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09/06/2015
For months the defense industry has been held hostage, watching closely as the Pentagon weighs a decision that will shape the aerospace world for decades to come. The Air Force is poised to announce who will build its next-generation bomber, and the competition is steep. The two teams represent three of the five top defense contractors in the country: Northrop Grumman, builder of the B-2 stealth bomber, and a teamed Boeing and Lockheed Martin.
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09/06/2015
In the world of Russian jet fighters, Moscow’s finest?—?such as the Flanker and the fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50?—?tend to grab the most headlines. But the Yakovlev Yak-130, a comparatively non-glamorous twin-seat jet trainer, is quietly turning heads … because it’s obviously more than just a trainer. The twin-engine jet dubbed “Mitten” by Western intelligence is now showing its credentials as a genuine multi-role fighter.
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09/05/2015
For what appears to be an entire sortie, a Canadian warplane broadcast its flight location while flying over so-called Islamic State (IS) controlled territory. The revelation regarding a refueling plane flying as part of Operation IMPACT in Iraq, comes from civilian website Flightradar24.com — a collective of thousands of volunteer antenna networks all over the world streamlining location data of planes using something called automatic dependent surveillance-broadcasts (ADS-B).
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09/05/2015
Unverified images appeared showing aircraft similar to Russian Yakovlev jets above the war-torn nation – sparking speculation Russia was about to carry out airstrikes against ISIS targets. It came after the jihadist regime claimed it carried out a deadly car bomb attack on a Russian military headquarters in Dagestan.
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09/05/2015
The increased frequency of military air and sea encounters between NATO and NATO partner states and the Russian Federation is a serious cause for concern among policy makers, but relatively little has been done to practically address this issue.
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09/05/2015
China now has better information and electronic warfare capabilities as the People's Liberation Army has deployed some of the world's most advanced support aircraft, an aviation analyst said.
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09/05/2015
With a contract announcement imminent, new details about the US Air Force’s Long-Range Strike Bomber have emerged that paint the classified project as being less exotic and probably more affordable than previously imagined.
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09/05/2015
Two of the US Air Force's most advanced planes, F-22 Raptor stealth fighters, made a landmark visit to Estonia Friday, the first time the state-of-the-art aircraft have visited former Soviet territory. The visit comes as tensions are running high with neighbouring Russia over its role in the conflict in Ukraine.
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09/05/2015
Forty-five troops from the United Arab Emirates were killed in Yemen while taking part in Saudi-led operations against Houthi rebels, the Gulf nation said Friday, in the deadliest day for its military in its 44-year history. The UAE's minister of state for foreign affairs, Anwar Gargash, said the troops were killed when a missile struck an ammunition depot. On his official Twitter feed, he said the "cowardly attack will not deter us."
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09/05/2015
The Pentagon is monitoring a scenario with ominous implications: the prospect of American and Russian warplanes fighting on opposite sides in the skies over Syria. In a development that caught U.S. intelligence by surprise, Russia has set up an air traffic control tower and modular housing units for hundreds of personnel at an airfield near Syria's Mediterranean port of Latikia.
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09/05/2015
Last week, the Belarusian army newspaper Vo Slavu Rodiny published an article praising the newly received Russian warplanes. However, these Russian aircraft are a step backward compared to the equipment that Belarus already had. President Lukashenka recently publicly complained that the Kremlin had refused to give Belarus a dozen aircraft. The Belarusian authorities therefore are delaying the establishment of a Russian airbase in Belarus.
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09/04/2015
The record of Pakistan’s 1965 legendary war hero MM Alam vis-à-vis shooting down five Indian war planes in less than a minute still remains unbroken. Alam, popularly known as MM Alam, while piloting an F-86 Sabre, shot down five Indian war planes in less than a minute during 1965 Pak-India war and altogether, downed nine war planes in the aerial fighting.
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09/04/2015
In recent months, Dassault Aviation has recorded a series of orders for its Rafale. There are firm orders, those of Egypt and Qatar, each, for 24 aircraft, and then there is that of India, who in April announced the purchase of 36 combat aircraft, though for the moment nothing has been signed even if things are going in the right direction.
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09/04/2015
The US Air Force’s $6 billion programme to replace the Boeing 707-based Northrop Grumman E-8C “JSTARS” is shaping up as a battle between platform providers rather than the primes, with Boeing, Bombardier and Gulfstream locked in a three-way contest for the 17-aircraft order.
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09/04/2015
After asking state-owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) to stop work on the intermediate jet trainers (IJT), the Indian Air Force (IAF) is now keen on the US offer of Textron’s AirLand Scorpion light-attack and intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft.
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09/04/2015
The supersonic Tupolev Tu-160, whom Russian pilots lovingly call the White Swan, is about to undergo a major upgrade which will see 60 percent of its equipment replaced with top-end gear, including hypersonic missiles, improved avionics and electronics.
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09/04/2015
Ten Israeli F-15 fighters recently concluded a joint exercise at an American air force base with the air forces of the United States, Singapore and Jordan. The Israeli planes refueled in mid-air several times en route from Israel to the Red Flag exercise at the Nellis air force base in Nevada. According to the aviation website Foxtrot Alpha, the Israeli contingent also provided the Jordanian fighters with mid-air refueling en route.
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09/04/2015
The first two Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 388th Fighter Wing were officially delivered to the base today. The two F-35A Conventional Takeoff and Landing variants, known as AF-77 and AF-78, are the first of 72 F-35As scheduled for delivery to the base.
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09/04/2015
China is building two aircraft carriers, according to a new report by the Taiwanese Defense Ministry, as Beijing nears what some experts say is its goal of deploying domestic-built carriers by 2020.
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09/03/2015
To mark the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain, a Eurofighter Typhoon from 29 (R) Squadron and a Spitfire from the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight will take to the skies together for a remarkable flying display as part of The Battle of Britain Anniversary Air Show on Saturday, September 19.
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09/03/2015
Moscow has rejected reports by Israeli media that it aims to deploy fighter jets and military personnel to Syria to help the Arab country in its battle against the Daesh Takfiri group. "There has been no redeployment of Russian combat aircraft to the Syrian Arab Republic," the website of Russia's television network RT quoted an unnamed source as saying on Tuesday.
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09/03/2015
Russia and China will jointly create a brand new heavy-lift helicopter, the Russian Helicopters company deputy CEO for sales, Grigory Kozlov, said Wednesday. According to the Russian Helicopters deputy CEO, Russia and China will sign a contract on the joint development of a heavy-lift helicopter before the end of the year.
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09/03/2015
Earlier in the day, media reported that India's Defense Acquisition Council (DAC) had approved the purchase of 48 Mi-17V-5 helicopters worth $1.1 billion from Russia for the needs of the country's armed forces.
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09/03/2015
Serbia is seeking to purchase two Russian military helicopters from Russia in the near future, the Russian Helicopters company's deputy CEO for sales, Grigory Kozlov, said Wednesday.
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09/02/2015
The new deal was signed with the type's manufacturer, Irkut, at the MAKS air show in Moscow in late August. A Commonwealth of Independent States member, Belarus sources most of its military equipment from Russia, and placed its first Yak-130 order in 2011. Those four aircraft have already been delivered.
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09/02/2015
he new Aerospace Forces, which entered combat duty in early August, are a combination of the air force, air defence and missile defence, and space defence wings. The Air Force has ceased to be a standalone force and has become a branch of the armed forces.
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09/02/2015
Wang Yanyong, technical director for Beijing A-Star Science and Technology, confirms that two systems – the EOTS-89 electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) and the EORD-31 infrared search and track (IRST) – are in development for China’s J-20 and J-31 fighters.
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09/02/2015
The U.S. and Ukraine formally kicked off almost two weeks of naval exercises on Monday in and around the Black Sea as part of the latest iteration of Sea Breeze. The Russian military has pledged to keep close tabs on the 11 nation drills and has dispatched the Krivak-class guided missile frigate Ladny to shadow U.S. guided missile destroyer USS Donald Cook (DDG-75) since the destroyer crossed into the Black Sea last week, according to a report from the Russian news agency Interfax.
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09/02/2015
Official media has celebrated new contracts to buy Russian-made military equipment. Belarus plans to decommission another advanced military aircraft the Su-25, which the newly acquired Yak-130 aircraft with it's limited capacities will fail to replace. Minsk has succeeded in developing defence ties with Pakistan, while its arms designing projects with China may convince Moscow to offer Minsk better options to improve Belarusian defence.
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09/02/2015
Japan’s Ministry of Defense (MOD) is requesting a record 5.09 trillion yen ($42.38 billion) defense budget for fiscal year 2016, up 2.2 percent from the current fiscal year, Jiji Press reports. The budget request is heavily geared toward fortifying Japan’s position in the disputed Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands – an island chain administered by Tokyo in the East China Sea.
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09/02/2015
Confronted with shrinking combat aircraft capacity, the Indian Air Force appears willing to swap projected numbers on paper for actual fighters on hand. At least, that is the message being conveyed by IAF brass as they once again trim their fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) requirement.
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09/02/2015
No Russian jets were deployed to Syria in order to launch attacks against Islamic State militants (IS, formerly ISIS, ISIL) and Syrian rebels, a military source told RT, dismissing reports in Israeli media. "There has been no redeployment of Russian combat aircraft to the Syrian Arab Republic,” the source told RT on Tuesday. “The Russian Air Force is at its permanent bases and carrying out normal troop training and combat duty.”
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09/02/2015
Iran and Russia have signed a cooperation agreement to produce gas turbines and aircraft engines, Iranian Deputy Defense Minister Manouchehr Manteghi told Sputnik Persian in an interview.
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09/01/2015
Islamic State militants are maintaining their offensive on towns at the heart of a safe zone that U.S. and Turkish authorities want to carve out in northern Syria — despite Turkish fighter jets recently launching their first airstrikes as part of the American-led coalition against the jihadist terror army. Rebel commanders say coalition strikes need to be ramped up to ward off the extremists.
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09/01/2015
When it comes to buying weapons, the U.S. government is its own worst enemy. It wastes vast amounts of time and money trying to get new programs exactly right, and then ends up fielding combat systems that are too costly and too late to the fight. If there’s one thing Republicans and Democrats agree on, it’s that the Pentagon needs to buy weapons faster and more affordably that keep America’s military at the cutting edge of warfighting technology.
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09/01/2015
In every airborne operation, the force of paratroopers jumping into a drop zone is only half the battle. Once those Soldiers hit the ground, the next phase of the operation begins: seize an airfield and rapidly build combat power through air-land operations. This operation requires a coordinated team of Air Force and Army personnel to find a viable airstrip, secure it, and then land transport aircraft carrying the heavy equipment and other forces necessary to run any combat exercise.
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09/01/2015
Russian fighter pilots, jets and helicopters will begin arriving in Syria in the coming days to join in the offensive against the Islamic State (IS) and rebel-aligned targets within the failing state Israeli news site Ynet News reported Monday. According to Western diplomats, Russian expeditionary forces have already arrived in Syria to set up camp in an Assad-controlled airbase near Damascus, and will operate as a Russian forward operating base.
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09/01/2015
Russian Aircraft Corporation “MiG” general director and designer Sergei Korotkov told reporters attending the MAKS’2015 show last week that development of the MiG-35 is continuing, despite the new fighter’s failure to secure domestic or foreign orders. He said that the Russian defense ministry has promised to start buying MiG-35s in 2018, after the aircraft completes flight trials, with at least 30 units planned for purchase.
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09/01/2015
They were the mischievous creatures blamed for causing mechanical failures and faults on aircraft during World War Two and later the destructive monsters in a hit film franchise. So Gremlins might not seem like the first choice for a fleet of robotic aircraft being developed by the US military.
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09/01/2015
The People’s Liberation Army has for the first time publicly displayed some of the most modern and deadliest missiles in its possession. During rehearsals for the military parade due to be held on September 3, commemorating the 70th anniversary of the Chinese victory over Japan in World War II, glimpses of a number of new Chinese missiles were seen.
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09/01/2015
Caihong 5 (CH-5) is the latest in a series of unmanned aerial vehicles developed by Chinese experts. The first flight of the UAV took place in the province of Gansu in the northwest of the country and lasted for 20 minutes.
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09/01/2015
Egypt has ordered Ka-52 helicopters but the delivery has not started yet, according to the source that did not specify the timeframe and sum of the contract. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi is currently on a visit to Moscow. During talks with his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin, Sisi reached an agreement to extend Russian grain supplies and switch to ruble transactions in the tourist industry.
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08/31/2015
China has won the first round of its contest for control in the South China Sea by completing construction of an archipelago of artificial islands, say senior Australian sources. And there is little that will stop China from winning the next round, too, as an indecisive US Administration and allies including Australia struggle to follow through on earlier promises to challenge unlawful Chinese claims with "freedom of navigation" exercises, the sources say.
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08/31/2015
On Thursday, 12,000 People's Liberation Army (PLA) troops, between 100 - 200 aircraft and about 500 pieces of military equipment will participate in a military parade in the Chinese capital commemorating the 70th anniversary of the surrender of regional rival Japan to end World War II.
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08/31/2015
Irkut has demonstrated Yak-130 trainer aircraft fitted with laser rangefinder intended for visual identification of ground and surface targets and measurement of slant range to them at the MAKS-2015. Russia has upgraded the the Yak-130 (tail number 01)in a bid to showcase it as not just a trainer but also as a light attack aircraft to its foreign customers.
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08/31/2015
To gauge the joint strike fighter's ability to perform in a close-air support role, the Pentagon's top weapons tester has declared the sleek new fighter jet must face off against the lumbering A-10.
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08/31/2015
Delays with development of a new Air Force tanker scheduled to be based and serviced in Oklahoma are causing turbulence at the Pentagon, but local leaders say they're not too worried about a project that is expected to pump millions of dollars into their economies.
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08/31/2015
The Turkish Foreign Ministry announced on Saturday that Turkish military aircraft had started bombing ISIL targets late on Friday. “Our fighter aircraft, along with coalition fighter jets, began carrying out joint air operations as of yesterday (Friday) evening against ISIL targets in Syria that also present a threat to our national security,” said the ministry on Saturday.
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08/31/2015
Pilots flying the modernized version of Russia’s Mi-28N attack helicopters will receive a new helmet imaging and targeting system. The device was unveiled at the MAKS-2015 air expo on Saturday.
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08/29/2015
The US wants its F-22 Raptor fighters, which its plans to deploy in Europe, to learn to cooperate with the supersonic fighters of the allies, not only with the most widespread Eurofighter Typhoons but also the Gripen fighters used by the Czechs, daily Lidové noviny (LN) writes today.
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08/29/2015
The Pentagon has awarded a $171 million contract to a California-based consortium to develop wearable electronic devices as part of a push to work more closely with Silicon Valley.
Defense Secretary Ash Carter announced the award for the so-called FlexTech Alliance, a group of companies, nonprofits, labs and universities — from Apple Inc. to Boeing Co., from the Cleveland Clinic to MIT — during a speech Friday at Moffett Field in Mountain View, California, which is also home to Google Inc.
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08/29/2015
Six Bulgarian Air Force MiG-29 fighter jets will have their engines overhauled in Poland, according to an intergovernmental letter of intent signed in Sofia on Friday. Poland’s state-owned Miltary Aviation Works WZL 2, 4 will carry out the repair and upgrade of the engines of three MiG-29s by the middle of next year and a further three by end-2016, according to the Bulgarian Ministry of Defence.
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08/29/2015
Aug 28 Two weeks of joint testing of the Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jet at a California air base by the Royal Netherlands Air Force showed that the new stealthy jets are able to share a significant amount of data with older warplanes, the pilot in charge of Dutch F-35 testing told Reuters.
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08/29/2015
Airbus Helicopters reports its Tiger aircraft will perform a flight demonstration in Poland prior to the start next week's MSPO defense exhibition. The Tiger HAD chosen for the demonstration is from the French Army, which has used Tigers in operations in Afghanistan and the Sahel.
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08/29/2015
Boeing will provide the first P-8A Poseidon maritime surveillance aircraft for Australia and additional P-8As for the U.S. Navy following a $1.49 billion contract award from the Navy for 13 aircraft. The order includes nine aircraft for the U.S. Navy and four Poseidon aircraft for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF), a long-time partner to the U.S. Navy on P-8A development.
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08/29/2015
Belarus plans to purchase eight more Yakovlev (Mitten) Yak-130 jet trainers from Russia, in addition to the four planes that Russian aircraft manufacturer Irkut Corporation agreed to deliver on Wednesday, the country’s military said.
(Read More...)
08/29/2015
A top hacker for the Islamic State (ISIL) was killed in a US military airstrike earlier in the week, US Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on Friday.
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08/29/2015
Four US F-22 tactical fighter jets meant to bolster NATO have arrived at the Spangdahlem Air Base in Germany to begin training exercises, the US Air Force announced in a Friday press release.
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08/28/2015
Brazil and Sweden have signed the financing agreement for the acquisition of Gripen NG fighters for the Brazilian Air Force (FAB), allowing Saab to start the production of aircraft.
Recently, both the countries had agreed on interest rates in a financial deal to support the aircraft acquisition programme.
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08/28/2015
China will showcase a novel model of bomber aircraft in the military parade in Beijing on Sept. 3, according to military sources. The aircraft, independently developed for long-distance precision strikes, was loosely based on a previous bomber model, but 90 percent has been refitted, according to Bao Lianjing, leading pilot of the parade debut formation. "Besides the tiller and the rudder, everything else has been upgraded," Bao said.
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08/28/2015
The US Army has successfully test-fired the Raytheon-built AIM-9X Block II Sidewinder missile from its ground-based indirect fire protection capability increment 2-I (IFPC 2-I) Block 1 multi-mission launcher (MML).
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08/28/2015
After Vietnam, the Department of Defense turned its attention back to the Soviet threat in Europe. Faced with an opposing force that was numerically superior, land-power-focused, and strategically positioned to overrun Western Europe, the United States initially turned to nuclear weapons to offset a battlefield disadvantage.
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08/28/2015
The defence minister, Kevin Andrews, has asked for detailed advice on pilot and air crew safety before signing off on air combat missions over Syria. Key concerns are the ability to rescue crew if they are shot down, and keeping out of the way of other aircraft in the increasingly crowded skies. Andrews said the safety of RAAF pilots and aircrew would be foremost in the government’s mind as it considers extending existing air operations over Iraq to include Syria.
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08/28/2015
A $5-billion deal to buy 36 Rafale fighter aircraft from France is on the agenda of a meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council in South Block on Friday, August 28. The Rafale deal has been listed for discussion as a ‘confidential project’ in the meeting. The government hopes the DAC will clear the purchase of the jets before French defence minister Jean-Yves Le Drian arrives in New Delhi on Tuesday.
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08/28/2015
The ongoing MAKS 2015 air show in Moscow features an impressive flying display by the Sukhoi T-50, the fifth-generation prototype fighter's first public outing in two years. But even the rousing applause fails to mask the disappointment of Russian officials at the Indian Air Force's (IAF's) foot-dragging in co-developing the T-50 into a "fifth generation fighter aircraft" (FGFA) that the IAF will buy.
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08/28/2015
Japan launched the second and final ship in its new Izumo-class helicopter carrier – the largest Japanese ships since World War II – at the Japan Marine United shipyard in Yokohama on Thursday.
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08/28/2015
A memorandum on the implementation of the agreement to supply Russian S-300 missile defense systems to Iran was signed, according to a senior official from the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation.
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08/27/2015
The missile and the launcher are ready. Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) has modernized its first multi-role combat aircraft, the Su-30 MKI and integrated the launch system. Recently, we carried out the first flights with the launch system and everything has gone well.
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08/27/2015
The US Air Force's reserve pilots from the 302nd fighter squadron have successfully dropped joint direct attack munitions (JDAMs) from the F-22 Raptor tactical fighter aircraft. Conducted during a recent unit training assembly (UTA), the training involved the upgraded F-22 aircraft installed with increment 3.2A, a software upgrade package.
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08/27/2015
The U.S. Army and Raytheon Company (NYSE: RTN) successfully test fired an AIM-9X Block II missile from the Army's ground-based Indirect Fire Protection Capability Increment 2-I (IFPC 2-I) Block 1 Multi-Mission Launcher (MML). AIM-9X is traditionally fired from aircraft toward aerial targets and this test demonstrated that the latest AIM-9X can be used in both air-to-air combat and now, without modification, in ground-based air defense.
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08/27/2015
A privately-owned Chinese sensor company has unveiled a suite of air-to-air and air-to-ground sensors in development for the latest Chinese and Russian fighters. Wang Yanyong, technical director for Beijing A-Star Science and Technology, confirms that two systems – the EOTS-89 electro-optical targeting system (EOTS) and the EORD-31 infrared search and track (IRST) – are in development for China’s J-20 and J-31 fighters.
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08/27/2015
Alenia Aermacchi reported the successful completion of the flight-test phase in Italy of the pan-European Unmanned Combat Air Vehicle (UCAV) demonstrator. The company said that “12 highly sensitive sorties to verify the radar cross section (RCS) and infrared signature” had taken place from Decimomannu airbase in Sardinia. The single Neuron air vehicle is now undertaking further RCS flight tests in Sweden, plus the dropping of GPS-guided bombs on the Vidsel range.
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08/27/2015
Last week, NATO headquarters announced Exercise Swift Response-15, the largest Allied airborne training event on the European continent since the end of the Cold War. About 5,000 soldiers from 11 countries in the alliance will take part in the maneuvers, which will last until Sept. 13.
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08/27/2015
Pakistan could become the fourth country to operate the Yak-130 combat trainer aircraft, the website Defenseworld.net has reported, saying that Islamabad has expressed an interest in the aircraft. The website claims that the parties have already held preliminary talks. Industry sources told defenseworld.net that Pakistan Air Force officials have been talking to executives from Rosoboronexport and Irkut.
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08/27/2015
Boeing has signed an agreement with Saudia Aerospace Engineering Industries (SAEI) and Alsalam Aircraft Company to create the Saudi Rotorcraft Support Center in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The joint venture will have locations in Riyadh and Jeddah providing comprehensive, in-country maintenance repair and overhaul support for Saudi Arabia’s diverse rotorcraft fleet.
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08/27/2015
The MAKS-2015 International Air Show in the Moscow Region city of Zhukovsky enters its second day on Wednesday. Taking part in the event are more than 150 foreign companies from 25 countries, including Austria, Belgium, Great Britain, Germany, Italy and France.
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08/27/2015
The Turkish government on Tuesday denied allegations it tipped off an al Qaeda-linked group that went on to capture Syrian rebels trained by the United States to battle the Islamic State. Multiple Syrian rebel groups said the Nusra Front had been alerted by Turkish intelligence, McClatchy reported on Monday.
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08/26/2015
As pressure builds on the US Air Force to keep the beloved A-10 alive despite crushing budget cuts, the service is taking another look at the future of close-air support (CAS) and the most effective way to protect soldiers on the ground.
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08/26/2015
China’s rapid effort to build artificial islands in the South China Sea is far more than a diplomatic challenge. For China’s neighbors and the United States, it could soon become a serious military problem as well.
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08/26/2015
Teams from five leading Indian universities recently presented design concepts supporting the disaster relief operations here as part of the Lockheed Martin C-130J Super Hercules Roll-On/Roll-Off University Design Challenge.
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08/26/2015
The Boeing AH-64 Apache attack helicopter will be making its first appearance at the largest defense show in Poland – the MSPO International Defence Industry Exhibition – in Kielce, September 1-4.
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08/26/2015
Russia's nascent fleet of fifth generation fighter jets could welcome a new member of the cutting-edge aircraft family in the years to come: Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG is currently developing a brand new lightweight fighter jet.
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08/26/2015
Russia's fifth generation fighter jet has been outfitted with a unique fully digital weapon guidance system offering the pilot fire-and-forget capabilities that allow the aircraft to lock on a target and hit it when it is no longer in line-of-sight.
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08/26/2015
Turkish intelligence orchestrated last month's capture of a group of Syrian moderate rebels trained by the United States to fight the Islamic State, according to rebel sources who spoke with McClatchy.
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08/25/2015
Russia's biennial International Air and Space Salon — known as MAKS, its Russian acronym — launches on Tuesday and will run through Sunday. Its first three days are considered to be business days for defense industry officials, and the show opens to the general public on Friday.
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08/25/2015
Russia’s contract for supplying China with Sukhoi Su-35 fighter jets (NATO reporting name: Flanker-E) is at an approval stage, the first deputy director general of Russia’s arms exporter, Rosoboronexport, said on Monday. "We are holding talks with our Chinese partners on agreeing a draft contract for the supplies of fighter jets," Ivan Goncharenko told TASS ahead of the MAKS-2015 air show held near Moscow.
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08/25/2015
Thunder Over Michigan roars into Willow Run Airport in Ypsilanti this weekend. Aerobatics master, Michael Goulian will attack the sky with breathtaking rolls and tumbles in his EXTRA 330SC airplane. The U.S. Navy Blue Angels will show off speed and precision as its pilots demonstrate daring maneuvers overhead.
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08/25/2015
To celebrate the ingenuity of flying beast machines, we created this awesome video that catalogs all of the US Navy’s combat jets. You’ll see modern jets like the Harrier and F-18 and F-35 along with old school, bad ass planes with names like Banshee and Phantom and Panther and Skynight.
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08/25/2015
The United States will deploy F-22 fighter jets to Europe very soon as part of a broader effort to support eastern European members of the NATO alliance unnerved by Russia's intervention in Ukraine, Air Force Secretary Deborah James said on Monday.
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08/25/2015
A Mig-21 Bison aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in the fields of Soibugh, Budgam district of Jammu and Kashmir this morning, with no loss of life reported in the accident. The pilot was able to eject from the aircraft and was rescued by an army helicopter.
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08/25/2015
German Air Force fighters will guard Baltic airspace beginning Tuesday, taking over from the UK Royal Air Force (RAF) under regular NATO rotation, the Latvian Defense Ministry said in a statement Monday.
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08/25/2015
The Vympel R-73 (NATO reporting name: AA-11 Archer) is an infrared heat-seeking air-to-air missile with an operational range of up to 19 miles. It was designed to engage virtually any type of aircraft – from cutting-edge jet fighters to drones and cruise missiles.
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08/25/2015
As militants of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) continue to hold off an international air strike coalition and advances from local fighters in Syria and Iraq, the terror group is now facing a new threat that has already wiped off some of its members: sexually transmitted disease.
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08/25/2015
Turkey and the United States will soon launch "comprehensive" air operations to flush Islamic State fighters from a zone in northern Syria bordering Turkey, Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu told Reuters on Monday. Detailed talks between Washington and Ankara on the plans were completed on Sunday and regional allies including
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08/24/2015
A total of 41 members of the terrorist Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) were killed in military operations carried out in southeastern Anatolia and northern Iraq on Friday and Saturday, the Turkish military said on Saturday.
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08/24/2015
South Korean and US fighter jets were spotted sweeping through the skies of South Korea in a powerful show of force against North Korea's threat of military action. Eight planes simulating bombing of enemy targets circled the skies as tensions mount between the North and South.
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08/24/2015
A day after a relic military jet plunged from the sky and crashed onto a busy UK highway, authorities searched Sunday for more possible victims. Sussex police announced at a press conference that they have the names of 11 people whom they are treating as "highly likely" to be dead. The identification process was a "technical" one that requires the help of the victims' next of kin. Earlier, they said seven people had been killed.
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08/24/2015
For almost five months, B-1 crews from the 9th Bomb Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, focused on one town — Kobani in Syria — in the battle against the Islamic State group.
Kurdish forces were entrenched in their own city as waves of Islamic State fighters advanced.
The enemy was “sending troops there constantly,” said a weapons systems officer from the 9th Bomb Squadron identified for security reasons only as Scram. “They were very willing to impale themselves on that city.”
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08/24/2015
The Marine Corps has made strides to improve standards for the MV-22B Osprey nearly two years after a report found unsettling evidence the service was deploying squadrons that were not mission-ready. But some problems persist due to high operational demand and a lack of resources.
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08/24/2015
A Chinese avionics marketing and manufacturing firm has put Israeli-US relations under a microscope after marketing an advanced fire control radar identical to Elta’s ELM-2052 active electronically scanned array (AESA). Elta is the same Israeli state-owned subsidiary at the heart of an incendiary chapter in US-Israel relations that continues to reverberate 15 years after Washington forced Israel to cancel a controversial Phalcon airborne early warning aircraft contract with Beijing.
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08/24/2015
Iran could receive S-300 missile defense systems from Russia by the end of 2015, country's Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said. No new agreement between Iran and Russia was reached on the issue, but only a complement was added to the previous deal, because some changes were introduced in some parts of the S-300 systems, which increases its costs, the minister was quoted by Iran's ISNA news agency as saying.
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08/24/2015
Briefing reporters in Tehran, Brigadier General Hossein Dehghan said Russia had agreed to cooperate with Iran after learning about the Islamic Republic’s capabilities, Tasnim news agency reported. “In the field of (manufacturing) fighter jets, we will not develop such cooperation with any country other than Russia,” General Dehghan emphasized.
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08/23/2015
The terror group’s advance on Syria’s capital is slow but relentless; one major incident, such as the fall of a base or a strike against a key figure, could bring about the collapse of Assad’s military system.
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08/23/2015
Political upheaval over the last year has created a radically different business, political and security environment for this week's biennial International Aviation and Space Salon (MAKS) compared with the 2013 exhibit. Russian defense firms under Western sanctions imposed for Moscow's annexation of Crimea last year have effectively cut the industry off from Western credit and customers.
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08/23/2015
The serial drama of the MMRCA tender; for purchase and licensed production of 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft; reached an intermediate junction. During a visit in April 2015 to France by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, an announcement was made about the signing of an ‘agreement in principle’ on direct purchase of 36 fighter jets by the Rafale Company which, in 2013, was declared the formal winner of the MMRCA Tender.
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08/23/2015
The Israeli fighter jet was targeted over the city of Al-Quneitra on Friday, Iran’s Fars news agency reported on Saturday. Israel regularly violates the Syrian airspace and launches missile attacks against the country. On Friday, the Israeli Air Force resumed airstrikes on Western Syria, targeting a government army base at Khan Al-Sheih in Damascus province and another in the al-Quneitra province after a six-hour halt in attacks that followed their multiple air raids over the Golan Heights.
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08/23/2015
Iran’s air defense shot down an unknown drone on a surveillance mission, which had crossed the country’s western borders, Iranian media reported on Saturday.
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08/23/2015
The Sino-Russian joint naval exercises started in the Sea of Japan. The drills include 25 ships, 15 aircrafts, 8 helicopters, and 400 marines. The theme of the exercises is joint protection of routes.
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08/23/2015
Eight South Korean and US fighter jets took to the South Korean skies on Saturday, simulating bombings of enemy targets as tensions shot up on the peninsula after North Korea fired shells on Thursday in protest of Seoul’s anti-North loudspeaker broadcasts.
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08/23/2015
Russia has not sent Mikoyan MiG-31 supersonic interceptors to Syria and does not intend to operate the aircraft in the war-torn country, CEO of Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG Sergei Korotkov stated refuting recent rumors.
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08/22/2015
The Pentagon released a new maritime security strategy for the Asia-Pacific region Aug. 21 that criticizes China’s aggressive claims to sovereignty over most of the South and Southeast China Seas and declares that the US “will continue to fly, sail and operate wherever international law allows.”
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08/22/2015
Russia and Egypt have signed an intergovernmental contract for the delivery of Mikoyan MiG-29 fighters, a source in the MiG Corporation told Interfax-AVN on August 21. "A contract has been signed with Egypt at an intergovernmental level, and we will be next," the source said.
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08/22/2015
The war scenario that we were required to analyse was that a major power, with significant naval assets including an aircraft carrier, had invaded and established a considerable military force presence in north Western Australia. Due to the size of our coastline and our limited logistic ability, we were unable to prevent the successful hostile establishment of a bridgehead.
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08/22/2015
When P.E. MacAllister uncovered the flag of the Air Force's 71st Fighter Training Squadron, he uncovered the flag of a unit he helped establish in World War II — a unit that had been inactivated five years ago.
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08/22/2015
China has been accused by some countries of designing its military aircraft by copying the fighters of other countries, after an Internet user published a black and white photograph of the "number 2013" prototype of the Chengdu J-20, China's first stealth fighter on a test flight, Sina's military news Web portal reported.
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08/22/2015
In Syria, the airstrikes struck ISIL tactical units, infrastructure, a sniper position and weapons. “Attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 10 airstrikes in Syria… 23 airstrikes in Iraq, coordinated with the Iraqi government,” the release read on Friday.
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08/22/2015
With nearly $400 billion spent on developing the F-35, the next-generation fighter jet which is still not entirely combat-ready, the Pentagon has touted the aircraft’s high-tech weapons systems. Equipped with stealth technology and electronic warfare capabilities, the military is also considering laser weapons, as well as a mysterious pod-mounted cyberattack system.
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08/22/2015
Islamic State second-in-command Fadhil Ahmad al-Hayali was killed on Tuesday by a US airstrike in Iraq, White House National Security Council spokesperson Ned Price said in a statement on Friday.
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08/22/2015
China’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea sent Washington into a panic. But according to a new Pentagon report, the US now believes the land reclamation project to be even larger than initially predicted.
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08/21/2015
A plan to upgrade Indian Air Force (IAF) Su-30MKI aircraft to the “Super Sukhoi” configuration may be delayed owing to unresolved issues with the Su-30MKI aircraft. Russia’s Rosoboronexport and Irkut Corp. had proposed in 2011 to equip the Su-30MKI with an active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, improved weapons and stealth characteristics to bring it close to the level of a fifth-generation fighter aircraft.
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08/21/2015
Pakistan could be showing an interest in the Yak-130 trainer of Russia after concluding a deal to purchase four Mi-17 Hind helicopters. The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) does not have a modern combat trainer though it operates advanced aircraft such as the American F-16, and the Pakistani-Chinese JF-17.
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08/21/2015
Israel insists it will undertake the maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) of its on-order fleet of Lockheed Martin F-35 combat aircraft, going against the airframer’s strategy of creating regional sustainment centres for the Joint Strike Fighter. "We have made it clear that the maintenance of the aircraft including depot-level [work] will be done in our bases," a senior Israeli air force officer tells Flightglobal.
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08/21/2015
The Russian Navy's only aircraft carrier, the Admiral Kuznetsov, undergoing three months of refit and repair work at a floating dock in Russia's northwest region of Murmansk, is getting set to head back to its Northern Fleet base, Navy spokesman and Captain 2nd Rank Andrei Luzik told Russian media on Thursday.
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08/21/2015
The formal US request for expanded air cover, including enhanced intelligence-gathering, support for US and coalition fighter planes in Syrian air space and the potential for Australian airstrikes, was sent to the Australian embassy in Washington DC yesterday.
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08/21/2015
Kim Jong Un, the leader of North Korea, has ordered the country’s army to bring the troops to full combat readiness following the Thursday exchange of fire between North and South Korea, the Yonhap News Agency reports.
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08/21/2015
The US-led coalition against the Islamic State conducted an airstrike on Wednesday and destroyed a vehicle-borne improvised explosive device (VBIED) facility, the Combined Joint Task Force said in a release on Thursday.
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08/21/2015
The Philippine Navy is preparing to deploy weaponized versions of its AgustaWestland AW109 helicopter on board its Pilar-class frigates, the Navy's director of public affairs said Wednesday. According to Commander Lued Lincuna, the frigates had previously embarked non-weaponized versions of the helicopter for testing, qualification, and crew familiarization, IHS Jane's reported.
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08/21/2015
By the end of November 2015, Argentina’s Air Force will retire its fleet of Mirage fighters, according to the local web portal El Eco; the nation’s air defense will then be mostly entrusted to domestically-produced FMA IA-63 Pampa training and combat aircraft.
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08/21/2015
According to the Russian Embassy in Islamabad, Pakistan signed a contract for Russia's Mi-35M transport and attack helicopters. Pakistan will acquire four Russian Mi-35M helicopters, the Russian Embassy in Islamabad said Thursday.
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08/20/2015
Renewed fighting in Ukraine has claimed the lives of dozens of civilians and soldiers in the past two weeks alone. Ukrainian President Petro Poroshenko and Russian President Vladimir Putin have both called emergency war councils since Aug. 4, as the ceasefire and diplomacy have further broken down. In its recent reports, the Ukrainian military has used the phrase “most shelling in six months” multiple times, and with increasing frequency.
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08/20/2015
Russia is moving new, specially modified air-defense systems that can withstand harsh arctic environments to key areas along its border with Norway and the U.S., the U.S. Army’s Foreign Military Studies Office (FSMO) said in its August report.
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08/20/2015
Turkey and Azerbaijan will conduct joint air force exercises next week on Saturday. The Azerbaijani Defense Ministry announced that the exercises will include a series of operations such as airstrikes against joint targets. They will feature a variety of military aircraft including Mig-29, F-16 and Su-25 fighters, F-4E bombers, C-130 Hercules transport planes and Mi-35, Mi-17 and Skorski UH-60 attack helicopters.
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08/20/2015
Over the past few years, the F-35 Lightning II – the fifth-generation, Lockheed Martin wunder-plane set to eventually take over from almost every fighter jet in the US and UK militaries – has received a public relations kicking. It’s expensive – the total cost for the programme so far is an incredible, not-even-hyperbolic trillion dollars.
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08/20/2015
Israel is upgrading its Lockheed Martin F-16I combat aircraft with several undisclosed systems in order to cope with the increased threat from surface-launched missiles. A senior air force officer tells Flightglobal that intelligence reports indicate that the enhancement is necessary.“The threats we are facing and will face, according to intelligence assessments, require the installation of new systems," he says.
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08/20/2015
The failure of an onboard electrical generator caused the crash of a drone in February during a mission over Africa, an Air Force investigation announced Wednesday. The Air Force crew in charge of the aircraft intentionally crashed the MQ-9A Reaper over international waters after they were unable to fix the problem Feb. 4, according to the report by the Accident Investigation Board.
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08/20/2015
India’s expanding aerospace industry has expressed regret about the government’s decision to buy 36 Dassault Rafale combat jets directly from France, without an offsets clause. Delhi has committed to signing the inter-government contract by the end of calendar year 2015, AIN has learned from sources close to the negotiations. The tender for 126 medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA), which has now been withdrawn, specified 50 percent offsets as well as licensed production of 108 aircraft.
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08/20/2015
An internet user recently published a black and white photograph of the "number 2013" prototype of the Chengdu J-20 fighter, which hasn't made an appearance in quite some time, on a test flight, according to Sina's military news web portal. The angle of the photograph suggests that the area of the canard wings are quite large and that the body of the plane is long and thin, which suggests that it will have quite a high-speed cruise capability.
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08/20/2015
The Syrian army has retaken 16 villages and killed up to 350 rebels during the ongoing offensive in Syria's central Hama province, a military source said on Wednesday. The Syrian military launched a large-scale offensive on Monday aiming to take back territories captured by a rebel alliance that includes al-Qaeda's Syria affiliate, the Al-Nusra Front.
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08/19/2015
The first Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) integrated air-defense-system combat-training exercises kicked off near Moscow, the Russian Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday.
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08/19/2015
The U.S. Air Force Air Combat Command (ACC) last week released its 2015 strategy review, “Securing the High Ground,” primarily a guide for updating and modernizing the existing fleet. Near the end of the 15-page document the ACC says, “We must also continue to develop a balanced close air support (CAS) capability across all [Global Precision Attack] platforms, explore opportunities for a future CAS platform, and enact specific initiatives to ensure we maintain a CAS culture throughout the.”
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08/19/2015
At the weekend, the United States air force also declared it will be sending another 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack planes to reinforce NATO’s Operation Atlantic Resolve — an ongoing show of force aimed at deterring mounting Russian hostility towards Ukraine and East European states.
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08/19/2015
The Marine Corps is working on training V-22 Osprey crews faster in order to keep pace with the growing demand for the tilt-rotor aircraft, officials said. With its ability to hover like a helicopter and fly like an airplane, cargo carrying capacity, 280-knot speed and 450 nautical mile combat radius, the Osprey is proving to be an indispensable asset for amphibious and expeditionary Corps units involved in training exercises, humanitarian missions and other operations.
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08/19/2015
The first of 24 AH-64 Apache helicopters were scheduled to arrive Tuesday in Alaska as part of the Army’s sweeping five-year reorganization of its aviation assets. The Apaches, which were coming from Germany, were being delivered via an Air Force C-5 Galaxy, landing Tuesday afternoon local time at Ladd Army Airfield on Fort Wainwright.
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08/19/2015
Despite the “air-to-air” capabilities of its South Korean-made F/A-50 “Fighting Eagle” jet aircraft, the Philippine Air Force (PAF) still has its sights on acquiring a more advanced and capable jet fighter. This was announced by PAF chief Lt. Gen. Jeffrey Delgado in an interview Monday.
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08/19/2015
The US government’s intention to significantly expand drone flights over the next four years indicates that Washington is trying to remove a human role in wars, activist Melinda Pillsbury-Foster of the Drone Free Zone group told Sputnik.
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08/19/2015
The US Air Force is urging service people to show discretion when it comes to their social media accounts, warning in a new poster: "Loose tweets destroy fleets." The poster, issued by Captain Jonathan McDonald of US Air Force Central Command, is an updated version of the World War II warning "Loose lips sink ships."
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08/19/2015
The United States continues to have concerns about Russia’s sale and potential delivery of a defensive weapons system to Iran even though the transaction does not violate any UN resolutions, US State Department spokesperson John Kirby told reporters on Tuesday.
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08/18/2015
The Syrian government has received six MiG-31 'Foxhound' interceptor aircraft from Russia under a deal that was said to have been signed in 2007, a regional media source has reported.
The aircraft recently arrived at Mezze Airbase on the outskirts of Damascus, the Turkish BGN News agency reported on 16 August.
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08/18/2015
The US has the largest and most powerful Air Force in the world. The US Air Force operates more than 5,000 total aircraft, and the air service flies more than just fighters and bombers. The Air Force also runs missions ranging from surveillance to aerial refuelling to supply airlift, each of which requires a specialised aircraft.
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08/18/2015
The Pentagon will significantly expand the number of daily drone sorties conducted around the globe during the next several years and will for the first time expand the mission beyond the Air Force, a defense official said. The plan reflects a high-level recognition that the Air Force's remotely piloted vehicle fleet can no longer meet the forcewide demand for combat air patrols flown by drone pilots, mainly due to severe pilot shortages.
(Read More...)
08/18/2015
A new strategy document released last week by US Air Combat Command lays out an updated roadmap for modernizing the Air Force's legacy fleet, underlining in particular an effort to develop a future close-air support platform. The ACC's 2015 command strategy, unveiled Aug. 10, calls for "exploring opportunities" for developing a future close-air support platform — presumably a replacement for the Air Force's primary close-in attack aircraft used to protect ground troops, the legacy A-10.
(Read More...)
08/18/2015
Russia is working on several futuristic fighter and bomber models in addition to the PAK-FA stealth fighters, scale models of some of which will be displayed at the upcoming MAKS 2015 air and defense exhibition in Moscow this month-end.
(Read More...)
08/18/2015
Last week the Argentine Air Force formally bid farewell to the remaining French built Mirage jet fighters, which saw combat during the Falkland Islands conflict in 1982, since in three months time they will be decommissioned after four decades service. The occasion was the 103 anniversary of the Air Force (10th August but celebrated on the 13th).
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08/18/2015
The commander of the Navy’s Fifth Fleet was in his office on the afternoon of July 25 when he got the phone call: An Iranian Navy frigate in the Gulf of Aden had approached a ship where an American military helicopter had just landed.
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08/18/2015
The Department of Defense awarded a contract worth more than $85 million to Textron’s Bell Helicopter division to develop updates for weapons systems for the US and Pakistani helicopter fleets, the US Navy said in a press release.
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08/18/2015
Saudi Arabia has been on a course to boost its military capabilities focusing lately on its naval forces and the possible purchase of the two Mistrals originally built for Russia by France could be central to these efforts.
(Read More...)
08/18/2015
Amid peace talks in Geneva aimed at stabilizing Libya, the civil war between the official government in the east and its rival group in the west continues to rage in the North African country.
(Read More...)
08/17/2015
Pakistan Army aircraft swung into action and pounded hideouts in North Waziristan, killing 40 terrorists, hours after Punjab home minister was killed in a suicide attack on Sunday. Forty terrorists were killed and several injured in bombardment by fighter jets in Shawal area Sunday afternoon, ISPR said . Several other militants were injured in the aerial operation, it said.
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08/17/2015
China and Russia are stepping up their military collaboration by holding another round of naval exercises, this time in the Sea of Japan, following recent measures adopted by Tokyo that could deepen its military ties with Washington. On Saturday, the Chinese navy dispatched seven Chinese warships for the Sea of Japan. They will join the Russian Navy’s 16 surface ships, two submarines, 12 naval aircraft, nine amphibious vehicles and 200 marines.
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08/17/2015
The United States has extended an offer to India to jointly produce a line of fighter jets to both enhance military ties as well as provide for India’s frontline fighter fleet shortage. This comes right after the Indian government announced that the MMRCA (Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft) deal, originally signed with France’s Dassault Aviation, was, for all intents and purposes, over.
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08/17/2015
The Philippine Air Force (PAF) will receive on Monday 10 new helicopters as part of its modernization program. The eight Bell-412EP and two AW-109E helicopters will be turned over to the PAF in a ceremony led by Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.
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08/17/2015
The Pentagon plans to sharply expand the number of U.S. drone flights over the next four years, giving military commanders access to more intelligence and greater firepower to keep up with a sprouting number of global hot spots, a senior defense official said.
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08/17/2015
The China-made J-10 multi-role fighter jet is a suitable choice for Iran if the Middle East power decides to upgrade its aging military aircraft fleet, Chinese aviation experts said. "Once the sanctions against Iran are completely lifted, the country will definitely renovate its civilian and military aircraft fleets. The J-10 is a good option for the Iranians because it can fulfil all operations they want to conduct," said Wang Ya'nan, deputy editor-in-chief of Aerospace Knowledge magazine.
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08/17/2015
The H-6K boasting nuclear strike capabilities made its maiden flight in 2007 and entered service with the People's Liberation Army some two years later. At least two regiments of the Chinese Air Force are believed to be operating the H-6Ks at the moment.
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08/17/2015
he representatives of the United States and Italy will perform the observation flights over Russia from August 17 to 22, under the international Treaty on Open Skies, said Sergey Ryzhkov, the head of the Russian Defense Ministry's National Center for Nuclear Risk Reduction.
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08/16/2015
Although they were not conceived to play this kind of role, F-22 Raptors have emerged as some of the U.S.-led Coalition’s most reliable combat assets in supporting coalition planes during air strikes in Syria and Iraq. At the beginning of July, U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor jets had flown only 204 sorties out of 44,000 launched by the U.S.-lead coalition against ISIS in Syria and Iraq.
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08/16/2015
The Nigerian Military, in its resolution to incapacitate and further degrade the fighting spirit of Boko Haram Terrorist Group, has carried out several bombings and air strike missions in Sambisa Forest, the spokesperson for the Nigerian Air Force, Dele Alonge, has said.
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08/16/2015
US has offered to help India manufacture fighter jets and aircraft carrier. "I see no reason why the US and India can't produce fighter aircraft together, US ambassador to India, Richard Verma said at the Observer Research Foundation in New Delhi Friday. “Both countries have established a new aircraft carrier working group to support India’s indigenous program. The first meeting of the group took place this week,” Verma said referring to the recent visit to New Delhi by Defense Minister Ashton C
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08/16/2015
NATO might look uniform from the outside but take a closer look at some states in the 28-member bloc and you could see a picture of broken promises, shady arms deals, reckless spending and mismanagement.
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08/16/2015
The term ‘Promising Aviation Complex’ has been used to describe the ongoing massive project. In order to get basic information about the project, below is a list of some of the major aviation complexes functioning in Russia currently.
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08/16/2015
While Libyan troops clash with ISIL militants in attempts to take control of the city of Sirte in the south of Libya, state authorities are urging world powers to unite in the battle against the jihadist group and carry out airstrikes on its positions across the country.
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08/15/2015
The People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force conducted a drill involving "multiple types of aircraft" in the western Pacific on Friday, a military spokesperson said. PLA aircraft flew over the western Pacific via the Bashi Channel and returned on the same day, reaching 1,000 km beyond the First Island Chain, spokesperson Shen Jinke said at a news briefing.
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08/15/2015
The Air Force didn’t help its long-standing argument that the A-10 Thunderbolt II attack jet should be retired when the service announced this week it would deploy more of the aircraft to Europe this fall. The 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia announced it will send 12 attack planes and crews to Central and Eastern European to bolster NATO’s “Operation Atlantic Resolve,” an ongoing show of military might meant to deter Russian aggression in the region.
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08/15/2015
RAAF pilots are poised to begin flying deadly American Reaper drones over Syria, taking for the first time Australia's involvement in the fight against the so-called Islamic State from Iraq into the more complex neighbouring country. A Defence spokesman has told Fairfax Media that five RAAF personnel are embedded with the United States Air Force's 432nd Operations Group, which flies armed MQ-9 Reaper drones.
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08/15/2015
The last day of July was momentous for the Marine Corps as it declared that a squadron of F-35B joint strike fighters was ready for combat. It was the first of the joint strike fighter models to reach initial operating capability.
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08/15/2015
It’s tough being the world’s most expensive weapon system. Years behind schedule and billions over-budget, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program has had to absorb its fair share of critiques. Over the past several years, it’s been described as too complex, too reliant on high-tech sensors and software, and—at $400 billion for development and procurement—far too costly.
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08/15/2015
Have Jordan and Israel finally overcome decades of poor diplomatic relations? Military observers are speculating about a new era of relations between the two countries after Israeli air force fuel tankers escorted Jordanian fighter jets across the Atlantic Ocean earlier this week to participate in military exercises in the western United States, an American website devoted to military aviation news reports.
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08/15/2015
In a renewed drive to crush the fighting will of the Boko Haram terrorist group, the Nigerian Air Force says it has deployed additional combat platforms to North East Nigeria in support of the ongoing counter-insurgency operation codenamed ‘Operation Lafiya Dole’. The spokesperson for the Air Force, Dele Alonge, an Air Commodore, said in a statement Thursday that the new deployment came on the heel of the recent visit of the Chief of the Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.
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08/15/2015
Russia remains the primary supplier of arms to India despite reports that the country is no longer the leading weapons supplier, Russian Ambassador to India Alexander Kadakin told Sputnik on Friday.
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08/15/2015
At least four countries - Iran, Algeria, South Africa and Kazakhstan - had shown interest in buying the Il-76MD-90A (also known as Il-476), the general director of aircraft-maker Aviastar-SP said Friday.
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08/14/2015
Self-proclaimed Islamic State militants are gaining a foothold and conducting limited military operations in Afghanistan, for now primarily targeting Taliban insurgents and their territory, a defense official said. The apparent growth of the Islamic State group in Afghanistan is a "great concern" to U.S commanders and could influence plans for ending the 14-year American military mission there next year, the defense official said.
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08/14/2015
China and Russia are planning on bolstering Iran’s armed forces with new fighter jets and air defense systems as part of their strategy against the United States, according to a recently published report from the Beijing-based Sina Military Network.
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08/14/2015
Indian Air Force chief, Air Chief Marshal Arup Raha today said all the plans are in place and a lot of activity is going on for new acquisitions to replace old aircraft. He said the plans for induction of combat aircraft relates to issues with legacies of some of the fleets which need to be replaced which, for obvious reasons, as they cannot carry on for long and all plans are in place and process was underway to replace old aircraft.
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08/14/2015
China is working hard to develop a vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) aircraft for strategic and economic purposes, reports the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. Citing the Kanwa Defense Review, a Canada-based Chinese-language military magazine, the report said China is believed to have been developing VTOL technology for more than a decade already but appears to be another 15-20 years away from a finished product.
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08/14/2015
Australian combat aircraft already fly close to the border with Syria and it would be no great stretch for them to extend bombing operations to include Syria. The challenge is finding Daesh targets for them to bomb. Australian rules of engagement set a high bar to minimise risk of civilian casualties and much of the time the required standard won't be met.
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08/14/2015
Dele Alonge, the director, public relations and information NAF, said the combat aircraft is an addition to the aircraft already available in the area for the fight against insurgents. Alonge, an Air Commodore said the deployment of these aircraft is a renewed determination to decimate the insurgents in the area, an effort channelled to support the “operation Lafiya Doyle”.
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08/14/2015
Taiwan’s Air Force recently selected Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) for its F-16 aircraft, becoming the 20th international customer to choose Sniper ATP to fulfill precision attack requirements. In the initial contract, Lockheed Martin will provide two Sniper ATPs and integration support to Taiwan. Lockheed Martin will also provide integration support of LANTIRN targeting and navigation pods on Taiwan’s recently upgraded F-16s.
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08/14/2015
A top US Navy commander unveiled the force's vision for the future of its carrier-based air power, and it involves stealth fighter jets, carrier-launched drones, submarine-detecting helicopters and laser weapons.
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08/14/2015
Major General Oleg Dvigalev said the country has signed two contracts for four Russian Yakolev Yak-130 Mitten trainer/strike aircraft. He also confirmed that an order for 12 Mil Mi-8MTV-5 Hip helicopters had been signed in June, the BelTA news agency reported.
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08/13/2015
Marking a milestone for the joint strike fighter program, Rockwell Collins this week delivered the first Generation 3 helmet for the F-35. The Generation 3 Helmet-Mounted Display System (HMDS), which was handed over to the Joint Program Office Tuesday in a ceremony at the company's headquarters in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, is crucial to the F-35's advanced suite of technologies.
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08/13/2015
The U.S. on Wednesday launched its first airstrikes by Turkey-based F-16 fighter jets against Islamic State targets in Syria, marking a limited escalation of a yearlong air campaign that critics have called excessively cautious. In a brief statement the Pentagon announced the F-16 strikes were launched from Incirlik air base in southern Turkey but provided no details on the number or types of targets struck.
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08/13/2015
Navy fighter jets roar off this nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in support of Iraqi troops approaching Ramadi, a city in Anbar Province overrun by Islamic State fighters in one of the worst defeats for the American-led coalition.
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08/13/2015
India's order of 36 French-made Rafale fighter jets has run into trouble with government officials struggling to agree sales terms, sources said, four months after Prime Minister Narendra Modi intervened to break a logjam in previous commercial negotiations. Two senior Indian defence officials said that both sides were wrangling over the unit price of the aircraft and a condition that planemaker Dassault Aviation invest a big percentage of the value of the multi-billion dollar contract in India.
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08/13/2015
Locked away in a large shed in the north of England, surrounded by fields of cows, is one of Britain’s most closely guarded secrets. It is home to Taranis, the unmanned stealth jet built by BAE Systems to test the technology that could drive the next generation of combat aircraft to fly for Britain.
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08/13/2015
Notwithstanding the dwindling fighter jet fleet, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to opt for fewer Russia-built advanced stealth fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). IAF is currently looking at only 65 aircraft, with 18 each for three squadrons and the rest for training. FGFA is based on the T-50 aircraft under the Russian PAK-FA (Prospective Airborne Complex of Frontline Aviation) programme that will challenge F-22 Raptor of the US.
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08/13/2015
Lockheed Martin celebrated the opening of its cruise missile annex with a ribbon cutting ceremony today at its Pike County Operations facility in Troy, Alabama. Customers, state officials and community leaders joined employees in opening the annex, which will support an increase in U.S. and international orders.
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08/13/2015
The U.S. Army awarded Lockheed Martin a $21.7 million Lot 4 follow-on contract to continue production of the Modernized Day Sensor Assembly (M-DSA) for the AH-64E Apache attack helicopter.
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08/13/2015
The Russian Air and Space Forces will receive approximately 1,000 new airplanes and helicopters by 2020, Air and Space Forces Commander Col.-Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Wednesday. According to Russia's $325-billion rearmament program, fourth-generation aircraft are being replaced with new models, increasing by 2020 the amount of upgraded military equipment to 70 percent.
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08/13/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry plans to sign a contract for the purchase of more than 30 MiG-35 (Fulcrum-F) multirole jet fighters no earlier than 2018, Air and Space Forces Commander Col.-Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Wednesday. The MiG-35 is an advanced version of the Mig-29 aircraft and features the integration of 4++ generation Russian fighter aircraft technology.
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08/12/2015
China has conducted night combat training of its J-11 regiment of the PLA air force in Tibet. “A group of J-11 heavy fighters were seen taking off amid twilight on August 9. They were engaged in a confrontation drill carried out at night,” Chinamil reported Tuesday. The regiment has carried out various night training of air battle as part of its annual training plan.
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08/12/2015
The US Air Force’s first two combat-coded Lockheed Martin F-35s have come off the assembly line at Fort Worth in Texas, with the second aircraft completing its first flight last week. Those aircraft, AF-77 and AF-78, are being prepped for delivery to Hill AFB in Utah where they will be operated by the 34th Fighter Squadron, the air force’s first operational F-35 group.
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08/12/2015
A pilot ejected from a U.S. F-16 before it crashed Tuesday morning in a forested area in Germany's Bavaria region, the U.S. Air Force said. The pilot was safe, though it wasn't immediately clear if there were any injuries, the Air Force said.
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08/12/2015
Anti-Houthi forces supported by the Saudi-led coalition have built up significant momentum in Yemen. To the south, Southern Resistance fighters have renewed their efforts after capturing Aden, pushing north and northeast from the port city. Greatly assisted by an influx of combat power, including Saudi-operated armored units, they captured Lahj and al-Anad air base last week and are advancing.
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08/12/2015
A new report titled “Thunder without Lightning,” (PDF) authored by Bill French and Daniel Edgren for the National Security Network (NSN), argues that the United States’ fifth-generation fighter, the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), has major shortcomings that will leave it particularly ill-suited to project air power in the Asia-Pacific region.
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08/12/2015
Dutch officials investigating the downing of Malaysia Airlines Flight 17 over eastern Ukraine are examining parts recovered in the area that are suspected of having come from an antiaircraft missile. The recovery of such parts, if confirmed, would be the clearest indication on what brought down Flight 17 on July 17, 2014, while it was cruising at 33,000 feet.
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08/12/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry and the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) will sign a contract for the delivery of 48 Sukhoi Su-35 aircraft (NATO reporting name Flanker-E) at the MAKS-2015 air show in late August, local media reported Tuesday.
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08/12/2015
The Serbian Ministry of Defense announced that the country was awaiting the signature of an agreement with Russia on the purchase of two new helicopters. The Republic of Serbia is awaiting the signature of an agreement with Russia on the purchase of two new helicopters this week, the Serbian Ministry of Defense announced Tuesday.
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08/12/2015
Transporter Erector Launcher (TEL) vehicles are used to quickly transport and fire surface-to-air, cruise and ballistic missiles. Chinese drivers have recently spotted a new version of the vehicle, which appears similar to the military's standard TEL, except that the latest model is "much, much larger," according to Popular Science.
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08/11/2015
Green drapes were drawn against the sun, cloaking the room where members of a Syrian Kurdish militia huddled around walkie-talkies, assiduously taking down GPS coordinates. Talal Raman, a 36-year-old Kurdish fighter, worked on a Samsung tablet, annotating a Google Earth map marked with the positions of the deserted apartment buildings and crumbling villas from where his colleagues were battling Islamic State fighters south of this northern Syrian town.
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08/11/2015
The Jordanian airforce will buy nine Pilatus training aircraft for fighter jet pilots, the Swiss company said Monday, without divulging the price tag on the deal. The deal for the nine PC-9 M two-seater planes also includes a simulator, training equipment and logistics support, Pilatus Aircraft said in a statement.
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08/11/2015
The Air Force awarded three contracts for modernization of its high tech radar surveillance plane designed to scan large geographical areas for activity, the Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System, or JSTARS, service officials said. Describing the effort as a recapitalization, or recap, the service is looking at a range of airframes from Gulfstream jets to Bombardier airplanes and Boeing 737-700's as potential replacements for its aging fleet of 16 E-8C JSTARS airplanes.
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08/11/2015
China hit back on Monday at U.S. criticism that it restricts navigation and overflights in the South China Sea amid a festering marine territorial dispute with some of its neighbors. China claims most of the South China Sea, through which $5 trillion in ship-borne trade passes every year. The Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Taiwan and Brunei have overlapping claims..
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08/11/2015
Even with no cost overruns, Abbott is committed to spending well over $100 billion on new destroyers, frigates, corvettes and subs. This compares to about $35 billion to import over 150 highly capable planes, including F-35 and Super Hornet fighters, aerial refuellers, maritime surveillance planes, radar jamming and early airborne warning aircraft.
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08/11/2015
The Russian T-50 PAK-FA could become the new king of aerobatics with the stealth aircraft being capable of flying at Mach 2 speed and bringing its speed down to Zero in mid-flight. It is capable of performing all known aerobatic manoeuvres while introducing some new ones which promise to take onlookers’ breath away. a feature that sets it apart from any foreign competitors such the American F-25 and F-22, Ria Novosti reported quoting officials of the Sukhoi Design Bureau.
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08/11/2015
A proposed $1.5 billion sale of two ship sets worth of Aegis combat systems, anti-submarine warfare systems and a cooperative engagement capability (CEC) equipment will give Japan’s planned new class of destroyers the capacity to connect and receive information from American battle networks, according to a list of items in a foreign military sales (FMS) notification issued by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency on Friday.
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08/11/2015
A small number of MiG-29s are still being upgraded in Poland with new mission computers, navigation technology and radios, and at Military Aviation Plant No. 2 (Wojskowe Zaklady Lotnicze Nr 2), designers and engineers are using 3D printers manufactured by Zortrax as a tool to aid them in many of these upgrades. The 3D printers are being used for a variety of parts, and the teams there say the technology has significantly reduced the time needed to carry out the upgrades.
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08/11/2015
Looking to cut costs and prune military imports, the Indian Air Force (IAF) has halved its demand for Russian-built fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). It now wants just three squadrons of the fighter jets which are to be inducted into the Russian Air Force in 2016.
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08/11/2015
Lockheed Martin received a direct commercial sale contract through Mitsubishi Heavy Industries to integrate the Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) onto the Japan Air Self-Defense Force’s (JASDF) F-2 aircraft. This initial contract, awarded in 2014, includes a Sniper pod, spares and support equipment for integration. The F-2 is the eighth aircraft platform to be equipped with Sniper ATP, joining variants of the F-15, F-16, F-18, A-10, B-1, B-52 and Harrier.
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08/10/2015
Iran is closing in on a deal to acquire a fleet of J-10 fighter jets — most likely the J-10A — from China to upgrade its air force, reports the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. While UN arms sanctions against Iran are yet to be lifted following a historic deal to curb the country's nuclear program last month, Beijing is already said to be nearing an agreement to sell and/or lease J-10 multirole fighters to Tehran.
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08/10/2015
After Shenyang Liming Aircraft Engine Company failed to reduce the failure rate of the WS-10 Taihang engine developed for Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group's J-10 fighter, the Chinese jet will have to be equipped with the Russian-built AL31FN-S3 engine, according to the Beijing-based Sina Military Network.
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08/10/2015
France is laying the groundwork for a new trainer competition, with signs that the Pilatus PC-21 turboprop is well regarded inside the French Air Force. The new training aircraft, which has attracted close interest from industry, will help prepare pilots to fly the Dassault Rafale multimission fighter.
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08/10/2015
CAN Australia’s next generation combat jet beat this? Possibly not. Video footage of Russia’s new T-50 stealth fighter shows the extreme manoeuvrability the F-35 is up against. Earlier this year a damning report from an F-35 test pilot revealed the troubled $400 billion dollar single-seat stealth fighter was easily outmanoeuvred by a two-seat 1980s vintage F-16D combat jet.
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08/10/2015
India's cancelation of a $12 billion program to purchase 126 combat aircraft eliminates an opportunity for domestic industry to build sophisticated aircraft based on transfer of Western technology and once again leaves the Air Force without a plan to rebuild its dwindling fleet, analysts said.
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08/10/2015
It was designed by the Sukhoi Design Bureau. The aircraft will be used to achieve air superiority and assist in ground attacks. Besides its ability to fly at speeds well above Mach 2, the T-50 boasts other, even more important, features such as invisibility to radar and powerful weapons which will be unveiled later.
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08/10/2015
The US Air Force is deploying six of its F-16 fighter jets to the southern Turkish base of Incirlik for its ongoing campaign against the Islamic State jihadist group, the US Mission to NATO announced Sunday.
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08/10/2015
A number of fighter bombers and AWACS reconnaissance planes are taking part in the latest and largest of the summer’s US Pacific Air Forces Red Flag exercises now underway in Alaska.
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08/10/2015
The new pilot gear can arguably be considered a technical revolution in the field. The suit was specially designed to make the pilot feel comfortable during supersonic-speed flights. It is equipped with an anti-G system which features a hose for delivering air to the pilot.
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08/09/2015
The U.S. military is planning to move fighter jets to Turkey as part of the mission to target the Islamic State in Syria, Fox News has learned. The U.S. Air Force is planning to send six F-16s from an undisclosed location in Europe to Turkey after the Turks agreed to allow manned flights from Incirlik Air Base and others last week. This would put U.S. jets only a 30-minute flight from ISIS targets in Syria.
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08/09/2015
On Aug. 7, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted nine airstrikes using bomber, attack, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 10 airstrikes coordinated with the government of Iraq using attack, fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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08/09/2015
The objective of the Experimental Spaceplane XS-1 program is to demonstrate relevant technologies and then fabricate and fly a reusable, unmanned aircraft to the edge of space. The XS-1 would then deploy a small expendable upper stage able to launch a 3,000-pound spacecraft to Earth orbit at a cost of no more than $5M, or about one-tenth the cost of today’s launch systems.
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08/09/2015
If, as a Naval Aviator, you have practiced only one style of landing for the many years of your naval career, both landing aboard an aircraft carrier and also on a 12,000-foot runway, it is quite understandable that unlearning that conditioned, familiar landing style and learning a new style—flaring*—may take some time before being perfected.
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08/09/2015
The new carrier fleet will significantly expand the capabilities of the People’s Republic of China for the protection of its interests beyond its borders, experts said, referring to the disputed territories in the South China Sea.
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08/09/2015
The newest Russian jet fighter was caught on camera smoothly performing the famous spin maneuver. The video published by the TV channel Zvezda shows a PAK FA prototype easily decelerate to 0 kmh and perform a spin without a flaw.
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08/08/2015
The current situation in Iraq and Syria clearly indicates that the coalition, and not ISIL, now dictates the pace of operations, a U.S. Central Command spokesman said today during a telephonic press conference with Pentagon reporters.
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08/08/2015
The German military is to invest billions of euros to fix recurring problems with its aircraft, helicopters and other military equipment, an official said on Friday. "We will invest up to €6 billion ($6.5 billion) in the next seven to eight years to obtain improvements in these areas," a defense ministry spokesman told AFP.
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08/08/2015
Beechcraft Defense Co. LLC on Friday announced a milestone delivery of its 900th T-6 military training aircraft. No. 900 was handed over Friday at Beechcraft’s Wichita headquarters to the U.S. Navy Air Wing 5 out of Whiting Field in Milton, Fla.
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08/08/2015
The Russian military released details of a new Air Force and air defense unit Friday that will be based in the Far East of the country and operate in the Pacific Ocean and the Sea of Japan, according to Col. Alexander Gordeye, press-secretary for the regional command. Both units will add to the increased militarization of the general Asia-Pacific region after China and the United States have both established a significant military presence there over the last two years.
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08/08/2015
Once upon a time in America, competition was the source for swift innovation and best value. Yet today’s Air Force is attempting to destroy a once vibrant market with a sole-source award of an F-16 advanced radar for the homeland defense mission. Worse yet, their already latent action uses mission urgency as a fallacious justification to bypass acquisition polices and common sense.
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08/08/2015
India rejected a proposal by US defense company Sikorsky Aircraft to increase the price of a delivery contract for S-70B multirole naval helicopters, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said in the Indian Parliament on Friday.
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08/08/2015
A war of words has broken out over a series of 'friendly' war games between the UK’s Royal Air Force (RAF) and the Indian Air Force (IAF), whose Russian-made aircraft reportedly beat the RAF 12-nil in mock battles over the skies of Britain.
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08/08/2015
Despite a number of technical details and specs about the Russian Sukhoi PAK FA (also known as the T-50) fighter jet being known to the general public, the main mystery surrounding the newest aircraft still remains to be unraveled.
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08/08/2015
Russia and India are exploring the possibility of exporting and cooperatively manufacturing Russian helicopters and other military hardware, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said Friday.
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08/07/2015
An Afghan military helicopter crashed, killing all 17 people on board on Thursday, officials said, in a blow for a fledgling air force whose resources have been stretched since the withdrawal of most international troops last year. The Taliban, mounting a growing insurgency, said it shot down the helicopter in the southern province of Zabul, but a government official blamed a technical failure and said there had been no gunfire.
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08/07/2015
Just weeks after Iran agreed in Vienna a deal limiting its ability to manufacture a nuclear bomb, the Iranian air force is already positioning itself to revamp its ageing inventory, all but crippled by 36 years of international sanctions, reports Gareth Jennings .
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08/07/2015
The armed forces held a rehearsal in mid-June in preparation for a military display next month to mark the 70th anniversary of the Republic of China's 1945 victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War, a part of World War II in which Japan and the other axis powers were defeated.
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08/07/2015
What sets Yang Wei apart from his Western counterparts? Robert Beckhusen points to his commitment to “parallel development.” It’s an approach that incorporates previously flawed solutions into new hardware so that China can build fighter aircraft cheaply and quickly.
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08/07/2015
Iran is beginning to reap the fruits of its nuclear deal with the world powers. According to a report in the Taiwanese press, China is set to provide the Islamic Republic with 24 J-10 fighter jets. In exchange, Iran will permit China access to its largest oil field for the next 20 years. The total estimated value of the deal is $1 billion.
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08/07/2015
Lockheed Martin delivered another C-5M Super Galaxy to the U. S. Air Force on Aug. 5. A Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) aircrew ferried the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin facility here to Travis Air Force Base, in Fairfield, California, where it will be permanently based. It will be the 12th Super Galaxy assigned to Travis.
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08/07/2015
The coalition has carried out more than 5600 airstrikes in its air campaign against the Islamic State. “In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 airstrikes using fighter, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 16 airstrikes coordinated with the Government of Iraq using attack, fighter-attack, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.”
(Read More...)
08/07/2015
While the talks are still in the preliminary phases, the Japanese government is interested in donating three Beechcraft TC-90 King Air planes to the Philippines. Used by Tokyo to train military pilots, Manila could outfit the TC-90s with surface and air surveillance radar which allow it to conduct patrols over the South China Sea.
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08/07/2015
Since 2008, the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has worked to design and manufacture fifth generation jet plain design concepts, both for its own use and to sell on a global scale. The Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group (J-20) and the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation (J-31) are subsidiaries of the state-owned Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC). These two companies have been working on the designs of the super jets.
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08/07/2015
A US drone hit an unspecified ISIL target in northern Syria on Monday, as revealed by the Pentagon spokesperson Navy Capt. Jeff Davis Wednesday. The official said the use of Turkish-based airpower will “put coalition aircraft significantly closer on the map to where these potential targets are.”
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08/06/2015
In some of the most intense international air combat exercises ever featuring the Indian Air Force, IAF pilots flying Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighters had a resounding 12-0 scoreline in their favour against Royal Air Force Typhoon jets in Within Visual Range (WVR) dogfighting operations.
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08/06/2015
Although China is not the first state to build an airstrip in the South China Sea, it is the first state to employ island-building technologies to transform a contested maritime feature into a military base that extends the reach of offensive military capabilities. Other countries have worked to project power to contested South China Sea features; with the airstrip on Fiery Cross Reef, China has worked to project power from them.
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08/06/2015
The US Marine Corps says its first combat F-35 squadron is “ready for battle,” but after 14 years of development marked by cost increases and delays, it is time for the combat jet to prove it is as advanced, stealthy and lethal as advertised. The fifth-generation fighter, conceived in the mid-1990s, has travelled a long, long road to reach initial operational capability, arriving five years behind the original target.
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08/06/2015
The Indian Air Force (IAF) is finalizing a new tender for purchase of medium-sized multirole fighters. The tender’s main condition is that the supplier consents to the aircraft being assembled in India. The main issue to watch will be whether the Russian MiG-35 can out-manoeuvre its French competitor, the Rafale fighter, this time around.
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08/06/2015
The cockpit of a supersonic Tornado attack bomber is a much more peaceful place than you might expect. "It's incredibly quiet," says Jas Hawker, a former RAF wing commander who flew the aircraft over Iraq and Kosovo. "The pilot and the navigator could drop their oxygen masks and talk to each other. It's not silent but it's a lot quieter than people think."
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08/06/2015
If ever a technology was awe-inspiring, robotics is it. Robots have a long, storied past in literature, dating back at least to the Iliad — and possibly further back depending on your definition of a robot. Robots have long been widely used in the government and commercial sectors — more so now than ever. But as promising as the technology is in a wide range of areas, air combat is not one of them.
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08/06/2015
The US-led coalition against the Islamic State undertook 29 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq on the militants’ personnel and infrastructure, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a release on Wednesday.
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08/06/2015
Washington and Moscow are fully engaged in efforts to counter the Islamic State in Syria, US State Department Deputy Spokesperson Mark Toner told journalists on Wednesday.
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08/06/2015
In June, when a CIA drone strike killed an al-Qaeda leader who the agency did not know was among a group of militants, the United States showed that it continues to fire drone missiles at targets whose identities are a mystery.
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08/05/2015
A Syrian military aircraft that crashed during a bombing run over rebel-held territory killed at least 37 people and injured more than 60, activists said. The victims died when the plane crashed Monday in the town of Ariha in Idlib province, and in preceding airstrikes, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, which originally said 31 were killed.
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08/05/2015
The Pentagon has asked for an additional $7.5 million in the current fiscal year for the Marine Corps to get started on installing the Link 16 communication system on its fleet of Boeing AV-8B Harriers. In a reprogramming request to Congress, the Defense Department wrote that “funding is required to begin Link 16 Tactical Datalink integration into the AV-8B aircraft for relevancy, safety improvements, and interoperability.
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08/05/2015
Russia and China are scheduled to hold joint military drills in the waters and airspace of the Sea of Japan, Bejing's Defense ministry announced. The exercises are set to take place between August 20 through August 28 in the Peter the Great Gulf and other areas of the Russian coast, reported The BRICS Post.
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08/05/2015
The Air Force has kicked off a $60 million overhaul of communications on its E-3 Sentry fleet to better track enemy aircraft. It is installing the AN/UPX-40 system, meant to eliminate ground clutter to better detect, identify and track enemy and friendly low-flying aircraft, according to a news release on the system. The AWACS aircraft will use the information to send intercepting aircraft to enemy targets.
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08/05/2015
The British government has reprieved a squadron of Tornado GR4 strike jets from being axed in order to maintain its operations against Islamic State group targets in Iraq. The announcement that 12 (Bomber) Squadron will be kept flying for a further year was made by British Defence Secretary Michael Fallon during a visit to Baghdad on Aug. 3.
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08/05/2015
India could avail consultancy from some of European aircraft manufacturers who had bid for the multi-crore tender for fighter jets, won by Rafale, for the development of the Mark-II version of Light Combat Aircraft Tejas, timeline for which has been extended.
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08/05/2015
India has canceled its $12 billion program to purchase 126 medium multirole combat aircraft.
According to a July 30 press release from the Indian Ministry of Defence, "The RFP issued earlier for procurement of 126 Medium Multi Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) has been withdrawn. In this multi-vendor procurement case, the Rafale aircraft met all the performance characteristics stipulated in the Request for Proposal (RFP) during the evaluation conducted by Indian Air Force."
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08/05/2015
A ground force of 2,800 pro-government troops, accompanied by tanks and armored personnel carriers, pushed toward a Houthi-controlled military base in Yemen Monday as Saudi-led coalition airstrikes cleared their path.
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08/05/2015
NATO estimates that reducing its air patrols over the Baltic states in half would be appropriate for the current level of threat, a NATO official told Sputnik on Tuesday. On Monday, NATO announced its plans to halve the number of military aircraft it had allocated to the Baltic Air Policing Mission. The program is aimed at helping Baltic NATO members Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia improve their capability, readiness, and responsiveness to deter against aggressors in the region.
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08/05/2015
Japan will suspend work on the relocation of a US military base in Okinawa Prefecture for 30 days to ease tensions with local authorities, the country’s cabinet chief announced Tuesday. Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshihide Suga was quoted by the Kyodo agency as saying at a news conference that Tokyo will hold “intensive consultations” with the local authorities to resolve an ongoing standoff.
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08/04/2015
Turkey’s procurement authorities approved a new contract to acquire reconnaissance and observation aircraft. The procurement agency, the Undersecretariat for Defense Industries (SSM), released a request for information (RfI) to which potential bidders must reply no later than Aug. 12.
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08/04/2015
A Syrian military aircraft crashed while on a bombing run over the rebel-held northwestern town of Ariha on Monday, leaving at least 23 people dead, a monitoring group said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said it was not immediately clear how many of the dead were from the crash and how many from the prior bombardment.
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08/04/2015
China has reportedly built the world's largest aircraft carrier dock at its naval base in the South China Sea. The 700 meter-long dock is able to accommodate ships on both sides, allowing it to service two aircraft carriers or other large ships at the same time.
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08/04/2015
World powers are reporting surges in airspace violations and instances where aircraft are scrambled to intercept foreign jets, amid a sharp rise in geopolitical tensions in Europe and Asia. Nato member aircraft were forced to conduct more than 500 scrambles over Europe in 2014 – a fourfold increase on the previous year. Nearly 85% of these were to intercept Russian aircraft.
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08/04/2015
There's aircraft designers, and then there's ace designers. There are thousands of engineers around the world producing planes, but ace designers only come along once every few decades. The United States had Kelly Johnson, the designer of the SR-71 Blackbird. Germany's Willy Messerschmitt produced a line of famous fighter planes. The Soviet Union's Mikhail Simonov created the muscular Su-27 fighter-bomber to compete with America's F-15 Eagle.
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08/04/2015
U.S. military aircraft will provide defensive air cover to “moderate” Syrian rebels, the Pentagon announced on Monday. My colleague, Richard Sisk, has the story on Military?.com:
The small group of lightly equipped “moderate” Syrian rebels vetted and trained by the U.S. and now on the ground in northern Syria will be provided with limited defensive air cover, a Pentagon official said Monday.
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08/04/2015
As Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) take to the skies, it is essential for safety that UAS operators and pilots are aware of each other. To help provide this shared situational awareness, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) has deployed the first components of a UAS traffic management (UTM) system that is available to the UAS community now.
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08/04/2015
A ground force of 2,800 pro-government troops, accompanied by tanks and armored personnel carriers, pushed toward a Houthi-controlled military base in Yemen Monday as Saudi-led coalition airstrikes cleared their path.
(Read More...)
08/04/2015
The United States has started flying armed drones from a Turkish airbase, but they have not conducted any airstrikes against the Islamic State yet, according to US media reports citing Pentagon on Monday.
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08/03/2015
Egyptian armed forces killed a leading member of the country's Islamic State affiliate in a shootout outside his North Sinai home, the army spokesman said in a statement on Saturday.
Selim Suleiman al-Haram, identified in the statement as a leader of the militant group known as Sinai Province, was asked to turn himself in by a group of soldiers that surrounded his house in the town of Sheikh Zuweid, the army said.
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08/03/2015
The United States has decided to allow airstrikes to defend Syrian rebels trained by the U.S. military from any attackers, even if the enemies hail from forces loyal to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, U.S. officials said on Sunday. The decision by President Barack Obama, which could deepen the U.S. role in Syria's conflict, aims to shield a still-fledging group of Syrian fighters armed and trained by the United States to battle Islamic State militants -- not forces loyal to Assad.
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08/03/2015
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 based in Yuma, Arizona, is the first squadron in military history to become operational with an F-35 variant, according to a Marine Corps release. A five-day Operational Readiness Inspection that ended July 17 cleared the way for Friday’s announcement.
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08/03/2015
Latvia’s National Defense Forces say a Russian naval ship was spotted nine kilometers from the country’s territorial waters. According to the Latvian military’s official Twitter feed, the vessel was a Russian mine launcher, the Aleksandr Obukhov, which had entered the country’s exclusive economic zone, an area stretching some 200 nautical miles from its shores.
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08/03/2015
A flying contingent of the Indian Air Force (IAF) are on a maiden visit to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. They are in the Kingdom from Aug. 1-4. Indian Embassy Charge d’Affaires Hemant Kotalwar, while addressing a press conference, called the visit significant, and yet another feature that is set to give the Indo-Saudi relations a boost.
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08/03/2015
It is one of the most famous lines in 1980s movies. “I feel the need...” bellows an impossibly young Tom Cruise as he marches across the runway to a waiting F14-A Tomcat fighter jet, “...the need for speed!” And there have been plenty of Top Gun fans who’ve felt a similar desire to experience the heady rush of combat aircraft roaring across cinema screens one more time.
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08/03/2015
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry pressed Egypt’s leadership to move forward with political reform as part of a strategy to combat religious extremism, citing parliamentary elections this fall as an important test for the Arab country. The Obama administration’s top diplomat stressed in weekend meetings with senior Egyptian officials that the U.S. is committed to supporting President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi’s fight against extremist groups who have launched attacks across their country.
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08/03/2015
In another major step towards self reliance in the defence sector, a plan is being finalised to produce 90 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) in India, informed sources said. A Request for Proposal (RFP) is expected to be drafted soon after the new Defence Procurement Procedure (DPP) comes in place.
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08/03/2015
A video reveals a Mi-28N Night Hunter helicopter crash at a competition in central Russia. The commander of the crew was killed in the crash as the second pilot narrowly escaped from the burning fuselage.
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08/02/2015
After nearly 15 years of development and a half-dozen years of testing, the first squadron of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters is officially operational. The decision was formally announced by Marine Commandant General Joseph Dunford on Friday, making the Marines the first military branch to declare its version of the aircraft combat-ready.
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08/02/2015
Airbus confirmed the news that a CN235 military transport aircraft crashed in Colombia today claiming the lives of 11 Colombian military personnel. Their transport plane suffered motor failure and crashed in the northern province of Cesar, killing all on board, according to a statement from the Air Force.
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08/02/2015
South Korea authorities confirmed a North Korea military aircraft crashed at an airfield in the port city of Wonsan around July 15 and the casualties may have included members of Kim Jong Un's entourage. The site of the accident is most likely the same place where Kim Jong Un attended an air force tournament held in commemoration of North Korea's July 27 "Victory Day," South Korean television network SBS reported.
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08/02/2015
Throughout its history, the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) of the People’s Republic of China (PRC) has lagged behind the aerial programs of other world powers such as the United States. Now, the PRC has set its sights on producing indigenously designed “fifth generation” fighter jets comparable to the US F-22 Raptor and F-35 Lightning II.
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08/02/2015
The Block 60 is the latest upgraded version of the Kfir, which was used by the Israeli air force between 1975 and 1994. Some aircraft are being offered with General Electric J79 engines with zero hours following a complete overhaul, while other examples would need to have this work performed after their powerplant reaches 1,600 flight hours.
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08/02/2015
TURKEY has killed 260 Kurdish militants in a week-long air offensive on targets in northern Iraq as regional Iraqi authorities said it was time the Kurds withdraw from the front line with ISIS as concerns grow over civilian casualties.
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08/02/2015
Russian MiG-31 interceptor jet pilots performed a unique six-hour non-stop flight with three air refueling operations, head of the press service of the Russian Central Military District, Col. Yaroslav Roshchupkin, said Saturday. "The pilots from the Central Military District devoted the unique flight of MiG-31BM interceptor jets to today's opening of the International Army Games," Roshchupkin said in a statement.
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07/31/2015
The first Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130J gunship made a historic entrance aboard Hurlburt Field on Wednesday — complete with a flyover and taxi underneath a fire truck water arch. The gunship, a heavily-armed, ground-attack aircraft, is one of the Air Force’s most advanced weapons. It’s known for its ability to shoot a large amount of cannon fire at night, as it’s equipped with smart bombs.
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07/31/2015
Thirty-one Iraqi helicopter pilots are being trained in the Czech Republic, the Defense Ministry's spokesman Petr Medek told the Czech News Agency today. Medek said the training of the helicopter pilots is organized by the LOM Praha state firm. The Defense Ministry corrected its original information after Aero Vodochody that will resell 15 L-159 aircraft from the Czech military stock to Iraq dismissed the information about 31 pilots of L-159 planes.
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07/31/2015
The "Ironmen" will be back flying at Langley Air Force Base next month. The 71st Fighter Squadron will be re-activated under a slightly different name -- the 71st Fighter Training Squadron -- during a ceremony Aug. 21, according to a statement from the base.
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07/31/2015
Fighter jets from Nato’s Baltic air policing mission have scrambled to intercept 22 Russian aircraft in multiple formations over the past week, including two of the largest interceptions over eastern Europe since tensions with Moscow began to rise 18 months ago.
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07/31/2015
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) delivered the 29th C-5M Super Galaxy to the U. S. Air Force on July 28. A Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) aircrew ferried the aircraft from the Lockheed Martin facility here to Stewart Air National Guard Base, New York, where it will undergo internal paint restoration. Once paint restoration is completed, the aircraft will then be flown to Travis Air Force Base, California, where it will be permanently based. It will be the eleventh Super Galaxy assigned to
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07/31/2015
Israel has repeatedly expressed its opposition to the Iran nuclear deal, citing fears of an attack. But Tel Aviv may be inadvertently supplying Tehran with its own military technology, thanks to a deal between Tehran and the Chinese government.
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07/31/2015
Serbia will buy four military helicopters from Russia and Germany in the near future, the country’s Defense Minister Bratislav Gasic said Thursday. "We are approaching the final stage of the purchase of two Russian and two German military helicopters. The first delivery [of the helicopters] is expected soon," Gasic said in an interview with Tanjug news agency.
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07/31/2015
The United States will deliver eight F-16 Block 52 aircraft to Cairo, as a part of its commitment to upgrade Egypt’s military might in light of current terrorist threats, the US Embassy in Cairo said Thursday.
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07/31/2015
India has no intention to stop purchasing Russian arms, an Officer of the Mechanised Infantry Regiment of the Indian Army, Lt. Col. Vivek Suryakant Badve, said Thursday. "I would rather disagree," Badve told RIA Novosti, commenting on an opinion voiced by some experts that India will gradually stop buying Russian armament, replacing it with weapons of domestic production and purchasing with other countries.
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07/30/2015
The Marines’ long-awaited F-35B Lightning II fighters, stealthy jets that can take off vertically from assault ships, are days away from being operational. The respected magazine Aviation Week & Space Technology said Marine Corps Commandant Joseph Dunford is expected to declare “initial operational capability” by the end of this month. The first operational squadron, Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, is based in Yuma.
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07/30/2015
The Nigerian Air Force (NAF) has said that its fighter pilots have blocked and seized fuel route of the deadly Boko Haram sect along the nation’s borderline with Cameroon. Dele Alonge, the spokesperson of NAF, in a statement issued on July 29, Wednesday, said patrols along the Nigeria-Cameroon boundaries “have greatly strained the supply efforts of the BHT (Boko Haram terrorists)”.
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07/30/2015
The Royal Australian Air Force has taken delivery of its first EA-18G Growler, one of twelve it it will acquire under an agreement with the U.S. Navy. Australia is the first country outside the U.S to obtain the fighter jets, which are a derivative of the F/A-18 Super Hornet. Boeing, the maker of the EA-18Gs, says they're the only aircraft in production which provide tactical jamming and electronic protection.
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07/30/2015
Russia, China and two other nations will participate in an air force competition next month that will include more than 50 aviation crews, the Russian Defense Ministry said Wednesday. The competition, which will occur as part of a larger Russian-operated international military competition, will unfold amid growing Western concern about Russia’s military activity.
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07/30/2015
The South Dakota Air National Guard is providing two F-16 Fighting Falcon static displays for the airshow. The aircraft are assigned to the 175th Fighter Squadron, part of the 114th Fighter Wing at Joe Foss Field in Sioux Falls.
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07/30/2015
The "Ironmen" will be back flying at Langley Air Force Base next month. The 71st Fighter Squadron will be re-activated under a slightly different name — the 71st Fighter Training Squadron — during a ceremony Aug. 21, according to a statement from the base.
(Read More...)
07/30/2015
Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Navy today extended advanced airborne electronic attack (AEA) capability to a key U.S. ally, presenting the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with its first EA-18G Growler. Australia is the first country other than the U.S. to obtain this aircraft.
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07/30/2015
In addition to a new engine, Russia’s elite Tupolev Tu-160M2 strategic bomber (“White Swan”) is capable of carrying cruise and nuclear missiles and will receive cutting-edge avionics, said Vladimir Mikheev, the adviser of the deputy head of Russia’s Radio-Electronic Technologies Concern (RETC), according to Rossiyskaya Gazeta.
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07/30/2015
Washington believes the reports claiming the leader of the Taliban wing in Afghanistan, Mullah Omar, was dead are trustworthy, White House spokesperson Eric Schultz said in a briefing on Tuesday.
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07/30/2015
The United States and Turkey have yet to identify a group of "moderate insurgents" capable of leading an operation to clear Islamic State (IS) militants from a stretch of territory along the Turkey-Syria border.
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07/29/2015
Argentina has decided to give up trying to purchase the JF-17 Thunder, a multirole fighter known as the FC-1 Xiaolong jointly developed by China and Pakistan, reports the Shanghai-based Guancha Syndicate.
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07/29/2015
Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James has admitted to a wide range of past and present problems with the F-35 while maintaining that the fifth-general will eventually guarantee the U.S. continued air supremacy over rivals. "The biggest lesson I have learned from the F-35 is never again should we be flying an aircraft while we're building it," James said at the Aspen Security Forum in Colorado last week.
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07/29/2015
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07/29/2015
The Marine Corps’ version of Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-35 fighter demonstrated poor reliability in a 12-day exercise at sea, according to the U.S. military’s top testing officer.
Six F-35Bs, the most complex version of the Pentagon’s costliest weapons system, were available for flights only half of the time needed, Michael Gilmore, the Defense Department’s director of operational testing, said in a memo obtained by Bloomberg News.
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07/29/2015
After last month’s announcement that India’s Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) program is encountering further delays, with final operational clearance postponed to March 2016 (See: “Surprise: India’s New Fighter Jet Faces More Delays”), the Indian Air Force (IAF) may experience an additional setback in increasing its number of operational combat squadrons.
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07/29/2015
Latvia's Armed Forces reported spotting three Russian aircraft and two ships near its territorial waters on Tuesday. In the air, Latvian patrol planes reported spotting two Russian long-range An-124 military transport aircraft, as well as well as an Il-76 multi-purpose strategic airlifter.
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07/29/2015
Amid high tensions in the South China Sea, Beijing announced it conducted large-scale military drills at both air and sea on Tuesday, focusing on new information warfare systems. With over 100 ships and dozens of aircraft, state-run China Military Online reported that Beijing conducted large, live-ammunition drills in the South China Sea.
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07/29/2015
The United States is looking to broaden its military presence in Turkey with more personnel and combat aircraft, in its effort to intensify fight against ISIL alongside Turkish armed forces, a Pentagon official announced Monday.
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07/29/2015
A senior US official claims that the creation of a safe-zone along an ISIL-controlled border area with Turkey will rely on moderate Syrian rebels, and will not involve Turkish ground troops.
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07/28/2015
After a long period of "preliminary evaluation", Argentina is negotiating the purchase of a batch of Israel Aerospace Industries Kfir Block 60 fighters. The Block 60 is the latest upgraded version of the Kfir, which was used by the Israeli air force between 1975 and 1994. Some aircraft are being offered with General Electric J79 engines with zero hours following a complete overhaul, while other examples would need to have this work performed after their powerplant reaches 1,600 flight hours.
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07/28/2015
What a difference a few years makes. In 2011 the Rafale had no foreign orders. India had been proclaiming the Rafale the “best aircraft for India” for some 5 years by then and declared it the L1 bidder in the tender for the 126 MMRCA with the Eurofighter Typhoon as the L2.
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07/28/2015
Air Mobility Command is losing aircraft tails, squadrons and people. But don’t think that means fewer missions and less work for those flying and maintaining the Air Force’s airlifters and tankers. “Our ops tempo is not going down one bit,” Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Larry Spencer said in a July 22 interview with Air Force Times. “Yet there’s clamor to have the resources go down. So you’ve got the lines on the chart going in opposite directions.”
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07/28/2015
The top U.S. Marine Corps aviator on Monday said an initial squadron of 10 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets met all the requirements for a declaration of combat-readiness during a recent review, and a decision from Marine Corps Commandant General Joseph Dunford was expected soon.
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07/28/2015
The top U.S. military officer in the Pacific sternly warned China on Friday to immediately cease its “aggressive coercive island building” in the South China Sea, which he argued was intended clearly for China’s military use as forward operating bases in combat against their regional neighbors.
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07/28/2015
Two Russian bombers intercepted by U.S. fighter jets off the California coast on July Fourth could be seen as having raised a metaphorical middle finger to the United States. "Good morning, American pilots. We are here to greet you on your Fourth of July Independence Day," they said, according to the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
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07/28/2015
The U.S. will be sending more Air Force personnel and aircraft to Turkey to combat ISIS but plans for a no-fly zone over the Syria-Turkey border remain on hold, Pentagon officials said Monday. "We're holding ongoing consultations with the Turks," said Navy Capt. Jeff Davis, a Pentagon spokesman, but currently "we have no plans for imposition of a no-fly zone."
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07/28/2015
A State Department official said that the United States was not planning to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad militarily because force alone will not solve the crisis in Syria.
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07/28/2015
The Russian Air Force has no plans of deploying long-range Tu-22M3 bombers capable of delivering nuclear warheads to the Crimean Peninsula any time soon, Air Force Commander Col.-Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Monday.
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07/28/2015
Reversing a long standing decision by the two countries, the United States and Turkey have announced plans to provide air cover for "moderate" Syrian rebels. While the Pentagon has admitted severe problems in identifying so-called moderates, the new strategy is meant to combat ISIL and to establish a safe zone along Turkey’s Syrian border.
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07/27/2015
Wilayat Sinai is a well organized and highly skilled terrorist organization. That’s the impression senior Israel Defense Forces officers have gotten from the Islamic State-affiliated group after its string of attacks on Egyptian security forces in Sinai, culminating in a major attack near the town of Sheikh Zuweid on July 1.
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07/27/2015
Mysterious containment booms with Chinese markings on them have ratcheted up tensions in the South China Sea while the Philippines plans to return Subic Bay to its historic mission as a military base. Local fishermen describe the booms, painted orange, linked in a string one kilometer long, as buoys intended to mark off oil spills.
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07/27/2015
U.S. military aircraft, including planes from the soon-to-be San Diego-based USS Theodore Roosevelt, continue to strike Islamic terrorists, with 31 strikes reported so far this weekend.
The Defense Department regularly reports the airstrikes under Operation Inherent Resolve, which includes aircraft from the U.S., other Western nations and Arabian allies. The attacks are directed at the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant, better known as ISIL or ISIS.
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07/27/2015
More than 33,000 U.S. and Australian troops took part in Talisman Sabre, a biennial exercise that involved 21 ships including the aircraft carrier George Washington and the landing helicopter dock Bonhomme Richard’s expeditionary strike group.
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07/27/2015
Saab is about to reap the financial reward of a state-backed defense-industrial strategy shaped under Sweden's former Moderate government, which was ousted by the current pro-defense spending Social Democratic Party-led coalition in September 2014.
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07/27/2015
Barack Obama is not likely to be mistaken for Teddy Roosevelt. Yes, his foreign policy has been quite soft-spoken—especially when addressing openly hostile states such as Iran. But he has whittled America’s “big stick” down to kindling.
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07/27/2015
Screaming through the air along southern Virginia’s coast, the Air Force’s F-22 Raptor routinely puts on a dazzling show of loops, dives and combat maneuvers designed to bedevil and defeat opponents before they ever know it’s there. But in its first months of combat in the skies above Iraq and Syria, the stealthy jet’s contribution has been more of an escort role. It has been using its high-tech sensors and communications to guide and protect other fighters that are actually dropping the bombs.
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07/27/2015
Canadian and Hungarian experts will fly over Russia on Monday as part of the Treaty on Open Skies, the head of the Russian National Center for Reducing the Nuclear Threat said. Sergei Ryzhkov said the joint Canadian-Hungarian mission will be carried out by a Hungarian An-26 observation aircraft.
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07/27/2015
The Turkish jets, scrambled from the Diyarbakir airbase, struck PKK positions in the area of Harkurk along the Iraqi-Turkish border, according to the MyNet web portal. Ankara is yet to confirm the strikes.
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07/26/2015
Taiwan's Navy seeks to procure eight to 10 MH-60R Seahawk anti-submarine warfare (ASW) helicopters via the US Foreign Military Sales program to replace aging MD500 "Defender" helicopters, a local defense industry source said. An announcement is expected by the end of this year and a possible letter of acceptance in 2016, the source said. A US-based defense industry analyst said the deal was estimated at $700 million to $800 million.
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07/26/2015
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday Turkey could send troops into Syria to combat ISIS shortly after it was announced that coalition aircraft could start flying missions against ISIS from Turkish airbases. In the campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), NATO ally Turkey would be prepared to send its army across the border into Syria "if there was such a need," Davutoglu said at a news conference Friday.
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07/26/2015
Augmenting its operational strength, the IAF is in the process of inducting additional Su-30 MKI aircraft manufactured under licence by HAL and Light Combat Aircraft ( LCA), which is manufactured indigenously by HAL, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar informed the Lok Sabha. He said that the requirement of fighter aircraft is periodically reviewed to ensure that the IAF meets its operational needs.
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07/26/2015
Russia is set to form an air force and an air defense force within the Northern Fleet, its commander said on Saturday. The decision to establish these forces in the Northern Fleet was announced by the head of the Russian General Staff Valery Gerasimov in late 2014. "We have started the development of air force and air defense force armies within the ranks of the Northern Fleet," Admiral Vladimir Korolev said.
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07/26/2015
Negotiations on delivery of a more modernized Russian air defense system than S-300 to Iran are close to a successful conclusion, a source in the Iranian Defense Ministry told Sputnik on Saturday.
(Read More...)
07/26/2015
US defense contractor Raytheon has been awarded a $180 million contract to provide the US Navy and Saudi Arabia with guided air-to-ground missiles, the US Defense Department announced.
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07/26/2015
The Turkish government approved the use of the Incirlik airbase by US and other anti-Islamic State coalition partners to carry out airstrikes in Syria, State Department spokesman Mark Toner said on Friday.
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07/26/2015
Turkish F-16 Falcon combat jets are carrying out a second wave of airstrikes on Friday against positions of Islamic State militants in Syria, the NTV television reported citing military sources.
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07/26/2015
Washington plans to continue training Ukraine’s defense personnel in the autumn 2015 in the West of the country, US State Department Deputy spokesperson Mark Toner said on Friday. “The United States intends to continue training Ukrainian security forces this fall in western Ukraine,” Toner said during a press briefing.
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07/26/2015
The aviation branch of the Russian Navy will get more than 20 new ship-borne MiG-29K fighters by the end of 2015, the Defense Ministry’s press service said. The warplanes will serve as a backbone for a new aviation unit within the Northern Feet.
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07/22/2015
The proposed 2016 national budget, which President Benigno Aquino is to present to parliament for approval on Monday, would reserve a record 25 billion pesos ($552 million) for defense spending, Agence France-Presse reported.
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07/20/2015
Lockheed Martin Corp., the largest U.S. weapons maker, has agreed to buy United Technologies Corp.’s Sikorsky Aircraft unit, the maker of Black Hawk helicopters, for more than $8-billion (U.S.), a source familiar with the negotiations said on Sunday. The two companies plan to announce the deal on Monday before both report second-quarter results on Tuesday, said the source, who was not authorized to speak publicly.
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07/20/2015
The Russian navy plans to purchase a “submarine-killer” version of its Be-200 amphibious aircraft by 2020, an unnamed official said Sunday. President Vladimir Putin has made the modernization of Russia’s military aircraft a priority as part of a larger plan to revamp the armed forces by the end of the decade.
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07/20/2015
A shroud of secrecy appears to surround the shooting down last week of a military plane allegedly carrying Ukrainian mercenaries. Nigerian military officials as well as Ukrainian diplomats deflected questions on the attack in which five occupants of a surveillance plane, according to details provided to SaharaReporters by a military source.
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07/20/2015
The new commander of the United States Pacific Fleet took part in a seven-hour “surveillance mission” over the disputed South China Sea over the weekend, a move that could spark another diplomatic row with China. The fleet said via Facebook yesterday that Admiral Scott Swift, who arrived in the Philippines on Thursday for a four-day visit, was aboard the P-8A Poseidon aircraft on Saturday “to witness firsthand the full range of the Poseidon’s capabilities”.
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07/20/2015
A push by the Philippines to overhaul its obsolete military has ground to a halt just as the U.S. ally is striving to deter China in the disputed waters between them. A string of programs collectively valued at $1 billion stalled early last year, according to military officials and executives involved in Philippine defense deals.
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07/20/2015
Critics of the nuclear deal with Iran have expanded their attacks to provisions they say that could allow Tehran to vastly improve its abilities to provide conventional weapons to its allies.
The deal reached in Vienna last week restricting Iran’s nuclear program in return for lifting economic sanctions will give Tehran a financial windfall of tens of billions of dollars.
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07/20/2015
Britain's upcoming strategic defense and security review (SDSR) could boost surveillance assets after the prime minister, the defense secretary and the chief of the Defence Staff last week all said they support spending in the sector.
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07/20/2015
African demand for Embraer Defense and Security's flagship A-29 Super Tucano light attack/trainer turbo-prop aircraft is set to surge as economically strained countries seeking cheaper multirole aircraft settle for its lower price tag, operational simplicity and ease of maintenance, a senior African military analyst said.
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07/20/2015
Russia’s observation aircraft will fly over Latvian and Lithuanian territories, while Russian inspectors will visit portions of Latvian territory as part of mutual transparency agreements, the head of the Russian National Center for Reducing the Nuclear Threat said.
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07/18/2015
Israel is preparing to deliver a list of aircraft and weapons it wants from the USA as a “compensation package” for the recent agreement with Iran that limited Tehran’s nuclear ambitions. The pact between Iran and the USA, Europe, China and Russia was signed on 14 July in Vienna and sees sanctions – including those preventing the sale of commercial aircraft – lifted on the nation in return for a halt to the country’s nuclear weapons programme.
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07/18/2015
Several types of new aircraft missiles are being developed for the Tupolev Tu-160M2 strategic bombers, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Friday. "Yes, certainly," he said, answering a question if a new missile was being developed. "It will be not one, but several types of missiles - both in terms of the range and capacity. Several [missiles] are being developed," the deputy minister said during a visit to the Kazan-based Gorbunov Aviation Plant (branch of JSC Tupolev).
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07/18/2015
The Philippines will station new fighter jets and two frigates at the former US naval facility in Subic Bay from early next year, officials said, the first time the massive installation has functioned as a military base in 23 years. Using Subic Bay would allow the Philippine air force and navy to respond more effectively to Chinese moves in the disputed South China Sea, security experts said.
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07/18/2015
British pilots have been taking part in coalition bombing raids against the Islamic State in Syria, a freedom of information request has revealed. Flight by British pilot officers across war-zone Syria in apparent defiance of a 2013 commons vote to not commit UK forces to the country has caused consternation today, with members of parliament and human rights activists questioning the activity.
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07/18/2015
One year after 298 civilians fell to earth over eastern Ukraine, Putin’s regime is still denying culpability. Here’s definitive evidence to the contrary. It’s been a year since Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17 was shot out of the sky, killing all 298 civilians onboard.
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07/18/2015
Five years ago, the 34th Fighter Squadron of the U.S. Air Force was taken out of active duty to save money. Friday, it was put back into action at Hill Air Force Base in Layton, getting combat-ready to fly the Air Forces’ newest fighter jet: the F-35A. “It’s like flying the future. The growth potential in this airplane is amazing,” said Col. David Lyons. He handed off command of the 34th at the re-activation ceremony on the base.
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07/18/2015
Engineers at Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi in Turin-Caselle, Italy, and at BAE Systems in Warton, Lancashire, completed a series of ground-based tests of the Eurofighter Typhoon with MBDA’s Storm Shadow cruise missile, in preparation for flight trials to take place in the U.K. later this year.
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07/18/2015
The Boeing Company announced today it will recognize a charge on the KC-46 aerial refueling tanker program when it announces second-quarter 2015 results on July 22. The after-tax charge of $536 million ($0.77 per share) reflects higher estimated engineering and manufacturing costs to complete development, certification and initial production of the tanker aircraft, while holding to the program schedule for initial production deliveries in 2017.
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07/18/2015
In an effort to keep the 25-year-old Eurofighter Typhoon competitive against the Russian Su-35, Airbus Defence and Space (DS) has finished flight tests of the jet’s improved maneuverability.
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07/18/2015
Members of Yemen’s exiled government say Saudi-backed fighters have recaptured the strategic port city of Aden from Houthi rebels on Friday, marking a significant shift in an intense conflict that has torn the country apart. But Houthi leaders are contesting the claim, saying the fight is still on.
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07/17/2015
It was expected that the second aircraft will be available for deployment within eight weeks of delivery, the MoD spokesman said. "We can confirm we are committed to delivering the maximum output in support of UK interests as quickly as is practical," the spokesman said.
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07/17/2015
The Army relies on its partners to win in an increasingly complex world. Such was the case demonstrated in Exercise Talisman Sabre 15 in Australia, which is going on from July 4 -19.
Lt. Col. Matt Hardman and his 400 paratroopers, from the 3rd Battalion, 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team (Airborne), 25th Infantry Division, had just jumped from seven C-17 Globemasters, two of which were Royal Australian Air Force, or RAAF.
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07/17/2015
The next version of the Air Force’s joint surveillance and attack radar aircraft will have a smaller airframe, along with updated radar, communications and battle management suites. But JSTARS is a recapitalization program, not something new, Col. David Learned, the program’s senior material leader said.
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07/17/2015
Britain is transferring Paveway IV precision guided bombs originally earmarked for the Royal Air Force to Saudi Arabia to enable the Gulf state to build stocks of the weapon being used against targets in Yemen and Syria, sources here said. The Ministry of Defence has swapped delivery positions on the production line at Raytheon UK to ensure the Saudi Royal Air Force has weapon stocks to continue strike missions with the highly accurate 500-pound bomb.
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07/17/2015
The Russian Air Force received new orders of upgraded Su-34 bombers and Su-35S fighters on Thursday, state-owned manufacturer Sukhoi confirmed Thursday. The aircraft shipments were a direct result of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s plan to overhaul the Russian military by the end of the decade.
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07/17/2015
India and the US have worked out the terms of reference for building the next Indian aircraft carrier with US technology. This has been pushed through after the visit of US defence secretary Ash Carter. As both countries prepare for a September round of strategic dialogue in Washington DC, India is preparing to send a team to speed up talks on the aircraft carrier and the Light Combat Aircraft jet engine, which is also slated to be built with US assistance.
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07/17/2015
Five years after the first F-35s were supposed to be declared combat-ready, the Pentagon’s top weapons buyer says the fighter jet’s operating software is ready to go “with some minor workarounds” that need to be remedied later.
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07/17/2015
Scrambles against Russian aircraft fell 76% to 57 times, Reuters reported. The sharp slide in this year’s quarterly decline, however, does not necessarily signal a slowdown in Russian military activities in the region, according to a Defense Ministry official.
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07/17/2015
Earlier in the day, several news outlets reported that Greece had scrambled fighter jets after Turkish aircraft had trespassed into Greek airspace. Turkey does not recognize a 10-mile zone of Greek airspace surrounding islands in the Aegean Sea that are the reason of numerous such incidents between Turkish and Greek warplanes in the sky over the sea.
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07/16/2015
The Czech Defense Ministry is to gain 780 million Kc for the sale of 15 L-159 military aircraft to Iraq, but the deal, which was struck some time ago, seems to be endangered once again over what some Iraqi sources call suspected corruption, daily Lidové noviny (LN) writes today.
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07/16/2015
Flight tests of a Eurofighter Typhoon fighter sporting several aerodynamic modifications have greatly improved the aircraft's agility and weapons-carrying capabilities, Airbus Defence and Space said Wednesday. The addition of fuselage strakes and leading-edge root extensions and other more minor changes to an Airbus test aircraft resulted in improved lift, angle of attack and roll rate capabilities compared with the standard aircraft, the Eurofighter consortium member said in a statement.
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07/16/2015
A 190-member Indian Air Force contingent, backed by Su-30 fighters, IL-78 tankers, C-17 strategic and C-130J tactical airlift aircraft, left for the UK today to take part in the fourth edition of ten-day long bilateral exercise 'Indradhanush'.
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07/16/2015
This marks the first sale of the V-22 aircraft through the U.S. government's FMS program. Contract work is expected to be completed in Jun 2018. V-22 Osprey will be used in Japan's Ground Self-Defense Force. It will help to provide relief efforts during natural disasters. Osprey's capabilities include troop transport, disaster relief, personnel recovery, medical evacuation, logistics support and executive transport.
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07/16/2015
The Philippines will station new fighter jets and two frigates as it reopens the former US naval base in Subic Bay to military use in a further response to Chinese expansionism in the disputed South China Sea.
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07/16/2015
Britain’s top military officer said Wednesday the country’s fleet of combat jets is stretched to the limit and could struggle to take on additional roles in fighting Islamist extremists in the Middle East without scaling back elsewhere.
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07/16/2015
The Brimstone ground attack weapons did not explode and no one was injured in the incident at RAF Akrotiri, a spokesman said. The base has been used in airstrikes against Islamic State militants in Iraq. But the spokesman would not be drawn on whether the aircraft was returning from a combat mission against the terror group, also known as ISIS and ISIL.
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07/16/2015
In an attempt to address the "critical shortage of remotely piloted aircraft pilots," the United States Air Force has just announced an increase of retention bonuses for drone pilots, one that will likely make flying unmanned aircrafts much more appealing.
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07/16/2015
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Anatoly Antonov said Monday that the B61-12 nuclear bomb test in Nevada on July 1, 2015 was openly provocative and contrary to Washington's stated desire for complete nuclear disarmament.
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07/15/2015
The U.N.-brokered cease-fire that was supposed to bring a temporary halt to fighting in Yemen over Ramadan failed before it even started. Supposedly taking effect midnight on July 10, the humanitarian truce was largely ignored by forces on the ground — fighting continued through the weekend. Forces loyal to Yemeni President Abd Rabboh Mansour Hadi claim they were not ordered to commit to the cessation of hostilities, though disrupted communications may have been partially responsible.
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07/15/2015
The Israel Air Force is completing preparations for participation in the American Red Flag exercises that take place at the Nellis Air Force Base. The delegation going to the United States will be similar in size to the one that was supposed to join the training exercise last year: about 10 aircraft, along with the air crews and technical teams. Israel’s participation in last year’s exercise was canceled for budgetary reasons.
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07/15/2015
The top acquisition committee of the Defence Ministry today cleared proposals worth over Rs 30,000 crore, including that to replace army's 60s vintage air defence guns and for buying four more P81 long-range maritime patrol aircraft for the navy.
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07/15/2015
The nuclear agreement with Iran announced Tuesday is an astoundingly good deal, far surpassing the hopes of anyone . . . in Tehran. It requires Iran to reduce the number of centrifuges enriching uranium by about half, to sell most of its current uranium stockpile or “downblend” it to lower levels of enrichment, and to accept inspections (whose precise nature is yet to be specified) by the International Atomic Energy Agency, something that Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei had wanted to avoid.
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07/15/2015
Two pilots were killed when a strategic bomber with seven people on board crashed in far eastern Russia on Tuesday, the defense ministry said, the latest in a string of military aircraft accidents. "The search and rescue team of the eastern military district has found where two members of the Tu-95 bomber landed," the Russian defense ministry said in a statement.
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07/15/2015
Lockheed Martin received a follow-on foreign military sale contract to produce and upgrade Sniper® Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) for the Pakistan Air Force’s F-16 fleet. The contract includes the production of 15 Sniper ATPs and upgrades to the Pakistan Air Force’s existing 22 Sniper ATPs.
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07/15/2015
Bell Boeing, a strategic alliance between Bell Helicopter, a Textron [NYSE: TXT] company, and Boeing, was awarded a U.S. Navy contract today for five Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft to be delivered to Japan, marking the first sale of the aircraft through the U.S. government’s foreign military sales program.
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07/15/2015
The United States and Ukraine signed an Open Skies agreement to expand commercial and cargo flights between the two countries, the State Department announced in a statement on Tuesday.
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07/15/2015
On July 13, the US and Singapore naval forces began a joint maritime exercise at Changi Naval Base located in Singapore Strait, which is situated close to the South China Sea. The area holding potentially significant oil and gas reserves, is the subject of a territorial dispute between several regional countries.
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07/14/2015
Wanton death and destruction from the sky? There’s an app for it. According to a recent article in IHS Jane’s Defense, the Syrian Air Force uses iPad apps to help drop explosive, and sometimes chlorine-filled, barrel bombs from the rear of their aging fleet of transport helicopters.
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07/14/2015
Over the next two weeks, Southern Utah, southern Nevada and possibly the Arizona Strip between the two, may experience some reverberation as military exercises are underway at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Beginning Tuesday GPS intervention testing commences in the same region intermittently over the same period, impacting aviation. Nevadans, in particular, may notice increased military aircraft activity.
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07/14/2015
The U.S. on Monday delivered the first lot of F-16 fighter jets to the Iraqi government to be used in the fight against Islamic militants. Brett McGurk, the administration’s deputy special presidential envoy to the coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS), confirmed the deliver on Twitter.
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07/14/2015
For more than a decade now, China and Pakistan have worked together to develop and manufacture a new kind of fighter jet. The aircraft itself exemplifies the friendship and cooperation between the two countries. China named this beauty “FC-1 Xiaolong” – which stands for “ Fighter China, Fierce Dragon”, and in Pakistan it’s called “JF-17”, short for “Joint Fighter”.
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07/14/2015
Summer is the silly season for defense coverage in the nation’s capital. With much of official Washington gone, journalists have to work harder to find anything worth reporting. When they uncover an item that sounds like it might be newsy, they get as much mileage out of it as they can.
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07/14/2015
Lockheed Martin demonstrated its multi-mode Joint Air-to-Ground Missile (JAGM), engaging two laser-designated stationary targets during recent Government-led flight tests at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. In the first test, the missile flew four kilometers, engaged its precision-strike, semi-active laser and hit the stationary target.
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07/14/2015
Russian engineers are developing a one-of-a-kind communications system for Russia's next-generation PAK DA strategic bomber which will be able to conduct analysis, make changes and switch its operation modes, a representative of Russia's United Instrument Manufacturing Corporation (UIMC) told RIA Novosti.
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07/14/2015
Three Su-25UTG aircraft and three Su-33 carrier-based fighters were redeployed from the Severomorsk-3 airfield of the Northern Fleet to the Saki airfield. The training sessions will take several weeks and include 10 flying shifts.
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07/14/2015
The principal advantage of an airship is the large surface of its body where radar systems can be mounted. The antennas of anti-ballistic missile radars will be mounted on the cover of an airship, according to a representative of Russia’s KRET company.
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07/13/2015
China needs to develop a new long-range strike bomber capable of attacking targets farther out in the Pacific. This is the principal conclusion of a meeting of Chinese military officials, according to AFP citing a full-page China Daily article published last Tuesday as its source.
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07/13/2015
On July 11, coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 16 airstrikes using bomber, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 11 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, fighter-attack and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL targets.
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07/13/2015
Russia's Air Force is falling from the sky. As the Kremlin continues to assert its air power in a bid to intimidate NATO allies in Europe and North America, its mostly Soviet-built aircraft are being pushed to their limits — a fact experts point to when attempting to explain the loss of five aircraft of different designs in just the past month.
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07/13/2015
Finmeccanica-AgustaWestland on July 12 celebrated the centenary of the formation of the Westland Aircraft Works in Yeovil and the many aeronautical achievements that have been made during 100 years of continuous aircraft manufacturing on the site. Established in 1915 Westland has produced many famous fixed wing aircraft designs such as the Whirlwind, Welkin, Wapiti, Lysander before focussing on helicopter production and later on its own designs such as the Lynx and AW101.
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07/13/2015
Mumbai airport played host to a new guest recently. A Japanese Air Force aircraft made stops twice in the last week during its anti-piracy operations off the coast of Somalia, in the Horn of Africa, a peninsula in the north-east of the continent. The airplane landed in Mumbai to refuel as well as to allow its crew to rest.
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07/13/2015
European defense clout is expanding in South Korea, which has long been regarded as a second home turf for American weapon systems. In a sign of growing popularity of European weapons here, Airbus has clinched back-to-back arms acquisition deals for helicopters and in-flight refueling tankers.
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07/13/2015
Airstrikes by the Saudi-led coalition targeting Shiite rebels and their allies struck several Yemeni cities on Sunday, with combat raging near the strategic Bab el-Mandeb strait despite a declared truce, military and security officials said. Some 500 troops loyal to exiled President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi, along with allied militias, were pushing to take areas near the strait, the officials said.
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07/13/2015
The prime minister has asked them to look at increasing funding for special forces as part of the strategic defence and security review. They have also been urged to consider new spy aircraft, including drones. The priorities were set out after last week's Budget pledged to spend 2% of national wealth on defence until 2020.
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07/13/2015
The United States has launched negotiations with a number of North African countries to position drones on their territory to monitor the Islamic State's activities in Libya, the Wall Street Journal reported Monday citing undisclosed US officials.
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07/12/2015
“One Belt, One Road” is a concept whereby China spreads an economic network over land and sea that they control. “One Belt” refers to the land that they will potentially dominate and unite from western China to central Asia and Europe. “One Road” refers to the maritime lanes that China plans to control, from the South China Sea to the Indian Ocean, the Arabic Peninsula and the East Coast of Africa.
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07/12/2015
Lockheed Martin is deep in talks to buy United Technologies’s Sikorsky, maker of the iconic Blackhawk and the White House’s Marine One helicopters, The Wall Street Journal reported late Friday. Citing sources close to the matter, the Journal said the sale could bring more than $8 billion to United Technologies. A deal could be reached in the coming days, it reported.
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07/12/2015
Russian authorities are working to relaunch production of the Soviet-era Tupolev Tu-160 "Blackjack" supersonic nuclear bomber, a Russian defense ministry official reportedly said Friday. "We are already working quickly [on the project], we have created a working group, scheduled monthly meetings with the Industry and Trade Ministry on how the work is progressing and appointed chief designers," Deputy Defense Minister Yury Borisov told RIA Novosti, cited by the Moscow Times.
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07/12/2015
Bearded and wearing bright blue bandanas, the Islamic State group’s “special forces” unit gathered around their commander just before they attacked the central Syrian town of al-Sukhna. “Victory or martyrdom,” they screamed, pledging their allegiance to God and vowing never to retreat.
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07/12/2015
Marine pilots recently dropped dozens of live bombs from the F-35B joint strike fighter for the first time, bringing the aircraft a step closer to its long-anticipated rollout. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121 dropped 30 bombs over five days without a hitch in late June near Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona. It was a first for the squadron testing the aircraft's capabilities, and Marines said they can hit targets in little- to no-visibility.
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07/12/2015
Even as India and France negotiate a final agreement for direct purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets, there is a renewed push by the aircraft makers left out in the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) contest to re-enter the race.
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07/12/2015
Delayed by more than 15 years, India's homegrown Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Mark-1 is ready for critical test flights necessary for its final operational clearance (FOC) at the end of the year, but analysts and Indian Air Force (IAF) officials say that clearance will slip again, to next year.
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07/12/2015
The July 1st attack in Egypt’s north Sinai has signaled a change in strategy from the previous attacks launched in the region, adopting a strategy used by the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria forcused on taking and holding territory. Ansar Bait al-Maqdis, Egypt’s most active militant group in the Sinai, swore allegiance to ISIS in November 2014 becoming Sinai Province. The attempt to fly the ISIS flag in Sheikh Zuweid failed due to the Egyptian Armed Forces repelling the attack, killing over 250
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07/11/2015
A fourth C-130H Hercules was delivered June 20 at Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul, Afghanistan, and its significance can be traced back to planners, program managers, engineers and maintainers at Robins. Prior to its delivery to the Afghan Air Force, it first made a stop here for something quite interesting and unique - the complete separation of the aircraft's nose from its fuselage in March 2014.
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07/11/2015
Defense officials on Friday said "individuals" in Afghanistan — whom local media identified as Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants — were planning attacks on U.S. and coalition forces there, necessitating drone strikes earlier this week. "The strikes were against individuals known to be planning attacks against U.S. and coalition personnel," said a U.S. military spokesman in Afghanistan.
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07/11/2015
Lockheed Martin's (NYSE:LMT) F-35 could be deemed ready for combat in the coming weeks, a major milestone for the $400 billion program after a series of development issues, as the Pentagon readies its largest order yet of the stealth fighter.
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07/11/2015
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) was supposed to fill multiple roles for the Air Force, Navy, Marines, and US foreign partners. The jet — the most expensive US weapons project of all time — was designed to have aerial combat, close-air support, and long-range-strike capabilities.
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07/11/2015
The flights began last year. The government of Russian President Vladimir Putin, eager to send a message, began flying nuclear bombers on training missions near the United States and its allies around the world.
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07/11/2015
The Indian Government is considering to handover project for improved version of 'Tejas' fighter planes to private sector for efficient and time bound execution. Fed up with a string of delays and design flaws, the government wants to rope in a private player for Light Combat Aircraft, or LCA, programme.
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07/11/2015
The Islamic State’s greatest weakness is that while claiming to defend Muslims, it is most active in killing them, former US State Department Coordinator for Strategic Counterterrorism Communications (CSCC) Alberto Fernandez told Sputnik on Friday.
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07/11/2015
The move would mark Tokyo's first introduction to a multinational defense project. The United States is encouraging Japan's inclusion in the missile group, hoping that it will pave the way for similar alliances in Asia, sources told Reuters. The 12-country consortium oversees development and shares the costs of the Sea Sparrow missile, an American-made, advanced ship-borne weapon designed to destroy anti-ship sea-skimming missiles and attack aircraft.
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07/10/2015
The recent crash of an Air Force C-130B airlifter was the latest in a long line of fatal accidents involving the country’s military hardware. Between 2006 and 2015, there were a total of 18 accidents or an average of two incidents per year. These have caused huge material losses and most importantly, claimed the lives of well-trained military personnel.
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07/10/2015
Nordic and Baltic airspace violations by Russian planes intensify regional tensions. It's been revealed that Finland's Air Force scrambled to intercept Russian military aircraft recently after violating the Nordic country's airspace. The Russian IL-76 was travelling west en route from Russia when it entered a kilometer into Finnish territory, border officials said, according to the BBC.
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07/10/2015
Sailors from the George Washington Carrier Strike Group (GWCSG) began their portion of Talisman Sabre 2015 off the north coast of Australia, July 7. Exercise Talisman Sabre is a biennial training activity aimed at improving Australian and U.S. combat readiness and interoperability.
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07/10/2015
Sometime next year, the Liaoning aircraft carrier expects to gain its first aircraft battle group in order to compensate for the limited combat radius of existing fleets, according to Xinhua News Agency. China is looking at various strategies in forming its aircraft carrier battle group, according to the report.
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07/10/2015
Iraq's powerful Shiite militias are vowing to drive Islamic State fighters out of Fallujah, setting off a panic in the city where U.S. Marines saw their bloodiest combat of the war. The militias' campaign to besiege the city 40 miles west of Baghdad comes as Iraq's U.S.-backed regular armed forces are gearing up for a counteroffensive in Ramadi, which fell to the Islamic State two months ago.
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07/10/2015
The first female F-35 pilot has taken flight. Air Force Lt. Col. Christine Mau, deputy commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing Operations group, flew her first flight in an F-35A on May 5 at the pilot training school at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. Mau, previously an F-15E Strike Eagle pilot, completed 14 simulator flights before taking to the skies.
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07/10/2015
Gen. Joseph Dunford, the nominee for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he’s willing to rethink the acquisition plan for the most expensive weapons program ever. Much has changed about the Pentagon’s Joint Strike Fighter program in the past 13 years, but one thing has remained steady: the number of F-35s to be bought for the Air Force, Navy and Marines.
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07/10/2015
If the military doesn't pick the Montgomery-based Air National Guard fighter wing for a jet upgrade, the wing could be no more — potentially eliminating nearly 1,400 jobs and shelving the Red Tails, a squadron that carries with it the name and legacy of the Tuskegee Airmen. "There's a real potential that we could go away," 187th Fighter Wing Commander Randy Efferson said.
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07/10/2015
Frustrated by the persistent delays and design flaws that have dogged the Light Combat Aircraft, or LCA, programme, the government is seriously considering whether to hand over the project to build a new, improved version of the 'Tejas' indigenous fighter plane to the private sector for timebound and efficient execution.
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07/10/2015
Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot wanted to put short-take-off and vertical-landing F-35Bs – made by American defense contractor Lockheed Martin – on the decks of the Navy's two 27,000-ton troop transport assault ships.
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07/09/2015
Iraqi F-16s and pilots will not be based out of Jordan, as reported by Iraqi media, a spokesman for the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad said. Abed Issawi, a Shiite member of Iraq's parliament, had told reporters that that the U.S. government was demanding that the Iraqi F-16s fly combat missions from Jordan, not Iraq, according to Rudaw, a Kurdish media outlet.
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07/09/2015
Russia is the biggest threat to US national security and America must boost its military presence throughout Europe even as Nato allies face budget challenges and scale back spending, Deborah James, US Air Force Secretary, said on Wednesday.
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07/09/2015
I read two articles with great interest – “First Tejas Mark II engine to arrive in September” and “From Tejas to AMCA” – on July 6, both by Ajai Shukla of the Business Standard. As a retired Colonel of Indian Army, Shukla speaks with a certainty that comes from experience and in these articles he rails against “self-appointed patriots who see no irony in their advocacy of expensive foreign weaponry”.
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07/09/2015
Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Textron Inc (TXT.N) have emerged as final contenders to buy United Technologies Corp's (UTX.N) Sikorsky Aircraft business, which could be valued at around $8 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. UTC is weighing offers from the two companies and may come to a decision by the end of the month, one of the people said.
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07/09/2015
First, from one point of view, it's getting harder to fly fighter jets because there are fewer around and the requirements to even climb in to one are remarkably high. I'm very glad I didn't have this kind of competition for so few slots. Let's move on to the other aspect.
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07/09/2015
A design for a large, nuclear-powered aircraft carrier was unveiled at the seventh maritime and defense show (IMDS’2015) held last week in St. Petersburg, Russia. The Krylov State Research Center—a government-owned scientific institute specializing in marine technologies—showed a scale model of a “multipurpose aircraft carrier” that was comparable in size to the U.S. Navy Nimitz class. The Russian ministry of defense is funding Krylov’s work under Project Shtorm (Storm).
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07/09/2015
The Navy has decided to hold off sending its X-47B combat drones to an aviation museum. For now, the Northrop Grumman aircraft will be kept in flying condition pending high-level decisions on how to move forward. “The Navy is examining a range of potential follow-on activities involving the X-47B air vehicles,” Navy Capt. Beau Duarte, program manager for unmanned carrier aviation, told National Defense in a statement.
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07/09/2015
An Indian Air Force (IAF) recruitment advertisement has generated controversy - and ridicule - in domestic military circles for depicting a Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet, an aircraft that it does not operate. The F/A-18 image, featuring in several Indian newspapers on 5 July, appeared alongside Sukhoi Su-30MKI and Dassault Mirage 2000H combat aircraft that are in IAF service and above the tagline 'Join the mission'.
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07/09/2015
According to the United States Defense Department’s latest report on China’s military build-up the “Middle Kingdom” will spend more than $10 billion on land and sea based unmanned aircraft. These will include fixed wing and rotary aircraft to conduct surveillance, attack and even air combat missions.
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07/08/2015
A recent report in a military affairs magazine has shed light on a recent meeting in the Chinese military where the need for a strategic aerial capability was made clear. China already has strategic bombers in its inventory but they will not meet the future military needs of the country.
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07/08/2015
The US Air Force has decided to team up with the Department of Defense to speed up the development of hypersonic aircraft and hopes to achieve its goal by 2023. Hypersonic refers to any aircraft that travels at five times the speed of sound, which is about 3,800mph and known as Mach 5. In order to achieve this, the plane needs to be lightened using Supersonic Combustion Ramjet Engines (Scramjet) technology.
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07/08/2015
Airmen assigned to the 41st Expeditionary Helicopter Maintenance Unit here constantly work maintaining HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters so that the combat rescue mission in Afghanistan can be a success if and when it is needed. The 41st EHMU is part of the 455th Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron and is responsible for delivering airworthy helicopters to the expeditionary rescue squadron to complete its personnel recovery mission.
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07/08/2015
Support for Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s plan to expand Japan’s military role has waned in recent months, and moving forward with a “collective self-defense” proposal could jeopardize his political influence, recent polls suggest. n a July 5 Yomiuri Shimbun poll, 80 percent said the government hadn’t properly explained the proposed changes that, among other things, would allow the Japanese military to legally defend U.S. forces in combat.
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07/08/2015
U.S. aircraft are coming back from most combat missions in Iraq without dropping any bombs, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Gen. Martin Dempsey said Tuesday. "At a similar period in the Afghanistan conflict in 2012, the number of aircraft that returned with their ordnance because there were not targets available on the ground was 83 percent," Dempsey told the Senate Armed Services Committee. "It's 65 percent in Iraq right now."
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07/08/2015
The global fixed wing military aircraft market will go from earning revenues of $63.33 billion in 2014 to $72.77 billion in 2023 as the market grows due to procurement and modernisation programmes, according to a new report.
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07/08/2015
Two people in a small Cessna were killed after an F-16 fighter jet collided with the civilian plane in a "very rare" crash in South Carolina on Tuesday morning. The Cessna was destroyed and both people aboard were killed in the crash, National Transportation Safety Board spokesman Peter Knudson told USA TODAY.
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07/08/2015
The passage of the US-Jordan defense bill that will enhance cooperation between the two countries in fighting Islamic State terrorists shows Washington’s commitment to the Middle Eastern security, US Congressman and Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Ed Royce said in a statement.
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07/08/2015
The first of two strikes was carried out at noon Monday in Nangarhar province's Achin district, on the border with Pakistan, killing 12 militants, according the provincial governor's spokesman, Ahmad Zia Adulzai. A short time later, US officials acting on reports that indicated the fighters were moving to a new location conducted a second strike in the same district, leaving 37 militants dead.
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07/07/2015
A Russian military aircraft crashed Monday while taking off on a nighttime training flight and both pilots were killed, the Defense Ministry said. It was the fifth accident involving a Russian military aircraft in the past month, but the first with fatalities. The Su-24 bomber crashed while taking off from an airfield in the Khabarovsk region in Russia's Far East at 9:35 p.m. local time, the ministry said in a statement.
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07/07/2015
The U.S. military is placing orders worth nearly a billion dollars with Lockheed Martin Corp. to prepare for building 94 F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter combat jets. The order involves conventional and vertical takeoff and landing versions, as well as carrier versions.
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07/07/2015
When an ambulance rolled through Druze villages near the Israeli-Syrian border last month, it was met by an angry mob of stone-throwing protesters shouting that they’d been betrayed by Israel. Surrounding the emergency vehicle, they claimed that Israel’s government is giving medical treatment to Islamist fighters who are now threatening to kill their Druze brethren in Syria. The mob opened up the doors of the ambulance and dragged out the two patients inside, killing one of them.
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07/07/2015
Airbus Helicopters and India's Mahindra Defense have agreed to form a joint venture to produce helicopters in the country to meet local military needs. Airbus and Mahindra Defense, a subsidiary of the Mahindra Group, said the two companies will not enter discussions to finalize the joint venture which will act as the prime contractor for India's military helicopter tenders.
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07/07/2015
An Iraqi fighter jet accidentally dropped a bomb on a Baghdad residential neighborhood on Monday, killing seven people, government officials said. The Russian-made Sukhoi jet was returning from a mission against Islamic State targets in western Iraq at the time, Interior Ministry spokesman Brig. Gen. Saad Maan said. The bomb, which had failed to release from the aircraft earlier in the flight, detached as it flew over the neighborhood, he said.
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07/07/2015
China could possibly export its J-10B fighter to Pakistan, Asia, Latin America and Africa. Russia has agreed for a deal to sell its advanced AL31FN engines which will be fitted to the J-10B, Kanwa defense review reported Sunday adding that the first batch of the engines is expected this year.
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07/07/2015
Russia is holding the talks with Pakistan on the sale of the combat Mi-35 helicopters to Islamabad, Russian presidential aide Yuri Ushakov told reporters Monday.
"Currently, negotiations are underway to supply Islamabad with a consignment of Mi-35 military transport helicopters, which will be used for the counter-terrorism operations in the north-west of the country," Ushakov said.
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07/07/2015
At 10:30 on the morning of July 4, the US Air Force launched two F-22 fighter jets to intercept a pair of Tu-95 Bear long-range bombers off the coast of Alaska. According to NORAD, the aircraft were within the Air Defense Identification Zone, but were over 100 miles from US airspace. Half an hour later, NORAD detected two more Tu-95’s flying off the coast of California. A pair of F-15s were scrambled, but again, the aircraft were hundreds of miles from US airspace.
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07/07/2015
A criminal case has been open for alleged violations of flights rules which led to a Monday crash of a Russian Su-24M Fencer supersonic attack jet in Russia's eastern Khabarovsk region, a representative of the Military Investigation Department of the Eastern Military District of Russian Armed Forces said Tuesday.
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07/06/2015
Last month, US President Barack Obama announced the dispatch of 450 US military “trainers” to Anbar, adding to the 3000 US non-combat soldiers already in Iraq. Despite admitting that he does not yet have “a complete strategy” for countering Islamic State, Mr Obama has insisted he will not reconsider the tactics currently being used. Understandably, he remains resolutely opposed to deploying troops to fight on the ground.
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07/06/2015
Production quality of the country's only aircraft manufacturer, defence PSU Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL), is once again under the scanner after the crash of a Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) last month. Sources said "quill-shaft failure" in the engine has emerged as the prime reason behind the crash of the twin-seat Hawk AJT, which went down in Odisha while on a training sortie from the Kalaikunda airbase in West Bengal on June 3. Fortunately, the two pilots managed to eject safely.
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07/06/2015
The plan to develop a more powerful, modernised version of the current Tejas fighter is getting a welcome boost. In September, US engine-maker General Electric (GE) plans to deliver the first F-414INS6 engine (hereafter F-414), which will power the Tejas Mark II.
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07/06/2015
Continuous warnings over the past decade as regards the alleged tardy pace of induction of new fighter jets into the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the resultant loss of “combative edge” are now ringing true. By the end of this year, the IAF would be at its lowest combat strength in more than a decade, a source said.
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07/06/2015
The recent airstrikes conducted by US-led coalition have severely constricted the Islamic State militant's freedom of movement. US-led coalition forces said they accomplished a series of 16 airstrikes on Saturday on Islamic State militants in the Syrian city of Raqa.
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07/05/2015
President Abdel-Fattah el-Sissi, wearing battle dress for the first time in over a year, said Saturday that Egypt had foiled an attempt by the Islamic State group to seize territory and set up an extremist state with its recent assault on the military in the troubled northeastern part of the Sinai Peninsula.
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07/05/2015
More than 600 New Zealand defence personnel are taking part in a warfighting exercise with Australia and the United States. The NZDF has deployed two ships, four aircraft including two NH90 helicopters, 22 Light Armoured Vehicles and 23 other military vehicles for the exercise.
"Over the next three weeks, we will be training with key partners, Australia and the United States, in a challenging multi-national environment," said Colonel Glenn King, Senior National Officer (SNO) for the NZDF contin
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07/05/2015
The Indian Air Force has told the government it needs at least 80 aircraft of the capabilities of the Rafale to make up for the shortfall in its fighter jet squadrons. In April this year, during a visit to Paris, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had announced that the air force would go for an outright purchase of 36 Rafale fighter aircraft, made by French firm Dassault Aviation.
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07/05/2015
Official tests of extended range missiles for advanced S-400 Triumf air defense systems are in the final stage, the head of the Russian Air Force's anti-aircraft missile troops said Saturday. "The official tests of this missile are in the final stage. I think that in the near future they will be successfully completed," Maj. Gen. Sergey Babakov told the Russian News Service radio.
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07/04/2015
The Swedish Defence Material Administration (FMV) has contracted Saab to deliver spare parts for Gripen E multirole combat aircraft. The new development is valued at SEK250m ($30.02m). It is part of a framework agreement signed between Saab and FMV in February 2013 for development work on the JAS 39 Gripen E.
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07/04/2015
After the Vietnam War, I served in West Germany in the 1970s and 1980s before the Berlin Wall came down and the Soviet Union and its Warsaw Pact dissolved. Back then there were fearful thoughts about massive Soviet armor and infantry units coming across the border in Central Europe in overwhelming numbers.
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07/04/2015
The Pentagon is increasingly concerned about how to combat “hybrid warfare,” the combination of stealth invasion, local proxy forces and international propaganda that Russia used to annex Crimea and destabilize eastern Ukraine, U.S. officials said. Army Gen. Martin E. Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, on Thursday released the 2015 National Military Strategy, in which he cited Russia’s actions in Ukraine and said “hybrid conflicts” will persist well into the future.
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07/04/2015
RUSSIAN aircraft have not been invited to the prestigious Royal International Air Tattoo this year amid rising tensions with NATO countries. Vladimir Putin’s warplanes are not welcome at the world’s biggest military airshow following flashpoints in the skies and eastern Europe. The event has a reputation for showcasing aircraft from Russia, including the Yakovlev Yak-130, a state-of-the-art combat jet.
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07/04/2015
The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin have leapt to the defence of the expensive F-35 stealth jet after it was embarrassingly outperformed by a 40-year-old F-16 jet in a dogfight. A mock air battle was held over the Pacific Ocean between the cutting-edge F-35 - meant to be the most sophisticated jet ever - and an F-16, which was designed in the 1970s. But according to the test pilot, the F-35 is still too slow to hit an enemy plane or dodge gunfire.
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07/04/2015
When it comes to air power, it’s no secret that the United States and the West have often held an edge over Russia. This dates at least as far back to World War II, when the United States and Britain were allied with Russia. While Russia supplied much of the manpower that ultimately defeated Nazi Germany, it was the United States and UK that took the lead in the strategic bombing campaigns against Germany.
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07/04/2015
Facing a crisis of a dwindling fleet of fighter jets, the Indian Air Force (IAF), has formally told the Ministry of Defence (MoD) that it needs at least 80 Rafale-type multi-role combat fighter jets to be battle-ready in the next few years.
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07/04/2015
Former RAF group captain shoots down claims F-35 can't protect itself as modern aerial battles demand a new way of thinking Air combat is advancing at such a pace and about to head in a new direction that reports of a hi-tech F-35 fighter “losing” a simulated dogfight to a 1970s-design F-16 are irrelevant to the new stealth jet’s future, according to an ex-RAF group captain.
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07/04/2015
The aviation units of Russia’s Black Sea Fleet Air Force, Air Defense and Naval aviation have received modernized attack aircraft and fighter jets, including Sukhoi Su-34 and Su-30M2 fighters, Mil Mi-28 attack helicopters and Mi-8MTPR electronic warfare helicopters.
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07/03/2015
The Iraqi Ministry of Defence (MoD) announced on 2 July that it has taken delivery of four more "advanced combat helicopters" from Russia. It did not identify the type of aircraft that has been delivered. Iraq currently has Mi-28NE Night Hunter attack helicopters and Mi-35M assault helicopters on order from Russia.
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07/03/2015
The Air Force claims shutting down the A-10 program would save $4.2 billion over five years, but a new report from the Government Accountability Office shoots that down, finding USAF analysis incomplete. More worrying (and unsurprising, to anyone who’s been paying attention), the GAO report says dropping the A-10 would “create potential gaps” in close air support.
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07/03/2015
The Pentagon argues that a recently leaked report does not ‘tell the entire story.’ Yesterday, in an attempt to defend the $400 billion F-35 Lighting II procurement program, the Department of Defense responded to the recent revelations that an F-35A was defeated by a two-seat F-16D in simulated aerial combat (see: “F-35 Loses Dogfight to Fighter Jets From the 1980s”).
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07/03/2015
The U.S.-led coalition in Southwest Asia is confident in its ability to conduct flights over Syria without coordinating with the Assad regime, even after a U.S. Predator remotely piloted aircraft was shot down earlier this year.
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07/03/2015
The first live-bomb drops for Lockheed Martin 's F-35 Joint Strike Fighter in a nontest environment were successful as the Marine Corps gets ready to declare the jet combat ready. Fourteen pilots dropped 30 weapons last week over a restricted area in southeastern California, and all of the high-explosive weapons went off.
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07/03/2015
Egyptian warplanes launched new airstrikes and troops went house-to-house Thursday in the troubled Sinai Peninsula, a day after Islamic State-linked militants set off the area's bloodiest fighting in decades in an unprecedented, coordinated attack.
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07/03/2015
Once one of the world's most famous aircraft designers, Russia's MiG aircraft company has fallen on hard times. Though MiG aircraft continue to populate almost 30 world air forces, the firm has not won a major design competition or aircraft tender in its post-Soviet history.
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07/03/2015
The admission by the UK government that it would not increase the small number of combat aircraft committed to the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (Isis) in Iraq should it get a mandate to launch strikes in Syria reflects the reality that the Royal Air Force would struggle to muster much extra firepower.
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07/03/2015
The images, taken on June 28, show the rapid progress made by the Chinese government in building the 10,000-foot runway on Fiery Cross Reef. Large enough to support almost every type of military aircraft, the airstrip is also accompanied by an apron and taxiway.
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07/02/2015
Japan is developing its Mitsubishi ATD-X experimental aircaft with a showdown against the People's Liberation Army Air Force in mind, says the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. The ATD-X, known in Japan as "Shinshin", meaning "spirit of the heart," is a research prototype being used to determine whether domestic advanced technologies for a fifth generation fighter are viable.
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07/02/2015
America has some of the world’s most elite special operators and they get a lot of press. But on most of the missions that Special Forces, SEALs, and other top operators conduct, they bring a very special airman.
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07/02/2015
A state-of-the-art cockpit simulator of MiG 29K fighter aircraft was commissioned at the Southern Naval Command, the force’s training command, on Wednesday. Chief of the Command Vice Admiral Sunil Lanba set the simulator to work at the Naval Institute of Aeronautical Technology (NIAT).
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07/02/2015
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has defended Australia's decision to fork out $12.4 billion to buy the troubled F-35 joint strike fighter, with the first aircraft being introduced to limited roles by the United States Marine Corps next week. Mr Abbott, who on Wednesday announced a $275 million upgrade to Williamtown RAAF Base near Newcastle to accommodate the new fighters, insisted Australia was "absolutely buying the right plane".
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07/02/2015
Last week, in a speech delivered to a Rand Corp. audience in Washington D.C., U.S. Deputy Defense Secretary Robert Work preached his usual sermon about the slipping technological edge of the United States military and the growing danger posed by effective countermeasures to the American Way of War primarily based on precision-strike regimes (see: “The End of the American Way of War?”).
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07/02/2015
A Lockheed Martin F-35A Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) was outperformed in the type’s first basic fighter maneuvering exercise by a 20-plus-year-old F-16 fighter, according to a leaked Lockheed Martin report prepared by the pilot who flew the mission.
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07/02/2015
The new anti-submarine warfare aircraft Y-8Q’s most distinctive feature is its seven-meter-long Magnetic Anomaly Detector (MAD) boom, which is possibly the largest of its kind among airplanes, making it the most magnificent submarine hunter.
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07/01/2015
Vladimir Putin is set to kit out the Russian military with a top secret spaceship-like aircraft that promises to be 'lighter than air'. Work is already underway on the hi-tech 130-metre-long Atlant, which will be created merging the technology from planes, hovercraft and airships. Capable of taking off and landing without a runway it will be able to carry 200 military personnel or as much as 60 tonnes of cargo at speeds of up to 86mph.
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07/01/2015
Pity Canada’s fighter jet pilots: their 33-year-old CF-18 Hornets are suffering from metal fatigue, to the point where strong G-forces could rip off their wings. Some of the CF-18s are being refitted in a move that officials claim will extend their lives to 2025. But metal fatigue is difficult to address through refits and for safety reasons, the planes are no longer used for training in aerial combat, or sent to places where they might become involved in a “dogfight.”
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07/01/2015
Brazilian aerospace manufacturer Embraer Defense and Security continued expanding its African presence with a sale to Mali and the announcement at the recent Paris Air Show of a sale to Ghana.
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07/01/2015
It’s the most expensive weapon in history but America's F-35 stealth jet has been outperformed by a 40-year-old F-16 jet in a dogfight. A mock air battle was held over the Pacific Ocean between the cutting-edge F-35 - meant to be the most sophisticated jet ever - and an F-16, which was designed in the 1970s. But according to the test pilot, the F-35 is still too slow to hit an enemy plane or dodge gunfire. So far it has cost the US military more than $350billion.
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07/01/2015
European aerspace major Airbus has offered to help develop the Mark II version of IndiaÂ’s light combat aircraft (LCA MkII) and also set up a manufacturing hub in India.Minister of State for Defence Rao Inderjit Singh told India Strategic (www.indiastrategic.in) on the sidelines of the just-concluded Paris Air Show that some preliminary discussions had been held with him by Airbus officials here and that a top level delegation of the conglomerate would be in New Delhi for discussions from July 1
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07/01/2015
Lockheed Martin’s Legion Pod recently completed its first flight test, successfully tracking multiple airborne targets while flying on an F-16 in Fort Worth, Texas. Legion Pod was integrated onto the F-16 without making any hardware or software changes to the aircraft. Additional flight tests on the F-16 and F-15C will continue throughout the year.
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07/01/2015
The Russian Army will be reinforced with new Mi-28Ns, Mi-26Ts and Mi-8MTV5s equipped with cutting-edge electronics. Over 20 attack helicopters will boost the Russian Armed Forces on the country’s western border by the end of 2015, the senior spokesperson of Russia’s Western Military District said Tuesday.
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07/01/2015
Russian long-range aircraft such as Tu-160 strategic bombers will be equipped with a technologically new system that figures out a plane's coordinates based on the position of the stars. The new ANS-2009 astronavigation system can determine an aircraft's position and speed with high precision.
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07/01/2015
In a bizarre sign of political infighting within the ranks of the Islamic State terrorist group, reports are emerging that a top official has been executed for plotting an insurrection against ISIL leadership.
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06/30/2015
The Royal New Zealand Air Force’s 3 Squadron have practised flying and landing the NH90 helicopters in formation at the Shoalwater Bay Military Training Area in Central Queensland in the run-up to Exercise Talisman Sabre, Australia’s largest warfighting exercise.
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06/30/2015
Australia says it has deployed over 400 precision weapons in combat operations against Islamic State (IS) militants in support of the Iraqi military. The weapons have been delivered from two Royal Australian Air Force types, the Boeing F/A-18A Hornet and F/A-1F Super Hornet, says Australia’s Departent of Defence in a statement.
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06/30/2015
The Air Force has acknowledged that an MQ-1B Predator, lost March 17 during an intelligence flight over Syria, was shot down. While Syria's official news agency at the time claimed the remotely piloted aircraft was shot down, U.S. Defense Department officials only would say the drone was lost, and didn't provide additional information because the incident was under investigation.
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06/30/2015
The fighter’s pilot Flight Lieutenant Rumman Tahmid Chowdhury is still missing since the crash that occurred during a training run around noon. The joint search and rescue operation, that includes Air Force, Bangladesh Navy and Coast Guard personnel, did not find him until 7:30pm. Rumman Chowdhury is the son of Abdul Qader Chowdhury of Chittagong’s Anwara Upazila. The family lives in Dhaka.
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06/30/2015
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas is all set undertake critical test flights carrying an array of missiles and bombs to complete its scheduled weapon trials. Top sources with the Ministry of Defence (MoD) confirmed to this Correspondent that the integration of Russian-made Close Combat Missile (CCM) R-73 has been completed.
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06/30/2015
Amid some controversy, India took to the news with a June announcement of the purchase of 36 Rafale fighter jets from France’s Dassault Aviation. It was an important move for the nation, which counts China and Pakistan as border ‘mates’. India, which plans to spend about $100 million on modernizing its defense resources in the next 10 years, has suffered a spate of air fatalities in the past months as a result of an ailing air force.
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06/30/2015
On June 15 Georgian Defense Minister Tina Khidasheli signed an agreement with ThalesRaytheonSystems President Gerome Bedel for the purchase of “advanced” air defense systems that will “guarantee the country’s air defense,” Khidasheli said.
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06/30/2015
Brazil is apt to purchase Russian Pantsir air defense systems as early as in the first half of 2016, Brazilian Ambassador to Russia Jose Vallim Guerreiro said. “A general decision on the purchase has been made…As far as I know, the deal is expected in the first half of 2016,” Guerreiro told RIA Novosti.
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06/29/2015
South Korea is expected to pick the winner of its 1.4 trillion won ($1.25 billion) project to procure four in-flight refueling tankers at a session of the National Defense Acquisition Program Committee on Tuesday, a procurement official said Sunday.
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06/29/2015
Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq June 27. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 17 airstrikes using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 10 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
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06/29/2015
The announcement this month that 450 additional U.S. trainers and support troops will deploy to Iraq represents a modest step forward in the fight against the Islamic State group. But the move by itself will not turn the tide in a faltering effort. To succeed in the president’s ambition of ultimately destroying the Islamic State — or even to contain its gains or roll them back — a broader and more intensive effort is needed.
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06/29/2015
Over the past quarter century, precision guided munitions (PGMs) such as laser-guided bombs and cruise missiles have become the weapons of choice for the US military, providing a high degree of accuracy while avoiding widespread collateral damage.
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06/29/2015
A SECRET Chinese midget submarine has been spotted in a review of commercial satellite photos, drawing new attention to that nation’s rapidly expanding underwater might. Defence analyst organisation Janes and the Bellingcat open intelligence website have highlighted a 2014 photograph of the Wuchang shipyard in Wuhan, central China.
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06/29/2015
The last airworthy Vulcan bomber is touring the UK with a series of flypasts to mark its final year of flight. Vulcans were designed and built at Woodford Aerodrome, in Chester Road, Stockport, for the Royal Air Force. Over the weekend, the XH558 flew over areas where the aircraft are displayed, such as Barton and Woodford. Making its maiden flight in 1952, the Vulcan acted as a deterrent during the Cold War.
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06/29/2015
FAIRBANKS — A light haze of forest fire smoke hung over the airstrip at Eielson Air Force Base, but visibility was good as Tech. Sgt. Erica Knight and her crew drove past fighter jets to a neat line of KC-135 Stratotankers.
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06/29/2015
The Indian Air Force is focusing on ‘cannibalisation’ to keep the serviceability rates of its dwindling number of jets at a high level. ‘Cannibalisation’ or ‘Christmas tree’ are terms used by the Air Force in which parts of one aircraft are used as spare parts to keep the another running.
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06/29/2015
'Augur RosAeroSystems' is a leading Russian lighter-than-air manufacturer. The company builds big airships and aerostats equipped with high-precision computer equipment and technology. The recent announcement by the company tells of airship 'Atlant' to be ready for the Russian Army by 2018.
(Read More...)
06/28/2015
The U.S. and China are jockeying for power in the South China Sea, deploying sharp words and an expanding fleet of warships, spy planes and fighter jets to protect their interests in a vital maritime domain. Is this regional arms race and increasingly tense diplomatic showdown between the world’s two largest military forces a new Cold War?
(Read More...)
06/28/2015
Air Force F-18 Hornet fighters were scrambled Friday afternoon when it is believed that a Russian IL-76 military transport aircraft violated Finnish airspace south of the coast town of Porvoo.
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06/28/2015
On 30 June each year, the air defence forces celebrate their annual anniversary. This date coincides with the establishment of the missile shield which countered the Israeli air attacks on Egyptian cities in 1970. 30 June also marks the establishment of the Egyptian air defence system, which is now the shield that protects the country.
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06/28/2015
The Light Combat Helicopter (LCH)–3, a versatile combat chopper developed by Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), has successfully completed the hot weather flight trials in Jodhpur.
The chopper, currently under testing phase, cleared the test yesterday, paving way for the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC), expected by the end of this year and is likely to enter production from 2017-18.
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06/28/2015
The Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) has begun the hunt for identifying a new man to head Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA). This follows the impending retirement of PS Subramanyam, one of the longest serving bosses of ADA, on June 30. A Distinguished Scientist, Subramanyam is currently the Programme Director (Combat Aircraft) & Director ADA. He was made the head of ADA in 2005.
(Read More...)
06/28/2015
Battle Creek will host some of the slowest and some of the fastest aircraft pilots in the world this week. The 2015 Battle Creek Field of Flight Air Show and Balloon Festival begins Wednesday and continues through Sunday at W.K. Kellogg Airport with some of the best pilots in balloons and airplanes.
(Read More...)
06/28/2015
Sweden's parliament has recommended cutting arms exports to countries that it considers to be undemocratic as part of plans to emphasize the importance of human rights issues in relation to trade. The moves have highlighted the differences between Sweden and other western countries on the issue.
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06/28/2015
A Russian Antonov An-26 military transport plane did not violate Estonian airspace while carrying out a planned flight from Russia's exclave of Kalinigrad to St. Petersburg on June 22, the Russian Defense Ministry said Friday.
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06/28/2015
One of the most famous commanders of the Islamic State jihadist group in Mosul Abdullah Hourani was killed Saturday by an airstrike by US-led international coalition, Iraqi TV Channel al-Samaria reported.
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06/26/2015
Under the Taiwan Relations Act, enacted in 1979 when Washington severed formal ties with the island in favor of recognizing the People's Republic of China in Beijing, the United States is obligated to help Taiwan defend itself. The Senate bill, passed last week, says that Taiwan "should be encouraged to participate in exercises that include realistic air-to-air combat training", as well as advanced training for its ground forces, attack helicopters and surveillance aircraft.
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06/26/2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin isn't finished using his military in eastern Ukraine, the top U.S. military commander for NATO said Thursday as the U.S. and its allies outlined additional support for Kiev, including aid in defusing roadside bombs. U.S. Gen. Philip Breedlove, NATO's supreme allied commander, said there continues to be a constant flow of ammunition and other military supplies from Russia across the border to Ukraine, and a well-trained and ready Russian force.
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06/26/2015
One week after logging new aircraft orders worth $50.2 billion at the Paris Air Show, Boeing—the world’s largest airplane manufacturer—is tapping new leadership to help the company keep pace with spiking demand.
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06/26/2015
The Air Force based its plan to retire the A-10 on an inaccurate projection of cost savings, and will run into a capability gap associated with providing close air support, the Government Accountability Office said in a report released Thursday. The GAO's report punches holes in the Air Force's justification for its controversial decision to retire the attack jet, saying planners did not "fully assess" the cost savings associated with the A-10 divestment.
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06/26/2015
China has notched another gain in its inadvertent campaign to expand defense cooperation among its nervous neighbors. In a Journal interview published Thursday, Japan’s top military commander said Japanese forces may join U.S. troops in patrolling the South China Sea, where China has been aggressively staking territorial claims around crucial international waterways.
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06/26/2015
High above the Gulf of Alaska and Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex (JPARC), dozens of fighter jets engage in lengthy and complex joint combat missions for Northern Edge 2015. At one precise moment, two Navy F/A-18F Super Hornets break engagement toward the welcoming sight of a KC-130J Hercules, operated by Marine Air Fueling Transport Squadron (VMGR) 152, based in Iwakuni, Japan.
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06/26/2015
Exercise Aces North was the final four weeks of the five-month fighter combat instructor course, and was conducted out of bases in Tindal and Darwin. As part of the dawn strike exercise the aircraft will be simulating the fight off the coast and landing at Williamtown.
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06/26/2015
An Iraqi pilot who has been training in the United States for four years crashed in southern Arizona while flying an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft, a spokesman for the Iraqi defense minister said Thursday. "We have no word yet on his fate or the reason behind the crash," Brig. Gen. Tahseen Ibrahim told The Associated Press. "We are in contact with the Americans to get more details."
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06/26/2015
Russia's Western Military District will receive an unspecified number of advanced S-400 Triumf and Pantsir-S air defense systems by the end of 2015, the district's spokesman, Col. Oleg Kochetkov, said Thursday. "Modern S-400 Triumf long-range air defense systems and Pantsir-S gun-missile air defense systems will be put in service with air defense units of the Western Military District by the end of this year," Kochetkov said.
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06/24/2015
Dozens of Israel Air Force cadets will receive their officer’s ranks on Tuesday at Hatzerim Air Force Base, in a ceremony that occurs every year – though this year’s new pilots are different.
These members of the 170th IAF training course are the first to have trained on the M-346 Master training jet, which is dubbed the Lavi (Hebrew for Lion) in the IAF.
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06/24/2015
The pilots sit in dimly lit, air-conditioned trailers, each staring at glowing video and data screens and toggling a joystick that controls an armed drone flying somewhere in the world.
With more than 100 Predator and Reaper drones aloft every day, this sun-scorched desert outpost is the hub of America’s growing drone fleet around the globe.
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06/24/2015
The F-35B Lightning II has successfully completed its first ski jump test at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in the US state of Maryland. The ramp used was built in England however, at a cost of £2 million, by Stockport-based defence engineering company WFEL - who normally specialise in building rapidly deployable bridging systems.
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06/24/2015
U.S. military power often is measured by the number of combat aircraft and ships in the inventory. While the United States has by far the largest air force and navy, that size advantage could eventually be negated by enemy air defenses and electronic warfare technologies that are now available in the open market.
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06/24/2015
Ministry of Defence spending on equipment has become “an impossible mess” because of the involvement of only a few prime contractors and British delusions that it is still a major power, according to a report published on Wednesday. The 207-page document, edited by the Conservative MP Bernard Jenkin and entitled Defence Acquisition for the Twenty-First Century, says that spending is not in line with Britain’s new slimmed down defence budgets.
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06/24/2015
If Bulgarian Defence Minister Nikolai Nenchev keeps to his stated intention, the scheduled cabinet meeting on June 24 could see a proposal tabled on the long-standing issue of the country acquiring new military fighter jets.
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06/24/2015
Boeing has delivered the 28th C-17 Globemaster III aircrew training simulator to the U.S. Air Force, completing the services’ goal of a national system for C-17 training. Boeing completed the first of these centers in 1992 at Charleston Air Force Base, Charleston, S.C., including one aircrew simulator during the program’s beginnings. Since then, the company and Air Force have established these facilities in 14 U.S. locations and three international locations.
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06/24/2015
The US-led Coalition of some 60 nations has carried out airstrikes against the Islamic State positions in Iraq since August 2014, and expanded the attacks to include targets in Syria in September 2014, albeit without the approval of the Syrian government.
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06/24/2015
Three airstrikes hit Islamic State positions near the Syrian town of Tal Abyad, where the US-led coalition has been providing support to a coalition of Syrian Kurdish forces of the YPG, Assyrian Christians and the Free Syrian Army group Burkan al-Firat.
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06/23/2015
Airbus’ troubled A400M airlifter, the proposed replacement for a generation of Hercules type military logistics and transport aircraft, made a triumphant return to the world’s skies last week at the Paris Air show, following a deadly crash in May. Airbus-owned MSN006 performed an impressive flying display at Le Bourget last week, and a French Armée de l’Air aircraft on static display was the subject of much interest.
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06/23/2015
An MQ-1 Predator crashed Monday morning local time in Southeastern Iraq, according to U.S. Air Forces, Central Command. The drone was flying a combat mission when it went down, AFCENT announced in a brief news release on Monday. There are no reports so far that civilians were injured or property damaged at the crash site.
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06/23/2015
The Navy's fighter jet fleet has been flown hard during nearly 15 years of conflict in the Middle East. And with the next-generation fighter years from being operational, the service's F/A-18 Super Hornets and legacy Hornets must continue flying far longer than originally planned.
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06/23/2015
Greg Austin recently wrote in The Diplomat that Vietnam occupied 24 features in the South China Sea in 1996 and has “increased [this number] from 30 to 48 in the last six years” as if these figures were facts. I doubt there is any plausibility to his claim. It would be more accurate to point out that Vietnam occupied most of these features in the 1970s after reunification. Whether Vietnam has doubled the number of its features since then is highly unlikely.
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06/23/2015
Here are details of military orders and announcements made during the Paris Air Show last week. Lockheed Martin and Terma signed an agreement on June 15 to collaborate on the F-35 ‘Lightning II’ Joint Strike Fighter as long as the aircraft is selected. The Danish firm received $300mn in related business since joining the programme in 2000.
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06/23/2015
Indian fighter jets will soon be equipped with the world’s fastest cruise missile. According to Indian news outlets, New Delhi India recently developed a modification for its Sukhoi Su-30 MKI fighter airplane that will allow it to carry the Indo-Russian BrahMos supersonic cruise missile.
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06/23/2015
Sri Lanka will become the first foreign country to acquire Pakistan's multi-role combat aircraft JF-17 Thunder, and the Pakistan Air Force will begin delivery of the fighter to Sri Lanka from 2017, a report said. A Taiwan based news website, 'Want China Times' quoting a report in Pakistan-based 92NewsHD said Sri Lanka will become the first foreign country to acquire the JF-17 Thunder, otherwise known as the FC-1 Xiaolong or "Fierce Dragon,".
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06/23/2015
The United States sees China as a serious threat to its military superiority in air and space, so the Pentagon is seeking new technologies and systems to keep America ahead of its rival, the US deputy defense secretary said.
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06/23/2015
The US State Department has approved a $69 million sale to Australia of air-to-ground missiles designed to destroy enemy radar with little input from the pilot, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Monday.
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06/22/2015
For years the United States has enjoyed almost exclusive use of armed drones, using them to strike enemies remotely and with impunity. But with adversaries — including ISIS — catching up on the technology, the Pentagon is now playing defense, trying to come up with ways to knock the pilotless aircraft out of the sky.
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06/22/2015
Every base supports either a specific security goal or overall regional stability. Some were acquired after conflict, such as the ones in Germany, Italy and Japan. Some were gained in support of allies in conflict, such as the ones in England and Korea. Most are simply there to reduce that tyranny of distance. But all have been considered important enough to spend significant treasure in securing, building, manning and supporting.
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06/22/2015
The U.S. and Japan are conducting separate military drills with the Philippines near disputed islands in the South China Sea, signaling support for the country as China builds out reclaimed reefs in the waters. The annual CARAT Philippines joint exercise begins Monday off Palawan island and will run until June 26, according to U.S. Navy spokesman Arlo Abrahamson.
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06/22/2015
A policy move being considered by the Indian Ministry of Defence could help overseas defense companies meet their offset obligations and close defense contracts being held up by uncompleted offset documents, an MoD source said. An internal MoD committee has recommend that defense contracts not be delayed merely on grounds of incomplete offset documents if the company is working to fulfill the offset obligations during the execution of the defense project.
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06/22/2015
More than half of French military aircraft, including fighter jets and transport planes, are incapable of fulfilling their missions due to their poor technical state, French media reported, citing data obtained from the Ministry of Defense through a parliamentary inquiry.
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06/22/2015
Britain will extend its air patrol missions over the Baltic and continue to provide the NATO rapid reaction force with personnel in coming years, Defense Secretary Michael Fallon said Sunday.
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06/22/2015
When it comes to exporting arms to other countries, Sweden is a true "arms peddler extraordinaire," Politico.eu reported. Swedish Defense Minister Peter Hultqvist is about to strike an arms deal with India, selling its JAS Gripen fighter jets to the Asian giant, something which France, one of the world's top arms exporters, found very hard to accomplish.
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06/22/2015
Russia's Sukhoi Su-35 super-maneuverable multirole fighters will most likely become China's trump card in its longstanding geopolitical game in the South China Sea, US journalist Zachary Keck noted.
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06/22/2015
Ukrainian military experts will fly over the territory of Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on June 22-26, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced.
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06/21/2015
Defence groups call for a fair fight in race to land expected contract to replace Nimrod jets that were controversially scrapped Defence companies are lining up to offer a replacement for the Nimrod maritime patrol aircraft, with the Government expected to announce a deal for a new fleet of jets by the end of the year.
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06/21/2015
The live-fire training exercise will see Royal Marines target laser-controlled drones, called Banshees, simulating incoming attack aircraft as they deploy the High Velocity Missile systems next month. Though the HMV is usually tested in Telby, Wales, military sources told the Sunday Express that the decision to mount the exercise in the South Atlantic was to “demonstrate combat capability” and show that the UK could deploy high readiness troops.
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06/21/2015
The Marine Corps' MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor recently completed its first deployment to Romania as part of a multinational training exercise with European allies. The aircraft's deployment sent a strong message about U.S. commitment in Eastern Europe, calming allies as they work to counter Russian saber-rattling, said Brig. Gen. Norm Cooling, the deputy commander of Marine Corps Forces Europe and Africa.
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06/21/2015
The Marine Corps F-35B operational test (OT-1) successfully concluded aboard U.S. Navy amphibious ship the USS Wasp (LHD-1). Setting off from Norfolk, Va., on May 18, USS Wasp cut an arc between 50 and 100 miles off the coast of Virginia and North Carolina, as Marine Corps pilots safely conducted 100 short takeoff and vertical landing sorties from the ship.
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06/21/2015
The Navy's fighter jet fleet has been flown hard during nearly 15 years of conflict in the Middle East. And with the next-generation fighter years from being operational, the service's F/A-18 Super Hornets and legacy Hornets must continue flying far longer than originally planned.
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06/21/2015
Ukraine's Antonov aircraft manufacturer has completed the first stage of upgrading An-26 (Curl) transport aircraft for the country’s Defense Ministry, the company said in a statement. The upgraded aircraft would be the first one to be dispatched for special operations against independence supporters in eastern Ukraine. A total of 14 aircraft will be modernized, the company specified.
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06/21/2015
MiG aircraft-making company will develop a fifth-generation light jet fighter, company CEO Sergei Korotkov said during the 2015 Le Bourget Airshow.
"Such a plane has not been ordered yet. But we continue to work on it. We know that there is a broad worldwide market for this type of aircraft," Korotkov said.
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06/21/2015
The brand new Russian man-portable air-defense system (MANPAD) Verba, presented at the ARMY-2015 exhibition in the Moscow Region, has unique characteristics that make it the best in the world, TVZvezda reported.
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06/20/2015
U.S. Army and Israeli scientists are conducting testing and research on active flow control devices as a means to reduce drag on future Army aircraft. The Suction and Oscillatory Blowing Actuator, or SaOB, invented by Israeli scientist, Dr. Avraham Seifert of Tel Aviv University, uses the active control of airflow to reduce drag.
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06/20/2015
Lockheed Martin officials said at the Paris Air Show the company is working with suppliers and engineers to find savings to land a block buy of up to 500 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to convince U.S. and international lawmakers to approve the deal. Lorraine Martin, Lockheed Martin’s F-35 program manager, said the company is aiming for about a 10 percent savings in exchange for a three-year order of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters. The U.S. has been making orders on an annual basis.
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06/20/2015
Military posturing and increasingly hostile rhetoric between Russia and the West are raising the risk of an accidental slide towards a wider conflict that neither nuclear-armed side wants, experts warn. Within days of reports that the United States was poised to send heavy military equipment to eastern Europe and the Baltic states, Russia retorted by announcing it planned to add 40 intercontinental nuclear missiles to its arsenal.
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06/20/2015
Airbus is to resume deliveries of its military transport plane the A400M which had been stopped after a crash in Spain. The wings are made at the firm’s plant in Filton, just outside Bristol, then shipped to Seville where the plane is assembled. Four crew members were killed when the plane crashed during a test flight near the Spanish city in May.
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06/20/2015
Italian Air Force will start testing the capability of Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi’s M-346 Master, a military transonic trainer aircraft, as an "aggressor" in dissimilar combat training missions with the Eurofighter aircraft. Starting next August the students of the Italian Air Force who are to fly on the combat aircraft will accomplish the training’s phase IV on the new M-346, the final step before the passage to the operational airplanes.
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06/20/2015
The enemy is near – and within sight. A coordinated network of exacting service members pinpoint their location, and then relay this critical information to highly skilled fighter pilots in the sky. One’s imagination can picture the rest.
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06/20/2015
The F-35 Lightning II program made aviation history June 12 as Royal Air Force (RAF) Test Pilot Squadron Leader Andy Edgell released two inert 500-pound dual mode Paveway IV precision-guided bombs over the Atlantic Test Ranges, the U.S. Navy reported.
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06/20/2015
The Government of Ghana (GoG) through the Ministry of Defense has entered into a contract for the supply of five combat aircrafts with Brazilian Aircraft manufacturer, Embraer Defense and Security. The aircrafts in question are A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced training turbo props. This information was contained in a press statement released in Paris by the company.
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06/20/2015
The US Navy will acquire 53 advanced radars for its P-8A Poseidon aircraft in a $153 million deal to outfit the anti-submarine, anti-surface warfare surveillance and reconnaissance plane, US defense contractor Raytheon said in a statement on Friday.
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06/20/2015
The V-22 Osprey has had a number of setbacks. It has earned a reputation for being unsafe after a series of fatal crashes, most recently last month. Its price tag has also ballooned far past the original $2.5 billion estimate. By 2008, $27 billion had been spent on production, with another $27 billion still to go.
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06/19/2015
The Scorpion reconnaissance and attack aircraft displayed at the Paris Air Show this week is currently on its second European tour, visiting mainland Europe and the UK. Following this week the aircraft will perform demonstration flights as the guest of several European air forces, before arriving at the Royal International Air Tattoo in Fairford, UK, from July 17 to 19.
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06/19/2015
The JF-17 Thunder is a light, single-engine, multi-role combat aircraft jointly manufactured by the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) and the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation (CAC) of China. The Pakistan Air Force plans to operate 160 JF-17 multirole jets about one-third of those are already in active service.
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06/19/2015
The steel deck shakes as the steam powered catapult and the deafening roar of 40,000 pounds of jet thrust propels the 20-tonne Hornet strike fighter from zero to 260km/hr and skywards in just two seconds.
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06/19/2015
At the ILA Berlin Airshow three years ago, the head of the European Defence Agency (EDA) publicly bemoaned the fact that the continent’s prime aerospace companies were engaged in damaging and wasteful competition to export three rival fighters. That nothing has changed was quite evident at the recent Langkawi International Marine and Aerospace (LIMA) airshow and exhibition in Malaysia.
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06/19/2015
Russia is considering plans to convert its Yakovlev Yak-130 combat training aircraft into a fighter-bomber for future foreign customers, possibly including the Syrian regime. The proposal, which was floated by an executive of the Russian state-owned weapons exporter Rosoboronexport at the Paris Air Show on Thursday, would offer air forces unable to afford high-end fighter jets a chance to operate a state-of-the-art machine that can fulfill several roles.
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06/19/2015
Lockheed Martin recently received a contract to deliver Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) to the Royal Jordanian Air Force (RJAF) in support of urgent operational requirements. Under the contract, Lockheed Martin will deliver 10 Sniper ATPs and provide integration support beginning later this year. The RJAF is currently conducting precision-strike missions with five Sniper ATPs it acquired in 2014.
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06/19/2015
As Beijing announces it’s nearing completion of its controversial land reclamation projects in the South China Sea, it’s received a fresh warning from Tokyo. The message: just because you built it, doesn’t mean you own it.
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06/19/2015
The airstrikes in Syria destroyed two IS tunnel systems, multiple fighting positions and several vehicles, according to the anti-IS coalition. The airstrikes in Iraq destroyed an IS pontoon bridge, weaponry, a bunker and fighting units.
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06/19/2015
Commenting on several incidents involving Hungarian Airforce Saab JAS-39 Gripens over the past few months, Hungarian Defense Minister Imre Szekeres stated that the Hungarian air force is in a catastrophic state, Slovakian newspaper Sme reported.
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06/18/2015
The A400M military transport plane last month hasn't affected export orders, the firm's chief executive said Wednesday, adding Airbus hoped to land new customers soon. An A400M plane crashed during a test flight on May 9 near Seville in Spain, killing four of the six people on board and seriously injuring the two others.
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06/18/2015
Navy and Air Force developers are immersed in early conceptual work on a new, sixth-generation fighter aircraft designed with breakthrough technologies and an ability to perform for both manned and unmanned missions. Few details are available about the new aircraft, called F/A-XX by the Navy, because the early work is at this point purely conceptual, said Rear Adm. Michael Manazir, Director of Air Warfare.
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06/18/2015
A U.S.-Philippine defense agreement that would help counter China's growing naval power in the disputed South China Sea has yet to be implemented more than a year after it was signed, and could now face a fresh political hurdle in Manila.
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06/18/2015
A large number of people gathered to witness the eye-catching manoeuvres of JF-17 Thunder, the latest addition in the inventory of the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) which displayed aerobatics at Paris Air Show on Wednesday.
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06/18/2015
When Textron unveiled the Scorpion I will admit I was a serious sceptic. Where was the market? Who were the likely customers? Why did they spend their own money on such a venture? The first crack in my skepticism occurred when Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, told reporters that the Scorpion might make sense as a lower-cost COIN (CounterInsurgency) and CAS (Close Air Support) platform.
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06/18/2015
It may be tempting to put U.S. troops alongside Iraqis on the front lines against ISIS, but it would be far more difficult and complicated than it may seem, the military’s top officer told Congress Wednesday. Augmenting an Iraqi unit with a U.S. specialist — say, a joint terminal attack controller, skilled in guiding air strikes — would require a lot of hidden support.
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06/18/2015
Under a searing desert sun, a man in silhouette is pacing sentry-like around a cluster of buildings, a dark object slung over his shoulder. “Yeah, it looks like a gun,” says an American drone pilot, peering into a gray-tone screen in a darkened, distant trailer.
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06/18/2015
The deployment of the combat aircraft, based in Estonia, came as Britain warned Moscow the NATO exercises were "not a game". Defence Secretary Michael Fallon, speaking to Sky News aboard HMS Ocean, also said the UK will "stand tall, shoulder-to-shoulder" with other alliance members to defend eastern Europe's borders.
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06/18/2015
This week, the head of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) announced that a full R&D collaboration contract would be signed in 2015 with New Delhi for joint work on the derivative Indian version of the PAK FA T-50 fifth-generation fighter jet, the Perspective Multi-role Fighter (PMF).
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06/18/2015
Pakistani-Chinese JF-17 Thunder fighter might be the beginning of the end of western dominance of the global fighter aircraft market. The JF-17’s international flight debut at the Paris Air Show 2015 was further enhanced by the absence of US fighters such as the F-16 and F/A-18. In addition the Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab Gripen and BAE Systems Hawk too did not take to the Skies.
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06/17/2015
Saudi Arabia has ordered four Airbus C295W medium transport and patrol aircraft, Airbus Defence and Space said at the Paris air show on Tuesday. The C295Ws join the Airbus A330 MRTT multi-role tanker transport and CN235 transports previously ordered by Saudi Arabia, Airbus said.
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06/17/2015
Major assembly of Bell Helicopter's V-280 tilt-rotor technology demonstrator has been started by its fuselage manufacturer, Spirit AeroSystems Inc. Work on the fuselage, which is being made with composite materials, is expected to be completed later this year.
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06/17/2015
The most shocking thing about flying with Capt. Katie Higgins isn’t surviving three G’s when she rockets her monster airplane into the sky at 375 miles per hour. Or going weightless four times when she dives it, amped on the squeals and screams coming from the passengers behind her. Or watching veteran troops who swaggered onto her C-130 cargo plane lose it in their barf bags, one after another.
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06/17/2015
Ageing fighters, shoddy product quality and maintenance by defence PSU HAL and inadequate training to rookie pilots continues to exact a heavy toll on the country's air combat power. Down to just 35 fighter squadrons, a few of which exist just in name, the IAF got another jolt on Tuesday morning when a twin-seat Jaguar fighter went down 13 km southeast of Allahabad. Fortunately, the two pilots managed to bail out safely in "a planned ejection".
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06/17/2015
Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Russia on July 7, the Defence Ministry is toning down points of conflict about the joint Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) program to reach final agreement with Russia, said an MoD source.
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06/17/2015
The U.S. Air Force could be sending some of its most advanced warplanes to Europe in a show of force against Russian actions in Ukraine and elsewhere around the continent, the service’s top civilian said Monday. “The biggest threat on my mind is what’s happening with Russia and the activities of Russia,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah James said during a visit to the Paris Air Show. “It’s extremely worrisome on what’s going on in the Ukraine.”
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06/17/2015
Hybrid Enterprises LLC, acting on behalf of Lockheed Martin, announced they will be taking orders for Hybrid Airships with deliveries planned as early as 2018. More than two-thirds of the world’s land area and more than half the world’s population have no direct access to paved roads. As you move farther away from infrastructure, cost, time and the safety of transport becomes more of a challenge.
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06/17/2015
Raytheon Company [NYSE: RTN] and Bombardier (TSX: BBD.B) have teamed with Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] to deliver a low-risk, affordable solution for the United States Air Force’s JSTARS Recapitalization program. Embracing the United States government’s desire for strong industry partnerships, the Lockheed Martin-led team will provide the Air Force capabilities superior to the current JSTARS.
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06/17/2015
Boeing is now talking to the Air Force about potentially selling the gunship – commonly referred to as the "Warthog" – to US allies, according to Chris Raymond, a vice president at the Chicago-based aerospace giant. "There's been talk about what the international opportunities might be," he was quoted as saying by DoD Buzz while at the Paris Air Show.
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06/16/2015
India may delay its involvement in the Future Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) Project with Russia and instead focus on the acquisition of medium multi role combat aircraft(MMRCA) such as the Dassault Rafale and another lighter jet to meet the immediate requirements of the Indian Air Force.
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06/16/2015
A custom-made window blind in Andrew Martin’s office displays testimonies from 12 pilots who owe their lives to Martin-Baker ejection seats. Significantly, their photos include family members, whose grateful comments are also included. It’s a good motivator for the company’s director of business development and marketing, although he hardly needs it. Martin-Baker has been in the business of saving lives for 68 years, and 7,477 aircrew have safely ejected on one of their seats.
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06/16/2015
he United Technologies Corporation said on Monday that it planned to either sell or spin off Sikorsky Aircraft, the maker of the Black Hawk helicopters favored by the United States military. The announcement follows a review of strategic alternatives for the 90-year-old Sikorsky business that United Technologies conducted this year.
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06/16/2015
The U.S. Air Force plans to further increase the number of forces it brings to Europe amid tensions with Russia and could deploy stealthy F-22 fighter jets as a show of force, Service Secretary Deborah Lee James said on Monday. “The biggest threat on my mind is what is happening in Russia. That is a big part of why I am here,” Ms. James said at the Paris Air Show.
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06/16/2015
Britain and France will find funds for a future combat drone as they wish to keep building fighter jets, while France, Germany and Italy could invite other nations to sign up as partners to build a surveillance drone, said French procurement chief Laurent Collet-Billon. Britain and France last year signed a £120 million (US $187 million) contract for a two-year feasibility study for the bilateral future combat air system development program.
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06/16/2015
The Sino-Pakistan jointly developed JF-17 Thunder fighter jet has its first confirmed foreign buyer, Flightglobal reports. “A contract has been signed with an Asian country,” stated Air Commodore Khalid Mahmood, head of sales and marketing for the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft, at the biennially held Paris Air Show yesterday.
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06/16/2015
Yemeni officials and extremists reported on Monday that the leader of Al Qaeda’s Yemen affiliate and recently the second-ranking official of the global terror network, Nasser al-Wuhayshi, had been killed in an American drone strike. American officials said they could not confirm the reports but were investigating.
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06/16/2015
Boeing and the government of Qatar recently signed an agreement for the purchase of four more C-17 Globemaster III airlifters. These aircraft will join the Qatar Armed Forces’ (QAF) existing fleet of four and help meet their ongoing airlift requirements.
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06/16/2015
On Monday, ISIL lost a key supply line to its capital Raqqa after a group of Kurdish fighters known as YPG entered Tal Abyad, a town to the north of Syria, and seized a large part of its territory. "We expect to have full control over Tal Abyad within a few hours," Redur Khalil, a spokesman for the main Kurdish fighting force told the Associated Press.
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06/16/2015
Russia's state technology corporation Rostec will showcase an engine for its famous Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E) at the world’s oldest air show in France, the company said on Monday. Some 37 Russian organizations are expected to be among 2,000 participants from 46 countries at the week-long 51st Paris Air Show at Le Bourget Airport kicking off on Monday.
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06/15/2015
Despite much handwringing in the US about China's next-generation aircraft technology, analysts don't expect the Pacific power to expand its grip on the global military aviation market. The obvious niche for China to target is the market filled during the Cold War by Russian equipment. For nations outside of Europe, Russia represented an alternative supplier to the US, one which was generally cheaper to procure than American equipment.
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06/15/2015
Perhaps it is not a well-known fact, but Lebanon is the fifth largest recipient of US military aid in the world. The tiny Mediterranean country enclosed between war-torn Syria and a temperamental Israeli regime south of its border has been steadily receiving military equipment over the years to protect itself from regional dangers.
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06/15/2015
In the homestretch of a 41-year U.S. Army career shaped by war and the scars of war, Gen. Martin Dempsey sounds unconvinced that Iraq has found its path to lasting victory over the Islamic State group. But neither does the top military adviser to President Barack Obama say the threats to Iraq today justify sending American ground troops back into combat.
He counsels patience, for now.
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06/15/2015
With a little help from the U.S. Congress and the potential for international orders, Boeing is bullish about prospects for its international fighters. A year ago, the fate of the F/A-18 production line in St. Louis was uncertain. Pentagon orders were trailing off, and the Navy again did not formally request money for the platform for fiscal 2016.
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06/15/2015
Italian Air Force Eurofighter pilots will fly training exercises alongside an M-346 jet trainer, which will take on the role of an "aggressor" aircraft, an Italian industrial source has said. The use of the M-346 in air combat training at Italy's Eurofighter base at Grosseto in central Italy is designed to save money which would have otherwise been spent on flying a more expensive Eurofighter in its place, the source said on the eve of the Paris Air Show.
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06/15/2015
The arrival of F-35 Joint Strike Fighters will introduce new dimensions in aerial warfare, given the unique attributes of the new 5th Generation (5GEN) fighter. While low-observable techniques are always the most obvious and outspoken about the new fighter, the F-35 has much more to offer than stealth, Lockheed Martin experts say.
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06/15/2015
The U.S military launched weekend airstrikes targeting and likely killing an al-Qaida-linked militant leader in eastern Libya who has been charged with leading the attack on a gas plant in Algeria in 2013 that killed at least 35 hostages, including three Americans. The Libyan government said warplanes targeted and killed Mokhtar Belmokhtar and several others in eastern Libya. A U.S. official said two F-15 fighter jets launched multiple 500-pound bombs in the attack.
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06/15/2015
Ministry of Defence figures show that 36 of the 91 Typhoon fighters and 39 of 96 Tornados are grounded needing repairs. RAF sources say campaigns in Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya have taken a heavy toll on fighter aircraft. The £10million Tornados, dating back to 1978, have taken a “real battering” attacking Islamic State positions in Iraq almost daily since last summer. As the Iraq crisis worsens, even more planes could be needed
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06/15/2015
A trainer doesn’t have to be the fastest, biggest or stealthiest aircraft ever, just predictable, reliable and economical. Air forces nevertheless have a long history of getting trainer programs wrong. The problem is usually the requirement. The U.S. Air Force’s T-X requirement, seeking a replacement for the Northrop Grumman T-38, has been evolving steadily since the first industry teams formed in 2010-11 – in the direction of a bigger and more expensive aircraft.
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06/15/2015
Western combat-jet makers from Boeing Co. to the Eurofighter consortium are scouring for new export deals that could prove crucial to extending production lines at risk of closing. A string of deals for fighter aircraft is redrawing the global battle lines among the world’s leading military aircraft makers, leaving those left empty-handed scrambling to reverse their fortunes or face a market exit.
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06/14/2015
NATO military aircraft conduct flights with their transponders shut off, the German magazine Spiegel reported. NATO Chief Jens Stoltenberg has repeatedly criticized Moscow saying that Russian military aircraft flew with their radio beacons off near the aerial borders of the alliance and posed threats to civil planes, the article reads.
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06/14/2015
In a still publicly unacknowledged incident, a Russian military surveillance aircraft flew close to four NATO warships in the Baltic Sea on Thursday, including the destroyer USS Jason Dunham, which captured video of the incident, a U.S. Defense Department official said Saturday.
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06/14/2015
In the homestretch of a 41-year US Army career shaped by war and the scars of war, Gen. Martin Dempsey sounds unconvinced that Iraq has found its path to lasting victory over the Islamic State group. But neither does the top military adviser to President Barack Obama say the threats to Iraq today justify sending American ground troops back into combat.
(Read More...)
06/14/2015
Defense Secretary Ashton Carter’s recent remarks on the efficacy of Iraq’s army reflect the fact that, despite years of training by thousands of U.S. and coalition forces, the army has not been able to halt Islamic State aggression. What makes anyone think that a few more months of similar training will yield success?
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06/14/2015
Joint Base Lewis-McChord this week is gaining 24 Apache attack helicopters, doubling the number of those aircraft at the base and restoring a unit the Army cut last year as part of a military downsizing plan. All together, JBLM will net about 400 new soldiers to build up a unit called the 4th Squadron, 6th Cavalry Regiment. That unit was stationed at JBLM from 2005 until last year, primarily flying Kiowa reconnaissance helicopters.
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06/14/2015
If you're in the market for a fighter jet, passenger plane, satellite, or drone, the biennial show - the 51st since 1909 - is the place to be. There'll be plenty to choose from. As with previous shows, the news flow will be dominated by the big beasts of aerospace, Airbus and Boeing.
Planemakers like, if possible, to time their multi-billion-dollar orders to coincide with air shows. But such stage-management tends to be a decision for the customers, not the suppliers.
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06/14/2015
United States Air Force has successfully tested its fifth generation fighter aircraft way back in 1997 and has inducted the same in December 2005. It has a total strength of around 187 operational F-22 fighters. It is the only air force in the world which currently operates the fifth generation jets; however it definitely fueled the fifth generation fighter jet development programs around the world either solo or in collaboration.
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06/14/2015
Specialists from Hungary and Italy will carry out a joint observation flight over the territory of Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on June 15-19, Sergei Ryzhkov, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center has announced.
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06/13/2015
The United States is planning to establish a chain of military bases with the P-3 Orion maritime surveillance aircraft to monitor China's activities in the South China Sea, says Duowei News, a US-based Chinese political news outlet. Countries with the P-3 Orion in their arsenal include Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, Japan, Thailand and Taiwan, with Vietnam expected to join their ranks in the future.
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06/13/2015
In the battle for Yemen, forces opposed to the Houthi rebels appear to have the upper hand, at least for now. Indeed, over the past week, anti-Houthi fighters have made consistent, albeit limited, territorial gains against the rebels and against forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh.
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06/13/2015
The clearance for the acquisition of 36 Dassault Rafales as part of India’s medium multi-role combat aircraft bid, following Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France in April, is attracting small and medium companies to enter into partnerships to provide offsets for the $4.24 billion deal. The latest to enter the fray is India’s OIS-AT (Hall 5 D210), which has signed a joint venture with French company Rafaut (Hall 2B C157), a specialist in weapons for aircraft interface devices.
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06/13/2015
The A400m was being eyed as a possible replacement to the aging C130’s but, said SANDF spokesperson Simphiwe Dlamini, rising costs, deadlines not being met, and more rising costs meant the idea of the aircraft had to be shelved. Reuters reported the “troop and cargo carrier crashed outside Seville, Spain, on May 9 after three of its huge turboprop engines froze just minutes into a routine, pre-delivery test flight, killing four of its six crew members.”
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06/13/2015
Ukraine’s air force has struggled to find its role in the military conflict sparked by Russia’s annexation of the Crimean peninsula and alleged support for pro-Russian militia occupying eastern Ukraine. The reasons for the inability of Ukraine’s armed forces to make wide-scale use of air power are largely related to the fact that it has suffered from more than two decades of what has been described as “anemic” defense spending since the country gained independence from the former Soviet Union.
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06/13/2015
It could happen in August, or maybe in late July. Depending on who you ask, it could even happen before the end of this month. No one—at least no one who’s talking publicly—seems to know exactly when the U.S. Air Force will award a $55 billion development and procurement contract for the branch’s next-generation long-range bomber.
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06/13/2015
The second intercept was conducted professionally, Warren said. It is routine for military aircraft to intercept others flying near the edge of international airspace and is unremarkable when done safely and professionally, Warren said. But the initial intercept May 30 was troubling because it increased the risk of accident, injury or misunderstanding. "We have diplomatic means to lodge our displeasure with these types of incidents," Warren said.
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06/13/2015
For the first time since the Ukraine crisis drove a wedge between the two countries, officials from the Russian and American navies have met to discuss how to avoid accidental clashes, incidents which could lead - unintentionally - to war.
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06/13/2015
A Saudi Arabian Air Force commander, reported to have died from a heart attack, was actually killed by a Houthi cross-border attack earlier this month, according to an Israeli intelligence and military website.
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06/12/2015
Chinese bombers participated in a joint air-sea military exercise near Taiwan and the Philippines this week. On Wednesday China announced that the People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) and People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) were conducting a joint exercise near the Bashi Channel. The channel sits near islands owned by the Philippines and Taiwan, and the drills were conducted near both of those countries’ Air Defense Identification Zones (ADIZ).
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06/12/2015
Taiwan's military showcased its newly acquired UH-60M Black Hawk helicopter during a drill Thursday, as part of a rehearsal for a military display in July to mark the 70th anniversary of the Republic of China's 1945 victory over Japan in the Second Sino-Japanese War. The ROC's eight-year fight against Japan was a part of World War II, in which Japan and the other axis powers were defeated.
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06/12/2015
President Barack Obama’s plan to send an additional 450 to 500 soldiers to Iraq’s Anbar province won’t be his last word on the crisis posed by the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL), several senior serving and retired U.S. military officers believe. Turning the tide against ISIL in Iraq will require a more robust U.S. military commitment, with options for escalation a matter of lively debate.
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06/12/2015
The House on Thursday approved a $579 billion defense spending bill that offers a slight pay raise to U.S. troops, but reflects deep divisions on budget priorities and whether President Barack Obama needs new war powers to fight Islamic State militants. The vote was 278 to 149 in favor of the bill, which drew stiff opposition from Democrats because it uses a war-fighting account to raise defense spending next year.
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06/12/2015
Recent events in Iraq, Libya, Russia, Syria and Yemen have sharpened the fundamental questions European nations face as they consider medium- and long-term force structure and equipment needs. In the short term, the focus for much of Europe’s defense aerospace sector is on understanding fully the cause of the crash of an Airbus A400M, that lead to the death of four of the six crew. It served as a sad reminder that risk remains an inherent element of aerospace development.
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06/12/2015
At present, the Finnish Air Force has 62 of the American-made F-18 Hornet jet fighters. Several different aircraft are initially being looked at as replacements. A working group report turned over to Defense Minister Jussi Niinistö proposes that the Hornets, which will reach the end of their lifecycle in 2030, be replaced by new multirole combat jets.
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06/12/2015
Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT) recently completed 25,000 hours of simulated flight time on an F-16C Block 50 aircraft, demonstrating the safety and durability of the F-16 well beyond the aircraft’s original design service life of 8,000 Equivalent Flight Hours (EFH). Further testing is being conducted to identify a definitive, safe flight hour limit for the aircraft.
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06/12/2015
Turkey should play a bigger role in cutting the flow of terrorists into Syria as part of its cooperation with the US-led coalition against the Islamic State, White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest said in a briefing on Thursday.
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06/12/2015
In Iraq, airstrikes eliminated tactical units, fighting positions, weapons and ammunition as well as infrastructure near Al Qaim, Bayji, Haditha, Kirkuk, Mosul, Sinjar and Tal Afar. Airstrikes in Syria similarly led to the destruction of Islamic State personnel, weapons and infrastructure in Al Hasakah, Ar Raqqah, Dayr Az Zawr and Kobani.
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06/11/2015
Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq June 9. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted five airstrikes using bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 16 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
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06/11/2015
Almost unnoticed and barely reported, except in some national dailies, was a news in the website of the People's Liberation Army indicating that China's aviation industry is working on a new short-takeoff, vertical-landing aircraft that is "needed for an important role in the Chinese navy's future operations" and that research and development of the fighter aircraft's engine and other components have already begun.
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06/11/2015
Sweden is interested in selling its next generation Gripen fighter aircraft to India under a government-to-government deal, Defence Minister Peter Hultqrist, who is on a day’s visit to India, told The Indian Express. Gripen, manufactured by Swedish aerospace company Saab, was one of the contenders for the 126 Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) fighters to be supplied to the Indian Air Force.
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06/11/2015
Yesterday the INS Vikrant — India’s first homemade aircraft carrier — was undocked for the first time in a low-profile ceremony. The ambitious 40,000 tonne warship is undergoing final fitout and is expected to begin sea trials early next year. Once active, the Vikrant will add India to an elite group of nations capable of building such vessels — The US, Russia, UK and France.
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06/11/2015
In the world of Russian jet fighters, Moscow's finest? — ?such as the Flanker and the fifth-generation Sukhoi T-50? — ?tend to grab the most headlines. But the Yakovlev Yak-130, a comparatively non-glamorous twin-seat jet trainer, is quietly turning heads … because it's obviously more than just a trainer. The twin-engine jet dubbed "Mitten" by Western intelligence is now showing its credentials as a genuine multi-role fighter.
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06/11/2015
What factors will shape Canada’s decision to replace its fleet of CF-18 fighters? Ernie Regehr thinks that Ottawa will have to reconcile its military costs and needs with more pressing national security concerns, and the alternative contributions the country makes to international security.
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06/11/2015
The US State Department has approved a possible $462 million sale of light attack aircraft to Lebanon to increase the country’s counterterrorism capability, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a press release.
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06/11/2015
Commercial drones and drones used for hobby could increasingly be weaponized to carry out chemical, biological or kamikaze-style attacks, according to a Center for a New American Security report published on Wednesday.
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06/11/2015
The self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS) terror group has seized enough radioactive material to build a large "dirty bomb" capable of inflicting devastating damage, according to Australian intelligence reports.
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06/10/2015
Russian ships and fighter jets made their presence known during the opening days of a 17-nation strong NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea by shadowing alliance ship movements and buzzing aircraft over ship formations. "During our formations shortly after we left port, we had some company from Russian ships shadowing us, and about mid-afternoon we were overflown by two Russian jets.
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06/10/2015
RAF Typhoons have intercepted and shadowed two Russian military aircraft over the Baltic Sea, it has been disclosed. The jets were scrambled from Amari Air base in Estonia yesterday after the planes approached Baltic airspace without sharing a flight plan. They initially identified and shadowed an Il-20M "Coot" A surveillance aircraft, before checking out a an An-26 "Curl" transport plane flying north from Kaliningrad.
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06/10/2015
One year after the Islamic State stormed out of eastern Syria to take control of Mosul, Iraq’s second largest city, last June 10, it remains a formidable force, with few signs that a U.S.-led bombing campaign has significantly blunted its abilities or ambitions. U.S. officials say the bombing campaign has killed more than 10,000 Islamic State fighters and insist that the group controls 25 percent less territory in Iraq than it did when the U.S. began bombing Islamic State positions there 10 mont
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06/10/2015
China’s claim to the South China Sea is based in history, dating back to records from the Xia and Han dynasties. China delineates its claims via the nine-dash line, which Chiang Kai Shek advanced in 1947. During China’s republican era, China surveyed, mapped and named 291 islands and reefs in the region.
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06/10/2015
Japan could be facing a fighter jet shortage over the coming decade plus as it phases out some of its older aircraft. Last week Defense News reported that Japan will face a fighter jet shortage as it starts phasing out its fleetes of F-2s and F-15s starting in the 2020s.
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06/10/2015
Dassault Aviation is poised to enter a new era with renewed strength in the order book for the Rafale fighter and preparing for the future with studies on combat and surveillance drones, said Eric Trappier, chairman and chief executive. New versions of the Falcon business jet also usher in a bright outlook.
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06/10/2015
The Navy’s top aviator checked out a simulator for its next-generation fighter jet, the F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), on Monday and lauded its advanced capabilities that will give it a leg up compared to legacy strike aircraft.
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06/10/2015
Data from electronic devices of Islamic State members gathered during a US raid has allowed American intelligence to better understand how the radicals’ leaders operate in Syria, The New York Times reports citing US officials.
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06/10/2015
Israeli Defense Minister Moshe Yaalon raised concerns that the United States' move to supply various Gulf Arab states with arms as a counterweight to Iran could weaken Israel's own US-backed regional military dominance.
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06/09/2015
At least five Russian servicemen were injured on Monday during a failed takeoff of a Tu-95 bomber in the Amur region, some 9,000 kilometers (about 5,600 miles) east of Moscow.
"According to information from the scene, several crew members received injuries of varying degree while leaving the plane and were hospitalized," the Russian Defense Ministry said in a statement.
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06/09/2015
Amidst strong protests from the opposition, Narendra Modi is all geared up to visit Israel later this year. He will become the first prime minister of India to visit the country. Prior to Modi's visit, External Affairs Minister, Sushma Swaraj will visit Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian territories.
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06/09/2015
The dispute over the strategic waterways of the South China Sea has intensified, pitting a rising China against its smaller and militarily weaker neighbors who all lay claim to a string of isles, coral reefs and lagoons known as the Spratly and the Paracel islands. Only about 45 of them are occupied. The area is one of the world’s busiest shipping routes, rich in fish and potentially gas and oil reserves, but it has now emerged as a possible flashpoint involving world powers and regional claiman
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06/09/2015
Three Pakistani Air Force (PAF) JF-17 Thunder fighter aircraft will be taking part in the Paris Air Show opening at the Paris Le Bourget airport next week. This Chinese-Pakistani fighter jet will participate in the daily flight demonstration. It will also be on display in the ground exhibit.
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06/09/2015
The Kuwaiti Government has began talks with Italy to purchase Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets, in a bid to upgrade the country's air force capabilities. According to a source, this possible deal would see the purchase of two squadrons of fighter planes and around 24 to 28 of the twin-engine jets, The Wall Street Journal reported. The deal, which is expected to worth more than €4bn, could also cover pilot training and other related items.
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06/09/2015
Japan’s Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) might face a shortage of fighter jets in the 2020, unless Tokyo accelerates upgrading its fleet of legacy aircraft and expands the scope of current modernization efforts, Defense News reports.
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06/09/2015
Swedish Defence Minister Peter Hultqvist will arrive here tomorrow on a four-day visit during which he is expected to offer Gripen NG fighter aircraft or a possible joint collaboration in manufacturing single engine light combat planes. Hultqvist, who will arrive tomorrow night, will also visit the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited and Bharat Electronics Limited units in Bengaluru.
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06/09/2015
The United States and South Korea launched a five day joint anti-submarine exercise near Guam, the US Navy said in a release on Monday. “The exercise integrates US and Republic of Korean anti-submarine warfare assets to bolster relations and interoperability,” the US Navy said.
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06/09/2015
Large-scale US-led military exercises, codenamed Saber Strike 2015, will start in three Baltic states and Poland on Monday. The drills, running through June 19, are hosted by Lithuania this year. Joint tactical maneuvers will also take place in Estonia and Latvia. Poland will join the annual event for the first time.
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06/08/2015
Two U.S. Air Force B-2 stealth bombers on Sunday joined B-52s in Europe for additional exercises. The Spirits and airmen from the 509th and 131st Bomb Wings traveled from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, to RAF Fairford, England, and conducted hot-pit refueling and engine-running crew change skills tests, according to an Air Force news release.
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06/08/2015
U.S.-led aircraft bombed Islamic State group fighters as they battled rival Syrian rebels, including al-Qaida loyalists, in a first such intervention, a monitoring group said on Sunday. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights described the overnight raids in northern Aleppo as an intervention on the side of the rival rebels, which include forces who have been targeted previously by U.S.-led strikes.
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06/08/2015
The Army is expected to select a contractor next month to design and produce a new antimissile system for helicopters and fixed-wing aircraft. The estimated billion-dollar competition pits BAE Systems against archrival Northrop Grumman.
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06/08/2015
Defense Secretary Ash Carter’s recent remarks on the efficacy of Iraq’s army reflect the fact that, despite years of training by thousands of U.S. and coalition forces, the army has not been able to halt the Islamic State group’s aggression. What makes anyone think that a few more months of similar training will yield success?
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06/08/2015
America is anxious about Britain's defence expenditure. Perhaps the problem is the escalating cost of overly complex equipment. Prior to the 1992 British election, discussing the case for cancelling the increasingly expensive Anglo-European Eurofighter aircraft with Labour's defence spokesman, I suggested the defence requirement for this aircraft to be out-dated with the fall of the Berlin Wall; and the shifting Russian political and military landscape.
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06/08/2015
The U.S. Air Force has said it aims to meet electronic warfare needs using next-generation aircraft such as Lockheed Martin Corp’s F-35 fighter and a new long-range bomber, rather than older planes like Boeing’s EA-18G Growler, Reuters news agency has reported.
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06/08/2015
Pitching deck landings are some of the most challenging semi-common aviation experiences.
Of course, there are different levels of deck motion and it seems like it should just keep getting a little tougher with each foot of displacement. This isn't the case. Displacement matters, but speed is an even greater factor. There's also a nasty Dutch roll that the ship can pull off that not only messes with the glide slope, but also line-up—equally critical, but usually more stable.
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06/08/2015
The final selection process for Finland's and Denmark's fighter replacement programs will be managed by two newly installed governments. Finland's center-right government took office on May 29 and is expected to provisionally examine aircraft replacement options by the end of June, while assessing the pros and cons of candidate aircraft based on expert reports in August and September.
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06/08/2015
Belarus is staging military drills aimed at testing the reinforcement systems of its border control and territorial defense, according to the country’s Defense Ministry. "The servicemen of the 38th Independent Mobile Brigade of the Special Operations Section of the Armed Forces have been alerted in the framework of an inspection of the reinforcement of border protection in the south,” states the ministry's website.
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06/07/2015
The U.S. Defense Secretary flew over the Strait of Malacca last month during a visit to Singapore, getting a bird’s-eye view from a Marine MV-22 Osprey tilt-rotor of one of the busiest waterways in the world. The maritime superhighway of container ships the Pentagon chief looked down on will get a bit more crowded in coming years, with an expanding fleet of U.S. Navy warships deployed full-time to the South China Sea gateway.
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06/07/2015
The dispute over the strategic waterways of the South China Sea has intensified, pitting a rising China against its smaller and militarily weaker neighbors who all lay claim to a string of isles, coral reefs and lagoons known as the Spratly and the Paracel islands. Only about 45 of them are occupied. The area is one of the world's busiest shipping routes, rich in fish and potentially gas and oil reserves, but it has now emerged as a possible flashpoint involving world powers and regional claiman
(Read More...)
06/07/2015
The purchase of the F-35 should give the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) next-generation intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance performance, but upgrades to Japan's F-2 and F-15 fleets can continue for only so long, and replacements will be needed in the mid-to-late 2020s, analysts say.
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06/07/2015
India's criticism of a high price tag on the Dassault Rafale has sharpened public focus on French negotiations to extend sale of the twin-jet fighter beyond a planned 36 units for the Indian Air Force. Indian Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar fueled speculation about the final size of the Rafale order May 31 when he said the French fighters were "way too expensive" and there was no longer a plan to buy a total of 126 Rafales.
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06/07/2015
Some Eastern European allies are developing tenders to acquire new fighter jets and helicopters, but the prospects for increased regional defense collaboration remain uncertain.
Procurements are in the pipeline in Poland, Bulgaria, Croatia and the Czech Republic, which primarily are equipped with Soviet-built aircraft.
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06/07/2015
The selling of one of the world's most advanced air defense systems, the S-300 missiles, to Iran will potentially alter the balance of power in the Middle East, journalist Jeremy Bender wrote. The deal will give Iran a double advantage. It will be able to control the air space far beyond its borders and at the same time it will be able to protect its nuclear facilities against potential attacks.
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06/07/2015
A source in the Libyan armed forces confirmed the town’s capture in an interview with Reuters, adding that all local government buildings were now under IS control.
Late last month the ISIL-affiliated fighters captured a key airport in central Libya. The militants took control of the al-Qardabiya airbase in Sirte after a local militia tasked with defending the facility withdrew from their positions.
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06/06/2015
One of the Navy’s largest exercises in Europe began Friday, bringing more than 5,500 troops and dozens of ships and aircraft from 17 nations together in the Baltic Sea.
The annual BALTOPS exercise will focus on interoperability among maritime forces on tasks such as air defense, maritime interdiction and anti-submarine warfare, according to the Navy. Participants are expected to bring 49 ships, 61 aircraft and one submarine.
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06/06/2015
Throughout various periods in its ancient history, China stood as the de facto hegemon in East Asia, exercising imperial influence through a wide and sophisticated network of tributary relations with smaller kingdoms on its peripheries.
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06/06/2015
Airmen at Hurlburt Field, near Pensacola, used social media posts by the insurgent group to track the location of an Islamic State group headquarters building. Twenty-two hours later, three joint direct attack munitions destroyed the target, said Gen. Hawk Carlisle, commander of Air Combat Command, at a June 1 speech in Arlington, Virginia.
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06/06/2015
Moscow recently announced that it will procure 50 new nuclear-capable bombers, the Tupolev TU-160 or Blackjacks, which are the world's largest combat aircraft. This seemingly anodyne announcement points to a critically important element of Russian strategy that we overlook at our and our allies' peril.
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06/06/2015
Two F/A-18s with the Finnish Air Force shot this gorgeous video as they flew over the Norwegian coastline recently. The pair were among jets from nine nations that took part in Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015, an exercise that included approximately 115 combat aircraft deployed at several airbases in Sweden and Norway, according to The Aviationist. The jets were returning to Bodo, Norway after the exercise when they shot this video.
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06/06/2015
Defense Secretary Ashton B. Carter’s recent remarks on the efficacy of Iraq’s army reflect the fact that, despite years of training by thousands of U.S. and coalition forces, the army has not been able to halt Islamic State aggression. What makes anyone think that a few more months of similar training will yield success?
(Read More...)
06/06/2015
The United States needs to take new steps to respond to the Ukraine conflict because economic sanctions and other Western actions have failed to get Russian President Vladimir Putin to reverse course, Defense Secretary Ash Carter said on Friday. Carter, speaking after conferring with U.S. officials in Europe, said the Pentagon was watching the Ukraine situation very closely and was concerned about "further things happening" after the worst upsurge in fighting in months.
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06/06/2015
Both the Navy and Air Force fly jets, right? So what’s the difference between fighter pilots from the two branches of service?
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06/06/2015
China’s been introducing new high-tech weapons at a breakneck pace as it races to catch up to the U.S. military. And the tanks, ships, planes, and other hardware that Beijing can’t invent on its own, it tends to copy from American, Russian, European, or Israeli designs.
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06/06/2015
Three B-52 strategic bombers deployed to Europe on Friday to participate in military exercises with NATO partners in the Baltic region and Poland, the US Strategic Command said in a statement. The deployment also provides opportunities to “synchronize strategic activities and capabilities with allies and partners” in the US European Command.
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06/05/2015
China is planning to continue developing its short-range vertical take-off and landing (VTOL) fighter, according to Russian state-owned news agency Sputnik International, cited by the military news web portal of China's state-run Reference News. Given the cost of the project, there is seemingly an important strategic decision behind it, according to the report.
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06/05/2015
The Italian and Kuwaiti governments have begun negotiations over the sale of Eurofighter Typhoon combat jets, as the Middle East country seeks to follow neighbors in modernizing its air force, according to a person familiar with the matter.
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06/05/2015
Vietnam is in talks with European and U.S. contractors to buy fighter jets, maritime patrol planes and unarmed drones, sources said, as it looks to beef up its aerial defences in the face of China's growing assertiveness in disputed waters.
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06/05/2015
Last week, Finland's new government announced that it will explore the possibility of NATO membership. While wariness is still evident in Finland's public and membership likely a ways off, the government's clear focus on NATO underscores the serious threat it faces from an aggressive Russia.
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06/05/2015
The British foreign secretary says the U.S.-led coalition against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria is not hitting all the terrorist targets it identifies. "We have the capability to mount as many airstrikes as we have targets," Secretary Philip Hammond told Vice News in an interview this week. "The constraints, as I understand it at the moment, is identifying enough targets where we can be absolutely confident there will not be collateral damage or civilian casualties," he said.
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06/05/2015
Ample airspace at the nearby Nevada Test and Training Range makes Nellis Air Force Base attractive for missions such as this, involving aircraft conducting air and ground operations.
Col. Richard Boutwell gives local leaders an overview of missions at Nellis and Creech Air Force bases, and the Nevada Test and Training Range.
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06/05/2015
Last week, Finland's new government announced that they will explore the possibility of NATO membership. While wariness is still evident in Finland's public and membership likely a ways off, the government's clear focus on NATO underscores the serious threat they face from an aggressive Russia. Helsinki's stance makes a full exploration of the benefits of future Alliance membership by its policy makers more crucial than ever.
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06/05/2015
India has offered to buy two intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition and reconnaissance (ISTAR) aircraft from Raytheon on a government-to-government basis. The request was made to visiting US Defense Secretary Ash Carter Wednesday, said a Defence Ministry source. Another project which India and the US are discussing, on India's request, is joint development of the GE-414 jet engine for use by India's homemade Light Combat Aircraft (LCA), the source added.
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06/05/2015
Russia is planning to resume production of Tu-160 supersonic strategic bombers after 2023, Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said on Thursday. "According to the current schedule, this will happen sometime after 2023," Borisov, who is on a visit to France, said.
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06/05/2015
The Il-76MD-90A is a significantly modernized version of Russia's Il-76 Candid transport plane, featuring a fully-digital flight control system, new avionics and engines with improved fuel efficiency systems.
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06/04/2015
More than 200 Sukhoi Flankers currently form the core of the Indian Air Force’s strike element, for a planned force of over 272 Su-30 fighter-bombers. India received the initial batch of Sukhois in 2002. The first of these aircraft crashed in 2009, and since then five more have crashed.
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06/04/2015
A study that would determine if the Navy should acquire more Boeing EA-18G Growler electronic attack aircraft for a wider joint high-end war fighting requirements has been completed, Navy officials told USNI News on Wednesday. The Growler study, now being reviewed as part of a larger electronic warfare evaluation led by Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work, was led by the Navy with input from the other services.
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06/04/2015
Dassault Aviation Chief Eric Trappier is still hopeful of selling extra Rafale fighter jets to India apart from the 36 aircraft deal negotiated by the French Government, Reuters reported Tuesday. Speaking during the rollout of Dassault’s new business jet Falcon 5X, Eric Trappier said that he has not given up hope of selling more rafale fighters to India.
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06/04/2015
The US Air Force will prefer buying next-generation aircraft, such as Lockheed Martin's F-35 fighter and a new long-range bomber to strengthen its electronic warfare capability, USAF official has said. Reuters reported, citing Air Combat Command Commander General Herbert Carlisle, that the F-35 combat aircraft offers better electronic warfare capabilities.
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06/04/2015
An Indian Air Force (IAF) jet crashed in Odisha’s Mayurbhanj district on Wednesday, gouging a 10-foot crater in the middle of a paddy field, while the two pilots were injured despite managing to eject. The BAE Systems Hawk advanced trainer aircraft took off on a routine sortie from Kalaikunda air force base in West Bengal, but plummeted to the ground at around 1.30pm after flying for nearly 50 km.
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06/04/2015
Pakistan Air Force Chief met top Chinese defence officials as the two countries look to upgrade the jointly produced JF-17 Thunder fighter jet, amid India's move to acquire 36 Rafale warplanes from France. PAF Chief Air Marshal Sohail Aman, who is on a five day visit to China, met Gen Fan Changlong, Vice Chairman of China's Central Military Commission (CMC), the high command of the Chinese military.
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06/04/2015
The Czech Republic is sending five JAS 39 Gripen multirole fighter planes to guard Iceland’s airspace for six weeks instead of Canada, which is involved in the US-led airstrike campaign against ISIL militants, spokesperson for the Czech Ministry of Defense Petr Medek has told RIA Novosti.
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06/04/2015
After Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province fell on May 17, reports surfaced earlier this week that IS had seized and closed a dam in the city, cutting off water to pro-government towns and threatening to create a humanitarian crisis.
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06/04/2015
US fighter jets stationed in Europe could in the foreseeable future be used to safeguard the airspace of the so-called Visegrad 4 countries (Poland, the Czech Republic, Slovakia and Hungary), Czech media reported Wednesday.
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06/04/2015
Russian and Norwegian rescuers teamed up in the Arctic on Wednesday for a joint exercise of oil spill preparedness and response drills in the Barents Sea, Russia's Defense Ministry announced.
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06/03/2015
The tide of battle in Yemen appears to be turning in favor of the anti-Houthi movement. After a long period of stagnation, Houthi elements and supporters of former Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh are being gradually pushed back from a number of active frontlines. Though gains are taking time to materialize, progress is being made in places such as Marib, Taiz and Dali. Anti-Houthi forces pushed beyond the city limits of Dali proper, advancing in the direction of Ibb.
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06/03/2015
India and the United States will sign the 2015 US-India Defence Framework Agreement on Wednesday. The 10-year agreement will include maritime security cooperation, joint military exercises and defence technology development. US secretary of defense Ashton Carter is currently in India on three-day visit. This framework agreement with India entails joint development and manufacture of defence equipment and technology that is expected to help take strategic ties to new heights.
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06/03/2015
Workers at BAE Systems’ Warton plant have been given funding to research a new launcher for the Typhoon.
The Ministry of Defence has provided £1.7m of funding to come up with a common weapon launcher for the aircraft that could be capable of carrying multiple weapons and weapon types on one type of attachment point. The project will bring together expertise from BAE Systems as the weapons integration lead for Typhoon and the weapons manufacturers MBDA and Raytheon UK.
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06/03/2015
At 6 p.m. on a recent evening on a base in southwest Asia, an Air Force F-22 Raptor took off for a strike mission against the Islamic State group in Syria. What the aircraft accomplished before it landed 11 1/2 hours later shows why the aircraft is vital to the U.S. fleet, and why it is now tasked with flying in every strike package that goes north into Syria as part of Operation Inherent Resolve, Gen. Hawk Carlisle, the head of Air Combat Command said Monday.
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06/03/2015
The Air Force’s newest fighter jet, the F-35 Lightning II, is taking a star turn in an ongoing air combat training exercise over the Army Combat Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif. The Air Force has used aircraft equipped with F-35 sensors in past exercises, but this will be the first time that more “operationally representative” aircraft take part, Air Combat Command Gen. Herbert Carlisle said Monday after an Air Force Association event.
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06/03/2015
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) is investing £51 million in a new synthetic training system developed by Lockheed Martin for the Royal Air Force’s Chinook Mk6 helicopter.
Lockheed Martin will design and build a purpose built training facility at RAF Odiham in Hampshire, the home of the Chinook fleet, that will prepare pilots and crew for deployment on operations.
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06/03/2015
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) flew its first Boeing-built C-17A Globemaster III equipped with a new advanced satellite communication (SATCOM) and imagery display system, providing the flight crew and passengers with unprecedented situational awareness.
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06/03/2015
Finland's Air Force has announced it is going to conduct aerial bombing at its artillery practice range in Rovajärvi for the first time since the Second World War; next week's bombing test is part of a scheduled lifecycle update for the country's Hornet fighter jets.
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06/02/2015
The Pentagon in the third week of May sent a U.S. Navy P-8A Poseidon surveillance plane near Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea — called the East Sea by Vietnam. The Fiery Reef is in the archipelago called the Spratly Islands by the U.S., the Nanchan Islands by China and the Truong Sa Islands by the Vietnamese.
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06/02/2015
Three out of every four times that Obama dispatches American warplanes over Iraq, they return to base with dropping any bombs or launching any missiles. “Seventy-five percent of the sorties that we’re currently running with our attack aircraft come back without dropping bombs, mostly because they cannot acquire the target or properly identify the target,” said U.S. Army General (ret) Jack Keane in testimony before the U.S. Senate last week.
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06/02/2015
Iraqi forces have been ramping up their offensive against ISIS, and now its fighters are sending a ruthless message of their own. Since Sunday, a U.S.-led coalition has launched another 10 airstrikes against ISIS targets in Iraq, and 13 strikes in neighboring Syria. The Iraqi Air Force is part of that coalition, flying into dangerous territory to combat the terrorists.
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06/02/2015
A third and possibly final series of flight tests planned for Britain's Taranis unmanned combat air vehicle demonstrator is planned for later this year, according to the Ministry of Defence. An industry team led by BAE Systems completed two phases of trial flights at Woomera, Australia, between August 2013 and January 2014, and a third series of test flights is "now planned for the end of this year," an MoD spokesman confirmed.
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06/02/2015
Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet will drop weapons and take part in a major U.S. military exercise this week for the first time, another milestone for the Pentagon's largest weapons program, Air Force officials said Monday. The exercise, called "Green Flag West," tests the U.S. military's ability to engage in air-to-surface conflicts and helps get ground troops who pinpoint potential air strikes ready for combat.
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06/02/2015
Limiting the order for new generation Rafale fighters at 36 will play havoc with Indian Air Force's modernisation plans and the number will not be enough to plug capability gaps that are emerging in the air force as older aircraft retire, several retired officers including two air chiefs who were involved in the process of selecting the French aircraft told ET.
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06/02/2015
With the game-changing F-35 Joint Strike Fighter aircraft in early production stages, rival manufacturers are racing against time. The F-35 may be regarded almost as much as an industrial and coalition-building policy as a warplane made by Lockheed Martin Corp., the Pentagon's No. 1 supplier by sales and the world's largest aerospace company.
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06/02/2015
Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar confirmed on Sunday that India will only purchase 36 instead of 126 Rafale fighter jets from France, an announcement that appears to finally bury the much hyped “mother of all defense deals” for good.
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06/02/2015
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) fleet of MiG-29N fighter aircraft will remain an important asset to the country's air defence. RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Roslan Saad said there has been no decision to replace the MIG-29N which had been in service since 1990 and the aircraft will still remain in service.
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06/02/2015
The US State Department has approved a $1.7 billion sale of four E-2D Advanced Hawkeye early warning aircraft and associated parts to Japan, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Monday. “The proposed sale of E-2D AHE aircraft will improve Japan’s ability to effectively provide homeland defense utilizing an Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) capability,” DSCA stated.
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06/01/2015
Following the deadliest day of air strikes and with the death toll approaching 2000, the humanitarian situation in Yemen is only getting worse. Like in all wars it is civilians that are on the receiving end, with the World Health Organisation stressing that 8.6 million are in 'urgent need of medical aid'. Lives, livelihoods and infrastructure are being destroyed, peace talks are failing and aid is failing to reach those in need.
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06/01/2015
A hundred or so years since the enormous potential of aerial warfare first came to be fully appreciated, the question of just how much commanders should rely on air power to achieve their campaign objectives is as vexed as ever.
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06/01/2015
The makers of precision-guided munitions no longer take for granted that simple GPS-guidance systems will always work on their own. Jammers and spoofing equipment threaten to populate future battlefields; manufacturers have taken notice and answered the threat.
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06/01/2015
The A-10 is poised to dodge retirement. Again. After a near-death experience in 2014, the aircraft known among troops as the “Warthog” appears to be cruising toward renewal from Congress. The Air Force has waged a protracted battle to mothball its fleet of A-10s, calling it a necessary cost-saving move that would save roughly $4 billion.
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06/01/2015
The US-India defence relationship needs an engine to drive it, say leaders on both sides. But there are different perceptions on what that engine might be. Americans believe the engine should be the "Defence Trade and Technology Initiative" (DTTI), a high-level committee of officials from both sides that moots projects for working together, and removes bureaucratic roadblocks.
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06/01/2015
As Saudi Arabia carries out the longest air campaign (against Yemen) in its history it was noted that the Saudis were sending up to fifty British made Typhoon and Tornado fighter-bombers a day on combat missions. The Saudis have 80 Tornados and 48 Typhoons with another 72 Typhoons on order. In contrast Britain has 125 Typhoons and 98 Tornados.
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06/01/2015
The CIA’s then-secret weapon missed the Taliban's leader, starting a 14-years-and-counting fight over who controls the U.S. drone program.
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06/01/2015
Russia's decision to conduct unscheduled large-scale maneuvers in response to the Norway-led Arctic Challenge exercises in the High North has added fuel to geo-political tensions in the region. Arctic Challenge participants from within NATO and the non-aligned Nordic countries view the Kremlin's response as a demonstration of Russia's military strength in the region and its unease over the deepening defense partnerships between NATO and neutral Finland and Sweden.
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06/01/2015
Russian inspectors will conduct an observation flight over the territory of the United Kingdom, including Northern Ireland, under the Treaty on Open Skies, acting head of the Defense Ministry’s National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center told journalists on Monday.
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05/31/2015
U.S.-led forces targeted Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) militants in Iraq with 16 air strikes from Friday morning through Saturday morning and conducted another six strikes against the group in Syria, the U.S. military said on Saturday. The strikes in Iraq were spread throughout the country, hitting targets near Baghdad, Bayji, Fallujah, Hit, Kirkuk, Mosul, Ramadi, Sinjar and Tal Afar, according to a military statement.
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05/31/2015
The 82nd Aerial Target Squadron, a subordinate unit of the 53rd Weapons Evaluation Group, flew its final QF-4 Phantom mission May 27 marking the end of almost 20 years at Tyndall.Two QF-4 full-scale aerial targets took off around 10:15 a.m. and were successfully destroyed about 30 minutes later by pilots completing their mission exactly as it was supposed to go.
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05/31/2015
Russian military aircraft were scrambled to head off a U.S. warship that was acting "aggressively" in the Black Sea, state news agency RIA reported on Saturday, citing an anonymous source in Russia's armed forces in Crimea. The source was quoted as saying that the U.S. destroyer Ross was moving along the edge of Russia's territorial waters and heading in their direction.
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05/31/2015
Rushing through the Welsh valleys at 250 feet and almost 500 miles per hour the ground slides rapidly past the cockpit of the Hawk jet. Military flyers in training quickly become accustomed to the sensations of speed. They also learn about the need to look far ahead of the aircraft for upcoming obstacles and other potential hazards.
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05/31/2015
Times have changed. Russia, China’s exclusive arms supplier for more than twenty years, is now rumored to be interested in Chinese arms. The visitation of a Chinese naval task force to the Black Sea, including a modern Type 054A frigate, has sparked rumors Russia may buy a batch of the frigates to stave off a ship shortfall.
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05/31/2015
US Defence Secretary Ash Carter has publicly criticised China for expanding a chain of artificial islands in the South China Sea, and declared that the US wouldn’t shy away from confronting Beijing over its determination to flex its military muscles in the region.
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05/31/2015
The US State Department approved the sale of 1,600 guided bomb units to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), as part of a package that is worth more than $100 million, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a press release.
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05/31/2015
The Russian Navy will get an advanced aircraft carrier by 2026-2027, the Navy Ship Building Directorate head, Captain ? Rank Vladimir Tryapichnikov, said on Saturday. "At present, we plan to replace the current Admiral Kuznetsov aircraft carrier with the ship of this class by 2026-2027," Tryapichnikov said in an interview with Ekho Moskvy radio station. The official added work on the ship's design is currently underway.
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05/30/2015
The United States has spotted a pair of mobile artillery vehicles on an artificial island that China is building in the South China Sea, a resource-rich stretch of ocean crossed by vital shipping lanes, American officials said. China’s construction program on previously uninhabited atolls and reefs in the Spratly Islands has already raised alarm and drawn protests from other countries in the region, whose claims to parts of the South China Sea overlap with China’s.
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05/30/2015
From June 8 military aircraft will conduct low-level flights outside their usual trianing areas for the first time, a move that is "necessary in order to maintain the qualification of pilots and relevant abilities required for combat," a statement said. "The first low-level flights in Latvian airspace will be performed by US A-10 "Thunderbolt II aircraft which in February this year were sent to Europe under the Operations Atlantic Resolve program," the information adds.
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05/30/2015
Since its standup in 2009, Air Force Global Strike Command has worked to build and maintain a strong relationship with its allies in the French air forces. A regular series of exchange visits between leadership, participation in joint exercises, and attendance at major events, have served to develop mutual understanding and partnering opportunities between the two nations' strategic air forces.
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05/30/2015
It has been 32 years in the making but it will be least another five years before the indigenously-built fighter jet Tejas (Mark -II) can be deployed in a combat role, a top Indian Air Force official told NDTV. This is bad news for India which was hoping to induct the Tejas in large numbers to make-up for its ageing fighter fleet. India will have to decommission about 14 Squadrons of MiG-21 and MiG-27 fighters by 2022.
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05/30/2015
China has unveiled a new twin-fuselage drone that analysts say will give the People’s Liberation Army long-range surveillance and strike capabilities. The Shen Diao, or Divine Eagle, remotely piloted aircraft is being developed by China’s Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and appears from Chinese Internet photos made public recently to be larger than the U.S Air Force’s Global Hawk long-range surveillance drone.
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05/30/2015
The Marine Corps is finishing up its first round of operational testing for its F-35B short-take-off-and-landing Joint Strike Fighter on board the USS WASP, an amphibious assault ship in the Atlantic Ocean, service officials said. The tests -- seen as a key final step before the aircraft becomes operational later this year -- included night-time take-off and landings as well as a wide range of assessments placing the aircraft is various operational circumstances.
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05/30/2015
The U.S. Defense Department is considering ordering as many as 450 F-35 aircraft from Lockheed Martin Corp., sending warplane output to the fastest in three decades as it gains confidence in the advanced fighter’s performance. While the plan would require U.S. lawmakers’ approval, the so-called block buy wouldn’t face the same congressional scrutiny as a multi-year procurement.
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05/30/2015
Since the last decade, India has been on a spree of buying modern weapon systems through its ever increasing defence budget. In particular the Indian Air Force is going through a total revamp. India is the only country which has categorised its fighters as heavy, medium and light combat aircrafts. It has assigned specific roles to its fighters however most are multi-role in nature.
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05/30/2015
Russia will considerably increase its arsenal of Tupolev Tu-160 ("White Swan") heavy strategic bombers, unique machines, able to attack its targets at high speeds, US journalist Zachary Keck pointed out. Citing Col. Gen. Viktor Bondarev, the commander-in-chief of Russia's Air Force, American journalist Zachary Keck pointed out that Moscow is planning to dramatically boost its arsenal of Tupolev Tu-160 ("White Swan") heavy strategic bombers.
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05/29/2015
U.S. and Canadian fighter jets are to practise intercepting foreign aircraft high over the Arctic in the coming days as Russian military flights up to the edge of North American airspace increase. “This is probably the most active they’ve been since the end of the Cold War,” said Maj.-Gen. David Wheeler, commander of 1 Canadian Air Division and the officer overseeing his country’s role in exercise Amalgam Dart.
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05/29/2015
The U.S. watched Islamic State fighters, vehicles and heavy equipment gather on the outskirts of Ramadi before the group retook the city in mid-May. But the U.S. did not order airstrikes against the convoys before the battle started. It left the fighting to Iraqi troops, who ultimately abandoned their positions.
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05/29/2015
The Senate Armed Services Committee, as promised, is pushing to keep the A-10 flying, and wants to direct the Air Force to find maintainers for the F-35 in other ways, including grounding F-16s and cutting back on headquarters staff. The committee in the last week of May released its report on its version of the fiscal 2016 National Defense Authorization Act, which blocks any A-10 retirement and calls for the Air Force to maintain a minimum of 171 combat-coded A-10s.
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05/29/2015
Lightning II is a STOVL aircraft: Short Take Off Vertical Landing. It will place the UK at the forefront of fighter technology, giving the RAF a true multi-role all weather, day and night capability, able to operate from well-established land bases, deployed locations or the Royal Navy’s Queen Elizabeth Class Aircraft Carriers.
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05/29/2015
I had not given much thought to the flight plan of the airline I recently booked to go back to the U.S. from Vietnam, but recent events in the airspace over the South China Sea prompted an online search. As I discovered, my commercial flight would fly not far from where a U.S. surveillance plane was warned to leave on May 20 by a Chinese radar operator.
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05/29/2015
The Indian Air Force, facing a severe shortage of fighter aircraft, will have the opportunity to boost its combat strength with an unusual asset - fitting guns and rockets on Hawk trainer aircraft, bought for training IAF pilots before they entered the cockpits of high performance fighters like the MiG-21. On Tuesday, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd and UK-headquartered BAE Systems (BAE), agreed to explore the development of a "Combat Hawk" which could even be exported to friendly foreign countries.
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05/29/2015
Boeing [NYSE: BA] today formally opened a new avionics maintenance and repair center in the Yeongcheon Industry District of Daegu-Gyeongbuk Free Economic Zone. The 10,000 square-foot facility will test and repair aircraft electrical systems, reducing repair times and yielding significant inventory cost savings for the ROKAF. The new facility underlines both Boeing’s growing role as a global enterprise and its participation in the growth of the domestic Korean aerosp sector.
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05/29/2015
The purchase volume of Russia's fifth-generation T-50 PAK-FA fighter jets, to be produced in 2017, will be limited only by on the manufacturer's production capability, Russian Air Force Commander Col.Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Thursday. Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said in March that the ministry could reduce the purchases of PAK-FA fighters, due to "new economic circumstances."
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05/29/2015
A Russian MiG-31 (Foxhound) interceptor successfully downed a cruise missile that was fired by a Tu-95MS (Bear) strategic bomber over the Pemboi Range in Russia’s northwestern region, the Russian Defense Ministry’s Central Military District’s press service said Thursday.
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05/29/2015
The Russian Defense Ministry will purchase no less than 50 new Tu-160 (Blackjack) heavy strategic bombers when production is renewed, Russian Air Force Commander Col.Gen. Viktor Bondarev said Thursday. “No less than 50 aircraft over time will be purchased in order to cover the costs that will go into production,” Col.Gen. Bondarev said without specifying when production would begin.
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05/29/2015
It's the modern era's military strategy of choice: overwhelming air power delivering precision-guided punishment backed by intelligence on the ground, with minimal exposure for soldiers of the striking side. Seductive though it is to risk-averse governments with war-weary publics, the approach has its limits — and these are on display in Syria and Iraq, where a U.S.-led coalition has carried out over 4,100 airstrikes against Islamic State radicals yet failed to stop the extremists.
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05/28/2015
The selection of a foreign contractor to supply the South Korean Air Force with four aerial refueling tankers is just around the corner. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) said April 14 that it started price bidding for the 1.48 trillion won (US $1.36 billion) program. Competitors are Boeing, Airbus Defence and Space, and Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI).
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05/28/2015
Photos posted on military websites in China show the nation's new domestic J-16 twin-seat fighter repainted in a light grey which suggests the aircraft is almost ready to enter service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force, according to People's Daily Online.
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05/28/2015
At the invitation of the government of Sweden, More than 150 Airmen and 12 F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, arrived at Norbotten Wing here in support of Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015. This year, the multinational flying exercise will include approximately 115 combat aircraft from nine different countries including the U.S., Finland, Sweden and Norway. The Arctic Challenge exercise will focus on improving interoperability with fellow air forces.
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05/28/2015
China's steady acquisition of advanced weaponry has driven ambitious Taiwanese requirements, including plans to procure stealth fighters, advanced jet trainers, long-range unmanned reconnaissance aircraft and main battle tanks.
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05/28/2015
The RAAF’s Wedgetail battlespace control aircraft and Hornet fighter bombers may be called on to support Iraqi troops assigned to recapture the key city of Ramadi from Islamic State. The terror group’s fighters swept into Ramadi more than a week ago under the cover of a sandstorm that “blinded” the unmanned patrol aircraft, armed with missiles which had provided a key part of the defences.
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05/28/2015
China’s political and aerospace leadership is painfully aware that its airpower ambitions are severely impeded by the lack of what it calls a “Chinese heart” – modern, indigenous aircraft engines. The Pentagon’s latest assessment on Chinese military capabilities, released on 8 May, is even more blunt, saying: “the Chinese aircraft industry remains reliant on foreign sourcing for dependable, proven high-performance aircraft engines.”
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05/28/2015
The 2013 spending cuts, or sequestration, imposed on the US government forced the US Air Force to scrap or reduce most of its planned training exercise that year, a new Government Accountability Office report, released on Wednesday, said.
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05/28/2015
The secretary general noted that NATO is “intercepting more Russian flights now than just a few years ago.” In early May 2015, Poland, the United Kingdom, Denmark, and France began enhanced air policing duties over the Baltic states and Central Europe. According to a NATO press report, the allies involved in the rotational air policing contributed 22 aircraft for the exercises.
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05/28/2015
The CDR is a key review point in a three-year, $102 million contract awarded to Northrop Grumman in August 2014 for the engineering and manufacturing development portion of the program. “The company successfully completed the critical design review (CDR) of the service's Flexible Strike Phase 1 program on February 3,” Northrop Grumman said on Wednesday.
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05/27/2015
Russia will deliver S-300 missile defence systems to Iran at quote ‘the earliest opportunity'.
That's according the Iranian Deputy Defence Minister, after talks with his counterpart from Moscow, German media reports, quoting news agency AFP. No exact date has been outlined – although previous statements suggest the long-range missile systems, which like this one are designed to combat aircraft and ballistic missiles, would be dispatched before the end of the year.
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05/27/2015
I had not given much thought to the flight plan of the airline I recently booked to go back to the U.S. from Vietnam, but recent events in the airspace over the South China Sea prompted an online search. As I discovered, my commercial flight will be flying not far from where a U.S. surveillance plane was warned on Wednesday to leave by a Chinese radar operator.
(Read More...)
05/27/2015
Islamic State, also known as ISIS, has seized control of Ramadi, the capital of Anbar province just 70 highway miles from Baghdad. Fallujah, located between, is already a terror stronghold.
There is little doubt that ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi plans to capture the city whose name he bears. A man who declared himself a caliph, Baghdadi knows his home was the seat of the Abbasid caliphate, founded in the eighth century to which ISIS would like to return.
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05/27/2015
NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg told CBS News he does not see any immediate threat against any of the 28 nations that make up the largest peacetime alliance in the world, despite Russian aggression in Eastern Ukraine and unannounced military exercises near member states' airspace.
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05/27/2015
In the air and on the ground, Sailors and Marines dazzled a crowd of nearly 6,000 visitors with a variety of troop insertions and flyovers during an aviation demonstration at Eisenhower Park as part of Fleet Week New York (FWNY), May 23.
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05/27/2015
Russia’s fifth-generation Sukhoi PAK FA fighter jet, which is also known as the T-50, is like a flying robot with greater stealth capabilities than its American counterparts, according to Russian state media. On Tuesday, Sputnik outlined some of the specifications of the PAK FA, which is currently undergoing the testing phase and will enter into production next year.
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05/27/2015
The Russian air force on Tuesday mobilised more than 100 aircraft from their bases to operational airfields as part of a surprise combat readiness inspection, according to the Russian defence ministry. "The flight personnel have received their flight tasks and started navigational calculations," a statement by the ministry stated, adding that the air units would manoeuvre in the Central Military District reinforced with units from other regions of the country.
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05/27/2015
China’s armed forces are to extend their operations and the air force will become an offensive as well as defensive force for the first time, in a major shift in policy that will strengthen fears of accidental conflict. The People’s Liberation Army, including its navy and air force, will be allowed to “project power” further beyond its borders at sea and more assertively in the air in order to safeguard its maritime possessions, according to a new policy document.
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05/27/2015
During a recent three-day visit to Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, General Mark Welsh said that China and Russia are primary examples of countries who will have highly capable fighter aircraft in the next three to five years. Welsh also said dozens of countries around the world would use Russian and Chinese top-end fighters in the future.
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05/26/2015
Just over a week ago, the remarks of US Assistant Defence Secretary David Shear to a Senate committee in Washington triggered strenuous denials in Canberra that the government had any intention of allowing the Pentagon to base nuclear-capable B1 strategic bombers in Australia.
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05/26/2015
The US military is exploring whether eLoran, a navigation technology that was pioneered in Britain, could protect against GPS jamming attacks The US military is testing a new type of navigation technology that was developed in Britain, in the hope that it that could prevent criminals from hijacking its vessels with GPS jamming attacks.
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05/26/2015
Sweden, Norway and Finland are to host one of Europe's largest fighter jet drills, dubbed the Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015 (ACE 2015), due to start on Monday. The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) National Air Operations Center (NAOC) chief Brigadier General Jan Ove Rygg is in charge of this year's drills, which will run through June 2. This is the second such multinational training exercise held by the Scandinavian neighbors since 2013, with plans to continue them every second year.
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05/26/2015
The People's Liberation Army has rapidly developed into one of the world's most powerful militaries and could have up to 10,000 nuclear warheads in its arsenal, reports Huanqiu, the Chinese-language website of the nationalistic tabloid Global Times. Citing a detailed report into the PLA's military might by Russian media, the Global Times notes the speed of which China's military technology has been developing since the turn of the century.
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05/26/2015
During her two-day India visit (May 26-27), German Defense Minister Ursula von der Leyen is expected to hold talks with top Indian officials, including her counterpart Manohar Parrikar, and push for a stronger bilateral defense cooperation and being part of the "Make in India" initiative designed to boost foreign investment.
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05/26/2015
Russia and Egypt have agreed on a contract to supply 46 Mikoyan MiG-29 fighter aircraft, the Vedomosti newspaper reported, citing sources in the Russian aviation industry. The contract could be signed in the very near future, the paper says. A Rosoboronexport spokesman declined to comment. Efforts by the newspaper to reach a spokesperson for the Russian aircraft manufacturing corporation MiG have failed.
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05/26/2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered four days of air combat readiness testing on Monday, the third major military exercise staged by the Kremlin in as many months. The drills will involve 12,000 troops, 250 aircraft and nearly 700 artillery pieces and other heavy weaponry and include cruise missile strikes at an imaginary enemy target at a Siberian firing range, the Tass news agency reported.
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05/26/2015
Russia's new fifth-generation T-50 fighter jet, currently in the testing phase, incorporates elements of automation which make it more like a robot than a fighter plane, explains a representative from the Rostech corporation. Russia, China Sign Deal to Boost Sukhoi Jet Sales in Asian Markets. The Sukhoi PAK FA fighter jet, also known as T-50, is ready to go into production next year, and boasts innovative technology which renders the pilot one part of the plane's whole control system.
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05/26/2015
Syrian government aircraft carried out intense strikes Monday against the Islamic State group in and around the ancient city of Palmyra after its fall to the jihadists, a military source said. "The air force struck more than 160 Daesh targets, killing and wounding terrorists and destroying weapons and vehicles equipped with machineguns" on Palmyra's outskirts and elsewhere in the east of Homs province, the source said.
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05/25/2015
Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq between 8 a.m., May 23, and 8 a.m., May 24, local time. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted 11 airstrikes using attack, bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 17 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, bomber, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
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05/25/2015
Experts on Sunday warned of a potential military conflict over heightened US surveillance in the South China Sea and cautioned that both sides should try their best to avoid miscalculation in the world's most important bilateral relations. Analysts believe that recent US military activity is another example of how the US is struggling to maintain the status quo while coping with the rise of China as a global power.
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05/25/2015
Daesh’s seizure of Ramadi has revived a debate in the Obama administration about whether to send a limited number of US military specialists to Iraqi battlefields to target air strikes on the extremists. The group’s advances in the capital of Anbar province have called attention to the limits of using US air power to support Iraqi government and Kurdish forces and local militias.
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05/25/2015
Yemeni rebels claim to have shot down a Saudi F-16 fighter jet during a fresh wave of airstrikes. The Iran-backed rebels were pictured celebrating with the wreckage of the downed aircraft which crashed in the district of Bani Harith in the northern part of Sana’a today.
The fighter jet had reportedly conducted a number of airstrikes against Yemen’s al-Dailami air base before it came down.
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05/25/2015
New Delhi: The Indian Air Force (IAF) doesn`t intend to ground its fleet of Sukhoi SU-30MKI combat jets despite a sixth plane crashing in six years, says Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar even as concerns over the frontline fighter continue. The SU-30 fleet has in the past been grounded thrice after accidents but this would not happen again despite Tuesday`s crash of a fighter in Assam.
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05/25/2015
Israeli exports of weapons to African countries rose by 40 percent in 2014 compared with the previous year, according to Defense Ministry data published last week. But overall foreign arms exports to foreign countries were down compared to 2013 by nearly $1 billion in 2014, the data published in Haaretz showed.
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05/25/2015
In 2001, “60 Minutes” bashed it as a boondoggle. Six years later, Time magazine called it “A Flying Shame.” But quietly, the helicopter-airplane hybrid V-22 Osprey has become an indispensable part of the United States military, playing triumphant roles in both war and peace.
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05/25/2015
Saudi sources have dismissed claims that Al Houthi militiamen have shot down a Saudi fighter in Yemen and recovered two missiles. “The claims lack credibility and are not at all true,” the sources said. “What the Yemenis saw was merely a disposable external fuel tank that the plane released by the plane on its way back to the base. It is a routine action that the pilot did on the way back,” the sources told local news site Sabq on Sunday.
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05/25/2015
The United States and Norway will conduct a joint observation flight over the territory of Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced. The flight will be carried out on May 25-29, using the CN-235 medium-range transport plane, according to Ryzhkov, who explained that the aircraft is not equipped with any weapons.
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05/23/2015
The company said in a statement it had sent out an alert to its clients urging them to carry out “specific checks of the Electronic Control Units (ECU) on each of the aircraft’s engines”. The ECU controls how the aircraft’s engine operates. The potential flaw was uncovered during internal checks separate from an official investigation into the crash of an A400M cargo plane near Seville in which four people were killed 10 days ago.
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05/23/2015
The flight on Thursday, the first for Chinese military aircraft on that flight path, comprised bomber planes which flew in accordance with international norms and without affecting commercial flights, Chinese military spokesperson Col. Shen Jinke told the media. On a military website, Shen claimed the exercise was not aimed against any country.
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05/23/2015
On May 20, a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft belonging to Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 conducted a routing surveillance flight over the South China Sea, where has started building an airstrip on the disputed Spratly Islands in the waters claimed by the Philippines.
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05/23/2015
As the war in Yemen escalates after a short humanitarian truce, the stakes are getting higher for Saudi Arabia's princes, the region and Washington. The United Nations-hosted talks in Geneva next week are unlikely to get much traction. The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) and its Arab allies resumed their bombing campaign this week after a five-day cease-fire to allow humanitarian supplies into Yemen.
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05/23/2015
The Sikorsky S-97 Raider hit an important milestone Friday with the successful first flight of its experimental rotorcraft. The S-97, with two pilots, took off at the company's West Palm Beach, Fla., facility about 7 a.m. and performed all of its proscribed movements over roughly an hour. The flight test took on the basics — three take-offs and landings, and all cardinal movements at 10 knots — before more advanced tests over the year.
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05/23/2015
Each time a quick reaction alert sortie is launched from any of the nations operating the Eurofighter Typhoon combat aircraft, it is dependent on the availability of the type’s twin Eurojet EJ200 turbofan engines. Flown by partner nations Germany, Italy, Spain and the UK, plus export users Austria and Saudi Arabia – and also to be delivered to Oman from later this decade – the Eurofighter provides the backbone for their air defence capabilities.
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05/23/2015
India’s first indigenous aircraft carrier, INS Vikrant, will be re-launched next week according to local media reports. The vessel was officially launched in August 2013 with the completion of phase I of construction. The re-launch on May 28 at Cochin Shipyard Limited in Kochi will mark the successful completion of the most critical stage of phase II.
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05/23/2015
The United States and China on Friday escalated their dispute over contested territory in the South China Sea, after the Chinese repeatedly ordered an American military surveillance plane to abandon flights over areas where China has been building artificial islands. The continued American surveillance flights in areas where China is creating new islands in the South China Sea are intended to challenge the Chinese government’s claims of expanded territorial sovereignty.
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05/23/2015
Global Hawk long-range surveillance drones were targeted by jamming in at least one incident near the Spratly Islands, where China is building military facilities on Fiery Cross Reef, the Washington Free Beacon reported. That statement follows Thursday reports that the Chinese navy warned a US surveillance plane to leave the same area eight times in an apparent effort to establish and enforce a no-fly zone, a demand Washington rejected.
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05/22/2015
China yesterday said its air force planes flew over the Miyako Strait — a body of water between Japan’s islands of Miyako and Okinawa — to the western Pacific Ocean for training for the first time. China’s Defence Ministry said the training was conducted in line with international law and norms, and did not target any specific country, but the move is likely to raise tensions at a time when ties with Japan remain testy.
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05/22/2015
A few defense analysts including former military officers called for as many as 20,000 U.S. ground troops to be deployed to Iraq to combat Islamic militants gaining ground in the country. Frederick Kagan, one of the architects of the Bush-era troop surge in Iraq and a former professor of military history at West Point, was among those who cited the figure on Thursday during a hearing of the Senate Armed Services Committee on U.S. policy in Iraq and Syria.
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05/22/2015
Bulgaria will kickstart an acquisition process for a new multipurpose combat aircraft by the end of next month, Defence Minister Nikolay Nenchev has said. The Defence Ministry will submit the respective proposal to the government by 30 June, BGNES news outlet quoted Nenchev as saying on Thursday following a meeting of the parliament's defence committee.
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05/22/2015
The U.S. took punitive measures against an Iraqi airline and a Syrian businessman on Thursday over the sale of aircraft to a blacklisted Iranian airline, in a case that has sparked concerns that U.S. sanctions are beginning to fray as foreigners anticipate a nuclear deal with Tehran next month. Iran’s Mahan Air took delivery of the nine Airbus aircraft earlier this month, U.S. officials said.
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05/22/2015
Sweden's latest Gripen fighter jet has what it takes to shoot down the competition to defend Malaysia's skies. Its manufacturer, Swedish-based defence and security company Saab Group believes the reasons lie in the Gripen NG's cost-efficiency and multi-role operational performances.
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05/22/2015
The Air Force plans to be able to incinerate targets such as incoming missiles with laser weapons mounted on C-17s by 2023 as part of a directed energy developmental effort, service official said. The High Energy Laser, or HEL, is being tested by the Air Force Directed Energy Directorate, Kirtland Air Force Base, N.M. Ground tests are slated for later this year as part of a plan to precede air-launched laser weapons firing evaluations, Air Force Chief Scientist, told Military.com in an interview
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05/22/2015
In the years since the 9-11 attacks, unmanned aircraft — “drones” — have become the signature combat system of America’s global war against terrorists. According to the Air Force, its fleet of Predator and Reaper unmanned aircraft flew an average of 1000 hours per day last year over places like Iraq and Afghanistan, generating full-motion video and other reconnaissance that has become crucial to coalition military operations.
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05/22/2015
The Chinese navy repeatedly warned a U.S. surveillance plane to leave airspace around disputed islands in the South China Sea, a sign that Beijing may seek to create a military exclusion zone in a move that could heighten regional tensions. The warnings, delivered eight times to a P-8A Poseidon over the Spratly Islands on Wednesday, were reported by a CNN team aboard the plane.
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05/22/2015
The White House also said it is seeking to provide an additional $30 million in Foreign Military Financing to Tunis in 2015, a 50 percent increase compared to 2014. Tunisia’s newly elected president in Beji Caid Essebsi is currently in Washington, DC. On Thursday, he met with US President Barack Obama in the Oval office, becoming the first democratically elected Tunisian president to visit the White House.
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05/21/2015
A Russian military aeroplane has been spotted in British airspace near a Nato monitoring base earlier today. The Antonov An-30 military surveillance aircraft was spotted flying roughly 30 miles from Menwith Hill, a high-tech Nato monitoring station based in north Yorkshire, by 41-year-old semi-professional photographer Steve Bradley.
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05/21/2015
Islamic State extremists Wednesday captured the Syrian desert town of Palmyra, famed for its ancient ruins and a notorious political prison, in their second major victory in just four days after ousting the Iraqi army from the city of Ramadi. Syrian state news media reported that the government had withdrawn local militias protecting the town after evacuating their families, and local activists said other regime forces had retreated 30 miles to the east to a local phosphate mine.
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05/21/2015
Boeing has floated the idea of selling refurbished A-10 Warthogs to other nations as the US Air Force seeks to retire the venerable attack airplane. The company is currently extending the service life of the air force’s A-10 fleet through a re-winging programme, and it recently delivered its 100th modification with more than 70 modifications left on contract.
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05/21/2015
The U.S. Defense Department approved a deal selling Israel $1.8 billion worth of precision guided munitions and bombs, the Pentagon announced on Wednesday. The deal includes 14,500 Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM), an arms system attached to bombs that enables precision targeting with GPS, intended for Air Force fighter jets.
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05/21/2015
The Russian army plans to integrate more than 250 aircraft into its armed forces by the end of the year, a top defense official said Wednesday. The influx will be the latest in a series of apparent upgrades to Russia’s military capability as part of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s vow to modernize the nation’s armed forces by the end of the decade.
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05/21/2015
Lt. General Jon Davis, Head of Marine Corps aviation, told Reuters that they might declare a squadron of 10 Lockheed Martin Corporation F-35 military aircraft ready for combat by July 15 this year. Earlier this week, Lockheed Martin also delivered six F-35B aircraft to the USS Wasp amphibious warship for operational testing.
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05/21/2015
The Chinese navy issued warnings eight times as a U.S. surveillance plane on Wednesday swooped over islands that Beijing is using to extend its zone of influence. The series of man-made islands and the massive Chinese military build-up on them have alarmed the Pentagon, which is carrying out the surveillance flights in order to make clear the U.S. does not recognize China's territorial claims. The militarized islands have also alarmed America's regional allies.
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05/21/2015
Boeing recently completed maintenance on a U.S. Air Force E-4B advanced airborne command post earlier than planned, enabling the Air Force to quickly return the vital aircraft to operational service. It was the first E-4B serviced at Boeing’s San Antonio site. Boeing also performs maintenance on Air Force C-17 Globemaster III airlifters, KC-135 aerial refueling tankers and on commercial aircraft at that site.
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05/21/2015
Initial operating capability (IOC) of the modernized French Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS) fleet has been achieved with Boeing’s delivery of the second of four upgraded aircraft and completion of the operational tests and evaluations. The upgrade is part of a Foreign Military Sale between the French Defense Procurement and Technology Agency (Direction générale de l'armement – DGA) and the U.S. government.
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05/21/2015
The US State Department has approved a $1.9 billion proposed sale of 10 advanced multi-mission helicopters, equipment and weaponry to Saudi Arabia, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement. Produced by US defense contractors Lockheed Martin and Sikorsky, the MH-60R is the US Navy’s premier anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare helicopter.
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05/20/2015
The Air Force says it's going to implement a plan increasing a cap on the number of flights by aircraft visiting Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Tucson. The plan increases the annual total of flights by visiting aircraft to 2,326 — up from the current cap of 1,408 based on flights in 2009. However, the Air Force also says that the actual number of flights could be smaller than allowed under the newly raised cap.
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05/20/2015
"Today, patrol aircraft over the neutral waters of the Baltic Sea near the outer sea border of Latvia identified an Il-72 plane of the Russian Air Force," the report reads. According to the Ministry of Defense of Latvia, in 2014, Russian military aircraft and ships approached the borders of the Republic more than 250 times.
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05/20/2015
The company said in a statement that it had sent out an alert to its clients urging them to carry out "specific checks of the Electronic Control Units (ECU) on each of the aircraft's engines". The ECU controls how the aircraft's engine operates. The potential flaw was uncovered during internal checks separate from an official investigation into the crash of an A400M cargo plane near Seville in which four people were killed 10 days ago.
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05/20/2015
The impending nuclear deal coupled with Russia’s supplying Iran with the S-300 anti-air missile system has made a military solution to a potential crisis in Iran more difficult for Israel to implement. In order to prepare for such an eventuality, the IAF recently ran a joint training exercise with the Greek military.
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05/20/2015
For United Technologies Corp., merging its Sikorsky helicopter unit with Textron Inc. could be a good alternative to a traditional spinoff. The $106 billion maker of aircraft engines and elevators announced in March that it would divest Sikorsky, either by selling it or spinning it off. A final decision by United Technologies will come in about a month.
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05/20/2015
A frontline Sukhoi SU-30 MKI combat jet of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed in Assam's Nagaon district on Tuesday, but both pilots ejected safely, officials said. Sources from the IAF said a technical snag was responsible for the crash that took place at 12.30 p.m. "Preliminary investigation shows a technical snag caused the crash," an official said. Officials said no decision has been taken yet for grounding the Sukhoi-30 fleet.
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05/20/2015
An F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pilot will one day control a small fleet of nearby drones from the cockpit while in flight - according to a new Air Force report on autonomous systems, Air Force Chief Scientist Mica Endsley said. The Air Force is poised to unveil a new strategy for unmanned aircraft systems next month. The report will discuss more teaming with manned aircraft such as the F-35, greater levels of automation and a wider scope of missions for UAS - such as transporting cargo.
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05/20/2015
The United States and Israel have begun preliminary, unofficial contacts regarding special American military aid for Israel due to developments in the Middle East. Although neither side has said so explicitly, the Obama administration plans to provide Israel substantial defense compensation if an agreement is signed between Tehran and the world powers to limit Iran’s nuclear program.
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05/20/2015
A demo version of the system is expected to be unveiled at a joint training meeting involving high ranking officials from the flight safety services. The meeting will take place on May 19-21.
"After testing and debugging, the unified flight safety system will be introduced on all air force units of Russia's Armed Forces. Other entities of the state aviation will be incorporated into the system," said Major-General Alexander Berzan, the chief of Aviation Safety in the Russian Armed Forces.
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05/20/2015
One US Marine was killed and 21 were injured when an MV-22 Osprey crash-landed at Bellows Air Force Station on Oahu on Sunday during a training session. The incident came just days after the Pentagon announced it would deploy a squadron of CV-22 Ospreys to Yokota base starting in 2017.
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05/19/2015
China's domestic J-16 multirole fighter/bomber is the key in the People's Liberation Army Air Force's transformation from a from a defense-oriented unit into an offensive power, says the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. Typically speaking, fighters are fighters and bombers and bombers, but improving technology, automation of avionics, more precise weapons and lighter weights have led to the development of multi-role aircraft.
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05/19/2015
Always Investigating has been digging deeper to find out more about the MV-22 Osprey. The Osprey that crashed at Bellows was based in San Diego, but the Kaneohe Marine Corps Base also received Ospreys back in 2012. The base was scheduled to get 24 of them. This Osprey is billed as having the speed of a turbo-prop airplane and the ability to move and tilt like a helicopter.
It’s currently being used in overseas military missions as well.
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05/19/2015
Dassault Aviation will double production of its Rafale combat jet within two to three years of the completion of a planned sale to India, its chief executive said on Monday. The maker of combat and business jets is also in talks on potential fighter sales with several other countries including Malaysia, after recently winning its first export contracts for the Rafale with Egypt and Qatar, CEO Eric Trappier added.
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05/19/2015
After spending much of the past decade racing to build up a cadre of drone pilots and aircraft, the Air Force is temporarily reducing the number of unmanned aircraft missions it flies. It’s not because demand is slacking off — UAVs remain in high demand in Iraq, where they search for Islamic State hideouts — but because the intense pace has pushed airmen to the breaking point.
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05/19/2015
President Barack Obama and Secretary of State John Kerry meet with GCC delegation at Camp David. When the United States sells billions of dollars in sophisticated arms to Arab nations, they are conditioned on two key factors: no weapons with a qualitative military edge over Israel will ever be sold to the Arabs, nor will they receive any weapons that are not an integral part of the U.S. arsenal.
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05/19/2015
There will be no tax on jet fighter aircraft Rafale when it flies into India. “Since, it is government-to-government (G2G) deal, it will not attract any duty (basic custom duty, special additional duty SAD or counter veiling duty CVD)” a senior Finance Ministry official told BusinessLine. India and France are expected to sign an Inter Government Agreement soon for this deal, which is estimated to be worth over $6 billion.
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05/19/2015
Russian troops are taking part in military training on Monday in Tajikistan alongside other members of the Collective Security Treaty Organization (CSTO), the Russian Defense Ministry said. The CSTO is a military alliance comprising Russia, Armenia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan. As part of a snap inspection of the alliance’s Collective Rapid Reaction Force, troops are simulating combat with armed groups in mountainous terrain.
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05/19/2015
Another seven 24 Russian MIL-171SH military transport helicopters will be delivered to Peru later this month, the deputy head of Russia’s main arms exporter said on Monday. Rosoboronexport deputy director Sergei Ladygin made the announcement at the close of an international arms exhibition held in the Latin American country. The $400 million-plus contract for the delivery of 24 MIL-171SH helicopters was inked in December 2013.
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05/19/2015
Raytheon said in a statement that the US Air Force and defense contractor Raytheon have passed a final review of the Small Diameter Bomb II, an advanced bomb that can change direction and target in midflight.
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05/19/2015
If you were beginning to lose hope that futuristic laser weapons would ever become a reality – it’s 2015, people! – then you may be in luck. The US Air Force is working on it, and could be attaching laser artillery to fighter jets as early as 2022. Last September, the US Navy spent $40 million installing a 30-kilowatt Laser Weapons System (LaWS) onboard the USS Ponce. The first of its kind, the laser has yet to be used in a true combat situation, but it has been test-fired on practice drones.
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05/18/2015
A Papua New Guinea report says two Indonesian military jets were scrambled to confront an Australian Defence Force aircraft near the border over West Sepik on Friday. The Post Courier reports the information was in a PNG intelligence report which said in the process, the Indonesian aircraft violated PNG air space although the presence of the Australian aircraft was also a surprise. Neither the Australians nor the Indonesians have confirmed the incident.
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05/18/2015
In World War II, U.S. admirals often referred to the string of islands and atolls they were capturing as "unsinkable aircraft carriers" to be used in the war against Japan. In World War III, will islands be used this way again?
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05/18/2015
The rapid response capabilities of U.S. forces in Japan are now set to be strengthened, which will almost assuredly enhance the deterrence of the Japan-U.S. alliance. The U.S. Defense Department has announced that CV-22 Osprey transport aircraft will be stationed at Yokota Air Base, western Tokyo, starting in 2017. Their number is scheduled to be increased to 10 by 2021, according to the statement.
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05/18/2015
Singapore's quest for a new maritime patrol aircraft, a mid-life upgrade for F-16s and possible purchase of the F-35 are among the expected areas of interest at this year's Maritime Defence Exhibition and Conference (IMDEX), experts say. The 10th biennial IMDEX will be held at Singapore's Changi Exhibition Centre from May 19-20.
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05/18/2015
The U.S. Navy’s X-47B UCAS (unmanned combat air system) continues to break or make records. Thus in 2015 this included the world's first fully autonomous aerial refueling in April, performed with a KC-707 tanker. During the last few years this unmanned combat aircraft has successfully carried out numerous operations aboard aircraft carriers. These tests were often firsts for UCAS. Thus an X-47B made its first catapult launch from an aircraft carrier on May 14th 2013.
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05/18/2015
Days after the government auditor questioned the delay in producing the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA), a defence ministry official said the first squadron of 18 aircraft will be delivered by 2017-18 — a good 17 years after it first took to the skies. “The initial operational clearance was obtained in December 2013 and the production of Tejas has commenced.
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05/18/2015
The U.S. special-operations force that carried out a first-of-its-kind mission in Syria to capture the Islamic State finance chief and his wife over the weekend came away with a treasure trove of materials that could help in the attempt to pressure the extremist group.
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05/18/2015
The 34-nation Treaty on Open Skies was signed in 1992 in Finland and currently applies most NATO member states, Russia, Belarus, Ukraine, Georgia, and Sweden. The treaty establishes a regime of unarmed aerial observation flights over the territory of its participants with the aim of boosting transparency of military activities.
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05/18/2015
A downed aircraft at Bellows Air Force Station in Windward Oahu suffered a “hard landing” to which firefighters and emergency crews were called to respond. An MV-22 Osprey from the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit experienced a "hard landing" while conducting training at the Marine Corps Training Area at Bellows, the military announced.
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05/17/2015
Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria and Iraq between 8 a.m., May 15, and 8 a.m., May 16, local time. In Syria, coalition military forces conducted six airstrikes using bomber and fighter aircraft. Separately in Iraq, coalition military forces conducted 15 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense using attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft against ISIL terrorists.
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05/17/2015
After decades of maintaining a minimal nuclear force, China has re-engineered many of its long-range ballistic missiles to carry multiple warheads, a step that federal officials and policy analysts say appears designed to give pause to the United States as it prepares to deploy more robust missile defenses in the Pacific.
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05/17/2015
Some interesting international intrigue has been playing out in Europe. Russia’s the bad guy; the hero, improbably, is France. Early last year, as you may remember, Russia invaded and annexed Crimea, and ginned up a separatist movement in Ukraine’s east. Ever since, it has supported those separatists financially, with arms, and, sometimes, in battle.
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05/17/2015
U.S. and Nepalese teams found eight sets of remains as they resumed recovery efforts Saturday of the UH-1Y Huey helicopter that crashed in Nepal on Tuesday, presumably killing the six Marines and two Nepalese soldiers aboard. Eight separate sets of remains have been discovered since the recovery effort began, according to a Joint Task Force 505 statement May 16. They have yet to be positively identified. Additionally, the cause of the mishap has not been determined.
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05/17/2015
When Capt. Lisa Becker deployed to Afghanistan, she didn't expect to fly Mi-17 helicopters alongside Afghan pilots. "It's an opportunity that I didn't know I'd have," said Becker. "It's very fulfilling to be able to have that mentorship role." Becker is believed to be the first American female soldier to be rated to fly the Russian-made helicopter. She also is the first female Aviation Foreign Internal Defense/Special Operations Forces aviator to serve with the Special Mission Wing in Afghanista
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05/17/2015
A committee headed by Air Marshal S.B.P. Sinha is all set to begin government-to-government negotiations with France for procurement of Rafale fighter jets for the Indian Air Force, and the multi-billion dollar deal will be finalised as early as possible, Union Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar said on Saturday.
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05/17/2015
U.S. special operations forces carried out a raid into eastern Syria early Saturday, killing a senior leader of the Islamic State and about a dozen militant fighters, capturing the leader’s wife and freeing an 18-year-old woman apparently being held as a slave, Pentagon officials said. Two dozen Delta Force commandos entered Syria aboard Black Hawk helicopters and V-22 Ospreys and killed the militant leader, known as Abu Sayyaf.
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05/17/2015
Greek Defense Minister Panos Kammenos and US Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter will discuss Athens' proposal to construct a NATO air base in the Aegean Sea during a meeting next week, the Greek Defense Ministry said.
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05/16/2015
Turkish military jets shot down a Syrian aircraft after it violated Turkey's airspace on Saturday, media reported. It was not immediately clear what kind of aircraft was shot down. Turkey's NTV news channel said it came down in Syrian territory. A Turkish military official confirmed that two F-16 fighters flying out of the Incirlik base in southern Turkey had opened fire, but was unable to give any details about the target.
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05/16/2015
A number of RAF jets have been scrambled to intercept two Russian long-range bombers off northern Scotland, the latest in a series of provocative operations by the country's air force.
As tensions between Nato and Russia have worsened over the Ukraine crisis, Moscow has significantly increased the number of military flights probing Nato airspace. The number of interceptions over the Baltic States trebled last year and Nato members including Britain have stepped up air policing support.
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05/16/2015
Speaking to reporters after a two-day summit of foreign ministers of NATO countries in the southern city of Antalya on Thursday, Stoltenberg said he welcomed Turkey's decision to take part in forming a spearhead unit as part of the high readiness force. Allies decided to enhance the NATO Response Force (NRF) in 2014 by creating a “spearhead force” within it, known as the Very High Readiness Joint Task Force (VJTF).
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05/16/2015
Take the new F-22 fighter. It’s the most expensive fighter in the air today, but as a recent story in The National Interest by long-time United States Naval Institute writer Dave Majumdar points out, even its missiles will have a hard time getting past the ability of Russia’s truly fearsome Su-35S Flanker E to jam radars and other sensors.
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05/16/2015
A top military analyst believes Australia and the US may be holding discussions about hosting the supersonic B1 bomber in northern Australia, where it could threaten Chinese ships menacing US allies in the South China Sea. The Pentagon on Friday was forced to contradict one of its own top officials who said the US would be "placing additional Air Force assets in Australia … including B-1 bombers and surveillance aircraft".
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05/16/2015
When the U.S. navy sent a littoral combat ship on its first patrol of the disputed Spratly islands in the South China Sea during the past week, it was watching the skies as well. The USS Fort Worth, one of the most modern ships in the U.S. navy, dispatched a reconnaissance drone and a Seahawk helicopter to patrol the airspace, according to a little-noticed statement on the navy's website.
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05/16/2015
The U.S. is "expediting" weapons shipments to Iraq in light of the ISIS advances in Ramadi, Vice President Joe Biden told Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi in a telephone call on Friday. The announcement from the White House comes on the heels of a flurry of new airstrikes against ISIS, also known as ISIL, as Iraqi forces desperately try to hold the key city, the capital of the key Anbar province.
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05/16/2015
The wreckage of a Marine helicopter from Camp Pendleton missing in Nepal since Tuesday has been found and there are no apparent survivors, the U.S. military said Friday. Six Marines and two Nepalese soldiers were aboard the UH-1Y Huey when it disappeared while on a relief mission after a pair of earthquakes in the mountainous nation.
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05/16/2015
According to deputy director from the Russian Federal Service for Military-Technical Cooperation, Russia plans to sign a number of contracts with countries in Latin America this year on the purchases of arms and military equipment.
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05/16/2015
The US-led Coalition comprises some 60 nations that began carrying out airstrikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq in August 2014, and expanded the air campaign to Syria in September 2014, albeit without the approval of the Syrian government. In Syria, the Coalition struck the militants’ fighting positions, light vehicles, tanks and tactical units.
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05/14/2015
Raytheon has successfully completed the flight test of its APG-79(V) X AESA radar system, demonstrating the functions required to extend the combat relevance of F/A-18C/D Hornet aircraft for 15 to 20 years. The Hornet fleets, upgraded with new APG-79V(X) radar, will benefit from extended detection ranges, simultaneous air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, production of high-resolution synthetic aperture radar (SAR) mapping and better reliability.
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05/14/2015
A senior Department of Defense official signed a key acquisition memo May 7 that will allow the Joint STARS Recapitalization program office here to begin awarding contracts. Frank Kendall, Under Secretary of Defense for Acquisition, Technology and Logistics, signed a Materiel Development Decision Acquisition Decision Memo officially ushering the program into the Materiel Solution Analysis phase.
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05/14/2015
The Indonesian air force wants to replace its outdated American built F-5 fighters with the brand new Russian Su-35 Super Flanker, but the country’s political leadership is unable to act quickly because the U.S. is pitching in with its F-16 and F-18 jets. The Indonesians operate both American F-16s and Russian made Flankers – five Su-27s and 11 Su-30s. How Russian aircraft ended up in the air force of an American ally is interesting.
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05/14/2015
I was never told where I would be taken to. The only instructions I received was to arrive on time in the morning in front of the McDonald’s in Subang Airport. And so I was there on time.
Several Americans were there, a few in military garb and the rest in civilian clothes. They greeted me and said that we will be boarding a United States Navy C-2 Greyhound aircraft.
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05/14/2015
The defense authorization bill the House will debate this week includes a provision from a congressman and retired Navy SEAL that prevents the Navy from disestablishing Helicopter Sea Combat Squadrons 84 and 85. These U.S. Navy Reserve squadrons use the HH-60H Rescue Hawk helicopter and are responsible for training SEALs. HSC-84 is based at Chambers Field at Naval Station Norfolk, Va., and HSC-85 is based at Naval Air Station North Island, Calif.
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05/14/2015
Among the trainee fighter pilots of the Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) Introductory Fighter School is a Qantas captain who has taken leave without pay and a former Australian Army soldier. Another is from Melbourne and a fourth from country Western Australia. "It's a dream they've been chasing for quite a while," Squadron Leader Grant Taylor said, standing on the tarmac at RAAF Base Darwin as the trainees prepared their jets for takeoff. "A lot of the pressure is self-induced," he said.
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05/14/2015
Seeking to boost its maritime firepower, Beijing has announced that it is developing a new naval fighter that will be able to operate from amphibious warships and would be able to land vertically, similar to the F 35 B fifth generation aircraft. This is the third, new generation fighter program being under taken by China in the last five years, with the J 20 and J 31 being the others.
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05/14/2015
The Iraqi Ministry of Defense announced on its website on Wednesday that, according to critical intelligence information, the second-ranking ISIL leader Abu Alaa al-Afri was killed during an airstrike led by the international coalition forces. The Ministry claimed that the killing occurred during a gathering at a mosque.
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05/14/2015
The contract is worth around $467 million, the newspaper said. The project, alongside other major long-pending contracts, has been cleared by the defense acquisitions council chaired by Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar. The helicopters will reportedly be assembled in India.
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05/13/2015
Air forces across Europe suspended flights of the Airbus Group NV A400M and shares of the planemaker slumped after one of the military transport aircraft crashed near Seville, Spain, killing four people. Britain’s Royal Air Force and Germany’s Luftwaffe both said they’d pause operations until more information is available on the cause of the crash, which a German media report suggested may have been engine failure.
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05/13/2015
In a recent act of heroism, the Turkish military headquarters proudly announced that its howitzers (with 40 km firing range) shelled a Syrian missile battery. Even more heroically than that, at the weekend, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu’s military convoy, protected by helicopters and armored vehicles, stepped foot deep into the Syrian soil: 253 meters from the Turkish side. They were paying a visit to the tomb of Süleyman Sah, the grandfather of the founder of the Ottoman Empire.
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05/13/2015
The nation's governors on Tuesday urged Congress to reject any personnel or equipment cuts from the Army National Guard, as lawmakers craft the defense bill that authorizes spending and activities in 2016. "The nation’s governors call on Congress to maintain Army National Guard (ARNG) aircraft, personnel and force structure," said a statement by the National Governors Association (NGA), which represents all governors.
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05/13/2015
The Nigerian Air Force has said the acquisition of new aircrafts has helped the military in the fight against Boko Haram terrorists in the Northeastern part of Nigeria. Speaking in Abuja at the 51st anniversary of the Nigerian Air Force, the Chief of Air Staff, Adesola Amosun, said the force has recorded giant strides in the past one year which has led to the successful onslaught against terrorists in the Northeast.
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05/13/2015
The Estonian reservist usually works in a car showroom, but Raido Reinsalu has spent the past week manning a battery of howitzers in his country’s pine forests. The 24-year-old sergeant is one of 13,000 soldiers mobilised by Estonia for the biggest military exercise in the nation’s history, joined by another 1,000 Nato troops from the US and Europe, including Britain.
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05/13/2015
The United States needs to decide how it's going to protect Syrian rebels it is training before they head back into battle, Air Force Gen. Mark Welsh III said Tuesday. "We’ve done a lot of support in the past for forces from the air, we do a lot of support from the ground and the policy decisions are going to have to be finalized before these guys go back and do their work," Welsh said on Fox News' "Shepard Smith Reporting."
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05/13/2015
In an average year, the global fighter jet industry does well to ink two or three blockbuster deals, the kind in which military groups decide to upgrade their fleet by ordering a couple of high-powered aircraft. By these standards, 2015 looks like it will be an above-average year after a surge in jet orders in March and April.
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05/13/2015
The U.S. military is considering using aircraft and Navy ships to directly contest Chinese territorial claims to a chain of rapidly expanding artificial islands, U.S. officials said, in a move that would raise the stakes in a regional showdown over who controls disputed waters in the South China Sea.
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05/13/2015
The weak Czech crown is complicating the sale of the Czech L-159 combat aircraft to Iraq as the state wants Penta, the owner of the mediating firm, to pay it 100 million crowns more than originally, daily Hospodarske noviny (HN) writes yesterday. The ministry agreed on the sale of 15 L-159 planes to Iraq with the Aero Vodochody aircraft maker for 750 million crowns last August.
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05/13/2015
The exercise, codenamed Lion Effort, marks a decade that Gripen fighter jets have been used to guard Czech airspace, Radio Prague said in a broadcast. In 2009 and 2011, similar exercises were held in Hungary and Sweden. The Czech air force sent L-159 light combat planes, Mi-24 assault helicopters, Mi-171 multipurpose helicopters and C-295 CASA transport aircraft to take part in live flying training.
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05/12/2015
British aircraft and unmanned drones have attacked Islamic State targets in Iraq with more than 200 bombs and missiles in military operations that have been largely ignored, a Guardian analysis has shown. The air strikes, which began in the autumn, have been undertaken by the RAF’s oldest bombers – Tornado GR4s and its newest weapon – the remotely piloted Reaper.
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05/12/2015
A Moroccan F-16 aircraft participating in the “Operation Decisive Storm” of the Arab coalition was shot down on Sunday by Houthi rebels in Yemen, the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces (FAR) report said Monday. According to a statement issued by the press service of the Inspectorate General of the RAF, a F16 warplane which is part of the Royal Armed Forces squadron put at the disposal of the Saudi-led coalition to restore legitimacy in Yemen, has been reported missing since Sunday.
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05/12/2015
Last week, the U.S. State Department approved the potential sale of components and logistical support for Singapore’s F-16 Block 52 upgrade program in a deal worth around $130 million. The approval was part of several deals that the State Department cleared for U.S. allies and partners in the Middle East and the Asia Pacific.
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05/12/2015
The United Kingdom’s former defense chief is using some colorful language to criticize the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter. Nick Harvey, who served as armed forces minister from 2010 to 2012, recently said of the fifth-generation stealth fighter jet, “You could argue it was already one of the biggest white elephants in history a long time ago,” according to an article by The Independent, a national newspaper based in London.
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05/12/2015
All the Navy recovered after Lt. Nathan Poloski’s fighter jet collided in midair with another Navy jet on a training mission in the western Pacific in September were his flight helmet and a few bits of debris. The 26-year-old pilot, who was deployed aboard the aircraft carrier Carl Vinson, died one month before the ship steamed into the Persian Gulf and began launching combat missions against the Islamic State.
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05/12/2015
The following clip was aired by Zevda, the Russian TV network owned by the Russian Ministry of Defence. Filmed with GoPro cameras inside and/or outside Russian Air Force Yak-130s, Mi-28s, Ka-52s, Su-27s, Su-34s, Su-25s and Mig-29s the footage shows the biggest ever Victory Day parade over Red Square, on May 9, from a privileged point of view.
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05/12/2015
The Romanian Air Force (RoAF) and Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) recently selected Lockheed Martin’s (NYSE: LMT) Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) for their F-16 fleets, becoming the 18th and 19th international customers to receive this advanced sensor capability. Lockheed Martin will integrate and field Sniper ATPs on existing RoAF and RTAF aircraft and provide initial sustainment support. Pod deliveries began in early 2015 to meet operational need requirements.
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05/12/2015
The exercise allowed both Malaysian and US naval forces to track a live target that was threat representative, the release explained, adding that the United States was impressed with the capabilities of the Royal Malaysian Navy.
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05/12/2015
The Defense Department also said these aircraft will maximize interoperability, enhance operational cooperation, and promote stronger defense relations with the Japan Self-Defense Forces. The CV-22 Osprey is a tilt-rotor aircraft combing vertical takeoff, hover and vertical landing qualities of a helicopter with the long-range, fuel efficiency and speed characteristics of a turboprop aircraft.
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05/11/2015
Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan on Sunday released a video of its militants holding a Shoulder Launch Missile, which the militant group claimed to have used in downing a Pakistan military helicopter killing ambassadors of the Philippines and Norway and five others in the PoK. A video released by a jihadist media forum shows at least four masked militants with the surface-to-air missile (SAM-7 B) allegedly used in hitting the Mi-17 that crashed in Naltar valley of Gilgit-Baltisitan in PoK.
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05/11/2015
In the span of just a few weeks, a flurry of orders has reset the global fighter market. First came the Feb. 13 announcement that Egypt would become the first foreign customer for the Dassault Rafale. Then on April 10, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed an order for 36 Rafales for his nation. A week later, the United Arab Emirates said it was restarting talks with Dassault about the Rafale, and by the end of April, Qatar has declared its intention to buy the French fighter.
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05/11/2015
On June 22, 2012, a Turkish RF-4E military reconnaissance aircraft took off from an air base in eastern Turkey. It flew at low altitude, as most spy planes do, and violated Syrian airspace before it was hit - most likely - by a missile fired from a Syrian- or Russian-operated air defense system. Two Turkish pilots were killed. Their bodies were later recovered from the Mediterranean Sea with help from a US ship.
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05/11/2015
Spain said on Sunday it had found the two black boxes from the crashed Airbus A400M military aircraft that plowed into a field north of Seville airport in its maiden test flight on Saturday, killing four of the six test crew. The black boxes had been handed over to investigators, the government said in a statement. Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy late on Saturday asked for maximum transparency from Airbus during the investigation into the cause of the crash.
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05/11/2015
The largest mobilisation exercise Siil/Steadfast Javelin is currently underway in Estonia after the country restored its armed forces two decades ago. Siil/Steadfast Javelin involving over 7, 000 of reserve forces and in total 13, 000 troops from Estonia and Allied countries kicked off in locations all over Estonia this week and runs from May 4 to 15. "I was pleased to see the enthusiasm among the reservists, service members, Home Guard and Allied forces when inspecting the troops.
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05/11/2015
The Defense Ministry yesterday stated that recent media reports reporting that Chinese military forces paralyzed the capital Taipei within two days during simulations during the annual Han Kuang series of military exercises were inaccurate. In a noon press release, the Defense Ministry reported that the “Han Kuang Number 31” exercises which ran for five days and four nights between May 4 and 8 concluded with all training exercises completed as planned.
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05/11/2015
The Textron Scorpion costs $20 million, still not exactly a bargain by most people's standards, but a fifth of the cost of the F-35. It suggests that not every advanced defence project has to necessarily come in years late and billions over budget – and points to a new twist in not only the future of fighter-jet design, but also in more humanitarian roles that a budget jet could carry out.
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05/11/2015
A Moroccan F-16 warplane taking part in the Saudi Arabian-led coalition fighting in Yemen went missing on Sunday, the Moroccan Royal Armed Forces said in a statement. Backed by the United States, a Saudi-led coalition has been conducting air strikes against the Houthis and army units loyal to ex-president Ali Abdullah Saleh since March 26 with the aim of restoring the government of President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi.
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05/11/2015
Russian Aerospace Defense Forces (VKO) plan to cut the number of radar units produced for the air defense of Moscow and the Central region four times, however VKO will boost the production of new generation air defense systems, VKO spokesperson Alexei Zototukhin told RIA Novosti.
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05/10/2015
An Airbus Group NV military transport plane crashed near Seville, southern Spain, killing four of the people on board, the Spanish government said Saturday. A government official in Seville said the aircraft was carrying six people and crashed in a field about a mile north of Seville’s airport, catching fire upon impact. Two people were sent to the hospital with very serious injuries, she said.
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05/10/2015
The official signing ceremony for the acquisition of 24 Rafale aircraft was held today in Doha, in the presence of the Emir of the State of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, the President of the French Republic, François Hollande, Dassault Aviation Chairman and CEO, Eric Trappier and Thales charirman and CEO, Patrice Caine.
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05/10/2015
The United States transferred weapons to Pakistan that were used by American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq, including 14 combat aircrafts, 59 military trainer jets, and 374 armored personnel carriers, according to the Congressional Research Service (CRS).
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05/10/2015
Brazil will send an official inquiry about the potential purchase of the Russian Pantsir-S1 missile system, Brazilian Minister of Defense Jaques Wagner told Sputnik. On Saturday, Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin said that the waiting list for the purchase of the Pantsir-S1 system is formed until 2019.
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05/10/2015
The Ka-52 Alligator (Hokum B) is a Russian all-weather attack helicopter, which can be used both in reconnaissance and combat missions. The helicopter was designed to be capable of destroying tanks, armored and non-armored ground targets, as well as enemy troops and helicopters.
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05/09/2015
Yesterday, Boeing Co announced that it is in talks with Kuwait to get new orders of its F/A-18 super hornets, which will keep the production running till fiscal year 2019. Boeing was of the opinion that after getting the order, the future of its military aircraft will be safe.
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05/09/2015
North Korea has successfully test-fired a newly developed underwater ballistic missile which it describes as a "world-level strategic weapon", the official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) reported early Saturday. Leader Kim Jong-Un gave the order to test-fire the missile and watched as it was launched from an attack submarine, the news agency said.
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05/09/2015
The Australian Defence Minister Kevin Andrews has announced the start of construction of the new air combat capability facilities at the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) Base Williamtown.
Marked by turning of the first sod, construction of the new facilities is being carried out as part of a $1.5bn project that will provide facilities for the F-35A Lightning II - Joint Strike Fighter at ten bases across the country.
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05/09/2015
Today marks the nine month anniversary since the start of the U.S.-led air campaign, later named Operation Inherent Resolve, against the self-declared Islamic State (IS) in Iraq and Syria. The air war, which Secretary of State John Kerry then described as definitively not a war, but rather “a heightened level of counterterrorism operation,” shows no sign of ending.
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05/09/2015
China has started building artificial islands in the South China Sea at a greater rate than ever to boost its territorial claims in the area, a U.S. Defense Department senior official said Friday.
The official said China had reclaimed 800 hectares (2,000 acres) at five different sites, three-quarters of it since the beginning of 2015, indicating that the speed of reclamation has picked up dramatically.
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05/09/2015
Drones-like sharks and William Shatner-are often misunderstood by the public. Many associate the autonomous fliers with warfare and creepy government spies. But drones can be heroic, dropping life-saving supplies to civilians in combat zones. That's what U.S. Air Force member/Stanford PhD student Mark Jacobsen wants to do with his crowdfunding effort, the Syria Airlift Project.
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05/09/2015
The U.S. Congressional Research Service reports that Pakistan has signed $5.4 billion in Foreign Military Sales contracts from fiscal 2001 to fiscal 2014. Procurement of F-16 aircraft and related equipment account for more than half of the sum. "Major U.S. arms sales and grants to Pakistan since 2001 have included numerous items useful for counter-terrorism and counter-insurgency operations, along with a number of "big ticket" platforms more suited to conventional warfare."
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05/09/2015
A MiG-27 aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF) crashed near Alipurdwar in West Bengal on Friday evening killing two civilians on the ground even as the pilot ejected safely. The aircraft had taken off from the Hasimara air base in Jalpaiguri district. The crash happened at 8.30pm about 10 minutes after it went airborne, an IAF official in New Delhi said.
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05/09/2015
India's Tejas Light Combat Aircraft project, in the works for over three decades, came under severe criticism from the Comptroller and Auditor General of India (CAG) on Friday, which said the Mark-I version has several shortcomings and does not meet IAF specifications. Not only that, Indian Air Force (IAF) would be "constrained" to induct the fighter LCA without availability of a trainer model, thereby "adversely impacting pilot training", the audit body said in a report tabled in Parliament.
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05/08/2015
It crashed during an emergency landing in the Gilgit-Baltistan territory. The wives of the Indonesian and Malaysian envoys and two Pakistani pilots also died. They were to attend the opening of a tourism project. The Pakistani Taliban (TTP) said they were behind the attack, but there is no confirmation of the claim.
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05/08/2015
The Indian Navy will present a report on the configuration options for the second indigenous Indian Aircraft Carrier (IAC-2) to the Ministry of Defense next month. At a recent seminar on the country’s naval aviation, it became clear that the vessel will likely be in the 65,000 ton class. It could be equipped with American aircraft – or a combination that might include the naval version of the French Rafale fighter.
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05/08/2015
The old EA-6B Prowler taxied slowly down the main runway at the Monroe County Airport on Tuesday afternoon beneath two arcing plumes of water shooting out from firetrucks stationed on each side. Then a rainbow appeared. Naval Flight Officer Matthew Wickersham had just landed the aircraft for the final time. It had served since 1991 in combat, and in training missions at Whidbey Island in Washington state. The EA-6B received an official military water salute at the end of its last flight.
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05/08/2015
In 1990, the air forces of the Soviet Union consisted of over ten thousand aircraft, excluding those operated by the Soviet Army (mostly helicopters). This included not only the Soviet Air Force proper, divided between Frontal Aviation, Long Range Aviation, and Military Transport, but also the Soviet Air Defense Command, and Soviet Naval Aviation.
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05/08/2015
France is offering India 36 Rafale fighter jets in fly-away condition at the same price which it pays to French defence major Dassault Aviation to equip its own air force, defence sources said. They added that this means that the cost per aircraft will be much lower than the price that was being worked out under the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) tender, which also involved transfer of technology.
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05/08/2015
Angola is set to be become the third operator of the Sukhoi Su-30 series twin-seat fighter jets in Africa, following Algeria and Uganda. Six former Indian air force Su-30K (mod) aircraft are due for delivery in the second half of this year. Originally destined for the Belarus air force, they have undergone a major overhaul and repair program at the Aircraft Repair Plant no. 558 in Baranovichi, Belarus, arranged by Sukhoi.
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05/08/2015
Boeing will provide the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) with a complete training system for the P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft under a contract that also includes the sale of four P-8A training systems for the U.S. Navy. This combined domestic and foreign military sale further strengthens the growing partnership between the U.S. Navy and the RAAF on the P-8 program.
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05/08/2015
The US State Department approved a $130 million deal for an upgrade of Singapore’s F-16 fighter jet fleet, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement on Thursday. "The proposed upgrade improves both the capabilities and reliability of the Republic of Singapore Air Force’s (RSAF) aging fleet of F-16s," DSCA said.
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05/08/2015
China has warned Philippine military planes six times to leave disputed areas of the South China Sea and may be “testing the waters” to see if it can establish a no-fly zone in the region, senior Philippine military officials said.
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05/08/2015
Finnish Air Force F-18 Hornet fighters are set to participate in an exercise known as Arctic Challenge, a twelve day, nine country exercise involving nearly 100 planes, set to begin May 25, the Finnish Broadcasting Company (YLE) reported.
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05/07/2015
The Pentagon considered, and then rejected, the idea of stopping routine intercepts of Russian military aircraft flying off the coast of Alaska, because the U.S. intercept flights appeared to have limited deterrent or intelligence value, according to two U.S. defense officials. While the Russian military flights, usually bomber aircraft, were entering a U.S. "air defense identification zone," they were not entering U.S. airspace.
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05/07/2015
irbus aims to strike a new sales deal for its A400M military aircraft this year and hopes it will bolster interest in the delay-plagued transporter, a senior executive from its defence division said. Several buyers, including Turkey and Germany, have expressed frustration at repeated delays in deliveries of the heavy cargo and troop carrier, Europe's largest defence project.
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05/07/2015
Foreign warplanes struck a number of targets in the Khartoum area in central Sudan overnight Tuesday, the London-based news outlet al-Araby al-Jadeed reported. Several Arab media outlets attributed the airstrikes to Israel, which did not comment on the reports.
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05/07/2015
Hungry for defence deals, France has cosied up to the Gulf monarchies, winning several billion-euro contracts in the process, but its strategy of backing one side in the region's Sunni-Shia power struggle is risky, say experts.
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05/07/2015
Ever since the Budget Control Act of 2011 placed caps on the Pentagon's base budget, Congress and the Obama administration have been using creative accounting to evade them. But this year's House Armed Services Committee (HASC) version of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) set a new standard for budget gimmickry.
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05/07/2015
The Air Force announced Wednesday it has crossed a new milestone for the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter this week — its first female pilot. Lt. Col. Christine Mau, deputy commander of the 33rd Fighter Wing Operations, completed her first training flight in the fifth-generation fighter jet Tuesday, according to an official Air Force report.
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05/07/2015
An article in Sina's Chinese-language military news web portal compared the abilities of India's HAL Tejas Light Combat Aircraft and the FC-1 Xiaolong/JF-17 Thunder developed jointly by China and Pakistan. Overview of the Aircraft
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05/07/2015
The Parliamentary Committee on Defence has noted with concern that the frontline combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force (IAF), Sukhoi-30MKI, do not have protection of hardened shelters in air bases which would save them from direct hits of bombs in the event of a war.
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05/07/2015
The US has handed over to Pakistan 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers, which were earlier used by American forces in Afghanistan and Iraq. As the US withdraws its forces from neighbouring Afghanistan, the major defence articles have been transferred to Pakistan under its 'Excessive Defence Article' category, an internal Congressional report has said.
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05/06/2015
France agreed to a 25% discount on its earlier offer to clinch the deal for an off the-shelf purchase of 36 Rafale aircraft during Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Paris last month. This will be the base on which further negotiations will take place on Wednesday. The ballpark cost per aircraft as per Dassault's winning bid for the 126 MMRCA programme — the old, nowscrapped, Rafale deal — came to about $300 million, taking into account the estimates of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL).
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05/06/2015
Saudi Arabia has twice as many British-made warplanes at its disposal for its bombing campaign in Yemen than those that are available for the entire Royal Air Force, The Telegraph can disclose. British-made Tornado GR4 ground attack fighters and Eurofighter Typhoons are playing a central role in the Royal Saudi Air Force’s bombing campaign against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen.
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05/06/2015
As the US withdraws its forces from neighbouring Afghanistan, the Obama administration has armed Pakistan with 14 combat aircraft, 59 military trainer jets and 374 armoured personnel carriers, an internal Congressional report has said. The major defence articles have been transferred to Pakistan under its 'Excessive Defence Article' category, which are mostly from its war combat zones of Afghanistan and Iraq.
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05/06/2015
At a ceremony yesterday at Royal Australian Air Force Base Townsville in northern Queensland, Australia commissioned their first two Boeing CH-47F Chinook advanced configuration aircraft. It’s a major milestone in the updating of the Australian Army’s cargo helicopter fleet.
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05/06/2015
The United States has approved a proposed $47 million sale of air-to-air Sidewinder missiles and associated parts to Indonesia, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said in a statement. DSCA explained that the sale will reduce Indonesia’s reliance on the United States to intervene in Southeast Asia to maintain stability, while improving Indonesia’s interoperability with the United States.
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05/06/2015
The United States has approved a possible military sale of 17 Osprey aircraft and associated parts and equipment to Japan in a $3 billion defense deal with the island country, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) said on Tuesday.
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05/06/2015
UK Royal Air Force pilots and four Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft took over the NATO Baltic Air Policing mission from their Spanish colleagues at an airbase near Tallinn on Tuesday, the Estonian Defense Forces reported. Their Spanish partners had been patrolling the skies there since January 2.
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05/06/2015
China will have to purchase Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E) supermaneuverable multirole fighter jets despite the fact that Beijing is developing its own fourth generation aircraft, according to the Want China Times website.
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05/06/2015
Russian-Turkish technological cooperation will continue in joint projects to include short-range missile defense systems, tactical digital communications, orbital space systems, as well as various military and marine equipment.
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05/05/2015
Much like the husky A-10 Warthog, the Air Force's combat-chiseled AC-130 gunships can claim legendary status among soldiers, aviators, historians and politicians. Steady-flying turboprop aircraft like the Spectre, Spooky, and Stinger II gunships are continually on patrol around the globe, ready to rain down fiery spit and fury at a moment's notice in support of American and coalition ground troops.
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05/05/2015
The Army’s OH-58 helicopter is retiring from service this year. As the Joint Readiness Training Center and Fort Polk used this classic war bird a final time for rotational unit support in April, a big fan of the aircraft was invited to observe one of its final missions. That fan is retired Lt. Col. Hugh L. Mills, also known as “Darkhorse 1-6,” whose legacy was born over the muddy deltas and thick jungles of Vietnam in 1969.
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05/05/2015
The Navy has no immediate plans to explore using its planned fleet of V-22 Ospreys carrier onboard delivery aircraft to refuel its carrier aircraft, while the Marines are actively looking to include a tanking capability in its own tilt-rotor V-22s by 2017, service officials told USNI News on Monday.
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05/05/2015
Sweden's Saab AB on Monday ruled out facilitating the sale of Gripen fighter aircraft to Argentina as the result of a deal to build and export combat jets from Brazil. Argentina has expressed interest in buying 24 Gripen fighter jets from its Latin American neighbour once Brazil is able to export them, early next decade. Such a deal would face an almost certain veto from Britain, which provides some 30 percent of the Gripen's content, including the radar on its next-generation Gripen E/F.
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05/05/2015
A daily game of Cold War cat-and-mouse is ratcheting up tensions in the Baltic and drawing the biggest military presence into the region for over 20 years, Swedish military officials say.
Eye-to-eye encounters with Russian combat jets and reports of suspected submarines in Swedish and Finnish waters are fuelling regional concerns about Russian assertiveness in the wake of the Ukraine crisis and reversing years of defense cuts.
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05/05/2015
Boeing will update two maintenance trainers for the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) so they better support the RAAF’s F/A-18F and EA-18G aircraft. Australia is the only nation other than the United States flying F/A-18 Super Hornet fighters and EA-18G Growler airborne electronic attack aircraft. While it operates the two-seat F variant of the Super Hornet, its current trainer configuration is for the single-seat variant.
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05/05/2015
The Saudi-led coalition's airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen will not yield any significant results without a ground operation, Sudan's Defense Ministry adviser told Sputnik Monday. Mahmoud also stated that in the last two days several troops from a Saudi-led Arab coalition landed in Yemen's southern city of Aden to create a military base that will deal with distribution of humanitarian aid for the city's residents.
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05/05/2015
Within the framework of the Open Skies Treaty, American and Danish inspectors will perform an observation flight over the territory of Russia May 4-8. According to sources a joint mission of the United States and Denmark will fly over the Russian territory on board an American observation aircraft OC-135B. The aircraft will take off from an airfield in Khabarovsk.
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05/05/2015
US warships have begun accompanying British merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, a Pentagon spokesman said Monday. The US Department of Defense announced that US warships would accompany all US-flagged commercial vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz. It also did not rule out that assistance could be extended to other countries as well.
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05/05/2015
The 6.3-billion-euro agreement includes an order for 24 jets manufactured by French defense group Dassault with an option on a further 12 planes, AFP reported from Doha. Another contract will involve the training of 36 Qatari pilots and around one hundred mechanics. Hollande met Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al-Thani to discuss the crises rocking the region, including Saudi-led coalition airstrikes on anti-government rebels in Yemen.
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05/04/2015
Qatar's planned signing of €6.3 billion (US $7.1 billion) of contracts for the Rafale fighter jet and missiles boosts French arms exports to more than €15 billion, the highest value France has ever reached in a single year, defense officials said. President François Hollande is due to attend the May 4 signing for 24 fighters by Dassault Aviation and missile maker MBDA in Doha, signaling high-level ties.
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05/04/2015
Pilots and passengers using Djibouti International Airport, site of the only U.S. air base in Africa, take their lives into their hands thanks to a dangerously incompetent air traffic control system there. Documents obtained by The Washington Post show that the air traffic controllers, civilians who work for the Djibouti government, regularly nap, listen to music, play video games and text on their mobile phones while directing military traffic from several nations.
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05/04/2015
The crew of Pelican One keeps a watchful eye as the U.S. Navy patrol plane swoops low to identify a ship operating near waters off southwestern Japan that China now claims as its territory. After a radio check and a close look confirms the ship is a harmless Panama-flagged commercial tanker, Pelican One veers off and resumes a patrol that can last up to 12 hours and takes the plane thousands of miles from its base in Okinawa, Japan.
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05/04/2015
Several large transport aircraft and four tilt-rotor MV-22 Ospreys landed at Kathmandu’s international airport Sunday as U.S. forces arrived to assist in the Nepal earthquake relief effort. People’s Liberation Army soldiers, whose own massive transport jet was parked next to the first American C-17 to land on the tarmac, were clearly impressed when a group of Marines unloaded a UH-1 Huey helicopter.
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05/04/2015
A new agreement between the US and Japan sets up the island nation to take a larger role in the politics of the Pacific while opening new opportunities for military research and development. The updated guidelines for the US-Japan military relationship reflect the changes in the Pacific that have occurred since the last version in 1997.
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05/04/2015
India is running out of patience with Russia and its shoddy military equipment. The most irritating issue, one that lasted more than five years, has been the low reliability of the Su-30MKI jet fighters. Fifty of these Russian designed aircraft were built in Russia and the rest of the 272 aircraft order are being assembled locally. Deliveries should be complete by 2019 and at the moment India is not keen on ordering any more.
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05/04/2015
Afghan security forces are suffering record casualties in their first battles against the Taliban since the US combat mission in Afghanistan ended in December after more than 13 years. The number of killed and wounded so far this year was about 70 per cent higher than during the same period last year, said Colonel Brian Tribus, director of public affairs for NATO's Afghanistan mission.
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05/04/2015
Saab's Gripen jet, for years often seen as an also-ran in international fighter competitions, is turning that reputation around. The trajectory began to change in October by the finalization of a deal to sell 36 Gripen NG aircraft to Brazil and a 2015 Swedish government commitment to buy 60 JAS 39 Gripen Es and Fs.
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05/04/2015
The multi-billion deal for 36 Rafale fighter jets could see French defence major Dassault Aviation entering into a joint venture with state-run HAL or any private player to set up a base here for augmenting its existing production line. Defence sources said such a step, if taken will not only allow the French firm to ramp up its production rate but will help it to meet offset obligations in India, likely to be 30-50 per cent of the sales value.
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05/03/2015
The military will conduct five days of computer-assisted war games May 4-8, with the focus this year on emergency response, as part of the country's annual Han Kuang exercises. In a bid to test the military's combat readiness in the face of a military threat from China, the drill will focus on swiftly preparing troops for battle and the mobilization of supplies and reservists.
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05/03/2015
Pakistan's military says airstrikes have killed 44 suspected militants in the tribal region near the Afghan border. A statement Saturday said 28 suspected militants were killed when jets struck hideouts in the Tirah Valley of the Khyber tribal region. It said separate strikes in the Datta Khel area of North Waziristan killed 16 suspected militants, most of them foreigners.
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05/03/2015
Two Russian military bombers, which are capable of delivering nuclear warheads, flew into a U.S. air defense zone near Alaska last week, a Washington news website reported Friday. A pair of Tu-95 Bear H bombers reportedly flew into the airspace on April 22 -- perhaps a sign, officials said, that Russia has begun its long-range aviation spring training cycle.
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05/03/2015
The U.S. is sending more aircraft to Nepal to fly relief supplies from Kathmandu to refugees in need, defense officials said on Saturday. The Marine Corps is sending four MV-22 Ospreys and two KC-130 cargo aircraft to Nepal, said Maj. Christopher Logan, a spokesman for Marine Forces, Pacific. Three UH-1Y Huey helicopters are being flown to Nepal in Air Force C-17s, he said.
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05/03/2015
Fourteenth ( 14th ) edition of Indo-French naval exercise (VARUNA) concluded today off Goa. The ten day long exercise commenced on 23 April 2015 and included both a harbour and sea phase. Mr Laxmikant Parsekar, Chief Minister of Goa, French ambassador Mr. Fran?ois Richier along with Vice Admiral SPS Cheema, Flag Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Western Naval Command and other senior naval officers embarked the French Navy's Aircraft Carrier.
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05/02/2015
Saudi Arabia’s decision to intervene militarily in Yemen against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels has raised regional tensions to a boiling point. In a cold war between Iran and Saudi Arabia that is growing increasingly hot, the move by Russian President Vladimir Putin to lift the ban on the sale of S-300 missiles to Iran has come at just the wrong moment.
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05/02/2015
With the conflict there now in its second month the UN estimates more than 1,200 people have been killed and thousands more displaced, amid a growing humanitarian crisis. But according to the official, who asked not to be named, Gulf Arab governments decided they had to intervene to stop the Houthi takeover of Yemen after new intelligence emerged in January this year.
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05/02/2015
Qatar has agreed to buy 24 Dassault Aviation-built Rafale fighter jets in a 6.3-billion-euro ($7 billion) deal, the French government said on Thursday, as the Gulf Arab state looks to boost its military firepower in an increasingly unstable region. Tensions in the Middle East with conflicts in Yemen, Syria and Libya, as well as concerns over Shi'ite Muslim power Iran's growing influence in the area, have fuelled a desire across Sunni Gulf Arab states to modernise their military hardware.
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05/02/2015
The roll rate, expressed in degrees per second, is the rate at which an aircraft can change its roll attitude. Modern jet fighters can achieve quite high maximum roll rates: the faster they can rotate around longitudinal axis the faster they can transit from one maneuver to another one.
However, the roll rate is just one of the parameters (not all equally important) that influence the aircraft’s maneuvering performance.
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05/02/2015
When analysing a subject like India's air force, it is important to rely only on facts. Thus an air force, which is one of the top five forces in the world, today has an ageing asset, with "some 500 fixed-wing operational aircraft, significantly down from the total of 850 in 2006". Printed open source information like that of the (latest) Jane's All the World's Aircraft shows that India has nine types of combat aircraft, the breakup of which gives a rather dismal scenario as on date.
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05/02/2015
The Kazakh Air Force has taken delivery of four Sukhoi Su-30 Flanker C 4++ fighter aircraft from Irkut Corporation, part of the Sukhoi Group from Irkutsk, Russia. The fighters were transferred at Taldykorgan air base in southern Kazakhstan and will participate in the aviation show during the city’s Armed Forces Day and 70th anniversary Victory Day parade on May 7, reported the Kazakh Ministry of Defence press office.
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05/02/2015
At the dawn of aerial combat 100 years ago, World War I flying aces frequently closed to within 15 meters before firing at enemy aircraft with their machine guns. Such intimate encounters helped create a perception of pilots as skilled “knights of the air” who climbed into the cockpits of nimble aircraft to duel their opponents.
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05/02/2015
Crews will participate in tactical war games and maneuvers alongside combined armed forces from the same military district. "A total of more than 25 exercises of various scale, involving assault aircraft crews from the Southern Military District's airbase in the country's south, will be held in 2015," the statement said.
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05/01/2015
NATO has decided to modernize two more air bases in Romania and related construction has already started at the 90th Airlift Base in Otopeni, northern Bucharest, local media reported on Thursday. The Alliance will also consolidate the runway at Air Base in Campia Turzii, northwestern Romania, to ensure military maneuvers without any problems, according to local Digi24 television.
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05/01/2015
The U.S. State Department has approved Australia’s request for U.S. sustainment packages for Australian fighter aircraft and warships through the Foreign Military Sales program. The U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency, in charge of the FMS program, has informed Congress of the approval.
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05/01/2015
Vasily Kashin, a military commentator from the Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies based in Moscow has said that the S-400 air defense system will give the People's Liberation Army the ability to control the entire airspace of Taiwan, in an article he wrote for Sputnik News in response to an article by J. Michael Cole, the Canadian chief editor of Thinking Taiwan, a media platform sponsored by Tsai Ing-wen, the chair of Taiwan's opposition Democratic Progressive Party.
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05/01/2015
The legislation rejects Pentagon proposals to close excess military bases and infrastructure and plans to trim support for military grocery stores and housing allowances for troops. The legislation backs pay raises for troops at 2.3 percent, versus a Pentagon call for 1.3 percent.
The bill also adds additional funding for fighter aircraft for the Navy and Marine Corps, including six more F-35 Joint Strike Fighters than requested and 12 extra F/A-18 Super Hornets.
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05/01/2015
A House panel early Thursday approved a defense bill that would again bar the Pentagon from scrapping the Air Force’s A-10 fleet. There are 18 A-10 airplanes stationed at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township that support about 650 full- and part-time jobs.
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05/01/2015
Earlier this year, Chief of Naval Operations Admiral Jonathan Greenert said that he believed that the F/A-XX, the Navy’s planned eventual follow-on to the F-35C, would be "optionally manned". On April 15 at the Sea-Air-Space conference, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus leaned further forward, noting how he believed that "the F-35 should be, and almost certainly will be, the last manned strike fighter aircraft the Department of the Navy will ever buy or fly.”
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05/01/2015
ockheed Martin marked the 1,000th Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) delivery during a ceremony held yesterday at its Missiles and Fire Control facility in Orlando, Florida. The 1,000th pod, which was delivered to the U.S. Air Force, is a sensor-enhanced Sniper ATP that provides fighter and bomber aircraft with advanced modes for non-traditional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (NTISR); enhanced target identification; maritime tracking; and two-way datalink communication.
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05/01/2015
The Boeing B-1B Lancer celebrates its soon to be 30th anniversary with the U.S. Air Force at Dyess Air Force Base this week – marking one of many milestones in a legacy that will continue long into the future as Boeing’s B-1 team ushers the supersonic bomber into the digital age with new upgrades.
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05/01/2015
Just as the 37th rotation of NATO's air policing mission is coming to an end and Spanish and Polish jets are returning to their home bases, Spanish media has released some images of what it claims to be “Spanish Air Force Typhoons escorting some Russian Air Force planes”.
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05/01/2015
China's high-end J-11D fighter aircraft, a copy of the Russian Sukhoi Su-27 jet, has made a maiden flight, local media reported Thursday. Photos uploaded to the Internet on Wednesday show the latest modification of China's domestically-constructed J-11B aircraft, initially designed as a copy of the Soviet-made Su-27, the Sina.com news portal said.
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04/30/2015
On March 27, DARPA successfully tested the full Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) prototype system for the first time as part of TALON REACH, a U.S. Marine Corps infantry/aviation training exercise conducted in the southwest region of the United States in partnership with the Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron One and the Marine Infantry Officer Course (IOC).
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04/30/2015
A Massachusetts Democrat and Iraq War veteran is pushing a compromise to let the Air Force keep flying half of its A-10 fleet and retire the rest. Rep. Seth Moulton on Wednesday sent a letter to colleagues in the House of Representatives containing a compromise that would keep 119 A-10s out of the current 283.
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04/30/2015
Bulgarian Defense Minister Nikolay Nenchev has announced the Air Force likely will pull its 12 MiG-29 fighter jets out of service rather than proceed with what he called an "overpriced" maintenance and repair deal with Russia. Nenchev told local daily Sega that signing an extended deal, until 2019, priced by the Russian side at some 80 million leva (US $46 million), would be unfavorable to Bulgaria, and so he refused to sign the contract.
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04/30/2015
We all know we are in a period of profound change, as well as an extremely disruptive time in technology. I’m excited about the possibilities, but I also have to manage in this time of change. I’ve spent a lot of time focused on how to do that well, both at the helm of an incumbent business and at an upstart. How can I focus my team? How do we really make a difference?
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04/30/2015
US Vice President Joe Biden delivered a speech in Washington April 23 on the occasion of Israeli Independence Day celebrations. He announced that in 2016, the United States will deliver two F-35 Joint Strike Fighters to Israel. Yet, the debate still rages on the cost-effectiveness of the Joint Strike Fighter project, with rumors circulating that the project may be terminated due to its phenomenal $1 trillion budget.
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04/30/2015
Guess who has applauded PM Modi's 'Make in India' initiative now? It is British Prime Minister David Cameron. According to a recent Economic Times report, the man has not only praised India's initiative to become a global manufacturing hub, but has also offered technological assistance to achieve its targets, including in developing its "own world class fighter aircraft" that is "better than Rafale."
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04/30/2015
Earlier this month Navy Secretary Ray Mabus remarked that the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter “should be, and almost certainly will be, the last manned strike fighter aircraft the Department of the Navy will ever buy or fly.” This sparked a lot of discussion both inside and outside the military about the advantages, vulnerabilities, and ethical concerns of armed remotely piloted aircraft.
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04/30/2015
Dangerous frontline operations call for a safe and efficient method to locate and evacuate wounded personnel. To address this critical need and help save lives, Lockheed Martin (NYSE: LMT), Kaman Aerospace (NYSE: KAMN), and Neya Systems demonstrated the first ever collaborative unmanned air and ground casualty evacuation using the unmanned aerial system (UAS) Control Segment (UCS) Architecture and K-MAX® cargo helicopter on March 26.
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04/30/2015
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe is in Washington to discuss his plans for Japan to take on a wider security role beyond the direct defense of its home islands. The talks resulted in the two countries unveiling new guidelines for defense.
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04/30/2015
Russia will renew the production of its Tu-160 (Blackjack) supersonic strategic bomber and missile carrier, Russian Defense Minister Gen. Sergei Shoigu said Wednesday. "Today it is already necessary to solve the task of not only maintaining and modernizing long-range aviation, we must also produce the Tu-160 missile carrier," Shoigu said during a visit at the Kazan Aviation Plant.
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04/29/2015
A US Air Force refuelling aircraft disappeared off the radar over the English Channel last night but has since landed safely in Britain. The Boeing KC-135R Stratotanker left Amiens in northern France at 0.05am local time (11.05pm BST) and was last reported on a flight tracking website between Dover and Calais 15 minutes later.
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04/29/2015
For decades, senior military leaders and analysts have predicted the demise of manned aircraft. The Navy, expressing that the end is on the horizon, has created a new office to oversee unmanned air systems. Unmanned aircraft have certainly proven indispensable for more than a dozen years in reconnaissance, strike, communications relay and even transport. And the Air Force plans to increase its reliance on unmanned aircraft to remove worrying "about the limitations of the human body."
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04/29/2015
Outside this city at a Ukrainian army facility called the Polygon, which is typically used for tank training, about 200 civilian volunteers gathered this past weekend for a military exercise.
Many had no military experience; some had never held a weapon. But many decided to train for war due to widespread worries about an escalation in the Ukraine conflict and the potential for it to spread all the way to Dnipropetrovsk, with its nearly 1 million residents, is Ukraine’s fourth largest city.
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04/29/2015
Hundreds of air strikes later, Hadi remains in Riyadh and the Houthis remain near Aden. Riyadh needs a new approach. After nearly four weeks of consistent aerial bombardment against Houthi military positions across Yemen, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia — with full backing from its colleagues in the Gulf Cooperation Council, Egypt, and Morocco — announced with great fanfare on April 21 that Operation Decisive Storm had ended.
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04/29/2015
Ending the deadlock over Rafale fighter aircraft deal, Prime Minister Narendra Modi finalised the delivery of 36 fighter jets in fly-away condition during his France visit two weeks back but more shocking is how the Indian government sidelined the ‘Make In India’ project to seal the deal with Dassault Aviation, a French defence manufacturer. There are multiple reasons behind the immediate actions of buying the Rafale jets
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04/29/2015
The House Armed Services Committee inserted $683 million into the 2016 defense bill to stop the Air Force from retiring the A-10 Warthog. However, Air Force leaders said the service will have to mothball F-16s and delay the deployment of the F-35 in response to the move by the committee.
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04/29/2015
Saab announced today that it has developed PS-05/A fighter radar to a new version designated Mk4 for Gripen C/D improved performance and operating range. The PS-05/A Mk4 is the recent development of PS-05/A radar, originally developed for the Gripen fighter. A new hardware configuration with a complete new radar back-end gives improved radar performance and operational range, enhancing Gripen Weapon System capabilities and offers full AMRAAM and Meteor integration.
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04/29/2015
The information necessary to hack a military drone is freely available to the public, in academic publications and online documents, according to an Israeli defense manufacturer. One such paper was published just a month before Iran claimed it downed a CIA stealth drone in 2011, Esti Peshin said Monday at the Defensive Cyberspace Operations and Intelligence conference in Washington DC. Peshin is the director of cyber programs for Israel Aerospace Industries.
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04/29/2015
A pilot landed an F-18 equipped with the aptly named “Magic Carpet” software program on the deck of the Navy's Nimitz-class supercarrier USS George H W Bush, naval-technology.com reported. "This underway marked the first use of the Magic Carpet technology on an aircraft carrier. This software greatly reduces misses and wave-offs, which translates into more time on-mission and makes us an overall more effective force.”
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04/29/2015
The US State Department has approved a foreign military sale with Australia for the Boeing Company’s F/A-18E/F Super Hornet and EA-18G Growler aircraft in the amount of $1.5 billion, the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) announced in a release on Tuesday.
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04/28/2015
The New York Times noted that “the coalition carried out airstrikes in several other provinces, suggesting a broadening, rather than a scaling back, of the monthlong Saudi air offensive against Houthi rebels.” Saudi-led warplanes targeted the Shiite Houthi rebels and their allies, forces loyal to Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh, in the northern city of Saada, the western city of Taiz, and the southern city of Aden, reported The Associated Press.
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04/28/2015
The House announced moves this week to protect the A-10 Thunderbolt from a proposed retirement. The aircraft program is fully funded in a version of the annual defense budget unveiled Monday by the House Armed Services Committee. An Arizona congresswoman said she also plans to float an amendment that would bar the Air Force from eliminating the aircraft, also known as the Warthog, when the committee votes on the massive defense bill Wednesday.
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04/28/2015
Chosen by Italy, Israel, Poland and Singapore to prepare their pilots to the 4th and 5th Gen. fighter jets, the Alenia Aermacchi M-346 “Master” is considered one the world’s most advanced jet trainers.
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04/28/2015
Sweden's Saab AB on Monday ruled out facilitating the sale of Gripen fighter aircraft to Argentina as the result of a deal to build and export combat jets from Brazil. Argentina has expressed interest in buying 24 Gripen fighter jets from its Latin American neighbour once Brazil is able to export them, early next decade. Such a deal would face an almost certain veto from Britain, which provides some 30 percent of the Gripen's content, including the radar on its next-generation Gripen E/F.
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04/28/2015
A solemn ceremony to hand over four new training and combat aircraft Yak-130 to personnel of the 116th guards assault airbase took place at the Lida airfield on 27 April, BelTA has learned. The four new aircraft will make up an independent wing as part of the airbase. The aircraft were delivered to Belarus on board of an IL-76 cargo aircraft. They were then assembled by specialists of the Russian R&D corporation Irkut using the premises of the 116th airbase.
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04/28/2015
For decades, the Arab Gulf countries have been a very strong market for Western combat aircraft manufacturers. The Mideast is the largest single export fighter market, accounting for 29%, or $38 billion, of Teal Group’s $130.5 billion 2015-2024 export fighter forecast. This excludes tens of billions of dollars in weapons, support, and upgrade work. But over the past year, there have been profound political changes and diplomatic shifts in the region.
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04/28/2015
Lockheed Martin continues to advance C-130 aircrew and maintenance training under recent contract awards from the U.S. Air Force valued at more than $80 million. Contracts include the delivery of the following training solutions.
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04/28/2015
US Defense Secretary Ashton Carter also said that Washington’s defense cooperation with Tokyo would no longer be relegated to Japan’s surrounding waters as outlined in the 1997 defense guidelines. The new framework, according to Carter, would be extended to anywhere in the world where the two nations have common security interests.
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04/28/2015
Two separate US government watchdogs are outlining problems with the engines used in their F-35 jet fighters - one finding the systems unreliable and another citing dozens of violations in its quality assurance inspection.
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04/27/2015
Israel's military said Sunday it launched an airstrike on its border with Syria after spotting militants carrying a bomb in the Israeli-held Golan Heights. The military said it carried out the strike after troops saw "a group of armed terrorists" approach the border with an explosive intended to target Israeli troops. It said that Israeli aircraft "targeted the squad, preventing the attack."
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04/27/2015
The People's Liberation Army has begun loading operational J-15 carrier-based fighter jets onto the Liaoning, China's first and only aircraft carrier, reports the Beijing-based Sina Military Network. Recently leaked photos reveal that four J-15s, developed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation and the 601 Institute, have been moved onto the Liaoning, which sources indicate will eventually be able to carry up to 24 fighter jets of similar size.
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04/27/2015
Syrian military aircraft have bombed the north-western town of Jisr al-Shughour today, a day after insurgents seized control of it as part of a broader offensive that has left government forces in the area reeling. The opposition campaign, spearheaded by the al-Qaida-affiliated Nusra Front and Islamic rebel factions, has captured the two largest urban centres in Idlib province in the space of a month.
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04/27/2015
Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry says a military training aircraft has crashed, killing the instructor and a student pilot. The official Saudi Press Agency quoted the ministry as saying the accident happened Sunday morning and involved a plane affiliated with the King Faisal Air Academy, a military flight school in the capital, Riyadh. It gave no further details.
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04/27/2015
Royal Navy ship-launched surveillance drones could be sent to scour the Mediterranean as part of Britain’s effort to combat the migrant crisis, under plans being considered by defence chiefs. The Navy’s new ScanEagle remote-controlled aircraft would search for dangerously overloaded boats packed with people making the perilous crossing from Libya to Europe.
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04/27/2015
Air raids, naval shelling and ground fighting shook Yemen on Sunday in some of the most widespread combat since a Saudi-led alliance intervened last month against Iranian-allied Houthi militia who have seized large tracts of the country. There were at least five air strikes on military positions and an area near the presidential palace compound in the Houthi-held capital Sanaa at dawn on Sunday, while warships pounded an area near the port of the southern city of Aden, residents said.
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04/27/2015
Indian Premier Narendra Modi’s arbitrary decision to scrap the $20 billion Rafale combat-aircraft contract — touted as the “mother of all defense deals” signed by New Delhi till date — serve as a warning to this still evolving democracy of the consequences of blindly electing leaders by believing their rhetoric.
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04/27/2015
Belgium has been successful in conducting military operations in Iraq: six Belgian F-16 bombers involved in the airstrikes against the Islamic State destroyed 107 ground targets over the last six months, Belgian Le Vif reported. The tiny European nation takes only 5 percent of aerial missions conducted by the anti-ISIL coalition led by the United States in Iraq and Syria. Six Belgian F-16 fighter jets are used by 110 people and operate from an air base in Jordan.
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04/27/2015
American and Norwegian specialists will fly over the territory of Russia under the Treaty on Open Skies on April 27-30, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced. Russian specialists on board the aircraft will monitor the use of equipment and American and Norwegian inspectors' adherence to the Treaty on Open Skies, according to Ryzhkov.
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04/26/2015
Coalition military forces continued to attack Islamic State in Syria and Iraq on Saturday. In Iraq, coalition forces conducted 11 airstrikes approved by the Iraqi Ministry of Defense, using fighter, attack, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft against IS terrorists, the U.S.-led coalition's command said in a statement.
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04/26/2015
Two Mexican air force planes collided Saturday during an air show at Mexico's Aerospace Fair 2015 in the central state of Mexico, causing one of the planes to crash but without anyone being hurt. The accident took place at 11:05 a.m. and caused no injuries because those on the plane were able to eject before the crash, the National Defense Secretariat, or Sedena, said in a communique.
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04/26/2015
China has now gone beyond simply bullying in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). It is now creating islands by destroying reefs. It is also building an airfield on one of the islands it has created. China claims that its rise to superpower status is intended to be peace. But these actions tell a different story. It is clear that it wants complete control of the 1.7 million square miles that make up the East China and South China Seas where six other countries maintain various territorial
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04/26/2015
The Marine helicopter unit at Robins will be seen in the skies a lot more often. The unit is getting three additional AH-1W Super Cobra attack choppers from other active-duty squadrons that are getting the new AH-1Z. That takes the unit’s Super Cobra fleet from four to seven. Two of the choppers have arrived in the past two weeks, and the third is expected soon.
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04/26/2015
The U.S. Air Force does not share the U.S. Navy's view of air warfare's future. The Air Force will continue deploying manned aircraft and will implement this on future designs, unlike the Navy, which will start focusing on unmanned aircraft. Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh, speaking at an event hosted by Defense One, explained the Air Force will continue working with unmanned combat aerial vehicles (UCAVs) in the future, expanding its current fleet.
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04/26/2015
Last week, the Navy made aviation history for the second time in two years by accomplishing yet another first for unmanned aircraft: a fully autonomous aerial refueling. This comes on the heels of the Navy's historic landing of a fully autonomous unmanned aircraft, the X-47B, on an aircraft carrier in 2013. To capitalize on these successes, the Navy plans to next retire the unmanned aircraft - built by Northrop Grumman - and stick them in a museum.
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04/26/2015
One of the major differences between military aircraft is the amount of money it costs to keep them operational. This is usually given in cost per flight hour (for fuels, spare parts and maintenance) or annual operating costs (including upgrades). The following data is for 2014.
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04/26/2015
The Indian Air Force is likely to get four more indigenously made light combat aircraft Tejas by the end of the current financial year from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, National Aerospace Laboratories' Director Shyam Chetty said here today. "The four aircraft may adhere to international standards on end-to-end accuracy," Chetty said, adding, further research was on to meet the parameters stipulated by the IAF.
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04/26/2015
Friendship between China and Pakistan continues to strengthen as Beijing promised to deliver another 50 fighter jets to its southern neighbor over the next three years, a top Chinese official said, according to the Express Tribute.
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04/25/2015
Why is Russia planning on building an aircraft supercarrier in the next decade? The answer may seem self-evident: Russia wants to challenge the United States as a global power. One of the United States’s chief tools of projecting its power is its fleet of aircraft supercarriers: 11 ships with a capacity of more than 70 aircraft. Carriers have participated in nearly every U.S. armed conflict since World War II and have proven time and time again to be strategic military tools.
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04/25/2015
The Islamic State shot down a regime aircraft near a key military airport in southern Syria on Friday, with pro-IS Twitter accounts saying the jihadist group had captured the pilot, a monitor said. The plane went down east of Khalkhalah airport, the only air base in Sweida province, a stronghold of the Druze minority that has largely avoided the bloodshed of Syria's war, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said.
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04/25/2015
One of the most spectacular fast jet displays on the European circuit is promised for this summer's Royal International Air Tattoo. The French Air Force's Ramex Delta team of two Dassault Mirage 2000N strike aircraft is set to provide a dramatic and noisy role demonstration at the Air Tattoo, which takes place at RAF Fairford in the Cotswolds, on July 17 to 19.
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04/25/2015
In all the confusion that hangs over the Modi government's decision to procure 36 Rafale fighters 'off the shelf', we need to focus on the real issues. First, the imperative of plugging the shortages in the Indian Air Force (IAF)'s combat strength. Second, to once again kickstart the decades-old effort to develop a fighter of our own.
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04/25/2015
Tensions off the coast of Yemen between the United States and Iran appear to be dissipating, with a fleet of Iranian ships possibly carrying weapons for Yemeni rebels and a U.S. aircraft carrier both turning away from the region, Pentagon officials said Friday.
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04/25/2015
The next generation fighter planes are also regarded as fifth generation fighter jets. All top fighter aircraft with the state of the art technology are enlisted in a classification list followed mainly by the United States. The aircraft have unique features like stealth, low probability of intercept radar (LPIR), high performance airframes, advanced avionics features, and highly integrated computer systems capable of networking with other elements.
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04/24/2015
A dozen A-10 attack jets have been deployed to the Middle East in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the Air Force announced this week. The deployment of 350 airmen and the 12 "Warthogs" come as Congress and the Pentagon battle over whether to retire the popular aircraft, which provides close air support for troops in combat.
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04/24/2015
They’re called lethal autonomous weapons, or LAWs, and their military mission would be to seek out, identify and kill a human target independent of human control. Human decision would not be in the loop, and the only button a military commander would push would be the “on” button. In military terms, it’s called “fire and forget.”
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04/24/2015
SQUADRON Leader Andrew Jackson, 37, started out flying elderly Macchi jet trainers, then graduated to the RAAF's classic Hornets and Super Hornets. Since January, he's been learning to fly the advanced new F-35, making his first flight in January and now qualifying to fly F-35s and also to instruct new RAAF F-35 pilots.
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04/24/2015
An Indo-French naval exercise VARUNA15 began on April 23 off the coast of Goa with the aim of further strengthening Indo-French cooperation and coordination, and also strengthening bilateral ties between the two nations, the Indian Navy said in a press release. India's latest aircraft carrier INS Viraat will for the first time join the French Navy in the naval exercises. French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle will be participating in the exercise.
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04/24/2015
The 17th Special Operations Squadron sent off the final two MC-130P Combat Shadows in the Pacific Air Forces to retire on April 15. The 17th SOS highlighted the beginning of the MC-130P Combat Shadow retirement with one final formation flight on Oct. 16, 2014, at Kadena Air Base, but now they have sent their last ones to the “boneyard” at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.
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04/24/2015
An A-10 deployed in the fight against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) suffered a "non-combat" engine failure and had to divert to Al Asad Air Base in Iraq, according to an Air Force report. The jet’s number-one engine suffered catastrophic damage during a routine refueling mission, and the pilot was able to safely land the aircraft at the air base in central Iraq, said the report Wednesday.
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04/24/2015
A battle of the hawks is raging on Capitol Hill. Defense hawks say the nation’s security will be endangered if the caps imposed under the 2011 Budget Control Act aren’t lifted, allowing for more defense spending. Fiscal hawks assert with equal vehemence that the nation’s long-term economic health — the foundation for all government activities, including defense — will be permanently harmed if burgeoning deficits and debts are not addressed.
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04/24/2015
Yesterday, my colleague Franz-Stefan Gady covered the main takeaways from a new Carnegie Endowment for International Peace report, authored by Ashley Tellis, that calls for, among other things, broader cooperation between the United States and India on developing the latter’s naval capabilities. Specifically, Tellis focuses on carrier aviation and recommends that the United States ensure that India fields a more robust carrier capability than China.
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04/24/2015
The US government will provide F-35 fighter jets to Israel next year to the country a strategic advantage over its rivals in the Middle East, US Vice President Joe Biden said during a speech celebrating Israeli independence.
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04/23/2015
With the world becoming a more volatile place and certain high-threat environments becoming too dangerous to send personnel, the lack of human intelligence has placed a greater stress on signals intelligence to provide military commanders with greater knowledge of dangerous actors and potential threats.
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04/23/2015
Japanese first of 13 F-2B fighter aircraft which suffered damage due to 2011 Tsunami completed repairs, IHS Janes reported Tuesday. The Japanese Air Self Defense Force (JASDF) rolled out the overhauled F-2B fighter aircraft in a ceremony to mark to the completion of repairs by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries (MHI) and Lockheed Martin held at MHI's Komaki South Plant.
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04/23/2015
India’s nuclear command has begun receiving fighter jets armed with the country’s most advanced, supersonic cruise missile. According to media reports, India’s Strategic Forces Command (SFC) has begun receiving 42 Su-30MKI air dominance fighters modified to carry air-launched BrahMos supersonic cruise missile. This will significantly enhance the striking power of the air leg of India’s nuclear triad.
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04/23/2015
In the last 15 years of the Cold War, the American A-10 Thunderbolt and the Soviet-built MiG-21 occupied hangars on either side of the Iron Curtain, waiting to pounce. The lumbering, heavily armed A-10 would have gone after Warsaw Pact tanks and troops; the nimble MiG fighter would have tried to shoot it down. But two decades later, they are taking part in exercises side by side, staged by the U.S. and Romania.
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04/23/2015
Saudi Arabia boasted Tuesday that it was winding down its air campaign in Yemen because its forces had destroyed the most powerful weaponry of the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels controlling most of the country. Turns out that Riyadh may have gotten ahead of itself: the Saudi ambassador to Washington said Wednesday that while the number of airstrikes might decrease, the bombardment of Houthi targets would continue until the rebel group halted its military offensive.
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04/23/2015
This week, the X-47B aircraft developed at Northrop Grumman’s facility in San Diego became the first unmanned vehicle to undergo in-flight refueling. Northrop and Navy officials said Wednesday that the the X-47B successfully maneuvered behind an Omega K-707 tanker and connected to that plane’s refueling system.
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04/23/2015
The Japan Coast Guard (JCG) has selected the Falcon 2000 Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) proposed by Dassault Aviation to enhance its operational fleet.The Falcon 2000 MSA, based on a Falcon 2000 LXS (range 4000 NM), is designed for a broad range of missions including maritime surveillance, piracy control, drug interdiction, fishery patrol, law enforcement, search and rescue, intelligence and reconnaissance.
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04/23/2015
India’s decision to procure 36 Dassault Rafale combat jets is an attempt to stop short-term hemorrhaging, but is not a substitute for the urgent need to address both the erosion of the Indian Air Force’s (IAF’s) force strength or gaps in higher defense management that continue to plague the Indian armed forces.
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04/23/2015
The Air Force will not follow the Navy into an all-unmanned future strike fleet, as pilots will be needed in the cockpits of most of its combat fleet for the foreseeable future. While the Air Force will increase its reliance on remotely piloted and possibly autonomous aircraft, there will be no replacement for a fighter pilot, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh said Wednesday.
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04/22/2015
The U.S. said Tuesday that deploying warships to Yemen to monitor nearby Iranian vessels has given America "options" for how it could react to Iran's behavior in the region. The warships are being deployed to monitor ships traveling from Iran that could be trafficking arms to Houthi rebels in Yemen, U.S. officials told CNN, saying the move was also meant to reassure allies in the region.
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04/22/2015
Tanker aircraft from four nations are nearing the completion of a European Defence Agency-backed exercise intended to increase interoperability and co-operation. Being conducted from Eindhoven air base in the Netherlands from 13-24 April, the European Air Refuelling Training (EART) activity is also supporting combat aircraft participating in the multinational Frisian Flag manoeuvres, which are running simultaneously from Leeuwarden air base.
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04/22/2015
Personnel at the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base (AFB) – responsible for training F-16 and F-35 fighter pilots and maintainers, qualifying instructors, conducting conversion pilot training, instructing forward air controllers, and deploying mission-ready combat pilots –performed the first F-35 training deployment this month. Luke AFB officials sent 10 F-35 Lightning II aircraft, half the base’s current fleet of F-35 jets, to Nellis AFB, Nevada.
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04/22/2015
The IAF may be forced to junk its transitional training for rookie fighter pilots because of Hindustan Aeronautics' continuing failure to deliver its Sitara intermediate jet trainer (IJT), which was first sanctioned in 1999 but still cannot stall-and-spin. Stall-and-spin is one of the critical maneuvers used to transform rookie cadets into top-gun fighter pilots in the inherently-dangerous art of combat flying.
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04/22/2015
Members of the 317th Airlift Group from Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, flew to Pope Army Airfield April 7, to participate in Combined Joint Operational Access Exercise 15-01. The exercise takes place multiple times each year to certify the Air Force and Army's ability to deploy strategic airlift, contingency and support forces in a large formation airdrop.
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04/22/2015
While visiting France in early April, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced the acquisition of 36 French Dassault Rafale jets. The announcement capped years of sometimes contentious negotiations, which had intensified since Modi came to power last year.
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04/22/2015
Personnel and aircraft from Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township have been deployed to join the fight against ISIS. Maj. Gen. Gregory J. Vadnais, the Adjutant General of the Michigan National Guard, announced Tuesday that approximately 350 airmen and 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II ground attack aircraft from the 127th Wing of the Michigan Air National Guard have been deployed he Middle East as part of Operation Inherent Resolve to help in the fight against ISIS.
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04/22/2015
The Kazakhstan Air Force has received four Sukhoi Su-30SM Flanker C fighter aircraft from Irkut Corporation, a part of the Sukhoi Group. The new twin-engine multifunctional two-seat fighters were handed over at Taldykorgan air base in southern Kazakhstan. A maximum speed of 1,320 miles per hour can be achieved by the Su-30SM, meanwhile it has a ceiling of 56,800ft and a range of 1,620 miles. It is built to order at JSC Corporation Irkut.
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04/22/2015
Aviation from Russia's Northern Fleet has begun anti-ship military exercises in the Barents Sea beyond the Arctic Circle, the Northern Fleet's press service announced Tuesday. "Today, the crews of anti-ship Ka-27 [Helix] helicopters, Il-38 [May] and Tu-142 [Bear-F] airplanes from the Northern Fleet have begun planned exercises on the search and identification of submarines in the Barents Sea using hydro-acoustic equipment, as well as bombing," the press center said.
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04/21/2015
Before Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, the presence of Russian military forces there was strictly defined by a 1997 treaty with Ukraine 1997. The specified that no more than 25,000 Russian military personnel could be present on the peninsula, and only 2,000 of them could be air force and another 2,000 could be marines. Equipment limits also applied. The Russians could have no more than 24 artillery, no more than 142 armored vehicles and 22 military aircraft.
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04/21/2015
The U.S. Air Force is winnowing down its fleet of EC-130H Compass Call electronic attack planes. The 15 high-tech jammers belong to the 55th Electronic Combat Group at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. But if the flying branch has its way, it will retire seven at the turn of the fiscal year in October, according to the Pentagon's budget request.
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04/21/2015
When commercial airlines look at Air Force pilots, they see aviators with upward of 1,500 flying hours and 10 years or more of flying experience. And they want to hire them. As airlines continue to grow and Vietnam-era pilots retire, the airlines will hire about 20,000 pilots over the next 10 years. United, American, Delta and the rest of the world's aviation companies see the Air Force's 13,000 veteran pilots as a ready way to staff their cockpits.
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04/21/2015
The video opens with high-definition footage shot from a drone flying over an oil refinery in central Iraq, but this video isn’t from a multi-million-dollar American drone. It’s from a drone operated by the Islamic State that likely cost a few thousand dollars. And the refinery – Iraq’s largest – is held by government forces, who have been besieged by the militants for the better part of a year.
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04/21/2015
Pakistan dispatched eight JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to escort Chinese President Xi Jinping's plane Monday when it entered Pakistani air space for a state visit to the country. It is a diplomatic etiquette commonly adopted by countries to escort a foreign leader's plane with fighters during a state visit, aimed at showing the importance attached by them to the visit and paying homage to their distinguished guests.
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04/21/2015
India's Rafale deal is not just purchasing fighter jets. It’s also about facing the challenge of national security, and balancing defense relationships as well as bilateral ties. A diplomatic deftness PM Narendra Modi seems to have lived up to. When India, the world's largest arms importer, makes a defense move it is watched keenly. The recent deal on 36 Rafale jets is no exception.
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04/21/2015
The two warships will join seven US warships in the area and come as Iran said it had dispatched nine warships toward Yemen. The aircraft carrier USS “Theodore Roosevelt and [guided-missile cruiser USS] Normandy have joined other US forces conducting maritime security operations in the Arabian Sea, Gulf of Aden, the Strait of Bab-el-Mandeb and the Southern Red Sea,” the US Navy said.
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04/21/2015
Earlier in April, human rights activists claimed that the Syrian regime conducted several barrel bomb attacks on Idlib governorate in March, affecting over 200 people. Human Rights Watch (HRW) cited photo and video evidence saying that up to six attacks involving use of toxic chemicals had been made.
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04/21/2015
The decision will move the B-1 bomber fleets and Long Range Strike-Bombers under the same command as the B-2 and B-52 bombers. “Consolidating all of our Air Force assets in this critical mission area under a single command will help provide a unified voice to maintain the high standards necessary in stewardship of our nation’s bomber forces,” Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James said on Monday.
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04/20/2015
Iraqi security forces backed by heavy air support from the American-led coalition have secured Iraq’s largest oil refinery from a determined Islamic State offensive. But they continued to struggle to fend of Islamic State fighters trying to capture the capital of the country’s largest province. The two battles, one in north central Iraq and the other in the country’s west, are reminders that only a few weeks after trumpeting the capture of the city of Tikrit from Islamist fighters.
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04/20/2015
The weapons are part of a deal to bolster the country's defences against the Islamic State (IS) group and other jihadist groups pressing along Lebanon's Syrian border. On Monday, anti-tank guided missiles will be delivered to an air force base in Beirut, overseen by French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian and his Lebanese counterpart, Samir Mokbel.
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04/20/2015
The popular narrative surrounding the conflict between the West and Iran has always been one of a dangerous rogue state bent on obtaining nuclear weapons before triggering a nuclear-fueled Armageddon aimed at Israel. Underneath this elementary propaganda, lies a more complex truth underpinning a proxy conflict between East and West.
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04/20/2015
To wage war in Yemen, Saudi Arabia is using F-15 fighter jets bought from Boeing. Pilots from the United Arab Emirates are flying Lockheed Martin's F-16 to bomb both Yemen and Syria. Soon the Emirates are expected to complete a deal with General Atomics for a fleet of Predator drones to run spying missions in their neighborhood.
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04/20/2015
The United Arab Emirates has restarted talks on ordering the Dassault Rafale, with a planned major upgrade of the fighter jet in contrast to the off-the-shelf deals for Egypt and India, said an Arabian Gulf official source familiar with the issue. "Yes, there are renewed discussions," the gulf source said April 14. The talks could take some time "to reach an understanding" that meets the needs of the UAE Air Force, the source said.
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04/20/2015
Over the long years of its development, the F-35 fighter jet has been pummeled from every angle. What haven’t we heard: It’s overweight and underpowered; it’s a single engine when it should be a twin; its engine may suffer from a serious design and structural problem; its wings are too short, its stealth capacity too tenuous, its cost too prohibitive.
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04/20/2015
There is something about the procurement of fighter aircraft from Western commercial sources that generates interest far greater than perhaps the sum of its economic or strategic content. The entire spectacle of open tendering, nail-biting selection followed by endless negotiations, all played out in the public arena, resembles a soap opera more than the very serious business of dealing with a strategic weapon system for war fighting.
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04/20/2015
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus SAS of Toulouse said it is willing to set-up final assembly lines and establish supply chain and related infrastructure for military transport aircraft and helicopters in India. The defence and space unit of Airbus has also plans to develop and manufacture electronic sensors with a partner in India, and has advanced discussions to support state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s combat aircraft programmes.
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04/20/2015
"Basir is a self-control drone that moves according to the flight plan in the specified routes and land in the same take-off point after ending its mission," an official of the Northwestern city of Zanjan's 216 Armored Brigade Mohammad Mohammadi said Saturday, Fars news agency reported.
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04/19/2015
Two Greek F-16 jets intercepted two F-16 jets belonging to the Turkish Air Force on Saturday, according to a press release from the Turkish General Staff Headquarters. According to the report, the fighter jets were on a training flight in international air space over the Mediterranean Sea. Turkish General Staff said that the Turkish military planes were intercepted by the Greek planes for a total of 2 minutes and 40 seconds, prompting the Turkish jets to respond in kind.
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04/19/2015
Militiamen loyal to Yemen's exiled president besieged an air base Saturday once crucial to the U.S. drone program targeting al-Qaida militants in the country, trying to dislodge the Shiite rebels holding the complex, a spokesman said. Qa'ed Nasser, a spokesman for the pro-Hadi militia, said his fighters launched several attacks on the Al-Annad air base amid airstrikes by a Saudi-led coalition targeting the rebels, known as Houthis.
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04/19/2015
On a wall inside the HSC-25 command building at Andersen Air Force Base, a plaque hangs emblazoned with the phrase "So others may live." It's flanked on the sides and below by more than 1,000 smaller plaques, each commemorating a successful rescue, medevac or firefighting mission. Flight training officer Lt. Monica Mondloch said new plaques appear on the wall every few months, memorializing the mission's date, crew members and location.
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04/19/2015
The commander of the US army in Europe has warned that Nato must remain united in the face of a "real threat" from Russia. "It's not an assumption. There is a Russian threat," Lt-Gen Frederick "Ben" Hodges said. "You've got the Russian ambassador threatening that Denmark will be a nuclear target if it participates in any missile defence programme. And when you look at the unsafe way Russian aircraft are flying without transponders in proximity to civilian aircraft, that's not professional conduc
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04/19/2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's decision to buy 36 Rafale multi-role fighter jets off-the-shelf from France in a government-government deal was a surprise, but it was timely and bold, putting at rest rumors and debates that tend to show the country and its decision-making process in poor light. We are bombarded with information and some disinformation. Invariably, facts get dulled when emotions rise.
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04/18/2015
The Persian Gulf sits at the nexus of multiple regional security complexes overlaid one upon another, creating a delicately balanced yet dangerously volatile mosaic of cultural politics and armed forces. As a result, the calculated political positioning of states within the region have ramifications that produce a ripple effect across the entire globe.
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04/18/2015
An Air Force officer is on her way to realizing her dream of being a fighter pilot, as she is undergoing flight training at an air force base in the eastern county of Taitung. After three months of training at the base, 1st Lt. Kao Tzu-yu completed a mission of flying an F-5E fighter solo that included mid-air drills such as rolls, on Wednesday.
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04/18/2015
Two military aircraft allegedly collided with each other during a training session off the coast of the central province of Binh Thuan on Thursday, with the fate of the two pilots still unknown.
The Russian-made fighter jet Su-22M4 were believed to crash into the East Sea about 10 to 15 nautical miles north of Phu Quy Island.
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04/18/2015
he 56th Fighter Wing performed the first F-35 training deployment from Luke Air Force Base April 4 through 18, sending 10 aircraft to Nellis AFB, NV, for two weeks to see how well the team could conduct operations elsewhere. The 10 aircraft comprise half of Luke's current fleet of F-35 Lightning IIs.
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04/18/2015
Selex has been awarded a contract to supply its Skyward-G infrared search-and-track (IRST) systems to Saab.Under the contract, Selex will deliver 60 Skyward-G systems for installation on-board the Swedish Air Force's Gripen E multi-role combat aircraft fleet. Manufactured at Selex's facility in Nerviano, Italy, the Skyward-G is a long-range electro-optical sensor designed to register heat emissions from other aircraft, helicopters, as well as threats from the ground and sea surface.
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04/18/2015
Beijing issued a statement saying Japanese spy vehicles posed a threat to Chinese ships and planes. The comments come just days after Tokyo said it has been increasingly forced to scramble fighter jets in response to Russian and Chinese incursions. In a statement sent to Reuters, China's Defense Ministry said that Beijing “has a grip on the tracking and surveillance by Japanese ships and aircraft.”
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04/18/2015
New satellite imagery shows the extent of China’s construction of artificial islands in the South China Sea. Fiery Cross Reef could soon serve as a military-grade runway in the middle of the ocean. And despite its own military presence in the region, US officials are in panic.
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04/17/2015
The US Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) tested a prototype of the Persistent Close Air Support (PCAS) system for the first time during the US Marine Corps’ Talon Reach exercise. A full-system PCAS was tested during the exercise in March in an effort to demonstrate the system’s ability to share real-time situational awareness data between air and ground.
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04/17/2015
Rep. Martha McSally (R-Ariz.) says lawmakers are working on a measure in the annual defense policy bill to keep the A-10 attack jet flying. “It’s best to be in the chairman’s mark because then it’s paid for. That’s what we’re working on,” the retired Air Force colonel and former A-10 fighter pilot said Thursday during an interview with The Hill.
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04/17/2015
On Apr. 16, “Salty Dog 502?, one of the two Unmanned Carrier Air Vehicle demonstrator (UCAS-D) aircraft of the X-47B program performed autonomous aerial refueling (AAR) test, plugging the in-flight refueling (IFR) probe into the hose of a Omega Air tanker off the coast of Maryland.
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04/17/2015
Saab of Sweden and Embraer of Brazil have formalized their partnership to supply Gripen NG fighters for Brazil's F-X2 air force project. The agreement signed earlier this week follows a previous Memorandum of Understanding on management of the F-X2 project for the Brazilian Air Force and the transfer of Gripen technology.
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04/17/2015
The first example of the nEUROn UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle), the full-scale technology demonstrator developed by France, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Greece, has started a new testing phase in Sardinia.
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04/17/2015
The operational use of the carrier-based joint strike fighter could mark the beginning of the end of the Navy's manned bombing sorties, if the Navy secretary gets his way. The F-35C "should be, and almost certainly will be, the last manned strike fighter aircraft the Department of the Navy will ever buy or fly," Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in a speech Wednesday at the annual Sea-Air-Space Exposition outside Washington, D.C. Fighter jocks would still be needed for dogfighting.
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04/17/2015
Foreign fighter jet makers see a multi-billion dollar opportunity in India's decision to scale back purchases of high-end aircraft from France, which may free up cash in the world's largest arms importer to buy a new fleet of mid-range planes. Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced last week that India would buy 36 French Rafale jets for an estimated $4.3 billion (2.88 billion pounds), in effect ending talks on a larger deal for 126 planes that would have sucked up some $20 billion.
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04/17/2015
“Right now we have no arms delivery contracts with Russia, but we are considering such a possibility and deciding exactly which types of Russian-made military hardware we really need,” Brigadier-General Rafael Jose Nunez said. He also mentioned the “high probability” of the Latin American country signing contracts with Russia on repairing and upgrading weapons previously purchased from Moscow.
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04/17/2015
Tehran is expecting to finalize an agreement on deliveries of Russian S-300 air defense systems within a month to ensure the implementation of the 2010 contract by the end of 2015, Iranian Defense Minister Hossein Dehghan said Thursday.
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04/16/2015
The Libya Dawn militia group appears to be making a number of MiG-25 aircraft operational, with satellite imagery showing two of the aircraft moved to an air base in Misrata. Google Earth satellite imagery from 31 January showed one MiG-25 parked at the base but imagery taken on 28 February showed three. Earlier this month a photo surfaced showing people apparently working on a two-seat MiG-25PU.
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04/16/2015
The first simulator for the Israeli Air Force's most advanced jets – the F-35 – arrived in the Jewish State recently and was unveiled on Wednesday at an airbase in the Negev as part of the preparations for the advanced warplane's expected delivery in 20 months. The simulator will integrate with the rest of the air force's preparations ahead of the establishment of the first squadron for the stealth fighter, codenamed Adir in Hebrew.
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04/16/2015
Cracks were also discovered in another six F-5 planes,which will be repaired between now and the first quarter of 2016, the department said. A fissure in the supporting structure of one of the air force’s F-5E Tiger planes was first noticed in 2014. A larger crack was noted in the airframe of a second plane in January 2015 leading to a detailed examination of all the 36 F-5 Tiger aircraft that were flying regularly.
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04/16/2015
Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) has handed over the final upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to the Turkish Air Force during a ceremony at its facility in Ankara. In April 2005, the Turkish and US Governments signed an initial letter of offer and acceptance (LOA) for upgrade of 163 Turkish F-16 fighter aircraft under the $1.1bn Peace Onyx III (PO-III) programme, as reported by IHS Jane's.
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04/16/2015
Two weeks after a critical victory at Tikrit, where a combination of U.S. airstrikes, government troops and Shiite Muslim militias overwhelmed an Islamic State force that had held the city for nearly a year, the Iraqi government faced a new challenge Wednesday, a sign of how much remains to be done to defeat the militants.
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04/16/2015
On April 7, a Russian fighter jet nearly collided with a U.S. Air Force spy plane over the Baltic Sea. The actions of the Russian aviator—which the Pentagon later called “sloppy”—underscore increasing tensions in Europe between the two countries. When the incident occurred, the RC-135U Combat Sent was flying over the Baltic near—and possibly snooping on—the Russian-controlled enclave of Kaliningrad.
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04/16/2015
The first combat and training aircraft Yak-130 for the Belarusian army has been delivered to the city of Lida, representatives of the Belarusian Defense Ministry told BelTA. The aircraft was delivered in a disassembled form by an IL-76 cargo aircraft. It will be assembled by Russian specialists later on. These aircraft will improve flight personnel training capacity right up to training how to fly prospective fifth-generation aircraft, explained the Defense Ministry.
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04/16/2015
Japan's air force said Wednesday that jet fighter scrambles have reached a level not seen since the height of the Cold War three decades ago as Russian bombers probe its northern skies and Chinese combat aircraft intrude into its southern air space. In the year ending March 31, Japanese fighters scrambled 944 times, 16 percent more than the same period the previous year, the country's Self Defense Force said.
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04/16/2015
The new Indian government’s decision ‘in principle’ to buy 36 Rafale combat aircraft direct from the Dassault production line in France, announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on April 10, appears to spell the end of the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) acquisition process. Speaking on Indian television two days later, defense minister Manohar Parrikar acknowledged that the protracted delay in closing the MMRCA deal.
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04/16/2015
In 2013 and 2014, The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) took delivery of 15 new Boeing-built CH-147F Chinook helicopters, among the most capable and advanced variants of the legendary Chinook family. Now, the RCAF and Boeing have unveiled an equally advanced training facility for those helicopters.
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04/15/2015
Britain's Ministry of Defense said Typhoon fighter jets were launched after two Russian military planes were spotted flying close to British airspace. "Royal Air Force Quick Reaction Alert Typhoon fighter aircraft were launched today, from RAF Lossiemouth after Russian aircraft were identified flying close to UK airspace," the ministry said in a statement given to CBS News. "The Russian planes were escorted by the RAF until they were out of the UK area of interest.
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04/15/2015
They wax lyrical about the decline of their own forces, explain the growth of those of their challengers, and worry about the long term consequences for stability in many parts of the world. "What we have seen in the last two decades is a form of physical and moral disarmament… we're in a very dangerous place," said General Sir Richard Shirreff, number two in Nato's military structure until last summer.
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04/15/2015
India's defence R&D establishment will have to fire on all cylinders to fast-track the meandering Tejas light combat aircraft, which is still not fully operational or combat ready, if it does not want the Narendra Modi government to critically re-examine the entire project. The Tejas project, in fact, may even get some competition in the light-weight fighter category.
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04/15/2015
Marines with Marine Attack Squadron 223 traveled to Key West, Fla. to conduct air-to-air training March 18 through April 12. The squadron conducted the training to hone their skills to provide offensive air support, armed reconnaissance, and air defense for the Marine Air-Ground Task Force.
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04/15/2015
Prime Minister Modi’s move in Paris to offer a fresh deal to acquire 36 Rafale jets, buried the original contract for purchasing 126 of these next generation fighters. With one stroke, the Modi government has killed many birds. First, the purchase of new aircraft will settle, for the time being, the IAF’s anxiety over dwindling fighter strength.
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04/15/2015
The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has built a robot to pull, bend, and twist samples of the composite materials used to build F/A-18s and other aircraft. Dr. John Michopoulos leads the project. With a machine that can, as he says, "Measure so much more than anybody else," and some very advanced math, he can "create a theory that is consistent with all these experiments that we made, and works for all scales.
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04/15/2015
In an interview for Russia's RIA Novosti, Greek defense analyst Ilias Iliopoulos noted that in the interests of closer military-technical cooperation with Russia, Greece could allow the country to use of its military bases, and that this possibility may well be discussed during the Greek Defense Minister's visit to Moscow later this week.
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04/15/2015
Israel may start sending arms to Ukraine in response to Russia’s decision to lift its five-year embargo on the delivery of the S-300 missile system to Iran, NRG reports Tuesday, citing unnamed Israeli military source. According to NRG, Israeli government has not made any decisions yet on sending weapons to Ukraine.
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04/15/2015
Russian MiG-31 (Foxhound) interceptor jet pilots have held air combat exercises over the Kamchatka Peninsula, the Russian Defense Ministry's Eastern Military District's press service said Tuesday. "The task of destroying a simulated enemy was complicated with poor weather conditions that are currently in Kamchatka," the press service said.
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04/14/2015
Taiwan’s defence planners are in a precarious position. Modernization of the PLA has irreversibly tilted the qualitative edge towards Beijing, and Taiwan lacks the wherewithal to engage in an arms race with its powerful neighbour, who happens to claim Taiwan as part of its territory. Perhaps the only way out is to redirect efforts towards asymmetrical platforms: Taiwan needs to mount anti-access/area-denial (A2AD) capability on its own.
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04/14/2015
Russia’s potential delivery of anti-aircraft S-300 missile systems to Iran has long been shrouded in controversy and contradictions. But with Russian President Vladimir Putin’s decree allowing shipments of these high-precision systems to Tehran, will Moscow finally make good on these deliveries? Public statements from Russian officials suggest Moscow is serious about supplying this hardware to Iran after Putin’s April 13 decree lifting an earlier ban on these shipments.
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04/14/2015
Russia and its Nato neighbours in the Baltic have agreed dramatic increases in their military budgets, in marked contrast to countries that are further west and away from potential conflict zones, according to a report published by a leading think tank. Spending on arms will rise this year by 60% in Russia, by 50% in Lithuania, by nearly 20% in Poland, and by nearly 15% in Latvia, says the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute, Sipri.
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04/14/2015
Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi is visiting Washington Tuesday at a crucial moment in the war against the Islamic State. The recapture of the Sunni city of Tikrit, north of Baghdad, has brought the war to an inflection point, and two major questions now loom for military officials: Where should the counter-offensive go next and what more do the Iraqis need from Washington to press it?
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04/14/2015
The Department of Defense daily releases a list of U.S. and coalition airstrikes conducted in the previous 24 hours against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces across war-torn Iraq and Syria. Periodically a news outlet will use the strike data to weigh the effort by the United States and allies in trying to use air power alone, plus training of indigenous forces, to destroy radical Muslims spreading violence and fear.
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04/14/2015
The Navy is in the midst of sweeping changes in aviation, particularly in the future carrier air wing. As engineers continue to develop the F-35C Lightning II, the carrier variant of the stealth aircraft that has suffered repeated delays, service officials are trying to ensure an adequate number of F/A-18 Hornets and Super Hornets are available to operate at sea.
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04/14/2015
The defence minister indicated on Monday a $25-billion Indian tender for buying 126 advanced combat aircraft had virtually been scrapped, with New Delhi stressing any future deal for Rafale fighter jets would be through direct negotiations with the French government.
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04/14/2015
The Islamic State (ISIL) terrorist group has lost up to 30 percent of its territory in Iraq to US-led coalition forces, the US Department of Defense (DoD) announced in a statement. “Some 25 percent to 30 percent of Iraqi territory has been taken back from Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant [ISIL] terrorist group control by coalition forces,” Army Col. Steve Warren said in the DoD statement on Monday.
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04/14/2015
The Pentagon issued an official complaint Sunday over a Russian SU-27 fighter's interception of a US RC-135U reconnaissance plane over the Baltic Sea, citing the plane's "unsafe and unprofessional maneuvers" in close proximity to the spy plane, AP has reported.
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04/14/2015
The political and military crisis in Ukraine prompted European countries to increase their military spending, an arms watchdog said Monday. "The Ukraine crisis has fundamentally altered the security situation in Europe, but so far the impact on military spending is mostly apparent in countries bordering Russia.
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04/13/2015
Prime minister Abadi made it very clear that he had requested American air power to be used at Tikrit to support Iraqi Army units attacking the city. Abadi said he did this even though Iran told him that the Iranian supported Shia militias, which comprised most of the manpower attacking Tikrit, would withdraw. Abadi was not happy with how the Shia militias were taking all the credit for the advance on Tikrit but were unable to advance into the city center.
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04/13/2015
The mega deal with Rafaele is the first landmark in the Make In India plan for the defence sector, and promises to put into throttle investments and expansion of small and large industry to produce parts and tech that needs to go with it. It's a contract for 36 ready-to-fly fourth generation aircraft and 90 that will be built in India.
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04/13/2015
The Turkish Air Force received the last of a batch of F-16 fighter jets which underwent a comprehensive upgrade program. Speaking at a ceremony here at the corporate headquarters of Tusas Turkish Aerospace Industries, Turkey's chief procurement official Ismail Demir said the upgrade program substantially boosted Turkey's air combat power. "We are not dreamers, but we have dreams" Demir said, referring to Turkey's own efforts to design, develop and produce an indigenous fighter jet.
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04/13/2015
Why not just send in the drones? That seems the easy solution against the Islamic State, which has the capacity to shoot down jet aircraft and is vicious enough to burn captured pilots alive. Yet as of March 31, only a handful of the more than 5,500 airstrikes carried out by the US and allies against ISIS were conducted by remote-control drones. Whatever Hollywood may tell you, the drone revolution is still in its infancy.
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04/13/2015
Last month's commissioning of the Japanese helicopter carrier Izumo spearheads the buildup of Maritime Self-Defense Force (MSDF) antisubmarine capabilities, analysts said. Defense Minister Gen Nakatani led the March 25 commissioning of the 248-meter, 24,000-ton helicopter carrier, Japan's largest postwar naval vessel, capable of carrying seven Mitsubishi-built SH-60K antisubmarine warfare (ASW) helicopters and seven AgustaWestland MCM-101 mine countermeasure helicopters.
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04/13/2015
To date approximately 50 people based at 19 Wing Comox have participated in Canada's contribution to the fight against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) in the Middle East, including air crews, maintenance, logistics and support workers.
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04/13/2015
A 76 page report by the Center for Budgetary and Strategic Assessments Trends in Air-to-air combat : Implications for future air superiority by John Stillion indicates that dogfighting jet capability no longer matters. Trends from the database of air combat since 1965 show the rise of long range missiles and a steep decline in dog-fighting. Of the 33 U.S. kills in the 1991 Persian Gulf war, only four involved any maneuvering at all.
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04/13/2015
U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Katie Higgins is the first female pilot in the team’s 69-year history. Katie reported to Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Florida, for aviation indoctrination in November 2009. She completed primary flight training in the T-6B Texan II at NAS Whiting Field, Florida, and completed intermediate and advanced training in the T-44 Pegasus while assigned to Training Squadron 31 (VT-31) at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. She received her wings of gold in October 2011.
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04/12/2015
The U.S. military has begun air-refueling operations for the Saudi-led coalition conducting airstrikes in Yemen, the Pentagon said Wednesday, signaling a deepening of American support for the Arab air campaign. The Pentagon also said the United States would expedite delivery of ammunition to the Saudis and other members of the coalition who are bombing targets in Yemen. The expedited ammunition has not been delivered yet but will include bombs and guidance systems.
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04/12/2015
U.S. military spending may be flat, but that’s not proving to be much of a problem for Israeli defense company Elbit Systems Ltd. That’s because the company, while long dependent on the U.S. for much of its sales, has been shifting its focus to faster growing markets in Asia and Latin America. Elbit said last month that demand from those regions helped push up its backlog of orders to $6.3 billion at year-end, an 8 percent jump from 2013.
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04/12/2015
Recently Eastern Russian Ministry of Defense fighter and attack aviation pilots of advanced Su-35 fighter aircraft practiced firing “air to air” missiles at special thermal targets meant to simulate the heat signatures of an enemy aircraft. “These are advance dog fighting techniques”, said one Russian pilot who wished not to be identified in this report.
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04/12/2015
The most sensitive border in Europe lies 130 miles east of Estonia’s elegant presidential palace. Elsewhere, the threat posed by Russia might seem academic or even alarmist, but for President Toomas Hendrik Ilves, the possibility of Estonia becoming the epicentre of the world’s next crisis is very real. As the smallest Baltic state – and the one possessing the longest frontier with Russia – Estonia is arguably the most exposed country in Europe.
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04/12/2015
Traditional fighter aircraft like the F-22 are becoming obsolete, according to a forthcoming study by a leading U.S. defense think tank. Next week the Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) will publish a new paper entitled “Air-to-Air Combat – Implications for Future Air Superiority.”
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04/12/2015
The Department of Defense daily releases a list of U.S. and coalition airstrikes conducted in the previous 24 hours against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces across war-torn Iraq and Syria. Periodically a news outlet will use the strike data to weigh the effort by the United States and allies in trying to use air power alone, plus training of indigenous forces, to destroy radical Muslims spreading violence and fear.
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04/12/2015
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus SAS of Toulouse said it is willing to set-up final assembly lines and establish supply chain and related infrastructure for military transport aircraft and helicopters in India. The defence and space unit of Airbus has also plans to develop and manufacture electronic sensors with a partner in India, and has advanced discussions to support state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd’s combat aircraft programmes.
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04/12/2015
India will induct French Rafale fighters to the Indian Air Force (IAF) within two years, Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said Saturday. On Friday, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said during his visit to Paris that India will buy 36 French Rafale jet fighters under “fly-away” condition.
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04/11/2015
A Russia Su-27 jet fighter flew dangerously close and nearly collided with a U.S. reconnaissance aircraft this week in the latest aerial provocation by Moscow, defense officials revealed to the Washington Free Beacon. The Su-27 conducted the close-in intercept of an RC-135 reconnaissance aircraft in international airspace over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday, said officials. The incident prompted a diplomatic protest.
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04/11/2015
India has agreed to acquire 36 Rafale fighter jets from Dassault Aviation SA, marking another victory in France’s push to compete with American-made combat planes. The deal, announced during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s first visit to Paris on Friday, aims to wrap up more than three years of protracted negotiations between India’s government and Dassault Aviation. French officials said both sides were still negotiating the final details of the acquisition, including the final price.
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04/11/2015
The French Air Force and Navy are evaluating a terrain-following capability for single-seat variants of the Rafale multi-role combat aircraft. The new flight control mode has been developed by the air force's military aircraft test center (CEAM) and the navy's naval aviation flight trials detachment (Det CEPA). After integration into the aircraft, the new feature will enable the aircraft to fly at high-speed and low-level over the ground or sea.
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04/11/2015
The Air Force has released its full breakdown of unfunded priorities for 2016, with aircraft repairs and modernization making up most of the bill, including even funds for some aircraft the service is attempting to retire. The services on March 27 provided a cost breakdown of programs that didn't make their budget requests, which lawmakers can attempt to include in the defense authorization bill.budget request includes programs deemed more important than those in the unfunded list.
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04/11/2015
MV-22 Ospreys replaced the Marines' last squadron of CH-46E helicopters Thursday, officially ending the Sea Knight's 50-year run as the troop and supply transport workhorse of the Corps. Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron 164 received the first Sea Knights assigned to the West Coast in early 1965 and introduced the medium-lift helicopter to combat in Vietnam in 1966. Parts of the squadron also flew missions in the evacuation of Saigon, making it the first in and last out of the Southeast Asian co
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04/11/2015
China is rapidly building coast guard ships, the vessels that China most commonly uses for patrols in the South China Sea, and in the last three years has increased the number of ships in that category 25 percent, a new report by the United States Navy says. China has the world’s largest coast guard fleet, with more such ships than its neighbors Japan, Vietnam, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines combined, the report shows.
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04/11/2015
The retaking of Tikrit from Islamic State elements provided many lessons for Baghdad, especially when it comes to continuing the fight against the militant group. Tikrit was the first battle that brought the full spectrum of anti-Islamic State forces into the same space. In addition to the Sunni tribal elements, Shiite militias and Iranian advisers supporting Iraqi security forces at the behest of Baghdad, U.S.-led coalition aircraft carried out precision bombing missions.
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04/11/2015
The Argentine ambassador has been hauled into the British Foreign Office to explain a threat by Buenos Aires to prosecute any British company that drills for oil and gas off the Falkland Islands. Bellicose President Cristina Fernandez de Kirchner made the threat in a speech to mark the 33rd anniversary of the Falklands conflict, promising legal action against any British company that drilled in the waters surrounding the disputed islands.
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04/11/2015
In Greek mythology, Gorgons were creatures whose terrible visages could turn men to stone with a single glance. The Air Force’s Gorgon Stare sensor system can’t do that, but its unrelenting gaze is turning thousands of terrorists into targets who can no longer elude U.S. weapons. The service almost never discloses details about operations in Afghanistan and elsewhere using the drone-mounted system, but insiders say Gorgon Stare has become the number-one reconnaissance asset.
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04/11/2015
Its nickname is Predator Porn, and Paul Rolfe used to watch it 12 hours a day. Sometimes it was horrific, sometimes it was life affirming; mostly it was just dull. But whenever fellow soldiers at his airbase in Nevada wandered past the "live feeds" from his console, he'd notice how their eyes would wander to the screen and have trouble looking away.
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04/10/2015
Russia is so close that the F-16 fighter pilots can see it on the horizon as they swoop down over a training range in Estonia in the biggest ever show of U.S. air power in the Baltic countries. The simulated bombs release smoke on impact, but the M-61 cannon fires live ammunition, rattling the aircraft with a deafening tremor and shattering targets on the ground.
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04/10/2015
The South Korean and U.S. Air Forces launched a large-scale, regular aerial exercise on Friday to boost combined defense capabilities. The biannual Max Thunder joint maneuver, set to take place in South Korean airspace through April 24, will "involve around 100 aircraft and 1,400 service personnel from the allies to display and hone our best combined air defense capabilities," the Air Force headquarters said in a release.
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04/10/2015
Since 2008, when the economic crisis in Spain began, the Spanish government has spent 130 billion euros ($139.76 billion) on military purposes, according to the Center’s estimates. "There is no danger to Spain's security that require such investments, no attacks from other countries," Ortega said.
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04/10/2015
The Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF) is using its new Typhoon jets for the first time in the bombing campaign against the Houthi rebels in Yemen. “The Typhoon aircraft is an amazing plane,” said Monther M. Tayeb, spokesman for BAE Systems, one of the manufacturers. Tayeb said the aircraft “combines a proven, agile airframe built from excellent materials with the latest sensor, control and weapons systems, thus delivering the optimum combat capability.”
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04/10/2015
Lockheed Martin could lose up to $40 million because it’s late delivering fully functioning software for the first F-35 fighters due to be declared combat-ready, according to the Pentagon. The money is part of $100 million that the Pentagon’s program office has held out as incentives for Lockheed, the contractor on the $391.1 billion F-35 program, to complete three successive versions of software needed to give the jet increasingly advanced combat capabilities.
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04/10/2015
The Department of Defense daily releases a list of U.S. and coalition airstrikes conducted in the previous 24 hours against Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) forces across war-torn Iraq and Syria. Periodically, a news outlet will use the strike data to weigh the effort by the United States and allies in trying to use air power alone, plus training of indigenous forces, to destroy radical Muslims spreading violence and fear.
(Read More...)
04/10/2015
Croatia has confirmed that it will retain a combat fixed-wing fleet, which will include restarting a programme for the replacement of its aging Mikoyan MiG-21 bisD/UMD aircraft. The Croatian state defence council - chaired by President Kolinda Grabar-Kitarovic - confirmed the decision, and the ministry of defence is believed to be “already evaluating three possible options” to replace its MiG-21 fleet.
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04/10/2015
This year’s snap combat readiness checks will involve all types of troops from all Russian military districts, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Thursday. Over 3,500 military drills were held in Russia in 2015, with many large-scale drills yet to be conducted, Putin added.
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04/10/2015
Sukhoi Su-35 (Flanker-E) supermaneuverable multirole fighters have been relocated from the Khabarovsk Territory to the Primorsky Territory to take part in the tactical flight training, involving fighter jets and assault aviation, Russia's Ministry of Defense said.
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04/09/2015
The commander in charge of homeland defense signed an order to upgrade his F-16s with a specific threat in mind: cruise missiles headed into the U.S. North American Aerospace Defense Command earlier this year issued an urgent operational need request for new active electronically scanned array radar for F-16s tasked with protecting the homeland. The service is moving quickly on the request, with the goal of installing the systems first on F-16s tasked with protecting the National Capital Region.
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04/09/2015
After integrating “smart” rocket launchers on MH-60S helicopters last year, the U.S. Navy now is equipping the MH-60R with the same modernized capability, Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) announced in an April 7 release.
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04/09/2015
The Navy and Marine Corps are preparing their amphibious assault ships for the F-35B Joint Strike Fighter’s first ever deployment slated for 2018. The Marine Corps short-take-off-and-landing variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, the F-35B, will be the first ever fifth-generation aircraft to deploy. The Navy is working to prepare the flight decks, sensors and weapons systems on board several amphibs are ready in 2018, service leaders told reporters April 7.
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04/09/2015
The time has come for the United States to consider ending the sale of upgrades for F-16 fighter aircraft to Taiwan and instead shift military sales and cooperation to emphasize anti-access capabilities and concepts of operation.
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04/09/2015
The U.S. Marine Corps plans to carry out a tough, separate "inspection" before declaring the first squadron of 10 Lockheed Martin Corp F-35 fighter jets ready for initial combat use, the Marine Corps' top aviator said on Wednesday. Deputy Commandant for Aviation Lieutenant General Jon Davis told Reuters he was keeping close tabs on 13 items required to approve combat use of the jets, now ready after years of delays and cost overruns.
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04/09/2015
America’s next war plane may look much more like a stealthy long-range bomber than a sleek, fast and maneuverable fighter. That’s the conclusion of a wide-ranging study by the respected Center for Budgetary and Strategic Assessments. Breaking Defense obtained a copy of the report from a source not affiliated with CSBA.
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04/09/2015
The US Air Force desperately needs modernization: the American military air fleet is the smallest the United States has ever had since 1947, while its aircraft are the oldest that they have ever been, the US Air Force Secretary revealed.
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04/09/2015
A United States military commander said Russia has increased the number of flights by its long-range bomber fleet to demonstrate its status as a world power – a tactic American forces also use for precisely the same reason.
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04/09/2015
The Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) has conducted its first airstrike on the positions of the Islamic State militant group in Syria, Canadian Defense Minister Jason Kenney said Wednesday.
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04/08/2015
The U.S. State Department has given the nod to Pakistan's possible acquisition of attack helicopters and missiles from the United States. The possible sale through the Foreign Military Sales program would be for 15 AH-1Z Viper attack helicopters and 1,000 AGM-114 R Hellfire II missiles in containers for an estimated $952 million.
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04/08/2015
The Canadian government has floated tenders to purchase new search and rescue planes for the forces. The new aircraft will be replace the ageing fleet of "Buffalo" search planes. Besides Buffalo, the air force also uses the older H-model variant of the C-130 Hercules cargo planes. The new tender will bring aircraft that will replace both.
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04/08/2015
The crash of three military aircraft in late February and early March have prompted Turkey’s defense procurement officials to accelerate their efforts to choose a conceptual trainer aircraft, a program that should progress in tandem with a plan to build an indigenous Turkish fighter jet. Turkish officials said the twin crashes were a forceful reminder of a pressing need “to go faster” in selecting a fighter aircraft model based on which Turkey would also build a trainer.
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04/08/2015
Air Force tankers are standing by to provide fuel for Saudi Arabian pilots as they combat extremists in Yemen, but the U.S. won't foot the bill. The Saudi government requested U.S. tanker support for their fighter pilots, and the U.S. agreed as long as the Saudis reimburse the gas bill, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said Tuesday. The tankers are standing by, but have not launched for a refueling sortie yet.
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04/08/2015
Kadena Air Base pulled off their most aggressive exercise to date with Forceful Tiger off the coast of Okinawa, April 1. Forceful Tiger was a large force exercise (LFE) designed to demonstrate the 18th Wing's combat capabilities to defend Okinawa and had more participation from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron than ever before.
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04/08/2015
General Electric (GE) wants to supply state-of-the-art aircraft engines for Korea's next-generation indigenous fighter jet program. The world's leading infrastructure and technology firm plans to offer Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI), a preferred bidder for the Korean Fighter experimental (KF-X) program, to use its F414-GE-400 engine.
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04/08/2015
Indonesia has taken an interest in buying Russia's brand new multirole fighter jet Sukhoi Su-35, United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) head Yuri Slyusar told Interfax in Ho Chi Minh City on Tuesday. "Indonesian colleagues are interested in buying this plane. The negotiations are at their beginning," Slyusar said.
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04/08/2015
British service chiefs are girding themselves for a post-election battle over defence spending. With UK and Nato forces cut so low that many feel they are now unable to mount an effective response to mounting global challenges, the contest over resources will be intense.
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04/08/2015
The Air Force has announced bonuses for select fighter and drone pilots. The categories of pilots eligible for the bonus – which go as high as $225,000, with half of it paid up front in a lump sum – include 11F fighter pilots, 11U remotely piloted aircraft pilots and 11X pilots who agree to move into the 11U specialty for their entire career.
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04/07/2015
A Jordanian military training jet crashed on Monday during a training mission in the eastern desert, near city of Mafraq, killing the pilot and his trainee, an army military source was quoted by Petra. The army said the trainee is an Iraqi national, while the pilot is Jordanian. Both died instantly as their plane hit the ground, according to sources.
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04/07/2015
Less than two years after being spotted in the air for the first time the new Chinese KJ-500 AWACS (Air Warning And Control System) aircraft has entered service. The KJ-500 AWACS can track over 60 aircraft at ranges of up to 470 kilometers. The KJ-500 aircraft looks more like the American AWACS (with a round radar dome on top) but is smaller and carried by the Y-9 four engine turboprop aircraft (similar to the U.S. C-130).
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04/07/2015
When the Obama Administration announced in January 2012 that the U.S. defense posture would be “rebalanced” to emphasize the Asia-Pacific region, that was not good news for the Army. America’s preeminent land force had largely abandoned the region after the Vietnam War, leaving almost no soldiers stationed west of the International Dateline outside the Korean Peninsula.
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04/07/2015
A test to prove an autonomous unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) can be refueled in flight could happen by the end of this month, officials with Naval Air Systems Command told USNI News on Monday. The test would pair a Northrop Grumman X-47B Unmanned Combat Air System demonstrator (UCAS-D) with a contracted tanker to prove out software that could allow future unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) to be autonomously aerially refueled (AAR).
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04/07/2015
One of the many unanswered questions surrounding the so-called framework agreement on Iran’s nuclear program is whether and how it will limit Russia’s arms trade with Iran, including Moscow’s long-standing interest in selling advanced surface-to-air missiles. In fact, managing the Russian-Iranian military relationship may become increasingly difficult if the negotiating parties reach a final agreement by their self-imposed June deadline.
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04/07/2015
India will not ink the mega $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 fighters till France agrees to stick to its original pricing, which led its Rafale fighter to defeat the Eurofighter Typhoon in commercial evaluation over three years ago.
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04/07/2015
Pakistan's Defence Minister, Khawaja Asif, told the parliament on Monday that Saudi Arabia has sought fighter aircraft, warships and troops as the Saudi-led Arab allies have continued airstrikes against Shiite Houthi rebels in Yemen. "Saudi Arabia has asked for combat planes, warships and soldiers,"Asif, who recently visited Saudi Arabia, said the parliament will decide whether the country should extend military support.
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04/07/2015
Mounting evidence that the co-pilot crashed a Germanwings plane into a French mountain has prompted a global debate about how to better screen crewmembers for mental illness and how to ensure that no one is left alone in the cockpit. But among many aviation experts, the discussion has taken a different turn. How many human pilots, some wonder, are really necessary aboard commercial planes?
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04/06/2015
Taipei, April 5 (CNA) A report published Saturday by The National Interest, an American conservative bi-monthly international affairs magazine, suggests that backed by its economic might, advances in Chinese armaments are poised to elevate the People's Liberation Army (PLA) into a credible rival to U.S. forces in the Western Pacific theater.
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04/06/2015
The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most complicated weapons systems ever developed, a sleek and stealthy fighter jet years in the making that is often called a flying computer because of its more than 8 million lines of code. The Joint Strike Fighter comes in three versions, including one that is designed to take off and land on an aircraft carrier and another that lands vertically, as if it were a helicopter.
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04/06/2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France next week will herald a new chapter for the Indian Air Force, as its dream project of having 360 degree ‘eye in sky’ is likely to take off with both countries finalising a deal for procuring two Airbus-330 aircraft to be used as platforms for AWACS-India programme.
The Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), in its meeting held last Saturday, has given a go ahead to the proposal of acquiring the aircraft for Rs 5,113 crore,
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04/06/2015
Given their druthers, the Afghans would probably like an air force geared toward close-air support of their troops combating Taliban fighters on the ground. For that role, the A-10 Warthog is by all accounts the best plane for the job. But beggars can't be choosers. Instead of the A-10, the U.S. Air Force will outfit Afghanistan with 20 brand-new A-29 Super Tucano fighter planes from Embraer.
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04/06/2015
The end of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the Corps' efforts to prepare for a fight against a tech-savvy enemy has prompted Marine Aviation Weapons and Tactics Squadron 1 to put a greater emphasis on electronic warfare. Two years ago MAWTS-1, a unit that helps develop aviation tactics and deliver new techniques to the fleet, formed a small division dedicated to electronic warfare. One year later, that division became the Spectrum Warfare Department.
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04/06/2015
American and Estonian specialists will fly over the territory of Russia and Belarus under the Treaty on Open Skies on April 6-11, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced. "Within the framework of the international Treaty on Open Skies a US mission with the participation of Estonian representatives plans to conduct an observation flight over the territory of a group of participating states, the Republic of Belarus and the Russian Federation.
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04/06/2015
The Saudi-led Arab coalition continued on Sunday to pound Houthi rebels' positions in two strategic port towns in western and southern Yemen, military sources told Sputnik. One airstrike "targeted al-Salif port in al-Hudayda province in western Yemen, and al-Hudayda military airport, despite it being bombed several days ago," a military official said.
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04/05/2015
The UAE (United Arab Emirates) is buying another two American C-17 air transports for $310 million each. The 290 ton C-17 is an intercontinental transport that the UAE uses to move commercial as well as military cargo. The UAE already has six and ordered the first four in 2009. These latest C-17s for the UAE may be the last ones ordered, with total production ending at 279.
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04/05/2015
The AG-600 amphibious flying boat, the largest seaplane in the world, designed by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, can potentially be used as for military transport across the Pacific, according to Vasily Kashin an analyst from Moscow's Center for Analysis of Strategies and Technologies, according to Sputnik News.
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04/05/2015
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) registered its highest ever profit in the financial year 2014-15. According to a release issued here, the public sector undertaking recorded a turnover of Rs 15,480 crore (provisional) in 2014-15, as against Rs 15,128 crore achieved in FY 2013-14. “Our performance is in line with the MoU signed with the Ministry of Defence and we expect an ‘Excellent’ rating for FY 2014-15.
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04/05/2015
If there are vacant seats in the mess tent for Easter supper in the desert of Kuwait, it will be for a very good reason. Easter celebrations for our Canadian military personnel in Kuwait may not last long. They are a little busy right now preparing for the newly expanded mandate of Canada’s Operation Impact mission. Targets in Iraq have been on the receiving end of Canadian bombs for six months. ISIS controlled entities in Syria could soon be next. Very soon in fact.
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04/05/2015
Despite speculation that the emergency landing of two US Marine Corps McDonnell Douglas F/A-18 Hornets at a Taiwanese air force base on Wednesday was a “political message” being sent by the Pentagon to Beijing, some Taiwanese analysts found the theory far-fetched. It was an “unintended incident,” said Alexander Huang, an assistant professor at Tamkang University’s Graduate Institute of International Affairs and Strategic Studies.
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04/05/2015
One day, the Air National Guard’s F-15C pilots were providing air defense for the United States. The next, they were jetting off to Europe to help deter Russian aggression. The Florida- and Oregon-based guard units touched down on the Continent earlier this week to take part in the U.S. military’s Operation Atlantic Resolve. The unit will stay at the Netherland’s Leeuwarden Air Base for about a month, where it will conduct training with the Dutch air force, before moving on to Bulgaria.
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04/05/2015
The Russian military has carried out successful field testing of a new rocket with maneuverability capability for the S-400 surface-to-air air defense system, Aerospace Defense Forces told Russian Radio on Saturday.
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04/05/2015
Deputy head of Russian Aerospace Defence Forces said that Russia has already deployed air defense missile and artillery weapon systems Pantsir and plans to place MiG-31 interceptor aircraft in the Arctic region.
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04/04/2015
Tunisian Foreign Minister Taieb Baccouche said the Libyan military plane that penetrated into Tunisian airspace on Wednesday belongs to Khalifa Haftar's forces. Baccouche said during a news conference in Tunis on Thursday: "The plane is a MiG-23 military aircraft model and it belongs to the Army of General Haftar and came to fight the forces of Fajr Libya (Libya Dawn), which belongs to the leadership of the General National Congress (GNC) held in Tripoli, on our borders.''
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04/04/2015
Creating franchises among groups claiming affiliation with al Qaeda or the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) is among the biggest change in international terrorism, two leading experts told the Atlantic Council on Thursday.
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04/04/2015
A Saudi-led air campaign has failed to halt the advance of Iranian-backed rebels in Yemen, where growing violence is plunging the country deeper into chaos and further undermining the U.S.-backed government. Houthi rebels continued to advance toward the port city of Aden, where forces loyal to President Abed Rabbo Mansour Hadi are attempting to make a stand. Friday, the Arab coalition dropped weapons and supplies for the first time to forces battling Houthis around Aden.
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04/04/2015
As the Saudi-led bombing campaign against Houthi forces in Yemen continue, the US is standing by one of its key allies in the Middle East. On Thursday, a senior military official said that American tankers will begin refueling Saudi warplanes.
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04/03/2015
The U.S. has deployed 12 A-10 Warthog planes to Romania as part of a theater-security effort to counter Russian aggression in Ukraine – all while debate over whether to retire the close-air support platform rages on in Congress and the Pentagon. "The 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron forward deployed 12 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft and approximately 200 Airmen and support equipment from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany to Campia Turzii, Romania over the weekend.
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04/03/2015
On Tuesday, President Obama called Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sissi and conveyed news of long-brewing decisions in the Obama administration regarding U.S. military aid to Egypt – including the release of some long-withheld arms that Egypt desperately wants.
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04/03/2015
The Navy plans to perform an aerial refueling for the first time on its carrier-launched demonstrator drone aircraft, the X-47B, within the next few weeks, service officials said. The refueling, to take place at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., will have the X-47B link up with an Omega air refueling tanker, Navy officials told Military.com. Omega is a contractor that works with the Defense Department.
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04/03/2015
When the Pentagon picks the winner of the Long Range Strike Bomber (LRSB) contest in the next few months, it faces an interesting choice. It could give Lockheed Martin — which is doing the design work for the Boeing-Lockheed team — almost all of the country’s advanced stealth design work. Or it could maintain the status quo, in which the entire stealth bomber fleet is made by Northrop Grumman.
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04/03/2015
Iran and six world powers agreed to a path that would block Tehran from developing nuclear weapons, but key points left unresolved in the marathon negotiations and fierce regional and U.S. political opposition suggested major hurdles remain to reaching a final deal. Officials laid out on Thursday what amounted to goals for a deal by the end of June that would place constraints and controls on Iran’s nuclear work for up to 25 years, with severe limits for the first decade.
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04/03/2015
After an exercise in the Gulf of Mexico, the US Air Force said that an armed Reaper drone demonstrated that it can hit maritime targets in coordination with other aircrafts, including A-10 Thunderbolt IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons and F-35A Lightning IIs.
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04/03/2015
The landing of two US fighter jets on Taiwan on Wednesday has angered China’s Foreign Ministry. While the Pentagon says the planes suffered mechanical trouble while flying a routine training exercise, others see it as a political message, warning China to slow its growing influence.
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04/03/2015
A batch of Kamov Ka-27 ship-based antisubmarine warfare helicopters will be repaired and upgraded by the Russian Helicopters Holding Company, with the first updated units slated to enter service already before the end of this year, the company press service said Thursday.
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04/03/2015
NATO military buildup in Eastern Europe is an unprecedentedly dangerous move, which violates all existing agreements, the Russian Foreign Ministry said Thursday. "NATO buildup on the Eastern flank, or in the so-called 'front-line countries,' is an unprecedentedly dangerous step that violates all agreements, including the Russia-NATO Founding Act, which is still in force," the ministry's spokesman Alexander Lukashevich said at a news briefing.
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04/02/2015
China has released pictures of an unnamed “new-type of bomber”, along with an announcement that it has carried out its first military drills in the airspace above the Western Pacific Ocean. According to a statement on the Chinese Ministry of Defence website, the drills took place over the Bashi Canal, which is between a Taiwanese island and a Philippines island.
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04/02/2015
Saudi Arabia and its allies plan an ambitious ground offensive on multiple fronts in Yemen. It may be inevitable if they want to defeat Iranian-backed Shiite rebels but it also carries enormous risks, from the inhospitable, mountainous terrain and a possible guerrilla war to al-Qaida militants waiting in the wings.
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04/02/2015
Lockheed Martin, maker of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter, whose engines are produced by Pratt & Whitney, recently held a glitzy reception in the atrium of the Rayburn House Office Building, complete with a buffet and the chance to “fly” the F-35 in a cockpit simulator, to press home a point – don’t cut funding for the program. The F-35 faces a host of challenges. A recent Pentagon report detailed significant technical and design issues, including engine problems and serious computer glitches.
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04/02/2015
The F-35 Lightning II is one of the most complicated weapons systems ever developed, a sleek and stealthy fighter jet years in the making that is often called a flying computer because of its more than 8 million lines of code. The Joint Strike Fighter comes in three versions, including one that is designed to take off and land on an aircraft carrier and another that lands vertically, as if it were a helicopter.
(Read More...)
04/02/2015
This time, when the terrorist insurgency is defeated in Iraq, Washington needs to keep American forces on the ground to sustain the victory, former war planners say. The former military officers talk of a robust presence that would extend beyond mere advisers to include standby combat troops and air power.
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04/02/2015
Ahead of the April 2 anniversary of the invasion of the Falkland Islands, tensions between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the islands are predictably on the rise again. For the next several years, the United Kingdom's capability to respond to potential threats to the Falklands will be limited by the lack of deployable aircraft carriers.
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04/02/2015
The programme for India and Russia to jointly develop a Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), long touted as the flagship of a time-tested defence relationship, has run into a stone wall. Documents available with Business Standard indicate India's defence ministry is cold-shouldering Russian requests to continue the negotiations on a "R&D Draft Contract", which will govern the partnership to develop a futuristic, fifth-generation fighter.
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04/01/2015
An Iranian military observation aircraft flew within 50 yards of an armed U.S. Navy helicopter over the Persian Gulf this month, sparking concern that top Iranian commanders might not be in full control of local forces, CNN has learned. The incident, which has not been publicly disclosed, troubled U.S. military officials because the unsafe maneuver could have triggered a serious incident.
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04/01/2015
Last week, a coalition of predominantly Sunni Arab countries, primarily from the Arabian Peninsula and organized by Saudi Arabia, launched airstrikes in Yemen that have continued into this week. The airstrikes target Yemeni al-Houthis, a Shiite sect supported by Iran, and their Sunni partners, which include the majority of military forces loyal to former President Ali Abdullah Saleh. What made the strikes particularly interesting was what was lacking: U.S. aircraft.
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04/01/2015
After Houthi rebels toppled the Yemeni government causing president Abd Rabbuh Mansur Hadi to flee to Aden earlier this month, a Saudi-led coalition of Middle Eastern states launched an air campaign to intervene. Operation Decisive Storm began on March 26 and has resulted in one of the most extraordinary gatherings of air power seen in recent years, with air arms from the Gulf Cooperation Council nations, except Oman, joined by aircraft from Morocco, Egypt and Sudan, as well as Jordan.
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04/01/2015
Top Navy and Air Force officials today told the House Armed Services subcommittee on tactical air and land forces the president’s budget request for fiscal year 2016 will support modernizing combat aviation programs.
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04/01/2015
The Marine Corps would purchase 10 new aircraft, improve the digital interoperability of existing aircraft and boost connectivity through additional communications systems and unmanned aerial vehicles if Congress provided additional funding.
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04/01/2015
After surviving numerous attempts to scrap it from the U.S. defense budget over the last few years, the 40-year-old A-10, a warplane built during the Cold War to destroy Soviet tanks, is back on the front lines of what could become a confrontation between NATO and the Russian army. The plane is about to take part in long-term exercises in Romania designed to counter Russian moves in the region.
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04/01/2015
The first MiG-29UPG underwent modifications conducted by Indian specialists and soared into the sky in February this year, stated CEO of MiG Corporation Sergey Korotkov in an interview with Interfax-AVN. The group of MiG-29’s, which underwent modernization in India, is made up of four fighter aircraft.
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04/01/2015
Chinese aircraft flew over the Bashi Channel, a waterway contested between the Philippines and Taiwan. Bashi Channel is part of the Luzon Strait that connects the Philippine Sea to the South China Sea.
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03/31/2015
Defense News reports that five Antonov AN-32 military transport aircraft have gone missing in Ukraine. According to an Indian Air Force official, the last five out of 40 AN-32s undergoing upgrades at the Kiev-based Antonov State Company have become “untraceable.” “These five aircraft are almost lost as it is difficult to trace them and diplomatic efforts to find their whereabouts have failed,” the Air Force official stated.
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03/31/2015
Nigeria’s military is acquiring new and second-hand hardware for all three branches of service as it battles Boko Haram insurgents on land and maritime insecurity and piracy in the Gulf of Guinea. Over the last couple of years, Nigeria has received armoured vehicles, small arms, combat aircraft and large and small naval vessels, among other items, from mostly Asian and Eastern European suppliers.
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03/31/2015
A dark night without electricity turned bright as mid-day Monday as jets bombed what apparently was a storage area for Scud missiles in the Faj Attan district of Yemen’s capital. Balls of fire shot into the air and thunderous blasts shook the city as aircraft, presumed to be from Saudi Arabia, hit the missile depot.
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03/31/2015
Korea Aerospace Industries has been chosen the preferred bidder for the KF-X fighter project aimed at filling a vacuum as a result of about 100 old fighter jets being decommissioned later this decade. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration made the decision in a meeting chaired by Defense Minister Han Min-koo on Monday.
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03/31/2015
Even as sequestration budget cuts loom over US Army aviation, helicopter modernization plans are driving numerous requirements, officials said at an industry conference here. Army officials portrayed Army aviation as active around the globe, with a need to be ready for anything. Behind the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP), the greatest emphasis is on technology to see and fly through dust, fog and other obscurants, known as degraded visual environment-mitigation (DVE-M).
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03/31/2015
The Air Force ’s Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B) program should be decided in the next few months. Easily the biggest undecided defense competition in the world, LRS-B should result in 75-100 new bombers worth at least $50 billion in revenue, plus much more in design, support, and long-term upgrade work.
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03/31/2015
The South Korean military preliminarily selected Korea Aerospace Industries on Monday as a partner in its $7.7 billion project to develop its own advanced jet fighter with technological help from the American military contractor Lockheed Martin.
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03/31/2015
Since last Thursday, the bombings have been targeting Houthi rebels and troops loyal to former president Ali Abdullah Saleh. According to local residents speaking to Reuters, the airstrikes have largely targeted the area around the presidential palace. Figures released by Yemen’s health ministry — which is currently Houthi controlled — said 35 people had been killed over the weekend, with another 88 injured.
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03/31/2015
Capable of tracking nearly 100 vehicles at once, the Chinese military has launched its new airborne early warning and control aircraft (AEW&C), taking to the skies with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF).
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03/30/2015
Every day, dozens of unmanned jet aircraft as big as private business jets take off from airports scattered around the globe. They fly for thousands of kilometres, staying aloft for as long as 36 hours, often changing course to cope with unexpected developments, before returning to land. To call them drones grossly understates the sophistication, safety and cost-effectiveness of autonomous and remotely piloted aircraft.
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03/30/2015
In the time it took Boeing and the US Marines to develop and put into service the Osprey tilt-rotor helicopter, Italy's AgustaWestland has lingered over development of its own, smaller tilt-rotor, prompting questions about the fate of the program. Initially developed in partnership with Bell, the AW609 has racked up test flights and turned into an all-Italian program after the US firm went its separate way.
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03/30/2015
Few organizations boast a reputation of dysfunction comparable to the Arab League’s. Over seven decades the Arab League has distinguished itself through infighting and fecklessness. But now, with the Obama administration seen as missing in action in the Middle East, the alliance of 22 countries is undergoing a renaissance. Over the weekend, the Arab League met in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, and endorsed the creation of an intervention force to fight terrorism in the Middle East.
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03/30/2015
Japan's growing need to improve its anti-submarine warfare (ASW) capabilities to counter quieter Chinese submarines in littoral waters could set off a three-way race between an upgraded indigenous platform against longer-term solutions, analysts said. Last August, the Defense Ministry decided to start replacing its aging fleet of 46 SH-60J and 39 SH-60K Seahawk helicopters, providing an initial ¥7 billion (US $57.6 million) as part of a ¥48.1 billion development project.
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03/30/2015
In the makeshift Iraqi army command headquarters for the operation to clear Tikrit, Brig. Gen. Mohammed Ibrahim reads out the coordinates for targets that planes from the U.S.-led coalition are to strike: the local council building, the teacher’s institute, a local mall. As he speaks, other planes find their mark, and the headquarters, a former chemical engineering building at the city’s university, shudders from the reverberations.
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03/30/2015
The US Army's effort to improve the operational capabilities of its rotorcraft fleet through the Improved Turbine Engine Program (ITEP) is heading for preliminary design requests in May as it aims for a 2023 production goal. After the May requests, contracts are expected to be awarded to the two competitors in March 2016, a request for proposals issued for the engineering and manufacturing design phase in early 2017.
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03/30/2015
How to avoid missile batteries and navigate defensive radar systems in Syria are among the issues preoccupying military planners as Parliament debates the merits of expanding and extending Canada’s Middle East mission. So far, the debate among MPs has revolved around the need for a broader military mission in Iraq and the legality of extending air strikes to include that country’s troubled neighbour.
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03/30/2015
American and Ukrainian specialists will fly over the territory of Russia and Belarus under the Treaty on Open Skies on March 30 — April 4, Sergei Ryzhkov, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center has announced. "Within the framework of the international Treaty on Open Skies a US mission with the participation of Ukrainian representatives plans to conduct an observation flight over the territory of a group of participating states.
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03/29/2015
The U.S. Navy rescued two Saudi Arabia air force pilots from the Gulf of Aden, a U.S. military official said Friday. The pilots had ejected from their F-15 aircraft after it suffered mechanical failure, Saudi officials told U.S. sources. The two were not seriously injured. The USS Sterett, a guided-missile destroyer, coordinated the search, while the USS New York looked for the men. A rescue helicopter flew from Djibouti to retrieve them on Thursday.
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03/29/2015
A new Chinese-built seaplane could help seal Beijing's control over its claims in the South China Sea (SCS), say military specialists on China. The Jiaolong (Water Dragon) AG600, under construction by China Aviation Industry General Aircraft (CAIGA), will be China's largest operational seaplane. CAIGA did not respond to inquiries after the company's announcement on March 17 that it had completed the front fuselage assembly for the prototype.
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03/29/2015
Australia's Iraq air task group has completed its first rotation with six Super Hornets heading home after seven months of operations. Their replacements have already started flying missions against Islamic State terrorists. Air task group commander Air Commodore Glen Braz says the new strike team has completed a comprehensive transition and is now engaged in combat air operations.
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03/29/2015
Here at the headquarters of Iraqi ground forces, after three days of American airstrikes that at times witnesses here described as “carpet bombing,” Iraq’s military seemed in no great hurry on Saturday to press its advantage. It also seemed to be moving very slowly on promises to withdraw Shiite militias from the battlefield.
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03/29/2015
As the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter program continues to accrue criticism over cost and schedule overruns and missed milestones, the U.S. Navy is looking to an old standby—the Boeing-built F/A-18 Super Hornet—to plug potential holes in its airborne fleet.
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03/29/2015
Despite no apparent movement on Malaysia's Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA) program, this month's Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace (LIMA) show revealed a new player in the mix. Boeing, Dassault, Eurofighter and Saab have been the main contenders for the MRCA program, which will replace Royal Malaysian Air Force MiG-29N fighters, for a number of years now, with little detectable progress.
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03/29/2015
Saudi-led international coalition launched another series of airstrikes Saturday destroying the airport runway in the western Yemeni city Hudaydah, a local source told Sputnik. Shiite Houthi rebel groups seized vast territories in Yemen forcing the elected authorities to resign. On Wednesday night, an international coalition of Arab. countries led by Saudi Arabia launched a military campaign targeting the positions of Houthi rebels in the Yemeni capital Sanaa.
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03/28/2015
Russia’s increasing presence in Latin America, frequent visits to the region by top-ranking Russian officials as well as widespread rumors of the sale of military aircraft to both Nicaragua and Argentina has attracted the attention of the West. Despite the pressure from a number of Western nations over Russia’s annexation of the Crimea, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has recently ended a four-nation (Cuba, Colombia, Guatemala and Nicaragua) tour in the region.
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03/28/2015
NATO was forced to scramble over 400 times in 2014, to intercept Russian military warplanes.
This is NATO's answer to Russia's threat to the Baltics. 14 US Air Force F-16 fighter jets have simulated low altitude ground attacks, during exercises in Estonia this week. Pilots practiced communicating with ground forces, critical skills that would be needed during any future real-life operation.
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03/28/2015
The UK is to deploy a pair of Raytheon Sentinel R.1 Airborne Stand-Off Radar (ASTOR) surveillance aircraft to the Middle East to bolster its support of the international mission against the Islamic State in Iraq. The deployment, which was announced by the Ministry of Defence (MoD) on 26 March, will see the aircraft conduct wide-area airborne surveillance to provide pattern-of-life intelligence and to track the laying of improvised explosive devices.
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03/28/2015
The U.S. Air Force is sending another rotation of combat aircraft to Europe to bolster security in response to the ongoing Ukraine crisis, this time tapping into the Air National Guard to support strategic interests an ocean away. Twelve F-15 Eagle fighter jets and about 200 airmen from the 125th Fighter Wing, a Florida Air National Guard unit from Jacksonville, are en route to Europe, U.S. Air Forces in Europe-U.S. Air Forces Africa officials announced Friday.
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03/28/2015
As a U.S. Army Stryker convoy crossed from Lithuania to Poland on March 24 —within about 12 miles of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad—nearby NATO warplanes scrambled to intercept Russian bombers and fighters over the Baltic Sea.
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03/27/2015
Yemen's President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi left his refuge in Aden for Saudi Arabia on Thursday as Houthi rebels battled with his forces on the outskirts of the southern port city.
Throughout the day, warplanes from Saudi Arabia and Arab allies struck at the Shi'ite Houthis and allied army units, who have taken over much of the country and seek to oust Hadi.
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03/27/2015
For much of its history, China has made a point of steering clear of other countries’ internal affairs. But that changed late last year, when the Middle Kingdom entered into the international arena in a way it hadn’t before, offering both money and military might to fight the terrors of the Islamic State.
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03/27/2015
Supporters of the famous A-10 "Warthog" attack aircraft — a club that includes U.S. ground troops stationed in dangerous places around the world — are getting a lesson in Defense Department appropriations politics. They are learning that there are ways to mothball a fleet of warplanes. When those ways run into serious opposition, there are… other ways.
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03/27/2015
The Iranians have suffered a humiliating defeat. More than 20,000 fighters with Iranian-backed Shiite militias have withdrawn from the 3-week-old battle to oust Islamic State militants from the Iraqi city of Tikrit. And the Iraqis have turned back to the U.S. military for help. U.S. aircraft launched airstrikes in Tikrit on Wednesday for the first time since the battle began, providing vital military support that came only after the Iraqi government agreed to seize command and control of the fig
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03/27/2015
Lt Kiran Shekhawat was part of the naval women's contingent that marched down Rajpath this Republic Day. Today, her body was retrieved from the fuselage of the Dornier that "ditched into the sea" on Tuesday night. A routine training sortie had claimed the life of the young woman - the first lady officer in the armed forces - post-Independence - to be killed in the line of duty.
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03/27/2015
Defending Russia said it has confirmed delivery to Kazakhstan of four Russian fighter aircraft Su-30SM. The delivery marks the completion of the first phase of the order, which was announced in February and will see a total of 36 aircraft manufactured and exported to Kazakhstan, as the country looks to bolster its combat aircraft reserves.
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03/27/2015
The biggest story this year so far in the F-35 joint strike fighter world is not the soaring cost of the aircraft — a problem that appears to have been contained, according to the program manager — but the determination of the Marine Corps to put the aircraft into service even though its mission software is unfinished and cracks surfaced in one of its main bulkheads.
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03/27/2015
NATO jets and Sweden's air force were scrambled on Tuesday to escort Russian combat aircraft flying over the Baltic Sea, according to officials. Two nuclear-capable Russian bombers and two fighter planes were flying in international airspace, according to Sweden's armed forces.
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03/27/2015
The aircraft's mass production is expected to be launched in 2019. The twin-engine turboprop plane, developed by the Ilyushin Aviation Complex (JSC IL), will be manufactured by the Voronezh Aircraft Production Association at an aircraft plant in Voronezh, located some 400 kilometers (250 miles) south of Moscow. It will replace the Antonov An-26.
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03/26/2015
Japan's navy today took delivery of its biggest warship since the Second World War as it continues expanding its military capability in an attempt to shed its post-war pacifism. Today the Izumo, a helicopter carrier as big as the Imperial Navy aircraft carriers that battled the United States in the Pacific, was delivered to the navy in a crowning achievement for the nation's military forces.
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03/26/2015
The man in charge of the Pentagon’s $391 billion F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is sick of the intense criticism his embattled program has received over the past few years. He says the aircraft is in much better shape than the public has been led to believe. For years, the F-35 has raised eyebrows for its enormous cost overruns, schedule delays and significant technical and design problems.
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03/26/2015
Even as the government on Wednesday announced the dates of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to France on April 9, 2015, Dassault handed over two upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter aircraft to the Indian Air Force in a formal ceremony at the Dassault Aviation Flight Test Centre in France. Mr. Modi will also travel to Germany on April 12, 2015 and Canada on April 14, 2015 before returning on April 17, 2015.
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03/26/2015
Nicaragua’s sudden interest in purchasing a squadron of MiG-29 fighter jets from Russia could trigger a pointless arms race between one of the smallest and one of the largest militaries in Latin America.
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03/26/2015
Airbus Group NV said it sold additional shares in Dassault Aviation SA, cutting its holding in the maker of the Rafale fighter to 24.6 percent and using the proceeds to fund growth. Airbus said it sold 1.61 million shares in total, with 71 percent of the lot going to institutional investors for 1,030 euros a share and the remainder to Dassault for 980 euros apiece, according to a statement today. The transaction corresponds to 1.64 billion euros ($1.8 billion), Airbus said.
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03/26/2015
Russia's reported plans to lease 12 fighter aircraft to Argentina is forcing Britain to "beef up" it's defence of the Falklands, the Defence Secretary has said. The Sukhoi Su-24 aircraft would be sent to Buenos Aires in exchange for beef and wheat, in a proposal which would help Moscow beat EU sanctions over Ukraine. Michael Fallon said that while any agreement between Russia and Argentina was not yet signed, Britain would increase its presence on the archipelago.
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03/26/2015
The Swedish Air Force and NATO jets on Tuesday tracked four Russian combat aircraft flying with their transponders turned off over the Baltic Sea, officials said. The Russian planes — two long-range, nuclear-capable Tu-22M3 bombers and two Sukhoi Su-27 fighters — were flying in international airspace, according to Sweden's Armed Forces and alliance sources.
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03/26/2015
Saudi Arabia amassed heavy military equipment and artillery near its border with Yemen, showing signs of an impending military intervention. A formal go-ahead for the invasion might be given on Thursday by the Arab League. As the conflict in Yemen escalates, US officials are saying that Saudi Arabia may be preparing airstrikes to defend Yemen’s embattled President Abd-Rabbu Mansour Hadi against advancing Houthi rebels, as it starts moving weapons to areas near its neighboring country’s border.
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03/26/2015
"This year the [Novosibirsk] aircraft factory must deliver 16 Su-34 frontline bombers," Mikhailov said, adding the factory is ready to exceed the production target. "Three aircraft will be delivered soon," said the director of the Moscow-based United Aircraft Corporation's Military Aviation Programs Directorate. Mikhailov described the aircraft as solid, sound and able to cover long distances with refueling. "In other words, it meets all the requirements for the frontline bomber," he said.
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03/26/2015
A US official says the airstrikes began after the Iraqi government requested US help. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because the American attacks had not yet been officially announced. An Associated Press reporter in Tikrit reported hearing warplanes overhead late Wednesday, followed by multiple explosions.
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03/24/2015
Dozens of military personnel were injured when an RAF transport plane on its way to Afghanistan nose-dived 4,400ft after the captain's camera became lodged alongside the aircraft's joystick. The Voyager jet was around five hours into its journey from Brize Norton to Camp Bastion when the Nikon camera, used by the captain to take photographs on board, got stuck between the arm rest and the side-stick controller when his seat moved forward.
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03/24/2015
The next step in getting the new Marine Corps F-35B ready for combat roles is scheduled for May off the East Coast. The Marine Corps will run its new F-35B Lightning II through weapons tests in sea trials during a two-week period, according to Maj. Paul Greenberg, of the Office of U.S. Marine Corps Communication. He said what is called Operational Test Period 1 is scheduled aboard the USS Wasp.
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03/24/2015
The US Air Force (USAF) on 20 March released requirements for its Northrop T-38C Talon combat aircraft trainer replacement programme, known as T-X. USAF Secretary Deborah Lee James, the service's senior civilian official, has emphasised open discussions with potential T-X manufacturers to keep the effort affordable.
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03/24/2015
The Air Force is on the attack to eliminate the beloved A-10, insisting that the venerable Warthog is not the only airframe up to the close-air support task. To press the point, service leaders showcased a group of fighter pilots, who described their CAS missions in other aircraft. But opponents on Capitol Hill, and troops on the ground, aren't having it, and the service faces an uphill battle to cut the jet and bring its beleaguered F-35 online in time.
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03/24/2015
Russia is rekindling its once-strong ties to Nicaragua, possibly including providing the Central American nation with jet fighters, stoking unease as far away as the Andes in South America.
Later this week, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov will arrive in Nicaragua as part of a swing through four Latin American nations, the culmination to a series of high-level Russian visits to this Central American nation in the past year.
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03/24/2015
The United States-led coalition against the Islamic State conducted 14 airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, resulting in the destruction of tactical units, fighting positions, vehicles and machinery, the US Central Command said in a statement. “On March 22, Coalition military forces continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using fighter and bomber aircraft to conduct eight airstrikes,” the statement, released on Monday, said.
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03/24/2015
The Chinook sale will enhance the defense of The Netherlands and support NATO cooperation, according to the DSCA. The 17 Chinooks will supplement existing Chinook helicopters and eventually replace the Netherlands’ aging Chinook fleet.
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03/24/2015
Russia plans to start production of fifth-generation T-50 fighter jets in 2016, Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov said Monday. As of now, the United States is the only country whose Air Force includes a fully-operational fifth-generation jet fighter. “We have plans to deliver the first series of fifth-generation fighter jets next year,” Borisov said during a visit to the Komsomolsk-on-Amur aviation plant in the country’s Far East, where Russia is developing the PAK-FA fighter jet.
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03/24/2015
Finland’s Defense Minister Carl Haglund met his Swedish and British counterparts on board a US aircraft carrier Sunday in a sign of growing military cooperation between Helsinki and NATO.
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03/23/2015
In just 5 years, beginning with 2010, China` arms sales have grown 143 per cent. That is how China has become the world`s thrid largest exporter in weapon commerce, overtaking the position which was by now occupied by Germany. However, the new study that shows these numbers also reveals the fact that 5 per cent share is still poor when compared to United States` and Russia`s combined 58 per cent. As international conflicts continue to emerge around the world,
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03/23/2015
The lack of U.S. airstrikes in and around the city of Tikrit is slowing the Iraqi counteroffensive to retake the strategically situated city from the Islamic State’s terrorist army. The assault, carried out by the Iraqi Security Forces and Shiite militiamen trained, equipped and led by Iran, has encircled the Sunni-dominated city north of Baghdad after more than three weeks of fighting. The Pentagon now says the battle is “static.”
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03/23/2015
The U.S. Air Force wants to kill the A-10 Warthog. Really, really wants to kill it. But some of the Air Force's ideas for replacing the A-10 are starting to strain credibility. As you're probably aware, the Air Force has argued multiple times in recent months that its new F-35 stealth fighters (built by Lockheed Martin (NYSE:LMT)) can do an "adequate" job of providing ground troops with close-air support.
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03/23/2015
NATO's military commander is again calling on the West to consider sending defensive weapons to Ukraine, to help it offset Russia's continued support for the pro-Russian rebellion in Ukraine's east. U.S. Air Force General Philip Breedlove, speaking Sunday, told a Brussels conference that he does not think "any tool of (the) United States or any other nation's power should necessarily be off the table."
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03/23/2015
Faced with huge delays in clinching new fighter projects even as it grapples with fast-eroding air combat power, IAF finally has some reason to cheer. The force will get its first two upgraded Mirage-2000 fighters with new avionics and weapons this week. The defence ministry says France will hand over the two "almost new" Mirage fighters to the project management teams of IAF and Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) on March 25.
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03/22/2015
The helicopter went down in Jabal al-Zawiya in Idlib province, an area held by opposition fighters, including those from al-Nusra Front, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported. Four crew members were captured, while a fifth was killed, the watchdog said.
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03/22/2015
“I don’t think that Danes fully understand the consequence if Denmark joins the American-led missile defence shield,” wrote Vanin. “If they do, then Danish warships will be targets for Russian nuclear missiles. Denmark would be part of the threat against Russia. It would be less peaceful and relations with Russia will suffer. It is, of course, your own decision – I just want to remind you that your finances and security will suffer.
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03/22/2015
Airbus Group expects to see growing demand for military aircraft in Asia amid simmering tensions in the South China Sea and other areas. The Asian market for defence and space-related business could grow to about $50 billion a year within the next five years, from $45 billion now, said Christian Scherer, executive vice president for marketing and sales at Airbus Defense & Space, the planemaker's defence unit.
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03/22/2015
Mammoth Russian military drills ordered by President Vladimir Putin from the Pacific to the Black Sea are designed to send a message to the West: keep your distance and don’t overplay your hand on Ukraine, observers say. Since the start of the Ukraine crisis more than a year ago, Russia has flexed its muscles with a series of war games but the scale of the latest military exercises has triggered a series of new questions.
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03/22/2015
Navy leaders have launched a study to find ways to lower the costs of aircraft carriers, explore alternatives to the big-deck platforms, and increase competition among vendors. The Navy study is expected to last about a year and will examine technologies and acquisition strategies for the long-term future of Navy big-deck aviation in light of a fast-changing global threat environment, service officials said.
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03/22/2015
The Philippines is planning to purchase 24 more combat aircraft, adding to the 12 FA-50 fighter jets it had ordered from South Korea in 2014, the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) said. It did not specify when or from whom the aircraft would be ordered. The FA-50s were the first order by the Philippines for advanced combat aircraft in decades amid the increasing tensions with China over disputed territories in the South China Sea.
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03/21/2015
Over recent years, Iran has made great play of its burgeoning domestic aerospace capabilities by revealing a number of 'new' combat aircraft types to the world.
For about the last five years, state media has heralded a steady stream of new fighters and other types which, it claims, demonstrate the Islamic republic's ability to design, develop, and manufacture the latest generation of combat aviation.
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03/21/2015
The Air Force doesn't have enough fighter pilots in its active duty cockpits due to force structure cuts and increased airline hiring, leading to a long-term drop in those available to train new pilots and test new aircraft, service leaders told lawmakers Thursday.
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03/21/2015
Joint Base Lewis-McChord Army helicopter crews that spent much of last year navigating Afghanistan’s mountains are heading to sea next week for their first drills training to land on an aircraft carrier. A number of Apache and Blackhawk helicopters from JBLM’s 16th Combat Aviation Brigade are expected to spend Monday flying in the Strait of Juan de Fuca with the carrier USS John Stennis.
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03/21/2015
France-based Dassault Aviation can offer a customised financial package to support the Rafale jet fighter should Malaysia decide to procure the combat aircraft from the company. Dassault chief executive officer Eric Tappier said the package could be similar to the one taken up by Egypt to support the Rafale multirole fighter aircraft.
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03/21/2015
A local company, Aerospace Technology Systems Corp Sdn Bhd (ATSC), has offered to upgrade the 10 MiG-29N aircrafts of the Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) to Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MRCA). ATSC chief executive officer Lt Col (Rtd) Fadzar Suhada said today the enhancement proposed by the company would make the aircraft not only on par with other MRCA fighter jets in the market but also extend the lifespan by a minimum of 25 years.
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03/20/2015
As the Russian Airforce is deploying its TU-22M3 ‘Backfire’ aircraft into the recently incorporated area that is Crimea, there are several things changing for the NATO and other military forces in the region. While the political situation has everything to do with these being added to the might of the Russian air and sea fleet over there, the relevance to the whole situation is not that important at all.
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03/20/2015
Eventually, the U.S. Air Force wants to replace the low and slow-flying A-10 Warthog with the fast-moving F-35 stealth fighter. But it’ll take years before the troubled jet fighters are ready for duty. In the meantime, the Air Force still needs a plane for dedicated close air support missions?—?something the A-10 excels at. So what does the flying branch propose? Not keeping the Warthog.
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03/20/2015
The crews of the Baltic Fleet's naval aviation conducted a series of night training operations and are planning to practice bombing shortly, the Russian Defense Ministry's press service said Thursday. "As part of the large-scale exercise…the crews of Su-27 fighter jets and Su-24M bombers of the Baltic Fleet's naval aviation conducted a series of night training flights," the press service said.
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03/20/2015
On Tuesday, US-led aircraft carried out 11 airstrikes throughout Iraq. A key target was a drone which had found its way into the hands of the self-proclaimed Islamic State (IS), marking the first time the US has targeted a UAV controlled by the terrorist group.
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03/20/2015
Demonstrations of Russia's nuclear capability during a time of crisis with the West are provocative and concerning, US Strategic Command Commander Admiral Cecil Haney said on Thursday. "The demonstration of their capability during crisis such as long-range strategic aircraft flights, their violation of the Intermediate Range Nuclear Forces Treaty (INF), etc., really shows where we are as a world.
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03/19/2015
NATO jets scrambled to intercept Russian military aircraft as they neared Latvian airspace, officials said on Wednesday. Estonian radar detected the aircraft over the Baltic Sea on Tuesday night, NATO said. Other than the lead aircraft, NATO said, none of the other Russian military aircraft was on a flight plan. NATO sent jets to identify the planes and later reported that the military aircraft flew on into Russian airspace.
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03/19/2015
Iraqi security forces surrounding Tikrit continue to receive reinforcements ahead of the final phase of the operation to clear Islamic State fighters from the heart of the city. The call to battle has attracted fighters from popular volunteer groups including the Badr Organization, the League of the Righteous, the Peace Brigades and their affiliates.
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03/19/2015
Imagine an aircraft carrier—in the sky, not on sea. From its bay, it deploys swarms of armed drones that can fly, spy and kill, all guided by the touch of a computer keyboard thousands of miles away. This isn’t a scene from a science-fiction movie. It’s part of a recent proposal from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, the Pentagon skunk works that brought us the Internet, videoconferencing and GPS. Now Darpa is soliciting ideas from companies on how to bring this technology to life.
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03/19/2015
Aviation industry professionals and fans will not want to miss this year's Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2015 or Lima '15 in short. Two combat-proven Rafale aircrafts, a single-seater and a two-seater belonging to the French Air Force, are ready to dazzle visitors at the fair. Specially flown in to showcase the capabilities of a true multirole fighter aircraft.
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03/19/2015
Reports from the US Department of Defence Inspector General and Director of Operational Test and Evaluation into the controversial F-35 Joint Strike Fighter question the project’s ability to produce an aircraft which is safe to fly — let alone overcome more than 50 issues identified by audit.
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03/19/2015
Belarus will get four combat and training aircraft Yak-130 in April, BelTA learned from Oleg Demchenko, President of Irkut Corporation. “We are going to deliver four Yak-130 aircraft to Belarus in April,” said Oleg Demchenko during the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) 2015 in Malaysia.
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03/19/2015
Lockheed Martin delivered today a U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) P-3 Orion aircraft 37 days ahead of schedule. This is the 12th of 14 aircraft in the program to receive Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) modifications and phased depot maintenance. The MLU replaces the outer wings, center wing, horizontal stabilizer and horizontal stabilizer leading edges. All necessary fatigue life-limiting structures are replaced, leading to significantly reduced maintenance and sustainment costs.
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03/19/2015
The Russian military will deploy ten Tu-22M3 Backfire C supersonic strategic bombers to Crimea as part of the current large-scale snap inspection of combat readiness, a source in the Defense Ministry told RIA Novosti on Wednesday. "In the framework of the snap inspection of the combat readiness of the Northern Fleet and some units of the Western Military District, 10 TU-22M3 strategic bombers will be deployed to the Crimean Peninsula," the source said.
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03/19/2015
The Indian Air Force plans to start mounting BrahMos cruise missiles on its aircraft in 2016, BrahMos Aerospace CEO Sudhir Mishra told RIA Novosti Wednesday. The short-range supersonic missile was jointly developed by Russia and India and has been in use by the Indian Navy since 2005.
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03/18/2015
A unit of Malaysian maintenance, repair and overhaul firm Airod has proposed an upgrade programme for Malaysia’s fleet of 10 RAC MiG-29 aircraft. The upgrade, which an industry source says is being considered by the air force, would see the type upgraded to what it refers to as the “MiG-29NM” standard.
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03/18/2015
The U.K. Royal Air Force (RAF) has begun flight operations on the first deployment of its upgraded Airbus Helicopters Puma Mk. 2 utility helicopter. Three Pumas are being sent to support the U.K.’s contribution to NATO’s Resolute Support Mission. The new NATO mission has been set up to help Afghan ministries and institutions, as well as support command levels of Afghan security forces, and the helicopters will be used to carry personnel around the Kabul region to avoid useing ground transport.
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03/18/2015
Russia plans to station state-of-the art missiles in its westernmost Baltic exclave and deploy nuclear-capable bombers to Crimea as part of massive war games to showcase its resurgent military power amid bitter tensions with the West over Ukraine. The Russian military exercises this week range from the Arctic to the Pacific Ocean and involve tens of thousands of troops, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday.
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03/18/2015
An MQ-1 Predator was lost Tuesday while flying over northwest Syria, according to a defense official. Syria's official news agency claimed the drone hwas shot down, but the defense official was unable to say exactly how the unmanned aircraft crashed. The Air Force is in the process of phasing out Predators in favor of the newer MQ-9 Reaper.
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03/18/2015
Negotiation is taking place for procurement of medium multi-role combat aircraft from Dassault Aviation France but “no final decision” has been taken, the government informed the Rajya Sabha today. Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar also said review of existing fleet and induction of new aircraft is a continuous process and such a review is carried out keeping in view the operational requirements of the Air Force.
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03/18/2015
As the UK’s largest remaining defence contractor, BAE Systems is in a state of flux, with its domestic market continuing to experience reduced spending, but the need to provide a sovereign capability remaining at a consistent high.
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03/18/2015
Subsequent to the Initial Operational Clearance (IOC) of Light Combat Aircraft (Tejas), Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) has handed over the First Series Production (SP1) of Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) to the Indian Air Force (IAF) on 17.1.2015. The requirement of fighter aircraft is periodically reviewed and it is ensured that the operational requirements of the IAF are met.
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03/18/2015
About 10 Russian warships led by the Admiral Ushakov torpedo boat have conducted air defense exercises in the Barents Sea as part of the Northern Fleet snap drills, the Defense Ministry announced in a statement. "In the course of the snap Northern Fleet combat readiness drills, a group of diverse strike forces led by the Admiral Ushakov destroyer held joint military exercises with two antisubmarine ship search and strike groups in the Barents Sea," the statement said.
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03/18/2015
About 10 Russian Sukhoi Su-34 (Fullback) strike fighters and Russian modernized Sukhoi Su-27 (Flanker) multirole fighters have been relocated to the country's Kaliningrad Region to conduct bombing drills, the Defense Ministry said. "After the relocation the crews of the multipurpose Su-34 aircraft are to conduct bombing of ground targets at an unknown firing field in the Kaliningrad Region," the ministry said in a statement.
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03/18/2015
Russia delivered two Mil Mi-17 "Hip" helicopters to Nepal, and the two countries are negotiating the supply of more, the head of Russia's state-run arms exporter Rosoboronexport's regional department told RIA Novosti. "Our relations with Nepal are developing rapidly. Two Russian-supplied Mi-17s fly in the country. We are negotiating the additional delivery of helicopters for the Interior Ministry and the armed forces [of the country]," Vladimir Ereschenko said.
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03/17/2015
The Maritime Surveillance Aircraft (MSA) and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet are among the platforms Boeing will showcase at the Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia, March 17-21, 2015. Other key Boeing capabilities featured include the AH-6i Light Attack/ Reconnaissance helicopter and the ScanEagle from Boeing subsidiary, Insitu Pacific.
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03/17/2015
The first of three C-295 transports ordered from Airbus Military for the Philippine Air Force is scheduled for delivery later this month. "It will serve as additional transport support for the Armed Forces' requirements (and complement) the three existing C-130s" now in use, the Philippine Star newspaper quoted Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Enrico Canaya. "They will be especially helpful in HADR (humanitarian assistance and disaster response) operations."
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03/17/2015
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Monday that Turkey would eliminate its dependency on external suppliers for its defense industry. In a speech at the inauguration ceremony of the Radar and Electronic Warfare Technology Center, launched by Turkey's leading state-owned defense system producer, ASELSAN, in Ankara, Erdogan said: "We plan to eliminate external dependency on defense equipment supply with ongoing projects and investments by 2023.
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03/17/2015
For a $55 billion program that is supposedly shrouded in mystery, we sure do hear a lot about the significance of the Long-Range Strike Bomber competition to the companies vying for the win. So who is the frontrunner? That definitely depends upon who you ask. Loren Thompson, chief operating officer at the Lexington Institute, an Arlington-based think tank that focuses on defense, has made it clear that his money is on The Boeing Co., teamed with Lockheed Martin Corp..
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03/17/2015
Residents in Hawaii noticed an increase in fighter aircraft activity as well diversity of airframes in and around the airspaces of the state in the last couple of weeks as the Hawaii Air National Guard hosted its second large-scale "Sentry Aloha" fighter exercise of 2015.
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03/17/2015
vetlana Alexandrova — Pakistan would like to expand military technical cooperation with Russia by purchasing Russian Mi-35 helicopter gunships, Pakistani President Mamnoon Hussain told Sputnik. "Pakistan would like to procure a variety of Russian military hardware," Hussain said.
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03/17/2015
ussian fighter jets and ground support aircraft will practice penetration of "enemy's" air defenses during a month-long exercise in Siberia, the Eastern Military District said Friday. "During the drills Su-30SM fighter jets and Su-25 attack aircraft will practice interoperability in penetration of air defenses and joint attacks on communications networks behind enemy lines," the district's press service said in a statement.
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03/17/2015
Russian inspectors will conduct an observation flight over Germany, as well as the Netherlands, Belgium and Luxembourg, on March 16-21 under the Treaty on Open Skies, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov announced.
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03/17/2015
The crews of two military planes that collided mid-air near Fort Bragg in December had failed to complete visual scans of their flight paths and were too reliant on automated anti-collision systems, according to an Air Force investigative report obtained by The Fayetteville Observer.
The Army and Air Force planes, which were carrying 13 people on separate training exercises, declared emergencies and landed safely, the report said.
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03/16/2015
Rafale International has re- emphasised its commitment to Malaysia that goes beyond defence technology through its participation in the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition 2015 (LIMA'15). In a statement Monday, it said its two combat-proven Rafale, a single-seater and two-seater fighter aircraft, were already parked on the LIMA tarmac, ready to take to the skies over the five days of the exhibition.
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03/16/2015
The US Navy is aiming to have a forward presence of 120 ships by 2020, up from 97 ships today, putting ships "where it matters, when it matters." That's according to the latest update of the US maritime strategy, a document that guides the concepts and development of the sea services — the Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard.
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03/16/2015
As Defense Secretary Ashton Carter settles into office, a formidable challenge awaits him: eradicating the menace of the Islamic State, or ISIS, in Syria and Iraq. In his Senate confirmation hearing, Carter reiterated that he and the Obama administration hope “with our air power and other kinds of assistance, [to] inflict defeat on ISIS, and then make it a lasting defeat.”
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03/16/2015
They’re big. They’re ugly. And they fly. No, they’re not mosquitoes from Alaska. They’re B-52 Stratofortress bombers from North Dakota. And they’re old, too. Older than the pilots who fly them. The one that 32-year-old Capt. Jeffrey “Shredder” Stock flew in last week’s Red Flag air combat exercises at Nellis Air Force Base.
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03/16/2015
China has overtaken Germany as the world’s third-largest arms exporter and cut its own dependence on imports by producing more-sophisticated weapons, according to a new report. State-owned defense suppliers such as Norinco Group have become prominent at arms fairs, opening new markets beyond established customers in South Asia by, for example, selling armed drones to Nigeria in its battle against Boko Haram rebels.
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03/15/2015
China should allow potential overseas buyers to learn more details of the FC-31 or Shenyang J-31, the nation's second fifth-generation stealth fighter designed by the Shenyang Aircraft Corporation, writes the Kanwa Defense Review, a Chinese-language military magazine based in Canada.
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03/15/2015
In December 2013, Turkish officials warned that because military pilots were leaving service at such an alarming rate, much greater attention must be paid to the training regime. Slightly over a year later, Turkey mourns the loss of six pilots in a span of six days. Two Turkish RF-4E reconnaissance jets crashed into a hill on Feb. 27 near Malatya, eastern Turkey, killing all four pilots aboard.
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03/15/2015
The Rafale fighter jets sold to Egypt will be modified to remove nuclear missile capability and NATO standard communications, a source close to the deal said. "There will be a few modifications," the source said. Once adapted, the fighters will be delivered, with the first three in time for Egyptian pilots to fly the twin-engine fighter in Egyptian colors over the opening of a new waterway on the Suez Canal in August.
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03/15/2015
Nearly 30 years after the first U.S. stealth bomber took flight, the Air Force's aging fleet is primed for a makeover; albeit an expensive one. The Pentagon is looking to upgrade its stealth aircraft for the first time since the 1970s, developing a high-priority, super-classified, next-generation bomber.
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03/14/2015
The F-35 Joint Strike Fighter will not receive the software package required to operate the Pentagon’s top close-air support bomb until 2022, according to military.com. The article also stated that the JSF office already had discovered earlier that the precision-guided air-dropped Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) does not fit onto Joint Strike Fighter Marine Corps variant without modifications to the aircraft’s weapons bay.
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03/14/2015
Restrictions on Pentagon spending and uncertainty over federal government budgets is a key reason the company is considering selling or spinning off Sikorsky Aircraft, United Technology CEO Greg Hayes said. “Defense spending is going to be the governor of growth for them,” Hayes told CNBC. “As much as I like doing business with the DOD, there is huge uncertainty, as well as the margin cap.”
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03/14/2015
Since the end of last year, countries from Sweden to the United States have noted increased activity of Russian long-range bombers above international waters. What is the point of these patrols and is there reason for the EU and the U.S. to be concerned? RBTH presents eight facts about these flights.
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03/14/2015
Czech aircraft manufacturer Aero Vodochody's subsonic L-159 combat aircraft stand in a hangar in the town of Odolena Voda near Prague, March 11, 2015. REUTERS/David W Cerny
The Czech government has approved a sale of 15 subsonic fighter planes to Iraq, the defense minister said on Monday, following the failure of a previous attempt to offload surplus stock to Baghdad.
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03/14/2015
According to a statement released by the Pakistani army, its military has just tested its own indigenously developed, armed drones. The unmanned aircraft come equipped with laser-guided missiles and will be deployed against terrorists along the country’s northwestern border with Afghanistan.
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03/13/2015
The JF-17 Thunder (also known as the FC-1 Xiaolong), a combined development project between “all-weather” partners China and Pakistan, hasn’t quite been selling like hotcakes on the international budget fighter market. The lightweight, single-engine, multi-role combat jet, jointly developed by Pakistan Aeronautical Complex and China’s Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, sells at an attractive price point, with a unit cost of just around $15-25 million.
(Read More...)
03/13/2015
History was achieved today when the first Italian F-35A Lightning II rolled out of the Cameri Final Assembly and Check Out (FACO) facility, marking the first F-35A assembled internationally and the first of eight aircraft currently being assembled. The aircraft, designated as AL-1, will now proceed to additional check-out activities before its anticipated first flight later this year.
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03/13/2015
NATO is moving forward to modernize its Airborne early Warning and Control System (AWACS) aircraft with new flight deck and avionics systems, US defense contractor Boeing said in a statement on Thursday. “These improvements provide NATO with an AWACS fleet that will save time and fuel, and will also decrease operational costs by allowing a reduction in the flight crew size,” Boeing AWACS Program Manager Jon Hunsberger said.
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03/13/2015
The Indian Army Wives Agitation Group has urged the country’s defense ministry to scrap old French-developed helicopters that put military personnel’s lives at risk, Meenal Wagh Bhosale, a founding member of the group, told Sputnik on Thursday. “During my meeting with the defense minister, I, on behalf of the Army Officers’ Wives, demanded that these vintage choppers should be phased out,” Bhosale said.
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03/13/2015
Military pilots from Russia and Serbia will conduct joint training exercises in September 2015, the Russian Defense Ministry said Thursday. "Air Force officials from Russia and Serbia agreed at planing conference in the Russian Defense Ministry on March 12 to carry out joint tactical drills in September this year," spokesman Col. Igor Klimov said in a statement.
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03/12/2015
Langkawi is an idyllic location for an air show, but its sunny skies aren’t likely to shed much light on Kuala Lumpur’s procurement agenda. The two years since the last instalment of the biennial Langkawi International Maritime & Aerospace (LIMA) exhibition have been eventful for the Royal Malaysian Air Force.
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03/12/2015
Seven Marines and four Army aircrew were presumed dead Wednesday, according to a U.S. Defense official, after their Black Hawk helicopter crashed into waters off the Florida Panhandle during a nighttime training mission. By late Wednesday morning, human remains had washed ashore in the area near Eglin Air Force Base, base spokeswoman Jasmine Porterfield said.
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03/12/2015
The Czech Republic has announced plans to sell 15 training and combat aircraft to Iraq for a approximately EUR 28 million. Martin Stropnicky, Czech Defence Minister: "The contract consists of 15 units (of L-159 aircraft) for Iraq. These are three single-seated and one double-seated aircraft directly from the Czech army arsenal and 11 pieces that are stored in Aero Vodochody."
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03/12/2015
The Mykoyan MiG-31 Foxhound supersonic interceptor aircraft will stay in service with the Russian Air Force until 2026, the head of the MiG corporation said Wednesday. "The MiG corporation is currently developing heavy fighter-interceptor aircraft to replace the MiG-31, but the MiG-31 will remain in service until 2026," Sergei Korotkov told RIA Novosti.
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03/12/2015
A series of military exercises with live firing were launched Wednesday in Russia’s southern and western regions and in the Far East, the Defense Ministry said. During a tactical fight training exercise in South Russia’s Stavropol Territory, about 20 Su-25SM (NATO reporting name Frogfoot) fighter-bombers will make 30 sorties with live firing of missiles and rockets.
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03/12/2015
Italian fighter jets protecting airspace over the Baltic states were deployed to intercept a Russian refueling aircraft over the Baltic Sea, Latvian National Armed Forces said via Twitter. The IL-78 (Midas) is an air-to-air refueling tanker and is part of a regiment based in western Russia's Ryazan Region nearly 200 kilometers (122 miles) southeast of Moscow.
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03/11/2015
The European President recently called for the formation of a 'European Army' in order for the continent to better face the growing threats on its doorstep from Moscow and others. While Jean-Claude Juncker's proposal was dismissed by key member states almost as soon as it was announced, might not the formation of a European Air Force gain more traction at a time of heightened security concerns and squeezed defence budgets?
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03/11/2015
F-35 Joint Strike Fighter pilots will have to wait until 2022 to fire the U.S. military’s top close-air-support bomb after the Small Diameter Bomb II enters service in 2017, JSF officials explained. The Small Diameter Bomb II (SDB II) is an upgrade from previous precision-guided air-dropped weapons because of its ability to track and hit moving targets from up to 40 miles.
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03/11/2015
Russian President Vladimir Putin expands on his motivations for annexing Crimea last year in a preview for an upcoming documentary. Putin notes that Russia was “forced to start working on returning Crimea to Russia because we could not abandon this territory and the people who live there to the mercy of fate, to be crushed by nationalists.” ”It wasn’t us who committed a coup d’etat, it was done by nationalists and people with extreme views, they were given support,” Putin said."
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03/11/2015
Pakistan plans to offer its PAC JF-17 Thunder fighter jets to Bulgaria under the country's tender to acquire 16 combat aircraft for its military. The Bulgarian Air Force is aiming to replace its outdated Soviet-designed Mikoyan MiG-21 aircraft, reports local news agency Novinite.
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03/11/2015
Development of hi-tech technology from the scratch, lack of skilled manpower and technological complexities were some of the reasons the government today gave for delay in completion of the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) project.
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03/11/2015
US and anti-Islamic State Coalition military forces continued to weaken the militant group by launching 12 airstrikes in Iraq and Syria, the US Defense Department said in a statement.
“Fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted four airstrikes near Kobani [in Syria],” the statement, issued on Tuesday, said. “Attack, fighter and remotely piloted aircraft conducted eight airstrikes in Iraq.”
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03/10/2015
As it faces yet more political backlash over the mothballing of the A-10 warplane, the Air Force is launching a new effort to prove that it truly cares about the mission of supporting ground troops with massive firepower. In an unprecedented move, top Air Force leaders last week convened a “Close Air Support Summit” at the Pentagon with senior officials from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, National Guard Bureau and Special Operations Command.
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03/10/2015
On Feb. 24, two Turkish RF-4E Phantom planes on reconnaissance crashed into a mountain near Malatya, in southeast Turkey, killing four pilots. Eight days later, two more pilots died when an F-4E-2020 Phantom, upgraded by Israeli Aerospace Industries (IAI), crashed during a Turkish-Azerbaijani joint air exercise.
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03/10/2015
Last week Air Force officials appeared on Capitol Hill to discuss the weapons programs they want to fund in 2016. As usual, details about one of the biggest programs, the Long-Range Strike Bomber (LRS-B), were few and far between. The Air Force wants to keep potential adversaries guessing about the bomber’s capabilities, so all it has said is that it plans to buy 80-100 strike aircraft at a cost of $550 million each with initial fielding in 2025.
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03/10/2015
Much against the wishes of the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Defence Ministry has decided that only state-owned monopoly Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd. (HAL) will meet the service's future basic trainer requirements through its HTT-40 trainer, which is still under development. However, to meet the Air Force's immediate needs, until the homemade HTT-40 is inducted, MoD has ordered another 38 Swiss-made Pilatus PC-7 Mark-IIs to top the 75 ordered by the outgoing government in 2012.
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03/10/2015
Faced with delays over its biggest airforce deal, a worried Indian government has asked Russia to expedite production of the planned fifth-generation fighter aircraft and given up its earlier condition that it should be a 50-50 joint venture, a report says. The deal for buying 126 Rafale fighter aircraft from France's Dassault has been delayed over negotiations over the $11 billion price tag and guarantees over quality.
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03/10/2015
Russia continues to flex its military muscles throughout Europe. Russian President Putin has sent tens of thousands of Russians troops and heavy equipment into Georgia and now eastern Ukraine, and has only received a light slap on the wrist for his illegal military aggression. Is it any wonder Russian military aircraft are now constantly buzzing European aircraft and encroaching on European airspace? Putin is doing what any bully will do when unchallenged…that is, continue to act belligerently.
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03/09/2015
Sikorsky is close to beginning upgrades to the UAE's helicopters that would them the "most advanced armed Black Hawks ever produced," a company vice president told Defense News.
Robert Kokorda, vice president of sales, said the UAE-funded development program of the kits to weaponize UH-60M Black Hawk helicopters is in its final development stages.
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03/09/2015
Faced with continuing deadlock in the mega deal to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters, India is now pressing the throttle to seal the even bigger project with Russia for the stealth fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA). India has told Russia it wants deliveries of the FGFA to begin in 36 months after the main contract is inked, instead of the 94 months envisaged earlier, top defence sources said.
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03/09/2015
As part of the U.S. military's shift to the Asia-Pacific region, the Navy is dispatching more ships and sailors for exercises with partner nations. There are also opportunities to work alongside the Chinese military in training and humanitarian operations. But make no mistake — China is at the heart of the new strategy, and the Middle Kingdom is pushing back.
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03/09/2015
On board the USS Carl Vinson: The morning after the night Gepetto bombed a suspected Islamic State facility in Iraq, he was saying in the aircrew room of this carrier that "typically, when I launch I do not have a target". The 29-year-old lieutenant, who can be identified only by his call sign, is a pilot with the Fighting Redcocks squadron of F/A 18F Super Hornet and F/A 18C Hornet fighter jets.
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03/09/2015
American and Czech specialists will fly over Russia on March 9-14 under the Treaty on Open Skies, Sergei Ryzhkov, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center has announced. "In the period of March 9-14, within the framework of the international Treaty on Open Skies, a joint mission of the United States and the Czech Republic will conduct an observation flight over the territory of the Russian Federation aboard the American observation aircraft OC-135B," Ryzhkov said.
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03/09/2015
On January 2 the German Luftwaffe, which had provided a contingent of four Eurofighters on base for NATO Baltic Policing patrols since September, handed over to a Spanish air force detachment of the same aircraft type, which took over patrolling duties at Estonia’s Amari Air Base near Tallinn. The Spanish war jets will fly a training mission over Estonian territory on Sunday, the country’s Defense Ministry said in a statement.
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03/08/2015
Five years ago, Lockheed Martin told U.S. Air Force officials that Taiwan’s air force was on the verge of collapse and no other defense contractor in the world could help. Eager to sell F-16s, the company went on a PR blitz. The pitch—Washington and the Pentagon needed to sell fighter jets to Taiwan … or else.
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03/08/2015
The top U.S. military officer will press the government of Iraqi Prime Minister Haider al-Abadi during a visit to Iraq this week about its plans for avoiding sectarian fallout once the Iranian-backed operation to dislodge the Islamic State from the city of Tikrit concludes. Gen. Martin Dempsey, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, said he was confident that Iraq would ultimately defeat the Sunni militants in Tikrit, a largely Sunni city northwest of Baghdad.
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03/07/2015
Indonesia’s Natuna Archipelago, with only 27 of its 154 islands inhabited, is the republic’s northernmost region in the South China Sea and potentially its most vulnerable. Due to their proximity to the disputed areas and features in the South China Sea, the Natuna Islands could become yet another flashpoint in the area.
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03/07/2015
The assassination of Boris Nemtsov, the Russian opposition leader, in broad daylight on a bridge near the Kremlin at the end of February was a terrorist act. We shall probably never know for certain who was behind this murder, which happened to be very convenient for President Vladimir Putin as Nemtsov had planned to lead a protest march against Russia’s dictatorial regime and to expose Putin’s aim of destabilizing Ukraine.
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03/07/2015
Arizona Sen. John McCain says he will work to reverse the process of retiring the A-10 Thunderbolt II close air-support jet, after the recent announcement that the Air Force will put nine A-10s at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base into backup status. “We will be working hard and most likely reverse that decision in the defense authorization bill,” McCain, Republican chairman of the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee, said Friday.
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03/07/2015
The Air Force plans to set up new squadrons of F-15Es and F-16s with a specific focus on close air support for ground troops — a role now primarily done by the A-10 that the Air Force wants to retire. Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, briefed reporters on the plan Friday, following a week-long Pentagon summit of top Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy leaders on the future of the close air support.
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03/07/2015
Those who enjoyed the sight of Air Force fighters arcing over southern Oahu in January during the "Sentry Aloha" air combat exercise are about to get a second helping. The Hawaii Air National Guard said it will host its second large-scale Sentry Aloha exercise running for the next two weeks.
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03/07/2015
More than 40 Russian fighter jet crews practiced destroying enemy missiles and aircraft during military exercises over the Barents Sea, the Russian Defense Minister said Friday. "Over 40 crews flying MiG-31 (Foxhound) fighter-interceptors and Su-24 (Fencer) attack bombers from the Central Military District participated in tactical flight exercises over the Barents Sea.
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03/06/2015
The Afghan military will be without its own fixed-wing close air support for another fighting season this summer against the Taliban, with the first of 20 A-29 Super Tucano turboprops expected to begin arriving in December. "This is a huge asset they're looking forward to getting inside Afghanistan," Army Gen. John Campbell told the House Armed Services Committee on Wednesday, but "they won't have much for the next fighting season."
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03/06/2015
During an Armed Services Committee hearing Tuesday, Secretary of Defense Ashton Carter said the world is watching — allies and enemies — to see if our country continues to invest in its own defense, especially in the Arctic. Some of the people responsible for that defense are in Alaska. At Anchorage’s Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, dozens of plaques with red stars on them line a wall of an operations floor.
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03/06/2015
Bulgaria is to be offered the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aircraft Industry Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 Thunder combat aircraft, according to national media reports. The single-seat, single-engined fighter is to be offered by Pakistan as an alternative to the several Western aircraft types that are all vying to be selected by Bulgaria as it looks to replace its ageing MiG-29 'Fulcrum' and Sukhoi Su-25 'Frogfoot' platforms, the novinite.com Sofia News Agency reported on 4 March.
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03/06/2015
For all the talk of shrinking global defense budgets and sequestration, the U.S. military’s three prime combat aircraft contractors—Lockheed Martin, Boeing, and Northrop Grumman—have enjoyed a good run of late, with each company’s stock currently bumping up against its 52-week high. But don’t expect the smooth sailing to last, says one prominent industry analyst.
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03/06/2015
Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] restarted the wing production line for the P-3 Orion Mid-Life Upgrade (MLU) program for Canada and Chile on March 4. The P-3 wing line was last in production in August 2014. The gap in production extended the opportunities for global operators to assess their fleet needs.
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03/05/2015
The Pentagon has announced that depleted uranium (DU) munitions have not, and will not, be used by US aircraft in the conflict against Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. The policy U-turn contrasts with statements made over previous months, where Pentagon officials claimed that DU would be used if needed; the decision reflects a growing stigmatisation of the controversial weapons.
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03/05/2015
The US Air Force (USAF) has placed 18 primary combat-coded A-10 Thunderbolt II close-combat support aircraft into the backup-aircraft inventory (BAI) status. Congress has authorised an increase a total of 36 A-10 aircraft into BAI status. The service, however mothballed a fewer number of aircraft to assess whether the action adequately balances ongoing requirements and the need for upgrade.
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03/05/2015
This year marks the 40th anniversary of Red Flag - the United States Air Force's premiere air-to-air combat training exercise. For the last four decades it's evolved and today it continues to hone the skills of its participants to meet current and future real world adversarial challenges.
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03/05/2015
Though questions remain about how realistic the plans are, Moscow reportedly said Monday that it hopes to build its second aircraft carrier -- which would measure about 10 percent larger than the ones currently in the United States' Nimitz-class fleet. The National Interest, citing Itar-Tass News Agency, reported that the proposed carrier would be able to hold about 100 aircraft and would use a catapult take-off system.
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03/05/2015
RUSSIA says it has been conducting mock “attack runs” on NATO warships in the Black Sea as reports emerge of commercial airliners having to “dodge” prowling Russian bombers. As tensions continue to escalate over Russia’s barely concealed involvement in the Ukrainian civil war, it has adopted an increasingly aggressive posture towards its old Cold War enemies.
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03/05/2015
Over recent years, Iran has made great play of its burgeoning domestic aerospace capabilities by revealing a number of 'new' combat aircraft types to the world. For about the last five years, state media has heralded a steady stream of new fighters and other types which, it claims, demonstrate the Islamic republic's ability to design, develop, and manufacture the latest generation of combat aviation.
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03/05/2015
The increase comes despite a slowing Chinese economy. State-run Xinhua news agency notes that it is a smaller increase than previous years. In 2014 the budget had increased by over 12% over 2013, and this year's would be the smallest increase in five years. The total military budget will rise to 886.9 billion yuan ($141.45 billion) which will still be a distant second to the US' more than $600 billion in military spending in 2013.
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03/05/2015
Indian Defense Minister Manohar Parrikar said that it is yet unclear whether the deal on the deliveries of French Rafale fighter jets will be finalized before the April's visit of India's Prime Minister Narendra Modi to France.
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03/05/2015
Russia's new Richag-AV radar and sonar jamming system can be mounted on helicopters, ships and other military equipment to jam potential adversaries' weapons systems from distances of several hundred kilometers away; it has been hailed by developers as having no analogue anywhere in the world.
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03/03/2015
The UK Royal Air Force has conducted 159 air strikes against Islamic State targets in Iraq with Panavia Tornado GR4s since deploying the type to the region late last year, the Ministry of Defence has revealed. Details of the combat activity were disclosed during a visit to RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus by defence secretary Michael Fallon on 1 March.
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03/03/2015
Forty years ago, an attack aircraft Su-25 (GrachRook) took off from an airfield in Moscow suburb Kubinka for its maiden flight. Time has not dimmed its lustre. This aircraft remains a fearsome fighting machine, and can be called the future of Russian attack aviation. At the beginning of 2015, there were 14 air assault squadrons, composed of 150 Su-25; 60 Su-25SM; 52 Su-25SM2 /SM3; and 15 Su-25UB. Of all these storm-troopers 80 more machines will be upgraded to the SM version by 2020.
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03/03/2015
More than 25,000 Iraqi troops and militia fighters began a long-awaited operation Monday to retake the central Iraqi city of Tikrit, Saddam Hussein’s hometown, from the Islamic State in what many see as a test of the central government’s ability to retake and hold much of the territory lost to the militant group last summer.
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03/03/2015
The Air Force has begun moving A-10 attack jets into backup status, even as it continues to use the plane in airstrikes against the Islamic State. Air Force officials announced the move on Friday. Eighteen planes will be placed into “Backup-Aircraft Inventory” (BAI) status, with the possibility of 18 more being mothballed later this year. The designation means the Thunderbolt II planes are considered to be undergoing maintenance or otherwise unable to fly.
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03/03/2015
Pilots from the U.S. Air Force, Japanese Air Self-Defense Force and Royal Australian air force conducted large force employment (LFE) training here Feb. 19-27, as part of exercise Cope North 2015. This year marks the 86th iteration of the multilateral training exercise, which is a long-standing, multinational event designed to increase interoperability and improve combat readiness and develop a synergistic disaster response capability between the countries involved.
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03/03/2015
Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] and H. N. Burns Engineering Corp. have agreed to collaborate on technology that enhances military helicopter pilots’ ability to fly in low visibility conditions caused by weather, dust or other obstructions. Known as degraded visual environments (DVE), the blinding conditions are a primary cause of major helicopter accidents.
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03/03/2015
Russia's Ministry of Defense has removed the Antonov An-70 military transport aircraft, jointly developed by Russia and Ukraine, from its national armament program, the Izvestia newspaper said. The ministry could also request the return of 2.95 billion rubles (nearly $100 million at the 2010 exchange rate) transferred to Ukraine's Antonov design bureau in 2010, when both countries started research and development work on the project, initially launched in the early 1980s.
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03/02/2015
Pakistan's Air Force (PAF) Thursday stood up its unit of Chinese Karakorum Eagle AEW&C aircraft in a ceremony attended by the head of the PAF, Air Chief Marshal Tahir Rafiq Butt, and Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Though the exact location of the ceremony was not given, it is believed to have been held at PAF Base Masroor in Karachi as the prime minister was known to have been in the city that day.
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03/02/2015
At number 63 Karl Marx Street, the tinted glass facade of the Ministry of Defense of the Luhansk People's Republic (LPR) stands insolently among the scenery of shattered windows and crushed roads. On the snow-covered square in front of the church, a dozen of half-asleep men smoke cigarette after cigarette while they wait for the recruitment office to open. The fatigue, anxiety and cold make their legs shiver, but don’t dissuade them from joining the Luhansk people’s militia.
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03/02/2015
For the third year in a row Japan has increased its defense budget, this time to $41 billion. Japan is also striving to generate enough popular support for changing the laws that govern the aggressive use of its military. The most recent motivator for this was the recent execution of two Japanese citizens by Islamic terrorists (ISIL in Syria). Longer term the Japanese are becoming more alarmed at increasing Chinese military activity in waters and air space around Japan.
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03/02/2015
One of the United States' most advanced aircraft was in Clark Air Base in February for a temporary rotational detachment that allowed Filipino pilots to join patrol missions in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea). The spy plane – a long-range anti-submarine warfare, anti-surface warfare, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft – that is under the operational control of the US Navy Patrol Squadron 45 based in Yokosuka, Japan shows the country's commitment to a strategic pivot to Asia.
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03/02/2015
The constant, insatiable demand for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance has driven the Air Force to reduce funds for some missions in order to keep more spy aircraft flying and to increase combat air patrols, Air Force leaders told lawmakers Friday. The fiscal 2016 budget request looks to keep flying the U-2, previously planned for early retirement, at least until 2019 to address the demand for surveillance. The budget also would fund 60 combat air patrols per day, up from 55.
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03/02/2015
A second letter of request (LoR) from the Saudi government detailing requirements for the Eastern Fleet replacement program was delivered to the US Navy in February, barely a month after an initial request was sent, according to sources here at the International Defence Exposition show.
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03/02/2015
When circumstances change, defence policy should too. Yet British governments have a patchy record. For many years, Conservative governments preferred a series of budget cuts to a properly conducted review of defence and security. The last serious effort to calibrate military spending with foreign policy was under Labour in 1998. The coalition government’s review of 2010 was another budget-driven exercise, which lacked intellectual rigour and did deep damage to Britain’s military power.
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03/02/2015
Russian inspectors will conduct observation flights over the territories of Spain and Portugal at the beginning of March, under the Treaty on Open Skies, head of Russia's National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center Sergei Ryzhkov has announced. "Observation flights will be conducted during the period of March 1-8 from the Open Skies airfields in Lisbon (Portugal) and Getafe (Spain) at a maximum range of 1200 and 1800 kilometers [745 and 1118 miles] respectively," Ryzhkov said.
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03/02/2015
The United States and Germany will carry joint observation flight over the Russian territory within the framework of the Treaty on Open Skies, Sergei Ryzhkov, the head of Russia’s National Nuclear Risk Reduction Center, told journalists.
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02/28/2015
The Pentagon has launched a wide-ranging study of electronic warfare, looking across the services at major platforms such as the EA-18G Growler and the F-35’s three versions. “We are doing right now in the Department of Defense a study that looks at all electronic attack[:] what is the situation in electromagnetic warfare across the spectrum in our maneuver,” Adm. Jonathan Greenert told the House Appropriations defense subcommittee yesterday.
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02/28/2015
The U.S. Navy has awarded a joint venture of Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N) and Sikorsky Helicopter a contract worth $2 billion to service the Navy's H-60 helicopters through Jan. 31, 2020, the Pentagon announced on Friday. The fixed-price contract covers "performance-based logistics" on 1,710 assemblies and components, and covers the repair, modification, overhaul and replacement of hardware for the Navy's fleet of H-60 helicopters.
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02/28/2015
The Air Force is requesting $10 billion above what sequestration-level funding provides in order to support its global responsibilities, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James told members of the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee here today. James said the potential return of sequestration jeopardizes the Air Force’s ability to sustain its various global missions and hampers its ability to focus on its main priorities: people, modernization and stewardship.
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02/28/2015
Are the Iraqis up to the fight? That's the question that will preoccupy senior U.S. military leaders for the next few months as a small team of Americans tries to prepare a massive force of Iraqis for the decisive Battle of Mosul. U.S. officials hope to launch the invasion of Iraq's second largest city in April or May with a force of 20,000 to 25,000 Iraqi soldiers.
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02/28/2015
The horrific killing of captured Jordanian Air Force Lieutenant Muath al-Kaseasbeh by Islamic State militants has highlighted the risks coalition pilots face as they fly combat missions against ISIS positions in Iraq and Syria. Lt. Muath al-Kasaesbeh was flying a Jordanian F-16 against an ISIS target in northern Syria when the fighter jet became the first aircraft lost since the U.S.-led coalition began air strikes against ISIS in Syria.
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02/28/2015
India have spent big from the 2011 fiscal year to the last fiscal year on the Army, Air Force and Navy for procuring arms, weapons and other defence-related systems. Defence minister Manohar Parrikar said the three services have placed orders worth Rs 83,858 crore. During this period, India's own defence sector earned Rs 69 crore by export of military hardware.
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02/28/2015
Taiwan’s military strength ranks 15th in the world and ninth in the Asia-Pacific region in terms of conventional war-making capability across land, sea and air, according to a survey conducted by military Web site Global Firepower. The nation’s ranking has fluctuated between 14th and 18th since 2009, peaking at 14th in 2011 and 2012 and last year standing at 17th, according to the Web site.
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02/28/2015
On the surface, it might not seem like Carey Lohrenz's old office has much in common with the rhythms and interactions found in the typical modern workplace. That’s because, back in the '90s, her job as a naval aviator meant she spent most of her time in the cockpit of an F-14 Tomcat, a beast of a fighter jet armed to the teeth with a machine gun and missiles with a range of more than 100 miles.
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02/28/2015
United States and anti-Islamic State coalition military forces launched 31 airstrikes against the militant group in Syria and Iraq, destroying significant number of fighters, equipment and infrastructure, a US Defense Department said in a statement on Friday. “Attack, fighter, bomber and remotely piloted aircraft conducted 20 airstrikes in Syria,” the statement said, adding that 11 airstrikes were conducted in Iraq.
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02/27/2015
“Nothing lasts forever.” That’s the message a Boeing plant worker scrawled on the fuselage of the 279th and final C-17 Globemaster aircraft being assembled Thursday at the Long Beach manufacturing plant where the mammoth aircraft has been built for roughly a quarter century. Thursday was the day when workers gathered to participate in — or at least watch — the last “major join” of a C-17 Globemaster that is ever expected to take place.
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02/27/2015
With uncertainty looming large over the signing of multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jet deal, finalization of the fifth generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) deal is likely to gather pace. The government had signed a joint development programme for FGFA with Russia.
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02/27/2015
As a Royal Australian Air Force Airbus A330 multi-role tanker transport (MRTT) continues to support operations against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria, the service is placing a major emphasis on getting the type's long-delayed boom refuelling capability on-line.
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02/27/2015
The Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) has awarded Lockheed Martin Australia a contract to supply a modern C-130J-30 Virtual Maintenance Trainer and a Multi-Function Training Aid (MFTA) to support maintenance and aircrew training at RAAF Base Richmond.
Through this major upgrade, the RAAF will have a standardised curriculum tailored for its operations and based on decades of C-130 training innovation by Lockheed Martin.
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02/27/2015
The UAE spent 18.33 billion dirhams ($5 billion) on deals signed with local and international arms dealers at the International Defence Exhibition and Conference (IDEX) in the capital Abu Dhabi, Reuters reported. The amount was the most spent since the IDEX began in the early 1900s, and a 30% increase from the last event, held in 2013.
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02/27/2015
The strategic waters of the South China Sea are claimed by a confusing collection of various nations. The region’s strongest – and most vocal – stakeholder is China. On Thursday, the US Navy admitted that it is monitoring the area, launching its most advanced spy plane out of the Philippines.
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02/26/2015
Saudi Arabia has now offered to let Israeli fighter jets use its airspace to attack Iran when necessary, in exchange for Israel making progress in the peace talks with Palestinians, a senior European source told Israeli Channel 2. “The Saudi authorities are completely coordinated with Israel on all matters related to Iran,” the European official in Brussels said.
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02/26/2015
Ukraine and its allies hope this month’s cease-fire deal with Russia and Russian-backed rebels brings relative calm to southeastern Ukraine. But the Minsk agreement is deeply flawed, and there is every chance it may yet unravel, even if it holds for the short term. The accord’s greatest flaw is in letting Russia maintain unsupervised control of Ukraine’s border in the Donbass region until the end of the year.
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02/26/2015
One of the world’s biggest weapons buyers, the United Arab Emirates, is revamping its burgeoning defense industry to lessen the country’s dependence on foreign arms-makers, just as Western firms scramble for deals in the Middle East. The U.A.E. is merging more than a dozen local, state-owned defense equipment suppliers, aiming to be more self-reliant in outfitting its armed forces.
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02/26/2015
The U.S. Army has no interest in taking over the Air Force's fleet of A-10 attack planes, even if it would save the venerable Cold War-era aircraft from the bone yard. The service's top civilian, Army Secretary John McHugh, rejected the idea of accepting hand-me-down A-10 Warthogs from the Air Force. "No chance," he said during a breakfast meeting with reporters on Wednesday in Washington, D.C. "That's not even been a topic of casual conversation."
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02/26/2015
The Navy continues to evaluate whether it will need more EA-18G Growler electronic jamming aircraft on the deck of a carrier even though service officials chose to include no new Growlers in its 2016 defense budget request. The current configuration for an aircraft carrier’s air wing includes five Growler aircraft per squadron; however, an ongoing evaluation of the jamming aircraft is leading the service to consider increasing this number to seven or eight per squadron.
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02/25/2015
The following statement was released by the United States Military. The 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing F/A-18 Hornet that crashed earlier yesterday near Statenville, Ga., was conducting low-altitude tactics training when the mishap occurred. The pilot, Maj. Roy Nicka, and the weapons systems officer, 1st. Lt. Robert Reynolds, escaped serious injury when they ejected from the aircraft, and were treated for minor injuries at South Georgia Medical Center in Valdosta, Ga. There are no reports of injuries
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02/25/2015
Pilatus Aircraft has shipped another PC-21 expanded envelope trainer aircraft off its final assembly line for the Royal Saudi Air Force (RSAF). The aircraft represents the 100th turboprop trainer PC-21 to be rolled off the company's final assembly line in Switzerland, and an overall 1000th aircraft to have been manufactured to date by Pilatus.
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02/25/2015
Exporting combat jets is a multibillion-dollar business involving some of the biggest names in the global defense industry. U.S., French and British competitors dominate the trade, often banking on their political leaders to court potential customers, from Latin America to Asia. And then there’s Sweden. With little in the way of a global marketing machine, the tiny Nordic country has had outsize success in winning export orders. That’s thanks to Saab AB’s Gripen combat jet.
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02/25/2015
The US Marine Corps' (USMC) MV-22 Osprey has conducted a first in-flight refuelling with a US Air Force KC-10 aircraft. Refuelling was carried out as part of Cobra Gold 2015, which involved five MV-22 Ospreys. The aircraft flew more than 2,200nm, travelling from Clark Air Base, the Philippines to Utapao Royal Thai Navy Airfield in Thailand. During this process, the KC-10 aircraft delivered 40,000lb of fuel in mid-flight.
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02/25/2015
Australia is poised to send extra troops to Iraq to train its security forces in the fight against Islamic State. The New Zealand government on Tuesday announced it would send 143 soldiers as part of a 400-strong joint Australia-NZ training team, subject to agreement from Canberra.
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02/25/2015
The Boeing [NYSE: BA] Joint Direct Attack Munition Extended Range (JDAM ER) demonstrated significant range increase while maintaining its expected accuracy during flight testing conducted by Boeing and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF). The testing centered on a new wing kit that, when used in conjunction with the weapon’s guidance kit, increases the bomb’s range from approximately 15 miles (24 kilometers) to more than 45 miles (72 kilometers).
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02/24/2015
Jordan’s small air force has been playing an outsize role in the U.S.-led bombing campaign against the Islamic State group, not only flying more missions than any other partner nation but also opening its bases to other allies to allow them to mount more sorties.
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02/24/2015
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has received the first BrahMos missile integrated Su-30 MKI multi-role combat aircraft from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL). The aircraft was handed over at the ongoing Aero India 2015 exhibition at Air Force Station Yelahanka, Bengaluru.HAL chairman T Suvarna Raju said: "The successful completion of the first Su 30 aircraft integrated with BrahMos missile shows the synergy between DRDO, HAL and IAF.
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02/24/2015
Over the years, Selfridge Air National Guard Base has been a survivor of multiple base closing rounds: adding and subtracting aircraft, changing missions, morphing into a headquarters for Coast Guard personnel, Customs and Border Patrol and more. But for the third year in a row, the Air Force has proposed grounding its entire fleet of A10s, a venerable aircraft that happens to be the sole attack jet left flying out of Selfridge.
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02/24/2015
“Dead on arrival” was how a disappointed veteran of previous Aero India shows in Bengaluru described the 10th edition of the event. As the curtain came down on it on Sunday, defence analysts, business visitors and many spectators summed up the last five days to The Hindu as: “slack”, “flat”, “no show”, “dull”, “drab” and “lacklustre”, each for a reason.
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02/24/2015
France has deployed an aircraft carrier in the Gulf as part of the US-led military campaign against Islamic State (Isis) in Iraq, a defence ministry official said. “The integration of the Charles de Gaulle in the operation ... [in Iraq] begins this morning,” a member of staff of the defence minister, Jean-Yves Le Drian, told AFP as his entourage made its way to the carrier.
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02/23/2015
Israel has signed a deal to purchase 14 F-35 Joint Strike Fighters from the US, with the option of another 17, the Defense Ministry announced on Sunday. In an agreement inked over the weekend, Israel will obtain the aircraft as part of a total $2.82-billion package that began with the purchase of 19 of the fighters in 2010.
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02/23/2015
It’s still quiet on the CF-18 front in Iraq, at least for now. The Canadian Forces doesn’t have any new updates on bombing runs. Feb. 13 was the last one (at least publicly released) with the jets leading other coalition fighter planes in an attack on a building suspected of being used by ISIL to make improvised explosive devices or IEDs. There could be a new technical briefing sometime this upcoming week. (Defence Watch will update when new information is released).
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02/23/2015
When Egypt signed an agreement to purchase 24 Dassault Rafale fighters, it marked a milestone for the program: the first international sale of the jet, which has struggled to find a market outside of its home nation of France. But what should be a celebratory attitude at the company's Paris headquarters has instead turned glum, as the crown jewel of its expansion plans — a $12 billion deal with India that has been in the works since 2012 — now appears in danger.
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02/23/2015
“We must expect to be the force of first resort more often than ever before,” he will tell an air force conference in Melbourne today. “Governments now require increasingly rapid military responses, whether in the form of humanitarian missions or combat forces capable of deploying over vast distances and being able to immediately operate with our major allies.
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02/23/2015
London's successful blocking of the Gripen fighter sale to Argentina appears to have done little to stop Buenos Aires' determination to replace its aging attack and fighter fleet. Nor has it halted its threats to use force to "liberate" the Malvinas (Falkland) Islands from British control. In October, Argentina's Defense Minister Agustin Rossi announced plans to procure 14 Saab Gripen fighters to replace its single-engine Dassault Mirage III/5, which saw combat during the 1982 Falklands War.
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02/23/2015
The Typhoon combat jet will receive a £165 million makeover with a new package of enhancements that will include integration of the Brimstone 2 missile, representatives of the four-nation program announced on the opening day of the IDEX defense show on Sunday. The single largest part of the package is the £72 million deal with BAE Systems to complete integration of MBDA's air-to-ground Brimstone 2.
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02/23/2015
He once described his role as an Apache pilot fighting the Taliban as “the best experience ever”. But Prince Harry has now decided never to fly a combat helicopter again. The Prince, who spent five months in the cockpit of a gunship in Afghanistan, has opted to hang up his flying goggles, even though the Army is short of pilots. Prince Harry, 30, or Captain Wales as he is called in the Forces, was expected to return to the skies with the Army Air Corps after arranging the Invictus Games.
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02/23/2015
The US-led coalition against the Islamic State militant group conducted six airstrikes on insurgents' positions in Iraq and Syria, the US Defense Department said in a statement Saturday. According to the statement, two fighting positions of the insurgents were destroyed in Syria.
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02/23/2015
French Defense Minister Jean-Yves Drian will meet his Indian counterpart Manohar Parrikar in the week of February 23 looking to prevent the collapse of a deal to sell 126 Rafale fighter jets. Three years ago, French company Dassault Aviation won the right to start exclusive negotiations with India to supply 126 Rafale fighters in a deal which could be worth as much as $12 billion.
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02/22/2015
Nigeria’s military has announced it has recaptured Baga from Boko Haram, more than a month after the town was overrun in the worst massacre of the Islamist terror group’s six-year insurgency. Defence spokesman Chris Olukoladesaid many terrorists had drowned in Lake Chad as they tried to flee bombardment from Nigerian air force jets.
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02/22/2015
Some 200,000 people are expected to attend the Australian International Air Show, where about 600 companies from more than two dozen countries will show their wares between Feb. 24 and March 1, said Ian Honnery, CEO of Aerospace Maritime and Defense foundation of Australia (AMDA), which organizes the show. The event is the 12th in the biennial series at Avalon, which is south of Melbourne and close to the regional city of Geelong.
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02/22/2015
According to the Emiratis’ state news agency, UAE F-16E/Fs targeted IS oil refineries on 16 February from an unnamed Jordanian airbase. The agency said ‘similar’ attacks had been carried out on 10 and 12 February. The airstrikes come just weeks after reports indicated the country had suspended its involvement.
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02/22/2015
A government watchdog report on the Air Force’s proposed retirement of the A-10 says the service “cooked the books” by releasing manipulated statistics that painted the plane as unreliable and a killer of civilians and American troops. When the Air Force released its budget for fiscal year 2016 earlier this month, it detailed a plan to retire the A-10 Thunderbolt II, commonly referred to as the Warthog, by 2019.
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02/22/2015
Concerns about the Islamic State group, Iran's growing influence and Yemen's upheaval are boosting the regional defense market's land sector ahead of the massive International Defense Exhibition (IDEX) in Abu Dhabi, analysts said. Playing into the rivalry between the Arabian Peninsula states and Iran, Yemen's Houthi takeover has stoked deep fears of a radical Shiite front, analysts said.
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02/22/2015
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) chairman T Suvarna Raju on Thursday said that HAL is willing to take full responsibility for the Rafales that it manufactures if the contract with French Defence major Dassault is signed. The comment assumes significance in the backdrop of a disagreement between India and Dassault over who would take guarantee for the Rafale fighter jets.
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02/22/2015
The biennial Aero India 2015 show turned into a carnival Saturday, as over 60,000 people flocked to the Yelahanka base of the Indian Air Force (IAF) here to witness spectacular aerobatics and thrilling aerial feats by fighters, helicopters, stunt aircraft, transport planes and even unmanned aerial vehicles.
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02/22/2015
US and Jordanian officials are expected to talk on the sidelines of IDEX, discussions that may carry extra weight in light of US lawmakers' recent pressure to expedite foreign military sales to Jordan. The lawmakers appear to hope that Jordan — which at press time had launched airstrikes but committed no ground troops in the fight against the Islamic State group (also called ISIS or ISIL) — could assume a strengthened role in the US-led coalition, given the incentive of US weaponry and backing.
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02/21/2015
The armed forces have differing needs. That fact is playing out right now as the Air Force and Navy are arguing about the importance of stealth technology in the next generation of fighter aircraft. That's according to The Air Force Times, which cites Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert, who earlier this month said stealth could be "overrated," arguing that there's only so much that can be done to prevent detection.
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02/21/2015
Border surveillance and security technologies are expected to take center stage at this week's International Defense Exhibition, driven by internal and regional stability issues and the fight against Islamic State extremists, according to a former senior US defense official. "The whole idea of border surveillance and security will be an overriding theme in this one," said William Landay, retired director of the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA).
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02/21/2015
Airmen with the Expeditionary Aircraft Maintenance Squadron Extender Aircraft Maintenance Unit here waste no time when answering the call to defend the nation -- even with little to no notice. Although the KC-l0 Extender’s primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments.
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02/21/2015
The Ministry of Defence insists that the Russian aircraft did not enter British airspace, which extends 12 nautical miles from the nation's coast. But it says they were inside the UK's "area of interest", and the RAF scrambled Typhoon jets to intercept them. If the MoD's account is accurate, they may have been flying too far away for ordinary plane spotters to detect them - although a woman in Cornwall claims she saw them flying inland.
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02/21/2015
Russia expressed confidence that the long delayed concluding agreement with India on the joint production of the fifth generation fighter aircraft can be signed this year. The two countries signed an initial contract in 2010 to build the Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) programme, however, they have not been able to agree to the final terms of the contract.
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02/20/2015
The military says Canadian CF-18 fighter jets conducted a single attack in Iraq last week, leading a coalition strike that destroyed a factory making improved explosive devices. Navy Capt. Paul Forget says the attack on Friday was a success. He says coalition air attacks and Iraqi ground efforts continue to degrade the operational ability of the group known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.
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02/20/2015
Nobody knows exactly where "Rat 55" lives or precisely what technology it uses to accomplish its mission, but it sure is an exotic beast. The USAF's secretive NT-43A testbed is a highly modified 737-200 that goes far beyond ground-based radar and infrared signature testing on stealthy aircraft by plying its trade high up in the sky in their target aircraft's natural operating environment.
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02/20/2015
The Air Force's current plans for high-altitude surveillance, keeping the decades-old U-2 flying while upgrading the new RQ-4 Global Hawk drone, will not meet the demands of the military for reconnaissance, and the service needs to start again with a new aircraft to replace both spy plans, the head of Lockheed Martin's Skunk Works said.
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02/20/2015
As enemy fighters get more lethal, the Air Force's air-to-air combat training is looking to take a giant leap into the virtual world. Technology moves so rapidly that it is impossible to create a "real world threat environment" that can accurately simulate combat with the most advanced aircraft, Chief of Staff Gen. Mark Welsh says. So the Air Force plans to emphasize the virtual component of air-to-air combat training.
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02/20/2015
It became known as the Rafale curse. Several times in the past 15 years France’s Dassault Aviation came close to securing the first export order for its Rafale fighter jet, only to fail at the final hurdle. On Monday the curse appeared to be lifted when Egypt signed for 24 aircraft at an estimated value of €5.2bn. Now investors are beginning to question whether the curse has been transferred to Eurofighter Typhoon, the European combat aircraft programme 33 per cent owned by BAE Systems.
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02/20/2015
As the Defense Department seeks funding to develop a sixth-generation fighter, the Air Force and Navy appear to have differing opinions on the importance of stealth, while a top contractor on Wednesday called low observability for the future fighter "foundational." Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Jonathan Greenert told a Washington audience Feb. 4 that stealth might be "overrated" for future fighters.
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02/20/2015
The Long Range Anti-Ship Missile (LRASM) built by Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] achieved a third successful air-launched flight test, with the missile performing as expected during low altitude flight. The test, conducted on Feb. 4, was in support of the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy joint-service LRASM program.
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02/20/2015
Russia is ready to send additional Mikoyan MiG-29K/KUB aircraft to India if New Dehli decides to increase its MiG-29K/KUB fleet. "The Indian Navy plans to establish three naval aircraft squadrons that will fly MiG-29K/KUB. Two of the squadrons will be deployed to two aircraft carriers, while the third one will be used for training," Sergei Korotkov, who heads Russian Aircraft Corporation MiG, told RIA Novosti.
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02/20/2015
The British media is awash with news about another two jets being scrambled to intercept Russian bombers flying near British airspace, despite it hardly being newsworthy. RAF Typhoon jets were sent up to escort two Russian aircraft spotted off the south-west coast of Britain on February 19. The incident is the latest in what have been almost monthly intercepts near what the UK likes to call the "UK area of interest" over several years.
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02/19/2015
India is tripling its fleet of nuclear submarines in the country’s priciest naval expansion in five years, a move that comes as China increases naval activity in the Indian Ocean.
A cabinet committee on Tuesday approved plans to build six nuclear-powered submarines and seven stealth warships at a cost of about 1 trillion rupees ($16 billion), according to government officials familiar with the matter. They asked not to be named as they aren’t authorized to speak to the media.
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02/19/2015
Ace Combat Horizon Legacy Plus is an enhanced version of a game originally released in 2011, which itself was a remake of 1997’s Ace Combat 2. This Plus edition comes with a few alterations designed to take advantage of Nintendo’s recently arrived New 3DS. The question is, have those changes brought anything meaningful to both the original game, or the franchise?
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02/19/2015
Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) is one of the best examples that align with ‘Make-in-India’ endeavour of the government of India. The company under the leadership of its chairman, T Suvarna Raju, is fast moving from a manufacturing to that of a technology driven company. T Suvarna Raju, shares his views with BusinessLine on HAL’s future and its participation at Aero India.
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02/19/2015
War fighter needs are complex, urgent and constantly developing. The Czech Republic, an allied partner through the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, recently needed a rapid response solution to modernize their Mi-171Sh fleet.
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02/19/2015
The United States is trying to determine whether military cooperation with Saudi Arabia will change under King Salman, a report said. The Brookings Doha Center asserted that the rise of King Salman has raised the prospect of a new U.S. defense and military relationship with Riyad. In a report, the center cited the appointment of Salman’s son, Mohammed, as the kingdom’s new defense minister, according to Middle East Newsline.
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02/19/2015
Cope North, an annual multinational training exercise hosted by Andersen Air Force Base, began early this week and will continue through Feb. 27. The exercise started in 1978 between the U.S. Air Force and the Japanese Self-Defense Force. It has been held in Guam since 1999.
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02/19/2015
Lockheed Martin Corp.’s F-22 fighter jet, making its debut in warfare more than nine years after it was deemed combat-ready, has flown at least 112 missions against Islamic State positions in Syria and Iraq, the U.S. Air Force’s commander of combat forces said. The stealth fighter known as the Raptor has guided airstrikes into Syria, disseminated large volumes of data to fellow fliers and attacked Islamic State’s oil facilities, Gen. Herb “Hawk” Carlisle said in a telephone interview.
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02/19/2015
“Many places in the state are likely to witness heavy snowfall and rainfall from February 19 to 24 due to western disturbance over J&K, which may trigger avalanches and landslides,” said a Met official. “On February 19, sky is likely to remain partly cloudy with occurrence of rains and thunderstorm. From February 21 to 23, there is possibility of heavy snowfall and rains,” he said and added there will be significant decrease in day temperatures and slight rise in night temperature.
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02/19/2015
The F-35 fighter may be the most challenging project in the history of military innovation. Conceived two decades ago as a single airframe that could replace the Cold War tactical aircraft of three U.S. military services and numerous overseas allies, F-35 is the Pentagon’s biggest investment effort ever in cutting-edge technology.
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02/18/2015
The Air Force's special operators are about to stand up their newest wing, but the wing's home, at RAF Mildenhall, England, will be temporary. The 352nd Special Operations Group at Mildenhall is accepting CV-22 Ospreys, and its base personnel has climbed to more than 1,000, the line between a group and a wing. Soon, the group will become a wing, said Lt. Gen. Bradley Heithold, commander of Air Force Special Operations Command.
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02/18/2015
The Royal Australian Air Force’s air combat and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) capabilities will be substantially increased over the next decade as new fifth generation capabilities are introduced. The current RAAF air combat fleet comprises 71 Boeing F/A-18A/B Hornets in three fighter squadrons and one operational conversion unit based at Williamtown near Newcastle and Tindal in the Northern Territory, and 24 F/A-18F Super Hornets in a single squadron based at Amberley.
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02/18/2015
President Barack Obama's strategy in Syria and Iraq is not working. The president is hoping that limited air strikes, combined with U.S. support for local proxies—the peshmerga, the Iraqi security forces, the Sunni tribes and the Free Syrian Army—will "degrade and ultimately destroy" the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS).
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02/18/2015
Sen. Debbie Stabenow Tuesday pledged her support for the A-10 aircraft fleet to members of the Base Community Council at Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township. The U.S. Air Force has announced plans to retire the A-10 aircraft fleet from Selfridge Air National Guard Base in Harrison Township in fiscal year 2017, a decision that could have huge financial impact in Macomb County and the region.
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02/18/2015
A French Defense Ministry official denied a media report that France is in the final stage of talks for a sale of up to 36 Rafale fighter jets to Qatar. "Certainly not," the defense official said when asked about a Reuters report that the negotiations with Qatar were in the "final stage." The Reuters report quoted a senior French source.
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02/18/2015
The State Department announced Tuesday it would allow sales of armed drones to allies and partners on a case-by-case basis, a move that stands to dramatically expand exports of American-made unmanned aircraft around the world. The Obama administration said that, under a new policy, it would expand the sale of unmanned military aircraft but would approve the sales individually.
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02/18/2015
The mega-competition to build South Korea's indigenous fighter jet, dubbed KF-X, kicked off on Feb. 9. But the first round of bidding in the country's largest-ever arms procurement deal failed due to an insufficient number of participants. Only the team of Korean Aerospace Industries (KAI) and Lockheed Martin submitted a proposal for the KF-X program by the deadline, according to the Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA).
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02/18/2015
The 10th edition of the biannual Aero India show will not showcase a flight display by any Russian aircraft, despite ongoing programs between the two countries, while the US is expected to have the largest corporate presence with 64 companies, according to the Indian Ministry of Defence.
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02/18/2015
British Prime Minister David Cameron praised Boeing [NYSE: BA] for providing excellent value, and a close partnership with the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence (MOD), which led to a five-year extension of the contract under which Boeing supports the Royal Air Force’s Chinook helicopters.
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02/17/2015
Australia, Italy, the UK, the Netherlands and Norway are all hitting new milestones as the F-35 comes closer to entering their combat forces. Australia, the Netherlands and the Italians will all train at Luke AFB with the Aussies being the first to arrive, the Dutch next month and the Italians at the end of the year. The British are training with the Marines at Beaufort Marine Corps Air Station and their first plane has arrived their already with operational testing going on in Edwards.
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02/17/2015
After a crippling three decade wait by the Indian Air Force for the home-made fighter jet Tejas, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar has reportedly set a deadline of a month for training and maintenance manuals to be shared with pilots. The first Tejas- a Light Combat Aircraft- was presented with much fanfare last month to the Air Force by the manufacturer - state-run Hindustan Aeronautics Limited, which is based in Bangalore.
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02/17/2015
The US unit of Europe's Airbus Group was awarded a contract modification worth $220.5 million to build 41 more UH-72A Lakota light utility helicopters for the US Army, planned as flight trainers at Fort Rucker, Alabama. A service budget official said at a roundtable with reporters earlier this month that next year marks the last of the Lakota fleet for the active Army. The president's budget request for fiscal 2016, released Feb, 3, included $187 million for 28 more helicopters.
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02/17/2015
The raids by the Egyptian air force on Islamic State (IS) camps and arsenals is an escalation in Cairo’s 20-month campaign against the cult. The strikes were in retaliation for the murder by mass beheading of 21 Egyptian Coptic workers held hostage by IS in Libya. The air action coincided with Egypt’s shift from a defensive to an offensive strategy for containing and ultimately defeating IS in northern Sinai.
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02/17/2015
It's been more than six months since the United States first sent warplanes to conduct airstrikes against the militant group ISIS, and four months since the formation of an international coalition to help fight the terror group. Since then, warplanes from Western and regional members of the coalition have flown hundreds of missions against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria.
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02/17/2015
President Xi Jinping is expected to authorize robust defense spending for this year despite China's slowing economy, determined to strengthen the country's armed capabilities amid growing unease in Beijing at Washington's renewed focus on Asia. While China keeps the details of its military spending secret, experts said additional funding would likely go toward beefing up the navy with anti-submarine ships and developing more aircraft carriers beyond the sole vessel in operation.
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02/17/2015
Senate Armed Services Chairman John McCain does not think much of the raw data the Air Force recently released on the A-10 attack jet, which the service is trying to shelve and which he wants to keep. Air Force tallies show the so-called “Warthog” has killed more “friendly” troops and Afghan civilians since 2010 than any other U.S. aircraft, USA Today reported.
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02/17/2015
France and Egypt were poised on Monday to sign a multibillion-euro deal for the first sale of the Rafale fighter jet despite human rights concerns. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian was to travel to Cairo to sign the €5.2bn deal for 24 Rafale fighters that Paris hopes will prompt others to snap up its premier combat jet.
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02/17/2015
Egyptian warplanes staged a second wave of airstrikes against ISIS targets in Libya on Monday in retaliation for the slaughter of 21 Egyptian Christians by ISIS militants, Egypt's state-run Ahram Online reported, citing security officials. The airstrikes followed an earlier wave that struck ISIS camps, training areas and weapons depots, the military said in a statement.
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02/16/2015
The US Air Force's desire to gradually phase out operation of the Fairchild Republic A-10 is in no way indicative of a lack of enthusiasm for the close air support (CAS) mission, its chief of staff Gen Mark Welsh says. Welsh treated reporters at the Air Force Association annual air warfare conference in Orlando, Florida, to an impassioned defence of the CAS mission and plans to retire the A-10, which he said can fly to about 2028, regardless of funding levels.
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02/16/2015
New regional war unfolding in central Africa as Nigeria, Cameroon, Niger and Chad unite against Boko Haram – with help from France, America and Britain. An MI-24 helicopter gunship, bristling with rockets, clattered over the swirling brown current of the Chari river before landing in Chad's capital, N'Djamena. Moments later, two state-of-the-art Rafale jets – the pride of the French air force – swept overhead, bound for the same airport.
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02/16/2015
Looking east to the bloody conflict gripping Ukraine, NATO-member Poland has kicked off an unprecedented military spending spree worth billions to overhaul its forces as Warsaw believes peace in Europe is no longer a given. The escalation of tensions with Russia over its annexation of Ukraine's Crimean peninsula and subsequent role in the crisis in that country's east has sounded the alarm on NATO's eastern flank in countries that were under Moscow's thumb during the Cold War.
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02/16/2015
A British politician has called for an end to British tax payers money going to Argentina after it was reveals that the country has reached an agreement with China to purchase fighter jets capable of attacking the Falkland Islands as talks with Beijing start to produce results.
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02/16/2015
Retiring Vice Adm. David H. Buss, who stepped down as the Navy's "air boss" Jan. 22, has guided the Navy's F-35C Lightning II through some difficult times. But he insists the controversial next-generation fighter jet is now well on its way to becoming operational and, more than that, is essential to the future of carrier air wings. "I'm very happy with where we are with the program now," Buss said during an interview at his office at Naval Air Station North Island in San Diego.
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02/16/2015
The Navy's newest amphibious assault ship, America, has some of the fleet's most advanced command and control capabilities and electronic warfare technology, but one low-tech asset has won over sailors and Marines who have been underway: space Compared with earlier big-deck amphibs, the America has more room throughout its aviation spaces. This allows the ship to generate sorties farther from shore,
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02/16/2015
After days of ferocious attacks, a ceasefire went into effect after midnight Sunday in Ukraine, followed by brief accusations of violence. President Petro Poroshenko ordered the Ukrainian military to hold its fire against pro-Russian militants in the nation’s East. The separatist Donetsk People’s Republic also announced a truce. The ceasefire aims to end 10 months of violence in eastern Ukraine.
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02/16/2015
The question of what airplanes the Indian Air Force will be flying in 2030 is not easy to answer. The important factor is how the Indian economy grows in the next decade which determines how much money is spent on defense. And even when there is money to spend, previous Governments had the lazy attitude that “lets just buy it from another country”. At least Narendra Modi is the first Prime Minister to push “Make in India” even for defence purchases.
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02/15/2015
Islamic State fighters led a suicide attack on an air base where U.S. and coalition troops are training Iraqi forces after taking a nearby town, the first territorial gain by the militant group in months, the Pentagon said Friday. Most of the Islamic State fighters died in the attack, killed either by Iraqi government forces or by detonating their suicide vests, said Navy Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon spokesman.
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02/15/2015
VLADIMIR PUTIN has been accused of putting the Russian economy on a “war footing” as the Kremlin spends billions of pounds a year on nuclear submarines, combat jets, supersized drones and ballistic missiles. Admiral Lord West of Spithead, a former head of the Royal Navy, said Russia’s rearmament of its military forces was “extremely worrying”. It would be “madness” if Britain slashed defence spending after the next election, he added.
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02/15/2015
As Congress takes up the fiscal year 2016 defense budget, supporters of the A-10 Thunderbolt II jet say world events show the combat-proven “Warthog” is needed now more than ever. There’s no telling whether that argument helps save the A-10 — a mainstay mission of Tucson’s Davis-Monthan Air Force Base — from its proposed retirement amid an expected pitched battle over the Pentagon budget.
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02/15/2015
A Defense Department study of the Army's controversial Aviation Restructuring Initiative found the service's plan saves more money and presents less "risk" compared with the National Guard's proposed alternative, according to findings obtained by Army Times. The study by DoD's Cost Assessment and Program Evaluation office found:
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02/15/2015
Women in the military: a worldwide sampling
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02/14/2015
Eight Islamic State fighters were killed when they attacked an air base where U.S. and coalition forces are training Iraqi forces. Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said that initial reports Friday showed that all of the IS attackers were killed by Iraqi troops at or inside a gate to al-Asad air base in the western province of Anbar.
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02/14/2015
After twenty years of searching, France has finally found a buyer for its Rafale fighter jet. President Francois Hollande announced on Thursday that Egypt will buy 24 aircraft as part of a deal reportedly valued at 5.2 billion euros ($5.9 billion), and his Defense Minister is heading to Cairo on Monday to sign the agreement.
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02/13/2015
Islamic State insurgents took control on Thursday of most of the western Iraqi town of al-Baghdadi, threatening an air base where U.S. Marines are training Iraqi troops, officials said. Al-Baghdadi, about 85 km (50 miles) northwest of Ramadi in Anbar province, had been besieged for months by the radical Sunni Islamist militants who captured vast swathes of Iraq's north and west last year.
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02/13/2015
As a new ceasefire for eastern Ukraine was signed on Thursday, in an attempt to halt the worsening conflict between the Ukrainian government and pro-Russian rebels, the United States is sending to Europe a warplane that was designed during the Cold War for one purpose: to destroy Russian tanks in Europe.
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02/13/2015
Sen. John McCain, and Ashton Carter, the incoming next defense secretary, agree on one thing – the need for acquisition reform at the Pentagon. They should start by looking at the F-35 program. McCain, in his opening remarks at Carter’s confirmation hearing last week, provided a litany of examples of major programs that had incurred huge cost overruns, from a new aircraft carrier to the F-35 combat aircraft. His basic message was that if the Pentagon doesn’t change the way it buys weapons.
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02/13/2015
Washington can sometimes seem like a bunker, where assorted think tanks regularly lob hand grenades detailing what’s wrong with every nook and cranny of the U.S. military. This week, for a change, one got tossed outlining the fundamental weaknesses of the Chinese military. This is a big deal. Ever since the collapse of the Soviet Union, the prospect of a rising Chinese military has been cited as the justification for all sorts of U.S. weaponry.
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02/13/2015
The Air Force's most advanced fighter has been in battle against the Islamic State group for about five months, and has performed well enough to now be an anchor of airstrike sorties. The F-22 flew its first combat mission in September, striking an Islamic State headquarters building in Syria. Since then, the F-22 has flown as part of strike packages in most of the combat sorties as part of Operation Inherent Resolve in both Iraq and Syria.
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02/13/2015
Aeronautics Limited (HAL) will showcase its indigenous products including Light Combat Helicopter (LCH) and Light Combat Aircraft (LCA)-Tejas in Bengaluru at the 10th edition of Aero India show, scheduled for February 18-22. HAL would also be showcasing its technical competence built over the years, the company in a release said.
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02/12/2015
When Jordanian air force pilot Maaz Al Kassasbeh ejected from his F-16 above ISIL-controlled Raqqa last December, his chances of evading capture — and thus of survival — began to diminish rapidly after an hour. Combat search and rescue veterans call this the “golden hour” after a pilot is downed behind enemy lines, when the chances for rescue and surviving injuries are greatest. But in truth, the Jordanian airman probably had even less time.
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02/12/2015
President Obama is requesting a three-year commitment for air and some ground forces to flush out Islamic State forces. What that means for Cherry Point air station, home to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, remains to be seen. Cherry Point Public Information Officer Mike Barton said, “As a general rule, it would not be appropriate for us to speculate on how presidential and congressional level decisions would affect Cherry Point.
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02/12/2015
Boeing Co. is restructuring the way it designs weapons and other systems for the Pentagon, just as the giant aerospace and defense company finalizes its pitch for what many analysts view as the most important U.S. military contact in 14 years. The company BA, -0.01% is still smarting with problems uncovered last year in building new aerial refueling tankers for the U.S. Air Force that triggered a $425 million pretax charge and could leave it nursing a loss for the initial stage of the program.
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02/12/2015
As a child, Air Force Lt. Col. Merryl Tengesdal imagined flying among the stars, thousands of miles above the Earth’s surface. Today, she is one of eight female pilots ever to fly the U-2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft and the only black female pilot in U-2 history. A Bronx, New York, native, Tengesdal also is the 9th Reconnaissance Wing inspector general, and she was recently was selected for promotion to colonel.
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02/12/2015
It's delayed and incomplete, but light combat aircraft (LCA) Tejas is still the most popular indigenous defence product after the Agni missile series. It will lead the Indian defence fraternity's 'Make-in-India' campaign at the five-day Aero India, entering its 10th edition. For the first time, its makers will be able to boast that their customer, Indian Air Force, has accepted it. LCA will fly in formation during the customary flypast, presided over by PM Modi, defence minister Manohar Parrika
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02/12/2015
A first export contract for the Dassault Rafale combat jet appears imminent, but it is not with India, where negotiations have dragged on for three years. Instead, according to multiple reports in French media this week, Egypt will acquire 24 aircraft. The deal will be part of a $6 billion package that also includes a French frigate and an MBDA air defense missile system.
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02/12/2015
F-35 test pilots are starting the aircraft's engine and simulating takeoffs in extreme cold temperatures with special arctic gear as a way to prepare the stealth fighter to perform in combat. The testing, which will finish up at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., in March, assesses the ability of the aircraft to start up, launch afterburners and even function in short-takeoff-and-landing, or STOVL, mode -- in extreme arctic temperatures, F-35 test pilot Cmdr. Tony "Brick" Wilson said.
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02/12/2015
Developers of the fifth generation fighter aircraft AMCA (that is just off the drawing board) are looking out for a global aero-engine manufacturer with whom they can upgrade and co-develop the fighter’s engine. They bank on the discussions they have slated with two manufacturers during next week’s Aero India - General Electric of US and Klimo of Russia - a top military scientist said on Wednesday.
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02/12/2015
A Russian fighter jet Su-24 crashed near Volgograd prompting Moscow to suspend operations of all aircraft of the same model, as the fate of the pilots remains unknown. The tactical bomber crashed about 7km away from the runway in Russia's southern city of Volgograd near the Marinovka airport. An investigation has been initiated into the incident as Moscow has ordered that all the twin-engine frontline bomber be grounded.
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02/11/2015
The White House was ready to share with lawmakers Tuesday its plan to seek authority for the use of military force against the Islamic State group, setting up the first war vote in Congress in 13 years. Presidential counsel Neil Eggleston was set to address the Senate Democrats' luncheon, the day before President Barack Obama is expected to formally unveil his proposed authorization, a Democratic official revealed.
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02/11/2015
Russian Deputy Defense Minister Yuri Borisov recently announced that a new long-range unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) will soon be made in Russia, according to Sputnik News. The article further notes that this new drone will be able to conduct reconnaissance missions and also be capable of attacking targets. “We are finalizing research and development work related to the drones that will solve an array of tactical, operational and strategic tasks,” the deputy defense minister elaborates.
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02/11/2015
A combative Syrian President Bashad has dismissed talk that the United States may be softening its insistence that he step down from office as it grows more concerned about the growth of radical Islamists. In an interview with BBC News broadcast Tuesday, Assad accused the U.S. of fomenting terrorism through its support of "moderate" groups seeking to overthrow him, and defiantly insisted that he would not bend to American demands.
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02/11/2015
Northrop Grumman will develop a new aircraft design for the US Air Force's (USAF's) Northrop T-38C Talon combat aircraft trainer replacement programme, known as T-X, the company's programme director for T-X told IHS Jane's on 9 February. "Northrop Grumman is using our advanced design and prototyping expertise to build a new design for the air force T-X programme [because] the air force has evolved and matured its requirements," said Marc Lindsley.
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02/11/2015
When the Pentagon this spring announces who will design and build a major new stealth bomber for the Air Force, the decision will determine Boeing’s future in the combat aircraft business. The choice could also reshape the military industrial base. Top aerospace analyst Richard Aboulafia said that whatever the outcome, it could precipitate an aggressive move by Boeing, the No. 2 U.S. defense contractor, to acquire the aircraft unit of No. 3 defense player Northrop Grumman.
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02/11/2015
The V-22 team of Bell Helicopter and Boeing [NYSE: BA] recently delivered two MV-22 Osprey flight training simulators to the HMX-1 Presidential Airlift Squadron, enabling Marine aviators to more efficiently train for their critical and highly-visible transport mission. With the simulators, which are installed at the squadron’s headquarters in Quantico, Va., aircrews can rehearse missions without having to fly their tiltrotor aircraft. That reduces fuel use and wear and tear on the V-22s.
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02/10/2015
Throughout modern history, Europe has fielded some of the world’s most capable military forces. While many of those powers are nowhere near their zenith, they still field some of the most technologically advanced forces anywhere on Earth.European nations used to dominate the planet. But after two destructive world wars, most of countries couldn’t keep up with the United States and the Soviet Union, which emerged as superpowers after the Second World War.
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02/10/2015
India and Russia agreed in early 2007 to jointly develop a fifth generation fighter program. Ever since then, the Sukhol/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA) or as it is called in India, the Perspective Multi-role Fighter (PMF) project, has been plagued by delays, costs overrun, and unsteady technology In 2014, a prototype of the plane even caught fire during a demonstration flight for technical evaluation, causing heated arguments between India and Russia.
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02/10/2015
India on Monday said it wants to acquire "unique and transformative" military technologies from the US under the new bilateral Defence Trade and Technology Initiative (DTTI), even as the two countries prepare for the next round of talks on the matter later this month.
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02/10/2015
Iran has launched indigenously-built combat fighter, Saeqeh 2 (Thunderbolt 2), on Monday for training purposes. "The double-cockpit supersonic fighter jet which has been designed and built by the defense ministry's aerospace industries organization in cooperation with the Islamic Republic of Iran's Air Force will do close-range cover and backup in tactical missions as well as advanced pilot training missions."
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02/10/2015
Lockheed Martin received an $82 million Performance Based Logistics (PBL) contract in December from the U.S. Army for AH-64 Apache helicopter Modernized Target Acquisition Designation Sight/Pilot Night Vision Sensor (M-TADS/PNVS) system sustainment.
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02/09/2015
After a delay of more than 10 years, the Canadian Armed Forces hope to proceed sometime in the spring with the purchase of a new search-and-rescue aircraft fleet. Treasury Board is scheduled to review on Feb. 19 the request to send the bidding package to aerospace firms for the $3.1-billion program.
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02/09/2015
The Air Force's fiscal 2016 budget proposal, like the previous budget, calls for eliminating A-10 units across the service while giving new missions to Air National Guard and Air Force Reserve units. The service on Friday released details on how those and other changes would affect bases stateside and overseas.
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02/09/2015
A two-star general last month reportedly accused Air Force pilots who tell Congress about successes of the four-decade-old Warthog of committing “treason,” drawing the wrath of senators, defense policy critics and bloggers. The Air Force inspector general’s office has confirmed that an investigation was launched on Jan. 22.
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02/09/2015
In the wake of the brutal execution of a Jordanian pilot who was captured after his plane was forced down over Syria, the resolve of the Arab members of the anti-ISIS coalition seemed to be faltering. The New York Times reported last week that the United Arab Emirates, a resurgent Middle Eastern power and a key regional partner for the United States, suspended strikes against ISIS indefinitely in the wake of the capture of a Jordanian fighter pilot.
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02/09/2015
Military investigators say human error caused an Idaho Army National Guard helicopter to crash during a training mission in November near the Boise airport, leading to the death of two pilots on board. Right before the crash, the pilots were practicing a routine emergency procedure: flying their Apache attack helicopter to safety on a single working engine, Col. Tim Marsano, a Guard spokesman, said in a statement.
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02/09/2015
The maiden flight of India's light combat aircraft (LCA) (Navy) Naval Prototype (NP2) was conducted from Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL), Bangalore airport yesterday afternoon.
The aircraft, part of Indian Naval Aviation Carrier borne aircraft development programme, took off at 1227 hours yesterday and flew for 35 minutes, an official press release said. The flight was piloted by Captain Shivnath Dahiya, an experienced test pilot from the Indian Navy with the National Flight Test Centre (N
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02/08/2015
U.S. Air Force F-22s and F-16CJs escorted Jordanian fighters for recent airstrikes in Syria, the Pentagon said Friday. The American stealth jets are now part of the "standard strike package" used by U.S. and coalition aircraft in the fight against the Islamic State group in Syria and Iraq, Pentagon spokesman Army Col. Steve Warren said.
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02/07/2015
A U.S. Air Force F-16C believed to be taking part in combat operations against Islamic State (ISIS) forces in Syria has become the first to be officially ‘saved’ from certain impact with the ground by the recently fielded Automatic Ground Collision Avoidance System (Auto GCAS).
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02/07/2015
Airmen from the 8th Fighter Wing sharpened combat skills and gained insight from their South Korean air force counterparts during exercise Buddy Wing 15-2 Feb. 3-6, at Daegu Air Base, South Korea. During this iteration of Buddy Wing, 8th FW Airmen deployed to Daegu to train alongside Airmen of the 11th FW, learning how to operate as one force with dissimilar fighter aircraft as they integrated mission planning, briefing, flying and debriefing together.
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02/07/2015
The U.S. military is moving additional troops and aircraft into Iraq to prepare for combat search-and-rescue missions, a defense official said Friday. The move comes amid heightened concern about the risks to U.S. and coalition partner pilots flying over Iraq and Syria. Army Col. Steve Warren, a Pentagon spokesman, said some aircraft were recently deployed into northern Iraq as a precaution.
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02/07/2015
Prime Minister Narendra Modi could be the first Indian Prime Minister to fly in a fighter jet. Hectic talks are under way between the ministry of defence, the Prime Minister’s Office and makers of French Dassault Rafale, which is the major contender for the long awaited Multi Medium Role Combat Aircraft deal worth over Rs 82,000 crore.
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02/07/2015
Boeing has received a contract from the US Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) to continue the provision of support services for US military aircraft. Valued at $223m, the performance-based agreement is the second of two received by the company under a five-year deal agreed in September 2014, and covers support for 11 different aircraft, reducing combat logistics support costs and boosting readiness.
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02/07/2015
The United States-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) conducted airstrikes in Syria and Iraq, resulting in destruction of units, a dozen vehicles and several staging locations, the US Central Command said in a statement on Thursday.
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02/07/2015
The Latvian Army reported Friday that NATO fighter jets were scrambled to intercept a Russian Ilyushin Il-38 maritime patrol aircraft over the Baltic Sea. NATO Baltic Air Policing QRA ITA Typhoon jets on 6 FEB scrambled to intercept RU Armed Forces Il-38 over the Baltic Sea," the Latvian Army tweeted.
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02/06/2015
There are few nations in the Middle East, perhaps aside from Morocco (a bit of prejudice here), that is as blessed with such decent people and respected leadership as Jordan. It is a vulnerable, but stable desert kingdom constantly defying the forces arrayed against it. Jordan's boundless generosity has provided a safe haven for the human tide of refugees that have been thrust upon it from war-ravaged Syria and Iraq.
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02/06/2015
Kazakhstan is to acquire the Sukhoi Su-30SM 'Flanker' as it looks to recapitalise its Soviet-era fighter force, the government announced on 4 February. The disclosure was made by the Commander in Chief of the Kazakhstan Air Defence Forces (KADF), Major General Nurlan Ormanbetov, during a visit to the Irkutsk Aviation Plant where the Su-30SM is built.
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02/06/2015
On Monday, President Barack Obama’s budget request for the Pentagon featured more than $5 million dollars for an item tagged “Next Generation Fighter.” If you haven’t heard of it, it’s the plane of the future meant to replace the F/A-18 Super Hornet and EA-18 Growler aircraft by 2030. Much like the future itself, it’s been a source of much speculation but exists only as an idea.
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02/06/2015
With the White Mountains of Crete as their backdrop, U.S. and Hellenic air forces F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter aircraft soared to great heights and speeds as part of a continuing flying training deployment (FTD) Jan. 16 through Feb. 13 at Souda Bay, Greece.
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02/06/2015
The gruesome killing of a Jordanian pilot who had crashed in Islamic State territory laid bare a problem of the U.S.-led coalition: There's no sure way to rescue an airman who's down behind enemy lines. Now, in response, the U.S. has moved search-and-rescue aircraft closer to the battlefield, defense officials said Thursday.
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02/05/2015
The fight against the Islamic State group is down one key ally for now: the United Arab Emirates. Officials said Tuesday that the UAE suspended its airstrike efforts in December after Jordanian fighter pilot Lt. Moaz al-Kasasbeh was captured by IS militants, according to the New York Times.
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02/05/2015
Putting a brave face despite the multi-billion dollar Rafale fighter jet contract flowing into rough weather, France on Wednesday claimed that everything is going "normal". Interestingly, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius will not be raising the issue of the much delayed Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft (MMRCA) during his three day-visit beginning tomorrow.
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02/05/2015
The Air Force is asking for a small increase in its flight hours as it still tries to dig itself out of a readiness hole dating back to a stand down of combat squadrons in 2013. Seventeen combat squadrons were forced to stand down for three months, while additional squadrons faced reduced flying hours as a result of sequestration in 2013. More than 44,000 flying hours were cut.
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02/05/2015
Hundreds of new Russian aircraft, tanks and missiles are rolling off assembly lines. Russian jets roar through European skies under NATO's wary eye. Tens of thousands of troops take part in war games showing off the military's readiness for all-out war.The muscle flexing suggests that Russia's economic woes so far are having no impact on the Kremlin's ambitious military modernization program.
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02/05/2015
“The Indian Air Force’s capabilities are continuing to deteriorate, despite the arrival of a government that seems ready to make big acquisition decisions,” summarizes a recently published Jane’s Defence Weekly briefing on the current state of the Indian Air Force (IAF). Among aviation experts, the IAF has been notorious for its high accident rate in its MIG-21 fleet.
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02/05/2015
The Defence Select Committee found the UK had carried out 6% of coalition air strikes against the jihadist group and said it was "surprised and deeply concerned" it was not doing more. But it stressed it was not in favour of deploying combat forces to battle IS. The government said military action was just part of "comprehensive" action by the international coalition.
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02/05/2015
Revolted by ISIS’s brutal execution of a Jordanian pilot by burning him in a cage, a powerful group of Republicans and Democrats on Wednesday called on the Obama administration to boost military aid to the Arab kingdom. All 26 members of the Senate Armed Services Committee wrote the State and Defense departments asking for increased assistance. The US already is giving Amman $1 billion in military and economic assistance this year.
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02/05/2015
A pair of B-2 Spirit stealth bombers followed by swarms of U.S. Air Force Raptors, Falcons, Eagles and Royal Air Force Typhoon fighter jets roared through the skies over Nellis Air Force Base on Tuesday. They headed out for a historic Red Flag air combat exercise to mark 40 years since the base began hosting them at the end of the Vietnam War.
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02/05/2015
The B-52 Stratofortress bomber was built during the Cold War, but its digital capabilities have entered the 21st century thanks to Boeing’s ongoing Combat Network Communications Technology (CONECT) upgrade. On Jan. 28, the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing a full rate production contract to deliver 10 CONECT kits that modernize communication systems for the B-52 bombers today and into the future.
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02/04/2015
Jordan said Tuesday that it would hang several jihadist prisoners in reaction to a video showing Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) fighters burning alive captured Jordanian pilot Moaz al-Kasasbeh. Jordan’s government has reportedly scheduled the executions of several jihadist prisoners in response to the killing. One of those reportedly slated for execution is Sajida al-Rishawi, the prisoner ISIS had demanded to be released in exchange for al-Kasasbeh’s release.
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02/03/2015
The Air Force plans to increase the number of combat air patrols that MQ-9 Reaper pilots fly.
The Air Force's fiscal 2016 budget would fund 60 MQ-9 combat air patrols in a 24-hour period, an increase from 55, said Air Force spokeswoman Vicki Stein. MQ-1 Predator pilots would be funded to fly five combat air patrols, for a total of 65 combat air patrols per day.
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02/03/2015
The Obama administration’s fiscal year 2016 budget proposal for the Air Force includes continued purchases of F-35 fighters, transport aircraft and a large increase in research and development funding for the long-range strike bomber. Among the four services, the Air Force had the largest plus-up with some $16 billion more than the 2015 enacted level. Maj. Gen. James Martin, Air Force deputy assistant secretary of budget, said that is because the demand for what the service provides is growing.
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02/02/2015
Tensions between Russia and the UK have heightened after it was revealed that the Russian bomber intercepted by RAF fighter jets was carrying a nuclear missile designed to destroy Trident submarines. The TU-95 aircraft were spotted on long range radar flying down from Scotland towards the English Channel, where they were close to entering British airspace, the Sunday Express report.
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02/02/2015
U.S. Rep. David Jolly, BRAC is not a four-letter word. OK, so it’s not really a word, just another military acronym. But to Jolly, BRAC is still not in the category of those four-letter words you won’t find in these pages. BRAC, which officially stands for the Base Closure and Realignment Commission (I guess BCRC is just too hard to say), is being pushed by the White House and Pentagon, which are looking to cut spending even as they are increasing it.
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02/02/2015
In the first 24 hours of the Kurds’ latest offensive there were 16 coalition air strikes. Peshmerga fighters attacked from positions near Mosul Dam, taking Islamic State by surprise and cutting their supply lines. Now the Kurds are close to the militants’ stronghold in the city of Mosul.
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02/02/2015
Lt. Col. John Davis said the enemy in Afghanistan had gotten used to the Apache AH-64D. The enemy knew roughly how long the Apache would take to get there, how long it could engage, when it would have to leave for fuel and when it might come back. The first battalion commander to deploy the new Apache AH-64E Guardian in combat said that's why the new model managed to scare a confused enemy.
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02/02/2015
The Zhukovsky and Gagarin Air Force Academy in Armavir, Krasnodar is set to receive five new Yakovlev Yak-130 light attack training aircraft this week, with twenty more to be delivered before the year is out, Rossiyskaya Gazeta reports. The completed planes, which have been undergoing testing in the Irkutsk region in Siberia at the Irkut Corporation plant, are set to make their long journey across the country this week.
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02/01/2015
A diplomatic spat erupted as the Government warned it was “absolutely unacceptable” that the two Tupolev 95s were in Irish-controlled airspace for five hours without notifying the Irish authorities. The planes were flying with their transponders switched off – meaning they could not be ‘seen’ by civilian aircraft as they passed through the busy airspace, where around 1,800 planes a day travel.
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02/01/2015
Chadian aircraft on Saturday bombed the Nigerian town of Gamboru in a raid targeting extremist group Boko Haram, security sources said, as regional efforts to combat the Islamists intensified. An initial raid was carried out around midday by two fighter jets on the town in Nigeria's far northeast along the Cameroon border, sources from Chad and Cameroon said on condition of anonymity.
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02/01/2015
The Philippines air force said Saturday that one of its light planes, which is manufactured in Italy, crashed in the sea during a training mission. Two pilots were killed in the crash, according to The Associated Press (AP). The single-prop SF-260FH which crashed, was a trainer aircraft, according to GMA News, which cited Air Force spokesman Lt. Col. Ernesto Canaya.
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02/01/2015
The historical relationship between the United States and Russia can hardly be described as rosey. The two countries are inextricably linked due to the Cold War era, with the world’s two modern superpowers having enjoyed an extremely suspicious relationship with one another for decades during the 20th century.
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02/01/2015
People in southwest Utah may once again experience loud booms and rumbles across the region as the U.S. Air Force and invited allied forces take part in Red Flag military training exercises. Called Red Flag, the combat trainings started Monday and continue though Feb. 13.
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01/31/2015
Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadrons 115, 122 and 312 as well as Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadrons 533 and 224 are participating in the Marine Division Tactics Course aboard Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, Jan. 12 to Feb. 6. The MDTC provides groundside and airborne instruction in doctrine, tactics and weapons considerations to F/A-18 Hornet aircrew and Marine air intercept controllers.
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01/31/2015
The killing of three American aircraft mechanics at the Kabul airport was done by a man in an Afghan uniform who was killed at the scene of the shooting, the Pentagon said Friday.
Rear Adm. John Kirby, the Pentagon press secretary, said the mechanics were Defense Department contractors, but the circumstances of the attack are under investigation.
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01/31/2015
With the initial operating capability date of the F-35 Lightning II quickly approaching, the Air Force appointed Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian as the director of a larger Air Force F-35 Integration Office, Feb. 1. In addition to gaining new leadership, the F-35 Integration Office will also grow from a staff of four to 12 and be collocated with Air Force acquisition fighter program element monitors and liaison officers from the major commands.
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01/31/2015
One of the newest lawmakers on Capitol Hill is a former A-10 driver, and she is wasting no time protecting her former aircraft. Rep. Martha McSally, a freshman Republican from Arizona, on Jan. 29 sent a letter to President Obama and Defense Secretary Chuck Hagel urging them not to seek to retire the A-10 in their fiscal 2016 budget request, expected to be unveiled Feb. 2.
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01/31/2015
It's budget season again, which means it's time for another round of budget gimmicks on the part of the Pentagon. The Obama administration's new Pentagon budget proposal exceeds the budget caps established in current law by $34 billion. That's a hefty sum even by Pentagon standards.
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01/30/2015
Aircraft maker Lockheed Martin says there is no technical problem with aircraft's 25mm gun, although its computer software isn't yet complete and it hasn't been fully tested on the aircraft.By the time these advanced aircraft enter operational service with the RAAF in 2020, the gun will be fully functional.
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01/30/2015
A congressionally mandated commission on Thursday called for an overhaul of the military’s compensation and retirement system, recommending changes so that future service members will contribute to their own retirements and could choose private-sector healthcare plans. A long-awaited report from the Military Compensation and Retirement Modernization Commission made 15 recommendations that members said would increase the financial options troops have without reducing their overall compensation.
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01/30/2015
Nearly four dozen aircraft of the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center in Nevada are to receive logistics and maintenance support from DynCorp International. The task order received for the services has a performance period of one year and carries a maximum value of $44.5 million.
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01/30/2015
Faced with mounting criticism from European governments over production problems with its newest military transport plane, the Airbus Group on Thursday announced a management shake-up at its military aircraft unit and promised a restructuring of the business to address what it said were “unacceptable” delivery delays.
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01/29/2015
The Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas has achieved a rare technological breakthrough with three consecutive start ups of its engine in extreme sub-zero temperatures of Ladakh region in Jammu and Kashmir.
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01/28/2015
Engine failure caused an MQ-1B Predator drone to crash July 14 in Afghanistan, the Air Force announced this week. The Predator was flying a reconnaissance mission near Kandahar Air Base when it crashed after experiencing engine failure. The Air Force, however, did not recover the wreckage of the drone, and investigators were not able to determine the specific root cause of the problem, Air Combat Command said in a news release.
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01/28/2015
Boeing Co.’s maritime surveillance aircraft will get an increase in the Pentagon’s fiscal 2016 budget, with the Navy to request 16, one more than planned for that year, according to budget documents. The Navy will request $3.4 billion for the plane, the P-8A Poseidon, according to documents from the Defense Department comptroller circulating in the military services.
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01/28/2015
Back in September 2013, as rumors that the backbone of the Polish fighter force was to be deployed to Syria, we explained that one of the main flaws of the “Jastrzab” (Polish name for the F-16) was that the aircraft lacked AIDEWS (Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suite ) capabilities.
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01/28/2015
About 1,100 airmen, including part of a squadron of A-10 close air-support jets, will be deployed from Davis-Monthan Air Force Base by mid-March. It’s one of the biggest near-simultaneous deployments from the Tucson base in memory.
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01/28/2015
Over the clear blue waters of the Mediterranean Sea, the U.S. and Greek air forces continue bilateral flying training missions here. The training, which began Jan. 16 and will run through Feb. 13, aims to bolster the nations' warfighting capabilities through combined air operations as well as maintain joint readiness between the two NATO partners.
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01/28/2015
The Zambian Air Force will take delivery of an undisclosed number of trainer, transport and fighter aircraft and aerial defense systems this year as part of a major re-equipment program to improve operational and airlift capabilities. Addressing senior Army, Air Force and Defense Ministry officials at the Air Force Headquarters Annual Ball for 2014 recently held in Lusaka, commander Brig. Gen. Jabes Zulu said the additional aerial defense assets will include a new radar system to secure national
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01/28/2015
Iran expects Russia to meet its contractual obligations to deliver the S-300 air defense systems, canceled by Moscow after international sanctions were imposed on the country, Iranian Ambassador to Russia Mehdi Sanaei told RIA Novosti in an interview Tuesday. “Iran continues to view the S-300 contract as legitimate and not a subject of international sanctions as it was signed before the introduction of sanctions and the [S-300] is a defensive rather than an offensive system,” Sanaei said.
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01/27/2015
Canadian special forces have twice exchanged gunfire with Islamic State fighters in Iraq since the first confirmed ground battle between Western troops and IS earlier this month, a senior officer said Monday. Recalling the first incident, Captain Paul Forget told a briefing: "Two similar events have occurred over the last week and, in both cases, Canadian special operations forces, again acting in self-defense, effectively returned fire, neutralizing the threat."
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01/27/2015
The A-10 Thunderbolt II, commonly called the Warthog, is a powerhouse of a plane. Boasting a massive ordinance load and one of the most powerful guns ever mounted on an aircraft, it's playing a major role in the US Air Force's bombing campaign against ISIS. Despite its successes in combat, the Air Force wants to put the plane out of commission. The USAF is fighting with Congress to get approval for a plan to retire the aircraft from service — for good.
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01/27/2015
Barack Obama would've felt a tad disconcerted. A day after he slammed Russia for being a "bully" encroaching on Ukraine's sovereignty, he witnessed his country's frontline military aircraft being closely flanked by top-notch Russian fighters. First, a Poseidon-8I longrange maritime reconnaissance aircraft of US make was escorted by two Russian MiG-29K fighters, codenamed "Fulcrum-D" by NATO forces.
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01/27/2015
JF-17 Thunder, the multi-role and all weather fighter aircraft, was formally inducted in the prestigious Combat Commanders' School (CCS) of Pakistan Air Force (PAF) here on Monday.
The induction of this indigenous war fighting machine will further facilitate advanced combat training of PAF fighter pilots. Deputy Chief of the Air Staff (Operations), Air Marshal Sohail Aman, was the chief guest on the occasion.
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01/27/2015
The F-16 jet "lost power", crashing at Los Llanos air base in Albacete, Spain's defence ministry said. At least five other planes were damaged. One of the two Greek pilots had performed a wrong manoeuvre, local media said. Both pilots were killed. French Defence Minister Jean-Yves Le Drian will travel to the scene of the crash on Tuesday.
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01/26/2015
On Jan. 19, the National Defence Department hosted one of its routine technical briefings to update the media on recent developments in the allied military campaign against ISIS in Iraq. In the past, various commanders have detailed the number of sorties undertaken by our combat aircraft and the targets they had successfully engaged.
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01/26/2015
As the EA-6B Prowler flies into retirement and the Corps takes a new approach to electronic warfare, Marines who spent their careers in the radar-jamming aircraft will be transferred to other military occupation specialties. Most Marines in the 7588 electronic warfare officer MOS will become 7315 unmanned aircraft systems officers. Concurrently, the Corps is changing the duties of the 7315 MOS.
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01/26/2015
As relations continue to expand between China and Taiwan since the election of Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou in 2008, so does espionage. With the 2009 Economic Cooperation Framework Agreement, cross-strait ties have flourished. The number of Chinese visitors to the island is now around 3 million annually. The joke among many government officials in Beijing, according to media reports, is that it will be easier to buy Taiwan than invade it.
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01/26/2015
Renewing their expansive defence framework for another 10 years, India and the US on Sunday decided to kick off joint manufacturing of four relatively modest military products and explore the development of two more high-end technologies.
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01/26/2015
Afghanistan's armed forces are so short of combat-ready aircraft that, late last year, they began fitting machine guns and rockets to Russian-made Mi-17 transport helicopters, dubbed "flying tractors", to bolster their air power. With new planes capable of engaging Taliban insurgents delayed by over two years, and NATO air missions backing up troops on the ground now at a minimum, the fledgling Afghan Air Force is scrambling to provide even basic support.
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01/26/2015
Germany ceased arms exports to Saudi Arabia, with some of the delivery contracts cancelled or left for later revision amid region's instability, the Bild am Sonntag newspaper reported Sunday citing government sources. According to the newspaper, the decision was made after the Bundessicherheitsrat (Germany’s Federal Security Council) meeting on Wednesday, which involved German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel.
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01/25/2015
Moray-based Tornado fighter jets are finally being fitted with anti-crash systems – a quarter of a century after they were first recommended. The Ministry of Defence has confirmed that eight of the RAF’s Tornado GR4s now have the collision avoidance technology installed, with more to follow.
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01/25/2015
In recent years Iran’s drones have buzzed into action over Israel, Syria and Lebanon. And now Iranian drones are returning to the scene of their birth—the skies of Iraq, where Tehran’s flying robots saw their combat debut during the 198os Iran-Iraq war.
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01/25/2015
Aircraft from 21 Air Force and Marine Corps squadrons, as well as aircraft from the United Kingdom and Australia, will take part in three weeks of combat training exercises beginning Monday at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada. Under Red Flag 15-1, more than 125 aircraft will depart Nellis twice a day. Some aircraft will stay in the air for up to five hours as pilots practice combat maneuvers.
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01/25/2015
Two Marines died after their helicopter crashed on a training mission in Southern California, the military said in a statement. The aircraft went down around 4:30 p.m. (7:30 p.m. ET) Friday at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center in Twentynine Palms, California.
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01/25/2015
Taranis is an unmanned combat aircraft system advanced technology demonstrator programme. The Taranis demonstrator is the result of one-and-a-half-million man hours of work by the UK’s leading scientists, aerodynamicists and systems engineers from 250 UK companies.
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01/25/2015
The international US-led coalition against the Islamic State (IS) has launched 26 airstrikes against the militants' positions in Syria and Iraq in one day, the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said Saturday. The United States and its allies have “continued to attack ISIL terrorists in Syria, using attack, bomber, fighter, and remotely piloted aircraft to conduct 13 airstrikes.
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01/24/2015
Northrop Grumman has stood up a pair of teams dedicated to developing a "sixth-generation" fighter for both the Navy and Air Force, years before the services intend to issue requests for information on potential replacements for current aircraft. It's an aggressive move that Tom Vice, president of Northrop's aerospace division, hopes will pay off in a big way for his company.
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01/24/2015
The Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) is to embark on a comprehensive modernisation plan to enhance the capabilities of both its fixed- and rotary-winged combat fleets, a senior officer disclosed on 22 January. Speaking at the IQPC International Military Helicopter conference in London, Colonel Salah Al Mansoor, Head of Planning, HQ, RBAF, said that the service is about to undertake a two-phased recapitalisation programme that will see some of its current inventory first upgraded, with new platfor
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01/24/2015
The Colombian Air Force (FAC) has reportedly grounded its entire fleet of Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI)-built Kfir C-10 all-weather, multirole combat aircraft. The move is a precautionary measure against the risks of their operation after one aircraft crashed while performing approach manoeuvres near the Air Combat Command Base No. 1 in Colombia last month, as reported by Defensa.com.
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01/24/2015
A-10 Warthogs are attacking Islamic State targets in Syria. But even with this newest round of combat, the U.S. Air Force still asserts that the venerable attack plane isn’t worth keeping around. In November 2014, the flying branch sent the blunt-nosed, straight-winged attack planes back to the Middle East for the first time since the American withdrawal from Iraq.
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01/24/2015
NATO scrambled Typhoon fighters after a Russian Il-20 reconnaissance aircraft was spotted over the Baltic Sea, Bloomberg reports. "NATO Baltic Air Policing QRA ESP Typhoon jest on 23 JAN scrambled to intercept RU Armed Forces Il-20 over the Baltic Sea," Latvian National Armed Forces (NBS) said via a post on Twitter.
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01/23/2015
A prominent lawmaker is calling for an investigation of a major general's reported comments blasting officers as treasonous if they work with Congress against Air Force plans to retire the A-10. Maj. Gen. James Post, vice commander of Air Combat Command, reportedly told officers at a recent meeting of the Tactics Review Board at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, that they were not to speak with Congress about the service's attempt to retire the attack jet.
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01/23/2015
Russia’s traditional view of the outside world is colored by a deep sense of insecurity and paranoia. This is best exemplified by the events in Ukraine, where the Kremlin acted to preserve its traditional geographic bulwark against the West. This pattern of protectionism is also apparent in Moscow’s current understanding and approach to the situation in the Arctic.
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01/23/2015
The local naval aviation community is gearing up for a historic day. On Thursday morning, the last remaining P-3C Orion squadron on the East Coast will deploy for the final time. The United States Navy is phasing out the aircraft. Naval Air Station Jacksonville has been home to the P-3C Orion since the Cold War era of the 1960s. People on the First Coast might recognize it by its four propellers. It's often seen flying over the city.
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01/23/2015
A 2013 Air Force plan to expand its drone fleet is flawed and risks overspending $8.8 billion on unneeded aircraft, the Defense Department Inspector General says in a September report obtained by Air Force Times this week. Forty-six of the 401 MQ-9 Reapers in the planned procurement are potentially excess, according to the report, which comes as the Air Force says it is in dire need of personnel and aircraft to address the increased need for intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance sorties.
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01/23/2015
Taiwan has arrested an alleged Chinese spy, the first such apprehension in Taiwan in decades, according to the National Security Bureau. The question many here in Taipei are asking is whether China will attempt some sort of swap to get him back. China is holding two Military Intelligence Bureau agents who were captured in Vietnam more than a decade ago.
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01/23/2015
Only one in five of allied combat aircraft sorties over Iraq and Syria have dropped a weapon, according to statistics from the U.S. Central Command for the first five months of Operation Inherent Resolve. By the end of December, a total of 6,981 close air support/escort/interdiction sorties had been flown, plus 2,164 ISR sorties and 1,992 airlift/airdrop sorties.
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01/23/2015
The US military wants to upgrade its stable of combat choppers. One possible model for future combat aircraft can take off and land vertically, and then fly like a traditional airplane.
Bell's V-280, which combines a combat helicopter's fuselage with tilt-rotors, would basically be a Black Hawk that can adjust its thrust to fly like a fixed-wing aircraft once it's airborne.
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01/23/2015
The F/A-18 Super Hornet infrared search and track (IRST) system, developed and integrated by Boeing and Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT], received approval from the U.S. Navy to enter low-rate initial production. The IRST system consists of Lockheed Martin’s IRST21™ sensor, the GE Aviation FPU-13 Fuel Tank Assembly and the Meggitt Defense Industry Environmental Control unit.
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01/23/2015
Russia and India have agreed to speed up work on the fifth-generation fighter jet they are developing together, among other joint projects tackled during a Wednesday meeting between the countries' defense ministers. Speaking on the heels of the meeting in New Delhi, Indian defense chief Manohar Parrikar told reporters he had discussed "all the issues including the fifth-generation fighter aircraft" with his Russian counterpart, Sergei Shoigu.
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01/21/2015
First, they tried an F-104. “Not enough wing or thrust,” recalls Jack Petry, a retired U.S. Air Force colonel. When NASA engineers were launching rockets at Florida’s Cape Canaveral in the 1960s, they needed pilots to fly close enough to film the missiles as they accelerated through Mach 1 at 35,000 feet. Petry was one of the chosen.
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01/21/2015
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is to supply Iraq with a number of Embraer EMB-314 Super Tucano light strike aircraft to help combat the Islamic State, a government official has reportedly disclosed. With IHS Jane's having first reported that the UAE had recently ordered up to 24 Super Tucanos, the official told Defense News on 17 January that the emirates will transfer an undisclosed number to the Iraqi Air Force (IqAF) "before the end of the month".
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01/21/2015
The ‘smallest Air Force in history’ is dealing with more missions than ever. So the flyboys are calling in the military contractors to operate their jets. The U.S. Air Force fleet of planes and pilots is stretched so thin, the service is considering hiring private military corporations flying supersonic jets to train its fighter jocks in mock air combat.
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01/21/2015
“Physics probably favors detection and the ultimate demise of stealthy systems.” So predicted the Hart-Rudman Commission in 1999. Sixteen years later, it’s time for the Department of Defense to ask tough questions about whether to continue investing scarce resources into stealth technology. Foremost among those questions is this: Are we sacrificing too much capacity in a quest for an exquisite capability, a capability that may not offer the edge it once did and whose efficacy is in decline?
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01/21/2015
Even as India is to discuss again France the $22 billion deal to supply 126 Dassault Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force, a big team from Airbus is set to land in India on January 21, ahead of US President Barack Obama’s visit. The timing of the visit is significant, say informed sources. Airbus which had held 46.32 per cent of Dassault Aviation, had sold 8 per cent of the company back to Dassault for $979 million late last year.
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01/20/2015
Flawed software will hobble the first of Lockheed Martin’s F-35 fighters to be called combat-ready, limiting the plane’s ability to drop bombs, share data with other aircraft and track enemy radar, Tony Capaccio of Bloomberg news service writes. He noted that finding is from the Defense Department’s chief weapons tester found.
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01/20/2015
In mid-November 2014, Flight International was given the opportunity to visit BAE Systems’ facility at Warton in Lancashire, to be briefed by its Eurofighter Typhoon chief test pilot Mark Bowman and project manager Luke Dickson about the successful introduction and first deliveries to the Royal Air Force under the Phase 1 Enhancement (P1E) programme.
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01/20/2015
Boko Haram’s campaign of abduction and terror has spread beyond Nigeria to become a regional threat which African armies lack the strength to defeat, experts warned on Monday.
The Islamist gunmen struck across Nigeria’s eastern border into Cameroon on Sunday, raiding two villages and taking about 80 people captive. Boko Haram routinely sells its prisoners into slavery. The latest incident was the biggest case of mass abduction ever recorded in Cameroon.
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01/20/2015
Canadian special forces have clashed with the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant group by exchanging gunfire in Iraq in recent days, in the first confirmed ground battle between Western troops and ISIL, a senior officer has said. The Canadians came under mortar and machine gun fire while training Iraqi troops near front lines and shot back in what Canadian special forces commander Brigadier General Michael Rouleau described as self-defence, killing the ISIL fighters.
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01/20/2015
Two of the Air Force's most contentious budget proposals, getting rid of excess bases and retiring aging aircraft, will be back on the table in next year's budget, despite congressional votes just a month ago that rebuked both requests. President Barack Obama's budget for the Defense Department, which is scheduled to come early next month, will violate the $523 billion sequestration cap for 2016.
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01/19/2015
They're old, gray and approaching retirement — but the Marine Corps' EA-6B Prowlers are still fighting terrorists. The service's aging fleet of jets used for electronic warfare have flown hundreds of hours over Iraq and Syria in support of the fight against the Islamic State group. They may be some of the final combat missions for Prowler squadrons before the Corps starts to retire the aircraft and adds electronic warfare capabilities to a variety of platforms.
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01/19/2015
At least 35 Syrian soldiers were killed in a cargo plane crash in northwestern Syria, sources on the ground and state media said Sunday. The plane, which carried Syrian government personnel and military equipment, went down at the Abu al-Duhur air base in Idlib province. Sources told the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights that it "crashed as a result of collision with electricity transmission wires."
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01/19/2015
In late spring or early summer, the US Air Force will decide who will build its next-generation bomber. Yet, despite all the hype and public interest, the program remains shrouded in mystery. The Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) program is stealthy, literally and figuratively. Few details are actually known about the bomber's capabilities or design. But the program's impact is already being widely felt throughout the Pentagon and its industry partners.
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01/19/2015
Delay in its projects leading to a steep escalation in cost has proved to be the bane of the DRDO. The delays have led to the country being left with no option but to equip the armed forces with expensive foreign equipment. A report of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on defence tabled in Parliament just last month let the cat out of the bag.
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01/19/2015
Chinese spies stole key design information about Australia's new Joint Strike Fighter, according to top secret documents disclosed by former US intelligence contractor Edward Snowden.
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01/19/2015
India on Saturday inducted the light combat aircraft (LCA) with defence minister Manohar Parrikar handing over the first home-built plane to the air force in Bangalore, 33 years after the project was conceived to replace ageing Russian MiG-21 fighters. India on Saturday inducted the light combat aircraft (LCA) with defence minister Manohar Parrikar handing over the first home-built plane to the air force in Bangalore, 33 years after the project was conceived to replace ageing MiG-21 fighters.
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01/19/2015
Israeli army has refused to give any comments on the reports of Tel-Aviv’s participation in the airstrikes on Lebanese Hezbollah militant group in Syria. Earlier in the day, western media, citing sources in Hezbollah, reported that an Israeli helicopter fired two missiles on Amal Farms in Quneitra, killing six members of the organization.
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01/18/2015
India has politely turned down a suggestion by Barack Obama's security teams that a 5-km "no-fly zone" be imposed around the majestic Rajpath during the Republic Day parade, which will have the US President as the chief guest for the first time. A no-fly zone would have led to the customary flypast on January 26 being cancelled.
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01/18/2015
China's mainstay J-11A jet fighter has been refitted with an upgraded avionics packages to warn of incoming missiles, according to a report published Friday by Shanghai-based news website New Outlook. The web portal suggested that several protruding additions observed on either side of the fuselage and in front of the cockpit canopy, in photos released by China Military Online, a website sponsored by the Chinese People's Liberation Army.
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01/18/2015
Fourteen F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 18th Aggressor Squadron took off Jan. 17 in transit to Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii, and Andersen Air Force Base, Guam. The group of fighters, along with more than 150 maintainers from the 354th Maintenance Group, is deploying to support the CENTURY ALOHA and COPE NORTH exercises.
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01/18/2015
Australia’s Air Task Group has clocked up 100 days and 3500 hours of combat operations as part of international efforts to disrupt and degrade Daesh, also known as the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Since October, the Air Task Group has conducted regular combat and support missions over Iraq as well as assisting Coalition operations.
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01/18/2015
Officials have said the U.S. Navy wants 12 V-22 Ospreys and are willing to push the Marines’ existing order to the back of the line so they can put the tiltrotor aircraft into action in a new capacity. Boeing representatives referred comment to Public Affairs at the U.S. Naval Air Systems Command in Patuxent River, Md., where several messages placed were not returned Wednesday.
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01/18/2015
Little Rock Air Force Base is the home of C-130 Hercules aircraft and aircrew training, but it can also be a home away from home for many international students. The 314th Airlift Wing's "Center of Excellence" hosts students from all over the world to learn the C-130 and its mission inside and out.
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01/18/2015
The Air Force is increasing financial incentives for some remotely piloted aircraft pilots to encourage them to stay in service, Air Force Secretary Deborah Lee James announced on Thursday. The maximum amount of monthly incentive pay will be increased for RPA pilots in the 18X career field who opt to keep flying drones beyond their initial six-year commitments.
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01/18/2015
Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar handed over the first of the indigenously-built Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas to the Indian Air Force (IAF) in Bengaluru on Saturday. The ceremony took place in the presence of Air Chief Marshal Anup Raha at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) in Bengaluru.
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01/17/2015
To everyone’s surprise, the Syrian Arab Air Force (SyAAF), often incorrectly abbreviated to SAF or SAAF, has been able to maintain a high pace of operations in the now almost four-year long war. Orginally destined to engage in a fierce but short war with Israel, it never anticipated to fight what is essentially a war of attrition between the Assad-led party and its adversaries, and has found its role in the conflict through trial and error.
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01/17/2015
The days of catapult shots and arrested landings will soon be coming to an end for mail, parts and passengers headed to and from aircraft carriers, as the Navy plans to phase out its aging C-2A Greyhounds in favor of the V-22 Osprey for carrier on board delivery missions.
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01/17/2015
Investigators have determined a Jan. 15, 2014, crash during a dogfighting exercise, which destroyed an $85 million F/A-18E Super Hornet and seriously injured the pilot, was "preventable," according to a new report. The investigation, dated Nov. 24, 2014, was blunt in its assessment: "Bottom line up front, this was a preventable mishap," the investigator wrote.
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01/17/2015
As part of a broader project of land reclamation, beginning in November China started efforts to develop Fiery Cross Reef in the Spratly Islands. As of late November the reef had been built up to 3,000 meters long and between two and three hundred wide. This makes it large enough, in the assessment of analysts with IHS Jane’s and the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission, to argue that China’s first airstrip in the Spratly Islands might be under development.
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01/17/2015
Thirty-two years after the project was sanctioned, the first of the indigenously-built Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) is finally expected to be handed over to the IAF today. This will be the start of a process of induction of the fighters being built at home under a project which has already estimated to have cost the exchequer over Rs 17,000 crore.
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01/17/2015
Russia's Western Military District has received a fresh batch of Mi-17V-5 transport helicopters and is set to receive more, the head of the district's press service Colonel Oleg Kochetkov told Russia's RIA Novosti on Friday. "About ten of the new Mi-8MTV-5 [the domestic designation for the Mi-17V-5] military transport helicopters have entered into the army aviation brigade in the Western Military District, stationed in the Pskov region," Kochetkov told RIA Novosti.
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01/16/2015
The Air Force remains busy flying surveillance and strike missions against the Islamic State group in Iraq and Syria, and those flights are affecting the service's plans for its future, top officials said. Since Operation Inherent Resolve began in August, the Air Force has flown about 60 percent of the more than 16,000 air sorties. These include remotely piloted aircraft flights to monitor the situation, and the service's share of the 5,886 bombs that have been dropped as of Dec. 31.
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01/16/2015
In the face of an expansionist China seeking to dominate the East and South China Seas, Tokyo has set its largest defense budget ever to help defend islands that it rightfully considers Japanese territory. As its military, economy and ambitions grow, so too does China's assertiveness about control of the Yellow Sea, the East China Sea and the larger South China Sea. Chinese military doctrine refers to establishing dominance over what it calls the "first island chain,".
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01/16/2015
History was made Thursday morning at Nellis Air Force Base as the first F-35 fighter jet that will be used at the weapons school touched down. "This is happening," said Brigadier General Chris Short, 57th Wing Commander. "And to put iron on the ramp, it's exciting."
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01/16/2015
Lockheed Martin Corp's F-35 fighter jet is on track to meet the Marine Corps's July target to declare the jet ready for combat use, Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said Thursday. The F-35 B-model, which can take off from shorter runways and land like a helicopter, was making good progress, Mabus told reporters after a speech to the Surface Navy Association.
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01/16/2015
Three Russian military aircraft and helicopters have made it into Flightglobal's 2015 Top 10 most popular military aircraft in a ranking by the respectable British aviation news and information site published late last week. Craig Hoyle, who compiled the Top 10, notes that the ten planes and helicopters in the list account for nearly a third of the 52,000 combat, special mission, tanker and transport aircraft, helicopters and trainers in use by 160 countries around the world.
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01/15/2015
Japan’s government has passed its largest-ever defence budget amid a tense two-year territorial standoff with China. The \4.98-trillion yen ($42 billion) package tops the previous record set in 2002 and mark’s Japan’s third straight year of increased military spending.
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01/15/2015
Several thousand feet above the Atlantic Ocean, a year ago Thursday: Two Navy fighter jets banked toward each other at more than 400 mph.The roaring F/A-18 Super Hornets converged, crossing within 1,000 feet of each other before zooming back into formation and preparing to do it again.
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01/15/2015
In a surprise move, India has removed the head of the Defense Research and Development Organization (DRDO), Avinash Chander, "to pave way for younger generation to head the nodal agency." The Appointments Committee of the federal Cabinet approved the termination of Chander’s contract effective Jan. 31, 15 months ahead of schedule.
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01/14/2015
Canadian fighter jets flying over Iraq have stepped up the pace of their attacks on Islamic State extremists, dropping bombs for five straight days. Details are sometimes vague about what was hit but since combat operations started in late October, CF-18 fighters have dropped munitions 22 times and eight of those missions have happened since New Year’s Day.
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01/14/2015
The Russian T-50 PAK-FA appears to be optimized for the air-superiority role like the F-22 more so than the multirole, strike-optimized F-35. Like the Raptor, the PAK-FA is being designed to fly high and fast to impart the maximum amount of launch energy to its arsenal of long-range air-to-air missiles—which would greatly increase the range of those missiles.
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01/14/2015
India wants France to stick to the original terms of its deal to buy Rafale fighter jets, or it might call it off. If the manufacturers fail to comply, India may opt for the Russian designed Su-30 currently being produced domestically. France’s Dassault Aviation still has a chance to ink the huge $20 billion medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) contract to deliver 126 Rafale fighter jets to the Indian Air Force if the company complies with the contractor’s original demands.
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01/14/2015
The French Navy's nuclear-powered aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle is deploying with its battlegroup to the Gulf, and is understood to be preparing to contribute to coalition air strikes against Islamic State. Sailing on 13 January, the carrier battlegroup - which includes a nuclear-powered attack submarine - will head from Toulon through the Suez Canal to the Indian Ocean and the Gulf on Operation 'Arromanches'. The deployment is scheduled to last until May at the earliest.
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01/14/2015
Russian and Indian officials have agreed the preliminary design for the Sukhoi/Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft (FGFA), Russian state media reported on 10 January. Design of the export variant of the Sukhoi T-50 PAK-FA combat aircraft has now been completed, the Sputnik news agency quoted Andrey Marshankin, the regional director of international cooperation at the united Russian-Indian aircraft manufacturing company, as saying.
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01/14/2015
Flight testing isn't what it used to be. Usually, a comment like that would be a throwback to the days of The Right Stuff and fighters that went supersonic on their maiden flights, but even in the 1980s - as our report on the start of flight tests with the Dassault Rafale A shows - things moved faster, literally.
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01/14/2015
Russia will create an Air-Space Force from the merger of its Air Force and Space Forces in 2015, the country's Armed Forces General Staff chief, Valery Gerasimov, said Tuesday. “A new type of armed forces will be created in 2015, the Air-Space Forces, by combining two already existing types of military armed forces: the Air Force and Space Forces,” Gerasimov said.
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01/12/2015
For over a decade, academics, policymakers, and government officials have been engaged in a relentless debate about Chinese military capabilities and intentions. To some, China is likely an expansionist country akin to Germany before WWI. Others argue that China’s assertive behavior in its regional offshore island disputes is simply a manifestation of the Chinese Communist Party’s focus on domestic stability, which precludes any broader global ambitions.
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01/12/2015
British military capability planners are eyeing a major improvement to ground-based air defenses in the Falkland Islands amid continuing signs that Argentina is looking to update its Air Force with modern strike aircraft. Argentina and the UK fought a short but bloody war over the British territory in 1982. The dispute received new life recently by Argentinean President Cristina Kirchener's launching a diplomatic war of words in an effort to eject the British.
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01/12/2015
Seventy years after the end of World War II, talk about any kind of military expansion remains highly sensitive here in Japan. Just consider the position of Akifumi Arai, president of the Tamagawa Trading Company, a relatively small Nagano-based business that supplies sensors and gyroscopes used to guide torpedoes and missiles for Japan's self-defense forces.
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01/12/2015
India plans to take a final call, one way or the other, on the gigantic $20 billion MMRCA (medium multi-role combat aircraft) project to acquire 126 French Rafale fighters before Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits France and Germany in April.
(Read More...)
01/12/2015
A second, this time secret submarine hunt was launched in the Stockholm archipelago when a "very credible" informant reported seeing a possible conning tower a week after Sweden called off the initial search operation, the Swedish Armed Forces said Sunday. “We consider the informant to be very credible. We had ships and ground units nearby, so we were able to quickly respond to that observation.
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01/11/2015
North Korea said on Saturday it was willing to suspend nuclear tests if the United States agreed to call off annual military drills held jointly with South Korea, but Washington rejected the proposal as a veiled threat.
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01/11/2015
Dassault has offered the latest version of the Rafale fighter, the F3R for nearly double the price of the F3 version it originally bid with in the Indian fighter aircraft competition.
The company is reportedy insisting that India take the latest version as the French company is upgrading aircraft in the French Air Force to the F3R version and all future aircraft manufactured will be of the latest version.
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01/11/2015
Seventy years after the end of World War II, talk about any kind of military expansion remains highly sensitive here in Japan. Just consider the position of Akifumi Arai, president of the Tamagawa Trading Company, a relatively small Nagano-based business that supplies sensors and gyroscopes used to guide torpedoes and missiles for Japan’s self-defense forces.
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01/11/2015
An advanced electronic warfare (EW) suite developed by the DRDO was successfully tested onboard the country's Light Combat Aircraft Tejas-PV1 today. "After obtaining due flight clearances and certification, the first flight sortie of LCA PV1 with the EW equipment operational took place today. The equipment was noted to be detecting radar signals operating in and around the flight path," a Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) release said here.
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01/11/2015
The regional director of international cooperation at the united Russian-Indian aircraft manufacturing company reported Saturday that Russia and India have completed the creation of the export version of the Sukhoi/HAL Fifth Generation Fighter Aircraft.
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01/10/2015
The United States has conducted thousands of sorties in an effort to destroy its combat platforms stolen by Islamic State of Iraq and Levant. Officials said the U.S. Air Force conducted thousands of missions against ISIL. They said the air strikes damaged or destroyed 3,222 targets since August 2014.
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01/10/2015
Military officials held a ceremony yesterday at U.S. Naval Base Guam in Santa Rita to establish a new Navy task force as part of a rebalance of forces in the Asia-Pacific region. "In the past few years, it's been a priority to rebalance forces as we wind down from Afghanistan and Iraq and move into the Pacific region," said Joint Region Marianas Public Information Officer Lt. Tim Gorman.
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01/10/2015
Russia is also developing combat laser weapons alongside with the US said army general Yury Baluevsky, former Chief of the Russian General Staff. The US is field testing various combat 50-150 KW combat lasers on ships, trucks and fighter jets. Last year, China indicated that their combat lasers were shooting down drones. The Chinese laser defense system is able to shoot down various small aircraft within a two-kilometer radius and can do so in five seconds after locating its target.
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01/10/2015
Minutes after returning from a flight over the Avon Park Air Force Range, where they participated in laser-guided weapons practice, Navy Lts. Kevin Loughmiller and Nick Adams stood on the soggy flightline at MacDill Air Force Base recalling “a mindblowing” experience from a few days earlier.
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01/10/2015
The Air Force expects to lose more remotely piloted aircraft pilots to attrition than it trains this fiscal year, Air Combat Command spokesman Benjamin Newell said Friday. The active-duty Air Force already has a shortfall of RPA pilots, in part because more RPA pilots are joining Air National Guard units, an Air Combat Command official told reporters Thursday.
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01/10/2015
The biggest threat to U.S. military helicopters flying in combat zones today is heat-seeking missiles. The compact, shoulder-fired missiles are gradually becoming available to virtually every militant group that threatens U.S. overseas interests, and the latest versions are equipped with seekers that can readily distinguish between real targets and simple countermeasures such as flares.
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01/10/2015
Iran has begun mass production of the Saeghe (Thunderbolt) indigenously developed combat aircraft, state media announced on 7 January. Quoting an Islamic Republic of Iran Air Force (IRIAF) spokesperson, the Fars News Agency reported that the country now has 'several squadrons' of the Northrop F-5E Tiger II-derived aircraft in operational service. Prior to the report, the IRIAF was understood to have only about three Saeghe fighters flying with the 23rd Fighter Squadron.
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01/10/2015
Boeing last month delivered the eighth P-8A Poseidon of 2014, completing all planned deliveries to the U.S. Navy for the year on time and on cost. That airplane, the 21st overall for the program, flew from Seattle to Naval Air Station Jacksonville in Florida on Jan. 8. It joined other P-8As being used to train Navy crews.
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01/10/2015
NATO airplanes are not allowed to pass over Iranian airspace, commander of the Khatam ol-Anbia Iranian air defense base said. The official made reference to an early September ISAF flight, which was reportedly forced to land.
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01/09/2015
The Pentagon says the move will save around $500m (£300m) a year, and comes as the US military seeks to shift its attention towards Asia. But the US has named RAF Lakenheath to be the first permanent European base for the F-35 aircraft. The US currently has more than 60,000 troops stationed in Europe, mostly in Germany, Italy and the UK.
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01/09/2015
The US Air Force (USAF) has employed considerably more munitions in its campaign against the Islamic State over recent weeks, the service disclosed on 6 January. This increased expenditure of weaponry was revealed in an article on deployed USAF armourers that was published on the service's official website.
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01/09/2015
Islamic insurgents in Iraq are on their “back foot” and haven’t been able to launch successful counter-attacks, according to the commander overseeing this country’s Iraq air campaign. Brig.-Gen. Dan Constable, who commands Joint Task Force Iraq, told journalists Thursday that coalition air strikes have allowed Iraqi forces on the ground to push back the forces of the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).
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01/09/2015
Like an able pilot with his wits about him in an out-of-control warplane, Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar may be preparing to ditch Rafale touted as the medium multi-role combat aircraft (MMRCA) answer, which the Indian Air Force has set its heart on procuring at any cost, and going for the more economical and sensible Su-30 option instead.
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01/09/2015
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu announced five defense projects on Wednesday, following a Defense Industry Executive Committee meeting in Ankara. Davutoglu said that Turkey would order four more fifth generation Stealth F-35s, which will be the new front line fighters of the Turkish Air Force.
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01/09/2015
The demand for drones to fly surveillance missions keeps going up, but the number of remotely piloted aircraft pilots is going down, so the Air Force is considering increasing retention bonuses for RPA pilots, said Col. Ray Alves of Air Combat Command. "We're looking at incentives of how we maintain people in the career field and how we incentivize growth in the career field … to give them bonuses similar to what I received as a young major, my pilot retention bonus," said Alves.
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01/09/2015
Boeing has improved the realism of ground-based F-22 Raptor training by delivering the first simulators for that aircraft with an immersive, 360-degree visual environment. Two simulators were installed, each paired with the Constant Resolution Visual System (CRVS), Boeing’s patented display that provides high-resolution imagery for pilots to train with nearly 20/20 acuity.
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01/08/2015
Four airmen were disciplined through administrative means for their role in a friendly fire incident last June in Afghanistan. Five American soldiers and one Afghan soldier were killed June 9 in Zabul province when a B-1B Lancer dropped a bomb on them, mistakenly believing they were insurgents. An investigative report by U.S. Central Command investigating officer Air Force Maj. Gen. Jeffrey Harrigian.
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01/08/2015
Though many Americans may not have realized it, December 28th marked what the U.S. government called the official end of the war in Afghanistan. That war has been the longest in U.S. history – but despite the new announcement that the formal conflict is over, America's war there is far from finished.
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01/08/2015
The United States possesses more, bigger and more heavily-armed warships than any other country. By some measures, the U.S. Navy maintains a 13-navy standard. In other words, it can deploy as much combat power as the next 13 largest fleets combined. And in one very important respect, the American fleet is actually at a temporary low point — and will only grow more powerful in the coming decade.
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01/08/2015
The U.S. Navy has contracted GE Aviation for the repair, replacement and support of components in F414 engines used by its fleet of F-18 aircraft. The contract is a three-year performance based logistics award with a value of $460 million and is the latest in a series of PBL awards for the F414 given to the company since 2002.
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01/08/2015
India plans to kick-off its own fifth-generation fighter aircraft (FGFA) development project this year to build on the expertise gained in the long developmental saga of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft. Top defence sources on Wednesday said the preliminary design stage of the futuristic fighter called the advanced medium combat aircraft (AMCA), with collaboration among IAF, DRDO and Aeronautical Development Agency, is now "virtually" over.
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01/07/2015
Cubic Corp. has been awarded a series of contracts from Lockheed Martin Aeronautics to produce and add enhancements to the Air Combat Training System (ACTS) of the F-35 fighter jet, also known as the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF). Unlike the wing-mounted pods used on fourth generation fighters, the F-35 version of the P5 Combat Training System (P5CTS) incorporates an internally mounted subsystem that enables the fifth generation jet to maintain its stealth characteristics while training.
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01/07/2015
The nation's governors plan to continually press Army leadership to let the National Guard keep its assets after a bitter battle last year when the service said it would move helicopters out of the Guard. The Army originally planned to consolidate the Guard's Apache attack helicopters into the active duty, while the Guard would receive several hundred Black Hawks and retain its Lakota multi-use helicopters.
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01/07/2015
Bernard Gray, the Chief of Defence Materiel, said the military is on target for operational capability on land and at sea with the aircraft. It comes after the MoD signed the contract for the first 14 jets, some of which will fly from HMS Queen Elizabeth when she is based in Portsmouth. Mr Gray said: ‘Signing the contract paves the way for the first batch of operational combat aircraft.
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01/07/2015
If you think your office needs a lick of paint and some new furniture, spare a thought for fighter pilots. Those who fly fighter aircraft like the F-16 or the Tornado are still, in effect, working in a 1970s office - because that's when those aircraft were originally designed.
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01/07/2015
The South Korean Defense Ministry has said in a white paper that North Korea is in possession of missiles that could reach the US mainland, Xinhua reported Tuesday. "[North Korea has the] capability to threaten the US mainland," an extract from the document read, as quoted by the news agency.
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01/06/2015
An Israeli air force squadron equipped with Alenia Aermacchi M-346 "Lavi" advanced jet trainers is close to being declared operational, having already received nine aircraft from an eventual 30-strong fleet. Israel's first M-346 landed at Hazerim air base in the south of the country last July, and deliveries are continuing on schedule.
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01/06/2015
Even after over a decade of war in Iraq and Afghanistan, America’s armed services field incompatible aviation technology that hinders battlefield communication between U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps combat aircraft. The Pentagon is making an effort to fix the problem, but whether it will succeed is an open question.
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01/06/2015
The Indian Air Force is struggling to fill its hangers with good quality fighter planes made in India as indigenous efforts for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) conceived more than three decades ago are yet to make it to service standards. This, in a country whose ancient scientists had conceived workable fighter planes thousands of years ago.
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01/06/2015
The United States has asked Spain to grant permanent status for the deployment of US troops at the joint-use Morón Air Base in Spanish Andalusia, El Pais said Monday, citing a letter from US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel. According to the newspaper, Hagel wrote a letter to Spanish authorities proposing to introduce changes to the 1988 Agreement on Defense Cooperation between the US and Spain in order to “turn Morón de la Frontera into a permanent base for responding on crises in Africa.”
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01/06/2015
No violations of Russian airspace have been registered in the past year, Russian Defense Ministry spokesperson Igor Klimov said Saturday. “In 2014… no violations of state borders by foreign aircraft or breach of air rules by domestic users were registered,” Klimov stated.
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01/05/2015
U.S. Special Operations Forces are in the fight in Iraq against ISIL (Islamic State), but not in the way you might think. According to Gary Boucher, outgoing spokesperson at the Combined Joint Task Force for Operation Inherent Resolve - these Special Operations Forces (SOF) are currently partnered with Kurdish Regional Government Forces, Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Iraqi Counter Terrorism Service.
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01/05/2015
As if more evidence were needed that the United States and Russia have indeed embarked upon a New Cold War, the news comes that Russia has revised its military doctrine for the first time since 2010. Decrying what it sees as Western efforts to turn Ukraine into a "front line of confrontation,” the revised doctrine would allow for Russia to deploy precision conventional weapons “as part of strategic deterrent measures” against what it sees as its principal threat: NATO.
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01/05/2015
Saudi Arabia is looking to offload its remaining Northrop F-5E/F Tiger II combat aircraft, according to a solicitation posted online on 18 December. The proposed sale, details of which were posted on the AvBuyer website, will see the Kingdom divest itself of 79 F-5 aircraft that it procured in the 1970s and 1980s.
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01/05/2015
Paris has indicated that it will try to carry forward the much-delayed talks in order to strike the deal as soon as possible. The signing of the deal will allow France to export 126 Rafale fighter aircraft to the South Asian country. India is yet to finalise the deal with France as it is looking at the option of acquiring more Sukhoi-30 MKI fighter jets from Russia.
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01/05/2015
Will the Islamic State last through 2015? It seems unlikely. At least, not as the effective force it represented in 2014, especially after its June 9 conquest of Mosul, the second-largest city in Iraq. By the end of 2014, after initial successes on several fronts in both Iraq and Syria, ISIS forces began to be pushed back on several fronts.
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01/05/2015
The state Air National Guard hopes that 73 words signed into law on Dec. 16 by President Obama as part of a $1.1 trillion spending bill represent a commitment to modernize its eight aging C-130s and keep it in business past mid-2020. At that time, the planes will need to have been upgraded to be able to fly in a satellite-based navigation and air traffic control system that is becoming the world standard. But first, the planes have to survive likely Air Force cuts in the Air Guard’s C-130 fleet.
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01/05/2015
The U.S. Air Force’s fleet of drones is being strained to the “breaking point,” according to senior military officials and an internal service memo acquired by The Daily Beast. And it’s happening right when the unmanned aircraft are most needed to fight ISIS. The Air Force has enough MQ-1 Predator and MQ-9 Reaper drones. It’s just doesn’t have the manpower to operate those machines.
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01/05/2015
Here we retell and update the stories of people and events that were top newsmakers in 2014. Expect some of them to continue to make news in 2015.
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01/05/2015
Every fighter pilot will be able to stay airborne for longer durations as the plane will be able to replenish its supply of oxygen in air itself in the not-toodistant future. On Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS) — developed by the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO) to produce oxygen in air — will allow pilots to fly without the aid of heavy oxygen cylinders.
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01/05/2015
The Pakistan Armed Forces killed at least 31 militants and destroyed a number of shelters and training facilities in the country's northwest, the army said Saturday. "[Four] terrorist hideouts and a suicide bomber training center were destroyed. 31 terrorists, including some suicide bombers, were killed in precise aerial strikes in Tirrah, Khyber today," the army's Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) press statement read.
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