May 18, 2015 Military Aviation News

Indonesian war planes violate PNG airspace

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.

China Builds an "Unsinkable Aircraft Carrier" in the South China Sea

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?

Deployment of U.S. Osprey aircraft at Yokota expected to boost deterrence

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.

Asia's Biggest Maritime Expo To Kick Off

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.

The MQ-47C Is Accepted, Rejected And Contested

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.

First squadron of India-made combat jet expected by 2017-18

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.

U.S. Forces Seize Digital Trove in Syria Raid

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.

Poland to Inspect Russian, Belarusian Airspace Under Open Skies Treaty

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.

US Military Aircraft Goes Down in Hawaii, Emergency Crews Respond

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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