March, 2019 Military Aviation News
03/31/2019
The Ilyushin Il-112V military turboprop completed its maiden flight on 30 March from the VASO manufacturing plant in Voronezh. The aircraft, which is part of the United Aircraft (UAC) stable, took off with chief pilot Nikolai Kuimov at the controls. The maiden test flight was flown in normal mode, says UAC.
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03/30/2019
The Royal Malaysian Air Force (RMAF) requires between RM6 billion and RM7 billion of funding from the government to acquire 36 light combat aircraft (LCA). RMAF chief General Datuk Seri Affendi Buang said the new requirement for the LCA would enable the air force to keep up with advanced technology and capability. “Our BAE Hawks are now already passing 25 years in service.
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03/30/2019
The Harrier II is unique among American military aircraft as one of few to have been adapted from a foreign design. The AV-8B's origin traces back to the British Hawker Siddeley Harrier, which was designed in the 1960s. Though not the first vertical/short take-off and landing aircraft built, it was the first fully operational and successful example. V/STOL capability was revolutionary because it created an aircraft that could operate from short or less-than-ideal runways, or from no runway at al
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03/30/2019
For the second time in 12 months, the US Air Force has grounded its Rockwell B-1B Lancer bomber fleet over safety concerns with its ejection seat. Air Force Global Strike Command ordered a safety stand-down of the B-1B Lancer fleet March 28. The service says that during a routine inspection potentially fleet-wide issues were identified with the rigging of the ejection seat drogue chute system. As a precautionary measure, the USAF directed an all-inclusive inspection of the entire egress system.
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03/30/2019
Japan’s air force stood up its first operational F-35A fighter squadron, the 302nd Tactical Fighter Squadron, on 29 March. The stealth fighter replaces the squadron’s aging, third-generation Mitsubishi F-4EJ Kai fighters, which are Japanese-licensed variants of the Vietnam-era McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II. The squadron is stationed at Misawa Air Base, which is near the northernmost point of Japan’s main island.
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03/29/2019
Japan continues to work on creating domestic fifth-generation stealth fighter as seen in footage aired on national TV. The footage posted on 26 March shows that Mitsubishi Electronics-led team proceeded to test their active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar based on the F-2 fighter aircraft. According to several media reports, the new Japanese AESA radar similar to US-made AN/APG-81, which is installed on Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jet.
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03/29/2019
As the United States Air Force continues its struggle with fielding enough aggressor aircraft for its combat aircraft crews to train against, contractors are stepping up to the plate. In some cases, contractors are able to field remarkable aircraft that provide an exceptionally authentic replication of enemy aircraft. Such is case of Air USA—the company has managed to acquire three two-seat trainer versions of the Mikoyan MiG-29UB Fulcrum.
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03/29/2019
Speaking in a press conference at the Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition yesterday (26 Mar), Malaysia Prime Minister Dr Mahathir Mohamad said that Malaysia’s ageing combat aircraft are still functioning well and can be used for several more years.
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03/29/2019
The US Air Force selected Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota on 27 March as the preferred location to base the first operational Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider bomber and the stealth aircraft’s formal training unit.
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03/29/2019
Belgium has secured approval for a potentially $600 million acquisition of General Atomics Aeronautical Systems' MQ-9B SkyGuardian. The US Department of State determination moves Brussels closer to obtaining four of the medium-altitude, long-endurance type, which will be equipped with General Atomics' detect and avoid technology to enable flight in non-segregated airspace.
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03/27/2019
The company says it has a $320 million undefinitized contract with the US Air Force to develop the new radar. The ASARS-2B has double the surveillance range of its predecessor, the ASARS-2A system, while maintaining the same mapping and imagery resolution. The new radar completed flight testing at Edwards Air Force Base in California in early 2019, says Raytheon.
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03/27/2019
The latest iteration of MBDA's combat-proven Brimstone precision-strike weapon has undergone a successful first test firing. Conducted at the Vidsel range in Sweden, the telemetry unit-equipped Brimstone 3 was deployed from a surface launcher against a pick-up truck target.
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03/27/2019
A Malaysian aerospace group has developed a programme for the 10-year service inspection of the Sukhoi Su-30MKM fighter. An Su-30MKM that underwent Aerospace Technology Systems’ (ATSC) inspection regime was officially presented to the country’s prime minister at the Langkawi international Maritime Exhibition.
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03/27/2019
India’s air force formally inducted its first four Boeing CH-47F(I) Chinook heavy-lift helicopters into its inventory on 25 March. The helicopters were handed over during a ceremony held at Air Force Station Chandigarh that was attended by senior air force dignitaries. India’s defence ministry says that the remaining 11 Chinooks from its 2015 order will be delivered progressively by March 2020.
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03/26/2019
Russian Air Force An-124 Condor heavy transport plane is back home after a brief trip to Venezuela, where it helped reportedly deliver almost 100 military personnel and tons of unspecified cargo as part of the Kremlin’s ongoing support for embattled Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro. For two months now, Maduro has been locked in a political crisis with American-supported opposition leader Juan Guaido and there continue to be signs that a U.S. military intervention might be on the horizon.
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03/26/2019
The US State Department approved the possible sale of 25 Lockheed Martin F-16C/D Block 72 fighters to the Royal Moroccan Air Force, as well as a possible agreement to upgrade 23 of the air force’s Lockheed Martin F-16 fighters to the F-16V variant. The F-16C/D fighters and related equipment are estimated to cost $3.79 billion, while the upgrade and related equipment is estimated to cost $985 million.
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03/26/2019
Russia's Irkut has confirmed the delivery of Yak-130 advanced jet trainers to Laos, with Cirium's Fleets Analyzer recording four examples as having been handed over to the nation's air force so far this year. Laos has another six of the type on order, our data indicates.
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03/25/2019
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) and Pakistan Aeronautical Complex (PAC) are renewing their efforts to secure additional customers for the JF-17 Thunder lightweight multi-role fighter, which is co-produced by the Aviation Industry Corporation of China (AVIC) and PAC, and is the mainstay combat aircraft of the PAF.
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03/25/2019
Pakistan is ruling out the possibility of using its nuclear weapons and sees them as more of deterrence tool to prevent actual wars, Spokesman for the Pakistan Army Maj Gen Asif Ghafoor told the international media in an interview. "Since we have gone overtly nuclear, as India also, in 1998, our stance is that this capability eliminates the possibility of a conventional war between the two states. So that is to say, this is a weapon of deterrence and a political choice.
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03/25/2019
India's indigenous supersonic fighter jet Tejas will for the first time participate in aerial displays during the five-day Langkawi International Maritime and Aerospace Exhibition (LIMA) in Malaysia. India has been projecting the Tejas aircraft in a big way as it has been manufactured indigenously at the Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) and designed by the Aeronautical Development Agency (ADA) for the Indian Air Force and the Indian Navy.
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03/24/2019
The J-10 “Vigorous Dragon” is a mainstay of China’s effort to modernize its large fleet of single-engine jet fighters, with 350 already in service. An agile tactical fighter similar to the ubiquitous F-16 Fighting Falcon , the Vigorous Dragon was the first domestic Chinese design roughly on par with Western and Russian fourth-generation fighters .
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03/23/2019
Egypt recently turned heads with its decision to purchase twenty advanced Su-35S fighter jets from Russia. This adds yet another unique airframe to Egypt’s inventory, which currently fields Rafales, two generations of F-16s, MiG-29s modernized to near MiG-35 standard, and two generations of Mirages. What could the Su-35S add onto this lineup? What could the political repercussions of the buy be?
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03/23/2019
General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was awarded a $123 million contract by the Pentagon to manufacture four MQ-9 Block 5 Reapers for the Royal Netherlands Air Force. The contract has been anticipated for a while, as the US State Department approved the sale in 2015 and Amsterdam officially announced the order in July 2018 at the Farnborough air show in the United Kingdom.
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03/23/2019
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has confirmed plans to acquire five Boeing 737-based E-7 airborne early warning and control system aircraft, with the platforms to be modified by Marshall Aerospace & Defence Group. Announced on 22 March and worth £1.5 billion ($1.98 billion), the contract will lead to the adapted narrowbody airliners being introduced to service from the early 2020s. They will replace the Royal Air Force's (RAF) current Boeing 707-based E-3D Sentry fleet.
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03/22/2019
The leadership of Taiwan has recently stepped up efforts to obtain a new American fighter aircraft to urgently recapitalise its aging air force. Media reports indicate that president Tsai Ing-wen has publically confirmed that a request for new fighter aircraft has been made to Washington.
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03/22/2019
Airbus Defence & Space has been awarded a contract to produce a single C295 medium transport for Kazakhstan's border service. Announcing the commitment on 21 March, the European airframer says the asset will be employed for duties including "border control activities and homeland security operations". A delivery schedule has not been revealed.
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03/22/2019
Weapons integration activities on the Lockheed Martin F-35B are to be expanded for the UK, with the pending addition of MBDA's Meteor beyond-visual-range air-to-air missile and in-development Spear ground-attack system. Announced on 18 March and placed by Lockheed as "an initial funding award", the integration activity will be conducted by a team including the airframer and European guided weapons specialist, along with BAE Systems.
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03/22/2019
Boeing has secured a three-year contract for 78 F/A-18E/F Block III Super Hornets, with a total contract value of approximately $4 billion. “Boeing will begin converting existing Block II Super Hornets to Block III early in the next decade,” says a company statement. “The fighter’s life also will be extended from 6,000 hours to 10,000 hours.”
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03/21/2019
A MiG-29 fighter wing and a pair of Su-25 attack aircraft performed scheduled flights over the Sea of Azov, providing an air cover for Ukraine Navy ships sailing in the area. The corresponding video was posted by the press service of the Joint Forces Operation HQ on its Facebook page.
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03/21/2019
The Department of Defense ordered a second stealth aerial target demonstrator from Sierra Technical Services on 13 February. The so-called 5th Generation Aerial Target (5GAT) is a high-performance, fighter-size unmanned air vehicle that is intended to represent stealthy aircraft threats from advanced adversaries such as China or Russia.
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03/21/2019
The Bell Boeing V-22 Osprey first flew 30 years ago today on 19 March 1989. Since, the Bell-Boeing joint venture behind the tiltrotor has produced more than 375 examples, which have accumulated more than 450,000 flight hours, the manufacturers say.
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03/21/2019
The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded Boeing Defense Space & Security a $250 million contract to integrate the nuclear-tipped Long Range Stand-Off Cruise Missile (LRSO) on the B-52H bomber. The indefinite-delivery/indefinite-quantity contract is for aircraft and missile carriage equipment development and modification, engineering, testing, software development, training, facilities, and support necessary to fully integrate the missile on the strategic bomber, says the USAF.
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03/19/2019
The Russian Federation’s domestically-produced Su-57 stealth jet will be transferred to their aerospace forces by the end of 2019, the United Aircraft Corporation (UAC) President Yuri Slyusar announced this month. While Russia is expected to purchase all fifteen of the Su-57 jets, it appears Moscow may have a potential buyer in India, the National Interest publication reported.
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03/19/2019
A global geopolitical shift has taken place without the wider audience noticing. Turkey has drifted apart from the US and NATO, it has got much closer to Russia, and the US is desperately seeking to find ways to fill a huge gap in the strategic Black Sea region. Turkey is still a NATO member. But it has repeatedly said it is committed to buying Russian missile defence system, despite warnings from the United States that the S-400s cannot be integrated into the NATO air defence system.
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03/19/2019
Japanese leaders will soon need to make a decision that will fundamentally shape their nation’s security: the replacement of their aging F-2 fighter aircraft. One overarching threat sets the bar for Japan: China. Beijing’s increasingly aggressive actions throughout the Pacific, backed by rapid and cutting-edge military buildup, leave no margin for error.
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03/19/2019
Not too long ago, the Boeing F-15's days looked numbered. First flown in 1972 - back when the Vietnam War was still raging and President Nixon remained in office - the "Eagle" had lately seemed too old, too last-century, to compete for sales against modern counterparts, notably the Lockheed Martin F-35.
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03/18/2019
Israel is also developing two different sets of external fuel tanks to extend the F-35’s range. The first will be non-stealthy 425-gallon underwing tanks developed by a subsidiary of Elbit—these could be dropped when approaching enemy airspace (the pylons holding the drop tanks would reportedly detach as well so as not to compromise stealth), or used for missions in which stealth isn’t necessary.
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03/18/2019
With India and Pakistan sabre-rattling over cross-border skirmishes, a distressing fact about India’s premier fighter jets has come to light. According to sources, over 20 SU-30 MKI fighters, the backbone of the Indian Air Force, are lying with Hindustan Aeronautics for overhaul and are not available for combat.
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03/18/2019
The Australian government and Boeing recently unveiled their plans for a “Loyal Wingman” drone system that would provide multiple support drones for fighters, bombers, and even unarmed aircraft during combat operations. Now, the U.S. Air Force has begun touting a new endeavor, dubbed “Skyborg,” that could take the Loyal Wingman concept to the next level.
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03/17/2019
According to the latest report on arms transfer, released by the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI) earlier this month, India ceased to be the world’s largest importer of arms during 2014-18, sliding to the second position behind Saudi Arabia with a 24 per cent decrease in imports compared with the imports during the preceding five-year period (2009-13) as compared with a 192 per cent increase in imports by Saudi Arabia.
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03/17/2019
The Russian Armed Forces again deployed Sukhoi SU-25 attack aircraft to Syria after a year’s interval. Images from civilian satellite company ImageSat International released a new photo showed returned SU-25 attack aircraft at Khmeimim air base in Syria. Recent satellite images from ImageSat reveal a new deployment of SU-25 aircraft at the Khmeimim base since the previous one in July 2018.
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03/17/2019
During an aerial skirmish on February 27, 2019, an Indian Air Force MiG-21 Bison was shot down by a radar-guided missile. The Pakistani Air Force (PAF) claims the kill was scored by a JF-17 Thunder, a domestically-built fighter built with Chinese assistance. However, India subsequently revealed fragments of an AIM-120C-5 missile—a U.S.-built weapon only compatible with the American-built F-16s in PAF service.
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03/17/2019
“I’ve never seen anything like it before. My wingman was a brand new F-35A pilot, seven or eight flights out of training. He gets on the radio and tells an experienced, 3,000 hour pilot in a fourth-generation aircraft. ‘Hey bud, you need to turn around. You’re about to die, There’s a threat off your nose,’” Wood explained in the service report.
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03/16/2019
Qatar has received the first batch of Apache-QA during a ceremony held at the Boeing Defense Systems headquarters in Arizona, US, in presence of HE the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of State for Defence Affairs Dr Khalid bin Mohamed al-Attiyah. nnThis batch comes as part of a deal signed by the Qatar Armed Forces to acquire the latest - sixth generation - of the fighter aircraft.
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03/16/2019
The US Air Force’s (USAF) 4th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida took delivery of the first Block 30 AC-130J Ghostrider gunship on 6 March. The Block 30 AC-130J Ghostrider gunship is to replace the AC-130U Spooky gunship, which is slowly being retired from active duty after more than 20 years of operation.
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03/16/2019
Leonardo is hopeful that Italy can join the UK's Tempest sixth-generation fighter programme, building on the involvement of its defence electronics division in the effort. Although the company is headquartered in Rome, it has a large presence in the UK, including the former Selex operation.
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03/15/2019
The US Navy has announced that the F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is ready for operational use after meeting all requirements. The F-35C achieved initial operational capability (IOC) after the Navy’s first F-35C squadron, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, completed aircraft carrier qualifications aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).
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03/15/2019
The US Air Force (USAF) is requesting funds from Congress for eight Boeing F-15EX fighters instead of more of its favoured aircraft, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter, in a move aimed at cutting costs.
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03/14/2019
A Chinese navy plane crashed in Hainan province on Tuesday killing two crew members, the military said. A short statement said the crash happened during a training exercise over rural Ledong county in the southern island province. No one else was reported to have been injured after the plane hit the ground and the cause of the incident is being investigated.
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03/14/2019
The Pakistan Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday successfully test-fired indigenously developed extended range smart weapon from JF-17 multi-role fighter aircraft. According to the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), “the weapon has been developed, integrated and qualified solely through indigenous efforts of Pakistani scientists and engineers.”
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03/14/2019
Development and production of the Pakistan Aeronautical Complex/Chengdu Aerospace Corporation (PAC/CAC) JF-17 “Thunder” Block III multirole fighter aircraft is reportedly underway, the chief designer of the fighter jet, Yang Wei, said at press conference in China last week.
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03/14/2019
The US Air Force started a market assessment to identify potential sources for its Next Generation Ejection Seat. The service is looking for a modern ejection seat replacement to be installed in a variety of aircraft, including the Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II, McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor and Rockwell B-1 Lancer, it says in an online announcement.
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03/14/2019
A Polish-based US military unit equipped with the General Atomics Aeronautical Systems MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted air system has achieved full operational capability. Forward-deployed at the Polish air force's Miroslawiec air base, the US Air Force's (USAF) 52nd Expeditionary Operations Group Detachment 2 flies the medium-altitude, long-endurance type in an unarmed configuration. MQ-9s have been flown from Poland since May 2018, the service says.
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03/14/2019
Kongsberg has entered into a deal with Tokyo to supply its Joint Strike Missile (JSM) for use by the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF). The Norwegian company disclosed the deal in a statement, but said that neither it nor the Japanese government are disclosing the number of weapons or the value of the contract. The timing of deliveries was also not discussed.
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03/13/2019
As part of its fiscal year 2020 budget proposal, the Pentagon is requesting billions from the US Congress to further research and development work on new aircraft, as well as funds to improve the day-to-day flight readiness of its current fleet. For example, requested funding for the Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider heavy bomber is to increase more than 30% to $3 billion as the programe moves from design to manufacturing development. The stealth bomber completed its critical design review in Novemb
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03/13/2019
Warsaw has prioritised its Harpia fighter programme as part of a new technical modernisation plan for its armed forces, while its aged RAC MiG-29s remain grounded following a 4 March crash. Poland plans to acquire 32 "fifth-generation" aircraft to replace its remaining MiG-29s and a ground-attack fleet of Sukhoi Su-22s. It is believed to be particularly interested in the Lockheed Martin F-35.
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03/12/2019
Electronic warfare (EW) experts at Harris Corp. will provide sophisticated EW systems to the government of Kuwait that are designed to protect combat aircraft from incoming radar-guided missiles. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., on Friday announced a $43.3 million order to the Harris Electronic Systems segment in Clifton, N.J., for additional lot 16 AN/ALQ-214 A(V)4/5 EW jammers for F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter-bombers for the Kuwaiti milita
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03/12/2019
Look on the nose of many modern jet fighter aircraft such as the Eurofighter Typhoon and you’ll spot a large bulbous protrusion coming from just near the cockpit. Air Force Technology reports. Continue reading original article
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03/12/2019
Northrop Grumman received a $323 million contract from the US Navy for engineering and manufacturing development work on its Advanced Anti-Radiation Guided Missile-Extended Range (AARGM-ER), an air-launched weapon designed to seek and destroy radar sites on the ground.
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03/12/2019
Although it has a manufacturing presence throughout France, Dassault's headquarters is in the Parisian suburb of Saint-Cloud, its heavy black gates a stone's throw from the river Seine.
Journalists attending the airframer’s annual results press conference have grown used to the event being held on the company's boat, Le Talisman, moored opposite the main office building.
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03/10/2019
The U.S. Navy has signed delivery order for Bell-Boeing team to upgrade an additional four MV-22 Osprey aircraft to the Block C configuration. The modification to a previously awarded contract, announced Friday by the U.S. Department of Defense, is worth more than $85,7 million and provides for the upgrade of four MV-22 aircraft from the Block B to the Block C configuration in support of the Common Configuration Readiness and Modernization Program (CC-RAM).
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03/10/2019
Secretary of the US Air Force Heather Wilson plans to resign on 31 May and become president of the University of Texas at El Paso. Wilson is President Donald Trump’s first Secretary of the Air Force and was rumoured to be considered for Secretary of Defense, a position which came open in December after Secretary James Mattis retired. The White House has yet to nominate someone for the role, so former Deputy Secretary of Defense Patrick Shanahan is serving as the acting official.
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03/08/2019
Australia plans to continue conducting refueling trials with the Airbus KC-30A tanker aircraft, as the country seeks to expand the type’s flexibility in supporting coalition operations. Speaking at the Avalon Airshow, Flight Lt. Kevin Baker, a test pilot from No. 33 Squadron of the Royal Australian Air Force, which flies the KC-30A Multi Role Tanker Transport, said the receiver aircraft are from other nations and include U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles, Republic of Singapore Air Force F-15SG
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03/07/2019
The Minister of Defence for Singapore, Ng Eng Hen, has further clarified the country's plans to modernise the Royal Singapore Air Force combat aircraft fleet. Speaking at the Committee of Supply Debate in parliament, the Minister of Defence for Singapore, Ng Eng Hen, has further clarified the country's plans to modernise the Royal Singapore Air Force combat aircraft fleet through the acquisition of F-35s.
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03/07/2019
After refueling at night over a southern-Nevada dust bowl called Texas Lake, scores of U.S. and coalition warplanes crossed into contested air space on a mission to suppress state-of-the-art enemy air defenses. The formation was soon bombarded with warning signals as radars of advanced surface-to-air (SAM) missile batteries with the reach of Russia’s S-300 and S-400 air defense systems switched on.
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03/07/2019
The U.S. Air Force’s new T-X jets could be more than just trainers, with aggressor or light-attack missions now on the table for the Boeing-made plane, the head of Air Combat Command said Thursday. Although buying new T-X trainers to replace the more than 50-year-old T-38 fleet still remains a top priority for that program, the service is beginning to explore whether the T-X could be procured for other uses, Gen. Mike Holmes said at the Air Force Association’s Air Warfare Symposium.
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03/07/2019
Rolls-Royce has reportedly scaled back attempts to join a programme to build a new fighter jet for Turkey in partnership with Kale Group. The programme seeks to create Turkey’s first combat aircraft. Financial Times (FT) first broke the story and stated that the company’s decision will affect the UK’s ambitions to ensure the British aerospace industry plays a pivotal role in the project.
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03/07/2019
The USA is providing financial backing of $19 million for a pair of Mielec M28 Block 50 utility transports that will be delivered to Nepal. “This contract involves foreign military financing to Nepal,” says a recent US Defence Department statement. “This award is the result of a country-directed sole-source acquisition. Foreign military financing funds in the full amount are being obligated at the time of award.”
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03/07/2019
Though Airbus Helicopters’ deliveries of the UH-72A Lakota to the US Army are scheduled to conclude in 2020, the company believes the programme may still have some foreign military sales life left. Airbus Helicopters assembles the twin-engine light utility helicopter in a factory in Columbus, Mississippi and expects to deliver 24 examples this year. The company believes it will finish all 472 deliveries to the US Army in August of 2020.
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03/06/2019
Two F/A-18s collided in midair over the sprawling Twentynine Palms, California, Marine training base on Feb. 28, according to military officials. The two Hornets involved in the accident are from 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. They both managed to land safely after “experiencing a mid-air incident” over Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, 1st Lt. Fredrick D. Walker, a spokesman for 3rd MAW, told Marine Corps Times. "No personnel were injured.”
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03/06/2019
The Indian Air Force is in the process of equipping its Su-30MKI with Israeli SPICE-2000 laser-guided bombs, as part of its effort to make the fighter jets more potent, official sources said. Currently, the IAF's Mirage-2000 are equipped with the SPICE-2000 bombs and these aircraft were used in the pre-dawn strike on the biggest terror camp of the Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) terror outfit in Pakistan recently.
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03/06/2019
Pakistani fighter pilots flying their F-16 combat aircraft had fired four to five American AMRAAMs from a distance of 40-50 km at the Indian aircraft including the Su-30 and the MiG-21 Bison. To expose Pakistan further on its claim of not using the F-16 planes while attacking India on February 27, Indian troops on the ground are carrying out an extensive search of probable areas where the debris of the AMRAAMs could have fallen, sources told ANI on Tuesday.
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03/06/2019
The show – held every two years, alternating with the Paris air show – has normally capped off its five-day trade and industry focus with two days of flying displays which are open to the public. But organiser Farnborough International says it will be “removing” the weekend public days from the 2020 show, in favour of allowing public access to the final trade day.
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03/05/2019
In November 2018 the Corps decided to attach elite Air Force pararescuemen to its Special Purpose Marine Air-Ground Task Force – Crisis Response – Africa, to aid in rescue missions and field an in-flight paramedic. Much like the Pacific theater, U.S. forces in the Africa command area of operations must overcome a monstrous distance.
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03/05/2019
Earlier in the day, IAF chief B.S. Dhanoa had claimed that the operations were still going on as he refused to go into details about the aerial engagement between the two forces. A Sukhoi-30 combat aircraft of the Indian Air Force on Monday shot down a Pakistani Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) or drone opposite the Bikaner-Nal sector on the International Border in Rajasthan using its air-to-air missile, news agency ANI reported.
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03/05/2019
Dassault can secure sufficient additional orders for the Rafale fighter to take production to at least 2030, but is unconcerned over any potential production gap with the next-generation combat aircraft it is developing alongside Airbus. In 2018, the airframer took in additional 12 export orders from Qatar, raising the year-end backlog for the fourth-generation type to 101.
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03/04/2019
As you probably already know by now, both on Feb. 26 and 27, 2019, an F-117 Nighthawk (or two?) flew very low over the flats in beautiful Panamint Valley in Death Valley National Park.
Using radio callsign “Lehi”, the Nighthawk(s), chased by two F-16s (Groom Lake Vipers have been spotted chasing F-117s in the past), the stealth jet flew over the Death Valley and were shot by some lucky photographers over there.
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03/04/2019
With the exception of one engagement over Syria in 2017, the United States has not found any of its fighters in a good old-fashioned “dogfight” since the early 1990s. Throughout much of the world, the same can be said for most other national militaries. As a result (and bolstered by new fighter technologies), there’s a growing sentiment within the defense media and among some defense officials that the days of dogfights are gone forever.
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03/04/2019
After a fairly amazingly well documented week of F-117 Nighthawk action over desolate Death Valley, the Facebook page of an established aviation enthusiast's website from the Netherland's featured a post that has raised a remarkable amount of attention. In it, they state that the F-117 Nighthawk—an aircraft that had supposedly been retired from operational service for over a decade—was sent back into combat as recently as 2017, albeit in very small numbers.
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03/04/2019
In the ensuing dogfight, the first between India and Pakistan since the 1971 War, Wing Commander Varthaman in his Soviet-era jet managed to acquire a lock on one of the F-16s, shooting it down with a short-range Vympel R-73 air to air missile. Although he couldn't see the outcome of the short 15-minute high-altitude dogfight, Varthaman radioed to base the words "R-73 selected". Seconds later he was himself shot down.
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03/03/2019
Beijing has refused to confirm a former Pakistani air force officer’s claim that China-made JF-17 fighters were used by the Pakistan Air Force to shoot down Indian military aircraft. Less than two hours after the claim was made on Wednesday morning, the share price of the state-owned plane maker’s sister company rose in trading in Shenzhen.
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03/03/2019
In the unlikely scenario of a full-fledged war the IAF will still be superior, but its squadrons need to be strengthened. India-Pakistan tensions have assumed an aerial dimension with the recent combat engagements between the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the Pakistan Air Force (PAF). Air power is the total military capability of a nation for use of aircraft and missiles. So how does the IAF compare with its arch rival the PAF?
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03/03/2019
Pilots also can't train because they are tasked with homeland security, even though air defense is a mission that could be handled by other aircraft. Poor U.S. Air Force organization and management have contributed to problems with the F-22 Raptor fighter, according to a new Government Accountability Office audit.
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03/03/2019
The U.S. Air Force is planning to keep its fleet of 76 Boeing B-52H Stratofortress bombers in service until at least 2050, when the youngest aircraft will be 88 years old. The USAF will operate these B-52s alongside at least 100 Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider stealth bombers, while the newer Rockwell B-1B Lancers that augment the B-52 today will retire in 2025-2035, followed by the small fleet of Northrop Grumman B-2 Spirit bombers.
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03/03/2019
The US Navy has announced that the F-35C Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter is ready for operational use after meeting all requirements. The F-35C achieved initial operational capability (IOC) after the Navy’s first F-35C squadron, Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, completed aircraft carrier qualifications aboard USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70).
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03/02/2019
Pakistan’s military said on February 27 that it has shot down two Indian Air Force (IAF) fighter jets that had entered Pakistani airspace, capturing a pilot. “IAF crossed LOC. PAF shot down two Indian aircrafts inside Pakistani airspace,” according to Pakistan’s military spokesman. “One of the aircraft fell inside AJ&K [Azad Kashmir] while other fell inside IOK. One Indian pilot arrested by troops on ground while two in the area.”
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03/02/2019
After foreign object debris, including forgotten tools, were found inside an undisclosed number of Boeing KC-46A Pegasus aircraft delivered to the US Air Force, the service suspended acceptance of the air refueling tankers on 20 February.
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03/02/2019
Additional partners could still be brought into the ongoing effort to develop a European future fighter aircraft, but lead company Dassault has warned against overcomplicating the project.
France and Germany agreed to jointly develop a Future Combat Air System (FCAS) in 2018, comprising both manned and unmanned assets. Dassault and Airbus Defence & Space are the industrial champions.
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03/02/2019
Singapore plans to place a firm order for four Lockheed Martin F-35s, with options for an additional eight aircraft. “We have announced our plans to replace our F-16s, which will face obsolescence post 2030, with the F-35s,” said defence minister Ng Eng Hen in a parliamentary speech.
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03/01/2019
The US Navy declared the Lockheed Martin F-35C Lightning II, the aircraft carrier-capable variant of the stealth fighter, to have achieved Initial Operational Capability (IOC) on 28 February. The declaration comes shortly after the USN’s first F-35C squadron, Strike Fighter Squadron 147, completed aircraft carrier qualifications aboard USS Carl Vinson and received a Safe-For-Flight Operations Certification, the service said.
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