Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Inside Block 4—The Mostly Secret Plan For Making The F-35 Fighter Even More Lethal

11/15/2022

The F-35 fighter is the most advanced tactical aircraft currently in production anywhere. Its low-observable (“stealth”) features give the plane a radar signature similar to that of a steel golf ball, and its onboard sensor fusion gives the pilot unprecedented situational awareness. Designed to perform a diverse array of missions, from air-to-air combat to precision bombing to radar jamming to intelligence gathering, the F-35 is so capable that 16 countries have signed up to buy it—and more wil

South Korea likely to bag Royal Malaysian Air Force deal, not India

11/14/2022

State-owned Hindustan Aeronautics (HAL) has left no stone unturned to close the Royal Malaysian Air Force deal for the Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) Tejas Mark 1A. Amidst the changing political landscape in that country, it is said that South Korea is on the brink of closing the deal.

With Over 2000 Pilots Killed, China Is Struggling With Its Aviators Despite Three Aircraft Carriers & An Enormous Air Force

11/14/2022

According to a Chinese media report, the J-10 project was greatly aided by a five-person team of Chinese test pilots trained to fly US warplanes aircraft in the UK. This also paved the way for creating the technologically sophisticated J-20 fifth-generation aircraft. The SCMP report claimed that Lei Qiang, the son of a Korean war pilot and a member of the five-person team, was chosen to fly the first flight of the J-10 on March 23, 1998.

Taiwan Counters China With Combat Aircraft, Missiles As 36 PLA Warplanes Encroach Island

11/14/2022

In a major development, China has again sent its military fighter jets and bombers near Taiwan, resulting in the Island responding with aircraft in CAP, naval vessels, and land-based missile systems. According to the Taiwan defence ministry, at least 36 fighter jets and three People's Liberation Army (PLA) vessels were detected near the median line in the Taiwan Strait on November 13.

Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter jets take to the skies at Bahrain Airshow

11/13/2022

Pakistan’s JF-17 fighter jets performed breathtaking aerial feats at the Bahrain International Airshow, demonstrating the combat capabilities of Pakistan’s premier multi-role aircraft to thousands of spectators.

South Korea’s second KF-21 fifth-gen advance fighter jet prototype completes maiden flight

11/13/2022

South Korea's KF-21 Boramae fighter jet's second prototype conducted its first flight. The fighter jet took its first flight out of Korean Aerospace Industries near Sacheon airport, South Korea. It is to be noted that the first prototype of the aircraft took flight four months ago. Reportedly, the aircraft stayed airborne for around 35 minutes, based on the information provided by Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), the South Korean procurement agency.

Russia’s ‘Bayraktar Duplicate’ UAV Shot Down By Kyiv Forces; Moscow Brings Several Rare Drones To Ukraine War

11/13/2022

Images of a destroyed Russian UAV resembling Turkish-made Bayraktar drones have surfaced online. The Russian drone is a rare UAV called the ‘Corsair’ or ‘Korsar,’ not to be confused with the Ukrainian Korsar Infantry Anti-Tank Guided Missiles (ATGMs).

Strangely, Russian Su-30s remain underemployed in Ukraine

11/12/2022

Before Russia decided to begin its “special operation” against Ukraine, the Su-30 was one of the most widely used and widely sold military aircraft in the world; it was a true ‘contract’ machine. However, as of the end of February 2022, there has been complete silence at Sukhoi, and especially at its parent corporation UAC, regarding anything and everything that is connected to the Su-30 Flanker-C. Instead, Russia focuses on the Flanker-E variant of the Su-35.

Analysis: North Korea’s other missiles: Salvaged debris shines light on aging air defences

11/12/2022

The recovery of a Soviet-era anti-aircraft missile after a recent North Korean launch shows the age of the nuclear-armed country's air defences - systems and aircraft Pyongyang has been working to modernize alongside the rest of its arsenal. Although North Korea’s ballistic missiles get most of the attention, the country has been quietly pouring resources into trying to find ways to counter stealth fighters, analysts say.

Russia Sends MiG-35 Fighter Jets To China As ‘Falling Fulcrums’ Look To Gain Momentum In Export Sales

11/12/2022

Nearly all advanced fighter jets in Russia’s arsenal are pressed into service in the ongoing Ukrainian conflict. While Moscow has not been able to achieve complete air superiority owing to Ukraine’s air defense, it has given the Ukrainian Air Force a hard time.

Challenging Rafale Jets, Turkey Develops Own AESA Radar For Its F-16 Fighters To Gain Superiority Over Greece

11/12/2022

Turkey has unveiled its indigenously developed AESA radar that will be integrated into the F-16 fighter jets, among other manned and unmanned aircraft in the Turkish Air Force.

Special ops airmen get fewer new gunships than promised

11/11/2022

The Pentagon has quietly cut procurement of its new AC-130J Ghostrider special operations gunships, downsizing the fleet from 37 to 30. U.S. Special Operations Command originally planned to buy nearly 40 Ghostriders to replace three older gunships: the AC-130H Spectre, AC-130W Stinger II and AC-130U Spooky. Each of those 37 aircraft are now retired.

Pakistan showcases three new JF-17 fighter jets at Bahrain International Airshow

11/11/2022

Pakistan brought three of its JF-17 fighter jets to showcase at the Bahrain International Airshow on Thursday. The JF-17s took part in a flying display at the 9-11 November event at which companies from several countries including Israel are participating.

Tunisian Air Force receives first of 8 T-6C trainers from Textron

11/11/2022

The Tunisian Air Force (TAF) took delivery of the first of eight Beechcraft T-6C trainer planes from Textron Aviation, the firm announced here at the Manama Air Power Symposium 2022.“The aircraft was delivered at Wichita to the TAF and will arrive [in] Tunisia by the end of first quarter of 2023,” Fouad Kasri, director of sales & strategy for Africa and the Middle East at Textron Aviation Defense, told Breaking Defense.

Air Force asks Lockheed Martin to provide logistics and mission planning computers for F-35 combat aircraft

11/11/2022

U.S. Navy combat aircraft experts needed logistics and mission-planning computer hardware for the F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter. They found their solution from Lockheed Martin Corp. Aeronautics segment in Fort Worth, Texas. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., have announced a $152.3 million contract to provide F-35 logistics information systems to include Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS).

More than 100,000 Russian military casualties in Ukraine, top US general

11/11/2022

America's top general estimated on Wednesday that Russia's military had seen more than 100,000 of its soldiers killed and wounded in Ukraine, and added Kyiv's armed forces "probably" suffered a similar level of casualties in the war. The estimates could not be independently confirmed by Reuters.

F-35s hit an Iranian shipment of surface-to-surface missiles

11/10/2022

Israeli F-35 fighter jets carried out a series of airstrikes on an Iranian convoy that night. The convoy traveled from Iraq to Syria. The Syrian government claims the convoy was only transporting fuel. However, Iraqi sources claim that in addition to fuel, there were containers of weapons.

How airmen perform the fine art of arming F-16 fighter jets with deadly weapons

11/10/2022

An Air Force jet is a complicated machine that takes an entire symphony of specialists working in concert to keep it ready for a mission. With regards to combat aircraft, one group of airmen puts their blood, sweat, and tears into making sure that when an aircrew member presses the pickle button, the right weapon comes off the rails in the nick of time.

China Unveils ‘NGAD Rival’ 6th-Gen Fighter Concept; Military Expert Says Maiden Flight Possible By 2026

11/10/2022

China’s aerospace industry is known to be pursuing a sixth-generation fighter jet program. In September, the chief of the US Air Combat Command (ACC), General Mark Kelly, said that China is “on track” to produce a sixth-generation fighter while asserting the need for the US to field its next-generation fighter before China does.

India’s fifth-generation combat aircraft programme has to succeed if it wants be part of the big league

11/10/2022

A ‘whole of nation’ vision and approach will be required. Spelling out clear end-states, timelines and regular path-line reviews would be important. The time to act is now, lest it is too late.

TNI AU dispatches six pilots for Rafale training in France

11/09/2022

The Indonesian Air Force (TNI AU) has dispatched six pilots to France to attend training sessions to man the 4.5-generation Dassault Rafale fighter jets purchased by Indonesia. "We have dispatched six pilots and eight engineers to France to attend the training sessions," TNI AU Chief of Staff Marshal Fadjar Prasetyo stated on the sidelines of an Air Force seminar here, Tuesday.

Plan to pull F-15 fighters from Okinawa sparks alarm in Congress

11/09/2022

Republican lawmakers are sounding the alarm over the Pentagon’s plan to pull dozens of U.S. F-15 Eagle jet fighters out of Japan while Tokyo looks to beef up its defense forces and expand coordination with the U.S. in the face of rising North Korean provocations and China’s growing assertiveness in the region. Pentagon officials say the U.S. will maintain a “steady presence” of fighter jets at Kadena Air Base in Okinawa through rotational deployments of other aircraft, including F-22s currently

Boeing starts producing MQ-25 Stingray unmanned tanker aircraft to support Navy aircraft carrier operations

11/09/2022

U.S. Navy carrier aviation experts are ordering unmanned aerial tankers from the Boeing Co. in preparation for future larger orders and eventual carrier deployment of these unmanned tanker aircraft. Officials of the Naval Air Systems Command at Patuxent River Naval Air Station, Md., announced an $47.5 million order to the Boeing Co. Defense, Space & Security segment in St. Louis in late September for MQ-25 Stingray low-rate initial production lot 1 for the U.S. Navy.

North Korea says launches were simulated attack, as South recovers missile parts

11/08/2022

North Korea said on Monday that its recent missile launches were simulated strikes on South Korea and the United States as the two countries held a "dangerous war drill", while the South said it had recovered parts of a North Korean missile near its coast. Last week, North Korea test-fired multiple missiles, including a possible failed intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), and hundreds of artillery shells into the sea, as South Korea and the United States carried out six-day air drills that

Ukraine war: West warned against complacency on air defence support

11/08/2022

While Russia's air force far outweighs Ukraine's, both in size and sophistication, Russia has resorted to firing long-range ballistic and cruise missiles, recently augmented by cheap, mass-produced Iranian Shahed-136 explosive-laden drones. Ukraine has had some success in shooting many of these down, but those that do get through have severely damaged Ukraine's power and water infrastructure, just as winter is setting in.