Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

US Pentagon provides support for Kuwait’s KC-130 fleet

03/21/2023

The US Department of Defense (DoD) has extended its KC-130J services contract to support the tanker aircraft fleet of the Kuwait Air Force. The contract was awarded to the Oklahoma-based Aviation Training Consulting LLC for $28m on 16 March. Work will be performed in Altus, Oklahoma (13%); and Kuwait (87%), and is expected to be completed in March 2025.

PACAF Commander: Air Superiority Is the Focus in Indo-Pacific

03/21/2023

Speaking at an Aerospace Nation event hosted by AFA’s Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies, Wilsbach said March 20 that air superiority is a joint endeavor of the U.S. and its allies in the region, and includes everything from combat jets to tankers, airlifters, and intelligence, surveillance, reconnaissance, and command and control assets like the E-7 Wedgetail.

Turkey Unveils Stealth Fighter and Combat UAV

03/21/2023

Turkey’s Victory Day (March 18), which commemorates the battle of Çanakkale (Gallipoli), coincided this year with the 100th anniversary of the founding of modern Turkey by Kemal Atatürk. Given the date's significance, Turkish Aerospace (TAI) chose it to unveil its Milli Muharip Uçak (MMU, National Combat Aircraft) fifth-generation fighter, formerly known as the TF-X. The aircraft taxied under its own power on March 16 before a low-key rollout ceremony two days later.

Japan Self-Defense Forces, US military hold joint air, sea drills

03/20/2023

Japan's Defense Ministry says the Air Self-Defense Force and the US Air Force conducted a joint drill on Sunday. The ministry says a total of ten aircraft - F-15 fighter jets from Japan and US B-1 bombers and F-16 fighters - took part in the exercise over the Sea of Japan. It says Japan's Maritime Self-Defense Force and the US Navy also carried out a joint exercise with ships equipped with the Aegis missile-tracking system on Saturday and Sunday.

North Korea launches missile into sea amid US-SKorea drills

03/20/2023

North Korea launched a short-range ballistic missile toward the sea on Sunday, its neighbors said, ramping up testing activities in response to ongoing U.S.-South Korean military drills that it views as an invasion rehearsal.

26 Chinese military aircraft, 4 naval vessels tracked around Taiwan

03/20/2023

According to the MND, 15 of the 26 People's Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft were observed in Taiwan's Air Defence Identification Zone (ADIZ). Four Chengdu J-10 fighters, four Shenyang J-16 fighters, one CH-4 reconnaissance drone, and one Harbin BZK-005 reconnaissance drone crossed the Taiwan Strait median line. Another reconnaissance drone from Harbin flew along the southern edge of Taiwan's ADIZ.

RAF and German fighter jets scrambled to intercept four Russian military aircraft close to Nato airspace

03/19/2023

Royal Air Force and German Air Force Typhoon fighter jets were scrambled for a second time in recent days, after four Russian military aircraft were spotted near Nato airspace. The German and British Typhoon jets are currently operating from Ämari Air Base in Estonia and conducting Nato Air Policing missions in the region. After four Russian military aircraft were identified, Nato fighter jets were then scrambled to intercept.

Boeing secures multi-year contract to build 184 AH-64E helicopters

03/19/2023

As noted by the company, this $1.9 billion award brings the total current funded value of the contract to $2.1 billion, and has the potential to increase to more than $3.8 billion with future obligations.

Germany to buy Airbus civil helicopter and convert for combat, Business Insider reports

03/19/2023

Germany's Defence Ministry wants to buy 82 Airbus (AIR.PA) H-145M civilian helicopters and convert some of them into combat helicopters to replace its Tiger combat fleet, Business Insider reported, citing military internal documents. Germany last year shifted its defence policy after Russia invaded Ukraine, committing 100 billion euros ($107 billion) to modernize the Bundeswehr, Germany's armed forces.

U.S. Air Force Decides on Engine Core Upgrade for F-35 Fighter

03/18/2023

The U.S. Air Force has decided to move forward on Raytheon Technologies‘ Pratt & Whitney Engine Core Upgrade (ECU) for the F-35 fighter and end the service’s Advanced Engine Transition Program (AETP), which received the Air Force-requested amount of $286 million last year. The Air Force’s fiscal 2024 budget requests $245 million for ECU and increases research and development funding for an advanced engine for the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) manned fighter.

All you need to know about India's upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter jet

03/18/2023

Forces News has been checking out the Indian air force's upgraded Mirage 2000 fighter jets. The French-made multi-role Mirage aircraft was first flown in 1978 and has been exported to various countries, including Brazil, the United Arabic Emirates, Egypt, Greece, Peru, Qatar, and India. More than 500 of these powerful aircraft, manufactured by Dassault Aviation, are operational across the world today.

Israel’s Elbit inks four aircraft technology contracts with Romania

03/18/2023

Elbit Systems has signed four contracts with the Romanian military to upgrade helicopters, provide electronic warfare technology, deliver systems to support search and rescue operations, and supply avionics suites for training aircraft. Tuesday’s announcement comes after the Israeli firm inked two other deals with European costumers in early March, one of which was to supply Romania with unmanned turrets, remote weapon stations and mortar systems.

Russia threatens to destroy Ukraine jets after Poland and Slovakia pledges

03/18/2023

Russia has threatened to destroy any fighter jets given to Ukraine by its allies, after two countries promised planes. Slovakia became the second Nato country to pledge Kyiv some MiG-29 aircraft on Friday, a day after Poland. Slovakia's fleet was grounded last year and it no longer uses the jets.

The Air Force Wants to Kill the U-2. A Secret Spy Drone May Be Waiting in the Shadows.

03/17/2023

The U.S. Air Force may be ditching its aging U-2 spy plane in favor of a mysterious drone. The U-2 is heading for retirement by 2026 due to budget concerns, according to a new report. While no replacement for the iconic U-2 Dragon Lady has officially been named, one likely candidate is the classified Northrop Grumman RQ-180 stealth drone, about which little is known.

F-15E Strike Eagle Fleet To Be Slashed By Over Half: Report

03/17/2023

The U.S. Air Force is looking to cut the already relatively small size of its F-15E Strike Eagle fleet by around 54 percent before the end of the decade, according to a recent report. This comes despite the service's F-15Es being some of, if not its most in-demand tactical jets thanks to their highly-desirable blend of speed, range, payload capacity, crew size, and other capabilities.

Fifth gen fighters debut in the Philippines during bilateral integration

03/17/2023

U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptors from the 525th Fighter Squadron at Joint Base Elmendorf–Richardson, Alaska, with support from a KC-135 Stratotanker from the 909th Air Refueling Squadron at Kadena Air Base, Japan, traveled to Clark Air Base, Philippines, to integrate and train with Philippine Air Force 5th Fighter Wing counterparts, March 13-14, 2023.

Poland to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine in major escalation of military backing

03/17/2023

Poland will become the first country to deliver fighter jets to Ukraine in the next few days, marking a significant upward step in military backing for Kyiv ahead of an expected counter-offensive. The precedent, involving four Soviet-era MiG-29s as a first instalment, could lead to other Nato members providing warplanes, a longstanding Ukrainian request.

Taiwan tracks 28 Chinese military aircraft, 4 naval ships around nation

03/16/2023

The Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 28 Chinese military aircraft and four naval vessels around Taiwan between 6 a.m. on Tuesday (March 14) and 6 a.m. on Wednesday (March 15). Of the 28 People’s Liberation Army (PLA) aircraft, 16 were tracked in Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ), according to the MND. Four Shenyang J-11 jet fighters, two Shenyang J-16 fighter jets, and two Chengdu J-10 fighter jets crossed the Taiwan Strait median line.

Ukraine forces shoot down Russian combat aircraft near Bakhmut

03/16/2023

Ukrainian forces reportedly shoot down a Russian combat aircraft near the eastern Ukrainian city of Bakhmut. According to the military, Ukrainian Soldiers have shot down a Russian Su-24 Fencer two-seat strike jet. The footage shows a Russian aircraft crashing down to the ground in flames and one of the pilots was seen just after ejecting.

Hypersonic Fighter Jet Could Be A Reality For US Air Force; Lockheed ‘Teases’ With A Cryptic Tweet

03/16/2023

Top Gun: Maverick was the second highest-grossing film of 2022, scoring a magnificent total of six Academy Award nominations this year. To mark the occasion of Maverick’s Oscar nomination success, Lockheed Martin, whose Skunk Works division worked with the filmmakers on the fictional “Darkstar” hypersonic aircraft, put out a series of tweets in the lead-up to the ceremony

Brown: Air Force Subtracting A-10 from ‘4+1’ Fighter Plan

03/16/2023

With Congress starting to go along with the Air Force’s wish to retire its aging A-10 fleet, Chief of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr.’s “4+1” fighter plan of two years ago is “probably just ‘4’ now,” he said March 15. “We’re retiring A-10s faster than we originally thought”, Brown said at the annual McAleese defense forum in Washington, D.C. “I think that’s probably the right answer.”

RAF and German jets intercept Russian aircraft near Estonian airspace

03/15/2023

The two Typhoons were scrambled on Tuesday to intercept an Il-78 Midas refuelling plane flying between St Petersburg and Kaliningrad. The plane had failed to communicate with air traffic control in Estonia. The British and German air forces are currently conducting planned joint Nato air policing in the region.

Lockheed Martin’s new F-16s will operate to 2060

03/15/2023

With age comes reliance – at least that is what the old American prime, Lockheed Martin, is telling us with its new F-16 Block 70 combat aircraft. New production of the F-16s leverage structural and capability upgrades that “ensure the international F-16 fleet can operate to 2060 and beyond” according to the original equipment manufacturer.

Pakistan team sent to Myanmar to repair combat aircraft

03/15/2023

Pakistan Air Force has sent a technical team for repair and maintenance of Myanmar's JF-17 combat aircraft, a move that will help upgrade their defence partnership. This comes as Myanmar Air Force officials are visiting Pakistan for a six-month training course on maintenance of JF-17, ET has learnt.

US endorses Poland's decision to give Ukraine MiG combat aircraft

03/15/2023

John Kirby, US National Security Council spokesman, has said that the White House supports Poland's decision to provide Ukraine with MiG fighter jets that Kyiv has been asking from its Western partners. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki said that Poland would be able to give Ukraine the aircraft within four to six weeks.