Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Air Force Picks 2 Bases for New F-35 and F-16 Pilot Training Centers

09/23/2022

Don't get your hopes up. But it looks as though Selfridge Air National Guard Base (SANG) is once again in the running to become a training center for the F-35 Lightning II fighter jets. The Department of the Air Force (DAF) issued a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Tuesday for the beddown of a Foreign Military Sales (FMS) Pilot Training Center (PTC) at Ebbing Air National Guard Base (ANGB) in Arkansas, or SANG in Harrison Township, according to Tuesday's news release.

Air Force announces hypersonic missile contract award

09/23/2022

The Air Force awarded Raytheon Missiles and Defense a $985,348,124 contract to develop and demonstrate Hypersonic Attack Cruise Missile prototypes, underscoring the U.S. Air Force’s focus on increasing interoperability with allies and partners to stay ahead of strategic competitors. HACM is an air-launched, scramjet-powered hypersonic weapon designed to hold high-value targets at risk in contested environments from standoff distances.

Despite Biden's assurances, Middle East militaries are buying their own weapons to take on Iran at sea and in the air

09/22/2022

Iran's military moves in recent weeks have captured worldwide attention, stoking concern among rivals in the US and across the Middle East. On September 1, Iran's navy briefly seized two US Navy unmanned surface vessels in the Red Sea, succeeding on its second attempt capture a US drone within a week.

Saab to Provide Support Services for South Africa’s Gripens

09/22/2022

Swedish aerospace giant Saab has been awarded a contract to provide maintenance support for the South African Air Force’s Gripen fighter aircraft. The agreement covers component repairs and minor updates to ensure that the Gripens can continue supporting various missions. According to company business unit head Åsa Schöllin, the contract reflects South Africa’s trust in Saab’s ability to support global customers’ operational needs.

Argentina eyes $664 million for fighter jets

09/22/2022

Argentina’s government has told lawmakers that it plans to spend about $684 million to procure new fighter jets and build related infrastructure. The information, provided last week in response to questions from the Defense Committee within the Deputies Chamber, came from the chief of the Cabinet of Ministers, Juan Manzur, and the office of Defense Minister Jorge Taiana.

AFA NEWS: Loyal Wingman Drones Could Offset Decline in Fighter Squadron Capacity

09/22/2022

With its fighter squadron capacity dwindling since Operation Desert Storm, the Air Force must advance the development of unmanned aircraft that can fill the gap, the head of Air Combat Command said Sept. 21.

Ukraine Situation Report: 80 Percent Of Kyiv’s Airpower Remains Intact

09/21/2022

Russia’s failure to target Ukrainian integrated air defenses at the outset of hostilities in February have cost it at least 55 fixed-wing combat aircraft, while about 80 percent of Ukraine’s Air Force remains intact according to a senior U.S. Air Force general. Most if not all of those shootdowns were caused by Ukrainian surface-to-air missile (SAM) attacks on Russian aircraft, according to Gen. James Hecker, commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Africa.

FA-50PH jets tasked to secure PBBM flight, hold air patrols

09/21/2022

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday announced that two of its FA-50PH light combat fighters have escorted and secured President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.'s flight up to 200 nautical miles as it departed for New York last Sept. 18. This is for the Chief Executive's participation to the 77th United Nations General Assembly.

Lethal effects coupled with low cost to fly, the light attack A-29 Super Tucano garnishes Foreign Military Sales

09/21/2022

In this Q&A with Ed Topps, senior vice president of the Strategic Aircraft Systems group for Sierra Nevada Corporation’s ISR, Aviation & Security (IAS) business area, Topps discusses: Foreign Military Sales for the A-29 Super Tucano; how SNC modifies the A-29 from Brazil’s Embraer; and the improved A-29C for Special Operations.

Saab to provide support services for SAAF’s Gripen C/D jets

09/21/2022

Saab has secured a contract to provide service, maintenance and repair support for Gripen C/D fighter aircraft operated by the South African Air Force (SAAF). The estimated value of this contract is approximately $30.70m (Skr333m). It is valid from 2022 to 2025.

KC-46A cleared for worldwide deployments following first combat refuel

09/21/2022

Gen. Mike Minihan, commander of Air Mobility Command, approved the KC-46A Pegasus for worldwide deployments to meet combatant command taskings effective Sept. 14. “We are ready to use this aircraft globally in any fight, without hesitation,” Minihan said. The KC-46A recently completed an employment concept exercise in the U.S. Central Command area of operations, during which it was evaluated while filling real-world taskings in support of combat operations, supplementing other tankers.

Switzerland Signs Contract For 36 US Fighter Jets

09/20/2022

“National Armaments Director Martin Sonderegger and the Swiss F-35A Program Manager Darko Savic signed the procurement contract on 19 September 2022 at armasuisse in Bern,” said armasuisse, the country’s arms procurement agency. “With this, the procurement of 36 F-35A is contractually agreed,” it added.

L3Harris to Convert Embraer KC-390s for Aerial Refueling

09/20/2022

L3Harris Technologies has entered an agreement with Brazil’s Embraer to convert KC-390 cargo planes into aerial tankers that can refuel U.S. combat planes in flight. The goal is to create a tactical tanker that can fly closer to the front lines in a war with a peer competitor and refuel all types of U.S. military planes , according to L3Harris Chairman and CEO Chris Kubasik.

‘Dragon From The East’ – Pakistan Gets 2nd Batch Of ‘Rafale Challenger’ J-10C Fighters From China – Local Media

09/20/2022

The J-10C, also known as the J-10CE, is currently the PAF’s most sophisticated platform and is seen as a rival to India’s Dassault Rafale. The Pakistani Air Force refers to the Chinese-built aircraft as “Dragon from the East” and hails them as essential tools for maintaining the ‘security balance’ in the region.

U.S. in talks to swap former Afghan aircraft for help hunting terrorists

09/20/2022

The U.S. is negotiating with Uzbekistan and Tajikistan to trade nearly 50 military aircraft flown across the border as the Afghan government collapsed last summer for help hunting terrorists in Afghanistan, according to two people with knowledge of the talks.

Colombia relaunches plan to buy fighter jets

09/20/2022

Colombian President Gustavo Petro has reactivated the process to acquire new fighter jets to replace the country’s aging Kfir fleet. Petro’s decision may come as a surprise given his stance earlier this year on the campaign trail, when he said the purchase of combat aircraft or other military hardware would not be a priority during his time in office, if elected.

Ukraine Army destroys enemy base in Luhansk region’s Svatove

09/19/2022

The Ukrainian military have launched a precision strike on a bus terminal in the Luhansk region’s Svatove, where Russian occupiers were based. The relevant statement was made by Luhansk Regional Military Administration Head Serhii Haidai on Telegram, an Ukrinform correspondent reports.

EC-130J Commando Solo performs final broadcast

09/19/2022

Airmen from the 193rd Special Operations Wing here, who operate the only flying military radio and TV broadcast platform in the U.S. military, transmitted their final broadcast today to spectators at the Community Days Air Show at Lancaster Airport, Lititz, Pa., bringing to close a 54-year chapter in unit history.

Russia’s underperforming military capability may be key to its downfall

09/19/2022

Viewed purely in terms of the size of their formations and equipment, Russian ground forces in Ukraine still pose a serious threat on a number of axes. In practice, however, it is highly unlikely the Russian military can recover from its increasingly terminal trajectory on the battlefield, though its defeat will take time and bitter fighting. To understand why, it is necessary to examine the force beyond its equipment and personnel.

Why Russia failed to dominate the skies over Ukraine

09/19/2022

In the run up to the Russian invasion in February airpower analysts, including this author, were gloomy about Ukraine’s ability to defend its airspace. Even the more optimistic assessments assumed that Russia would mount a significant air campaign to destroy the Ukrainian Air Force on its airbases, coupled with large-scale strikes with stand-off cruise and ballistic missiles to blind Ukrainian long range early warning and surface-to-air missile (SAM) system radars.

Russian Su-35 Fighters ‘Challenge’ Rafales, Eurofighter Typhoons As Turkey Struggles To Get Approval For F-16s From The US

09/18/2022

In an estimated $6 billion agreement, Turkey asked for 40 F-16 fighter jets and almost 80 modification kits in October 2021 to upgrade its aging fleet. Turkey, which has made clear that it is firmly opposed to any restrictions on the sale of the Lockheed Martin-produced F-16s, currently faces a new obstacle due to a bill recently approved by American senators.

F-15C Eagle fleet prepares to stand down after 50 years of vigilance

09/18/2022

For 24 years the F-15 Eagle has roared over the city of Klamath Falls, flying countless training missions and supplying air superiority pilots to the U.S. Air Force. This aircraft is special with an outstanding combat record and a service life dating back 50 years — a remarkable lifespan for a fighter aircraft. Those days are nearing their end as the retirement of the aircraft is fast approaching..

Poland wants to buy 96 AH-64E Apache attack helicopters

09/17/2022

The Polish Ministry of National Defence has sent a letter of request to the US government to buy 96 Boeing AH-64E Apache attack helicopters for the nation’s armed forces, Defense News reports. The planned purchase was unveiled on Sep. 8, 2022 by Deputy Prime Minister and Polish Defence Minister Mariusz Blaszczak following a meeting with his US counterpart, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, which took place in Ramstein, Germany.

Russian Hypersonic Missile ‘Kinzhal’ Fired From MiG-31 Fighter Reportedly Fell On Its Own Territory

09/17/2022

On September 15, a video of an unidentified flying object that crashed in Stavropol, Russia, around 350 kilometers (220 miles) from the Ukrainian border, went viral on the internet. The Russian media reports initially led people to believe it was a Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV). Later, Twitter users noted similarities between the wreckage and the Russian Kinzhal missile.

Rafale breezes into Asia-Pacific to burnish interoperability credentials

09/17/2022

“France is a reliable and trustworthy military power, able to deploy whenever it is required,” says French air force Major General Stephane Groen, chief of staff for Air Defence and Operations Command. “And France is a nation of the Pacific through New Caledonia – we are very much engaged in the security of the region.”