Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

‘Biden’s F-16 deal with Pak linked to Zawahiri’s death’

09/11/2022

The decision of the Joe Biden administration to give $450 million worth “sustainment” and “related equipment” for F-16 fighter jets that Pakistan has been maintaining since the 1980s is being seen as a recognition of Pakistan Army’s effort to help the Biden administration in generating crucial domestic goodwill by way of helping them eliminate Al-Qaeda chief Ayaman Al Zawahiri.

Boise squadron takes home win in A-10 fighter jet showcase

09/10/2022

Boise-based pilots of the 190th Fighter Squadron at Gowen Field are some of the nation’s best to fly the A-10 fighter jet — and they proved as much during this year’s Hawgsmoke competition Thursday. The A-10 Thunderbolt II, known as the “Warthog” fighter jet, has played a pivotal role for the Idaho National Air Guard since the late 1990s.

Ukraine’s Su-27s Appear To Be Wielding Anti-Radiation Missiles Now Too

09/10/2022

A recent image suggests that the Ukrainian Air Force has also now provided its Su-27 Flanker fighter jets with U.S.-made AGM-88 High-speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, or HARMs. This would make the Su-27 the second Ukrainian combat aircraft (that we know about) to get the missiles, after the MiG-29 Fulcrum. An official video showing Ukrainian MiG-29s firing HARMs appeared last week, and you can read more about it here.

Japan Wants India’s Help To Combat China; To Hold Air Force Drills With IAF’s Su-30 Fighters That PLAAF Also Operates

09/10/2022

The Indian Minister of Defense, Rajnath Singh, and the country’s External Affairs Minister, Dr. S Jaishankar, met with the Minister of Defense of Japan, Hamada Yasukazu, and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Hayashi Yoshimasa, in Tokyo on September 8, 2022. In a joint statement following the ‘2+2’ meeting, the ministers from both countries noted that the air services of the two countries are working closely for the early conduct of the inaugural India-Japan fighter exercise.

Poland buying 96 AH-64E Apaches, as modernization spending spree continues

09/09/2022

Today’s surprise announcement that Poland would purchase 96 AH-64E Apache helicopters headlined the 30th annual International Defense Industry Exhibition (MSPO) here, but it was far from the only deal announced during the conference. All told, Warsaw — already in the midst of a massive military modernization push — dropped $1.4 billion in contract announcements, even without a final, likely hefty price available on the Apache deal.

Ukrainian Armed Forces kill 640 Russian military personnel, destroy 2 aircraft and 2 helicopters General Staff

09/09/2022

The Armed Forces of Ukraine killed 640 Russian military personnel and shot down two aircraft and two helicopters on Wednesday, 7 September. Since the beginning of Russia’s full-scale military invasion, Ukrainian forces have killed a total of 51,250 Russian soldiers. Source: General Staff of the Armed Forces of Ukraine on Facebook

Record number of tankers participate in Pitch Black exercise

09/09/2022

This year’s multinational air combat exercise Pitch Black hosted the largest number of tankers than previous iterations of the drill. The three-week exercise, which took place Aug. 19-Sept. 8 in northern Australia, saw the aerial refueling platforms act as vital force multipliers to keep combat aircraft in the air longer.

America’s Next Fighter Jet Will Have a Drone Sidekick

09/09/2022

Although the United States’ sixth-generation fighter jet is not yet in service, it is clear that the drones it will fly with will be just as important as the jet itself. However, what remains to be seen is how the development processes for the drones will unfold.

Is HIMARS a Game-Changer in the War in Ukraine?

09/08/2022

More than six months have passed since the Russian invasion of Ukraine commenced on February 24. With no end to the war in sight, Ukrainian forces do appear to be slowly gaining the upper hand in the conflict. On August 29, the Ukrainian military announced the beginning of its much-anticipated counteroffensive with the aim of recapturing territory in the country’s south.

F-15 EPAWSS Program Begins Low-Rate Initial Production Installations on F-15E Aircraft

09/08/2022

The U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle Passive/Active Warning and Survivability System (EPAWSS) program achieved a major milestone on July 19, 2022, when Boeing began installing the Electronic Warfare (EW) system on operational F-15E aircraft at its San Antonio facility. Boeing previously installed EPAWSS hardware on eight developmental test F-15 aircraft and is currently installing the system on the new F-15EX aircraft at its production facility in St. Louis, Mo.

UN Chief Calls for Combat-free Zone at Zaporizhzhya Plant

09/08/2022

UN Secretary General António Guterres has called on Russia and Ukraine to agree on a combat-free zone around the Zaporizhzhya nuclear power plant. "The current situation is untenable and the best action to ensure the safety and security of Ukraine's nuclear facilities and its people would be for this armed conflict to end now," Guterres told the UN Security Council in New York.

India to Develop Indigenous AESA Radar for Su-30 MKI Fleet: Report

09/08/2022

India’s Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) will develop an indigenous active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar for the air force’s Su-30 MKI aircraft, Delhi Defence Review revealed, citing sources. The state-run DRDO Electronics and Radar Development Establishment will develop a scaled-up version of the Uttam radar for the Russian-origin fighter in three to four years, the outlet wrote, adding that flight testing will begin in two years.

Singapore reveals it might choose a different F-35 variant

09/07/2022

Singapore is considering buying another F-35 variant despite already selecting and receiving U.S. approval for the “B” version, which can take off from short runways and land vertically, according to a top official with the procurement effort. Speaking to media during a multinational air combat exercise in northern Australia, Major Zhang Jian Wei, who leads his country’s office in charge of the next-generation fighter project, left open the possibility that the nation may choose another variant.

US, British crew get a taste of Australia’s E-7A command planes

09/07/2022

U.S. and British personnel joined a Royal Australian Air Force crew to train on the Boeing E-7A Wedgetail Airborne Early Warning and Control aircraft as part of a multinational air combat exercise here in northern Australia.

Taiwan Tracks Military Drone From China in Air Defense Zone

09/07/2022

Taiwan said its forces flew combat air patrols and readied surface-to-air missiles on Monday in response to approaching Chinese aircraft including a military drone, a sign that Beijing's frequent operations around the island are becoming increasingly complex. At least nine People's Liberation Army aircraft entered Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on that day, the Taiwanese defense ministry said.

South Korea, Japan discuss goals at Australia’s Pitch Black exercise

09/07/2022

Japan and South Korea have both sent combat aircraft to Australia for the first time to take part in a large multinational air combat exercise. The South Korean Air Force sent six upgraded F-16 Fighting Falcon multirole fighters to northern Australia for the Pitch Black exercise, while the Japan Air Self-Defense Force deployed its F-2A jets.

Air Force faces key questions for next-gen fighters’ drone wingmen

09/07/2022

Over the past year, Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall has made it clear that “Loyal Wingman”-style combat drones, partnered with stealth fighters like the F-35 or its yet-to-be-revealed sixth-generation fighter, will be a key element of the service’s future tactical aircraft inventory.

Fighter Jets From Germany, Denmark & Sweden Scrambled To Intercept A Private Aircraft That Flew Erratically & Crashed Into The Baltic Sea

09/06/2022

According to the German daily Bild, the plane reported an issue with cabin pressurization immediately after takeoff. Later, officials lost radio communication with the plane, and fighter jets from Germany, Denmark, and Sweden scrambled to intercept it.

Russia ‘shots’ its most advanced fighter – the MiG-35 Fulcrum-F

09/06/2022

Russia is about to fail the most advanced fighter in its fleet. The MiG-35 Fulcrum-F was designed for air superiority, but six prototypes and eight production aircraft have been produced to date. The MiG-35 Fulcrum-F is no ordinary fighter. Little attention is paid to it, both apparently by the Russian government and the Russian media. However, there are no orders. First, it was Egypt, which became interested in this combat aircraft, but subsequently purchased the MiG-29M.

An unexpected air-to-air battle is raging over Ukraine. Here's what we know about the losses on both sides

09/06/2022

Russia's invasion of Ukraine has resulted in the most sustained air-to-air combat in decades, pitting the Ukrainian Air Force's prewar fleet of roughly 110 operational Soviet-era warplanes (not one purchased after the collapse of the Soviet Union) vs. roughly 1,200 fixed-wing Russian Aerospace Force (VKS) combat aircraft, many relatively new and the rest extensively modernized.

US Navy Assault Ship Takes Part in Baltic Sea Training

09/05/2022

U.S. Navy amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge is taking part in international training in the Baltic Sea amid Russia's war in Ukraine and tensions in the region. The Kearsarge is the first ship of the Wasp class to take part in international training in the Baltic in at least two decades. Associated Press journalists visited the ship last week.

Lightning-Speed Deal. Germany to Purchase F-35 for Nuclear Sharing

09/05/2022

In July 2022, the Department of State and the U.S. Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) approved the sale of F-35A Lightning II multirole combat aircraft to Germany. This came as a climax of quite a protracted and a rather tragicomic story of Germany’s Luftwaffe purchasing a new carrier of nuclear weapons to carry out “NATO nuclear sharing.”

How the F-35 swept Europe, and the competition it could soon face

09/05/2022

The past four years have proved fruitful for Lockheed Martin in Europe, as six nations have hitched their wagons to the American company’s fifth-generation F-35 fighter jet. Despite calls from French leaders for its neighbors to “buy European,” the F-35 has consistently beat out homegrown candidates in the most recent fighter jet competitions, including the Dassault Rafale, Saab’s JAS 39 Gripen, and the Eurofighter Typhoon developed by Airbus, BAE Systems and Leonardo.

Iran wants to purchase the ex Egyptian Su-35S fighter aircraft from Russia

09/05/2022

The commander of the Iranian Air Force, Brigadier General Hamid Vahedi, says Iran does not refuse to buy Su-35 fighters from Russia. The deal is on the table, but the final decision has not been made yet. Speaking to Barna news agency, he said that Iran is not thinking about buying Su-30SM fighters from Russia, as had been said many times before. Instead, the priority is to buy Su-35 fighters, which can be used for multiple roles.

China's four warplanes, five naval ships cross Taiwan Strait median line as tensions with Taipei simmer

09/04/2022

After the US approved USD 1.1 billion arms package to Taiwan, four aircraft and five ships from China`s military crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait. The Ministry of National Defence said it had tracked four aircraft and five ships from China`s military around the country by 5 pm Saturday (September 3), reported Taiwan News.