Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

NATO ‘air shielding’ to bolster missile defenses along alliance’s eastern edges

07/14/2022

NATO will add missile defense assets along the alliance’s eastern borders to guard against any potential threats that arise from Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, U.S. Air Force and NATO officials said Wednesday. The strategy is called “air shielding,” an expression coined during last month’s meeting of NATO leaders in Madrid, said German Brig. Gen. Christoph Pliet, deputy chief of staff operations at NATO Allied Air Command headquarters at Ramstein Air Base in Germany.

India intensifies fighter operations as China raises temperature near Ladakh

07/13/2022

India has intensified fighter operations in Ladakh, with frontline jets carrying out increased sorties including night operations, as the Chinese air force has embarked on an aggressive defence exercise across the border in Tibet. Sources said fighter aircraft including Rafales and Su 30MKIs have been operating with enhanced frequency from Leh and Thoise air bases for the past few days, even as the People's Liberation Army Air Force has activated its air defence network and is conducting a larg

Partnerships Key as Tempest Begins To Take Shape

07/13/2022

The twin-tailed, delta-winged, “pelicanesque” configuration of the Tempest sixth-generation manned fighter concept has become familiar from numerous CGI artworks and from the presence of a full-scale mockup at various air and trade shows. However, there remains a very real possibility that the actual manned fighter that will form the cornerstone of the Tempest project could look nothing like this.

The ‘Future Fight’ is here: Red Flag-Nellis 22-3

07/13/2022

The familiar roar of America’s air power is filling the skies over Las Vegas and the Nevada Test and Training Range to the north, signaling the start of another Red Flag exercise. However, participants of this iteration will find themselves facing some unfamiliar opposition as the first ever dedicated fifth-generation aggressor force takes to the skies for Red Flag-Nellis 22-3.

Vision For Future Manned-Unmanned Air Combat Laid Out By Skunk Works

07/13/2022

Lockheed Martin has laid out its vision for the future of tactical air combat. The head of the company's legendary Skunk Works advanced project division says its plan, which is centered on a multi-layered "distributed team" of diverse unmanned aircraft working in concert with manned types, presents a far more capable alternative to so-called 'loyal wingman' concepts, which involve air combat drones working 'tethered' to manned platforms in a relatively rigid fashion.

GPS Taped To Its Dashboard; IAF Pilot Says India Has Done It Too

07/12/2022

Experts believe this is due to massive unreliability with Russia’s GLONASS satellite navigation systems, forcing them to rely on US-origin hardware. A Russian language website, identified it as a ‘fishing’ GPS 152 receiver, implying its widespread use by fishing vessels.

F-35A Purchase Raises Questions Over South Korean Aircraft Carrier Program

07/12/2022

South Korea is expected to purchase 20 new F-35A Block 4 Lightning II stealth fighters for the Republic of Korea Air Force (RoKAF) – raising questions about the future of the South Korean aircraft carrier program. A decision is expected to be announced later this month, according to local media reports, with the aircraft slated to be introduced no earlier than mid-2020s. But these plans indicate a wider shift in the defense posture of South Korea and signals a change in the threat priorities as

Air Force rethinks combat rescue for major war — but what will it look like?

07/12/2022

In the opening days of a future war against China, an F-35 pilot on a mission is tracked and shot down by air defenses. He safely ejects — but is trapped deep inside enemy territory. Standing between him and his comrades: A bristling array of surface-to-air missiles, radars, enemy fighters and other defenses. If the U.S. Air Force sends a traditional combat search and rescue helicopter into that highly contested airspace, the chances are high it gets shot down.

First Laser Weapon For A Fighter Delivered To The Air Force

07/12/2022

The U.S. Air Force has received a high-energy laser weapon that can be carried by aircraft in podded form. The news came today when Lockheed Martin disclosed that at least one of the weapons, which it developed, has been delivered to the Air Force for test work. This effort falls within the wider framework of still-evolving plans to have laser-armed fighter jets that can engage enemy missiles, and possibly other targets too.

F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to USS Harry S. Truman blown overboard due to unexpected heavy weather

07/11/2022

On July 8, 2022, an F/A-18 Super Hornet assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 1, embarked aboard USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), blew overboard due to unexpected heavy weather in the Mediterranean Sea. The carrier was conducting a replenishment-at-sea, which was safely terminated through established procedures.

Beijing steadily increases combat aircraft flying into Taiwan’s air defence identification zone

07/11/2022

China has stepped up its incursions activities into Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) by sending its combat planes to the region. According to Taiwan’s defense ministry, the People’s Liberation Army conducted 555 sorties in the first six months of the year, of which 398 involved combat aircraft, compared with 187 in the same period last year.

RAF fighter aircraft deploy to Finland and Sweden for joint training

07/11/2022

The Royal Air Force has deployed Typhoon FGR4 and F-35B Lightning jets to Finland, and Typhoon FGR4 jets to Sweden, for integrated fighter aircraft training as part of an increased presence in the region.

Entire Slovak MiG-29 fleet gifted to Ukraine, Bulgarian Su-25s in parts

07/10/2022

Ukraine will receive Slovakia’s entire air fleet of MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters or 12 combat aircraft, one of which was used as a trainer by the Slovak Air Force. The donation comes thanks to a bilateral agreement between the Czech Republic and Slovakia that the Czech Air Force will protect Slovakia’s airspace until Bratislava receives the 12 F-16 Block 70 units ordered by the US in the coming months. The information comes from the Spanish online portal InfoDifensa.

First homegrown KF-21 fighter jets ready to take off. What’s ahead?

07/09/2022

South Korea’s first homegrown KF-21 fighter jet is gearing up for its inaugural flight test scheduled for late July. But a maiden flight is just the beginning of 2200 rounds of planned flight tests that will be continued by 2026. KF-21 Boramae fighter prototypes have been undergoing low, medium and high-speed taxi tests since June 25 and will continue until July 13, Korea Aerospace Industries confirmed to The Korea Herald.

Taiwan condemns Chinese military aircraft in its airspace

07/09/2022

Taiwan's defense ministry says Chinese military aircraft entered its airspace, condemning the move as a provocation. The ministry said China's combat aircraft crossed the median line of the Taiwan Strait and entered Taiwan's airspace on Friday morning. Ministry officials did not specify the number of aircraft, the type or their flight paths. Taiwan's military says it expelled the Chinese aircraft while monitoring the situation with a ground-based air defense missile system.

Chinese fighter jet flew very close to eastern Ladakh in June: Report

07/09/2022

The incident took place at around 4 am on one of the days in the last week of June and after the Chinese fighter aircraft was spotted by men on ground and was also picked up by indigenous radars deployed in the border area.

NETHERLANDS F-35S ARRIVE AT VOLKEL AIR BASE AS NEW AIR COMBAT COMMAND IS STOOD UP

07/09/2022

The first four modern F-35 fighter aircraft landed at Volkel Air Base on June 30, 2022, marking the re-establishment of the their 313 Squadron as a fifth-generation fighter unit. At the same time, the Royal Netherlands Air Force stood up a new Air Combat Command (ACC), which is comprised of the two operational fighter bases at Leeuwarden in the north and Volkel in the south and Air Operations Control Station (AOCS) based at Nieuw-Milligen in the centre of the Netherlands.

Russia acquired new Su-34Ms with rear-hemisphere scanning radar

07/08/2022

According to the director-general of Russia’s United Aircraft Corporation Yuriy Slyusar, the Su-34M has twice the combat capability of the original Su-34, with a dedicated interface for three different types of sensors maximizing situational awareness, including the UKR-RT capsule carrying electronic measures for search, camera UKR-OE and UKR-RL, which integrates a synthetic aperture radar.

US, Swedish planes top choices for multi-role fighter deal: PAF

07/07/2022

The Philippine Air Force (PAF) on Tuesday said it is in the process of choosing between the latest model of the American-made Lockheed Martin F-16s and the Swedish-made Saab JAS-39 for its multi-role fighter (MRF) project. "(The) two last contenders, (for the PAF MRF project are the) F-16V Block 50/52 Variant and the JAS-39 Gripen C/D+ Version," PAF spokesperson, Col. Maynard Mariano, said.

India and the US Renew their Offer to Co-Develop an AMCA Fighter Jet Engine

07/07/2022

A proposal from the US to work with India on the creation of jet engine technology that might be utilized to power India's futuristic Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft has been revived. An offer for the joint development of a 110 kn thrust engine with Indian agencies has been made by General Electric (GE), one of the world's top jet engine manufacturers. Leading military sources have revealed to BW Businessworld that GE is being considered for collaboration on the AMCA engine.

Ukraine May Finally Get Slovakia’s MiG-29s Thanks To Czech Air Patrol Deal

07/07/2022

In a debate aired on national television, Czech Prime Minister Petr Fiala announced that the Czech Air Force would soon be carrying out patrol and air policing duties from within Slovakia’s airspace. The proposed partnership between the neighboring NATO countries could kick start the transfer of MiG-29 fighter jets to Ukraine, which has been in the works since the early days of the Ukrainian-Russian conflict.

Taiwan touts new air force advanced training jet's abilities

07/07/2022

Taiwan's air force showed off its new locally designed and made jet trainer on Wednesday, touting the more advanced, combat-capable abilities of the aircraft that will replace aging and accident-prone existing equipment.

Nigeria and Brazil cement defence ties with aviation, security and defence forum

07/06/2022

Between 21 and 23 June, a week after a meeting between the Brazilian Ambassador to Nigeria Ricardo Guerrera and the Nigerian Minister of Defence Bashir Magashi, the third edition of the Brazil-Nigeria Aviation, Security & Defence Trade Forum was held in the Brazilian Embassy in Abuja.

South Korea Readies Its KF-21 Next-Generation Fighter Jet For Takeoff

07/06/2022

South Korea’s KF-21 next-generation fighter is preparing for its first flight, with footage of a prototype undertaking ground tests under power having emerged in the last few days. These tests follow recent static engine runs for the twin-engine fighter, the first flight of which is rumored to be planned before the end of this month.

In North Africa, a fighter jet arms race, with Russia and the US on either side

07/06/2022

While it may not make the rounds in Washington as one of the big geopolitical rivalries of the era, tensions between Morocco and Algeria are real, and have escalated in recent years thanks to a dispute over the Western Sahara, which Morocco claims to be its own territory, while Algeria backs the Tindouf-based Polisario Front rebel group.