Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

US regulators approve transfer of Danish F-16s to Argentina

10/13/2023

Arms regulators in Washington have approved the transfer of US-made Lockheed Martin F-16As from Denmark to Argentina. The US Department of State said on 11 October it delivered a formal letter to Argentinian ambassador Jorge Arguello saying Washington signed off on the deal, which reportedly covers 24 of the multi-role fighters. “The transfer reaffirms our close defence ties and steadfast support for Argentina’s air force modernisation efforts,” the state department says.

China sends 20 military aircraft, 6 navy ships around Taiwan

10/12/2023

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 20 Chinese military aircraft and six naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 11) and 6 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 12). The defense ministry said that 20 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and six People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected. Of the detected aircraft, 14 entered the north and southwest sectors of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

Denmark to send first F-16s to Ukraine in early 2024

10/12/2023

Danish Defense Minister Troels Lund Poulsen said on Wednesday that the transfer of the first F-16s to Ukraine will take place in early 2024. Thar’s according to Breaking the news, Ukrinform reports. "We expect that in March or April, we will be able to transfer the first batch of combat aircraft to Ukraine. But there is a lot of work to be done to ensure that the Ukrainians can exploit them,” Lund said.

Op tempo, training complexity pose risk to aircrews, per aviation boss

10/11/2023

A few months ago, the Army’s aviation community appeared to be facing a dire situation. A series of deadly helicopter crashes killed 14 soldiers between February and April, interrupting one of the safest periods in the Army’s flying history. That led the service’s leaders to order an Army-wide safety stand down in May — the rare move grounded all non-deployed flying units until they completed a mandatory safety training program led by their commanding generals.

After 30+ Years in Middle East, KC-10 Completes Final Deployment

10/11/2023

The KC-10 Extender took another step toward retirement last week, as the venerable tanker finished off its last ever deployment. A KC-10 from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., conducted the aircraft’s final combat sortie from Prince Sultan Air Base, Saudi Arabia, on Oct. 3. The 908th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, which has flown the KC-10 since 2003, then held a formal deactivation ceremony Oct. 4, and the last KC-10 departed the base Oct. 5.

China sends 14 military aircraft, 5 naval ships around Taiwan

10/11/2023

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked 14 Chinese military aircraft and five naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 10) and 6 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 11). The defense ministry said that 14 People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military aircraft and five People's Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) vessels were detected. Of the detected aircraft, six entered the north and southwest sectors of Taiwan's Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ).

AUSA News: Army Searches High and Low for Aircraft Autonomy Tech

10/11/2023

The U.S. military is embracing autonomy as it constructs the future force, and one Army official said a standard system that could plug into different platforms could prove quite useful. The Army has begun a new human-machine integrated formations initiative in which robots will make first contact with enemy forces. Meanwhile, the Air Force is developing uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft to fly alongside its next-generation fighters and bombers.

The Army’s New Piloted Scout Helicopter is Critical for Tomorrow’s Missions

10/10/2023

Nearly a decade ago, the U.S. Army retired its last helicopter designed specifically for the attack reconnaissance mission – the OH-58 Kiowa Warrior. Since then, a combination of AH-64 Apache helicopters and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) have filled in, performing the attack reconnaissance mission the best they could.

LCA Tejas: Despite ‘Intense Lobbying’, Battle-Proven F-16 Inches Closer To Clinch Argentine Fighter Jet Deal

10/09/2023

It has become clear that despite “intense lobbying” from India, Argentina has opted to purchase American F-16 fighter jets. Just one step short of announcing the finalization of F-16 as the top contender for its air force, Argentina has signed a Transfer to Third Parties (TPT) document with the US to authorize the transfer of 38 second-hand F-16s from Denmark.

Pakistan’s JF-17 ‘Shoots Down’ Six Rafale Fighters During Turkish Wargame? IAF Pilot Decodes Report

10/08/2023

The ‘grounded’ fleet of JF-17 in the Myanmar Air Force may be a sore point for Pakistan & China, but a report on how JF-17 pummelled Rafale fighter jets belonging to Qatar Air Force during a wargame in Turkey might have raised Islamabad’s morale.

Ukraine to strip old Russian MiGs to repair own jets

10/08/2023

The Ukrainian government will soon confiscate over 800 units of property belonging to the aggressor state Russia and its residents, among which are seven non-operational Russian MiG-25 jets, reports the Ministry of Economy press service.

An Evolving Air Force Role in the Middle East

10/06/2023

The U.S. Air Force Central Command (AFCENT) operating in the Middle East in the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) area of responsibility, needs to evolve to meet modern-day near-peer adversarial threats, such as from China, while at the same time keeping at bay risks from Iran and ISIS-related terrorist organizations.

DOD Remains Focused on Deterring Conflict in Indo-Pacific

10/06/2023

The U.S. remains fully committed to its strategy of integrated deterrence in the Indo-Pacific while keeping a close eye on China's provocations in the region, a senior Pentagon official said today. Ely S. Ratner, assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs, said conflict with China is not inevitable despite indications that Beijing is increasingly leveraging its military to spread its malign influence abroad.

China sends 1 military aircraft, 3 ships around Taiwan despite typhoon

10/06/2023

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND) tracked one Chinese military aircraft and three naval vessels around the country between 6 a.m. Wednesday (Oct. 4) and 6 a.m. Thursday (Oct. 5) as Typhoon Koinu's storm circle enveloped much of the country.

XQ-58 Valkyrie Is Now Flying With The Marine Corps

10/06/2023

The U.S. Marine Corps has begun flying its stealthy Kratos' XQ-58A Valkyrie drones, making it the second known operator of the type beyond the U.S. Air Force. The Marines now plan to evaluate the drones as highly autonomous surveillance and reconnaissance assets, electronic warfare platforms, and wingmen for crewed fighters, including in kinetic roles.

A US F-16 fighter jet shot down a Turkish drone, taking out another NATO ally's aircraft over Syria

10/06/2023

A US military F-16 fighter jet downed a Turkish drone operating above Syria on Thursday, marking a rare clash between Washington and a NATO ally. The American aircraft shot down the drone because it was considered to be a threat to US troops in the northeastern part of the country, The Wall Street Journal first reported, citing a person familiar with the incident. An American official told the outlet that US knew the drone — which was armed with air-to-ground munitions — belonged to Turkey befor

Deep Inside Taiwan’s ADIZ, China’s Chengdu GJ-2 UAV Conducts First-Ever Recorded Flight Activity

10/05/2023

The drone’s presence was detected on October 4 by the Taiwanese Ministry of National Defense (MND), which included this development in its daily update. According to the Ministry, as of 6 a.m. (UTC+8), 29 PLA aircraft and five PLAN vessels were identified near Taiwan.

Northrop Grumman modernises E-2D Advanced Hawkeye ISR aircraft

10/05/2023

The US Navy (USN) has contracted the original equipment manufacturer (OEM) of the E-2D Advanced Hawkeye intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (ISR) aircraft, Northrop Grumman (NG), to evolve the platform’s cockpit and digital architecture. Operating from an altitude more than 25,000ft, the Hawkeye alerts the naval task force to approaching air threats, while also providing threat identification and positional data to fighter aircraft.

Turkey Takes to the Skies with the Groundbreaking KAAN Fighter Jet

10/05/2023

In a determined bid to modernize its Air Force and achieve self-sufficiency in military capabilities, Turkey has embarked on a groundbreaking journey with the development of the Turkish Fighter jet. This fifth-generation marvel represents a significant milestone in Turkey’s aerospace industry. Not only does it signify the nation’s technological prowess but also its resolve to carve its own path in the elite club of fifth-generation fighter aircraft developers.

New Acquisition Report: F-15EX Unit Cost Will Be $94 Million

10/05/2023

The F-15EX Eagle II unit cost will be $93.95 million per plane in then-year dollars, assuming the Air Force sticks with its plan to buy 104 of the fighters and Congress concurs, the service said in its most recent annual Selected Acquisition Report.

Wittman says patience wearing thin on F-35 sustainment plan

10/04/2023

A leading House lawmaker wants to see some hard details — and soon — from the F-35 Joint Program Office about how it plans to fix the jet fighter’s long-lagging availability rates. And Rep. Rob Wittman’s patience with the JPO on the fighter’s low readiness is starting to wear thin, he said in an interview.

Polish Armed Forces Adding Saab Surveillance Aircraft to Fleet

10/04/2023

Officials from Poland’s Armed Forces were presented with the first of two Saab 340 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft in a ceremony in Linköping, Sweden, on Friday. The surveillance aircraft, which were unveiled two months after an order was placed, will provide Poland “a national asset to reinforce territorial integrity and national security,” the aircraft manufacturer said.

Italy's Leonardo wants stronger role in GCAP jet fighter project

10/04/2023

Italy's Leonardo group (LDOF.MI) wants a bigger role in a next-generation fighter jet program to put it on an equal footing with its British and Japanese partners, company CEO Roberto Cingolani said on Tuesday. The three nations agreed in December 2022 to collaborate to build an advanced front-line fighter to enter service around the middle of the next decade. The Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP) has Britain's BAE Systems and Japan's Mitsubishi Heavy Industries as its lead contractors.

Historic moment as Croatia receives its first Rafale fighter aircraft

10/04/2023

In a historic event at the Mont-de-Marsan Air Base, Croatia officially acquired its first Rafale multirole combat aircraft, marking a milestone in its capabilities. The acquisition of 12 Nato-compatible aircraft is expected to secure Croatia’s air combat requirement for the next three decades.

China's September incursions into Taiwan ADIZ up by 42% from August

10/03/2023

Intrusions by Chinese military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in September spiked by 42% from August. In September, 225 Chinese People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) military planes breached Taiwan's ADIZ, a 42.2% increase from the 130 reported by the Ministry of National Defense (MND) in August. Overall, there were 565 Chinese military aircraft tracked around Taiwan in September, according to Damien Symon, an open-source intelligence researcher.