Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

William Tell—USAF’s Ultimate Fighter Contest—is Back, After 19 Years

08/01/2023

The best air and ground crews from across the Air Force fighter enterprise will compete at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah, Ga., in September at the 2023 William Tell Air-to-Air Weapons Meet, the first fighter competition of its kind in nearly two decades.

KC-135 Recapitalization Requirements, Request for Information Coming in September

08/01/2023

What is now officially known as the KC-135 Tanker Recapitalization Program—formerly called KC-Y or the “bridge tanker”—should clear the Pentagon’s joint requirements process by the end of September, at which time the Air Force will issue a Request for Information to industry for potential solutions, Scott Boyd, USAF’s deputy program manager for mobility aircraft, told reporters July 31.

Türkiye to modernize F16s into 'viper level' warplanes by 2030

08/01/2023

The Turkish Air Force Command plans to modernize 165 F16 jets with block levels of 30, 40 and 50, gradually transforming them into powerful viper level warplanes by the year 2030, local media has reported. The move comes as part of Türkiye's efforts to bolster its air combat capabilities in the face of potential weaknesses resulting from its exclusion from the F35 program.

A Whopping $20 Billion In Military Aid, US Making Chinese Invasion Of Taiwan Deadlier Than Ukraine

07/31/2023

As China ramps up military activity along the Taiwan Strait, the United States recently announced US$345 million in military aid for Taiwan even as the total aid to the self-ruled island state is nearing a whopping $20 billion.

US Agrees to Reinforce Honduras’ Military Aircraft and Naval Forces

07/30/2023

Honduras announced this Friday that the United States has promised to help strengthen its air and naval forces, during a visit by the head of the Southern Command, General Laura Richardson, to President Xiomara Castro. The Honduran Minister of Defense, José Manuel Zelaya, indicated that Castro and Richardson reached “important” agreements to “reinforce our aircraft” and “our Naval Force”.

Airframe With Zero Tech! Experts Decode N.Korea’s MQ-9 Reaper, RQ-4 Global Hawk ‘Duplicate Drones’

07/30/2023

North Korea recently showcased its latest technological developments in the military arena, revealing two new drone models that look strikingly similar to US-manufactured RQ-4 Global Hawk and MQ-9 Reaper drones.

US Rushes To Sell F-16 Fighters To Argentina; End Of Road For Chinese JF-17 & Indian LCA Tejas?

07/30/2023

Recent reports suggest that the Capitol is seeking Congress’ authorization to allow Denmark to sell F-16 fighters to Argentina. Argentina has been actively scouting for fighter jets to add to its inventory to fill the gap left by the retirement of Mirage aircraft in 2015. Its current operational inventory includes at least 10 A-4 fighter bombers, which armed IA-63 Pampa jet trainers supplement.

F-35 Crashed Due to Computer Glitch Caused by Turbulence: Accident Report

07/29/2023

In just 10 seconds, a normal training mission became a nearly fatal accident when an F-35 fighter jet crashed while landing at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, on Oct. 19, 2022. An investigation published July 27 found the crash was caused by a glitch in the aircraft software system which occurred after the pilot, who survived with minor injuries after ejecting from the stricken jet, flew too close into the turbulence left by the wake of the F-35 ahead of him.

Su-75 ‘Checkmate’: Russia Finds A Potential Customer For Its 5th-Gen Stealth Fighter Aircraft

07/29/2023

The Su-75 Checkmate is a fifth-generation single-engine fighter aircraft currently under development by Sukhoi, a subsidiary of the United Aircraft Corporation (part of Rostec). The fighter made its official debut at the MAKS-2021 aerospace exhibition in July 2021, and right from the outset, Moscow expressed its intentions to export the aircraft worldwide.

Russia's fighter jets have gone from harassing US aircraft to actually breaking them as Moscow flexes its muscles where it still can

07/29/2023

Russian fighter jets have harassed US military drones operating above Syria routinely throughout July, with one engagement this week damaging an American aircraft. US officials are frustrated with the repeated incidents, blasting Moscow's pilots for dangerous and reckless behavior and accusing Russia of interfering with combat drones on high-profile counterterrorism missions.

A Canadian military plane collided with a French A400M on the ground at the military base in Guam

07/27/2023

A Canadian military transport plane crashed into a French A400M transporter at the American military base in Guam in the Pacific at the end of last week, without causing any casualties, the French Ministry of the Armed Forces announced on Tuesday. “On July 22, 2023 at 10:30 a.m., a Royal Canadian Air Force CC-150 aircraft accidentally collided with a French Air Force and Space Force A400M aircraft that was in the parking. Andersen Air Force Base on the island of Guam” the statement said.

Turkish fighter jet KAAN to soar with indigenous engine in 2028

07/27/2023

Türkiye's indigenous fighter jet, KAAN, is planned to fly with a Turkish engine in 2028, the general manager of Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI) said. Speaking at the 16th International Defence Industry Fair (IDEF) on Wednesday, Temel Kotil said KAAN is currently flying with F110 engine, adding that studies for KAAN’s upgrade are continuing.

Saudi fighter jet crashes, killing all members of crew

07/27/2023

A Saudi Arabian fighter jet F-15SA crashed during a training mission in Khamis Mushait, killing all members of crew onboard, Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported Wednesday citing the official spokesman for the Ministry of Defense Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki.

Viper News Update: Confusion and Frustration Over F-16 Pilot-Training Timeline

07/26/2023

F-16 pilot training in Denmark is slated to start at Denmark’s Skrydstrup Fighter Wing in August. But other preparations for the fighters still need to be ironed out. As a result, Ukrainian Air Force fighter pilots and politicians have been dealing with frustration over the ambiguity and seeming lack of coordination with regard to promises of F-16s. Estimates of when F-16s will be flying combat missions defending Ukraine ranges from months to over a year.

Four Italian Air Force F-35 Stealth Aircraft Are Deploying To Japan For The First Time Next Week

07/26/2023

A small but well-assorted contingent of assets from the Aeronautica Militare (Italian Air Force) will deploy to Japan early next month to take part in joint training with the JASDF (Japan Air Self-Defense Force). Four F-35As with the 32° Stormo (Wing) from Amendola Air Base and 6° Stormo from Ghedi Air Base, accompanied by three KC-767 tankers and one G550 CAEW (Conformal Airborne Early Warning) aircraft of the 14th Wing from Pratica di Mare, and a C-130J from the 46^ Brigata Aerea (Air Brigade)

Poland pushes ahead with $58M early warning aircraft purchase: Saab

07/26/2023

Poland has formally issued a contract to buy two 340 Airborne Early Warning aircraft from Swedish manufacturer Saab, the company said today, in a deal worth approximately SEK 600 million ($58 million USD). Saab said the planes will be equipped with its Erieye radar, and also includes ground equipment “as well as in-country logistics and support.”

Russian fighter jet damages US Reaper drone with flare over Syria: Officials

07/26/2023

A Russian fighter jet fired flares directly at an American MQ-9 Reaper drone over Syria on Sunday, damaging its propeller, U.S. Air Forces Central announced Tuesday - the latest in a string of what military officials have denounced as risky and provocative behavior. The drone was on a counter-terrorism mission against the Islamic State group, according to the Air Force.

AMC's largest global exercise proves success in Indo-Pacific theater

07/25/2023

Air Mobility Command concluded exercise Mobility Guardian 23, the largest iteration of the Air Force’s premier multinational mobility exercise to date, July 21. The debut of the exercise in the Indo-Pacific saw 70 mobility aircraft with more than 3,000 service members from Australia, Canada, France, Japan, New Zealand, the U.K. and the U.S. surge across an exercise area spanning 13 million square miles.

The story of the AIM-9 Sidewinder that Failed to Detonate, Got Embedded in a MiG-17 and was Reverse-Engineered into the Soviet AA-2 Atoll

07/25/2023

The MiG-17 made a safe landing, the Sidewinder was extracted and the Communists promptly rushed it to the USSR, where the AIM-9 was carefully taken apart and then reverse-engineered, bit by bit. The AIM-9 Sidewinder is a supersonic, heat-seeking, air-to-air missile carried by fighter aircraft. It has a high-explosive warhead and an infrared heat-seeking guidance system. The Sidewinder was developed by the US Navy for fleet air defense and was adapted by the US Air Force for fighter aircraft use

Why F-16 ‘fighter coalition’ taking off matters for Ukraine

07/25/2023

As Ukraine’s heroic defence against Russian invasion reaches the 18-month mark, Kyiv has at last received a boost in its conflict-long quest to acquire Western combat aircraft. NATO’s annual summit in Vilnius, Lithuania was the venue for an 11-nation “fighter coalition” to join forces and pledge to train Ukrainian air force personnel to fly and maintain the Lockheed Martin F-16.

Russia’s S-70 Stealth Attack Drone Accompanied By MiG-29 Fighter Jet Spotted Flying In A Formation

07/24/2023

Amid speculations that Russia may have started operating its S-70 Okhotnik heavy-strike stealth drone against Ukraine, a MiG-29 fighter plane and the Russian S-70 Okhotnik (‘Hunter’) attack drone were sighted flying in a formation at an unknown location.

Turkey suffers huge setback by erasing decades of work and experience in combat pilot training

07/24/2023

A serious shortage of Turkey’s air force pilots, aggravated by a mass purge of military aviators by the government on fabricated charges in 2016, continues to hamper the air force’s ability to operate F-16 and F-4 fighter jets. This acute problem presents even more challenges to NATO’s second-largest army than the already stymied modernization efforts for the ailing aircraft fleet amid troubled talks with the US on upgrades and new orders.

Iran Begins Military Drill as US Sends More Fighter Planes to Region

07/24/2023

Iran on Sunday began an annual air force drill in the central part of the country, state media reported, as the United States sends more fighter planes to the region to deter the Islamic Republic from seizing commercial vessels in the Persian Gulf area. The official IRNA news agency said 11 Iranian air force bases participated in the drill, dubbed Fadaeian Velyat-11, or Devotees of the Supreme Leader-11. It said an air base at the southern port of Bandar Abbas at the mouth of the strategic Strai

The Ukrainians are begging Western countries for F-16s, but they've also got their eyes on an often overlooked Swedish jet

07/24/2023

Neither Russia nor Ukraine has been able to dominate the skies during their 16-month war, but Russia's aircraft have a technological edge and numerical superiority. To better fight the air war and support its ground forces, Ukraine has repeatedly asked Western countries for F-16 fighter jets, and those countries are moving toward supplying them.

Inspired by Ukraine war, Taiwan launches drone blitz to counter China

07/23/2023

In the summer of 2022, just months after Russia invaded Ukraine, Taiwan’s president gathered senior officials from her ruling party in downtown Taipei. On the agenda: How was Ukraine, in its war with Russia, successfully offsetting the advantages of a much more powerful foe? President Tsai Ing-wen was given an internal 77-page briefing report via PowerPoint. It had a clear answer: drones.