Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Russian aircraft harass US drones over Syria for third time this week

07/08/2023

Russian aircraft once again harassed US MQ-9 Reaper drones over Syria Friday, the Air Force said, in a sign of increasing friction between the two countries in Middle East airspace. The incident marked the third time this week that US drones over Syria were intercepted by Russian aircraft.

UK eyes Red 6’s augmented-reality technology for BAE Hawk trainers

07/08/2023

The UK government, through its internal venture capital fund, is investing in American technology firm Red 6, which is seeking to deliver augmented-reality solutions for fighter pilot training. Red 6 says it entered an agreement with the UK’s National Security Strategic Investment Fund (NSSIF) and the Royal Air Force (RAF) in June to “supply augmented-reality technologies in support of the UK military flying training system”.

Putin's nuclear warning to the West: Russian nuke bombers engage in war games drill ahead of NATO summit over Ukraine in latest WW3 sabre-rattling

07/08/2023

Vladimir Putin sent up two supersonic White Swan Tu-160 nuclear bomber planes as part of a 12-hour war game mission, it was disclosed today, ahead of a NATO summit in neighbouring Lithuania. The two planes flew more than 5,600 miles before landing at an Arctic base after the marathon flight, which involved two refuelling sessions by Il-78 aircraft.

Russian Su-35 ‘Clashes’ With French Rafale Fighters; Comes After ‘Dangerous Encounter’ With MQ-9 Reaper Drone

07/08/2023

On July 6, the Operations Directorate of the French Ministry of Defense took to Twitter to announce that two Rafales engaged in a protection mission along the Iraqi-Syrian border had encountered a non-professional interaction from a Su-35. In response, the French pilots maneuvered to mitigate the risk of an accident before resuming their patrol activities.

IAF’s global air reach: Why it is a prerequisite for India's great power ambitions

07/06/2023

Indian Air Force (IAF) recently carried out three long-range missions to train for and showcase its long-range strike and air patrol capability. These were flown by the Su-30 MKI and Rafale fighters. They were supported by the IAF’s IL-78 Flight Refueller Aircraft (FRA) for inflight refuelling, and the IL-76-based Phalcon Airborne Early Warning and Control (AEW&C) aircraft for aerial radar cover, and command and control.

F-22 stealth fighter jets are back in the Middle East as a US commander warns of 'buffoonery' by Russian pilots

07/06/2023

The US Air Force's top commander in the Middle East warned in June of increasingly aggressive actions by Russian fighter pilots over Syria. It was only the latest warning of such activity, and it reflects a long history of contentious interactions between US and Russian forces in Syria that will persist amid broader tensions, experts say.

2 pilots killed in Russian MiG-31 fighter jet crash

07/06/2023

Two pilots of a Russian military aircraft were killed Tuesday when their jet crashed during a routine training flight in the far east of the country, the local source said. Russian propagandist Ilya Tumanov also confirmed that pilots were killed on his influential Fighterbomber Telegram channel.

LOCKHEED MARTIN SHOWS OFF MYSTERIOUS AIRCRAFT, IGNITING SPECULATION IT COULD BE COMPANY’S SECRET NEXT-GEN FIGHTER

07/06/2023

Lockheed Martin has once again sparked intrigue and speculation on social media by potentially offering a tantalizing glimpse at its enigmatic Next-Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter jet. The aerospace and defense giant recently marked the 80th anniversary of its renowned advanced projects division, Skunk Works, by posting an Instagram story showing a series of silhouettes for some of Skunk Works’ most iconic aircraft.

Three Russian fighter jets harassed US drones over Syria: US Air Force

07/06/2023

Russian fighter jets harassed American aircraft on an anti-ISIS mission in Syria, the US military said on Wednesday. “Earlier today at approximately 10:40 AM, Russian military aircraft engaged in unsafe and unprofessional behavior while interacting with US aircraft in Syria,” said Lt. Gen. Alex Grynkewich, the US general responsible for air operations in the Middle East.

Russia’s only aircraft carrier could return to service after six years at dock

07/05/2023

Single aircraft carrier of the Russian Navy, Admiral Kuznetsov could return to active service in late 2024, according to TASS, citing an official. The vessel, which holds about 30 aircraft, has been idle for six years. The last mission carried out by the Kuznetsov was in 2016, when the ship provided support to Russian troops in Syria.

What Ukraine needs most — ammo

07/05/2023

For a moment, Ukraine had caught the break it needed and deserved. Mercenary chief Yevgeny Prigozhin’s forces were advancing on Moscow; Russia was facing a civil war that would have crippled its war of aggression in Ukraine. We don’t yet know what the fallout from the recent short-lived revolt will be: Mutiny is rarely good for the morale, cohesion or effectiveness of the troops in the trenches.

Multi-million pound contract to equip Royal Air Force Typhoons with latest advanced radar capabilities

07/05/2023

The Ministry of Defence (MOD) has awarded BAE Systems a £870m contract to deliver a new radar to enhance the Royal Air Force’s (RAF) Typhoon fighter jet fleet and strengthen the aircraft’s control of the airspace whilst providing cutting-edge electronic warfare capabilities.

Map shows pattern of China's intrusions into Taiwan's ADIZ in June

07/04/2023

Intrusions by Chinese military aircraft into Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) in June dropped slightly by 12% from May, but there were reports of Chinese fighter jets and Russian frigates coming unusually close to Taiwan's continuous zone in June.

Ukraine won't be given fighter jets until after counter-offensive against Russia, top NATO admiral tells LBC

07/04/2023

Speaking exclusively to LBC's Tonight with Andrew Marr, admiral Rob Baeur, chairman of military committee of NATO, said providing Ukraine with the fighter jets they have been asking for "will not be solved in the short term". Ukraine's President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been pleading with Western nations to provide his war-torn country with fighter jets, including F-16s, which a number of NATO members possess.

Israel to buy 25 more F-35 stealth jets in $3 billion deal

07/04/2023

Israel has approved the purchase of a third squadron of F-35 stealth fighter jets in a deal worth $3 billion, the Ministry of Defense said on Sunday. The additional 25 aircraft manufactured by Lockheed Martin will bring the number of F-35s in Israel's air force to 75, the ministry said, adding that the deal will be financed through the defense aid package Israel receives from the United States.

Russian-Origin 4.5-Gen Air Superiority Fighter – Su-30SM2 – That Even The US Admires, Goes Down, One Pilot Dead

07/04/2023

A Russian-made Su-30 fighter jet crashed in mountainous northern Venezuela while practicing ahead of the country’s independence day. A pilot died in the accident. “I regret to inform you that during the practice maneuvers… an aircraft of our Bolivarian Military Aviation fell to the ground, causing the physical loss of the distinguished pilot Col. Paulino Jose Millan Sabino,” Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro wrote on Twitter. Both the aircraft crew members managed to eject, but one of the pilo

US MQ-9 Drone Involved In Another Confrontation With Russia; Comes After Su-27 Fighter ‘Downed’ The Reaper

07/01/2023

On June 29, a high-ranking Russian official said that the Russian Armed Forces had observed ten violations of the flight of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) belonging to the “international anti-terrorist coalition” led by the US during the day in Syria. The announcement was made by Rear Admiral Oleg Gurinov, the Deputy Head of the Russian Center for the Reconciliation of Warring Parties and Controlling the Movement of Refugees in the Syrian Arab Republic (CPVS).

The best of the best back in action

07/01/2023

Exercise High Sierra is back gracing Townsville airspace once again, following a two-year hiatus, to graduate the latest cadre of F-35A Lightning II pilots. Exercise High Sierra is a 2 Operational Conversion Unit (2OCU) training exercise, and is the final component of the F-35A Lightning II Operational Conversion Course. Commanding Officer of 2OCU, Wing Commander Philip Eldridge, said this was the first time 2OCU has held the exercise at RAAF Base Townsville using the F-35A Lightning II.

Czech Request for F-35A Combat Aircraft Gets U.S. Approval

07/01/2023

A Czech Republic government-to-government foreign military sales (FMS) request for procurement of 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth combat aircraft has been given the go-ahead by Washington. Formal notification of approval was announced by the Pentagon’s Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on June 29. The estimated $5.62 billion FMS proposal includes the 24 aircraft, plus 25 Pratt & Whitney F135-PW-100 engines and associated weapons and support equipment.

China’s-20 Stealth Fighter Zooms With Indigenous, Powerful WS-15 Engine For The Very First Time – Reports

07/01/2023

Images and videos recently surfaced on social media indicate that China’s J-20 stealth fighter, fitted with two newly developed WS-15 jet engines, has successfully completed its inaugural flight. According to reports, the first flight of the Chinese J-20 stealth fighter equipped with WS-15 engines took place on June 28. The flight was conducted from Chengdu’s primary test airfield, situated alongside its production facility in the city of Chengdu.

Ukraine: Concerns mount over influx of weapons and growing civilian casualties

06/30/2023

Since her last briefing in May, said Izumi Nakamitsu, the High Representative for Disarmament Affairs, reports from open sources indicate an influx in the transfer of heavy conventional weapons, including battle tanks, combat aircraft, artillery and missile systems. “There are reports that the supply of arms and ammunition has accelerated and expanded ahead of the reported counteroffensive by Ukrainian forces,” she noted.

The A-10 is retiring and the Air Force has no close air support replacement

06/30/2023

The Air Force plans to retire its legendary A-10 Warthogs within the next five years and it’s still not clear how the service will be able to provide troops on the ground with the level of close air support that the A-10 brings to the fight. Although Congress has prevented the Air Force from retiring all or part of its A-10 fleet five times since 2014, the opposition from lawmakers appears to be softening.

‘Performs Like A Fighter’! Boeing-SAAB T-7A Red Hawk Aircraft Takes Maiden Flight; Could Emerge As A Big Competitor To China’s JF-17

06/30/2023

The T-7A Red Hawk’s Air Force flight testing began with a USAF pilot taking off from St. Louis, Missouri, facilities of the contractor Boeing. The T-7A flown by the pilot was a pre-production engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) aircraft. The first of five aircraft supplied by Boeing to support the Air Force’s T-7A test program, 21-7005, was the one that took the inaugural flight. The aircraft has been developed together in partnership with Swedish contractor Saab.

T-7 Makes Its First Official Flight with an Air Force Pilot

06/29/2023

Air Force flight testing for the T-7A Red Hawk kicked off June 28, with a USAF pilot flying the advanced trainer from contractor Boeing’s St. Louis, Mo., facilities. The event, announced by Boeing, marks the first official test flight conducted by an Air Force pilot and the beginning of the T-7’s engineering and manufacturing development phase.

Boise-based Idaho Air National Guard wing to transition to F-16 mission

06/29/2023

Within the next few years, the Idaho Air National Guard at Gowen Field may be flying a different kind of fighter jet. The 124th Fighter Wing based in Boise is expected to transition to an F-16 Fighting Falcon mission starting in spring 2027, the U.S. Air Force announced this week. The mission is subject to review, including an environmental impact analysis.