Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

F-16 Fighting Falcon: a comprehensive look at the aircraft and its features?

05/16/2023

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a versatile combat aircraft with a long history of being tested and proven effective in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. This compact jet offers a high-performance weapon system at a relatively low cost, making it an attractive choice for the United States and its allies.

US fighter jets intercept Russian aircraft near Alaska

05/16/2023

U.S. fighter jets intercepted six Russian aircraft last week operating in international airspace near Alaska, military officials announced Monday. F-16 and F-22 fighter jets on Thursday intercepted Russian aircraft that included TU-95 bombers, IL-78 tankers and SU-35 fighter jets, according to officials with the North American Aerospace Defense Command, or NORAD. The Russian planes remained in international airspace and did not enter U.S. or Canadian territory.

Zelenskyy blitzes Europe with fighter jet diplomacy

05/16/2023

Ukraine has no permanent seat at the G7 leaders’ summit. But Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has already made sure his talking points will dominate discussions at the G7’s annual get-together in Japan this weekend. Zelenskyy arrived in the U.K. unexpectedly Monday morning after visiting Italy, Germany and France as part of a diplomatic blitz designed to ramp up military support for his country and — crucially — to build the case among Western allies for modern jet aircraft to be shipped

U.S. fighter jets intercept Russian planes near Alaska

05/15/2023

U.S. fighter jets intercepted six Russian aircraft operating in international airspace near Alaska, the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) said on Sunday. NORAD described the interception as "routine" and said they happen roughly six or seven times per year in the so-called Alaska Air Defense Identification Zone.The Russian planes included TU-95 bombers, IL-78 tankers and SU-35 fighter jets, NORAD said in a written statement.

Irish ministers under pressure to clarify 'secret deal' for RAF to defend Ireland's airspace in an emergency

05/15/2023

A former Irish Air Corps captain tells Sky News the existence of a deal with the RAF was an "open secret" among Irish pilots - as a 2022 report warned Ireland "has no air defence capability of any significance".

US Air Force’s Next-Gen Tactical Missile Is Set To Change Air Combat

05/15/2023

The US Air Force updated the Senate Armed Service Committee regarding the status of its top-secret missile project earlier this month, saying that it could be entering production sometime later this year and at an accelerated rate. This next-generation air-to-air missile program, dubbed by the service as AIM-260 Joint Advanced Tactical Missile, or JATM, has been tightly kept under wraps since it first emerged mid- to late-2010s. It is one, if not the most significant ongoing future weapon projec

Satellite image shows 16 strategic bombers deployed to Kola Peninsula

05/14/2023

Located only 200 km from NATO-members Finland and Norway, Olenya Air Base is closely watched by military analysts. The 3,500 m runway normally serves a small fleet of elderly Tu-22M supersonic bombers and a few An-12 military transport planes. Last autumn, however, the role of the air base as a forward deployment field for long-range aviation was activated.

USS Gerald R. Ford Deploys to Pacific for First Combat Deployment

05/14/2023

After spending over twelve years in the shipyard in Newport News, the US Navy‘s largest aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78), has recently departed from its naval homeport for its first global deployment. The lead ship of her class, the USS Gerald R. Ford, previously conducted operations and training exercises in the Atlantic Ocean following its commissioning in 2017.

Breaking: 4 Russian Aircraft, Including Su-35S ‘Shot Down’ By Ukraine After Whacking Russia With Storm Shadow Missiles

05/14/2023

In a sensational development, Ukrainian forces reportedly downed four Russian aircraft on May 13, 2023 – two Russian Mi-8 helicopters, one Su-34 fighter bomber, and one Su-35S fighter. No concrete video evidence of the Su-35S shootdown has been released till the time of posting this report.

Romanian Air Force Has Retired Its MiG-21 LanceR Jets

05/14/2023

The MiG-21 LanceR was the longest serving fighter jet in Romanian Air Force. After 61 years of career, the iconic MiG-21 LanceR, the longest-lived fighter aircraft in the history of the Romanian Air Force, successfully completed its final flight mission at Boboc, in eastern Romania. The last flight was celebrated with the traditional passage under a water tunnel.

How the US Air Force Is Preparing to Fight Under Bombardment in the Pacific

05/13/2023

The U.S. Air Force has since the early 2010s concentrated a growing portion of its investments into preparations for a potential hot war against a major state adversary in the Western Pacific. The shift followed the Obama administration’s “pivot to Asia,” aimed at reorienting American military and diplomatic attentions toward countering China.

How prepared is Taiwan for a potential Chinese attack?

05/13/2023

Taiwan's air defense capabilities have come into focus in recent weeks, after the Washington Post reported that Taiwan would struggle to handle aerial offensive operations from China, citing classified documents leaked by a 21-year-old American man who was a member of the Massachusetts Air National Guard.

TURKIYE HOSTS EXERCISE ANATOLIAN EAGLE WITH ALLIES AND PARTNERS

05/13/2023

urkiye hosted the exercise Anatolian Eagle out of 3rd main Jet Base Konya and provided the multinational participants with realistic combat training opportunities in a high-threat environment from May 5 to 12, 2023.

Tomcats To Super Flankers: Iran Might Soon Receive Its Most Advanced Fighter In Almost 50 Years

05/13/2023

Unconfirmed reports in Iran’s press suggest the country may take delivery of the first batch of Su-35 Flanker-E fighter jets it ordered from Russia in the coming weeks. In an article that has since been removed, Iran’s official Islamic Republic News Agency (IRNA) reported that the jets, also known as “Super Flankers,” will soon arrive in Iran. In light of the article’s deletion and past rumors that the aircraft began arriving in April.

F-22 Raptors Begin ‘Combat Training’ In Estonia Near Russia Border Amid RuAF’s Hostile Acts Over Black Sea

05/12/2023

According to the report, 12 fighter jets were transferred from the United States to a Polish airbase for military drills in early April. Three of the fighters arrived at Estonia’s Amari airbase near Tallinn this week. The drills include the practice of quickly responding to threats in cooperation with other countries.

Storm Shadow missile latest evolution of UK support to Ukraine

05/12/2023

The UK’s decision to supply Storm Shadow air-launched land attack missiles to Ukraine, offering a long-range, stand-off strike capability with a range of more than 250km, represents that latest evolution of London’s support to Kyiv, ahead of a much-anticipated counter-offensive against Russia.

‘Our Biggest Enemy’ – Ukrainian Fighter Pilots Call Russia’s ‘Omnipresent’ Su-35 A Grave Threat Ahead Of Hypersonic-Missile Firing MiG-31

05/12/2023

A recent report published in BBC details how the Ukrainian fighter jets are forced to maneuver and fly at very low altitudes to escape an air-to-air missile fired by the Su-35 fighter jet of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS). When fired on, the fighter pilots know they must abort their mission and do whatever they can to survive.

U.S.-based Air Force mobility aircraft supporting DEFENDER 23 exercise in Europe

05/11/2023

Activities begin this month across 10 countries in Europe and continue through June as part of a U.S. Army-led exercise DEFENDER 2023, which U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa is supporting in several ways. Six C-17 Globemaster III aircraft from Air Mobility Command’s 62nd Airlift Wing based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington, and three C-130 Hercules aircraft from the Air Force Reserve Command’s 403rd Wing based at Keesler Air Force Base, Mississippi, will support DEFENDER 23.

Russian Su-35, US F-22 Raptor “Set For Clash” As Washington Deploys Its ‘Best Warplane’ Near Russian Border

05/11/2023

A dramatic game of cat and mouse has unfurled in the skies over the Black Sea, pitting Western surveillance aircraft against Russian fighter jets. The encounters roughly started when Russia annexed Crimea in 2014, and Ukraine increasingly leaned on Western intelligence to counter the Russian threat. Even since the military operations, the ‘encounters’ have only intensified. Earlier this week, a Russian warplane came dangerously close to a Polish aircraft over the Black Sea.

Czech president: Ukraine could have our L-159 jets

05/11/2023

The Czech Republic could give Ukraine some of its L-159 fighter jets to support its planned counter-offensive, Czech President Petr Pavel was quoted as saying on Wednesday. Prague has been among Kyiv's staunchest allies from the outbreak of Russia's aggression last February, providing material from ammunition to tanks worth billions of dollars.

Air Force ‘Doesn’t Just Need Airplanes’ to Modernize, Kendall Says

05/10/2023

Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall insists the service needs to modernize rapidly to face the threat of China. But modernization does not just mean fielding new aircraft, Kendall and other service leaders argue—the Air Force also needs to retire its aging airplanes. “The truth is the Air Force needs things like electric warfare, battle management, intelligence, cyber capabilities, all of these things,” Kendall said at the Ash Carter Exchange defense conference May 9. “It doesn’t just need airplan

NATO Air Police on high alert after Russian fighter jet approaches Polish aircraft

05/10/2023

NATO Air Policing troops have been put on high alert after a Russian fighter jet approached a Polish Border Guard aircraft over the Black Sea, the Polish press agency PAP reported on Tuesday. The Polish crew reportedly lost control of the aircraft for a moment but landed safely, said Polish Border Guard spokeswoman??????? Anna Michalska. The plane landed safely at Mihail Kogalniceanu Airport and none of the crew members on board were injured as a result of the incident, she said.

How the US Air Force's 2 newest fighter jets stack up

05/10/2023

The F-35 and F-15EX are so different in so many respects that comparing them might not make sense. Yet, the two aircraft have been analyzed in relation to one another for years, given the ongoing debates about whether it makes sense to add a fourth-generation "plus" plane in more significant numbers and reduce the size of the F-35 buy.

With 150 fighter jets and support planes, 14 nations ready for massive Nordic air force drills

05/10/2023

Finland is in charge this year as the planes now start to arrive at the four different military air bases in the three countries. Kick-off is May 29 and the exercise will see daily combat training in the skies until June 9. Playgrounds for the war games are from near the border with Russia in the east to the coast of the Norwegian Sea in the west.

DO I HEAR THE SOUND OF THUNDER IN ARGENTINA?

05/08/2023

When it comes to military hardware, nothing quite catches the ordinary person’s imagination like fighter jets. They are, in many ways, charismatic objects elevated often to being sources of national pride. This is doubly the case if the plane in question can be labelled to some degree as being indigenous.