Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Air Force Cuts Back F-35 Demo Performances Due to Engine Shortage

02/14/2021

The F-35A Joint Strike Fighter will participate in fewer air shows this year as military leaders deal with an engine shortage for the fifth-generation stealth jet. Bloomberg News reported this week that there is a growing shortage of F135 engines, which are manufactured by Pratt & Whitney, now owned by Raytheon Technologies Corp.

5 reasons the F-15 might be the best fighter of all time

02/13/2021

Before the development of the F-22 Raptor, the F-15 Eagle ruled the skies. It replaced the vaunted F-111 as the U.S. military’s primary fighter bomber and, for much of its life, it was the fast-moving air superiority fighter, king of all air superiority fighters. In much of the world, it still rules — and there are many, many reasons why.

The Five Most Important Facts About The F-35 Fighter

02/13/2021

When the Clinton administration first conceived the notion of a “joint strike fighter” in 1995, it was the ideal solution to a host of military challenges. The basic idea was a family of highly survivable tactical aircraft that could share common technology to accomplish a dozen different missions for three U.S. military services.

US approves sale of F-16 air combat training centre to Jordan

02/12/2021

The US Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has notified Congress of the potential foreign military sale (FMS) of an F-16 air combat training centre (ACTC) to Jordan. Approved by the US State Department, the estimated $60m FMS includes related devices such as mission trainers, combat tactics trainers, instructor / operator stations, tactical environment simulators and brief / debrief stations.

First Boeing KC-46 tanker for Japan completes maiden flight

02/11/2021

The first Boeing KC-46 tanker aircraft destined for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) has completed its maiden flight. The first flight marks a major milestone in the delivery programme as the aircraft will now move into the certification phase of development. KC-46 programme manager Jamie Burgess said: “This is an exciting milestone for the JASDF and Boeing.

Taiwan Says Ties with US Strong Amid Threats from China

02/11/2021

As the U.S. Navy asserts its presence in the South China Sea, Taiwan’s leader says its ties with Washington remain solid over the transition from the Trump to the Biden administration. President Tsai Ing-wen said Tuesday that U.S. military support remains firm even as China sends increasing numbers of military aircraft into Taiwan's southwestern airspace.

Russian bombers met by NATO fighter jets over the Barents Sea

02/10/2021

The flight, which lasted for 12 hours, took place over Russia and the Barents-, Norwegian- and Greenland Seas, the Defense Ministry in Moscow informs. Russia’s strategic bombers are based at Engels Air Force Base near Saratov in southwestern Russia and have to fly north for exit to international air space without violating other nations borders.

Russian Su-57 fighter jet’s cockpit achieves maximum automation

02/10/2021

Russian state-run corporation Rostec has announced that the fifth-generation Su-57 multirole fighter jet’s cockpit received maximum automation. The development was disclosed by Rostec-controlled United Aircraft Corporation in its New Horizons corporate magazine. The publication noted that the single-seat fighter jet achieved maximum automation of the ‘routine piloting and combat use processes’.

Two US Navy aircraft carriers conduct South China Sea drills

02/10/2021

Two US Navy aircraft carrier strike groups began operations in the disputed waters of the South China Sea on Tuesday, the latest show of naval capabilities by the Biden administration as it pledges to stand firm against Chinese territorial claims. The carriers USS Theodore Roosevelt and USS Nimitz and their accompanying guided-missile cruisers and destroyers are showing the US Navy's ability to operate in highly trafficked, challenging environments, the US Navy said in statement.

US Should Have Used Fighter Jets, Bombers for More Strategic Strikes Against ISIS: Report

02/10/2021

The U.S.-led air campaign against the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria often prioritized tactical, close-air support operations and bombing runs over strategic, "deep strike" missions, according to a new Rand Corp. report. But while the aggressive effort crippled some ISIS strongholds, it did little to accelerate the caliphate's defeat in the long run, the report found.

After Rafale, how Boeing's F-15EX fighter jet can change IAF's strike capability

02/09/2021

Boeing has received a licence from the US government to offer its F-15EX fighter jet to the Indian Air Force. Boeing will compete with Sweden's Gripen and France's Rafale among others for the Indian Air Force's plan to buy 114 multi-role aircraft to replace its Soviet-era fleet.

Report: USAF Can Relocate Fighter Squadrons, Go Virtual to Improve Training

02/09/2021

Air Force fighter jets will lose out on the benefits of upgraded training ranges unless the service also decides to relocate certain squadrons, according to a new RAND Corp. report. The Air Force contends its crumbling, outdated training infrastructure doesn’t offer what Airmen need to learn how to fly against adversary pilots and threats like surface-to-air missiles or communications jammers. Improving those ranges is one aspect of a multibillion-dollar push to modernize air bases

DARPA Is Developing Aircraft-Launched Missile-Like Drones That Fire Their Own Air-To-Air Missiles

02/09/2021

The Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency, or DARPA, has hired General Atomics, Lockheed Martin, and Northrop Grumman, to craft designs for an air-launched missile-toting air-to-air combat drone as part of a program called LongShot. In concept, a larger manned aircraft would fire this unmanned air vehicle, which could then fly to a certain area and engage multiple aerial threats with its own weapons.

Taiwan war games raise risk of US-China conflict

02/08/2021

The danger is rising that long-running tensions between China and the US over Taiwan could lead to military hostilities. That puts the island in the front rank of geopolitical risks for US President Joe Biden. Conflict need not come about by design. Revelations that Chinese military aircraft simulated missile attacks on a nearby US aircraft carrier during an incursion into Taiwanese airspace, three days after Mr Biden’s inauguration, underscore how misunderstandings could escalates.

Xi calls for enhanced combat readiness from Chinese military during holidays

02/08/2021

Chinese President Xi Jinping called for the Chinese military to enhance its combat readiness during the upcoming Spring Festival holidays when he recently inspected an aviation division of the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Air Force. Experts said other militaries should not have the illusion that they can make provocative moves during the holidays without meeting PLA's countermeasures.

F-15EX Fighter Jet Passes 90-Minute Test with Flying Colors, Ready for Duty

02/08/2021

Not that long ago, Boeing was asked to create of an improved version of the F-15 strike fighter. Last week, the new version of the aircraft, dubbed F-15EX, completed its first successful test flight at the Lambert International Airport in St. Louis, Missouri.

How China is fast catching up with the West in the race for air-to-air missile superiority

02/07/2021

n recent years, China’s technological strides and development of a wide range of air-to-air missiles (AAM) has prompted some nations to integrate these missiles on their fighter fleet, or simply go in for collaboration/purchase of a Chinese combat aircraft like the Chengdu JF-17 Thunder. The JF-17, developed in partnership with Pakistan, has been exported to Myanmar and Nigeria and promises to equip a host of third world countries with an affordable option towards beyond visual range.

Beijing warns off US warship from South China Sea islands

02/07/2021

China on Friday warned off a US warship sailing near contested islands in the South China Sea, Beijing said, the first such encounter made public since the inauguration of President Joe Biden. The USS John S. McCain "broke into China's Xisha territorial waters without the permission of the Chinese government," Beijing's military said in a statement, using its name for the disputed Paracel Islands.

Chinese tactical reconnaissance plane enters Taiwan's ADIZ

02/07/2021

A Chinese Y-8 tactical reconnaissance plane entered the southwestern section of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Saturday, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). The aircraft flew into the airspace between Taiwan and the Dongsha (Pratas) Islands, which are controlled by Taiwan, in the South China Sea, according to a chart provided by the MND.

Marine Corps Adds 5th F-35B Squadron to its Force

02/07/2021

The Marine Corps is converting a fifth squadron to the F-35B Lightning II strike fighter. In a Jan. 29 ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Yuma, Arizona, the “Vikings” of Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA(AW)-225) were re-designated Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 225 (VMFA-225) as they engaged in the process of learning to operate and maintain the F-35B version of the Lightning II, according to a release from the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing.

Final KC-46A tanker delivered to 157th Air Refueling Wing at Pease

02/06/2021

The final KC-46A Pegasus tanker in a fleet of 12 arrived at the New Hampshire Air National Guard Base at Pease on Friday, capping off a nearly two-year transition from the former Eisenhower-era KC-135 tankers used by the 157th Refueling Wing. Celebrating the last of the tanker’s dozen at Pease was Sen. Jeanne Shaheen, D-NH, who has pushed for the fleet's full arrival, as well as transparency and continued monitoring of the manufacturing of the aircrafts.

Firebirds training in southwestern US highlights C-17 capabilities

02/06/2021

On the morning of Jan. 8, 2021, 13 U.S. Airmen, all assigned to the 517th Airlift Squadron, boarded a C-17A Globemaster III aircraft and flew from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson to March Air Reserve Base, California. Their mission: to train and prepare for global operations in a deployed environment.

The artificial intelligence ‘backseater’ in future air combat

02/06/2021

Among the myriad technological developments in airpower—including advanced propulsion, better stealth, directed-energy weapons and hypersonics—perhaps the most important will turn out to be artificial intelligence. AI has the potential to transform air combat operations and the way airpower is conceived and used.

India Orders 83 Improved Tejas Fighter Jets-More Evolutions May Follow

02/06/2021

At a ceremony at Yelahanka airbase in Bangalore this Wednesday, Indian aircraft manufacturer Hindustan Aerospace Limited (HAL) signed onto a $6.58 billion agreement to deliver 73 new Tejas Mark 1A Light Combat Aircraft jets and 10 Tejas Mark 1 two-seat training jets to the Indian Air Force.

F-22 Raptor gets major upgrades courtesy of Hill AFB’s 574th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron

02/05/2021

The 5th-generation F-22 Raptor has been one of the world’s most dominant fighter aircraft since entering service and has defined what air dominance means to the U.S. Air Force. To ensure that it remains relevant for years to come, the Ogden Air Logistics Complex’s 574th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron, through collaborative efforts of the F-22 System Program Office along with partners Lockheed Martin and Boeing.