Special Purpose

Military Aviation News Archive

Two Chinese military aircraft intrude into Taiwan’s ADIZ

01/16/2021

Two Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Thursday (Jan. 14), marking the 11th such intrusion this month. A People’s Liberation Army Air Force Y-8 reconnaissance aircraft and a Y-8 electronic warfare plane flew into the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, the Taiwanese military scrambled fighter jets, broadcast radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to monitor the tw

Aviano F-16s Practice ‘All-Domain Targeting’ Near Black Sea

01/16/2021

F-16 fighter jets from the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy, practiced combat cooperation with the Romanian Air Force while conducting “all-domain targeting operations” in a Jan. 14 bilateral exercise in the Black Sea region, according to a U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa release.

How British Tornados Used A Special Weapon To Ravage Saddam’s Airfields In Daring Desert Storm Raids

01/16/2021

“With just a few seconds to run to the target, we got a red autopilot caption and the Tornado yawed violently after a massive bang on the left-hand side. I shouted to Paul, “We’ve been hit, we’ve been hit,” and he came back, “mark is good, continue.” So I stuffed the nose down, and re-engaged the terrain-following radar [TFR] — we were right at the point of weapon release. As we flew into a wall of tracer fire, Paul said “Committing.” I already had my “commit” button depressed

Lockheed Martin and F-35 JPO sign LANCE contract for UK’s Lightning fleet

01/16/2021

Lockheed Martin and the F-35 Joint Program Office (JPO) have signed the Lightning Air System National Availability Enterprise (LANCE) contract to support the UK’s Lightning fleet. The aircraft support contract is valued at approximately £76m ($101m) and will ensure and enhance the UK F-35 fleet’s availability and capability to conduct combat missions worldwide.

Indian Government Approves More Light Combat Aircraft

01/16/2021

India’s Cabinet Committee on Security—chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi—met on January 13 to approve the purchase of the Mk1A version of the Tejas Light Combat Aircraft (LCA) for the Indian Air Force (IAF). Funding of Rs 45.696 Crore ($6.4 billion) covers the acquisition of 73 LCA Mk1A single-seaters and 10 LCA-T Mk1A two-seaters. An amount of Rs 1,202 Crore was also approved for the design and development of associated infrastructure. Mk1A production is slated to start in 2022.

Agile Combat Employment: the future of the 48th Fighter Wing

01/15/2021

The 492nd Fighter Squadron completed a three-day Agile Combat Employment exercise at Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Jan. 13, 2020. Four F-15E Strike Eagles and a 14-Airmen maintenance team with limited support equipment participated in a simulated deployment to a forward-operating base on the north side of the RAF Lakenheath airfield. Airmen and aircrew underwent cross-discipline training, learning new skill sets from their peers in other career fields.

Boeing Wins $1.7B Deal to Support KC-46 Aircraft Program

01/15/2021

The Boeing Company recently won a modification contract involving the production of KC-46 aircraft. The deal was awarded by the Air Force Life Cycle Management Center, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, OH. Valued at $1.69 billion, the contract is scheduled to be completed by Apr 30, 2023. Through the latest contract modification, Boeing will offer 12 KC-46 aircraft, data, subscriptions and licenses, and G081 flat file in addition to those being produced under the basic contract.

The Gripen Aims to Be the iPhone of Fighter Aircraft

01/15/2021

Johan Segertoft, head of the Gripen E program at the Swedish aerospace company Saab, speaks about the new E version in terms that might seem more suited to computers than to military hardware: He talks about software upgrades and data layers, coding and multicore processors. “Our job is to let the pilot make decisions faster than the other pilot,” Segertoft says, and, over the years, Gripen pilots have out-maneuvered a few other hotshot fighters in international exercises.

Govt clears purchase of 83 indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft

01/14/2021

Clearing the way for inducting another four squadrons of the indigenous Tejas light combat aircraft (LCA) into the Indian Air Force (IAF), the Union Cabinet, under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, sanctioned the procurement of 83 fighters on Wednesday.

Syria war: Suspected Israeli strikes on Iran-linked targets 'kill dozens'

01/13/2021

The Syrian state news agency Sana said Israeli aircraft attacked the eastern Deir al-Zour and Albu Kamal regions. It did not mention any casualties, but the UK-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said nine Syrian soldiers and 31 militia fighters were killed.

Israel attacks expose Syrian air defense weakness

01/13/2021

Israel has repeatedly bombed positions within Syrian territory amid Syrian air defenses’ failure to intercept, respond, or stop its missiles, which targeted military posts and bases for the Syrian regime, the Lebanese Hezbollah, Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC), and local and foreign militias.

Boeing Awarded Contract for 12 More KC-46 Tankers

01/13/2021

This week the U.S. Air Force awarded Boeing [NYSE: BA] a $1.7 billion contract for 12 KC-46A tanker aircraft. With this sixth production lot, Boeing is now on contract for 79 KC-46A tankers. The company delivered the first KC-46A to the Air Force in January 2019. Since then, Boeing has delivered 42 tankers to four different bases. The next-generation KC-46 brings new capabilities and operational flexibility to the U.S. Air Force and international customers.

Three Chinese military planes enter Taiwan's ADIZ

01/13/2021

Three Chinese military aircraft entered the southwest corner of Taiwan's air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Tuesday, according to Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense (MND). The planes involved were a Y-8 anti-submarine aircraft, a Y-8 electronic warfare plane and a Y-8 tactical reconnaissance plane, the ministry said.

BAE Systems to Support U.S. AV-8B Harrier II Fleet to 2029

01/13/2021

BAE Systems and Vertex Aerospace have signed a nine-year agreement to enhance availability of the U.S. Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier II fleet, the company said in a Jan. 12 release. The U.S. Department of the Navy awarded Vertex Aerospace LLC the $123 million contracted maintenance, modification, aircrew and related services (CMMARS) task order in July 2020 to provide aircraft maintenance and contractor logistics support services for the U.S. Marine Corps’ AV-8B Harrier fleet.

Chinese military reconnaissance plane enters Taiwan’s ADIZ

01/12/2021

A Chinese military aircraft entered Taiwan’s air defense identification zone (ADIZ) on Monday (Jan. 11), marking the 8th such intrusion this month. A People’s Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) Shaanxi Y-8 reconnaissance aircraft entered the southwest corner of Taiwan’s ADIZ, according to the Ministry of National Defense (MND). In response, the Taiwanese military scrambled fighter jets, issued radio warnings, and deployed air defense missile systems to track the plane.

Does Japan Need to Develop a New Fighter Aircraft?

01/12/2021

The Japanese archipelago lies in a volatile region rife with historical tensions and territorial disputes. China’s defense spending has increased at a double-digit rate annually for much of the past three decades. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) has drastically modernized its air capabilities with development of the J-20 fighter and the upcoming FC-31, and has demonstrated consistently assertive behavior, including airspace violations and military buildups in the South China Sea.

UK Backs Turkey’s Fifth-Generation TF-X Stealth Fighter Project Amid Tensions With Greece – Greek Media

01/12/2021

Reports suggest, Britain, after its exit from the European Union, is seeking to claim its role in world affairs. It is now supporting Ankara’s efforts of building the TF-X fighter, which is likely to pose a threat to its Mediterranean neighbor Greece. The situation in the eastern Mediterranean has been tense with Turkey and Greece involved in a dispute over energy exploration rights and maritime boundaries in the area.

Russia’s modernized air force is smaller but more capable — Here’s what it’s procuring next

01/12/2021

Twelve years after Moscow began a major modernization campaign for its armed forces, a new report published by the Center for Naval Analysis highlights the improved capability of the Russian Aerospace Forces (VKS) and naval aviation. According to the report’s author, analyst Leonid Nersisyan, between 2009 and 2020 Russia’s armed forces received roughly 460 brand-new fixed-wing combat aircraft, 110 Yak-130 jet trainers and 360 attack helicopters.

Daily Low Flying Israeli Jets Over Lebanon Spreading Jitters

01/11/2021

Israeli military jets carried out several low flying flights over Beirut as reconnaissance drones also buzzed overhead Sunday in what has become a daily occurrence. Israel regularly violates Lebanon airspace, often to carry out strikes in neighboring Syria. On Christmas Eve, Israeli jets flew low late into the night, terrorizing Beirut residents who are no strangers to such flights. They were followed by reported Israeli strikes in Syria.

F-35B STOVL fighter conduct flight operations from US Navy USS America LHA 6 amphibious assault ship

01/11/2021

US Navy USS America, the lead ship of the America Amphibious Ready Group, along with the 31st MEU, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and stability in the Indo-Pacific region.

Russian Navy arms its MiG-31 fighters with Kh-47M hypersonic missiles

01/11/2021

According to the report, the 98th mixed regiment as part of the Northern Fleet on the Kola Peninsula and the 317th Pacific Regiment in Kamchatkawil, receive the new version of Long-range MiG-31 fighters with K index that will be armed with Kinzhal hypersonic missile. The Kinzhal is the latest Russian air-launched system that consists of a MiG-31K combat aircraft as a delivery vehicle and a Kh-47M hypersonic missile.

China wants to modify the engines on its J-20 stealth fighter to match the US's F-22

01/11/2021

China will cease using the Russian engine currently fitted on China's new generation J-20 stealth fighter jet, replacing it with an upgraded home-grown engine. A military insider told the South China Morning Post Chinese aircraft engineers found their domestically built WS-10C, the modified version of the WS-10 engine, to be as good as the Russian AL-31F engines.

U.S. Army discloses ways to protect Army aircraft from missiles

01/10/2021

On 7 January, the Picatinny Arsenal press release said that the U.S. Army strives to increase aircraft survivability through the design, development and production support of countermeasures such as decoys, chaff, and flares that divert enemy missiles.

The United Kingdom’s F-35 Jets are About to Become Even More Deadly

01/10/2021

The United Kingdom’s F-35s will be equipped with a small but powerful new surface-to-ground missile in the near future: the Spear 3 missile, manufactured by MBDA, a European arms manufacturer, stands for Selective Precision Effects At Range and hints at the missile’s unique capabilities.

China To Power Its J-20 Stealth Fighter Jets With Home-Grown Tech; Dumps Russian AL-31F Engines

01/10/2021

According to a military insider, Chinese aircraft engineers found the indigenously built WS-10C engines to be as capable as the Russian-made AL-31F ones. The Chengdu J-20 stealth fighter is a single-seat, twinjet, all-weather multirole fighter, which currently stands as the most advanced indigenously built aircraft in the ranks of the Chinese military.