Special Mission

IAI’s combat-proven Conformal Airborne Early Warning and Control (CAEW) aircraft have a proven record performing missions better than the bigger legacy airborne warning and control (AWACS) such as the E-3, for longer durations, at a much lower cost.

Models of India's future hope for indigenous airpower: Ghatak stealth combat UAV and Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA) on display at DEFEXPO 2018. Other models included Airborne Early Warning (AEW) platforms and the Advanced Air Defence missile, part of India's strategic missile defense network, can be seen in the background.

The Mexican military and security forces are fielding an integrated network of intelligence gathering, surveillance and response capabilities designed to bolster homeland security and combat narco-trafficking.

The U.S. Navy has entered the final phase of development of the Next Generation Jammer (NGJ) pod that will replace the ALQ-99 that has been in use since the Vietnam War. The new electronic attack pod matches advanced electronic-attack technology that combines high-powered, agile, beam-jamming techniques with cutting-edge, solid-state electronics.

The US Air Force Special Operations Command is planning to use air-launched drones to enable Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) AC-130 aerial gunships and MQ-9 Reaper drones to operate in all weather conditions, particularly above the clouds.

The US Air Force's new aerial refueler, KC-46A Pegasus successfully transferred fuel through its boom to an F-16C Fighting Falcon fighter. Flight tests employing the centerline drogue system and wing aerial refueling pods will evaluate refueling of A-10, C-17 and F/A-18 and AV-8B and receiving fuel from KC-10. Shortly after the tests the program will proceeding to the Milestone C decision and Low Rate Initial Production, bringing the aircraft to initial operational status by August 2017.

The Scorpion reconnaissance and attack aircraft displayed at the Paris Air Show this week is currently on its second European tour, visiting mainland Europe and the UK. Seeking international customers Textron offers the Scorpion at a cost of business aircraft - 'below $20 million per aircraft', and at a flight-hour cost of $3,000 – about 10 – 20 percent of the acquisition and operating costs of modern combat aircraft or advanced trainers.

Two industry groups are proposing business aircraft platforms as an alternative for the US Air Force JSTARS replacement. The Air Force is planning to retire the existing Boeing 707-based E-8Cs from 2025-2026 and is expecting to have at least four of the new planes in production by 2023.

A superficial look at the 51st Salon la Bourget may give the impression that this year's Air Show is all about civil and commercial aviation. Take a closer look at the aisles and the static park, look under the wings or below some innocent looking planes, and you will realize that military aerospace is still 'in.'

New helmet sights to be introduced on U.S. Air Force AC-130W Stinger II gunships in the next two years will improve situational awareness and responsiveness, and enable their pilots to better support ground forces and employ precision weapons from a safe distance. The upgrade is part of a system integration that also includes the re-installation of 105mm gun and...

A new milestone in the history of unmanned aircraft was made yesterday, as 'Salty Dog 502' X-47B, the first drone designed to operate from US Navy carriers linked to adrogue of an Omega tanker off the coast of Maryland.

Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) is introducing a new maritime surveillance, and anti-submarine and anti-surface warfare aircraft at Aero India 2015. The platform is based on a specially modified Bombardier Global 5000 business jet, configured with the new generation ELI-3360 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA) system.

French Rafale jet fighters struck a suspected Islamic State target in Iraq for the first time yesterday, (Friday, Sept. 19) expanding a U.S.-led military campaign against ISIS. The French Rafales hit "a logistics depot of the terrorists" near the city of Mosul.