DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ A Swedish-made fighter jet could tip the scales against Russia in Ukraine, but it might not get there any time soon
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-05 | by ( Sebastien Roblin | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +16 min

Ukraine's air force remains in the fight almost a year after Russia's shambolic invasion. Sooner or later, Ukraine must induct new jet fighters into service — and they sure aren't buying them from Russia. JAS-39 Gripen: background and capabilitiesA Swedish JAS 39 Gripen at Bobo, Norway in October 2018. A Hungarian Air Force JAS-39 Gripen in August 2010. JAS-39 Gripen vs. F-16A US Air Force F-16 takes off from Aviano Air Base in Italy in June 2020.

☆ 3 spy aircraft that were also 'weather balloons'
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-04 | by ( Blake Stilwell | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

China has said that it is a weather balloon that has gone off-course. It wouldn't be the first time that a spy balloon has been described as a weather balloon. China is probably just taking a page out of the US government 1960s-era cover-up playbook that we'll call: The ol' "Weather Balloon Dodge." Thomson ReutersThere's a reason the Department of Defense believes China's weather balloon is actually a reconnaissance balloon: The DoD is developing reconnaissance balloons of its own. If any of the massive balloons get forced down, they'd just be another weather balloon, which the National Weather Service still uses.

☆ Factbox: High-altitude spy balloons: old concept, new applications
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Using high-altitude balloons for spying and other military missions is a practice that dates to the middle of the last century. No military targets were damaged, but several civilians were killed when one of the balloons crashed in an Oregon forest. * Just after World War 2, the U.S. military started exploring the use of high-altitude spy balloons, which led to a large-scale series of missions called Project Genetrix. * Such balloons typically operate at 80,000-120,000 feet (24,000-37,000m), well above where commercial air traffic flies - airliners almost never fly higher than 40,000 feet. * The U.S. military has tracked other spy balloons in recent years, including before President Joe Biden's administration, according to a senior U.S. defense official.

☆ Shooting down a suspected Chinese spy balloon could be a lot harder than it sounds, former Navy pilot says
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-03 | by ( Natalie Musumeci | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

Shooting down the suspected Chinese spy balloon is harder than it seems, a former Navy pilot told Insider. The military said there were also concerns that shooting the balloon down could result in safety risks from falling debris. Still, some have urged that the Chinese balloon be shot down, despite the risks. Yu said that the US has the "capability" to shoot down the balloon, but doesn't have "the will." The Pentagon, however, has insisted it is a surveillance balloon, but there are no immediate plans to shoot it down.

☆ China says it's sending its junior air force pilots to keep an eye on increasing activity by US spy planes
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-17 | by ( Minnie Chan | South China Morning Post | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Chinese pilots fresh out of training are being deployed to respond to flights by foreign jets. Without giving details about the foreign aircraft, it said the intensive training programme pushed junior pilots to master practical air confrontation skills and countermeasures within a short time. Chinese fighter pilots during combat exercises around Taiwan in August 2022. "I received radar warnings from foreign aircraft soon after heading to the scene, meaning my aircraft was targeted [by air-to-air missiles]." In 2021, large US reconnaissance aircraft conducted around 1,200 close-in spying flights over the South China Sea, the think tank said in a report in March.

☆ The US Air Force's newest fighter jet just showed off a new way to fire missiles
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-15 | by ( Stefano D'Urso | The Aviationist | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

In November, F-15EX fighter jets fired missiles from their new weapon stations for the first time. The new outer wing weapon stations increase the F-15EX's payload over that of its predecessor. This Operational Flight Program Combined Test Force mission was the first Air Force test flight to validate the weapons could be fired effectively and safely from those stations. Now, the new pylons are equipped with two LAU-128 missile rails each, adding four missile stations to the payload. An F-15EX takes flight for the first time out of Eglin Air Force Base in April 2021.

☆ Ongoing headaches with F-35 fighter jets are rippling through the rest of the US military's combat aircraft fleet
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-12 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

US Air Force maintainers work on an F-35A at Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada in February 2020. Nial BradshawRussia's air force has been mocked for poor maintenance that has undercut its airpower in the Ukraine war. Particularly troubling was a November 2022 GAO study that analyzed readiness of 49 US military aircraft models between 2011 and 2021. A reassembled F-35A is hoisted during a training course at Hill Air Force Base in September 2022. The Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps together plan to spend $20.2 billion a year for tactical aircraft development and procurement between now and 2027.

[1/4] Taiwan's Air Force's Mirage 2000-5 aircraft is seen at Hsinchu Air Base, in Hsinchu, Taiwan, January 11, 2023. REUTERS/Ann WangHSINCHU, Taiwan, Jan 11 (Reuters) - A Taiwan air force officer revealed details on Wednesday of a rare interaction between the island's military and NATO, describing how he had attended a six month academic programme with senior officials in Italy. Speaking to reporters on a trip to the Hsinchu air base in northern Taiwan, air force Lieutenant Colonel Wu Bong-yeng said he had attended a six month course at the NATO Defence College in Rome in 2021, returning to Taiwan in January last year. Taiwan's defence ministry told Reuters that Wu was not the first officer it had sent to the defence college. In August, China staged large-scale war games around Taiwan to express anger at then-U.S. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visiting Taipei.

☆ The new F-15EX took a 'major step' closer to carrying more air-to-air missiles than all other US Air Force fighters in testing
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-06 | by ( Jake Epstein | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

The newest Air Force fighter jet recently conducted a successful missile test. The test was a big step for the F-15EX Eagle II, a new aircraft slated to replace aging F-15s. As Defense News reported, the F-15EX Eagle II will also carry more missiles than the other fighter jets in the Air Force's inventory. The advanced F-15EX Eagle II is a two-seater aircraft capable of carrying up to 30,000 pounds of missiles and munitions. Following the recent test, the Air Force said that after testing wraps up, operational units will receive F-15EX fighters able to carry a full load of 12 missiles.

☆ Only 3 countries have managed to build 5th-generation fighters, but nearly a dozen are already working on 6th-gen jets
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-03 | by ( Benjamin Brimelow | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +12 min

(The recently unveiled B-21 bomber is billed as the world's first sixth-gen aircraft, but little is known about its capabilities.) Lockheed Martin, Northrup Grumman, and Boeing are believed to be competing to build the jets, and all have released illustrations of sixth-gen aircraft. FCAS/SCAFA full-scale model of the Future Combat Air System at the Paris Air Show in June 2019. An illustration of Japan's next-generation fighter aircraft concept. While China is making heavy investment in military aviation, Russia's ability to develop next-generation jets may be shrinking.

☆ Prolonged fighting in Ukraine is revealing the Russian air force's fragility, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-01 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Other decisions by Russian commanders are setting the air force up for future problems. Another sign of poor discipline is the habit of stacking munitions next to aircraft parked at Russian air bases. RUSI believes they have "corresponded with a significant reduction in the scale and complexity of VKS air operations over Ukraine since the beginning of the conflict." Mihail Siergiejevicz/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesStill more ominous are the implications for future Russian air operations over Ukraine. Russia needs to maintain a flow of properly trained pilots, as well as competent and disciplined ground crews.

☆ The US military is planning for a 'transformative' year in Asia as tensions with China continue to rise
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-27 | by ( Christopher Woody | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +8 min

Amid rising tensions with China, the US military has sought to bolster its presence in Asia. US forces there may see the "most transformative year" in a generation in 2023, a US official said. Major changes to the US military presence in Asia face logistical and political hurdles, however. Other countries have sought more training with the US military or, in the case of Palau, to host US forces. There are opportunities for the US "to expand its access and deepen relationships" in both Northeast and Southeast Asia, said Thompson, a former US Defense Department official, but US leaders will have to reckon with the limits of those partnerships, especially in Southeast Asia.

☆ Santa Claus undaunted by arctic blast, U.S. military says
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-24 | by ( Keith Coffman | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] The Royal Canadian Air Force's 22 Wing holds it’s annual NORAD Tracks Santa promotion at Canadian Forces Base (CFB) North Bay in North Bay, Ontario, Canada December 9, 2021. Corporal Rob Ouellette/Canadian Forces/Handout via REUTERSDENVER, Dec 24 (Reuters) - U.S. military officials have assured anxious children the arctic blast and snowstorm that wreaked havoc on U.S. airline traffic this week will not prevent Santa Claus from making his annual Christmas Eve flight. The Santa tracker tradition originated from a 1955 misprint in a Colorado Springs newspaper of the telephone number of a department store for children to call and speak with Santa. U.S. and Canadian fighter jet pilots provide a courtesy escort for him over North America, and Santa slows down to wave to them, he added. Reporting by Keith Coffman in Denver; Editing by Steve Gorman and Philippa FletcherOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ Russian fighter jets are struggling in Ukraine, but Ukraine can't beat their missiles and radars, researchers say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Russian air force's lackluster performance in Ukraine has been scrutinized throughout the war. Despite its failings over Ukraine, Russia's air force still has advanced jets and missiles. Russian pilots have modified their operations in order to make the most of those advantages. But that doesn't mean that the Russian air force is stupid. Yuri Smityuk\TASS via Getty ImagesDespite initial fears that they would be smashed by Russian missiles and jets, Ukrainian air defenses have had a major impact.

☆ The F-22 is headed for retirement, but it's getting some major upgrades first
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-19 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

That means the Raptor will be need some upgrades in order to maintain its aerial advantage. Among them were new stealthy underwing fuel tanks and associated pylons, missiles, and what could be new electronic warfare or infrared search-and-track (IRST) pods. Today, the Raptor has 600-gallon fuel tanks it can carry underwing, but these tanks reduce its observability to a degree. The new fuel tanks intended for the F-22 are meant to offset some of that reduction. An F-22 Raptor over McEntire Joint National Guard Base in November 2017.

Share Share Article via Facebook Share Article via Twitter Share Article via LinkedIn Share Article via EmailThe Air Force's new stealth bomberThe Northrop Grumman B-21 Raider is the Air Force's new stealth bomber. Slated to begin flight tests in 2023, the secretive aircraft was revealed to the public in December 2022. Capable of nuclear and conventional missions, the Air Force plans to use the B-21 to replace an aging bomber force over the coming decades.

☆ What's the deal with the new B-21 bomber's weird windshield?
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-15 | by ( Alex Hollings | Sandboxx News | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +4 min

Few of the new B-21 bomber's features have gotten as much attention as its unusual windshield. What's the deal with the B-21 Raider's windscreens? US Air ForceThe B-21 Raider's unusual windscreen layout has been the subject of lots of discussions, but there has been very little in the way of formal statements regarding it. The unusual shape of the B-21 Raider's front two windscreens seems to prioritize visibility directly ahead and above the aircraft most of all. Glass windscreens and cockpits can have a pronounced effect on an aircraft's radar return.

☆ US pilots are testing the aging A-10 Warthog for a new kind of mission against more advanced enemies
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-14 | by ( Michael Peck | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

A US Air Force crew chief prepares to launch an A-10 for Green Flag-West in California on November 9. Samara TaylorFor years, the Air Force has sought to scrap the Warthog, believing the aging plane might not survive against modern Russian and Chinese air defenses. (Congress finally relented this month, allowing the Air Force to begin retiring A-10s in the coming year.) Since 1981, the Air Force has used the exercise to train to provide air support to Army units. US Air Force Capt.

☆ After years of arguing, Congress is finally letting the US Air Force send some A-10 Warthogs to the boneyard
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-12 | by ( Thomas Novelly | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The defense policy bill for 2023 will allow the US Air Force to retire 21 A-10 Warthogs. The Air Force has wanted to get rid A-10s for years, but Congress has blocked it from doing so. The Air Force has another 260 A-10s in service, but lawmakers may be more open to scrapping them. That Air National Guard wing previously flew earlier models of the F-16 until they were replaced — to much fanfare — with the Warthog back in 2010. Airmen reconfigure weapons on an A-10 during an exercise at MacDill Air Force Base in Florida in November 2019.

☆ U.S. to boost Taiwan's stretched air force with $428 mln in spare parts
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-07 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Taiwan's air force is well-equipped but ageing, and is dwarfed by that of China's. The Pentagon, in two statements late Tuesday, said the parts would support Taiwan's F-16s, Indigenous Defence Fighter jets and all other aircraft and systems or subsystems of U.S. origin. Taiwan's Defence Ministry said on Wednesday the sale was expected to "take effect" within one month, and offered its thanks. Taiwan's presidential office, noting this was the seventh arms sale approved by the Biden administration, said the latest approval would enhance Taiwan's combat power. China has repeatedly demanded the United States stop selling weapons to Taiwan and has put sanctions on U.S. arms manufacturers.

[1/10] Chiang Chung-hao, 34, the lead singer of Taiwan's Air Force "Tiger Band" gets ready for flight check at Chihhang Air Base in Taitung, Taiwan, November 16, 2022. REUTERS/Ann WangTAITUNG, Taiwan, Dec 6 (Reuters) - Taiwan's air force may be on the front lines of defending against China's daily incursions into the skies near the democratically governed island, but for downtime and to boost morale they have a secret weapon - their own band. Started in 2018, the Taiwan air force's "Tiger Band" is made up of fighter pilots, ground crews and other personnel at the Chihhang air base in Taitung on Taiwan's mountainous and scenic east coast, singing soft rock ballads with an indigenous twist. China, which views Taiwan as its own territory, has stepped up military pressure to assert its sovereignty claims, including staging war games near the island in August. Band member Kao Tzu-yu, 32, who was inspired to become a fighter pilot after seeing Taiwan's air force's acrobatic team the Thunder Tigers perform, trains new pilots by simulating enemy tactics.

☆ Neither Russia nor Ukraine can control the air over Ukrainian battlefields, but their aircraft are still finding ways to operate
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The Russian air force's performance in Ukraine has fallen well short of expectations before the war. Neither the Russia air force nor Ukrainian forces can control the skies over Ukraine, however. But Russian aircraft have never able to achieve air superiority over Ukraine. Right now, neither military can control the airspace over Ukraine, but pilots from both sides are still finding ways to operate. In Ukraine, Russian and Ukrainian aircraft often have to fire blindly or with only cursory attempts to aim at enemy targets before ducking down or veering off to avoid incoming fire.

☆ Pentagon debuts its new stealth bomber, the B-21 Raider
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-03 | by ( ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

The B-21 Raider is the first new American bomber aircraft in more than 30 years. Both the Air Force and Northrop also point to the Raider's relatively quick development: The bomber went from contract award to debut in seven years. And we will build the bomber force in numbers suited to the strategic environment ahead," Austin said. The B-21 Raider, which takes its name from the 1942 Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, will be slightly smaller than the B-2 to increase its range, Warden said. Northrop Grumman has also incorporated maintenance lessons learned from the B-2, Warden said.

☆ Caught in 'the green beam': How US Air Force gunship crews let a target know they have it in their sights
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-02 | by ( Stavros Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

The US Air Force's AC-130 gunship has a reputation for delivering firepower to the battlefield. The green beamAn AC-130J crew identifies a target with green light during an exercise in Florida in May. Ridge ShanWhile discussing the performance of Air Force special-operations crews during the Kabul evacuation, Slife referred to a targeting technology that Air Commandos use and affectionally call "the green beam." AC-130 crews use the green beam — which Slife called a "giant green laser pointer" — both to point things out to friendly forces and to deter adversaries by letting them know that they're in the gunship's sights. Hitting something is not as simple as seeing it, since gravity, elevation, speed, and atmospheric conditions affect the trajectory of the AC-130's artillery and cannon fire, but having those aids is still invaluable for gunship crews.

☆ An often overlooked Swedish fighter may be the jet Ukraine needs to take on Russia now, experts say
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-01 | by ( Constantine Atlamazoglou | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +7 min

The Saab JAS 39 Gripen fighter jet has earned high marks for its capabilities and affordability. But buyers have often passed on the Gripen in favor of other jets, including the US-made F-35. A Saab JAS 39C Gripen jet during an air show in June 2011. US Air Force F-16s with Swedish air force JAS 39 Gripens over the Baltic Sea during an exercise in June 2018. A new Brazilian Air Force F-39E Gripen at an air base in Brasilia in October 2020.

Search resuls for: "Air Force's"

25 mentions found