Aviation 2024, April

The first flight of an aircraft on a leash, October 12, 1962 In the fifties, the Air Force and the French aviation industry were looking for new ways to increase the combat effectiveness and combat stability of tactical aviation. The most interesting and promising direction of development was considered the creation of aircraft

There is a saying that the best is the enemy of the good. It should have been made the slogan of ordering structures of the Ministry of Defense. It makes sense, however, to consider this principle using a negative example from Soviet practice. Continuing the topic raised earlier in the article “Aircraft-carrying cruisers and Yak-38:

Probably, before starting the story about the Polikarpov I-185 fighter, you should immediately admit that this story will not work out for me impassive and objective. Alas, I can’t do anything about it, because Nikolai Nikolaevich Polikarpov is more than just a designer for me. So

"Wolf-18" in flight, the launcher compartment is open. graphics "Almaz-Antey" In 2019, the Russian industry presented the first domestic unmanned aerial vehicle of the helicopter type, designed to intercept small targets. According to the latest reports

DARPA LongShot Skin To expand the combat capabilities of fighter aircraft, it is proposed to create a medium unmanned aerial vehicle capable of carrying guided weapons

The Ka-29s look beautiful. But not commercially available. Sub-optimal and inconvenient for the landing. And they were built back in the USSR. But Russia has nothing else. Currently, four landing ships are under construction in the Russian Federation. A couple of ships of the improved project 11711 with increased displacement

The first flight of the prototype F-15QA, April 2020 Photo by Boeing In the foreseeable future, this aircraft will be brought to mass production, as a result of which the Qatari Air Force will become

The fifth generation is faced with quite obvious difficulties inherent in any new technology. Bringing these machines to a fully operational state can take years. Thus, now, as at the end of the century, the basis of the power of the Air Force (even if we are talking about the leading Western countries) are

Source: Aeronautica Militare1. The main stages of AWACS development The main problem arising in the design of AWACS is that (in order to obtain large target detection ranges), the radar must have an antenna of a large area, and, as a rule, there is nowhere to place it on board

So, as reported by the news media of the relevant focus, the first single-engine turboprop lightweight reconnaissance aircraft Beechcraft AT-6E "Wolverine" was adopted by the US Air Force and, one might say, took up a combat post. What can you say here? (exactly

B-50 helicopter model, photo: thedrive.com An unusual helicopter with an unconventional longitudinal propeller layout for the design bureau was planned

On November 13, 2020, as part of a national defense conference, which was organized by the Brazilian Ministry of Defense, the Air Force of this Latin American country presented the concept of a future light military transport aircraft, known as STOUT. New aircraft, main feature

UAV NASA / AeroVironment in flight, 1997. Photo by NASA Further growth of key parameters can be provided by using solar

Challenges and Priorities The Eurocopter Tiger is a landmark vehicle in every sense. This is the first pan-European attack helicopter. And one of the most ambitious military programs of a conditionally united Europe. Despite the formal success, it once again showed how small the market really is

Warheads BLU-109 / B as part of bombs. Photo by US Air Force One of the characteristic targets for tactical aviation is a variety of protected and buried structures for various purposes. To defeat such targets, aircraft require special weapons - penetrating bombs or concrete-piercing bombs

The NH90 NFH helicopter of the Netherlands naval aviation The European consortium NH Industries continues the serial production of multi-purpose helicopters of the NH90 family. Machines of various modifications are regularly handed over to one or another customer. The deck version of the helicopter, the NH90, enjoys a certain popularity

The A3D-1 serial bomber from the VAH-3 squadron lands on the USS Saratoga (CVA-60) aircraft carrier, 1957 In 1956, the US Navy entered service with the first ever long-range strategic deck bomber, the Douglas A3D Skywarrior. This machine could deliver nuclear weapons to

The most hated for the Germans Probably, if someone during the Second World War organized a poll in Germany on the topic "Which plane is the most hated for the Germans", our today's hero would definitely get one of the prizes. If the Americans flew mainly during the day, then the British pilots

On November 11, the Israel Air Force Flight Test Center received its first F-35I Adir fighter in a flying laboratory configuration. This machine differs from the technology for combat units of the Air Force and is designed for various experiments and tests. Receiving such an aircraft is expected

Let no one be confused by the link to Forbes, the author is well known to us. This is Sebastien Roblin from The National Interest, so it's okay. For some reason, Sebastien decided to change the platform and publish on the pages of Forbes, which, it turns out, has in the section

America is watching with bated breath the aftermath of the presidential election. One thing is for sure: whoever the Stars and Stripes leader is likely to have no impact on key defense programs. The only exception is a full-fledged civil war. However, the likelihood of this, despite

Attack aircraft Q-5. The original version of the development of the MiG-19. Photo by Wikimedia Commons The Air Force of the People's Liberation Army of China has a large amount of Chinese-made aircraft. However, a significant part of self-assembled combat aircraft suspiciously resembles

A very interesting car. Continuous contradictions. The Anson was not meant to be a combat aircraft. But that was completely normal in those years. It did not have outstanding flight characteristics. It did not have a good range. Armament was not the aircraft's forte. Many experts

Vanished from History Indeed, it would have been better if Armstrong-Whitworth had lost the competition. There would not be this nightmare and headache - the search for a place where their offspring can be adapted. From 1937 to 1945, during the entire Second World War, "Wheatley" was a bomber (not for long, thank God), night

Source: facebook.com / Shushan Stepanyan The article "Unmanned Swarms Preparing for Battle" aroused great interest. However, only a few questions were raised in it. A comprehensive consideration of the topic requires the disclosure of the problems of countering air defense ꟷ UAVs, as well as the organization of R&D

Error and improvisation are the engines of progress. For it is in the wilds of mistakes that sometimes there is something that then lives on for long and long times. Well, who thought of drinking sour grape juice 10 thousand years ago? And that's how it turned out … Who was the first to build an asymmetric aircraft, we

In November 2018, a new TALIOS suspended container manufactured by the Thales group of companies was adopted by the French Aerospace Forces. Currently, supplies of serial products are underway, and combat units are mastering them. At the end of October, the Aerospace Forces announced new successes in this direction

Upgraded rocket "Vikhr-1". Photo Concern "Kalashnikov" New types of weapons of different classes are being developed for the front-line and army aviation of the Russian armed forces. In recent months, the topic of news has repeatedly become missiles of new types, which are

Rocket launch as seen by the artist. Drawing Designation-systems.net In the 1980s, the United States Air Force took a particular interest in promising stealth technology. New models of aviation equipment for various purposes were developed, and then the concept of inconspicuous weapons appeared. The first

Tu-160M "Igor Sikorsky" - the first carrier of serial NK-32-02. Photo by UAC The program of modernization and resumption of the construction of Tu-160M strategic missile-carrying bombers is underway. One of its key components is the project of the upgraded "second series" engine

The gray coating on the Model 401 Son of Ares with mysterious rhombuses on the fuselage does not allow the US military experts to sleep peacefully. Source: thedrive.com Child of Bert Rutan Scaled Composites is renowned for its avant-garde flying machines. Several years ago, the office surprised the world with a giant two-body

So, having burned himself on the PAK FA and having received a fighter of an indistinct generation and the same characteristics at an insane price, with its analogue in the form of the PAK DA program, the Supreme Commander-in-Chief decided not to rush. That is, PAK DA will be developed, of course, but … But Kazan has already been released into the sky

Comparison of the characteristics of the UAVs of the armies of Azerbaijan and Armenia from the IISS A characteristic feature of the current conflict in Nagorno-Karabakh is the widespread use of unmanned aerial vehicles of different classes. Such a technique is in service with both sides and is actively used to solve all

Stealth Continuity There are planes that need no introduction: the first American stealth is a prime example. He is the F-117. He is the "Night Hawk", or, as the US Air Force pilots also called the plane, Wobbly Goblin - Lame Goblin (which, of course, is difficult to consider as a compliment)

According to the current plans of the US Air Force, the Fairchild Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II attack aircraft will remain in service until 2030-35. To ensure that these aircraft can maintain high efficiency in line with the requirements of the time, various modernization options are offered. Update with designation

F-5EM fighters of one of the Air Force unitsIn the mid-seventies, the Brazilian Air Force received the first Northrop F-5 fighters of American production. In the future, new contracts took place, which made it possible to create a fairly large fleet of equipment. In recent decades, measures have been taken to

Here it is, the first American plane of Igor Sikorsky People in history. Not so long ago, "VO" published an article "Wings that we gave America", which told about Russian aviators who found a second home in the United States and became friends there for the benefit of this country. It told about many people

Fighter XF-85 under the lifting trapeze. Photo USAF In the late forties, the United States began work on the theme of "flying aircraft carriers" - large aircraft capable of carrying and launching light equipment. In the following decades, several projects of this kind were created, some of which even reached trials

The Sukhoi company has fully completed preliminary ground and flight work under the program of the advanced frontline aviation complex (PAK FA), also known as the 5th generation fighter

For the first time in the history of Russia, two Su-34 bombers perform an ultra-long-range non-stop flight along the Lipetsk-Komsomolsk-on-Amur route