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Tag: military helicopters

  • 10 killed after 2 Malaysian military helicopters collide during training session

    10 killed after 2 Malaysian military helicopters collide during training session

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    Two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, killing all 10 people on board, the navy said.The helicopters were rehearsing at a naval base in northern Perak state for the navy’s 90th anniversary celebration next month when the accident occurred, the navy said in a brief statement.“All victims were confirmed dead on site,” it said, adding that the remains have been sent to the hospital to be identified.A video circulating on social media purported to be of the incident showed several helicopters flying low in a formation. One of the helicopters veered sideways and clipped the rotor of another helicopter, causing both to plunge and crash.Seven crew members were aboard the AW139 maritime operation helicopter, the navy said. That aircraft is produced by AgustaWestland, which is a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Leonardo. Three other crew members were on a Fennec lightweight helicopter, manufactured by European multinational defense conglomerate Airbus.Local media reported that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex at the naval base, while the Fennec hit a nearby swimming pool.The navy said it will launch an investigation to determine what caused the accident.

    KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia —

    Two Malaysian military helicopters collided and crashed during a training session on Tuesday, killing all 10 people on board, the navy said.

    The helicopters were rehearsing at a naval base in northern Perak state for the navy’s 90th anniversary celebration next month when the accident occurred, the navy said in a brief statement.

    “All victims were confirmed dead on site,” it said, adding that the remains have been sent to the hospital to be identified.

    A video circulating on social media purported to be of the incident showed several helicopters flying low in a formation. One of the helicopters veered sideways and clipped the rotor of another helicopter, causing both to plunge and crash.

    Seven crew members were aboard the AW139 maritime operation helicopter, the navy said. That aircraft is produced by AgustaWestland, which is a subsidiary of the Italian defense contractor Leonardo. Three other crew members were on a Fennec lightweight helicopter, manufactured by European multinational defense conglomerate Airbus.

    Local media reported that the AW139 crashed at a sports complex at the naval base, while the Fennec hit a nearby swimming pool.

    The navy said it will launch an investigation to determine what caused the accident.

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  • ‘We don’t need your flying trash’: Misunderstanding scuttles transfer of 41 Australian Hornets to UA

    ‘We don’t need your flying trash’: Misunderstanding scuttles transfer of 41 Australian Hornets to UA

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    A senior Ukrainian Air Force official refused an offer from two Australians to receive 41 of the country’s decommissioned F/A-18 Hornet fighters, bluntly stating that “we do not need your flying trash,” reported the Australian Financial Review on Jan. 30.

    This statement effectively killed the deal, highlighting a stark misunderstanding between Australia and Ukraine amid Ukrainian pilots’ desperate attempts to evade Russian aircraft.

    Read also: Germany to provide Ukraine with military helicopters

    The incident occurred as Ukraine was navigating the challenges of avoiding Russian fighters, revealing a significant miscommunication between the two nations.

    Australia stands as the world’s seventh-largest military spender based on purchasing power, according to the Lowy Institute. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese claimed that Australia is among the top military aid donors to Ukraine outside NATO.

    Nevertheless, the relationship between two countries’ military has been strained by reluctance from Australian Defence Ministry to fulfill Ukraine’s requests for surplus equipment. This includes the MRH-90 Taipan helicopters, which were already being dismantled when Ukraine requested them in December.

    Unlike many other countries, Australia has chosen not to reopen its embassy in Kyiv, diminishing direct contact between the nations.

    Read also: Latvia to provide Ukraine with helicopters and howitzers in new aid package

    Ukraine’s government, including President Volodymyr Zelensky and his advisors, sends mixed signals about its military needs, complicating negotiations.

    The idea of Australia providing Hornet fighters was initially proposed in March last year, and by two months later, news emerged that the U.S. government was “favorably disposed” towards the transfer of the aircraft, which had been in service with the Royal Australian Air Force since 1984 and were retired in 2021.

    The Hornets, designed for aircraft carriers, have robust landing gears suitable for Ukraine’s war-damaged runways, enabling them to take off and land on short strips.

    Ukraine, however, began discussions with the U.S. and European governments for the less robust F-16 Fighting Falcons, fearing the logistical challenges of operating two types of foreign fighters simultaneously.

    The F/A-18 Hornet: an overview

    Reports surfaced on June 6 that Australia and the U.S. were discussing the transfer of 41 F/A-18 Hornets to Ukraine, to be replaced by the more modern F-35s. Dozens of old but serviceable F-18s would likely be available for export as Australia, Canada, Switzerland, and Finland transition to the F-35 fighters, Politico reported.

    Read also: Aviation expert unveils pros and cons of F/A-18 Hornets, potential benefits for Ukraine

    The F/A-18 Hornet, an American carrier-based multi-role fighter developed in the 1970s, serves as the primary combat aircraft of the U.S. Navy and is also operated by several European and Asian countries.

    It has been deployed in military operations against Libya, Iraq, and Yugoslavia.

    Classified as both a fighter and attack aircraft, the Hornet has been in service since 1983, with a combat radius of about 1000 km.

    It is capable of employing a wide range of armaments, including unguided Hydra 70 and Zuni rockets, air-to-air missiles like the AIM-120 AMRAAM and AIM-9 Sidewinder, air-to-ground missiles such as the AGM-88 HARM and Taurus, the AGM-84 Harpoon, unguided bombs like the Mark-80 series, CBU-87, and precision-guided munitions equipped with the JDAM system.

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    Read the original article on The New Voice of Ukraine

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  • 3 soldiers dead, 1 injured after Army Apache helicopters collide midair while returning from a training flight in Alaska | CNN

    3 soldiers dead, 1 injured after Army Apache helicopters collide midair while returning from a training flight in Alaska | CNN

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    CNN
     — 

    Three soldiers were killed and another was injured when two AH-64 Apache helicopters collided Thursday as they were flying back from a military training flight near Healy, Alaska, US Army officials said.

    Two of the soldiers died at the scene and the third died while being transported to a hospital, according to a release from the US Army’s 11th Airborne Division.

    The names of the deceased are being withheld until 24 hours after their families have been notified, the release said.

    The crash occurred about 100 miles south of Fort Wainwright, where the helicopters are based as part of the 1st Attack Battalion, 25th Aviation Regiment.

    “This is an incredible loss for these soldiers’ families, their fellow soldiers, and for the division,” Maj. Gen. Brian Eifler, commanding general of the 11th Airborne Division, said in the release. “Our hearts and prayers go out to their families, friends and loved ones, and we are making the full resources of the Army available to support them.”

    US Army officials said Friday that the surviving soldier is in stable condition at Fairbanks Memorial Hospital.

    The deadly collision comes less than a month after nine soldiers were killed when two HH-60 Black Hawk helicopters crashed during a nighttime training mission near Fort Campbell, Kentucky, the Army said. The cause of the crash is under investigation.

    “The Fort Wainwright community is one of the tightest military communities I’ve seen in my 32 years of service. I have no doubt they will pull together during this exceptional time of need and provide comfort to our families of our fallen,” Eifler added.

    Fort Wainwright’s Emergency Assistance Center is available to “provide support for families, friends and fellow soldiers of those involved in the crash,” the release said.

    The crash will be investigated by an Army Combat Readiness Center team, the release said.

    Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy took to Twitter on Friday to send “thoughts and prayers” to the soldiers involved in the incident.

    “My heart breaks for the family of the 3 soldiers who were killed. We pray for the injured soldier to be treated and return home safely,” he wrote.

    Correction: A previous version of this story misstated where the crash happened. It was near Healy, Alaska.

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  • Japanese military helicopter crashes in sea with 10 on board | CNN

    Japanese military helicopter crashes in sea with 10 on board | CNN

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    Tokyo
    CNN
     — 

    Rescuers are scanning waters off southern Japan for 10 people on board a Japanese military helicopter that apparently crashed into the sea on Thursday, Defense Minister Yasukazu Hamada said.

    “I will continue to do my best to collect information on the damage and search for human lives,” said Hamada, who looked visibly overcome with emotion when he spoke to reporters Friday.

    Gen. Yasunori Morishita, chief of staff of Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF), said searchers had found what appeared to be parts of the the UH-60JA helicopter in the sea and are continuing to scan the ocean for survivors.

    If no survivors are found, the crash would be Japan’s deadliest military aviation accident since 1995, according to a database maintained by the Aviation Safety Network.

    The missing troops include two pilots, two mechanics and six passengers, among them Lt. Gen. Yuichi Sakamoto, a senior GSDF commander, Morishita said.

    Sakamoto, commander of the 8th Division, had been newly appointed to his role on March 30, Japan’s public broadcaster NHK reported Friday.

    The helicopter – which was surveying the local area – went missing Thursday at 3:56 p.m. local time after disappearing from radar screens off the coast of Miyako Island in the southern Japanese prefecture of Okinawa, according to the Defense Ministry.

    Miyako Island – adjacent to the East China Sea – is about 400 kilometers (250 miles) east of Taiwan and is home to a JGSDF missile unit.

    A spokesperson from the Japan Coast Guard told CNN that around 6:50 p.m. local time on Thursday, a patrol boat retrieved a lifeboat with the words “Ground Self-Defense Force” written on it from the sea.

    The spokesperson added that early Friday morning, a window frame, a door with “Ground Self-Defense Force” written on it and a rotor blade were recovered in waters north of Irabu Island, which is connected to Miyako Island by a bridge. 

    According to manufacturer Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, the UH-60JA is a multipurpose helicopter based on the US military’s Black Hawk helicopters.

    The last time at least 10 people were lost in a Japanese military aviation accident was on February 21, 1995, when a Maritime Self-Defense Force flying boat crashed on Okinawa, according to the Aviation Safety Network database.

    On April 26, 1983, 11 people were killed when a flying boat crashed during practice for an air show in Iwakuni, and 14 died a week earlier when two Air Self-Defense Force transports flying in formation crashed into an island in Ise Bay, according to the database.

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