Tag Archives: U.S. Air Force

In the midst of the Cold War, the U.S. began to develop anti-satellite aircrafts to combat Russia’s vast space expansion. On 13 September 1985, Maj. Wilbert D. “Doug” Pearson, flying the “Celestial Eagle” F-15A 76-0084 launched an ASM-135 ASAT about 200 miles (322 km) west of Vandenberg Air Force Base …

Laser warfare could soon be a reality (Image: Northrop Grumman) The US Air Force’s highly touted SHiELD airborne laser weapon has hit yet another setback, raising questions about the program’s long-term viability. The U.S. Air Force’s long-planned test delayed until 2023 due to technical challenges and complications spurred by the …

The B-1B lancer entered service in 1986 and was designed as a strategic bomber with supersonic speed. Photo by Senior Airman Jeffrey Withrow Thirty-five years ago, the first B-1B Lancer long-range, multi-mission, supersonic conventional bomber was delivered to the U.S. Air Force. The Strategic Air Command received the first operational Rockwell …

F-35 Distributed Mission Training connects simulators across the world in a virtual environment. Source: Lockheed martin Lockheed Martin, the Joint Program Office and the U.S. Air Force successfully connected the F-35, F-22, F-16, and E3 Sentry in a “highly contested simulated environment” during a Distributed Mission Training (DMT) final acceptance …

Source: Boeing The U.S. Air Force is urgently buying an unspecified number of General Electric F110-GE-129 jet engines to power its new F-15EX Eagle fighter jets. The service says this is an “unusual and compelling urgency acquisition” and comes ahead of a formal competition to decide on the F-15EX’s powerplant, …

A 20th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron tactical aircraft maintainer marshals an F-16CM Fighting Falcon at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Sept. 12, 2018. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Christopher Maldonado) A Lockheed-Martin F-16CM Fighting Falcon, operated by the 20th TW, crashed at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, during …

Capt. Betsy Hand, 20th Operations Group standard evaluations liaison officer and 77th Fighter Squadron F-16 pilot, walks up to an F-16 to perform a pre-flight inspection, March 30. The Air Force has had women in fighter pilot roles since 1993. Photo by Airman 1st Class Daniel Phelps The Air Force has …

Filmed from a Russian Su-30: RC-135W refuels from KC-135 over the Black Sea. (Image via Russian MOD). The Russian Ministry of Defense (MOD) has released a video filmed on June 26, 2020, showing the intercept of a U.S. Navy P-8 Poseidon ISR (Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance) and MPA (Maritime Patrol …

Credits: U.S. Airforce Via Defense Visual Information Distribution Service Lockheed Martin’s F-35 Lightning II is once again unable to safely weather a hit from a lightning bolt. The most widely used variant of the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is currently unable to fly in thunderstorms after the discovery of damage …

1994 Fairchild Air Force Base B-52 crash – Credits: USAF On Friday, 24 June 1994, a United States Air Force (USAF) Boeing B-52 Stratofortress crashed at Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, United States, after its pilot, Lieutenant Colonel Arthur “Bud” Holland, maneuvered the bomber beyond its operational limits and lost …