Joe Ruzicka

About the author

Joe Ruzicka "Smokin" Joe Ruzicka is a former Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) in the F-14 Tomcat and Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) in the F-18 D/F. He was selected as the Legislative Fellow for Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in 2011. Smokin has accumulated over 2000 hours in the Tomcat, Hornet, and various training aircraft, holds a FAC(A) "Forward Air Controller Airborne" designation and was the RIO on the final F-14 Tomcat Airshow Demonstration in September 2005. He graciously thanks all of his former pilots for bringing him home safely.

RIMPAC Starts Tomorrow; China to Participate

The biennial Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) exercise starts tomorrow. The exercise helps to build partnerships in a maritime environment. 26 nations will participate in the exercise, including China, from June 30th to August 4th. RIMPAC is the world’s largest international maritime exercise with 45 ships, five submarines, 200 aircraft and 25,000 personnel taking part […]

Will Iran Replace Its Aging Air Force, Including the F-14 Tomcat?

Iran is looking to rebuild it’s Air Force and things may not go as planned. In an article penned by David Axe for the Daily Beast, the author notes several reasons why Iran may struggle to replace its aging aircraft. For those who remember, the Iranians were favorites of the US Administration in the early […]

Watch: Awesome First Person Flight Deck Video from Carrier

FighterSweep fans check out this awesome first person flight deck video from the Catapult 4 Topside Petty Officer in 2014.  The Cat 4 Topside Petty Officer ensures proper hookup of the aircraft to the catapult. This video shows a typical launch off Catapults 3 and 4 from the USS Eisenhower (CVN 69).  At the start of […]

Brexit: Could Farnborough Set the Defense Spending Tone for Britain?

All eyes will turn to the Farnborough International Airshow (11-17 July) in less than two weeks. The airshow comes only days after United Kingdom voters decided to remove the UK from the European Union. The referendum, known as “Brexit”, has many defense analysts questioning how defense spending will be handled in the future. Farnborough is […]

Ejection Seat Alternative for F-35 a Possibility

The US Air Force is looking into the possibility of replacing the Martin-Baker ejection seat on the F-35. Defensenews.com is reporting that the United Technologies ACES 5 model is under consideration. Air Force Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch, the service’s top uniformed acquisition official, confirmed the service’s interest in the ACES 5 design. “We believe it is […]

SECNAV Frustrated Again Over Delay in Super Hornet Sale

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, in Germany for a NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea last week, told Reuters he was frustrated by delays in approving the sale of the Boeing F/A-18 Super Hornet jets to a close U.S. ally. His concern also raises the possibility that a delay could affect the cost of jets the U.S. […]

2000th Strike Against ISIS for USS Harry S Truman

President Truman’s mantra “Give ‘em Hell” rings true with 2000th strike against ISIS Just prior to the end of her deployment, the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman launched her two-thousandth aircraft mission in the fight against ISIS in Iraq and Syria. The Truman has been on cruise since late last year. The first launch […]

DoD Aviation Readiness Crisis: Congress is Aware

Congress understands the desperate need to increase aviation readiness levels and they are targeting acquisition reform as a key function to help in the effort. Bob Simmons and Chris Brose, staff directors of the House and Senate Armed Services Committees (majority) respectively, spoke yesterday about how to improve warfighter readiness through the 2017 National Defense Authorization Act […]

F-35 Top Line Buy to Remain Steady According to Pentagon

Current Top Line F-35 number holds at 2443 according to Pentagon Official The current number of F-35’s to be purchased — the largest weapons program ever by many billions of dollars—is holding steady at 2,443 according to Deputy Secretary of Defense Bob Work. Work noted in a letter to Senator John McCain (as reported by […]

Russian SU-34’s Escalate Tensions between Moscow and US

In a new twist between Russia and the US for the ongoing control of the campaign against ISIL in Syria, Russian warplanes bombed U.S. backed Syrian rebels near the Jordanian border on Friday. Pentagon officials say the Russian intervention from two SU-34 Fullbacks caused the U.S. to divert armed aircraft to the scene of the […]

US Navy Pivots to Asia with Dual Aircraft Carriers

PHILLIPINE SEA (June 18, 2016) The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jake Greenberg / Released) The USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) strike groups commenced dual carrier flight operations in […]