Fightersweep

Unlike the F-35, the F-22 has been operational for years, and has already been used in a number of intercepts of foreign aircraft over international waters.  It also trumps the F-35 in performance tests like maximum speed, rate of climb, and maneuverability, delivering figures that largely match or exceed that of the global competition. Like […]

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. (Feb. 1, 2019) Three F-35C Lightning II, attached to Commander, Joint Strike Fighter Wing, the “Argonauts” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 147, the “Rough Raiders “Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125 and the “Grim Reapers” Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 101 complete a flight overhead Eglin Air Force Base in Fort Walton […]

For years now, the AC-130U Spooky gunship has been nightmare fodder for America’s enemies. These massive platforms carry a 25mm or 40mm cannon, 105mm cannon, and a 25mm Gatling gun, making them among the most potent air-support platforms on the planet. Now, as the era of the Spooky gunship comes to a close, there’s a […]

Australia’s Avalon Air Show is no stranger to spectacular displays in the skies over Victoria, Australia. From low flying military aircraft to massive firey displays of cargo aircraft deploying defensive counter-measures, one can count on Avalon to produce some epic footage well worth fawning over each Spring. This past year was no exception, and this […]

Public interest in the possibility of unusual objects flying around in American airspace may be experiencing a resurgence thanks to the revelation that the Pentagon had been secretly funding investigations into the phenomena as recently as 2012, but the American military has already had a long and storied history of playing cat and mouse with […]

An F-35B Lightning II aircraft attached to the F-35B detachment of the “Flying Tigers” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced) takes off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) during flight operations. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is […]

Jell-O has been the most requested guest since this podcast started. Today he was kind enough to be interviewed and lived up to the hype. Jell-O spent nearly 25 years in service flying mainly the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet but also the F-16 Fighting Falcon during an adversary tour. He accrued over 3,800 flight […]

Bad exits or landings during parachute operations aren’t uncommon. Throwing people, often laden with dozens of pounds of equipment, out of an aircraft inevitably invites trouble. Parachuting is inherently dangerous, whether the jump is static line (the parachute opens automatically as the paratrooper exits the aircraft) or free fall. Naturally, parachute training is complex and […]

A formation of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft fly over Avalon Airport at Geelong, Victoria, Australia, Feb. 25, 2019. Along with Australian aircraft, U.S. military aircraft were to be showcased through flight demonstrations and static displays during the 2019 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition.   U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. […]

Following Sunday’s Ethiopian Airlines crash of a Boeing 737 Max 8 and October’s Lion Air crash in the same aircraft, President Donald Trump announced Wednesday that his administration was issuing an order to ground all Boeing 737 Max 8 and 9 aircraft in the United States. “We’re going to be issuing an emergency order of […]

Editor’s note: Last year, I wrote this piece about how America maintains (and dismantles) retired stealth aircraft. Now, with new stories about F-117s spotted in the skies over Nevada and California–along with rumors about some of these birds potentially operating over the Middle East as recently as 2017–it seemed like a good time to revisit […]

In the never-ending quest to improve the performance of military aircraft, the U.S. Army is testing an unusual material that may make airplanes and helicopters faster and stronger: the skin of the mako shark. New research currently being done at the University of Alabama is exploring why mako sharks can reach unbelievable speeds underwater. According […]