Fightersweep

FighterSweep Fans, if these allegations are true, this is not good news for us. Edward Lin, a U.S. Navy Lieutenant Commander and Naval Flight Officer (NFO) aboard one of the most advanced SIGINT (SIGnals INTelligence) aircraft in the inventory, has been accused of passing secrets to China. A U.S. naval flight officer (NFO) with an […]

Dropping bombs, shooting the gun, dogfighting, and intercepts are some of the most rewarding and fun training opportunities available as a fighter pilot, but few people ever talk about going cross-country as anything more than a “Good Deal.” In the military, “Good Deal” is the equivalent of the worst four letter word. If it’s a […]

A B-52 Stratofortress from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, conducted a long-range training sortie to engage with South American military partners, April 1-2, 2016. During the course of the 27-hour non-stop mission, the (Boeing B-52 Stratofortress) aircrew trained with the Colombian Air Force before executing a flyover of the Feria Internacional del Aire y […]

FighterSweep Fans, it really is that bad. We’ve recently heard horror stories about units getting ready to deploy “robbing Peter to pay Paul” as it applies to making sure there are parts available to generate aircraft for combat sorties. What that means is jets going overseas are being held together by parts from squadrons staying […]

The owner of the aircraft, Smoky Mountains Helicopter, is saying five people died when a Bell 206 Jet Ranger crashed while sight-seeing in Tennessee. According to emergency dispatch, a helicopter crashed in Sevier County on Monday afternoon. The FAA says the helicopter was a Bell 206 sightseeing helicopter that crashed at 3:30 p.m. Officials say […]

The men (and women) of the Greatest Generation are leaving us, and before too much longer, none will remain. That’s why men such as Norman Kleiss should be celebrated for as long as we have them among us. A Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bomber pilot in the U.S. Navy, he is the last of his […]

FighterSweep Fans, our friends from the 148th Fighter Wing in Duluth, Minnesota will be deploying sometime next month to provide PACific Air Forces (PACAF) with a Theater Security Package. The Bulldogs will be stationed at Osan Air Base, which sits approximately forty miles south of the DMZ, and is also home to our friends at […]

It’s hard to imagine how jarring it would be to be driving down the interstate, only to have your commute interrupted by an aircraft crash in your path. Today’s incident had tragic results, as one of the occupants of a vehicle the aircraft collided with was killed. The pilot and his passenger were also seriously […]

This week’s tip of the Tricorne hat goes to the fine men and women of the South Carolina Air National Guard’s 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base near Columbia, South Carolina–collectively known as the Swamp Fox. The moniker is actually a nod to the notable Brigadier General Francis Marion of American Revolutionary […]

Not surprisingly, the terrorist attacks in Brussels have angered the Belgians to the point where they have committed to re-mobilizing their fleet of Lockheed-Martin F-16AM Fighting Falcons as part of Operation Inherent Resolve. While Belgium’s Air Component had limited its participation to specific areas, it’s fairly safe to say we’ll be seeing involvement on a […]

Happy Friday, FighterSweep Fans! Despite what the date on the calendar says, we can assure you, this is not an April Fools joke. Contrary to what many are saying, the F-35 program is actually making significant strides in its journey toward full operational capability and system maturity. While it is true the aircraft has a […]

FighterSweep Fans, it’s hard to know what to say about this one. It leaves a lot of unanswered questions, the answers to which have very serious repercussions for the safety and security of U.S. Navy personnel at other installations across the country. It makes one wonder how a vehicle was able to get past the […]