Fightersweep

Editor’s Note: As we’ve mentioned before, there are a lot of ideas out there as to what NGAD or Next Generation Air Dominance will entail. Some have mentioned lasers, others have mentioned visual cloaking devices, and still others are talking about tech that hasn’t been developed yet–that we know of. One thing we do know […]

We’re not much into celebrity buzz here at FighterSweep, but occasionally something from the Hollyweird circle catches our attention. In this case, it’s “Wolverine” going for a ride in the mighty Viper with our bros in Fort Worth. A celebrity getting an incentive ride, usually with the Thunderbirds or the Blue Angels, doesn’t draw much response […]

Editor’s Note: The T-50 or PAK-FA has been labeled as the “Raptor Slayer” since it first appeared on the scene in 2010. Touted as Russia’s first 5th-Generation fighter, and a collaboration between Russia and India, the program has experienced a fair number of delays. The largest problem it has is the lack of a type-specific […]

Editor’s Note: A lot of folks equate “stealth” with complete invisibility and that is simply not the case. Any aircraft with what we call LO or “Low-Observable” features can be seen by radar. It simply depends on the conditions in which the aircraft is operating, and what systems are attempting to locate it. So while […]

Editor’s Note: The E-11A BACN, or Battlefield Airborne Communications Node, has proven itself to be an extremely effective asset downrange. BACN enables the passing of information in real time across the entire battlespace, whether it be similar or dissimilar data link, voice, or other methods of communication. By acting as translation tool between dissimilar communications systems, it allows […]

This week two stories from different sides of the world reminded US air power advocates why achieving Air Superiority may be more difficult in the 21st Century than it was at the tail end of the last century. First, it was widely reported that China deployed indigenously produced modern long-range surface-to-air missiles (MLR SAMs) system, […]

Editor’s Note: Although there may be good-natured jibing back and forth between aircrew and maintainers over who owns the aircraft, at the end of the day, it is truly “one team, one fight.” This is an absolutely amazing story and demonstrates the courage displayed by maintainers and armament specialists to save the lives of an […]

Editor’s Note: We all wondered what would happen in the wake of the fatal accident involving Virgin Galactic’s SpaceShipTwo during its PF04 test flight. And while Sir Richard Branson‘s company underwent both very close scrutiny and harsh criticism following the death of Michael Alsbury and total loss of the craft, no one who knows Branson […]

Editor’s Note: What an amazing story. My grandfather flew B-24s (among other things) during World War II, and I have to believe he would have thought of the same thing. In any case, we can all certainly agree this weeks I-Am-A-Total-Badass-Award goes to Owen J. Bagget: the man who downed a Japanese Zero with a […]

Editor’s Note: As we have mentioned before, one way to hurt an enemy’s ability to wage war is to deprive them of the means to pay for it. As the U.S. has stepped up its airstrikes against Daesh, one of the main targets has been financial centers. We even shared a video of one such […]

Editor’s Note: A critical functionality of our Air Force aerial refueling tankers is their ability to refuel not on their own service’s aircraft, but also those of their sister service–the Navy and Marine Corps, as well as coalition fighters that use the probe-and-drogue system. This initial link-up between the Pegasus and Hornet was a huge […]

Happy Friday, FighterSweep Fans! It is the time where we once again pay our weekly respects to the glory and magnificence of glowing, roaring, air-bending reheat. So this week’s offering comes to us courtesy of a Mighty Mighty from the California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing, based at Fresno, California. The 144th Fighter Wing’s […]