Fightersweep

The U.S military is scheduled to provide the Afghan government with 159 UH-60 Black Hawk helicopters as part of an effort to modernize the Afghan Air Force (AAF) and make the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) less reliant on coalition aircraft for their operations. However, a report from the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction […]

U.S. Army units will soon be getting a nano drone that promises to revolutionize operations. The Black Hornet is a vehicle reconnaissance system (VRS) and falls under the unmanned aerial system (UAS) category. It is designed and manufactured by FLIR Systems, one of the world’s largest companies specializing in the development and production of high-quality […]

A formation of F-35A Lightning IIs, from the 388th and 419th Fighter Wings, refuel over the Utah Test and Training Range as part of a combat power exercise on Nov. 19, 2018. The exercise aims to confirm their ability to quickly employ a large force of jets against air and ground targets, and demonstrate the […]

Back in December, the U.S. Air Force announced plans to form a new F-35A demonstration team, and soon footage of the team practice made its way onto the internet. If anyone was wondering what this new demonstration team would bring to the table, it seems clear now — with some acrobatic stunts the public has […]

The phrase “beast mode” wasn’t coined for the sake of the F-35. In fact, more often than not, you’ll find those two words adorning tweets about professional football players breaking tackles or in the caption under videos of street fights… so how did the the phrase manage to find its way into so many headlines […]

MH-6 Little Birds and MH-60 Black Hawks helicopters buzzed downtown Los Angeles this week as a part of a Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC) training exercise. Spectators observed the helicopters landing operators on building rooftops, then later setting down to pick them up at street level. Presumably, the training scenario involved the operators assaulting from […]

The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds Air Demonstration Squadron fly over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco before returning to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Oct. 1, 2018. Since 1953, the Thunderbirds have served as America’s premier air demonstration squadron.   U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Ashley Corkins

China’s People’s Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) has undergone a broad and extensive modernization and expansion effort in recent years. With dozens of new warships launched and multiple carriers in production, the PLA-N promises to quickly become the dominant power in the Pacific. It’s a serious concern for neighboring nations with overlapping claims on the South China […]

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor, F-16 Fighting Falcon and a Commemorative Air Force P-51 Mustang fly in formation Sep. 6, 2018, while flying over areas of Alabama. This formation flight marked the first time in history an all African-American formation between the F-22 (piloted by Paul “Loco” Lopez), F-16 (piloted by Rich “Sheriff” Peace) […]

Retired Marine Colonel Randy Bresnik cut his teeth as a test pilot for the F/A-18 Hornet program, before going on to serve combat tours in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Now, he’s an astronaut, and one of the few remaining with the experience necessary to give us the lowdown on how space food stacks up […]

Spy satellites have become an integral part of the American defense infrastructure. While we still rely on spy planes, having downward facing observatories in orbit grants us the continued ability to keep tabs on international opponents, see troop and equipment movements, and gather intelligence that can supplement information gained through other sources. Having an eye […]

We’ve all heard the story. Back in the 1960s, as the Americans and Soviets were competing for space (and global) supremacy, the United States supposedly spent millions to develop a pen that their astronauts could use in space. The Soviets, meanwhile, “just used a pencil.” It’s a classic tale used to criticize government spending and […]