Watch: F-22 Raptors Refueling from KC-135 with Comms

Watch: F-22 Raptors Refueling from KC-135 with Comms

Enjoy watching and listening as F-22 Raptors aerial refuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker. Video footage was taken during Vigilant Shield 2017 Field Training Exercise October, 2016. The Raptors were from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, and the KC-135 Stratotanker was flown by the 92nd Aerial Refueling Squadron from Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington. Vigilant Shield 17 (VS17) […]

Watch: ISIS Drone Drops ‘bomb’ on M1 Abrams Battle Tank

Watch: ISIS Drone Drops ‘bomb’ on M1 Abrams Battle Tank

As previously noted on Fighter Sweep, ISIS is making claims of having weaponized drones and attacking Iraqi forces with them. In this video ISIS states that it shows their drone dropping some type of bomb on an Iraqi Abrams tank killing the tank commander who was standing in the open turret. ISIS Drone Drops Bomb […]

SecDef Mattis Signs Memo to Officially Review F-35 Program and Reduce Costs

SecDef Mattis Signs Memo to Officially Review F-35 Program and Reduce Costs

In one of his first initiatives after being named as Secretary of Defense, General Mattis signed a memo today demanding a “detailed assessment to reduce associated program costs” of the F-35 Lightning II program. While calling for “significantly reduced” F-35 costs the memo even calls for a review that compares the operational capabilities of the […]

ISIS Air War Cost Reaches $11 Billion

ISIS Air War Cost Reaches $11 Billion

Since the air war against the Islamic State (ISIS) began in 2014 the Unites States has spent almost $11 billion on its mission to degrade and defeat the terrorist organization. The Air Force has taken on most of the financial burden of this air offensive paying for approximately two thirds of the total expenditure. The […]

Raytheon and Leonardo Withdraw T-100 from Air Force T-X Competition

Raytheon and Leonardo Withdraw T-100 from Air Force T-X Competition

Raytheon and Leonardo announced they have decided to withdraw their T-100 trainer aircraft from the U.S. Air Force Advanced Pilot Training T-X program competition. Raytheon had stated that if their T-100 had been chosen to replace the T-38 trainer they would have built and tested the aircraft in the United States. “In February 2016, Raytheon and […]

A-10 versus the F-35! What Aircraft Will Win The Shootout?

A-10 versus the F-35! What Aircraft Will Win The Shootout?

It is being reported that a competition will be held to determine which aircraft, the A-10 Thunderbolt II or the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter is better suited for the close air support (CAS) mission. The Department of Defense’s Operational Test and Evaluation Office will oversee the competition which may happen in 2018. The duel was mandated by […]

Japan Scrambles Jets to Intercept Russian Bombers!

Japan Scrambles Jets to Intercept Russian Bombers!

The Japanese Ministry of Defense (MoD) reported that the Japan Air Self-Defense Force launched fighter jets to intercept Russian Tu-95 nuclear capable strategic bombers that were approaching Japanese airspace. It is also being reported that the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) has increased its threat posture due to the incident. According to the information provided […]

Watch: Boeing Shows Off KC-46A 3D Air to Air Refueling Capability

Watch: Boeing Shows Off KC-46A 3D Air to Air Refueling Capability

3D is not just for watching movies anymore! Boeing uses 3D technology in their KC-46A Air Refueling Operator Station (AROS). Watch the AROS system in action on this Boeing short film Some of the features of the AROS include multiple 24 inch displays for a 3D refueling picture, a 185-degree panoramic field-of-view, recordable aerial refueling data and […]

ISIS Drones? Really?

ISIS Drones? Really?

We are not talking about the US attacking ISIS fighters with drones. ISIS now claims they have their own weaponized drones that are capable of attacking their enemies. They even claim they have already attacked Iraqi troops with their drones by dropping IED’s on them. ISIS recently has been bragging on social media that they […]

Watch: George H.W. Bush CVN 77 Departs on Third Deployment

Watch: George H.W. Bush CVN 77 Departs on Third Deployment

January 21, 2017 the George H.W. Bush Carrier Strike Group steamed out of Norfolk, Virginia on its third deployment. Leading the strike group is the aircraft carrier USS George H.W. Bush (CVN 77) with its almost 6000 person crew. While not disclosing the specific area CVN 77 is heading, the Navy did say the strike group […]

Today in Aviation History: 1951 First Flight of the Douglas F4D Skyray

Today in Aviation History: 1951 First Flight of the Douglas F4D Skyray

January 23, 1951 marked the first flight of the Douglas F4D Skyray carrier based fighter/interceptor jet. The F4D Skyray was the first US Navy and Marine Corps jet that could exceed Mach 1 in level flight and it held the world’s absolute speed record at just under 753 miles per hour. This airspeed record was a first for […]