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Latest Aviation stories, analysis, and updates from SOFREP.
The last decade of conflict in the Global War on Terror (GWOT) has produced a significant number of combat veterans across the globe and some have been willing to share their experiences with us. Even so, there is another group of battle-hardened warriors we haven’t really taken into account: the vehicles and support equipment which, deployment […]
Earlier this evening at a Pentagon press conference, the United States Air Force announced the result of the long-awaited Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) competition. The Air Force has awarded the LRS-B contract to Northrop Grumman, manufacturer of the Air Force Global Strike Command‘s B-2 Spirit bomber. The service is expected to procure 100 airframes with a tentative target […]
For this week’s edition of Burner Friday, we’re taking a little trip to Stingtown – meet the Stingers of Strike Fighter Squadron 113 from Naval Air Station Lemoore. Flying the legacy McDonnell Douglas F/A-18C Hornet, the Stingers operate as part of Carrier Air Wing 17, attached to the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70). The Stingers began […]
Unfortunate news out of the United Kingdom this morning, as a USMC F/A-18 Hornet has crashed on a farm near RAF Mildenhall, reportedly killing the pilot. The crash occurred around 1030am local time, apparently shortly after takeoff from RAF Lakenheath. The aircraft was one of a group from VMFA-232 “Red Devils” transiting the RAF base on their return […]
Happy Wednesday, FighterSweep Fans! Now that we’ve taken a look at F-35C flight operations aboard the Mighty Ike, we wanted to give you an alternative perspective to life as a tailhooker! We’ve shared videos like this one with you before, but this one is brand-spankin’-new, and features the Dassault Rafale and Super Étendard as they […]
It was just before 10am on Wednesday, July 30, 2008 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. Already another hot day in the desert, a portion of the morning Weapons School sorties were either in the overhead or landing and the first launches of the morning go for this Red Flag 08-3 mission were holding at EOR. […]
The Vietnam War saw only five “aces” during the course of the war. Of those, only two were pilots; the other three were weapons system officers. One of those remarkable pilots was a young USAF Captain named Richard S. “Steve” Ritchie. Hailing from North Carolina, the star high school football quarterback graduated first in his […]
We never tire of watching our military friends in action, be it of a door gunner on a Huey or a C-130 driver playing follow the leader in Alaska. Not surprisingly some of our favorites though, are of fast jets in action. Who doesn’t love that? During a 2014 detachment to Thule Air Base on […]
This is a great video if you like watching ridiculous amounts of lead getting thrown around! The video takes place over Yodaville, a mock town/village near Yuma, AZ. This brief snippet is part of a larger exercise called WTI or Weapons and Tactics Instructor Course, which Curt Jans covered in a fantastic series of articles […]
The USMC said goodbye to a longtime friend last week, as September 25th marked the final flight of VMR-1’s HH-46E Sea Knights. For years they’ve been known affectionately as Pedro, an historical callsign just as old as the Boeing/Vertol CH-46 design that dates back to early search-and-rescue (SAR) operations in 1965. It was a dreary, […]
Happy Friday, FighterSweep fans! We know this Burner Friday comes on the heels of a rough day, but we sincerely hope that this lifts your spirits at least temporarily. The ‘Spikes‘ of the 62nd Fighter Squadron just recently transitioned to the F-35 and we wanted to send their Vipers into the sunset on a high […]
On the 18th of August this year, a formation of 18 Spitfire and 6 Hurricane vintage fighter aircraft flew over South Eastern England to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Britain. This battle is without a doubt one of the defining moments of World War II, widely reported on and documented over the […]
SIG Sauer is a world-class firearms manufacturer trusted by military, law enforcement, and responsible civilian shooters, delivering precision-engineered weapons, optics, and training systems while maintaining a strong commitment to veteran hiring, American manufacturing, and the professionals who rely on their gear when it matters most.
FightCamp is an at-home boxing and kickboxing training system built around real technique, structured programming, and measurable performance. Members train with fighters and professional coaches while using connected punch and kick trackers that record volume, speed, and power in every round. The result is training that builds conditioning, skill, discipline, and resilience — all from home, on your schedule.
Barrett is the world leader in long-range, large-caliber, precision rifle design and manufacturing. Barrett products are used by civilians, sport shooters, law enforcement agencies, the United States military, and more than 75 State Department-approved countries around the world.
Hywell is a premium gear brand specializing in heavy-duty Merino wool boot socks for blue-collar professionals and outdoorsmen. Backed by an ironclad 10-Year Warranty.
Praesidus builds rugged, American-assembled watches inspired by historic military timepieces. Designed for accuracy and tested for endurance, each watch is made for outdoor explorers, everyday adventurers, and anyone who needs reliability when it matters.
Essential Provisions Field Fuel® meals [ready-to-eat] & sports nutrition products have been developed with the cleanest, high-quality nutrient and energy-dense ingredients available. Research has shown that the whole food nutrients contained in our products have the ability to help.
Have you ever tried to wear a fleece hoodie in bad weather? We don’t recommend it. That’s why we founded BÆRSkin in 2019 – to create the world’s best outdoor gear that’s just as comfortable at home as it is durable outdoors. “Bad fitting, bulky, and boring” is how we felt about 1000’s of regular fleece hoodies we tested.
If you’re 21 or older and use nicotine or tobacco, charge ahead with Black Buffalo, America’s only credible smokeless tobacco alternative. Black Buffalo dips just like the real thing without the tobacco leaf or stem. Find Black Buffalo in Wawa, Circle K, Sheetz, Love’s, Pilot, Racetrac, and many more retail locations across the United States.
