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Latest Aviation stories, analysis, and updates from SOFREP.
Public interest in the possibility of unusual objects flying around in American airspace may be experiencing a resurgence thanks to the revelation that the Pentagon had been secretly funding investigations into the phenomena as recently as 2012, but the American military has already had a long and storied history of playing cat and mouse with […]
An F-35B Lightning II aircraft attached to the F-35B detachment of the “Flying Tigers” of Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 (Reinforced) takes off from the flight deck of the amphibious assault ship USS Wasp (LHD 1) during flight operations. Wasp, flagship of the Wasp Amphibious Ready Group, with embarked 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, is […]
Jell-O has been the most requested guest since this podcast started. Today he was kind enough to be interviewed and lived up to the hype. Jell-O spent nearly 25 years in service flying mainly the F/A-18 Hornet and Super Hornet but also the F-16 Fighting Falcon during an adversary tour. He accrued over 3,800 flight […]
Bad exits or landings during parachute operations aren’t uncommon. Throwing people, often laden with dozens of pounds of equipment, out of an aircraft inevitably invites trouble. Parachuting is inherently dangerous, whether the jump is static line (the parachute opens automatically as the paratrooper exits the aircraft) or free fall. Naturally, parachute training is complex and […]
If you haven’t seen the video yet, during the recent “Operation Flintlock” United States Special Operations Forces conducted an airborne operation with unnamed host nation forces. The video highlights the level of training or lack thereof of some Third World nation’s airborne forces. Ask anyone from our Special Operations Forces who have conducted airborne operations […]
A formation of Royal Australian Air Force aircraft fly over Avalon Airport at Geelong, Victoria, Australia, Feb. 25, 2019. Along with Australian aircraft, U.S. military aircraft were to be showcased through flight demonstrations and static displays during the 2019 Australian International Airshow and Aerospace & Defence Exposition. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. […]
Editor’s note: Last year, I wrote this piece about how America maintains (and dismantles) retired stealth aircraft. Now, with new stories about F-117s spotted in the skies over Nevada and California–along with rumors about some of these birds potentially operating over the Middle East as recently as 2017–it seemed like a good time to revisit […]
In the never-ending quest to improve the performance of military aircraft, the U.S. Army is testing an unusual material that may make airplanes and helicopters faster and stronger: the skin of the mako shark. New research currently being done at the University of Alabama is exploring why mako sharks can reach unbelievable speeds underwater. According […]
The United States has long led the world in the development and use of stealth technology in aviation. Starting (operationally) with the F-117 Nighthawk and continuing with the forthcoming B-21 Raider bomber, America’s lead in the realm of low observability has long been the product of both the country’s willingness to invest in tech aimed […]
The United States Air Force just took delivery of their first upgraded “Ghostrider” AC-130 gunships, a valuable tool for Special Operations troops in the ground support role for many years. The 4th Special Operations Squadron, 1st Special Operations Wing, at Hurlburt Field, Florida, received its first of a reported 37 of the AC-130J Ghostrider Block […]
A T-38 Talon flies in formation with the B-2 Spirit of South Carolina during a training mission Feb. 20, 2014, over Whiteman Air Force Base, Mo. The B-2 Spirit is a multirole bomber capable of delivering both conventional and nuclear munitions. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Snyder/Released
Minute 47:00 of this episode has a story that nearly brought a tear to my eye. Having been deployed to combat, I’ve seen the incredible team effort to save lives that he talks about. It’s truly awe inspiring to see the military men and women, most under 30 years old, come together and sacrifice so […]
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