Category: Aviation

A collection of NASA’s research aircraft on the ramp at the Dryden Flight Research Center in July 1997: X-31, F-15 ACTIVE, SR-71, F-106, F-16XL Ship #2, X-38, Radio Controlled Mothership and X-36. July 16, 1997   NASA Photo / Tony Landis

With the terrorism danger perpetually high in both the United States and Europe, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are always honing their counter-terrorism (CT) capabilities, whether in a ground or maritime environment. To respond to a terrorist incident, however, SOF units need to get there first. And that’s where elite aviation units come in. American SOF […]

A U-2 Dragon Lady takes off as a chase car driver watches the successful launch Dec. 19, 2017, at Beale Air Force Base, California. Due to a limited range of view, the chase car driver’s job is to communicate and assist the pilot as they take off and land.   U.S. Air Force photo/ Senior […]

Earlier this week, footage began to surface online of blacked-out military helicopters flying low over the streets of downtown Los Angeles. Unnerving as an MH-6 Little Bird clad in special operators wearing full “battle rattle” zooming over your local grocer may seem, the citizens of L.A. have no need to fret: these low flying birds […]

With the terrorism danger perpetually high in both the United States and Europe, Special Operations Forces (SOF) are always honing their counter-terrorism (CT) capabilities, whether in a ground or maritime environment. To respond to a terrorist incident, however, SOF units need to get there first. And that’s where elite aviation units come in. American SOF units […]

The U.S. Navy made history this past Saturday, as four F/A-18 Super Hornets piloted by female aviators flew over a quiet cemetery in Tennessee. Once they closed with a group of mourners below, one of the four fighters abruptly pulled up out of the formation in an aviation tradition meant to honor a fallen pilot […]

Although the military threat posed by China’s growing and rapidly re-organizing armed forces remains a largely regional one, no facet of the People’s Liberation Army is developing as quickly or adding more combat capabilities than its navy. It’s difficult to say how many new vessels the Chinese navy has launched in recent years, particularly because […]

A U.S. Air Force F-16CM Fighting Falcon sits in the 20th Maintenance Group weapons standardization hangar prior to a monthly qualification load at Shaw Air Force Base, S.C., Jan. 10, 2019. Load crews across the 55th, 77th and 79th Aircraft Maintenance Units are required to perform monthly qualifications to remain proficient in various munitions.   […]

When Russia first set to work on what would become the Sukhoi Su-57 (internally the T-50 at the time), it had a singular aim: utilizing 21st century stealth characteristics to produce a fighter capable of standing toe to toe with the best the United States had to offer, the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter and F-22 […]

The introduction of drones has, in many ways, changed the face of warfare. Between long duration loitering, reconnaissance and even direct fire support, drones have already proven their value on the battlefield. It seems likely that, in the years to come, we’ll only see more autonomous aircraft in the skies above our war fighters. However, […]

At the close of 2018, it seemed that 2019 might finally be the year Lockheed Martin’s flagship F-35 Joint Strike Fighter would start beating back the critics and proving the most expensive weapons platform in history was worth the cost and delays. With F-35s finally entering the fight with both the Israeli military and the […]

U.S. Air Force Capt. Jacob Impellizzeri, the Pacific Air Forces’ F-16 Fighting Falcon Demonstration Team commander, performs during the Tsuiki Air Festival at Tsuiki Air Base, Japan, Nov. 25, 2018. Impellizzeri executed 17 maneuvers during the 20-minute display of the F-16’s capabilities.   U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Xiomara M. Martinez