aviation

A C-130J Super Hercules from the 37th Airlift Squadron fires flares as it performs anti-aircraft fire tests during exercise Carpathian May 9, 2016, in Romania. The 37th AS, from Ramstein Air Base, Germany, began participating in off-station training deployments with Romania as early as 1996, allowing the Air Force to work with NATO allies to […]

A HH-60 Pave Hawk returns from an exercise mission July 12, 2016, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., as part of Red Flag 16-3. The exercise is one of four Red Flags at Nellis AFB, with this iteration focusing on air, space and cyberspace operations.   U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. David Salanitri

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker July 18, 2016, while taking part in exercise Red Flag 16-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag 16-3 is one of four Red Flag exercises at Nellis AFB, with this iteration focusing on multi-domain operations in air, space […]

In the modern age of missiles we can fire at targets over the horizon, and a seemingly limitless suite of radar, infrared, and optics technologies designed specifically to keep our pilots aware of everything going on around them, one could be forgiven for forgetting that there was a time when military aviation relied almost solely […]

Colombian air force Capt. Juan Monsalve prepares for take-off during Exercise Green Flag East at Barksdale Air Force Base, La., Aug. 17, 2016. The Super Tucano is the Colombian air force’s most effective aircraft currently in operation, providing air support to its military forces on day-to-day operations.   U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Mozer O. […]

Service members from the Air Force, Army and Marine Corps participate in sustainment training at Grand Bara, Djibouti, Jan. 5, 2017. During the exercise Air Force joint terminal attack controllers, along with Soldiers from the 101st Infantry Battalion and Marines from the 11th Marine Expeditionary Unit conducted training utilizing MV-22 Ospreys and F-16 Fighting Falcons. […]

Pilots with the 13th and 14th Fighter Squadrons fly alongside a KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to Tennessee Air National Guard’s 134th Air Refueling Wing, over northern Japan, Jan. 18, 2017. Pilots must maintain tanker qualification every six months to stay proficient and capable for training and combat scenarios.   U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Deana Heitzman

A 492nd Fighter Squadron’s F-15E Strike Eagle takes off from Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England, Feb. 15, 2017. The 492nd FS trains regularly to ensure RAF Lakenheath brings unique air combat capabilities to the fight.   U.S. Air Force photo/Tech. Sgt. Matthew Plew

Col. David Brynteson, the 332nd Expeditionary Operations Group commander, checks the engines on an F-15E Strike Eagle, Jan. 27, 2016, in Southwest Asia. Brynteson was preparing to fly his last sortie in theater.   U.S. Air Force photo/Staff Sgt. Eboni Reams

An F-22 Raptor performs a heritage flight during the 2017 Heritage Flight Training Course at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Ariz., Feb. 9, 2017. The program was established in 1997, allowing certified civilian pilots and Air Force pilots to perform flights together.   U.S. Air Force photo/Senior Airman Kimberly Nagle

Airman 1st Class Diante Cooper, a 19th Air Support Operations Squadron Tactical Air Control Party specialist, watches and communicates with an A-10C Thunderbolt II during a joint close air support exercise at Camp Grayling, Mich., April 13, 2017. To further build interoperability and hone their unique skillset, members of the German air force Air Ground […]

It’s easy to look at a product like Lockheed Martin’s F-35 and say “Lockheed manufactures that aircraft,” which would be a true statement. However, much of the “manufacturing” the company does is actually “assembly” of a collection of parts manufactured by other, smaller companies. Despite the importance of these firms, not many people know much […]