Category Archives: Fighter Pilot

Missionary, Military Aviation Goes Digital

Mission Aviation Fellowship recently noted the changeover to an “electronic flight bag” in their ops in the Democratic Republic of Congo:

Each of our pilots has an iPad. Flight documents are generated by our flight scheduler using Wingman, a flight operations planning tool developed by MAF…Additional documents including manuals, airport strip charts, airstrip photos, and other important references are available in electronic form.
 
In the morning before a pilot takes off on his first flight he connects to the wireless network with his iPad, and synchronizes it with the file server. In mere seconds he has all the flight documents he needs for the day…

In a coincidence of timing, the US Air Force published an article on precisely the same thing, albeit at a slightly higher price:  Read more

Air Force Continues Trainer Jet Replacement Program

The Air Force is continuing steps necessary to replace the venerable T-38, a 50-year-old jet trainer originally conceived as a lead-in to the century-series fighters (F-100, F-102, etc.).

The winner of the T-X competition will replace Northrop Grumman’s T-38 Talon, in use since 1959. “The T-38 needs a replacement system by sometime in the 2020s,” a deadline that means the replacement program needs to be up and running “by the end of this decade” at the latest, Aboulafia said.

Because the US Congress hasn’t passed a budget in years, new programs are still not funded.  The “program” is essentially administrative research until the venture is appropriated.

ADVERTISEMENT

New Military Drone Medal Will Outrank Bronze Star

The US military has created a new combat medal — which includes those who don’t actually go into combat:

Modern technology enables service members with special training and capabilities to more directly and precisely impact military operations at times far from the battlefield.  The Distinguished Warfare Medal will be awarded in the name of the secretary of defense to service members whose extraordinary achievements, regardless of their distance to the traditional combat theater, deserve distinct department-wide recognition. 

Technically, it seems any member of the military is eligible for the Distinguished Warfare Medal (DWM), including those involved in direct combat — so long as their extraordinary act did not involve “valor.”  However, the fact the citation criteria so Read more

More than 1,000 Attend Fighter Pilot Memorial

Aviano Air Base held a memorial for Maj Lucas “Gaza” Gruenther, the US Air Force fighter pilot killed when his F-16 crashed last week.  Nearly 1,200 people attended, including senior Air Force leaders and Italian dignitaries.

During the memorial service, many spoke of his inspiring nature and enthusiastic spirit, recalling his selfless and admirable qualities that he exemplified in his everyday life.

Gruenther had already been selected for Major, though he had Read more

Doolittle Raiders Announce Final Reunion

The Doolittle Raiders — the 80 men who made the daring Tokyo raid that inspired a nation — have had an annual reunion for the past 67 years.  At each one, they have toasted their comrades who have passed the prior year and ceremoniously turned their goblets over.  The plan was that the final two Raiders would open and drink a cognac bottled the year their then-leader, Jimmy Doolittle, was born.

There are five remaining Raiders, four of whom are “active.”  All are well into their 90s.

The Doolittle Raiders have decided to make 2013 their last reunion, and they will open the bottle this year.

For their final reunion, they will return Read more

Aviano Fighter Pilot’s Body Recovered

The body of Capt Lucas Gruenther, the F-16 pilot lost on Monday off the coast of Italy, was recovered Thursday.  Though he had been missing, hopes had been raised after the recovery of a drogue chute and helmet among aircraft debris — seeming to indicate a successful ejection into the chilly waters.

From the family’s statement:

A compassionate husband, a loving son, and a devoted brother; Luc leaves behind a family who loves him dearly and a legacy Read more

Richard Land on Women in Combat

Richard Land, president of the Southern Baptist Convention’s Ethics & Religious Liberty Commission, had this to say about the recent decision to allow women into all combat roles:

Land…called the change a “tragic mistake” that will have “grievous consequences.”

“[But] not because women are not capable of performing most of the combat roles to which they will be assigned,” Land said. “They certainly are capable in modern warfare of flying planes and driving tanks Read more

1 … 26 27 28 29 30 … 104