Category Archives: Fighter Pilot

US Army’s Gray Eagle Gets Hellfire

The US Army proudly announced its MQ-1C Gray Eagle had successfully employed a Hellfire missile in Iraq.

Of course, the Army’s Gray Eagle is essentially the same aircraft as the Air Force’s Predator, which has been armed for some time.

The article notes some of the differences between Air Force and Army operations:

The Air Force’s Predator drones are flown by officers who are usually located back in the USA and connected to the airframes by satellite link. But flying the Army’s Gray Eagle is an enlisted soldier’s affair, done in theater and close to the ground troops that the airframe serves.

All-Female Flight, Female Flight Suits, and Female Fighter Pilots

According to the Air Force Times, the all-female F-15E Strike Eagle combat flight orchestrated as part of Women’s History Month “spark[ed] debate” over the issue of women in combat.  The article is largely composed of reader inputs to the Times’ calls for comment.  Most of the comments support lifting restrictions, and most (including women) also say the standards should be the same for men and women.

The ironic part of that statement is men and women aren’t currently held to the same standard; for example, in every service women have different Read more

Dismissed General McChrystal Cleared

According to the Associated Press, retired General Stanley McChrystal — former head of operations in Afghanistan, fired by President Obama over disparaging remarks reported in the Rolling Stone — has been “cleared of wrongdoing.”

The probe’s results…called into question the accuracy of the magazine’s report last June, which quoted anonymously people around McChrystal making disparaging remarks about members of President Obama’s national security team, including Vice President Joe Biden…

The Pentagon inquiry also concluded that not all of the events at issue happened as reported in the article.   Read more

Report of Too-Low Fly-by Released

The Air Force Times obtained the investigation report of the T-38 fly-by of the Iowa-Ohio State football game that was deemed too low to be legal.  The report is not flattering of the pilots, but does reveal there was at least one mitigating factor:

An Air Force pilot who led a dangerously low flyover before an Iowa football game told investigators he descended to avoid other air traffic and then lost track of his altitude because he was busy with other tasks, according to a report documenting missteps in the flight’s planning and execution…

Two small planes had taken off without clearance Read more

US Navy Employs Ship-Mounted Laser

Similar to the US Air Force’s Airborne Laser, the US Navy recently test-fired a laser from the deck of one of its test ships, the former USS Paul Foster.

The laser, built by Northrop Grumman, successfully targeted a small boat on the open ocean with a classified range described as “miles, not yards.”

If you’re used to Star Wars and Star Trek, the video of the laser shot may be a little disappointing.  It appears the laser starts a small fire on one of the outboard motors.

US Troops Will Get Paid on Friday

DFAS, the accounting office that handles military paychecks made a point of stating US servicemembers will get their full paychecks this Friday, April 15th, after last week’s shutdown showdown created confusion.  The “cutoff” for mid-month pay was April 8th; in anticipation of a shutdown, troops’ Leave and Earnings Statements were printed with only one week of pay.

Once the shutdown was averted, DFAS announced it would distribute the second week’s pay this Friday as well, though the deposits will come in two payments.  US servicemembers are encouraged to monitor their accounts for correct transactions.

All military and reservists will receive full pay on April 15 for duty served. There will be more than one deposit into your account, but again, all payments will be deposited on April 15. Check with your bank to confirm the amount deposited into your account on the 15th.

Fighter Pilots Fly All-Female Combat Mission

Remember that conversation about the military not always hyping gender?

With an eye to Women’s History Month, an F-15E Strike Eagle unit in Afghanistan recently orchestrated an “all-female” mission.  Two F-15Es were flown by two female pilots and two female weapons systems operators.  Though not all the other personnel are named, the rest of the mission support, generation, and planning was also “carefully planned” to be done “entirely by females:” Read more

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