Raytheon, a defense contractor that builds a variety of missiles and other systems for the military, announced that its AIM-9X Sidewinder–a heat-seeking, air-to-air missile–was successfully employed–in an air-to-ground test.
The use of air-to-air missiles in an air-to-ground role has an interesting history. Pilots who flew in Read more
An editorial submission to USA Today by US Army General Martin E. Dempsey, commander of the Army Training and Doctrine Command, encouraged Americans to “say thanks” to servicemembers when they seem them in the airports this Christmas season. The Army ceases formal training courses over the holidays, allowing more than 40,000 soldiers to be home for the holidays.
During the next two weeks, more than 40,000 soldiers will depart our posts, camps and stations to travel across America. They will be joined by thousands of other troops traveling to and from Afghanistan, Read more
It is common knowledge that the Air Force and White House were roundly criticized for the Air Force One flyover in New York, a faux paus that ended the political career of the leader of the White House Military Office. Since then, the military has made a point of announcing significant exercises and events that might attract the attention of the public, particularly those that involve aircraft.
Unfortunately, such announcements risk exposing the unpredictability of scheduling events that involve military aircraft. For example, Read more
Military.com and FoxNews are two of several sites repeating articles that say the US Air Force has acknowledged a new UAV “shrouded in secrecy.”
Grainy photos show what appears to be a flying-wing aircraft, which was reportedly initially photographed flying over Afghanistan in 2007.
If nothing else, it is worth remembering that the US military is in a constant effort to field the best systems and weaponry. Because such systems are often developed and employed in secrecy, sometimes that’s an easy thing to forget.
The Air Force Times carried a short article on “Dream Jobs” in the Air Force. While it appears to have been a slow news day, it is worth noting that Air Force members can often participate in some very unique, challenging, and downright fun career fields–some that they may not even have considered or knew existed. As a recent article pointed out, one AF pilot even went to fly with the US Marines.
The AF Times article lists Aggressor Pilot, Test Pilot, and Thunderbird among a list of other career fields that include Enlisted Aide and VIP Flight Attendant.
Not every job in the Air Force, or the military, is as “cool” Read more
The Washington Post chronicles the story of Colin Banks, a high school senior who dreams of going to the US Air Force Academy and becoming a fighter pilot.
While the article has the unfortunate tendency of focusing on race, Banks’ story is a good one. He has an avid interest in all things aeronautic and has an unbelievably supportive mother. His mother has taken him to Air Force Day at the National Air and Space Museum’s Dulles annex (a pilot heaven, and home of the space shuttle Enterprise), researched Air Force jobs, and drives him to his flight lessons.
As a result of a Tuskegee Airman program called Youth in Aviation, Read more
Lt. Gen. David Deptula, Air Force deputy chief of staff for ISR and a strong advocate for UAVs, recently stated that “we haven’t even seen the horizon yet” on the last manned tactical aircraft.
While many have forecasted the “unemployment of the fighter pilot” as UAVs have become more ubiquitous, Deptula’s reason for saying fighter pilots have some job security is fairly simple:
There is no sensor package capable of “360-degree situational awareness that can process information” and decide on how to act upon it better than the human brain.
The article notes that Admiral Michael Mullen, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, has said he is “inclined to believe” that the F-35 will be the last manned fighter.
In an interesting “behind the scenes” look at a Presidential speech, The Cable, a blog of Foreign Policy magazine, says that White House staffers asked an Air Force squadron to remove its F-22 from President Obama’s speech location and replace it with an F-15. The story was corroborated by an Elmendorf AFB public affairs officer.
The blog reports that some of the local troops who fly and maintain the Raptor “took offense” and were bewildered that the White House wouldn’t want to showcase the Air Force’s premier front line fighter.
It is highly unlikely that Obama personally had anything to do with the decision. Such political “staging” matters are frequently made at levels well below the Oval Office (as noted by the article saying aides made the request). As the Foreign Policy article shows, though, sometimes the decision to use what might seem like an innocuous stage piece (in this case, two Air Force fighter aircraft) may have a significant backstory.