The US Army AH-64E Apache attack helicopter Version 6.5 upgrade aligns the entire E model fleet under the same software, streamlining training and maintenance while providing a pathway for sensor/capability…
The KC-10 Extender A modified McDonnell Douglas (later Boeing Company) DC-10, the KC-10A entered service in 1981. Twenty KC-10s were modified to add wing-mounted pods further enhancing their aerial refueling…
Uncertainty about the return of the V-22 tiltrotor Air Boss Vice Adm. Daniel Cheever, the head of US naval aviation, said in a panel at the WEST 2024 conference, co-hosted…
The Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress To overcome enemy defenses, the Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress was designed with a focus on high-altitude flight, speed, and powerful defensive armament. Its advanced turbosupercharged…
Joe “Hoser” Satrapa Without a brace of Joe “Hoser” Satrapa stories, no dissertation on present-day section tactics—or naval aviation in general—could be considered complete. Hoser was a legendary figure in…
The F-86D Sabre Dog To counter the growing Soviet threat, the US government and USAF started a massive effort in the late 1940s to establish an effective defense of US…
The U-2 Built in complete secrecy by Kelly Johnson and the Lockheed Skunk Works, the original U-2A first flew in August 1955. Early flights over the Soviet Union in the…
KC-135 Stratotanker crew providing support of trans-pacific ferry missions In February 1977, while on deployment to Andersen AFB, Guam, and the Pacific Tanker Task Force, the crew of a KC-135…
The A-10 Warthog The A-10 is the Air Force’s premier close air support aircraft, providing invaluable protection to troops on the ground. The A-10 offers excellent maneuverability at low airspeeds…
The MiG-25 Foxbat The USSR revealed the existence of the MiG-25 (NATO reporting name “Foxbat”), which looked to be the most lethal fighter aircraft in the world in the late…