The Boeing E-3 Sentry AWACS The Boeing E-3 Sentry Airborne Warning & Control System (or AWACS) is a modified Boeing 707 equipped with long-range radar and passive sensors capable of…
EF-111A EWO recalls when his Raven with Asymmetric Slats had to do a departure end cable arrestment
The EF-111A Raven In the 1980s and 1990s, EF-111A Ravens, often referred to as “Fat Tails” and “Spark Varks” (the F-111 is also called the Aardvark), were used as tactical…
Landing a Tomcat with a full load of 6 AIM-54 Phoenix missiles on the aircraft carrier
The AIM-54 Phoenix The AWG-9 weapons control system and P&W TF30 engines were used by the F-14A Tomcat, which was built in 1968 to replace the controversial F-111B, which was…
The A-10 Warthog October 1975 saw the delivery of the first A-10A in production at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base (AFB), in Arizona. Over the years, numerous enhancements have been made…
Why the USMC prefers to use the Huey over the UH-60 Black Hawk
The Black Hawk Multirole Helicopter The Black Hawk is the military’s most versatile helicopter, suited for a variety of missions, including command and control, air assaults, medical evacuations, and lift…
Version 6.5 update for the US Army’s AH-64E Apache attack helicopter
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 only KC-10 lost by the USAF: the sad story of the Extender that exploded on the ramp at Barksdale AFB
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…
Old warriors never die: US Navy Surging C-2A Greyhound COD aircraft as V-22 Groundings Continue
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…
What the Luftwaffe’s leadership thought of the B-17 after their first encounter
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…
The F-5E pilot remembers the amazing simulated gun kill that Joe “Hoser” Satrapa Tomcat achieved against his Tiger
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…