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aircraft

The B-47 Stratojet served as the strategic air command’s backbone throughout the early Cold War

by Till Daisd March 29, 2023

The USAF operated 28 B-47 bomb wings and four RB-47 reconnaissance wings, totaling 1,357 B-47s and 175 RB-47s, during the height of their use in 1958

The Boeing B-47 Stratojet was a turning point in the history of aviation and an innovation in aircraft design. It included a lot of cutting-edge components for the time, like swept wings, underwing jet engines, main landing gear mounted on the fuselage, and automated systems that reduced the crew size to three from the usual four.

Today, every major jet aircraft comes from the B-47. Due to all of these capabilities, the Stratojet became a crucial part of the Strategic Air Command (SAC) of the U.S. Air Force in the 1950s and early 1960s, serving both as a nuclear bomber and a reconnaissance aircraft.

In May 1951, the propeller-driven B-29s and B-50s in the SAC’s medium bomber units started to be replaced by the B-47, which was created to satisfy the demand from 1944.

The RB-47H carried electronic countermeasures (ECM) equipment and electronic sensors in radomes in several locations — in the nose, under the front and rear of the fuselage, under the wing tips, and on some later RB-47Hs like the one pictured here, in a pod attached to the right side of the fuselage.

Notably, the B-47’s top speed was more than 200 mph quicker even though it could carry roughly the same amount of bombs as the aircraft it replaced. Due to the B-47’s limited range in comparison to SAC’s heavy bombers (the B-36 and later the B-52), Stratojet units were frequently sent on temporary assignments to forward air bases all over the world.

These deployments typically lasted three months, but thanks to the Reflex Action program, they were cut down to three weeks starting in 1957.

The Stratojet served as a nuclear strike bomber, but its speed and payload also made it an excellent aircraft for strategic reconnaissance. Photographic reconnaissance B-47s made many overflights of the Soviet Union between 1952 and 1956, giving detailed images of the country’s military and industrial facilities. The Soviet Union’s intercontinental ballistic missile program and air defense systems were the subjects of Stratajet intelligence gathering.

The B-47’s weather reconnaissance models acquired air samples from Soviet nuclear explosions in addition to collecting weather data. These crucial RB-47 missions over and near the Soviet Union’s border were risky; Soviet fighters shot down two reconnaissance Stratojets and damaged one, killing seven USAF personnel and imprisoning two others for a short time.

Though mismatched in speed, the propeller-driven KC-97 became the main tanker aircraft used to extend the Stratojet’s range. During refueling, the B-47 flew just above stall speed while the KC-97 flew at full throttle.

Almost 2,000 Stratojet aircraft were produced by Boeing, Douglas, and Lockheed between 1947 and 1957. The USAF operated 28 B-47 bomb wings and four RB-47 reconnaissance wings, totaling 1,357 B-47s and 175 RB-47s, during the height of their operations in 1958.

According to Robert Robbins, a B-47 test pilot, “the best way to tell about the performance of the Stratojet was to say that any good crew could have flown it. It took no unusual ability or education. […] Rather, the credit should go to the men who carried out these visions on the drafting boards and the factory workers who made the visions a reality.”

The USAF phased out its final B-47 bombers in 1965, and in 1969, a WB-47E Stratojet was retired.

The RB-47E carried one forward-looking camera in the nose and up to six cameras in the modified bomb bay, plus photoflash bombs for night photography and a defensive 20mm cannon in the tail.

Source: National Museum of the U.S. Air Force and Boeing

Photo by U.S. Air Force

March 29, 2023 0 comment

Drones

During a simulated BVR engagement, a U.S. naval research laboratory UAV wingman makes its own decision

by Till Daisd March 28, 2023

written by Till Daisd

A software program called Tactical Battle Manager employs intelligent agents to direct UAVs that operate as a “wingman” in manned and unmanned teams during simulated BVR air combat operations.

Together with Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) and the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL), the Navy Center for Applied Research in Artificial Intelligence (NCARAI) at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) is continuing to develop the Tactical Battle Manager (TBM), a software system that employs intelligent agents to direct unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) that act as a “wingman” in manned/unmanned teams, in simulated beyond-visual-range (BVR) air combat missions.

To operate in highly contested environments, the TBM streamlines cross-platform coordination of manned and unmanned air combat units. It enables a human operator to control a team of UAVs by synchronizing their aims and objectives.

In these cases, the lead air vehicle is controlled by operators, who also interact with the autonomous agents, each of which is under TBM control. Each agent uses its sensors to observe its surroundings and carries out actions to accomplish its objectives. When the operator is unavailable or unexpected circumstances emerge, these agents use Goal Reasoning techniques to dynamically self-select mission objectives to pursue. This ensures competent performance (e.g., representing challenges or opportunities).

“The main idea here is if the UAV/wingman is left to its own devices, it has the ability to recognize when or how to change its goal or objective as the mission scenario unfolds,” said Dr. David W. Aha, head, of Adaptive Systems Section, NCARAI. “While some systems allow users to insert new goals or pre-program the selection of new goals, goal reasoning agents can dynamically select new goals to pursue that are not pre-programmed.”

The Analytical Framework for Simulation, Integration, and Modeling (AFSIM) from AFRL and the Next Generation Threat System from NAVAIR were combined by the NRL team (NGTS). Pilots employ AFSIM and NGTS, high-fidelity BVR mission simulators, in virtual training and testing systems on a daily basis. These simulators mimic air, ground, and surface platforms, including weapons and subsystems.

In the first human trials with AFSIM, Aha claims that expert pilots had a favorable attitude about believing the TBM could handle a UAV under their control in counter-air scenarios.

The Autonomy for Air Combat Missions project, one of five multi-service research programs on autonomy technology including NRL researchers, is financed by the Office of the Secretary of Defense and is where the TBM was developed. AFRL and NAVAIR simulate BVR air combat using NRL’s intelligent agent for managing unmanned vehicles.

SKYNET IS ALREADY HERE: U.S. NAVAL RESEARCH LABORATORY UAV WINGMAN MAKES OWN DECISION DURING SIMULATED BVR ENGAGEMENT

Photo by MC3 Kevin J. Steinberg / U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

Source: U.S. Naval Research Laboratory

March 28, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

NASA YF-12 Blackbirds and their participation in the “Coldwall” project

by Till Daisd March 28, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The NASA YF-12 Blackbird research program was ambitious; the plane, unless it was grounded for extensive maintenance or modification, flew on average once every week

The images in this post taken in 1975 show NASA YF-12s carrying the so-called “coldwall” heat transfer pod on a pylon beneath the forward fuselage.

The Langley Research Center’s coldwall experiment involved a stainless steel tube that was fitted with thermocouples and pressure sensors. The tube was refrigerated using liquid nitrogen and was covered with a unique insulating coating. At Mach 3, the tube might have its insulation pyrotechnically blown away, leaving it immediately exposed to the temperature environment. The experiment had a lot of in-flight issues, like engine unstarts, but eventually, the flight was successful.

The Flight Research Center’s role in the YF-12A, a Lockheed A-12 interceptor, which started in 1967, is noteworthy. Data from the Ames wind tunnel that had been produced in the strictest of secrecy was of interest to the Ames Research Center. Also, the YF-12A was seen by the Office of Advanced Research and Technology (OART) as a way to enhance high-speed technologies that would aid in the development of supersonic transport (SST).

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) offered NASA the use of two YF-12A aircraft, 60-6935 and 60-6936 since the USAF required technical assistance to fully operationalize the SR-71A, the latest reconnaissance variant of the A-12 family. In June 1969, a combined NASA-USAF program was established.

The 935 was prepared for flight for three months by technicians from NASA and the Air Force. Col. Joe Rogers and Maj. Gary Heidelbaugh of the SR-71/YF-12 Test Force completed a successful maiden flight on December 11, 1969, which officially launched the flight program.

During the program, NASA pursued a loads research program that included inflight heating, skin-friction cooling, “coldwall” research, a heat transfer experiment, flowfield studies, shaker vane research, and tests in support of the Space Shuttle landing program, while the Air Force focused on military applications.

The second YF-12A, 936, made 62 flights while 935 eventually took over as the program’s workhorse, flying 146 times between December 11, 1969, and November 7, 1979. On June 24, 1971, this aircraft was destroyed in a non-fatal crash, and it was replaced by the YF-12C SR-71A 61-7951, which had YF-12A inlets and engines and the bogus tail number 06937.

Clarence “Kelly” Johnson created the Lockheed A-12 family, also known as the Blackbirds, which were made primarily of titanium to withstand aerodynamic heating. The Blackbirds could cruise at Mach 3.2 and reach altitudes of more than 80,000 feet when powered by JP-7. The A-12 was the first model, a CIA reconnaissance aircraft that made its maiden flight in April 1962. In 1963, a version for interceptors known as YF-12A was created. The SR-71, a reconnaissance variant used by the USAF, made its first flight in 1964.

The leading and trailing edges of the A-12 and SR-71 designs included high-temperature fiberglass-asbestos laminates.

The NASA YF-12 research program was ambitious; unless the plane was down for extensive maintenance or modification, it flew once every week on average. 3.1 million dollars were spent on the program annually merely to do the flight tests. Pilots Fitzhugh Fulton and Donald Mallick, flight test engineers Victor Horton and Ray Young, and other NASA personnel flew the YF-12. John Manke, William Dana, Gary Krier, Einar Enevoldson, Tom McMurtry, Steve Ishmael, and Michael Swann were among the other NASA test pilots that flew the YF-12A. Only Fulton, Mallick, Horton, and Ray piloted the YF-12C.

Source and Photo by NASA

March 28, 2023 0 comment

Military

Get an overview of the outstanding F-4 Phantom II capabilities with this Beautiful infographic

by Till Daisd March 27, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the F-4 Phantom II served as the U.S. Air Force’s main fighter-bomber aircraft

This post’s informative infographic offers some important findings about the famed F-4 Phantom II.

The F-4 Phantom II made its maiden flight in May 1958 and was introduced to service in 1961 as a fleet defense aircraft for the United States Navy. It was rated as the F-110A Spectre by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) for close air support, interdiction, and counter-air operations.

The USAF variant was approved in 1962. On May 27, 1963, the Air Force’s Phantom II, dubbed F-4C, made its first flight. In November 1963, production deliveries started.

Throughout the 1960s and 1970s, the F-4 served as the U.S. Air Force’s main fighter-bomber aircraft. Reconnaissance and “Wild Weasel” anti-aircraft missile suppression missions were also flown by F-4s. In 1979, Phantom II’s manufacturing ceased.

It is noteworthy that the QF-4, a reusable full-scale, remotely piloted aerial target developed from the F-4, was the final variant of the iconic Phantom II.

However, the QF-4 was retired from the United States Air Force on December 21, 2016, at Holloman Air Force Base (AFB), New Mexico.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

March 27, 2023 0 comment

Cold War

Francis Gary Powers U-2 shot down

by Till Daisd March 27, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Francis Gary Powers was supposed to have been killed and his aircraft destroyed when he failed to finish his mission. As a result, the U.S. concocted a cover story about an innocent weather plane that had been lost over Turkey

A high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft called the Lockheed U-2 was first introduced in 1957. The first flight of the original U-2A, which Kelly Johnson and the Lockheed Skunk Works built in complete secrecy, took place in August 1955.

Although it is still in use by the U.S. Air Force (USAF) today, the U-2 was a crucial spying instrument controlled by the CIA during the Cold War. The Soviet Union, Cuba, Vietnam, and China were among the targets of intelligence gathering.

As explained by Senior Airman Sean D. Smith, Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs in his article Let’s Learn about the Cold War: Part 12 – The 1960 U-2 Incident, the U-2 could offer surveillance in any weather, and its high operational altitude made it challenging to intercept with fighters

During the Cold War, pictures taken by U-2 aircraft gave the West essential intelligence. The president and other U.S. decision-makers received crucial intelligence about Soviet military capability during the first flights over the Soviet Union in the late 1950s.

Original U-2A Dragon Lady at USAF Museum

On May 1, 1960, an S-75 Dvina (NATO reporting name SA-2 “Guideline”) surface-to-air missile (SAM) shot down a U-2 spy plane being piloted by CIA civilian Francis Gary Powers over the Soviet Union on a mission to photograph top-secret Soviet sites. Indeed, fourteen SA-2s were purportedly launched at his U-2 by the Soviets. Even though none of the missiles hit Powers’ aircraft, one of them exploded behind the U-2 and caused a shock that damaged the delicate plane. In addition, the Soviets accidentally shot down one of their own MiG-19 fighters during the conflict, killing the pilot.

This could have been catastrophic since, throughout the Cold War, espionage was prioritized in order to prevent overt acts of aggression between the US and the Ussr.

The report of an innocent weather plane lost over Turkey was used by the Eisenhower administration as a cover story for the incident after Powers failed to finish his mission, leading the United States to believe he had been killed and his plane destroyed.

Francis Gary Powers, the U-2’s CIA pilot, had been captured by the Soviet Union and had survived the crash without America’s knowledge. Even worse, a large portion of his plane, including secret equipment, was intact.

Kelly Johnson and Gary Powers in front of a U-2

Smith claimed that the Soviets were aware of the spy they had captured and that the United States was lying about it. The U-2 incident also happened right before the Four Powers Summit, which was to be attended by American President Dwight D. Eisenhower, Soviet Premier Nikita Khrushchev, French President Charles de Gaulle, and British Prime Minister Harold Macmillan.

Eisenhower and Khrushchev had been getting along before the U-2 incident, and this meeting—which would have been the first between the presidents of the United States and the Soviet Union in five years—might have helped bring the Cold War to an early conclusion.

Khrushchev held off on revealing that Powers was still alive in order to enhance America’s humiliation, however, he drew his punches by blaming the CIA more so than the Eisenhower government for the tragedy.

The Cold War continued, there was ongoing tension between the US and Ussr, and the Four Powers Summit failed as a result of the tension brought on by the U-2 incident.

After serving less than two years of his sentence before being brought back to the United States in exchange for a Soviet spy named Rudolf Abel, Powers was convicted of espionage in the USSR and sentenced to three years in jail and seven years of hard labor.

The U-2 nevertheless continued to offer high-altitude, all-weather surveillance and reconnaissance, day or night, in direct support of American and allied forces, even after the accident. The U-2 captured images of the Soviet Union’s offensive nuclear missile buildup in Cuba in October 1962, which sparked the Cuban Missile Crisis. The U-2 has recently supplied intelligence for operations in Korea, the Balkans, Afghanistan, and Iraq. In addition, the U-2 offers peacetime reconnaissance upon request to support search and rescue operations as well as disaster relief from floods, earthquakes, and forest fires.

The Powers Incident’s key details are highlighted in the video below.

Additional source: U.S. Air Force and National Museum of the U.S. Air Force

Top Image: From the Powers Family Collection

Photo by Senior Airman Bobby Cummings and Staff Sgt. Robert M. Trujillo / U.S. Air Force

March 27, 2023 0 comment

History

The German teenager Mathias Rust, who landed his Cessna in Red Square

by Till Daisd March 26, 2023

written by Till Daisd

At the height of the Cold War, on May 28, 1987, German teenager Mathias Rust, then 19 years old, flew a risky “peace mission” from Helsinki to Moscow

At the height of the Cold War, on May 28, 1987, German teenager Mathias Rust, then 19 years old, flew a risky “peace mission” from Helsinki to Moscow. In the video in this post, he explains why he did it in his own words.

With only 50 flying hours under his belt, Rust made the bold decision to accomplish what had previously been thought impossible. As you watch the video, it’s unbelievable how low he flew considering all the air defenses you would expect to be in place, particularly knowing how a MiG jet fighter passed him.

“It passed me on my left side so close that I could see the two pilots sitting in the cockpit and I saw of course the red star of the wing of the aircraft.”

Rust was scared, but the aircraft passed past and vanished into the clouds rather than striking him. According to the BBC, Rust’s plane was misidentified as a friendly aircraft due to a combination of extraordinary luck and human error.

Mathias Rust’s Cessna preparing to land in Red Square.

Confusion was present in the air and at control centers due to a plane crash the day before, an ongoing search and rescue operation, training for new pilots, and these factors combined.

Without any more contact from USSR defense forces, Rust nevertheless managed to go hundreds of miles over Soviet airspace to the capital. He wanted to make a big statement by bringing down the aircraft in the heart of Red Square, but it was crowded with people at the time.

Normally, it would have been difficult for him to land there because of nearby cables that would have been in the way; however, by accident, they were down for maintenance. He intended to land where the parades are all held, but there were too many people and he instead chose to land nearby.

You’d think the military would lose control and capture him right away, yet they managed to find him. But, they surrounded him and the aircraft as well as numerous bystanders laughed about it, and praised his bravery.

After making peace, the incident’s pilot, Mathias Rust, spent 14 months in a harsh labor camp. He worked as a financial analyst and a yoga instructor in 2012, 25 years after the incident, and he still had no regrets.

March 26, 2023 0 comment

Accidents and equipments

The new C-130H fuselage trainer at Scott Air Force Base

by Till Daisd March 25, 2023

written by Till Daisd

The 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron’s staff can arrange precise, high-fidelity task training and mission simulations in the C-130H fuselage trainer’s controlled environment

The 375th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs Scott Air Force Base (AFB) Airmen have recently started using a new ground aeromedical evacuation fuselage trainer, according to the post Total Force aeromedical Airmen receive new trainer written by Senior Airman Tristin English (FuT).

The 375th Air Mobility Wing was able to get a C-130H aircraft that was due to be decommissioned from Little Rock AFB, Arkansas, in 2016 by working with Air Mobility Command (AMC). According to Maj. Mark Hassett, the operations flight commander for the 375th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron (AES), the C-130 serves as this squadron’s principal aircraft and executes a significant number of patient evacuations while downrange.

“The C-130H FuT provides an innovative, cost-effective, improved training platform for total force AE and grounds support personnel in terms of aircraft configuration familiarization and realistic, high-fidelity task training and mission simulation,” said Hassett. “The C-130 FuT doubles the 375th AES simulation training capability.”

To ensure that the AE crews and ground support workers are highly proficient in providing high-quality, highly reliable patient transport in support of its mission, the en-route care environment is dynamic and requires ongoing innovation.

“[The 375th] AES worked with AMC and C-130 training resources to determine what parts were needed to sustain a realistic training platform,” said Hassett. “Critical components deemed unnecessary for AE training were removed from the aircraft and recycled so other agencies could use them.”

The 375th AES personnel can schedule precise, high-fidelity task training and mission simulations in the C-130H FuT’s controlled environment. Lessons learned will be put to use by ground support personnel and aeromedical evacuation crew members from any medical AF specialty code. In order to better support the AE personnel and the Tactical Aeromedical Evacuation System mission, they will also be able to maintain task proficiency.

“In conjunction with our KC-135 Simulation Learning Center/Cargo Compartment Trainer, both training platforms provide [Scott AFB’s Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron] two of the three primary aircraft used for aeromedical evacuation in a low threat, hi-fidelity capacity for clinical as well as operational exposure.”

Additionally, the FuT enables hands-on muscle memory for configuration, in-flight kit placement, electrical, oxygen, emergency exits, etc. Overall, the aeromedical evacuation technicians have acquired the necessary ready abilities. As basic and operational skills are consistent with the semi-annual training requirements that are finished both in the Cargo Compartment Trainer (CCT), FuT, and flight, depending on training level, flight nurses have moved on to these competencies.

“Any aeromedical evacuation squadron—Guard, Reserve, or active duty—are welcome to train on our FuT,” said Hassett. “In fact, some already have trained with our simulation facility. In the future, we anticipate being a regional hub for AE training.”

The addition of a C-130H FuT offers an innovative, cost-effective training platform for the 375th AES to better sustain technically proficient, highly skilled, multi-functional AE crews and ground support personnel due to the complexity of acquiring training missions for AE crews and ground support personnel.

“When the FuT was temporarily parked on the flight line, it could only be partially used for AE training,” said Lt. Col. Catherine Bonhoff, 375th AES operations officer. By moving it to a concrete pad with appropriate electrical support, the 502nd Training Development Squadron can restore and modify the interior so that it can be certified as an AE trainer.

“This means that aeromedical evacuation crew members can receive the same credit for designated training events on the FuT as they would for flying in the aircraft. If the FuT didn’t move, then it would not have a stable power source and therefore could not be modified and used as a certified trainer.”

THIS IS SCOTT AFB NEW C-130H FUSELAGE TRAINER — Contractors work with the military to help move The Aeromedical Contractors on Feb. 23, 2017, at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois. The FuT allows for hands-on muscle memory of configuration, placement of in-flight kits, electrical, oxygen, emergency exits, etc. 100% of readiness skills are completed for the Aeromedical Evacuation Technicians.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

March 25, 2023 0 comment

History

How Ukrainian mercenary pilots fought against separatists

by Till Daisd March 25, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Foreign-piloted Mi-24V helicopters turned out to be the most crucial air asset in use during combat

Fighting continued throughout the former socialist countries of the Balkans after the conflict in Kosovo, which was resolved in the summer of 1999 after several days of airstrikes on Yugoslavia. Unlike the other federal republics, fighting began in the former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia (now known as Northern Macedonia) in January 2001, leaving the previous socialist federacy without a conflict. The Macedonian army and special police conducted a ground operation against Albanian separatists operating in the north of the country, but the air force also participated to a lesser level.

When Macedonia declared its independence from the Yugoslav federation in 1992, its air force—then known as the Air and Anti-Aircraft Forces—had just a weak fleet. When war broke out in Yugoslavia in 1991, the 354th Reconnaissance Squadron and the 241st and 247th Fighter-Bomber Squadrons, equipped with J-21 Jastreb and J-22 Orao ground attack aircraft, respectively, were housed by the Yugoslav Air Force in Skopje, the capital of North Macedonia (Skanska Petro vac and Kraljevo airports).

Throughout the years 1991 and 1992, the entire brigade was operationally withdrawn from Macedonia. Organizationally, the Macedonian Air Force was founded in June of that year and received just one Utva-66 training aircraft with four seats and four Utva-75 A21 aircraft with two seats from its inventory.

These aircraft were originally owned by the Macedonian Air Union, not the Yugoslav Air Force, which gave them to the newly established Army Air Force for training. Due to the hostilities in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina, North Macedonia had difficulty arming and increasing its military aviation inventory. UN Resolution 713, which was approved in September 1991, imposed an arms embargo on all countries of the former Yugoslavia (including later independent Macedonia). Macedonia said the embargo was unfair because it was the only nation to peacefully secede from the federation.

The government purchased four Antonov An-2 transport biplanes from Ukraine despite the embargo, but because of the international sanctions, they were nonetheless registered as civil aircraft. 1995 saw the acquisition of four Zlin 242L training planes from the Czech Republic.

After being relieved from the embargo in 1996, Macedonia’s air force bought its first new aircraft—four Mi-17 helicopters—from Ukraine. The L-39MS Albatross used F-5 fighter planes from Turkey, used MiG-21bis fighter jets, and Mi-24D attack helicopters from Bulgaria, as well as used Bo-105M helicopters from Germany, which were other potential aircraft for the planned upgrade of the Macedonian Air Force. All of these plans were unsuccessful.

Mi-24K of North Macedonia’s Air Force. The helicopter still has the original Ukrainian camouflage with the Macedonian markings, as during its usage in the 2001’s conflict.

Broke out of the conflict

Since the early 1990s, unrest has risen in the adjacent region of Kosovo. The Albanian population established the paramilitary organization Kosovo Liberation Army in an effort to wage a full-fighting war against the Yugoslav army. This conflict started in 1998.

The Macedonian Air Force Command made the tactical decision to relocate the aircraft deeper into the country in order to prevent it from becoming a potential target for local Albanian groups because a sizable Albanian population was also present in northern Macedonia. The Macedonian Air Force frequently performed reconnaissance flights over the Yugoslav province’s border during the Kosovo War in mountainous regions close to Kumanovo and Tetovo, just a few miles from the capital Skopje, where, according to the 1994 Census, 22,9% of the Albanian population resided.

By delivering food, water, and medical supplies to the refugee camps, the Mi-17 aircraft of the Macedonian Air Force assisted refugees from Kosovo traveling to Macedonia. The Macedonian Air Force did not record any serious incidents, with the exception of one of the Zlin Z242Ls from the Air Force that crashed on April 7, 1999, close to the village of Radoviš.

The Kosovo Liberation Army was disbanded after the Yugoslav army withdrew from Kosovo and KFOR troops took over the country. The Liberation Army of Prešev, Medvedjo, and Bujanovac was founded in the south of Serbia, and the Macedonian National Liberation Army was established in the north. However, its former members founded parallel organizations. Beginning in 2000, it only ever carried out relatively minor assaults on border posts and police stations to the north of Skopje.

The level of conflict peaked in March 2001, when the army and the air force were fully mobilized to combat the terrorist organization. The US Air Force employed MQ-1 Predator drones from the 11th Reconnaissance Squadron in Skopje, which were later replaced by Israeli RQ-5 Hunters from the Task Force Hunter, to monitor the chaotic area because it lacked its own observation aircraft. The survey of the Luna X-2000 was assisted by the German army.

The Macedonian Air Force received two Mi-24V helicopters and four Mi-8MT helicopters from Ukraine as part of a program to modernize its fleet. The Mi-8MT helicopters had previously been used by KFOR in Kosovo. Ukraine provided Macedonia with four additional Mi-24 helicopters in 2001 (two in April and two in September) as well as four Su-25 aircraft (three Su-25Ks and one Su-25UB), the first combat aircraft to enter Macedonian Air Force service. With the arrival of Mi-24Ks meant for artillery guidance and reconnaissance in December of that year, deliveries from Ukraine were completed.

In 2001, Greece shipped two UH-1H helicopters. A Britten-Norman BN2T-4S Defender reconnaissance aircraft from an unspecified country, six J-21 Jastreb fighters from Serbia, six MiG-29 fighters from Ukraine, two Kamov Ka-50 helicopters from Russia, or even an unspecified number of F-16C/Ds from Turkey. The Macedonian Ministry of Defense, however, denied these claims.

The support provided to government troops during their counteroffensive north of Tetovo on Mar. 25 was one of the Macedonian Air Force’s first combat missions. The army deployed the Mi-17 and Mi-8MT helicopters during the counteroffensive to move infantry units more quickly. No helicopters were lost despite the fact that Albanian separatists had a large number of FIM-92 Stinger and Strela-2M anti-aircraft mobile weapons at their disposal. On March 17, one Mi-17 was lost after the rear rotor blades crashed with the flagpole during takeoff from the Popova Šapka ski resort.

Air war over North Macedonia – how Ukrainian mercenary pilots fought against separatists — All three Su-25Ks of the Air Force of North Macedonia.

Macedonian Su-25s in a fight

During a short period of time, the Macedonian Air Force employed its only jet aircraft. In June 2001, Macedonia received four Su-25s from Ukraine (three Su-25Ks and one Su-25UB, originally owned by the Belarusian Air Force). The “Frogfoots” were flown by Ukrainian mercenary pilots since the service lacked trained pilots. On June 23, the Sukhois undertook a reconnaissance flight over the village of Aračinovo, which is close to Skopje, where severe combat was occurring. From the Petrovec air base, Sukhois took off. Later, while serving with the Macedonian Air Force, Su-25s flew just one combat flight. Separatists in Albania were successful in taking a T-55 tank from the Macedonian military in August.

On August 12, three Sukhois conducted a combat flight to try and destroy it. The machines attempted to strike the tank with unguided 57 mm missiles, but they were unsuccessful, according to the data that was available. The Frogfoots had engaged in a number of additional reconnaissance operations by the conclusion of the conflict in November 2001, most of which they carried out with Mi-24 helicopters, but no direct combat activity. The Su-25s were added to the 101st Squadron’s arsenal following the conflict, where they operated until 2003. Due to a shortage of pilots and spare components for the aircraft, the Frogfoots’ brief operation as the only jet fighters in the nation’s air force came to an end.

Macedonian Mi-24s in a fight

The Mi-24s provided to Macedonia were identical to the Mi-8MT, Mi-17, and Su-25 aircraft delivered from Ukraine. Twelve Mi-24s (variant Mi-24D and Mi-24V) were sent to Croatia in 1993 and 1994, hence the fighting in Macedonia was not the first for the Ukrainian Mi-24. Due mainly to the ongoing UN embargo, the equipment was shipped as rescue helicopters, and soon after their arrival in Croatia, the equipment was mounted on the choppers. During Operation Storm in August 1995, Croatian Mi-24s took part in the battle against local Serbian separatists.

When Yugoslavia started to take a less active role in the Kosovo conflict in 1998, several Mi-24Vs that were initially Ukrainian were also delivered to that nation. They only briefly served in the Yugoslav Air Force following the conflict. On March 23, 2001, Macedonia received its first supply of Mi-24 aircraft.

As in the case of the Su-25, the Macedonian Air Force’s “Hinds” were first flown by hired pilots from the post-Soviet republics because there were only two crews qualified to fly the Mi-24. On April 2, a combat flight against the positions of Albanian separatists north of Tetovo served as the Mi-24’s first combat operation. The employment of Macedonian Mi-24s in the conflict in the summer of 2001 was so intense, according to the sources that are available, that they purportedly destroyed all 57 mm missiles that were in the country.

During the conflict, Macedonian Hinds also employed roughly 40 Shturm-V anti-tank missiles, occasionally during night attacks. The Mi-24 also dropped four 250 kg bombs during the fighting for the village of Arainovo, which started on June 21 at 4:30 in the morning. Hinds crews frequently used flares during attacks on ground targets to stop Albanian militants from taking down helicopters with multiple MANPADS. Versions K and V of the Mi-24 joined the 201st Anti-Armor Helicopter Squadron after the conflict. The Mi-24K helicopters were eventually decommissioned, and currently, the Macedonian Air Force is equipped with four Mi-24V helicopters that Israeli company Elbit refurbished.

The dissolution of the Albanian separatist forces was a result of the end of the hostilities in northern Macedonia in November 2001. The only Mi-17 helicopter lost by the Macedonian Air Force during the conflict’s nearly one-year duration was not actively involved in the battle. Unknown is the precise number of flights made by the Macedonian Air Force throughout the conflict. Nonetheless, in a relatively short period of time, the air force of North Macedonia was able to successfully support ground troops in their conflict with nearby Albanian separatists. Foreign-piloted Mi-24V helicopters turned out to be the most crucial air asset in use during the war.

Due to logistical reasons, the Su-25K and Su-25UB attack aircraft were only ever employed once to directly strike ground targets. Smaller skirmishes with the Albanian minority also occurred in Northern Macedonia in 2015, but thankfully they were not as severe as they were in 2001 and the air force did not have to be involved.

Sources

Alexander Mladenov: Mil Mi-24 Hind Gunship. Osprey Publishing, 2010.

Alexander Mladenov: Su-25 Frogfoot Units in Combat. Osprey Publishing, 2015.

Alexander Mladenov: Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoot. Osprey Publishing, 2013.

Photo by Mi-24K and Su-25Ks Rob Schleiffert via Flickr and Skopski Petrovac, Own work via Wikipedia

March 25, 2023 0 comment

Military

The Prowler flies toward sundown as USMC EA-6Bs celebrate their 40th anniversary

by Till Daisd March 24, 2023

written by Till Daisd

Since 1977, the EA-6B Prowler has provided support to the US Marine Corps and coalition forces across the world

A 1977 newspaper headline read “‘Can do easy’ Marines get their first EA-6B,” according to Cpl. Jason Jimenez, Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, in his article MAG-14 Prowlers fly toward sundown, legacy intact through 40th anniversary, highlighting Marine Electronic Warfare Squadron (VMAQ) 2 as the first VMAQ in Marine Aircraft Group 14’s history to receive an EA-6B Prowler.

The Prowler’s 40th anniversary of active service in MAG-14, 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, can only be described as a bittersweet acknowledgment and look back on its impact on USMC aviation on February 23, 2017.

When the Prowler arrived at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Cherry Point, N.C., as a replacement for the EA-6A Electric Intruder, the former leading electronic warfare aircraft during the Vietnam War, the Marine Corps formed a bond with it. The Prowler has since taken part in every known American conflict.

“[As] one of the last naval flight officers assigned to VMAQ-2 to fly the EA-6A Electric Intruder before the Prowler transition, I had the opportunity to fly and operate the manually controlled EW and [electronic attack] systems that earned the [electronic and photographic] community their stellar EW reputation over the skies of North Vietnam,” said Lt. Col. (Ret.) Rick Johnson, former Prowler pilot with VMAQ-2.

The EA-6B Prowler’s primary purpose is to suppress enemy air defenses in support of strike aircraft and ground troops by interfering with adversary electronic activity and gathering tactical electronic intelligence within the battle zone.

“Those EW systems by today’s standards would be considered antiquated and obsolete, but during the Vietnam conflict they were ‘state of the art,’ said Johnson.

Five tactical jamming pods, electronic surveillance systems, radar-seeking High-Speed Anti-Radiation Missiles, non-kinetic fire systems that disable but do not destroy electronic equipment, and countermeasures that mask the approach of nearby ground-attack aircraft are all included in the Marine Prowler’s arsenal.

“Being a pilot and flying in a legacy aircraft is a testament to the ability of the aircraft,” said Maj. Nathan Baker, the operations officer with MAG-14. “You’re still flying the same aircraft that was flown 40 years ago. No other tactical jet aircraft in the Marine Corps has ever lasted that long.”

During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, 12 Marine Corps Prowlers flew 516 hours without sustaining any losses. In 2007, the Prowler was used in anti-improvised explosive device (IED) operations in Afghanistan, blocking remote detonation devices and saving several lives. In 2013, VMAQ-1 became a training squadron to assist future Prowler missions, such as those carried out by VMAQ-3 and VMAQ-4 over Iraq in 2014.

“The aircraft being almost 50 years old in terms of design does make it a little more difficult to fly versus some of our newer aircraft such as the [F-35 lighting II],” said Baker.

Each year, one VMAQ squadron will be deactivated until the Prowler sunset in 2019.

“I’m excited for the transition and for the aircraft to continue its service until its sundown,” said Baker.

When Prowler lands for the last time in 2019, the electronic warfare community will be bidding farewell to a heritage aircraft.

Since 1977, the twin-engine, mid-wing, long-range, all-weather aircraft has provided assistance to the US Marine Corps and coalition troops around the world.

Photo by Cpl. Jodson B. Graves / U.S. Marine Corps

March 24, 2023 0 comment

History

The B-17F strategic bomber that was converted into a a four-engined escort fighter

by Till Daisd March 24, 2023

written by Till Daisd

When compared to a B-17F’s 3,900 rounds of ammunition, the YB-40 could carry nearly triple that amount—11,200 rounds

Before long-range fighters like the P-51D were available, the bombers of the 8th Air Force suffered terribly at the hands of the German fighters during the early years of the Allied Combined Bomber offensive in Europe. The US Army Air Forces (AAF) developed plans to equip bombers with increased defensive armament as a result of those losses. The modified bombers would accompany standard bomber formations and offer protection from the approaching German fighters on the way to the objective and return, according to Jim O’Connell, 92nd Air Refueling Wing Historian, in the article Boeing YB-40 Flying Fortress. The Boeing YB-40 “gun-ships” were only flown in battle by the 92nd Bombardment Group.

The Boeing YB-40: how the B-17F strategic bomber was turned into a four-engined escort fighter — YB-40

The second production B-17F was modified by Vega Aircraft Corporation under a contract with the AAF in August 1942 to become the first XB-40 (‘X’ for experimental) gunship, which was later renamed the YB-40 (‘Y’ for service test) gunship. The AAF initially ordered thirteen YB-40s. More armor plating was added to protect the various crew positions, and the bomb bay was modified to become a magazine for ammo.

When compared to a B-17F’s 3,900 rounds of ammunition, the YB-40 could carry nearly triple that amount—11,200 rounds. Other changes included installing a second manned dorsal turret in the location of the original radio compartment, replacing the single .50 caliber waist gun with two staggered, twin-mounted emplacements, and adding a chin turret with two.50 caliber light-barrel machine guns. In comparison to the ordinary B-17F’s 13 guns, the YB-40 had 18 or more.

In order to conduct operational tests, 12 YB-40s were added to the 327th Bombardment Squadron, 92nd Bombardment Group at Royal Air Force Base Alconbury in May 1943. The thirteenth plane ran out of fuel and came down on an island not far from Scotland. The YB-40s launched their first operational mission on May 29, 1943, attacking the Saint-Nazaire submarine pens and locks. The leadership soon learned that the YB-40s couldn’t keep up with the B-17s, particularly on the flight back from the objective after the formation dropped its bombs. When they fell behind, the YB-40s started to burden rather than aid the formation. Compared to a regular, fully-armed B-17, the YB-40s weighed close to 4,000 pounds more.

The additional gun stations also resulted in a much greater aerodynamic drag for the YB-40. Comparatively, although the YB-40 needed 48 minutes to reach the same height as the B-17F, it only took 25 minutes for the B-17F to do it. The YB-40s were taken out of service in August 1943 after taking part in just ten missions. A few months later, the first long-range fighter escorts with the P-51B and later P-51D Mustang began operations in Europe and eventually neutralized German fighters.

The YB-40 idea was a failure because the aircraft was too heavy and slow, but the 92nd Bombardment Group crews were able to learn some important lessons from the YB-40s’ operational testing. These lessons resulted in noticeable changes to the B-17G, the final production version of the B-17 bomber, as well as to the B-17Fs that were produced later. These B-17s included the chin turret, offset waist gun stations that provided more movement, and an enhanced tail gunner station with significantly larger windows. The B-17F and B-17G aircraft of later manufacturing were therefore better able to defend themselves.

Photo by U.S. Air Force

March 24, 2023 0 comment

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