militaryaircraft

The F-22 Raptor at air shows

The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team performs precision aerial maneuvers at air shows across the world to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the world’s premier 5th generation fighter aircraft.

The F-22 Raptor is the US Air Force’s premier 5th generation fighter aircraft. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, extreme maneuverability, and integrated avionics represents an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities.

The sophisticated F-22 aero design, advanced flight controls, thrust vectoring, and high thrust-toweight ratio provide the capability to outmaneuver all other current and projected aircraft.

Farnborough Air Show 2010

Earl Belz, former Flightline Quality Assurance Manager at Lockheed Martin, tells an interesting story to #AW#.

‘I have had the unbelievable privilege of working with Lockheed Martin at three International Air Shows with the F-16 program.

‘I was at Farnborough in 98, 02 and again in 2010.

Never watch the other manufacturers teams fly their demonstration at air shows

‘At the 2010 edition we were on the ramp preparing our jet for a demonstration. Parked next to us was Boeing with a brand-new F/A-18 Super Hornet, Eurofighter had a Typhoon and Dassault had a Rafale, all parked on the ramp next to us.

‘It is, of course, a matter of professional pride that you never watch the other manufacturers teams fly their demonstration. After all, you’ve seen all of that and your jet can do all of that and even better. It’s pride, pure and simple.

F-22 Raptor brief demonstration at Farnborough

‘As it happened, there was the Royal International Air Tattoo at RAF Fairford and the announcers at Farnborough announced that an F-22 that was at Fairford was going to make a guest appearance at Farnborough and perform a brief demonstration.

‘That was the first and only time I’ve ever seen everyone on the flightline stop what they were doing to watch a jet.

‘What an amazing piece of technology.

‘Blows my mind to watch the F-22.’

The following video features the F-22 Raptor Demo Team performing at Farnborough Air Show 2010

Jets leased from the commands close to the air shows

Belz adds other details during his days with Lockheed Martin’s F-16 program;

‘Lockheed leases jets from the commands close to the air shows. We literally take aircraft with hundreds of hours on them and perform those shows.

‘Our team normally leases two aircraft, one for static display and the other for the flights in the airshow. We, of course do a thorough inspection of the jets when we get them. We inspect and set the flight controls, inspect the engine, airframe… and get a couple of days to dial the jets in to the pilot’s satisfaction and Technical Orders.

“We know who we work for”

‘What I always love is that the F-16s we lease are literally war birds and not new jets. The crew chiefs are flown over when their jets are delivered. Most of them have never seen the jets they crew perform like the Lockheed Martin pilots fly them. They are blown away and proud too! That’s the best part.’

Belz concludes;

‘We have a motto at Lockheed and it’s “We know who we work for” and that is so true. We are proud of what we build for our military men and women.’

Photo by SSgt Samuel Rogers / U.S. Air Force and Earl Belz

The best F-22 Raptor demo

Filmed by Dafydd Phillips at the Pacific Airshow that took place at Huntington Beach between the end of September and the beginning of October, the cool video in this post features what is probably the best F-22 Raptor demo display you’ve ever seen.

Pushing the F-22 Raptor beyond its limits

Phillips explains;

‘Pacific Airshow at Huntington Beach had it all, first up the US Air Force F-22 Raptor Demo. Captain Samuel “RaZZ” Larson pushed the Raptor to its limits and beyond with the tail slide and the pedal turn to name just few of his amazing manoeuvres.’

F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team

The F-22 Raptor Demonstration Team performs precision aerial maneuvers at airshows across the world to demonstrate the unique capabilities of the world’s premier 5th generation fighter aircraft. The team also performs with the Air Force Heritage Flight Foundation to showcase modern day fighter jets flying in formation with World War II, Korean, and Vietnam era aircraft.

The team is stationed at Joint Base Langley-Eustis in Hampton, Virginia. In March 2007, the team participated in its debut air show at Tyndall Air Force Base.

Prior to 2016, the team consisted of the pilot, safety officer, superintendent, team chief, multiple crew chiefs, and avionics specialists. Now, the team has 14 total members to include public affairs and aircrew flight equipment technicians. Together, the team visits local schools, hospitals, and participates in various community events in addition to performing aerial demonstrations.

The pilot

Captain Samuel Larson is the Commander, F-22 Demonstration Team, 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. The mission of the F-22 Demonstration Team is to showcase the unmatched maneuverability of the Air Force’s 5th generation air dominance stealth fighter, highlight the history of the Air Force’s service though heritage formation flights, and interact with local communities through outreach events. Capt. Larson is an experienced combat fighter pilot with more than 750 hours flying the F-22A Raptor.

Capt. Larson leads the 14-member F-22 Demonstration Team, oversees maintenance actions performed on the most advanced fighter jets ever built, and showcases the F-22 Raptor for more than 10 million spectators around the world each year. He is an operational F-22 pilot assigned to the 1st Operations Group within the 1st Fighter Wing.

Photo by Dafydd Phillips

The two solo pilots on the 1958 team, John Damian and John Dewenter developed the back-to-back pass

The origins of the F11F Tiger (redesignated F-11 in 1962) can be traced to a 1952 Grumman effort to modernize the company’s F9F-6/7 Cougar. Yet, in final form the aircraft departed sharply from its predecessor. Designed as a lightweight fighter, the development model of the F11F, first flown in July 1954, featured thin swept wings, incorporating spoilers instead of ailerons, coupled with an area-rule (coke-bottle shaped) fuselage design that enabled it to exceed Mach 1.

Blue Angels trades the F9F-8 Cougar for the supersonic F11F Tiger

Initial production F11Fs were delivered to the Navy in March 1957. In spite of its design performance profile, the Tiger saw limited service, its appearance coinciding with two of the most capable fighters of all time, the F8U Crusader and F4H Phantom II. Such was their capabilities that the F11F-1F Super Tiger, which incorporated a more powerful engine that enabled it to achieve a speed of 1,386.47 mph in level flight and reach a world record altitude of 76,828 feet, did not enter production.

Tigers finished their service in the Naval Air Training Command and as demonstration aircraft with the Blue Angels, who flew the F11F during the period 1957-1969.

The Blue Angels traded the F9F-8 Cougar for the supersonic F11F Tiger in 1957.

The back-to-back pass

As told by Nicholas A. Veronico in his book The Blue Angels a Fly-By History, The two solo pilots on the 1958 team, John Damian and John Dewenter developed the back-to-back pass.

Both planes pass down the show line in formation, one pilot flies straight and level and the other flies inverted. “We developed that maneuver and held it until the Andrews Air Force Base Air Show, because that’s where we wanted to show it,” Commander Ed Holley said. “Air Force General Curtis LeMay was there, and my public information officer was standing next to him. Reportedly, LeMay threw his cigar down and said, ‘I don’t believe this’.”

Shortly after the Andrews air show, the air force’s demonstration team, the Thunderbirds, was quick to adopt the maneuver.

Photo by U.S. Navy via Aerobaticteams.net

A B-52H Stratofortress (dubbed BUFF, Big Ugly Fat F****r by her aircrews) is slated to land on the Korean Peninsula for Seoul ADEX 23—the first time ever the famed bomber has touched down in South Korea

The BUFF will land in South Korea for the first time.

The United States military will be represented at the 2023 Seoul International Aerospace and Defense Exhibition, or Seoul ADEX 23, Oct. 17-22 at Seoul Air Base, Republic of Korea.

Approximately 200 US service members will showcase a cross-section of US military aircraft for static displays, flyovers and aerial demonstrations.

Seoul ADEX 23

According to a Pacific Air Forces news release, the following aircraft currently tasked to support Seoul ADEX 23 include:

• F-22 Raptor static and aerial demonstration
• F-16 Fighting Falcon static and aerial demonstration
• A-10 Thunderbolt II static and aerial demonstration
• C-17 Globemaster III aerial demonstration
• B-52 Stratofortress flyover
• U-2 Dragon Lady static and flyover
• C-5 Galaxy static
• KC-135 Stratotanker static
• E-3 Sentry static
• CH-47F Chinook static
• AH-64 Apache static
• F-35B Lighting II
• E/A-18 Growler

This list is not inclusive and is subject to change.

“2023 marks 70 years of alliance between the United States and the Republic of Korea – one that has proven ironclad in the face of challenges over the many decades. It is among the most interoperable, capable and dynamic bilateral alliances in the world,” said Lt. Gen. Scott Pleus, Seventh Air Force commander and US Forces Korea deputy commander. “We are honored to demonstrate our commitment to this partnership through our US participation in Seoul ADEX 23 as part of our continued pledge to promote peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula.”

BUFF to land in South Korea for first time

Most notably, a B-52H Stratofortress (dubbed BUFF, Big Ugly Fat F****r by her aircrews) is slated to land on the Korean Peninsula for the event—the first time ever the famed bomber has touched down in South Korea, according to all known accounts.

“We are honored and excited to demonstrate our ironclad commitment to the ROK-U.S. Alliance with the participation of the B-52 Stratofortress, and all of our US equipment and personnel in Seoul ADEX 23,” said Maj. Rachel Buitrago, 7th Air Force Public Affairs director, on US Forces Korea Facebook Page. “These flyovers, air demonstrations and static displays, including the landing for the B-52 on the peninsula, is part of our continued pledge to promote peace, stability and prosperity on the Korean peninsula.”

The B-52 Stratofortress aka BUFF

The Stratofortress is a long-range, nuclear and conventional heavy bomber which can perform a variety of missions. The bomber can fly at high, subsonic speeds at altitudes reaching 50,000 feet, with an unrefueled combat range in excess of 8,800 miles and can carry precision-guided ordnance with worldwide precision navigation.

North Korea 2023 missile launches

While the B-52 has never landed in Korea, it has conducted several recent drills near or over the Korean Peninsula. According to Air Force Magazine, on Jun. 30, multiple B-52s from Barksdale Air Force Base, along with F-16s, F-15Es, and South Korean F-35As and KF-16s, conducted a joint flyover of the nation.

Then, on Jul. 13, the BUFF was accompanied by F-16s and three Republic of Korea Air Force (ROKAF) F-15K aircraft for a combined air training session over the peninsula. That exercise followed claims from North Korea that it launched a solid-fueled intercontinental ballistic missile on Jul. 12, with the capacity to reach the continental United States.

North Korea has continued to carry out numerous missile launches this year, including the most recent test in September when it fired two short-range ballistic missiles into the sea off the eastern coast.

Strengthening the US relationship with the Republic of Korea

Seoul ADEX 23 is the largest, most comprehensive event of its kind in Northeast Asia, attracting aviation and aerospace professionals, key defense personnel, aviation enthusiasts and the general public alike. Moreover, Seoul ADEX 23 offers a venue to further strengthen the US relationship with the ROK and enhance regional security through expanded military-to-military cooperation and with regional partners and allies.

Support to airshows and other regional events allows the US to demonstrate its commitment to the stability and security of the Indo-Pacific region, promote standardization and interoperability of equipment, and display capabilities critical to the success of military operations. It also serves to strengthen long-standing military-to-military relations between the US, the Republic of Korea and partner nations.

Photo by Republic of Korea Air Force