The Aviationist Blog

Aircraft undergoing Programmed Depot Maintenance are almost completely disassembled, stripped off the paint. Last week we published the first video of the B-52 tail number 60-0034, nicknamed “Wise Guy”, flying again after undergoing Programmed Depot [...]

The post This Is What A C-5M Super Galaxy Undergoing Programmed Depot Maintenance Looks Like. Let’s Explain Why. appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Bell V-280 Valor Next Generation Tilt Rotor Aircraft has been involved in the testing of a new Tactical Data Link and external cargo loads. The first prototype of the V-280 Valor, registration N280BH, continues to carry [...]

The post Bell V-280 Valor Tilt-Rotor Prototype Receives Tactical Data Link And Performs Sling Load Tests appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Israeli Air Force released some interesting images of an F-15D carrying a Blue Sparrow air-launched test target. This week, the Israeli Air Force has carried out a series of tests of its multi-layered anti-missile [...]

The post Israeli Air Force F-15D Launched A Blue Sparrow Ballistic Test Target During Latest “David’s Sling” Interception Test appeared first on The Aviationist.

B-52H Stratofortress “Wise Guy” has started flying from Tinker Air Force Base after Programmed Depot Maintenance, prepares to return to active service. “Wise Guy”, the B-52H Stratofortress bomber tail number 60-034, is preparing to return [...]

The post “Wise Guy” is Back! Regenerated After 10 Years At the “Boneyard” B-52H Flies Again After PDM at Tinker AFB appeared first on The Aviationist.

The first C-27J Next Generation has flown with a new camouflage color scheme that may give a hint about the undisclosed first customer. On Dec. 16, 2020, the first C-27J Next Generation, with experimental serial [...]

The post First C-27J Next Generation Spotted With Brand New Camouflage Color Scheme appeared first on The Aviationist.

Spain will be an equal nation along with France and Germany in the participation to the demonstrator phase of FCAS. The Spanish industry has signed the initial framework contract for the Future Combat Air System’s [...]

The post Spain Is Now Officially The Third Nation Of The Future Combat Air System (FCAS) Programme appeared first on The Aviationist.

Two U.S. Air Force B-52H bombers flew direct from Barksdale Air Force Base to the Persian Gulf during latest “deterrence mission” against Iran. And were escorted by Saudi F-15SA aircraft during the leg flown over [...]

The post U.S. B-52 Bombers Escorted by Saudi F-15SAs Over Saudi Arabia During “Deterrence Mission” To The Persian Gulf appeared first on The Aviationist.

The program aims to get two fully configured SIGINT Gulfstream G550 aircraft plus six others to be converted later for improved C4ISTAR and CAEW/BM&C capabilities. The Italian government is working on the acquisition of new [...]

The post Italy Plans To Buy New Gulfstream G550s For SIGINT (Signal Intelligence) Missions appeared first on The Aviationist.

A B-1 Lancer conducted an external weapon release demonstration launching a Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile from an external pylon. Last month, a B-1B Lancer assigned to the 412th Test Wing’s 419th Flight Test Squadron, Global [...]

The post B-1 Lancer Bomber Successfully Launched An Inert JASSM Stealthy Missile From An External Pylon During Test appeared first on The Aviationist.

Boeing’s Autonomous MQ-25 T1 test asset flew with an ARS (Aerial Refueling Store) for the the first time. Boeing and the U.S. Navy have achieved a significant milestone in the development of the carrier-based unmanned [...]

The post Boeing’s MQ-25 Carrier-Based Tanker Drone Test Asset Completes First Test Flight with Aerial Refueling Store appeared first on The Aviationist.

Development for the new Tempest sixth-generation fighter is moving on with some revolutionary concepts. Team Tempest and the Royal Air Force recently held a virtual event to provide an update about the development opportunities of [...]

The post New Images Of The Tempest Sixth-Generation Aircraft Revealed During UK Industry Engagement Event appeared first on The Aviationist.

115th Fighter Wing F-16 lost over Hiawatha National Forest, Michigan. Pilot Condition Unknown. An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the Wisconsin Air National Guard’s 115th Fighter Wing from Truax Field Air National Guard Base outside Madison, [...]

The post F-16 Reported to Have “Live Ammunition” Crashes in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. appeared first on The Aviationist.

The Royal Australian Air Force F/A-18F veered off runway after the two pilots successfully ejected. A RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet belonging to No. 1 Squadron was involved in an incident at RAAF Base Amberely, Queensland, [...]

The post Pilots Forced To Eject From RAAF F/A-18F Super Hornet During Take Off Incident At RAAF Base Amberley appeared first on The Aviationist.

Yeager Personified the Daring, Heroic Image of Early Test Pilots, Changed Aviation. Aviation legend Chuck Yeager has died at 97. Yeager is universally acknowledged as establishing the image of the jet-age test pilot, a heroic [...]

The post Chuck Yeager, Legendary Test Pilot, Face of “The Right Stuff”, Dies at 97. appeared first on The Aviationist.

A weird incident has occurred to Russia’s “Doomsday Plane”, the Il-80 Maxdome airborne command post. Unidentified persons stole equipment from an Il-80 Maxdome, Russian media outlet RIA Novosti, reported on Dec. 7, 2020. According to [...]

The post Someone Opened A Cargo Hatch And Stole Radio Equipment From An Il-80 Maxdome, Russia’s “Doomsday plane” appeared first on The Aviationist.

The F-15E Strike Eagles from the 48th Fighter Wing have used LFA 17 for their low level training again. Two F-15E Strike Eagle jets belonging to the 48th FW based at RAF Lakenheath, UK, engaged [...]

The post F-15E Rocketing Through Lake District Valleys Marks Return Of The 48th FW Strike Eagles in LFA 17 appeared first on The Aviationist.

Images released by the U.S. Air Force Central Command show that the Tornado IDS of the Italian Air Force are flying with the BOZ-102 Enhanced Capability self-defense pods, rarely seen in official photos. A few [...]

The post Italian Tornado IDS Aircraft Are Flying Anti-Daesh ISR Missions With Enhanced Countermeasures Pod appeared first on The Aviationist.

“Shock collar” generated by U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler caught on camera. Last month we published an amazing shot showing a U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler Electronic Attack aircraft with the Electronic Attack Squadron 130 (VAQ-130) “Zappers”, based at [...]

The post Spectacular “Shock Collar” Forms Around U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler Flying At Low Level in the Cascade Mountains appeared first on The Aviationist.

Two B-52s flew from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, to Europe. But one had to divert to RAF Fairford, UK, after experiencing an issue to one of its 8 engines on its way to [...]

The post U.S. B-52s Conduct Mission To Europe: One Flies Over The Barents Sea, One Diverts To RAF Fairford For Engine Failure appeared first on The Aviationist.

The company already secured a contract for the ASLON-45 mission of the U.S. Space Force. Aevum, a small company based in in Huntsville, Alabama, rolled out its Ravn X Autonomous Launch Vehicle from their hangar [...]

The post Aevum Unveils Ravn X Autonomous Launch Vehicle For Lightweight Satellites appeared first on The Aviationist.