The Aviationist Blog

“Tabor 11” taking off at night for the F-22A inaugural deployment to Europe.

We have already posted some cool pictures of the F-22s arriving in Germany on Aug. 28. Here are some stunning photographs of the 95th Fighter Squadron Raptors taking off from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida.

Six aircraft departed Tyndall for Spangdahlem: the four Raptors that eventually landed in Germany along with two air spares.

A 95th Fighter Squadron F-22 Raptor accelerates as it takes off of the Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., flightline. Four 95th FS Raptors flew to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, to train with allied air forces and U.S. services through mid-September. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Sergio A. Gamboa/Released)

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Here are the most interesting images of the four F-22A jets that have arrived in Germany earlier today.

On Aug. 28, four F-22A Raptor jets belonging to 325th Fighter Wing, from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, have arrived at Spangdahlem airbase, Germany.

Rather than a show of force against Russia, the deployment was a testbed for the new rapid deployment concept (dubbed “Rapid Raptor Package“) to move a package of F-22s (accompanied by a C-17) and supporting logistics to any forward operating base and have the 5th generation multi-role fighter jets ready for combat operations within 24 hours of deploying with a small logistics footprint.

Here are the most interesting images showing the four Raptors arriving in Germany. The F-22 deployment will continue through mid September for training with USAFE.

Four F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., fly over the runway before landing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Three F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., fly over the runway before landing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepare to land on the runway at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft prepare to land at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015, as part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe. Four F-22s from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., along with a C-17 Globemaster III cargo aircraft and more than 50 support Airmen were part of the deployment. This effort is part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will serve to assure allies of the Air Force’s commitment to European security and stability. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Warren/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to land on the runway at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two Airmen watch as an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to land at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft lands at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015, as part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe. The F-22s are deployed from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., as part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft while demonstrating U.S. commitment to NATO allies and the security of Europe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Warren/Released)

Four F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft taxi after landing at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015, as part of the inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe. The F-22s are deployed from the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., as part of the European Reassurance Initiative and will conduct air training with other Europe-based aircraft while demonstrating U.S. commitment to NATO allies and the security of Europe. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Chad Warren/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., taxi to hardened aircraft shelters at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., sits outside a hardened aircraft shelter at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pilot assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to exit an F-22 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Barack Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pilot assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., prepares to exit an F-22 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Barack Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

An F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft pilot assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., exits an F-22 at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

A member of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., sits in the cockpit of an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

A member of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., observes an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

A member of the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., observes an F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22 Raptors, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

Two F-22 Raptor fighter aircraft assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., taxi to hardened aircraft shelters at Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, Aug. 28, 2015. The U.S. Air Force deployed four F-22s, one C-17 Globemaster III and more than 50 Airmen to Spangdahlem in support of the first F-22 European training deployment. The inaugural F-22 training deployment to Europe is funded by the European Reassurance Initiative, a $1 billion pledge announced by President Obama in March 2014. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Luke Kitterman/Released)

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Tyndall F-22s expected at Spangdahlem airbase, Germany, later today.

Four F-22A Raptor stealth jets will arrive at Spangdahlem airbase later today, to start the deployment in Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

The aircraft, belonging to 325th Fighter Wing, from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, and using radio callsign “Tabor 11” are accompained by two air spares and supported by several tankers along the way according to the information posted by some very well informed users on Scramble forum.

As happened to the first A-10 Theater Security Package in May, Spangdahlem is going to be the first stop for the U.S. Raptors that are expected to visit other eastern Europe airbases.

Newsworthy, the deployment comes just few days after it was announced by Air Force Secretary Deborah James, a sign that a small package of 4 F-22s can be deployed across the world quite quickly: as already explained, in 2013 the U.S. Air Force conceived a new rapid deployment concept (dubbed “Rapid Raptor Package“) to deploy a package of F-22s (accompanied by a C-17) and supporting logistics to any forward operating base and have the stealth fighter jet ready for combat operations within 24 hours of deploying with a small logistics footprint.

Actually, this is not the very first deployment of Raptors in Europe: four Raptors deployed to support the F-22 appearance at Farnborough and RIAT airshows (more or less like the F-35s were expected to do last year before they were grounded and forced to cancel) in July 2010. So it was a sort of airshow deployment that involved four 3rd Wing F-22s at RAF Lakenheath for a couple of weeks.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force

 

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The nEUROn has conducted 12 highly sensitive sorties to verify the characteristics of radar-cross section and infrared signature in Italy.

The first example of the nEUROn UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) has successfully completed its flight test campaign in the Perdasdefogu range, Sardinia, Italy.

The nEUROn is a full-scale technological demonstrator for a UCAV developed by an industrial team led by Dassault Aviation with the collaboration of Finmeccanica-Alenia Aermacchi, Saab, Airbus Defence and Space, RUAG and HAI representing France, Italy, Sweden, Spain, Switzerland and Greece that rolled out on Jan. 20, 2012, after five years of design, development, and static testing.

The shape of the nEUROn reminds that of the American X-47B (even though, from a certain angle it also shows a certain resemblance to the F-117 Nighthawk...).

During the deployment at Italian Air Force’s Decimomannu airbase, the stealth killer drone demonstrator flew 12 highly sensitive sorties to assess its low radar-cross section and low infrared signature, during missions flown at different altitudes and flight profiles and against both ground-based and air radar “threats”, using in this latter case, a Eurofighter Typhoon.

The next testing phase will see the European UCAV deploy to Vidsel Air Base, in Sweden, for more low observability tests and some live firing activity needed to validate the capability of the nEUROn to use weapons carried in the internal weapons bay.

 

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The U.S. Air Force has released the report and photos of the mishap suffered by an F-35A Lightning II  in June 2014.

A U.S. Air Force Air Education and Training Command (AETC) Investigation Board team has completed the investigation into the mishap occurred to an F-35A assigned to the 58th Fighter Squadron, 33rd Fighter Wing, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, on Jun. 23, 2014.

According to the report, the F-35A suffered a failure of the third-stage rotor of the engine fan module. The aircraft was taking off for a training mission when the engine caught fire: the pilot safely aborted the takeoff and exited the aircraft.

Although emergency crews responded to the burning aircraft and extinguished the fire, the F-35A was heavily damaged: “Pieces of the failed rotor arm cut through the engine’s fan case, the engine bay, an internal fuel tank, and hydraulic and fuel lines before exiting through the aircraft’s upper fuselage. Damage from the engine failure caused leaking fuel and hydraulic fluid to ignite and burn the rear two thirds of the aircraft. The total mishap damage is estimated to be in excess $50 million.”

The mishap caused a fleetwide grounding that prevented the F-35 to attend Farnborough International Air Show.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force via Alert5

 

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Incredibly, the camera survived the crash.

The video in this post was allegedly filmed on Aug. 20, 2014, somewhere near Lugansk where a Ukrainian Mi-24 Hind gunship helicopter was hit and shot down by an anti-aircraft missile while on patrol with another helicopter of the same type.

Both crew members, reportedly Major Oleg Biryukov and Captain Anton Rodionov, died in the crash.

It looks like the Hind was flying at low altitude, when it was hit by a missile: in a matter of seconds the helicopter hit the ground and (probably exploded) with the camera the crew members brought with them in the cockpit among the only surviving things.

The photograph below shows the wreckage of the chopper.

Image credit: http://militarizm.livejournal.com/78942.html

According to the information available on the Internet, the helicopter downed by the pro-Russia separatists was Mi-24P “Yellow 15″ from the 7th Army Aviation Regiment, a gunship that had been already hit and damaged by Donetsk People Republic fighters near Slavyansk.

Several Mi-24 helicopters and many other Ukrainian aircraft have been shot down by MANPADS (Man Portable Air Defense Systems) in eastern Ukrainian during clashes with Russia-backed separatists.

H/T to Matt Fanning for the heads-up

 

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This cool footage was filmed from a Finnish Air Force F/A-18 Hornet pilot.

Nine nations have taken part in Arctic Challenge Exercise 2015, a multinational flying exercise that included approximately 115 combat aircraft deployed at several airbases in Sweden and Norway.

Among the air arms that attended ACE 2015 there is the Finnish Air Force that took part in the drills with F/A-18 Hornet jets based at Rovaniemi (Finland) and Bodø (Norway).

On Jun. 4, at the end of their ACE 2015 mission, two FiAF Hornets returned to Bodø flying over the Norwegian coastline, mountains and fjords: here below you can see the view those pilots enjoyed from their cockpits.

If you can’t see the video below, click here to watch it on FB.

H/T Giuliano Ranieri for the heads-up

A comment on a social media can attract three JDAMs (Joint Direct Attack Munitions).

It looks like the imprudent use of social media cost ISIS an air strike and three JDAMs dropped by U.S. attack planes on one of their buildings.

According to Air Force Gen. Hawk Carlisle, head of Air Combat Command, airmen belonging to the 361st Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance Group, at Hurlburt Field, Florida, were able to geo-locate an ISIS headquarters building thanks to a comment posted on social media by a militant.

As Carlisle explained to Defense Tech:

“The guys that were working down out of Hurlburt, they’re combing through social media and they see some moron standing at this command. And in some social media, open forum, bragging about the command and control capabilities for Daesh, ISIL. And these guys go: ‘We got an in.’ So they do some work, long story short, about 22 hours later through that very building, three [Joint Direct Attack Munitions] take that entire building out.”

Although the U.S. Air Force did not release any further information about the location of the headquarters or the aircraft that carried out the attack, the story is quite interesting as it proves that not only are social media used by ISIS for propaganda and recruiting purposes, they are also used by U.S. intel team to identify ground targets, supplementing ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) activities conducted with the “usual” platforms, like satellites, spyplanes and UAVs (Unmanned Aerial Vehicles).

U.S. and NATO soldiers are always made aware of the risk of using social media and, generally speaking, digital technologies which embed information that can be exploited by the adversaries in various ways. Still OPSEC (Operations Security) breaches occur.

In 2007 four Apache helicopters were lost in Iraq because of smartphone geotagging: insurgents were able to determine the exact location of the AH-64s and successfully attack them because some soldiers had taken pictures on the flightline and uploaded them (including geotagging data) to the Internet.

Now even IS militants have experienced how dangerous an incautious use of social media can be.

Image credit: U.S. Air Force

 

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Awesome image of an F/A-18E Super Hornet during blue water operations.

This stunning photograph was taken during an Air Power demonstration on board USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) nuclear-powered aircraft carrier.

It shows an F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to the Sunliners of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81 launching from the catapult as the Carl Vinson and its embarked air wing, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 17,  return to homeport after a Middle East and Western Pacific Deployment.

USS Carl Vinson has supported Operation Inherent Resolve taking part in air strikes against ISIS targets in Iraq and Syria.

Image credit: U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class John Philip Wagner

 

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Join a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 during aerial combat against a U.S. F-15.

At the end of March 2015, 125th Fighter Wing, Florida Air National Guard, from Jacksonsville, Florida, deployed to Leewuwarden air base with 12 F-15C Eagle as part of the first Air National Guard TSP (Theater Security Package) in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve.

From Apr. 13 to 24, the F-15s and supporting personnel (belonging to units from Florida, Oregon, California, Massachusetts and various bases throughout Europe grouped, regardless of their origin, in the 159th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron) took part in Frisian Flag 2015 one of the largest exercises in central Europe.

The footage in this post was filmed from the cockpit of a Dutch F-16 during a FF 2015 mission.

It shows the RNlAF “Viper” depart from Leeuwarden, join and refuel from an American KC-135 tanker launched from RAF Mildenhall, UK, over the North Sea, and engage a U.S. F-15 in a 1 vs 1 dogfight.

Watch the F-16’s pilot, wearing a JHMCS (Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System) maneuver under high g-loads to try to get a shot on the Eagle. The JHMCS, used also by the American F-15 pilots, is a multi-role system that enhances pilot situational awareness and provides head-out control of aircraft targeting systems and sensors. It can be used in an air-to-air role, combined with the AIM-9X missile, as High-Off-BoreSight (HOBS) system, to cue onboard weapons against enemy aircraft merely by pointing their heads at the targets to guide the weapons.

H/T to Giuliano Ranieri for the heads-up

 

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Low flying Thunderbolts over Latvia.

According to the information released by the Latvian Ministry of Defense, NATO air assets, namely the A-10 Thunderbolts deployed as a part of the Theater Security Package, are going to use the country’s airspace to conduct low-level flying.

The release issued by the Latvian authorities asks the public not to be worried about the low-flying Hogs. The missions are going to take place only on specific, agreed dates and times, starting from Jun. 8, 2015.

The low-level flying is to be carried out outside the firing ranges – this is the reason why the event is so unusual. It was said that the training’s purpose is to maintain and refine the pilots’ skills and combat readiness.

All the information pertaining the operations are going to be available on the Internet. It was already said that the sorties would take place in seven districts, namely: Rūjiena, Smiltene, Aluksne – Gulbene, Balvi – Vilani, Madona – Plavinas, Jēkabpils and Preiļi – Līvāni.

According to the Ministry, the Warthog training operations within the Latvian airspace are a part of the Operation Atlantic Resolve, undertaken by NATO in the light of the Ukrainian crisis. The low-level training operations are going to be organized in a way that will not pose a threat to the public.

 

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Here’s the video of  a Russian Su-24 flying close to USS Ross in international waters in the Black Sea.

Few days ago, Russian media reported that Russian Navy Su-24 Fencer jets scrambled from an airbase in Crimea “forced” a U.S. Navy destroyer in the Black Sea to leave for neutral waters while approaching Russia’s territorial waters.

Russian outlets claimed that USS Ross turned around because it was scared by the sight of the Su-24, a type of aircraft involved in a similar incident with USS Donald Cook, an American destroyer allegedly “blinded” by a Fencer in the Black Sea in April 2014.

Although, Russian flybys performed by Su-30s and Su-24s aircraft from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet launched from Crimea, have been reported by NATO warships operating in the Black Sea previously, the whole story of USS Ross deviating from its planned operations because of a Fencer immediately appeared to be unlikely and quite hard to believe.

Then came the official statement by U.S. Navy.

According to the U.S. 6th Fleet: “USS Ross continued on her mission after observing the aircraft return to base. At no time did Ross act aggressively nor did she deviate from her planned operations. The conduct of her crew has been and continues to be professional. Ross’ Sailors observed that the SU 24 carried no weapons – wings were “clean.”

And here’s the video that proves this version.

 

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It looks like Russian Su-24s flew over US warship in Black Sea. Again.

According to several Russian media outlets, Russian Navy Su-24 Fencer jets “forced” a U.S. Navy destroyer to head towards neutral waters after it was noticed by Russian Black Sea monitoring stations heading into Russia’s territorial waters.

Reportedly, the U.S. Navy destroyer USS Ross was heading directly towards Russian waters after leaving the Romanian port of Costanta. Russian Su-24s were scrambled towards the warship.

After the close encounter with the Su-24 jets, the destroyer “then turned around and left for neutral waters,” says RT, suggesting an unlikely violation of the Russian territorial waters by the U.S. warship.

“It seems that the Americans did not forget the April 2014 incident when one Su-24 actually shut down all equipment on the new USS Donald Cook American destroyer with anti-missile system elements,” an unnamed source said to Sputnik News.

The mysterious source refers to the April 2014 incident when a Su-24 Fencer flew multiple passes at 500 feet above sea level, within 1,000 yards of the USS Donald Cook, the U.S. Navy destroyer operating in the Black Sea at that time: a behaviour that the ship commander considered “provocative and inconsistent with international agreements.”

Following the incident, speculations (fueled by propaganda) reported that the Su-24 jammed all the systems aboard USS Cook to such an extent all the onboard screens went black and 27 officers resigned as a consequence of the attack: a quite unbelievable and unlikely story.

Anyway, Russian Su-30s and Su-24s aircraft from Russia’s Black Sea Fleet launched from Novofedorvka, an airbase captured on Mar. 22, 2014, in western Crimea peninsula 70 kilometres north of Sevastopol, have conducted attack runs on NATO warships operating in the Black Sea recently.

Image credit: Andrey Zinchuv/Airforce.ru and U.S. Navy

 

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GoPro cameras bring you aboard a Mig-29 Fulcrum during a flight to the Edge of Space.

Ever wondered what flying one of the most famous Russian warplanes at supersonic speed and so high (between 17 and 22 km) that you can clearly see the curvature of Earth?

The video below will give you a hint.

It was produced by MigFlug, a company that offers fighter jet flying experiences in wide variety of aircraft in Russia, Europe and North America, during a Edge of Space mission with their MiG-29 Fulcrum.

Interestingly, the video was shot by a famous aviation video producer, Artur Sarkysian, who attached a GoPro cameras to the two-seater Mig-29UB’s outer surfaces in such a way they could withstand speed up to 2450 km/h and a load factor of 9g!

From several different points of view you can watch one of the most famous Soviet-era jet (still serving in Russia, Ukraine, North Korea, Poland, Syria and Iran, among the others) fly at supersonic speed and high altitude, maneuver, perform aerobatics and land.

The video was produced over a time of 6 months. But the results are stunning.

Here below you can watch the whole video. Enjoy!

 

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U.S. and Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16s have operated together during the annual, bilateral African Lion exercise in Morocco.

Six F-16 Fighter Falcon aircraft belonging to 480th Fighter Squadron from Spangdahlem, Germany, along with support assets deployed to Ben Guerir airbase, in Morocco, to participate in joint and combined air training during African Lion 2015, the largest U.S. exercise in Africa.

Taking place between May 15 and 22, the annual exercise is designed to improve interoperability and mutual understanding of each nation’s tactics, techniques and procedures.

According to the U.S. Air Force, the training included first-time Royal Moroccan air force in-flight air refueling with U.S. tankers, emergency landing barrier training and joint datalink ops.

The training activities were carried out few days after a Royal Moroccan Air Force F-16C Block 52+ (serialled #08-8008), taking part in the Saudi-led coalition air campaign in Yemen was shot down by Houthi rebels on May 11.

The aircraft, belonging to a contingent of six F-16s deployed to UAE to take part in the air war against ISIS, was involved in one of the very first RMAF missions over Yemen when it was hit by small arms fire. Pilot was killed in the downing.

 

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Libyan Mig-23 Flogger performs insanely low flyby.

Some videos showing FLAF (Free Libya Air Force) Mig-23 Flogger jets have emerged recently: filmed from at an unknown airbase and posted on the official FB page of the Libyan Air Force they show the Soviet-era jets thundering at ultra-low altitude.

In this post you can find another image that has surfaced on the social network, reportedly released by the FLAF showing one of the flybys from a quite privileged standpoint.

According to the always very well informed Oryx Blog, the Libyan Air Force currently has two MiG-23MLs operational: 6472 based at Benina and 6132 based at al-Watiya. The two aircraft support the war of attrition against Libya Dawn forces that also operate one remaining Mig-23ML (the other one crashed after attacking the airstrip of al-Zintan on Mar. 23, 2015).

Image credit: FLAF

 

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This incredible video was taken by a Damocles targeting pod.

The video in this post was probably taken somewhere over Afghanistan.

It shows U.S. Air Force KC-10 “buddy” refueling against a full moon.

The IR-vision scene, with the moon appearing closer due to the magnifying effect of the zoom, was filmed with a Damocles multi-function targeting pod, by a French aircraft, possibly a Dassault Rafale, a Mirage 2000 or a French Navy Super Etendard that are equipped with the pod used for laser designation and day/night smart weapons guidance.

H/T Gizmodo

 

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The dramatic story of a US Navy Tomcat RIO, POW during Operation Desert Storm.

As we have recently explained, in the early morning of Jan. 21, 1991, the F-14B (BuNo 161430, at the time designated F-14A Plus) from the VF-103 “Sluggers,” callsign “Slate 46”,  flown by Lt. Devon Jones and RIO Lt. Lawrence Slade, was hit by an Iraqi SA-2 Surface to Air Missile.

The crew was forced to eject due to the violent flat spin which followed the SAM explosion.

During the descent, the two men saw each other for the last time before entering the clouds and once they put their boots on the ground their fate was quite different.

In fact, while Lt. Jones was saved with a spectacular Combat SAR mission, Lt. Slade tried to go as far as he could from the Tomcat crash site, walking for about 2 ½ hours in the desert using his radio every hour without receiving any reply.

Then, while Slade tried to hide himself near a little knoll, the Iraqis found him.

“At about 1030, a white Datsun pickup truck came around the knoll,” Slade says in the book Gulf Air War Debrief.

“It was probably bad luck because I don’t think they were looking for me; they were just driving by. Two men stopped and got out. One had a 12-gauge shot gun, the other, an AK-47. […] They approached me, but it never crossed my mind to pull out my pistol. I was obviously had. They made me strip off all my gear.”

The two men were very polite and after they put Slade between them in the pickup, took him in their tent where they fed him.

Then, after the lunch, they put him again in the pickup and they asked him if he wanted to go to either Saudi Arabia or Baghdad. Of course, he told them Saudi Arabia, choosing the most northern town he could recall. Slade knew that if the trip took three hours, it would have been Baghdad; eight, Saudi Arabia. Sure enough, 3 ½ hours later they pulled into an army camp, and he knew it wasn’t Saudi Arabia. For the rest of the day Slade was shuttled to six different camps, blindfolded and handcuffed. Nevertheless he was for sure a subject of interest, since people came out to see him, take pictures of him and poke at his gear. They’d pick on him, kick him, and if they spoke English they’d say things like “You kill our children.”

Slade spent the following three days in Baghdad where he experienced very harsh interrogations, then he was transferred in the first of several prisons where he spent his POW (Prisoner Of War) experience.

As he recalls: “In retrospect, I was shot down on the fourth day of the war and they had already had a few prisoners: a couple of Tornado crews, an A-6 crew and a Marine OV-10 crew. ”

Lieutenant Slade and his fellow POWs changed different prisons in Baghdad where they also experienced several allied bombs raids, the most intense of which was the one that took place on Feb. 23, when 2,000-lb bombs almost completely destroyed their jail.

But for sure the most impressive experience faced by Slade were the interrogations by Iraqi jailers. He had a total of six interrogations, some of what they called soft-sell, where they just asked him questions. Then there were the hard-sells, where they pounded on him. For the most part, they didn’t use any classic torture methods. They just beat him up, tied his hands behind his back and double-blindfolded him to the point where he couldn’t even blink.

They beat allied prisoners even when they answered their questions. Slade, as well as the other POWs answered to the questions just to make beatings stop “even though the answers were complete garbage. Some I didn’t know the answer to, and I’d tell them, then I’d make up something. I could hear them writing it down. I thought, ‘You idiots!’ […] Some time toward the end of February, they banged me up against the wall and broke my seventh vertebra.”

During these interrogations Slade was blindfolded and never saw his interrogators, probably so that he could not identify them later, or perhaps because the Iraqis understood how terrifying it is to be blind in the hands of  a torturer.

Lt. Slade endured interrogation, torture and starvation in the Iraqi hands for 43 days: even if his six weeks as a POW were not anywhere as long as six years in North Vietnamese prisons, to Lawrence Slade every week must have seemed like a year.

Image credit: U.S. Navy

 

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A clip filmed with a smartphone shows a formation of Special Ops helicopters at work north of Baiji in Iraq.

Although the quality of the footage is pretty bad, the clip in this post, filmed by Iraqi forces north of Baiji, Iraq, is extremely interesting.

It shows a formation of four U.S. MH-60 and two MH-47E choppers, followed by two more Black Hawks, flying at very low level during a mission somewhere in Iraq.

The helicopters belong to the US Army’s 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) “Night Stalkers”, a Special Operations unit that has been quite active in the region since August 2014. More recently, the 160th SOAR took part in a “daring” raid to kill ISIS high level operative Abu Sayyaf,  in eastern Syria.

Here below you can find a couple of screenshots:

Noteworthy the helicopters are not flying under the cover of night: returning from a raid or heading towards the target?

 H/T to @guidoolimpio for the link to the video

 

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A P-8A Poseidon from Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 captures surveillance footage of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC) conducting land reclamation operations in the South China Sea.

On May 20, a P-8A Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft belonging to Patrol Squadron (VP) 45 conducted a routing surveillance flight over the South China Sea, where has started building an airstrip on the disputed Spratly Islands in the waters claimed by the Philippines.

During the flight, the crew of the P-8A documented several warnings, issued by China’s People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN), most probably on the International Emergency (“Guard”) frequency 121.5 MHz, to leave the area as the U.S. military plane was approaching their military alert zone.

Interestingly, the U.S. aircraft replies to the Chinese Navy operators urging it to leave their area “quickly” as follows:

“Station calling U.S. military plane, please identify yourself”.

Then, after receiving confirmation that it was a People’s Liberation Army Navy (PLAN) operator, the answer is always the same: “I’m a U.S. military aircraft conducting lawful military activities outside national airspace; I’m operating with due regard as required under International Law.”

The audio seems to be disturbed by some kind of jamming.

Anyway, according to the U.S. Navy, the P-8 mission documented the continued expansion of reefs which have been turned into man-made islands with airport infrastructure in the South China Sea.

 

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