US Air Force - USAF

Rappel du premier message :

l´USAF plane de retirer +300 jets,dont:

-137 F-15
-177 F-16
-9 A-10s

11 ans avant leur date,pour epargner 3,4B$ et accelerer ainsi les F-22/35

mais ca doit dabord passer le congress et le futur president doit signer!

Citation :

US Air Force eyes fighter cuts to boost modernization
Wed Oct 15, 2008 5:51pm EDT



WASHINGTON, Oct 15 (Reuters) - The U.S. Air Force is seeking to retire early more than 300 fighter aircraft next year to save $3.4 billion in the hope of funding advanced Lockheed Martin Corp (LMT.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) fighters and other modernization efforts, a published report said on Wednesday, citing internal Pentagon documents.

The plan would retire 137 F-15 and 177 F-16 fighters plus nine A-10 close air support attack aircraft as much as 11 years before the end of their scheduled useful lives, InsideDefense.com, an online news service, reported.

"Without accelerating these retirements, we are left with a larger, less-capable force unable to penetrate anti-access environments," the Air Force was quoted as telling John Young, the Pentagon's top arms buyer, in defense of a fiscal 2010 spending plan it submitted in August.

"Anti-access" is Pentagon jargon for spots defended by advanced surface-to-air missiles and state-of-the-art fighters such as those used or planned by Russia and China.

A key Air Force concern is what it calls a potential fighter gap until Lockheed's radar-evading F-35 Joint Strike Fighter is produced in large numbers.

An Air Force spokesman said it would be inappropriate to discuss an internal working document that will continue to change until it is incorporated into the next president's fiscal 2010 budget submission.

The document was quoted as saying an Air Force analysis showed a "smaller but modernized fighter force, when coupled with a robust bomber fleet, can effectively bridge the gap until the F-35 can be produced in required numbers (ramping to 110) and the F-22 can be modified to a common configuration."

Air Force officials have said they plan to increase F-35 production over the next five years to address the fighter gap, InsideDefense.com said.

Two F-35s have entered flight test, two are in ground test and 17 are in various stages of assembly, including the first two production-model jets scheduled for delivery to the U.S. Air Force in 2010, Lockheed said last month.

The president of the Air Force Association, retired Lt. Gen. Michael Dunn, said it remained to be seen if Congress would let the Air Force get rid of so many aircraft so early and if Pentagon leaders would grab the savings to fund competing priorities within other armed services.

"There will have to be a lot of dialogue inside the Pentagon between the Air Force and the office of the secretary of defense, probably the secretary himself, before a decision is made," Dunn, a former president of the Pentagon's National Defense University, said in a telephone interview.

Old warplanes typically involve high maintenance costs and may require big outlays for structural upgrades. Still, lawmakers often have blocked Air Force attempts to retire aging warplanes early, partly to preserve jobs -- in their voting districts -- at bases from which they are flown.

In the fiscal 2010 budget request being readied at the Pentagon for the next president, the Defense Department is seeking ways to continue production of Lockheed Martin's F-22, the top U.S. dog fighter, while boosting F-35 output to capture economies of scale quickly, Pentagon officials have said.

The final say on whether to go on building the F-22 is being left to the next president, who is to be elected Nov. 4 and take office Jan. 20 -- only weeks before the administration's budget request normally is sent to Congress.

The proposed early retirements represent accelerations of seven years in the case of the F-15, six years for the F-16 and 11 years for the A-10, according to the document cited by InsideDefense.com.

The savings would fuel a push to modernize the Air Force's bombers, late-date fighters and go toward a new "nuclear-specific" B-52 bomber rotational squadron and Northrop Grumman Corp'a (NOC.N: Quote, Profile, Research, Stock Buzz) RQ-4 Global Hawk unmanned aerial system expansion, the document was quoted as saying. (Reporting by Jim Wolf; editing by Carol Bishopric, Gary Hill)

http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1531730620081015?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0

Oui je trouve aussi qu'il est bien fait ...
B-2 à côté du SR71 et du B-1, on sait plus où donné des yeux

Viper a écrit:

B-2 à côté du SR71 et du B-1, on sait plus où donné des yeux

Moi je sais, le Valkyrie

Citation :

B-1B Lancer upgrade will triple payload



4/11/2011 - DYESS AIR FORCE BASE, Texas -- Airmen from the 337th Test and Evaluation Squadron began their first phase of demonstrations of a multiple ejector rack on a B-1B Lancer here March 22.

If fielded, 16-carry modified rotary launchers will increase the number of 500-pound joint direct attack munitions and laser-guided JDAMs carried by the B-1B from 15 to 48, a 320 percent increase in capability.

"Currently a B-1 can deliver twice the payload of a B-52 (Stratofortress), meaning, theoretically, with the MER upgrade, one B-1 will be able to deliver the same amount of payload as four B-52s," said Col. Gerald Goodfellow, the 7th Operations Group commander.

Also, the MER has a mixed-load capability, meaning each bomb bay can hold an assortment of joint air-to-surface stand-off missiles, and both 2,000-pound and 500-pound JDAMs, giving the aircrew much greater flexibility during combat missions.

"The war we are in requires target specific weaponry that is capable of destroying a single room of a building," said Tech Sgt. David Koscienski, the 337th TES weapons suitability NCO in charge. "With the addition of the MER, B-1 operators have the ability to conduct numerous individual attacks and massive air-strikes as needed, without needing to stop to reload."

Aircrews from the 337th TES and 419th Flight Test Squadron from Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., flew a Dyess AFB B-1B equipped with a MER and successfully released two inert 500-pound JDAMs over China Lake Missile Range, Calif, March 22. An additional mission was also successfully flown March 24 to test drop the weapons again.

"The B-1 is absolutely a choice war-fighting platform considering it can carry multiple weapons, each with specific capabilities, and deploy those weapons at a moment's notice," Sergeant Koscienski said. "The adaptation of the MER, along with the sniper pod and laser-guided JDAMS, will only increase that same lethal capability to an even greater level."

The purpose of the 16-carry demonstration program is to validate the release and safe separation of 500-pound class weapons from a modified B-1B rotary launcher.

"This upgrade will not only save the Air Force money, but will also put less of our Airmen at risk; and that is our main priority," Colonel Goodfellow said.

B-1 munitions capability layouts



This is the first-ever B-1 munitions capability layout photo shoot taken at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas on Apr. 5.

Citation :

Lockheed Martin Delivers Second Production C-5M Super Galaxy To U.S. Air Force





MARIETTA, Ga., April 12th, 2011 -- Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] completed delivery of the second production C-5M Super Galaxy at a ceremony here Monday with a crew from Dover Air Force Base, Del.
The fifth C-5M overall to be delivered to the Air Force, this aircraft will undergo internal paint restoration at Stewart Air National Guard Base, N.Y., before traveling to its home base at Dover.
Maj. Gen. James T. Rubeor, commander of the 22nd Air Force, Air Force Reserve, said in a statement: "Though it's still early, the operational accomplishments of the C-5M in such a short amount of time are extraordinary. Obviously, this is a tremendous investment for the Air Force. With this fifth Super Galaxy, we're adding a new level of capability to the equation for determining how strategic airlift is used in both present and future contingency operations."
Lockheed Martin is on contract to modernize a total of 52 C-5s, consisting of 49 B-, two C- and one A-model aircraft through the Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program (RERP). The program incorporates more than 70 changes and upgrades, including newer, quieter General Electric engines making the C-5M more reliable and 10 percent more fuel efficient than legacy C-5s. Three test aircraft were delivered and flown before the modernization program entered full production.
The Super Galaxy is America’s premier global direct delivery weapon system and the only strategic airlifter capable of linking the homeland directly to the warfighter in all theaters of combat without refueling. The C-5M recently delivered 3,300 tons of helicopters to Afghanistan with a mission capable rate of nearly 90 percent.
The C-5M’s demonstrated improvements in performance and efficiency validate the value to the taxpayer of modernizing proven and viable aircraft. The C-5 can carry twice the cargo of other strategic airlift systems and is the only strategic airlifter capable of carrying 100 percent of certified air-transportable cargo.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion

lockheedmartin

Citation :

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Lt. Col. Bryan Salmon prepares an F-22 Raptor for taxiing April 10, 2011, during an operational readiness inspection at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Colonel Salmon is the director of operations for the 149th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Teresa Zimmerman)



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An F-22 Raptor takes off April 10, 2011, during an operational readiness inspection at Langley Air Force Base, Va. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Teresa Zimmerman)



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Lt. Col. Bryan Salmon prepares an F-22 Raptor for taxiing April 10, 2011, during an operational readiness inspection at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Colonel Salmon is the director of operations for the 149th Fighter Squadron. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Teresa Zimmerman)



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Maj. Jeremy Gordon taxis an F-22 Raptor to the runway April 10, 2011, during an operational readiness inspection at Langley Air Force Base, Va. Major Gordon is assigned to Air Combat Command Operations, Plans and Requirements. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Teresa Zimmerman)



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F-22 Raptors taxi April 10, 2011, during an operational readiness inspection at Langley Air Force Base, Va. (U.S. Air Force photo/Airman 1st Class Teresa Zimmerman)

Citation :

Raytheon to Provide MTS-B Turrets to USAF



Raytheon has been awarded a firm fixed-price contract for the procurement of 54 multispectral targeting system (MTS) model B turret and high-definition electronic units.
Under the $71.2m contract, the company will also provide one lot of shop replacement units, vendor test equipment and 54 containers.
The MTS-B system provides long-range surveillance, high-altitude target acquisition, tracking, range finding and laser designation for the Hellfire missile and all tri-service and Nato laser-guided munitions.
The system also provides superior detecting, ranging, and tracking capabilities for the US Air Force Predator B aircraft.
Work will be carried out at the company's facility in McKinney, Texas, US.

airforce-technology

Citation :

Lockheed Martin Delivers First F-35 Full Mission Simulator to Eglin Air Force Base

Lockheed Martin marked the delivery of the first F-35 Lightning II Full Mission Simulator (FMS) system to Eglin Air Force Base's 33rd Fighter Wing. Preparation and assembly is underway at the base's F-35 Integrated Training Center (ITC) for training to commence this fall.

The Joint Strike Fighter FMS includes a high-fidelity 360-degree visual display system and a reconfigurable cockpit that simulates all three aircraft variants for U.S. and international partner services. The system is the highest fidelity trainer in the F-35 pilot-training-device suite, accurately replicating all F-35 sensors and weapons deployment.

"JSF training technology brings a revolutionary new capability to the joint services," said Col. Arthur Tomassetti, 33rd Fighter Wing Vice Commander. "The smooth surface, high-resolution dome is a dramatic improvement over legacy fighter simulators. The high visual acuity and utilization of a significant amount of real aircraft parts and source code will allow us to train a wide variety of mission tasks previously not accomplished in simulators. The F-35 FMS will be our primary pilot training device, and we are anxious to start putting it to good use."

In all F-35 simulators, actual aircraft software is used to give pilots the most realistic experience and allow software upgrades in step with the F-35 development. Small group training events with pilot and maintenance instructors are currently being held at the ITC using part-task, desktop and deployable mission trainers.

"This is a tremendous milestone for the F-35 training team," said Joanne Puglisi, director of F-35 Training and Support at Lockheed Martin Global Training and Logistics. "We are committed to providing the next generation of F-35 fighter pilots and maintainers with the most advanced training systems in the world. The FMS is a key component in that capability."

The fully-integrated F-35 pilot-and-maintenance training center at Eglin AFB, Fla., will be home to a full spectrum of the latest courseware, electronic classrooms, simulators and flight events. A balance of skill and knowledge training is woven into the program with interactive courseware, desktop simulators and high-fidelity training devices.

defpro

Citation :

Lockheed Martin Receives $34.5 Million Contract For Paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb Kits




Paveway-II on its first flight test in 2009. Photo: Lockheed Martin

Lockheed Martin has been awarded a $34.5 million contract from the U.S. Air Force for production of paveway II Plus Laser Guided Bomb (LGB) GBU-12 kits. The majority share contract includes deliveries to both the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy and is scheduled to begin the second quarter of 2011.
Paveway II Plus LGB guidance kits significantly improve weapon accuracy and reduce risk to U.S. and allied ground forces when compared to legacy paveway LGBs through implementation of a newly integrated combined hardware and software solution.
In October 2010, the U.S. Air Force completed a Force Development Evaluation Program at Eglin Air Force Base, FL, for paveway II Plus LGB that included GBU-10 and GBU-12 weapons released from F-15 Eagle and F-16D Viper aircraft. Operational test scenarios evaluated system performance compared to legacy paveway II LGB weapons. The paveway II Plus LGB is supported through the U.S. Air Force 53rd Test Wing fielding recommendation for full/unrestricted operational employment of both GBU-10 and GBU-12 configurations incorporating the MAU-209C/B paveway II Plus system.
The new system does not require upgrades or modifications to aircraft, ground handling equipment or logistics support, and continues the same basic paveway II concept of operation for employment by converting conventional gravity weapons into precision-guided munitions. Each kit consists of a MAU-209C/B computer control group containing the electronics guidance system and an air foil group, which provides lift and stability.
Lockheed Martin’s LGB kits can be carried on U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy and most international aircraft platforms currently authorized to carry and release LGBs. Paveway II and paveway II Plus kits are compatible and interoperable with existing inventory paveway II equipment, handling procedures and aircrew operations.

defense-update

Le HC-130J développé pour le compte de l'USAF Air Command vient de terminer sa premiere phase
d'évaluation comprenant notamment des tests de ravitaillement en vol réalisés en perche cenraleselon la technique du Boom
une premiere sur Hercules.
Cette méthode sera aussi utilisée sur le MC-130J Combat Shadow II actuellement en production pour les forces spéciales
(Air force Special Operations Command).Livrés cet été les premiers HC-130J et MC-130J seront opérationels à partir de 2012
source Air Fan

l'USAF a commandé a General Atomics 24 drones MQ-9 Reaper supplémentaires et a réceptioné son dernier MQ-1 Predator
source Air Fan

L'USAF vient de signer avec Boeing un contrat pour la fourniture de 3500 kits de guidage satellite destinés aux bombes JDAM
souce Air Fan

le 18 mars 2011, un F-22 a pu voler a Mach 1.5 en suoercroisiere en utilisant du biocarburant dérivé de la cameline
source air fn

selon un plan à 30ans (2011-2040)dévoile par l'USAF, l'etat major envisagerait de lancer un programme d'avion de combat
pour succéder au F-22 Raptor à partir de 2025
source Air Fan

Citation :

Lockheed Demos New Communications System for Warfighters



Lockheed Martin has demonstrated integration of the MONAX 3G wireless communications system, which may enable US Air Force personnel to access several smartphone applications on their installations.
The MONAX communications system connects users to a single base station and provides voice, video and data transmission for warfighters.
The system uses a secure link, which is protected through encryption for joint and coalition operations, and can accommodate more simultaneous users than regular mobile phone systems.
Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Solutions - Defence director of strategic development Sam Guthrie said commanders could stay connected at any time and anywhere on base with full voice, text, e-mail, imagery and applications with MONAX.
"We demonstrated that MONAX extends existing communications systems and allows all these features with just one device on a secure private network," he added.

airforce-technology

Citation :

News: Tornado hits Little Rock AFB; officials still assessing damage





Headquarters Air Mobility Command Public Affairs




Courtesy Story


LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. -- A tornado struck Little Rock Air Force Base at approximately 8 p.m., April 25.

Emergency crews immediately responded in the aftermath of the tornado and conducted a house-to-house recall of all personnel, according to a 19th Airlift Wing Public Affairs news release. Base housing residents were also encouraged to stay indoors due to downed power lines in base housing.

On the morning of April 26, base officials further assessed damage to the base. Another wing press release stated "roughly 100 houses were damaged" and on the flightline there were at least three C-130 Hercules aircraft damaged. Further investigation and work is on-going, officials said.

According to the National Weather Service, April 25, a tornado outbreak affected southwest and central sections of Arkansas.

"There were at least half a dozen tornadoes, and it appears some of them were strong and long-lived," according to the NWS Web site. "The storm that produced the tornado (in Faulkner County) may have also spawned tornadoes from Sunshine and Hot Springs Village (both in Garland County) to near Paron (Saline County), Morgan (Pulaski County) and Romance (White County).

"Damage north of Jacksonville and around the Little Rock Air Force Base (both in Pulaski County) was also likely caused by a tornado (from a different parent storm)," the NWS states. "There was major tree damage between Big Fork and Board Camp (Polk County), and this was probably the result of a tornado. Survey teams from the National Weather Service will be out in the coming days to examine the damage, and determine how many tornadoes ripped through the region."

Little Rock Air Force Base is the "home of C-130 combat airlift," according to the base's fact sheet. "The 19th Airlift Wing, the base's host unit, in concert with the 314th Airlift Wing, 189th Airlift Wing and U.S. Air Force Mobility Weapons School is known as the world's 'Center of Excellence' for tactical airlift. Currently Little Rock AFB is home to more than 90, C-130 H, J and E models."

dvidshub

Citation :

U.S. Air Force announces Eglin as MQ-1 squadron candidate base

ROBINS AFB | U.S. Air Force officials announced today the Eglin Air Force Base complex in Florida is the candidate for an Air Force Reserve Command MQ-1 Remote Split-Operations squadron.

"The selection of this candidate is the result of a deliberate, measured and transparent process," said Kathleen Ferguson, deputy assistant secretary for installations. "The Air Force looks forward to working with the communities surrounding this location to ensure all concerns are addressed."

This base complex is the candidate to accept a single MQ-1 RSO squadron consisting of 140 personnel and associated equipment. There are no remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) associated with this action, only ground control systems.

The candidate location was selected using basing criteria announced by the Air Force Nov 21, 2010.

The primary mission of an MQ-1 RSO squadron is to support the MQ-1 Predator aircraft operations that conduct close air support, air interdiction, and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance. Remote split-operations consist of launching an RPA via line-of-sight operations from one location, and controlling the aircraft remotely from a mission control element that is operated at another location beyond line-of-site.

Air Force Reserve Command will begin conducting detailed on-the-ground, evaluations of the candidate complex covering a range of operational and facility issues. The results of the surveys will be briefed to the Air Force secretary and Air Force chief of staff who will then select one location as a preferred alternative.

Based on the results of these efforts, officials expect to announce the preferred alternative in summer 2011.

defpro

Citation :

Posted 5/8/2011

A U.S. Air Force B-1 Lancer, 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, S.D., departs for a training mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., during exercise Green Flag West 11-6, April 28. Green Flag West replicates irregular warfare conditions currently found in Southwest Asia. Aircrews, work closely with Air Force joint terminal attack controllers. Pilots train for a missions such as close air support, and aerial reconnaissance. Photo by Senior Airman Brett Clashman

Citation :

Les F-22 cloués au sol après une panne du système d’oxygène

Les F-22A Raptor de l’US Air Force sont cloués au sol depuis le 3 mai dernier en raison d’une défaillance dans le générateur d’oxygène du pilote produit par Honeywell et appelé OnBoard Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS). En effet plusieurs cas d’hypoxie ont été relevés sur les pilotes américains. D’autres appareils de l’USAF embarquant des systèmes similaires sont surveillés : A-10, F-15E, F-16, F-35 et T-6 (entraînement).

aerocontact.com

Citation :

Lockheed Martin Delivers First USAF Production F-35 Lightning II





FORT WORTH, Texas, May 9th, 2011 -- The U.S. Air Force has accepted into its fleet the first of a planned 1,763 production-model Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] F-35 Lightning II stealth fighters.
The signing of formal acceptance documents for the jet, known as AF-7, took place at Lockheed Martin’s F-35 final assembly plant in Fort Worth, Texas, Thursday, May 5. The jet flew to Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., on Friday to begin its flight testing program.
“This first aircraft is the beginning of the modernization of U.S. Air Force, Marine and Naval Air power and for our coalition partners around the world,” said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. “The F-35 family of aircraft will bring an incredible increase in capability that our men and women defending us deserve. Today we begin to fulfill the vision of our government and international customers.” F-35s have completed more than 865 flights since flight-testing began in late 2006. In addition to AF-7, eight more production-model F-35s have rolled out and are being prepared for delivery.
The F-35 Lightning II is the most advanced multirole fighter in the world, combining Very Low Observable stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and reduced sustainment costs. The Lightning II’s sensor suite is the most powerful and comprehensive of any fighter in history, and will merge with an unprecedented networking capability to give unmatched situational awareness. Supersonic launch of internal weapons, including maximum-speed (Mach 1.6) launch of internal air-to-air missiles, is a feature of all F-35s.
Three distinct variants of the F-35 will replace the A-10 and F-16 for the U.S. Air Force, the F/A-18 for the U.S. Navy, the F/A-18 and AV-B Harrier for the U.S. Marine Corps, and a variety of fighters for at least nine other countries.
Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 126,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The Corporation’s 2010 sales from continuing operations were $45.8 billion.

lockheedmartin

Citation :

Boeing to Deliver Combat Survivor Evader Locator to USAF



Boeing has received a contract from the US Air Force (USAF) to manufacture and deliver an additional 2,424 combat survivor evader locator (CSEL) combat search and rescue radios.
Under the $21.4m contract, the company will provide a complete package of CSEL that includes radio sets and adapter spares, rechargeable batteries and battery adapters.
Boeing CSEL programme manager Steve Capps said the locator allows rescue teams to save lives using multisatellite, real-time communications and GPS.
Delivery of all components will be completed by April 2012.
Boeing has delivered more than 43,900 CSEL radios to the US Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps, and the current agreement is the fifth CSEL contract for the USAF.

airforce-technology

Citation :

USAF Surveillance Airship to be Operational by 2012



The US Air Force (USAF) persistent-surveillance airship, Blue Devil 2, is expected to be on track for operational deployment in February 2012.
The 23ft-long Blue Devil 2 is an optionally manned multi-intelligence platform based on a TCOM Polar 100 airship and can be flown both unmanned and manned.
Blue Devil 2 is equipped with a wide and narrow field-of-view, high-definition electro-optical / infrared video sensors and a signals-intelligence payload.
The airship is a collaboration between the air force, the army and the Pentagon's Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, and will perform cueing, collection, geolocation and target identification.
The airship's hull is to be completed in July and the first flight is scheduled for September this year, according to Aviationweek.
SAIC, the prime contractor, was awarded the initial contract in October 2010.

airforce-technology

Citation :

Boeing 707 tanker crashes on takeoff at Calif. air station






VENTURA, Calif. (AP) - A Boeing 707 military tanker plane crashed and burst into flames Wednesday as it took off from Point Mugu Naval Air Station in Southern California, injuring the three people on board, an air base spokeswoman said.

Broadcast reports showed thick black smoke and flames pouring from the light-colored aircraft after it went down at 5:25 p.m. and slid off a runway. The three on board escaped with minor injuries, air station spokeswoman Terry Reid told KCAL-TV.

She said the tanker is used for fleet operations support and transporting fuel.

A helicopter dumped several loads of water on the plane, with little immediately discernible effect.

Firefighters on the ground appeared to be letting the fire burn but were dousing the area around the tanker. The stricken plane came to a rest within a few hundred feet of the Pacific Ocean, though it was not clear if any fuel had gone into the ocean.

It's not known where the tanker was headed at the time of the crash.

Point Mugu Naval Air Station is in Ventura County and about 40 miles northwest of Los Angeles

kimatv

post effacé Pegasus,les F16 belges/neerlandais comme les F/A-18 de la Navy n´ont rien a faire ici
un peu d´ordre

Citation :

F-22 Upgrade Taking Too Much Time, Money



The latest hardware and software upgrade for the U.S. Air Force's F-22 Raptor stealth fighter jet is over budget and behind schedule, top Defense Department officials told Congress on May 19.

"The Increment 3.2 that we're currently working on for the F-22 for our war-fighting customer is taking too long to implement," Air Force procurement chief David Van Buren told members of the Senate Armed Services Committee. "We are working with the company [Lockheed Martin] to try to speed that up and make it more affordable."
Among other improvements, the upgrade will allow the F-22 to carry the AIM-9X infrared-guided air-to-air missile and the AIM-120D medium-range air-to-air missile, and to attack eight ground targets with eight 250-pound Small Diameter Bombs.
Software development appears to be the primary cause of the delay.
Loren Thompson, an analyst at the Lexington Institute, said the F-22's software is written largely in Ada, a programming language that was once a DoD standard but whose use has waned in the past 15 years.
"It tends to impede quick upgrades to the system to which it is the base software," Thompson said.
Moreover, he said, "The affordability of any upgrade becomes debatable when you purchase a relatively small number of upgrades."
Lockheed has built 187 Raptors, of which two have been lost.
The company said it is working with the Air Force to accelerate fielding of the upgrade, which is split into two components, A and B, while trying to cut costs.
Lockheed has saved the Air Force $20 million by moving some electronic protection software from Increment 3.2B to Increment 3.2A, company spokeswoman Alison Orne stated in an email.
"We have successfully accelerated several Electronic Protection capabilities," she said. "These capabilities were previously planned to field in 2017 and are now part of the 3.2A baseline planned to field in 2014."
The company also is looking at 100 additional items on which it could cut costs for the second half of the upgrade.
"Each savings candidate is being reviewed for potential inclusion into the baseline Increment 3.2B program," Orne said.
Despite Lockheed's confidence, the Defense Department's leaders are worried about the program.
"The F-22 modernization program is a concern to us," said Pentagon procurement chief Ashton Carter, who testified alongside Van Buren at the May 19 hearing.

defensenews

Yakuza a écrit:

post effacé Pegasus,les F16 belges/neerlandais comme les F/A-18 de la Navy n´ont rien a faire ici
un peu d´ordre

Excuse moi je me suis embrouillé j'ai tellement de photo, je crois que je me suis trompé de topic en fait , j'avais plusieurs onglets et pas beaucoup de temps
D'autres photo :
F15:


Raptor :


B52:


--------------------------------



C-5M Super Galaxy:


F-22 Raptor:

Citation :

Monday, May 23, 2011

Northrop Grumman Wins BACN Extension

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman a $48.7 million contract modification for continuing operations and support of the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) system. Under the contract modification, Northrop Grumman will continue providing management, engineering, implementation, test, site and training support.

BACN provides an advanced airborne communications gateway capability to commanders and warfighters, enhancing situational awareness and connecting disparate voice and datalink networks throughout the battlespace. BACN bridges and extends voice communications and battlespace awareness information from numerous sources using a suite of computers and radio systems, according to Northrop Grumman.

The Air Force Electronic Systems Center, Hanscom Air Force Base, Mass., awarded the contract to Northrop Grumman in support of the Air Force Materiel Command. Northrop Grumman is the prime contractor for the development, fielding and maintenance of the BACN system. The company was awarded the first BACN contract in April 2005.

Northrop Grumman's work on the BACN program is managed and performed primarily in San Diego.


aviationtoday

Citation :

Monday, May 23, 2011

C-130 Lab Receives Airborne Radio

The U.S. Air Force (USAF) C-130 Systems Integration Laboratory has received an initial Small Airborne Joint Tactical Radio from the Lockheed Martin Airborne, Maritime/Fixed Station Joint Tactical Radio System team. The initial pre-engineering development model radio with initial Wideband Networking Waveform (WNW) functionality will be used to support integration and architecture validation activities for the lead AMF JTRS USAF platform, the C-130 AMP aircraft, within the Mobility Air Forces Airborne Networking Integration program.

AMF JTRS is an encrypted Internet-protocol enabled networking radio that, through the use of software defined radio technology, provides joint users with secure, real-time, interoperable voice, video and data communications.

"This is a significant event for the JTRS Enterprise as it represents the first opportunity for the USAF to begin working 'hands on' with software defined radio interfaces for the C-130," said Mark Norris, vice president for the Joint Tactical Network Solutions division with Lockheed Martin's IS&GS-Defense. "The delivery also represents an important milestone leading to the incorporation of secure, wideband, Internet-like communications capability into the thousands of USAF platforms currently slated to receive AMF JTRS."

With the delivery of this radio, which incorporates core radio control and WNW waveform functions, the Mobility Air Forces Airborne Networking Integration team can begin early risk reduction integration efforts. It also affords the USAF the ability to perform numerous networking, avionics and software checks. Five C-130 models, including C-130J, C-130 AMP, AC-130U, HC-130 and MC-130, are expected to incorporate the AMF JTRS system.

Lockheed Martin's AMF JTRS team includes BAE Systems, General Dynamics, Northrop Grumman and Raytheon.

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Citation :

USAF - Mobility Exercise

An aircrew member conducts a post-flight inspection of a C-130 Hercules May 18, 2011, at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.





Several C-130 Hercules taxi May 18, 2011, after an exercise at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.





A formation of C-130 Hercules fly May 18, 2011, during an exercise above the Nevada Test and Training Range





A formation of C-130 Hercules fly May 18, 2011, during an exercise above the Nevada Test and Training Range





A formation of C-130 Hercules fly May 18, 2011, during an exercise above the Nevada Test and Training Range

Citation :

Hi-Res

The second production model F-35A Lightning II aircraft flies above the compass rose of Rogers Dry Lakebed at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., May 13, 2011. The aircraft, designated AF-6, ferried to Edwards AFB from Naval Air Station Fort Worth Joint Reserve Base, Texas, following the Air Force formally accepting the fighter into its inventory the day before. The first production jet, AF-7, was delivered to Edwards May 6, making six total F-35 aircraft in the test program on base. (Courtesy photo/Paul Weatherman)