US Air Force - USAF

Invité

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

Citation :: Missile launches after 3-hour delay

After a three-hour delay from multiple causes, an unarmed Minuteman 3 missile thundered out of its underground silo at Vandenberg Air Force Base on Wednesday morning.
The intercontinental ballistic missile blasted out of Launch Facility 10 on North Base at 6:35 a.m., more than three hours after officials intended. The six-hour window opened at 3:01 a.m.
Base officials blamed the delays on inclement downrange weather and an interruption in communication with the Airborne Launch Control System.
In addition, boats were detected at different times in the pre-announced hazard area that is established for safety reasons, which led to additional holds in the countdown, officials said.
“We train constantly, working through scenarios such as those we faced real-time this morning,” said Col. Keith Balts, 30th Space Wing vice commander and the authority for Wednesday’s launch decision. “Without a doubt, Team Vandenberg performed brilliantly in ensuring safe range operations and a successful launch.”
An Airborne Launch Control System crew, flying aboard an E6-B Mercury that had been at Vandenberg’s airfield earlier in the week, was supposed to send the command to launch the missile.
Because of the communication problems, officials scrambled to reconfigure the system and send the command from an underground facility at Vandenberg instead.
Upon blastoff, the military tracked the lone re-entry vehicle for about 20 minutes as it traveled some 4,200 miles to its target in the Kwajalein Atoll in the central Pacific Ocean.
While the departure could be heard around the Central Coast, the morning marine layer and fog kept it from being widely seen.
The Air Force regularly tests unarmed ICBMs to collect data about the weapon system’s reliability and accuracy.
“The launch process requires tremendous teamwork and involves months of preparation,” said Col. David Bliesner, 576th Flight Test Squadron commander. “The data gained from these launches allows us to maintain a high readiness capability and ensures operational effectiveness of the most powerful weapons in the nation’s arsenal.”
This was Bliesner’s final launch as the 576th commander. His replacement will be Lt. Col. David Lair.
In a statement released earlier this week, nuclear weapon opponents objected to the test launch.
“The launch demonstrates that, in spite of proclamations by the Obama administration of the goal of a nuclear-weapons-free world, the United States is sending a clear and expensive message that it continues to be reliant on nuclear weapons,” said David Krieger, president of the Santa Barbara-based Nuclear Age Peace Foundation.
Along with members of the 576th Flight Test Squadron and 30th Space Wing at Vandenberg, the test also involved crews assigned to the 91st Missile Wing at Minot AFB, N.D., and the 625th Strategic Operations Squadron at Offutt AFB, Neb.
Some 450 Minuteman 3 missiles are sitting on alert in and around F.E. Warren AFB in Wyoming, Minot AFB in North Dakota, and Malmstrom AFB in Montana.
The solid-fueled, three-stage weapon, which first went on alert in 1970, can travel about 6,000 miles.
Modernization programs have extended the life of the weapons, expanding its targeting options and improving its accuracy.
Air Force officials said recently that they have launched the first of several studies to determine the best options for maintaining or replacing the nation's ICBM fleet after 2030.
Vandenberg’s next launch is another Minuteman 3 test scheduled for July 27.

santamariatimes.com

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Guardian MQ-9 Predator B

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: SOURCE:Flight International
Real-world Global Hawk outperforms tests

Despite a dismal operational test and evaluation report (OT&E) about the Northrop Grumman RQ-4 Global Hawk Block 30, the US Air Force (USAF) reports a relatively high operational reliability rating.

The USAF reports that Block 30 Global Hawks, operating from four bases for five combatant commands, are operating with 76% reliability. The real-world operational rating contrasts dramatically with a 20 May operational test and evaluation (OT&E) report that pegged reliability at 27%.

The figures provided by USAF, "are indicative of RQ-4 continued operations tempo in theater and demonstrated mission effectiveness," and do not reflect past performance. USAF indicated that current capability was improved by fixes to problems detailed in the OT&E report. Further specifics were not immediately available.

Northrop Grumman attributed the difference to operational training and spare parts availability, issues the air force singled out in the OT&E report. Front-line units generally receive higher priority for new parts when they become available.

"There's a point where you can't build spare parts fast enough because your decision to fund those is two years old," said Ed Walby, Global Hawk programme manager at Northrop Grumman. "And some parts take a year to produce."

Of the nine critical issues cited by USAF, six have been fixed, according to Walby. Among the three outstanding issues are nutplate failures near frequently-accessed areas, which resulted in the majority of air vehicle failures and can take a full day to fix.

"Unless you're very specific about how you clean the surface when that nutplate is glued to a cowling or a panel, we were starting to see disbonding," said Walby. "We knew about that going into IOT&E and sure enough, in IOT&E you had some of those coming off. It's a matter of your quality control. So we changed some procedures in manufacturing to make sure those surfaces are clean."

Northrop expects fixes to problems identified by the OT&E to have little impact on remaining Block 30 manufacturing, nor on the Block 40s currently being produced.

Incomplete maintenance training and related documentation were also singled out in the OT&E report. "If you look at the number of sorties, the 19 sorties flown, you see a drastic learning curve," noted Walby. "I think about the last 8 or 9 sorties were almost flawless." Confirmation from USAF was immediately unavailable; maintenance was carried out during the evaluation by personnel from the 9th reconnaissance wing, which operates the RQ-4.

_________________

US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 المسيرة-الخضراء2

un petit dessin vaut mieux qu'un long discours scratch

Citation :: NELLIS AFB F-16C CRASHES NEAR CALIENTE, NEV.

Published June 30, 2011 | By Marcel van Leeuwen

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft crashed about 5:30 p.m. today near Caliente, Nev. The F-16, from Nellis Air Force Base, was participating in an air-to-air combat training mission.
One person was on board. The individual’s condition is unknown at this time.
US Air Force press release

aviationnews

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Boeing Awarded $99.5M Contract to Upgrade US Air Force B-1B Bomber

Published July 5, 2011 | By Marcel van Leeuwen

Boeing today announced it has been awarded a $99.5 million contract by the U.S. Air Force to integrate three major modifications on the B-1 Lancer bomber fleet. This contract is for the first lot of modification kits of a planned multi-lot production contract to upgrade the service’s B-1s.
The upgrades include delivery of kits with parts for the Vertical Situation Display Unit in the forward cockpit and for the Fully Integrated Data Link and the Central Integrated Test System in the aft cockpit. All three programs will be installed concurrently from late 2012 through 2019 in a single modification called the Integrated Battle Station.
“The Integrated Battle Station upgrades will provide B-1 bomber aircrews with a higher level of situational awareness and a faster secure digital communication link,” said Rick Greenwell, B-1 program director for Boeing. “This will enable the aircrews to perform at an even more effective level and will make the B-1 cockpit more reliable and supportable. Combining the separate upgrades into one production kit will enable us to deliver a more affordable upgraded aircraft to our customer in a timelier manner.”
The three upgrades are in various stages of final ground and flight tests in preparation for installation on the B-1 Lancer bomber fleet.
The Vertical Situation Display Unit upgrades the B-1’s forward cockpit by replacing two unsupportable, monochrome pilot and co-pilot displays with four multi-functional color displays, giving the pilots more situational awareness data in a user-friendly format.
The B-1 Fully Integrated Data Link will give the aft cockpit new digital avionics including a Link 16 data link, which adds line-of-sight capability to the B-1′s existing beyond line-of-sight Joint Range Extension Applications Protocol (JREAP) data link, and integrates the JREAP data onto new, full-color displays with intuitive symbols and moving maps.
The Central Integrated Test System adds a new color display in the aft cockpit and replaces an obsolete computer that continuously monitors the aircraft’s performance. It also is used by ground support personnel to identify and troubleshoot B-1 system anomalies.
Boeing press release

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: DATE:07/07/11
SOURCE:Flight International
USAF requests information on F-16 AESA upgrade
By Stephen Trimble

The US Air Force has taken the first public step towards upgrading hundreds of Lockheed Martin F-16s with active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars.

The Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) published a six-page request for information in late June, asking suppliers for information about options for upgrading between 300 and 600 later-model F-16s from 2017.

The air force excluded foreign suppliers because of security concerns, in a move which is likely to limit its options to the Northrop Grumman scaleable agile beam radar and Raytheon advanced combat radar (RACR).

Both systems have been in development for at least three years in anticipation of USAF's interest.

However, the service has also left the door open to possibly buying an all-new AESA radar to replace the Northrop APG-68(V)1 on F-16 Block 40/42s and APG-68(V)5 on Block 50/52s.

The air force "prefers an 'off-the-shelf' solution", the ASC notice says, but "a new system design shall not be precluded, if that radar system can be accomplished within the objective time parameters".

Jim Hvizd, Raytheon vice-president of international strategy and business development, said the company had been anticipating such a request "at some point".

"This is the opening round of the services starting the dialogue with industry," Hvizd said.

Northrop officials did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

The numbers of F-16s involved in the proposed radar modernisation programme are "not a surprise", Hvizd said, but Raytheon considers them a starting point for discussion, and could be reduced.

The actual number is likely be driven by two factors, he said. First, the air force has to determine how many F-16s will survive beyond 2017. Earlier this year, the service commissioned Lockheed to launch a lifecycle fatigue test on an F-16.

Initial results will not be available for two more years, and only then will the USAF understand how many airframes are capable of enduring, and for how long.

The other issue that will drive the numbers of AESA retrofit orders is budget-related.

"There are still big questions about funding," Hvizd said. "I can't speculate, but we're all a little nervous."

Meanwhile, Raytheon's focus has turned towards possible international customers, including some buyers that do not have the luxury of waiting several years for the USAF to decide, he said.

Raytheon has previously received clearance to market its RACR design to Greece and South Korea.

Meanwhile, eastern European countries, such as Poland, Bulgaria and Romania, are discussing a joint modernisation programme if used F-16 sales are approved by the US government to the latter two countries, Hvizd said.

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 A10-na10

Citation :: F-22 Deliveries Halt as Grounding Continues

Deliveries of F-22 Raptors to the U.S. Air Force have been halted due to the continuing suspension of flight operations for the stealthy fifth-generation air superiority fighter.
Even though manufacturer Lockheed Martin continues to build the aircraft at its Marietta, Ga., factory, the company is unable to do required flight testing for each aircraft as it leaves final assembly. Nor can government test pilots from the Pentagon's Defense Contract Management Agency (DCMA) fly their acceptance flights for new aircraft as they are readied for delivery. Related Topics

"Our final assembly is scheduled through December 2011. That is still ongoing at Marietta. We delivered aircraft 4181, and that was on June 22, to the Air Force, so they have that as their aircraft," said Lockheed spokeswoman Stephanie Stinn. "After that aircraft, we can't do the required acceptance flights."
Technically, four aircraft have been delivered to the Air Force, but are being stored at Marietta pending the lifting of the flight restrictions. When the Air Force resumes F-22 flight operations, those aircraft will be flown to Langley Air Force Base (AFB), Va.
Two further aircraft, 4182 and 4183, have been completed, but the company and DCMA can't do required flight testing on those jets, Stinn said. The aircraft are being stored in a near-flight-ready status, she said.
Aircraft "4182 and 4183 were scheduled to deliver in July, but they're not in a position to do any sort of test flights, so we can't deliver," Stinn said. "Maybe early August, but we don't have a definitive date."
Aircraft 4182 and onwards, which have not undergone any of their acceptance flights, have yet to receive their final stealth coatings. The coatings are applied only after a number of flight tests have been completed, and as a result, a backlog is slowly building up.
Before the stealth coatings are applied, the aircraft fly coated only with a primer.
The Raptors have been "stood down" since May 3, according to Air Force spokeswoman Capt. Jennifer Ferrau, due to a suspected problem with the aircraft's oxygen generator.
According to one Air Force document, after reviewing work on a study of the F-22 On-Board Oxygen Generation System (OBOGS), the chief of Air Combat Command, Gen. William Fraser, instituted a temporary flight restriction for the F-22 and directed a Class E Safety Investigation.
The investigation, which began in January, includes the OBOGS installed in the A-10, F-15E, F-16, F-22, F-35 and T-6 aircraft. Fraser appointed Maj. Gen. Steve Hoog, commander of Ninth Air Force, as the investigating officer.
The flight restriction applies to all F-22 crews, but test pilots at Edwards AFB, Calif., are operating under a flight waiver that allows them to fly certain test sorties. Air Force officials at Edwards could not immediately say what kind of test sorties those aircraft are flying.
The grounding is hurting the readiness of operational F-22 pilots, who cannot maintain their currency on the twin-engine jet. The Air Force is using simulators to ease the problem as much as it can.
"Pilots and ground crew continue to train in simulators and perform ground tasks to stay as proficient as possible. Once the aircraft are cleared to fly again, there will be a period where the pilots will need in-flight training to become fully proficient on the aspects of flying that simulators cannot replicate," Ferrau said. "Some live flight is required for high-G maneuvering flight, a true outside visual, and in-flight decision-making in a dynamic environment where simulators are lacking."

defensenews

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :

Citation :: The U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II training wing at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., received its first Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) July 14.

The aircraft, known as AF-9, will be used to train F-35 pilots and maintainers who will begin coursework at the base's new F-35 Integrated Training Center later this year.
The aircraft is a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) A-model aircraft, which will be used by the Air Force and a number of export customers. AF-9 is the third production-model F-35 delivered to the service.

The first two production jets are at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., supporting the test mission at that base.

"We're incredibly proud of our government/industry team whose steadfast dedication to this program led to the successful delivery of AF-9 today," said Larry Lawson, Lockheed's F-35 program manager in a press release. "The exceptional capabilities of this fifth-generation fighter are now in the very capable hands of the men and women of the 33rd Fighter Wing who are ushering in a new era of F-35 training. We look forward to delivering our full complement of F-35s to the Emerald Coast in the months and years ahead."

Eglin will eventually have 59 F-35 aircraft of all three variants of the tri-service jets.

Citation :: Some F-22s Given Waivers Despite USAF Grounding

est pilots at Edwards Air Force Base, Calif., have been putting the F-22 Raptor through its paces even though the rest of the fleet remains grounded by a suspected problem with the aircraft's oxygen generation system.

The seasoned aviators at the California base have been granted a special flight waiver so they can test an unrelated software update.

"The test community flew a limited number of test sorties under an approved waiver to verify Update 3.5 software fixes to be fielded later this fall," said Air Force Materiel Command spokeswoman JoAnne Rumple. "The test flights conducted under the waiver were done in order to continue our ongoing, programmed efforts to ensure all aspects of the F-22 system remain safe and current."

The Upgrade 3.5 software corrects a Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System timing issue and also includes an update to the Flight Controls System, the Integrated Vehicle Subsystem Controller and the Conditional Event Reporting Data software. It is not related to the Increment 3.1 upgrade that adds additional weapons and radar modes to the twin-engine jet, which is due to be fielded later this year.

Nor are the Edwards test sorties related to fixing problems with the oxygen generator.

However, the test community at Edwards can closely monitor flights because those F-22s are equipped with specialized flight-test instruments and data links.

"The test team employed a comprehensive approach to risk mitigation for those flights, to include real-time monitoring of instrumented aircraft systems not available with operational aircraft," Rumple said.

defensenews

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Signat16

Citation :: Lockheed Martin Delivers First F-35 Production Jet For Training To Eglin AFB

EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla, July 14th, 2011 -- The first Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] production model F-35 Lightning II to be assigned to the 33rd Fighter Wing arrived here today at 1:18 p.m. CDT after its more than 90-minute ferry flight from Fort Worth, Texas. The aircraft, known as AF-9, will be used for activities in concert with training F-35 pilots and maintainers who begin coursework at the base’s new F-35 Integrated Training Center this fall.
AF-9 is a conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) version of the 5th generation stealth fighter. Overall, the jet is the third production-model F-35 delivered to the U.S. Air Force, with the first two assigned to Edwards AFB, Calif.
“We’re incredibly proud of our government/industry team whose steadfast dedication to this program led to the successful delivery of AF-9 today,” said Larry Lawson, Lockheed Martin executive vice president and F-35 program general manager. “The exceptional capabilities of this 5th generation fighter are now in the very capable hands of the men and women of the 33rd Fighter Wing who are ushering in a new era of F-35 training. We look forward to delivering our full complement of F-35s to the Emerald Coast in the months and years ahead.”
AF-9 is the first aircraft delivered from Low Rate Initial Production lot two and the seventh F-35 delivered in program history to the Air Force. Over the lifetime of the program, a total of 59 F-35s will compose the fighter fleet at Eglin AFB.
The F-35A CTOL variant – designed to meet U.S. Air Force requirements – is also the primary export version of the Lightning II. The air forces of Italy, the Netherlands, Turkey, Canada, Australia, Denmark, Norway and Israel will employ the F-35A. To date, the F-35 program has accomplished more than 925 flights since late 2006.
The F-35 Lightning II is a 5th generation fighter, combining advanced stealth with fighter speed and agility, fully fused sensor information, network-enabled operations and advanced sustainment. Lockheed Martin is developing the F-35 with its principal industrial partners, Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems.
Located at Eglin AFB, the fully-integrated F-35 pilot-and-maintenance training center includes pilot and maintenance training equipment, support, systems and facilities for all three aircraft variants. The center will be home to a full spectrum of the latest courseware, electronic classrooms, simulators and flight events ensuring superior training for the next generation of pilots and maintainers.
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

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Trois sauveteurs US décorés après le crash d'une Gazelle française

Le 8 juillet, le général Emmanuel Maurin, commandant de la Task Force La Fayette, la brigade française engagée en Afghanistan, a remis la médaille d'or de la Défense nationale au capitaine John Mosier, au sergent Kristopher Burridge et au caporal Jackson Rogers, a annoncé vendredi l'US Air Force dans un communiqué. La cérémonie a eu lieu sur la FOB Morales-Frazier (Kapisa).

Cet équipage était intervenu, le 11 juin, lors du crash d'une Gazelle français, à proximité de la base de Bagram. Leur Pave Hawk avait décolé en dépit des mauvaises conditions atmosphériques pour rechercher l'appareil français et secourir son équipage. Sur les lieux du crash, le capitaine Mosier a déposé au sol ses deux "pararescue jumpers", des commandos capables de prodiguer les premiers soins à un pilote abattu ou accidenté et de faire face à d'éventuelles forces ennemies. Une fois au sol, le sergent Burridge et le caporal Rogers ont immédiatement recherché et secouru les deux Français.

En dépit de leur intervention, qui a permis de sauver le pilote français, le chef de bord, le lieutenant Gaudin du 3e RHC, âgé de 37 ans et père de quatre enfants, est mort des suites de ses blessures.

Citation :: US Air Force Receives Final Lockheed Targeting System

Lockheed Martin has delivered the final AN/AAQ-39 targeting system full-production unit to the US Air Force.
Q-39 is the electro-optical / infrared targeting system for the US Air Force Special Operations Command AC-130U Gunship, and modifies combat-proven gunship multispectral sensor system.
The AN/AAQ-39 features a new solid-state, three-colour laser designator and software enhancements that are integrated into a highly stabilised turret to ensure image quality and highly accurate line-of-sight pointing for gunfire control.
Lockheed Missiles and Fire Control business senior programme manager Joseph Butera said: "The Q-39 provides improved positive combat identification for AC-130U aviators. Precision fire control allows warfighters to confidently engage threats at safe stand-off ranges and return safely to base."
The US Air Force awarded the follow-on contract for Q-39 prime mission equipment to Lockheed in July 2008

airforce-technology

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Second GPS IIF Satellite Sends First Signals

Boeing has received the first on-orbit signals from the US Air Force (USAF) second global positioning system (GPS) IIF-2.
GPS IIF-2, renamed SVN-63, was launched on 16 July 2011 and the signals confirm the satellite is functioning normally.
The GPS signals from the spacecraft payload will be used for test purposes in the coming weeks and the company will begin on-orbit manoeuvres and operational testing on the satellite.
SVN-63 will be officially transferred to USAF 50th Space Wing and the 2nd Space Operations Squadron this fall after the spacecraft completes on-orbit checkout.
Boeing Space & Intelligence Systems vice-president and general manager Craig Cooning said the GPS IIF through improved atomic clock technology provides increased accuracy and a more jam-resistant military signal.
The satellites also provide increased secure civilian signal to help commercial airline operations and search-and-rescue missions, Cooning added.
Boeing is building 12 of the satellites for USAF.

airforce-technology

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Another C-5M Super Galaxy Takes Flight

The third production C-5M Super Galaxy took its first flight today here at the Lockheed Martin facility in Marietta. Aircraft 0005 is stationed at Dover Air Force Base, Del. and assigned to be flown by both active duty and reserve airlift wings there. The modernization program includes more than 70 improvements to include brand-new, fuel-efficient engines and recently flew the first U.S. polar overflight mission direct to Afghanistan.
Lockheed Martin press release

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: U.S. Air Force to base 36 F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Nellis

7/19/2011 - NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. -- The U.S. Air Force has issued a Record of Decision for the proposed basing of F-35A Lightning II aircraft at Nellis Air Force Base. The decision is to proceed with the preferred alternative, which entails basing 36 F-35 fighter aircraft at Nellis AFB between 2012 and 2020 for the Force Development Evaluation and Weapons School programs. Implementation of this action will be accomplished as set out in the Final Environmental Impact Statement released in May 2011.

The beddown of the F-35 mission at Nellis will result in an increase of 412 personnel; require construction of new facilities, as well as alteration and demolition of existing facilities at Nellis AFB. Flight activities will occur at Nellis AFB and the Nevada Test and Training Range.

Potential impacts associated with implementing the Preferred Alternative were analyzed during the Environmental Impact Statement process. The Final Environmental Impact Statement contains public and agency comments received on the Draft Environmental Impact Statement as well as responses to comments. The Final EIS was made available during a 30-day waiting period (May 14-June 14, 2011).

A copy of the Record of Decision and the Final Environmental Impact Statement can be viewed online at: www.accplanning.org and www.nellis.af.mil/library/environment.asp. For further information, please contact Mr. Charles Ramey at the Nellis AFB Public Affairs Office, (702) 652 2750.

nellis.af.mil/news

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

The first F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter to its new home at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., July 14.

Spoiler:

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Air Force Special Forces seek stealth robot jeep

It has to carry two fighters, gear over rough terrain under cover of darkness

Spc. Jesse LaMorte, Special Operations Task Force-South Soldiers with Special Operations Task Force-South prepare to load an all-terrain vehicle onto a CH-47 Chinook helicopter in preparation for a rapid offload during operations Oct. 1, in the Maruf district, Kandahar province, Afghanistan.

Self-driving cars may already seem like a dubious idea to most drivers, but the U.S. Air Force wants to raise the stakes. U.S. Special Forces soldiers may soon trust their lives to a stealth robot jeep that can autonomously carry them to their target and back, through mountainous terrain under the cover of nightfall, without alerting enemy patrols.

The robotic vehicle must have the ability to carry two warfighters and up to 700 pounds of gear over more than 18 miles of rugged terrain, according to the request for information issued by the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL). And it must be capable of navigating enemy territory stealthily, day or night, under any weather conditions.

"The mission will be executed under the cover of night and the system must be able to work autonomously with only minimal inputs from the warfighters," says the AFRL. "The hostile area does not have radar, but they do have patrols who will respond to visual and audible cues if they detect something out of the ordinary."

The AFRL also requested that the robotic vehicle must fit within the cargo hold of a CV-22 Osprey, the tilt-rotor aircraft that carries Marines around Afghanistan and ferried Osama bin Laden's body out of Pakistan.

Plenty of academic and private teams have developed robotic vehicles capable of some autonomous driving, either on their own or as part of DARPA's Grand Challenge. Google has even tested its self-driving vehicles in the San Francisco Bay Area. But driving on paved roads is a far cry from navigating rough terrain and perhaps having the capability to actively avoid possible enemies.

Still, the Air Force lab has wisely sought out "new ideas from hobbyists, enthusiasts, teams and organizations that have not typically done business with the government in the past."

The recent notice precedes an upcoming request for proposals that would award $200,000 to each of up to five teams for stealthy design concepts. Each team would eventually have the chance to compete for a $2 million contract to build a prototype of their dream robotic jeep.

msnbc.msn

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

le F-35... US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 874160

Il est trop classe le F35 c'est une belle reussite..

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 75px-m10

الله الوطن الملك

Une réussite technique surtout !
le niveau de finition est incroyable, on dirait que tout l'appareil est fait d'une seule pièce ...

Pas de vis apparentes, ni de soudures et ni de pièces rapportés (de visu en tout cas)

même le casque du pilote est impressionnant.

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Sign_v10

Invité

oui c'est vrais j'aime bien aussi je prefere f35 au f22 produit bien fini.

Citation :: Rockwell Collins awarded contract for KC-10 CNS/ATM cockpit upgrade program

The U.S. Air Force has awarded Rockwell Collins a contract to provide systems integration and avionics for the KC-10 Communication, Navigation, Surveillance/Air Traffic Management (CNS/ATM) Cockpit Modernization Program. The contract, valued at more than $160 million over the life of the program, calls for Rockwell Collins to provide the flight management system, displays, data link communications and surveillance capabilities.

“This program provides technology that ensures the KC-10 meets current and future CNS/ATM requirements, allowing it to operate in commercial airspace throughout the world,” said Dave Nieuwsma, vice president and general manager of Mobility and Rotary Wing Solutions for Rockwell Collins. “These new capabilities will allow the aircraft to arrive at its destination quicker, enhancing mission effectiveness while saving fuel.”

With this award, Rockwell Collins is now the primary avionics provider for all U.S. Air Force tankers, building on its strong tradition of success providing integrated avionics solutions for military aircraft. By leveraging key avionics and communications developments across the company’s commercial and military businesses and applying commercial-off-the-shelf technology along with an open systems approach, Rockwell Collins is able to provide its customers with best value solutions.

The KC-10 aircraft is an Air Mobility Command advanced tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the aircraft’s primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carrying fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments.

Rockwell Collins press release

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Alabama F-16 comes off runway at Oshkosh

An F-16C block 30 from 100 FS (#87-0296) sustained a hard landing after coming off the runway at Wittman Regional Airport during the AirVenture event at Oshkosh this morning.

The incident happened at 11.20h local time on the north runway at Wittman Regional Airport near the Warbirds area.
Information regarding the status of pilot has not been released, but was early reports indicate the pilot walked away and was taken for medical attention.
Bill Tregoning an eyewitness reported the following "It looked like the plane came off the edge of the runway going about 60 miles per hour," he said. "The front landing gear sunk into the soft ground because of the rain."
He said the front landing gear of the F-16 may have broken.
A board of enquiry will look into the accident

f-16

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

F-16 overrun footage at Oshkosh 2011

F-16C/D fighter skidded off the runway

Spoiler:

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Spoiler:

Spoiler:

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 4cdc5300-4889-4be3-9a10-1fb0c573da7d

"Les belles idées n'ont pas d'âge, elles ont seulement de l'avenir"

Citation :: Meggitt to Deliver Smoke Detection System for KC-46 Tankers

Meggitt has been selected by Boeing to deliver cargo and cabin smoke detection systems for use on US Air Force KC-46 refuelling tanker aircraft.

The system to be delivered under the contract will include a micro-particle discrimination feature, advanced optical measurement features and digital signal processing to eliminate false alarms.

Model 604 will not react to harmless dust concentrations and will discriminate between smoke and non-smoke sources of airborne particles such as humidity, dust and airborne particulate contamination based on their optical signature.

Boeing is under contract to deliver 18 KC-46 refuelling aircraft by 2017 under the KC-135 replacement programme, which will continue until 2028.

airforce-technology

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Citation :: Eighth USAF C-5B Inducted To Become Super Galaxy

Marietta, GA, August 4th, 2011 — The sun shines above the newest addition to the C-5M modernization program. Tail number 85-0003, a C-5B Galaxy, is the eighth aircraft inducted into modernization production line to become a Super Galaxy.

This aircraft is based at Dover Air Force Base, Del. It was first delivered to Dover AFB on November 4, 1986. Throughout its career, this aircraft has supported the warfighter’s operations in Desert Storm and, since 2003, it has delivered cargo in locations such as Afghanistan, Iraq, Italy, Germany, Japan, Kuwait, Kyrgyzstan, Morocco, Qatar, Spain and Turkey. Tail number 85-0003 has accumulated more than 19,000 flight hours and more than 4,500 full-stop landings.

There are two more inductions scheduled for 2011.

Source: Lockheed Martin
Photo: Rob Vogelaar, ZAPP

_________________
US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 20 Star3

» US Air Force - USAF
» Force de défense de Papouasie Nouvelle-Guinée / Papua New Guinea Defence Force (PNGDF)
» Force de défense du Belize / (BDF) Belize Defence Force
» Force de défense de la Jamaïque / jamaica defence force (JDF)
» usaf pararescue