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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 :: Adieu, veaux, vaches, phacochères…

Quelqu’un a pensé à dire aux jihadistes qu’ils prennent des coups à cause d’un avion surnommé le phacochère ? Je suis pourtant certain que cette annonce remporterait un grand succès chez nos amis d’en face. Mais, on dirait bien que cette époque sera bientôt derrière nous, sauf si les chefs de l’US Air Force reviennent à la raison, ce qui n’est pas leur genre.
Dans le cadre d’un ambitieux plan d’économies de près de 500 milliards de dollars sur 10 ans, l’Administration Obama a annoncé, à la fin du mois de janvier, une série de mesures âprement discutées aux États-Unis. Parmi celles-ci figurent la dissolution de 7 escadrons de chasseurs de l’US Air Force, (Fighters Squadrons, héritiers des Tactical Fighters Squadrons), 1 de F-16 de l’ANG, 1 de F-15 (sans doute un escadron d’entraînement affecté à l’Oregon Air National Guard) et surtout 5 de A-10. La perte prochaine d’un bon paquet de ces admirables camions à bombes a provoqué un véritable tollé, chacun déplorant la disparition d’un avion au physique pour le moins particulier mais si attachant au profit du JSF F-35 Lightning II, un appareil en cours de développement, qui vient d’ailleurs d’entrer en service au sein d’une unité d’entraînement des Marines, la VMFAT-501 basée à Eglin AFB, et qui doit, à terme, devenir un appareil également mis en œuvre par la Navy et l’Air Force.
Le F-35 est en effet ce qu’on appelle couramment dans les armées une usine à gaz, censé répondre aux besoins des trois armes autorisées à posséder des jets de combat, et déjà vendu à bon nombre d’alliés de l’Empire – afin de remplacer à terme le F-16 Fighting Falcon, actuel appareil standard de ses clients. Nous sommes quelques uns à nous souvenir que les programmes aéronautiques communs aux États-Unis se déroulent rarement comme prévu, et que plusieurs appareils de grande qualité ont fini leur carrière en accomplissant des tâches pour lesquelles ils n’avaient pas été conçus. Du F-111, imposé à la Navy par Robert McNamara puis rejeté et inspirateur du programme du F-14 Tomcat, au YF-17 rejeté par l’ Air Force mais finalement acquis par la Navy et les Marines en tant que F/A-18 Hornet, en passant par le B-1 annulé par Jimmy Carter et réactivé par Ronald Reagan en tant que B-1B Lancer et passé de bombardier stratégique à avion d’appui tactique, il faut reconnaître que les États-Unis, soucieux de conserver leur industrie aéronautique militaire, conçoivent de superbes appareils aux destinées souvent agitées (j’aurais pu vous parler du RA-5C Vigilante, du F-101 Voodoo ou du F-105 Thunderchief, mais passons, foin de la nostalgie).
Élaboré à partir de l’expérience vietnamienne et conçu afin de pouvoir combattre en Centre-Europe, le A-10 Thunderbolt II – dont le concurrent malheureux, le YA-9, a fortement inspiré le Su-25 – n’a jamais combattu dans cet environnement pour le moins hostile. Dans les Balkans ou en Irak, il a frappé des armées que la puissance des frappes stratégiques et la densité des attaques électroniques avaient rendues inopérantes. En Afghanistan, il a été employé contre une insurrection peu armée et a ironiquement repris le flambeau, 40 ans après le Vietnam qui a conduit à sa naissance, des Skyraider, Phantom II et autres Super Sabre que l’Air Force engageaient alors pour réduire le Viêt-Cong et l’ANV – et que j’évoquais ici).
Il faut dire que le A-10 est un avion assez rustique, littéralement construit autour d’un terrifiant canon de 30mm, bâti, comme le Skyraider, afin de transporter une grande variété de charges et assez solide pour encaisser des impacts, sans parler de sa vitesse et de sa maniabilité à basse altitude.
Dans les années 80, les pilotes américains qui désiraient voler dans un appareil voisin de ceux de la fin de la Seconde Guerre mondiale, choisissaient ainsi le A-10, un avion sans radar et sans grand chose, d’ailleurs, de ce qui équipaient les F-15E Strike Eagle et autres F-16C/D. En France, nous avions le Jaguar, mais c’est une autre histoire.
La guerre contre l’Irak, en 1991, marqua le retrait par la Navy de ses propres avions d’attaque « anciens », comme le A-6 Intruder ou le A-7 Corsair II, au profit du F/A-18, mais l’Air Force, malgré, déjà, de fortes tentations, résista et ne liquida pas ses A-10, dont elle rebaptisa une partie OA-10 et auxquels elle confia, théoriquement, des missions de contrôle aérien avancé (FAC), comme le faisaient au Vietnam, nouvelle ironie, les OA-37 Dragonfly ou les OV-10 Bronco. Le A-10 était à nouveau menacé lorsque les interventions en Afghanistan (2001) puis en Irak (2003) lui donnèrent un coup de jeune. À partir de 2005, les appareils survivants passèrent d’ailleurs au standard C (A-10C, cf. ici) tandis que leur réputation allait en grandissant en raison de leur puissance de feu.
En réalité, le A-10 incarne une certaine vision de la guerre américaine, et on ne s’étonnera pas des engagements politiques de certains ses défenseurs. Le Thunderbolt est en effet une arme rare, sans nul doute le monoplace d’appui le plus puissant actuellement en service. Il répond ainsi à la doctrine américaine qui veut que toute opposition soit intégralement détruite, et plusieurs observateurs ont suggéré, plus ou moins sérieusement, que les escadrons dissous soient transférés à l’Army – sous-entendu : qui saurait s’en servir, elle.
Les défenseurs du A-10 sont d’autant plus virulents que le F-35 est évidemment soupçonné d’être celui qui le remplacera. Or, le F-35 est justement le type d’appareil qui fait bondir outre-Atlantique : cher, (trop ?) complexe, (trop ?) polyvalent, il représente le genre de programme imposé par le politique aux armées et donc, in fine, une Administration fédérale incompétente et déconnectée (air connu) qu’il est de bon ton de conspuer. Pourtant, les décideurs ont eux aussi de bonnes raisons, comme l’expliquait l’amiral Winnefeld, chef d’état-major interarmes adjoint :
Is the F-35 going to be as good a close-air support platform as an A-10? I don’t think anybody believes that, but is the A-10 going to be the air-to-air platform that the F-35 is going to be? So again, the Air Force is trying to get as much multimission capability into the limited number of platforms it’s going to have. (Cf. Defense News)
Le choix actuel du F-35, et le refus, désormais, de posséder des avions trop spécialisés, répondent donc à la cruelle prise de conscience des limites de l’Empire et de son déclin. Le temps où les ponts d’envol de porte-avions ou les tarmacs des bases regorgeaient d’appareil d’interdiction, d’appui tactique, d’attaque légère, d’attaque moyenne, d’appui, de chasse, d’interception, de reconnaissance ou de guerre électronique s’estompe. Sur les porte-avions impériaux, des Hornet, des Super Hornet et des Growler (des Super Hornet de guerre électronique…). Sur les bases, des F-16 et des F-15. Et pi c’est tout.
Alors, évidemment, les râleurs comme moi vous diront que le retrait partiel du A-10, qui est lié au départ d’Irak et d’Afghanistan, symbolise la fin d’une certaine idée du combat, quand les pilotes d’appui devaient discerner à l’œil nu, dans une mêlée, qui était dans quel camp et quand on pouvait lire le code de dérive d’un chasseur depuis le sol. Dans les années 70, un pilote avait même fait s’envoler le bloc-notes d’un journaliste qui se demandait si le A-10, de l’envergure d’un B-25, quand même, était si maniable… Les râleurs comme moi vous diront aussi que le A-10 ne laisse pas tant sa place au F-35 qu’aux drones armés et à une certaine rationalité industrielle, comme c’est brillamment exposé ici, et tant pis s’il faut y voir une nouvelle manifestation du refus de tuer trop directement.
Je vois cependant une autre logique à tout cela, alors que certains beaux esprits découvrent, grâce, si j’ose dire, à la crise syrienne, que les affrontements de blocs ne sont pas morts. L’Empire a récemment et ouvertement indiqué qu’il allait orienter son effort de défense vers le Pacifique, et donc vers la Chine. Dans ce cas, non seulement les réformes en cours visant à maintenir, malgré les difficultés, 11 porte-avions sont logiques – et les économies liées au retrait du A-10 aussi, mais en plus l’obstination à construire le F-35 peut être aussi viser à garantir une certaine avance technologique, même si le F-22 est déjà un demi-échec et que les avionneurs américains vendent, avec le F-16 et le F-15, des chasseurs quadragénaires.
Le A-10, dans ce contexte, est aussi séduisant et dépassé que Carlito Brigante sortant de Rykers Island.
Written by Abou Djaffar on février 12, 2012 – 2:25

C'est une grosse bétise d'enlever du A10 dans leur force...

on devrai surtout sauter sur l'occasion sincèrement !!! US Air Force - USAF - Page 25 Icon_mrg

Une 12aine..pk pas.

Il fut un temps ont l'ont fut interresé. Wink

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الله الوطن الملك

Citation :

After more than two decades, Raytheon Company has formally restarted production of the laser-guided Maverick missile, with the first weapon expected to be delivered to the U.S. Air Force in late 2012.

Production began following a rigorous U.S. Air Force and Navy Developmental Testing/Operational Testing program that culminated in a production contract in late 2011.

"The combat-proven laser Maverick has demonstrated its effectiveness against frigate size ships, small moving boats, tanks, fortified personnel and fast moving maneuvering vehicles in excess of 70 miles per hour," said Harry Schulte, vice president of Raytheon Missile Systems' Air Warfare Systems product line. "We are focused on getting laser-guided Maverick to the U.S. warfighter, and hope to also provide this weapon to U.S. allies since it is available via both Direct Commercial Sales and Foreign Military Sales."

During DT/OT, U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps aviators fired 15 AGM-65E2/L laser-guided Maverick missiles at moving and stationary targets, some of which were moving in excess of 70 miles per hour (110 km). The weapons were fired from F-16s, A-10s, the F/A-18 and AV-8B Harriers.

THE MAVERICK FAMILY OF MISSILES

The laser-guided Maverick missile is a direct-attack, air-to-ground precision munition used extensively by the U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps in ongoing combat operations. The AGM-65E2/L has an enhanced laser seeker and new software that reduces the risk of collateral damage.

• Maverick is integrated on 25 aircraft and in the inventory of 33 nations.
• Maverick has been used in combat thousands of times.
• The AGM-65E2/L can use onboard, buddy and ground-based lasing to designate targets.
• The laser-guided Maverick can hit land- and sea-based moving targets that are traveling faster than 70 miles per hour.

AGM-65L is the designation for the U.S. Air Force's new Laser Maverick; AGM-65E2 is the U.S. Navy/Marine Corps' designation for their new Laser Maverick missile.

In December 2011, the U.S. Air Force awarded Raytheon a $25 million contract to restart production of the laser-guided Maverick missile. In addition to using $15 million of appropriated funding to pay for production, the U.S. government also used $10 million worth of credits generated via Foreign Military Sales of refurbished weapons.

defpro.

Citation :: Northrop Grumman Awarded U.S. Air Force Contracts for LITENING SE Targeting Pods

A LITENING Targeting Pod mounted to an A-10. (Photo: Northrop Grumman)
07:58 GMT, February 14, 2012 ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill. | Northrop Grumman Corporation has received two follow-on Low Rate Initial Production contract awards from the U.S. Air Force totaling a combined $66 million to provide additional LITENING SE advanced targeting pods.

These awards are part of an original, overall seven-year (5-year base with two 1-year options), $920 million, indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity contract granted to Northrop Grumman in 2010, representing a continuation of the LRIP program. LITENING SE recently completed an extensive flight test program on the F-16 Block 40/50 and A-10C aircraft.

"Getting advanced capability into the hands of the warfighter is a team effort. The combined efforts of the joint U.S. Air Force-Northrop Grumman test team resulted in the expedited completion of the LITENING SE qualification and evaluation flight testing program," said Jim Mocarski, vice-president of the LITENING program at Northrop Grumman.

LITENING SE delivers the latest advancements in sensor, laser imaging and data link technology. Technologies include full 1Kx1K Forward Looking Infrared, 1Kx1K charge-coupled device and short wave infrared sensors, color symbols, tracker improvement, enhanced zoom, and two-way multi-band data link. These advancements deliver more accurate target identification and location at longer ranges than currently deployed systems while reducing pilot workload.

defpro

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Citation :: Boeing and US Air Force Mark Delivery of 1st Re-winged A-10 Thunderbolt II

HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah, Feb. 16, 2012 -- Boeing [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Air Force on Feb. 15 celebrated the rollout of the first re-winged A-10 Thunderbolt II in a ceremony at Hill Air Force Base. Boeing is under contract with the Air Force to deliver 233 wing sets through 2018.

“This enhanced wing assembly will give the A-10 new strength and a new foundation for its continued service into 2040,” said Mark Bass, Maintenance, Modifications & Upgrades vice president and general manager for Boeing Defense, Space & Security. “Boeing remains a committed partner in ensuring the A-10 continues to be a ready, reliable and viable weapon system for the U.S. Air Force.”

The A-10 wing replacement program is an example of Boeing’s continued expansion into non-Boeing platform work. The wing sets are produced at the company’s production facility in Macon, Ga., with partner Korean Aerospace Industries. They are delivered to the Air Force customer at the Ogden Air Logistics Center.

Boeing delivered the first A-10 wing set to the Air Force in March 2011. After mating to the aircraft and validation and verification of the wing, Air Force pilots flew the aircraft on its first flight in November.

A unit of The Boeing Company, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is one of the world's largest defense, space and security businesses specializing in innovative and capabilities-driven customer solutions, and the world’s largest and most versatile manufacturer of military aircraft. Headquartered in St. Louis, Boeing Defense, Space & Security is a $32 billion business with 62,000 employees worldwide. Follow us on Twitter: @BoeingDefense

boeing.mediaroom

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Citation :: USAF delays T-38 trainer replacement to 2020

The US Air Force has confirmed its latest budget proposal delays fielding a replacement for the Northrop T-38 Talon advanced jet trainer by three years. The Fiscal 2013 budget proposal unveiled on 13 February postpones the initial operational capability for the T-X programme from FY2017 to FY2020, according to the Air Education and Training Command (AETC).

Contract award is also delayed one year to FY2016, the AETC said.

The command remains committed to replacing the T-38s, which entered service 51 years ago.

"They're reaching the end of their lifecyle," the AETC said.

The T-38Cs are also unable to perform certain functions that are necessary to completely train pilots for the Lockheed Martin F-22 and F-35s, such as in-flight refueling and aerial manoeuvres beyond 5gs.

The USAF currently uses Lockheed F-16s to complete the gap in training for pilots moving from the T-38 to the F-22. The demand is expected to increase sharply as the F-35 enters the USAF fleet in numbers by the end of the decade.

At least five airframers are already preparing to compete for the project.

BAE Systems has teamed up with Northrop Technical Services to offer the Hawk trainer. Lockheed plans to offer the T-50 Golden Eagle, which is manufactured by Korea Aerospace Industries. Alenia Aeronautica is offering the T-100, a US-built version of the M346 Master.

Meanwhile, Boeing has revealed a concept for a purpose-built trainer, featuring a V-tail and a single engine. Northrop's aerospace division also may be considering a separate bid.

While the USAF still operates more than 500 T-38s, the T-X programme has called for acquiring between 300-350 new jets.

flightglobal

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Feb. 16 Eight F-22s were launched as Holloman's premiere aircraft took to the sky to continue training to maintain combat mission readiness.

Spoiler:

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250th C-130J Delivered

Citation :: The 250th C-130J Super Hercules built at the Lockheed Martin Marietta, Ga., facility takes off for Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, on Feb. 16, 2012.

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Citation :: Airborne Laser Test Bed bids adieu to Edwards

HiRes

With the Moon serving as a backdrop for the YAL-1A Airborne Laser Test Bed aircraft Feb. 14, the aircraft's nose displays the accomplishments it had while it was tested at Edwards AFB, Calif. During its tenure here, the ALTB successfully engaged various instrumented rockets and successfully engaged and destroyed a boosting solid-fueled Terrier Black Brant rocket and a boosting liquid-fueled Foreign Military Acquisition missile in February 2010. (U.S. Air Force photo by Rob Densmore)

HiRes

The YAL-1A Airborne Laser Test Bed aircraft flys over Rogers Dry Lakebed for its final low approach over Edwards Air Force Base before taking a ferry flight to Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., on Feb. 14. Once the aircraft lands at Davis-Monthan AFB, the ALTB will be processed into storage at the Air Force’s Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Group. (U.S. Air Force photo by Bobbi Zapka)

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Citation :: New Bomber Program 'Underway' But Cloaked in Secrecy

reporters. It's been known for some time that the bombers will not fly alone but will be part of a family of systems that may include UAVs and other systems.

The really interesting part of all this is the secrecy and why it's so dark. It would seem to indicate several things: that the U.S. does not want potential competitors such as China or Russia to know how advanced a system will be delivered or exactly what capabilities it will involve; that the Air Force is still putting the larger architecture together, deciding which capabilities will be available.

The bomber will almost certainly include an unmanned capability, but no one has made a formal decision yet, an Air Force source told me. Many of the important subsystems have not yet been chosen, this source said. Even presuming that the $4 billion for the bomber in the 2013 budget submission spread over five years is supplemented by a few billion more in the black budget that is not much money to build 80 to 100 planes that will cost at least $550 million each. Even if that is flyaway cost -- which excludes research and development costs -- building a bomber able to penetrate denied airspace and fly thousands of miles to do it without refueling has never been cheap.

And then there are the arcane details about just what we're talking about when it comes to the Long Range Strike Bomber, as the Air Force's head of Global Strike, Lt. Gen. James Kowalski, calls it. On the one hand, Kowalksi told reporters today that there is a family comprising: the long-range standoff missile (nuclear warhead for striking targets deep inside a country); conventional Prompt Global Strike, designed to strike any target in the world within one hour; and the ground-based successor to the Minuteman ICBM, which he called the ground-based strategic deterrent..

defense.aol.com

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Citation :: HiRes

2/23/2012 - FORT GEORGE G. MEADE, Md. (AFNS) -- By the time she was in fourth grade, young Shawna Rochelle Kimbrell knew she wanted to be a fighter pilot.
What the now-Air Force major didn't know, however, was that she would knock down a racial barrier by becoming the first black female fighter pilot.

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Pas de super Tucano

Citation :: US Air Force cancels deal for Brazilian-made aircraft

A flock of doves passes before the lens of the camera, as Brazilian-made Super Tucano military light attack aircraft overfly a parade in 2011. The US Air Force has canceled a $355 million contract for a light attack aircraft made by Brazil's Embraer, saying it would open an investigation after protests from a rival US aerospace firm, officials said Tuesday.

AFP - The US Air Force has canceled a $355 million contract for a light attack aircraft made by Brazil's Embraer, saying it would open an investigation after protests from a rival US aerospace firm, officials said Tuesday.

The contract for 20 Embraer AT-29 Super Tucano aircraft was awarded in December as part of plans to arm the Afghan military amid a NATO troop drawdown.

But the US Air Force said it was not "satisfied" with the paperwork supporting the decision to hand the project to US-based Sierra Nevada Corporation, in partnership with Embraer.

The US military wants to provide a light aircraft for Afghan's air fleet to conduct flight training, aerial reconnaissance and combat support operations for ground troops.

The AT-29 Super Tucano is a turboprop aircraft designed for low threat environments.

However Hawker Beechcraft Corp, based in Wichita, Kansas, protested the award, arguing that its AT-6 plane was unfairly shut out of the competition.

Embraer officials denied the allegations but were unable to stop a government investigation.

"Today, the Air Force advised the Department of Justice that it will take corrective action on the Afghanistan Light Air Support contract and will set aside the contract award to Sierra Nevada effective March 2, 2012," the Air Force said in a statement.

"While we pursue perfection, we sometimes fall short, and when we do we will take corrective action," Air Force Secretary Michael Donley said in the same statement.

He added that the service's senior acquisition executive "is not satisfied with the quality of the documentation supporting the award decision" but did not elaborate, citing pending litigation.

The statement also said the head of Air Force Materiel Command, General Donald Hoffman, has launched an investigation into the award.

Lawmakers who represent Kansas, where Hawker Beechcraft is located, had raised questions about the deal with Sierra Nevada and Embraer.

In Brazil, Embraer said in a statement that it had provided "on time and without exceptions, all the required documentation" in partnership with Sierra Nevada.

The decision "in favor of the Super Tucano... was a choice for the best product with proven performance in action and all the necessary capabilities to meet client demands," Embraer said.

france24

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Citation :: U.S. Air Force Issues Flight Release for Eglin AFB F-35A

WRIGHT-PATTERSON AFB, Ohio | Officials at the Aeronautical Systems Center here issued a Military Flight Release Feb. 28 that will allow the F-35A Lightning II fighter to begin initial operations at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

This decision was reached after an airworthiness board conducted an assessment that evaluated potential risks and the corresponding mitigation actions to conduct unmonitored flights.

Flying the Air Force variant of the joint strike fighter will increase pilot and maintainer familiarity with the aircraft, exercise the logistics infrastructure and continue to develop aircraft maturity. These initial F-35A flights will be limited, scripted, conducted within the restrictions and stipulations of the MFR and flown by qualified pilots, officials said.

"The Air Force, Joint Strike Fighter Program Office and other stakeholders have painstakingly followed established risk acceptance and mitigation processes to ensure the F-35A is ready," said Gen. Donald Hoffman, the commander of Air Force Materiel Command, the parent organization of ASC. "This is an important step for the F-35A and we are confident the team has diligently balanced the scope of initial operations with system maturity."

The assessment was conducted with airworthiness engineering subject matter experts within ASC and was fully coordinated with the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter Program Office, Air Education and Training Command and other expert participants. The Air Force is confident the aircraft is ready to fly in a safe and efficient manner, Hoffman said.

defpro

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HOLLOMAN AIR FORCE BASE, N.M. – An F-22 Raptor taxis to the runway during a Phase One Operational Readiness Exercise Feb. 29. The F-22s are assigned to the 7th Fighter Squadron. The 49th Wing launched a total of 15 F-22s, setting a record high for generation during an exercise. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Kasey Close/Released)

Spoiler:

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Citation :: (U.S. Air Force graphic/Sylvia Saab)
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Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations, puts on his helmet as Staff Sgt. Jeremy Houser, 33rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, assists prior to the first F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter training sortie at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March. 6. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
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The F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter taxis out for its first training sortie followed by an F-16 chase aircraft March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. (U.S. Air Force photo/Samuel King Jr.)
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The F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter lifts off for its first training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. It’s the first flight of any 33rd Fighter Wing F-35 since their arrival to the base. (U.S. Air Force photo/Randy Gon)

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Citation :: HiRes

Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations, secures his helmet for testing prior to stepping to the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter for its first-ever training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Smith is the first Air Force pilot qualified to fly the F-35.
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Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations, undergoes a computerized helmet test prior to stepping to the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter for its first-ever training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Smith is the first Air Force pilot qualified to fly the F-35. The helmet is tested with a computer before each sortie.
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Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations, walks around the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter prior to its first-ever training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Smith is the first Air Force pilot qualified to fly the F-35.
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Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations, walks up to the cockpit of the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter, followed by Staff Sgt. Jeremy Houser, aircraft crew chief for the sortie, prior to its first-ever training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Smith is the first Air Force pilot qualified to fly the F-35.
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Lt. Col. Eric Smith, the 58th Fighter Squadron director of operations, secures his helmet from the cockpit of the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter prior to its first-ever training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla. Smith is the first Air Force pilot qualified to fly the F-35.
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The F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter taxis out for its first training sortie March 6 at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla.

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Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 25 Star3

Citation :: Lockheed Martin Receives Sniper Post Production Contract

07:48 GMT, March 13, 2012 ORLANDO, Fla. | Lockheed Martin has received an indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity Sniper Advanced Targeting Pod (ATP) Post Production Support (PPS) contract from the U.S. Air Force.

This PPS contract, to be awarded incrementally over five years with two single option years, covers a variety of upgrade activities for the legacy Sniper ATP fleet, including hardware and software upgrades and platform integration, which may include transition of legacy pods into the Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement configuration. Additionally, the PPS contract may include spares, technical data and studies, and the support of organic depot requirements for Sniper pod sustainment.

The potential value of the contract over a seven-year period is $841 million.

"The Sniper ATP PPS award demonstrates the U.S. Air Force's desire to continue enhancing Sniper's mission capability," said Ashlie Payne, Sniper ATP program manager in Lockheed Martin's Missiles and Fire Control business. "Sniper's stable, automatic tracking and laser designation of targets, along with a video datalink with metadata, ensures pilots the ability to quickly identify threats in day or night conditions and share that imagery with ground troops."

In October 2010, Lockheed Martin was the majority share winner for the Advanced Targeting Pod-Sensor Enhancement program. Sniper offers a viable road map for modernizing and enhancing precision targeting capabilities for U.S. Air Force and coalition partner F-15, F-16, A-10, B-1 and B-52 aircraft.

The Sniper pod's hardware and software configuration provides continued "plug-and-play" flexibility across multiple U.S. Air Force, Air National Guard and international platforms. The Sensor Enhancement configuration is potentially a field-level upgrade to existing pods.

defpro

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F-16s en entrainement

US Air Force - USAF - Page 25 6980566989_9e92673e76_b

US Air Force - USAF - Page 25 6980567335_5f91e851ed_b

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Citation :: ACC 2-star recognizes Det 1 for F-22 modification

LUKE AIR FORCE BASE, Ariz. -- The Air Combat Command director of operations visited a detachment at Luke on Monday to recognize the unit for designing an important safety feature for the F-22 Raptor.

"This is really an important thing you have done for the Air Force and the F-22 fleet," Maj. Gen. Charles Lyon, ACC director of operations, told leadership at Detachment 1, ACC Training Support Squadron, a tenant unit at Luke.

The modification is to the F-22's Emergency Oxygen System handle, which makes it easier for the pilot to access. Det 1 model makers Floyd Slinker and Terry Waugh designed it.

Approximately 200 handles, which cost $47 apiece to manufacture, have been delivered, including spares. The handles have already been fielded at the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

"The fact that this detachment was able to do this quickly, cheaply and effectively, and get it into the hands of our aircrews shows them the Air Force is involved and working to get the F-22 recommendations in place as quickly as possible," Lyon said. "I wanted to come by today and thank the folks who came up with the idea, designed it, programmed it, machined it, mailed it, paid for it, and got it out there in a very rapid manner. I'm very proud of the unit for what they've done."

The handle was one of the F-22 components identified by a Scientific Advisory Board, which studied safety issues on the jet, as one of the critical items to be fixed. The SAB, an independent board working under the direction of the Air Force, investigated the oxygen systems in the jet after months of problems with the main and backup systems.

"The handle provides the pilot much easier access to the handle, provides an easier grip, especially when wearing cold weather gear, and allows the pilot to apply more leverage to the activation ring," said Lt. Col. Beachel Curtis, Det 1 commander.

Det 1 is the sole trainer fabrication organization within ACC. The unit, comprised of one active-duty member and 44 civilians, is tasked with designing, building and maintaining aircrew training devices, training aids and computer-based training products for the Combat Air Forces.

The detachment works closely with its customers to determine training requirements. Their products are used for, among other things, basic cockpit familiarization, weapons system procedures, egress procedures, hypoxia familiarization and emergency procedures.

"Every Airman flying our combat aircraft, from the A-10 to the U-2, used a Det 1 product during their training," Curtis said.

Most of the detachment's customers are ACC Formal Training Units that conduct weapons system training.

Some of their computer-based training products, however, have been adopted for wider audiences. Their Airfield Driver training program, for instance, is used Air Force wide to train anyone who drives on the flightline, and the detachment's Irregular Warfare training program has been used by more than 5,000 Airmen from various career fields who have deployed in support of contingency operations.

"We have one of the most dedicated and creative work forces in the Air Force," Curtis said of the detachment. "They are masters at replicating aircraft systems and devising creative and cost-effective ways to provide the same look and feel of the actual weapon system."

aetc.af.mil

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Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres US Air Force - USAF - Page 25 Star3

Citation :: 27 millions de livres (US pounds) de ferraille ! Soit 12 400 tonnes, sont à vendre aux Etats-Unis. Il faut faire une offre d’ici au 23 mars. Avis aux ferrailleurs!

Ce monceau de ferraille a actuellement la forme de F-15, F-111, F-4, C-5 et autres appareils des forces aériennes US. Du matériel déclassé qui rouille sur la base de Davis-Monthan, près de Tuscon. C’est d’ailleurs là, sur cette Air Force Base que le conditionnement doit avoir lieu avant la destruction des appareils qui est imposée dans un rayon de 50 km autour de la base où sont stockés plus de 4 000 appareils.

lignesdedefense.blogs.ouest-france.fr

F-22A Raptor Photo By: Ned Harris

Spoiler:

Heritage Flight training.
Davis-Monthan AFB.
3-2-12.

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Citation :: USAF orders Northrop LAIRCM missile defence systems

The US Air Force (USAF) has awarded a $334m firm-fixed-price contract to Northrop Grumman for the supply of Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) systems and support services.

Under the contract, the company will provide LAIRCM hardware and engineering, programme management, logistics, and spares as well as installation and field service support to the air force beginning immediately and continuing through April 2014.

Developed from the AN/AAQ-24(V) NEMESIS, the AN/AAQ-24(v) LAIRCM is a directed Infra Red (IR) countermeasures system, designed to defend large transport and rotary-wing aircraft from IR-guided missile threats using a laser pointer-tracker.

LAIRCM features five IR missile warning system (MWS) sensors, central processor, control indicator unit (CIU) for cockpit display, two Pointer-tracker/jamming subsystems or guardian laser tracker assemblies (GLTA) consisting of four-axis stabilised gimbaled system, fine track sensor (FTS) and a Viper laser.

The system provides automatic protection for aircraft against shoulder-fired, vehicle-launched, and other IR guided missiles during normal take-off and landing, assault landings, tactical descents, air drops, low-level flight, and aerial refuelling missions.

Critical to troops' safety, the system protects the aircraft by automatically detecting missile launches and activating a high-intensity system of pulsed lasers to track and defeat the threat by confusing its guidance system without requiring input from the aircrew.

The company has also been awarded a five-year, indefinite-delivery/ indefinite-quantity (IDIQ) contract by the USAF in July 2006 to deliver LAIRCM system hardware and support for the C-17 Globemaster III and C-130 Hercules transport aircraft.

The system will also be deployed on a total of 156 US Marine Corps (USMC) CH-53E, CH-53D and CH-46E medium-lift and heavy-lift, assault support helicopters.

The company intends to develop next generation LAIRCMs with missile-warning sensors that can detect infrared rather than ultraviolet signatures from attacking missiles in cluttered environments.

Northrop was also awarded a contract in July 2008 to provide LAIRCM to the UK's Royal Air Force's (RAF) air-to-air refuelling and transport aircraft.

Image: Northrop LAIRCM system will be deployed on the USAF C-130J Hercules aircraft to guard against IR-guided missile threats.
Photo: US Air Force photo/Senior Master Sgt. Dennis Goff.

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Invité

Citation :: USAF fields first upgraded F-22 Raptors

Washington DC - The US Air Force has begun to deploy Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors upgraded with enhanced air-to-ground strike capabilities to the operational fleet, starting with the 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson in Alaska.

"The 525th Fighter Squadron was the first Combat Air Forces squadron to receive an [Increment] 3.1 modified aircraft," says squadron commander Lt Col Paul "Max" Moga. "The capabilities this incremental upgrade brings are a complete game-changer for the F-22, making it even more lethal and survivable in combat."

The unit's flagship, tail number 4115, is the first aircraft to be equipped with the modifications, which add a synthetic aperture radar (SAR) capability, electronic attack, better geo-location capabilities to find enemy radars, and the ability to carry eight 113kg (250lb) GBU-39 small diameter bombs (SDB).

The Increment 3.1 upgrade allows a pilot manually to designate two ground targets at a time using two weapons each, according to Lockheed, enabling an F-22 to hit four separate targets with its eight weapons. By contrast, the USAF's previous Increment 2 configuration enabled each aircraft to strike two fixed targets using its two 454kg Joint Direct Attack Munition satellite-corrected, inertially guided bombs.

"A four-ship of Increment 3.1 aircraft can successfully find, fix, track, target and engage targets in the most challenging of anti-access environments," Moga says. "Stealth and speed, combined with an advanced electronic attack capability, allow pilots to operate with impunity while achieving their mission objectives."

The Northrop Grumman APG-77 radar's SAR mode creates black and white photo-quality images of the Earth's surface, allowing pilots to pick their own targets, while the new electronic attack capability allows the F-22 to jam enemy radars using the sensor.

A future Increment 3.2 upgrade has been split into smaller packages called A, B and C. The first is scheduled for fielding in 2014, while the second would begin retrofits in 2017. The third has not yet been fully defined, but the USAF is trying to add open-architecture hardware and software.

Further elements of the future upgrade package include adding Raytheon's high off-boresight AIM-9X and AIM-120D Amraam missiles, and the ability to independently retarget up to eight SDBs against eight separate targets. The Raptor will also gain an automatic ground collision avoidance system and electronic protection to defend it from enemy jamming.

http://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-fields-first-upgraded-f-22-raptors-369886/

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