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)
messages : 14756 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 27 Avr - 5:37
Citation :
Northrop Grumman Wins U.S. Air Force Electronic Attack Pod Upgrade Program
HERNDON, Va., April 26, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $52.8 million, 27-month engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) contract to upgrade its electronic attack (EA) pods. The program has a potential value of $480 million including EMD, a low-rate initial production phase (LRIP) and five production options.
"We are honored that the U.S. Air Force selected Northrop Grumman to modernize their electronic attack pods," said Tom Vice, corporate vice president and sector president, Northrop Grumman Technical Services. "The Northrop Grumman team designed an innovative solution that provides our U.S. Air Force pilots with the electronic warfare protection they need while flying combat operations."
Northrop Grumman's solution, an upgraded ALQ-131 EA pod, is fully capable of operating in support of A-10, C-130, F-15 and F-16 aircraft and aircrews.
"A key capability for the pod upgrade is our proven digital radio frequency memory, a common component for flagship electronic warfare systems," said Jeff Palombo, sector vice president and general manager of Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems Division. "This digital receiver/exciter technology makes a fourth-generation aircraft survivable in a fifth-generation world. Northrop Grumman is utilizing mature technology across a number of programs providing scalable and economical unique electronic warfare capability to gain fifth generation abilities in form/fit packages for U.S. Air Force fixed and rotary wing aircraft."
Northrop Grumman has delivered more than 500 digital radio frequency memories which are installed on F-16s and other modern fighter aircraft. The company has more than 60 years of experience in electronic warfare protecting B-1, B-52, F-15, F-16, F-18, F-35 and SR-71 aircraft and aircrews.
http://www.northropgrumman.com/
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
Invité Invité
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 27 Avr - 19:01
Veuillez SVP effacer ou deplacer si ce n'est pas la bonne place:
In late June 2009, the USAF awarded Northrop Grumman Defense Mission Systems Inc., of San Diego, CA an urgent requirement contract for its Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) System. At present, Northrop Grumman will help the USAF deploy BACN in up to 4 “E-11” Bombardier BD-700 Global Express (see also BACN-modified photo) ultra-long-range business jets, and in up to 4 EQ-4B Global Hawk Block 20 UAVs, for sustained deployment through 2015.
BACN is an airborne communications relay that extends communications ranges, bridges between radio frequencies, and “translates” among incompatible communications systems. That may sound trivial, but on a tactical level, it definitely isn’t.
The BACN System
BACN was developed under a Department of Defense Microelectronic Activity contract (#H94003-04-D-0005), as part of the Interim Gateway Program. It provides a high-speed, Internet protocol (IP)-based airborne network infrastructure that that extends communications ranges, bridges between radio frequencies, and “translates” among incompatible communications systems – including both tactical and civil cellular systems. Using BACN, a Special Forces soldier on the ground could use a civil cell phone to speak to a fighter pilot in the cockpit.
BACN supports seamless movement of imagery, video, voice and digital messages, with support for waveforms that include SINCGARS (single-channel ground and airborne radio system), DAMA (demand assigned multiple access), EPLRS (enhanced position location reporting system), SADL (situation awareness data link), Link 16, and IP-based networking connectivity using TTN (tactical targeting network), TCDL (tactical common data link) technology, CLIP (Common Link Integration Processing), and 802.11b. Northrop Grumman’s joint translator/forwarder (JXF), originally developed for US Joint Forces Command, is to accomplish digital-message transformation.
That kind of system can be especially useful in rugged terrain that block line-of-sight communications, in combined civil/military situations, or when different services or even different countries are operating side by side in the field. Afghanistan meets all of those criteria, an so do some aspects of operations in Iraq.
There are even reports that BACN may be installed in the F-22 Raptor as a communications gateway that would solve some of that platform’s issues; releases concerning the JEFX 08 exercises were vague on this subject, mentioning only BACN’s ability to receive unique F-22 waveforms.
As of 2006, the Northrop Grumman BACN team included:
Northrop Grumman’s Defense Mission Systems, Space Technology, Integrated Systems and Information Technology sectors NASA Johnson Space Center in Houston, TX Rockwell Collins in Cedar Rapids, IA Raytheon Solipsys in Laurel, MD L3 Communications in Salt Lake City, UT Qualcomm Inc. in San Diego, CA ViaSat Inc. in Carlsbad, CA Northrop Grumman and teammate Orion Air Group provide 24/7 operations and support services for BACN on the front lines.
At present, BACN is flying on 3 modified E-11A Global Express long-range business jets (1 leased, 2 USAF-owned), and 2 (soon 4) EQ-4B Global Hawk Block 20 UAV variants.
messages : 24818 Inscrit le : 14/02/2009 Localisation : 7Seas Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Dim 29 Avr - 3:40
Unités mobilisées lors d'un déplacement du président Obama
C'est un hélico des Marines ce VH60 en fait ...
_________________
Inanç Genelkurmay Başkanı
messages : 6351 Inscrit le : 13/07/2009 Localisation : France Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Dim 29 Avr - 6:22
rafi General de Division
messages : 9496 Inscrit le : 23/09/2007 Localisation : le monde Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Dim 29 Avr - 8:52
Citation :
Les Etats-Unis ont transféré des avions de chasse F-22 Raptor vers une base militaire située en Asie occidentale, lit-on dans le journal Washington Post.
"Le redéploiement des chasseurs a lieu au moment où les Etats-Unis et cinq autres puissances mondiales s'apprêtent à des négociations extrêmement importantes avec l'Iran portant sur l'éventuelle suspension de son programme nucléaire", indique le journal.
D'après un porte-parole de l'armée de l'air américaine, le transfert des avions a été planifié et vise à renforcer la sécurité dans la région. On ne connaît ni le nombre de chasseurs ni le lieu exact de la base.
Sur fond de tensions avec l'Iran, les Etats-Unis ont auparavant dépêché vers le Golfe le porte-avions Entreprise qui y a rejoint le croiseur USS Vicksburg et trois destroyers: l'USS Nitze, l'USS Porter et l'USS James E.Williams.
Un autre groupe aéronaval d'attaque américain dirigé par le porte-avions USS Abraham Lincoln se trouve dans le Golfe.
La tension autour de l'Iran et de son programme nucléaire est récemment montée d'un cran suite aux menaces proférées par Téhéran de fermer le détroit d'Ormuz au transit de pétrole en cas de sanctions occidentales contre les exportations pétrolières iraniennes. En réponse, les Etats-Unis et la Grande-Bretagne ont commencé à renforcer leur présence militaire dans la région. L'adoption d'un embargo sur les livraisons de brut iranien a été approuvée en janvier par l'Union européenne.
http://fr.rian.ru/world/20120429/194497172.html
MAATAWI Modérateur
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 2 Mai - 4:57
Citation :
Lockheed Martin Delivers Last Amp C-5 To USAF
Lockheed Martin has completed delivery of the 79th and final C-5 Galaxy aircraft of the current Avionics Modernization Program at a ceremony at Travis Air Force Base, Calif., on April 27.
"We are very proud of our AMP team," said Greg Ulmer, vice president of the C-5 program, "This delivery continues the ever-growing legacy of the C-5 Galaxy and the critical role it plays in supporting the warfighter across the globe for many years to come."
Aircraft 70-448 will be assigned to the Air Force Reserve 433rd Airlift Wing at Lackland AFB in San Antonio, Texas.
The AMP program is the first part of a two-step modernization process. AMP began in 1998 and incorporates a mission computer, a glass cockpit with digital avionics, autopilot capabilities and state-of-the-art communications, navigation and surveillance components for air traffic management.
The second phase of the C-5 modernization effort is the Reliability Enhancement and Re-engining Program. Of the 79 C-5s that received the AMP modifications, 52 will be upgraded with newer, quieter CF-6 engines and more than 70 additional improvements as part of the transition to becoming a C-5M Super Galaxy.
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. It was recently the first U.S. airlifter to fly a direct polar overflight from the United States to Afghanistan. The C-5 can carry twice the cargo of other U.S. strategic airlift systems and is the only strategic airlifter capable of carrying 100 percent of certified air-transportable cargo.
.spacewar.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
Inanç Genelkurmay Başkanı
messages : 6351 Inscrit le : 13/07/2009 Localisation : France Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 4 Mai - 3:22
Citation :
A U.S. fighter jet crashed on Thursday during a training mission in the United Arab Emirates, a U.S. official said, but no one was hurt.
The F-15E Strike Eagle crashed on Thursday morning, the Air Force said in a statement. Both pilots ejected from the plane safely, and the cause of the crash is being investigated.
While the Pentagon said the location of the crash could not formally be released because the host government preferred not to do so, a U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the plane went down in the United Arab Emirates.
The crash came several days after the U.S. military said it had deployed several of its most advanced stealth fighters, the F-22, to the Gulf.
The placing of U.S. aircraft in the region has been portrayed by the Pentagon as routine even as tensions rise between Israel and Iran over Tehran’s disputed nuclear program.
“This is a scheduled deployment,” Major James Bressendorff, a military spokesman, said of the placement of an unspecified number of F-22s in the region. He said F-22s had been deployed there multiple times over the years.
“This deployment is one of many deployments that allow U.S. and forces to train and work together,” he said.
The F-22 is made by Lockheed Martin, while the F-15E is made by Boeing.
messages : 14756 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 4 Mai - 4:03
Citation :
Lockheed Martin Delivers Final, Historic F-22 Raptor To U.S. Air Force
MARIETTA, Ga., May 2, 2012 – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] leadership delivered today the 195th and last F-22 Raptor to U.S. Air Force leadership in a ceremony at the Lockheed Martin Aeronautics site here. With this delivery, the U.S. Air Force now possesses the world’s only 5th generation stealth fighter aircraft fleet in the world.
“There is no longer any nation that wishes us ill or any adversary who wishes us harm that has any doubt that their actions will have consequences – that they will be held to account and that our response will be undeterred,” said Robert J. Stevens, Lockheed Martin’s chairman and CEO. “The very existence of this airplane – your airplane – has altered the strategic landscape forever.”
A host of distinguished officials participated in this monumental event, including senior leaders from Lockheed Martin and the U.S. Air Force; local, state and national elected officials; and Lockheed Martin employees who helped build the F-22 Raptor fleet.
This final Raptor joins a U.S. Air Force fleet of 187 operational F-22s and will join other F-22s in the Air Force’s 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. In all, Lockheed Martin delivered 195 F-22s to the Air Force beginning in 1997, with eight Raptors used as test aircraft.
F-22s are assigned to seven U.S. bases. Flight testing takes place at Edwards AFB, Calif. Operational tactics development continues at Nellis AFB, Nev. Pilot training takes place at Tyndall AFB, Fla. Operational F-22 aircraft are assigned to Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va.; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Holloman AFB, N. M.; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii.
The F-22 Raptor is the world’s only operational 5th generation fighter, making it an unmatched national security asset. The Raptor is designed to defeat denied-access threats, enable joint and coalition operations in contested areas, and globally promote deterrence and security. For more information on the F-22, visit
lockheedmartin
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 8 Mai - 4:59
Citation :
Dure semaine pour l’USAF : un F-15 et un F-16 au tapis en 2 jours
Les vols d’entrainement ont été particulièrement dangereux pour les pilote de l’USAF durant la semaine passée. En effet, ce sont deux appareils qui se sont écrasés en 2 jours seulement.
D’abord, c’est un chasseur F-15E Strike Eagle de l’US Air Force qui s’est écrasé jeudi 3 mai lors d’une mission d’entraînement de routine dans le Moyen-Orient. Les enquêteurs ont écarté une possible action d’insurgés comme une cause de l’incident. Les deux membres d’équipage ont pu s’éjecter en toute sécurité. L’accident a eu lieu lors d’une mission de formation aux Emirats Arabes Unis. Le Pentagone a déclaré que le lieu de l’écrasement n’a pas pu être formellement identifiés parce que le gouvernement du pays hôte a préféré ne pas le faire, selon un responsable américain s’exprimant sous le couvert de l’anonymat. L’accident est survenu quelques jours après l’armée américaine ait déclaré avoir déployé plusieurs de ses chasseurs furtifs F-22 dans le Golfe.
Ensuite, c’est un F-16 Fighting Falcon, affecté au 388e Fighter Wing, qui s’est écrasé durant un vol d’essai au Utah Test and Training Range, le 4 mai. Le pilote a réussi à s’éjecter et les équipes d’intervention d’urgence sont rapidement arrivées sur les lieux de l’accident. L’incident serait du à un dysfonctionnement. Le dernier crash d’un F-16 dans cette zone a eu lieu en juin 2009 et le pilote était décédé dans cet accident
avionslegendaires
MAATAWI Modérateur
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 10 Mai - 5:51
Citation :
First Travis C-5B Inducted
MARIETTA, Ga., May 9, 2012 – Lockheed Martin [NYSE: LMT] last week inducted into its facilities here the first C-5B Galaxy from Travis Air Force Base, Calif., to become a C-5M Super Galaxy.
This aircraft is the twelfth to enter the Reliability Enhancement and Re-Engining Program production line. Throughout its career, this aircraft has supported the warfighter’s operations across the globe. It has delivered cargo in locations such as Afghanistan, Bahrain, Iraq, Italy, Germany, Japan, Kyrgyzstan, Qatar, Spain and Thailand. Tail number 0008 has accumulated more than 20,000 flight hours and more than 4,400 full-stop landings. This aircraft is scheduled to be delivered in 2013 and will serve as the west coast base’s first Super Galaxy upon delivery.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security and aerospace company that employs about 123,000 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 net sales for 2011 were $46.5 billion.
lockheedmarti
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
MAATAWI Modérateur
messages : 14756 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 11 Mai - 2:50
Citation :
U.S. Air Force completed The first manned flight of the QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target
JACKSONVILLE, Fla., May 10, 2012 – The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] and the U.S. Air Force completed the first manned flight of the QF-16 Full Scale Aerial Target (FSAT) on May 4 at Cecil Field in Jacksonville. The QF-16 took off at 3:05 p.m. Eastern time and climbed to an altitude of 41,000 feet during its 66-minute flight.
The Air Force awarded a multi-year contract to Boeing in March 2010 that represented Phase I of the initial engineering, manufacturing and development of the QF-16, with options to buy up to 126 FSATs.
"With this successful first flight of the QF-16, the Air Force, Boeing and our supplier-partners have laid the groundwork for the program to enter low-rate production in 2013 and make its first production delivery in 2014," said Torbjorn Sjogren, Boeing vice president, Global Maintenance and Upgrades.
The functional check flight of the F-16, under control of a Boeing test pilot, validated the basic aircraft performance with the QF-16 drone modification package installed. The additional hardware Boeing installs allows the QF-16 to fly in an unmanned mode while under the control of a ground-based control system such as the Gulf Range Drone Control System (GRDCS) at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., or the Drone Formation Control System (DFCS) at White Sands Missile Range (WSMR), N.M. During the current test phase in Jacksonville, a GRDCS mobile trailer with portable transmission towers provides communications between the flight controller and other personnel on the ground and the QF-16 pilot.
"This was a tremendous milestone for the program and for Boeing because it signals our continued success as an off-Boeing platform support and sustainment provider," said Bob Insinna, Boeing QF-16 program manager.
The QF-16s will be a higher-performing aircraft than the QF-4 they replace and representative of fourth-generation targets. They will be flown manned or unmanned within a controlled range and equipped to evaluate how U.S. fighters and weapons will operate against potential adversaries.
Boeing will deliver six QF-16 test aircraft to Tyndall in October for additional testing over the Gulf Range. Following the successful conclusion of these tests, Boeing will support government flight testing from Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., over the WSMR complex.
boeing.mediaroom
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 14 Mai - 8:57
Citation :
L’USAF reçoit son 25ème Lightning II
Connu sous la désignation temporaire de BF10 c’est un Lockheed-Martin F-35B qui est le 25ème exemplaire du Lightning II livrée aux forces américaines. Pris en compte par l’escadrille VMFAT-501, une unité d’entraînement à la chasse et à l’attaque au sol de l’US Marines Corps, cet avion a rejoint la base d’Eglin en Floride. Ce site accueille aussi bien des unités de l’USMC que de l’US Navy ou encore de l’US Air Force.
Le F-35B est la version à décollages et atterrissages verticaux, destinée notamment au remplacement à plus ou moins moyen terme des AV-8B Harrier II anglo-américains. Son client naturel est donc évidemment le corps des Marines américains.
Arrivé aux commande du pilote d’essais et de réception de l’USMC le Major Joseph Bachmann cet avion était accompagné du 24ème exemplaire, identique, piloté par le Lieutenant-Colonel Matt Kelly, le pacha de la VMFAT-501. Le F-35B « BF10″ servira notamment aux entraînements d’appontage avec charge de combat externe. C’est un pas de plus vers une l’opérabilité totale d’un chasseur très controversé, et pas uniquement à l’étranger.
avionslegendaires
PGM Administrateur
messages : 11677 Inscrit le : 11/12/2008 Localisation : paris Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 15 Mai - 3:07
Citation :
Northrop Grumman Begins Full Rate Production of Infrared Missile Warning System
ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., May 14, 2012 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air Force has authorized full rate production of the NexGen Infrared missile warning system (MWS), a Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC)-designed, built and tested protection system for C-17, EC-130J, HC/MC-130J and other Air Force platforms.
"The full rate production approval of the NexGen missile warning system, a spiral upgrade to the current Ultraviolet missile warning system, will enable the fielding of this capability to our Mobility Air Force airlift and Special Operations fleets, and significantly increase their ability to counter the MANPAD threat," said U.S. Air Force Col. Shawn Shanley, the Air Force LAIRCM Program's Senior Material Leader.
"This latest milestone decision will ensure the Air Force has the most advanced missile warning system with longer detection range and reduced false alarms," said Carl Smith, vice president of infrared countermeasures (IRCM) programs at Northrop Grumman's Land and Self Protection Systems Division.
Northrop Grumman's IRCM systems are now installed or scheduled for installation on several hundred military aircraft across the Department of Defense to protect approximately 50 different types of large fixed-wing transports and rotary-wing platforms from infrared missile attacks.
deagel
MAATAWI Modérateur
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 16 Mai - 6:04
Citation :
Panetta Orders Air Force to Act on F-22 Safety Woes
PENTAGON: Unhappy with the Air Force's handling of the long-simmering problems with the oxygen system on the most expensive fighter plane in history, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta ordered restrictions on F-22 flights and told the Air Force to speed up its efforts to prevent Raptor pilots from experiencing life-threatening hypoxia in flight.
It certainly looks as if the two fighter jocks who risked their careers by airing their concerns about the safety of the Air Force's prized F-22 super fighter on 60 Minutes got Panetta's attention.
At a briefing here today, spokesman George Little said Panetta has ordered the Air Force to "accelerate" installation of a backup system that automatically supplies oxygen to a pilot if there is a problem with the primary system. The F-22 has a backup system but pilot's must turn it on. When they are suffering from hypoxia, pilots find it very difficult to think and act, meaning a manual backup system may not be of much use.
The secretary also restricted Raptor flights to stay close to their airfields so pilots can land quickly should they experience problems with their oxygen system. Little and Navy Capt. John Kirby said Panetta did not set a specific limit on how far from their home field the Raptors could fly, leaving that decision to the judgment of the pilots. But they said the restriction will prevent F-22s from continuing to fly the national air defense missions from their base in Alaska. Other aircraft will have to assume those missions, they said.
Panetta also told the Air Force to report to him regularly on progress in correcting the problem with the F-22's oxygen system, which has caused at least one fatal accident.
A longtime critic of the F-22's costs and development problems, Winslow Wheeler, was not impressed with Panetta's actions.
"The restrictions do not terminate the flights and continue to expose pilots to the possibility that the 'hypoxia' problem is not just oxygen deprivation; unknown toxins may be affecting them and ground crew. The '60 Minute'" interview of the pilots and other information subsequently made available make it clear it may not be just an oxygen problem. Until the actual nature of the problem is uncovered, the pilots and ground crew remain at risk. The rationale for a fleet wide grounding remains clear," Wheeler, a member of the AOL Board of Contributors and a defense expert at the Project on Government Oversight (POGO), said in an email. "Also, what is to become of the F-22s deployed to the Persian Gulf? Those pilots would appear to also be at risk and the flight restrictions do not address their situation."
The Lockheed Martin-built Raptor is the Air Force's pride and joy, although it has been plagued by controversy throughout its long development process and short operational experience. It is the world's first fifth-generation fighter, boasting low radar signature -- or stealth -- and it can fly at supersonic speeds without using a fuel-guzzling afterburner. The Raptor is touted as able to detect and kill any adversary before the enemy knows it is near.
But, as is common with most highly advanced weapon systems, its development and early production were mired in technical problems, schedule delays and soaring cost overruns. Its escalating price forced Congress to cut production to 187, a fraction of what the Air Force wanted.
Although the Air Force says the flyaway cost of each Raptor is about $178 million, the GAO put the unit price at $412 million. The total program cost more than $79 billion.
Although it has been operational since December 2005, the Raptors have never been sent into combat and the first F-22 unit was deployed to the Persian Gulf region just this year.
The latest problem with the Raptors emerged two years ago when stories began to emerge about pilots experience symptoms of hypoxia -- shortage of oxygen -- while flying. Oxygen deprivation was confirmed as the cause of a fatal crash that killed Capt. Jeff Haney in Alaska in November 2010, although the Air Force accident investigation blamed the pilot for failing to activate his emergency oxygen system before losing consciousness.
Other pilots have complained about headaches and other symptoms of oxygen shortage, and the Air Force grounded the entire F-22 fleet for four months last year, but returned the Raptors to flight without having determined a cause.
The issue became toxic when two Raptor pilots with the Virginia Air National Guard -- Maj. Jeremy Gordon and Capt. Josh Wilson -- went on CBS-TV's 60 Minutes show in their flight suits May 6 to say they have refused to fly the F-22 because of concerns about the safety of the fighter.
Refusing to fly an assigned aircraft can be grounds for stripping a pilot of his wings and being forced out of the service. Military officers going outside their chain of command to appear on national TV to complain about their equipment also can lead to punishment. But the air Force quickly bestowed Gordon and Wilson with whistleblower protection under pressure from members of Congress
Little and Kirby would not say that Panetta issued his orders because he was dissatisfied with the Air Force's handling of the Raptor's oxygen problem, saying he acted because of his concern for the safety of the pilots.
But neither of the spokesmen used the phrase - "full confidence" in the Air Force leadership, which is common in such cases.
The two spokesmen could not put a time on how long the new restrictions would stand. Kirby said the Air Force has said the testing of the automatic backup oxygen system was expected to be completed in November and installations are to start in December and go into 10 aircraft a month. The F-35 boasts an automatic oxygen backup system.
defense.aol.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
MAATAWI Modérateur
messages : 14756 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 18 Mai - 8:12
Citation :
Experts puzzled by mysterious UAVs on Chinese frigate
It will take about two years to finish upgrading the F-22 Raptor fleet with an automatic backup oxygen supply ordered by Defense Secretary Leon Panetta as a hedge against pilots feeling dizzy or disoriented, the Air Force said Thursday.
Panetta said this week he wanted to expedite installation of a backup oxygen supply to counter incidents of hypoxia in the world's most advanced fighter jet, which flies out of Langley Air Force Base in Hampton and elsewhere around the country.
The Air Force has logged 11 instances of hypoxia since September that have no discernible cause. Investigators at the head of a broad task force say it likely stems from either a lack of oxygen in the cockpit or tainted air emanating from an advanced oxygen-generating system. But they're also looking into other areas of the aircraft, plus the pilots involved in the incidents.
The problem has been ongoing — it forced a temporary grounding of the fleet last year — but became a national story earlier this month when two Virginia Air National Guard pilots from Langley took their concerns to "60 Minutes." Maj. Jeremy Gordon and Capt. Josh Wilson said they were uncomfortable flying the Raptor, and both men said they had experienced in-flight hypoxia scares.
Since then, several more pilots have communicated their concerns to Sen. Mark R. Warner, who has launched his own investigation into the matter.
Installation schedule
Before the Air Force begins installing a backup oxygen system, the system will have to be qualified and flight-tested. That is expected to wrap up in November, according to a statement issued Thursday. The first Raptor will be retro-fitted with the new system in December.
Starting in January 2013, the Air Force expects to retrofit 10 Raptors per month, using a combination of military and civilian contractors. The fleet upgrade will be completed in June 2014 at an approximate cost of $44 million.
There will be a second phase to the upgrade, but the Air Force is still working out those details, the statement said.
The new system, known in military parlance as an A-BOS, or Auto Back-Up Oxygen System, will automatically activate in the event of rapid decompression or a shutdown of the environmental control system. It can be manually activated at any time.
Flight restrictions
Panetta also ordered flight restrictions for the F-22. He says the Raptor should fly closer to landing fields so pilots can land quickly and safely if they experience a problem.
But Hampton residents should not see significant changes in how or where the F-22s are flying, the Air Force said. More details on flight restrictions are expected over the next few days, but as of now, there appears to be no hard and fast rules. Mission commanders will take into account the nature of the training flight, the terrain and other factors when it comes to restrictions.
"I don't believe there's a nautical-mile limit here," said Navy Capt. John Kirby, a Pentagon spokesman, during a briefing Tuesday. "It's just about an appropriate level of proximity to strips so that if they needed to get down in an emergency, they could in a relatively quick, easy fashion."
There are 46 Raptors based at Langley. Besides Virginia, the planes are also based at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Nellis Air Force Base, Nev.; Holloman Air Force Base, N.M.; and Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla.
In all, the Air Force has about 180 Raptors and about 200 Raptor pilots. The aircraft has never seen combat.
In November 2010, Capt. Jeff Haney was killed when his Raptor crashed in the Alaskan wilderness. A malfunction caused his oxygen system to shut off completely, and he experienced "a sense similar to suffocation," according to the Air Force's investigative report.
His widow has sued the F-22 manufacturer, Lockheed Martin, and other defense contractors for wrongful death, negligence and fraud.
The Air Force pegs the cost of the Raptor at $143 million. The Government Accountability Office says the cost per copy is about $412 million when the cost of research, development and upgrades is included.
dailypress.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 6 Juin - 2:43
ça mousse bien chez l'USAF
Citation :
Soiré mousse dans les hangars de l’USAF
Cette semaine, une photo plus qu’étonnante puisqu’on peut y voir un hangar de l’US Air Force complètement rempli de mousse. L’image a été prise dans un hangar utilisé par la 46e TW (Test Wing) sur la base d’Eglin, en Floride. Le système d’extinction d’incendie se serait enclenché à cause d’une étincelle lors de travaux de soudure. Sont clairement visibles sur la photo (bien qu’entièrement recouvert de mousse) : un F-15 appartenant au 85th TES (Test and Evaluation Squadron), un F-16 du 40 FLTS (Flight Test Squadron), et un A-10 appartenant très probablement 46th TW.
avions légendaires
Yakuza Administrateur
messages : 21656 Inscrit le : 14/09/2009 Localisation : 511 Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 6 Juin - 9:11
comme s´ils volent dans les nuages..c´est pas la premiere fois que ca se passe chez ezx
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Viper Modérateur
messages : 7967 Inscrit le : 24/04/2007 Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 6 Juin - 9:22
plustôt radical ce système anti-incendie
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jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 7 Juin - 5:50
Citation :
Afghanistan : Un hélicoptère militaire américain probablement abattu (2 morts)
Un hélicoptère américain de reconnaissance de type OH-58 Kiowa a très probablement été abattu hier par une roquette, tuant les deux hommes d'équipage. L'appareil se dirigeait vers la province de Ghazni, dans l'Est de l'Afghanistan. Les insurgés ont revendiqué la chute de l'appareil.
TB
MAATAWI Modérateur
messages : 14756 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 8 Juin - 6:23
Citation :
DynCorp International to Provide Support Services for T-6 Aircraft
Contract Valued at up to $432 Million
07:02 GMT, June 8, 2012 FALLS CHURCH, Va. | DynCorp International (DI) today announced that it has been awarded a contract with the U.S. Air Force Materiel Command to provide support services for T-6A and T-6B aircraft at several Air Force and Navy locations throughout the U.S.
“This contract builds on our core business in Aviation and expands our experience working on T-6 aircraft,” said Jim Myles, group vice president, Aviation, DynCorp International. “We are honored that the U.S. Air Force has chosen DI to work on this program.”
DI will establish, operate and manage Contractor Operated and Maintained Base Supply (COMBS) facilities at Columbus Air Force Base (AFB), Miss., Laughlin AFB, Texas, Randolph AFB, Texas, Sheppard AFB, Texas, Vance AFB, Okla., Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola, Fla., NAS Whiting Field, Fla., NAS Patuxent River, Md., NAS Corpus Christi, Texas. Each COMBS facility will provide spare parts and equipment necessary to support T-6A and T-6B aircraft.
The competitively-awarded, firm-fixed-price contract has one base year with four, one-year options and a total contract value of $432 million if all options are exercised.
defpro
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 15 Juin - 3:48
Citation :
Un CV-22 Osprey au tapis en Floride
Un CV-22 Osprey du Special Operations Command de la force aérienne américaine s’est écrasé mercredi sur le terrain d’Hurlburt, en Floride, L’accident qui a eu lieu dans le courant de la nuit dernière s’est déroulé à proximité de la base d’Eglin lors d’un entrainement. Dans l’accident tous les cinq aviateurs à bord ont été blessé, mais on ne déplore aucune victime.
Les responsable n’ont rien voulu dire de plus sur le crash, à part qu’il s’est passé autour de 18h45 et que trois des aviateurs ont été blessés assez gravement pour justifier d’être transportées par hélicoptère vers des hôpitaux locaux et les deux autres ont été pris en charge par ambulance.
Il s’agit de la deuxième perte de l’un des Osprey dans sa variante de combat CV-22 dans les deux dernières années. Un CV-22 Osprey des opérations spéciales s’était crashé en Afghanistan, en avril 2010. Cet accident a officiellement été attribué à une erreur du pilote, malgré que les indications moteur avait peut-être été perdue et le fait que l’enregistreur de vol n’a jamais été retrouvé par les enquêteurs.
Il y a deux mois, un MV-22 Osprey du Marine Corps s’est écrasé au Maroc lors de l’exercice African Lion, en tuant deux Marines.
avions légendaires
jonas General de Brigade
messages : 3370 Inscrit le : 11/02/2008 Localisation : far-maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Dim 17 Juin - 6:27
godzavia Adjudant-chef
messages : 461 Inscrit le : 21/09/2010 Localisation : algérie alger Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 19 Juin - 3:35
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MAATAWI Modérateur
messages : 14756 Inscrit le : 07/09/2009 Localisation : Maroc Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 21 Juin - 9:46
Citation :
Air Force orders final C-17
The Air Force announced Tuesday the award of a $169.8 million contract to Boeing for delivery of its 224th and apparently last C-17 transport.
The 224th aircraft, scheduled for completion in May of 2013, will retain the Air Force's programmed fleet of 223 C-17s following a July 2010 crash in Alaska.
The Air Force has launched a new, 9-month mobility study to see how the nation's mobility assets support the Obama administration's new, Pacific-focused defense strategy. However, the study is not expected to call for additional strategic airlift.
Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. Norton Schwartz said in March that preliminary analysis indicates that a 29.4 million-ton-miles-per- day capacity is needed and that the currently programmed fleet -- including 223 C-17s -- provide "slightly more that what we understand the demand signal to be."
The Warner Robins Air Logistics Center at Robins Air Force Base is the Air Force focal point for support of its C-17 fleet. Boeing Macon assembles major fuselage components for the Boeing final assembly line in Long Beach, Calif.
Boeing has said it hopes to sustain the C-17 production line through additional sales of the massive transport to foreign nations.
Read more: The Warner Robins Patriot - Air Force orders final C 17
warnerrobinspatriot.com
_________________ Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
farewell Général de corps d'armée (ANP)
messages : 2468 Inscrit le : 12/02/2011 Localisation : ****** Nationalité : Médailles de mérite :
Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 25 Juin - 13:40
Citation :
Etats Unis. L'armée utilisera la foudre dans l'armement http://cameroonvoice.com/news/news.rcv?id=7272
_________________ "Les belles idées n'ont pas d'âge, elles ont seulement de l'avenir"
Dim 19 Oct - 8:43
Le Prophéte (saw) a dit: Les Hommes Les meilleurs sont ceux qui sont les plus utiles aux autres
