US Air Force - USAF

Rappel du premier message :

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

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

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

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

Citation :

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



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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

le retour du COIN

Citation :

Air Force requests 100 light-attack planes

By Bruce Rolfsen - Staff writer
Posted : Monday Aug 3, 2009 16:49:24 EDT

Air Force pilots could be flying light-attack airplanes in less than three years.

On July 27, the Air Force took an early step toward buying small airplanes able to fly attack and reconnaissance missions. The “request for information” came from Air Force Materiel Command’s Aeronautical Systems Center.

According to the center, the Air Force seeks to buy 100 fixed-wing aircraft starting in 2012 and declare initial operational capability in 2013. Air Combat Command would operate and maintain the planes.

Specifications call for the plane to have two seats, four positions for weapons or external fuel tanks and an onboard laser designator. The plane must also have the ability to carry a minimum of two 500-pound bombs, launch 2.75-inch rockets and fire a gun.

Other standard gear requirements include an armored cockpit, night-vision compatible cockpit displays and defensive measures such as chaff and flares.

The warplane should also be able to land on runways 6,000 feet or shorter, cruise at about 200 mph and have an unrefueled range of almost 1,000 miles.

http://www.airforcetimes.com/news/2009/08/airforce_light_airplane_080309w/

Citation :

DATE:04/08/09
SOURCE:Flight International
PICTURE: US Air Force retires its last T-37 Tweet trainers
By Craig Hoyle

The US Air Force has retired its last Cessna T-37 Tweet jet trainers, with seven of the aircraft having been flown from Sheppard AFB in Texas for the last time on 31 July.

Replaced by the new-generation Beechcraft T-6A Texan II turboprop, four of the USAF's final T-37s were flown to its Aerospace Maintenance and Regeneration Center at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona for storage, with the other three allocated for use at the Utah Test and Training Range at Hill AFB.


The USAF's last T-37s left Sheppard AFB on 31 July

"The T-6 is a highly capable replacement," says Gen Donald Hoffman, commander of the Air Force Materiel Command. "We are still going through some growing pains, but it is much better suited to prepare student pilots for today's aircraft and those that will come in the future."

More than 1,000 Tweets were built for the USAF, which says the fleet supported the instruction of more than 78,000 domestic, NATO and other international pilots after entering use in 1956.

The retirement of the last US-operated T-37s reduces the global fleet of the type to around 116 aircraft, according to Flightglobal's MiliCAS database. The Tweet remains in use with the air forces of Bangladesh, Colombia, Morocco, Pakistan and Turkey, it says.

je pense qu'il est temps que les FRA envisage le remplacement des T-37, ce sont des machine formidables je les ai vu souvent à la BEFRA, mais ça reste un avion des 50/60, il est temps de les changer.

les T-6C Texan II sont pour ca

certes les texan II sont plus high tech, mais je ne suis pas sur qu'ils fournissent les mêmes g, et la même sensation, mais bon... ça reste mon avis

l´USAF,la grece et l´IDF comptent ladessus,le LIFT sera les F5 apres

Raptor a écrit:

certes les texan II sont plus high tech, mais je ne suis pas sur qu'ils fournissent les mêmes g, et la même sensation, mais bon... ça reste mon avis

c'est pour la transformation des pilotes aux tactiques de chasse ( l'appareil est capable de reproduire les manoeuvre de jet !)

Yakuza a écrit:

l´USAF,la grece et l´IDF comptent ladessus,le LIFT sera les F5 apres

les alphajet et les F-5A commence aussi à dater ....je serais par contre des T-50 ou des M-346...

je parle des F-5E/F TIII,ils serviront de LIFT encore,je suppose

et si le Bronco aurait une 2eme vie?
l´USAF redecouvre son amour pour les light attack,et les alliés europeens désinteressés se concentrent sur le "conventionel"

Citation :

Modernized GPS IIR Spacecraft Launched Successfully for USAF
CAPE CANAVERAL AIR FORCE STATION: A modernized Global Positioning System Block IIR (GPS IIR-M) satellite, designed and built by Lockheed Martin for the U.S. Air Force, was successfully launched today from Cape Canaveral Air Force Station aboard a United Launch Alliance (ULA) Delta II rocket.
Designated GPS IIR-21(M), the satellite is the final in a line of eight GPS IIR-M spacecraft that the Lockheed Martin Navigation Systems team in Newtown, Pa., modernized for its customer, the Global Positioning Systems Wing, Space and Missile Systems Center, Los Angeles Air Force Base, Calif.
“The successful launch of this final satellite in the GPS IIR-M program is a true testament to the dedication, skill and operational excellence of our joint government-industry team,” said Col. Dave Madden, the U.S. Air Force’s GPS Wing Commander. “We look forward to successfully executing a smooth and efficient on-orbit checkout and making this advanced satellite operational for the warfighter and civil users around the globe.”
The Block IIR-M series includes features that enhance operations and navigation signal performance for military and civilian GPS users around the globe – specifically a modernized antenna panel that provides increased signal power to receivers on the ground, two new military signals for improved accuracy, enhanced encryption and anti-jamming capabilities, and a second civil signal, providing users with an open access signal on a different frequency.
Building on its success in providing progressively advanced spacecraft for the GPS constellation, Lockheed Martin is developing the next-generation GPS III spacecraft to improve position, navigation and timing services for users worldwide. The first block of the new generation satellites, known as GPS IIIA, will deliver significant enhancements over current GPS space vehicles, including a new international civil signal (L1C), and increased M-Code anti-jam power with full earth coverage for military users.
“Lockheed Martin is incredibly proud of the success of this program and I applaud the joint team’s hard work and perseverance in reaching this major milestone,” said Don DeGryse, Lockheed Martin’s vice president of Navigation Systems. “The successful launch of this final satellite in the GPS IIR program exemplifies not only our commitment to designing and building high-performance spacecraft, but also to delivering 100 percent mission success for our customer. We look forward to delivering even greater capabilities with the launch of the first GPS III satellite.”
The satellite launched today will join six IIR-M satellites and 12 other operational Block IIR satellites within the current 30-spacecraft constellation. Air Force Space Command’s 2nd Space Operations Squadron (2SOPS), based at Schriever Air Force Base, Colo., manages and operates the GPS constellation for both civil and military users.
Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Newtown, Pa., is the prime contractor for the GPS IIR program. The company designed and built 21 IIR spacecraft. ITT, Clifton, N.J. supplied all 21 navigation payloads for both the IIR and IIR-M spacecraft.
The Lockheed Martin-led GPS III team is progressing on schedule, with first launch of a GPS IIIA satellite on track for 2014. The program team recently completed the Preliminary Design Review (PDR) phase and is now in the midst of the Critical Design Review (CDR) phase.
Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

source:defencetalk.com

les airmen musulmans stationés au pacifique font le ramadan,une Srgt mariée a un marocain

http://www.pacaf.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123164664

Belle trouvaille Yak. !

les USA copient les russes (kedbat aout)

Citation :

The Pentagon purchased two Russian-made Su-27 fighter jets from Ukraine. The United States will reportedly use the Russian jets to train effective counter-operation efforts.


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The Russian jets are a serious competition for the US F-15 fighters. The jets of Russia’s renowned Sukhoi design bureau proved to be more successful than their US competitors during a number of tests. The Pentagon has been trying to obtain the Russian warplanes, and Ukraine helped the nation do it legally.

The news about the deal between the USA and the Air Force of Ukraine appeared on the US-based website Strategypage.com. The website said that Russia’s Su-27 fighters were technically similar to F-15 jets, although the Russian planes were 30 percent cheaper.

Several Su-27 jets landed at Langley US air base in the summer of 1992, upon the agreement with the US side. Russian pilots examined F-15 jets at the base and proposed a simulated combat. The US pilots did not like the idea much: they thought that it would be too risky to hold the fight above the base in front of photographers and TV cameras. They eventually accepted the offer, but agreed to hold the mock fight above the Atlantic Ocean, 200 kilometers far from the coast.

The scheme of the mock fight was very simple. A Sukhoi was supposed to fly behind a US jet, and the planes were supposed to switch places with one another.

A US plane attempted to fly away from the Russian jet, but the Russian pilot caught up with the F-15 very easily. The planes switched places, and the Su-27 flew away from the F-15 making a turn and gaining altitude. The Russian jet found itself behind the American fighter a couple of minutes later. The F-125 pilot lost the Russian aircraft out of sight and could not escape from it afterwards: the Russian pilot was keeping the F-15 covered.

The F-15 lost another battle with Russia’s Su-27 in the autumn of 2000, during the US-Japanese drills in the Pacific Ocean. Two Su-27 jets, covering the Su-24MP, conducted a sudden attack of the flagship of the US 7th fleet, Kitty Hawk. The US aircraft carrier would have been destroyed in real combat conditions.

The US Defense Department is seriously concerned about the growing sales of Su-27 and Su-30 all over the world. Russia has been shipping these jets to India, China, Malaysia, Venezuela, Indonesia and Algeria for years.

Now the US purchased two Su-27 fighter jets from Ukraine. The US military command will now be able to study the phenomenon of Russia’s Sukhoi design bureau thoroughly.

http://english.pravda.ru/world/americas/20-07-2009/108253-su27-0

Citation :

L'US Air Force foudroie une cible au sol avec un laser

15:28 | 02/ 09/ 2009



MOSCOU, 2 septembre - RIA Novosti. Le groupe Boeing et l'US Air Force ont réussi à frapper une voiture immobile avec un rayon laser tiré depuis un avion C-130 H qui se trouvait en altitude, annonce le site officiel du groupe.

Lors des essais du 30 août, l'avion doté d'un laser chimique a décollé de la base aérienne de Kirtland (Etat du New-Mexico), avant de mettre le cap sur le polygone White Sands Missile Range afin de tirer sur une cible située à terre. La précision du tir était assurée par un système de guidage qui vise la cible dans un premier temps avant de diriger sur cette dernière un rayon laser.

"Cet essai a démontré que le système de l'arme énergétique assistée peut révolutionner le théâtre des opérations et sauver la vie de militaires, car il constituera une arme de haute précision agissant à la vitesse de la lumière et permettant de réduire les dégâts matériels" a déclaré le vice-président et directeur des systèmes antimissiles de Boeing Greg Hyslop, cité par le site du groupe.

http://fr.rian.ru/defense/20090902/122943207.html

La guerre des étoiles en vrai commence.

A-10 Upgrade chez SABCA

http://www.af.mil/news/video/index.asp?cid=3&sid=8469

Le retour en force des Turboprop.

Citation :

AT-6 Light Attack Aircraft Successfully Completes First Flight

Released on Thursday, September 10, 2009



Hawker Beechcraft Announces First Flight, Accelerated Testing of AT-6 Light Attack Aircraft

WICHITA, Kan. (Sep. 10, 2009) � Hawker Beechcraft Corporation (HBC) today announced the successful first flight of its AT-6 prototype and the program's progression into the next phase of flight test. The AT-6 prototype is a structurally strengthened derivative of the highly successful U.S. Air Force and U.S. Navy T-6A/B trainer � the world's most proven military trainer aircraft � that will offer the U.S. Air Force and partner nations a robust airpower solution that meets a wide spectrum of needs at a fraction of the cost of other platforms.

"We are very optimistic about the role the AT-6 will play for the warfighter � both in the U.S. and in partner air forces around the world," said Bill Boisture, HBC chairman and CEO. "This is going to be a great airplane and I am pleased with the rapid pace we are moving through our planned test program. We are almost three weeks ahead of schedule. We believe the AT-6 offers the broadest range capabilities available in the market and that is why we continue to invest in its future today."

The AT-6 is designed to be able to quickly transition pilots between basic flight training missions and complex NetCentric light attack and armed reconnaissance missions. The next phase of flight testing will last through October, during which the company will continue flight envelope expansion of the heavily instrumented AT-6 prototype, along with performance and handling qualities assessments with various external store configurations.

The Hawker Beechcraft T-6 derivative fleet recently passed the one million flight hour mark and 500th delivery with aircraft currently being flown by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, Hellenic Air Force of Greece, NATO Flying Training in Canada and the Israeli Air Force. T-6 trainers for the Iraqi Air Force are currently in production in Wichita, Kan., and are slated for delivery to Iraq beginning later this year.

www.deagel.com

Citation :

A U.S. Air Force ground crew member, left, guides the pilot of a F-15E Strike Eagle fighter jet for inspecting, before taking off on anniversary of the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks, at the main U.S. base in Bagram, north of Kabul, Afghanistan, Friday, Sept. 11, 2009. (AP / Musadeq Sadeq)

Citation :

A photograph made available on 13 September 2009 showing a general view of the U.S. Center of Transit Shipments for support the anti-terrorist operation in Afghanistan at the Manas airport outside Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, 11 September 2009. The Manas Transit Center was opened 14 July 2009 instead of the Manas international antiterrorist coalition's airbase. It continues the mission of the previous air base as part of Operation Enduring Freedom

le F-15 prend le pod IRST du Tomcat,et le SE serait pret au premier deal..

Citation :

DATE:18/09/09
SOURCE:Flight International
USAF adds IRST pod for F-15s
By Stephen Trimble

The US Air Force has revealed plans to purchase and integrate 100 infrared search and track (IRST) pods for its Boeing F-15C/D fleet, the latest addition to a $3 billion portfolio of upgrades since 2000 for the dwindling Eagle fleet.

Lockheed Martin will supply Boeing with an upgraded version of the ANS-42 IRST pod that originally flew on the US Navy's Grumman F-14D Tomcat, and was selected more recently for the Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

Unlike the F/A-18's IRST pod, which is mounted at the front of a fuel tank, the F-15 version will feature a sleeker pod design mounted on its "Station 5" stores pylon, says Brad Jones, Boeing's F-15 radar modernisation programme manager. A similar pod has already been supplied for South Korea's F-15K fleet.

Although mounted on the aircraft's belly, the long-range sensor will have the ability to look up by 5°, Jones says. As a passive sensor, the IRST pod will augment the F-15C/D fleet's mechanically and electronically scanned radars to search for enemy aircraft and missiles at very long range, he adds.

The selection provides a glimpse into the possible future for the USAF's core fleet of F-15C/Ds and F-15E Strike Eagles.

The USAF plans to retire about 170 C/D model aircraft in 2010, reducing its non-stealthy air superiority fighter fleet from about 400 to 230 fighters. This is expected to be further reduced to a core of 176.

F-15C operations will be boosted by the IRST upgrade

These so-called "Golden Eagles" may be in line for further upgrades, including active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and digital electronic warfare suites.

Congress has already inserted money to upgrade mechanical radars for 16 USAF F-15C/Ds with Raytheon's APG-63(V)3 AESA. Meanwhile, the air force is also upgrading all 224 F-15Es with the company's APG-82(V)1, which matches the antenna from the APG-63(V)3 with the more advanced back-end processor from Raytheon's APG-79. The latter is already operational on the USN's F/A-18E/F and EA-18G Growler fleets.

The APG-82(V)1 system is actually cheaper to buy than the previous-generation APG-63(V)3, says Jones, perhaps making it a logical choice should the USAF decide to upgrade all 176 Golden Eagles to the AESA standard. Likewise, it also may consider upgrading all its F-15Es with the ISRT pod, he says.

Separately, Jones says Boeing is "close to reaching agreements" with foreign industry as risk-sharing partners on the company's stealthy F-15 Silent Eagle. This converts conformal fuel tanks into internal weapons bays and adds a digital electronic warfare system. The risk-sharing deals are expected to coincide with an order for Silent Eagles by the host government.

Boeing says plans remain on track to flight test the first F-15SE in the third quarter of 2011.

The stealthy F-15SE could be close to its launch order

le 19 septembre 2009

Citation :

Boeing Receives A-10 Modernization Contracts From US Air Force

ST. LOUIS, Sept. 24, 2009 -- The Boeing Company [NYSE: BA] announced today that it has received two separate contracts from the U.S. Air Force to support modernization of the service's fleet of 365 A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft. The contracts, which have a total value of $4.2 million, consist of several tasks ranging in duration from three to 18 months.

The first contract, which will be performed by Boeing and Southwest Research Institute (SwRI), provides engineering services for the A-10 Aircraft Structural Integrity Program (ASIP). The program centers on updating and aligning modern structural analysis tools, processes and standards for the A-10 fleet.

The second contract, which will be performed by Boeing and industry team partners Raytheon Technical Services and BAE Systems Platform Solutions, is for a Trade Study Analysis and Operational Assessment/Proof of Concept for the Upgraded Data Transfer Unit (UDTU). The goal of this contract is to update the aircraft's avionics architecture to improve memory and data capability.

The ASIP and the UDTU contracts are two of many that will be awarded as part of the $1.6 billion A-10 Thunderbolt Life-Cycle Program Support (TLPS) contract. A-10 TLPS is designed to support the sustainment of the A-10 and integration of current and future requirements. In June, Boeing was selected as one of three contractors to fulfill several A-10 TLPS task and delivery orders for the Air Force.

Other A-10 contracts Boeing has received include a services contract that provides the Air Force with on-site engineering support and 3-D models of the A-10 wing, and a contract for fuselage lofting (transfer of a scaled-down plan to full size). The $2 billion A-10 Wing Replacement Program, which Boeing received in June 2007, plans to manufacture up to 242 enhanced wing assemblies. Work remains on schedule as Boeing continues to develop the 3-D models that provide the engineering foundation for production of the new wings. The models allowed the Air Force to quickly resolve wing-crack issues that temporarily grounded the A-10 fleet last year.

"We are honored to continue supporting the Air Force and the A-10 fleet," said Bill Moorefield, A-10 program manager for Boeing. "We are committed to the standard of excellence we have exhibited on the A-10 Wing Replacement Program, and we look forward to delivering the same outstanding level of customer satisfaction and performance on this contract."

The A-10, also known as the Warthog, was introduced into the Air Force inventory in 1976. The twin-engine aircraft provides close-air support of ground forces and employs a wide variety of conventional munitions, including general-purpose bombs. The simple, effective and survivable single-seat aircraft can be used against all ground targets, including tanks and other armored vehicles. The aircraft is supporting warfighters in Afghanistan and Iraq today.

http://boeing.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=43&item=850

Citation :

US Air Force Orders LITENING G4 Targeting Sensor System

Released on Thursday, October 01, 2009

Northrop Grumman to Supply U.S. Air Force With LITENING G4 Targeting Sensor Systems

ROLLING MEADOWS, Ill., Oct. 1, 2009 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The U.S. Air Force has awarded Northrop Grumman Corporation (NYSE:NOC) a $153 million contract to provide LITENING G4 targeting and sensor systems and related equipment.

Under the terms of the agreement, Northrop Grumman will deliver LITENING G4 targeting and sensor pods to the active U.S. Air Force as well as kits for the Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard to enable the upgrade of existing LITENING AT pods to the G4 configuration. The contract also includes the supply of additional data links for the Air National Guard and active U.S. Air Force.

LITENING Gen 4 is a self-contained, multi-sensor laser target-designating, surveillance and navigation system. The pods are also equipped with "plug-and-play" technology that enables them to accept a variety of data links without further modifications to the pod or aircraft.

"With LITENING G4, the Air Force is obtaining the very latest and most advanced technology in targeting and surveillance capabilities offered by anyone in the world," said Mike Lennon, vice president of Targeting and Surveillance programs at Northrop Grumman's Defensive Systems Division. "This contract also marks the first updates of existing Air Force Reserve Command and Air National Guard LITENING pods to the G4 configuration. It demonstrates the Air Force's commitment to LITENING and their desire to have the warfighter fly the most advanced targeting technology available today."

Lennon noted that the Northrop Grumman LITENING G4 also forms the baseline for the company's offering in the current U.S. Air Force Advance Targeting Pod - Sensor Enhancement competition to supply the Air Force with new pods.

LITENING G4 is the only production targeting pod with all of the following capabilities:

An all-digital 1K (1024 x 1024 pixel) forward-looking infrared (FLIR) sensor and a 1K charge-coupled device TV sensor, providing improved target detection and recognition ranges

A Laser Target Imaging Program imaging system providing unprecedented target recognition in a wide variety of conditions in both day and night conditions

A "plug and play" data link system that enables improved communications between airborne forces and the ground

www.deagel.com