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Sujet: US Air Force - USAF Mer 5 Mar - 3:56
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Citation :
USAF to issue contract to Sikorsky for rescue helicopter
The US Air Force's combat rescue helicopter programme is moving forward.
The service announces on 4 March that it intends to issue a contract by the end of June to Sikorsky for the 14-year, $7 billion programme, which calls for up to 112 aircraft.
Sikorsky, in partnership with Lockheed Martin, was the only company to bid on the project with its proposed CRH-60, a modified version of its UH-60M Black Hawk.
Rendering of Sikorsky's CRH-60 combat rescue helicopter. Sikorsky.
The USAF says it will move $430 million from other programmes to the CRH programme though fiscal year 2019 due to "the criticality" of the combat rescue mission.
The project also received an injection of more than $300 million in the fiscal year 2014 budget.
The service warns, however, that the programme may need to be "reevaluated" should additional defense budget cuts take effect in fiscal year 2016.
"The competitive price and the funding provided by Congress will allow us to award the CRH contract, but we could still face significant challenges to keeping this effort on track," says USAF secretary Deborah Lee James in a statement. "We will need to work with Congress throughout 2015 budget deliberations."
The CRH is intended to replace the USAF's aging HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters, which are also a Sikorsky product.
"Sikorsky and our teammate Lockheed Martin thank the USAF for enabling us to build a modern and affordable combat rescue helicopter that will replace the service’s rapidly aging HH-60G Pave Hawk fleet," says Sikorsky in a statement. "We look forward to working with the USAF to deliver CRH-60 aircraft in the prescribed timeframe."
http://www.flightglobal.com
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 23 Avr - 12:50
Citation :
US Air Force seeks A-10C central interface control unit redesign
Pat Host, Washington, DC - Jane's International Defence Review
22 April 2019
The USAF is seeking to redesign the A-10's CICU. The service has had growing problems with the unit and is looking for increased maintainability and reliability in this redesigned unit. Source: USAF
The US Air Force (USAF) is seeking a redesigned central interface control unit (CICU) for the Fairchild-Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) aircraft and hopes to have it integrated onto the aircraft by the mid-2020s.
The CICU is the brains of the A-10, managing, among other processes, graphics and communications for the pilot. The USAF is looking to manage these functions with increased avionics.
The USAF wants more capability out of random access memory (RAM), processing power, non-volatile memory, and environmental ruggedness, specifically, vibration and heat. The air force also wants a modular solution to be able to grow with the weapon system.
The USAF could procure 281 units plus spares. This includes Air National Guard (ANG) and Air Force Reserve aircraft. The air force has had increasing problems with the current unit and is looking for increased maintainability and reliability to decrease CICU fails, according to documents posted on the Federal Business Opportunities (FBO) website.
The service is concerned with ensuring the electronics on the redesigned CICU will be rugged enough to withstand vibrations from the A-10's General Electric GAU-8/A Avenger 30 mm seven-barrel cannon gun. As the aircraft was not designed to be an avionics platform, the CICU box has a tight, uncooled location on the outside of the gun, which vibrates when shooting. The air force is pursuing re-procuring circuit cards, among others, as a temporary fix for problematic CICU units.
The USAF desires no A-10-unique support equipment as part of the CICU redesign. It wants to use common support equipment already in the service's inventory.
The service is considering releasing a request for information (RFI) for the CICU redesign effort. The USAF is considering a few ways to fund the CICU redesign and said it has Air Combat Command (ACC) backing but that it did not have a timeline.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Sam 4 Mai - 11:33
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 13 Mai - 18:05
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US Air Force Reactivates Aggressor Squadron to Improve F-35 Training
The US Air Force recently announced that it is reactivating its 65th Aggressor Squadron and shipping 11 F-35A Lightning II fighter jets to Nevada's Nellis Air Force Base to further strengthen the service's training on the multirole stealth fighter.
According to a May 9 press release, the move resulted from recommendations put forth by Gen. Mike Holmes, commander of the service's Air Combat Command. Holmes had called on officials to boost tactical and close-air support training for air personnel on the fifth generation aircraft.
"Aggressor squadrons have been honing the skills of Air Force pilots since the early 1970s," Gen. David Goldfein, the Air Force chief of staff, said in a statement. "They provide a dose of realism in air exercises, and their training value is crucial."
"These F-35 aggressor aircraft will keep us ahead of adversaries for years to come," he added.
The Aggressor Squadron had been deactivated in September 2014 and spent the last five years shuttered as an Air Force cost-saving measure, according to the National Interest. Prior to ceasing operations, the squadron flew the McDonnell Douglas F-15 Eagle, a fourth-generation fighter first introduced into the service in January 1976.
Per the service's release, nine non-combat capable F-35A fighter jets will be pulled from Florida's Eglin Air Force Base, and two others will be removed from California's Edwards AFB.
The two jets being relocated from the Golden State will join Nellis AFB's 24th Tactical Air Support Squadron to meet the second of Holmes' recommendations. The 24th squadron flies the multirole F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft and primarily functions in a close-air support training capacity at the Nevada base.
The transfer of aircraft is expected to begin sometime in early 2022; however, it will only take place once the service is able to replace the pulled F-35A jets from Eglin AFB with "newly produced aircraft."
The move will also mean the relocation of approximately 194 military personnel and 37 contractors to Nellis AFB, according to a release.
Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson has also noted in a statement that the move will allow the Air Force "to repurpose early production F-35s to help train Airmen for the high end fight."
Air Force Times reported that officials chose Nellis AFB to host the newly reactivated squadron because it hosts a variety of Combat Air Forces exercises, the US Air Force Weapons School and the Weapons Instructor Courses, among other reasons.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 13 Mai - 18:36
Citation :
Les USA ont mis au point un missile capable de tuer sa cible avec des lames, selon The WSJ
Surnommé «la bombe ninja», un missile américain développé en secret depuis 2011 fonctionne sans ogive explosive, révèle le Wall Street Journal. Cet engin qui s’écrase contre sa cible avec son poids et déploie des lames pour l’atteindre devrait aider à éviter des pertes civiles, selon des officiels américains.
La CIA et le Pentagone ont secrètement développé et mis en pratique un nouveau type de missile capable de tuer sans exploser, révèle le Wall Street Journal, citant plusieurs responsables américains qui ont souhaité garder l’anonymat.
@Charles_Lister NEW - @WSJ confirms the @CIA & @DeptofDefense have a new "secret" missile - the R9X, or "flying Ginsu" - which kills a selected target with 6 blades, but no explosive payload.
-- "To the targeted person, it's as if a speeding anvil fell from the sky."https://www.wsj.com/articles/secret-u-s-missile-aims-to-kill-only-terrorists-not-nearby-civilians-11557403411 …
La particularité de l’engin réside dans le fait que celui-ci frappe sa cible avec son poids de 45 kilogrammes, telle une «enclume tombant du ciel», indique le journal. Privée d’ogive explosive, l’arme possède en revanche six longues lames qu’elle sort quelques secondes avant l’impact, indique le quotidien américain.
Surnommé R9X, «Ginsu volant» ou encore «la bombe ninja», ce nouveau projectile est une modification du missile Hellfire. Selon des responsables américains cités par le Wall Street Journal, ce type d’armes devrait permettre de réduire le nombre de victimes civiles collatérales, ne tuant que la personne prise pour cible.
Le développement du R9X a commencé en 2011 sous la présidence de Barack Obama, affirme le quotidien américain. L’armée américaine a utilisé le missile «une demi-douzaine de fois» lors de ses opérations en Libye, en Syrie, en Irak, au Yémen et en Somalie. Pendant un certain temps, les autorités américaines avaient prévu d’utiliser un missile aux capacités similaires pour atteindre le chef d'Al-Qaïda* Oussama Ben Laden.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 16 Mai - 11:18
jf16 General de Division
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 16 Mai - 16:08
Citation :
Here's Why the U.S. Just Deployed B-52 Bombers to Middle East
US Defense News
Ajoutée le 16 mai 2019 The B-52s sent to the Middle East are the last of a force of over 700 Stratofortresses built during the Cold War. The Air Force ordered 104 -H model bombers during the early 1960s, and according to the USAF 76 were still service as of 2015.
More than any other airplane, the B-52 combines the ability to carry a wide variety of munitions with an intercontinental range. Coupled with midair refueling, there are few targets—if any—targets on the planet that are outside the bomber’s reach. Although the slab-sided B-52 is far from stealthy, against opponents without sophisticated air defenses the lack of stealth is not really a problem.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 17 Mai - 10:59
Citation :
16/05/2019
Le F-15EX « Advanced Eagle » prêt pour l’année prochaine !
Boeing est prêt à livrer au moins deux exemplaires de son avion de combat F-15EX « Advanced Eagle », à l'US Air Force (USAF) dès 2020. La proclamation intervient alors que le sous-comité de la défense des crédits à la Chambre a inclus 986 millions de dollars dans un projet de budget de l'exercice 2010 pour huit avions F-15EX « Advanced Eagel destinés à remplacer les F-15C/D vieillissants.
Le F-15EX « Advanced Eagle » est une version légèrement modifiée du projet initial Advanced F-15, qui ne figure pas dans l'inventaire de la USAF. Le service s’intéresse au chasseur car son coût de 29 000 dollars par heure de vol est moins cher que celui du Lockheed Martin F-35.
Boeing Defence, Space & Security fabrique des appareils Advanced F-15 au rythme de 12 par an dans ses installations de St. Louis, dans le Missouri. L’avionneur envisage de mettre fin à la production des avions à réaction destinés à l’Arabie saoudite en 2019, puis de passer à la commande du Qatar. Avec le carnet de commandes existant, le programme F-15 a encore trois ans de production. Puis il pourra complètement passer à la production destinée à l’USAF. La ligne de production de St. Louis a la capacité de construire jusqu'à 36 avions par an, a déclaré Boeing.
Le projet F-15EX :
Sous la désignation de projet F-15EX, la nouvelle variante du jet offre des commandes de vol plus modernes, un grand écran unique et un radar amélioré. L'avion emportera également beaucoup plus d’armes avec plus de deux douzaines de missiles air-air, soit une capacité inégalée au sein de l’USAF.
Parfaitement conscient de la situation actuelle, l’avionneur Boeing travaille sur une solution basée sur des améliorations de l’actuel F-15. Pour Boeing, il s’agit de reprendre les travaux engagés sur le « Silent Eagle » mais avec une capacité d’emport d’armement élargie. Le concept de Boeing « F-15 2.040C » (F-15X). La version 2. 040C permettrait également, selon les études de Boeing, de doubler le nombre de missiles à par avions et donc combler une énorme faiblesse du F-35, sa capacité d’emport.
Boeing va doter le F-15X du d’une version améliorée du radar Raytheon APG-63 (V) 3 à balayage électronique actif, avec une nouvelle suite de guerre électronique dénommée EPAWSS « Eagle Passive/Active Warning Survivability », et un capteur IRST et une liaison de données améliorée permettant de travaillant en binôme avec le F-22 et le F-35.
Le F-15 ainsi modernisé, offrirait la possibilité de travailler directement avec le F-22 et le F-35 en appuis avec une forte capacité de tir grâce au transport de missiles accrut, mais il permettrait également de fonctionner de manière plus furtive avec l’armement monté dans les trappes. La particularité résident dans le fait, qu’il sera possible en fonction de la mission, de choisir entre le transport en interne ou de revenir au transport traditionnel, emport de carburant et armes en externes.
Capacité d’emport phénoménale :
Avec la possibilité d’emporter jusqu’à 24 missiles air-air, le F-15X « Advanced » sera bien supérieur à ses concurrents, mais il pourra également emporter une gamme complète d’arme comme par exemple : le JSOW, le Harpoon, le missile antiradar HARM. On parle également d’adapter progressivement des armes à énergie dirigée comme les lasers, une fois que ceux-ci seront disponibles. La grande taille de l’avion en facilitera l’intégration. Dernier élément, le F-15X pourra travailler en binôme avec des drones pour les actions de frappes en profondeur.
Photos : 1 F-15EX Advanced Eagle 2 Cockpit @ Boeing
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 3 Juin - 14:22
Citation :
U.S. Air Force T-6 Texan II receives new paint schemes
Jun 3, 2019
Photo by Senior Airman Keith Holcomb
The new paint scheme of the T-6 Texan II assigned to the 37th Flying Training Squadron was unveiled during a ceremony at the fire department May 30 on Columbus Air Force Base, Mississippi.
Members of the 37th Flying Training Squadron were able to see their freshly painted T-6 Texan II which represents the squadron’s patch, a Bengal tiger mother with a cub in her mouth. The T-6 is primarily yellow and its black stripes represent their lineage and heritage here.
“This is about having pride in our unit and across the base as a whole,” said Lt. Col. William Free, 37th FTS commander. “Now that the plane is finished up and painted it will be an opportunity for people to come together to honor and celebrate the great traditions that we have at Columbus AFB and the squadrons that are represented.”
Future generations of student pilots at Columbus AFB will have the opportunity fly specially designed flag ship planes. The new paint schemes will reflect the heritage of that aircraft’s squadron. The squadrons are responsible for designing the aircraft’s new look.
“People take great pride in these planes so when all six planes are done they will be the showcase of flying operations on our base representing the history of our squadrons and the heritage that we bring,” said Col. Derek Stuart, 14th Operations Group commander.
The 37th FTS has a strong line of heritage that dates back to the Army Air Corps in the 1940’s. It was initially a pursuit squadron assigned to the 55th Pursuit Group at Hamilton Field, California. Air defense was their mission and they flew the P-43 Lancer, a U.S. Army Air Corps aircraft. Today this similar mission is owned by the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD) and they’re responsible for controlling and defending airspace in the Alaska, Canada and the Continental United States.
During World War II, the 37th Fighter Squadron conducted combat operations with their P-38 Lightning in the European and Mediterranean Theater of Operations. They also utilized the P-47 Thunderbolt to escort reconnaissance aircraft during Operation Dragoon, earning the squadron a Distinguished Unit Citation for their actions.
Also during WWII, Maj. William L. Leverette, the 37 Fighter Squadron Commander, was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for leading a formation of P-38s on a mission to protect Royal Navy warships. During this mission he identified a formation of 30 German JU-87 Stuka dive bombers in which he took out seven of those aircraft and his squadron shot down an additional nine.
After WWII the 37th FS was inactivated and redesignated several times. In November 1952 they were designated as the 37th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron at Ethan Allen AFB, Vermont, where they flew P-51 Mustangs and later F-86 Sabres and F-102 Delta Daggers for their interceptor mission. The squadron would again deactivate May 1, 1960.
On March 22, 1972, the squadron was redesignated the 37th FTS and assigned to the 14 Flying Training Wing on Columbus AFB. Here they conducted Undergraduate Pilot Training with the T-37 Tweet, a small twin-engine jet trainer which flew for decades as the primary trainer for the U.S. Air Force. They continued to fly the T-37 until 2006 when they transitioned to the T-6 which they fly today.
With a strong legacy to uphold, the 37th FTS continues its mission to create pilots and will use this newly painted T-6 to reach the next generation of aviators, giving them the opportunity to connect with their heritage and build the future.
These paintings are also part of the Air Force chief of staff’s initiative to revitalize squadrons and enable them to connect to the long blue line.
In order for squadrons at Columbus AFB to have flag ship paint schemes, they identified aircraft that were already in need of a new coat of paint, thus not costing the Air Force any extra funding. The heritage repaint of the T-6 and future aircraft repaints were approved at the wing level and then routed and approved by Air Education and Training Command.
Aircraft paint requires a lot of hard work on the part of our mission partner, Vertex Aerospace. Maintainers began stripping paint and preparing the aircraft for a fresh coat during many labor-intensive hours where aircraft panels and doors are removed, cracks are filled, sand blasting is done, to ensure the surface is clean and free debris.
Stuart said for a lot of the Vertex maintainers this was a new and exciting project to work on, and one they enjoyed and know the entire base population will appreciate.
Free added a lot of hard work and dedication went into making this T-6 look as good as it does.
“Our instructor pilots are the heartbeat of what we do here at Columbus AFB,” Free said. “On behalf of all them it is a proud moment for me to see this jet and acknowledge the pride we have in it and knowing it represents the hard work they do day in and day out for our Wing and our Air Force.”
With each flag ship aircraft representing the rich history behind the flying squadron and connecting the different generations of Airmen, Columbus AFB is helping to preserve their predecessors’ stories and marking a new chapter for the 14th FTW.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 5 Juin - 15:44
Citation :
L-3 Communications To Upgrade Avionics Of USAF's C-130H Aircraft
01:33 PM, June 5, 2019
L-3 Communications Integrated Systems has won a $499.6 million contract to upgrade 176 C-130H military transport aircraft operated by the Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command.
The contract provides for engineering and manufacturing development through production, and includes training and logistics requirements, the US Department of Defense said in a statement Tuesday.
Work will be performed predominantly in Waco, Texas, and is expected to be complete by September 30, 2029.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 6 Juin - 16:21
jf16 General de Division
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Sam 8 Juin - 15:05
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 11 Juin - 13:07
Citation :
U.S. Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa
F-35s have arrived at Spangdahlem Air Base! 🛬
A squadron of F-35A Lightning II aircraft are in the European theater as part of a Theater Security Package and will be participating in exercises and training with allies and partners.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 11 Juin - 16:01
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 14 Juin - 17:00
Citation :
L’US Air Force a commencé les essais de sa future arme hypersonique « ARRW »
par Laurent Lagneau · 14 juin 2019
Le développement d’armes hypersoniques, c’est à dire capables de voler à une vitesse supérieure à Mach 5, est une réalité. Les États-Unis ont été parmi les premiers à s’y intéresser de près, via le programme « Conventional Prompt Global Strike » [CPGS, frappe conventionnelle globale rapide], lancé au début des années 2000. Pour autant, ce ne sont pas eux qui font la course en tête, même si ils ont déjà testé, avec des fortunes diverses, plusieurs concepts. En effet, la Russie affirme disposer de telles armes [Avanguard, missile Kinjal] tandis que la Chine a déjà procédé à l’essai du Wu-14, un véhicule planant hypersonique [HTV]. Á noter aussi que la France s’y intéresse aussi…
Cela étant, et comme ces armes hypersoniques sont susceptibles de contrer les capacités d’interdiction et de déni d’accès appelées à se multiplier dans les années à venir, le Pentagone a mis le pied sur l’accélérateur. Ce qui, pour l’US Air Force, s’est traduit par le lancement de trois programmes : l’Hypersonic Conventional Strike Weapon [HCSW, prononcer « Hacksaw », ndlr], l’Hypersonic Air-breathing Weapon Concept [HAWC] et l’Air Launched Rapid Response Weapon [ARRW, ou ARROW].
Ce dernier, attribué à Lockheed-Martin en août 2018 et pour lequel 258 millions de dollars ont été demandés au titre de l’année fiscale en cours, vise à mettre au point un missile hypersonique appelé AGM-183A. Et, visiblement, les travaux vont vite étant donné que le coup d’envoi des essais de cette nouvelle arme a été donné le 12 juin.
En effet, a indiqué l’US Air Force via un communiqué, un bombardier stratégique B52H Stratofortress a décollé de la base aérienne d’Edwards [Californie] en emportant un prototype de l’AGM-183A sous l’une de ses ailes. Il n’a été procédé à aucun tir, l’objet du vol ayant été de collecter des données sur « la gestion de l’environnement » et le comportement de l’avion.
« Le prototype ne contenait pas d’explosifs et il n’a pas été libéré du B-52 pendant les essais en vol. Ce type de collecte de données est requis pour tous les systèmes d’armes de l’US Air Force en cours de développement », a précisé le communiqué.
« Nous avons établi un calendrier serré avec l’ARRW. Effectuer déjà un tel test souligne le travail extraordinaire de nos équipes et notre partenariat avec Lockheed-Martin et d’autres industriels », a commenté le Dr. Will Roper, le secrétaire adjoint de l’Air Force pour l’acquisition, la technologie et la logistique. Certaines dispositions prises par le Congrès concernant le « prototypage rapide » ont contribué à ce coup d’accélérateur. Et il est question que l’AGM-183A soit opérationnel en 2022.
Par ailleurs, l’US Air Force n’est pas la seule à vouloir des armes hypersoniques. L’US Army a aussi des ambitions dans ce domaine, comme l’a récemment indiqué le général Neil Thurgood, son responsable des acquisitions.
Ainsi, une telle arme, qui sera lancée par un missile, est en cours de développement. Un premier essai est prévu l’an prochain. Il sera suivi par d’autres tests organisés tous les six mois, « jusqu’à ce qu’elle puisse être utilisées, vraisemblablement en 2022 », a expliqué le général Thurgood, qui a également annoncé que, dans le même temps, l’US Army mettrait aussi en service des véhicules blindés Stryker équipés de lasers de défense antiaérienne d’une puissance de 50 kilowatts.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 17 Juin - 15:02
jf16 General de Division
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 21 Juin - 15:50
Citation :
B-1 Bomber Readiness Is in the Toilet, Here's Why
US Defense News
Ajoutée le 20 juin 2019
The state of the U.S. Air Force’s B-1B Lancer fleet is bad — really bad — and lawmakers on the House Armed Services seapower and projection forces subcommittee want the service to come up with a plan to fix the problem.
The United States’ long-range strike capabilities “may be placed at increased risk by aging structural problems with the B-1," according to the panel’s markup of HR 2500, the House’s version of the fiscal 2020 defense policy bill, released Monday. The Lancer isn’t getting the resources and attention necessary to improve its mission-capable rates.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Sam 22 Juin - 14:28
Citation :
U.S. Air Force details its highly modified version of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters
Jun 22, 2019
Photo by Staff Sgt. Dylan Nuckolls
The United States Air Force has revealed fresh details of its highly modified version of UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters, that called HH-60G Pave Hawk.
Based on the Army’s UH-60 Black Hawk, the HH-60G Pave Hawk is a highly modified version with upgraded communications and navigation suite. The forward-looking infrared system, color weather radar and an engine/rotor blade anti-ice system, enables the Pave Hawk to fly in bad weather. The in-flight refueling probe and auxiliary fuel tanks allow the Pave Hawk to outdistance other rescue helicopters.
The Pave Hawk’s crew of pararescue Airmen can utilize its hoist, capable of lifting 600 pounds, to perform personnel recovery operations in hostile environments. The HH-60G is also used for civil search and rescue, medical evacuation, disaster response, humanitarian assistance, security cooperation/aviation advisory, NASA space flight support and rescue command and control.
Pave Hawk mission equipment includes a retractable in-flight refueling probe, internal auxiliary fuel tanks, two crew-served 7.62mm or .50 caliber machineguns, and an 8,000-pound (3,600 kilograms) capacity cargo hook. To improve air transportability and shipboard operations, all HH-60Gs have folding rotor blades.
Pave Hawk combat enhancements include a radar warning receiver, infrared jammer and a flare/chaff countermeasure dispensing system.
After almost 40 years of service, the HH-60G Pave Hawk will be replaced by the HH-60W. Increased internal fuel capacity and new defensive systems and sensors will provide increased range and survivability during combat rescue missions. The fleet of HH-60Gs will be fully replaced with 112 HH-60Ws by 2029 with the first delivery scheduled for 2020.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 2 Juil - 14:00
Citation :
Boeing begins EMD flight trials for T-X trainer
Gareth Jennings, London - Jane's Defence Weekly
02 July 2019
Shown here at Boeing's St Louis facility in Missouri, the BTX trainer flew the first EMD sortie on 1 July. Source: IHS Markit/Gareth Jennings
Boeing has begun engineering and manufacturing development (EMD) flight trials of the T-X trainer aircraft it has developed with partner Saab for the US Air Force (USAF).
The first EMD sortie, which was announced by the company on 1 July, involved Boeing T-X (BTX) aircraft N381TX flying out of the company's St Louis facility in Missouri.
No details were disclosed as to the nature or duration of the flight test, although Boeing's Chief T-X Test Pilot, Steve 'Bull' Schmidt, noted, "[It] went extremely well. She flew just superb [during the] first flight [of the] EMD test programme. [The] first test points went off without a hitch."
With two EMD aircraft so far built (Boeing has been keen to stress that these are not prototypes, in the traditional sense of the word, but fully configured platforms), 71 test flights were flown between December 2016 and December 2018. Since then, Boeing and Saab have been analysing the data ahead of the commencement of EMD flight trials.
The BTX features a single General Electric Aviation GE 404 engine, a large-area display (LAD) cockpit, and open-architecture system. The USAF is due to receive 350 aircraft to replace the Northrop T-38 Talon that has been in service since the 1960s.
With the first aircraft set to be delivered to Randolph Air Force Base, Texas, in 2023, initial operational capability (IOC) is scheduled for 2024. Production at the newly established facility in Indiana will be set at approximately 60 aircraft per year.
Speaking to Jane's and other defence media in June, Boeing explained that the BTX has been built specifically for the USAF requirement, with Ted Torgerson, programme head for the T-X Advanced Pilot Training Program (ATP), noting; "It is a flexible open-architecture system that will do the things it needs to do as the air force determines its future pilot training requirements
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Lun 8 Juil - 15:38
Citation :
U.S. Air Force sent its ballistic missile detection aircraft to Persian Gulf
Jul 8, 2019
A U.S. Air Force RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft assigned to the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron takes off from Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska, May 8, 2019. Photo by Senior Airman Jacob Skovo-Lane
A U.S. Air Force RC-135S Cobra Bal reconnaissance aircraft, that specializes in surveilling and collecting data on ballistic missiles, was reportedly sent to Persian Gulf.
Aviation enthusiast, Maleshov surprised many by released on Twitter the track of RC-135S Cobra Ball aircraft over the Persian Gulf.
”USAF RC-135S Cobra Ball a measurement and signature intelligence MASINT collector equipped with special electro-optical instruments designed to observe ballistic missile flights at long range 61-2662 PYTHN77 over Persian gulf,” he tweet said.
The Cobra Ball’s sent to the Persian Gulf comes after increasing tensions between the US and Iran have worsened since Donald Trump withdrew from a 2015 nuclear agreement between Iran and several world powers, and reinstated sanctions on Tehran. Last month, in response to what American officials characterised as an imminent threat, the US announced it would rush an aircraft carrier and other assets to the region.
The RC-135S Cobra Ball is a rapidly deployable aircraft, which flies Joint Chiefs of Staff-directed missions of national priority to collect optical and electronic data on ballistic targets. According to the U.S. Air Force’s website said this data is critical to arms treaty compliance verification, and development of U.S. strategic defense and theater missile defense concepts.
Crew composition includes a minimum of two pilots, one navigator, three electronic warfare officers, two airborne systems engineers, and two or more airborne mission specialists.
All Cobra Ball airframe and mission systems modifications are overseen by L-3 Communications, under the oversight of Air Force Materiel Command.
There are three RC-135S aircraft in the Air Force inventory all assigned to Air Combat Command and permanently based at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb.. The Cobra Ball is operated by the 55th Wing, and manned with aircrews from the 45th Reconnaissance Squadron, and the 97th Intelligence Squadron, using various forward deployment locations worldwide.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mar 16 Juil - 7:41
Citation :
US Air Force seeks information on Combat Rescue Helicopter aircrew training system Pat Host, Washington, DC - Jane's Defence Weekly 15 July 2019
The US Air Force (USAF) seeks information from industry on potential capabilities supporting a ground-based aircrew trainer (GBAT) for the new Sikorsky HH-60W "Delta" Combat Rescue Helicopter (CRH).
The USAF wants to field a training device that provides aircrew members training on pre-mission procedures, exterior and interior pre-flight inspections, mission equipment and hoist pre-flight inspections, weapons pre-flights, instrument equipment tests, aircraft system reviews, and checklist procedures, among others. This training device will be fielded in support of HH-60W training at Kirtland Air Force Base (AFB) in New Mexico.
The GBAT should be designed to provide an operational availability rate of 95% for 16 hours per day, five days per week, and 50 weeks per year for an operating life of 20 years, according to a request for information (RFI) posted on Federal Business Opportunities (FBO). The trainer delivery, if sourced, is required no later than 1 October 2021 for fielding.
The USAF anticipates this to be a firm-fixed-price with limited use of cost-reimbursement no-fee contract line item numbers (CLINs) intended for travel expenses. The service expects a Federal Acquisition Regulation (FAR) Part 16 task order under the Training System Acquisition (TSA) III multiple-award indefinite delivery/indefinite quantity (ID/IQ) contract for acquisition and interim contractor support (ICS) support requirements. Responses to the RFI are due 7 August 2019.
CAE USA plans to respond to this RFI. Company spokesperson Chris Stellwag said on 9 July that CAE USA has not determined what it might offer as this is only a RFI.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 17 Juil - 6:35
Citation :
Air Force Releases Request for Proposals for New ICBM System (Source: US Air Force; issued July 16, 2019) KIRTLAND AFB, N.M. --- The Air Force released a request for proposals for its Ground Based Strategic Deterrent intercontinental ballistic missile weapon system program July 16.
The request is for the weapon system’s Engineering and Manufacturing Development phase and includes five production lot options to produce and deploy the weapon system.
The two contractors for GBSD’s current Technology Maturation and Risk Reduction phase, Boeing and Northrop Grumman, will compete for the EMD contract. The Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center expects to award the contract in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2020.
The GBSD is the follow-on to the aging LGM-30G Minuteman III ICBM, which first became operational in the mid-1960s. While some components and subsystems have been upgraded over the years, most have supported over 50 years of continuous operation.
In May, Ellen Lord, undersecretary of defense for acquisition and sustainment, expressed the need to upgrade nuclear capability and modernization to maintain a deterrence edge. She said it no longer makes financial sense to continue to upgrade or extend the life of existing Minuteman III ICBMs and the new GBSD weapon system must be brought online.
“There is no margin to do another service life extension program on Minuteman III, because not only would it be more expensive than developing GBSD, but you would not have the resiliency in the capability because you would not have the modern equipment, you would not have the actual capabilities from a functional range point of view (or) warhead capability,” Lord said. “So we need to, by 2028, start replacing (ICBMs).”
Senior Air Force leaders also support the new GBSD system.
“If you look at the threat that we face, Russia just completed their modernization of their triad this year…because they know they cannot defeat us—and certainly can't defeat NATO—conventionally,” said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein at a congressional committee hearing in April. “So, our modernization and recap of the triad is just in time because in the missile leg, key parts of that program expire right about the time that we bring on the new Ground Based Strategic Deterrent to replace it.”
The AFNWC is the lead for the Air Force’s GBSD acquisition effort.
“The GBSD will be designed to be adaptable and responsive to the challenges posed by the pace of technological change and new threat environments,” said Maj. Gen. Shaun Morris, AFNWC commander and the Air Force program executive officer for strategic systems. “After a complete evaluation of the proposals, the EMD contract will be awarded to the company which will provide the best overall value to the warfighter and taxpayers.”
"The GBSD program office members have worked hard to analyze the costs of every requirement, used modeling and simulation to evaluate every decision and keep the design, development and deployment of the weapon system on track,” said Col. Jason Bartolomei, GBSD program manager. “The EMD request for proposal is the next step in the development of a safe, secure and effective GBSD weapon system.”
The GBSD program office is part of AFNWC’s ICBM Systems Directorate at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. The center is responsible for synchronizing all aspects of nuclear materiel management on behalf of Air Force Materiel Command in direct support of Air Force Global Strike Command.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Mer 17 Juil - 12:52
Citation :
16/07/2019
Raytheon fournira le nouveau radar du B-52 !
L’US Air Force (USAF) va améliorer le radar de sa flotte de bombardiers Boeing B-52 « Stratofortress » avec l’adjonction d’un nouveau radar de type AESA (Active Scanning Scanner Array). C’est la société Raytheon qui a été préférée a Northrop-Grumman.
Rappel :
Au début de cette année je vous annonçais que les deux équipementiers étaient en course pour fournir le futur radar du « bon vieux » B-52.
Boeing a annoncé avoir choisi Raytheon pour la conception, le développement, la production et la maintenance des radars, qui s’appuieront sur la famille de radars APG-79 / APG-82 de la société utilisée par la flotte F-15E de l’US Air Force. La production initiale à faible débit devrait débuter en 2024 et le radar devrait être utilisé sur la flotte de bombardiers au-delà de 2050.
Le nouveau radar doit permettre d’améliorer la fiabilité de la navigation du B-52 pour les missions de frappe nucléaire et conventionnelle. Le radar AESA est plus fiable que les radars actuels à balayage mécanique des bombardiers, car il ne comporte aucune pièce mobile et utilise un meilleur logiciel d’exploitation. Les radars AESA des B-52 disposeront également de meilleures zones de cartographie et de détection, ainsi que d’une augmentation du nombre de cibles pouvant être simultanément engagées. Des distances de détection plus grandes pourraient aider l’équipage du bombardier à lancer des missiles de croisière, tels que le missile air-sol interarmées, à distance de sécurité.
Les éléments permettront notamment :
Un ciblage précis de précision autonome dans tous les environnements,
BIG SAR grande carte haute résolution,
Haute qualité, génération de coordonnées,
Plus grande détection de cible et plage de suivi,
Recherche plus rapide et acquisition de cible,
Détection de cible plus petite,
Suivi multi-cibles,
Protection électronique robuste (A / A et A / G),
ID de combat amélioré,
Opérations en mode entrelacé pour une meilleure connaissance de la situation,
Modes maritimes,
3-5 fois plus de fiabilité et disponibilité,
Pour pouvoir rester en service actif, les B-52 n’ont cessé de subir de nombreuses modifications, cellule, avionique, équipements électronique et de survie. La dernière modernisation en date concerne la mise en réseau du système avec l’adjonction du système CONECT, installé sur les B-52, qui permet une liaison numérique avec l’ensemble des éléments de l’US Air Force, des centres de commandement et de contrôle, ainsi qu’avec les diverses forces terrestres. Ce système intégré et entièrement codé et protéger contre les éventuelles tentatives de pénétration électronique.
Ces nombreuses modifications et modernisation doivent permettre à USAF et Boeing de garder le B-52 en service jusqu’en 2050.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Jeu 1 Aoû - 12:35
Citation :
Seulement six bombardiers américains B-1 Lancer sont « aptes au combat »
par Laurent Lagneau · 1 août 2019
Les États-Unis ont peut être le budget militaire le plus important du monde… Mais cela ne les met nullement à l’abri des problèmes de disponibilité des équipements en service au sein de leurs forces armées. Ainsi en est-il des bombardiers B-1B Lancer de l’US Air Force.
Sur les 61 exemplaires en dotation, seulement six seraient aptes à décoller pour effectuer une mission opérationnelle. Ce chiffre a été donné par le sénateur Mike Rounds, lors de l’audition du général John Hyten, l’actuel patron l’US Strategic Command [STRATCOM] pressenti pour devenir le numéro deux de l’État-major interarmées américain.
Dans le détail, sur les 61 B-1B Lancer, 15 sont immobilisés dans un dépôt de maintenance et 39 autres sont cloués au sol pour des « inspections et d’autres problèmes ».
Cela étant, les précisions livrées par ce sénateur ne font que confirmer l’estimation du comité des forces armées de la Chambre des représentants, lequel fit part, en juin, de sa préoccupation au sujet du faible taux de disponibilité des B-1B Lancer.
« L’état de préparation des B-1B ne dispose ni de la priorité, ni des ressources nécessaires pour l’améliorer », avait relevé ce comité. Et ce dernier d’estimer que la capacité de l’US Air Force à effectuer une frappe de précision à longue distance pouvait en être affectée, en raison des « problèmes structurels » dus au vieillissement de ces bombardier.
Conçu dans les années 1970, un temps menacé par l’administration Carter avant d’être relancé par celle du président Reagan, le B-1B Lancer est entré en service dans les années 1980. À l’époque, son intérêt était qu’il permettait de contre la défense aérienne soviétique en pouvant voler à basse altitude et à une vitesse supersonique. Au total, 100 exemplaires furent construits par Rockwell [absorbé depuis par Boeing].
Par la suite, les B-1B Lancer furent modifiés afin de pouvoir assurer des missions conventionnelles. Pouvant emporter 56.000 kg de munitions, ces appareils ont été intensivement utilisés à partir de la fin des années 1990. Et, désormais, ils ont très largement dépassé le seuil des 10.000 missions de combat.
Récemment clouée au sol après le déclenchement intempestif d’un siège éjectable, la flotte de B-1B Lancer a progressivement été modernisé dans le cadre du programme IBS [Integrated Battle Station], d’un montant d’un milliard de dollars. Ces appareils ont notamment reçu une nouvelle liaison de données [FIDL, Fully Integrated Data Link], un écran VSDU [Situation Display Upgrade] et un système CITS [Central Integrated Test System].
Cela étant, la disponibilité des B-1B Lancer est devenue un thème récurrent depuis quelques années. Il est par exemple devenu difficile de trouver certains composants électroniques, ce qui fait grimper son coût de maintien en condition opérationnelle [MCO]. Un problème dont ne souffre paradoxalement pas le B-52H Stratofortress, pourtant nettement plus âgé [mais constamment modernisé]. Le taux de disponibilité de cet avion avoisinerait les 80%.
Les B-2 Spirit, furtifs, ont également un taux de disponibilité bas, également en raison d’un coût de MCO trop élevé [aggravé par le faible nombre d’appareils en service]. D’où la décision de l’US Air Force de prolonger les B-52H et de retirer les B-1B Lancer et les B-2 Spirit à mesure de l’arrivée du B-21 Raider, son futur bombardier.
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Sujet: Re: US Air Force - USAF Ven 2 Aoû - 12:57
Citation :
U.S. Air Force’s F-22 Raptor stealth fighters return to skies of Syria
Aug 2, 2019
Photo by Staff Sgt. Christopher Drzazgowski
U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor stealth fighters are again conducting operations over Syria, according to online investigator with the nickname ‘Samir’.
The online investigator has compared recently published F-22’s photos during aerial refueling mission above an ‘undisclosed location’ and satellite imagery to verify the location where each photograph was taken. Using Google Maps and other mapping techniques, he determined their exact location.
According to Samir, photo of F-22 Raptor fighter jets was taken above northeast of Raqqa, Syria on July 29.
“KC-135 refueling F-22 northeast of Raqqa on 29 July 2019,” Samir said on Twitter.
Last month, the U.S. Air Force announced that the fifth-generation jet fighters have arrived in Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar for the first time to “defend American forces and interests in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.”
The U.S Air Force has reported that F-22 Raptors, from the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., is currently serving its first deployment to Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar to defend American forces and interests in the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility, according to U.S. Air Forces Central Command.
“This historic deployment is a total force effort consisting of Airmen from the 1st Fighter Wing and 192nd Wing, with the support of the 633rd Air Base Wing, who train and deploy alongside one another, providing a ready force for the United States Air Force,” said in a statement.
But nothing was said about the participation of the F-22 Raptor fighters in the operation in the sky of Syria.
Overview of the northeast of Raqqa and the surrounding buildings and territory. (U.S. Air Force photo via Google Maps)