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62d AW makes history with first commercial air refueling of C-17

Posted on April 24, 2025April 24, 2025 by alert5

In a historic first for U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command, C-17 aircraft from Joint Base Lewis-McChord completed aerial refueling with a commercial KDC-10B tanker on Apr. 10. The mission, executed by Airmen from the 62d Operations Support Squadron and 8th Airlift Squadron, marks a significant milestone in the Air Force’s expanding use of commercial refueling capabilities.

U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Megan Geiger
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South Korean Air Force confirms pilot error in KA-1 weapons jettison incident

Posted on April 22, 2025 by alert5

The South Korean Air Force has confirmed that pilot error caused the accidental jettison of weapons from a KA-1 light attack aircraft during a training exercise last Friday. The incident occurred when a pilot mistakenly pressed the emergency jettison button while attempting to adjust a heater.

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Japan’s Ospreys to relocate from Kisarazu to Saga starting July

Posted on April 16, 2025 by alert5

Japan’s Defense Ministry announced that its fleet of MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft temporarily stationed at the Ground Self-Defense Force’s Kisarazu base in Chiba Prefecture will begin relocating to the new Saga base on Jul. 9th, with the transfer expected to be completed by mid-August.

陸上自衛隊, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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RNZAF sells retired C-130H fleet to U.S. firefighting company

Posted on April 12, 2025April 11, 2025 by alert5

The New Zealand Defence Force has finalized the sale of four retired Royal New Zealand Air Force C-130H Hercules aircraft to American aerial firefighting company Coulson Aviation for $9 million. The deal, announced on Apr. 11, marks a new chapter for the venerable aircraft that were officially retired from military service earlier this year.

Corporal Naomi James, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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U.S. Navy and JMSDF hold first Joint Electronic Warfare Exercise under FUJIN agreement

Posted on April 11, 2025 by alert5

The U.S. Navy’s expeditionary Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 131, operating under Task Force 70, conducted a bilateral electronic warfare exercise with the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) on Apr. 3, south of Okinawa, Japan.