In a historic milestone for the United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, affectionately known as the “Thunderbirds,” Maj. Tyler Clark has been selected as the first Air National Guard fighter pilot to join their elite ranks as a Thunderbird demonstration pilot for the 2024-2025 season.
Taiwan’s Air Force is taking strategic and risk-hedging measures by considering the extension of the service life of its Dassault Mirage 2000 fighter jets. The nation’s Air Force Command Headquarters announced its intention to assess whether nine of these Mirage 2000-5DI twin-seat fighters can continue to serve for another 20 years.
Bill Sweetman, a seasoned aviation journalist, has made a notable comeback to the writing scene after a hiatus of several years. Known for his contributions as the Editor-in-Chief of Aviation Week, he had left the prestigious position back in March 2016. However, his passion for aviation and insightful reporting has returned him to the spotlight.
On Jul. 28, Aircraft 91-0308, a U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, etched its name in aviation history by becoming the first F-15 assigned to RAF Lakenheath to accomplish an impressive milestone – 10,000 flight hours.
In response to a recent U.S. military report highlighting potential mechanical issues, Japan’s Ground Self-Defense Force (GSDF) has taken the proactive step of suspending flights of its MV-22 Osprey fleet. The report called for the replacement of certain parts to mitigate the risk of accidents, prompting the grounding of fourteen tilt-rotor transport aircraft at the GSDF’s Kisarazu camp in Chiba Prefecture since Jul. 22.
A U.S. Marine Corps MV-22B and a Japan Ground Self-Defense Force (JGSDF) V-22 Osprey conduct aerial maneuvers at Marine Corps Air Station New River, North Carolina, July 9, 2019. Marines assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Training Squadron 204 and JGSDF soldiers conducted a confined area landing exercise as part of their integrated training, strengthening relations and interoperability between the North Atlantic Treaty Organization allies. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Elias E. Pimentel III)