Farewell, Warthog: A-10 Demonstration Team takes flight for final season

Calling all aviation enthusiasts! The roar of the A-10 Thunderbolt II, affectionately nicknamed the “Warthog,” will grace the skies for one last season. The U.S. Air Force’s A-10C Demonstration Team announced on Mar. 20 that this year marks the end of an era, with their final performance scheduled for Oct. 6th at the Pacific Airshow in Huntington Beach, California.

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U.S. Air Force ends AC-130J Ghostrider laser weapon integration efforts

The dream of equipping the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship with a high-energy laser weapon system has come to an end. The U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) has officially shelved its Airborne High Energy Laser (AHEL) program due to “technical challenges” encountered during integration and ground testing.

Airborne-laser
U.S. Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Switzerland delivers first of 22 F-5 Tigers to United States

The Swiss Federal Office for Armaments (armasuisse) has begun delivery of 22 decommissioned F-5E/F Tiger II fighter jets to the United States. The first aircraft was picked up by the United States Marine Corps (USMC) on Mar. 18 from Emmen Air Force Station aboard a Lockheed KC-130J transport aircraft.


Photo: Armasuisse
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How Eglin AFB created the M129 E3 “Cookie Bomb” in four days

Eglin Air Force Base in Florida played a critical role in providing humanitarian aid during the 1999 Kosovo conflict. The challenge arose from the need to deliver Humanitarian Daily Rations (HDRs) to refugees scattered across the region. Traditional cargo aircraft were deemed unsuitable due to bad weather conditions and the threat of surface-to-air missiles.


Photo: USAF

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Canopy sill longeron cracks are appearing on USAF F-16 fleet

Over the past year, cracks have been identified in the canopy sill longerons (CSLs) of 90 F-16s across the entire U.S. Air Force inventory. These cracks can potentially ground aircraft and necessitate depot-level repairs, impacting operational readiness.

A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 120th Fighter Squadron, Colorado Air National Guard painted to commemorate the 100th anniversary of the unit flies over Pike National Forest, Colorado, May 8, 2023. Today the ÒREDEYESÓ of the120th are a dual-purpose fighter squadron with pilots qualified to perform air-to-air and air-to-ground missions including Offensive Counter-Air (OCA), Defensive Counter-Air (DCA), OCA Interdiction, Close Air Support (CAS), and Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR) missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Matthew Plew)

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