Air Force Archives - Page 54 of 2533

The Oregon Air National Guard takes historic first flight with F-15EX

Posted on March 16, 2024March 16, 2024 by alert5

The skies above Florida recently bore witness to a momentous occasion for the Oregon Air National Guard’s 142nd Wing, as Lt. Col. Joel “Thermo” Thesing, an F-15C instructor pilot from the 123rd Fighter Squadron, became the unit’s first aviator to take the controls of the highly anticipated F-15EX fighter jet. This inaugural flight marks a significant step forward as the 142nd Wing prepares to transition its fleet to this next variant of the Boeing F-15.

123rd Fighter Squadron pilot, Lt. Col. Joel “Thermo” Thesing climbs into an F-15 EX at Eglin Air Force Base, Fla., March 7, 2024. Thesing is the first Portland, Ore.-based pilot to fly and train in the EX, marking a significant milestone for his unit, the 142nd Wing, which is slated to receive their first EX this summer. (U.S. Air Force photo by Mr. Dave Shelikoff)

Continue reading “The Oregon Air National Guard takes historic first flight with F-15EX”

Pentagon deploys the secretive N7700 to Sri Lanka

Posted on March 14, 2024March 14, 2024 by alert5

A joint training program focusing on Intelligence, Surveillance, and Reconnaissance (ISR) operations commenced on Mar. 12, at the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) Base Ratmalana. This initiative, facilitated collaboratively between the United States Department of Defense (DoD), the U.S. Embassy in Colombo, and the SLAF, aims to enhance Sri Lanka’s maritime domain awareness (MDA) capabilities.

Continue reading “Pentagon deploys the secretive N7700 to Sri Lanka”

Airbus C295 hits 300 orders, solidifying market leader status

Posted on March 14, 2024March 13, 2024 by alert5

Airbus Defence and Space has reached a significant milestone with its C295 medium tactical transport aircraft, surpassing the 300-order mark. This achievement was most recently set by the Republic of Kazakhstan’s acquisition of a third aircraft, in transport configuration, for the National Security Committee Aviation Service. The continued selection of the C295 by a growing number of operators around the world underscores the aircraft’s enduring popularity and solidifies its position as a global leader in its category.

Photo: Airbus
Continue reading “Airbus C295 hits 300 orders, solidifying market leader status”

United States approves potential billion-dollar boost to Polish air power

Posted on March 13, 2024 by alert5

The United States Department of State has greenlit a trio of potential Foreign Military Sales (FMS) packages to Poland, significantly bolstering the nation’s air defense capabilities.

California Air National Guard Master Sgt. Audra Jimenez, a 194th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron weapons craftsman, affixes an AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile onto an F-15C Eagle fighter aircraft on the flightline at Graf Ignatievo, Bulgaria, Sept. 8, 2016. Four of the squadron’s F-15Cs will conduct joint NATO air policing missions with the Bulgarian air force to police the host nation’s sovereign airspace Sept. 9-16, 2016. The squadron forward deployed to Graf Ignatievo from Campia Turzii, Romania, where they serve on a theater security package deployment to Europe as a part of Operation Atlantic Resolve. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Joe W. McFadden)

NATO scrambles Swedish Gripens for the first time

Posted on March 12, 2024 by alert5

Swedish fighter jets marked a significant moment in their integration with NATO on Mar. 11. Following Sweden’s official accession to the alliance on Mar. 7, Swedish Air Force Gripen multirole fighters participated in their first visual identification (VID) mission as part of the NATO Air Policing mission over the Baltic Sea region.

Photo: NATO
Continue reading “NATO scrambles Swedish Gripens for the first time”