Air Force Archives - Page 69 of 2550

Dragon Lady 1078 soars back into service

Posted on March 24, 2024March 24, 2024 by alert5

A rare TU-2S recently returned to service after a nearly three-year repair odyssey. Aircraft 1078 suffered a wingtip damage in a April 2021 accident, grounding the plane and posing a unique challenge. Typically, U-2s undergo Program Depot-Level Maintenance (PDM) at a specialized facility in Palmdale, California. However, the damage to 1078 prevented its transport.

U.S. Air Force TU-2s Dragon Lady 1078 flies to U.S. Air Force Plant 42, Palmdale, California, where it will undergo normal Program Depot-level Maintenance (PDM) and be painted black, after almost three years of maintenance at Beale Air Force Base, California, Feb. 29, 2024. Aircraft 1078 was involved in an accident in 2021 that left it unable to move to Plant 42, and after passing low flight and high flight tests, was able to fly to Palmdale where Air Force Life Cycle Management Center Detachment 4 will oversee Lockheed Martin’s PDM of aircraft 1078. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Alexis Pentzer)

Japan to develop next-generation jet trainer with U.S.

Posted on March 24, 2024 by alert5

Japan and the United States are in discussions to co-develop a new trainer aircraft for the Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF), according to Mainichi News. This would mark the first collaborative effort between the two nations for a trainer platform.

Hunini, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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British Defense Secretary flew from Canberra to Adelaide in a Super Hornet

Posted on March 23, 2024 by alert5

British Defence Secretary Grant Shapps participated in a unique high-speed travel experience during his recent visit to Australia for the annual Australia-United Kingdom Ministerial Consultations (AUKMIN). Following meetings with his Australian counterpart, Shapps was offered and cleared for a flight in the back seat of a Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F/A-18F Super Hornet fighter jet for a trip from Canberra to Adelaide.

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

Posted on March 21, 2024March 21, 2024 by alert5

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

Posted on March 20, 2024 by alert5

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.

U.S. Air Force, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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