Alert 5

Finnish Air Force to conduct major exercises in late August

Posted on August 21, 2024 by alert5

The Finnish Air Force is set to engage in two significant training exercises at the end of this month, showcasing the capabilities of its fighter jets and transport aircraft.

Airwolfhound from Hertfordshire, UK, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

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Naval Air Warfare Center introduces ‘Simulators at Sea’ training capability

Posted on August 21, 2024August 21, 2024 by alert5

The Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division (NAWCAD) has successfully deployed a new training capability known as ‘Simulators at Sea’ aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). This innovative system allows aviators across the carrier’s air wing to train together in advanced simulators, even while deployed.

Desktop trainers display naval aviation’s new carrier-based joint air training program in a lab at the Naval Air Warfare Center Aircraft Division near its Patuxent River, Maryland headquarters on July 31, 2024. U.S. Navy photo by Chuck Regner

BAE Systems upgrades F-15EX and F/A-18E/F Flight Control Computers

Posted on August 21, 2024 by alert5

BAE Systems has been selected by Boeing to upgrade the fly-by-wire (FBW) flight control computers (FCC) for the F-15EX Eagle II and F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fighter aircraft. As the original manufacturer of the FCCs for both aircraft, BAE Systems will modernize the hardware and software. This will increase processing power, address obsolescence, and improve cyber and product security. The upgrades will ensure the sustained performance and capabilities of these advanced platforms well into the future.

An F-15EX Eagle II from the 40th Flight Test Squadron, 96th Test Wing out of Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, flies in formation during an aerial refueling operation above the skies of Northern California, May 14. The Eagle II participated in the Northern Edge 21 exercise in Alaska earlier in May. (Air Force photo by Ethan Wagner)

Bamboo Eagle 24-3: U.S. Air Force tests Pacific readiness

Posted on August 21, 2024August 21, 2024 by alert5

Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 concluded on August 9, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the U.S. Air Force’s preparation for potential conflicts in the Pacific theater. The eight-day exercise, spanning multiple locations across the western United States and eastern Pacific Ocean, involved over 3,000 service members operating more than 150 aircraft from nearly a dozen locations. This large-scale, joint exercise tested the Air Force’s ability to operate in contested environments with limited command and control, pushing the boundaries of its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts.

U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagles and an F-22 Raptor assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron participate in exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 with 32nd Air Refueling Squadron air crews over the Pacific Ocean, Aug. 9, 2024. As part of the 305th Air Mobility Wing, the 32nd ARS operates the KC-46 Pegasus aircraft conducting air refueling missions necessary to support air mobility missions on a global scale. During BE 24-3, Air Mobility Command assets supported warfighters implementing all-domain combat-power generation from disaggregated basing locations throughout the western part of the U.S., along with distributed command and control, agile logistics and tactical air-to-air refueling. Bamboo Eagle provides participating units opportunities to highlight Air Force efforts to reoptimize for Great Power Competition and to focus on mission readiness to deliver cross-functional and lethal combat capabilities with the speed and agility required to meet pacing challenges. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Monica Roybal)

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U.S. greenlights $3.5 billion Apache helicopter sale to South Korea

Posted on August 20, 2024 by alert5

The United States Department of State has authorized a potential Foreign Military Sale (FMS) of AH-64E Apache helicopters and associated equipment to the Republic of Korea, marking a significant development in the bilateral defense relationship. Valued at an estimated $3.5 billion, the package includes a substantial array of advanced weaponry and support systems designed to bolster South Korea’s military capabilities.