Alert 5

CH-53K Lot 5 contract for nine aircraft awarded

Posted on June 27, 2021June 27, 2021 by alert5

Sikorsky was awarded the Low Rate Initial Production (LRIP) Lot 5 contract for nine CH-53K helicopters on Jun. 25.

The CH-53K King Stallion successfully plugs into a funnel-shaped drogue towed behind a KC-130J during aerial refueling wake testing over the Chesapeake Bay. Photo by Erik Hildebrandt.

Continue reading “CH-53K Lot 5 contract for nine aircraft awarded”

CH-148 board of inquiry report is completed

Posted on June 27, 2021 by alert5

A Canadian board of inquiry has released its report into the crash of a CH-148 off Greece in April 2020. Six onboard the helicopter died.

Dennis Jarvis from Halifax, Canada / CC BY-SA

Continue reading “CH-148 board of inquiry report is completed”

Philippine Defense Secretary says F-16s too expensive

Posted on June 26, 2021June 26, 2021 by alert5

One day after the U.S. cleared the sale of 12 F-16s to Philippines, the country’s Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana says the price of the foreign military sales package is too high.

Graphic: Lockheed Martin

Continue reading “Philippine Defense Secretary says F-16s too expensive”

Growlers to fly missing man formation over memorial service of VF-2 ace

Posted on June 26, 2021June 26, 2021 by alert5

World War II ace John “Mike” Wolf passed away on Mar. 26 and a memorial service will be held for him today. EA-18Gs from NAS Whidbey Island will fly a missing man formation to honor the ace from VF-2.

U.S. Navy EA-18G Growlers from VAQ-140, Naval Air Station, Whidbey Island, fly alongside an E-8C Joint STARS during Valiant Shield 18 out of Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Sept. 17, 2018. Valiant Shield 18 is a biennial, U.S.-only, field training exercise with a focus on integration of joint training among U.S. forces in relation to current operational plans. This training enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking and engaging units at sea, in the air, on land, and in cyberspace in response to a range of mission areas. Team JSTARS, consisting of the Georgia Air National Guard’s 116th Air Control Wing (ACW), active duty personnel assigned to the 461st ACW and Army JSTARS, provides a unique, manned, joint airborne command control, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance capability to combatant commanders worldwide. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Senior Master Sgt. Roger Parsons)

Continue reading “Growlers to fly missing man formation over memorial service of VF-2 ace”

JASDF at Red Flag Alaska 21-2

Posted on June 25, 2021June 25, 2021 by alert5

A Japanese Air Self Defense Force F-15J Eagle departs after refueling from a U.S. Air Force KC-10 Extender assigned to the 9th Air Refueling Squadron, Travis Air Force Base, California, over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex June 23, 2021. RED FLAG-Alaska 21-1 is a Pacific Air Forces-sponsored exercise designed to provide realistic training in a simulated combat environment. A series of commander-directed field training exercises provides joint offensive counter-air, interdiction, close air support, and large force employment training. The RF-A exercise provides unique opportunities to integrate various forces to include the Japanese Air Self-Defense and Republic of Korea Air Forces into joint and multilateral training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Emily Farnsworth)

Continue reading “JASDF at Red Flag Alaska 21-2”