US Air Force

[fabio-22raptor]

https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/air-force-mock-nuke-tests

Prove e muscoli in questo clima pesante con la Russia.

[Flaggy]

Si comincia a far sul serio col rimpiazzo per i vecchi E-8C JSTAR.

https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/usaf-solicits-final-bids-for-69-billion-jstars-dea-432805/

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Un nuovo Segretario per l'Air Force ...

 

 

The White House ... President Donald J. Trump Intends to Nominate Heather Wilson as Secretary of the Air Force ...

 

L'incarico è attualmente ricoperto, ad interim, dal Sottosegretario Lisa Disbrow ... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2017/January%202017/January%2023%202017/Disbrow-to-Serve-as-Interim-Head-of-Air-Force.aspx ...

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L'USAF ... ammette di essere impreparata ...

 

Vice Chief of Staff Gen. Stephen Wilson said the Air Force is not ready to fight against a near-peer adversary, like Russia or China, that would deploy fifth-generation capabilities.

“Against a high-end adversary, we lack the capabilities and the numbers,” Wilson told the House Armed Services Committee Tuesday morning.

Fonte: AFA ... Air Force Not Prepared for Fifth-Generation Adversary ...

Sembra quasi si stia tornando ai tempi della Guerra Fredda (quella vera) ... quando, sovente, gli Stati Maggiori (e magari anche le industrie) gridavano 'Al lupo!' onde ottenere dai politici finanziamenti più corposi ...

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Un articolo dedicato al 45° anniversario degli 'Aggressors' dell'USAF apparso sull'ultimo numero dello 'Air Force Magazine' ...

 

... USAF's Aggressors ...

 

La versione PDF consente la visione delle immagini che lo illustrano ... comprese quelle di MiG-17, MiG-21 e MiG-23 ...

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Cambio della guardia all' Air Combat Command ...

Gen. James Holmes took leadership of Air Combat Command Friday at a ceremony at JB Langley-Eustis, Va.

Holmes was most recently deputy chief of staff for strategic plans and requirements at the Pentagon, and he takes command from Gen. Hawk Carlisle, who was chief at ACC since 2014.

Fonte: AFA ... Holmes Takes Command of ACC from Carlisle ...

 

Red Air ... un problema in cerca di soluzione ...

The Air Force relies increasingly on contractors to provide “Red Air” - adversary aircraft for exercises - because its own aircraft are in short supply and it’s hard to spare pilots for the opponent mission.

As a result, the service plans to release a draft solicitation to industry this July for nearly 40,000 hours of adversary air and support at 12 different bases, including 11,250 hours per year at the US Weapons School at Nellis AFB, Nev.

Fonte: AFA ... Filling the Red Air Gap ...

 

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L'USAF si è stancata ... e contesta ... i contestatori ...

Dal Daily Report dell'AFA ...

 

Methinks You Protest Too Much ...

John A. Tirpak (3/24/2017)

Even though the number of protests sustained against Air Force contract awards is “pretty low,” the service wants contractors to think more than twice about lodging a protest unless they’ve got a real good reason.

“I want them to have some skin in the game,” Air Force uniformed acquisition chief Lt. Gen. Arnold Bunch said at a McAleese/Credit Suisse conference in Washington Wednesday.

Bunch said accelerating acquisition is critical because USAF adversaries are “nipping at our heels or side-by-side with us” in technology.

However, a protest can shut a needed program down for months or longer, causing a “delay in getting it to the field” and keeping it “out of the hands” of the operators who need it.

It happened with the B-21 bomber and the KC-46 tanker, two of USAF’s top three programs, but there are almost no drawbacks to a protest, other than the cost of the lawyers.

Bunch said he’d like to force protesters who don’t succeed to bear the costs of investigating and evaluating the complaint.

“I want them … to pay a price,” and thus be deterred from protesting unless their case seems airtight.

Bunch acknowledged that this change would require legislation, and it’s a “windmill” at which he’s been tilting for some time.

 

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Generazioni a confronto ...

​JB Langley-Eustis, Va., later this month will be the home for the largest trilateral exercise so far that features fourth and fifth generation fighters.

USAF F-22s and F-35s, will fly with United Kingdom Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoons, and French Air Force Dassault Rafales, with USAF F-15Es and T-38s providing red air in Exercise Atlantic Trident 17.

Fonte: AFA ... US, UK, and French Advanced Fighters to Train Together ...

[engine]

E il forum più vicino all'argomento che voglio segnalare, anche se non è aeronautico al 100 % .

Si tratta di un articolo messo oggi sul sito del Giornale.

 

http://www.ilgiornale.it/news/mondo/pentagono-rivede-piano-dismissione-delle-basi-europa-1387456.html

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Dall'ultimo numero dell'Air Force Magazine dell'AFA ... una serie di articoli che fanno il punto sull'attuale situazione dell'USAF ... e non solo ...

 

USAF Almanac 2017

 

Major Commands and Air Reserve Components

 

FOAs, DRUs, and Auxiliary

 

Guide to Air Force Installations Worldwide

 

Gallery of USAF Weapons

 

Leaders Through the Years

 

Guide to Aces and Heroes

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Exercise Atlantic Trident 2017 ... addestramento congiunto fra USAF, RAF e Armée de l'Air ...

 

The Air Force’s fifth generation F-22s and F-35s flew alongside the best British and French fighters for the first time in a large-scale exercise here, but the aircraft is not the focus of the event.

For USAF commanders planning and flying regularly in Exercise Atlantic Trident 2017, the pilots and maintainers themselves are the important focus of the trilateral exercise.

“There’s been a lot of interest in the machines. Which airplane is better? What are their capabilities? How are you using them?” Col. Peter Fesler, commander of Langley’s 1st Fighter Wing, told Air Force Magazine on April 27 as the exercise wound down.

“The thing I think is particularly interesting, the man in the machine matters tremendously. You can have the most capable aircraft in the world, but with a pilot who can’t perform, he will be beat. That’s why training matters, it’s why we have to do things like [this exercise]. You can’t just buy airpower.”

Fonte: AFA ... Trilateral, Cross-Generation Integration at Langley ...

Armée de l'Air ... «Atlantic Trident» 2017 : le combat aérien a commencé ...

 

 

Modificato 29 Aprile 2017 da TT-1 Pinto

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A margine dell' esercitazione Atlantic Trident 2017 ... un 'report' di The Aviationist ...

... Atlantic Trident 17 brought together in type and capability the most formidable combination of fighter aircraft ever assembled ...

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Era una notte di luna piena ... ma era proprio la notte giusta ?

 

C'è infatti da chiedersi se quelli dell'AFA hanno fatto un pò di confusione scegliendo l'immagine ...

 

... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2017/May%202017/May%2004%202017/Malmstrom-Team-Launches-Test-ICBM-at-Vandenberg.aspx ...

 

La notte del 3 Maggio non poteva essere una notte di luna piena ...

 

 

... sempre ammesso che quella specie di lanterna chiara che splende nel cielo sia proprio la Luna ...

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Heather Wilson confermata a larga maggioranza Segretario per l'Air Force ...

The Senate confirmed Heather Wilson as the 24th Secretary of the Air Force on Monday with a vote of 76-22.

Wilson has extensive experience with the Air Force, Congress, and in education and since she is only the second of President Trump’s nominees to be confirmed, she will likely wield significant influence in the new administration.

Fonte: AFA ... Wilson Confirmed as Air Force Secretary ...

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Accelerazione ...

On May 3, 2017, Air Force senior leaders met to consider options to accelerate hypersonics research and development to break even more speed barriers and ensure continued technological superiority.

Hypersonics refers to flying at five times the speed of sound, also known as “Mach 5,” or higher.

From an Air Force perspective, it is a game-changing capability which can amplify many of the enduring attributes of airpower including speed, range, flexibility and precision.

“We must push the boundaries of technology in every area," said Air Force Chief of Staff Gen. David L. Goldfein.

"Our adversaries aren’t standing still. They are looking for every advantage they can get.”

A recent Air Force Studies Board report identified that the U.S. is not alone in its quest for this increased speed.

For example, China and Russia are already flight testing hypersonic weapons, and several other countries have shown interest in pursuing many of the underlying technologies for hypersonic flight.

“We have a real sense of urgency,” said Dr. Greg Zacharias, the Air Force chief scientist.

“The acting secretary directed this discussion as a call to arms to maintain our heritage of excellence in this area.”

Fonte: U.S. AIR FORCE ... Accelerating hypersonics development ...

[Flaggy]

Sinceramente era ora...In campo di armamenti in occidente ultimamente c'è stato poco dinamismo se non in materia di miniaturizzazione e sistemi di guida.

Sul campo delle prestazioni si è fatto meno: le applicazioni sono molteplici e i tempi sono maturi.

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Heather Wilson ... il giuramento ...

 

AFA ... http://www.airforcemag.com/DRArchive/Pages/2017/May%202017/May%2017%202017/Heather-Wilson-Sworn-in-as-24th-Air-Force-Secretary.aspx ...

 

AirForceTimes ... https://www.airforcetimes.com/articles/heather-wilson-sworn-in-as-24th-air-force-secretary ...

 

 

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Mi oppongo !!!

 

Chief of Staff Gen. David Goldfein told Congress Wednesday he is opposed to the formation of a separate space force.

“Any move that actually ends up separating space as opposed to integrating space, I would argue is a move in the wrong direction,” he told the Senate Armed Services strategic forces subcommittee.

Fonte: AFA ... Goldfein Says Not Right Now to Separate Space Force ...

DefenseNews ... Top US Air Force general opposes formation of separate 'Space Corps' ...

 

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"Unprofessional Intercept " ...

Two Chinese fighter jets intercepted an Air Force WC-135 Constant Phoenix in an unsafe manner, including flying inverted above the USAF plane on Wednesday.

The WC-135 was flying a "routine" mission in international airspace over the East China Sea at the time, according to Pacific Air Forces.

Fonte: AFA ... Chinese Fighters Conduct Unprofessional Intercept of USAF WC-135 ...

Maaaaaverick !!!!!

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All'attenzione del Congresso ... la lista dei desideri ...

 

DefenseNews ... Air Force’s $10.7 billion wish list includes more F-35As, KC-46s ...

 

FlightGlobal ... USAF wish list requests 14 more F-35s, three more tankers ...

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L'USAF vuole un'arma ipersonica ... ed ha fretta ...

The US Air Force has started surveying the market for new hypersonic weapons that can be rapidly integrated and fielded on existing combat aircraft.

A “sources sought” notice released by the Air Force Lifecycle Management Center’s armament directorate on 29 June asks for companies to respond to the survey within two weeks.

Urgency is a key criterion in the USAF’s research.

“This new weapon system must be designed and analyzed for rapid development and fielding,” the USAF notice says.

Fonte: FlightGlobal ... USAF asks industry for air-launched hypersonic missile concepts ...

 

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Arma ipersonica ... i concorrenti saranno cinque ...

The US Air Force has narrowed its search for a new hypersonic strike weapon for bombers and fighters to five vendors.

The service intends to award an engineering, manufacturing and development contract in early fiscal year 2018 to either Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman, Orbital ATK or Raytheon.

Only those companies could produce the weapon within the USAF’s timeframe, according to a 21 July notice of contract action on the US Federal Business Opportunities website.

Fonte: FlightGlobal ... Five bidders to contest USAF hypersonic weapon deal ...

 

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Se volete salvare la pelle ... rintanatevi ...

 

Bids are due within a month for a US Air Force contract to build an improved version of the 2,000lb BLU-109 penetrator and deliver at least 12,000 of the bunker-busting bombs over the next five years.

The improved BLU-109, which will be redesignated the BLU-137, and should correct known deficiencies and make the weapon more reliable against targets such as bunkers and hardened aircraft shelters, the service tells FlightGlobal.

Reliability is expected to improve with the next-generation weapon, though the bomb will use the same AFX-757 explosive fill as the legacy warhead.

Fonte: FlightGlobal ..... "USAF improving its bunker buster bomb" .....

 

 

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Vecchi F-15 e F-16 ... quale futuro ?

 

After years of internal wrangling about whether to stretch the service lives of its old fourth generation fighters, the Air Force is moving forward with improvements to keep the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon viable for at least another decade.

Still to be decided, though, is just how much the Air Force will invest in capability upgrades for the jets - and just when the sun will set on the F-15 and F-16 in USAF service.

A number of fighters from both fleets are receiving new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radars and new computers.

They will also need new or strengthened structural parts to replace elements suffering from fatigue stress.

Fleetwide capability upgrades, however, depend on how fast the fifth generation F-35A is delivered and the results of studies in the works about options for a new air superiority airplane, the Penetrating Counter-Air platform.

Fonte: AFA ... Saving Old Fighters ...

 

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Decisioni imminenti, per l'USAF, sul destino dei velivoli di precedente generazione ... due alti ufficiali stanno studiando il caso ...

 

defensenews.com ... Fate of A-10, F-15 to be decided this fall ...