China’s Airfield Construction at Fiery Cross Reef in Context: Catch-Up or Coercion?
This blog post from RAND looks at China’s construction of air strips in the South China Sea.
Source: China’s Airfield Construction at Fiery Cross Reef in Context: Catch-Up or Coercion?
Nigerian Air Force deploys more aircraft northeast to combat Boko Haram
The Nigerian Air Force has deployed more F-7 fighters and helicopters to an air base in the northeast of the country to combat the Boko Haram insurgents under operation “Lafiya Dole.”
Photos: Nigerian Army
Source: Nigerian Air Force deploys more aircraft northeast to combat Boko Haram
Details on next USMC squadrons to transition to F-35B
Four more squadrons will follow VMFA-121’s footsteps in transitioning to the F-35B stealth fighter, the U.S. Marine Corps has announced.
By Official Navy Page (Flickr: An F-35B test dropping a bomb.) [CC BY 2.0], via Wikimedia Commons
VMA-211 will be next and the unit will receive their first F-35B in 2016.
Source: Details on next USMC squadrons to transition to F-35B
Israel requesting U.S. to bring THAAD to Juniper Cobra 2016, will bring David’s Sling
Israel has asked the United States to deploy the Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) to Juniper Cobra 2016 air defense exercise.
By National Missile Defense [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Israel will bring the David’s Sling system for the first time, an officer from the air force told Defense News.
Source: Israel requesting U.S. to bring THAAD to Juniper Cobra 2016, will bring David’s Sling
Taiwan buys 2 Sniper ATPs
Lockheed Martin will supply two Sniper Advanced Targeting Pods (ATP) to Taiwan for its F-16 fleet. Lockheed Martin will also provide integration support of LANTIRN targeting and navigation pods on Taiwan’s recently upgraded F-16s.
By Hunini (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: Taiwan buys 2 Sniper ATPs
Belarus to perform road runway operations again this year
Source: Belarus to perform road runway operations again this year
Fire burn a hole on RC-135V
Fire broke out on a RC-135V while the aircraft was about to take-off at Offutt Air Force Base on Apr. 30. Now, investigators have figured out that an oxygen leak was the cause of the accident.
Photo: Air Combat Command
When the aircraft underwent depot maintenance, personnel from L3 Communications failed to properly tighten a retaining nut to a junction which was fed by oxygen. The leak started a fire which burn a hole on the upper fuselage.
Four on board were lucky to escape with just smoke inhalation.
Source: Fire burn a hole on RC-135V
PLAAF J-10s sport new smoke generating system
J-10s with the People’s Liberation Army Air Force August 1st aerobatics team have been spotted with a new smoke generating system.
A pipe is extended over the exhaust and snakes its way back to a centerline fuel tank that contains the diesel fuel to generate the smoke.
This idea is not new as the Republic of Singapore Air Force Black Knights utilized a similar system on their F-16Cs.
PLAAF officers were seen observing up close on the Singaporean contraption when both teams met at the Langkawi airshow in Malaysia this March.
VP-30 traveled to Australia to learn AAR techniques from E-7A personnel
A P-8A from VP-30 went on a round-the-world trip on Jul. 6 and one of the legs was Australia where the crew, commandeered CO Capt. Curt Phillips, learn air-to-air refueling (AAR) techniques from RAAF’s E-7A personnel.
By Greg L. Davis (Image and description page, High res version) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: VP-30 traveled to Australia to learn AAR techniques from E-7A personnel
USAF’s new vice chief still remembers getting shot down over Serbia
Gen. David L. Goldfein, the U.S. Air Force’s new vice chief of staff, had survived getting shot down over Serbia 16 years ago and evading capture. Washington Post has more on his rise to become the number two at the flying branch.
By United States Air Force [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons
Source: USAF’s new vice chief still remembers getting shot down over Serbia