US Air Force (USAF)
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USAF now plans to buy less than 100 F-15EXs
As part of its FY25 budget request, the USAF has revealed that it now plans to purchase 18 F-15EXs, rather than the 24 Eagle IIs that were initially set to be acquired. This would take the total planned F-15EX procurement from a total of 104 aircraft to just 98
Pentagon clears Osprey flight operations to resume
The Pentagon has cleared all three variants of the V-22 Osprey to return to flight after what has been a three-month grounding. US Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) initially grounded its CV-22B fleet after the fatal loss of an aircraft on November 29, 2023, before US Naval Air Systems Command (NAVAIR) grounded the rest of the US Osprey force
USAF scales back Grey Wolf acquisition plans
The USAF has scaled back its fielding plans for the MH-139A Grey Wolf multi-mission helicopter, reducing the size of the planned fleet by nearly 50%
A-10 Demo Team announce 2024 is final airshow season
The A-10 Demo Team has announced that this will be its last season on the airshow circuit.
Pentagon unveils $850bn FY25 budget request and eyes further aircraft retirements
Released on March 11, the $849.8bn FY25 President’s Budget for the US Department of Defense (DOD) represents an increase of $7.8bn in spending when compared to the FY24 base request. The $167.6bn procurement budget includes $61.2bn for new military aircraft and related systems
Maryland ANG to lose flying mission after upcoming A-10C departure
When its 21-strong fleet of A-10C Thunderbolt II close air support/ground attack aircraft are retired from use, the Maryland Air National Guard’s 175th Wing will transition to a new cyber-based mission. Announced on March 7, the move will leave the Maryland ANG without a flying mission
T-7A Red Hawk endures month-long climatic testing at Eglin AFB
The USAF has marked a significant milestone in the operational development of its new advanced jet trainer, the T-7A Red Hawk, after a Boeing-operated test aircraft (21-7003) completed a month-long extreme weather trial inside the McKinley Climatic Laboratory at Eglin AFB, Florida, on February 23
Davis-Monthan AFB bids fond farewell to first ‘Warthog’
In line with the USAF’s plan to retire its entire fleet of A-10C Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) aircraft within the next three-to-five years, the 355th Wing (WG) has withdrawn its first ‘Warthog’ from operational use at Davis-Monthan AFB in Arizona, which shares an almost 50-year history with the type
B-1Bs arrive for first Bomber Task Force in Sweden
Two B-1B Lancers have touched down in Sweden to conduct the first US Air Force Bomber Task Force deployment in the Scandinavian country.
KC-135T marks 100 years of 116th ARS with heritage scheme
The 116th Air Refueling Squadron (ARS) ‘Ace of Spades’ – a part of the Washington ANG’s 141st Air Refueling Wing (ARW) at Fairchild AFB – has applied a new heritage scheme to one of its KC-135T Stratotankers to commemorate the squadron’s 100th anniversary