Tom Kaminski
USMC’s legacy Hornet-equipped ‘Silver Eagles’ stand down
The USMC moved another step closer to phasing out its legacy Hornet fleet on November 9, when Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (VMFA-115) was deactivated at MCAS Beaufort in South Carolina
US Army awards ATHENA-S reconnaissance jet contract
Sierra Nevada Corporation (SNC) will provide the US Army with a new airborne intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance (A-ISR) platform under the terms of a $554m contract that was awarded on September 28
USAF welcomes first T-7A Red Hawk at Edwards AFB
The USAF’s first T-7A Red Hawk arrived at Edwards AFB in California on November 8, marking a milestone that formally kicks off the air arm’s developmental flight test programme for the new advanced jet trainer
Location selected for Slovak F-16 pilot training
Slovak Air Force pilots will train to fly the F-16C/D Block 70 Fighting Falcon with the Arizona Air National Guard’s 162nd Wing at Morris Air National Guard Base in Tucson, the USAF announced on November 15
Omega KDC-10 tanker refuels deployed USAF F-16Cs in new first
The USAF recently conducted the first commercial air-to-air refuelling of F-16C Fighting Falcon fighters while supporting a deployment in the Indo-Pacific theatre
US border agency begins to scale back AEW-configured Orion fleet
The US Customs and Border Protection agency’s Air and Marine Operations branch has started scaling back its P-3B operations and has retired at least two of its radar-equipped Orions
US Navy clears Super Hornet fleet to wield StormBreaker
In what is a major development milestone, the US Navy has now cleared its frontline F/A-18E/F Super Hornet fleet to carry and deliver the Raytheon GBU-53/B StormBreaker – formally known as the Small Diameter Bomb Increment II (SDB II) – operationally
F-16Cs return to USAF’s ‘Blacksnakes’ after 13-year absence
The Indiana ANG’s 122nd Fighter Wing celebrated the arrival of the first F-16C Block 40 Fighting Falcons for the 163rd Fighter Squadron ‘Blacksnakes’ on October 23
Boeing suffers over $2bn loss in producing the USAF's next 'Air Force One’
Cost overruns on its project to provide the USAF with two new Presidential transports have caused Boeing to declare an additional $482m loss on the programme, bringing the firm’s total loss on the project to $2.4bn
US Navy ‘Providers’ fly final official C-2A Greyhound flight
The US Navy’s Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 30 (VRC-30) ‘Providers’ conducted its final official C-2A Greyhound flight at NAS North Island in California on September 20