The F-35 and High Angle of Attack Flight Testing

11/19/2012
2012-11-19 According to a Lockheed Martin Press Release: An F-35A Lightning II conventional takeoff and landing (CTOL) aircraft rapidly expanded its high angle of attack (AOA) test envelope to its 50 degree limit in only four flights during recent flight testing here. F-35A test aircraft are limited to AOAs of…

Refueling Ospreys at Sea: In the Future, Will the Osprey Be the Refueler?

11/19/2012
11/07/2012: Refueling Ospreys at Sea [slidepress gallery='refueling-ospreys-at-sea'] Credit: 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit:9/23/12 In the first photo, a KC-130J Hercules with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 252, Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced), 24h Marine Expeditionary Unit, flies over Djibouti City after conducting aerial refueling training Sep. 23, 2012.The training consisted…

USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Flight Ops

11/08/2012
11/08/2012: USS Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Flight Ops [slidepress gallery='uss-bonhomme-richard'] Credit: Amphibious Squadron 11:9/20/12 In the first photo, Marine pilot Maj. Howard Longwell from the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, top, makes final preparations in the cockpit prior to takeoff in an AV-8B Harrier jet aircraft, assigned to Marine Attack Squadron…

USMC Flight Operations At Sea

11/05/2012
11/05/2012: USS Iwo Jima, US 5th Fleet Area of Responsibility (Sept. 10, 2012) – MV-22B Ospreys, AV-8B Harriers, UH-1N Hueys and AH-1W Cobras with Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (Reinforced), 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, conduct flight operations aboard the USS Iwo Jima, Sept. 10, 2012. The 24th MEU is deployed…

USS George Washington Underway in South China Sea

10/21/2012
10/17/2012: Two F/A-18Es from the Royal Maces of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 27 fly in formation with two Sukhoi Su-30s from the Royal Malaysian air force above the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS George Washington (CVN 73). [slidepress gallery='uss-geore-washington'] Credit: Navy Media Content Services:10/13/12  In photo 2, the USS George Washington…

The F-35 and Weapons Certification

10/18/2012
Weapons certification is the next step to moving the F-35 along to initial operational capability. The standing up of the first F-35 B squadron at Yuma Air Station in November will see the process of building a capable F-35 force begin. Weapons certification is an important step as well. In…