Sun n’ Fun 2012 air show April 4, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Airshow.Tags: Aviation, Commemorative Air Force, Florida, Lakeland Florida, Lakeland Linder Regional Airport, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, Sun n Fun, VFA-106
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Sun ‘n Fun is a “Fly-in” and airshow held each annually at Lakeland Linder Regional Airport in Lakeland, Florida, usually in April.
Participants include pilots flying their own homebuilt, vintage, restored ex-military aircraft, as well as some current display team and soloist. Among the others (including the Commemorative Air Force’s B-29 “Fifi”, world’s last flying Superfortress; the Black Diamond team and several military and civil aircraft in static display), this year’s edition featured the USAF Thunderbirds, the U.S. Navy F-18 East Tactical Demo of the VFA-106 “Gladiators” and the USMC AV-8B Harrier Demo of the VMA-542.
The accompanying selection of photographs was taken by Al Clark during the practice airshow, Friday, Mar. 30, and during the official airshow on Saturday, Mar. 31. The photos were taken from off the airshow grounds in order to facilitate better photographic opportunities.
If you want to know which other planes were at Lakeland during the last weekend, the following video provides an overview on some of the hundred other aircraft attenting Sun n’ Fun 2012.
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- F-18 shows “God’s light” deploying flares at airshow (theaviationist.com)
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Italy has decided: F-35s to be cut by more than 30 percent. February 15, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in F-35, Italian Air Force, Italian Navy.Tags: Cavour aircraft carrier, Defense spending review, Di Paola, F-35B, Italian Air Force, Italian Navy, Lockheed Martin, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, Military budget
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More technology, less personnel and only 90 F-35s: this is the outcome Italian Defense spending review.
On Feb. 15, the long awaited Italian Defense spending review was finally presented to the Parliament by the Minister of Defense Giampaolo Paola.
“Long awaited” because the review was supposed to shed some light on the future of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II in Italy: Rome’s commitment to the program (as a Level 2 partner with 2.5 Billion Euro already invested and an original envisaged requirement for 131 planes) is important to keep the troubled and costly stealth multirole jet affordable.
The reform seeks to balance the spending for personnel, operations and investment, to ensure the future financial sustainability and operational effectiveness of the armed forces. In simple words: cuts to personnel and programs with the long term goal to cover the personnel spending with half the allocated budget (worth 0.9 percent of the GDP) and use the remainder between operations (including training and maintenance) and procurement (25 percent each) of advanced technologies.
Therefore, along with the reduction by 43,000 people to abate the current 70 percent of the overall defense budget for spending on military personnel, the review has led to the revision of the some important programs. First of all, the much criticized F-35 program.
Accordingly, 41 aircraft will be scrapped leaving the Italian Air Force and Navy with only 90 F-35 in the A and B version. The latter, recently removed from probation, will replace the Navy’s AV-8B+ Harrier II on board the Cavour aircraft carrier as well as the Air Force’s AMX, both involved in the recent Air War in Libya.
“The F-35 program was reviewed. Nevertheless it remains a major commitment in terms of technology, technology transfer to the industry and employment” Di Paola said few days after placing the first order for three F-35s.
Digital mock-up by Al Clark
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Old Harriers and new choppers unleashed. Welcome aboard the Cavour aircraft carrier during “blue water ops”. January 27, 2012
Posted by David Cenciotti in Aircraft Carriers.Tags: AW-101, Caio Duilio, Cavour, F-35, Italian aircraft carrier Cavour (550), Italian Navy, Joint Strike Fighter, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II, Marina Militare, McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II, NH-90, STOVL
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On Jan. 25, along with the ambassadors of NATO members, EU, Middle East and Mediterranean partners, The Aviationist has had the opportunity to visit the Cavour aircraft carrier during “blue water ops” off Civitavecchia port.
The event was jointly organized by the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to showcase one of the most important assets of the Italian Defense, one of the few European aircraft carriers that is not only important for military operations, but it is also a versatile platform that made its operative debut during the Haiti relief mission.
The Cavour symbolizes “a variety of possible uses that make it cost-effective” said Adm. Luigi Binelli Mantelli, future Chief of Staff of the Italian Navy.
Along with the F-35 program, the Italian Navy flagship was recently targeted by potential budget cuts as a consequence of the country’s financial crisis. However, “the AV-8B will fly until 2020, when they will be replaced by the F-35B. The MoD Di Paola has confirmed the project will continue. We don’t know how many aircraft we will get. The Air Force will get the majority, but even the Italian Navy will receive its planes” Binelli Mantelli said.
According to the Admiral, the F-35, is mainly an Air Force project, since the service needs the plane for its future. However, the Navy has joined the program and the future STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) variant of the Joint Strike Fighter, that was removed from probation one year earlier than expected, will serve as a force multiplier and complement the capabilities of the ship, capabilities that were showed to the ambassadors, diplomats and media during a tactical event involving the AV-8B+ Harrier (both single and double seat), AW-101 and NH-90 helicopters, the San Marco Regiment special forces and the Caio Duilio, a radar-evading Anti-Air Warfare destroyer.
Giovanni Maduli took the following images for The Aviationist.
