We Have Flown in Textron’s Scorpion Jet. Here’s What We Have Learned.
The Scorpion is the iPhone X of Military Aviation. To many, the Textron Aviation Defense LLC Scorpion is an enigma. Though it has capability overlap, the Scorpion is not a…
We Went Inside Realistic Urban Training with the U.S. Marine Corps 15th MEU (Marine Expeditionary Unit)
Recently Todd Miller of The Aviationist joined the 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) for “Realistic Urban Training” (RUT), a live fire assault on an “urban complex” on the ranges at…
Red Flag 16-2: Italian, Turkish and U.S. Forces Train to Fight Advanced Adversary
Red Flag 16-2 explained. The second Red Flag of 2016 featured an international coalition training against a dynamic and integrated “Red Adversary” Force. The exercise, running from Feb. 29 to…
Red Flag 16-1 Total Force Integration: the Aerial Warfighting Game-Changer
RF 16-1 unveiled. Three weeks of intensive Red Flag aerial warfighting culminated Feb. 12, 2016. This first of four Red Flag exercises of 2016 featured 39 units, 120 aircraft and…
TriLateralEx 2015 Final Report: F-22s, Typhoons and Rafales prepare for Future Air Warfare
The exercise featured the cutting edge air dominance aircraft in service today. The inaugural Trilateral Exercise held Dec. 2-18 at Joint Base Langley-Eustis (JBLE) in Virginia not only represented a…
Razor Talon: US East Coast Large Force Exercise keeps Air Force Units Razor Sharp
The Aviationist visits the 4th FW at Seymour Johnson AFB to report on “Razor Talon,” a monthly large force exercise sponsored by the USAF. Razor Talon is a monthly aerial…
Hunting Red Flag Air Traffic from Coyote Summit
There is a place not far from Area 51, where you can get some really cool pictures of Red Flag participants. As an aviation enthusiast I grew up with camera…
Those Sharp Looking Red-tailed P-3C Orions You See Flying Around the Florida Skies
We visit MHD Rockland and ESG Aerosystems Inc. Training Platforms. I’ve lived in Florida for over twenty years. I’ve been from corner to corner, edge-to-edge. I once counted 168 alligators…
U.S. Marine Corps Planning F-35B Deployment to CENTCOM Area Of Responsibility To Get “First Taste Of Combat” In 2018
The USMC may have their "baptism of fire" with the F-35B next year. The F-35B, the STOVL (Short Take Off Vertical Landing) variant of the Lightning II 5th generation aircraft…
Here Are Some Interesting Details About The Way U.S. B-2 Bombers Trained Over The U.S. To Strike North Korea
Some unusual activity took place in the skies over Missouri a couple of weeks ago. Including B-2s referring to air strikes on DPKR target on the radio. Just routine stuff…
Atlantic Trident 17 brought together in type and capability the most formidable combination of fighter aircraft ever assembled.
Atlantic Trident 17 Drives a Higher Level of Integration. The exercise held April 12 – 28 at Joint Base Langley-Eustice (JBLE) included a “Blue Air” force of USAF F-22 Raptors…
Red Flag’s air combat maneuvering as seen from the Nevada Desert
Climb with us to the top of Coyote Summit to see some real Red Flag 17-2 action! Red Flag is a major event in the military aviation community, known by…
We have been aboard USS George Washington during F-35C’s latest carrier trials
Report: F-35Cs Descend in Mass on the USS George Washington During DT-III. The USS George Washington (CVN-73) is hosting the F-35C in its final Developmental Testing cycle, DT-III through Aug.…
Camouflage color scheme works: F/A-18F Nearly Disappears in Rainbow Canyon!
This photo explains why combat planes still wear camouflaged color schemes! A unique U.S. Navy F/A-18F bearing a brown camouflage scheme has likely had many question why a US Navy…
Focus on Red Flag 15-3: how U.S. forces learn to fight in the unseen battle space
We have also taken part in an aerial refueling mission: "nobody kicks ass, without tanker gas!" Red Flag is well known as the world’s premier aerial warfighting exercise. Featuring the…
What happens after sunset on the flight line at Nellis Air Force Base during a Red Flag
A very different perspective. The sun was dropping quickly towards the Spring Mountains indicating the day was coming to an end. Aircraft spotters packed their gear and disappeared to their…
All you need to know about the latest Red Flag, world’s most realistic aerial exercise
Red Flag 2015-2 featured previously unannounced participants and in a first - virtual participants. In addition to the variety of USAF squadrons, the air combat exercise held Mar. 2 to…
Red Flag 15-1: Simulating Modern Warfare at Nellis Air Force Base
Over the past 40 years the US Air Force-sponsored Red Flag exercise has established itself as the premier integrated air warfare exercise in the world. The first of 2015’s 4…
A look at the first Air National Guard unit destined to transition from the F-16 to the F-35
A look at the F-16s of "The Green Mountain Boys", the first Air National Guard unit destined to receive the F-35. The 134th Fighter Squadron of the Vermont ANG (Air…
Rare insight into F-22 Raptor vs T-38 Talon aerial combat training at Langley
This is how F-22 fighter pilots train to improve their air-to-air skills. The venerable T-38 Talon which first flew in 1959 (production ceased in 1972) has found new life as…
[Photo] Ukrainian Antonov An-124 cargo visits NAF El Centro, California
An An-124 recently visited at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro to load British Chinooks for their return to the UK. On Aug. 14, an Antonov 124 of the “Antonov…
An unusual view of Exercise Red Flag at Night, from Nevada Desert
The night operations have become a mainstay of Red Flag. Given most modern air campaigns begin with night operations, these Red Flag exercises are a valuable training opportunity for pilots…
