ICBM Drop Test.-

The mobile ICBM concept was deemed the most viable in terms of providing survivability with the highest confidence. Numerous mobile deployment schemes were considered. A Minuteman was launched successfully from a C-5 in 1974 to validate this concept.

510th leaves for Morocco.-

F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to Aviano Air Base travel to Ben Guerir Air Base, Morocco, to participate in Majestic Eagle 2013. Majestic Eagle 2013 is an international air-to-air training exercise that began April 15, 2013.

Dulce.-

Operaciones Aéreas Especiales.-

Eagle ride.-

There is a Way (1967).-

About the daily routine of F-105 pilots from the 388th Tactical Fighter Wing in South Vietnam.

Golden Eagle.-

Shot Down.-

Video and audio flight recording data from the last minutes of a USAF F-16CG plane being shot down by the Serbian Air Defense. This downing of an American military aircraft, returning from a bombing task focused on the wider Novi Sad area occurred at night, on May 2, 1999, during the war between the Serbs and NATO. The pilot, Lt. Col. David Goldfein, ejected safely and was promptly evacuated in a standard US Army procedure, by a C-SAR team.

The initial claim that the aircraft suffered a mechanical failure was later superseded by official sources as well as by the result of independent research, including the analysis of the recording presented here. Everything indicates that the downing of this aircraft was due to a heavy damage caused by a detonation of at least one surface-to-air missile exploding in the proximity of it.

Graduation Video.-

Thunderbirds.-

A lot of.-

Thunderbird Pilot.-

Static discharge.-

A USAF KC-135 Aircraft is preparing to refuel a USAF E-4. The same airframe used as Air Force One. The weather that we were going through causes the differential static equalization between the two aircraft. Once the boom touches the receptacle of the E-4 the charges are equalized and the static stops.

Nightwatch, The Doomsday Plane.-

Flight of the Question Mark.-

On Jan. 1, 1929, a tri-engined Fokker C-2 aircraft with a crew of five climbed into the southern California sky. This aircraft, dubbed the "Question Mark," was not history's first air refueling mission, but it played a crucial role in the beginning of air refueling efforts and the development of the U.S. Army Air Corps. The "Question Mark" was a high-winged monoplane with two 96-gallon wing tanks supplemented by two 150-gallon tanks installed in the cabin.

The two refueling aircraft were Douglas C-1 single-engine bi-planes with two 150-gallon tanks for offloading and a refueling hose that passed through a hatch cut in the floor. During the flight, the "Question Mark" made 43 contacts with the tanker aircraft. Each contact lasted about seven and a half minutes, with the two aircraft about 15 to 20 feet apart. Day-time contacts took place at an altitude between 2,000 and 3,000 feet, and the 10 night-time contacts took place between 5,000 and 7,000 feet.


A large question mark was painted on each side of the receiver aircraft's fuselage, intended to "provoke wonder at how long the aircraft could remain airborne," according to Air Force historians.

During the operation, which began on New Year's Day in 1929 and ended 150 hours and 40 minutes later on Jan. 7, the Question Mark received 5,700 gallons of fuel. During the contacts, the tanker crews also passed oil, food, water and other miscellaneous items, by means of a rope. Neither the Question Mark nor the two refuelers were equipped with radios because of a radio's weight and unreliability. The crews maintained communications via notes dropped to the ground, hand and flashlight signals, and written messages displayed on ground panels and on both planes.

Lt. Elwood "Pete" Quesada, a member of the historic "Question Mark" aerial refueling operation, adjusts an aircraft gas line.

The Question Mark's crew consisted of Maj. Carl Spatz (he later changed the spelling to Spaatz), Captain Ira Eaker, Lieutenant Elwood Quesada, Lt. Harry Halverson and Staff Sgt. Roy Hooe. The crews of the tankers were Capt. Roy Hoyt and Lts. Auby Strickland and Irwin Woodring in the No. 1 aircraft, and Lts. Odas Moon, Joseph G. Hopkins and Andrew F. Solter were in the No. 2 aircraft. Capt. Hugh Elmendorf was in charge of ground operations and logistics for the mission.

Photos By USAF.

Today, the real question is not how critical is the tanker to our warfighters and our national security. We know the need for a tanker is critical. It's a capability our nation simply cannot do without.

Today's tanker fleet continues to play the vital role of sustaining operations. Tankers underwrite our nation's ability to project power. Aircraft extend our reach to deliver the clenched fist to our adversaries, or the open hand of assistance to people in need. Without tankers, our combat aircraft cannot reach their targets. Without tankers, our resupply aircraft and humanitarian relief materials cannot always reach their destinations. Without tankers, we cannot move our wounded warriors non-stop from the battlefield to secured places for the medical care they need.

Mobility Airmen provide global air mobility: "the right effects at the right place at the right time".

Borikén.-

Un A-7D Corsair II del 198th TFS de la Guardia Aérea Nacional de Puerto Rico, vuela al sur del Polígono de Salinas, sobre la reserva natural de la isla de Caja de Muertos, a unos 9 Km de la isla principal.

El Estado Libre Asociado de Puerto Rico es un territorio no incorporado de los Estados Unidos con estatus de autogobierno, situado al noreste del Caribe, al este de la República Dominicana y al oeste de las Islas Vírgenes. Su costa oeste se sitúa a aproximadamente 1530 kilómetros al sureste de la costa de Florida, la más cercana de la zona continental de Estados Unidos. El archipiélago de Puerto Rico incluye la isla principal de Puerto Rico, la más pequeña de las Antillas Mayores, y un número de cayos e islas más pequeñas, de las cuales las más grandes son: Mona, Vieques y Culebra.

Bajo el concepto de "Fuerza Total", la Guardia Nacional de Puerto Rico, de la que es parte integrante su componente aéreo, se halla bajo la jurisdiccón de su gobernador general, a menos que dichas fuerzas sean federalizadas por el presidente de los Estados Unidos. Por lo tanto la ANG PR no se engloba dentro de lo que es la cadena de mando normal de la USAF, aunque sí son entrenadas y equipadas por ella, y son designadas como fuerzas expedicionarias dentro de los correspondientes ciclos asignados de despliegue del Air Reserve Component (ARC) de la USAF.

Con sede en la base de la Guardia Aérea Nacional de Muñiz, Carolina, los elementos de la ANG de Puerto Rico están sujetos a ser activados por orden del gobernador para proporcionar protección de vidas y bienes y preservar la paz, orden y seguridad pública. Entre sus actuales misiones se incluyen el socorro ante desastres en tiempos de terremotos y huracanes, inundaciones, incendios forestales, búsqueda, rescate, protección de los servicios públicos vitales y apoyan a la defensa civil.

Ya sea equipados con F-47N Thunderbolts, F-86E/D Sabres, F-104C Starfighers, A-7D Corsair II o F-16 ADF Falcons, la misión primaria del 198º Escuadrón Táctico de Caza era la defensa aérea, constituyendo el primer anillo de defensa de los Estados Unidos en la zona contra bombarderos y misiles de crucero soviéticos. Actualmente el escuadrón se ha transformado en el 198º Escuadrón de Transporte Aéreo Táctico equipado con C-130E Hercules.

El 12 de enero de 1981, el grupo terrorista "Ejército Popular Boricua ", conocidos popularmente como "Los Macheteros", realizaron el mayor atentado que las fuerzas armadas estadounidenses habían sufrido desde la guerra de Vietnam. Once terroristas disfrazados de militares penetraron en la Base Aérea de Muñiz y destruyeron en 8 minutos 10 A-7D y un F-104C de los 18 Corsair y 1 Starfighter que formaban el 198th TFS. Los daños se calcularon en 45 millones de dólares.

The Right Stuff.-

Photo By NASA.

NASA officials selected an Airman as one of the eight military and civilian candidates to become an astronaut trainee. After a 1 ½ year search, officials chose Lt. Col. Tyler N. Hague, the Department of Defense deputy chief of the Joint Improvised Explosive Device Defeat Organization, out of more than 6,100 applicants. Hague is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, Edwards Air Force Base, Calif.

The selected group will receive a wide array of technical training at space centers around the globe to prepare for missions to low-Earth orbit, an asteroid and Mars. These new space explorers asked to join NASA because they know we're doing big, bold things here, developing missions to go farther into space than ever before. The new astronaut candidates will begin training at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in August.

"This year we have selected eight highly-qualified individuals who have demonstrated impressive strengths academically, operationally, and physically" said Janet Kavandi, the director of Flight Crew Operations at Johnson Space Center. "They have diverse backgrounds and skill sets that will contribute greatly to the existing astronaut corps. Based on their incredible experiences to date, I have every confidence that they will apply their combined expertise and talents to achieve great things for NASA and this country in the pursuit of human exploration."

(Courtesy of NASA)

Diamante.-

The 600th ABG.-

In the early 1960s, Tactical Air Command began supporting NATO strike commitments at forward operating bases in NATO's Southern Region by rotating fighter squadrons from the United States to bases in Italy and Turkey. By 1966, because of its obligation to the Vietnam War, TAC could no longer support those deployments. Air Force decided to reassign one of TAC's fighter wings to Torrejon to continue the commitment.

Also in the mid-1960s, due to the closure of  U.S. bases in France, Torrejon became the main airlift access point to the Southern Region Mediterranean bases. For the next 25 years, the 401st TFW operated and deployed out of Torrejon. Then, in 1988, a new U.S. Agreement on Defense Cooperation was signed. As a result the 401st TFW (which became the 401st Fighter Wing in 1991) departed the base May 4, 1992.

Another chapter of the base history began that same day with the activation of the 600th Air Base Group, the largest U.S. Air Force, with headquarters located at Aviano AB, Italy. The group's primary mission is to support the 625th Airlift Support Squadron, stationed at Torrejon, and other Air Mobility Command operations in NATO's critical Southern Region. It is also tasked to complete the drawdown of combat forces and conduct an orderly turnover of excess American facilities and equipment to the Spanish Air Force in a manner that retains the goodwill of the Kingdom of Spain.

The 600th ABG is scheduled to be deactivated by Oct. 1, 1994. Thereafter, a small cadre of about 10 AMC members will remain at the base provide AMC the capability to use Torrejon on an as required basis.

Hagan juego.-

The 53d Test and Evaluation Group is responsible for the overall execution of the 53d Wing's flying activities at Barksdale, Beale, Creech, Davis Monthan, Edwards, Eglin, Dyess, Nellis, and Whiteman Air Force Bases.

 
Members of the group execute operational test and evaluation (OT&E), and tactics development projects assigned by Air Combat Command (ACC) for A-10, B-1, B-2, B-52, F-15C/E, F-16, F-22A, Guardian Angel, HH-60G, HC-130J, MQ-1, MQ-9, RQ-4, and U-2 combat aircraft. The 53 TEG also supports current Air Force Operational Test and Evaluation Center efforts with the F-35A Lightning II. The unit performs functional management for acquisition, modification, testing and certification for fighter, bomber and combat support aircrew training systems. The group also conducts foreign military exploitation and special access projects. Beginning July 15, 2012, the group has OT&E responsibility for space control and space range assets.

The 53 TEG is composed of highly trained aircrew and a diverse range of support personnel to execute ACC-directed operational tests as well as Combatant Commander-directed Urgent Operational Needs. The mission of the TEG is to provide the warfighter with the latest in software, hardware, weapons and tactics techniques and procedures to win America's wars. Additionally, the TEG carries out the USAF Nuclear Weapons System Evaluation Program. The group plans, executes and analyzes ACC's $50 million annual air-delivered reliability data for nuclear capable aircraft and weapons and reports weapon system reliability to USSTRATCOM for inclusion in their annual strategic war plan update.

The results of these tests directly benefit aircrews in Air Combat Command, Air Force Central Command, Pacific Air Forces and United States Air Forces in Europe by providing them with operationally proven hardware and software systems.