The Aviationist Blog

First simulated deployment for the U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning IIs. Taken on Feb. 8, 2016 the following pictures feature six F-35A Lightning IIs belonging to the 31st Test and Evaluation Squadron (TES) from Edwards Air Force Base, California, arriving at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, for the fifth generation aircraft’s first simulated deployment […]

A Russian Air Force Tu-214R is about to land at Latakia, Syria. The Tu-214R is a Russian ISR (Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance) aircraft. In other words, a quite advanced spyplane. As we have already explained here in the past, it is a special mission aircraft equipped with all-weather radar systems and electro optical sensors that produce […]

Recce role for the Polish F-16 Fighters in the fight against ISIS in Syria. According to the Polish President and the Polish Minister of Defense, Poland is going deploy a “small number of F-16 fighters” to Syria, in order to “support the observation missions in the region,” local media outlets confirmed on Feb. 15. Antoni […]

The impressive story of the only air-to-air victory achieved by the F-15E Strike Eagle. Developed to replace the General Dynamics F-111 Aardvark, the McDonnell Douglas (now Boeing) F-15E is a dedicated multi-role version of the F-15 Eagle air superiority fighter: named “Strike Eagle” to point out its attack capabilities, the F-15E is one of the best fighter […]

Royal Saudi Air Force aircraft will launch air strikes against Daesh from Turkey. RSAF aircraft are being deployed to Incirlik airbase, Turkey, from where they will launch air strikes against ISIS, Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğluy said on Feb. 13. Saudi Arabia has been part of the US-led coalition fighting Daesh since 2014; by moving […]

Red Flag 16-1 is underway and here are some cool images. The images in this post show two F-22 Raptors assigned to the 95th Fighter Squadron, from Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, refueling from a KC-135 Stratotanker over the Nevada Test and Training Range (NTTR) on Feb. 4, 2016, during an Exercise Red Flag 16-1 […]

Aerial refueling, German-style. Joint Warrior is a twice-yearly UK-led multinational exercise, involving warships, aircraft, marines and troops. Last year, Foto Poork‘s photographer Filip Modrzejewski had the opportunity to take part in an aerial refueling mission in support of some of the aircraft involved in the exercise. He flew aboard a German Air Force Airbus A310 […]

Enjoy a 360 degree video of a Super Hornet launching during blue water operations Enjoy a cat launch with a specialized camera, able to capute a video in 360 degree from inside an F/A-18F Super Hornet launching from USS Harry S. Truman, courtesy of the Strike Fighter Squadron One Zero Three (VFA-103) “Jolly Rogers.” As […]

Another episode that further escalates the crisis between Turkey and Russia. Turkey has barred a Russian Antonov An-30B spyplane, that was supposed to operate out of Eskisehir airfield, Turkey, on Feb. 1 to 5, from performing an Open Skies Treaty flight over its territory. As told to Tass.ru by Sergey Ryzhkov, chief of the Russian Defense […]

Interesting footage features an historic A-7 Corsair jet “sling loaded” by a CH-47 Chinook helicopter Taken on Aug. 15, 2013, the following video shows members of the Iowa Army and Air National Guard “sling loading” a historic U.S. Air Force jet, an A-7K Corsair II, via CH-47F Chinook helicopter. The A-7, from 185th Air Refueling […]

The Globemaster at work in Alaska. Taken on Nov. 3, 2015 the following photos show a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster landing on the icy tarmac at Deadhorse, Alaska, after having successfully deployed part of a Stryker platoon assigned to U.S. Army Alaska’s Bravo Company, 3-21 Infantry Regiment, 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team. Operation Arctic Pegasus […]

The U.S. are ready to defend South Korea after the umpteenth provocative action by North Korea . On Jan. 10, 2016 in  response to the North Korea’s recent nuclear test, a U.S. Air Force B-52 from Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, performed a low-level flight over Osan Air Base, South Korea. A Republic of Korea […]

This video shows that an Iranian ship actually fired rockets near USS Harry S. Truman. As reported by several media outlets on Dec. 26, 2015 an Iranian vessel approached aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75) while transiting the Strait of Hormuz and fired rockets in a direction away from the American flattop. According to […]

Here are some incredible photos captured by a Travis Air Force Base KC-10 Extender aircrew. We have already published a cool aerial photograph and footage of the flyover conducted on Jan. 1, 2016, by a B-2 Spirit belonging to the 509th Bomb Wing from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri that opened the 102nd Rose Bowl […]

Another cool “brttttttttt video.” Filmed throughout acceptance trials for a new lot of ammunition, this impressive clip shows a GAU-8/A Avenger Gatling Gun firing from a test stand. What makes this video interesting is the fact that although the muzzle was placed 40 feet from the camera you can clearly hear the noise of the […]

Some cool U.S. Army CH-47F Chinook images. Taken on Aug. 21, 2015, the following beautiful pictures show brand new CH-47F Chinook helicopters from Hotel Company 1-214 Aviation Regiment, 12th Combat Aviation Brigade (CAB), taking off after refueling at a local German airport and flying in a convoy formation enroute to Bremerhaven port. The new CH-47F […]

The WC-135 is going to search for fallout from the alleged North Korean test. A U.S. Air Force WC-135 will soon be in action near the Korean peninsula, searching for fallout from the alleged North Korea’s nuclear test. According to the Washington Post, a U.S. defense official confirmed that the WC-135 Constant Phoenix atmospheric collections […]

F-35Bs showcase their STOVL capabilities that can be useful for remote airfield ops. Taken on May 6, 2015 the following footage features two F-35Bs from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 121, based out at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, practicing short take off and vertical landings as part of required flying field carrier landing practices (FCLP) […]

The B-2 Rose Bowl flyover as seen from  above. As already reported, on Jan. 1, 2016, a B-2 Spirit belonging to the 509th Bomb Wing from Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, opened the 102nd Rose Bowl Game between the Big Ten Conference West Division champion Iowa Hawkeyes and the Pac-12 Conference champion Stanford Cardinal, at the […]

The Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) has lost one of its F-16s performing a mission to support the Saudi-led air offensive in Yemen. The Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) General Command reported that am RBAF‘s F-16 jet went down in Jizan province, Saudi Arabia, on Dec. 30, 2015, while it was undertaking the national duty of […]