Featured in Must Read FeaturesBYTyler RogowaySep 29, 2021ShareMeet Israel’s ‘Suicide Squad’ of Self-Sacrificing DronesIsrael has pretty much written the book on using light unmanned aircraft to obliterate enemy air defenses. BYTyler RogowaySep 29, 2021ShareBYFrancesco "Paco" Chierici and Tyler RogowaySep 28, 2021ShareConfessions Of A Navy F-14 Fleet Pilot Turned F-5 AggressorFrancesco “Paco” Chierici talks fighting in Tomcats and Tigers, losing comrades, and flying 737s during the week and fighters on the weekend. BYFrancesco "Paco" Chierici and Tyler RogowaySep 28, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowaySep 28, 2021ShareConfessions Of An A-6 Intruder PilotStrap in alongside veteran pilot Francesco “Paco” Chierici for a trip back in time when A-6s still rocketed through canyons in the black of night. BYTyler RogowaySep 28, 2021ShareBYBrian O'RourkeSep 23, 2021ShareThe Army Acquired Its Own Hovercraft In The 1980s. It Didn’t Go Well.The Army bought LACV-30 hovercraft derived from a commercial model designed in Canada that ended up being ill-suited for hardy military tasks. BYBrian O'RourkeSep 23, 2021ShareBYThomas Newdick and Tyler RogowaySep 23, 2021ShareThis Is The Most Incredible Super Hornet Footage We Have Ever SeenThis WestPac 2021 cruise video from Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 154 certainly confirms the mantra: Black Knights Rule! BYThomas Newdick and Tyler RogowaySep 23, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021ShareThe Air Force Blew It When It Decided Not To Give Its KC-135s Winglets 40 Years AgoThe KC-135 pioneered the winglet concept, but it never got them even after it was proven that they could save millions of gallons of gas every year. BYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2021ShareWatch This RC-135 Spy Plane Make A Frightening Crosswind Landing In England (Updated)The RC-135 Combat Sent slams down before its left wing dips dangerously low and the jet goes careening down the runway. BYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickSep 11, 2021ShareWhat 9/11 Was Like For The Only American That Watched It From SpaceThe only American in space on 9/11 had no idea the towers were hit until he made a call to NASA. He soon saw ground zero for himself from orbit. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 11, 2021ShareBYCorporal ‘Matty’ MatthewsSep 8, 2021ShareWhat It’s Like Being A Royal Air Force Photographer Capturing The Action On DeploymentA behind-the-scenes account from an RAF Photographer on deployment with the UK contingent in Cyprus. BYCorporal ‘Matty’ MatthewsSep 8, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowaySep 4, 2021ShareThis Video Of A Red Bull Stunt Pilot Flying Through Two Tunnels Is Absolutely BonkersDario Costa set four world records after successfully completing a super-intense flight through two consecutive tunnels near Istanbul. BYTyler RogowaySep 4, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021ShareThese Two Images Represent The Beginning And The End Of America’s War In AfghanistanGoing in and getting out, these historic photos are the visual bookends to America’s nearly 20-year conflict in Afghanistan. BYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021ShareThis Remote Alaskan Lighthouse’s Wooden Helipad Belongs In Star WarsCape Decision Lighthouse includes a long wooden catwalk and helipad, the latter of which helped save the remote facility from a fire in 1989. BYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021ShareBYJustin BronkAug 18, 2021ShareThe Truth About Cyber Warfare’s Impact On AirpowerThere’s a lot of bad info out there about how the cyber and aerial domains of warfare will converge. Here’s the reality, for better or worse. BYJustin BronkAug 18, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareSkunk Works’ Factory Of The Future Will Use Roaming Robots To Rapidly Assemble Top Secret AircraftSkunk Works’ knack for innovation enters the “digital” age with a factory able to spit out advanced aircraft faster and cheaper than ever before. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickAug 11, 2021ShareSurface-Launched Version Of The Tomcat’s AIM-54 Phoenix Missile Nearly Armed Cold War CarriersThe Sea Phoenix air defense system would have ported the weapons system from the F-14 Tomcat onto Navy flattops. BYThomas NewdickAug 11, 2021ShareBYKevin NoonanAug 11, 2021ShareVeteran S-3 Viking Crewman Breaks Down Everything Happening In This E-2 Hawkeye Carrier Launch VideoExpert play-by-play and deep insight into exactly what we are seeing and hearing in this viral cockpit video of an E-2C carrier launch. BYKevin NoonanAug 11, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayAug 10, 2021ShareNew Light Shed On The Once Top Secret Tacit Blue Aircraft By Veteran Program ManagerNorthrop’s “Whale” stealth battlefield surveillance jet was revolutionary. Now we get a better look into the program from someone who was there. BYTyler RogowayAug 10, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickAug 9, 2021ShareWatch This 2021 Ford Bronco Play Chase Car For A U-2 Dragon Lady Spy PlaneThe Air Force typically uses high-performance chase vehicles, not SUVs, to help U-2 pilots get back on the ground safely. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 9, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021ShareWatch This C-17 Engage Its Thrust Reversers In Mid-Air To Make An Extremely Rapid DescentThe reverse idle tactical descent is a pretty incredible way to lose altitude, and quickly. BYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareWatch This C-17 Make A Bonkers “Tactical Departure” From Portland International Airport (Updated)The C-17 is far more nimble than it appears, which is a great trait to have if need to get safely in the air while surrounded by enemies. BYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareC-17 Pilot Who Made That Intense Takeoff From Portland Explains The ManeuverCrews have to train to be able to operate from short airfields and get into the air quick enough to avoid getting riddled with hostile fire. BYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 26, 2021ShareThis Kamikaze Impact Mark On A British Cruiser Is A Testament To The Brutality Of The Pacific WarThe British cruiser HMS Sussex had a lucky escape on this day in 1945, but others were far less fortunate. BYThomas NewdickJul 26, 2021ShareBYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiJul 20, 2021ShareThe Strangest Encounters With Unidentified Aircraft We’ve Found In The FAA’s Huge Database (Updated)We found over 50 highly unusual incidents with our new FAA data mapping tool. And yes, there even are a few flying ‘disks’ and ‘cylinders’ in there. BYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiJul 20, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJul 20, 2021ShareThis Spherical Manned Airship Was Tested By The Navy As An Eye In The SkyThe AeroSphere was designed to be an optionally-manned high-altitude surveillance platform that could loiter for long periods above a target area. BYBrett TingleyJul 20, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareThe Mach-3 XF-108 Rapier Would Have Packed Its Big Missiles On A Revolver-Like LauncherThe Rapier carried its trio of long-range missiles in a rotary pack that would be used for downing marauding Soviet bombers. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareBYAdam KehoeJul 14, 2021ShareExplore Thousands Of FAA Drone And Unidentified Aircraft Incident Reports With Our Interactive ToolThe FAA has a little-known database with over 10,000 incident reports. Our new application intends to crowdsource the investigation into them. BYAdam KehoeJul 14, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareCheck Out This F-15E Strike Eagle Spewing Sparks After TakeoffSpotters at RAF Lakenheath got an unexpected fireworks show from one of the resident Strike Eagles earlier today. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickJul 9, 2021ShareBehold The Awesomeness Of This Black A-10 WarthogClearly, the A-10 was always meant to wear black. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 9, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021ShareWatch A Russian Tu-95MS Bear Bomber Unleash Its Cold War-Era Tail GunsThe defensive weapons were put through their paces during the course of large-scale long-range bomber maneuvers. BYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021ShareMarines Had An “Aircraft Carrier On Land” With Catapults And Arresting Gear In VietnamBuilt from scratch, Chu Lai Air Base in South Vietnam was in the thick of exactly where tactical airpower was needed. BYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 28, 2021ShareThe CIA’s Bird-Shaped Aquiline Drones Could Still Be Caged Up At Area 51It’s unknown what became of the CIA’s Project Aquiline assets once they were boxed up and stored at the infamously secretive desert testing facility. BYBrett TingleyJun 28, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021ShareAn Air Cushion Patrol Seaplane Was Once In The Works With The U.S. And JapanGrumman and Shin Meiwa worked together to propose an aircraft that combined aspects of a jet-powered flying-boat with an air cushion vehicle. BYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021ShareThe U.S. Military Doesn’t Even Track How Many Weapons It Loses, And It Has Lost ThousandsA scathing report details how over 2,000 weapons have gone missing from military arsenals in the last decade alone and the data is far from complete. BYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJun 12, 2021ShareThe Soviet-Era Hurricane High-Speed Missile Boat Had Absolutely Gargantuan HydrofoilsHeavily armed and capable of speeds in excess of 60 knots, the Project 1240 Uragan was destined to remain a one-off. BYThomas NewdickJun 12, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyJun 12, 2021ShareThe Navy Concluded Transmedium Flying Submersibles Were Possible A Decade AgoA vehicle that can travel under the sea and in the air may seem like a fantasy, but the Navy says it is possible and relevant for special operations. BYBrett TingleyJun 12, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayJun 8, 2021ShareThese Are The Best Images Yet Of “RAT 55,” The World’s Most Secretive 737The highly modified “RAT 55” bounces around between secretive test bases and is used to collect radar data on stealthy aircraft in-flight. BYTyler RogowayJun 8, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickJun 3, 2021ShareWhat It Was Like Dogfighting In The F-14 Against America’s Secret MiG SquadronWard Carroll recalls battling Floggers and Fishbeds over Nevada and the shroud of secrecy surrounding their remote base. BYThomas NewdickJun 3, 2021ShareBYRobert HopkinsJun 1, 2021ShareThe History Of American Presidents Flying Aboard Doomsday PlanesWe explore the relationship between presidents and the Air Force’s flying command posts that are meant to carry them into Armageddon. BYRobert HopkinsJun 1, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickMay 28, 2021ShareThe Story Behind The Thunderbirds’ Black-Tailed F-4 Phantom And “Captain Carbon”For years, one of the Thunderbird’s jets flew its routines with a slightly different paint job than the others. Here’s why. BYJoseph TrevithickMay 28, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayMay 25, 2021ShareNobody Told Me Someone Built This Crazy Mansion With A Full-Size Airwolf Replica On The RoofWhile the mansion is absolutely insane, the story of where the Airwolf replica came from and where it is now is even more interesting. BYTyler RogowayMay 25, 2021ShareBYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiMay 23, 2021ShareMultiple Destroyers Were Swarmed By Mysterious ‘Drones’ Off California Over Numerous NightsThe disturbing series of events during the summer of 2019 resulted in an investigation that made its way to the highest echelons of the Navy. BYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiMay 23, 2021ShareBYJamie HunterMay 18, 2021ShareHow The Air Force Fires Live Missiles To Make Sure Pilots And Weapons Function In Actual CombatLive-fire training is about giving aircrews vital experience outside of the heat of combat and making sure the weapons they would use actually work. BYJamie HunterMay 18, 2021ShareBYBrett TingleyMay 13, 2021ShareThe U.S. Government Hides Some Of Its Darkest Secrets At The Department Of EnergyThe Department of Energy controls many ‘black projects’ that live outside of the limelight that is intrinsic to the DoD and the intel community. BYBrett TingleyMay 13, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMay 12, 2021ShareUSS Sealion Was The Navy’s Unique Helicopter-Accommodating SubmarineA veteran of the Pacific War, this Balao class submarine was ideally suited to experiments with helicopters loaded with Marines. BYThomas NewdickMay 12, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickMay 10, 2021ShareCheck Out This Eerie Image Of A Navy Special Ops Seahawk Raiding A Ship In The Dead Of NightThe unique Navy helicopter unit that supported this particular exercise could be on the chopping block next year. BYJoseph TrevithickMay 10, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayMay 6, 2021ShareThe Definitive Answer On Why F-16s Carry AIM-120 AMRAAMs On Their Wingtip RailsThe answer to why the Viper flies with heavier AIM-120s on its wingtips and lighter AIM-9 Sidewinders under its wings may surprise you. BYTyler RogowayMay 6, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMay 5, 2021ShareWith No Ejection Seats, Skyknight Fighter Crews Slid Down A Tunnel To SalvationEven special operations commandos used the Skyknight’s escape chute as a clandestine insertion method. BYThomas NewdickMay 5, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickMay 2, 2021ShareHow A Presidential “Beast” Limo Almost Got Overrun In The Slums Of MumbaiA secret service agent details the trials and tribulations of the presidential limo, which sound amazingly pedestrian. BYJoseph TrevithickMay 2, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 29, 2021ShareRemembering The Time Grumman Helped Craft A Modern Fighter For ChinaThe brief thaw in America’s relations with China in the 1980s yielded this surprising hybrid fighter program led by Grumman. BYThomas NewdickApr 29, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayApr 28, 2021ShareHere’s What The Army’s Long-Awaited Super Air Defense Network Can Actually DoWe go in-depth with Northrop Grumman’s Kenn Todorov on what the Integrated Battle Command System is capable of now and what it could do in the future. BYTyler RogowayApr 28, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 26, 2021ShareCheck Out This Stunning Photo Of The Qatari-British Typhoon Squadron In ActionThe unique unit has brought the Royal Air Force and Qatari Emiri Air Force together in order to teach the Qataris to master their new Typhoons. BYThomas NewdickApr 26, 2021ShareBYJuan RiveraApr 23, 2021ShareThe Hunt For A Soviet Submarine Desperately Trying To Sneak Through The Strait Of GibraltarThe Cold War cat-and-mouse game of anti-submarine warfare became very hot as the USS Steinaker approached the Mediterranean in January of 1967. BYJuan RiveraApr 23, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickApr 22, 2021ShareWatch This CV-22 Osprey’s Rotor Downwash Absolutely Demolish A Hospital’s HelipadThe Osprey’s beastly rotor blast is notoriously powerful, as is showcased in this crazy video clip. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 22, 2021ShareBYJoseph TrevithickApr 15, 2021ShareThe Sad Story Of How This Soviet Aircraft Carrier Ended Up Rotting In A Landlocked Chinese LagoonThe Kiev class carrier Minsk was saved from the scrapyard after the fall of the Soviet Union, but is now wasting away 50 miles northwest of Shanghai. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 15, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 12, 2021ShareArticulated Gun Pods Allowed Soviet Aircraft To Fire Backwards, Downwards, And Even SidewaysThe Cold War-era gun pods were a bizarre solution for strafing ground targets, but some linger on today. BYThomas NewdickApr 12, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayApr 5, 2021ShareNetflix’s The Crown Is A Love Letter To AviationThe show’s attention to detail in how it depicts the intersection between aviation and the monarchy is a triumph that other shows should strive for. BYTyler RogowayApr 5, 2021ShareBYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayApr 2, 2021ShareThe Cheyenne Attack Helicopter Had A Crazy Rotating Gunner’s Seat Right Out Of Star WarsLockheed’s AH-56 Cheyenne was ahead of its time in many ways. While its swiveling gunner’s seat was not one of them, it certainly was cool. BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayApr 2, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickApr 1, 2021ShareThis Is The Early Warning Radar Helicopter The Royal Navy Could Have HadHer Majesty’s Navy turned down a Merlin equipped with an active electronically scanned radar for a far less cutting-edge solution. BYThomas NewdickApr 1, 2021ShareBYThomas NewdickMar 26, 2021ShareThe “Birth” Of A Chinook Is The Weirdest Helicopter Display You Will Ever SeeAustralian air shows did things differently back in 1981, as evidenced by this bizarre video. BYThomas NewdickMar 26, 2021ShareBYStephen WalkerMar 25, 2021ShareCanada’s CF-105 Arrow Interceptor Is The Cold War Legend That Refuses To DieSixty years later, we compile and unpack the rumors, myths, and conspiracy theories surrounding the fate of the intriguing Avro Arrow. BYStephen WalkerMar 25, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayMar 21, 2021ShareNothing But Images Of Precision Guided Weapons Taken Just Before They Obliterate Their TargetsMost don’t realize just how large smart bombs and guided missiles are or what they look like just milliseconds before they unleash their devastation. BYTyler RogowayMar 21, 2021ShareBYKevin NoonanMar 18, 2021ShareThe Navy Experimented With Turning Its Attack Jets Into Submarine Hunters 50 Years AgoThe experiment was far ahead of its time in many ways and came in part as a result of the Navy looking to fit every mission onto its supercarriers. BYKevin NoonanMar 18, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayMar 16, 2021ShareThis Cockpit View Of A C-17’s Wild Ride Through Star Wars Canyon Is BonkersThe C-17 is a big, but incredibly nimble beast, as proven in this video of one making hard maneuvers while rocketing low through the Jedi Transition. BYTyler RogowayMar 16, 2021ShareBYTyler RogowayMar 15, 2021ShareThis Photo Of A Pair Of A-10 Warthogs Is MesmerizingThe photographer captured what is truly a once-in-a-lifetime image during this year’s Heritage Flight Conference at Davis Monthan AFB. BYTyler RogowayMar 15, 2021Share12345…13
BYTyler RogowaySep 29, 2021ShareMeet Israel’s ‘Suicide Squad’ of Self-Sacrificing DronesIsrael has pretty much written the book on using light unmanned aircraft to obliterate enemy air defenses. BYTyler RogowaySep 29, 2021Share
BYFrancesco "Paco" Chierici and Tyler RogowaySep 28, 2021ShareConfessions Of A Navy F-14 Fleet Pilot Turned F-5 AggressorFrancesco “Paco” Chierici talks fighting in Tomcats and Tigers, losing comrades, and flying 737s during the week and fighters on the weekend. BYFrancesco "Paco" Chierici and Tyler RogowaySep 28, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowaySep 28, 2021ShareConfessions Of An A-6 Intruder PilotStrap in alongside veteran pilot Francesco “Paco” Chierici for a trip back in time when A-6s still rocketed through canyons in the black of night. BYTyler RogowaySep 28, 2021Share
BYBrian O'RourkeSep 23, 2021ShareThe Army Acquired Its Own Hovercraft In The 1980s. It Didn’t Go Well.The Army bought LACV-30 hovercraft derived from a commercial model designed in Canada that ended up being ill-suited for hardy military tasks. BYBrian O'RourkeSep 23, 2021Share
BYThomas Newdick and Tyler RogowaySep 23, 2021ShareThis Is The Most Incredible Super Hornet Footage We Have Ever SeenThis WestPac 2021 cruise video from Navy Strike Fighter Squadron 154 certainly confirms the mantra: Black Knights Rule! BYThomas Newdick and Tyler RogowaySep 23, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021ShareThe Air Force Blew It When It Decided Not To Give Its KC-135s Winglets 40 Years AgoThe KC-135 pioneered the winglet concept, but it never got them even after it was proven that they could save millions of gallons of gas every year. BYThomas NewdickSep 20, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2021ShareWatch This RC-135 Spy Plane Make A Frightening Crosswind Landing In England (Updated)The RC-135 Combat Sent slams down before its left wing dips dangerously low and the jet goes careening down the runway. BYTyler RogowaySep 20, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickSep 11, 2021ShareWhat 9/11 Was Like For The Only American That Watched It From SpaceThe only American in space on 9/11 had no idea the towers were hit until he made a call to NASA. He soon saw ground zero for himself from orbit. BYJoseph TrevithickSep 11, 2021Share
BYCorporal ‘Matty’ MatthewsSep 8, 2021ShareWhat It’s Like Being A Royal Air Force Photographer Capturing The Action On DeploymentA behind-the-scenes account from an RAF Photographer on deployment with the UK contingent in Cyprus. BYCorporal ‘Matty’ MatthewsSep 8, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowaySep 4, 2021ShareThis Video Of A Red Bull Stunt Pilot Flying Through Two Tunnels Is Absolutely BonkersDario Costa set four world records after successfully completing a super-intense flight through two consecutive tunnels near Istanbul. BYTyler RogowaySep 4, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021ShareThese Two Images Represent The Beginning And The End Of America’s War In AfghanistanGoing in and getting out, these historic photos are the visual bookends to America’s nearly 20-year conflict in Afghanistan. BYTyler RogowayAug 31, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021ShareThis Remote Alaskan Lighthouse’s Wooden Helipad Belongs In Star WarsCape Decision Lighthouse includes a long wooden catwalk and helipad, the latter of which helped save the remote facility from a fire in 1989. BYTyler RogowayAug 27, 2021Share
BYJustin BronkAug 18, 2021ShareThe Truth About Cyber Warfare’s Impact On AirpowerThere’s a lot of bad info out there about how the cyber and aerial domains of warfare will converge. Here’s the reality, for better or worse. BYJustin BronkAug 18, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021ShareSkunk Works’ Factory Of The Future Will Use Roaming Robots To Rapidly Assemble Top Secret AircraftSkunk Works’ knack for innovation enters the “digital” age with a factory able to spit out advanced aircraft faster and cheaper than ever before. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 13, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickAug 11, 2021ShareSurface-Launched Version Of The Tomcat’s AIM-54 Phoenix Missile Nearly Armed Cold War CarriersThe Sea Phoenix air defense system would have ported the weapons system from the F-14 Tomcat onto Navy flattops. BYThomas NewdickAug 11, 2021Share
BYKevin NoonanAug 11, 2021ShareVeteran S-3 Viking Crewman Breaks Down Everything Happening In This E-2 Hawkeye Carrier Launch VideoExpert play-by-play and deep insight into exactly what we are seeing and hearing in this viral cockpit video of an E-2C carrier launch. BYKevin NoonanAug 11, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayAug 10, 2021ShareNew Light Shed On The Once Top Secret Tacit Blue Aircraft By Veteran Program ManagerNorthrop’s “Whale” stealth battlefield surveillance jet was revolutionary. Now we get a better look into the program from someone who was there. BYTyler RogowayAug 10, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickAug 9, 2021ShareWatch This 2021 Ford Bronco Play Chase Car For A U-2 Dragon Lady Spy PlaneThe Air Force typically uses high-performance chase vehicles, not SUVs, to help U-2 pilots get back on the ground safely. BYJoseph TrevithickAug 9, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021ShareWatch This C-17 Engage Its Thrust Reversers In Mid-Air To Make An Extremely Rapid DescentThe reverse idle tactical descent is a pretty incredible way to lose altitude, and quickly. BYThomas NewdickAug 3, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareWatch This C-17 Make A Bonkers “Tactical Departure” From Portland International Airport (Updated)The C-17 is far more nimble than it appears, which is a great trait to have if need to get safely in the air while surrounded by enemies. BYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021ShareC-17 Pilot Who Made That Intense Takeoff From Portland Explains The ManeuverCrews have to train to be able to operate from short airfields and get into the air quick enough to avoid getting riddled with hostile fire. BYTyler RogowayJul 28, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 26, 2021ShareThis Kamikaze Impact Mark On A British Cruiser Is A Testament To The Brutality Of The Pacific WarThe British cruiser HMS Sussex had a lucky escape on this day in 1945, but others were far less fortunate. BYThomas NewdickJul 26, 2021Share
BYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiJul 20, 2021ShareThe Strangest Encounters With Unidentified Aircraft We’ve Found In The FAA’s Huge Database (Updated)We found over 50 highly unusual incidents with our new FAA data mapping tool. And yes, there even are a few flying ‘disks’ and ‘cylinders’ in there. BYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiJul 20, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJul 20, 2021ShareThis Spherical Manned Airship Was Tested By The Navy As An Eye In The SkyThe AeroSphere was designed to be an optionally-manned high-altitude surveillance platform that could loiter for long periods above a target area. BYBrett TingleyJul 20, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareThe Mach-3 XF-108 Rapier Would Have Packed Its Big Missiles On A Revolver-Like LauncherThe Rapier carried its trio of long-range missiles in a rotary pack that would be used for downing marauding Soviet bombers. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021Share
BYAdam KehoeJul 14, 2021ShareExplore Thousands Of FAA Drone And Unidentified Aircraft Incident Reports With Our Interactive ToolThe FAA has a little-known database with over 10,000 incident reports. Our new application intends to crowdsource the investigation into them. BYAdam KehoeJul 14, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021ShareCheck Out This F-15E Strike Eagle Spewing Sparks After TakeoffSpotters at RAF Lakenheath got an unexpected fireworks show from one of the resident Strike Eagles earlier today. BYThomas NewdickJul 14, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickJul 9, 2021ShareBehold The Awesomeness Of This Black A-10 WarthogClearly, the A-10 was always meant to wear black. BYJoseph TrevithickJul 9, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021ShareWatch A Russian Tu-95MS Bear Bomber Unleash Its Cold War-Era Tail GunsThe defensive weapons were put through their paces during the course of large-scale long-range bomber maneuvers. BYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021ShareMarines Had An “Aircraft Carrier On Land” With Catapults And Arresting Gear In VietnamBuilt from scratch, Chu Lai Air Base in South Vietnam was in the thick of exactly where tactical airpower was needed. BYThomas NewdickJul 9, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 28, 2021ShareThe CIA’s Bird-Shaped Aquiline Drones Could Still Be Caged Up At Area 51It’s unknown what became of the CIA’s Project Aquiline assets once they were boxed up and stored at the infamously secretive desert testing facility. BYBrett TingleyJun 28, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021ShareAn Air Cushion Patrol Seaplane Was Once In The Works With The U.S. And JapanGrumman and Shin Meiwa worked together to propose an aircraft that combined aspects of a jet-powered flying-boat with an air cushion vehicle. BYThomas NewdickJun 18, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021ShareThe U.S. Military Doesn’t Even Track How Many Weapons It Loses, And It Has Lost ThousandsA scathing report details how over 2,000 weapons have gone missing from military arsenals in the last decade alone and the data is far from complete. BYBrett TingleyJun 15, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJun 12, 2021ShareThe Soviet-Era Hurricane High-Speed Missile Boat Had Absolutely Gargantuan HydrofoilsHeavily armed and capable of speeds in excess of 60 knots, the Project 1240 Uragan was destined to remain a one-off. BYThomas NewdickJun 12, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyJun 12, 2021ShareThe Navy Concluded Transmedium Flying Submersibles Were Possible A Decade AgoA vehicle that can travel under the sea and in the air may seem like a fantasy, but the Navy says it is possible and relevant for special operations. BYBrett TingleyJun 12, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayJun 8, 2021ShareThese Are The Best Images Yet Of “RAT 55,” The World’s Most Secretive 737The highly modified “RAT 55” bounces around between secretive test bases and is used to collect radar data on stealthy aircraft in-flight. BYTyler RogowayJun 8, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickJun 3, 2021ShareWhat It Was Like Dogfighting In The F-14 Against America’s Secret MiG SquadronWard Carroll recalls battling Floggers and Fishbeds over Nevada and the shroud of secrecy surrounding their remote base. BYThomas NewdickJun 3, 2021Share
BYRobert HopkinsJun 1, 2021ShareThe History Of American Presidents Flying Aboard Doomsday PlanesWe explore the relationship between presidents and the Air Force’s flying command posts that are meant to carry them into Armageddon. BYRobert HopkinsJun 1, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickMay 28, 2021ShareThe Story Behind The Thunderbirds’ Black-Tailed F-4 Phantom And “Captain Carbon”For years, one of the Thunderbird’s jets flew its routines with a slightly different paint job than the others. Here’s why. BYJoseph TrevithickMay 28, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayMay 25, 2021ShareNobody Told Me Someone Built This Crazy Mansion With A Full-Size Airwolf Replica On The RoofWhile the mansion is absolutely insane, the story of where the Airwolf replica came from and where it is now is even more interesting. BYTyler RogowayMay 25, 2021Share
BYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiMay 23, 2021ShareMultiple Destroyers Were Swarmed By Mysterious ‘Drones’ Off California Over Numerous NightsThe disturbing series of events during the summer of 2019 resulted in an investigation that made its way to the highest echelons of the Navy. BYAdam Kehoe and Marc CecottiMay 23, 2021Share
BYJamie HunterMay 18, 2021ShareHow The Air Force Fires Live Missiles To Make Sure Pilots And Weapons Function In Actual CombatLive-fire training is about giving aircrews vital experience outside of the heat of combat and making sure the weapons they would use actually work. BYJamie HunterMay 18, 2021Share
BYBrett TingleyMay 13, 2021ShareThe U.S. Government Hides Some Of Its Darkest Secrets At The Department Of EnergyThe Department of Energy controls many ‘black projects’ that live outside of the limelight that is intrinsic to the DoD and the intel community. BYBrett TingleyMay 13, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMay 12, 2021ShareUSS Sealion Was The Navy’s Unique Helicopter-Accommodating SubmarineA veteran of the Pacific War, this Balao class submarine was ideally suited to experiments with helicopters loaded with Marines. BYThomas NewdickMay 12, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickMay 10, 2021ShareCheck Out This Eerie Image Of A Navy Special Ops Seahawk Raiding A Ship In The Dead Of NightThe unique Navy helicopter unit that supported this particular exercise could be on the chopping block next year. BYJoseph TrevithickMay 10, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayMay 6, 2021ShareThe Definitive Answer On Why F-16s Carry AIM-120 AMRAAMs On Their Wingtip RailsThe answer to why the Viper flies with heavier AIM-120s on its wingtips and lighter AIM-9 Sidewinders under its wings may surprise you. BYTyler RogowayMay 6, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMay 5, 2021ShareWith No Ejection Seats, Skyknight Fighter Crews Slid Down A Tunnel To SalvationEven special operations commandos used the Skyknight’s escape chute as a clandestine insertion method. BYThomas NewdickMay 5, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickMay 2, 2021ShareHow A Presidential “Beast” Limo Almost Got Overrun In The Slums Of MumbaiA secret service agent details the trials and tribulations of the presidential limo, which sound amazingly pedestrian. BYJoseph TrevithickMay 2, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 29, 2021ShareRemembering The Time Grumman Helped Craft A Modern Fighter For ChinaThe brief thaw in America’s relations with China in the 1980s yielded this surprising hybrid fighter program led by Grumman. BYThomas NewdickApr 29, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayApr 28, 2021ShareHere’s What The Army’s Long-Awaited Super Air Defense Network Can Actually DoWe go in-depth with Northrop Grumman’s Kenn Todorov on what the Integrated Battle Command System is capable of now and what it could do in the future. BYTyler RogowayApr 28, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 26, 2021ShareCheck Out This Stunning Photo Of The Qatari-British Typhoon Squadron In ActionThe unique unit has brought the Royal Air Force and Qatari Emiri Air Force together in order to teach the Qataris to master their new Typhoons. BYThomas NewdickApr 26, 2021Share
BYJuan RiveraApr 23, 2021ShareThe Hunt For A Soviet Submarine Desperately Trying To Sneak Through The Strait Of GibraltarThe Cold War cat-and-mouse game of anti-submarine warfare became very hot as the USS Steinaker approached the Mediterranean in January of 1967. BYJuan RiveraApr 23, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickApr 22, 2021ShareWatch This CV-22 Osprey’s Rotor Downwash Absolutely Demolish A Hospital’s HelipadThe Osprey’s beastly rotor blast is notoriously powerful, as is showcased in this crazy video clip. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 22, 2021Share
BYJoseph TrevithickApr 15, 2021ShareThe Sad Story Of How This Soviet Aircraft Carrier Ended Up Rotting In A Landlocked Chinese LagoonThe Kiev class carrier Minsk was saved from the scrapyard after the fall of the Soviet Union, but is now wasting away 50 miles northwest of Shanghai. BYJoseph TrevithickApr 15, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 12, 2021ShareArticulated Gun Pods Allowed Soviet Aircraft To Fire Backwards, Downwards, And Even SidewaysThe Cold War-era gun pods were a bizarre solution for strafing ground targets, but some linger on today. BYThomas NewdickApr 12, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayApr 5, 2021ShareNetflix’s The Crown Is A Love Letter To AviationThe show’s attention to detail in how it depicts the intersection between aviation and the monarchy is a triumph that other shows should strive for. BYTyler RogowayApr 5, 2021Share
BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayApr 2, 2021ShareThe Cheyenne Attack Helicopter Had A Crazy Rotating Gunner’s Seat Right Out Of Star WarsLockheed’s AH-56 Cheyenne was ahead of its time in many ways. While its swiveling gunner’s seat was not one of them, it certainly was cool. BYBrett Tingley and Tyler RogowayApr 2, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickApr 1, 2021ShareThis Is The Early Warning Radar Helicopter The Royal Navy Could Have HadHer Majesty’s Navy turned down a Merlin equipped with an active electronically scanned radar for a far less cutting-edge solution. BYThomas NewdickApr 1, 2021Share
BYThomas NewdickMar 26, 2021ShareThe “Birth” Of A Chinook Is The Weirdest Helicopter Display You Will Ever SeeAustralian air shows did things differently back in 1981, as evidenced by this bizarre video. BYThomas NewdickMar 26, 2021Share
BYStephen WalkerMar 25, 2021ShareCanada’s CF-105 Arrow Interceptor Is The Cold War Legend That Refuses To DieSixty years later, we compile and unpack the rumors, myths, and conspiracy theories surrounding the fate of the intriguing Avro Arrow. BYStephen WalkerMar 25, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayMar 21, 2021ShareNothing But Images Of Precision Guided Weapons Taken Just Before They Obliterate Their TargetsMost don’t realize just how large smart bombs and guided missiles are or what they look like just milliseconds before they unleash their devastation. BYTyler RogowayMar 21, 2021Share
BYKevin NoonanMar 18, 2021ShareThe Navy Experimented With Turning Its Attack Jets Into Submarine Hunters 50 Years AgoThe experiment was far ahead of its time in many ways and came in part as a result of the Navy looking to fit every mission onto its supercarriers. BYKevin NoonanMar 18, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayMar 16, 2021ShareThis Cockpit View Of A C-17’s Wild Ride Through Star Wars Canyon Is BonkersThe C-17 is a big, but incredibly nimble beast, as proven in this video of one making hard maneuvers while rocketing low through the Jedi Transition. BYTyler RogowayMar 16, 2021Share
BYTyler RogowayMar 15, 2021ShareThis Photo Of A Pair Of A-10 Warthogs Is MesmerizingThe photographer captured what is truly a once-in-a-lifetime image during this year’s Heritage Flight Conference at Davis Monthan AFB. BYTyler RogowayMar 15, 2021Share