USAF USAF Weapons 2008 USAF Almanac by Susan H.H
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LESSON 3 Significant Aircraft of World War II
LESSON 3 Significant Aircraft of World War II ORREST LEE “WOODY” VOSLER of Lyndonville, Quick Write New York, was a radio operator and gunner during F World War ll. He was the second enlisted member of the Army Air Forces to receive the Medal of Honor. Staff Sergeant Vosler was assigned to a bomb group Time and time again we read about heroic acts based in England. On 20 December 1943, fl ying on his accomplished by military fourth combat mission over Bremen, Germany, Vosler’s servicemen and women B-17 was hit by anti-aircraft fi re, severely damaging it during wartime. After reading the story about and forcing it out of formation. Staff Sergeant Vosler, name Vosler was severely wounded in his legs and thighs three things he did to help his crew survive, which by a mortar shell exploding in the radio compartment. earned him the Medal With the tail end of the aircraft destroyed and the tail of Honor. gunner wounded in critical condition, Vosler stepped up and manned the guns. Without a man on the rear guns, the aircraft would have been defenseless against German fi ghters attacking from that direction. Learn About While providing cover fi re from the tail gun, Vosler was • the development of struck in the chest and face. Metal shrapnel was lodged bombers during the war into both of his eyes, impairing his vision. Able only to • the development of see indistinct shapes and blurs, Vosler never left his post fi ghters during the war and continued to fi re. -
Air Force OA-X Light Attack Aircraft/SOCOM Armed Overwatch Program
Updated March 30, 2021 Air Force OA-X Light Attack Aircraft/SOCOM Armed Overwatch Program On October 24, 2019, the U.S. Air Force issued a final OA-X, its ability to operate with coalition partners, and to request for proposals declaring its intent to acquire a new initially evaluate candidate aircraft. The first phase included type of aircraft. The OA-X light attack aircraft is a small, four aircraft: the Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29; two-seat turboprop airplane designed for operation in Textron/Beechcraft AT-6B; Air Tractor/L3 OA-802 relatively permissive environments. The announcement of a turboprops, variants of which are in service with other formal program followed a series of Air Force countries; and the developmental Textron Scorpion jet. “experiments” to determine the utility of such an aircraft. First-phase operations continued through August 2017. Following conclusion of the Air Force experiments, the program passed to U.S. Special Operations Command as Figure 1. Sierra Nevada/Embraer A-29 the “Armed Overwatch” program, with a goal of acquiring 75 aircraft. Why Light Attack? During 2018, then-Air Force Secretary Heather Wilson often expressed the purpose of a new light attack aircraft as giving the Air Force an ability to free up more sophisticated and expensive assets for other tasks, citing the example of using high-end F-22 jets to destroy a drug laboratory in Afghanistan as an inefficient use of resources. Per-hour operating costs for light attack aircraft are typically about 2%-4% those of advanced fighters. She and other officials have also noted that the 2018 Source: U.S. -
Gallery of USAF Weapons Note: Inventory Numbers Are Total Active Inventory figures As of Sept
Gallery of USAF Weapons Note: Inventory numbers are total active inventory figures as of Sept. 30, 2014. By Aaron M. U. Church, Associate Editor I 2015 USAF Almanac BOMBER AIRCRAFT flight controls actuate trailing edge surfaces that combine aileron, elevator, and rudder functions. New EHF satcom and high-speed computer upgrade B-1 Lancer recently entered full production. Both are part of the Defensive Management Brief: A long-range bomber capable of penetrating enemy defenses and System-Modernization (DMS-M). Efforts are underway to develop a new VLF delivering the largest weapon load of any aircraft in the inventory. receiver for alternative comms. Weapons integration includes the improved COMMENTARY GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrator and JASSM-ER and future weapons The B-1A was initially proposed as replacement for the B-52, and four pro- such as GBU-53 SDB II, GBU-56 Laser JDAM, JDAM-5000, and LRSO. Flex- totypes were developed and tested in 1970s before program cancellation in ible Strike Package mods will feed GPS data to the weapons bays to allow 1977. The program was revived in 1981 as B-1B. The vastly upgraded aircraft weapons to be guided before release, to thwart jamming. It also will move added 74,000 lb of usable payload, improved radar, and reduced radar cross stores management to a new integrated processor. Phase 2 will allow nuclear section, but cut maximum speed to Mach 1.2. The B-1B first saw combat in and conventional weapons to be carried simultaneously to increase flexibility. Iraq during Desert Fox in December 1998. -
Chapter 2 HISTORY and DEVELOPMENT of MILITARY LASERS
History and Development of Military Lasers Chapter 2 HISTORY AND DEVELOPMENT OF MILITARY LASERS JACK B. KELLER, JR* INTRODUCTION INVENTING THE LASER MILITARIZING THE LASER SEARCHING FOR HIGH-ENERGY LASER WEAPONS SEARCHING FOR LOW-ENERGY LASER WEAPONS RETURNING TO HIGHER ENERGIES SUMMARY *Lieutenant Colonel, US Army (Retired); formerly, Foreign Science Information Officer, US Army Medical Research Detachment-Walter Reed Army Institute of Research, 7965 Dave Erwin Drive, Brooks City-Base, Texas 78235 25 Biomedical Implications of Military Laser Exposure INTRODUCTION This chapter will examine the history of the laser, Military advantage is greatest when details are con- from theory to demonstration, for its impact upon the US cealed from real or potential adversaries (eg, through military. In the field of military science, there was early classification). Classification can remain in place long recognition that lasers can be visually and cutaneously after a program is aborted, if warranted to conceal hazardous to military personnel—hazards documented technological details or pathways not obvious or easily in detail elsewhere in this volume—and that such hazards deduced but that may be relevant to future develop- must be mitigated to ensure military personnel safety ments. Thus, many details regarding developmental and mission success. At odds with this recognition was military laser systems cannot be made public; their the desire to harness the laser’s potential application to a descriptions here are necessarily vague. wide spectrum of military tasks. This chapter focuses on Once fielded, system details usually, but not always, the history and development of laser systems that, when become public. Laser systems identified here represent used, necessitate highly specialized biomedical research various evolutionary states of the art in laser technol- as described throughout this volume. -
Part 6 Thermal Imaging Sensors
NCW Thermal 101 Imaging NETWORKED OPERATIONS Sensors Dr Carlo Kopp NCW 101 part 6 hermal imaging sensors are now ubiquitous, carried by most categories of combat aircraft, UAVs, many satellites, warships and ground vehicles. The capability to observe targets or terrain in the absence of sunlight has realised Taround-the-clock combat operations, a gain most prominent in aerial warfare. In the context of networked combat, thermal imaging sensors are and will remain a mainstay of Intelligence Surveillance Reconnaissance capabilities. Intelligence, Surveillance, Reconnaissance and Targeting Applications At present, thermal imaging sensors are truly ubiquitous, and over coming decades will improve in capabilities and decline in costs as the technology further matures. Imagery produced by L-3 Cincinnati Electronics 2048 x 2048 pixel midwave band imaging array Most thermal imaging devices in contemporary (L-3). and legacy military equipment are used for navigation and targeting, with some proportion of systems used for specialised ISR applications. A major success story in the market is the Israeli Perhaps the most widely used podded infrared designed Northrop Grumman AN/AAQ-28 Litening system is the US Air Force LANTIRN suite, II pod, also a dual band system with FLIR and CCD comprising an AN/AAQ-13 navigation pod with a channels. The Litening II was adopted not only by wide field of view FLIR, and AN/AAQ-14 targeting the Israeli AF, but also the US Marine Corps and Air pod, with a longwave MCT FLIR boresighted with a National Guard in the US, the latter for use on F- F-22A-EO-Fairing-AEDC-1 laser designator/rangefinder. -
NACHBRENNER 2020 Wissenswertes Aus Dem Bereich Militärluftfahrt Und Luftkriegsführung Nr
NACHBRENNER 2020 Wissenswertes aus dem Bereich Militärluftfahrt und Luftkriegsführung Nr. 122 vom 31. Mai 2020 «Air2030: Folgenschwere Konsequenzen bei einem NEIN zum Grundsatzentscheid» Divisionär Bernhard Müller, Kdt Luftwaffe im Interview mit Oberst i Gst Hans-Peter Erni, SC NKF LW in der Juni Ausgabe der ASMZ Sie sind jeweils an die jährliche International Air Chiefs Conference geladen. Wie wird die Beschaffung des Schweizer NKF beobachtet? Was sind Meinungen bei einem allfällig negativen Ausgang der Abstimmung? „Die europäischen Air Chiefs schauen mit viel Interesse auf die Schweiz und ihren speziellen politischen Prozess. Verständlicherweise werben sie für die Vorzüge der eigenen Wahl, jedoch sind keine Druckversuche oder Einmischung spürbar. Ausnahmslos sind alle überzeugt, dass die Erneuerung der Kampfflugzeugflotten von hoher Dringlichkeit ist, weil sich die Sicherheitslage an den Rändern von Europa eindeutig verschlechtert. Ich bin überzeugt: Falls die «reiche» Schweiz zukünftig keinen Beitrag mehr zu ihrer eigenen Verteidigungsfähigkeit leistet, würde dies unsere internationale und hoch angesehene Position negativ beeinträchtigen.“ (Vollständiges Interview siehe Meldung NACHBRENNER 122-156) Farbcode Meldungen: Pflichtlektüre Besondere Beachtung verdient: Schweiz oder entsprechender Bezug Hot Spot: Nutzen Sie die PDF-Suchfunktion mit Hilfe von Stichwörtern, z.B. dem Ländercode für das rasche Auffinden von Sie besonders interessierenden Informationen! Quelle: Ländercode: Schlüsselinformationen: Datum: Artikelname: Nr. Mdg: Air2030 -
The Cost of Replacing Today's Air Force Fleet
CONGRESS OF THE UNITED STATES CONGRESSIONAL BUDGET OFFICE The Cost of Replacing Today’s Air Force Fleet DECEMBER 2018 Notes The years referred to in this report are federal fiscal years, which run from October 1 to September 30 and are designated by the calendar year in which they end. All costs are expressed in 2018 dollars. For the years before 2018, costs are adjusted for inflation using the gross domestic product price index from the Bureau of Economic Analysis. Costs for years after 2018 are adjusted for inflation using the Congressional Budget Office’s projection of that index. On the cover: An F-15C Eagle during takeoff. U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sergeant Joe W. McFadden. www.cbo.gov/publication/54657 Contents Summary 1 Today’s Air Force Aircraft and Their Replacement Costs 1 BOX 1. MAJOR AIRCRAFT IN THE AIR FORCE’S FLEET AND THEIR PRIMARY FUNCTIONS 2 How CBO Made Its Projections 5 Projected Costs of New Fighter Aircraft 6 F-35A 7 Light Attack Aircraft 7 Penetrating Counter Air Aircraft 8 Managing Procurement Costs in Peak Years 9 Appendix: Composition of the Current Air Force Fleet and CBO’s Estimate of Replacement Costs 11 List of Tables and Figures 18 About This Document 19 The Cost of Replacing Today’s Air Force Fleet Summary different missions (seeBox 1 and the appendix). They The U.S. Air Force has about 5,600 aircraft, which range range widely in age from the 75 new aircraft that entered in age from just-delivered to 60 years old. -
Fast, Long-Range-Attack Aircraft
Appendix C FAST, LONG-RANGE-ATTACK AIRCRAFT In Chapter Five, we recommended a long-term stand-off option involving fast, long-range aircraft. In this appendix, we present an operational concept for long-range-attack operations to stimulate thought about, and a more thorough investigation of, such options available to the United States Air Force (USAF) in the early part of the next century. WHY FAST ATTACK AIRCRAFT? All other things being equal, if it is less expensive to develop and de- ploy sophisticated weapons than it is to develop sophisticated deliv- ery platforms, then the USAF should adopt a combination of sophis- ticated, long-range weapons and relatively unsophisticated delivery platforms. An example of this approach to the long-range-attack problem might be thousands of advanced cruise missiles launched from Boeing 747 arsenal planes from outside the range of enemy defenses. However, if developing and deploying sophisticated launch platforms with less-sophisticated (and less-expensive) weapons is less costly than building thousands of advanced cruise missiles, then the best solution might be something like a Mach 2 penetrating bomber armed with accurate freefall weapons such as the Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM). 85 86 Airbase Vulnerability to Conventional Cruise and Ballistic Missile Attack The arsenal plane concept has been explored by others.1 The re- mainder of this appendix explores some of the technical issues sur- rounding the Mach 2 example given above. OPERATIONAL CONCEPT In the following analysis, we employ a force of supersonic bombers with a maximum unrefueled range of 3,250 nautical miles (nmi) to accomplish an 8,000-nmi combat mission in the following way. -
Gallery of USAF Weapons Note: Inventory Numbers Are Total Active Inventory Figures As of Sept
Gallery of USAF Weapons Note: Inventory numbers are total active inventory figures as of Sept. 30, 2011. ■ 2012 USAF Almanac Bombers B-1 Lancer Brief: A long-range, air refuelable multirole bomber capable of flying intercontinental missions and penetrating enemy defenses with the largest payload of guided and unguided weapons in the Air Force inventory. Function: Long-range conventional bomber. Operator: ACC, AFMC. First Flight: Dec. 23, 1974 (B-1A); Oct. 18, 1984 (B-1B). Delivered: June 1985-May 1988. IOC: Oct. 1, 1986, Dyess AFB, Tex. (B-1B). Production: 104. Inventory: 66. Aircraft Location: Dyess AFB, Tex.; Edwards AFB, Calif.; Eglin AFB, Fla.; Ellsworth AFB, S.D. Contractor: Boeing, AIL Systems, General Electric. Power Plant: four General Electric F101-GE-102 turbofans, each 30,780 lb thrust. Accommodation: pilot, copilot, and two WSOs (offensive and defensive), on zero/zero ACES II ejection seats. Dimensions: span 137 ft (spread forward) to 79 ft (swept aft), length 146 ft, height 34 ft. B-1B Lancer (SSgt. Brian Ferguson) Weight: max T-O 477,000 lb. Ceiling: more than 30,000 ft. carriage, improved onboard computers, improved B-2 Spirit Performance: speed 900+ mph at S-L, range communications. Sniper targeting pod added in Brief: Stealthy, long-range multirole bomber that intercontinental. mid-2008. Receiving Fully Integrated Data Link can deliver nuclear and conventional munitions Armament: three internal weapons bays capable of (FIDL) upgrade to include Link 16 and Joint Range anywhere on the globe. accommodating a wide range of weapons incl up to Extension data link, enabling permanent LOS and Function: Long-range heavy bomber. -
Aircraft Collection
A, AIR & SPA ID SE CE MU REP SEU INT M AIRCRAFT COLLECTION From the Avenger torpedo bomber, a stalwart from Intrepid’s World War II service, to the A-12, the spy plane from the Cold War, this collection reflects some of the GREATEST ACHIEVEMENTS IN MILITARY AVIATION. Photo: Liam Marshall TABLE OF CONTENTS Bombers / Attack Fighters Multirole Helicopters Reconnaissance / Surveillance Trainers OV-101 Enterprise Concorde Aircraft Restoration Hangar Photo: Liam Marshall BOMBERS/ATTACK The basic mission of the aircraft carrier is to project the U.S. Navy’s military strength far beyond our shores. These warships are primarily deployed to deter aggression and protect American strategic interests. Should deterrence fail, the carrier’s bombers and attack aircraft engage in vital operations to support other forces. The collection includes the 1940-designed Grumman TBM Avenger of World War II. Also on display is the Douglas A-1 Skyraider, a true workhorse of the 1950s and ‘60s, as well as the Douglas A-4 Skyhawk and Grumman A-6 Intruder, stalwarts of the Vietnam War. Photo: Collection of the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum GRUMMAN / EASTERNGRUMMAN AIRCRAFT AVENGER TBM-3E GRUMMAN/EASTERN AIRCRAFT TBM-3E AVENGER TORPEDO BOMBER First flown in 1941 and introduced operationally in June 1942, the Avenger became the U.S. Navy’s standard torpedo bomber throughout World War II, with more than 9,836 constructed. Originally built as the TBF by Grumman Aircraft Engineering Corporation, they were affectionately nicknamed “Turkeys” for their somewhat ungainly appearance. Bomber Torpedo In 1943 Grumman was tasked to build the F6F Hellcat fighter for the Navy. -
2004 Raytheon Annual Report
Focused on the Customer 2004 annual report Board of Directors ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ . . . . . , .** Chairman and CEO Institute Professor Chairman and Retired President and Chairman and Raytheon Company Massachusetts Institute of Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer Chief Executive Officer Technology American Standard Data General Corporation Cypress International Inc. ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Companies, Inc. ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Retired General, U.S. Army . . ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ . Former Commander-in- International Business and President Emeritus . * Retired President and Chief of the United Nations Aviation Attorney California Institute of of Counsel Chief Executive Officer Command, Republic of ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Technology Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Luminent, Inc. Korea/United States Wharton Garrison ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ Combined Forces/United - ․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․․ . States Forces Korea Retired Chairman and . Partner Chief Executive Officer Chairman Stuntz, Davis Staffier, P.C. *Lead Director Cabot Industrial Trust EMC Corporation **Retiring effective “2004 was a strong year with May 4, 2005 record orders of $25.7 billion; sales Leadership Team of $20.2 billion – a 12% increase Clockwise from upper left: Rebecca R. Rhoads, Jay B. Stephens, Donald M. Ronchi, Charles E. Franklin, Keith J. Peden, John D. Harris II, Edward S. Pliner, Thomas M. Culligan, -
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SIX DECADES OF GUIDED MUNITIONS AND BATTLE NETWORKS: PROGRESS AND PROSPECTS Barry D. Watts Thinking Center for Strategic Smarter and Budgetary Assessments About Defense www.csbaonline.org Six Decades of Guided Munitions and Battle Networks: Progress and Prospects by Barry D. Watts Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments March 2007 ABOUT THE CENTER FOR STRATEGIC AND BUDGETARY ASSESSMENTS The Center for Strategic and Budgetary Assessments (CSBA) is an independent, nonprofit, public policy research institute established to make clear the inextricable link between near-term and long- range military planning and defense investment strategies. CSBA is directed by Dr. Andrew F. Krepinevich and funded by foundations, corporations, government, and individual grants and contributions. This report is one in a series of CSBA analyses on the emerging military revolution. Previous reports in this series include The Military-Technical Revolution: A Preliminary Assessment (2002), Meeting the Anti-Access and Area-Denial Challenge (2003), and The Revolution in War (2004). The first of these, on the military-technical revolution, reproduces the 1992 Pentagon assessment that precipitated the 1990s debate in the United States and abroad over revolutions in military affairs. Many friends and professional colleagues, both within CSBA and outside the Center, have contributed to this report. Those who made the most substantial improvements to the final manuscript are acknowledged below. However, the analysis and findings are solely the responsibility of the author and CSBA. 1667 K Street, NW, Suite 900 Washington, DC 20036 (202) 331-7990 CONTENTS ACKNOWLEGEMENTS .................................................. v SUMMARY ............................................................... ix GLOSSARY ………………………………………………………xix I. INTRODUCTION ..................................................... 1 Guided Munitions: Origins in the 1940s............. 3 Cold War Developments and Prospects ............