The Boeing and Saab (of Sweden) T-7A Red Hawk is the new advanced trainer for the U.S. Air Force (USAF).
Boeing photo.
In September 2018, it was announced that a contract worth $9.2-billion was given to Boeing-Saab for their T-X (Boeing-T-X) training aircraft (first flying in December 2016), to replace the vintage T-38 Talon.
Boeing photo.
Boeing T-X first flight, cockpit view, 20DEC2016:
Boeing photo.
The two B-T-X prototypes fly over Saint Louis, Missouri, April 2017.
The T-7A is more in-line with prepping pilots to fly the F-35. In May 2019, Saab announced it would build a Red Hawk factory in the U.S. state of Indiana.
Video, Engineering and Manufacturing Development (EMD) flight test over Saint Louis, Missouri, July 2019:
On 23FEB2021, Boeing published this video claiming production was underway at its Saint Louis, Missouri, factory:
Boeing photo.
The USAF wants 351 T-7A Red Hawks (name chosen in September 2019), 46 simulators, and associated ground equipment, with the first Red Hawks arriving on base sometime in 2023-24.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Stormy Archer, 31JUL2015.
The first completed T-38 Talon from the Pacer Classic III program was unveiled 31JUL2015, at Joint Base San Antonio-Randolph, Texas.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Stormy Archer, 31JUL2015.
Pacer Classic III (PC-3), the largest single structural modification ever undertaken on the T-38C aircraft, is intended to ensure structural airworthiness of 150 aircraft until 2029.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Stormy Archer, 31JUL2015.
“We are replacing 185 separate primary structures such as longerons, bulkheads, skins and former assemblies; inspecting and assessing the life of a 155 additional components, and repairing or replacing hundreds of other parts.”-Joe Lopez, 575th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron (AMXS) director
USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.
USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.
USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.
The ‘tiger stripes’ will go away when the Talon gets a new paint-job.
USAF photo by Alex R. Lloyd.
USAF video report, by Sean Schroeder, explaining the PC-3 program:
Towards the end of 2019, the 25th Flying Training Squadron (FTS) at Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma, painted one of their T-38 Talons in the pre-World War Two colors of the U.S. Army Air Corps.
U.S. Air Force photos by Senior Airman Octavius Thompson.
Video by Senior Airman Octavius Thompson, flight over Enid, Oklahoma, 09DEC2019:
Video, cockpit view, May 2020 pandemic panic-attack morale flight over Oklahoma:
USAF photo by Senior Airman Taylor Crul, 18SEP2020.
2020 was the 60th Anniversary of the official alliance between the United States and Japan.
U.S. Air Force photo by Airman First Class Rebeckah Medeiros.
On 30JUN2020, the U.S. Air Force’s 67th Fighter Squadron (FS) ‘Fighting Cocks’ flew an F-15C Eagle painted to represent the colors of an F-100 Super Sabre flown over Japan 60 years ago.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Matthew Seefeldt.
USAF photo by Airman First Class Matthew Seefeldt.
From 1953 to 1963 the Wyoming Air National Guard used the Lockheed T-33 Shooting Star to train-up pilots for the F-80 Shooting Star and North American F-86 Sabre.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo, 23OCT2016.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo, 24OCT2016.
In October 2016, the Wyoming Air National Guard 153rd Airlift Wing’s Structural Maintenance Section spent two weeks restoring a T-33 ‘gate guard’.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo, 23OCT2016.
Notice that the tail number was at first masked-off to read 36661.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo, 24OCT2016.
By November 2016, the restored T-33 was ready for display in Building 16 Hanger.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Major Tom Blackburn, 09NOV2016.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Major Tom Blackburn, 09NOV2016.
Notice that the tail number now reads 63661.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Major Tom Blackburn, 09NOV2016.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 25OCT2019.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 25OCT2019.
On 25OCT2019, T-33 #63661 was moved to its new ‘gate guard’ job at the Wyoming Military Museum in Cheyenne.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 25OCT2019.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 25OCT2019.
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 25OCT2019.
Wyoming Air National Guard T-33 move explainer video, October 2019:
Time lapse music video by Technical Sergeant Jacqueline Marshall:
Wyoming Air National Guard photo by Staff Sergeant Jon Alderman, 25OCT2019.
U.S. Navy explainer video, from Bureau of Medicine and Surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego, insists CoViD vaccines are voluntary because they are still considered experimental/emergency use only:
U.S. Navy explainer video, from Bureau of Medicine and Surgery at Naval Medical Center San Diego, stating that CoViD vaccines are not for children because vaccine testing did not include children, and the FDA did not approve the vaccines for use in children:
U.S. Army National Guard photo by Captain Michael Fedner.
Maryland’s gov’na toured the state’s first mass-vax site in the parking lot of Six Flags in Bowie, 05FEB2021.
Mississippi:
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Caine Storino.
In Gulfport, on 08FEB2021, U.S. Navy SeaBees (construction engineers) built what is being called a “CoViD Vaccine Administration Camp”.
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Caine Storino.
It was a ‘proof of concept’ build to see if such vaccine administration camps were feasible.
U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer First Class Caine Storino.
The small camps are intended to issue 250 vaccines per day, and could also be used for ‘humanitarian assistance’ around the globe.
Missouri:
Photo by Chad Ashe.
On Fort Leonard Wood (my Army Basic & Advanced Training alma mater), Nutter Field House was used to hold a mass vaccination event for military personnel on 05-06FEB2021.
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Barry Riley.
14FEB2021, U.S. Army Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force-531, out of Fort Campbell, Kentucky, began assisting FEMA’s mass vaccination ops in Somerset.
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Barry Riley.
13FEB2021, Department of Defense’s Task Force North East arrived at FEMA Region 2’s Operations Center, in Earle, for what’s being called “whole-of-government CoViD-19 response”.
U.S. Navy photo by Chief Petty Officer Barry Riley.
13FEB2021, at New Jersey National Guard headquarters in Sea Girt, U.S. Army Urban Augmentation Medical Task Force-531 goes through FEMA orientation for mass-vaccination operations.
New York:
U.S. Air Force Reserve photo by Staff Sergeant Christopher S. Muncy.
The National Guard helped to open a mass-vaccination site at Yankee Stadium, 05FEB2021.
North Carolina:
U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Corporal Isaiah Gomez.
On U.S. Marine Corps’ Camp Lejeune, the Wallace Creek Fitness Center is now a mass-vaccination site for military personnel.
Air National Guard photo by Master Sergeant John Hughel.
More than 150 National Guard personnel are operating four mass-vaccination sites in Spokane, Kennewick, Wenatchee and Ridgefield. Also, the National Guard is conducting a mobile vaccination operation targeting nursing home residents.
After 29-thousand-985 flight hours, and 25 years of service, the U.S. Coast Guard retired HC-130H #1503 on 21JUN2019. Its final flight was from Clearwater, Florida, to Elizabeth City, North Carolina. Video of final take-off, by Petty Officer Second Class David Micallef:
Then, on 10FEB2021, it was revealed that 1503 had been saved from certain death in the scrapyard!
Photo by Aviation Technical Training Center (ATTC), Elizabeth City, North Carolina.
According to the MyCG (Coast Guard) report, in December 2020 the Avionics Electrical Technician (AET) School located in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, acquired 1503 for hands-on avionics training: “Thanks to the coordination between our AET School Chief, our Training Delivery Branch, and our partners at the Aviation Logistics Center, we were able to save this aircraft from demolition and repurpose it as a valuable training aid.”-Captain Brian P. Hopkins, ATTC commanding officer
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class Sara Romero.
In September 2018, 1503 deployed to Air Station Elizabeth City, North Carolina, in response to Hurricane Florence.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class Sara Romero.
1503 was loaded with hurricane relief supplies, which included parts for a MH-60 Jayhawk rescue helicopter.
USCG video, 1503 taxis out for Hurricane Michael, October 2018:
U.S. Coast Guard photo.
August 2017, Hurricane Harvey response in Texas. Notice that ‘1503’ is painted in gold, that’s because 1503 became the oldest active HC-130H in USCG inventory in 2017.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.
1503 preps for take-off to conduct Hurricane Matthew damage assessment, October 2016. You can better see the FLIR pod hanging from its nose like a grey booger.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class Michael De Nyse.
October 2016, Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, Hurricane Matthew response.
U.S. Coast Guard photo by Petty Officer First Class Michael De Nyse.
U.S. Coast Guard photo.
In November 1998, while operating out of Kodiak, Alaska, 1503 crashed during bad weather.
The 1500 though 1504 series of USCG HC-130Hs were originally ordered under a U.S. Air Force (USAF) contract. 1503’s USAF # was 73-0844. Over the decades, 1503 has been based in North Carolina (1994-2010) and then Florida in 2011, but operated where ever needed.
The Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) program (aka Boeing Phantom Works X-53) sought to determine the advantages of twisting flexible wings for primary maneuvering roll control at transonic and supersonic speeds, with traditional control surfaces such as ailerons and leading-edge flaps used to aerodynamically induce the twist. The idea is to design lighter, more flexible high aspect-ratio wings for future high-performance aircraft, which could translate to more economical operation or greater payload capability.
NASA photo, February 2003.
Active Aeroelastic Wing (AAW) F/A-18A (acquired in 1999 from the U.S. Navy) undergoes wing torsion testing at NASA’s Flight Loads Laboratory, Edwards Air Force Base, March-April 2001.
NASA photo, March 2001.
NASA Photo by Tom Tschida, April 2001.
Official NASA video:
NASA says the AAW program actually began in 1996, on paper. Wings from NASA’s retired F/A-18 #840, formerly used in the High-Alpha Research Vehicle (HARV) project, were modified and installed on #853.
NASA photo, October 2001.
New paint-job, October 2001.
NASA photo by Tony Landis, 24OCT2001.
NASA Photo by Tom Tschida, 21MAR2002.
Before the official public unveiling, Centennial of Flight Commission decals were place on both sides of AAW 853, below the aft portion of the cockpit. NASA says the AAW program was influenced by the fact that the Wright Brothers twisted the wings of their Wright Flyer to get it to turn.
NASA Photo by Tom Tschida, 21MAR2002.
NASA photo by Tony Landis, 27MAR2002.
In March 2002, NASA officially unveiled the modified AAW F/A-18A.
NASA Photo by Tom Tschida, 21MAR2002.
NASA photo, August 2002.
More wing torsion/vibration testing, August 2002.
NASA photo, August 2002.
NASA Photo by Tom Tschida, 22AUG2002.
15NOV2002, NASA photo by Tony Landis.
First flight of AAW F/A-18A #853 was 15NOV2002.
NASA photo by Carla Thomas, 15NOV2002.
During early flights it was determined that some of the original F/A-18 wings panels were too flexible at high speeds to create the desired roll rate. The leading edge flap was divided into individually controlled sections, which seemed to solve the problem.
07FEB2003, NASA photo by Jim Ross.
February 2003.
07FEB2003, NASA photo by Jim Ross.
25JUN2003, NASA photo by Jim Ross.
Chased by another NASA F/A-18A, June 2003.
Official NASA video, 2003:
NASA photo, December 2004.
Flying over the U.S. Borax mine, near the Rogers Dry Lake, December 2004.
15DEC2004, NASA photo by Carla Thomas.
Official NASA video:
Official NASA video, March 2005:
The AAW program was officially completed in 2005. The total cost of the AAW testing is estimated at $45-million.
NASA photo by Tony Landis, 18JUN2009.
In June 2009, the AAW #853 got a new lease on life, replacing an older NF-15B Integrated Resilient Aircraft Controls (IRAC) test aircraft, becoming the IRAC F/A-18A.
06APR2010, NASA photo by Tony Landis.
By April 2010, the tail flash/stripe was changed from reading AAW, to FAST (Full-scale Advanced Systems Testbed).
Official NASA video, 853 first flight as IRAC, April 2010:
06APR2010, NASA photo by Tony Landis.
06APR2010, NASA photo by Tony Landis.
One of the side benefits of aircraft testing is the creation of new computer systems which can be applied to other aircraft, military and civilian.
