General Discussion

With Russia's $650 billion rearmament plan, the bear sharpens its teeth The graying bear is getting a make-over. Russia's military is launching its biggest rearmament effort since Soviet times, including a $650 billion program to procure 1,000 new helicopters, 600 combat planes, 100 warships, and 8 nuclear-powered ballistic missile submarines...

FAA OKs iPad for Pilots’ Charts

The VML came out recently and a few people didn't get assignments and were told to standby for more words. The story from the rumor mill is that AETC is doing some restructuring and that anyone with a AETC assignment is being told to wait for their assignment. Anyone else seeing this at their base or have any SA on the situation? Crate

Quick question. Its been a couple years since I've been at Bagram and I'm heading back soon. I was wondering if anyone there now has any idea what the internet situation is? Last time, you had to hand over your computer to some sketchy dude that messed with it for a few minutes and then you had to connect to a crappy wired system that sucked anyways. I'm asking because I would like to use an iPad or iPod touch and do the Facetime thing with my kids. Is there WiFi now and how is the connections for doing what I mentioned or skype, etc.? I tried finding older threads in the search and I couldn't find anything. If opsec stuff is an issue, then just send me a message. …

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/world-middle-east-12588947?SThisFB

Fantastic, Boeing wins one for the home team.

Well the impression that I got from searching threads about the RC-135 and C-21 (no luck with finding other airframes in the search) is that most pilots would rather get something else in their UPT drop. I think the electronic surveillance, recon, and VIP transport missions are interesting, but from what I gathered on this forum is that, if you're interested, in UPT you can hope to get a C-21 but that is it. How would one be assigned to one of the other airframes, like the Gulfstream? I'm sure these squadrons have a demand for a new pilots as their older ones retire. Thanks

https://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704409004576146001069880040.html "In November 2010, each branch of the military issued a final report on the Fort Hood shooting. Not one mentioned the perpetrator's ties to radical Islam." Even after this rampage, the military still refuses to identify the true enemy we are fighting that is the ideologies of radical Islam. Another example of the type of officers in leadership in today's military, risk adverse, politically correct, and lacking spine. Thoughts?

An article in the Wall Street Journal this AM stating Sec gates is in favor of increasing Tricare premiums for retirees. I am sure the retired groups will be up in arms, but it seems to make sense to me. Enrollment fees have not changed since the program was founded in 1996 and the cost for a family would increase from $460 to $520 per year, that sounds more than fair and reasonable to me. Another change is to encourage the use of the mail-order pharmacy, no co-pay for using the service, certainly a reasonable option for non-time critical medicines. The co-pay would increase $3 if you still want to use a local pharmacy. With all the other cuts backs and issues faci…

Reports from England today (Feb 14): A quarter of the RAF's trainee pilots are to be sacked in the latest stage of the Government's defence cuts, reports claim. Up to 100 student pilots will be told the news tomorrow that they have no future in the service as part of the latest ramifications of the defence spending review. They are said to include some who are just a few flying hours hours away from earning their wings as fully qualified pilots. Job cuts: One-in-four new RAF pilots are to be sacked as part of new defence cuts, it has been claimed According to the Daily Telegraph up to 20 fast jet pilots, 30 helicopter pilots and 50 transport aircraft pilots are to …

Have not seen the story yet, but hearing AF Times is outing a guy named Anthony LaTorre who has falsely been claiming to be a USAF Combat Controller. Pictured below at a recognition ceremony in Florida.

Trying to find the call sign of LtCol. Robert L. Wright (ret) who was the Operations Officer for the F-15 test squadron at Edwards in the late 80's, early 90's. He also flew F-4's before going to TPS. Any help anyone can give would garner you many internet beers! Edit: More information

The British are way worse. OUCH!

20 years ago today, on 31 Jan 1991, SPIRIT 03, an AC-130H from the 16th SOS was shot down by a MANPAD while providing close air support for Marines during the Battle of Khafji. All 14 crewmembers died. It was the single largest loss of Air Force personnel during the Gulf War. Please take a moment to remember their sacrifice... Major Paul J. Weaver - Pilot Captain Clifford Bland, Jr. - Co-Pilot Captain Dixon L. Walters - Electronic Warfare Officer Captain Arthur Galvan - Fire Control Officer Captain William D. Grimm - Navigator Senior Master Sergeant Paul G. Buege - Sensor Operator Senior Master Sergeant James B. May II, Gunner Technical Sergeant Robert K. Hod…

By BGEN Greg Stroud (Ret) Some of you know that I was recently "retired" as the 162 Fighter Wing Commander. The decision was made by Brig Gen Mike Colangelo, the Arizona Air Commander, who replaced me because he "just wants to change the culture at the 162nd". Not for cause or performance or any other reason. This officer never commanded anything bigger than an Air Control Squadron and somehow he wound up in charge. Heck, the guy probably got beat up in grade school everyday. I think it is indicative of what is happening in our Air Force and reinforces what Bruce MacLennan and the anonymous author have to say below. Well, I also have something to say about our changing…

One of numerous stories on the ongoing protests in Egypt. Figured it's an appropriate topic since Egypt is both a big U.S. ally in the region & also unfortunately has quite an iron-fisted regeime. For all the talk of us supporting freedom we need stability too and those competing interests have put us in a tough spot. Thoughts on implications for U.S. interests?

If you know anyone who flew the T-38 and their GRANDFATHER flew the T-38, please drop me a msg. I'm looking for 2 or 3 generations of pilots in the aircraft. Sluf

Isn't this why we went to the ABUs in the first place? https://www.af.mil/news/story.asp?id=123240205 1/27/2011 - WASHINGTON (AFNS) -- Airmen deploying to Afghanistan in 2011 will see a new uniform issued to them as part of their deployment gear beginning in March. While Airmen have been faced with a slew of uniform changes in recent years, this new uniform is not a matter of image or heritage but instead has resulted from a joint initiative that ensures all outside-the-wire deployers in Afghanistan, regardless of branch of service, have the best ground combat uniform in order to enhance combat effectiveness. According to Lt. Col. Shawna McGowan, the Air Forc…

Oh no! The old baseops.net access to the Airfield Suitability Reports has been yanked (I know they'e been warning us for a while but I was hoping it wouldn't happen). Now we have to get GDSS2 accounts to get to the Giant reports. As a red-headed step child C130 rescue unit in ACC, we rely heavily on the Giant reports for CONUS planning. Any of you AMC bubbas feel like helping a sister out with the odds of/procedures for requesting a GDSS2 account? I'd appreciate it a ton.

Unmanned aircraft program takes on first class Hopefully they can increase the volume in the 18X pipeline enough to reduce demand and cut the non-vol 11X pulls.

I am currently in AFROTC commissioning in May and heading to UPT at some point after that. (Hoping for quick EADs) I have been trying to get into the right mindset for UPT. I, like many guys going to UPT have been wanting to fly fighters for the AF for as long as I can remember. So my question is this: What is the best way to approach the competitive aspect of UPT? I am going there determined to achieve my goals, and will give 110% to get there but I don't want to be that guy who steps on the other studs to get what I want. I have heard that it is an intense competition and it's dog eat dog, but also that you need to help each other out and pass on all the valuable i…

Air Force’s ‘All-Seeing Eye’ Flops Vision Test It’s the one of the most revolutionary — and one of the most chilling — weapons to come out of America’s decade of conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Gorgon Stare, a new “all-seeing” camera system for aerial drones, is supposed to boost U.S. surveillance by an order of magnitude, by installing a hive of nine or more cameras under the wing of an Air Force Reaper drone. Gorgon Stare-equipped Reapers are meant to watch over a “city-size” area, while also simultaneously sending video feeds to dozens of “customers” on the ground. There’s just one problem. Gorgon Stare doesn’t work as promised, at least according to the A…

Does anyone have a briefing guide for a C-130 formation brief that would be used/given by the MC. I am not talking about an AC brief or table top brief or anything like that. I am talking about the actual Formation brief given by the MC. I looked in the 3-3 and vol. 3 etc. and got nothing. I also checked the gouge section on this site to no avail. Anybody got a legit guide, gouge, know where to get one? Thanks -Barney E/H Model

Came across this link of some pictures and transcript of yesterdays launch at Vandenburg. Looking at the pictures I am wondering the pucker factor of the launch controller who had his finger on a self destruct button. Looking at the pics on the link you can see a fire at a seam on one of the external boosters and later you see a fire just above one of the engines. Hopefully there are some guys with knowledge with these monsters on this forum. https://www.spaceflightnow.com/delta/d352/status.html