DefenceTalkKC-46 Pegasus aircraft are now expected to arrive at their first basing locations by late summer or early fall 2017. The KC-46 was most recently scheduled for a spring 2017 arrival at Altus Air Force Base, Oklahoma, the first formal training unit location; and McConnell AFB, Kansas, the first active duty-led Pegasus main operating base. […]https://www.defencetalk.com/boeing-and-u-s-air-force-adjust-kc-46-tanker-schedule-67540/

DefenceTalkA B-52 bomber was left a fiery wreck after crashing at a US airbase on the Pacific island of Guam Thursday but all seven crew escaped unharmed, officials said. The giant B-52H Stratofortress went down at Andersen Air Force Base at 8:30 am (2230 GMT Wednesday) with photos showing flames and thick black smoke billowing […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-b-52-bomber-crashes-on-guam-crew-safe-67514/

DefenceTalkAs the Air Force gets ready for the arrival of its newest aerial refueling and strategic military transport aircraft, a diverse group of Airmen is working hard to make sure the KC-46A Pegasus is ready to meet the service’s needs. Lt. Col. John Mikal is one of them. Mikal, a reservist KC-135 Stratotanker instructor pilot […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-putting-the-kc-46a-pegasus-through-its-paces-67185/

DefenceTalkThe F-35A Lightning II program took another step toward initial operational capability yesterday when two aircraft assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron successfully employed four laser-guided bombs on the Barry M. Goldwater Range. This marked the first weapons release by F-35s assigned to the 56th Fighter Wing at Luke Air Force Base. “Yesterday we were […]https://www.defencetalk.com/f-35as-drop-first-laser-guided-bombs-67091/

DefenceTalkThe Boeing test team successfully completed the first flight of the program’s second KC-46A tanker aircraft yesterday, taking off from Paine Field and landing later at Boeing Field in Seattle. During the flight, Boeing test pilots performed operational checks on engines, flight controls and environmental systems. “Adding a second tanker to the flight test program […]https://www.defencetalk.com/second-boeing-u-s-air-force-kc-46a-tanker-completes-first-flight-66940/

DefenceTalkLos Angeles: An F-16 fighter jet crashed Thursday in the southwestern state of Arizona, the US Air Force said, adding a search and rescue mission for the pilot was ongoing. “The cause of the crash is unknown at this time,” the Air Force said in a statement, adding the incident had occurred at 8:45 am […]https://www.defencetalk.com/us-f-16-jet-crashes-in-arizona-status-of-pilot-unknown-66505/

DefenceTalkTINKER AIR FORCE BASE: KC-135R Stratotankers operated by the 507th Air Refueling Wing are scheduled to be the first Air Force Reserve Command tankers to be retrofitted with the new KC-135 Block 45 upgrade at the Oklahoma City Air Logistics Complex here in February 2016. The latest KC-135 upgrade, called Block 45, will completely remodel […]https://www.defencetalk.com/reserve-kc-135s-to-begin-upgrades-in-february-66205/

DefenceTalkTYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE: Checkered Flag 16-1, a large-force exercise which gives a large number of legacy and fifth-generation aircraft the chance to practice combat training together, started here Dec. 10. The week-and-a-half long exercise focuses on the involvement of the F-22 Raptor, F-35A Lightning II’s and legacy aircraft training in a large-force exercise to […]https://www.defencetalk.com/legacy-5th-generation-aircraft-unite-at-checkered-flag-66085/

DefenceTalkTINKER AIR FORCE BASE: The long-awaited, highly anticipated deployment of the E-3 Sentry (AWACS) Block 40/45 is finally over, with the deployment of the first upgraded weapon system to a combat theater of operations. The first E-3G arrived in Southwest Asia Nov. 18, marking the deployment of the most comprehensive modification to the weapon system […]https://www.defencetalk.com/upgraded-e-3-sentry-deploys-to-combat-theater-65889/

DefenceTalkKECSKEMET AIR BASE, Hungary: Four F-15 Eagle fighter aircraft and support personnel, assigned to the 123rd Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, completed a forward deployment to Kecskemet, Hungary, from Campia Turzii, Romania, Sept. 15. The 123rd EFS is part of the 142nd Fighter Wing located in Portland, Oregon, and is deployed as part of the European theater […]https://www.defencetalk.com/usaf-f-15s-complete-hungarian-deployment-65450/