SOFIC 2021: SOCOM plans four demo flights for each Armed Overwatch candidate
19 May 2021
by Pat Host
US Special Operations Command (SOCOM) will have candidate platforms for its Armed Overwatch manned aircraft competition, where each fly four demonstration flights between 14 June and 23 July at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.
During the annual Special Operations Forces Industry Conference (SOFIC) on 17 May, James Smith, SOCOM acquisition executive, said that the command will evaluate if the contenders can meet the runway requirements for austere take-off and landing. SOCOM will also judge offerors on whether their aircraft have the required range and endurance. Inert weapons will be deployed on a range.
Update: US Air Force performs proof-of-concept that could increase JASSM capacity on F-15E
17 May 2021
by Pat Host
The US Air Force (USAF) on 11 May completed the Project Strike Rodeo (PSR) munitions proof-of-concept that validated loading five Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missiles (JASSMs) on a Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, according to a service statement.
This lays the foundation for follow-on flight testing that would more than double the F-15E’s JASSM-carrying capacity. The maximum number of JASSMs that any fighter can carry is two.
An F-15E is loaded with five JASSMs at the Eglin Air Force Base in Florida on 11 May 2021 as part of Project Strike Rodeo. The JASSMs are the two weapons from the left. The most JASSMs that any USAF fighter can carry is two. (US Air Force)
Pentagon pursuing V-22 software changes to better present existing information to pilots
14 May 2021
by Pat Host
The Pentagon is working on a pair of software changes to its fleet of Bell-Boeing V-22 Osprey tiltrotors that will have the aircraft better display existing information to pilots.
Colonel Brian Taylor, V-22 joint programme office (PMA-275) programme manager, said that one of these efforts is the cockpit engine health indicator (CEHI). Col Taylor said that V-22 engine performance declines over time due to ingesting sand and debris from degraded environments.
An MV-22B with the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit, Iwo Jima Amphibious Ready Group, lands on HMS
US Air Force performs proof-of-concept that could increase JASSM capacity on F-15E
by Pat Host
The US Air Force (USAF) on 11 May completed the Project Strike Rodeo (PSR) munitions proof-of-concept that validated loading five Lockheed Martin AGM-158 Joint Air-to-Surface Stand-off Missiles (JASSMs) on a Boeing F-15E Strike Eagle, according to a service statement.
This lays the foundation for follow-on flight testing that would more than double the F-15E’s JASSM-carrying capacity. The maximum number of JASSMs that any fighter can carry is two.
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USAF plans to reduce fighter aircraft fleet to about four platform types
13 May 2021
by Pat Host
The US Air Force (USAF) plans to reduce its fighter fleet from seven platform types to about four, or “4+1”, according to its chief of staff.
General Charles Brown said on 12 May that these platforms will include the Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II close air support (CAS) aircraft as that platform will be around for some time because of a re-winging programme. The fighter mix, he said, will also include the new Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) platform, the Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF), the Boeing F-15EX Eagle II, and the Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon.