As we get closer to Air Expo 2012, we'll update the information on our exciting list of static displays. Below is the information on our static displays for Air Expo 2010.

 

A-10 Thunderbolt II

The A-10 Thunderbolt II has excellent maneuverability at low air speeds and altitude, and is an highly accurate weapons-delivery platform. The aircraft can loiter near battle areas for extended periods of time and operate under 1,000-foot ceilings (303.3 meters) with 1.5-mile (2.4 kilometers) visibility. The wide combat radius and short takeoff and landing capability permit operations in and out of locations near front lines. Using night vision goggles, A-10 pilots can conduct their missions during darkness.

The Thunderbolt IIs have Night Vision Imaging Systems, or NVIS, goggle compatible single-seat cockpits forward of their wings and a large bubble canopy which provides pilots all-around vision. The pilots are protected by titanium armor that also protects parts of the flight-control system. The redundant primary structural sections allow the aircraft to enjoy better survivability during close air support than did previous aircraft.

The aircraft can survive direct hits from armor-piercing and high explosive projectiles up to 23mm. Their self-sealing fuel cells are protected by internal and external foam. Manual systems back up their redundant hydraulic flight-control systems. This permits pilots to fly and land when hydraulic power is lost.

KC-135 Stratotanker

The KC-135 Stratotanker provides the core aerial refueling capability for the United States Air Force and has excelled in this role for more than 50 years. This unique asset enhances the Air Force's capability to accomplish its primary missions of Global Reach and Global Power. It also provides aerial refueling support to Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps and allied nation aircraft. The KC-135 is also capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.

 

KC-10 Extender

The KC-10 Extender is an Air Mobility Command advanced tanker and cargo aircraft designed to provide increased global mobility for U.S. armed forces. Although the KC-l0's primary mission is aerial refueling, it can combine the tasks of a tanker and cargo aircraft by refueling fighters and simultaneously carry the fighter support personnel and equipment on overseas deployments. The KC-10 is also capable of transporting litter and ambulatory patients using patient support pallets during aeromedical evacuations.
In addition to the three main DC-10 wing fuel tanks, the KC-10 has three large fuel tanks under the cargo floor, one under the forward lower cargo compartment, one in the center wing area and one under the rear compartment. Combined, the capacity of the six tanks carry more than 356,000 pounds (160,200 kilograms) of fuel - almost twice as much as the KC-135 Stratotanker.
Using either an advanced aerial refueling boom, or a hose and drogue centerline refueling system, the KC-10 can refuel a wide variety of U.S. and allied military aircraft within the same mission. The aircraft is equipped with lighting for night operations.
The KC-10's boom operator controls refueling operations through a digital, fly-by wire system. Sitting in the rear of the aircraft, the operator can see the receiver aircraft through a wide window. During boom refueling operations, fuel is transferred to the receiver at a maximum rate of 1,100 gallons (4,180 liters) per minute; the hose and drogue refueling maximum rate is 470 gallons (1,786 liters) per minute. The Automatic Load Alleviation System and Independent Disconnect System greatly enhances safety and facilitates air refueling. The KC-10 can be air-refueled by a KC-135 or another KC-10A to increase its delivery range.

 

HC-130P King

The HC-130P/N is an extended-range version of the C-130 Hercules transport. Its mission is to rapidly deploy to execute combatant commander directed operations to austere airfields and denied territory for expeditionary, all weather personnel recovery operations to include airdrop, airland, helicopter air-to-air refueling and forward area refueling point missions.
When tasked,  the aircraft also conducts humanitarian assistance operations, disaster response, security cooperation/aviation advisory, emergency aeromedical evacuation, noncombatant evacuation operations, and space flight support for NASA.
Modifications to the HC-130P/N have improved navigation, threat detection and countermeasures systems. The aircraft fleet has a fully-integrated inertial navigation and global positioning systems, and night vision goggle, or NVG, compatible interior and exterior lighting. It also has forward-looking infrared, radar and missile warning receivers, chaff and flare dispensers, satellite and data-burst communications.
The HC-130 can fly in the day; however, crews normally fly night at low to medium altitude levels in contested or sensitive environments, both over land or overwater. Crews use NVGs for tactical flight profiles to avoid detection to accomplish covert infiltration/exfiltration and transload operations. To enhance the probability of mission success and survivability near populated areas, crews employ tactics that include incorporating no external lighting or communications, and avoiding radar and weapons detection. 
Drop zone objectives are done via personnel drops and equipment drops. Rescue bundles include illumination flares, marker smokes and rescue kits. Helicopter air-to-air refueling can be conducted at night, with blacked out communication with up to two simultaneous helicopters. Additionally, forward area refueling point operations can be executed to support a variety of joint and coalition partners.
 

C-5 Galaxy

The C-5 is one of the largest aircraft in the world and the largest airlifter in the Air Force inventory. The C-5 can carry more than any other airlifter. It has the ability to carry 36 standard pallets and up to 81 troops simultaneously. The Galaxy also carries all of the Army's air-transportable combat equipment, including such bulky items as its 74-ton mobile scissors bridge from the United States to any theater of combat on the globe. It can also carry outsize and oversize cargo intercontinental ranges and can take off or land in relatively short distances.
The gigantic C-5 Galaxy, with its tremendous payload capability, provides the Air Mobility Command airlift in support of United States national defense. The C-5 can carry fully equipped combat-ready military units to any point in the world on short notice and then provide field support required to help sustain the fighting force.
The C-5 has the distinctive high T-tail, 25-degree wing sweep, and four TF39 turbofan engines mounted on pylons beneath the wings. These engines are rated at 43,000 pounds of thrust each, and weigh 7,900 pounds (3,555 kilograms) each.  They have an air intake diameter of more than 8.5 feet (2.6 meters). Each engine pod is nearly 27 feet long (8.2 meters).
The Galaxy has 12 internal wing tanks with a total capacity of 51,150 gallons (194,370 liters) of fuel -- enough to fill 6 1/2 regular size railroad tank cars. A full fuel load weighs 332,500 pounds (150,820 kilograms). A C-5 with a cargo load of 270,000 pounds (122,472 kilograms) can fly 2,150 nautical miles, offload, and fly to a second base 500 nautical miles away from the original destination -- all without aerial refueling. With aerial refueling, the aircraft's range is limited only by crew endurance.

 

E-3 AWACS Sentry

The E-3 Sentry is a modified Boeing 707/320 commercial airframe with a rotating radar dome. The dome is 30 feet (9.1 meters) in diameter, six feet (1.8 meters) thick, and is held 11 feet (3.33 meters) above the fuselage by two struts. It contains a radar subsystem that permits surveillance from the Earth's surface up into the stratosphere, over land or water. The radar has a range of more than 250 miles (375.5 kilometers). The radar combined with an identification friend or foe, or IFF, subsystem can look down to detect, identify and track enemy and friendly low-flying aircraft by eliminating ground clutter returns that confuse other radar systems. 
Major subsystems in the E-3 are avionics, navigation, communications, sensors (radar and passive detection) and identification tools (IFF/SIF). The mission suite includes consoles that display computer-processed data in graphic and tabular format on video screens. Mission crew members perform surveillance, identification, weapons control, battle management and communications functions.
The radar and computer subsystems on the E-3 Sentry can gather and present broad and detailed battlefield information.  This includes position and tracking information on enemy aircraft and ships, and location and status of friendly aircraft and naval vessels. The information can be sent to major command and control centers in rear areas or aboard ships. In time of crisis, this data can also be forwarded to the president and secretary of defense. 
In support of air-to-ground operations, the Sentry can provide direct information needed for interdiction, reconnaissance, airlift and close-air support for friendly ground forces. It can also provide information for commanders of air operations to gain and maintain control of the air battle.
As an air defense system, E-3s can detect, identify and track airborne enemy forces far from the boundaries of the United States or NATO countries. It can direct fighter-interceptor aircraft to these enemy targets. Experience has proven that the E-3 Sentry can respond quickly and effectively to a crisis and support worldwide military deployment operations. 
The E-3 Sentry is an airborne warning and control system, or AWACS, aircraft  with an integrated command and control battle management, or C2BM,  surveillance, target detection, and tracking platform.  The aircraft provides an accurate, real-time picture of the battlespace to the Joint Air Operations Center. AWACS provides situational awareness of friendly, neutral and hostile activity, command and control of an area of responsibility, battle management of theater forces, all-altitude and all-weather surveillance of the battle space, and early warning of enemy actions during joint, allied, and coalition operations.

 

RC-135V/W Rivet Joint

The RC-135V/W Rivet Joint reconnaissance aircraft supports theater and national level consumers with near real time on-scene intelligence collection, analysis and dissemination capabilities.
The aircraft is an extensively modified C-135. The Rivet Joint's modifications are primarily related to its on-board sensor suite, which allows the mission crew to detect, identify and geolocate signals throughout the electromagnetic spectrum. The mission crew can then forward gathered information in a variety of formats to a wide range of consumers via Rivet Joint's extensive communications suite. The interior seats more than 30 people, including the cockpit crew, electronic warfare officers, intelligence operators and in-flight maintenance technicians.
The Rivet Joint fleet was re-engined with CFM-56 engines with an upgraded flight deck instrumentation and navigational systems to FAA/ICAO standards. These standards include conversion from analog readouts to a digital "glass cockpit" configuration.
All Rivet Joint airframe and mission systems modifications are overseen by L-3 Communications (previously Raytheon), under the oversight of  Air Force Materiel Command.
The current RC-135 fleet is the latest iteration of modifications to this pool of -135 aircraft going back to 1962. Initially employed by Strategic Air Command to satisfy nationally tasked intelligence collection requirements, the RC-135 fleet has also participated in every sizable armed conflict involving U.S. assets during its tenure. 
RC-135s were present supporting operations in Vietnam, the Mediterranean for Operation El Dorado Canyon, Grenada for Operation Urgent Fury, Panama for Operation Just Cause, and Southwest Asia for operations Desert Shield, Desert Storm, Enduring Freedom and Iraqi Freedom. RC-135s have maintained a constant presence in Southwest Asia since the early 1990s. All RC-135s are assigned to Air Combat Command. The RC-135 is permanently based at Offutt Air Force Base, Neb., and operated by the 55th Wing, using various forward deployment locations worldwide.

Primary Function: Reconnaissance
Contractor: L-3 Communications
Power Plant: Four CFM International F108-CF-201 high bypass turbofan engines
Thrust: 21,600 pounds each engine 
Wingspan: 131 feet (39.9 meters)
Length: 135 feet (41.1 meters)
Height: 42 feet (12.8 meters)
Weight: 173,000 pounds (78,743 kilograms)
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 297,000 pounds (133,633 kilograms) 
Fuel Capacity: 130,000 pounds (58,967 kilograms)
Speed: 500+ miles per hour (Mach.66) 
Range: 3,900 miles (6,500 kilometers) 
Ceiling:  50,000 feet (15,240 meters)

T-1A Jayhawk

The T-1A Jayhawk is a medium-range, twin-engine jet trainer used in the advanced phase of specialized undergraduate pilot training for students selected to fly airlift or tanker aircraft. It is also used to support navigator training for the U.S. Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and international services.
The swept-wing T-1A is a military version of the Beech 400A. It has cockpit seating for an instructor and two students and is powered by twin turbofan engines capable of an operating speed of Mach .78. The T-1A differs from its commercial counterpart with structural enhancements that provide for increased bird strike resistance and an additional fuselage fuel tank.

 

T-6A Texan II

The T-6A Texan II is a single-engine, two-seat primary trainer designed to train Joint Primary Pilot Training, or JPPT, students in basic flying skills common to U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots. Produced by Raytheon Aircraft, the T-6A Texan II is a military trainer version of Raytheon's Beech/Pilatus PC-9 Mk II.

Stepped-tandem seating in the single cockpit places one crewmember in front of the other, with the student and instructor positions being interchangeable. A pilot may also fly the aircraft alone from the front seat. Pilots enter the T-6A cockpit through a side-opening, one-piece canopy that has demonstrated resistance to bird strikes at speeds up to 270 knots.

The T-6A has a Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-68 turbo-prop engine that delivers 1,100 horsepower. Because of its excellent thrust-to-weight ratio, the aircraft can perform an initial climb of 3,100 feet (944.8 meters) per minute and can reach 18,000 feet (5,486.4 meters) in less than six minutes.

The aircraft is fully aerobatic and features a pressurized cockpit with an anti-G system, ejection seat and an advanced avionics package with sunlight-readable liquid crystal displays.

 

T-38 Talon

The T-38 Talon is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles because of its design, economy of operations, ease of maintenance, high performance and exceptional safety record. Air Education and Training Command is the primary user of the T-38 for joint specialized undergraduate pilot training. Air Combat Command, Air Force Materiel Command and the National Aeronautics and Space Administration also use the T-38A in various roles.

The T-38 has swept wings, a streamlined fuselage and tricycle landing gear with a steerable nose wheel. Two independent hydraulic systems power the ailerons, rudder and other flight control surfaces. Critical aircraft components are waist high and can be easily reached by maintenance crews.

The T-38C incorporates a "glass cockpit" with integrated avionics displays, head-up display and an electronic "no drop bomb" scoring system. The AT-38B has a gun sight and practice bomb dispenser. The T-38 needs as little as 2,300 feet (695.2 meters) of runway to take off and can climb from sea level to nearly 30,000 feet (9,068 meters) in one minute. T-38s modified by the propulsion modernization program have approximately 19 percent more thrust, reducing takeoff distance by 9 percent.

The instructor and student sit in tandem on rocket-powered ejection seats in a pressurized, air-conditioned cockpit.

C-21

The C-21 is a twin turbofan engine aircraft used for cargo and passenger airlift. The aircraft is the military version of the Lear Jet 35A business jet. In addition to providing cargo and passenger airlift, the aircraft is capable of transporting one litter or five ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations.

The turbofan engines are pod-mounted on the sides of the rear fuselage. The swept-back wings have hydraulically actuated, single-slotted flaps. The aircraft has a retractable tricycle landing gear, single steerable nose gear and multiple-disc hydraulic brakes.

The C-21 can carry eight passengers and 42 cubic feet (1.26 cubic meters) of cargo. The fuel capacity of the C-21 is 931 gallons (3,537.8 liters) with refueling accomplished at ground level through each wingtip tank. The safety and operational capabilities of the C-21 are increased by the autopilot, color weather radar and tactical air navigation system, as well as high frequency, very high frequency and ultra high frequency radios.

C-17 Globemaster III

The C-17 Globemaster III is the newest, most flexible cargo aircraft to enter the airlift force. The C-17 is capable of rapid strategic delivery of troops and all types of cargo to main operating bases or directly to forward bases in the deployment area. The aircraft can perform tactical airlift and airdrop missions and can also transport litters and ambulatory patients during aeromedical evacuations when required. The inherent flexibility and performance of the C-17 force improve the ability of the total airlift system to fulfill the worldwide air mobility requirements of the United States.

The ultimate measure of airlift effectiveness is the ability to rapidly project and sustain an effective combat force close to a potential battle area. Threats to U.S. interests have changed in recent years, and the size and weight of U.S.-mechanized firepower and equipment have grown in response to improved capabilities of potential adversaries. This trend has significantly increased air mobility requirements, particularly in the area of large or heavy outsize cargo. As a result, newer and more flexible airlift aircraft are needed to meet potential armed contingencies, peacekeeping or humanitarian missions worldwide. The C-17 is capable of meeting today's demanding airlift missions.

Reliability and maintainability are two outstanding benefits of the C-17 system. Current operational requirements impose demanding reliability and maintainability. These requirements include an aircraft mission completion success probability rate of 92 percent, only 20 aircraft maintenance man-hours per flying hour, and full and partial mission availability rates of 74.7 and 82.5 percent, respectively. The Boeing warranty assures these figures will be met.

The C-17 measures 174 feet long (53 meters) with a wingspan of 169 feet, 10 inches (51.75 meters). The aircraft is powered by four, fully reversible, Federal Aviation Administration-certified F117-PW-100 engines (the military designation for the commercial Pratt & Whitney PW2040), currently used on the Boeing 757. Each engine is rated at 40,440 pounds of thrust. The thrust reversers direct the flow of air upward and forward to avoid ingestion of dust and debris. Maximum use has been made of off-the-shelf and commercial equipment, including Air Force-standardized avionics.

The aircraft is operated by a crew of three (pilot, copilot and loadmaster), reducing manpower requirements, risk exposure and long-term operating costs. Cargo is loaded onto the C-17 through a large aft door that accommodates military vehicles and palletized cargo. The C-17 can carry virtually all of the Army's air-transportable equipment.

Maximum payload capacity of the C-17 is 170,900 pounds (77,519 kilograms), and its maximum gross takeoff weight is 585,000 pounds (265,352 kilograms). With a payload of 169,000 pounds (76,657 kilograms) and an initial cruise altitude of 28,000 feet (8,534 meters),  the C-17 has an unrefueled range of approximately 2,400 nautical miles. Its cruise speed is approximately 450 knots (.76 Mach). The C-17 is designed to airdrop 102 paratroopers and equipment.

The design of the aircraft allows it to operate through small, austere airfields. The C-17 can take off and land on runways as short as 3,500 feet (1,064 meters) and only 90 feet wide (27.4 meters). Even on such narrow runways, the C-17 can turn around using a three-point star turn and its backing capability.

Stampe

Jean Stampe flew with the Belgian Flying Corps during the First World War, and during this time he met Maurice Vertongen. Together they set up the Stampe and Vertongen Company at Antwerp-Deurne in 1923, becoming one of the largest flying schools in Belgium and possessing maintenance and ferrying contracts for the Belgian Air Force.
Georges Ivanoff was a designer working for Stampe and Vertongen, and at the request of Jean Stampe, designed a trainer biplane which enabled better access to the front seat, with the top centre section moved forward. This idea followed the designs of Geoffrey De Havilland's DH82, which had swept back wings to compensate for the forward centre of gravity position. The first of Ivanoff's design had only the top wings swept back, and, powered by a Gipsy Major 2 engine, was designated the SV4, and registered OO-ANI.
The SV4 first flew on 17th May 1933, with Jean Stampe at the controls. The company manufactured six SV4 trainers for use in its flying school. Production ceased in 1935 after the death of his son Leon Stampe, but two more SV4s were manufactured in 1937 having been redesigned by Demidoff with two extra ailerons, and with a changed tail section.
Two more SV4s, OO-ATC and OO-ATD, were built in 1939 to enter a competition to find a new trainer for the Belgian Air Force. This time Demidoff once more redesigned the tailplane and swept both wings back. OO-ATD won the competition and was sold to Baron Thierry d'Huart.
On 4th July 1941 this aircraft was flown to England from the grounds of Chateau Ter-Block when occupied by German Forces, by two Belgian Air Force pilots, Michael Donnet and Leon Divoy. An account of this adventure can be found in Donnet's book "Flight to Freedom", published by Ian Allen. (see "Stampe Books" on the left side scroll bar)
  In1939 the Belgian Government ordered 300 SV4s, and production was set up in Antwerp and at the Farman Company in France under license. The Antwerp factory had completed production of the first batch of 30 just three days after the Germans invaded Belgium on 10th May 1940. France had also ordered 600 machines, 10 of which were also completed at the Antwerp factory, with the Renault 4PEI engine. The only SV4 which survived World War 2 was OO-ATD.
Postwar, Belgium and France were in need of trainers to recreate their Air Forces, and the SV4 was a logical choice considering the lack of available alloys. The state run SNCAN manufactured 701 SV4s, nearly all having the Renault 4P engine, between 1945 and 1949.
In 1947, a contract for a further 150 aircraft was given to the Algerian Atelier Industriel de L'air, and were serial numbered 1001 to 1150. These aircraft are said to be of superior quality having been made from better alloys and high grade spruce and ash, as opposed to SNCAN where Jean Stampe was known to be unhappy with production quality.
In 1947 Jean Stampe met up again with Alfred Renard who had been with the company until 1930. Together they set up the Stampe and Renard Company in Antwerp and produced 65 SV4b aircraft with the Gipsy Major 10 engine, for the Belgian Air Force.
France created the Societe de la Formation Aeronautique with 500 Stampes spread amongst aero clubs and National Flying Centres. The SV4 was the mainstay of aerobatic competitions until the 1960s, when the performance of Pitts Specials and other aircraft left the Stampe SV4 behind.

MQ1 Predator

The MQ-1 Predator is a medium-altitude, long-endurance, unmanned aircraft system  The MQ-1's primary mission is interdiction and conducting armed reconnaissance against critical, perishable targets. When the MQ-1 is not actively pursuing its primary mission, it acts as the Joint Forces Air Component Commander-owned theater asset for reconnaissance, surveillance and target acquisition in support of the Joint Forces commander.
The "M" is the Department of Defense designation for multi-role and "Q" means unmanned aircraft system. The "1" refers to the aircraft being the first of a series of purpose-built remotely piloted aircraft systems.

C-130E

The C-130 Hercules primarily performs the tactical portion of the airlift mission. The aircraft is capable of operating from rough, dirt strips and is the prime transport for air dropping troops and equipment into hostile areas. The C-130 operates throughout the U.S. Air Force, serving with Air Mobility Command, Air Force Special Operations Command, Air Combat Command, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, Pacific Air Forces, Air National Guard and the Air Force Reserve Command, fulfilling a wide range of operational missions in both peace and war situations. Basic and specialized versions of the aircraft airframe perform a diverse number of roles, including airlift support, Antarctic ice resupply, aeromedical missions, weather reconnaissance, aerial spray missions, firefighting duties for the U.S. Forest Service and natural disaster relief missions.

F-15E Eagle

The F-15 Eagle is an all-weather, extremely maneuverable, tactical fighter designed to permit the Air Force to gain and maintain air supremacy over the battlefield. The Eagle's air superiority is achieved through a mixture of unprecedented maneuverability and acceleration, range, weapons and avionics. It can penetrate enemy defense and outperform and outfight any current enemy aircraft. The F-15 has electronic systems and weaponry to detect, acquire, track and attack enemy aircraft while operating in friendly or enemy-controlled airspace.
The weapons and flight control systems are designed so one person can safely and effectively perform air-to-air combat. The F-15's superior maneuverability and acceleration are achieved through high engine thrust-to-weight ratio and low wing loading. Low wing-loading (the ratio of aircraft weight to its wing area) is a vital factor in maneuverability and, combined with the high thrust-to-weight ratio, enables the aircraft to turn tightly without losing airspeed.

UH-1Huey

The Bell Iroquois, or the Huey, as it's better known, has been the most popular light utility helicopter ever produced. Some variant has been operated by the military in about 60 nations. Bell produced two major versions of the UH-1 - the single engine Models 204 and 205 and the twin engine Models 212 and 412. Although both were UH-1s, there were enough differences to warrant considering them two separate aircraft. The single engine Models 204 and 205 were skid-equipped helicopters with a single, two-blade, all-metal, anti-torque tail rotor mounted on the left side of the tailboom.
The all-metal, semi-monocoque fuselage could accommodate two crewmen and seven passengers in the Model 204 and two crewmen and 11 passengers in the Model 205.  They also differed in fuselage and rotor dimensions, engines and performance. They served in gunship, casualty evacuation, search and rescue, vertical envelopment-attack transport, antisubmarine warfare and general utility roles during their long service life.  Bell developed the Model 212, or UH-1N, for the Canadian market, but U.S. military orders far exceeded the initial 50 from Canada.
The first American UH-1H entered service in 1970 and the Canadian version, designated CUH-1N, in the following year.

CT-114

The distinctive roar of its turbojet engine announces that the celebrated CT-114 Tutor is passing overhead. As the aircraft flown by the Snowbirds - Canada's famed air demonstration team-the nimble Tutor is a Canadian Air Force Icon. The Tutor was originally procured in the mid-1960s to train student pilots. It was replaced in 2000 by the CT-156 Harvard II and CT-155 Hawk. Today, the Tutor is flown primarily by 431 Squadron's Snowbirds. However, it is also used in aircraft testing at the Aerospace Engineering Test Establishment in Cold Lake, Alberta, Canada.

MH-60

The primary mission of the MH-60 Black Hawk helicopter is to conduct overt or covert infiltration, exfiltration, and resupply of special operations forces across a wide range of environmental conditions. An armed version, the Direct Action Penetrator, has the primary mission of armed escort and fire support. Secondary missions of the MH-60 include external load, combat search and rescue and medical evacuation operations. The MH-60 is capable of operating from fixed-base facilities, remote sites, or ocean-going vessels. The 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (Airborne) operates three versions of the Black Hawk helicopter:
The MH-60K (Black Hawk) is a highly modified twin-engine utility helicopter based on the basic UH-60 Black Hawk airframe but developed specifically for the special operations mission. Improvements include an aerial refueling capability, an advanced suite of aircraft survivability equipment and improved navigation systems, including multi-mode radar to further improve pinpoint navigation in all environments and under the harshest conditions.
The MH-60L is also a highly modified version of the standard U.S. Army Black Hawk configured for special operations use. It has many, but not all, of the modifications found on the “K” model.
The MH-60L Direct Action Penetrator (DAP), or DAP, is an MH-60L modified to mount a variety of offensive weapons systems. Its mission is to conduct attack helicopter operations utilizing area fire or precision guided munitions and armed infiltration or exfiltration of small units. It is capable of conducting direct action missions as an attack helicopter or reconfiguring for troop assault operations. In the direct action role, the DAP would not normally be used as a primary transport for troops or supplies because of high gross-weight limits. The DAP is capable of conducting any mission during day, night or adverse weather conditions.

F/A-18F Super Hornet

The Tactical Demonstration or "Tac Demo" team flies a two-seat F/A-18F Super Hornet as close to the "edge of the envelope" as safety and prudence allows. The routine highlights the F/A-18F Super Hornet’s maneuverability and slow-speed handling characteristics and has been very well received around the country.
VFA-122 is the Fleet Replacement Squadron (FRS) for the Navy's newest fighter, the F/A-18 E/F Super Hornet. Based at NAS Lemoore, Calif., the squadron trains aircrew and maintenance personnel to fly and fix the F/A-18E/F Super Hornet.

 

 

 

 

NASA F/A-18

Dryden currently flies four F-18 Hornet aircraft for research support and pilot proficiency. Two have a two-seat cockpit while the others are single-seat aircraft. The two-seat F-18 support aircraft are normally used for photo or video chase. They are configured to transmit live video pictures from the air back to Dryden so engineers can visually monitor the mission as it is being flown. This feature greatly enhances flight safety.

NASA research support aircraft are commonly called chase planes and fill the role of escort aircraft during research missions. Chase pilots are in constant radio contact with research pilots and serve as an "extra set of eyes" to help maintain total flight safety during specific tests and maneuvers. They monitor certain events for the research pilot and are an important safety feature on all research missions.

Chase aircraft also are used as camera platforms for research missions that must be photographed or videotaped. Aeronautical engineers use this pictorial coverage (photos, motion pictures, and videotape) extensively to monitor and verify various aspects of research projects.

The F-18 fleet also is used by Dryden research pilots for routine flight training required by all NASA pilots.

NASA T-34C

Dryden's mission support T-34C aircraft accompanies research flights for photography and video data collection, and also as safety chase. At Dryden, the T-34C is primarily used for chasing remotely piloted unmanned air vehicles which fly slower than NASA's F-18's mission support aircraft can fly. It is also used for required pilot proficiency flying. In its role as a military trainer, the instructor pilot would ride in the back seat, while the student would be in the front seat. As a NASA mission support chase plane, the back seat would be occupied by a photographer or flight test engineer on research missions.

Nicknamed the TurboMentor, the T-34C is an upgraded, turboprop-powered version of the earlier piston-engined T-34A and T-34B models that served as primary training aircraft for Navy and Marine Corps pilots for more than 40 years. Built by Beech Aircraft Co. (now Raytheon Aircraft), the T-34C shares the same basic wing planform and landing gear as the civilian Beechcraft Bonanza series of general aviation aircraft from which it was derived.

MH-47G Chinook

The venerable twin-engine, tandem rotor Chinook helicopter has undergone numerous upgrades since the first CH-47A model was delivered to the Army for use in Vietnam. Beginning in 1982 and ending in 1994, all CH-47A, B and C models were upgraded to the CH-47D version, which remains the U.S. Army standard and features composite rotor blades, an improved electrical system, modularized hydraulics, triple cargo hooks, avionics and communication improvements, and more powerful engines that can handle a 19,500 lb load – nearly twice the Chinook’s original lift capacity. An upgrade program exists to remanufacture 300 of the current fleet of 425 CH-47D’s to the CH-47F standard. The MH-47E is the Special Forces variant of the Chinook and will be remanufactured to the MH-47G.
The Chinook’s cockpit accommodates two pilots and an observer. The communications suite includes jam resistant HF and UHF radio systems and the helicopter is equipped with an Identification Friend or Foe (IFF) interrogator. Three machine guns can be mounted on the helicopter, two in the crew door on the starboard side and one window-mounted on the port side. Additionally, the helicopter is equipped with a suite of countermeasure systems, which could include one or more of the following: a missile approach warner, jammers, radar warner, and chaff and flare dispensers.
The Chinook has a triple hook system, which provides stability to large external loads or the capacity for multiple external loads. Large external loads such as 155mm howitzers can be transported at speeds up to 260km/h using the triple hook load configuration. Multiple external loads can be delivered to two or three separate destinations in one sortie.
The cabin provides 42 cubic meters of cargo space and 21 square meters of cargo floor area and can accommodate two HMMWVs (High Mobility Multipurpose Wheeled Vehicle) or a HMMWV together with 105mm howitzer and gun crew. The main cabin can hold up to 33 fully-equipped troops. For medical evacuation, the cabin can accommodate 24 litters (stretchers).
Ramp operations can be carried out on water using an optional power-down ramp and water dam configuration.
The Chinook is equipped with two T55-GA-714A turboshaft engines, which are pod-mounted on either side of the rear pylon under the rear rotor blades. The self-sealing fuel tanks are mounted in external fairings on the sides of the fuselage. The fixed tanks hold 1,030 gallons of fuel. Three additional fuel tanks can be carried in the cargo area. In-flight refueling can extend the range of the MH-47 helicopter.
The CH-47F upgrade program involves the installation of a new digital cockpit and modifications to the airframe to reduce vibration. The upgraded cockpit will provide future growth potential and will include a digital data bus that permits installation of enhanced communications and navigation equipment for improved situational awareness, mission performance, and survivability. Airframe structural modifications will reduce harmful vibrations, reducing operations and support (O&S) costs and improving crew endurance. Other airframe modifications will reduce by approximately 60% the time required for aircraft tear down and build-up after deployment on a C-5 or C-17. These modifications will significantly enhance the Chinook’s strategic deployment capability. First Unit Equipped (FUE) date for the CH-47F is September 2004.
A separate but complementary effort involves the installation of more powerful and reliable T55-GA-714A engines that improve fuel efficiency and enhance lift performance by approximately 3,900 lbs (enabling it to carry the M198 155mm towed howitzer). Installation of an improved crashworthy extended range fuel system (ERFS II) will enable Chinook self-deployment and extend the operational radius of all other missions. A program is also underway to reduce O&S costs through the joint development with the United Kingdom of a low-maintenance rotor hub.

FACT SHEET
Max Gross Weight:   50,000 lbs
Empty Weight:   23,401 lbs
Max Speed:   170 knots / 184 mph
Normal Cruise Speed:   130 knots / 149 mph
Rate of Climb:   1,522 ft/min
Rotor System:   three manual-folding blades per hub (two hubs); 225 revolutions per minute; 60-ft rotor span
Troop Capacity:   36 (33 troops plus 3 crew members)
Litter Capacity:   24
Sling-load Capacity:   26,000 lb center hook; 17,000 lb forward/aft hook; 25,000 lb tandem
Minimum Crew:   3 (pilot, co-pilot, and flight engineer)
Manufacturer: Aircraft - Boeing (Philadelphia, PA); Cockpit Upgrade - Rockwell Collins (Cedar Rapids, IA); Engine Upgrade - Honeywell (Phoenix, AZ); ERFS II - Robertson Aviation (Tempe, AZ)

OH-58 Kiowa Warrior

The OH-58 Kiowa Warrior is a single engine, four-bladed helicopter with advanced visionics, navigation, communication, and weapons and cockpit integration systems. The mast-mounted sight (MMS) houses a thermal imaging system, low-light television, laser rangefinder/designator, and an optical boresight system. These systems enable the Kiowa Warrior to operate by day and night and allow target acquisition and engagement at stand-off ranges and in adverse weather conditions. The Kiowa Warrior's highly accurate navigation system provides precise target location that can be sent digitally to other aircraft or artillery via its advanced digital communications system. Battlefield imagery can be transmitted to provide near-real-time situational awareness to command and control elements. The Laser Designator can provide autonomous designation for the Laser HELLFIRE or remote designation for other laser-guided precision weapons.

The Kiowa Warrior is equipped with two universal quick-change weapons pylons. Each pylon can be armed with two HELLFIRE missiles, seven HYDRA 70 rockets, two air-to-air Stinger missiles, or one .50 caliber fixed forward machine gun. The armament systems combine to provide anti-armor, anti-personnel, and anti-aircraft capabilities at standoff ranges.

The Kiowa Warrior is rapidly deployable by air and can be fully operational within minutes of arrival. Two Kiowa aircraft can be transported in a C-130 aircraft. For air transportation the vertical tail fin pivots, the main rotor blades and the horizontal stabilizer are folded, and the mast mounted site, the IFF antenna and the lower wire cutter are removed. The landing gear can kneel to decrease the height.

Although Kiowa Warrior fielding is complete, the Army is currently installing a series of safety and performance modifications to keep the aircraft safe and mission effective until it is retired.

FACT SHEET
Crew:                          2
Max Gross Weight:   5,500 lbs (armed)
Empty Weight:          3,289 lbs
Height:                       12 ft, 10.6 in
Width:                         6 ft, 5.4 in
Length:                       33 ft, 4 in
Rotor Diameter:        35 ft
Max Cruise Speed:  128 mph
Range:                        299 miles (sea level, no weapons, 10% reserve)
Ceiling:                       19,000 ft
Armament:                 Air-to-air Stinger (ATAS) (2 round launcher); .50 caliber machine gun (500 rounds); HYDRA 70 (2.75 in) rockets (7-shot pod); HELLFIRE missiles (2-round launcher)
Manufacturer: Rolls Royce/Allison Engines (Indianapolis, IN); Honeywell (Albuquerque, NM); Bell Helicopter, Textron (Fort Worth, TX); Boeing (Anaheim, CA); Simula (Tempe, AZ); Edwards (Bristol, TN)

MH-60L and UH-60 Blackhawk

The UH 60 Black Hawk is a utility tactical transport helicopter that replaces the UH-1 "Huey". The versatile Black Hawk has enhanced the overall mobility of The Army, due to dramatic improvements in troop capacity and cargo lift capability, and will serve as The Army's utility helicopter in the Objective Force. On the asymmetric battlefield, it provides the commander the agility to get to the fight quicker and to mass effects throughout the battlespace across the full spectrum of conflict. An entire 11-person, fully-equipped infantry squad can be lifted in a single Black Hawk, transported faster than in predecessor systems, in most weather conditions. The Black Hawk can reposition a 105 mm Howitzer, its crew of six, and lift up to 30 rounds of ammunition in a single lift. The aircraft's critical components and systems are armored or redundant, and its airframe is designed to progressively crush on impact to protect the crew and passengers.

FACT SHEET

MH-60L
Max. Gross Weight   22,000 pounds, 23,500 (external cargo)
Cruising Speed          150 knots
Endurance                   2.1 hrs
External Load             306 nautical miles
Max. Gross Weight   9,000 pounds
Internal Load              2,640 pounds (or 11 combat-equipped troops)
Armament                  Two 7.62mm machine guns
Crew                            4 (2 pilots; 2 crew chiefs)
Manufacturer            United Technologies (Stratford, CT); General Electric (Lynn, MA)

UH-60
Max. Gross Weight    20,250 pounds
Cruising Speed          139 knots
Endurance                   2.3 hrs
External Load             320 nautical miles
Internal Load              2,640 pounds (or 11 combat-equipped troops)
Armament                   Two 7.62mm machine guns
Crew                            4 (2 pilots; 2 crew chiefs)
Manufacturer             United Technologies (Stratford, CT); General Electric (Lynn, MA)

F-22 Raptor

The F-22 Raptor is the Air Force's newest fighter aircraft. Its combination of stealth, supercruise, maneuverability, and integrated avionics, coupled with improved supportability, represents an exponential leap in warfighting capabilities. The Raptor performs both air-to-air and air-to-ground missions allowing full realization of operational concepts vital to the 21st century Air Force. The F-22, a critical component of the Global Strike Task Force, is designed to project air dominance, rapidly and at great distances and defeat threats attempting to deny access to our nation's Air Force, Army, Navy and Marine Corps. The F-22 cannot be matched by any known or projected fighter aircraft.

A combination of sensor capability, integrated avionics, situational awareness, and weapons provides first-kill opportunity against threats. The F-22 possesses a sophisticated sensor suite allowing the pilot to track, identify, shoot and kill air-to-air threats before being detected. Significant advances in cockpit design and sensor fusion improve the pilot's situational awareness. In the air-to-air configuration the Raptor carries six AIM-120 AMRAAMs and two AIM-9 Sidewinders. The F-22 has a significant capability to attack surface targets. In the air-to-ground configuration the aircraft can carry two 1,000-pound GBU-32 Joint Direct Attack Munitions internally and will use on-board avionics for navigation and weapons delivery support. In the future air-to-ground capability will be enhanced with the addition of an upgraded radar and up to eight small diameter bombs. The Raptor will also carry two AIM-120s and two AIM-9s in the air-to-ground configuration.
 
Advances in low-observable technologies provide significantly improved survivability and lethality against air-to-air and surface-to-air threats. The F-22 brings stealth into the day, enabling it not only to protect itself but other assets. The F-22 engines produce more thrust than any current fighter engine. The combination of sleek aerodynamic design and increased thrust allows the F-22 to cruise at supersonic airspeeds (greater than 1.5 Mach) without using afterburner -- a characteristic known as supercruise. Supercruise greatly expands the F-22 's operating envelope in both speed and range over current fighters, which must use fuel-consuming afterburner to operate at supersonic speeds.

The sophisticated F-22 aerodesign, advanced flight controls, thrust vectoring, and high thrust-to-weight ratio provide the capability to outmaneuver all current and projected aircraft. The F-22 design has been extensively tested and refined aerodynamically during the development process. The F-22's characteristics provide a synergistic effect ensuring F-22A lethality against all advanced air threats. The combination of stealth, integrated avionics and supercruise drastically shrinks surface-to-air missile engagement envelopes and minimizes enemy capabilities to track and engage the F-22 . The combination of reduced observability and supercruise accentuates the advantage of surprise in a tactical environment.

The F-22 will have better reliability and maintainability than any fighter aircraft in history.  Increased F-22 reliability and maintainability pays off in less manpower required to fix the aircraft and the ability to operate more efficiently.

FACT SHEET
Contractor: Lockheed-Martin, Boeing
Power Plant: Two Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 turbofan engines with afterburners and two-dimensional thrust vectoring nozzles.
Thrust: 35,000-pound class (each engine)
Wingspan: 44 feet, 6 inches
Length: 62 feet, 1 inch
Height: 16 feet, 8 inches
Weight: 43,340 pounds
Maximum Takeoff Weight: 83,500 pounds
Fuel Capacity: Internal: 18,000 pounds with 2 external wing fuel tanks: 26,000 pounds
Payload: Same as armament air-to-air or air-to-ground loadouts; with or without 2 external wing fuel tanks.
Speed:  Mach 2 class with supercruise capability 
Range: More than 1,850 miles ferry range with 2 external wing fuel tanks (1,600 nautical miles)
Ceiling: Above 50,000 feet
Armament: One M61A2 20-millimeter cannon with 480 rounds, internal side weapon bays carriage of two AIM-9 infrared (heat seeking) air-to-air missiles and internal main weapon bays carriage of six AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles (air-to-air loadout) or two 1,000-pound GBU-32 JDAMs and two AIM-120 radar-guided air-to-air missiles (air-to-ground loadout)
Crew: One 

Stearman Kaydet

The Stearman, called the “Kaydet,” is a two-seat biplane introduced by Boeing’s Stearman Aircraft Division in 1934 and was used by the Army Air Corps and the Navy for pilot training. After the war, their slow, low-level flying capabilities made them suitable for crop dusting and spraying. This “Kaydet” is restored to its original 1942 condition when it was delivered to the
Navy. Painted in the original yellow – signifying it was an instrument trainer aircraft – Navy aviators nicknamed the plane the “Yellow Pearl,” because of their color and the inexperienced pilots at the controls. An additional nickname was “The Washing Machine” because so many potential pilots washed out of pilot training.

CF-118 Hornet

As the Canadian Air Force’s frontline multi-role fighter, the CF-188 is used for air defense, air superiority, tactical support, training, aerobatic demonstration, and aerospace testing and evaluation. The aircraft is equipped with a sophisticated radar system that can track targets in all weather and from great distances. A Sniper Advanced Targeting pod, which contains an
infra-red (heat-sensitive) camera and TV camera, allows pilots to see targets at night and in low visibility conditions. The pod also has a laser designator to guide precision bombing, and a laser spot tracker. The newly acquired Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing System (JHMCS) allows the pilot to effectively designate targets anywhere around the aircraft.

CH-124 Sea King

The CH-124 is powered by two turboshaft engines and is equipped with subsurface acoustic detection equipment and homing torpedoes. Employing these, the Sea King lifts off from destroyers and frigates to locate and destroy submarines. Capable of flying in day or night, the CH-124 is a versatile surveillance aircraft. It was procured mainly for anti-submarine warfare (ASW), but has expanded its role since coming into service in 1963. Domestically, Sea Kings contribute to search and rescue (SAR) operations, disaster relief, counter-narcotic operations, and fisheries and pollution patrols. The helicopter also plays a vital role in international peacekeeping operations. It has been heavily committed to the international campaign against terrorism. The Sea King is set to be replaced by the CH-148 Cyclone.

F-16 Fighting Falcon

The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven itself in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. It provides a relatively low-cost, high-performance weapon system for the United States and allied nations. In an air combat role, the F-16's maneuverability and combat radius (distance it can fly to enter air combat, stay, fight and return) exceed that of all potential threat fighter aircraft. It can locate targets in all weather conditions and detect low flying aircraft in radar ground clutter. In an air- to-surface role, the F-16 can fly more than 500 miles (860 kilometers), deliver its weapons with superior accuracy, defend itself against enemy aircraft, and return to its starting point. An all- weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions. In designing the F-16, advanced aerospace science and proven reliable systems from other
aircraft such as the F-15 and F-111 were selected. These were combined to simplify the airplane and reduce its size, purchase price, maintenance costs and weight. The light weight of the fuselage is achieved without reducing its strength. With a full load of internal fuel, the F-16 can withstand up to nine G's -- nine times the force of gravity -- which exceeds the capability of other current fighter aircraft. The cockpit and its bubble canopy give the pilot unobstructed forward and upward vision, and greatly improved vision over the side and to the rear. The seat-back angle was expanded from the usual 13 degrees to 30 degrees, increasing pilot comfort and gravity force tolerance. The pilot has excellent flight control of the F-16 through its "fly-by-wire" system. Electrical wires relay commands, replacing the usual cables and linkage controls. For easy and accurate control of the aircraft during high G-force combat maneuvers, a side stick controller is used instead of the conventional center-mounted stick. Hand pressure on the side stick controller sends electrical signals to actuators of flight control surfaces such as ailerons and rudder. Avionics systems include a highly accurate enhanced global positioning and inertial navigation systems, or EGI, in which computers provide steering information to the pilot. The plane has UHF and VHF radios plus an instrument landing system. It also has a warning system and modular countermeasure pods to be used against airborne or surface electronic threats. The fuselage has space for additional avionics systems.