AETC; Setting Sights to Aim High

EAA’s AirVenture 2023—the 70th iteration of the world-renowned weeklong fly-in, airshow, and incomparable aviators’ hootenanny—will see the USAF’s Air Education and Training Command bring its people and resources to Oshkosh. Though definitive announcements pertaining to participating aircraft and activities will be made public as they are finalized, AETC’s presentations are slated to include aircraft representing numerous facets of the USAF’s combat, strategic, and logistical fleets.  

Aviator Unharmed

An as-of-yet unidentified U.S. Navy pilot was rescued by one of the service’s MH-60S Seahawk helicopters after ejecting from an F-5N training jet some 22-nautical-miles off the coast of Key West, Florida. The aviator, who was transported to and released from Miami’s Jackson Memorial Hospital following medical evaluation, was assigned to Fighter Squadron Composite 111, known colloquially as the Sun Downers, and based at Naval Station Key West.

Global 6500 Aircraft With Riffing by General Dynamics Offered as Submarine Hunter

Bombardier published an interesting-looking antisubmarine version of its Global 6500 jet in a combined offer with General Dynamics’ Canadian arm. The aircraft is proposed for the Canadian Multi-Mission System, or CMMA, program. The end goal is a capable aircraft that can fill a number of roles beyond the apparent anti-sub duties. The CMMA is to provide command, control, communications, ISR, anti-submarine, and anti-ship capabilities in one aircraft.

Ministry of Defence Opts to Rent Combat Aircraft to Replace Aging Sea King Fleet

The Malaysian Ministry of Defence has announced a deal to lease a quartet of Sikorsky UH-60A Black Hawk helicopters from Aerotree Defence & Services of Kuala Lumpur. The deal is somewhat unorthodox to see in the defense industry, where the vast majority of armies and air forces opt to own their aircraft outright, but the costs may just be the overriding benefit for the service, costing only $40.4 million US throughout a period of 5 years. Exactly what that amount entails is unknown, but, with the right support services and benefits it's not too unlikely that it's a better deal than the country could get buying so few aircraft outright.

The Aircrew Of FENIX01 Radioed That They Detected An Odor In The Cabin

On May 10, 2023, at 0749 Pacific daylight time, a Gates Lear Jet 36A, N56PA, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near San Clemente Island, California. Both pilots and the additional crewmember are presumed fatally injured. The airplane was operating as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91, other work use flight.The airplane departed Point Magu Naval Air Station (KNTD), Oxnard, California, at 0723 as the lead airplane in formation with a second Lear Jet airplane utilizing the callsigns FENIX01 (N56PA) and FENIX02 (N544PA).

New Indefinite Delivery, Indefinite Quantity Contract to Equip USAF Aircraft with IR Defenses

Northrop Grumman Corporation has continued its work for the US Air Force providing its Large Aircraft Infrared Countermeasure (LAIRCM) systems. The systems are an essential system to defeat incoming infrared-tracking missiles. The LAIRCM system allows the aircraft to detect, track, and jam incoming infrared missile threats, hopefully saving the plane and all those aboard. The equipped, high-power laser targets a closing missile and tags its sensitive IR seeker in the hopes of blinding it and preventing an impact or ignition.