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"Boeing teamed with Lockheed Martin in the mid-1990s to develop and build the F/A-22, an extremely advanced tactical fighter. It combines stealth, integrated avionics and maneuverability and is intended as a replacement for the F-15 as America's front-line dominance fighter. The first production of F/A-22 was unveiled in April 9, 1997 and it was the first nine flyable F/A-22s built for flight testing. Lockheed Martin Aeronautical Systems is responsible for program management, the integrated forebody (nose section) and forward fuselage (including the cockpit and inlets), leading edges of the wings, the fins and stabilitators, flaps, ailerons, landing gear and final assembly of the aircraft. The company is also responsible for the center fuselage; stores management; integrated navigation and electronic warfare systems; the communications, navigation and identification system and the weapon support system. As of April 2005, Boeing had delivered 61 sets of wings and 66 aft-fuselages, as well as a number of integrated avionics flight-test packages and updates to Lockheed Martin. As a replacement for the F-15C, the fast, agile, stealthy F/A-22 was designed to take over the air superiority role with the Air Combat Command starting in 2005. F-22s demonstrated exceptional performance at joint training exercise Northern Edge in Alaska during June 2006. F-22s also participated in the U.S. Air Force's Red Flag exercise at Nellis AFB, Nevada, for the first time in February 2007 with superb performance in air maneuvers as well as maintenance. Ongoing modernization efforts, including integration of the Small Diameter Bomb, electronic attack capability, synthetic aperture radar and the Coordinate Seeking Weapon, all of which will ensure the Raptor's relevance throughout its 40-year service life. "

"The F/A-18 Hornet is a modern all-weather carrier-capable strike fighter jet, designed to attack both ground and aerial targets. It was designed in 1970 for service with the U.S. Navy and U.S. Marine Corps. It has been the aerial demonstration aircraft for the Blue Angels since 1986. The F/A-18's primary missions are fighter escort, fleet air defense, suppression of enemy air defenses (SEAD), interdiction, close air support and reconnaissance. Its versatility and reliability have been proven it to be a valuable carrier asset, though it has been criticized due to its lack of range and payload compared to its contemporaries. The F-18, initially known as McDonnell Douglas Model 267, was drastically modified from the YF-17 while retaining the same basic configuration. For carrier operations, the airframe, undercarriage, and arrestor hook were strengthened, folding wings and catapult attachments were added, and the landing gear widened. With redesign of the stores stations and improvements in avionics and multifunction displays, it became possible to combine the A-18A and F-18A into one aircraft. Starting in 1980, the aircraft began being referred to as the F/A-18A, and the designation was officially announced on 1 April 1984. Therefore, F-18 was designated as F/A-18. The Blue Angels first flew three aircraft in formation, then four and currently operate six aircraft per show. The Opposing Solos usually perform maneuvers just under the speed of sound which showcase the capabilities of their individual F/A-18 or F-18 Hornets through the execution of high-speed passes, slow passes, fast rolls, slow rolls and very tight turns. Some of the maneuvers include both solo F-18s performing at once, such as opposing passes (toward each other in what appears to be a collision course, narrowly missing one another) and mirror formations (back-to-back, belly-to-belly, or wingtip-to-wingtip, with one jet flying inverted). On November 8, 1986 the Blue Angels completed their 40th anniversary year during ceremonies unveiling their present aircraft, the sleek McDonnell Douglas F-18 Hornet, the first multi-role fighter/attack aircraft now serving on the nation's front lines of defense since the F-4 Phantom. On December 2, 2004, an accident occurred when pilot Lt. Ted Steelman suffered minor injuries after ejecting from his Blue Angels F-18 approximately one mile off Perdido Key due to mechanical problems and loss of power. The F-18 Hornets has been exported to several nations worldwide."

"The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, single-engined jet fighter aircraft manufactured by General Dynamics and later Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force (USAF). Though designed as a lightweight fighter, it has evolved into a successful multirole aircraft. It is highly maneuverable and has proven its worth in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attack. The Falcon is the largest Western fighter program with over 4,000 aircraft built since its production in 1976. Though no longer produced for the Air Force, it is still being made for export. Its relatively low cost and high performance has made it popular in the United States and allied nations, serving a total of 24 countries. USAF pilots gave the F-16 the unofficial nickname of “Viper” in homage to the fictional Battlestar Galactica starfighter. From the very beginning, the Falcon was intended to be a cost-effective workhorse that could perform various missions. Advanced aerospace science and proven reliable systems from other planes such as the F-15 and F-111 were integrated into the F-16. These simplified the aircraft and reduced its size, weight, purchase price and maintenance costs. Other innovations include a frameless, bubble canopy for better visibility, a side-mounted control stick to ease control while under high g-forces, and a reclined seat to reduce the effect of g-forces on the pilot. The F-16 has excellent acceleration, being one of the few jets with a thrust-to-weight ratio greater than one. It can also be armed with a wide variety of air-to-air and air-to-ground missiles, rockets or bombs. An all-weather capability allows it to accurately deliver ordnance during non-visual bombing conditions. "

"The F15-C Eagle was designed by Tim Taylor. It was developed to give air superiority to the US Air Force. It served as the main attack aircraft with performance and brains. The F-15C flew in early 1979. Most F-15Cs were delivered with Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100 turbofans but they were replaced with more reliable F100-PW-220 engines in 1985. With its updated features it is much more capable as a fighter aircraft. The aircraft is an improved single-seat all-weather air-superiority fighter version of the Eagle models. The systems of the aircraft like its weapons and flight control systems were designed for only one pilot. F-15C aircrafts were deployed to the Persian Gulf in 1991 like the D and E models. This is to give support to the Operation Desert Storm. "

"The C-17 Globemaster III is a high-wing, T-tailed aircraft with a rear loading ramp manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems and operated by the USAF, British Royal Air Force, the Royal Australian Air Force and the Canadian Air Command, as well as NATO, who plans to acquire the airlifter. The C-17 was built in Long Beach, California and the first C-17 was declared operational by the USAF on January 1995. In July 2006, Boeing decided to end the C-17A production in 2009 unless they received a follow-on order in sufficient time. Likewise, by 2010, Boeing will begin the C-17B production, which is capable to land on sandy beaches and other areas off-limits to the C-17A. On March 2, 2007, however, Boeing announced the C-17 production line may end in mid-2009 due to lack of additional U.S. government and international orders. As of October 24, 2007, there are a total of 190 C-17s contracted for delivery to the USAF. The C-17 has been involved with numerous operations including the Operation Joint Endeavor and the Allied Operation in Kosovo. In 1998, eight C-17s had flown more than 8,000 nautical miles from the United States to Central Asia, dropping troops and equipment after more than 19 hours in the air. The aircraft completed the longest airdrop mission in history. The C-17 received the Collier Trophy in 1995 for its aeronautical achievement in 1994. The maker of the C-17, the Boeing Airlift and Tanker programs, was also awarded the Malcolm Baldridge National Quality in February 1999 by President Bill Clinton for business excellence and quality."

"The Boeing E-8C Joint Surveillance Target Attack Radar System (Joint STARS) is a United States Air Force (USAF) airborne battle management and command and control asset. Its primary role is to provide dedicated support of ground and air theater commanders. The E-8C can respond quickly and effectively to support worldwide military contingency operations, capable of evaluating enemy situation by conducting ground surveillance. It is a jam-resistant system, able to operate despite experiencing heavy electronic countermeasures. The aircraft can stay airborne for 9 hours without refueling. The E-8C was derived from the Boeing 707-300 series commercial airframe. It was modified with radar, communications, operations and control subsystems required to perform its mission. The radar and computer subsystems on the E-8C can gather and display broad and detailed battlefield information. Data, including position and tracking information on enemy and friendly ground forces, is collected as events occur. The information is then relayed in near-real time to the US Army's common ground stations. This information is vital in air-to-ground operations and allows air and land commanders to gain and maintain control of the battlespace and execute against enemy forces. As a battle management and command and control platform, the E-8C can support a wide range of roles and missions from peacekeeping operations to major theater war. "

"The B-52H Stratofortress, manufactured by Boeing, is a strategic bomber capable of supporting large-scale, global missions in a nuclear or a conventional role. The B-52H plays an important role in these specialized missions until 2035. It had its first flight in April 1952. The B-52H Stratofortress entered service in 1961 and 104 were built. The last was delivered in 1962; however, its service life is expected to continue beyond the year 2030, due to extensive system and structural upgrades. The B-52H, a B-52 variant, is a very large aircraft, with a length of 159ft 4in and a take-off weight of 488,000lb. The all-metal skin bears a high proportion of the flight loading. When on the ground, the surface of the aircraft on the forward section of the fuselage has a wrinkled appearance. The skin expands and becomes smooth as the crew compartment is pressurised when the aircraft gains altitude. Later on in the decade, the B-52H was fitted to carry the new ""Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM)"" and ""Joint Stand-Off Weapon (JSOW)"" guided glide bombs. These weapons use the ""Global Positioning System (GPS)"" satellite constellation to zero in on target coordinates. Use of the JDAM and other GPS weapons was enabled by yet another Buff avionics upgrade, the ""Conventional Enhancement Modification (CEM)"" program, which was begun in 1994. "

"The EA-6B Prowler, manufactured by Grumman (now Northrop Grumman Aerospace), is a twin-engine, mid-wing aircraft designed as a modification of the basic A-6 Intruder airframe. The EA-6B's primary mission is to protect fleet surface units and other aircraft by jamming hostile radars and communications. The Prowler has the ability to passively detect enemy radars without making its own presence known. The Prowler can carry up to five tactical jamming pods which allow it to effectively degrade enemy radars. The Prowler also carries a High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM), which provides the capability to destroy enemy radars and the capability to track and destroy radar. The Grumman EA-6B Prowler has a crew of four, a pilot and three Electronic Counter-measures Officers (known as ECMOs). The aircraft is capable of speeds of up to 950 km/h with a range of 1,840 kilometers and powered by two non-afterburning Pratt & Whitney J52-P408 turbojet engines. Since EW operations are very demanding, the Prowler is a high-maintenance aircraft and undergoes frequent equipment upgrades more than any other aircraft in the Navy. There are currently 19 Prowler squadrons in the military: four in the Marines and fifteen in the Navy. There are four ""Expeditionary"" squadrons manned by both Navy and Air Force personnel which deploy to overseas bases as a replacement for the EF-111. The Marine squadrons are stationed at Cherry Point, NC. The Navy has fourteen squadrons based at NAS Whidbey Island, WA, and one permanently deployed in Atsugi, Japan. "

"The TA-4J Skyhawk is a two-seat, lightweight, high performance aircraft with a modified delta wing manufactured by the Douglas Aircraft Company of Long Beach, CA. The TA-4J's maiden flight was on December 17, 1968 and first entered service in the mid-1969. TA-4J deliveries were supplemented by conversion of numerous TA-4Fs to the ""J"" designation through removal of ordnance system components. In 1968, a contract was let to produce the TA-4J, a trainer version of the TA-4F. The TA-4J Skyhawk differed from the TA-4F through the removal of tactical weapons system and aerial tanker components and the installation of the J52-P6 engien instead of the higher rated engine J52-P8. The TA-4J is primarily used for training and various other contract duties such as Electronic Warfare, Adversary and Threat Simulation. A total of 277 TA-4Js were built. "

"The Grumman TBF Avenger (designated as TBM by General Motors) was a torpedo bomber developed initially for the United States Navy and Marine Corps and was also used by a large number of air arms around the world. Grumman's first torpedo bomber was the heaviest single-engine plane of WWII and it was the first to feature a new wing-folding mechanism intended to maximize storage space on an aircraft carrier. The Grumman TBF Avenger entered service in 1942 and first saw action during the Battle of Midway. On the afternoon December 7, 1941, Grumman held a ceremony to open a new manufacturing plant and display the new TBF to the public. Ironically, on that day, the Imperial Japanese Navy attacked Pearl Harbor, as Grumman soon found out. The plant was quickly sealed off to ward against possible enemy action. By June 1942, a shipment of more than 100 planes was sent to the Navy. On August 24, 1942, the next major naval battle occurred at the Eastern Solomons. With only the carriers USS Saratoga (CV-3) and Enterprise, the 24 TBFs present were able to sink the Japanese aircraft carrier Ryujo and claim one dive bomber, at the cost of seven planes. After hundreds of the original TBF-1 models were built, the TBF-1C began production. By 1943, Grumman began to slowly phase out production of the Avenger to produce F6F Hellcat fighters, and the Eastern Aircraft Division of General Motors took over, with these aircraft being designated TBM. Starting in mid-1944, the TBM-3 began production with a more powerful powerplant and wing hardpoints for drop tanks and rockets. The dash-3 was the most numerous of the Avengers with about 4,600 produced. However, most of the Avengers in service were dash-1s until near the end of the war in 1945. TBF/TBMs sank the two Japanese ""super battleships"", the Musashi and the Yamato. The Avengers played a major role in the American victory during World War II."

"The T-6A Texan II is designed by Pilatus Aircraft AG and manufactured by Raytheon Aircraft in Wichita, Kansas, USA. The T-6A Texan II is a single-engine, two-seat primary trainer aircraft, which is designed to train Joint Primary Pilot Training, or JPPT, students in basic flying skills common to U.S. Air Force and Navy pilots. The T-6A Texan II offers better performance and significant improvements in training effectiveness, safety, cockpit accommodations and operational capabilities than present aircraft. Powered by a single, Pratt & Whitney PT6A-68 turboprop engine with a four-blade propeller, it features a stepped-tandem, and cockpit configuration, with the instructor's rear seat rose slightly to improve visibility from the rear cockpit; modern avionics; and improved egress systems. Both T-6A cockpits are covered by a single, side-opening, non-jettisoned canopy. The T-6A offers increased bird strike protection over current training aircraft, and will improve the safety of landing and low-level training at Air Force and Navy bases. It has a pressurized cockpit to permit training at higher, less-congested altitudes and reduce the stress on student pilots. The aircraft is equipped with an onboard oxygen-generating system that reduces the time needed to service the aircraft between flights. The T-6A provides the highest degree of flexibility of any primary trainer. It is equally capable of training the beginner pilot or performing training missions well into an advanced training curriculum. The T-6A is currently used by the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Navy, the Hellenic Air Force of Greece and the NATO Flying Training in Canada program as a primary trainer and weapons and navigation trainer. "

"The Fairchild PT-19 was a monoplane trainer aircraft that served with the United States Army Air Forces (USAAF), British Royal Air Force and Royal Canadian Air Force during World War II. It was used by the USAAF during the primary flying training phase as the introductory pre-solo trainer for new pilots before passing them on to the more agile Kaydet biplane. Prior to World War II, basic flight training in the United States was generally provided in light biplanes, such as the Kaydet, which tended to be slow, stable and tolerant of fledgling pilots. However, given the increasingly high performance nature of the world's combat aircraft, the USAAF reasoned that the primary training was too easy, giving the student a false sense of mastery that could slow down his learning or even cause him to fail. Experienced instructors wanted the primary trainer to be a monoplane, with higher wing loading that required more careful flying. After its first flight in May 1939, the Fairchild M-62 two-seat monoplane won a fly-off competition later that year against 17 other designs for the new Army training airplane. With a wing loading factor about 43 percent higher than the Kaydet, the M-62 had a higher stalling speed and required more care at low speeds, making it exactly what the Army was looking for. It was a trainer that was more similar to the fighter aircraft the trainees would eventually fly. On September 22, 1939, the USAAF ordered 270 of the craft, with two open cockpits, as the PT-19 Cornell. Compared to the earlier biplane trainers, the PT-19 provided a more advanced type of aircraft. Speeds were higher and its flight characteristics demanded more precision and care. It was inexpensive and simple to maintain. It was one of a handful of primary trainer designs that were the first stop on a cadet's way to becoming a combat pilot. Thousands of the PT-19 series were rapidly integrated into the US and Commonwealth training programs, serving throughout World War II and beyond. Even after their retirement in the late 1940s, a substantial number found their way into civilian hands. Approximately 100 PT-19s are still flyable today. "

"The Martin PBM Mariner was a United States Navy patrol bomber flying boat of World War II and the early Cold War period. It was designed to compliment the PBY Catalina in service. 1,285 PBM Mariner were built, with the first example flying on February 18, 1939 and the type entering service in September 1940. The U.S. Navy Martin PBM-5 Mariner patrol bomber Bureau of Aeronautics (Bureau Number 59172) was one of the 1,367 PBM Mariners constructed by Navy Martin. It was delivered to the Navy in January 1945. During the World War II and Cold War eras, the PBM-5 Mariner was in service with various Navy units in a number of capacities. Its last operational assignment was Naval Air station, Seattle, Washington in late 1948. The PBM-5 Mariner was wrecked on May 6, 1949 while being ferried across Lake Washington from Naval Air Station, Seattle to the Boeing seaplane ramp at Renton, Washington, where it was intended to be placed in storage. As of today, the wreck of PBM-5 Mariner remains where the aircraft came to rest in 1949, in the Southernmost end of Lake Washington, in the vicinity of Renton, just off the old seaplane ramp at the Boeing plant. The PBM-5a is an amphibian plane with retractable landing gear. The aircraft was fitted with five gun turrets and bomb bays that were in the engine nacelles. The British Royal Airforce acquired 32 Mariners. They were not used operationally and some were returned to the United States Navy and twelve were transferred to the Royal Australian Air Force for transporting troops and cargo. The Dutch Navy acquired seventeen PBM-5a Mariners at the end of 1955 for service in former Dutch New Guinea. "

"The North American Aviation P-51 Mustang is a long-range single-seat fighter aircraft that served with Allied forces in the middle years of World War II, becoming one of the conflict's most effective and recognizable aircraft. The P-51 flew most of its wartime missions as a bomber escort in raids over Germany to help ensure Allied air superiority from early 1944. In late 1939, with the likelihood of full scale war in Europe a major concern, the British Royal Air Force (RAF) was looking for methods of quickly increasing its fighter strength. In April 1940, the British Air Purchasing Commission approached North American Aviation with the intent of having them build P-40s for the RAF. Since the P-40 design went back to 1933, James H. ""Dutch"" Kendelberger, president of North American, offered to build an entirely new advanced fighter. The British agreed and the P-51 took its maiden flight on October 26, 1940. As well as being economical to produce, the Mustang was a fast, well-made and highly durable aircraft. It also saw combat against the Japanese in the Pacific War. During the Korean War, the P-51 started out as the United Nations' main fighter, but was relegated to a ground attack role when it was supplanted by jet fighters early in the conflict. One of the very few fighter pilots in World War II to achieve ace status in both the Pacific and European theaters, Colonel John Landers flew the P-51D Mustang named ""Big Beautiful Doll"". His reputable flying career was concluded with 14.5 victories, 4.5 of which and an additional 20 ground victories were achieved in the Mustang. Big Beautiful Doll was one of the most colourfully painted P-51s of the era. "