"Command/Service Module is one of the two spacecraft that were utilized for the Apollo program, along with the Lunar Module, to land astronauts to the Moon. The Command Module together with the Lunar Module, are oftenly called the Apollo spacecraft. The spacecraft consists of two segments, the command module, housing the crew and the equipment needed for re-entry and splashdown and a service module which provide propulsion, electrical power and storage for various consumables required during a mission. The Command Module is a truncated cone. The forward compartment contained two reaction control engines, the docking tunnel and the components of the Earth Landing System. The inner pressure vessel housed the crew accommodations, equipment bays, controls and displays and many spacecraft systems. The aft compartment contains 10 reaction control engines and their related propellant tanks, fresh water tanks and the CSM umbilical cables. The Service Module houses the service propulsion system and its propellants, the fuel cell power system, four maneuvering thruster quads, the S-band antenna for communication with Mission Control and storage tanks for water and air. The Service Module is divided into six sectors."
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"The Boeing 747, also known as ""Jumbo Jet"", is a commercial airliner made by Boeing and is considered to be a wide body aircraft. The B747 is known for its impressive size and it is one of the world's most recognizable aircraft. In 1970, the B747 had its first flight and held the passenger capacity record for 35 years. American first lady Pat Nixon was the first one who used the B747 at the Washington Dulles International Airport. Red, white and blue water was sprayed on the aircraft instead of breaking a bottle of champagne. The first commercial flight of B747 took place on January 22, 1970 which was headed to New York’s John F Kennedy International Airport and London Heathrow Airport. The Boeing 747 was designed in such a way that it could easily adapt to carrying of shipments so when sales of passenger version dried up, the plane could remain production as a cargo transport. The cockpit of B747 was placed on a shortened upper deck thus this created a unique bulge for the B747. The B747 was expected to become obsolete after sales of 400 units but it passed the critic’s expectation and the production passed the 1000 mark in 1993. As the year 2006 ended 1380 planes were built. The latest one was the B747-8. Throughout its history, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration or NASA has used several different types of aircraft on a permanent, semi-permanent, or short-term basis. The agency has three 747s: a 747-100, a 747-100SR, and a 747SP. The 747-100 and 747-100SR are currently used as Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) while the 747SP is in use as Stratospheric Observatory for Infrared Astronomy (SOFIA). The SCAs are used to ferry space shuttles from landing sites back to the launch complex at the NASA Shuttle Landing Facility at the Kennedy Space Center, and to and from other locations too distant for the orbiters to be delivered by ground transport. The 747-100 was was acquired from American Airlines in 1974 and was extensively modified in 1976. Its cabin was stripped, mounting struts were added, the fuselage was strengthened, and vertical stabilizers were added to the tail. The avionics and engines were also upgraded. In 1988, in the wake of the Challenger accident, NASA procured the 747-100SR from Japan Airlines on recommendation from the review board. It entered service with NASA in 1990 after similar modifications. It was the first used to ferry the new shuttle Endeavour in 1991. "
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"The Lockheed Martin Atlas II is a member of the Atlas family of launch vehicles, which stemmed from the successful Atlas missile program of the 1950s. It was the last Atlas to use a three-engine, two and a half stage to orbit concept, meaning two of its three engines were jettisoned during ascent, but its fuel tanks and other structural elements were retained. It was designed to launch payloads into low earth orbit, geosynchronous transfer orbit or geosynchronous orbit. The Atlas II family, which includes the Atlas II, IIA and IIAS, was developed in the mid-1980s to address the growing demand for large commercial geosynchronous satellites. Sixty-three launches of all three models were carried out between 1988 and 2004. The Atlas II had its maiden flight on December 7, 1991. It provided higher performance than the earlier Atlas I by using engines with greater thrust and longer fuel tanks for both stages. It utilized an improved Centaur rocket stage, the world's first high-energy propellant stage, to increase its payload capability. The Atlas II was equipped with lower-cost electronics, an improved flight computer and longer propellant tanks than the Atlas I. The IIAS was the most powerful derivative. The Atlas has been used by NASA since 1958. It served as the launch vehicle for Project SCORE, an instrumentation package developed by the United States Army Signal Corps that became the world’s first communications satellite. The satellite broadcast President Eisenhower’s pre-recorded Christmas message worldwide. "
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"The Apollo is a human spaceflight program by NASA and its primary goal is to conduct manned moon landing missions. In 1960, the Apollo program was originally conceived during the Eisenhower Administratation, as a follow-up to America's Mercury program. The Apollo spacecraft was designed as part of the Apollo Program, by the United States in the early 1960s. Apollo is made up of multiple units or stages that worked together to perform the mission of landing on the moon and returning to earth safely. The main components of the spacecraft were the launch escape system, the Command Module, the Service Module, the Lunar Module and the lunar module adapter. The Command Module was the control center for the Apollo spacecraft and living quarters for the crew. The Service Module is a portion of the spacecraft that was unpressurized and contained fuel cells, batteries, high gain antenna, radiators, water, oxygen, hydrogen, reaction control system and propellant to enter and leave lunar orbit. The Lunar Module is the portion of the Apollo spacecraft that landed on the moon and returned to lunar orbit and is divided into two major parts, the Descent Module and the Ascent Module."
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"The SR-71 was designed by a team of Lockheed personnel known as the ""Skunk Works."" In the late 1950s, the SR-71's basic design originated in secrecy, with the aircraft's designation as A-11. Its existence was publicly announced on February 29, 1964 by President Lyndon Johnson, the time when he announced that an A-11 had flown at sustained speeds of over 2,000 miles per hour during tests at Edwards AFB, California. Its A-11 design development as a strategic reconnaissance aircraft began on February 1963. The first SR-71A arrives at Kadena AB to replace. The SR-71A's maiden flight (in ""Big Tail"" configuration) was on December 3, 1975. There were two SR-71s at Dryden with the assigned NASA tail numbers, NASA 844 (A model) with military serial 64-17980, NASA 831 (B model) with military serial 64-17956, which was manufactured in September 1965. There was another A model, the NASA 832 with military serial 64-17971 and was manufactured in October 1966. The A model was returned to the USAF inventory and was the first aircraft reactivated in 1995 for reconnaissance purposes. The SR-71A has a crew capacity of two. It has a maximum speed of Mach 3.2+ and a combat range of 2,900 nmi. There were 32 SR-71s built, with 29 as SR-71As for operational missions. SR-71 remained the world's fastest and highest-flying production aircraft throughout its operational existence. "
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"Initially employed by Strategic Air Command to satisfy nationally tasked reconnaissance requirements, the Boeing RC-135 has participated in every armed conflict involving US assets during its tenure. It has supported operations in Vietnam, the Mediterranean, Grenada, Panama, the Balkans and Southwest Asia. It has 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 (AFB), Nebraska and operated by the 55th Wing using various forward operating locations worldwide. RC-135S Cobra Ball is a Measurement and Signature Intelligence (MASINT) aircraft which carries infrared telescopes for tracking ballistic-missile tests at long range. Four aircraft are in service, operating out of Offutt AFB and deploying to various locations around the world. Cobra Ball aircraft were originally assigned to Shemya and used to observe ballistic missile tests on the Kamchatka peninsula in conjunction with Cobra Dane and Cobra Judy. The Cobra Ball suite of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) and MASINT sensor systems were designed to exploit the enemy electromagnetic spectrum. In war, Cobra Ball could provide rapid recognition of tactical ballistic missile launches following cloud-break and horizon clearance. Within seconds of launch detection, estimates of launch point, intercept point, and impact point are available for transmission over a data link to theater C4I elements. Estimates of increasing accuracy are transmitted during the course of the missile's flight until burnout occurs. "
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"This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. This Collection features the seven of the aircraft and helicopters used to support the President of the United States. The collection includes (from left to right): Marine One VH-34, Marine One VH3, VC-121 Columbine III, VC-25A, SAM 26000, Marine One VH60, and Marine One VH-71. This each miniature model of the Presidential aircrafts and helicopters is an authentic replica made from the finest grade of select kiln dried mahogany wood. The model is hand-carved; from the aircraft fuselage, to the sanding of the airplane’s contours. Every part is assembled precisely into place. Each model passes through various stages; from priming and sanding before it is hand-painted to duplicate the actual colors of the original historical aircraft. Every detail of the actual airplane is also copied -- from insignias to squadron badges, nose-art, emblems and serial numbers. Finally, multiple coats of clear lacquer are applied to protect the artwork and provide an overall glossy finish. Mounted on a beautiful mahogany base all seven aircraft and helicopters are precisely hand finished to exact detail. Complete with the Presidential logo and brass plaques indicating the aircraft type. Now you can have the Presidential Collection right before your very eyes at the most reasonable price. "
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"The Lockheed F-117A Blackjet is a single-seat, twin-engine stealth ground attack aircraft operated solely by the United States Air Force (USAF). It was the first operational aircraft initially designed around stealth technology. Also known as the Nighthawk, it has a string of other nicknames. Before it was given an official name, engineers and test pilots referred to it as “Cockroach”, a name that is still sometimes used. As it prioritized stealth over aerodynamics, the first model was nicknamed “The Hopeless Diamond”. It was also called “Wobblin' Goblin” due to its alleged instability at low speeds. Locals in the area around Holloman Air Force Base (AFB) referred to it as simply “Stealth”. The unique design of the F-117A provides exceptional combat capabilities. The aircraft can employ a variety of weapons and is equipped with sophisticated navigation and attack systems. A digital avionics suite increases mission effectiveness and reduces pilot workload. The first Blackjet was delivered in 1982, and the last delivery was in the summer of 1990. The F-117A has been used several times in war. It first saw combat in the United States invasion of Panama, during which two Blackjets dropped two bombs on Rio Hato airfield. During Operation Desert Storm in 1991, F-117As flew approximately 1,300 sorties and scored direct hits on 1,600 high value targets in Iraq. Although the F-117As flew through some of the most heavily defended areas in Desert Storm, not one aircraft was shot down or damaged. "
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"The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, also called as the ""Thud"", was the first single-seat supersonic, all-weather strike fighter-bomber used by the U.S. Air Force. First flown on October 2, 1955, the Thunderchief entered service in 1958. Aside from being the largest, single-engine tactical aircraft in history, the F-105 was notable for its large internal bomb bay and unique swept-forward engine inlets in the wing roots. The wing was highly swept and incorporated low-speed ailerons and high-speed spoilers for lateral control, and a droop-snoot leading edge. Originally designed to deliver nuclear weapons at supersonic speeds, the F-105 Thunderchief, like the B-52, was pressed into service delivering iron bombs to North Vietnam. In this role the F-105 excelled and by the end of 1970 the F-105 had flown 75% of the bombing missions to North Vietnam. With over 20,000 Thunderchief sorties were flown, with 382 aircraft lost (nearly half of the 833 produced) including 62 operational casualties. Although it lacked the agility of smaller MiG fighters, USAF F-105s demonstrated the effectiveness of guns, and were credited with downing 27.5 enemy aircraft. The F-105D variant was the definitive production model of the Thunderchief series. The D-model was an all-weather strike fighter bomber, fitted with monopulse and Doppler radar for night or bad weather operations. This radar was capable of terrain avoidance commands. The original weapons bay, designed for nuclear stores, was sealed and fitted with additional fuel tanks. Bombs were carried on multiple weapons racks on the centerline of the fuselage, and on wing pylons. The aircraft was fitted with a retractable in-flight refueling probe. During the Vietnam War, F-105 units operated from bases in Thailand. First flew on June 9 1959, the F-105D entered service with 335th TFS in 1960. The last F-105D was withdrawn from USAF service on July 12, 1980. A total of 610 D Model of the Thunderchief were built. "
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"The Lockheed F-104 Starfighter was a single-engine, high-performance, supersonic interceptor aircraft that served with the United States Air Force (USAF) from 1958 until 1967 and continued in service with the Air National Guard until it was phased out in 1975. Because of its physical appearance and performance, the F-104 has often been called the ""missile with a man in it."" The design was a product of the Korean War, and was unique in several respects. The F-104 Starfighter had its first flight on March 4, 1954 and first introduced on February 10, 1958. The F-104C variant was the tactical strike version of the Starfighter. The first F-104C, unofficially designated YF-104C, took off on its maiden flight on July 24, 1958. The F-104C was powered by a General Electric J79-GE-7 engine rated at 10,000 lb.s.t. dry and 15,800 lb.s.t. with afterburner. This thrust was almost a thousand pounds greater than the -3A/3B of the F-104A/B. This increase in power was made possible by increasing the diameter of the turbine by 3 inches. The F-104C was designed mainly for delivery of tactical nuclear weapons, which it could carry on a centerline pylon attachment which had a 2000-pound capacity. It could carry the Mark 28 and Mark 43 nuclear weapons. Although some references claim that a 225 US gallon drop tank could be carried on this centerline pylon, it was exclusively a weapons pylon and was not plumbed to take fuel ports. The Starfighter was the first aircraft to hold simultaneous official world records for speed, altitude and time-to-climb. It set a world altitude record of 103,395 feet on Dec. 14, 1959 and flown by Captain Joe B. Jordan. This was the first time that an aircraft taking off under its own power exceeded the 100,000-foot mark. During the flight, the aircraft also reached a speed of Mach 2.36 and established a time-to-height record to 30,000 meters (98,425 feet) of 15 minutes 4.92 seconds from brake release. "
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"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The JSF aircraft design has three variants: conventional takeoff and landing (F-35A), short takeoff and vertical landing (F-35B), and carrier-based (F-35C). The program's hallmark of affordability is achieved through a high degree of commonality among the variants; 80 percent of the parts are shared. The F-35C naval variant will have a larger, folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier landings. The larger wing area provides increased range and payload, with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C Hornet, achieving the same goal as the heavier F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The US Navy intends to buy 480 F-35Cs to replace the Hornets. It will also serve as a stealthier complement to the Super Hornet. The F35C is expected to be available beginning in 2012. "
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"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force, Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The JSF aircraft design has three variants: conventional takeoff and landing (F-35A), short takeoff and vertical landing (F-35B), and carrier-based (F-35C). The program's hallmark of affordability is achieved through a high degree of commonality among the variants; 80 percent of the parts are shared. The F-35C naval variant will have a larger, folding wing and larger control surfaces for improved low-speed control, and stronger landing gear for the stresses of carrier landings. The larger wing area provides increased range and payload, with twice the range on internal fuel compared with the F/A-18C Hornet, achieving the same goal as the heavier F/A-18E/F Super Hornet. The US Navy intends to buy 480 F-35Cs to replace the Hornets. It will also serve as a stealthier complement to the Super Hornet. The F35C is expected to be available beginning in 2012. "
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An STOVL is an acronym for Short Take Off and Vertical Landing. It is an ability of some aircraft like the F35B to take off from a short runway or take off verticalyy if it doesn't have a very heavy payload and land vertically. This is often accomplished on aircraft carriers through the use of "ski-jump" runways, instead of the conventional catapult system. STOVL use tends to allow aircraft to carry a larger payload as compared to during the VTOL use, while still only requiring a short runway.
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"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force (USAF), Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The F-35 Lightning II, which is descended from the X-35, has become synonymous with the JSF program. "
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"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force (USAF), Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The F-35 Lightning II, which descended from the X-35, has become synonymous with the JSF program. It is a single-seat, single-engine, stealth-capable military strike fighter that can perform multiple roles such as close air support, tactical bombing and air-to-air combat. The name Lightning II was officially announced by the USAF on July 7, 2006, in honor of Lockheed's P-38 Lightning and the English Electric Lightning. Expected to be the largest military aircraft procurement ever, the F-35 will replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft. It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners. While the United States is the primary customer and financial backer of the F-35, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Australia and Turkey have contributed toward the development costs of the program. "
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"The Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) is a joint, multinational acquisition program for the United States Air Force (USAF), Navy, Marine Corps and eight cooperative international partners. It was created to replace various aircraft while keeping development, production and operating costs down. The objective is to develop a technically superior and affordable fleet of aircraft that would be capable of a wide range of missions in a variety of theaters. The program began in November 1996 with a 5-year competition between Lockheed Martin and Boeing to determine the most capable and affordable preliminary aircraft design. On October 26, 2001, the contract was awarded to Lockheed Martin, whose X-35 experimental aircraft outperformed Boeing's X-32. The F-35 Lightning II, which descended from the X-35, has become synonymous with the JSF program. It is a single-seat, single-engine, stealth-capable military strike fighter that can perform multiple roles such as close air support, tactical bombing and air-to-air combat. The name Lightning II was officially announced by the USAF on July 7, 2006, in honor of Lockheed's P-38 Lightning and the English Electric Lightning. Expected to be the largest military aircraft procurement ever, the F-35 will replace a wide range of aging fighter and strike aircraft. It is being designed and built by an aerospace industry team led by Lockheed Martin, with Northrop Grumman and BAE Systems as major partners. While the United States is the primary customer and financial backer of the F-35, the United Kingdom, the Netherlands, Italy, Canada, Denmark, Norway, Australia and Turkey have contributed toward the development costs of the program. "
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"The Northrop/McDonnell Douglas YF-23 was a prototype fighter aircraft designed for the United States Air Force. It was entered in the Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program in the early 1980s, but lost out to the Lockheed YF-22, which entered production as the F-22 Raptor. Two YF-23 prototypes were designed and built by Northrop and McDonnell Douglas as part of the demonstration and evaluation phase of the ATF selection program, which concluded in 1990. One prototype was powered by twin Pratt and Whitney YF119 turbofan engines, while the other was installed with two General Electric YF120 turbofan engines. The YF-23 employed stealth characteristics and was capable of supersonic cruise flight without afterburner. The aircraft achieved a speed of Mach 1.8 during the program. There was no official USAF nickname for the YF-23A, thus the Northrop YF-23A team personnel chose the name “Black Widow II” to commemorate the Northrop P-61 Black Widow, the first American aircraft specifically designed as a night fighter. In April 1991, the Air Force selected Lockheed's YF-22 design for full-scale development. According to the USAF, factors in the selection for production of the F-22 were better design for maintainability, greater potential for future development, and slightly lower cost. Supporters of the YF-23 believe that the YF-23 should have won the ATF competition due to its agility, stealth and greater fuel capacity. "
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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. "
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"Manufactured by Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, the F-18E Super Hornet is a distinct, evolutionary upgrade to the F-18 designed to serve a complementary role with Hornets in the U.S. Navy. The Super Hornet is equipped with all the capability, flexibility and performance necessary to modernize the air or naval aviation forces of any country. The Super Hornet’s suite of integrated and networked systems provides enhanced interoperability and support for ground forces as well as the overall force commander. On July 24, 2002, the first operational cruise of Super Hornet, F 18E, was with VFA-115 onboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). The Super Hornet saw initial combat action on Nov. 6, 2002, when they participated in a strike on hostile targets in the ""no-fly"" zone in Iraq. Built by the industry team of Boeing, Northrop Grumman, GE Aircraft Engines, Raytheon and more than 1,800 suppliers nationwide, the Super Hornet provides the warfighter with today’s newest advances in multi-mission capability and growth for decades to come in mission roles and technology. "
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"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."
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"The Thunder Airbirds were the Air Demonstration Squadron of the USAF. The Thunderbirds performed aerobatic formation and solo-flying in specially marked US Jet aircraft. The Squadron was activated, after six months training in unoffficial status on January 1, 1953 as the 3600th Air Demonstration Team based in Arizona. Their debut expedition was flown a week later and began public exhibitions at the 1953 Cheyenne Frontier Days in Cheyenne, Wyoming. By August, the team had flown 26 shows. the first team leader was Major General Dick catledge. the first plane flown by the squadron was the F-84 Thunderjet. The next year, the Thunderbirds performed their first overseas show in South America. the squadron's aircrafts were changed drastically by the years; In 1995, they changed their aircraft to 84-F Thunderstreak; In 1956, they changed it to F-100 superSabre; then the team switched to F-35 Thunderchief after the disbanding of the Skyblazers. The Thunderbirds also faced several disasters and challenges; While practicing the 4 plane diamond loop, four crew members/pilots died and it was due to the pilot's miscalculations. It was then in 1982, that the team switched to F-16A Fighting Falcon. This transition was already under consideration before the Diamond Crash in January 18, 1982. The F-16A was initially equipped with the Westinghouse AN/APG-66 pulse dropper radar, Pratt and Whitney F-100-PW-200, rated at 14,670 lbF (106.0 kN) with afterburner. The USAF bought F-16As with delivery completed in March 1985. The Thunderbirds still continue to fly the F-16 until today. "
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"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. "
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"The F-15 Eagle is an air superiority fighter type of aircraft. It was manufactured by McDonnell Douglas now known as Boeing IDS. Its maiden flight was on the 27th of July 1972 and was introduced on the 9th of January 1976. Its primary users are the United States Air Force, Israeli Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and Royal Saudi Air Force. It was designed and developed as an all-weather tactical. 567 of this type of aircraft are still active. The Air Force was worried about the new aircrafts that were built by the Soviet Union for combat so they issued their own requirements after they rejected the United States Navy VFX program which they think was not suited to their needs. Three companies submitted their proposals and on the 23rd of December 1969 the selection for McDonnell Douglas was announced. The F-15C Eagle was operated by Israel, Japan, Saudi Arabia, and the United States. The Israel Air Force has been operating the aircraft since 1977. The Japan Air Self-Defence Force received 203 F-15Js and 20 F-15DJs in 1980 -- two of the F-15Js and twelve F-15DJs were made in United States. The Royal Saudi Air Force operated four squadrons of F-15C/D in 1981. And currently the United States Air Force operates 396 F-15C/Ds while the Air National Guard operates 126 F-15C/Ds in 2006. "
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"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. "
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"The Boeing E-4 Advance Airborne Command Post (Nightwatch), is an aircraft operated by the United States Air Force (USAF) and is specially built to serve as a survivable mobile command post for the National Command Authority, including the President of the United States, the Secretary of Defense and successors. The E-4B evolved form the E-4A, which had been in sevice since late 1974. The first B-model was delivered to the Air Force in January 1980. By 1995, all aircraft were converted to E-4B standard. In August 1994, the E-4B assumed an additional role. The E-4B will support the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) request for assistance when disasters occurs. There are four E-4B currently operated by the United States Air Force and are assigned to the 1st Air Combat Command Control Squadron (1ACCS) of the 55th Wing at United States Strategic Command. The first mission for the aircraft was known as NEACP (National Emergency Airborne Command Post) The E-4B is a militarized version of the Boeing 747-200. It provides approximately triple the floor space of its predecesor, the EC-135 Looking Glass airborne command post. The aircraft has electomagnetic pulse protection, an electrical system designed to support advanced electronics and a wide variety of new communications equipment. Other improvements include nuclear and thermal effects shielding, acoustic control, an improved technical control facility and an upgraded air-conditioning sytem for cooling electrical components. The E-4B still serves as the National Airborne Operations Center (NAOC) for the National Command Authorities. "
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"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."
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"The C-9A Nightingale is an adapted version of DC-9 which was from McDonnell Douglas Aircraft Corporation. It was mainly used for missions like medical and evacuations. The aircraft also transported high ranking government officials on air missions. It demonstrated its distinctiveness and flexibility by serving throughout the world, not only in the military, but also in some civilian hospitals and the Department of Veterans Affairs. In June 17 1968, the first C9A Nightingale was rolled out and distributed in August. The standard crew of the aircraft aboard consisted of a pilot, a co-pilot, two nurses, three technicians and a flying crew chief. It was used in the Pacific Theater and was assigned to the 374th Airlift Wing based in Japan. The C-9A Nightingale was also stationed in Germany."
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