Latest news with #A-10ThunderboltII
Yahoo
2 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Report: Landing Gear Mishap Caused B-2 Bomber to Crash, Catch on Fire in 2022 Incident
An Air Force B-2 Spirit crash at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, in 2022 that caused upward of $300 million worth of damage was due to a landing gear issue, a new accident investigation details. The B-2 stealth bomber, call sign DEATH 12, attempted to land on Dec. 10, 2022, after a training mission and experienced a hydraulic system failure when trying to land, resulting in the bomber skidding more than 9,000 feet down a runway before it burst into flames. Once the crew touched down, the left landing gear "collapsed immediately," causing the left wing tip to scrape the ground and eventually the fuel tanks to leak and catch fire, the report from Air Force Global Strike Command, released this week, detailed. No injuries were reported to the crew. "Following the incident, AFGSC temporarily suspended B-2A flights to inspect the fleet," a news release from the command said, clarifying that it still maintained the ability to deploy B-2s if needed. "Full flight operations resumed on May 22, 2023." Read Next: VA to End Bargaining Agreement Contracts with Most Unions The July report finally details the circumstances behind the high-profile 2022 crash of the B-2 at the Missouri base that led to the closure of the runway for nearly two weeks and limited the stealth bomber's full flight operations for more than five months. previously reported that it took 11 days for the runway to reopen for A-10 Thunderbolt II and T-38 Talon flying operations at Whiteman. The B-2s were temporarily grounded for a safety investigation in the wake of the crash. B-2 bombers had been set to fly out for the 2023 Rose Bowl Parade and Game on Jan. 2, but were replaced by B-1B Lancers as a result of the incident. More than $300 million worth of damage was estimated to the crashed plane's left wing and left landing gear, as well as $27,500 worth of damage to the airfield, the report detailed. The Accident Investigation Board President, Col. Jesse Lamarand, determined that "the mishap was caused by a failure of a truck position sequence valve hydraulic coupling," according to a news release that included the report. Additionally, Lamarand said in the report that a design vulnerability with the main landing gear allowed the lock link assembly to move out of the locked position during the emergency gear extension. The report also identified a delay in using aqueous film forming foam, or AFFF, to fight the fire as another cause of the extensive damage. "The incident commander's decision to not immediately use aqueous film forming foam (AFFF) allowed the fire to spread, causing further damage to the aircraft wing," the report detailed. AFFF was not authorized to be used for "approximately the first three minutes and 28 seconds of the fire attack because of a misunderstanding that AFFF should be used only as a last resort," the report added. Aqueous film forming foam has been slowly phased out by several of the military services, including the Air Force, due to it containing PFAS, a group of substances known as forever chemicals because of their resistance to breaking down in the environment and human body. Related: Air Force Finally Clears Crashed B-2 from Runway Amid Ongoing Safety Investigation
Saudi Salary
06-07-2025
- Saudi Salary
فيديو: مواجهة مفتوحة.. ..حرب النخب.. تشتعل في أميركا وماسك يهدد بتغيير وجه السياسة في واشنطن
The U.S. military is preparing to retire what has long been considered one of its most iconic and feared warplanes, marking a significant turning point in the history of American air power. A proposal by the Pentagon aims to remove from service an aircraft that, for decades, has stood as a symbol of U.S. air superiority and battlefield dominance. The A-10 Thunderbolt II - commonly known as the Warthog - is slated to be fully retired by 2026. According to a report by DefenceNews, the U.S. Air Force has formally requested the decommissioning of all 162 A-10 attack aircraft as part of a broader restructuring plan that targets a total of 340 aircraft for removal. Initially, the fleet was expected to remain operational until the end of the decade, but strategic shifts and modernization goals have accelerated the timeline. The A-10, revered for its rugged design and legendary effectiveness against armored targets, has served for over 40 years. Its hallmark weapon, the 30mm GAU-8 Avenger rotary cannon, made it particularly lethal against tanks and ground formations, earning it a fearsome reputation in conflicts from the Gulf War to Afghanistan. Despite its proven track record, the Warthog is being phased out in favor of newer, more versatile systems. However, the A-10 isn't the only aircraft facing retirement. The Air Force plan includes the withdrawal of 62 F-16C and D multirole fighters, 21 F-15E Strike Eagles, and 13 F-15C and D models. Transport and support aircraft are also part of the drawdown, including 14 C-130H Hercules cargo planes and three EC-130H Compass Call electronic warfare aircraft. In addition, 14 KC-135 Stratotanker aerial refueling planes and 11 HH-60G Pave Hawk rescue helicopters are scheduled to leave service. This large-scale reduction reflects a broader shift in U.S. defense priorities, focusing on future technologies and fifth-generation capabilities, as the military prepares for the challenges of modern warfare. The retirement of the A-10, in particular, signals the closing chapter of a machine that has defined ground-attack tactics for generations. Andrei Badalov, vice president of Russia's state-owned oil pipeline company Transneft Dutch intelligence agencies have gathered clear evidence confirming Russia's extensive use of chemical weapons in its ongoing war against Ukraine North Macedonia's President Gordana Siljanovska responded to the upcoming European Parliament (EP) vote on the country's EU progress report US President Donald Trump admitted that his recent phone conversation with Russian President Vladimir Putin did not yield any progress toward ending the war in Ukraine A state of emergency has been declared in the area surrounding the large wildfire near Ierapetra on the Greek island of Crete A full blockade of several major Serbian cities was launched on the morning of July 4 in protest against police violence
UPI
25-06-2025
- Politics
- UPI
Britain to purchase 12 nuclear weapons-capable F-35 jets from U.S.
Britain is expected to announced Wednesday that it is purchasing at least 12 F-35A fighter jets like the one seen here. File Photo by Keizo Mori/UPI | License Photo June 25 (UPI) -- Britain is purchasing at least a dozen F-35A fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear weapons from the United States and will be joining NATO's dual-capable aircraft nuclear mission. Prime Minister Keir Starmer is expected to make the announcement Wednesday, during the final day of the three-day NATO summit being held at The Hague. "The UK's commitment to NATO is unquestionable, as is the alliance's contribution to keeping the UK safe and secure, but we must all step up to protect the Euro-Atlantic area for generations to come," Starmer said in a statement. He added that the addition of the F-35A aircraft "will herald a new era for our world-leading Royal Air Force and deter hostile threats that threaten the UK and our allies." The F-35A fighter jet is a Lockheed Martine aircraft that replaced the U.S. Air Forces' F-16 Fighting Falcon and A-10 Thunderbolt II, and packs 43,000 pounds of thrust. According to 10 Downing Street, the newly purchased fighters will be based at Royal Air Force Marham, with expectations that London will procure 138 of them over the lifetime of the program. NATO's nuclear deterrence policy and force rely on the United States' nuclear arsenal that has been deployed to Europe. According to the defensive military alliance, a number of countries have contributed dual-capable aircraft to the mission "and are available at various levels of readiness." The announcement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump has been pressing NATO partners to do more to support their own defense and to rely less on Washington.
News18
08-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
Ex-US Air Force Pilot Backs India Over Pakistan If Tensions Escalate
Last Updated: Dale Stark, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the US Air Force and an expert A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, said his 'money is on the Indians.' A day after India launched Operation Sindoor, targeting nine terrorist launchpads in Pakistan and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), a former US Air Force pilot said his 'money is on the Indians" if tensions escalate. 'I've flown with both Indian and Pakistani fighter pilots during my career. I'll just say my money's on the Indians if this continues to escalate," Dale Stark, a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the US Air Force and an expert A-10 Thunderbolt II pilot, wrote on X on Thursday. I've flown with both Indian and Pakistani fighter pilots during my career. I'll just say my money's on the Indians if this continues to escalate.— Dale Stark (@DaleStarkA10) May 7, 2025 Responding to a comment, he said the Indian army 'was way better." They were way better. Stark, who served three combat tours in Afghanistan in 2006, 2010, and 2014, began his career as an aircraft mechanic before climbing the ranks to officer status. His post went viral in no time. A user commented on X, 'Indian Air Force pilots are rock stars." Indian Air Force pilots are rock stars. At par with RAF. @IAF_MCC — Jai Hind (@kannandelhi) May 7, 2025 Another agreed, saying, 'Indian pilots are thorough professionals. They know what to do and they will do without any religious fervour or over-enthusiasm. Moreover, India has a vast and diverse terrain to train them. They are the best." Someone wrote, 'I was there in '98. Fully agree. Both fierce fighters, but the Indian military is vastly more disciplined." I was there in 98. Fully agree. Both fierce fighters, but the Indian military is vastly more disciplined. — C/SAR Diver 'I've always heard that the Indian Air Force is top notch," a comment read. I've always heard that the Indian Air Force is top notch. — Chuck (@StilltheWarlord) May 8, 2025 India's pre-dawn offensive on Wednesday reportedly killed around 100 terrorists and destroyed key terror infrastructure across the LoC. The operation was in response to the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack, which killed 26 people. Operation Sindoor has been described by defence experts as a 'calibrated pre-emptive response" aimed at dismantling terror launchpads before they could become operational. The situation intensified quickly. Later that day, at least 13 people, including a soldier and women and children, were killed and 59 others injured in heavy cross-border shelling by Pakistani forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district. Hours later, the Indian armed forces thwarted a major retaliation attempt by the Pakistani military, which tried to strike multiple military targets across 15 cities in northern and western India using drones and missiles. According to the Defence Ministry, Indian forces managed to intercept the attacks and destroyed a Pakistani air defence system in Lahore. Pakistan's attempted targets included key strategic locations such as Awantipora, Srinagar, Jammu, Pathankot, Amritsar, Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Ludhiana, Adampur, Bathinda, Chandigarh, Nal, Phalodi, Uttarlai, and Bhuj. 'The debris of these attacks is now being recovered from a number of locations that prove the Pakistani attacks," the ministry said in a statement. First Published:
Hindustan Times
08-05-2025
- Hindustan Times
Former US Air Force pilot says his ‘money is on Indians' as India-Pak tensions escalate
A former fighter pilot who served in the US Air Force for more than 20 years says he has flown with both Indian and Pakistani pilots. If asked to pick between the two, he would put his money on Indians. Dale Stark is a distinguished former US Air Force pilot renowned for his expertise with the A-10 Thunderbolt II, commonly known as the "Warthog." He has been deployed to Afghanistan three times - in 2006, 2010, and 2014. Stark joined the Air Force as an aircraft mechanic and rose through the ranks to become a Lieutenant Colonel. In a post shared on the social media platform X this morning, the US Air Force veteran said that having flown with both Indian and Pakistani fighter pilots, he would put his money on Indians if tensions between the two countries were to escalate further. 'I've flown with both Indian and Pakistani fighter pilots during my career. I'll just say my money's on the Indians if this continues to escalate,' he wrote. Responding to one surprised comment, Stark wrote: 'They [Indians] were way better.' His post comes after several pro-Pakistani social media handles falsely claimed that its forces downed five Indian jets – including Rafales – during Operation Sindoor on Wednesday. (Also read: Pak minister schooled by CNN anchor for absurd 'social media' reply as proof of downing Indian jets) The Press Information Bureau (PIB) has clarified that a misleading image being circulated online is from a previous incident involving an Indian Air Force (IAF) MiG-29 fighter jet that crashed in Barmer, Rajasthan, in September 2024. The crash was not related to the ongoing operations and occurred due to a technical issue. The pilot involved in the crash survived the incident. PIB emphasized that the image has no connection to the current military activities or events linked to Operation Sindoor. (With inputs from PTI)
