Latest news with #F-16FightingFalcon
UPI
2 days ago
- Politics
- UPI
On This Day, June 2: U.S. F-16 shot down over Bosnia O'Grady rescued
1 of 6 | Capt. Scott O'Grady gives a press conference on June 10, 1995, eight days after his F-16 Fighting Falcon was shot down over Bosnia. After six days of evasion, he was rescued by U.S. Marines from the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit. File Photo by SRA Tana R. Hamilton/ U.S. National Archives On this date in history: In 1865, the Civil War officially came to an end when Confederate Gen. Edmund Kirby Smith, commander of Confederate forces west of the Mississippi, signed the surrender terms offered by Union negotiators. In 1886, U.S. President Grover Cleveland, 49, married Frances Folsom, the 21-year-old daughter of his former law partner, in a White House ceremony. The bride became the youngest first lady in U.S. history. In 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act into law, extending citizenship to all Native Americans born within the United States and its territories. In 1946, in a national referendum, voters in Italy decided the country should become a republic rather than return to a monarchy. The results were officially announced three days later after votes were counted. File Photo by Monika Graff/UPI In 1953, Queen Elizabeth II was crowned in London's Westminster Abbey by the Archbishop of Canterbury. A year earlier, upon receiving word of her father's death, the former Princess Elizabeth broke down and wept. In 1985, police near San Francisco arrested Leonard Lake, who, along with an accomplice, Charles Ng, were accused of between 11 to 25 murders. Lake killed himself in jail before he could go to trial. Ng was convicted in 11 homicides in 1999 and sentenced to death. In 1992, Arkansas Gov. Bill Clinton clinched the Democratic presidential nomination. In 1995, a U.S. F-16 fighter-jet was shot down by a Serb-launched missile while on patrol over Bosnia. The pilot, Air Force Capt. Scott O'Grady, ejected safely and landed behind Serb lines. He was rescued six days later. In 1997, a federal jury in Denver convicted Timothy McVeigh in the 1995 Oklahoma City bombing that killed 168 people. He was sentenced to death and executed June 11, 2001. In 2004, Ken Jennings won his first game on Jeopardy! It started a string that ended after a record 74 wins and more than $2.5 million in winnings. File Photo by Laura Cavanaugh/UPI In 2010, a 52-year-old British taxi driver was accused of a shooting rampage in which 13 people were slain and 11 others injured before he killed himself. In 2014, Seattle's City Council approved a $15 hourly minimum wage -- the highest in the United States. In 2024, Mexicans elect former Mexico City Mayor Claudia Sheinbaum as their first female and first Jewish president. File Photo by Mario Guzman/EPA-EFE
Yahoo
7 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
Thunderbirds arrive in Colorado Springs
(PETERSON SPACE FORCE BASE, Colo.) — The U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds have officially landed at Peterson Space Force Base (SFB) ahead of the Air Force Academy graduation ceremony on Thursday, May 29. On Tuesday, local media got an up-close and personal look at the iconic red, white, and blue F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, as well as a glimpse into the lives of their precision pilots. When do the Thunderbirds practice? 'We fly twice a day, every day, for almost six days a week, sometimes seven days a week, during our training season,' said Major Jeffrey Downie, call sign 'Simmer.' Maj. Downie said the preparation for a performance like the one that will be executed on Thursday includes those hours of rigorous training, as well as good rest and mental preparedness. The end result is a stunning display that will leave an impression on anyone who catches a glimpse of the Thunderbirds as they roar overhead. 'Our mission on the Thunderbirds is to recruit, retain, and inspire, and we really like to focus on the inspiration piece, because you can do that for everybody, whether that's somebody that's older in the crowd or someone who's very young,' said Maj. Downie. For Maj. Downie, that inspiration struck him at a young age, when he would watch the jets fly over Arlington National Cemetery nearby where he grew up. 'You'd always hear the rumble in the house, and my mom and I would drop everything and run outside, and we would watch the jets rip over, and that kind of planted the seed for me,' Maj. Downie said. 'That's when it was solidified in my mind that that's what I was going to do, and I was going to chase that with an unrelenting effort. And it landed me here today, through a lot of hard work.' Now a pilot for the Air Force Demonstration team, Maj. Downie hopes the memories he's able to help create last a lifetime for the cadets in Falcons Stadium on Thursday, even if he never got to experience it himself. 'It's the culmination of four years of hard work,' said Maj. Downie. 'When I was graduating in 2013, sequestration was going on, and so we didn't actually have the Thunderbirds that year. So for me, this is actually special because I get to be on the other side of it and get to bring that excitement to the cadets… once you start hearing the Thunderbirds start ripping around, that's when it's like, 'alright, graduation is here.'' Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- Politics
- Newsweek
NATO Scrambles Fighter Jets After Long-Range Russian Missile Strikes
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. NATO fighter jets were scrambled near Poland's eastern border on Monday as Ukraine was struck by a Russian missile and drone attack. Poland's Armed Forces said that Polish and allied aircraft had been launched amid "renewed activity of the Russian Federation's long-range aviation carrying out missile strikes on facilities located in the territory of Ukraine." "All necessary procedures to ensure the safety of Polish airspace have been activated," it said in a statement on X, formerly known as Twitter. "The Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces is monitoring the current situation, with subordinate forces and resources remaining in full readiness for immediate response." Newsweek has contacted the Russian government for comment. A F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet from the Polish Air Force taking part in a NATO exercise in Lask, Poland, in 2022. A F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jet from the Polish Air Force taking part in a NATO exercise in Lask, Poland, in is a breaking story. More to follow.
News18
13-05-2025
- Business
- News18
Satellite Images Capture Extensive Damage To Pakistan Air Bases After Operation Sindoor
Last Updated: The high-quality images from private satellite company Maxar revealed the extent of damage inflicted upon Pakistani airbases due to Indian strikes High-resolution satellite images revealed that Indian strikes on Pakistan's air bases under 'Operation Sindoor' caused significant damage to runways, hangars, and infrastructure, delivering a major setback to Islamabad. The precision strikes carried out by the Indian Armed Forces hit strategic military sites in Pakistan, with experts believing that the major blow could have pushed the rattled Shehbaz Sharif-led government to approach India for a ceasefire. The before and after satellite images collected by US-based space technology company, Maxar Technologies, showed in detail the extent of damage inflicted upon Pakistani airbases in Sukkur (Sindh), Nur Khan (Rawalpindi), Rahim Yar Khan (southern Punjab), Mushaf in Sargodha, Jacobabad (northern Sindh), and Bholari (northern Thatta district). The images reveal that Indian airstrikes created large craters on runways and inflicted damage on aircraft hangars, administrative buildings, and storage facilities at Pakistani military bases. Sukkur Airbase, a forward base of the Pakistan Air Force, also operates as Begum Nusrat Bhutto International Airport. It serves as Sindh's second-largest civilian airport after Karachi's Jinnah International Airport. Nur Khan Air Base Situated less than 10 km from the Pakistan Army's General Headquarters (GHQ) in Rawalpindi, Nur Khan Airbase in Chaklala hosts key PAF assets, including Lockheed C-130 Hercules transport aircraft, Ilyushin Il-78 refuellers, and Karakoram-8 trainer jets. PAF Base Mushaf, Sargodha Satellite imagery shows that Indian missile strikes created two large craters on the runway at Mushaf Airbase, one measuring approximately 15 feet in radius, rendering the airstrip non-operational. A smaller crater, about 10 feet in radius, was observed at the runway intersection, along with visible damage to several transport vehicles. Bholari Air Base Bholari is one of Pakistan's newest airbases, home to JF-17 Thunder and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets, along with Saab 2000 AEW&C aircraft equipped with the Erieye radar system. Jacobabad Airbase Formerly a key hub for NATO operations during Operation Enduring Freedom—the official name for the U.S.-led Global War on Terror—Jacobabad Airbase continues to hold strategic importance for Pakistan. The base houses some of the Pakistan Air Force's most advanced assets, including the latest JF-17 Block II jets, various F-16 Fighting Falcon variants, and Italian-made Leonardo AW139 helicopters, which are operated by the 88 Search and Rescue Squadron. Watch India Pakistan Breaking News on CNN-News18. Get breaking news, in-depth analysis, and expert perspectives on everything from geopolitics to diplomacy and global trends. Stay informed with the latest world news only on News18. Download the News18 App to stay updated! Location : Islamabad, Pakistan First Published: May 13, 2025, 21:24 IST News world Satellite Images Capture Extensive Damage To Pakistan Air Bases After Operation Sindoor
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
These performers will join the Thunderbirds at this year's Great Colorado Air Show
The Great Colorado Air Show will return to the Northern Colorado Regional Airport in Loveland for the first time since 2021, and the event announced its full lineup. The Sept. 20-21 show will feature the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds and the F-16 Fighting Falcon. It will also include performances by the West Coast Rhino Demo Team, Red Thunder Airshows, Vertigo Airshows, Wings of Blue, Free Man Airshows and Mini Jet Airshows, according to the show's website. Gates will open at 9 a.m. with performances running until 4:30 p.m. The shows are the same each day though the performance schedule might change. Performance times have not been set as of May 12. Tickets are now on sale and can only be purchased online. General admission tickets either day are $69.95 for adults or and $59.95 for ages 4 to 12. General parking is free. Premium box seats cost $99.95 to $129.95, Flight Line Club table for four is $950 and VIP parking $85. The event is cashless with all authorized vendors accepting only debit/credit cards for purchases. In October 2021, the Great Colorado Air Show featured the Blue Angels and more than 28,000 people attended, according to previous Coloradoan reporting. In July of 2022, the Thunderbirds used the Northern Colorado Regional Airport to land and take off for practices for the Wings over Warren Air Show in conjunction with Cheyenne Frontier Days. In April of 2020, they flew over Northern Colorado to honor the work of those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic. The Thunderbirds, which typically perform midweek at Cheyenne Frontier Days, are scheduled for a Saturday show this year. That will be on July 26, according to previous Coloradoan reporting. Reporters Rebecca Powell and Sady Swanson contributed to this report. This article originally appeared on Fort Collins Coloradoan: These performers will join the Thunderbirds at Great Colorado Air Show
