Latest news with #F-22ARaptor
Newsweek
26-05-2025
- General
- Newsweek
Air Force Jets Perform World First Formation Over Miami Beach
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. Jets with the U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) flew its "first-ever tri-bomber/fighter dissimilar formation" over Miami Beach in a Memorial Day celebration on Saturday for a "freedom flyover" to commemorate those who lost their lives serving in the U.S. military. Why It Matters AFGSC is a major command within the Air Force responsible for nuclear deterrence and global strike operations. Memorial Day is observed each year on the last Monday of May. While many view it as the unofficial start to summer, the day is meant to be a way to honor those who sacrificed their lives while serving in the U.S. military. What To Know For Memorial Day this year, the U.S. Air Force unveiled its first ever "seven-ship" tri-bomber formation during the Hyundai Air and Sea Show that took place over the weekend. The show was led by the B-2 Spirit stealth bomber and included the B-1B Lancer, B-52H Stratofortress, F-22 Raptor, F-15C Eagle, F-16C Fighting Falcon, and A-10 Thunderbolt. "This wasn't just an air show - it was a powerful tribute to those who gave everything and a celebration of the strength that defends our nation every single day," the AFGSC wrote on its Facebook reel with a video of the formation fly over. A Lockheed-Martin F-22A Raptor of the US Air Force flies over the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May 4. A Lockheed-Martin F-22A Raptor of the US Air Force flies over the grid during the F1 Grand Prix of Miami at Miami International Autodrome on May People Are Saying U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command wrote on Facebook on Saturday: "The Active duty, Air Force Reserve, and Air National Guard pilots united as one unstoppable force while thousands witnessed aviation history." Veteran Affairs Secretary Doug Collins said last week: "Every day throughout the year, VA plays a vital role in remembering and honoring the brave service members who gave their lives in defense of the freedoms America holds dear. This Memorial Day weekend, we invite Americans to visit VA cemeteries and join us in reflecting upon the important legacies of these fallen heroes." John Raughter, a Marine Corps veteran and spokesperson for the American Legion National Headquarters, previously told Newsweek about the holiday: "It is to unify and celebrate that America over the past 250 years has been blessed with more than 1 million heroic men and women who believed through their actions that this was a country worth dying for. There is nothing wrong with attending a barbecue, visiting a beach and enjoying other activities with family and friends. Many of our fallen heroes engaged in such activities. But it is important to take a few moments during the weekend to reflect on why the last Monday in May is a holiday and who has made it possible for us to enjoy such freedoms."
Yahoo
04-04-2025
- Yahoo
China's ‘J-50' Tailless Stealth Fighter Seen In New Imagery
Shenyang Aircraft Corporation's tailless stealth fighter has appeared in new photos that offer additional insights into its exotic design. The aircraft, unofficially dubbed the 'J-50,' is one of two Chinese tailless heavy next-generation fighter designs that emerged on December 26th, 2024. The other larger three-engined type, colloquially referred to as the 'J-36,' is built by the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation. You can read our very in-depth previous analysis of both these aircraft here. It isn't clear if the new image comes from a recent test flight or is from the December 26th sortie. While we have seen proof of the larger J-36 making additional test flights since its first publicly known one, the J-50 has not been spotted in the air for over three months. The new image shows a clearer side-on view of the advanced jet than any we have seen before. Notable are what could very well be the presence of side weapons bays, broadly similar to those found on the F-22A Raptor and the J-20. We also see an angular bulge under the nose, which could be an opaque placeholder for a faceted electro-optical system, similar to what is found on the F-35 and the J-20. SAC J-50(?) 6th Gen Fighter Jet Testing Flight — David Wang (@Nickatgreat1220) April 4, 2025 The canopy on this aircraft is just visible in the image, but we still don't have a clear understanding of its shape and how it is blended into the fuselage. Some originally questioned if this aircraft was manned because of the lack of clarity regarding its cockpit area, but all indications point to it being a crewed fighter. The aircraft's pronounced lambda wing planform is also readily apparent here, and one of the jet's strangest features — articulating wingtips — can also be seen, with the right wing's tip deflected. Two-dimensional engine exhausts, possibly featuring thrust vectoring, are also visible. A two-wheeled nose landing gear is confirmed, with single wheels for the mains. This is not new, but it underscores the weight class difference between this design and Chengdu's very heavy design, which features twin wheels for its main gear arranged in tandem. The nose gear door also gives us new evidence of the ventral centerline 'tunnel' that exists below the fuselage on this aircraft. The inlets are arguably the most elegant-looking structure on this aircraft. Diverterless Supersonic Inlet (DSI) types that blend directly from the nose, with the trapezoidal inlet structures surrounding the DSI 'hump,' are really apparent here. This arrangement is more impressive than the F-22-like fenced intakes on the J-36, although that aircraft also features a DSI arrangement for its dorsal intake. In some ways, this aircraft looks more advanced than its Chendgu counterpart, although they are really in different classes just in terms of size and weight. It remains unclear if these designs are tied to a single program and its defined objectives, or are for two separate programs focused on different capabilities sets with some overlap. You can read all about this and the features described above in our in-depth initial analysis, which everything we are seeing today supports. China's big next-generation stealth fighter developments come as the U.S. Air Force is now formally pursuing a 6th generation fighter design as part of its wide-ranging Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) program under the new F-47 designation. Boeing won that contract and has so far put forward just two renderings of its aircraft, both of which show a low-observable design with canard foreplanes — a feature that is traditionally antithetical to stealth that is missing on both Chinese designs, but does exist on the operational J-20. The Navy is about to announce its own F/A-XX 6th generation fighter selection, as well. While many have taken to the internet to declare China has overtaken the U.S. in fighter design as they have two tailless stealth fighter aircraft flying and the U.S. has none, this is incorrect. The DoD has been flying at least two NGAD demonstrators, one from Boeing and one from Lockheed Martin, for years now, and those are just the ones so far disclosed. Those demonstrators flew as part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency-led program that also involved the Navy. Other U.S. testing of tailless stealth fighter design concepts date back decades. Still, as we laid out in great detail in our original analysis, China has made incredible progress in their combat aircraft design and manufacturing capabilities in a relatively short amount of time, and that progress is only set to accelerate. In other words, the gap is closing. As is always the case with imagery of new high-tech weaponry coming out of China, we should see increasingly detailed offerings of both aircraft as the weeks go on. So, we should be able to glean more from their designs in the near future. Contact the author: Tyler@
