Latest news with #Vipers
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Air Force Chief Responds To Possibility Of Buying New ‘Block 80' F-16s
Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin today responded to questioning regarding the potential of a new version of the prolific F-16, a so-called Block 80, as a way of increasing the combat mass of the service in the future. While the Air Force doesn't at this point have a plan to start buying Vipers again, it's certainly interesting that the topic is up for discussion, especially with the service looking hard at how it will balance its next-generation fighter requirements, while introducing the F-47 crewed stealth fighter and Collaborative Combat Aircraft (CCA) drones. At the same time, it continues to buy the F-35A stealth fighter and the F-15EX. Alongside Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall and Chief of Space Operations Gen. Chance Saltzman, Gen. Allvin was testifying before the Senate Committee on Armed Services. Senator Thomas Cotton, the chairman of the Senate Republican Conference and chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, asked Allvin about the potential need to buy new aircraft to replace the Air Force's oldest fighters, some of which will still be flying into the 2040s. 'Focusing on just the next decade, then, our current acquisition options are pretty limited,' Cotton said, before asking Allvin: 'Would you be able to use newly built U.S.-configured Block 80 F-16s to strengthen our strike fighter fleet, if Congress can find additional funds for such an effort?' 'Looking at what that would be to take that export variant and adapt it to a Block 80, and the time it would take, and where that would fall in the production line, I'd have to get back with you with more details to see if that would be an advisable situation,' Allvin responded. 'I'd really have to look at what the defense industrial base can do on that,' Allvin added, 'because my sense is that the current Block 70 is really eating up a lot of production lines and production capacity and all the FMS [Foreign Military Sales].' At this point, it's worth noting that it's unclear whether the Block 80 exists as a concept for the Air Force or whether the designation was being used in the hearing in a purely speculative way. TWZ has reached out to Lockheed Martin for more details. Obviously, however, Allvin was happy to consider the idea of a new version of the F-16 for the service, even if only on a hypothetical level. Undoubtedly, the in-production Block 70/72 F-16C/D aircraft are already highly capable, featuring sophisticated avionics, mission systems, active electronically scanned array radar and a digital electronic warfare suite. The supposed Block 80, however, would presumably be more capable still, as well as being adapted for the specific needs of the Air Force. Aside from the Block 80, Cotton also asked if the Air Force would potentially have a place for the Block 70 (and the related Block 72), currently being built by Lockheed Martin in Greenville, South Carolina, for export customers. MYTHBUSTER MYTH: The F-16 is a legacy, outdated technology from the The F-16 is a critical piece of 21st century security, connecting assets in the battlespace. The newest, most advanced F-16, Block 70/72 offers capabilities to air forces around the world! — Lockheed Martin (@LockheedMartin) August 11, 2023 Again, Allvin said he would take the question for the record and come back with a fuller response. In particular, he said he would have to look in more detail at 'what the export variant can and can't do, and any sort of adjustments we would have to make to make it more easily integrable with our U.S.-built fighters. I would need to see what the integration opportunities and costs would be before I can give you a good answer.' Whether Block 80, or Block 70/72, there remains a big question over whether an Air Force order for these jets would be feasible, given the limited production capacity at the Greenville plant, as you can read more about here. Interestingly, the possibility of the Air Force buying new-production Block 70/72 aircraft to bolster its tactical aviation fleets in the near term has come up in the past. Back in 2021, the outgoing Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Technology, and Logistics, Will Roper, suggested the service might want to order an advanced version of the F-16, such as the Block 70/72. 'As you look at the new F-16 production line in South Carolina, that system has some wonderful upgraded capabilities that are worth thinking about as part of our capacity solution,' Roper said, in an interview with Aviation Week. The idea was quickly shot down by the then Air Force Chief of Staff General Charles Q. Brown Jr., who was vehement that the F-16 — even a much-improved version — was not the right choice for the future Air Force. In particular, he pointed to the F-16's inability to receive software updates at the speed that's desired and its lack of open-architecture software protocols that would allow it to be rapidly reconfigured. At the same time, Brown did, however, bring up the possibility of a 'clean-sheet design' for a future fighter, which he described as a 'four-and-a-half-gen or fifth-gen-minus' aircraft. This would be cheap enough to be procured in the numbers required to eventually replace the F-16. But perhaps, after all, the idea of a potential future Air Force F-16 buy is not altogether dead. Speaking today, Gen. Allvin stressed the importance of having 'not only the right capacity but the capability … to make sure that we have the right mix of the high-end to be able to dominate and be relevant in an Indo-Pacific fight, as well as other fighters that may not need to be as sophisticated as our fifth-generation, sixth-generation.' Furthermore, Allvin said that CCA drones — at least as far as Increment One is concerned — will not be able to replace crewed fighters like the F-16 and the F-15E. 'My assessment [of the CCA] as of right now, it will not replace that. It will be a great augmentation. And its threshold is to be able to work with the F-35 and the F-22 even before the F-47 gets fielded, so it will help us deliver more combat capability at a better cost point. But as far as replacing the manned fighters, that remains to be seen. What we have built into Increment One, my assessment right now is that would not be a good one-for-one replacement.' Meanwhile, the need to replace aging F-16s, which still serve as a backbone of the USAF's fighter fleet, is becoming more acute, Allvin noted. 'As we continue to keep the older aircraft, they do become more and more expensive to maintain,' Allvin said, while the mission capable rate 'is not what we'd like it to be.' He added that the average Air Force F-16 'was built right about the time the Cold War ended. So even those F-16s are getting pretty old.' As of 2024, the mission capable rate (MCR) for the F-16C stood at 64 percent, down from almost 72 percent in 2021. This compares with 52 percent for the F-22, and 86 percent for the brand-new F-15EX. The designated replacement for the F-16 should be the F-35 stealth fighter, although there have long been signs that the Air Force doesn't see this platform as necessarily the direct successor to all its legacy tactical fighters. The Air Force F-35A buy is still officially pegged at 1,763 aircraft, but there have been reports that, as early as 2018, the service had prepared a study that called for these orders to be cut back to 1,050. The Air Force is, notably, also buying F-15EX fighters, alongside F-35As, so clearly hasn't entirely given up on acquiring fourth-generation fighters. In the past, Allvin has also raised the possibility of some kind of light crewed fighter that could serve as a future adjunct to more advanced and costly fifth- and sixth-generation fighters. Allvin presented a highly notional concept illustration for a light fighter last year, as you can read about here. Despite the Air Force's commitment to the F-35, the Joint Strike Fighter program remains an enormously expensive one — the costliest in Pentagon history — leaving room for discussions, at least, about a cheaper crewed fighter. With advanced versions of the F-16 now being manufactured for export customers, it's perhaps no surprise that the Viper, or a further optimized iteration of it, is being at least discussed by some as potential equipment for the U.S. Air Force, too. Contact the author: thomas@
Miami Herald
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Despite coaching change, Varela baseball team stays on course, reaches regional finals
It was early March when Lazer Collazo, a long-time successful baseball coach in South Florida, unexpectedly stepped down as the head coach of Varela. Midseason coaching changes at the top with assistants suddenly taking over can sometimes be the recipe for disaster. But head coach Brian Alvarez and assistant Alex Diaz didn't blink an eye. They took the adversity and used it as a rallying cry. And there they both were on Saturday afternoon, celebrating with their players and vociferous fans on their home field. The Vipers had just finished off an impressive 12-4 dismantling of No. 2 seed Archbishop McCarthy in the third and deciding game of a Best-of-3 Region 4-5A semifinal. After having never even played a regional playoff game until 2022 when Collazo arrived, Varela broke more new ground on Saturday as the Vipers advanced to their first-ever regional final. Varela (20-8-2) will go up against top-seeded Hialeah Gardens Mater Academy beginning next Wednesday and Thursday (May 6-7) with games one and two at Westland Gardens Park at 7 p.m. If a third game is required, the Vipers would get it back on their home field next Saturday. 'It's been a roller coaster season for sure,' Alvarez said. 'We were all totally caught by surprise when Lazer stepped down, especially for these kids because they've played for him since they were six and seven years old. Even though I'm the head coach on paper, it's been about both Alex (Diaz) and I doing this thing together and working to just keep the kids positive, just showing them that they can trust us. It was a matter of staying with a plan, to block out the outside noise and that we would ultimately be able to enjoy a moment like we're having right now.' But as pleased as he was over how his players responded to him and Diaz, Alvarez made it clear who was at the root of all of the unprecedented success for Varela baseball. 'I give most of the credit here to Lazer,' said Alvarez who, when asked, said that Collazo stepped aside strictly for personal reasons. 'These were his kids and he's the one that basically built this team and this program to what it is now.' Alvarez could not have dreamed of a better start for his team as the Vipers jumped all over McCarthy starter Anthony Diaz by rapping out five hits and plating five runs in the bottom of the first inning as Diaz never made it out of the inning. When center fielder Jonathan Paniagua led off the second inning with an opposite field home run over the right field fence, Luis Sosa and Tyler Rodriguez eventually followed that up with two more RBI hits and the Vipers were out to an 8-0 lead after two innings. Eventually the lead ballooned to 10-1 after three innings over the stunned Mavericks. 'The game plan was to come out swinging, put the ball in play and try and get out in front of them early because we know McCarthy can really hit the ball and score runs,' Alvarez said. 'We couldn't have asked for a better start.' Even with a strong hitting arsenal of bats, McCarthy was way too far behind and Varela starter Andy Espinoza, despite yielding eight hits and three runs in his five innings, got the important outs when he needed them to not allow any kind of a comeback. 'There's nothing like early momentum,' Paniagua said. 'It makes you feel like you're the one in total control and that it puts your opponent in the hole and puts more pressure on them.' Espinoza actually was the starting pitcher in Thursday's 8-4 Game Two loss at McCarthy and it's where Alvarez, after winning Game One on Wednesday, talked about a gamble he and Diaz took. 'We actually fell behind early, something like 5-1 and Andy wasn't at 30 pitches yet,' said Alvarez. 'So we took a chance and pulled him off the mound knowing that even if we didn't come back to win in that game, we still had Game 3 at our home field in our back pockets. 'That would enable us to put him back on the mound again and he really came through for us today.' Besides Paniagua, leading the way offensively for the Vipers were Sosa (3-for-5, RBI, 2 doubles, 2 runs scored), Jiovanni Zara (3-for-4) and Juan Chacon who was 2-for-3 with 2 RBI. 'McCarthy's tough, they've got big-time bats so I knew they were going to get their share of hits today,' Espinoza said. 'But fortunately my guys went out there and got me all of those early runs to stake me to the big lead and that allowed me to go out there on the mound and really control things. Just made it easier to do my job.'
CAF
12-03-2025
- Sport
- CAF
Uganda name squad for Mozambique, Guinea ties
Uganda have reshuffled their squad and made seven changes to a 25-man squad for this month's FIFA World Cup qualifiers, recalling six players and handing uncapped midfielder Enock Ssebagala a chance for an international debut. The British-based duo of centre backs Elvis Bwomono and Tobby Sibbick are back along with striker Muhammad Shaban, who missed out on the last four TotalEnergies CAF Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers last October and November because of injury. Back-up goalkeeper Joel Mutakubwa, who has two caps, also returns to the squad selected by coach Paul Put, as does the attacking midfielder Abdu Karim Watambala and left wing Patrick Kakande. Uganda are up against Mozambique in Cairo on March 20 and then host Guinea in Kampala five days later. Dropping out of the squad from the Cranes' last outings in the Cup of Nations qualifiers are goalkeepers Charles Lukwago and Mutwalibu Mugolofa; defenders Halidi Lwaliwa and Geoffrey Wasswa; midfielders Bobosi Byaruhanga, Taddeo Lwanga and Saidi Mayanja and the strikers John Paul Dembe, Shafik Nana Kwikiriza and Derrick Nsibambi. Uganda are on six points in Group G of the qualifiers with two victories and two defeats, and three points off the top of the table. Squad: Goalkeepers: Nafian Alionzi (Defence Forces, Ethiopia), Joel Mutakubwa (BUL FC), Isima Watenga (Lamontville Golden Arrows, South Africa), Defenders: Timothy Awany (Ashdod, Israel), Elvis Bwomono (St Mirren, Scotland), Aziz Abdu Kayondo (Slovan Liberec, Czech Republic), Gavin Kizito (Kampala Capital City Authority), Bevis Mugabi (Famagusta Anorthosis, Cyprus), Isaac Muleme (Viktoria Zizkov, Czech Republic), Toby Sibbick (Wigan Athletic, England) Midfielders: Khalid Aucho (Young Africans, Tanzania), Travis Mutyaba (Girondins Bordeaux, France), Allan Okello (Vipers), Kenneth Semakula (Club Africain, Tunisia), Enock Ssebagala (National Enterprise Corporation), Ronald Ssekiganda (SC Villa), Abdu Karim Watambala (Vipers) Forwards: Calvin Kabuye (Mjallby, Sweden), Patrick Kakande (SC Villa), Hakim Kiwanuka (APR FC, Rwanda), Rogers Mato (FK Vardar, North Macedonia), Steven Mukwala (Simba, Tanzania), Denis Omedi (APR FC, Rwanda), Muhammad Shaban (Al Anwar Al Abyar, Libya), Jude Ssemugabi (Kitara).
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Uganda torchlight death of Nigerian footballer wey die for shopping mall
Police for Uganda dey investigate di death of one Nigerian professional footballer wey allegedly fall from one shopping for capital Kampala. 29 years old Abubakar Lawal fall from third floor balcony for Voicemall Shopping Arcade wia e go to visit im Tanzanian friend. Dem carry am go hospital wia dem pronounce am dead, na so police tok. Dem tok say Lawal friend Omary Naima bin leave am for her room wey be part of di mall building - and dey prepare tea before di incident happen. Lawal na striker for local team Vipers Sports Club. Dem don express sadness over di "untimely passing of our beloved player". Tributes don dey pour in for di footballer, wey don dey wit Vipers since 2022 afta e do two years play for Kigali Rwanda. For 2023 e help Vipers win di league and cup double. Di club say "Lawal (man from Sokoto) na unique pesin. E get big heart of gold. E care about pipo and dey go out of im ways to help pipo. E dey incredibly generous". "We mourn di sudden death of our ex-player Abubakar Lawal earlier today. Make God grant am eternal rest," na wetin im former Nigeria team Nasarawa United tok. "E dey had to take say you Lawal no dey again. You dey kind, talented, jolly and loving person na him you be. We go miss you forever bro," na wetin Ugandan footballer Mustafa Kizza write. Local tori pipo say di matter don bring up more questions dan answers as plenty tori dey fly unto how di player take die. Some tori pipo bin report say e die via motorcycle accident. Police say di exact circumstances of im death dey under investigation. "Authorities dey retrieve CCTV footage and dey conduct thorough interrogation to establish di exact circumstances wey surround di incident." Na so police tok. Police don retrieve some items wey belong to di deceased player including two smart phones, shoes, headsets and training kit. "Further updates go show later as di investigation dey progress," na so police add.
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Sport
- BBC News
Abubakar Lawal: Uganda probes death of Nigerian footballer from Vipers Sport Club
Police in Uganda are investigating the death of a Nigerian professional footballer who allegedly fell from a shopping mall in the capital, Lawal, 29, reportedly fell from a third-floor balcony at the Voicemall Shopping Arcade, where he had gone to visit a Tanzanian friend. He was taken to hospital where he was pronounced dead, the police said Lawal's friend, identified as Omary Naima, had left him in her room – which is part of the mall building - preparing tea before the incident was a striker playing for local team Vipers Sports Club, which has expressed its sadness for the "untimely passing of our beloved player". Tributes have been flowing in for the footballer, who has been with the Vipers club since July 2022 after a two-year stint with AS Kigali in said "Lawal (Man from Sokoto) was a unique person. He had a big heart of gold. He really cared about people and went out of his way to help. He was incredibly generous"."We mourn the sudden demise of our ex-player Abubakar Lawal earlier today. May God grant him eternal rest," his former team in Nigeria, Nasarawa United, said."It's hard to take in that you're no more Lawal A kind, talented, jolly, and loving person you have been. You will forever be missed bro," said Ugandan footballer Mustafa media say the matter has left more questions than answers amid conflicting reports of the circumstances of Lawal's media had earlier reported that he had died in a motorcycle said the exact circumstances of the death were being investigated."Authorities are retrieving CCTV footage and conducting thorough interrogations to establish the exact circumstances surrounding the incident," police police have retrieved some items belonging to the deceased player, including two smartphones, shoes, headsets and training kit."Further updates will be provided as the investigation progresses," the police added. You may also be interested in: Ugandan fan shot dead celebrating Arsenal beating Manchester UnitedThousands mourn Ugandan Olympian killed by ex-partner'Running for her family' - Olympian mourned after vicious attackUganda: Gulu pupil shot dead in school protests over Manchester derby TV ban Go to for more news from the African us on Twitter @BBCAfrica, on Facebook at BBC Africa or on Instagram at bbcafrica
