So Hanna arrived and dumped 12+ inches in a little over 8 hours: We’re under one of the red spots…(wx station at nearby school reporting 26.8″ – can’t be right…) Between rain bands… The Good: Didn’t have to mow the lawn Half the SJS fleet got a brushless car wash PMS for 7-year old sump…
Since the program began, Aegis BMD has been concentrated on the West Coast and with the FDNF. Now, however, two more ships – this time on the East Coast, have undergone the modifications and one, the USS RAMAGE (DDG 61) has begun a deployment with the SM-3 Blk1a missile onboard (full article here): “She is loaded,”…
Those of us who spent anytime in Hampton Roads became intimately familiar with the “joys” of two significant landmarks – the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel and the more recent cousin, the Monitor-Merrimac Memorial Bridge Tunnel. The HRBT, as it is called in polite company, is the link from Norfolk to the Peninsula, unless, of course,…
The mid-1950’s were a fascinating time in aircraft development in the US. The famous “Century Series” was well underway with participation by almost all of America’s premiere aircraft manufacturers, a series of X-planes were pushing the boundaries at a remote desert lake-bed only recently renamed for one aviator who gave his life while testing a…
Blasting, billowing, bursting forth With the power of ten    billion butterfly sneezes Man with his flaming pyre Has conquered the wayward breezes Climbing to tranquility Far above the cloud Conceiving the heavens Clear of misty shroud… – Moody Blues, Higher and Higher Growing up we were insatiable in our appetite for anything related to…
Red Flag has always been a varsity exercise and in recent years, it has seen increased participation from allies and friends. This year has been no exception with Brazil (F-5s), Sweden (JAS-39 Grippens), France (Rafales) and Turkey F-16s) among the many participants. This was in addition to the usual USAF, USN and USMC participants. Notable…
First, the official press release: Missing WWII Pilot Is Identified The Department of Defense POW/Missing Personnel Office (DPMO) announced today that the remains of a U.S. serviceman, missing from World War II, have been identified and will be returned to his family for burial with full military honors. He is 2nd Lt. Howard C. Enoch…
Taking a break from VTC h*ll (ed: 8+ hours yesterday alone, how the h*ll did Nimitz & Ike win a war without it? – don’t answer, that was a rhetorical question… – SJS) & following up on the comments to a previous Flightdeck Friday (Phlightdeck Phriday: Phabulous Phantom Edition). Some have offered their guess at…
The term tipping point describes a point at which a slow gradual change becomes irreversible and then proceeds with gathering pace. It is derived from the metaphor of a rigid solid object being tilted to a point where it begins to topple. Couple of observations from the region… Iran to launch 1st domestic satellite soon…
Been a rough few for our AF comrades in arms and while we well remember all the grief we received when the tables were turned back in ’92-93 we note with interest the items below passed our way earlier today. Couple of bullets caught our eye – things like: “…build a balanced force for the…
