Clipmarks | Fighter planes Clips

Georgia blasts Russian "act of aggression"

Sat, 09 Aug 2008 12:09:09 GMT

clipped by: tommy2balmy
clipper's remarks: Claims to have shot down two Russian combat planes.

Over night, the Georgian interior ministry reported that Russian fighter jets had again struck the Vaziani military base outside of Tbilisi. Two muffled, reverberating booms were heard in downtown Tbilisi around midnight on August 9. A distant roar could be heard briefly in the Georgian capital around 9am on August 9, but quickly died down.

The reported strike followed on news of a critical attack for Georgia's economy - the Black Sea port of Poti, which handles oil shipments from the Caspian Sea. In an official statement, the government stated that the port had been "completely devastated."

"This act of aggression violates all international war conventions. . .," the statement read. "[T]he Russian Federation continues to undermine international law through its military operations in Georgia."

The interior ministry had earlier stated that Georgian forces had shot down two Russian combat planes on August 8. The information could not be verified.

Tags: russia, georgia, south ossetia, former soviet republic

'2 US aircraft carriers headed for Gulf'

Fri, 08 Aug 2008 02:39:36 GMT

clipped by: jatfla
clipper's remarks: Tick, tick, tick.

Or as Sec. of State Rice says...it's not too late to negotiate.

Clip Source: www.jpost.com

'2 US aircraft carriers headed for Gulf'

Two additional United States naval aircraft carriers are heading to the Gulf and the Red Sea, according to the Kuwaiti newspaper Kuwait Times.

Kuwait began finalizing its "emergency war plan" on being told the vessels were bound for the region.

The US Navy would neither confirm nor deny that carriers were en route. US Fifth Fleet Combined Maritime Command located in Bahrain said it could not comment due to what a spokesman termed "force-protection policy."

Currently there are two US naval battle groups operating in the Gulf: one is an aircraft carrier group, led by the USS Abraham Lincoln, which carries some 65 fighter aircraft. The other group is headed by the USS Peleliu which maintains a variety of planes and strike helicopters.

Israel Building Up for Iran Strikes

Wed, 06 Aug 2008 23:23:33 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.newsmax.com

Israel is building up its strike capabilities amid growing anxiety over Iran's nuclear ambitions and appears confident that a military attack would cripple Tehran's atomic program, even if it can't destroy it.

The Jewish state has purchased 90 F-16I fighter planes that can carry enough fuel to reach Iran, and will receive 11 more by the end of next year. It has bought two new Dolphin submarines from Germany reportedly capable of firing nuclear-armed warheads — in addition to the three it already has.

And this summer it carried out air maneuvers in the Mediterranean that touched off an international debate over whether they were a "dress rehearsal" for an imminent attack, a stern warning to Iran or a just a way to get allies to step up the pressure on Tehran to stop building nukes.

Israel believes Tehran will have enriched enough uranium for a nuclear bomb by next year or 2010 at the latest.

After arms delivery Chavez warns the US

Mon, 04 Aug 2008 10:14:58 GMT

clipped by: tommy2balmy
clipper's remarks: Warns US 4th Fleet to stay out of Venezuelan waters. No big surprise.

Clip Source: en.rian.ru

Chavez warns U.S. after getting Russian warplanes

MOSCOW, August 4 (RIA Novosti) - President Hugo Chavez said Venezuela had taken delivery of 24 Russian Sukhoi fighter jets, and warned the U.S. Fourth Fleet that his country is ready to defend itself.

"We've received the 24 Sukhoi aircraft," he said Sunday. "They're for defensive purposes; we're not going to attack anybody."

The deal included training for pilots and crews, as well as missiles for the fighters.

Chavez said the Sukhoi missiles have far greater range than those of the U.S. F-16 fighter jet, and warned the U.S. Fourth Fleet to keep out of Venezuelan waters.

"Any gringo ship that sails into brown waters [river waters] will itself turn brown and go to the bottom, because they'll not get through," he said.

The jets are part of a recent $4 billion deal with Moscow, including tanks, transport planes, air-defense systems and AK assault rifles.

Tags: hugo chavez, chavez, venezuela, us, russia, arms deal

Russians accused of secret arms deal with Sudan

Mon, 21 Jul 2008 13:28:38 GMT

clipped by: tommy2balmy

Clip Source: en.rian.ru

Belarus secretly delivers Russian warplanes to Sudan - paper

MOSCOW, July 21 (RIA Novosti) - A consignment of Russian fighter jets has been shipped to Sudan from Belarus, in an apparent breach of a UN Security Council resolution banning arms sales to the African state, the Sudan Tribune said.

The daily quoted an anonymous source as saying a dozen MiG-29 Fulcrum fighters were shipped discreetly by freight planes via a Belarusian company two weeks ago, but could not confirm whether the fighters were actually sold by Belarus or simply came through the country.

If the MIG-29s are used in Darfur, it would be in violation of UN Security Council Resolution 1591, which prohibits selling arms to Sudan's government or Darfur rebels for use in the war-ravaged region.

Last year Russia was accused by Amnesty International of supplying arms to Sudan for use in Darfur, but the Russian Foreign Ministry denied the allegation.

Tags: russia, weapons, sudan

US: Iran attack 'rehearsal' in Israeli military exercise

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 13:44:49 GMT

clipped by: tabsey

Clip Source: www.democraticunderground.com

Friday's New York Times is reporting that multiple U.S. officials have stated that the Israeli military carried out what seemed to be a 'rehearsal' for a strike directed at Iran's nuclear facilities. The exercise seemed 'to be an effort to develop the military’s capacity to carry out long-range strikes and to demonstrate the seriousness with which Israel views Iran’s nuclear program.'

The exercise is said to have taken place the first week of June over the eastern Mediterranean and Greece included over 100 Israeli fighter planes, as well as helicopters, and refueling tankers flying over 900 miles; the approximate distance between Israel and Iran's uranium enrichment plant at Natanz...

Full article at the link.

Tags: big, time, madness

GAO Lifts Boeing

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 18:56:18 GMT

clipped by: Brian Wingfield
clipper's remarks: It's a snub to the Air Force and Northrop, certainly. But the GAO's decision doesn't mean the Air Force will re-do the bid.

Clip Source: www.nytimes.com

The Government Accountability Office on Wednesday backed Boeing’s protest of the awarding of a multibillion-dollar contract for refueling tankers to Northrop Grumman and a European partner, saying the Air Force made errors during the process.

The G.A.O., the investigative arm of Congress, recommended that the Air Force reopen the bidding and obtain revised proposals.

The $40 billion tanker program is the Air Force’s No. 1 priority, designed to replace a fleet of aerial refueling tankers — which provide fuel to fighter jets and cargo planes in mid-air — that date back to the Eisenhower era and which are being stressed in wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Tags: boeing, air force, tanker, northrop grumman, eads

Romanian fighter jet hit by UFOs

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 14:32:59 GMT

clipped by: bellapria

Clip Source: mensnewsdaily.com

Romanian fighter jet hit by UFOs

Officials from the Romanian Defense Military confirmed that one of their MiG-21 Lancer fighter planes was struck by four Unidentified Flying Objects on October 31, 2007, which shattered the plane’s cockpit. The military also released a video captured by the plane’s on-board camera as it was flying above Transylvania.

The recording shows solid bodies, which authorities are working to determine the identity of. Officials have already been able to determine the bodies were not birds or pieces of another plane, a meteorite or ice. Rocket launches and ground artillery shots were also ruled out as possible explanations for the incident.

The pilot, Marin Mitrica, was injured slightly but managed to safely land the plane. The investigation was passed to the Security Committee of European Air Forces.

Tags: romanian, fighter jet, ufo

MiG-21 Fighter Jet hit by UFOs (video)

Tue, 17 Jun 2008 08:56:46 GMT

clipped by: rj3sp

Clip Source: www.protv.ro

Clip Source: mensnewsdaily.com

Romanian fighter jet hit by UFOs

Clip Source: www.youtube.com

[Video]

Clip Source: hbccufo.org

The aircraft security and onboard instruments including a camera, captured 4 Unidentified Flying Objects which could not be made out on video due to the speed and due to the impact. The Pilot announced that he and 1 other airplane was doing a routine exercise 6km away from Gherla, Romania when this object along with 4 others, (only one hit the plane) came from under the clouds and hit his airplane. He then, due to the impact and from the video you will see, was forced to aboard mission and land immediately due to his wing and cabin damage.

Tags: ufo, fighter jet, romania

Fighter plane struck by U.F.O in Romania

Thu, 12 Jun 2008 07:03:48 GMT

clipped by: Shugi

Clip Source: livenews.com.au

Fighter plane struck by U.F.O in Romania

Defence chiefs in Romania are investigating claims that one of their MIG 21 fighter planes was struck by an Unidentified Flying Object.

The claims came from a leaked report revealed that the cockpit of the jet was shattered in the collision.

The collision is still a mystery to defence chiefs, and the investigation has been passed on to the Security Committee of European Air Forces.

Romanian defence ministry officials have ruled out a collision with "normal" objects such as birds and meteorites.

The incident was recorded on an in-flight camera as the plane was flying above Transylvania.

Tags: ufo

How The Stealth F/A-22 Raptor Works

Mon, 09 Jun 2008 09:38:11 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: The F/A-22 is the world's first stealth air-to-air fighter, designed to be unseen at long range and deadly in close-in air combat. It can also strike ground targets with precision accuracy. maneuverability in the air.

Radar works by sending radio waves out from an antenna and collecting the waves that bounce back from any objects. On a radar screen in an aircraft or in a ground-based radar station, an airplane appears as a blip. The larger the aircraft, the larger the blip appears on the screen. Aircraft designers have worked for years to minimize the radar signature of an aircraft. If the radio waves are deflected or absorbed so they don't return to the radar antenna, then the airplane is invisible or could be mistaken for a flock of birds or other non-threatening object.

Aircraft designers use a jumble of curved surfaces and other design tricks to deflect radar waves in unexpected patterns. Planes are painted with thick paint that can absorb radar waves instead of reflect th

Clip Source: science.howstuffworks.com

Inside This Article

Introduction to How F/A-22 Raptors Work

What is the F/A-22 Raptor?

Stealth Capability: The Basics

Stealth Capability: The Raptor

Engines: Supercruise

Engines: Thrust Vector

Flying Video Game: Behind the Scenes

Flying Video Game: In the Cockpit

Raptor Radar

10.

Raptor Weapons

11.

Lots More Information

12.

See all Modern articles

The F/A-22 was originally designed to replace the F-15 Eagle. Because of the Eagle's versatility, the rising cost of developing the F/A-22 and the changing world scene, the Raptor now supplements the F-15 instead of replacing it. When the F/A-22 program began in the early 1980s, the Air Force wanted a fighter to counter the threat from the Soviet Union. Since the end of the Cold War, the need for an air-superiority fighter has fallen: Pentagon war planners expect future conflicts to be fought against enemies with small air forces or none at all.

Clip Source: science.howstuffworks.com

U.S. Air Force F-117A Nighthawk Stealth Fighter

Clip Source: science.howstuffworks.com

Raptor vs. Nighthawk

Clip Source: science.howstuffworks.com

Tags: f/a-22 raptor, f-117 nighthawk, stealth capabilities

Hugo plays with his new toys

Sat, 07 Jun 2008 08:02:19 GMT

clipped by: willhelm

Clip Source: www.foxnews.com

LA ORCHILA, Venezuela — Venezuela fired live missiles from fighter jets and ships Friday during exercises intended to demonstrate the firepower of President Hugo Chavez's military.

Smoke rose from ships off the La Orchila island military base as Otomat MK2 missiles arced into the sky and Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets flew in formation.

The televised war games allowed the military to showcase some of the hardware bought under Chavez, who says Venezuela's main threat is the United States. A U.S. Navy plane last month flew over the same Caribbean island base, drawing a diplomatic protest from Venezuela.

U.S. officials said the plane accidentally strayed into Venezuelan airspace during a counter-drug mission, but Chavez accused Washington of espionage.

The ships and planes hit their target — an old tugboat — with missiles and a 1,100-pound bomb, sinking the vessel 22 miles offshore, Rangel said.

"we've been able to show our power of dissuasion and defense."

Israelis Almost Took Out Tony Blair's Jet

Fri, 23 May 2008 22:13:42 GMT

clipped by: agirlanddherdogs
clipper's remarks: ooopppss

Clip Source: abcnews.go.com

The executive jet being used by former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was just minutes away from being shot down by the Israeli Air Force.

Blair, who is now the international community's special envoy to the Middle East, was traveling earlier this week to a special economic conference in the Palestinian city of Bethlehem from Egyptian airspace when two Israeli fighter jets were scrambled to intercept his plane.

Due to a technical fault in Blair's aircraft, its pilot did not respond to Israeli air traffic controllers' calls, leading to suspicions that the jet may have been on a terrorist mission.

The two Israeli planes flew directly above the Blair plane in a position usually taken before attack.

It was then the pilot of the executive jet realized something was wrong and hurriedly made contact with the Israeli air traffic controllers thereby ending the drama.

"They were unaware of it while they were on the plane.

Tags: tony blair, jet, israeli, planes, air force, middle east, attack

Russian Fighter Shoots Down Georgian Drone

Tue, 22 Apr 2008 01:39:51 GMT

clipped by: ratilfar
clipper's remarks: That is a MiG-29 Fulcrum, no doubt about it.

Clip Source: youtube.com

[Video]

Tags: russia, georgia, fighter planes, dogfight, shoot down, war

Iraqi Air Force Lifted By Support Missions

Thu, 10 Apr 2008 08:46:32 GMT

clipped by: merrie
clipper's remarks: In 1991, the Iraqi air force had 16 bombers, including Tu-22 and Tu-16; 360 fighter ground attack craft, which included J-6, MiG-23, Su-7, and Su-20; and 275 fighters, including the MiG-21, Mirage and MiG-29. Today, it has 17 reconnaissance planes, three transport planes and only several aircraft for training.

Despite the shortage, the recovery of the Iraqi air force over the past few years is considered a successful endeavor for Iraq-U.S. relations.

Since November 2006, the U.S. Air Force has been aiding Iraqi military commanders in an effort to get the fledgling branch to solely take on military operations.

"We will continue our relations and future as friends," said Gen. Barzanji, he added that "Iraq will one day be a good example for the rest of the Middle East."

Clip Source: washingtontimes.com

The Iraqi air force, struggling back to life after being decimated in the 1991 Persian Gulf War, played a key role in battles against rebel militiamen in Basra last week, boosting morale among Iraqi troops and providing hope for the country's future, its top commander told The Washington Times.

Gen. Barzanji said support from Gen. David H. Petraeus and other U.S. commanders has been imperative to the rebuilding efforts of the Iraqi air force and has given "confidence" to Iraqi citizens that their government is making significant strides.

The continued fighting in Shi'ite southern city of Basra and the continued mortar attacks in Baghdad's Green Zone stemming from an uprising of Shi'ite cleric Muqtada al-Sadr's Mahdi Army militia poses challenges for U.S. military officials and threatens to destabilize various parts of Iraq after relative calm over the past year.

Clip Source: washingtontimes.com

Gen. Barzanji, regarding U.S.-Iraq relations. "We will fight the enemy together and win the war against terrorism."

Tags: gen. barzanji, gen. david petraeus, iraqi air force, basra, rebel militiamen