F-16C over Lake Michigan shoreline at the Chicago Air & Water Show on August 21, 2004. SW tail designation is from the 20th FW, Shaw AFB, in South Carolina, Air Combat Command (ACC). The ‘C’ designates a single seat configuration.
The Lockheed Martin F-16 Fighting Falcon is a multirole jet fighter aircraft originally developed by General Dynamics for the United States Air Force. Designed as a lightweight, daytime fighter, it evolved into a successful multirole aircraft — including night operations capability. The F-16′s versatility is a paramount reason it has proven a success on the export market, having been selected to serve in the air forces of 25 nations. The F-16 is the largest Western jet fighter program with over 4,400 aircraft built since production was approved in 1976.
FORMATION TRAINING – Three U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon Block 30 aircraft from the 80th Fighter Squadron fly in formation over South Korea during a training mission, Jan. 9, 2008. U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Quinton T. Burris.
Image is a work of a U.S. Air Force Airman or employee, taken or made during the course of the person’s official duties. As a work of the U.S. federal government, the image or file is in the public domain.
The M1 Abrams is a main battle tank produced in the United States. The M1 is named after General Creighton Abrams, former Army Chief of Staff and Commander of US military forces in Vietnam from 1968 to 1972. The M1 Abrams tank is well armed, heavily armored, and highly mobile — designed for modern armored ground warfare. Features of the M1 Abrams include the use of a powerful gas turbine engine, the adoption of sophisticated composite armor, and separate ammunition storage in a blow-out compartment for crew safety. It is one of the heaviest tanks in service, weighing in at close to 68 short tons (almost 62 metric tons). More …
The Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker was the first jet powered aerial refueling tanker of the US Air Force, replacing the KC-97 Stratotanker. Similar in design to the later and enlarged Boeing 707 airliner, it was initially tasked to refuel strategic bombers, but was used extensively in the Vietnam war and later conflicts such as Desert Storm to extend the range and endurance of both Air Force and Navy tactical fighters and bombers.
Serving with the United States Air Force since 1957, it is one of just six military aircraft with over 50 years of continuous service with the original service along with the Tupolev Tu-95, the C-130 Hercules, the B-52 Stratofortress, the English Electric Canberra and the Lockheed U-2. Supplemented by the larger KC-10, complete replacement is still under study by the Air Force. Despite increased maintenance costs, studies conclude many of the aircraft could be flown until 2040, with ages reaching 80 years before reaching lifetime flying hour limits.
F/A-18F Super Hornet, Strike Fighter Squadron 41 (VFA-41), Black Aces, Naval Air Station (NAS) Lemoore, California (CA), conducts a mission over the Persian Gulf. The Hornet is armed with an AIM-9 Sidewinder missile on the wingtip and an AGM-65 Maverick missile on the pylon. Tucked under the intake is an AAQ-14 LANTIRN (Low-Altitude Navigation and Targeting InfraRed for Night) pod. Also under the fuselage, a 370-gallon External Fuel Tank. Photographed September 13, 2005. More …
PORT-AU-PRINCE (April 11, 2009) The Military Sealift Command hospital ship USNS Comfort (T-AH 20) anchored near Port-au-Prince supporting Continuing Promise 2009, a humanitarian and civic assistance mission to Latin America and the Caribbean. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Landon Stephenson/Released).
USNS Comfort (T-AH-20) is the third United States Navy ship to bear the name Comfort, and the second Mercy Class Hospital Ship to join the navy fleet. In accordance with the Geneva Conventions, USNS Comfort and her crew do not carry any ordnance and firing on the Comfort is considered a war crime.
On 13 January 2010, the Comfort was ordered to assist in the humanitarian relief efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake.
Most recently USNS Comfort was deployed for Operation Continuing Promise in Haiti (2007-2009), Joint Task Force Katrina (2005), Operation Iraqi Freedom (2003)
When not actively deployed, Comfort is kept in a state of reduced operations in Baltimore harbor. USNS Comfort has been used many times over the years and has been ready to ship out of Baltimore with 5 days’ notice.
Like her sister ship USNS Mercy (T-AH-19), Comfort was built as an oil tanker in 1976 by the National Steel and Shipbuilding Company. Her original name was SS Rose City and she was launched from San Diego, California.
