A first-of-its-kind hijacking exercise involving the U.S., Canadian and Russian militaries went “flawlessly,” and a similar drill is planned next year, an American officer said.
Russian Federated Air Force, the USAF and Candian Air Force worked a training exercise that simulated terrorists hijacking a Boeing 757 in the Alaskan region of the North American Aerospace Defense Command.
Other aircraft involved in the exercise were F-22′s that were involved in interception and investigation. ON the Russian side the aircraft was intercepted and investigated by three SU-27 jet fighters, a MIG-31, and two more SU-27′s.
The three countries worked together on the air terrorism exercise.
Operation Vigilant Eagle is also an American law-enforcement effort headed by the FBI aimed at preventing political violence by “lone wolf” terrorists. The operation was first mentioned in the Wall Street Journal in April 2009.
In this case a “lone wolf” is a person who operates alone, outside of extremest organizations. Examples included Theodore Kaczynski, the Unabomber, Scott Roeder who killed a Kansas abortion doctor and James von Brunn who attacked the American United States Holocaust Memorial Museum. Such attackers are hard to detect as they do not associate with other extremists.
Courtesy: Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs, Produced by Staff Sgt. Daniel Delgado, sound bites from Mr. John Pennell, J.B.E.R. Spokesman and Col. Jack McMullen, Commander, 3W.
Crashed F-22
The aircraft and pilot lost contact with air traffic control at 7:40 p.m. Alaska time 16 November 2010 while on a nighttime training mission.
The finding of part of the ejection seat and personal effects led rescuers and investigators to believe that the pilot did not survive. Temperature in the area is down to -20°F.
The crash site is in a valley and wet area that is frozen over with the majority of the aircraft below the surface, and approximately 100 miles north of Anchorage, Alaska. Search and rescue was conducted by the Alaska Air National Guard Rescue Coordination Center, the 3rd Wing and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson. A helicopter crew discovered the crash site the morning of November 17, 2010.
The pilot, Captain Jeffrey Haney, was confirmed killed in the crash, according to a statement released by the Air Force on Friday, November 19, 2010.
Video of the launch of the X-37B on Thursday, April 22, 2010.
The X-37B spacecraft was launched as a United States Air Force mission, rather than a NASA mission, on April 22, 2010. The Boeing X-37 Advanced Technology Demonstrator is an unpiloted demonstration spaceplane that is intended to test future launch technologies while in orbit and during atmospheric reentry. The X-37B is a reusable robotic spacecraft that is a 120 percent–scaled derivative of the X-40A. The X-37 had its first flight as a drop test on April 7, 2006 at Edwards AFB.
Launch will occur from SLC-41 at Cape Canaveral. This was the first launch of the Atlas V 501 configuration, and the first flight of the X-37B.
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.
Military relief flights to Haiti are being coordinated at the 618th Tanker Airlift Control Center Scott Air Force Base in Illinois — near St. Louis, Missouri. The heavily damaged airport in Port-au-Prince that can’t accept the military’s largest transport planes. However, military commanders plan to fly in relief crews and ferry some of the most critically injured to the U.S. for treatment.
Military Units Heading for Haiti (or already there)* …
About 10,000 total troops are reported to be in Haiti or headed for Haiti.
