Arie Church


Recent stories by Arie Church

Better Right, Than Early Ghostrider

The initial AC-130J Ghostrider gunships are not technologically mature enough to press into combat early, the annual Director of Operational Testing and Evaluation report revealed on Tuesday. Air Force Special Operations Command conducted an Operational Utility Evaluation to judge the...

Lightning Strikes the Netherlands

Two Dutch F-35A Lightning IIs deployed from Edwards AFB, Calif., to Leeuwarden AB, Netherlands, touched down on home soil for the first time last week, Royal Netherlands Air Force officials announced. The jets began three weeks of airspace integration trials...

Cost Conscious War Horse

The OV-10G Broncos employed in Operation Inherent Resolve were specifically evaluating use of cost effective turboprop strike aircraft to improve air-to-ground coordination in low intensity combat. The six-month deployment tested the upgraded OV-10’s ability to “find, fix, and finish” targets...

Treetop Level in Any Weather

The MC-130J Commando II fleet is finally on track to achieve all-weather terrain following capability to take over from the legacy MC-130H Combat Talon II. “We had fits and starts on that” but decided to use the Silent Knight Terrain...

Bronco Rides Again

Two OV-10 Broncos recently returned from a combat evaluation in the US Central Command area of operations, testing a light attack and armed reconnaissance capability. Congress provided funding to “test the use of a small aircraft” for counterinsurgency and close...

Stick With Waverider

The Air Force’s follow-on hypersonic test projects fail to leverage the progress made with the X-51 Waverider and potentially jeopardize development of a key, strategic capability, former Air Force Chief Scientist Mark Lewis said. “We had a moment in time...

Ghostrider Testing Takes a Knee

Developmental testing of the next generation AC-130J Ghostrider gunship has been suspended until the first 105 mm gun-armed aircraft is delivered, Air Force Materiel Command boss Gen. Ellen Pawlikowski said. After reviewing the original C-130J flight test data after the...

Legacy C-130s Ready to Re-AMP

The cancelled C-130 Avionics Modernization Program is relaunching as a two-phase upgrade to bring legacy C-130Hs in compliance with airspace regulations, followed by later cockpit enhancements. “We’ve got the plans and money already programed” to begin AMP I, Air Mobility...

Re-engining, the Future of Airlift

C-5M Super Galaxy upgrades have proven so successful at enhancing the airlifter’s reach, reliability, and efficiency that Air Mobility Command is considering similar, future upgrades to aircraft such as the C-17 and C-130. “We’re looking at all aspects … fuel...

Sensor to Trigger in One Challenging Step

Turning data into targets must become quicker to sustain the Air Force’s advantage in future combat, Air Combat Command boss Gen. Hawk Carlisle said, speaking at AWS16 on Wednesday. “A future? that I could see would be automatically generated air...

F-16 AESA Upgrade Recompetes

The Air Force is reopening competition to replace the F-16’s legacy radar with a new active electronically scanned array (AESA) radar, Air Combat Command boss Gen. Hawk Carlisle said Wednesday. The FY17 budget request supports NORAD and US Northern Command...

A-10s Among the Palms

A-10s flew close air support for Marine ground forces during a live-fire Integrated Training Exercise held at Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms, Calif., earlier this month. “Getting to work with live artillery, tanks, mortars, Cobras, and Harriers...

Thawed in Chilly Air

Europe-based F-15C/Ds and C-130Js are taking part in tactical integration Exercise Real Thaw alongside several NATO allies at Beja AB, Portugal, US Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa announced. “We’re excited to be here, working side-by-side with our NATO allies,...

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