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Having dealt with both of their guards who were assigned to protect their tower from intruders, the Outlaws were quick to track down the controls for the tower’s dispersal system. At first, the trio were rather taken aback by the simplicity of the controls as well as the poor condition of their maintenance. Clearly, they had not been used much if at all in a long, long time.
Red Hood: Hey, focus! We’re up against the clock.
Arsenal: If you think you could do it any faster than by all means, be my guest!
Scarlett: It’s not a race you two.
Arsenal: You can bet it will be if Grayson gets his tower offline first.
Red Hood: Assuming he has any idea how to take it offline.
Arsenal: He won’t have to, Barbra will have their tower offline the moment she gets her hands on the controls if she hasn’t already.
Scarlett: Just…try not to mess this up. They’re counting on us to take this tower offline before it makes it to Blackgate or Arkham.
Arsenal: Don’t worry I’ve got this, just make sure you’re covering my back. The last thing I need is a sword sticking out my chest.
Red Hood: Relax, we’ve got you covered. Just focus on shutting this thing down.
Arsenal: Hearing you say that doesn’t exactly put me at ease.
Scarlett: Just….focus…..
Arsenal: But knowing that you’ve got my six as well does.
Red Hood: Are you calling me a bad shot?
Arsenal: Wouldn’t dream of it. I’m not one to call people names am I, Moody?
Red Hood: ....Don’t get carried away, Last Place.
Scarlett: Grow up you two.
Red Hood: Sorry, Mom.
Rather than rise to the jibe, Scarlett chose simply to roll her eyes instead. It was obvious to her that Jason and Roy were simply joking with one another to try and lighten the mood between all of them. After all, with how uncertain things were, it may well be one of their last times together. All the more reason to make it a good one.
Scarlett: That’s the wrong lever.
Arsenal: Very funny.
Scarlett: No seriously, you want the one on the left. The right just controls the airflow in the pipes.
Arsenal: ….
Without saying a word Arsenal realises the reason it’s been taking him so long to shut down the tower’s output is because he’s been lowering the airflow in the pipes rather than sealing the loading chamber off from the rest of the system. As quietly as possible, he reaches over to grab hold of the left lever and slowly moves it towards him.
Before either Jason or Scarlett can say anything a loud creak echoes throughout the room causing the pair of them to instinctively draw their guns. It’s only after quickly surveying the room and finding nothing that they slowly lower and holster them.
Arsenal: Itchy trigger finger?
Red Hood: You could say that.
Scarlett: It’s a side effect from when Pyg abducted me. Can’t help it.
Arsenal: I take it your’s is from the clown?
Red Hood: No, it’s just force of habit. It’s one of the first things Bruce drilled into me.
Scarlett: Didn’t Ollie ever teach you stuff like that?
Arsenal: Oh he did, I just didn’t feel worried. I knew you guys had my back.
Scarlett: And the fact that your bow and quiver were out of reach?
Arsenal: There’s also that.
Red Hood: Well warn us next time you’re about to do something like that. We’re on edge enough as it is.
Arsenal: Don’t worry, all I’ve got left to do is put this stuff Lucius gave us into the loading chamber and I’m done. Have you guys inoculated yourselves?
Scarlett: Yeah, we’re both good.
Arsenal: Alright, get ready. I’m opening the chamber now.
Though confident in Lucius’ ability to synthesise an effective neutralising agent, the three of them still choose to put their rebreathers back on before Roy proceeds to open the loading chamber and drops the canister containing the neutralising agent into the chamber. Almost immediately, the former side kick quickly slams the chamber shut and jumps back expecting a large explosion.
The trio race through the door back into the hallway where the two league agents who were tasked with guarding the tower remained, still unconscious. As Roy slams the door behind him, the trio patiently wait to hear a loud explosion erupt from the control as their heartbeats race uncontrollably.
Any second they thought.
Any second now……
Yet nothing happened.
All that could be heard was the familiar sound of the pipes groaning once again as all the gas in the system was neutralised rendering the tower worthless to the League.
Scarlett: Is that it?
Red Hood: Looks like it.
Scarlett: I thought there be an explosion or something.
Arsenal: Makes two of us.
Red Hood:Not all of Lucius’ toys end up going boom. I hope.
Arsenal: Just the best ones.
Scarlett: I know that look on your face….he didn’t give you more exploding arrows did he?
Arsenal: You never know, they might end up being useful.
Scarlett: In the right hands maybe.
Roy slowly climbs back onto his feet as he seemingly appears to take Scarlett’s remark as more of an insult than a joking remark.
Arsenal: You got something you want to say, Scarlett?
Scarlett: Relax Roy, I’m just trying to keep our spirits up.
Again, Roy remains silent for a few seconds before steadily walking towards Scarlett with visible anger on his face. Jason steps forward to try and put himself between both Roy and Scarlett but his fiancé stops him, clearly intent of dealing with the angered archer herself.
Coming to a stop just two steps away from her, Roy lifts his left arm up for both of them to see it clearly.
Arsenal: This is what happened when Ollie and I were too busy trying to keep each other in a good mood to actually focus on fighting Prometheus. We were arrogant, silly and above all reckless. Acting that way in the face of life and death situations puts all of us at risk. I’m lucky it only cost me my arm.
Jason was a tad bemused by Roy’s remarks. It was not often that Roy spoke positively of his cybernetic arm which he couldn’t help but find somewhat unsettling. The former Speedy had changed significantly since his time serving under the Green Arrow but Jason hadn’t realised how serious all of this was to him.
Arsenal: I’m not optimistic about our chances tonight. With how Ollie used to take about Bruce, the fact that we’re apparently up against an army of him scares the crap out of me. So we can’t afford to foolish. We can't afford to be stupid. But most of all we can’t afford to be reckless. They’ll tear us apart if we pull another stunt like you when you ran in here alone.
Scarlett: I know. I wasn’t thinking. Guess I’m lucky to have you guys.
Red Hood: We all are. Alone we’re vulnerable, we can be defeated. But together? I think we’re unstoppable.
Arsenal: I wouldn’t get carried away like that…
Scarlett: Yeah…..saying something like that is just daring them to destroy us.
Red Hood: Guys, I’m serious. Together we’ve accomplished things others could only dream of. We toppled Flamingo, we beat a privately financed militia and possibly found the only substance in the world that can take down the League of Assassins. Don’t see what that all means?
Scarlett: We should apply to join the Justice League?
Arsenal: I’m sure Bruce could put in a good word for us.
So much for remaining focused and not fooling around, Jason thought to himself as Roy blatantly contradicted what he’d just told Scarlett about the need to take this seriously.
Red Hood: No, it means as a team there’s nothing we can’t do. Hell, Batman trusted us with what could maybe be the thing that decides whether Gotham stands or whether Gotham falls. The goddamn Batman!
Scarlett: Did you seriously just call him that?
Arsenal: Christ, he must do some form of conditioning on you Robins if you call him that. Suddenly losing an arm doesn’t seem so bad.
Scarlett: I may take you up on that offer.
Alfred: Bunker to Outlaws. Please respond.
Red Hood: Outlaws here, go ahead bunker.
Arsenal: (quietly whispering) You sure you don’t mean the goddamn Outlaws?
Scarlett: Could be worse, at least he hasn’t started calling himself the goddamn Red Hood yet.
Arsenal: Yet.
Jason couldn’t help but roll his eyes as he awaited news from Alfred on the team’s next assignment. Great, he thought. This won’t be going away anytime soon.
Alfred: We believe the League of Assassins are moving to instigate chaos by targeting key parts of the city.
Red Hood: Do we have intel on where they’re hitting?
Alfred: Not at present I’m afraid, but Master Bruce believes their targets will be Gotham General, the GCPD and Arkham Asylum. Given your current location, Master Bruce wants the three of you to secure Arkham and stop the League from releasing any of the convicts out on to the streets.
Red Hood: Have we heard anything from Arkham recently?
Alfred: I’m afraid not. The camera footage has been altered so we suspect the League are already there.
Red Hood: Crap. We’d better hurry. Red Hood out.
Arsenal: So what’s the goddamn butler got to say?
Red Hood: The League’s moving to the next stage.
Scarlett: So what does that mean for us?
Red Hood: We’re going to Arkham.
ArsenaL: Arkham? That place where all those psychos Bruce has fought are locked up?
Red Hood: Yep.
Scarlett: Is....he there?
Red Hood: He should be.
Scarlett: Then...are you sure we should go there?
Red Hood: We don't have a choice. Bruce is counting on us. He wouldn't be sending us if he didn't have any other choice. Come on, we've got to move. The League might already be there and the last thing we need is a riot at Arkham.
SN/NC: Syagrus romanzoffiana, Arecaceae Family
This is a palm with an identity crisis! A few decades ago the queen palm was assigned the name Cocos plumosa. During the late sixties and seventies most experts began referring to it as Arecastrum romanzoffianum. Now this queen has been placed in the genus Syagrus, the species name became romanzoffiana - hopefully Syagrus romanzoffiana will stick! The Queen palm is mostly found in Subtropical areas. It was once very popular as a garden tree; but in areas like Southern California where the climate is considerably dryer, it has since been taken over by other palms, such as Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, and other Archontophoenix as well, it is still the dominate pinnate palm, in places like Central Florida, where it thrives on the humidity, and tolerates the occasional 25 degree F. nights. Its fruit is edible to wildlife, often being sought after by birds. It was originally classified in the Coconut or Cocos genus, was moved to Arecastrum, then Syagrus. As a result of this, they often retain a previous name in retail trade. Usually called the "Cocos plumosa palm". (Palmpedia.net)
Esta é uma palmeira com crise de identidade! Há algumas décadas, a palmeira rainha recebeu o nome de Cocos plumosa. Durante o final dos anos sessenta e setenta, a maioria dos especialistas começou a referir-se a ele como Arecastrum romanzoffianum. Agora que esta rainha foi colocada no gênero Syagrus, o nome da espécie passou a ser romanzoffiana - espero que Syagrus romanzoffiana permaneça! A palmeira rainha é encontrada principalmente em áreas subtropicais. Já foi muito popular como árvore de jardim; mas em áreas como o sul da Califórnia, onde o clima é consideravelmente mais seco, desde então foi assumido por outras palmeiras, como Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, e outras Archontophoenix também, ainda é a palmeira pinada dominante, em lugares como a Flórida Central, onde é prospera com a umidade e tolera noites ocasionais de 25 graus F. Seu fruto é comestível para a vida selvagem, sendo frequentemente procurado por pássaros. Foi originalmente classificado no gênero Coco ou Cocos, foi transferido para Arecastrum, depois Syagrus. Como resultado disso, muitas vezes mantêm um nome anterior no comércio varejista. Geralmente chamada de "palmeira Cocos plumosa". (Palmpedia.net)
Dit is een palm met een identiteitscrisis! Enkele decennia geleden kreeg de koninginnenpalm de naam Cocos plumosa. Eind jaren zestig en zeventig begonnen de meeste experts het Arecastrum romanzoffianum te noemen. Nu deze koningin in het geslacht Syagrus is geplaatst, is de soortnaam romanzoffiana geworden - hopelijk blijft Syagrus romanzoffiana behouden! De Koninginnenpalm komt vooral voor in subtropische gebieden. Ooit was hij erg populair als tuinboom; maar in gebieden als Zuid-Californië, waar het klimaat aanzienlijk droger is, is het sindsdien overgenomen door andere palmen, zoals Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, en ook andere Archontophoenix. Het is nog steeds de dominante geveerde palm, in plaatsen als Centraal-Florida, waar hij voorkomt. gedijt op de luchtvochtigheid en tolereert af en toe nachten van 25 graden F. De vrucht is eetbaar voor dieren in het wild en wordt vaak gezocht door vogels. Het werd oorspronkelijk geclassificeerd in het geslacht Coconut of Cocos en werd verplaatst naar Arecastrum en vervolgens naar Syagrus. Als gevolg hiervan behouden ze vaak een oude naam in de detailhandel. Meestal de "Cocos plumosapalm" genoemd. (Palampedia.net)
Questa è una palma con una crisi d'identità! Alcuni decenni fa alla palma regina venne assegnato il nome Cocos plumosa. Tra la fine degli anni Sessanta e gli anni Settanta la maggior parte degli esperti cominciò a chiamarlo Arecastrum romanzoffianum. Ora questa regina è stata inserita nel genere Syagrus, il nome della specie è diventato romanzoffiana - speriamo che Syagrus romanzoffiana rimanga! La palma regina si trova principalmente nelle aree subtropicali. Un tempo era molto apprezzato come albero da giardino; ma in aree come la California meridionale, dove il clima è notevolmente più secco, da allora è stata sostituita da altre palme, come Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, e anche da altri Archontophoenix, è ancora la palma pennata dominante, in luoghi come la Florida centrale, dove è prospera sull'umidità e tollera le notti occasionali di 25 gradi F.. Il suo frutto è commestibile per la fauna selvatica, spesso ricercato dagli uccelli. Originariamente classificato nel genere Coconut o Cocos, fu spostato in Arecastrum, poi Syagrus. Di conseguenza, nel commercio al dettaglio spesso mantengono il nome precedente. Solitamente chiamata "palma Cocos plumosa". (Palmpedia.net)
Esta es una palma con una crisis de identidad! Hace unas décadas a la palmera reina se le asignó el nombre de Cocos plumosa. A finales de los años sesenta y setenta la mayoría de los expertos empezaron a referirse a él como Arecastrum romanzoffianum. Ahora que esta reina ha sido incluida en el género Syagrus, el nombre de la especie pasó a ser romanzoffiana. ¡Ojalá Syagrus romanzoffiana se mantenga! La palma reina se encuentra principalmente en zonas subtropicales. Alguna vez fue muy popular como árbol de jardín; pero en áreas como el sur de California, donde el clima es considerablemente más seco, desde entonces ha sido reemplazada por otras palmeras, como Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, y también otras Archontophoenix, sigue siendo la palmera pinnada dominante, en lugares como Florida central, donde prospera con la humedad y tolera noches ocasionales de 25 grados F. Su fruto es comestible para la vida silvestre y, a menudo, lo buscan las aves. Originalmente se clasificó en el género Coconut o Cocos, se trasladó a Arecastrum y luego a Syagrus. Por ello, en el comercio minorista suelen conservar su nombre anterior. Generalmente llamada "palma Cocos plumosa". (Palmpedia.net)
C'est un palmier en crise d'identité ! Il y a quelques décennies, le palmier royal a reçu le nom de Cocos plumosa. À la fin des années soixante et soixante-dix, la plupart des experts ont commencé à l'appeler Arecastrum romanzoffianum. Maintenant que cette reine a été placée dans le genre Syagrus, le nom de l'espèce est devenu romanzoffiana - j'espère que Syagrus romanzoffiana restera ! Le palmier royal se trouve principalement dans les zones subtropicales. Il était autrefois très populaire comme arbre de jardin ; mais dans des régions comme la Californie du Sud où le climat est considérablement plus sec, il a depuis été remplacé par d'autres palmiers, comme l'Archontophoenix cunninghamiana, et d'autres Archontophoenix également, il est toujours le palmier penné dominant, dans des endroits comme la Floride centrale, où il se développe grâce à l'humidité et tolère les nuits occasionnelles à 25 degrés F. Ses fruits sont comestibles pour la faune sauvage et sont souvent recherchés par les oiseaux. Classé à l'origine dans le genre Coconut ou Cocos, il a été déplacé vers Arecastrum, puis Syagrus. De ce fait, ils conservent souvent un ancien nom dans le commerce de détail. Généralement appelé « palmier Cocos plumosa ». (Palmpedia.net)
Dies ist eine Palme mit einer Identitätskrise! Vor einigen Jahrzehnten erhielt die Königinpalme den Namen Cocos plumosa. In den späten sechziger und siebziger Jahren begannen die meisten Experten, sie als Arecastrum romanzoffianum zu bezeichnen. Jetzt wurde diese Königin in die Gattung Syagrus eingeordnet, der Artname wurde romanzoffiana – hoffentlich bleibt Syagrus romanzoffiana bestehen! Die Königinpalme kommt hauptsächlich in subtropischen Gebieten vor. Einst war er als Gartenbaum sehr beliebt; Aber in Gegenden wie Südkalifornien, wo das Klima deutlich trockener ist, wurde sie inzwischen von anderen Palmen wie Archontophoenix cunninghamiana und anderen Archontophoenix-Palmen übernommen und ist immer noch die dominierende gefiederte Palme, beispielsweise in Zentralflorida lebt von der Luftfeuchtigkeit und verträgt gelegentliche 25-Grad-F-Nächte. Seine Früchte sind für Wildtiere essbar und werden oft von Vögeln gesucht. Es wurde ursprünglich in die Gattung Coconut oder Cocos eingeordnet, dann nach Arecastrum und dann nach Syagrus verschoben. Dadurch behalten sie im Einzelhandel häufig einen früheren Namen. Wird normalerweise als „Cocos plumosa-Palme“ bezeichnet. (Palmpedia.net)
これはアイデンティティクライシスを抱えたヤシです！ 数十年前、この女王ヤシにはココス・プルモーサという名前が付けられました。 60 年代後半から 70 年代にかけて、ほとんどの専門家がそれを Arecastrum romanzoffianum と呼び始めました。 現在、この女王は Syagrus 属に属し、種名は romanzoffiana になりました。Syagrus romanzoffiana が定着することを願っています。 クイーンヤシは主に亜熱帯地域で見られます。 かつては庭木として非常に人気がありました。 しかし、気候がかなり乾燥している南カリフォルニアのような地域では、その後、アルコントフェニックス・カニンガミアナや他のアルコントフェニックスなどの他のヤシに引き継がれていますが、中央フロリダのような場所では、依然として優勢な羽状ヤシです。 湿気で生育し、時折25℃の夜にも耐えます。 その果実は野生動物に食用とされ、鳥がそれを求めて訪れることもよくあります。 元々はココナッツ属またはココス属に分類されていましたが、アレカストルム、次にシャグルスに移されました。 この結果、小売業界では以前の名前が残ることがよくあります。 通常は「ココス・プルモサ・ヤシ」と呼ばれています。 (Palmpedia.net)
هذا كف يعاني من أزمة هوية! منذ بضعة عقود مضت، أُطلق على نخلة الملكة اسم كوكوس بلوموسا. خلال أواخر الستينيات والسبعينيات، بدأ معظم الخبراء يشيرون إليها باسم Arecastrum romanzoffianum. الآن تم وضع هذه الملكة في جنس Syagrus، وأصبح اسم النوع romanzoffiana - نأمل أن يظل Syagrus romanzoffiana موجودًا! تم العثور على نخلة الملكة في الغالب في المناطق شبه الاستوائية. كانت ذات يوم تحظى بشعبية كبيرة كشجرة حديقة؛ ولكن في مناطق مثل جنوب كاليفورنيا حيث يكون المناخ أكثر جفافًا إلى حد كبير، فقد تم الاستيلاء عليها منذ ذلك الحين من قبل أشجار النخيل الأخرى، مثل أرتشونتوفونيكس كننغهاميانا، وغيرها من أرتشونتوفونيكس أيضًا، ولا تزال هي النخلة المهيمنة، في أماكن مثل وسط فلوريدا، حيث يزدهر على الرطوبة ويتحمل أحيانًا 25 درجة فهرنهايت في الليل. ثمارها صالحة للأكل للحياة البرية، وغالبًا ما تبحث عنها الطيور. تم تصنيفها في الأصل ضمن جنس جوز الهند أو جوز الهند، وتم نقلها إلى Arecastrum، ثم Syagrus. ونتيجة لذلك، غالبا ما يحتفظون باسمهم السابق في تجارة التجزئة. يُطلق عليها عادةً اسم "نخيل
كوكوس بلوموسا". (بالمبيديا.نت)
SN/NC: Agapanthus Africanus, Fam. Amarylidaceae
The great majority is purple-blue. This one is a bit intermediate between white, purple and blue. Agapanthus /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ is the only genus in the subfamily Agapanthoideae of the flowering plant family Amaryllidaceae. The family is in the monocot order Asparagales. The name is derived from scientific Greek: αγάπη (agape) = love, άνθος (anthos) = flower.
Some species of Agapanthus are commonly known as lily of the Nile (or African lily in the UK), although they are not lilies and all of the species are native to Southern Africa (South Africa, Lesotho, Swaziland, Mozambique) though some have become naturalized in scattered places around the world (Australia, Great Britain, Mexico, Ethiopia, Jamaica, etc.) (Wikipedia)
A grande maioria é azul-roxo. Este é um pouco intermediário entre branco, roxo e azul. Agapanthus /יæəəəənφəs/ é o único gênero na subfamília Agapanthoideae da família de plantas em floração Amaryllidaceae. Algumas espécies de Agapanthus são comumente conhecidas como lírio do Nilo (ou lírio africano no Reino Unido), embora não sejam lírios e todas as espécies sejam nativas do sul da África. (Wikipedia)
De overgrote meerderheid is paarsblauw. Deze is een beetje intermediair tussen wit, paars en blauw. Agapanthus /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ is het enige geslacht in de onderfamilie Agapanthoideae van de bloeiende plantenfamilie (Amaryllidaceae). Sommige soorten Agapanthus zijn algemeen bekend als lelie van de Nijl (of Afrikaanse lelie in het Verenigd Koninkrijk), hoewel het geen lelies zijn en alle soorten inheems zijn in Zuidelijk Afrika. (Wikipedia)
La grande majorité est violet-bleu. Celui-ci est un peu intermédiaire entre le blanc, le violet et le bleu. Agapanthus /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ est le seul genre de la sous-famille des Agapanthoideae de la famille des Amaryllidaceae. Certaines espèces d’agapanthes sont communément connues sous le nom de lys du Nil (ou lys africain au Royaume-Uni), bien qu’elles ne soient pas des lys et que toutes les espèces soient originaires d’Afrique australe. (Wikipédia)
La gran mayoría es de color azul púrpura. Este es un poco intermedio entre blanco, púrpura y azul. Agapanthus /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ es el único género de la subfamilia Agapanthoideae de la familia Amaryllidaceae. Algunas especies de Agapanthus se conocen comúnmente como lirio del Nilo (o lirio africano en el Reino Unido), aunque no son lirios y todas las especies son nativas del sur de África. (Wikipedia)
La grande maggioranza è viola-blu. Questo è un po 'intermedio tra bianco, viola e blu. Agapanthus /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ è l'unico genere della sottofamiglia Agapanthoideae della famiglia delle Amaryllidaceae. Alcune specie di Agapanthus sono comunemente conosciute come giglio del Nilo (o giglio africano nel Regno Unito), anche se non sono gigli e tutte le specie sono originarie dell'Africa meridionale. (Wikipedia)
Die große Mehrheit ist lila-blau. Dieser ist ein bisschen zwischen Weiß, Lila und Blau. Agapanthus /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ ist die einzige Gattung in der Unterfamilie Agapanthoideae der Blütenpflanzenfamilie Amaryllidaceae. Einige Arten von Agapanthus sind allgemein als Lilie des Nils (oder afrikanische Lilie in Großbritannien) bekannt, obwohl sie keine Lilien sind und alle Arten im südlichen Afrika beheimatet sind. (Wikipedia)
大部分は紫がかった青です。これは白、紫、青の間の色です。アガパンサス /ˌæɡəˈpænθəs/ は、顕花植物科ヒガンバナ科のアガパンサス亜科の唯一の属です。アガパンサスの一部の種は一般にナイルユリ（英国ではアフリカユリ）として知られていますが、それらはユリではなく、すべての種がアフリカ南部原産です。 (ウィキペディア)
الغالبية العظمى من الأرجواني والأزرق. هذا هو واحد قليلا وسيطة بين الأبيض والأرجواني والأزرق. أغابانثوس / ˌæɡəˈpænθəs / هو الجنس الوحيد في Agapanthoideae subfamily من عائلة النبات المزهرة Amaryllidaceae. بعض أنواع أغابانثوس معروفة باسم زنبق النيل (أو زنبق الأفريقية في المملكة المتحدة)، على الرغم من أنها ليست الزنابق وجميع الأنواع هي أصلية في الجنوب الأفريقي. (ويكيبيديا)
Marines assigned to 2nd Low Altitude Air Defense Battalion (LAAD), conclude firing the FIM-92 Stinger missile launcher after hitting a drone during a live fire exercise at Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, N.C., June 8, 2016. 2nd LAAD conducted a live fire exercise to maintain proficiency and accuracy with the FIM-92 Stinger missile launcher.
(U.S. Marine Corps Photo by Lance Cpl. Anthony J. Brosilow/Released)
The aboriginal people of the Mt Barney area avoided climbing Mt Barney. They named the peak Bugera-Bugera or Baga-Baga, meaning "keep away". Later European surveyors assigned the Aboriginal names of Booarydin and Yahndaddan to the two peaks of Mt Barney.
Mt Barney was named after a colonial engineer, George Barney, by Surveyor-General Thomas Mitchell. This was a name change from the original Mt Lindesay assigned by explorer Allan Cunningham. The Mt Lindesay moniker was assigned to another nearby mountain that features prominantly in the view from Mt Barney.
The first European ascent of Mt Barney was made by Patrick Logan via Logan's Ridge in 1828. The expedition included Charles Fraser and Allan Cunningham, but only Logan reached the peak. He had previously attempted to climb the mountain in 1827. Interestingly, Logan mistakenly believed the mountain was Mt Warning as described by Captain James Cook in 1770. It wasn't until they spied Mt Warning during the climb that Logan accepted his was wrong.
A hut was first built in the saddle between the East and West Peaks of Mt Barney between 1954 and 1959 by members of the University of Queensland Bushwalking and Brisbane Bushwalkers clubs. Over the years three huts were built on the same location however all that remains is a cleared area which may now be used as a camping ground.
Geology
Mount Barney is the product of a large volcano (the Focal Peak Volcano) that erupted about 24 million years ago. This developed as the Australian crust moved northwards over a ‘hot-spot’ in the Earth’s mantle below.
Initially there was an up-doming and tilting of the previous rocks of the district, namely sandstones and shales deposited by rivers in the Moreton Basin about 180 million years ago, during the Jurassic period. Their inclined strata can be seen along the road over Yellow Pinch. Then the first eruptions were of basalt lava, which flowed from a crater over the present Focal Peak, just west of Mount Barney itself.
Later the magma below changed to the composition of rhyolite, and a large mass accumulated at depth. Some of this began to cool to larger crystals, and suddenly a surge of pressure thrust this upwards 2400m or so to near the surface and inside a major ring fault—the Mount Barney Ring Fault—beside the volcano’s central vent. It cooled to a rock called granophyre—coarser grained than rhyolite but finer than granite. The pressure also dragged up some very old rocks from depth, namely marine sedimentary rocks laid down on the continental shelf about 320 million years ago, in the Carboniferous period. Some of these can be seen on the South Ridge summit route, and the junction between these soft sediments and the hard granophyre is obvious on the eastern slopes of the mountain.
Other rhyolite bodies were intruded outside the ring, but also in a roughly circular pattern, to cool quickly beneath the present mounts Ernest, Maroon, May and Philip, and also Minnages Mount (also known as Minnages Mountain).
Since those times, erosion has stripped away the softer surrounding and overlying sedimentary rocks, leaving the hard granophyre and rhyolite as the mountains we see today (Willmott).
Reference: Warwick Willmott, 2014 ‘Rocks and Landscapes of the National Parks of Southern Queensland 2nd Ed’ Geological Society of Australia Qld Div.
Flora and fauna
Mount Barney National Park is one of the largest areas of undisturbed natural vegetation remaining in South East Queensland. It is significant for nature conservation, with many rare and restricted plant species, especially on the higher peaks.
The park's numerous habitats provide homes for over 340 animal species and over 700 plant species. Nine animal species—including the eastern bristlebird and the Coxen's fig-parrot—along with four plant species are listed as endangered. There are roughly 30 plant and animal species regarded as threatened. This means that any major impact on their habitat will endanger the future of these species.
Much of the country is open eucalypt forest with some beautiful grassy slopes, with the lower country bearing tall, spreading eucalypts, brush boxes and angophoras. Kangaroos and wallabies are common, as are many species of birds.
The rainforest and wet sclerophyll forest of Mount Barney provide critical habitat for the plumed frogmouth Podargus ocellatus plumiferus. This primitive bird species is listed as vulnerable.
Creeks with cascades, deep pools and shallow sections flow through the park and are lined with river she oaks Casuarina cunninghamiana, red-flowering bottlebrushes Melaleuca viminalis, golden silky oaks Grevillea robusta and patches of rainforest. Rarely seen platypus swim in the creeks and nest in the creek banks; kingfishers swoop over the water and various honeyeaters and robins can be spied nearby.
Higher rocky slopes and depressions support patches of montane heath, some of which have spectacular wildflower displays in spring. Steep, rocky slopes are the habitat of brush-tailed rock-wallabies Petrogale penicillata, which are listed as vulnerable to extinction.
Vegetation of special significance includes Antarctic beech Nothofagus moorei and simple microphyll fern forest on Mount Ballow. Simple microphyll fern thicket with lillypilly satinash Acmena smithii grows on Mount Barney. Rock pavements with montane heaths and bell-fruited mallee Eucalyptus codonocarpa shrublands occur on Mount Maroon. On Mount Lindesay, tall forests of Banksia integrifolia subsp.monticola dominate.
The park joins Mount Clunie National Park, Mount Nothofagus National Park and Border Ranges National Park at the New South Wales border. These national parks share many of the plants and animals found within Mount Barney National Park. All these protected areas are part of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area.
Culture and history:
The peaks that make up Mount Barney National Park have special significance to Aboriginal people whose stories explain their connection with this country. Some names in the landscape have Aboriginal origins.
On a frosty August morning in 1828, the commandant of the Brisbane settlement, Captain Patrick Logan, and botanists Alan Cunningham and Charles Fraser set out from their camp to climb Mount Barney. This was the first recorded European ascent of the mountain. Fraser's journal graphically recounts the climb, describing the perils the group encountered. Logan was the only one to complete the climb to the summit, leaving both Cunningham and Fraser to turn back after finding the ascent too difficult.
It was during these early expeditions into the mountainous area of the scenic rim that many of the peaks were given European names. Mount Barney, Mount Lindesay and Mount Clunie were named after prominent engineers or soldiers of the early 1800s, while Mount Ballow took its name from David Keith Ballow, a Moreton Bay Government Medical Officer who died of typhus while caring for immigrants under quarantine at Dunwich in 1850. Some names were abbreviated from Aboriginal names; Mount Maroon was originally known as 'Wahlmoorum' (Yuggera language meaning 'sand goanna') (Steele).
Captain Logan and botanist Allan Cunningham paved the way for selectors and squatters to follow and settle the land. Government surveyors were sent to survey features such as rivers, creeks and ranges and to set out boundaries for land parcels. Many of the surveyed features later became the boundaries of parishes and counties.
By the 1840s, the surrounding foothills of Mount Barney were being opened up for cattle grazing. Logging also began in the late 1890s with red cedars and hoop pines being felled and later hauled to small, sawmills located in the district. Remnants of large, sawn stumps seen in parts of the park are a reminder of this time. Up until the late 1930s, many contract timber workers lived in tents in the scrubs surrounding Mount Barney, some with a wife and young children.
The unique qualities of this rugged area were recognised in 1947 when Mount Barney National Park and Mount Lindesay National Park were gazetted as separate parks. Mount Barney National Park was extended to include Mount May and Mount Maroon in 1950. Thirty years later, in 1980, the two parks were amalgamated to form the current Mount Barney National Park, named after the park's highest and most imposing peak.
In December 1994, the World Heritage Committee officially declared the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World Heritage Area over the Scenic Rim (including nearly all of Lamington and Springbrook national parks and most of Main Range and Mount Barney national parks) and the rainforests of northern and central New South Wales.
World Heritage status is a prestigious international recognition of the important conservation values of this area, especially its unique geology, subtropical and cool temperate rainforests and rare fauna.
Source: Queensland Government Parks & Forests, Department Of Environment & Science, Aussie Bushwalking.
Soldiers assigned to the 222nd Chemical Company, New York Army National Guard, and officers with the New York Police Department's COBRA (Chemical Ordinance, Biological and Radiological Awareness) training unit conduct an exercise simulating an urban chemical attack at Rodman's Neck Tactical Village, Bronx, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2016. The New York Army National Guard Soldiers and officers with the COBRA training unit used the exercise to share techniques and procedures, as well as enhance their readiness in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Harley Jelis)
PHILIPPINE SEA (June 13, 2021) Sailors assigned to the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Shiloh (CG 67) heave line during a replenishment-at-sea with the Henry J. Kaiser-class replenishment oiler USNS Rappahannock (T-AO-204) . Shiloh is attached to Commander, Task Force 70/Carrier Strike Group 5 conducting underway operations in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific. (U.S. Navy Photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Rawad Madanat)
A Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor assigned to the 525th Fighter Squadron from Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, flies away after refueling from a Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron from Kadena Air Base, Japan, during exercise Northern Edge, May 16, 2019, over Alaska. Northern Edge is designed to sharpen participants’ tactical combat skills, to improve command, control and communication relationships and to develop plans and programs across the Joint Force.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 "Flanker"- and MiG-29 "Fulcrum"-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon or the newer F-35 Lightning II, which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G Growler.[60] Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP).[66] A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D.[83][84] To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF.[91] It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 Phantom II that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
Marines assigned to Reconnaissance Platoon, Battalion Landing Team 1/4, 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) conduct live fire training aboard the USS Boxer (LHD 4) at sea Jan. 8, 2014. The 13th MEU is deployed with the Boxer Amphibious Ready Group as a theater reserve and crisis response force throughout the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility.
(U.S. Marine Corps photo by Cpl. David Gonzalez/Released)
Soldiers assigned to the 222nd Chemical Company, New York Army National Guard, and officers with the New York Police Department's COBRA (Chemical Ordinance, Biological and Radiological Awareness) training unit conduct an exercise simulating an urban chemical attack at Rodman's Neck Tactical Village, Bronx, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2016. The New York Army National Guard Soldiers and officers with the COBRA training unit used the exercise to share techniques and procedures, as well as enhance their readiness in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Harley Jelis)
Soldiers assigned to the U.S. Army Caisson Platoon, Headquarters and Headquarters Co., 1st Battalion, 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard) participate in a Basic Horsemanship Course graduation ceremony at the Caisson Stables on Joint Base Myer-Henderson Hall, Virgnia, Nov. 20, 2020. The Basic Horsemanship Course is a nine-week course that teaches the basics of horsemanship and ceremonial proficiency on horseback. (U.S. Army photo by Spc. Brandon Muniz and Sgt. Jacob Holmes)
Soldiers assigned to the 3d U.S. Infantry Regiment (The Old Guard), participate in a Joint Armed Forces Color Guard presentation during an Armed Forces Full Honors Wreath-laying ceremony, Sept. 15, 2022, at the grave sit of 27th President of the United States, William H. Taft, in Arlington National Cemetery, Va. During the ceremony, hosted by Karen Durham-Aguilera, executive director, Army National Military Cemeteries, Maj. Gen. John H. Phillips, Military Deputy to Deputy Chief of Staff, G6, (IMA) laid a wreath to commemorate Taft’s 165th birthday. (U.S. Army photos by Sgt. Laura Stephens)
A U.S. Air Force Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron approaches a U.S. Air Force Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker in order to receive fuel in the skies above Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, March 2, 2017. Twelve Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptors and approximately 200 U.S. Air Force Airmen participated in the first Enhanced Air Cooperation, an initiative under the Force Posture Agreement between the U.S. and Australia.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation, single-seat, twin-engine, all-weather stealth tactical fighter aircraft developed for the United States Air Force (USAF). The result of the USAF's Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) program, the aircraft was designed primarily as an air superiority fighter, but also has ground attack, electronic warfare, and signal intelligence capabilities. The prime contractor, Lockheed Martin, built most of the F-22's airframe and weapons systems and conducted final assembly, while Boeing provided the wings, aft fuselage, avionics integration, and training systems.
The aircraft was variously designated F-22 and F/A-22 before it formally entered service in December 2005 as the F-22A. Despite its protracted development and various operational issues, USAF officials consider the F-22 a critical component of the service's tactical air power. Its combination of stealth, aerodynamic performance, and situational awareness enable unprecedented air combat capabilities.
Service officials had originally planned to buy a total of 750 ATFs. In 2009, the program was cut to 187 operational production aircraft due to high costs, a lack of clear air-to-air missions due to delays in Russian and Chinese fighter programs, a ban on exports, and development of the more versatile F-35. The last F-22 was delivered in 2012.
Development
Origins
In 1981, the U.S. Air Force identified a requirement for an Advanced Tactical Fighter (ATF) to replace the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon. Code named "Senior Sky", this air-superiority fighter program was influenced by emerging worldwide threats, including new developments in Soviet air defense systems and the proliferation of the Su-27 Flanker and MiG-29 Fulcrum-class of fighter aircraft. It would take advantage of the new technologies in fighter design on the horizon, including composite materials, lightweight alloys, advanced flight control systems, more powerful propulsion systems, and most importantly, stealth technology. In 1983, the ATF concept development team became the System Program Office (SPO) and managed the program at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. The demonstration and validation (Dem/Val) request for proposals (RFP) was issued in September 1985, with requirements placing strong emphasis on stealth and supercruise. Of the seven bidding companies, Lockheed and Northrop were selected on 31 October 1986. Lockheed teamed with Boeing and General Dynamics while Northrop teamed with McDonnell Douglas, and the two contractor teams undertook a 50-month Dem/Val phase, culminating in the flight test of two technology demonstrator prototypes, the YF-22 and the YF-23, respectively.
Dem/Val was focused on risk reduction and technology development plans over specific aircraft designs. Contractors made extensive use of analytical and empirical methods, including computational fluid dynamics, wind-tunnel testing, and radar cross-section calculations and pole testing; the Lockheed team would conduct nearly 18,000 hours of wind-tunnel testing. Avionics development was marked by extensive testing and prototyping and supported by ground and flying laboratories. During Dem/Val, the SPO used the results of performance and cost trade studies conducted by contractor teams to adjust ATF requirements and delete ones that were significant weight and cost drivers while having marginal value. The short takeoff and landing (STOL) requirement was relaxed in order to delete thrust-reversers, saving substantial weight. As avionics was a major cost driver, side-looking radars were deleted, and the dedicated infra-red search and track (IRST) system was downgraded from multi-color to single color and then deleted as well. However, space and cooling provisions were retained to allow for future addition of these components. The ejection seat requirement was downgraded from a fresh design to the existing McDonnell Douglas ACES II. Despite efforts by the contractor teams to rein in weight, the takeoff gross weight estimate was increased from 50,000 lb (22,700 kg) to 60,000 lb (27,200 kg), resulting in engine thrust requirement increasing from 30,000 lbf (133 kN) to 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class.
Each team produced two prototype air vehicles for Dem/Val, one for each of the two engine options. The YF-22 had its maiden flight on 29 September 1990 and in flight tests achieved up to Mach 1.58 in supercruise. After the Dem/Val flight test of the prototypes, on 23 April 1991, Secretary of the USAF Donald Rice announced the Lockheed team as the winner of the ATF competition. The YF-23 design was considered stealthier and faster, while the YF-22, with its thrust vectoring nozzles, was more maneuverable as well as less expensive and risky. The aviation press speculated that the Lockheed team's design was also more adaptable to the U.S. Navy's Navalized Advanced Tactical Fighter (NATF), but by 1992, the Navy had abandoned NATF.
Production and procurement
As the program moved to full-scale development, or the Engineering & Manufacturing Development (EMD) stage, the production version had notable differences from the YF-22, despite having a broadly similar shape. The swept-back angle of the leading edge was decreased from 48° to 42°, while the vertical stabilizers were shifted rearward and decreased in area by 20%. To improve pilot visibility, the canopy was moved forward 7 inches (18 cm), and the engine intakes moved rearward 14 inches (36 cm). The shapes of the wing and stabilator trailing edges were refined to improve aerodynamics, strength, and stealth characteristics. Increasing weight during development caused slight reductions in range and maneuver performance.
Prime contractor Lockheed Martin Aeronautics manufactured the majority of the airframe and performed final assembly at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in Marietta, Georgia; program partner Boeing Defense, Space & Security provided additional airframe components as well as avionics integration and training systems. The first F-22, an EMD aircraft with tail number 4001, was unveiled at Marietta, Georgia, on 9 April 1997, and first flew on 7 September 1997. Production, with the first lot awarded in September 2000, supported over 1,000 subcontractors and suppliers from 46 states and up to 95,000 jobs, and spanned 15 years at a peak rate of roughly two airplanes per month. In 2006, the F-22 development team won the Collier Trophy, American aviation's most prestigious award. Due to the aircraft's advanced nature, contractors have been targeted by cyberattacks and technology theft.
The USAF originally envisioned ordering 750 ATFs at a total program cost of $44.3 billion and procurement cost of $26.2 billion in fiscal year (FY) 1985 dollars, with production beginning in 1994. The 1990 Major Aircraft Review led by Secretary of Defense Dick Cheney reduced this to 648 aircraft beginning in 1996. By 1997, funding instability had further cut the total to 339, which was again reduced to 277 by 2003. In 2004, the Department of Defense (DoD) further reduced this to 183 operational aircraft, despite the USAF's preference for 381. A multi-year procurement plan was implemented in 2006 to save $15 billion, with total program cost projected to be $62 billion for 183 F-22s distributed to seven combat squadrons. In 2008, Congress passed a defense spending bill that raised the total orders for production aircraft to 187.
The first two F-22s built were EMD aircraft in the Block 1.0 configuration for initial flight testing, while the third was a Block 2.0 aircraft built to represent the internal structure of production airframes and enabled it to test full flight loads. Six more EMD aircraft were built in the Block 10 configuration for development and upgrade testing, with the last two considered essentially production quality jets. Production for operational squadrons consisted of 37 Block 20 training aircraft and 149 Block 30/35 combat aircraft; one of the Block 35 aircraft is dedicated to flight sciences at Edwards Air Force Base.
The numerous new technologies in the F-22 resulted in substantial cost overruns and delays. Many capabilities were deferred to post-service upgrades, reducing the initial cost but increasing total program cost. As production wound down in 2011, the total program cost is estimated to be about $67.3 billion, with $32.4 billion spent on Research, Development, Test and Evaluation (RDT&E) and $34.9 billion on procurement and military construction (MILCON) in then year dollars. The incremental cost for an additional F-22 was estimated at about $138 million in 2009.
Ban on exports
The F-22 cannot be exported under US federal law to protect its stealth technology and other high-tech features. Customers for U.S. fighters are acquiring earlier designs such as the F-15 Eagle and F-16 Fighting Falcon or the newer F-35 Lightning II, which contains technology from the F-22 but was designed to be cheaper, more flexible, and available for export. In September 2006, Congress upheld the ban on foreign F-22 sales. Despite the ban, the 2010 defense authorization bill included provisions requiring the DoD to prepare a report on the costs and feasibility for an F-22 export variant, and another report on the effect of F-22 export sales on U.S. aerospace industry.
Some Australian politicians and defense commentators proposed that Australia should attempt to purchase F-22s instead of the planned F-35s, citing the F-22's known capabilities and F-35's delays and developmental uncertainties. However, the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) determined that the F-22 was unable to perform the F-35's strike and close air support roles. The Japanese government also showed interest in the F-22 for its Replacement-Fighter program. The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) would reportedly require fewer fighters for its mission if it obtained the F-22, thus reducing engineering and staffing costs. However, in 2009 it was reported that acquiring the F-22 would require increases to the Japanese government's defense budget beyond the historical 1 percent of its GDP. With the end of F-22 production, Japan chose the F-35 in December 2011. Israel also expressed interest, but eventually chose the F-35 because of the F-22's price and unavailability.
Production termination
Throughout the 2000s, the need for F-22s was debated, due to rising costs and the lack of relevant adversaries. In 2006, Comptroller General of the United States David Walker found that "the DoD has not demonstrated the need" for more investment in the F-22, and further opposition to the program was expressed by Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld, Deputy Secretary of Defense Gordon R. England, Senator John McCain, and Chairman of U.S. Senate Committee on Armed Services Senator John Warner. The F-22 program lost influential supporters in 2008 after the forced resignations of Secretary of the Air Force Michael Wynne and the Chief of Staff of the Air Force General T. Michael Moseley.
In November 2008, Secretary of Defense Robert Gates stated that the F-22 was not relevant in post-Cold War conflicts such as irregular warfare operations in Iraq and Afghanistan, and in April 2009, under the new Obama Administration, he called for ending production in FY2011, leaving the USAF with 187 production aircraft. In July, General James Cartwright, Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated to the Senate Committee on Armed Services his reasons for supporting termination of F-22 production. They included shifting resources to the multirole F-35 to allow proliferation of fifth-generation fighters for three service branches and preserving the F/A-18 production line to maintain the military's electronic warfare (EW) capabilities in the Boeing EA-18G Growler. Issues with the F-22's reliability and availability also raised concerns. After President Obama threatened to veto further production, the Senate voted in July 2009 in favor of ending production and the House subsequently agreed to abide by the 187 production aircraft cap. Gates stated that the decision was taken in light of the F-35's capabilities, and in 2010, he set the F-22 requirement to 187 aircraft by lowering the number of major regional conflict preparations from two to one.
In 2010, USAF initiated a study to determine the costs of retaining F-22 tooling for a future Service Life Extension Program (SLEP). A RAND Corporation paper from this study estimated that restarting production and building an additional 75 F-22s would cost $17 billion, resulting in $227 million per aircraft, or $54 million higher than the flyaway cost. Lockheed Martin stated that restarting the production line itself would cost about $200 million. Production tooling and associated documentation were subsequently stored at the Sierra Army Depot, allowing the retained tooling to support the fleet life cycle. There were reports that attempts to retrieve this tooling found empty containers, but a subsequent audit found that the tooling was stored as expected.
Russian and Chinese fighter developments have fueled concern, and in 2009, General John Corley, head of Air Combat Command, stated that a fleet of 187 F-22s would be inadequate, but Secretary Gates dismissed General Corley's concern. In 2011, Gates explained that Chinese fifth-generation fighter developments had been accounted for when the number of F-22s was set, and that the U.S. would have a considerable advantage in stealth aircraft in 2025, even with F-35 delays. In December 2011, the 195th and final F-22 was completed out of 8 test EMD and 187 operational aircraft produced; the aircraft was delivered to the USAF on 2 May 2012.
In April 2016, the House Armed Services Committee (HASC) Tactical Air and Land Forces Subcommittee proposed legislation that would direct the Air Force to conduct a cost study and assessment associated with resuming production of the F-22. Since the production halt directed in 2009 by then Defense Secretary Gates, lawmakers and the Pentagon noted that air warfare systems of Russia and China were catching up to those of the U.S. Lockheed Martin has proposed upgrading the Block 20 training aircraft into combat-coded Block 30/35 versions as a way to increase numbers available for deployment. On 9 June 2017, the Air Force submitted their report to Congress stating they had no plans to restart the F-22 production line due to economic and operational issues; it estimated it would cost approximately $50 billion to procure 194 additional F-22s at a cost of $206–$216 million per aircraft, including approximately $9.9 billion for non-recurring start-up costs and $40.4 billion for aircraft procurement costs.
Upgrades
The first aircraft with combat-capable Block 3.0 software flew in 2001. Increment 2, the first upgrade program, was implemented in 2005 for Block 20 aircraft onward and enabled the employment of Joint Direct Attack Munitions (JDAM). Certification of the improved AN/APG-77(V)1 radar was completed in March 2007, and airframes from production Lot 5 onward are fitted with this radar, which incorporates air-to-ground modes. Increment 3.1 for Block 30 aircraft onward provided improved ground-attack capability through synthetic aperture radar mapping and radio emitter direction finding, electronic attack and Small Diameter Bomb (SDB) integration; testing began in 2009 and the first upgraded aircraft was delivered in 2011. To address oxygen deprivation issues, F-22s were fitted with an automatic backup oxygen system (ABOS) and modified life support system starting in 2012.
Increment 3.2 for Block 35 aircraft is a two-part upgrade process; 3.2A focuses on electronic warfare, communications and identification, while 3.2B includes geolocation improvements and a new stores management system to show the correct symbols for the AIM-9X and AIM-120D. To enable two-way communication with other platforms, the F-22 can use the Battlefield Airborne Communications Node (BACN) as a gateway. The planned Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) integration was cut due to development delays and lack of proliferation among USAF platforms. The F-22 fleet is planned to start receiving Increment 3.2B as well as a software upgrade for cryptography capabilities and avionics stability in May 2019. A Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Joint (MIDS-J) radio that replaces the current Link-16 receive-only box is expected to be operational by 2020. Subsequent upgrades are also focusing on having an open architecture to enable faster future enhancements.
In 2024, funding is projected to begin for the F-22 mid-life upgrade (MLU), which is expected to include new sensors and antennas, hardware refresh, cockpit improvements, and a helmet mounted display and cuing system. Other enhancements being developed include IRST functionality for the AN/AAR-56 Missile Launch Detector (MLD) and more durable stealth coating based on the F-35's.
The F-22 was designed for a service life of 8,000 flight hours, with a $350 million "structures retrofit program". Investigations are being made for upgrades to extend their useful lives further. In the long term, the F-22 is expected to be superseded by a sixth-generation jet fighter to be fielded in the 2030s.
Design
Overview
The F-22 Raptor is a fifth-generation fighter that is considered fourth generation in stealth aircraft technology by the USAF.[91] It is the first operational aircraft to combine supercruise, supermaneuverability, stealth, and sensor fusion in a single weapons platform. The F-22 has four empennage surfaces, retractable tricycle landing gear, and clipped delta wings with reverse trailing edge sweep and leading edge extensions running to the upper outboard corner of the inlets. Flight control surfaces include leading-edge flaps, flaperons, ailerons, rudders on the canted vertical stabilizers, and all-moving horizontal tails (stabilators); for speed brake function, the ailerons deflect up, flaperons down, and rudders outwards to increase drag.
The aircraft's dual Pratt & Whitney F119-PW-100 augmented turbofan engines are closely spaced and incorporate pitch-axis thrust vectoring nozzles with a range of ±20 degrees; each engine has maximum thrust in the 35,000 lbf (156 kN) class. The F-22's thrust-to-weight ratio at typical combat weight is nearly at unity in maximum military power and 1.25 in full afterburner. Maximum speed without external stores is approximately Mach 1.8 at military power and greater than Mach 2 with afterburners.
The F-22's high cruise speed and operating altitude over prior fighters improve the effectiveness of its sensors and weapon systems, and increase survivability against ground defenses such as surface-to-air missiles. The aircraft is among only a few that can supercruise, or sustain supersonic flight without using fuel-inefficient afterburners; it can intercept targets which subsonic aircraft would lack the speed to pursue and an afterburner-dependent aircraft would lack the fuel to reach. The F-22's thrust and aerodynamics enable regular combat speeds of Mach 1.5 at 50,000 feet (15,000 m). The use of internal weapons bays permits the aircraft to maintain comparatively higher performance over most other combat-configured fighters due to a lack of aerodynamic drag from external stores. The aircraft's structure contains a significant amount of high-strength materials to withstand stress and heat of sustained supersonic flight. Respectively, titanium alloys and composites comprise 39% and 24% of the structural weight.
The F-22's aerodynamics, relaxed stability, and powerful thrust-vectoring engines give it excellent maneuverability and energy potential across its flight envelope. The airplane has excellent high alpha (angle of attack) characteristics, capable of flying at trimmed alpha of over 60° while maintaining roll control and performing maneuvers such as the Herbst maneuver (J-turn) and Pugachev's Cobra. The flight control system and full-authority digital engine control (FADEC) make the aircraft highly departure resistant and controllable, thus giving the pilot carefree handling.
Stealth
The F-22 was designed to be highly difficult to detect and track by radar. Measures to reduce radar cross-section (RCS) include airframe shaping such as alignment of edges, fixed-geometry serpentine inlets and curved vanes that prevent line-of-sight of the engine faces and turbines from any exterior view, use of radar-absorbent material (RAM), and attention to detail such as hinges and pilot helmets that could provide a radar return. The F-22 was also designed to have decreased radio emissions, infrared signature and acoustic signature as well as reduced visibility to the naked eye. The aircraft's flat thrust-vectoring nozzles reduce infrared emissions of the exhaust plume to mitigate the threat of infrared homing ("heat seeking") surface-to-air or air-to-air missiles. Additional measures to reduce the infrared signature include special topcoat and active cooling of leading edges to manage the heat buildup from supersonic flight.
Compared to previous stealth designs like the F-117, the F-22 is less reliant on RAM, which are maintenance-intensive and susceptible to adverse weather conditions. Unlike the B-2, which requires climate-controlled hangars, the F-22 can undergo repairs on the flight line or in a normal hangar. The F-22 has a Signature Assessment System which delivers warnings when the radar signature is degraded and necessitates repair. While the F-22's exact RCS is classified, in 2009 Lockheed Martin released information indicating that from certain angles the aircraft has an RCS of 0.0001 m² or −40 dBsm – equivalent to the radar reflection of a "steel marble". Effectively maintaining the stealth features can decrease the F-22's mission capable rate to 62–70%.
The effectiveness of the stealth characteristics is difficult to gauge. The RCS value is a restrictive measurement of the aircraft's frontal or side area from the perspective of a static radar. When an aircraft maneuvers it exposes a completely different set of angles and surface area, potentially increasing radar observability. Furthermore, the F-22's stealth contouring and radar absorbent materials are chiefly effective against high-frequency radars, usually found on other aircraft. The effects of Rayleigh scattering and resonance mean that low-frequency radars such as weather radars and early-warning radars are more likely to detect the F-22 due to its physical size. However, such radars are also conspicuous, susceptible to clutter, and have low precision. Additionally, while faint or fleeting radar contacts make defenders aware that a stealth aircraft is present, reliably vectoring interception to attack the aircraft is much more challenging. According to the USAF an F-22 surprised an Iranian F-4 Phantom II that was attempting to intercept an American UAV, despite Iran's assertion of having military VHF radar coverage over the Persian Gulf.
Tocal.
James Webber arrived in the region in January 1822 and applied for a land grant at Paterson. He was granted 2,020 acres which he named Tocal. He later added 720 acres and soon had a total of 3,280 acres. His brother John Webber got a nearby land grant of 3,300 acres which he named Penshurst. Like other pioneers the Webber brothers were fortunate to obtain assigned convicts to provide the basically free labour for them to build up their grand estates. James Webber grew wine grapes, fruit, wheat, corn, tobacco, and ran sheep and cattle. Records for 1828 shows 38 assigned convicts at Tocal including - 13 labourers; 3 tobacconists; 8 shepherds; 2 overseers; 1 shoemaker; 1 stock keeper and 1 servant and others. All were males between the ages of 16 and 63 years. He built a barracks for the assigned convicts and a stone barn was built in 1830 but later burnt down. The barn was needed for drying tobacco. A blacksmiths shop was built 1828. James Webber sold Tocal in 1834 and it was purchased by Caleb Wilson and his son Felix. The perfectly proportioned two storey Georgian residence was built in 1839 for Felix Wilson. The architect of this homestead is now believed to be William Moir. Later in 1867 another architect was commissioned, Edmund Blacket who built many churches in NSW, to build a new stone barn. All joinery is the homestead is Australian red cedar. Felix Wilson planted Moreton Bay Figs to frame his new home. He grew vines and produced wine.
In 1843 he attempted to sell Tocal estate to Charles Reynold but Reynolds leased the estate from Wilson from 1844 to 1871. Charles Reynolds died in 1871 and his son Frank Reynolds took over Tocal and built some new stone structures. By then Tocal covered 5,900 acres and it was still owned by the estate of Felix Wilson. Frank Reynolds then began to buy some sections until the Reynolds family owned all of Tocal in 1907. Frank Reynolds died in 1920 and his sons Charles and Harry ran Tocal mainly as horse stud. In 1926 Tocal estate was sold to the Alexander family - two sisters and two brothers all elderly and unmarried. The youngest Alexander was Charles Boyd Alexander. When he died at Tocal in 1947 with no heirs, it was left to two nieces to occupy provided they were not married. They were the Curtis sisters. He also set up a trust covering Tocal so that it became the C. B. Alexander Training home for destitute and orphan children. In 1963 the Presbyterian Church took over Tocal homestead and the training college. A new chapel was built at Tocal in 1967. The church then got the trustees to establish and an agricultural training college at Tocal with the two Miss Curtis women still having life tenancy of the Tocal homestead. By then Tocal house was on 163 acres. The C. B. Alexander Presbyterian Agricultural College lasted from 1965 to 1969. Then the NSW Department of Agriculture took it over in 1970 with a special act of parliament.
Soldiers assigned to the 222nd Chemical Company, New York Army National Guard, and officers with the New York Police Department's COBRA (Chemical Ordinance, Biological and Radiological Awareness) training unit conduct an exercise simulating an urban chemical attack at Rodman's Neck Tactical Village, Bronx, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2016. The New York Army National Guard Soldiers and officers with the COBRA training unit used the exercise to share techniques and procedures, as well as enhance their readiness in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Harley Jelis)
On April 2, 1942 Flight Lieutenant Leonard Joseph Birchall, DFC, OBC from St Catharines, Ontario was assigned a posting to Colombo, Sri Lanka (Ceylon).
Leonard and his air crew, were sent to Sri Lanka to hopefully help stem the recent tide of military disasters that had already befallen the Allies (SEAC - South East Asian Command), in the Pacific South East, since the Imperial Japanese Navy's recent attack on Pearl Harbour.
Remember, "Pearl Harbour" was less than five page flips on the calendar or, for linear thinkers… only five short months ago at this point.
The Japanese had been quite busy since.
Right after Pearl Harbour… Japan had attacked Hong Kong, the Philippines, Thailand, and Malaya! Soon thereafter, while on the march again, they attacked Burma, the Dutch East Indies, New Guinea, and the Solomon Islands.
The Japanese war pace was swift. And successful. Honestly, the Allies were taking a beating.
British Navy ships HMS Repulse and HMS Prince of Wales had just been sunk by the Japanese.
Thailand had fallen, and then allied itself with Japan.
Malaya soon fell.
Hong Kong finally fell. But the Canadian forces, there at least, had held back the attacking Japanese for an unbelievable 17 days!
But now, even Northern Australia, was under siege! Yikes!
Folks, in the early 40s, Japanese victories were counted in days, not weeks.
That's why Birchall's unit, 413 Squadron RCAF, had been hurriedly dispatched to Sri Lanka; to immediately bolster area surveillance for any Japanese activity, or for any incursion attempts into the remaining, and precariously held, Allied territory.
The Allies just couldn't afford any more losses in the South Pacific to the Axis!
It would be only TWO DAYS after his arrival, that Birchall's new posting, would pay off for the Allies.
Late afternoon, April 4, F/L Birchall was on long patrol.
Wait! He thought he saw a a tiny smudge over on his southeast horizon.
Better have a look, he thought. The large PBY Catalina floatplane Leonard was flying was gently coaxed to its starboard side, and was now on an intercept course with this mysterious "smudge".
As Birchall and his crew flew closer, he and his crew were all alone, should they meet up with the enemy.
Worst fears were soon confirmed! It was the Japanese!
And not just a lone ship. A task force of the Imperial Japanese Navy!
They would have to get the hell outta' there… but not before they got closer, unbelievably! Yes, CLOSER!
NUMBERS, COURSE, and SPEED of the Japanese Imperial Fleet had to be accurately determined, and radioed back to base!
As more ships kept appearing over the horizon… Birchall finally counted five aircraft carriers, four newer class battleships, attendant cruisers, and destroyers. This was a large and threatening force, Leonard noted.
WAS THIS the very fleet that had attacked Pearl Harbour five months previous?
Their RCAF Catalina was soon spotted. Birchall could see in the distance Japanese Zeros rising up from the aircraft carriers. Flying at only 2,000 feet, soon those distant Zero fighter-planes were on the attack, and all over Leonard's lumbering Catalina. All 12 of them!
But it was too late for the Japanese. Too late!!
Leonard's crew HAD sent off two encoded messages straight back to their base at Columbo.
The presence of the Japanese Imperial Fleet was now known by the Allies! This action of discovery, by Birchall and his crew, would later be praised by the then larger-than-life prime minister of Great Britain, none other than Winston Churchill, himself!
The Canadian press would refer to Birchall as the "Saviour of Ceylon".
The Royal Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet had gotten the heads up. With plenty of time to prepare, and respond. They now knew the Japanese Navy was on the way. There would be no second Pearl Harbour, this time.
It didn't end as nicely for Birchall.
Wish we could say differently—
Leonard's Catalina, now badly shot up, damaged beyond imagination, and on fire, lurched downward. Birchall skillfully piloted the gravely wounded bird down, until it's flight controls no longer responded!
… and thus it finally crash landed on the seas below.
Once down the Catalina was quickly evacuated. The severely wounded of Birchall's crew were fitted with life jackets, and pushed out, and away, from the sinking floatplane.
UNBELIEVABLY, the Zeros continued their attack! The defenceless, and helpless wounded, were fired on, and murdered! Wearing their Mae Wests, they couldn't dive to escape the Zero's strafing runs!!
Birchall, and the men of his that escaped these merciless Zeros, were soon picked up by a Japanese destroyer.
Once on board they were treated brutally. They were violently interrogated. Had they dispatched a warning message back to their home base?
Yes or No?
During their torture, Birchall encouraged his crew.
These RCAF airmen never did reveal to their torturers that messages, had indeed, been sent.
In the meantime, these Canadian heroes were housed in a small paint locker where one person could stand, two could sit, and only one could lay down. They had to sleep in turns. They received no medical attention, and very little food.
Eventually, they were transferred out, to another ship, and sent back to Japan.
The Japanese military who, by edict of the Emperor were not allowed to surrender, looked down on captured Allied personnel who allowed themselves to be taken alive. And the Japanese PoW camps were well known to harshly treat their captured, who they deemed as ethically inferior.
In spite of this, Birchall who spent almost 40 months as a PoW, and was often the most senior officer present, protested the abuse of prisoners at his camp. He stood up to his Japanese captors. And he was routinely beaten as a reward.
When Birchall's camp was finally liberated by the Allies, his acts of courage were relayed back home.
CONCLUSIONS
Was Birchall really the "Saviour of Ceylon?"
The Sri Lankans at the time certainly thought so. But we now realize that this was not the case. The Japanese only intended to raid Ceylon's two main ports, Columbo and Trincomalee.
So what did Birchall really do?
He saved the Royal Navy. The Royal Navy's Indian Ocean Fleet, that is. Birchall allowed them to get away to their secret base in Addu Atoll, 1,121 kilometres away. Upon word of Birchall's sighting, the British High Command ordered the Indian Ocean Fleet, to preserve themselves, for future operations.
Canadian F/L Leonard Joseph Birchall was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his discovery, and subsequent reporting of the position of the Imperial Japanese Navy Fleet in the South Seas. This action caused his airplane to be shot down, and his crew to be taken prisoner. This correspondence saved the Royal Navy from surprise attack in the South Pacific. Mr. Birchall was also awarded the Order of the British Empire for his courageous actions, taken to protect his fellow prisoners, while he was a PoW.
In 1950, US President Harry Truman appointed Birchall an officer of the Legion of Merit, saying: "His exploits became legendary throughout Japan and brought renewed faith and strength to many hundreds of ill and disheartened prisoners."
Air Commodore Leonard Joseph Birchall, CM, OBE, DFC, O.Ont, CD, Order of Canada became the longest serving officer in the RCAF (Air Commodore) and received a fifth bar to his CD in 1996, for six decades of military service in times of both war and peace! He died on September 10, 2004.
(PICTURED ABOVE: Canadian Warplane Heritage Museum's "Catalina". Birchall's SEAC Catalina was not likely painted in the same colour scheme as this, which is David Hornell's Catalina (really Canso) flying toward us. Birchall's Catalina was mostly olive green.)
©2009 Paul Cardin - Special Projects in Research
Two Lockheed Martin F-35A Lighting II "Joint Strike Fighter's" assigned to the 62nd Fighter Squadron, Luke Air Force Base Ariz, fly near an Arizona National Guard Boeing KC-135 Stratotanker Aug. 4, 2017. Four F-35’s participated in a missing man formation fly-over during WWII pilot 2nd Lt. Charles E. Carlson’s funeral in Pennsylvania more than 70 years after being shot down over Germany in World War II when he was assigned to the 62 FS.
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II is a family of single-seat, single-engine, all-weather, stealth, fifth-generation, multirole combat aircraft, designed for ground-attack and air-superiority missions. It is built by Lockheed Martin and many subcontractors, including Northrop Grumman, Pratt & Whitney, and BAE Systems.
The F-35 has three main models: the conventional takeoff and landing F-35A (CTOL), the short take-off and vertical-landing F-35B (STOVL), and the catapult-assisted take-off but arrested recovery, carrier-based F-35C (CATOBAR). The F-35 descends from the Lockheed Martin X-35, the design that was awarded the Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) program over the competing Boeing X-32. The official Lightning II name has proven deeply unpopular and USAF pilots have nicknamed it Panther, instead.
The United States principally funds F-35 development, with additional funding from other NATO members and close U.S. allies, including the United Kingdom, Italy, Australia, Canada, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands, and formerly Turkey. These funders generally receive subcontracts to manufacture components for the aircraft; for example, Turkey was the sole supplier of several F-35 parts until its removal from the program in July 2019. Several other countries have ordered, or are considering ordering, the aircraft.
As the largest and most expensive military program ever, the F-35 became the subject of much scrutiny and criticism in the U.S. and in other countries. In 2013 and 2014, critics argued that the plane was "plagued with design flaws", with many blaming the procurement process in which Lockheed was allowed "to design, test, and produce the F-35 all at the same time," instead of identifying and fixing "defects before firing up its production line". By 2014, the program was "$163 billion over budget [and] seven years behind schedule". Critics also contend that the program's high sunk costs and political momentum make it "too big to kill".
The F-35 first flew on 15 December 2006. In July 2015, the United States Marines declared its first squadron of F-35B fighters ready for deployment. However, the DOD-based durability testing indicated the service life of early-production F-35B aircraft is well under the expected 8,000 flight hours, and may be as low as 2,100 flight hours. Lot 9 and later aircraft include design changes but service life testing has yet to occur. The U.S. Air Force declared its first squadron of F-35As ready for deployment in August 2016. The U.S. Navy declared its first F-35Cs ready in February 2019. In 2018, the F-35 made its combat debut with the Israeli Air Force.
The U.S. stated plan is to buy 2,663 F-35s, which will provide the bulk of the crewed tactical airpower of the U.S. Air Force, Navy, and Marine Corps in coming decades. Deliveries of the F-35 for the U.S. military are scheduled until 2037 with a projected service life up to 2070.
Development
F-35 development started in 1992 with the origins of the "Joint Strike Fighter" (JSF) program and was to culminate in full production by 2018. The X-35 first flew on 24 October 2000 and the F-35A on 15 December 2006.
The F-35 was developed to replace most US fighter jets with the variants of a single design that would be common to all branches of the military. It was developed in co-operation with a number of foreign partners, and, unlike the F-22 Raptor, intended to be available for export. Three variants were designed: the F-35A (CTOL), the F-35B (STOVL), and the F-35C (CATOBAR). Despite being intended to share most of their parts to reduce costs and improve maintenance logistics, by 2017, the effective commonality was only 20%. The program received considerable criticism for cost overruns during development and for the total projected cost of the program over the lifetime of the jets.
By 2017, the program was expected to cost $406.5 billion over its lifetime (i.e. until 2070) for acquisition of the jets, and an additional $1.1 trillion for operations and maintenance. A number of design deficiencies were alleged, such as: carrying a small internal payload; performance inferior to the aircraft being replaced, particularly the F-16; lack of safety in relying on a single engine; and flaws such as the vulnerability of the fuel tank to fire and the propensity for transonic roll-off (wing drop). The possible obsolescence of stealth technology was also criticized.
Design
Overview
Although several experimental designs have been developed since the 1960s, such as the unsuccessful Rockwell XFV-12, the F-35B is to be the first operational supersonic STOVL stealth fighter. The single-engine F-35 resembles the larger twin-engined Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, drawing design elements from it. The exhaust duct design was inspired by the General Dynamics Model 200, proposed for a 1972 supersonic VTOL fighter requirement for the Sea Control Ship.
Lockheed Martin has suggested that the F-35 could replace the USAF's F-15C/D fighters in the air-superiority role and the F-15E Strike Eagle in the ground-attack role. It has also stated the F-35 is intended to have close- and long-range air-to-air capability second only to that of the F-22 Raptor, and that the F-35 has an advantage over the F-22 in basing flexibility and possesses "advanced sensors and information fusion".
Testifying before the House Appropriations Committee on 25 March 2009, acquisition deputy to the assistant secretary of the Air Force, Lt. Gen. Mark D. "Shack" Shackelford, stated that the F-35 is designed to be America's "premier surface-to-air missile killer, and is uniquely equipped for this mission with cutting-edge processing power, synthetic aperture radar integration techniques, and advanced target recognition".
Improvements
Ostensible improvements over past-generation fighter aircraft include:
Durable, low-maintenance stealth technology, using structural fiber mat instead of the high-maintenance coatings of legacy stealth platforms.
Integrated avionics and sensor fusion that combine information from off- and on-board sensors to increase the pilot's situational awareness and improve target identification and weapon delivery, and to relay information quickly to other command and control (C2) nodes.
High-speed data networking including IEEE 1394b and Fibre Channel (Fibre Channel is also used on Boeing's Super Hornet.
The Autonomic Logistics Global Sustainment, Autonomic Logistics Information System (ALIS), and Computerized maintenance management system to help ensure the aircraft can remain operational with minimal maintenance manpower The Pentagon has moved to open up the competitive bidding by other companies. This was after Lockheed Martin stated that instead of costing 20% less than the F-16 per flight hour, the F-35 would actually cost 12% more. Though the ALGS is intended to reduce maintenance costs, the company disagrees with including the cost of this system in the aircraft ownership calculations. The USMC has implemented a workaround for a cyber vulnerability in the system. The ALIS system currently requires a shipping-container load of servers to run, but Lockheed is working on a more portable version to support the Marines' expeditionary operations.
Electro-hydrostatic actuators run by a power-by-wire flight-control system.
A modern and updated flight simulator, which may be used for a greater fraction of pilot training to reduce the costly flight hours of the actual aircraft.
Lightweight, powerful lithium-ion batteries to provide power to run the control surfaces in an emergency.
Structural composites in the F-35 are 35% of the airframe weight (up from 25% in the F-22). The majority of these are bismaleimide and composite epoxy materials. The F-35 will be the first mass-produced aircraft to include structural nanocomposites, namely carbon nanotube-reinforced epoxy. Experience of the F-22's problems with corrosion led to the F-35 using a gap filler that causes less galvanic corrosion to the airframe's skin, designed with fewer gaps requiring filler and implementing better drainage. The relatively short 35-foot wingspan of the A and B variants is set by the F-35B's requirement to fit inside the Navy's current amphibious assault ship parking area and elevators; the F-35C's longer wing is considered to be more fuel efficient.
Costs
A U.S. Navy study found that the F-35 will cost 30 to 40% more to maintain than current jet fighters, not accounting for inflation over the F-35's operational lifetime. A Pentagon study concluded a $1 trillion maintenance cost for the entire fleet over its lifespan, not accounting for inflation. The F-35 program office found that as of January 2014, costs for the F-35 fleet over a 53-year lifecycle was $857 billion. Costs for the fighter have been dropping and accounted for the 22 percent life cycle drop since 2010. Lockheed stated that by 2019, pricing for the fifth-generation aircraft will be less than fourth-generation fighters. An F-35A in 2019 is expected to cost $85 million per unit complete with engines and full mission systems, inflation adjusted from $75 million in December 2013.
"Erlangen 's Orangery is architecturally assigned to Erlangen Castle and is located in the castle garden belonging to the residence.
Margrave Christian Ernst of Brandenburg-Bayreuth gave his wife the recently completed Erlangen Castle in 1703. The orangery itself was built a short time later, between 1704 and 1706, on behalf of Margravine Elisabeth Sophie as part of the Erlanger palace complex. It once served the Margrave couple as a greenhouse with living rooms and a ballroom.
Due to its “teatro” shape, derived from the oval floor plan, the arrangement itself and its dual function as a greenhouse and “maison de plaisir” make the orangery an important architectural and historical monument in the entire palace ensemble.
In 1818, after the death of the Dowager Margravine Sophie Caroline, the Orangery became the property of the Friedrich-Alexander University and became the seat of various faculties, offices and offices. Since 1914, in addition to the Institute for Church Music, the art history seminar has also been located in their rooms.
The Orangery in Erlangen is built on a semi-oval floor plan. The ends form pavilions that curve parallel to the garden axis. The middle part, in which the stucco-covered water hall is located, does not continue the curves, but has a rectangular floor plan that is visible to the outside like a risalit. The three-gate portal is the main focus on the south facade. The swinging wings culminate in the triumphal arch architecture, which forms the entrance to the water hall. The central, round-arched gate stands out from the side gates, which are also round-arched, in that it is framed by two pairs of free-standing columns and spanned by an openwork segmental gable. The entrances on the left and right are each framed by a solid column. The bases of the columns are decorated with plant (vegetable) motifs. Only the gable of the central portal breaks the regularity of the attic zone. Rich, figurative and ornamental jewelry here represents princely power and pays homage to fertility. Figures of the four seasons rise on the projecting bases of the cranked attic zone. Although the outer wall of the water hall is not curved but straight compared to the wings, the architectural decoration gives the impression that the wall is swinging out convexly.
Erlangen (German pronunciation: [ˈɛʁlaŋən]; Mainfränkisch: Erlang, Bavarian: Erlanga) is a Middle Franconian city in Bavaria, Germany. It is the seat of the administrative district Erlangen-Höchstadt (former administrative district Erlangen), and with 116,062 inhabitants (as of 30 March 2022), it is the smallest of the eight major cities (Großstadt) in Bavaria. The number of inhabitants exceeded the threshold of 100,000 in 1974, making Erlangen a major city according to the statistical definition officially used in Germany.
Together with Nuremberg, Fürth, and Schwabach, Erlangen forms one of the three metropolises in Bavaria. With the surrounding area, these cities form the European Metropolitan Region of Nuremberg, one of 11 metropolitan areas in Germany. The cities of Nuremberg, Fürth, and Erlangen also form a triangle on a map, which represents the heartland of the Nuremberg conurbation.
An element of the city that goes back a long way in history, but is still noticeable, is the settlement of Huguenots after the Revocation of the Edict of Nantes in 1685. Today, many aspects of daily life in the city are dominated by the Friedrich Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg and the Siemens technology group.
Erlangen is located on the edge of the Middle Franconian Basin and at the floodplain of the Regnitz River. The river divides the city into two halves of about equal sizes. In the western part of the city, the Rhine–Main–Danube Canal lies parallel to the Regnitz.
Franconia (German: Franken, pronounced [ˈfʁaŋkŋ̍]; Franconian: Franggn [ˈfrɑŋɡŋ̍]; Bavarian: Frankn) is a region of Germany, characterised by its culture and Franconian dialect (German: Fränkisch).
Franconia is made up of the three Regierungsbezirke of Lower, Middle and Upper Franconia in Bavaria, the adjacent, Franconian-speaking, South Thuringia, south of the Thuringian Forest—which constitutes the language boundary between Franconian and Thuringian— and the eastern parts of Heilbronn-Franconia in Baden-Württemberg.
Those parts of the Vogtland lying in Saxony (largest city: Plauen) are sometimes regarded as Franconian as well, because the Vogtlandian dialects are mostly East Franconian. The inhabitants of Saxon Vogtland, however, mostly do not consider themselves as Franconian. On the other hand, the inhabitants of the Hessian-speaking parts of Lower Franconia west of the Spessart (largest city: Aschaffenburg) do consider themselves as Franconian, although not speaking the dialect. Heilbronn-Franconia's largest city of Heilbronn and its surrounding areas are South Franconian-speaking, and therefore only sometimes regarded as Franconian. In Hesse, the east of the Fulda District is Franconian-speaking, and parts of the Oden Forest District are sometimes regarded as Franconian for historical reasons, but a Franconian identity did not develop there.
Franconia's largest city and unofficial capital is Nuremberg, which is contiguous with Erlangen and Fürth, with which it forms the Franconian conurbation with around 1.3 million inhabitants. Other important Franconian cities are Würzburg, Bamberg, Bayreuth, Ansbach and Coburg in Bavaria, Suhl and Meiningen in Thuringia, and Schwäbisch Hall in Baden-Württemberg.
The German word Franken—Franconians—also refers to the ethnic group, which is mainly to be found in this region. They are to be distinguished from the Germanic people of the Franks, and historically formed their easternmost settlement area. The origins of Franconia lie in the settlement of the Franks from the 6th century in the area probably populated until then mainly by the Elbe Germanic people in the Main river area, known from the 9th century as East Francia (Francia Orientalis). In the Middle Ages the region formed much of the eastern part of the Duchy of Franconia and, from 1500, the Franconian Circle. The restructuring of the south German states by Napoleon, after the demise of the Holy Roman Empire, saw most of Franconia awarded to Bavaria." - info from Wikipedia.
Summer 2019 I did a solo cycling tour across Europe through 12 countries over the course of 3 months. I began my adventure in Edinburgh, Scotland and finished in Florence, Italy cycling 8,816 km. During my trip I took 47,000 photos.
Now on Instagram.
Now assigned to the MFA Elevator, this former Seaboard Air Line Railroad GP18 looks great in a new paint job. It was built in 8-1960 builder number 26118, frame number 5626-5 as SAL 1060. It became SCL 1060, SBD 1060, IORY 71, BEPX 71, and now belongs to Midwest Locomotive Inc. out of Kansas City.
Locomotive: MWLX 6225
6-5-17
Higginsville, MO
Soldiers assigned to the 222nd Chemical Company, New York Army National Guard, and officers with the New York Police Department's COBRA (Chemical Ordinance, Biological and Radiological Awareness) training unit conduct an exercise simulating an urban chemical attack at Rodman's Neck Tactical Village, Bronx, N.Y., Nov. 19, 2016. The New York Army National Guard Soldiers and officers with the COBRA training unit used the exercise to share techniques and procedures, as well as enhance their readiness in case of a natural disaster or terrorist attack. (U.S. Army National Guard photo by Sgt. Harley Jelis)
Lockheed assigned the construction number 422-2273 to the National Air and Space Museum's P-38. The Army Air Forces accepted this Lightning as a P-38J-l0-LO on November 6, 1943, and the service identified the airplane with the serial number 42-67762.
Smithsonian National Air and Space Museum
Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center
Chantilly, Virginia
Assigned to the 403rd Wing and the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron "Hurricane Hunters" Keesler AFB Biloxi Mississippi. The Hurricane Hunters provide command and staff supervision in support of weather reconnaissance and are the only Department of Defense unit tasked to organize, equip, train and perform all hurricane weather reconnaissance in support of the Department of Commerce. The 403rd Wing is responsible for coordination, collecting and communicating critical weather data to the National Hurricane Center during flights into hurricanes and tropical storms.
Assigned to the 452nd AMW (Air Mobility Wing) March AFB California. During 2005 the 452nd retired their C-141 Starlifter being replaced by the C-17 Globemaster III
ESA astronaut Thomas Pesquet has been assigned to a long-duration mission on the International Space Station. A press conference to announce the assignment was held on 17 March 2014, at the French Ministry of Higher Education and Research.
Read more about the announcement:
www.esa.int/Our_Activities/Human_Spaceflight/Astronauts/E...
Connect with Thomas Pesquet on social media at: thomaspesquet.esa.int
More photos available at: www.flickr.com/photos/thom_astro
Credit: ESA–N. Imbert-Vier, 2014
I have assigned myself a little 2025 project. Although I have taken many photos of town hall over the years, I believe that you can never take the same photo twice. So, I plan to taken a bunch more over the year although these two today weren't planned ahead of time.
I shot through the bare branches and converted to mono with the bit of a vintage style look.
Truthfully, I am not struck on these photos, but they are a beginning to a project.
Happy Mono Monday
©AnvilcloudPhotography
KUNSAN AIR BASE, Republic of Korea - A U.S. Air Force F-16C Block 42H "Fighting Falcon" (s/n 90-0724) aircraft assigned to the35th Fighter Squadron 'Pantons' takes off for a routine training flight at Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea, Jan. 16, 2020. The 35th FS performs air and space control and force application roles including counter air, strategic attack, interdiction and close-air support missions.
An assigned New York State license plate on a blue Ford Escape SUV vehicle, parked in the parking lot of Shop Rite in Carmel,NY.
PACIFIC OCEAN (June 23, 2022) – Two MV-22 Osprey tiltrotor aircraft assigned to Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron (VMM) 262 prepare to take off from the flight deck of amphibious assault carrier (AAC) USS Tripoli (LHA 7), June 23, 2022. Tripoli is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to defend peace and maintain stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Peter Burghart) 220623-N-XN177-1025
** Interested in following U.S. Indo-Pacific Command? Engage and connect with us at www.facebook.com/indopacom | twitter.com/INDOPACOM | www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **
Soldiers assigned to 1st Battalion, 64th Armor Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team engages in Gunnery Training May 18, 2016 as part of Exercise Noble Partner at Vaziani Training Area.
Exercise Noble Partner 16 is a Georgian and U.S. military training exercise taking place at Vaziani Training Area, Georgia, May 11 to 26, 2016. This exercise is a critical part of Georgia’s training for its contribution of a light infantry company to the NATO Response Force (NRF) and enhances Georgian territorial self-defense capability.
Soldiers assigned to the 2nd-151st Aviation Regiment, South Carolina Air National Guard, unload a UH-72 Lakota from a U.S. Air Force C-17 Globemaster assigned to the 145th Air Lift Wing, North Carolina Air National Guard, during PATRIOT South 2020 at the Gulfport Combat Readiness Training Center in Gulfport, Miss., Feb. 29, 2020. PATRIOT is a Domestic Operations disaster-response training exercise conducted by National Guard units working with federal, state and local emergency management agencies and first responders. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Technical Sgt. L. Roland Sturm)
SASEBO, Japan (June 16, 2020) = Sailors assigned to amphibious assault ship USS America (LHA 6) conduct a security exercise in the ship’s vehicle stowage area. America, flagship of America Expeditionary Strike Group, is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability with allies and partners and serve as a ready response force to maintain security and stability in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Jomark A. Almazan) 200616-N-DB724-1010
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www.instagram.com/indopacom | www.flickr.com/photos/us-pacific-command; | www.youtube.com/user/USPacificCommand | www.pacom.mil/ **