VIDEO: Blue Angels commander relieved of duties at his request

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The commanding officer of the Blue Angels has been relieved of his duties at his request.

The request comes after the Blue Angels canceled their flyover at the Naval Academy's graduation following a lower-than-normal maneuver during the team’s performance at the Lynchburg Regional Airshow in Lynchburg, Va., May 22.

Navy Cmdr. Dave Koss will be replaced by former Blue Angels' commander Capt. Greg McWherter for the remainder of the season. More

Sikorsky delivers 300th MH-60R/S to the US Navy

Putting it more than halfway into its contract to deliver its upgraded heavy-lift rotary warbirds to the U.S. Navy, Sikorsky has built its 300th MH-60 Seahawk helicopter. The production total stands at 100 MH-60R and 200 MH-60S Seahawks, with the USN eventually wanting 575.

500th Super Hornet/Growler delivered to US Navy

With all aircraft delivered on budget and ahead of schedule, Boeing and the US Navy have marked the 500th F/A-18E/F or EA-18G Growler joining the Navy's fleet. The type is expected to operate from US Navy aircraft carriers through 2035 and beyond.

Carrier Air Wing 5 begins return to Atsugi

The aircraft of Carrier Air Wing 5 have began to return to Atsugi from Guam. CVW-5 relocated to Guam in March make room for military relief aircraft assisting Japan in the wake of the devastating earthquake and tsunami that hit Japan March 11.

Parts from F/A-18's training missile falls off, hits truck in Virginia Beach

US Naval Air Force Atlantic has said that the wing from a Captive Air Training Missile fell from an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Wildcats of Strike Fighter Squadron 131. It caused minor damage to one vehicle on the ground but no injuries.

VIDEO: F/A-18 Hornet catches fire on board Carl Vinson

This is the video of the VFA-113 F/A-18C Hornet which caught fire soon after making an emergency landing on board the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) in the 5th fleet Area of Operations, as reported here yesterday

Another US Navy Hornet catches fire on carrier deck; no injuries

A second US Navy Hornet has caught fire in a fortnight while on board an aircraft carrier. This time, an F/A-18C Hornet made an emergency single-engine landing on the USS Carl Vinson and then caught fire started soon after touchdown. Photos released on the carrier's Facebook page showed F/A-18C AA/311 of VFA-113 Stingers being doused with fire retardant on deck.

American aircraft still conducting strikes on Libya

US Defense Department officials have said that American fighter jets been have continuing to participate in airstrikes over Libya under NATO command. Six Air Force F-16s and five Navy EA-18G Growler electronic attack planes have been assigned to NATO and have carried out strikes against targets, including mobile surface-to-air missile.

Super Hornet crashes near Lemoore; both crew killed

The US Navy has said that one of its F/A-18F Super Hornets has crashed in a field just outside Naval Air Station Lemoore, with both crew on board unfortunately killed. The aircraft belongs to VFA-122, the US Navy's West Coast Hornet and Super Hornet Fleet Replacement Squadron.

PHOTO: MH-53 Sea Dragon prepares to land at Japanese airfield

(Click on thumbnail for high res image)

110331-N-5716H-324 SENDAI, Japan (March 31, 2011) An MH-53E Sea Dragon helicopter assigned to Helicopter Mine Countermeasure Squadron 14 (HM-14), embarked aboard amphibious transport dock ship USS Tortuga (LSD 46), prepares to land at a Japan Self-Defense Force airfield. Tortuga is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of responsibility supporting Operation Tomodachi. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Josh Huebner/Released)

F/A-18 catches fire on USS John C. Stennis; 10 injured

Ten sailors were injured when an F/A-18C Hornet suffered a catastrophic engine failure and caught fire on the carrier USS John C. Stennis off the coast of San Diego. All injured were flight deck crew involved in the aircraft launch and recovery cycle, with the Hornet being an aircraft assigned to Miramar based Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 101

US Navy Super Hornet brakes catches fire on landing

The US Navy is investigating an incident in mid-March when an F/A-18F Super Hornet’s brakes caught fire while landing, reportedly in Afghanistan. No other details were available from the Navy's 5th Fleet, but the incident has been classified as a Class A mishap pending determination of the total cost of the damage.

American P-3 Orion, A-10 attack Libyan Coast Guard vessels

After being observed firing on merchant vessels near the Libyan port of Misrata, a Libyan Coast Guard vessel and two smaller craft were attacked by an US Navy P-3 Orion and an USAF A-10 using an AGM-65 Maverick and cannon fire. All 3 Libyan ships were hit, with one sinking and another 2 rendered inoperable.

CVW-5 leaving Atsugi to free up ramp space for quake relief ops

Aircraft assigned to Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 have been arriving at Anderson Air Force Base since March 17 as part of the US Navy’s force posture adjustment for Operation Tomodachi. CVW-5's squadrons are temporarily leaving its home base of Atsugi to provide ramp space for other aircraft supporting relief efforts for the massive earthquake which hit Japan earlier this month.

USAF, Navy and Marine warplanes hit Libyan targets

U.S. Africa Command has said that 19 American aircraft have conducted strike operations in Libya on Sunday morning. The warplanes included USMC Harriers from the USS Kearsarge, land-based US Navy EA-18G Growlers, USAF B-2 bombers, F-15s and F-16s. It is the next phase in the operation that started Saturday with the launch of more than 110 Tomahawk Cruise missiles from American Navy and British warships and submarines.

Links:
US Navy News Release
US Air Force News Release

Tridents fly Battle of Midway CoNA Orion to Florida

As part of the 2011 Centennial of Naval Aviation (CoNA) celebration, the “Tridents” of Patrol Squadron (VP) 26 recently flew a uniquely painted P-3C Orion from Atsugi, Japan to NAS Jacksonville. The Orion, P-3C Bu No. 161591 is painted in the markings of PBY-5A Catalina 44-P-4 of VP-44, which was the first American aircraft to spot the Japanese invasion fleet off Midway on 3rd June 1942.

More USMC F-35 squadrons to operate on carriers

Under an updated interservice agreement set to be signed by the US Navy and Marine Corps, the Marines will have 80 F-35C carrier-based Joint Strike Fighters in five squadrons operating from Navy carriers. The Marines buying a further 340 F-35B STOVL aircraft, with the F-35s replacing all aircraft in 19 Marine tactical squadrons.

US Forces in East Asia swing into earthquake relief operations

A cross section of the American military machine is assisting with disaster relief operations following the earthquake and tsunami which has devastated Japan.

7th Fleet assets heading towards Japan
Air Force crews join post-quake relief efforts
Japan-based Marines move to provide aid

US Navy pauses Electromagnetic aircraft catapult program for fixes

A top Navy official said that the Electromagnetic Aircraft Launch System (EMALS) development program took a pause to correct problems after the December's first test launch. The EMALS is a key element in the design and operation of the Gerald R. Ford-class of carriers, currently under construction.

US Navy deploys VR-62 Nomads C-130 to Atsugi

NAS Jacksonville-based VR-62 ‘Nomads’ has deployed one of their four C-130 Hercules aircraft on a three-month detachment to NAS Atsugi, Japan. The crews will rotate in and out of theater and will support Navy and Marine activities throughout the Asia-Pacific, beginning with Ex Cobra Gold in Thailand.