The F-117 is still flying. But why?

File this one under oddities and curiosities…. The F-117 “Nighthawk” was officially retired in 2008, and in theory the fleet of stealthy fighters has mothballed up. But rumors have persisted in recent years about one or more Nighthawks still flying out in the desert. Those rumors were proven this month when posted photos appeared to show an F-117 taking…

Air Force Mystery Spaceplane Comes Home

The X-37B, the Air Force’s top secret spacefaring drone, has come home. The Air Force announced today that the unmanned space system had landed safely at Vandenberg Air Force Base in California. Although it had been expected to land sometime this week, just when it would occur was a bit of a mystery — fitting, because the…

See the First US-Built Super Tucano

At a ceremony held in late September, Sierra Nevada Corp (SNC) and Embraer rolled out the first US-produced A-29 Super Tucano. Unsurprisingly, it looks an awful lot like the traditional Super Tucano, of which Embraer has produced more than 170, but it’s still a milestone for the team behind the plane. Without rehashing the tortured history…

Another Joint High Speed Vessel launched

Another Joint High Speed Vessel (JHSV) was launched from Austal USA’s Mobile, Alabama shipyard at the end of September, marking a half-way point in the construction of ten all-aluminum JHSVs for the US Navy. The Trenton (JHSV 5) was floated over a two-day period in a process involving several contractors. On Sept. 29, Berard Transportation…