FRIDAY FOTO (September 9, 2016)

Airborne Weaponry.

U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Joshua L. DeMotts

The U.S. Air Force concerns itself with things that fly — fixed wing aircraft, helicopters,  missiles — and M-1 rifles with fixed bayonets, too, apparently.

Here we see the Air Force Honor Guard Drill Team performing at the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, Virginia, to honor Vietnam War veterans.

FRIDAY FOTO (September 2, 2016)

Night Raid.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 3rd Class Patrick Dionne

Marines depart the well deck of the amphibious transport dock ship USS Green Bay in a combat rubber raiding craft in the Pacific Ocean. The Green Bay is operating in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations in the Indo-Asia-Pacific region. The Marines are assigned to the 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit.

FRIDAY FOTO (August 26, 2016)

Sailor’s Delight.

U.S. Navy photo by Petty Officer 1st Class Jason Noble

The aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) conducts helicopter operations under a red-streaked sunset during last month’s Rim of the Pacific 2016 maritime exercise in the Pacific Ocean.

Twenty-six nations and 25,000 personnel participated in the exercise.

FRIDAY FOTO (August 12, 2016)

Bird’s Eye View.

U.S. Marine Corps photo by Corporal Nicole Zurbrugg

Marine Corporal Chris Lawler, crewmaster on an KC-130J aerial refueling tanker observes a Marine Corps F/A-18C Hornet approach the refueling hose during Exercise Pitch Black 2016 at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia.

The jets line up parallel to the wing of the tanker until cleared by the pilot, then maneuver to a position about 10 to 15 feet behind the hose, then to a pre-contact position three feet behind the basket until cleared for contact. At contact, the pilots plug in until refueled.

Lawler is with Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron 152, based at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan

The Australian air force hosted the three-week, biennial, multinational training exercise.

 

 

FRIDAY FOTO (August 6, 2016)

Tree People.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Candace Mundt

U.S. soldiers with the 3rd Infantry Division cross some unusual terrain in Senegal West Africa. And, no, we don’t know for sure what kind of trees those are. Maybe baobab?

The troops were participating in a platoon-sized live-fire exercise during Africa Readiness Training 16 exercise in Thies, Senegal last month.

These soldiers are with Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 30th Infantry Regiment, 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team.

To see more photos of Africa Readiness training 16, click here.

 

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FRIDAY FOTO (July 29, 2016)

Flying Blind.

U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Corey M. Pettis.

Airman Joshua Lenaire, whose job is providing security at U.S. Air Force facilities, uses a training baton to subdue a simulated attacker in a red-man suit. Look closely and you’ll see Lenaire is working at a disadvantage. He’s been sprayed in the face with  pepper spray. Military security training: It ain’t beanbag.

This session was photographed July 13 at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Lenaire is a response force member assigned to the 18th Security Forces Squadron.

Why is it called a RedMan suit? Three guesses. Actually, in addition to its bright color, this protective training suit is marketed by Redman Training Gear.

FRIDAY FOTO (July 22, 2016)

A Delicate Balance.

Canadian forces photo by Sgt Marc-André Gaudreault.

They call this insertion-and-extraction training.

U.S. Marines and Canadian soldiers board a Royal Canadian Air Force CH-147F Chinook helicopter balanced carefully if not precariously, on a hillside at Camp Pendleton, California during Rim of the Pacific 2016.

The biennial multi-national exercise, known as RIMPAC, is being held this year in and around Hawaii as well as in southern California locations like Camp Pendleton. Participants in RIMPAC, which began June 30 and runs through August 4, include 25,000 service members from 27 nations, including–for the first time–the People’s Republic of China. The equipment involved includes 45 ships, five submarines and more than 200 aircraft, according to the Defense Department.

The Canadian soldiers are snipers, pathfinders and reconnaissance members assigned to the 2nd Battalion Royal 22nd Regiment.

To learn more, click here and here.

FRIDAY FOTO (July 8, 2016)

Danger Zone.

U.S. Air Force photo by Technical Sergeant Zachary Wolf.

The spinning propeller of this U.S. Air Force Super Tucano forms a perfect pair of circles but the sign painted on the tarmac in front of its shelter indicates the risk of getting to close.

The A-29 Super Tucano , manufactured by Brazil’s Embraer, is a single engine turboprop aircraft designed for light attack, counter insurgency, close air support and aerial reconnaissance missions.The aircraft is also used for training pilots.

This A-29 is with the 81st Fighter Squadron based at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. The squadron conducts combat training for Afghan air force pilots and maintainers in the aircraft.

Under a U.S.-funded $427 million contract, a total of 20 A-29s are going to the Afghan Air Force with the last to be delivered to Afghanistan by 2018, according to the Military.com website.

The Pentagon said A-29s manned by Afghan pilots trained in the U.S. conducted the first close air support missions by  the fledgling Afghan Air Force on April 14 , according to Military.com.

To see a video of the Super Tucano in action, click here.

FRIDAY FOTO (July 1, 2016)

Don’t Blink.

U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class Anderson W. Branch

This is what a U.S. Navy Super Hornet looks like a split second before it launches off the flight deck of an aircraft carrier. This F/A-18E Super Hornet, assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 86 — known as the Sidewinders — was captured by the camera just before departing the carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69) in the Mediterranean Sea.

Just behid and to the left of the Super Hornet, you can see the steam cloud rising from the steam-powered catapult that essentially hurls aircraft off the carrier deck which is too short for a normal takeoff. Click here to see a video of a catapult assisted carrier launch.

The Eisenhower is deployed in support of Operation Inherent Resolve, the U.S.-led campaign against the violent extremist group that calls itself the Islamic State. The U.S. government calls the Islamist terror group the Islamic state in Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

Air crews from the “Ike” launched strikes against the Islamic State/ISIL forces in Iraq starting Tuesday (June 28), according to Navy Times. The Eisenhower relieved the homeward-bound USS Harry S. Truman, which has been on station in the Eastern Mediterranean since December, supporting the 6th Fleet’s campaign against the terrorist group.

 

FRIDAY FOTO (June 24, 2016)

Rope Trick.

U.S. Army photo by Staff Sergeant Candace Mundt

A soldier with the U.S. Army’s 2nd Infantry Brigade Combat Team of the 3rd Infantry Division pulls himself out of a hanging barrel during Jungle Warfare School near Yemen, Gabon.

These soldiers from Bravo Company, 3rd Battalion, of the 7th Regiment were attending the French Jungle Warfare School as part of U.S. Army Africa’s exercise Central Accord 2016. CA16 is an annual, joint military exercise to practice and demonstrate proficiency in conducting peacekeeping operations.

To see more photos from this exercise, click here.