Operation Enduring Freedom

US Navy selects Commercial Dismantlement plan to dismantle and dispose USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

US Navy selects Commercial Dismantlement plan to dismantle and dispose USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear-powered aircraft carrier

The US Navy has opted for “Alternative 3,” which involves dismantling and disposing of USS Enterprise (CVN-65) using commercial industry… Read More

3 weeks ago

The epic story of the F-14 Tomcat pilot who disobeyed the order to return to the carrier to provide CAS support during the Battle of Roberts Ridge

Ordered to return to the ship by the AWACS after dropping all of his bombs, Lt Sidbury told everybody -… Read More

2 years ago

Here’s why the Canberra PR 9 had been the best reconnaissance aircraft during early operations in Enduring and Iraqi Freedom

Boasting a range of nearly 2000 nautical miles, the aircraft was unique, as no other reconnaissance platform could carry four… Read More

3 years ago

The unknown story of the F-14 Tomcats that diverted to Pakistan during Operation Enduring Freedom

‘As we were in the middle of Afghanistan with not enough fuel to get back to the ship, we put… Read More

3 years ago

New trailer of the upcoming ‘Tomcat Tales’ documentary highlights the role played by the F-14 in the immediate 9/11 aftermath

With the retirement of the A-6 Intruder, in minimal time, the Tomcat became the premier carrier based bombing platform with… Read More

3 years ago

F-15E Crew Members recall the CAS Mission they flew to Support the Battle of Roberts’ Ridge

On Mar. 4, 2002 a section of F-15Es belonging to 335th FS “Chiefs” from 4th FW operating as 'Twister 51'… Read More

4 years ago

“BRRRRTTTTTT + Wham, Wham:” A-10 Pilot Remembers when He Teamed up with AC-130 Gunships and Performed a Memorable Gun Run against Taliban during Operation Anaconda

‘Everything was gone. Between the gunship hitting the target with 40 mm cannon rounds and us putting 6000 lbs of… Read More

4 years ago

Jet Girl: the Story of Caroline Johnson, the First Woman to Bomb ISIS from US Navy’s F/A-18 Super Hornet

On Aug. 9, 2014 Caroline Johnson slid into her back-seat spot in the F/A-18 Super Hornet and prepared to strike… Read More

4 years ago

The Story of Kim Campbell, the Heroic Female A-10 Pilot who Landed Her Damaged Warthog Using Only ‘Cranks and Cables’

"I am incredibly thankful to those who designed and built the A-10 as well as the maintainers who did their… Read More

4 years ago

F-15E Pilot explains why first BLU-118/B Thermobaric Bomb dropped over Afghanistan Missed the Target

Planning the mission had revealed that the BLU-118/B trajectory would have to be absolutely precise if it were to avoid… Read More

4 years ago

The story of the F-15E crews who flew the longest fighter combat sortie ever

`Crockett 51/52s" historic flight had seen the F-15E fighter bombers refuel no fewer than 12 times, each refuelling giving them… Read More

4 years ago

Check out this video of GBU deliveries on Afghanistan, courtesy of Tophatters F-14 Tomcats

The first, emotional segment of the video shows VF-14 Tophatters Tomcats over New York. The cool video in this post… Read More

4 years ago

Cool Video shows VF-211 F-14A Tomcats taking fuel from RAF Tristar Tanker

“In this particular mission, not only were we refueling at night, but we were doing so on top of a… Read More

5 years ago

Too Many in the Stack: A-10 pilot tells the story of a night, risky mission flown in bad weather, in congested airspace

One A-10 pilot who almost collided with a UAV when it arrived in his airspace unannounced commented, 'This thing hits… Read More

5 years ago

A-10 driver remembers a memorable BRRRRRTTTTTTT Run performed during Operation Enduring Freedom

"The truck was obliterated, who knows how much ordnance had been on it? The funny thing was that while my… Read More

5 years ago

The unknown story of an A-10 CAS mission performed to support Special Forces deployed in Afghanistan

Just as the A-10s and the helicopters were returning to base, the Special Forces men discovered that they had forgotten… Read More

5 years ago

The unknown story of an A-10 Sandy mission flown during OEF to cover an ejected Mirage 2000D aircrew

“I flew over the town real low to kind of tell them that ‘we are here and stay away’. I… Read More

5 years ago