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Harrier Pilot honors WWII hero great-uncle in commemorative flight

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Capt. Raymond Hower, a U.S. Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223, recently conducted a commemorative flight to honor his great-uncle, LCDR Louis A. Conter. Conter, who passed away on Apr. 1st, at the age of 102, held the distinction of being the last known survivor of the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Raymond Hower, a native of California and an AV-8B Harrier II jet pilot with Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 223, poses for a photo holding his great-uncle Louis A. Conter’s naval aviator wing insignia at Marine Corps Air Station Cherry Point, North Carolina, April 18, 2024. Conter was the last known survivor of the USS Arizona during the attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941 and passed away April 1, 2024. Hower flew U.S. flags and Conter’s naval aviator wing insignia during the flight. Conter served in the U.S. Navy from 1939 to 1967. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Orlanys Diaz Figueroa)

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British Apaches deploy to Finland for Exercise Arrow 24

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The Finnish Air Force will welcome a contingent of British Army attack helicopters for a joint exercise later this month. Six AH-64E Apache helicopters and approximately 130 British soldiers will participate in Exercise Arrow 24, a large-scale Finnish Army maneuver led by the Armoured Brigade.
Army's new attack helicopter takes to the field APOSEC-OFFICIAL-20221026-040-492
Photo: Cpl Danny Houghton/UK Ministry of Defence 2022, OGL 3, via Wikimedia Commons

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Polish F-35 pilots will begin training at Ebbing ANG in Fall 2024

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Ebbing Air National Guard Base in Arkansas is preparing to welcome a multinational contingent of fighter jets as it gears up to host the U.S. Foreign Military Sales (FMS) pilot training program for the F-35 Lightning II. The base is currently undergoing a multi-million dollar renovation to accommodate the program, with training expected to begin later this year.

188th Fighter Wing, Arkansas Air National Guard, Fort Smith, Arkansas, view of hangar from a distance September 11, 2001, shortly after the terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon 010911-F-EF792-002
SMSGT DENNIS L. BRAMBL, USAF, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Philippine Air Force takes flight in Pitch Black with FA-50 deployment

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The Philippine Air Force (PAF) is revving up for its first-ever participation with aircraft in a major international exercise. The PAF announced it will deploy six FA-50PH light combat aircraft and over 100 personnel to Pitch Black, a large-scale multinational air combat exercise hosted by the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) in Darwin, Australia.

FA-50 Golden Eagle (Philippine Air Force, February 19, 2016)
Official Gazette of the Republic of the Philippines, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

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Mojave fires the DillonAero DAP-6 gun pods

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General Atomics Aeronautical Systems, Inc. (GA-ASI) recently released details of a successful live-fire demonstration involving its Mojave unmanned aircraft system (UAS). Conducted on Apr. 13th, at Yuma Proving Ground, Arizona, the test validated the Mojave’s weaponization capabilities and underscored its potential as a multi-mission tactical asset.

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