11 dead in Black Hawk crash in Afghanistan

August 16, 2012 by John M. Guilfoil

The UH-60 is the U.S. Army designation for the Sikorsky S-70 helicopter. (File photo)

A Sikorsky UH-60 “Black Hawk” crashed in southern Afghanistan Thursday morning, killing 11, including seven U.S. servicemen and four Afghans.

According to a NATO spokesman, the crash occurred in Kandahar province, a Taliban stronghold in the war-torn nation. The Taliban has claimed its insurgents shot down the U.S. Army helicopter.

NATO is investigating the cause of the crash and the spokesman neither confirmed nor denied the claim that the helicopter was shot down. An Afghan government spokesman told the AP that investigators are unsure if the helicopter had mechanical problems or was shot down.

According to the Associated press, the dead include the seven American soldiers, three Afghan security forces personnel and an Afghan civilian interpreter. The crash brings the number of American servicemen killed in Afghanistan to 221 this year.

Preview: Air Cache is attending the 2012 Great New England Air Show at Westover Air Force Base

August 1, 2012 by John M. Guilfoil

A previous air show at Westover Air Force Base

Air Cache will be attending the Great New England Air Show this weekend at Westover Air Force Base.

The show runs Saturday and Sunday. Gates open at 8:30 a.m. at the Westover Air Reserve Base fuel cell hangar. Enter the base at the Industrial Gate via Westover Road, Chicopee.

If you’re using a GPS, plug in this address: 2255 Westover Road, Chicopee, MA

Here is a preview of what we expect to see (Courtesy of air show organizers)

Vintage aircraft scheduled to be on display and in the air include:

C-47 Skytrain (one of the longest-serving military aircraft in the world, it was the workhorse of the D-Day invasion)
P-47 Thunderbolt (this renowned fighter was also assigned to Westover in the 1940s)
B-25 Mitchell (signature aircraft of the Doolittle Raid in 1942)
AC-47 Gunship (used during Vietnam War, it attacked enemy positions along the Ho Chi Minh Trail)

Modern military aircraft scheduled (these are subject to operational commitments at any time):

B-1 Lancer (Air Combat Command heavy bomber)
B-52 Stratofortress (assigned to Westover from 1956 to 1972)
KC-135 Stratotanker (also based here from 1957 to 1975)
F-15 Eagle (flown by the Massachusetts Air National Guard in Westfield)
KC-10 Extender refueling tanker
C-17 Globemaster III
UH-60 Blackhawk helicopter

In addition, aircraft scheduled to perform fly-bys include:

B-2 Spirit (Saturday only)
F-15 Eagle
US Navy F/A-18 fighter-bomber
US Marines MV-22 Osprey
Navy Legacy Flight (old and new aircraft flying in formation)
C-5B Galaxy

And various small civilian acrobatic aircraft:

Geico Skytypers (six-ship formation of WW II-era aircraft)
Iron Eagles (two biplanes)
Mike Goulian

Click here for more info!

Colombian government requests five more UH-60 “Black Hawk” helicopters

July 31, 2012 by John M. Guilfoil

A Colombian Air Force AH-60L Arpia III gunship dropping flares in 2011

Colombia wants to buy five UH-60L “Black Hawk” helicopters from the United States, a potential purchase that would modernize the Colombian military’s air power while putting an $87 million drop of water into the American bucket.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency notified Congress on Friday about the request, as is legally required.

Colombia has long been a fan of the UH-60. It has been buying the helicopter since 1987 for use as a gunship and for counter-insurgency/anti-drug operations.

The sale would include the helicopters, 10 T700-GE-701D engines, a warranty, fuel tanks, spare parts, tools, equipment, technical documentation, and training/technical support.

Colombia would use the “Black Hawks” to modernize its military, and the sale would be seen as a way of creating more interoperability with Colombia and other southern allies.