RAF Globemaster delivers Army attack helicopters to the Arctic

A Royal Air Force C-17 Globemaster recently delivered Army Air Corps Apache helicopters to Royal Norwegian Air Force Base Bardufoss.

Joint Helicopter Command personnel were hopeful that they could successfully train and complete environmental qualifications in the Arctic Winter and to learn how to live and operate in one of the world’s most hostile environments where temperatures can fall to -30°C.

The survival and operational training ensure that UK military personnel can operate globally to protect the UK’s interests, particularly alongside NATO and partner Nations. Cooperation and interoperability enable the projection of lethal force and also an ability to sustain deployments.

Once arctic training is complete, the Joint Helicopter Force’s Apache will be staying on in Norway to take part in another exercise involving 20,000 personnel from 14 countries.

Royal Air Force Falcons carry out parachute display from C-17 Globemaster

Royal Air Force Falcons carry out parachute display from C-17 Globemaster

The RAF Parachute Display Team, the Falcons, have carried out the first display jump from an RAF C-17 Globemaster transport aircraft.

The display was carried out by eight members of the RAF Falcons jumping over Witney, Oxfordshire.  The jump from the C-17 Globemaster of RAF Brize Norton based 99 Squadron, was primarily a proof of concept activity, which now allows the Falcons to use this aircraft for future displays and gives the team a much greater range.  The sortie also provided important training for the 99 Squadron aircrew to gain the currency needed for this activity.

Gp Capt Milburn said:  “It was so good to see the RAF Falcons exiting the C17.  The run-in over the drop zone was in itself a spectacle of air power and gravitas, and the Falcons thrilled the crowd with their precision and team cohesion as they landed safely into the arena.Those ex-Falcons of us watching were impressed with the professionalism of the team as they then interacted well with the crowd, talking mainly to the children about parachuting and the RAF in general.  On behalf of the Canopy Club, which next year celebrates its 80th anniversary, it was a privilege to witness the current RAF Falcons parachuting from the C17.”

RTX's Pratt & Whitney Signs Modification for F117 Engine Sustainment Support Contract for C-17 Globemaster III

RTX's Pratt & Whitney Signs Modification for F117 Engine Sustainment Support Contract for C-17 Globemaster III

Pratt & Whitney, an RTX business, announced this week that it has signed a $5.5 billion modification to the previously awarded F117 Engine Sustainment Support contract with the United States Air Force. The contract provides engine services for C-17s operated by the USAF and eight international partners. The sustainment work will be provided between now and the second half of 2027 and will be conducted at Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma as well as facilities in San Francisco and Columbus, Georgia.  

Twenty C-17 Globemaster III aircraft, while at Charleston Air Force Base, S.C., taxi prior to take-off. (The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement.)

The modification further supports U.S. Air Force readiness, affordability and sustainability objectives and includes an engine performance improvement package that will eliminate more than 20 shop visits per year thanks to extended time on wing and save the customer approximately $29 million per year in fuel costs. The package will improve the F117 engine's fuel efficiency, saving up to 6.5 million gallons of fuel annually and reducing CO2 emissions by up to 140 million pounds per year.