Photo: USAF/Airman 1st Class Jacob Wood
For our Photo of the Day section, the constant flow of images showing military hardware coming our way courtesy of the U.S. Air Force (USAF) is the perfect excuse to bring to light the incredible capabilities of these incredible machines. For others, such an exercise represents the perfect opportunity to enlarge and enrich the wallpaper folder.
The combination between the slick lines of fighter aircraft, a good camera, and photographic talent brings to light at times incredible images, just like the one we have here. Snapped by an Airman 1st Class using a Nikon, the photo shows an F-15 Eagle war machine on the tarmac, and another soaring to the sky in the background, during evening flying sorties conducted earlier this month at the Royal Air Force (RAF) Lakenheath base in the United Kingdom.
Lakenheath is the place the American 48th Fighter Wing calls home. The unit, established in 1952 and nicknamed Statue of Liberty Wing, is the only one in Europe to fly Eagles, and that makes the sight of their machines worthy of at least a mention.
According to the USAF, the “48th FW remains postured to defend U.S. national interests through the demonstration of its warfighting capabilities,” and given things currently unfolding in Europe, that’s something we probably need.
The Eagle is one of those old airplanes, having had its first flight in 1972. Last time it made a headcount, in 2019, the USAF had 249 units in its inventory. Each can strike targets up to 3,450 miles (5,552 km) away from the home base, and get out of the hot zone at speeds of up to Mach 2.
The airplane can carry, depending on needs, a 20 mm six-barrel cannon with 940 rounds of ammunition, and four Sidewinder and four AMRAAM missiles, or eight AMRAAMs.
Lakenheath is the place the American 48th Fighter Wing calls home. The unit, established in 1952 and nicknamed Statue of Liberty Wing, is the only one in Europe to fly Eagles, and that makes the sight of their machines worthy of at least a mention.
According to the USAF, the “48th FW remains postured to defend U.S. national interests through the demonstration of its warfighting capabilities,” and given things currently unfolding in Europe, that’s something we probably need.
The Eagle is one of those old airplanes, having had its first flight in 1972. Last time it made a headcount, in 2019, the USAF had 249 units in its inventory. Each can strike targets up to 3,450 miles (5,552 km) away from the home base, and get out of the hot zone at speeds of up to Mach 2.
The airplane can carry, depending on needs, a 20 mm six-barrel cannon with 940 rounds of ammunition, and four Sidewinder and four AMRAAM missiles, or eight AMRAAMs.
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