UAS VISION
an independent online news service for the Unmanned Aircraft Systems world
In early 1969, the dense jungles of Vietnam trembled under the dominion of the AC-47 gunship, affectionately known as Puff, the Magic Dragon. Its aged engines roared like a living beast of the air while its trio of miniguns promised swift justice from above, while its flares made an artificial day out of even the darkest of nights. Continue reading
Ukraine has received Mirage 2000-5 fighter jets from France – but how will they impact the war? These aircraft bring new air-to-air and air-to-ground capabilities, forcing Russia to rethink its strategy. While Mirage 2000-5 is not the newest fighter, it offers advanced radar, modern avionics, and upgraded weapons that make it a valuable asset for Ukraine’s Air Force. Continue reading
The bombs slammed into the moving train right where the arclight of John S. Walmsley Jr.’s B-26 Marauder had pinpointed. For a split second, Walmsley felt a rush of triumph as his aircraft climbed away from the blasts, dodging flak and hoping the enemy train was finished. Destroying this train was a massive victory for Operation Strangle, the UN’s mission to choke North Korea by denying them their war supplies. Continue reading
Unleashing a storm from the decks of aircraft carriers, the MiG-29K Fulcrum roars into the sky, a symbol of naval air power that’s not confined to Russian waters. With arresting hooks and reinforced landing gear, this fighter jet defies the challenges of sea-based operations, mastering the art of catapult launches and deck landings. Continue reading
On February 3, 1968, two of the Vietnam People’s Air Force top pilots, Pham Thanh Ngan and Nguyen Van Coc, took off on MIG-21s on their fourth interception mission of the day: a radar-detected pair of enemy aircraft, most likely light bombers. Continue reading
The Soviet BI glides midair, its wood-and-metal frame gleaming under the overcast sky. In the cockpit, pilot Grigory Bakhchivandzhi grips the controls. He’s already taken this experimental warbird once before on its maiden flight. Now, it’s time to push it to its limits.
The rocket engine projects the BI forward with a force that slams Bakhchivandzhi back into his seat, shooting faster than even the Luftwaffe’s best could dream of. Continue reading
Aboard the deck of carrier cruiser Minsk, the atmosphere was anything but quiet. It was December 1982, and two Yak-38 Forger jets, the Soviet Union’s first—and only—vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, were finally prepping for a mission six years into their operational service. Ahead of them loomed the ship’s distinctive ski-jump ramp, designed to give the jets a boost, conserving precious fuel and allowing them to carry heavier payloads. Continue reading
In the 2011 movie Captain America: The First Avenger, the eponymous hero battles the evil Nazi Red Scull onboard a sleek, menacing all-wing aircraft in the waning days of World War II. The future of freedom hangs in the balance as the sophisticated jet plane zooms toward New York City with a payload of super weapons intended for total annihilation. Continue reading