Joe Ruzicka "Smokin" Joe Ruzicka is a former Radar Intercept Officer (RIO) in the F-14 Tomcat and Weapons Systems Officer (WSO) in the F-18 D/F. He was selected as the Legislative Fellow for Senator John McCain (R-AZ) in 2011. Smokin has accumulated over 2000 hours in the Tomcat, Hornet, and various training aircraft, holds a FAC(A) "Forward Air Controller Airborne" designation and was the RIO on the final F-14 Tomcat Airshow Demonstration in September 2005. He graciously thanks all of his former pilots for bringing him home safely. You can follow him on Twitter at @smokinjoe96
All eyes will turn to the Farnborough International Airshow (11-17 July) in less than two weeks. The airshow comes only days after United Kingdom voters decided to remove the UK View More ›
The US Air Force is looking into the possibility of replacing the Martin-Baker ejection seat on the F-35. Defensenews.com is reporting that the United Technologies ACES 5 model is under View More ›
Navy Secretary Ray Mabus, in Germany for a NATO exercise in the Baltic Sea last week, told Reuters he was frustrated by delays in approving the sale of the Boeing View More ›
President Truman’s mantra “Give ‘em Hell” rings true with 2000th strike against ISIS Just prior to the end of her deployment, the U.S. Navy aircraft carrier USS Harry S Truman launched View More ›
Congress understands the desperate need to increase aviation readiness levels and they are targeting acquisition reform as a key function to help in the effort. Bob Simmons and Chris Brose, View More ›
Current Top Line F-35 number holds at 2443 according to Pentagon Official The current number of F-35’s to be purchased — the largest weapons program ever by many billions of View More ›
In a new twist between Russia and the US for the ongoing control of the campaign against ISIL in Syria, Russian warplanes bombed U.S. backed Syrian rebels near the Jordanian View More ›
PHILLIPINE SEA (June 18, 2016) The Nimitz-class aircraft carriers USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74) and USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class View More ›
Happy Father’s Day Fighter Sweep community. I’d like to take this opportunity to introduce the new Assistant Editor for Fighter Sweep. We are incredibly excited to add someone with “Smokin” View More ›