A key component of Aviation Nation 2016 was the Nellis Capabilities Demonstration with Air-to-Air and Air-to-Ground Demonstrations featuring a fantastic array of Nellis Air Force Base aircraft. The base suddenly came under air attack from “Red Forces” General Dynamics F-16C Fighting Falcons of the 64th Aggressor Squadron (painted up in livery you would expect to see on combat aircraft of Russian origin) and McDonnell Douglas F-15D Eagles were scrambled with afterburners blazing to intercept them.
















Then there was a USAF Sikorsky HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopters troop insertion and extraction demonstration simulating the rescue of injured troops. The Pave Hawk is a well armed combat search and rescue helicopter. Close support was provided by a pair of Boeing F-15E Strike Eagles and a pair of Republic A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft, the legendary “Warthog”! On the first day the Pave Hawk kicked up a hell of a lot of dust (on the second day they seemed to have been moved further away from the crowd)!






























Watching all those jets zipping about and listening to the thundering noise they made was a lot of fun, and a major component of the airshow. Something not to be missed!





In my next post I will show some of the highlights of the Nellis Heritage Parade. This part of the air show featured some historic aircraft operated by the US military including early Cold War era jets. Around all this there were a number of civilian flying displays too.
The sound must have been terrific! More great photos!
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Thanks. It was fantastic!
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