Military

NORTH TO THE FUTURE

22nd May 2025

Northern Edge is one of a series of US Pacific Command exercises this year, all with the same goal: to prepare joint forces to respond to crises in the Indo-A sia-Pacif ic region, writes Søren Nielsen. EXERCISE REPORT Northern Edge 2017 A locally based 3rd Wing F-22A Raptor takes off towards the Joint Pacific Alaska […]

KNIGHTS OF CHKALOVSK

22nd May 2025

The exclave of Kaliningrad is of immense strategic importance to the Russian armed forces and host to a number of its air assets, as Vladimir Trendafilovski explains. FORCE REPORT Russian Air Power in Kaliningrad Mi-24VP ‘36 Red’ on combat air patrol over the landing area at the Khmelyovka training range on May 21, 2016 during […]

FUTURE RAFALE

22nd May 2025

Dassault Aviation and the French Defence Procurement Agency have launched development of Standard F4, the next variant of the Rafale omni-role fighter that will enter service in 2025. Henri-Pierre Grolleau has the story. Latest Standards A pair of Rafales at high altitude. The wingman is fitted with a TALIOS targeting pod under the right forward […]

Arromanches III

22nd May 2025

In late 2016 the French nuclear carrier Charles de Gaulle deployed off the Syrian coast for combat operations against so-called Islamic State as part of the global fight against terrorism. For the first time, her carrier air group was mainly composed of Rafale Ms. Henri-Pierre Grolleau tells the story. French Navy combat A pair of […]

AIR FORCE RAFALES IN ACTION

22nd May 2025

The ‘Lorraine’ squadron’s transfer from Al Dhafra to Montde- Marsan in September 2016 made the 30e Escadre (30th Wing) fully operational. Henri-Pierre Grolleau visited Base Aérienne 118 for AFM. A pair of 30e Escadre Rafales cruises high above southwest France. All photos Henri-Pierre Grolleau unless otherwise stated AFLEET OF 47 Rafale B/C and four Mirage […]

UK carrier power is back

22nd May 2025

COMMENT Lt Luke Wraith of 820 NAS performs the first ever landing on the deck of HMS ‘Queen Elizabeth’ in Merlin HM2 ZH827. Crown Copyright TWENTY-SIX-YEAR-OLD PILOT Lt Luke Wraith can be forgiven for having felt nervous. As he carefully placed his Merlin HM2 helicopter onto the huge deck of HMS Queen Elizabeth on July […]

DESERT FALCONS ON DUTY

22nd May 2025

Belgium’s Operation Desert Falcon F-16 detachment recently had its mission in the Middle East extended, as Benoît Denet reports. BELGIAN F-16s SIX BELGIAN F-16s have been based at Muwaffaq Salti Air Base (MSAB), near Azraq, Jordan, under Operation Desert Falcon (ODF), since July 1 last year. Tasked with strikes against so-called Islamic State (IS) targets […]

HAMPERED Pampa

22nd May 2025

Three decades since it was conceived, the IA-63 Pampa has endured faltering progress through sweeping changes in Argentina’s political climate. Remarkably, not only does it remain in production, but new developments are also under way, as Santiago Rivas reports. PAMPA IN PROFILE Pampa E-820 comes in to land at Mendoza, home of Escuadrón IV of […]

P-8 THE RIGHT CHOICE FOR THE UK?

22nd May 2025

While some see acquisition of the P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft as a win for the RAF, others argue that it’s too costly and the nine on order too few. Justin Bronk and Jon Lake argue the respective cases. THE DEBATE A P-8A assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 4 ‘Skinny Dragons’ flies near Mount Baker, […]

Atlantic Tiger

22nd May 2025

Bob Archer and Lindsay Peacock report from the NATO Tiger Meet at Landivisiau in Brittany, on France’s Atlantic coast. NATO TIGER MEET 2017 THE 2017 NATO Tiger Meet (NTM) at Base d’Aéronautique Navale (BAN, Naval Air Base) Landivisiau endured mixed weather conditions. But galeforce winds and driving rain did not deter the pilots from ten […]

SCHOOLING AVIATORS

22nd May 2025

Erik Bruijns and Mark deGreeuw profile 72º Stormo, Italy’s military helicopter training unit. TH-500B MM81307 ‘72-44’ during a close formation training flight. All photos ErikBruijns and Mark de Greeuw LOCATED JUST to the west of Frosinonein central Italy, 72º Stormo’s compact home base buzzes with activity. Set amid mountainous terrain, it’s an ideal environment for learning to […]

BALTOPSbombers

22nd May 2025

For the first time, Europe played hostto all three of the Air Force GlobalStrike Command’s strategic bomberssimultaneously this June. ThomasNewdickreports from RAF Fairford. AFGSC IN THE UK A B-52H tops up from a 100th Air Refueling WingKC-135R during BALTOPS 2017 over Latvia on June14. The Stratofortress crew was assigned to the 2nd Bomb Wing. USAF/Staff […]

Additional HC-130J for Minotaur upgrade

22nd May 2025

US Coast Guard HC-130J 2004 at Waco, Texas, following its arrival on May 11 for installation of the Minotaur Mission System Suite by L3. USCG ANOTHER US Coast Guard HC-130J Hercules has begun retrofit with the Minotaur Mission System Suite. The aircraft, serial number 2004, had previously operated at Coast Guard Air Station Elizabeth City, […]

US Army 1-185th AVN Black Hawks in Kosovo

22nd May 2025

One of the Black Hawks deployed to Kosovo with the KFOR Multi National Battle Group-East’s Southern Command Post Task Force Aviation (KFOR SCP TF AVN) prepares to hoist a water bucket in Dakovica, Kosovo, on May 22. The current KFOR SCP TF AVN detachment is manned by personnel from aviation units in Georgia, Indiana and […]

Aries passes through Mildenhall

22nd May 2025

ON FINALS to Runway 11 at RAF Mildenhall, Suff olk, on the evening of May 15 is US Navy EP-3E Aries 161410 of Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 1 ‘World Watchers’ based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. The aircraft, using the callsign ‘Navy Papa Romeo 410’, was thought to be returning to the […]

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