Operational Reports
AIRVG 2025
AIRVG24 was all about the passing of the Mikoyan MiG-21 in Croatian Air Force service, then AIRVG25 was all about the acceptance into service of the Dassault Aviation Rafale. The unique presence of the entire fleet of 12 Rafales (ten single-seat and two twin-seat aircraft) in one row in front of the crowd line was really the focal point of the whole event. Chris Lofting was present to record this truly historic event for the Croatian Air Force and its adoring public. Chris also provides his unique insight into the origins and service of Croatia’s Rafale fleet now in service.
UK Aviation : HeliMed 22, Wiltshire+Bath Air Ambulance
The UK’s sole Bell 429 in air ambulance configuration G-WLTS (HELIMED 22) Is wholly owned and flown by the newly rebranded Wiltshire and Bath Air Ambulance charity. At the end of 2024 the charity sent the Bell 429 away for routine maintenance and took full advantage to rebrand the helicopter. [...]
Cobra Warrior 2025-1
For many years, Lincolnshire has resonated to fast jet activity and so it was again with Exercise Cobra Warrior 25-1 planned and coordinated from RAF Waddington from February 24 to March 14, 2025. AeroResource’s Ian Harding provides a brief overview of this major international UK led exercise which since from 2022 has become a two-part spring and autumnal exercise.
RAF Puma, 54 & out
The Westland Puma HC2 currently serving with 33 and 230 Squadron at RAF Benson, and 84 Squadron at RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus, will be withdrawn from service on March 31, 2025. Ian Harding provides a brief review of the helicopter at the end of an illustrious 54 years operational career which commenced with the types first operational flight on September 29, 1971. Throughout this period, the Puma, its aircrew and maintainers have been deployed on numerous operations including combat operations, exercises, provided humanitarian relief, and during more recent times, provided search and rescue capability and fulfilled fire-fighting duties. The Puma had become a genuine ‘jack of all trades’ and will therefore be sadly missed.
UK Aviation : FAAM’s Original BAe 146
AeroResource looks at the original BAe 146 E1001 and its unique history, as well as offering an insight to the role it still performs today.
RNAS Culdrose: 814 Naval Air Squadron
Protecting the Royal Navy from surface and sub-surface threats as well as supporting the United Kingdom’s maritime security operations is a role 814 Naval Air Squadron have conducted for many years. AeroResource recently had the unique opportunity to visit this incredible squadron to consider what it is like being a [...]
Aeronautica Militare retires AMX
Following 35 years of service, the Italian Air Force (Aeronautica Militare) formally retired its last remaining AMX A-11 ‘Ghibli’ light combat and reconnaissance aircraft from service on April 5, 2024. The Italian term ‘Ghibli’ derives from the hot dry wind that blows in North Africa. This historic occasion was marked [...]
Poland AW101 Merlin Mk614
As tension surrounding the invasion of Ukraine by Russia builds, it is no surprise that Poland continues to sign various contracts with European and US companies to strengthen the country’s air defence capability. This process commenced in January 2020 when Poland and the US State department signed a Letter of [...]
Westland Gazelle AH1 Swan Song
On Monday October 23rd 2023, three 665 Squadron, 5 Regiment Army Air Corps Westland Gazelle AH1s departed RAF Aldergrove in Northern Ireland for a short tour of UK landmarks. This brings to an end this chapter of the aircrafts UK military service life with the official end of service date [...]
301 Hikotai Phantom II F-4EJ Kai Retirement
The Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) retired its last Phrontline Phantom aircraft at the beginning of December 2020, namely 301 Hikotai and their Phantom II F-4EJ Kai’s. The last 301 Hikotai Phantom II F-4EJ Kai retirement phlight was conducted on the 10th December by 07-8436, adorned in it’s blue [...]
JASDF RF-4 Phantom II
JASDF RF-4E 47-6905 and 57-6907 The 9th of March 2020 saw the end of an era as the JASDF RF-4 Phantom II aircraft were retired at Hyakuri Air Base after nigh on 46 years service since 47-6901 was delivered in 1974. Six of the JASDF RF-4 Phantom II aircraft flew [...]
RAF P-8A Poseidon MRA1 Arrives in the United Kingdom
120 Squadron delivers the first RAF P-8A Poseidon MRA1 to the UK On the 4th February 2020, No.120 (CXX) Squadron flew its new Maritime patrol aircraft the Boeing P-8A Poseidon MRA1, serial number ZP801 – ‘Pride of Moray’, from NAS Jacksonville Florida to RAF Kinloss in Morayshire, under the callsign [...]
Cypriot Air Command – The Cyprus Air Force
Located just over six miles (10km) southeast of its namesake city, Paphos International Airport in Cyprus has the distinction of not only being the country's second largest airport, but the home to the entire flying element of the Cypriot Air Command. Located on the site’s northside, the military facility is [...]
JASDF Iruma – Kawasaki C-1
The Japanese Air Self Defence Force (JASDF) is in a period of transition as it replaces its older aircraft with a new more modern, efficient and capable air force. One of the unsung stalwarts of the Japanese transport fleet - and celebrating 45 years of service in 2019 - is [...]
Belgian Sea King Retirement
March 21, 2019 was a memorable day in the calendar for both 40 Squadron and the Belgian Air Component, as it marked the retirement of the Westland Sea King Mk 48 helicopters after 43 years of loyal service providing the Search and Rescue (SAR) capability to the people of Belgium. [...]
JMSDF Atsugi – Kawasaki P-1
The Japanese territorial waters cover a vast area around the Japanese islands. For example, Okinawa in the South to Chitose in the North is a distance of around 1400 miles in a direct line. To oversee and protect those waters the Japanese Maritime Self Defence Force (JMSDF) has utilised a fleet of around 100 Lockheed P-3 Orions since 1984. However, since 2013 the JMSDF has started to replace these ageing aircraft with its own indigenous built modern aircraft – the Kawasaki P-1 Maritime Patrol Aircraft (MPA).
RAF Fairford 2nd Bomb Wing B-52 Deployment
The latest Bomber Task Force deployment of B-52 Stratofortress aircraft into RAF Fairford has commenced, which has so far seen six of the behemoth aircraft arrive at the Gloucestershire Air Base. The arrival of the 2nd Bomb Wing aircraft from Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana, has seen around 400 [...]
115 Combat Wing
The largest of all the Greek islands, Crete sits to the South of Greece’s mainland and is home to the 115 Combat Wing - Hellenic Air Force (115 CW) based on the sprawling Souda Air Base situated near Chania. Commanded by Colonel Ioannis Birmpilis, 115 Combat Wing is tasked primarily [...]
Dark Falcon Rising
Continuing a long-standing tradition, the Belgian Air Force has again provided an F-16 solo fast jet display team to perform on the European airshow circuit for another season. Once every three years, an experienced F-16 pilot is selected to represent the Air Force both at home and internationally. From 2018, [...]
Baltic Bees Jet Team
Lying in the west of the Baltic State Latvia, the newly refurbished Jurmala Airport resides near the small historical town of Tukums. Since their inception in 2008, the Baltic Bees Jet Team have based themselves and their six immaculate and brightly coloured yellow and blue Aero Vodochody L-39Cs at this [...]
Fleet Logistics Support Squadron 40 (VRC-40) ‘Rawhides’
“Here we go, here we go, here we go!” - No, not the chant from fans at a football match, but the cries emanating from the two loadmasters of VRC-40 ‘Rawhides’ sat at the rear of our C-2A Greyhound, as they warn us we are just seconds from ‘trapping’ on [...]