Operational Reports category for articles
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 being October 31st 2023. Ian [...]
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 phinale paint scheme. The 301 [...]
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 twice, in pairs, on their [...]
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 RAFAIR 7078. The arrival of [...]
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 called Andreas Papandreou Air Base. [...]
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 the Kawasaki C-1, which will [...]
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. The baton has now formally [...]
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).
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 support personnel arrive at RAF [...]
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 with protecting the southern flanks [...]
