Operational Reports category for articles
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 [...]
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, Sr. Capt Stefan ‘Vador’ Darte [...]
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 quiet ex-Soviet airfield. Duncan Monk [...]
“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 board the deck of the [...]
USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77), the tenth, and final Nimitz Class nuclear-powered Aircraft Carrier for the United States Navy (USN), is currently on its third deployment since entering service in 2009. On it's return from operations with the US Navy 5th and 6th Fleets in the ongoing operation against so-called Islamic State, the ship [...]
RAF Fairford was once again the focus for many aviation enthusiasts in recent weeks, with the United States Air Force (USAF) deploying all three Bomber types on the USAF inventory to the Gloucestershire base. As well as supporting a number of multinational exercises being held within the European theatre, namely BALTOPS and Saber Strike, the [...]
Eight F-35A Lightning IIs from the 34th Fighter Squadron ‘Rude Rams’ along with pilots, maintenance specialists, security and other support personnel from the active component 34th Fighter Squadron and the Air Force Reserve's 466th Fighter Squadron, both based at Hill Air Force Base, Utah recently undertook a three week deployment to RAF Lakenheath. Mark Kwiatkowski reports from [...]
