Final Czech Hinds head to Ukraine
The Czech Air Force (CzAF) quietly bid a fond farewell to its remaining Mi-24/35 Hind attack helicopters on March 21, when the last two Mi-35 Hind-Es that were destined for delivery to the Ukrainian Armed Forces departed Náměšt nad Oslavou Air Base for Ukraine.
CH-53K ferries F-35C from Maryland to New Jersey
A USMC CH-53K King Stallion heavy-lift transport helicopter recently transferred an inoperable F-35C Lightning II airframe from NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, to Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey.
A Belgian F-35 gets airborne for the first time
The third F-35A Lightning II to be produced for the Belgian Air Force (BAF) carried out its maiden flight from Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, on May 14.
Rare ‘Silver Dragon’ TU-2S sighted
After almost three years of extensive maintenance by the USAF’s 9th Maintenance Group in collaboration with Lockheed Martin, TU-2S Dragon Lady, (80-1078/‘BB’), graced the skies once more.
Spangdahlem ‘Viper’ pilots demo ACE skills
Airmen and F-16CM/DM Fighting Falcons assigned to the USAF’s 480th Fighter Squadron (FS) ‘Warhawks’ – a part of the 52nd Fighter Wing (FW) at Spangdahlem Air Base (AB) in Germany – demonstrated its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) capabilities at Ämari AB, Estonia, and Łask AB, Poland recently.
Arizona ANG’s snakelike KC-135R
USAF-operated KC-135R Stratotanker (59-1469) assigned to the Arizona ANG’s 161st Air Refueling Wing (ARW) ‘Copperheads’ at Goldwater ANGB – which is co-located at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport in Phoenix, Arizona – now sports a special ‘Copperhead Snake’ livery.
First US Army C-27J begins upgrade in Italy
The first of seven US Army-operated C-27J Spartan tactical transports to undergo the C-27J 1.2+ avionics update departed Pope Army Airfield in North Carolina on February 19.
‘Bats’ complete final EC-130H sortie
The USAF’s 43rd Electronic Combat Squadron (ECS) ‘Bats’ – a part of Air Combat Command’s 55th Electronic Combat Group (ECG) – marked a major milestone in its transition to the new Gulfstream G550-based EA-37B Compass Call electronic attack (EA) aircraft on February 15, when the unit completed its final flight with the legacy EC-130H Compass Call (pictured) at Davis-Monthan AFB, Arizona.
Bahrain’s first F-16C/D Block 70s on delivery
The first three F-16C/D Block 70 Fighting Falcon multi-role fighters for the Royal Bahraini Air Force (RBAF) departed Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Greenville, South Carolina, on their delivery flight to Shaikh Isa Air Base, Bahrain, on March 6.
First German KC-130J heads to Évreux
The Luftwaffe’s (German Air Force’s) first KC-130J Hercules (55+05) departed Lockheed Martin’s production facility in Marietta, Georgia, on February 28 on its delivery flight to Évreux-Fauville Air Base (BA105), France, where it will join the Franco-German Bilateral Air Transport Squadron (BATS).