Josef Campion
Behind the scenes: Portugal deploying F-16s to Iceland
Portuguese Air Force F-16AM (MLU) Fighting Falcons from Esq201 "Falcoes" and Esq301 "Jaguares" departed Base Area 05, Monte Real, in the early hours of January 27 for a NATO Icelandic Air Policing detachment
Coming soon: Flying with the Portuguese Air Force
Take a behind the scenes look at Portuguese Air Force training unit, Esq101 “Roncos”, as Key.Aero explores the country’s basic fighter training and what it is doing to keep the ageing TB-30 Epsilon a viable asset for training future front line F-16 pilots
Top Aces flies F-16 Advanced Aggressor Fighter for the first time
Top Aces performed the first flight of its newly procured F-16 Advanced Aggressor Fighter (AAF) equipped with an Advanced Aggressor Mission System (AAMS) on January 19
Sikorsky-Boeing completes Defiant mission profile testing
The Sikorsky-Boeing SB>1 Defiant helicopter has successfully completed Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft (FLRAA) mission profile tests
Leonardo to deliver E-Scan radars for German and Spanish Eurofighters
Leonardo announced on January 14 that it has signed a contract worth €260m to develop and deliver the Hensoldt-led European Common Radar System (ECRS) Mk 1 radar for German and Spanish EF-2000s
Netherlands to receive MQ-9A Reaper in February
The Royal Netherlands Air Force is due to receive four MQ-9A Block 5 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles from US manufacturer General Atomics next month
Norway’s F-35s officially take QRA role from the F-16
The Royal Norwegian Air Force (RNoAF) F-35A Lightning IIs officially took the role providing Quick Reaction Alert (QRA) from the F-16AM/BM (MLU) Fighting Falcon fleet after 42 years of service to NATO and Norway on January 6
First operational carrier deployment for USMC F-35Cs
Marine Fighter Attack Squadron-314 (VMFA-314) made history as the first USMC unit to deploy the F-35C Lightning II aboard a US Navy aircraft carrier, as it departed with Carrier Air Wing Nine (CVW-9) aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN-72) on January 3
Spangdahlem F-16s strengthen NATO Air Policing mission
Multiple US F-16C/D Fighting Falcons from the 52nd Fighter Wing at Spangdahlem AFB, Germany, landed at Łask Air Base, Poland, on January 4 to work alongside the current deployed units on NATO Baltic Air Policing and Enhanced Air Policing detachments
Qatar's initial NH90s make first public appearance
According to a press release by Leonardo company on January 3, the Qatar Emiri Air Force NH90 programme marked a major milestone with the first appearance of the Tactical Transport Helicopter (TTH) and NATO Frigate Helicopter (NFH) variants during Qatar’s national day on December 18