Aviation Articles

RNLAF’s third F-35A unit welcomes first Lightning II

The first F-35A Lightning II fifth-generation multi-role stealth fighter for the Royal Netherlands Air Force’s (RNLAF’s) No 312 Squadron arrived at Leeuwarden Air Base on January 11

Beale AFB showcases joint airpower capabilities in Elephant Walk

A number of USAF-operated aircraft that are home-based at Beale AFB carried out an elephant walk on January 4 to demonstrate the California base’s joint airpower capabilities

Slovak Air Force receives first two F-16 Block 70s in the US

Lockheed Martin announced on January 10 that it had successfully delivered its first two F-16 Block 70 Fighting Falcon fighters to the Slovak Air Force at its production facility in Greenville, South Carolina

News Freemium

US, UK strike Houthi targets in Yemen in retaliation to Red Sea shipping attacks

The US and UK – with support from Australia, Bahrain, Canada and the Netherlands – carried out joint retaliatory strikes on more than 60 targets at 16 different Houthi facilities across Yemen on January 12, with the aim of degrading the Iran-backed militant group from continuing their illegal attacks on multinational shipping vessels in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden

Slovenia welcomes first C-27J Spartan

The Slovenian Air Force and Air Defence welcomed its first C-27J Spartan to Cerklje ob Krki Air Base in southern Slovenia following its delivery from Leonardo’s facility at Turin-Caselle Airport in northern Italy on December 19

News Freemium

Lockheed Martin rolls out first F-35A for Belgium

Lockheed Martin formally presented the first F-35A Lightning II for Belgium to representatives from the Belgian government during a rollout ceremony at the company’s F-35 production facility in Fort Worth, Texas, on December 10

News Freemium

First F-35B for Royal Navy’s 809 NAS on show at RAF Marham

The first F-35B to be assigned to the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm’s 809 Naval Air Squadron – which is being formally stood up today (December 8) as the UK’s second operational frontline Lightning II squadron at RAF Marham in Norfolk – has received special markings to celebrate the occasion

Germany to replace Tornado ECRs with EW-configured Eurofighters

Airbus Defence and Space announced on November 29 that the Budget Committee of the German Bundestag had recently approved the firm to convert 15 Luftwaffe (German Air Force)-operated Eurofighter EF-2000s to EK-standard, providing the selected multi-role fighters with additional electronic combat (EK) capabilities

Spanish Typhoon testbed supports Sniper pod trials

The Spanish Air and Space Force is currently using its Eurofighter EF-2000 Instrumented Production Aircraft 4 (IPA4) to support a flight test campaign focusing on the integration of Lockheed Martin’s AN/AAQ-33 Sniper advanced targeting pod onto the Typhoon fleets employed by the air arms of Kuwait and Qatar

The Monday Military Aviation Quiz 173

Welcome to the 173rd Monday Military Aviation Quiz! How well do you know your modern military aircraft? Test your aircraft recognition skills here