Ukraine Russia Conflict

The ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine involves the build-up and deployment of NATO air forces - including the US Air Force - across Eastern Europe. The combined experts of AirForces Monthly, Combat Aircraft Journal and Key.Aero offer analysis on NATO and Ukrainian aircraft movements; Russian and Ukrainian air defences and ongoing operations in the region.

Sign up to the newsletter

News Premium

Ukraine’s first future F-16 pilots complete basic flying training with RAF

The RAF revealed on February 24 that the first cohort of Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF) pilots to receive basic flying training (BFT) in the UK have now completed their syllabus and are now learning to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon

News Freemium

Ukraine claims it shot down 13 Russian military jets in February

As of February 29, the Ukrainian Air Force (UkrAF) has claimed to have shot down a total of 13 Russian military fixed-wing aircraft since January 30, marking the highest number of Russian military jet losses in a single month and the greatest increase in results for Ukraine’s anti-air operations since October 2022

News Premium

Why the last SAS Boeing 737 is configured as an air ambulance

The Norwegian Government has announced it is to continue its cooperation with the EU to provide an air ambulance service to Ukrainians needing medical treatment.

News Premium

Australia now ‘burying’ retired MRH-90 fleet despite Ukrainian interest

Over recent months, the Australian Army has been scrapping and subsequently burying its problematic fleet of MRH-90 Taipan (NH90 TTH) tactical transport helicopters – which were removed from operational service more than a year earlier than planned – despite recent second-hand interest from Ukraine

News Freemium

Germany joins UK in donating Sea King helicopters to Ukraine

During a meeting of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group (otherwise known as the Ramstein Group) on January 23, German Defence Minister Boris Pistorius revealed that the nation will donate six German Navy-operated Sea King Mk 41 multi-role utility helicopters – which are now surplus to requirements due to their upcoming retirement – to the Ukrainian Armed Forces

News Freemium

Ecuador to hand over Russian-made Mi-171 Hip fleet to the US

Ecuador’s President Daniel Noboa announced that his government will transfer its Russian-made military equipment – including anti-aircraft systems and transport helicopters – to the US, which will then be exchanged for new materiel

News Freemium

Moscow suffers blow as Ukraine downs two Russian command aircraft in one night

While operating over the waters of the Sea of Azov at approximately 2110hrs (local time) on the night of January 14, two high-value aircraft of the Russian Aerospace Forces were struck by Ukrainian missiles, with one crashing and the other being forced to make an emergency landing

News Freemium

Ukrainian pilots begin F-16 training in Denmark as Norwegian 'Vipers' arrive

The Royal Danish Air Force has been training Ukrainian Air Force pilots to fly the F-16 Fighting Falcon at Skrydstrup Air Base since late December 2023, when the first six candidates arriving after completing a basic training course in the UK

News Premium

Ukraine charts success in New Year strikes against Russian forces

The Su-24M Fencer-D tactical bomber fleet of the Ukrainian Air Force has carried out yet another successful strike, using the UK/French-supplied Storm Shadow/SCALP-EG air-launched cruise missiles against high-value targets in Russian-occupied Crimea on December 26

News Freemium

Argentina to donate two Mi-171E helicopters to Ukraine?

Following the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to Argentina to mark the inauguration of newly elected Argentine President Javier Milei, it has been revealed that the Argentine Air Force is negotiating the donation of two currently out-of-service Mi-171E Hip-H transport helicopters to the Ukrainian Armed Forces