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.

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Could surplus F-16s take fight to Russia?

Could former Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16AM/BMs provide an interim solution for Bulgaria and mean more MiGs for Ukraine? Babak Taghvaee reports

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USAF operates RQ-170 stealth drone over Black Sea

Nine flights have been carried out over the Black Sea by USAF-operated Lockheed Martin RQ-170 Sentinel low observable (or stealth) unmanned aerial vehicles, according to a batch of secret US military documents posted online

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Rebuilding An-225: How Microsoft is helping resurrect Mriya

Work is well underway to revive the iconic An-225 following its destruction in the opening days of the war in Ukraine.

Finland becomes 31st nation to join NATO

Finland has become the 31st and latest nation to join NATO, after it deposited its instrument of accession to the North Atlantic Treaty with the US government – represented by Secretary of State Antony Blinken – at the alliance’s headquarters in Brussels, Belgium, on April 4

Netherlands opts to sell retired CH-47Ds over Ukraine transfer

The Dutch MOD recently announced plans to sell six of its ‘obsolete’ Boeing CH-47D Chinook heavy-lift tactical transport helicopters to the Billings Flying Service in Montana, after evaluating that it would be difficult to transfer these specific airlifters to the Ukrainian Armed Forces

First four ex-Slovak Air Force MiG-29s depart for Ukraine

On March 23, the first four of the 13 recently retired from active service from the Slovak Air Force have been transferred to Ukraine

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Croatian Mi-8s being prepped for transfer to Ukraine at Zagreb

Following the announcement that Croatia will donate 14 Hip helicopters to Ukraine as it continues to defend itself against invading Russian forces, the Mi-8s of the Divulje-based 395th Transport Helicopter Squadron have been gathered together on the military ramp at Zagreb Franjo Tudjman Airport and adjoining Zrakoplovo-Tehnicki Centar (ZTC)

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North Macedonia confirms transfer of Su-25s to Ukraine, says Mi-24s could follow

While Poland and Slovakia have become the first NATO nations to donate fighter jets to Ukraine as it continues to defend its sovereign territory from Russian invaders, the North Macedonian government has now publicly confirmed that it transferred four Sukhoi Su-25 Frogfoots to the war-torn nation last year

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Sanction-hit Rossiya Airlines' battle to unground its 747 fleet

Babak Taghvaee looks into the history of Rossiya Airlines’ Boeing 747s and the carrier’s efforts to bring its grounded fleet back into service

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Su-57 Felon: Why Russia’s first stealth fighter has yet to fully ‘take-off’

The fifth-generation stealth fighter Su-57 is among Russia’s top airpower priorities, but the ambitious project has suffered from protracted development and testing and the production effort is yet to gather speed. Alexander Mladenov reports