This September 21, the Royal Norwegian Air Force dramatically expanded the mission envelope of F-35As, with two of its F-35As landing on a highway in vicinity Tervo, Finland. Lt. Col Morten Hanche, Air Warfare Center/Fighter Branch, Royal Norwegian Air Force, took time from his busy duties to update MS&T on the training efforts behind the service’s recent hallmark success.
Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF) F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighters have completed their maiden deployment to Indonesia as part of Exercise Elang AUSINDO 23, held at Manado in North Sulawesi, Indonesia.
A quickening pace of high-level and behind-closed-doors meetings last week continued to shape the nascent Ukrainian F-16 program, but this recent progress aside, it is increasingly evident Ukrainian Air Force-piloted F-16s will not be flying missions until early 2024. Group Editor Marty Kauchak investigates.
A training enterprise to support the promised delivery of F-16s to Ukraine continues to take shape. To meet expectations, the ink on a training concept emerging at this week’s NATO Vilnius meeting is figuratively “wet,” with myriad details still to be resolved.
The US and other nations continue to provide a broad range of war materiel to Ukraine. Belatedly, the oft-discussed transfer of F-16s to Ukraine is gathering speed. Group Editor Marty Kauchak explores the situation.
A few days ago, the plate tectonics of the Ukraine-Russian war quickened as the US and its allies gave policy-level approval to transfer fourth-generation F-16s to Ukraine. The implications of the new missions the Ukrainian air force may be able to attempt with these fighter aircraft are significant.
With the exception of current US DoD discussions on transferring F-16s to Ukraine, Air Force Special Operations Command (AFSOC) is at the center of most major US Air Force and joint operations and activities around the globe.
Elbit Systems Ltd. was awarded a contract in an amount of approximately $180 million from the Israeli Ministry of Defense to provide, operate and maintain the new Mission Training Center for the Israeli Air Force’s F-16 fleet.
Elbit Systems Ltd. was awarded a $36 million contract to supply four F-16 Full Mission Simulators (FMS) to the Polish Air Force. The contract will be performed over a 28-month period.