AirForces Monthly Magazine February 2020 Retour à l'édition précédente

Last year marked Peru’s centenary of military aviation and February AFM pays tribute to the Peruvian Air Force with an extensive Force Report, including photography from Katsuhiko Tokunaga. Expect Fulcrums, Frogfoots, Mirages and more…

You’ll also find other charismatic fast jets in this month’s reports, including a public farewell to the Japan Air-Self Defense Force’s final F-4 Phantom IIs at Hyakuri and the veteran adversary F-5s of VFC-111 ‘Sundowners’ at Naval Air Station Key West, Florida.

Air arms in profile include an update on the Ukrainian Navy’s single aviation unit, which has recently received new rotary and fixed-wing equipment, and from Royal Jordanian Air Force facilities, where AFM contributor Elio Viroli undertook an exclusive visit.

On the operational side, there’s coverage from trouble spots around the globe, with the first of a two-part feature from the Central African Republic by war correspondent and Africa specialist Al J Venter, a report on the US military withdrawal from Syria and an assessment of People’s Liberation Army air power in Hong Kong.

There’s also transport action in the shape of the C-130 Hercules – workhorse of the Argentine Air Force – and coverage of the Italian Air Force’s 31° Stormo, which fulfils a niche transport role, undertaking operations for national agencies and the Vatican.

AFM marks ten years of Rafale flight demonstrations with an air-to-air photo sortie, while European exercises are now back in full flow, including Ocean Sky at Gando air base on Gran Canaria and the Swiss Air Force’s deployment of F/A-18 Hornets to RAF Leeming in the UK.

Other regular features include Intel Report on the continued modernisation of the United Arab Emirates’ military, while Air Marshal (ret’d) Greg Bagwell CB CBE examines the current status of airborne nuclear deterrence and explains how it still offers several advantages over other strategic delivery systems.