Page 5 - Air Forces Monthly - September 2017
P. 5
Features
3 Comment
AFM’s opinion on the hot topics
in military aviation.
38 Back in business
Britain’s newest and biggest aircraft carrier, HMS
Queen Elizabeth (R08), is approaching the end
of a first phase of sea trials. Tim Ripley visited
her in Rosyth dockyard to bear witness to the
UK’s return to the aircraft carrier business.
44 Couteau Delta
P Olivier and J Lemoigne chart the
establishment of the French Air Force’s
latest display team – Couteau Delta.
62 Freedom at work
In the wake of the first US kill of a manned
aircraft since Operation Allied Force in 1999,
AFM went aboard USS George H W Bush
to hear an account of the shootdown.
68 Black Sea defenders
NATO has responded to increased Russian
military air activity over the Black Sea by
reinforcing Romanian Air Force LanceRs with
RAF Typhoons, as Liviu Dnistran discovers.
72 Israeli Fight Test Center
The Israeli Fight Test Center begins a new
series of features examining military flight
test establishments. Noam Menashe
obtains an insight into this secretive unit.
76 Changing of the guard at
Grottaglie
With the introduction of the NH90 the
Italian Navy, Dr Andreas Zeitler joined
a training flight from Grottaglie to learn
about the helicopter’s capabilities.
82 Loki’s guardians
Earlier this year the Royal Canadian Air
Force deployed six CF-188 Hornets to
Keflavík as part of Operation Reassurance/
Air Task Force-Iceland. Martin Scharenborg
and Ramon Wenink were there.
92 Pinky bows out
A special Royal Air Force Tornado GR4,
painted in ‘desert pink’ colours as a tribute
to Operation Granby in 1991, has been
retired as the type enters its final chapter
in service, as Rich Cooper reports.
News by Region
All the world’s military aviation news.
patrol aircraft (MPA) communities of 96 FLASHPOINT: Air war in Yemen
the European NATO and Partnership Saudi Arabia’s controversial military 6-7 Headlines
for Peace (PfP) air arms. First up, operations against the Houthi rebels 8-9 United Kingdom
AFM details the traditional MPA across its southern border in Yemen 10-12 Continental Europe
stalwarts of France and Germany. have involved a coalition of Gulf and 14-18 North America
Arab air arms. Arnaud Delalande 20-21 Latin America
75 FEEDBACK provides an air power assessment and
AFM’s letters page. looks at the impact in the region. 22 Africa
23 Australasia
88 ATTRITION 98 COMING UP 24-25 Middle East
Dave Allport details the world’s See what’s featured in your 26 Russia & CIS
most recent military accidents. AFM next month. 28-29 Asia Pacific
www.airforcesmonthly.com #354 SEPTEMBER 2017 // 5
