Combat Aircraft - November 2017

COVER STORY

COLOMBIA’S DELTA DEFENDERS
Having been an operator of the IAI Kfir since 1989, the Fuerza Aérea Colombiana embarked on a large-scale upgrade program of its existing fleet in 2009. Cees-Jan van der Ende takes an exclusive look inside Base Aérea Capitán Germán Olano, located in Palanquero, at Colombia’s impressive Kfir operation

FORCE REPORT

US NAVY CARRIER AIR POWER
Tom Kaminski and Jamie Hunter present a comprehensive type-by-type review of the aircraft operated by the US Navy Carrier Air Wings (CVWs)

IN THE NEWS

Headline News
Boeing and Saab reveal more T-X details, Qatar signs for Eurofighter Typhoons

US News
Mysterious crash on the Nellis ranges, plus all the latest unit and deployment news

World News
News from Europe and around the globe, including the Bahrain F-16V deal, plus all the latest military losses

FEATURES

EYE ON THE EAST
Air warfare briefings from the Asia-Pacific by Andreas Rupprecht, this month uncovering China’s unique UCAVs

THE BRIEFING
Combat Aircraft’s new regular column by Robert Beckhusen, taking a look behind the headlines - this month examining the B-21 Raider program

GORILLAS
Jake Melampy visits Eglin AFB, home to the 33rd Fighter Wing’s 58th Fighter Squadron ‘Gorillas’, which currently trains instructor pilots on the F-35A

TALAVERA TOP GUNS
At Talavera La Real, young Spanish fighter pilots learn their trade. Niels Roman meets Ala 23 and finds many similarities with US Air Force fast jet training, not least through its venerable SF-5M Freedom Fighters, which share considerable commonality with the T-38 Talon

RUSSIAN WEAPONS BAZAAR
Babak Taghvaee reports from the Russian Federation’s most important arms exhibition, the International Military-Technical Forum ‘Army’, which takes place annually at Patriot Park in Kubinka, Moscow

SEND IN THE CAVALRY
The arrival of a C-5 Galaxy at Riga International Airport, Latvia, in February with a pair of UH-60 Black Hawks aboard marked the start of a nine-month deployment for the 10th Combat Aviation Brigade to eastern Europe. Cristian Schrik finds out more

BELARUSIAN AIR POWER ON THE ROAD
From August 21 to 25 the Russian Federation and the Republic of Belarus staged a joint exercise that concluded with road operations by a range of front-line types. Dmitry Pichugin was there to record the action

CUTTING EDGE
Combat Aircraft’s monthly column reporting from the front line of aerospace technology, by David Axe