AirForces Monthly July 2016

In the July issue of AirForces Monthly (AFM), we look at the working relationship between AirTanker and the RAF. Alan Warnes visits RAF Brize Norton and flies on a Voyager tanker mission to see how both civil and military aircrews are working together.

Russia’s Naval Air Arm frequently monitors NATO shipping and conducts probing missions against the West. Alexander Mladenov provides a detailed overview of the air arm in AFM’s regular Force Report.

In an exclusive report Sanjay Simha watches the end of worldwide Sea Harrier operations following the withdrawal of the type by the Indian Navy after 33 years of service.

Iran’s Hercules fleet is undergoing a much-needed overhaul and upgrade programme, as Babak Taghvaee explains.

The final part of our European Fighter Survey 2016 covers Romania to the United Kingdom, describing their order of battle and how some nations are rapidly re-equipping their fighter fleets, while others struggle to remain viable with elderly MiGs.

This year’s Tiger Meet at Zaragoza Air Base in Spain saw some of the best tiger-themed paint schemes to date. Kees Otten, Wim Das and Koos Heemskerk provide a photo-report showing you the best.

In our News section we examine the unveiling of SAAB’s new Gripen E at Linkoping, Sweden and provide a double-page overview of the latest updates on the Lockheed Martin F-35.

As always, AFM’s Dave Allport brings you the latest military aviation news from around the world.