AirForces Monthly Magazine November 2018 Back Issue

Cover star of November’s AFM is the F-5E Tigre III of the Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh, Chilean Air Force) over the dramatic landscape of Patagonia. Although Santiago selected the F-16 Fighting Falcon as its new multi-role warplane, the F-5s of the ‘Southern Tigers’ continue to protect Chilean airspace and train new pilots. Santiago Rivas reports on the group, with photography by Katsuhiko Tokunaga.

While the F-5 has been defending Chilean skies for over 40 years, Switzerland’s Pilatus PC-21 first entered service with the air force in 2008. Bob Fischer reflects on a decade of operations. Meanwhile, trainers turned combat aircraft are the subject of Intel Report, as Alan Warnes considers the role of the light combat aircraft and assesses those available today.

While Israel’s activity during the first six years of the Syrian conflict was shrouded in secrecy, over the past eight months many events have been brought to light. Yissachar Ruas provides exclusive insight into the campaign from a high-ranking Israeli Air Force source.

On the exercise front, AFM watched the Hungarian Air Force’s latest manoeuvres in Vidsel, Sweden, where Gripens delivered live air-to-ground munitions for the first time. You’ll also find Exercise Reports on the 17th Sea Breeze and Ample Strike, NATO’s largest Joint Terminal Attack Controller exercise which took place in the Czech Republic.

Force Report profiles Spanish Naval Aviation, which celebrated a century of operations last year. Naval coverage also extends to retirement of the Royal Navy’s Sea King ASaC7, as the UK finally called time on the type’s illustrious military career. Martin Scharenborg and Ramon Wenink visited the Icelandic Coast Guard’s Aviation Department at Reykjavík Airport, while Joe Copalman visited New Orleans to see the operational support airlift squadron of VMR Belle Chasse at work.