← Military & Defence

Military Aircraft in Formation

Dynamic shots of military aircraft flying in formation, showcasing F-16s and F-15s, with dramatic skies emphasizing power and readiness.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 179th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, conducts aerial refueling operations with a KC-135 Stratotanker, assigned to the 50th Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, in the U.S. Air Forces Central area of responsibility, April 21, 2022. The F-16 Fighting Falcon is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft that delivers airpower to the U.S. Central Command area of responsibility.

DF-ST-89-00207. Subject Operation/Series: COPPER FLAG State: Georgia (GA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An air-to-air right side view of two F-4E Phantom II aircraft. The aircraft, assigned to the 526th Tactical Fighter Wing, are carrying four AIM-7 Sparrow missiles and four AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, known as the "Thunderbirds", perform at the 2022 Sun N' Fun Aerospace Expo in Lakeland, Florida, April 8, 2022. Sun N' Fun was the Thunderbirds' third show of the season and first civillian show of the year.

030324-F-7709A-003. Base: Eglin Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Four Connecticut Air National Guard A-10A Thunderbolt II aircraft fly in formation. State: Connecticut (CT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-89-00046. Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

An air-to-air left front view of a 495th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-111F aircraft flying a mission out of Moron Air Base, Spain, during OPEN GATE '89. Open Gate is a Joint Chiefs of STAFF/NATO Exercise designed to simulate air and sea power tactics required to keep the Straits of Gibraltar open during a crisis. Subject Operation/Series: OPEN GATE '89 Country: Unknown

DF-ST-84-05384. Subject Operation/Series: REDOUBRT, PHASE III Base: Volk Field State: Wisconsin (WI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An air-to-air left side view of an F-5 Tiger II aircraft carrying AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Country: Unknown

An F-21A Kfir adversary training aircraft from Marine Fighter Readiness Training Squadron 401 (VMFT-401) lifts off the runway during Exercise Gallant Eagle '88. VMFT-401, which is based at Marine Corps Air Station, Yuma, Ariz., is the Marine Corps only adversary training squadron and has both active duty and reserve pilots as members. Subject Operation/Series: GALLANT EAGLE '88 Country: Unknown

DF-ST-87-08924. Country: West Germany (FRG)

An AGM-109 Tomahawk cruise missile passes a photo chase F-4 Phantom II aircraft. Country: Unknown

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 77th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron flies within the U.S. Central Command Area of responsibility, March 20, 2023. F-16 aircraft are deployed to the CENTCOM AOR to deter adversaries, provide combat airpower, and ensure regional security.

A 185th Tactical Fighter Group (185th TFG) A-7 Corsair II aircraft from the Air National Guard lines up for refueling from a 6th Aerial Refueling Squadron KC-10A Extender aircraft during Proud Visitor, a Headquarters, Strategic Air Command exercise. Other 185th TFG Corsairs fly in formation as they await refueling.. State: Iowa(IA) Country: United States Of America(USA)

Two T-38 Talons from Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, fly in formation with 2 F-16 Falcons from Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, on April 7, 2022. The 4 aircraft joined up together to practice formation flights over southwest Texas before heading back to Laughlin for a presentation to student pilots.

DF-SD-03-06119. State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

Four F-16 Fighting Falcon fighter jets assigned to the U.S. Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron Thunderbirds take off for Aviation Nation 2022 preparation day at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Nov. 3, 2022. The Thunderbirds perform maneuvers that test and showcase what is required from every combat aviator.

F-15 Eagles from the 173rd Fighter Wing conduct a flyover of Hillcrest Memorial Park in Medford, Ore., on Memorial Day, May 30, 2022.

Two F-16C Fighting Falcon Block 52 aircraft's from the 157th Fighter Squadron, 169th Fighter Wing, McEntire Air National Guard Station, South Carolina, in flight. The aircraft's are armed with AGM-88 HARM's (high-speed anti-radiation missile), AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles and AIM-120 AMRAAM's (advanced medium-range air-to-air missile). Country: Unknown

An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, U.K., receives fuel from a 351st Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker at RAF Mildenhall, U.K. during the FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April, 24, 2019. Exercise scenarios were designed to ensure 100th Air Refueling Wing Airmen were fully prepared for potential contingencies in the wing’s area of responsibility.

Fighter Jets Over Desert

Four A-10C Thunderbolt's from the 190th Fighter Squadron prepare to recieve fuel from a KC-135 aerial refueling tanker over central Idaho.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon deploys a flare over an undisclosed location on April 15, 2019. The F-16 fills a critical role of enabling local security, denying the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria safe havens and preventing resurgent networks in the U.S. Air Force's Central Command area of responsibility.

Military Jets Fixed Wing Boeing Aviat Airplanes F-15C Eagle air superiority fighter USAF U.S. Air Force formation winter

Maj. Justin Robinson flies the 56th Operations Group flagship F-16 Fighting Falcon March 10, 2014, as he escorts the first F-35 Lightning II to its new home at Luke Air Force Base, Ariz. The F-35 was flown by Col. Roderick Cregier, an F-35 test pilot stationed at Edwards AFB, Calif. Robinson is the 61st Fighter Squadron assistant director of operations.

120223-N-GC412-163 PACIFIC OCEAN (Feb. 23, 2012) An EA-6B Prowler from the Wizards of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133 refuels in flight during a air demonstration for a tiger cruise aboard the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is operating in the U.S. 3rd Fleet area of responsibility while on a seven-month deployment.

An air-to-air right side view of three F-4E Phantom II aircraft of the 51st Tactical Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base. Country: South Korea

An air-to-air view of four A-7E Corsair II aircraft of Attack Squadron 66 (VA-66) in formation. Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

DD-ST-88-09322. Country: Unknown

HC-130P Refuels an HH-53. HC-130P Refuels an HH-53. "Southeast AsiaA U.S. Air Force HC-130P refuels an HH-53 helicopter of the 37th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Squadron, as two A-1s fly escort." Photographer: Staff Sgt. Andy Sarakon

B-1B LancerUS Air Force

Two Air Anti-submarine Squadron 38 (VS-38) S-3A Viking aircraft pass over the Rocky Mountains while en route to Naval Air Station, North Island, California. Country: Unknown

Two F-15 Eagles from the 114th Fighter Squadron, 173rd Fighter Wing, Kingsley Field Air National Guard Base, Klamath Falls, Oregon, fly a training sortie past Mount Shasta. Base: Mount Shasta State: Oregon (OR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040625-N-7559C-001. Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An air-to-air right side view of two Strike Fighter Squadron 136 (VFA-136) F/A-18C Hornet aircraft and an Airborne Early Warning Squadron 121 (VAW-121) E-2C Hawkeye aircraft, center, in formation over the Persian Gulf. The Hornets are armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Country: Unknown

DN-SC-89-00023. Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

DF-SC-86-12532. Country: Unknown

U.S. Air Force Capt. Jeffrey "Split" Witt, a fighter pilot, 100th Fighter Squadron, Montgomery Regional Air National Guard Base, Ala., takes off March 1, 2017, during Red Flag 17-2 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev. Red Flag involves a variety of attack, fighter, bomber, reconnaissance, electronic warfare, airlift support, search and rescue aircraft.

A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 555th Fighter Squadron takes off during exercise Falcon Strike 2022 at Amendola Air Base, Italy, Nov. 15, 2022. Falcon Strike 22 provided an opportunity to test fourth-generation airpower like the F-16 in ally roles as well as adversary roles alongside NATO allies and fifth-generation airpower.

DF-ST-86-09256. Base: Naval Air Station, Barbers Point State: Hawaii (HI) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A right side view of a formation of four F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft flying near a pyramid during exercise Bright Star '82. Subject Operation/Series: BRIGHT STAR '82 Country: Egypt (EGY)

A US Air Force (USAF) F-16A Fighting Falcon, 148th Fighter Wing (FW), Minnesota Air National Guard Base (ANGB), escorts home the first of many USAF F-16C Fighting Falcons, on the right, enroute from Syracuse, New York, to the 148th FW, in Duluth. State: Minnesota (MN) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An air-to-air right side view of a T-33 Shooting Star aircraft and two Royal Australian Air Force CA-29 Mirage aircraft during the Cope Thunder exercise. Subject Operation/Series: COPE THUNDER Base: Clark Air Base State: Luzon Country: Philippines (PHL)

DF-ST-88-03784. Subject Operation/Series: SOLID SHIELD Country: Honduras (HND)

980311-F-4116M-009. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH 1998 Base: Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base State: Al Ahmadi Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

011106-F-4308R-020. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE EAGLE 2001 State: Massachusetts (MA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

Two F-16 Fighting Falcon aircrafts in flight over Utah. Two to three weeks are the longest an F-16 pilot deploys at one time and the result is tranparent to customers and teammates, The job gets done. This image was used in the April 2000 AIRMAN Magazine article "Relief in sight". State: Utah (UT) Country: United States Of America (USA)

jet dropping bombs cluster drop

A right side view of an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft in flight near the pyramids during exercise Bright Star '82. Subject Operation/Series: BRIGHT STAR '82 Country: Egypt (EGY)

F-16s from the 36th Fighter Squadron and A-10s from the 25th Fighter Squadron, both with the 51st Fighter Wing, fly over their home base. The 36th Fighter Squadron performs air interdiction, close air support and counter-air missions with LANTIRN (Low Altitude and Targeting Infrared for Night) equipped fighters. The 25th FS defends South Korean and U.S. ground forces against invading North Korean armored units. Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

An F-111F aircraft of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing flies over the desert during Operation Desert Shield.. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia(SAU)

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the Air Force Reserve Command Test Center arrives in support of a joint force exercise on Sept. 8, 2022, at Dugway Proving Ground, Utah. This joint force exercise incorporates more than seven military entities across three branches creating innovative operational concepts to allow quick response to an ever changing wartime horizon.

An F-4C Phantom II aircraft from the Texas Air National Guard, 149th Tactical Fighter Group, intercepts a Soviet Tu-95 Bear bomber aircraft and escorts it out of American air space. Country: Iceland (ISL)

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to 3rd Wing takes off from the flight line at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Jan. 27, 2022. The F-22 is a fifth-generation fighter that is capable of performing both air-to-air and ground-to-ground missions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Andrew Britten)

020502-F-7203T-016. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN EDGE 2002 Country: United States Of America (USA)

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Team Thunderbirds perform a photo chase mission over Navy Air Facility El Centro, Cali., February 26, 2024. The photo chase mission was flown during a low show practice. Air Force

An overhead right side view of an A-10A Thunderbolt aircraft undergoing in-flight refueling through the boom of a KC-10A Extender aircraft. State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An F-16A Fighting Falcon aircraft is mounted on a test stand at the Newport Test Site of the Rome Air Development Center. The plane is armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the wing tips, three Mark 20 Rockeye II cluster bombs, and an AN/ALQ-119 electronic countermeasures pod on the outer left pylon. State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II assigned to the F-35A Lightning II Demonstration Team performs a practice airshow performance at Hill Air Force Base, Utah, Jan. 11, 2023. The F-35 Demo Team performs rehearsal flights regularly to maintain required flying certifications and to uphold and maintain their mission and Air Force recruiting standards.

The United States Air Force Air Demonstration Squadron, known as the Thunderbirds, perform for the Legacy of Liberty air show over Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico, May 7, 2022. The Thunderbirds are slated to perform nearly seventy air shows this season.

The 412th Test Wing, in conjunction with NASA Armstrong Flight Research Center, conducted a flyover over the greater Antelope Valley in California ahead of the 2022 Aerospace valley air show. The flyover flew over 55 schools and provided students with a visible representation of lesson plans created by the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and NASA. The flights also provided crews valuable training time in skills such as formation flying and time on targets.

A Royal Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon aircraft receives fuel over the North Sea from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing during exercise Cobra Warrior 22, Sept. 21, 2022. Cobra Warrior develops the tactical interoperability skills of participating U.S. Airmen, allies and partners within a composite air operation environment.

An air-to-air right underside view of two A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft flown by the 81st Tactical Fighter Wing, RAF Bentwaters. Country: England / Great Britain (ENG)

DF-SD-07-25390. State: Oregon (OR) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An F-111F aircraft of the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing flies over the desert during Operation Desert Shield.

Artwork: "Guns". Artist: J.P. Kilburn. U.S. Air Force Art Collection. Country: Unknown

Maj. Paul Lopez, F-22 Demo Team commander, flies above the U.S. Navy Blue Angels' iconic diamond formation, over Beaufort, S.C., April 25, 2019. The historic flight featured two of the world's premier aerial demonstration teams side-by-side for the first time in history.

Italian Air Force EF-2000 aircraft over Poland.

NORTH ARABIAN SEA (April 9, 2013) Lt. Cmdr. Ryan Beaty pilots an F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Rampagers of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 83 while conducting aerial refueling with an Air Force KC-135R during combat missions with the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Dwight D. Eisenhower is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility promoting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions as part of Operation Enduring Freedom.

AN air-to-air overhead view of a six-ship delta formation of F-5E Tiger II aircraft from the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing over a lake. Each aircraft is painted in a different camouflage scheme and is carrying one AIM-9 Sidewinder missile. State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-SC-88-08226. Country: Spain (ESP)

Several U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons” assigned to the 100th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron Red Tails” sit at Bagram Airfield, Afghanistan Aug. 7, 2014. The F-16 Fighting Falcon” is a compact, multi-role fighter aircraft that is highly maneuverable in air-to-air combat and air-to-surface attacks. The unit is deployed from the 187th Fighter Wing in Montgomery, Ala.

Three F/A-18C Hornets from the aircraft carrier USS NIMITZ (CVN-68) fly in formation over Kuwait City during Operation Southern Watch, a multinational effort establishing a no-fly zone for Iraqi aircraft south of the 32nd parallel in Iraq. Each aircraft is armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles on the wing tips and AIM-7 Sparrow missiles on the wing pylons. The two aircraft in the foreground are from Strike Fighter Squadron 147 (VFA-147) and the aircraft in the background is from VFA-146. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Country: Kuwait (KWT)

DD-ST-85-06534. Country: Unknown

Chart showing U.S. and Soviet long-range strike aircraft. "Soviet Military Power," 1983, Pages 23. Country: Unknown

of 3