Military Aircraft Operations

Dynamic visuals of pilots preparing and operating military aircraft, featuring pre-flight checks and exercises during various military operations.

Military pilot in cockpit jet plane with a raised hand Military pilot in cockpit jet plane with a raised hand. Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxStrelax 10775228

Tech Sgt. Jed Smeenk, 114th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, goes through post-flight inspections after the arrival of 114th Fighter Wing F-16s at Ellsworth AFB, S.D. for exercise Combat Raider. Combat Raider is a large-scale exercise used to assess Air Force pilots' integrated combat mission readiness in a simulated wartime scenario.

A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor pilot assigned to the 94th Fighter Squadron, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, prepares for takeoff during Checkered Flag 23-1 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Nov. 4, 2022. Checkered Flag is a large-force aerial exercise held at Tyndall which fosters readiness and interoperability through the incorporation of 4th-and 5th-generation aircraft during air-to-air combat training. The 23-1 iteration of the exercise was held Oct. 31- Nov. 10, 2022.

030728-F-6701P-001. Base: Lungi Country: Sierra Leone (SLE)

LT. COL Hassoon, 3rd Squadron commander of the Royal Saudi Air Force, does a preflight check of an F-5F Tiger II fighter aircraft during Operation Desert Shield.. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia(SAU)

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st First Class Dylan Brown, left, and Senior Airman Adam Tristram, C-130J loadmasters assigned to the 40th Airlift Squadron at Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, guide a forklift on to a C-130J Super Hercules during Bamboo Eagle 24-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 25, 2024. During the exercise, the 99th Logistics Readiness Squadron and the 515th Air Mobility Element supported the reception, bedding down, command, and control of multiple disaggregated units.

AMN Andrew Jennings and SSGT Felton load 20mm shells into an F-15 Eagle aircraft during munitions loading competition Sabre Spirit I. Subject Operation/Series: SABRE SPIRIT I Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

040508-F-4338B-015. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

980622-F-9580Z-041. Base: Mcchord Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Favian Trujillo, 74th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, climbs the steps to the cockpit of an A-10C Thunderbolt II at Moody Air Force Base, Georgia, Oct. 16, 2022. The 23rd Wing deployed A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft and support personnel to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam for a routine Dynamic Force Employment Operation.

041108-F-2295B-061. Base: Tyndall Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

221005-N-LI114-2066 SEA OF JAPAN (Oct. 5, 2022) Lt. William Peters, from Webster, Massachusetts, signals for the launch of an F/A-18E Super Hornet, attached to the Dambusters of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 195, from the flight deck of the U.S. Navys only forward-deployed aircraft carrier, USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76), in the Sea of Japan, Oct. 5. Ronald Reagan, the flagship of Carrier Strike Group 5, provides a combat-ready force that protects and defends the United States, and supports alliances, partnerships and collective maritime interests in the Indo-Pacific region.

Members of the plane crew inspect AGM-86B air-launched cruise missiles on a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft during a base alert exercise. Base: Carswell Air Force Base State: Texas(TX) Country: United States Of America(USA)

Helmet and oxygen mask of a military pilot. Helmet and oxygen mask of a military pilot.

US Air Force STAFF Sergeant Darrell Bramer, a KC-135 Stratotanker Crew CHIEF, and SENIOR AIRMAN Patrick Prather, a KC-135 Hydraulic Systems SPECIALIST, are both assigned to the 92nd Aircraft Generation Squadron, Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington, along with SRA Daryl Huter, a KC-135 Guidance Control SPECIALIST, assigned to the 22nd Aircraft generation Squadron, McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas, re-install forward body fuel tank access panels on a KC-135 while deployed to Moron Air Base, Spain. This mission is in direct support of Joint Task Force Noble Anvil. Subject Operation/Series: NOBLE ANVIL Base: Moron Air Base State: Sevilla Country: Spain (ESP)

US Navy Aviation Technician Third Class (Air Crew) Jason A. Van Buren from Helicopter Squadron HC-5 "Providers," during preflight procedures on board the Tarawa Class Amphibious Assault Ship, USS TARAWA (LHA-1), off the coast of Kuwait in support of the Southwest Asia build-up. Country: Unknown

AIRMAN First Class Steven Pierce cleans the canopy of an F-15 Eagle during exercise BOLD EAGLE '82. Subject Operation/Series: BOLD EAGLE '82 Base: Eglin Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Members of a catapult crew aboard the aircraft carrier USS MIDWAY (CV 41) attach a launching bridle to the undercarriage of an aircraft during CINCPAC Exercise FLEETEX '83. The US Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard and the Canadian navy are participating in the exercise near the Aleutian Islands of Alaska. Subject Operation/Series: FLEETEX '83 Base: USS Midway (CV 41) Country: Northern Pacific Ocean

221013-N-LK647-1072 ATLANTIC OCEANNaval Aircrewman (Tactical Helicopter) 2nd Class Alex Varney, assigned to the “Spartans” of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron 70 (HSM-70) conducts a pre-flight check on the tail rotor of an MH-60R Seahawk helicopter aboard the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Normandy (CG 60) while Normandy is underway as part of the Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group, Oct. 13, 2022. The first-in-class aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN 78) is on its inaugural deployment conducting training and operations alongside NATO Allies and partners to enhance integration for future operations and demonstrate the U.S. Navy’s commitment to a peaceful, stable and conflict-free Atlantic region.

050621-A-9665L-023. Subject Operation/Series: RED DRAGON Base: Fort Mccoy State: Wisconsin (WI) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: USAR

U.S. Marine Corps Gunnery Sgt. Stephen Meiners, a Saint Clair, Mo., native and an aircraft electronic systems technician with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 533, prepares for an incentive flight at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 30, 2022. Incentive flights are periodically awarded to Marines and Sailors for meritorious actions and service.

DF-ST-85-09919. Base: Kadena Air Base State: Okinawa Country: Japan (JPN)

021015-F-3805C-002. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

ATLANTIC OCEAN (July 30, 2021) Naval Air Crewman (Helicopter) 2nd Class Conor Champagne, assigned to Helicopter Sea Combat Squadron (HSC) 28, inspects the tail rotor blade of a MH-60S Sea Hawk helicopter after landing aboard the Wasp-class amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) July 30, 2021. Kearsarge is underway to support Large-Scale Exercise (LSE 2021), a globally integrated exercise designed to test advanced warfare concepts across the full-range of maritime and amphibious operations under Distributed Maritime Operations (DMO). LSE 2021 will take place Aug. 3-16, 2021, in the U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. Fleet Forces, U.S. Naval Forces Europe areas of operation, as well as virtually.

Members of the West German Airlift Rodeo '90 team sprint into action toward their C-160 Transall transport aircraft during the engine running, on/off load phase. Airlift Rodeo is an annual airdrop competition that tests the flight and ground skills of Military Airlift Command aircrews as well as foreign teams.. Subject Operation/Series: RODEO '90 Base: Pope Air Force Base State: North Carolina(NC) Country: United States Of America(USA)

CDR. Thomas S. Robinson, executive officer of Tactical Electronic Warfare Squadron 132 (VAQ-132), sits in the cockpit of his EA-6B Prowler aircraft aboard the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). Country: Mediterranean Sea (MED)

Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft. Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxStrelax 10775132

A U.S. Air Force Airman performs an end of runway check on an F-22 Raptor from Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, at Royal Australian Air Force Base Curtin, Western Australia, Aug. 22, 2022. Pacific Air Forces trains alongside Allies and partners to enhance interoperability and bolster the collective ability to support a free and open Indo-Pacific.

SGT Ronald E. Brown, from the 18th Tactical Fighter Wing, checks an F-15 Eagle aircraft before flight during exercise Team Spirit '81. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '81 Base: Kwang Ju Air Base Country: Korea

U.S. 5TH FLEET AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY (March 6, 2013) Aviation Boatswain's Mate 3rd Class Dannielle Byrum, from Auberry, Calif., signals for the launch of an F/A-18C Hornet from the Golden Dragons of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 192 on the flight deck of the aircraft carrier USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74). John C. Stennis is deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of responsibility conducting maritime security operations, theater security cooperation efforts and support missions for Operation Enduring Freedom.

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Rebecca Blydenburgh, a crew chief with the 169th Fighter Wing, performs a preflight inspection on an F-16 Fighting Falcon during exercise Sentry Savannah May 6, 2022, on the flightline at the Air Dominance Center in Savannah Georgia. Exercises like Sentry Savannah held at the Air Dominance Center not only train and test the counter air capabilities of the next generation of fighter pilots, but they also provide critical experience and training to 10 different units of maintenance Airmen in the rapid employment and recovery of aircraft.

An Airman from the 23rd Aircraft Maintenance Unit, inspects the underbelly of a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron at RAF Fairford, United Kingdom, Sept. 21, 2022 Dozens of Airmen supported the Bomber Task Force mission which was intended to deter adversaries, assure allies and partners, strengthen interoperability, maintain and demonstrate readiness and lethality.

A view of the artwork painted on the nose of a B-52G Stratofortress aircraft known as "Chow-hound #2". Base: Barksdale Air Force Base State: Louisiana (LA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

LTC James Galyen, commanding officer of the 14th Military Airlift Squadron, sits in the copilot seat of a C-141B Starlifter aircraft on an 18-hour non-stop flight from Norton Air Force Base, California to Christchurch, New Zealand. Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

Helmet and oxygen mask of a military pilot Helmet and oxygen mask of a military pilot. Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxStrelax 17096531

Iljuschin 14 Iljuschin 14 Copyright: xZoonar.com/OliverxNowakx 8498980

US Navy Lieutenant (LT) Rob Garretson (left) and Lieutenant Commander (LCDR) Paul Randall (right) safety check the catapult prior to flight operations aboard the nuclear powered aircraft carrier USS JOHN C. STENNIS (CVN 74). The JOHN C. STENNIS is deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation SOUTHERN WATCH, 1 May 1998. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74)

010327-M-6537L-010. Subject Operation/Series: KERNEL BLITZ 2001 Base: Uss Bonhomme Richard (LHD 6) Scene Major Command Shown: 1ST Marine Expeditionary Force

CAPT. Simmons, an AV-8B Harrier pilot from Marine Attack Squadron 231 (VMA-231), Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS), Cherry Point, NC, poses in front of his aircraft at the Harrier module during the Revised Capabilities Exercise (RCAPEX). Subject Operation/Series: REVISED CAPABILITIES EXERCISE Base: Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

180104-N-MJ135-1004 ARABIAN GULF (Jan. 4, 2018) Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class Thurman Bailey cleans and tightens the rear rotor on an MH-60R Sea Hawk helicopter assigned to the "Battlecats" of Helicopter Maritime Strike Squadron (HSM) 73 in the hangar bay of the aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71). Theodore Roosevelt and its carrier strike group are deployed to the U.S. 5th Fleet area of operations in support of maritime security operations to reassure allies and partners and preserve the freedom of navigation and the free flow of commerce in the region.

The Attack Squadron 85 (VA-85) A-6E Intruder aircraft on CMDR. Dave Polatty, deputy commander, Carrier Air Wing 1 (CVW-1), arrives at the station. The wing, stationed aboard the aircraft carrier USS AMERICA (CV-66), has just returned from deployment in the Persian Gulf area during Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT STORM Base: Naval Air Station, Oceana State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

020212-N-9777F-002. Base: Naval Air Facility, Misawa State: Aomori Country: Japan (JPN) Scene Major Command Shown: VP-40

230211-N-MJ302-2131 SOUTH CHINA SEA (Feb.11, 2023) An F/A-18F Super Hornet from the Fighting Redcocks of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 22 prepares to launch from the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68). Nimitz is in U.S. 7th Fleet conducting routine operations. 7th Fleet is the U.S. Navy's largest forward-deployed numbered fleet, and routinely interacts and operates with Allies and partners in preserving a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

070131-N-1635S-003. Base: USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76)

Alaska Air National Guard Tech. Sgt. Alejandro Romero, a special mission aviator assigned to the 210th Rescue Squadron, prepares to conduct a rescue mission in a HH-60G Pave Hawk at Point MacKenzie, Alaska, Sept. 1, 2022. After a Christen A-1 Husky crashed into a marsh, National Guardsmen rappelled and conducted a rescue operation, ensuring the aircraft was safely vacated.

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher Coach McGoffin, 18th Aggressor Squadron F-16 Fighting Falcon pilot, preps his display before a training sortie as part of the Red Flag 22-2 exercise at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, June 16, 2022. The Aggressors are dedicated to playing the red team adversaries against blue team allies during Red Flag aerial training missions. The Red Flag Exercise was established in 1975 and serves as a two-week advanced aerial combat training exercise held multiple times a year by the USAF, alongside joint partner and allied air and ground forces.

A specially designed remote-controlled hydraulic trailer is used to load Air Launch Cruise Missiles (AGM-86) onto the pylon of a B-52 Stratofortress aircraft from the 92nd Bombing Wing. Base: Fairchild Air Force Base State: Washington (WA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-88-03475. Base: Dyess Air Force Base State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An unidentified US Air Force munitions specialist makes adjustments to an AGM-45 Shrike Anti-radar Missile that's attached to the wing of a F-16 Falcon, Block 52 aircraft (the only such aircraft in the Air National Guard) from the 157th Fighter Squadron and assigned to the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire ANG Station South Carolina. Lans Stout, a visiting free-lance photographer from Atlantic Beach, Florida, captures pure beauty in flight (OCT 97). This photo was used for a picture story in the popular "Code One" magazine. Base: Mcentire Ang Station State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

LTC John D. Ragan, the assistant director of operations for the 20th Tactical Air Support Squadron, sits in the back of a Marine Corps OV-10D Bronco aircraft as he waits for takeoff prior to a training parachute jump. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina(SC) Country: United States Of America(USA)

Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft Military pilot in the cockpit of a jet aircraft. Copyright: xZoonar.com/AlexanderxStrelax 10775226

DN-ST-89-09643. Base: Naval Air Station, Oceana State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

220515-N-TO573-1253 NAPLES, ITALY (May 15, 2022) Airman Recruit Jenna Rogers, from Wappingers Falls, New York, assigned to the "Seahawks" of Airborne Command and Control Squadron (VAW) 126, wipes down an E-2D Hawkeye on the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), May 15, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., Allied and Partner interests.

A U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle assigned to 67th Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, refuels from a U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 909th Air Refueling Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-1 over the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, May 11, 2022. The JPARC provides more than 77,000 square miles of airspace, making it the worlds largest instrumented air, ground and electronic combat training range. RF-A is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise allowing forces to practice interoperability by providing unique opportunities to integrate into joint and multilateral training.

LT. COL. Joe Salata, 49th Fighter Wing CHIEF of Weapons and Training, sits on the wing of his F-117 A Nighthawk that he flew in Desert Storm. LT. COL. Salata flew in the first wave of F-117As that bombed Baghdad. Published in AIRMAN Magazine October 1996. Base: Holloman Air Force Base State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-89-09658. Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A 33rd Tactical Fighter Wing maintenance crew member uses a phone headset to communicate with the pilot of a 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-15C Eagle aircraft during a preflight inspection. Squadron members are deploying to the Middle East in support of Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Base: Eglin Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

STS029-S-005 (10 March 1989) --- A wide angle view of a T-38 on the flight line at Ellington Field near the Johnson Space Center (JSC). Astronauts Michael L. Coats, mission commander; and James F. Buchli, STS-29 mission specialist, moments later were en route to Florida's Kennedy Space Center. In three days, they and three fellow STS-29 crew members are scheduled to lift off aboard the space shuttle Discovery from Launch Pad 39B.

011204-F-7910D-013. Base: Shaw Air Force Base State: South Carolina (SC) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: Air Combat Command

Airmen with the 127th Air Refueling Group work to launch a KC-135 Stratotanker during an operational exercise at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Mich., Oct. 24, 2020. Airmen at Selfridge frequently train to respond to a wide range of possible scenarios.

General Dynamics F-16A.

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Zyad Hassan, 52nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, waits for an F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft to take off at Łask Air Base, Poland, January 5, 2022. The 52nd Fighter Wing assets train alongside partner forces for increased relationships and a collective defensive edge.

Crewmen prepare to launch an F-14A Tomcat aircraft on the flight deck of the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER (CVN-69). An A-6E Intruder aircraft is parked in the background. Country: Atlantic Ocean (AOC)

Two Aviation Boatswain Aircraft Handling (ABE) 3rd Class give a thumbs up toward the shooter, seconds before an F/A-18 Hornet Fighter Attack Squadron (VFA) 192 "Golden Dragons" is launched from the USS KITTY HAWK (CV 63) flightdeck. ABEs make sure the launch bar is connected to the catapult that will launch the aircraft allowing it to gain lift faster. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Uss Kitty Hawk (CV 63) Scene Major Command Shown: USS Kitty Hawk

U.S. Air Force Capt. Zachary Morrow, 535th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III pilot, speaks to Japan Air Self-Defense Force 2nd Lt. Hayato Ogawa, 3rd Tactical Airlift Wing Maintenance and Supply Group Inspection Squadron 2nd platoon commander, during bilateral training at Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, Sept. 26, 2022. Four aircrew members from the 535th AS flew with JASDF aircrew on a Kawasaki C-2, learning their techniques and procedures.

Senior Airman Kaj Matsch, 389th Fighter Generation Squadron crew chief, inspects an F-15E Strike Eagle at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Aug. 22, 2022. Crew chiefs are critical to ensuring safe flight for Air Force aircraft.

Cpl. James E. Dunbar, Gunnery Mechanic, Runs A Patch Thru Top Turret Guns Of A Boeing B-17 At A Base In England.

Journalist First Class (JO1) Sharie Derrickson, Pacific Fleet Combat Camera Detachment, checks exposure settings before taking a photo from inside the nose of a restored B-25 Mitchell medium bomber that is here to recreate the famous General Jimmie Doolittle flight from the deck of the old USS HORNET (CV-8) 50 years ago today. Base: Naval Air Station, North Island State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

020131-F-1545M-005. Subject Operation/Series: BEVERLY BULLDOG Base: Osan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

041108-F-3715H-125. Base: Tyndall Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Airman First Class Ian Munoz, 36th Airlift Squadron loadmaster checks the propellers on a 36th Airlift Wing C-130J Hercules as they begin to rotate at Abdulrachman Saleh Air Force Base, Malang, Indonesia for Cope West 2022, June 20, 2022. Cope West 2022 is a bilateral, tactical airlift exercise designed to showcase airlift cooperation and interoperability between the U.S. and Indonesian air forces.

Detail intake of the cockpit of an F-104 of the Luftwaffe.

DF-ST-87-13391. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '85 Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

970420-F-8006R-009. Complete Scene Caption: Aviation Structural Mechanic (Structures) Second Class (AMS2) David Kitchen, airframe maintenance, is fixing a fastener on the tail gear box panel of a SH-60 Seahawk helicopter before it takes off on a familiarization mission during ROVING SANDS '97. AMS2 Kitchen and the helicopter are from the Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron, North Island, California. The mission will include a search for Scud missile sites in the Alamogordo Bombing Range. ROVING SANDS is a multinational effort and is the largest military exercise on United States soil that allows training in a joint environment to hone command and control procedures and integrate new systems in Theater and Air Missile Defense. The helicopter squadron is participating in the exercise as part of the Red Forces. Subject Operation/Series: ROVING SANDS Base: Roswell State: New Mexico (NM) Country: United States Of America (USA)

010620-F-5051N-025. Subject Operation/Series: CLEAN HUNTER 2001 Base: Karup Air Base Country: Denmark (DNK) Scene Major Command Shown: AMC

1st Lt. James Baltimore, a student pilot assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302 Marine Corps Station New River, North Carolina, offloads a CH-53E Super Stallion at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida, Oct. 25, 2022. The marine unit was tasked with a joint operation exercise with the U.S. Coast Guard. The exercise included a joint effort search and rescue near the coast of MacDill AFB.

070113-N-5345W-084. Base: USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75)

070320-M-2166H-022. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: Al Asad Air Base State: Al Anbar Country: Iraq (IRQ) Scene Major Command Shown: VMAQ-1

041117-F-1740G-018. Base: Hyakuri Japanese Air Base Country: Japan (JPN)

LTC Paul C. Burnett completes flight forms (foreground) while CPT Lonnie Goodson talks with the maintenance crew chief, after their arrival aboard the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing's new F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft. Base: Kunsan Air Base Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

Flyer from a Northrop NF-5A is preparing for his flight.

DF-ST-87-03963. Base: Macdill Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DN-ST-88-00279. Base: USS Nimitz (CVN 68)

Airman 1st Class William Phillips, 389th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron crew chief, tightens a panel during a preflight inspection on an F-15E Strike Eagle at an undisclosed location, Southwest Asia, Nov. 15, 2022. Preflight checks allow aircrew to guarantee that all systems are working properly, reducing the risk of in-flight emergencies.

A1C Michael Irick,78th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carlina, removes the tail fins of an AIM-120 missile on Monday, April 19, 1999. The missile is going to be removed from the wing of an F-16 Fighting Falcon because it failed relability tests. Irick is deployed to Aviano Air Base, Italy to support NATO Operation Allied Force. Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA)

US Navy (USN) Lieutenant (LT) Russell Dicks, gives the signal to launch an F/A-18 Hornet fighter off the flightdeck of the Nimitz Class Aircraft Carrier USS RONALD REAGAN (CVN 76). Base: USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) Country: Pacific Ocean (POC)

A member of Airborne Early Warning Squadron 113 (VAW-113) works at a status board on the aircraft carrier USS CONSTELLATION (CV 64) during PACEX '89. Subject Operation/Series: PACEX '89 Base: USS Constellation (CV 64)

980315-F-7910D-008. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH 1998 Base: Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base State: Al Ahmadi Country: Kuwait (KWT) Scene Major Command Shown: ACC

US Air Force flight engineer MASTER Sergeant Eric Carr, 1ST Rescue Group, pre-flights the tail rotor HH-60G Pavehawk helicopter. MSGT Carr is looking for paddle delimitation and ensuring the boot fittings are secure. This image was used in the January 1996 issue of AIRMAN Magazine. Base: Patrick Air Force Base State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Marine Corps CPT Robert Kimbrell attached to Helicopter Medium Squadron Two Six Three (HMM-263) of the 24th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU) checks his AH-1 Cobra helicopter before flight operations from the amphibious assault ship USS GUAM (LPH 9). GUAM is deployed to the Persian Gulf in support of Operation Southern Watch. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: USS Guam (LPH 9)

80th Flying Training Wing Airmen from Sheppard Air Force Base landed their T-38 Talon at Minot Air Force Base to refuel before taking off again to fly to an airshow in Canada on July 14, 2022, at Minot AFB, North Dakota. The 80 FTW is the world's only internationally manned and managed pilot training program, with the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program delivering more than 7,500 trained combat pilots to NATO allies in its 37 years of existence.

KENNEDY SPACE CENTER, FLA. -- On the KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, pilot Rick Svetkoff (left) and co-pilot Dave Waldrop are ready to climb into the cockpit of the Starfighter F-104. The aircraft is taking part in a series of pathfinder test missions from the space shuttle runway. Two flights will generate test data to validate sonic boom assumptions about the potential impacts of suborbital and orbital commercial spaceflight from the facility. NASA is assessing the environmental impact of such flights. Starfighters Inc. of Clearwater, Fla., will perform the flights to help in assessing suborbital space launch trajectories from the runway and paving the way for future commercial space tourism and research flights from the facility.

220630-N-CY569-1014 ADRIATIC SEA (June 30, 2022) Aviation Machinists Mate 3rd Class Lamoy Forbesminor, from St. Andrew, Jamaica, assigned to the “Sunliners” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 81, cleans the canopy of an F/A-18E Super Hornet on the flight deck of USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75), June 30, 2022. The Harry S. Truman Carrier Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. Naval Forces Europe area of operations, employed by U.S. Sixth Fleet to defend U.S., allied and partner interests.

DF-SC-89-11116. Base: Unknown

CPL. Tony Norlund of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314 (VMFA-314), Marine Aircraft Group 11 (MAG-11), El Toro, California, adjusts controls on a power cart while servicing an F/A-18A Hornet fighter attack aircraft during Cope Thunder North. The exercise tests aircrews' skills in strike, support, air defense and combat rescue roles. Units from the Canadian Forces, the U.S. Marine Corps, Alaska Air National Guard, Strategic Air Command and other Pacific Air Forces units are participating.. Subject Operation/Series: COPE THUNDER NORTH Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska(AK) Country: United States Of America(USA)

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Christopher White, 315th Fighter Squadron commander, currently deployed to Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, prepares an F-35A Lightning II aircraft for take off, June 3, 2022. Members of the 158th Fighter Wing are in Europe to support NATOs ongoing air policing mission to deter aggression and assure allies and partners in the region.

030929-F-3488S-024. Base: Andersen Air Base State: Guam (GU) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: PACAF

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