Military Aircraft Operations

Dynamic images of military aircraft, highlighting fighter jets on bases with pilots and ground crew, portraying modern military readiness and technology.

A Hellenic Air Force F-16D Block 52+ with a DB-110 reconnaissance pod landing.

A French Air and Space Force Airbus A-400M Atlas passes a Japan Air Self Defense Force Mitsubishi F-2A during take off from Northwest Field, Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 8, 2024 during Cope North 24. Continued collaboration and integration of dispersed operations during Cope North 24 enhances the joint forces capabilities to operate in austere environments. Air Force

A U.S. Air Force pilot assigned to the 80th Fighter Squadron, taxis down the runway at Kadena Air Base, Japan, May 18, 2022. The 8th Operations Group is the backbone of the 8th Fighter Wing, providing the aircrews who fly the wing's F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft.

011113-F-2171A-018. Base: Randolph Air Force Base State: Texas (TX) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A pilot waits in the cockpit while members of the ground crew service his F-5E Tiger II aircraft. Country: Unknown

010811-F-7910D-037. Base: Buckley Air Force Base State: Colorado (CO) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: Air Combat Command

An F-16A Fighting Falcon of the famous US Navy TOPGUN Naval Fighter Weapons School at the Naval Strike and Air Warfare Center, Naval Air Station Fallon, Nevada.

Line of F-16 Fighting Falcons on flight line at night

A pair of British Royal Air Force GR-1 Tornados fly below the fuel hose of a British VC-10 K3 tanker (Aircraft not shown) prior to refueling over Kuwait as part of the Southwest Asia build-up. Country: Kuwait (KWT)

U.S. Air Force F-15C during Exercise Cope Tiger 2016.

A view of Fighter Squadron 45 (VF-45) F-5E Tiger II and F-16N Fighting Falcon aircraft parked on the flight line. The aircraft are painted in an adversary paint scheme for training purposes. Base: Naval Air Station, Key West State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Ground technicians perform post-flight maintenance on a Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 321 (VMFA-321) F/A-18A Hornet aircraft parked on the flight line. The reserve squadron is at Fallon for two weeks of active duty training at the Naval Air Warfare Center target complex. Base: Naval Air Station, Fallon State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An 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 is armed with AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles. Country: Unknown

Hellenic Air Force F-16D taking off.

U.S. F-16 Fighting Falcon, assigned to the 480th Fighter Squadron, takes off to conduct a training scramble and intercept sortie while completing NATO enhanced Air Policing qualification, Jan. 6, 2022, on Łask Air Base, Poland. Enhanced Air Policing is a specific assurance measure to demonstrate NATOs solidarity, collective resolve, and its ability to adapt and scale its defensive missions/deterrence posture.

LEEUWARDEN, THE NETHERLANDS -MAY 26: F-16 fighter during a comparisontest with a F-35 in Europe on May 26, 2016 in Leeuwarden. The F-35 will replace the F-16 in the Netherlands.

PHILLIPINE SEA (April 22, 2022) An EA-18G Growler, assigned to the "Wizards" of Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 133, launches from the flight deck of the Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72). Abraham Lincoln Strike Group is on a scheduled deployment in the U.S. 7th Fleet area of operations to enhance interoperability through alliances and partnerships while serving as a ready-response force in support of a free and open Indo-Pacific region.

An F-16 Fighting Falcon from the 148th Fighter Wing, Duluth Air National Guard Base, Minnesota, prepares to depart for Red Flag-Nellis 22-1 to the Nevada Test and Training Range, Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2022. The Nevada Test and Training Range is the U.S. Air Forces premier military training are with more than 12,000 square miles of airspace and 2.9 million acres of land. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman Trevor Bell)

030226-F-3961R-010. Subject Operation/Series: COPE TIGER 2003 Base: Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Country: Thailand (THA)

An A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft from the 343rd Tactical Fighter Wing prepares to drop Mark 82 bombs during combined Army-Air Force live fire exercises (CALFEX IV) at the Yukon Command Training Site. Subject Operation/Series: CALFEX IV Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-86-12660. State: Nevada (NV) Country: United States Of America (USA)

Crew members inside a Mirage F-1 from Qatar wave as the plane taxies down the runway to refuel in support of Operation Odyssey Dawn, March 25, 2011, at Incirlik Air Base, Turkey. Joint Task Force Odyssey Dawn is the U.S. Africa Command task force established to provide operational and tactical command and control of U.S. military forces supporting the international response to the unrest in Libya and enforcement of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1973. UNSCR 1973 authorized all necessary measures to protect civilians in Libya under threat of attack by Qadhafi regime forces. JTF Odyssey Dawn is commanded by U.S. Navy Admiral Samuel J. Locklear, III.

981012-F-0352L-006. Base: RAF Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG)

Israeli Air Force F-16I Sufa taxiing at Ovda Air Base, Israel.

An Italian Air Force F-2000A takes off.

Su-27 jet fighter of the Russian Air Force, Kubinka, Russia.

DF-ST-87-09789. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

F-15DJ Eagle of the Japan Air Self Defense Force's Hiko Kyodatai aggressor squadron.

040111-M-5455N-001. Base: Naval Air Facility, El Centro State: California (CA) Country: United States Of America (USA) Scene Major Command Shown: VMAQ-3

F-15C of the Massachusetts Air National Guard taking off from Hohn Air Base, Germany.

British and U.S. Air Force ground crew members refuel a Royal Air Force Jaguar aircraft during Operation Desert Shield. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD Country: Saudi Arabia (SAU)

A Turkish Air Force F-16D Block50+ Fighting Falcon taking off.

An Israeli Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon in flight, Andravida, Greece.

US Air Force First Lieutenant Daniel Morrisey, 81st Fighter Squadron, takes off from Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany, in an A-10 Thunderbolt aircraft, during a Phase II Local Salty Nation exercise. Spangdahlem personnel participated in a Phase I immediately followed by a Phase II in preparation for a Phase I Operational Readiness Inspection (ORI and a NATO Tactical Evaluation. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU)

Base personnel stand by as a 58th Tactical Fighter Squadron F-15D Eagle aircraft prepares to deploy to Saudi Arabia during Operation Desert Shield.

020118-F-5872L-013. Subject Operation/Series: COPE TIGER '02 Base: Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Country: Thailand (THA)

A Royal Air Force Tornado F3 returns to Florennes Air Base, Belgium.

Ground crew members conduct preflight checks on F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft of the Dutch air force prior to a mission in support of Operation Deny Flight, the enforcement of the United Nations-sanctioned no-fly zone over Bosnia and Herzegovina. Subject Operation/Series: OPERATION DENY FLIGHT Base: Villafranca Air Base Country: Italy (ITA)

A-10C of the Maryland Air National Guard returning from a sortie.

DN-ST-89-11304. Base: Naval Air Station, Oceana State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)

An Italian Air Force F-16 ADF in a custom paint scheme. The Viper is assigned to the 18th squadron based at Trapani Air Base, Sicily.

An Israeli Air Force F-16I Sufa taking off armed with general purpose bombs.

Israeli Air Force F-16C Barak, Israel.

A Thai air force A-37 Dragonfly aircraft prepares for takeoff during exercise Cobra Gold '87. Subject Operation/Series: COBRA GOLD '87 Base: Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base Country: Thailand (THA)

A Marine Corps AV-8B Harrier from MAG 13 doing an aerial demonstration at the Watsonville, CA airshow. The McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier II is a family of second-generation vertical/short takeoff and landing or V/STOL ground-attack aircraft of the late 20th century. It is primarily used for light attack or multi-role tasks, typically operated from small aircraft carriers and large amphibious assault ships.

Two Spanish Navy EAV-8B+ Harrier II's in flight.

Mc Donnell Douglas F, 15 fighter aircraft during an Air Defender 2023 exercise, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, Europe

Weapon system Taurus, air-to-ground cruise missile of the German Armed Forces, version KEPD-350 with tandem warhead, cruise missiles. TornadoIDS fighter aircraft of the German Air Force, ILA Berlin Air Show, International Aerospace Exhibition, Schoenefeld, Brandenburg, Germany, Europe

An F-16C assigned to the 422nd Test and Evaluation Squadron takes off during Black Flag 22-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, May 10, 2022. The 422nd TES is a geographically separated unit of the 53rd Test and Evaluation Group, Eglin AFB, Florida.

F/A-18 from the Swiss Air Force taking off.

020206-F-1631A-005. Base: Zaragosa Air Base Country: Spain (ESP) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

An Israeli Air Force F-16I Sufa taking off armed with general purpose bombs.

A U.S. Navy EA-18G Growler.

Italian Air Force EF-2000 Typhoon during NATO Baltic Air Policing, Estonia.

A U.S. Air Force A-10 Thunderbolt II flies over Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona, May 19, 2022. The A-10 Demonstration Teams jet has a heritage paint job to pay tribute to the 355th Tactical Fighter Wings contributions in the Vietnam War, including special dedication to personnel who were killed in action or became prisoners of war.

An FR-4C Phantom II aircraft from the 192nd Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron(192nd TRS), Nevada Air National Guard, passes over the Korean countryside during the joint South Korean/United States exercise TEAM SPIRIT '89. This particular aircraft is currently the oldest RF-4C aircraft in the United States Air Force inventory. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '89 Country: Republic Of Korea (KOR)

970402-F-1787R-138. Subject Operation/Series: SOUTHERN WATCH Base: Doha Country: Qatar (QAT)

A U.S. Air Force F-15C assigned to the 18th Wing is prepared for a flight during Cope North 24 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Feb. 14, 2024. Participants exercise interoperability during Cope North 24 through agile combat employment and integrated generation of Air Power from dispersed locations across the Indo-Pacific. Air Force

DF-ST-85-05205. Subject Operation/Series: REFORGER/AUTUMN FORGE '83 Country: West Germany (FRG)

U.S. Air Force Maj. Logan Riordan, an instructor pilot assigned to the 97th Flying Training Squadron, operates a U.S. Air Force T-38C Talon aircraft above Wichita Falls, Texas, July 21, 2022. The 97th FTS, a reserve association of the 80th Flying Training Wing, aids in instructing students in the Euro-NATO Joint Jet Pilot Training Program. The ENJJPT program, conducted by the 80th FTW, is the world's only multi-nationally manned and managed flying training program chartered to produce combat pilots for NATO.

030224-M-2900S-046. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base State: Al Ahmadi Country: Kuwait (KWT)

A pair of Slovak Air Force MiG-29AS scrambling for quick reaction alert mission.

United States Air Force personnel, 510th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Wing, deployed from Aviano Air Base, Italy, walk the line as they prepare to arm the next F-16C Fighting Falcon before it is launched for the day's first sortie. Training Exercise Iron Claw, Kuchyna AB, Slovakia, 11 September 2000. Subject Operation/Series: IRON CLAW Base: Kuchyna Air Base Country: Slovakia (SVK)

DF-ST-91-05457. Base: Seymour Johnson Air Force Base State: North Carolina (NC) Country: United States Of America (USA)

DF-ST-87-00865. Base: Offutt Air Force Base State: Nebraska (NE) Country: United States Of America (USA)

NORTH ARABIAN SEA (April 11, 2013) An F/A-18C Hornet assigned to the Wildcats of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 131 launches from the flight deck of 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 Italian Air Force F-16 Air Defense Fighter landing at Trapani Airport, Italy.

A U.S. Marine Corp F-18 Hornet takes off for aerial maneuvers at Miramar Marine Corp Air Station, San Diego, California on Aug 5, 2022. The 140th Wing is performing aerial maneuvers and training with the F-18 fighter jets, stationed at Miramar Air Station, to enhance their wartime readiness capabilities utilizing the latest combat scenarios.

030402-F-4350W-006. Base: RAF Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

Hellenic Air Force TA-7 Corsair II at Araxos Air Base, Greece.

021117-F-2751G-001. Subject Operation/Series: NORTHERN WATCH Base: Incirlik Air Base, Adana Country: Turkey (TUR)

DN-ST-87-06219. Base: Naval Station, Rota Country: Spain (ESP)

040822-F-3711S-067. Base: Fargo State: North Dakota (ND) Country: United States Of America (USA)

040719-F-2902B-007. Base: Eielson Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)

A left side view of a row of F-16 Fighting Falcon aircraft from the 4th Tactical Fighter Squadron. The F-16 aircraft are on their first overseas deployment. Base: Flesland Air Station Country: Norway (NOR)

DF-ST-86-11856. Base: Raf Mildenhall State: Suffolk Country: England / Great Britain (ENG)

AV-8S Matador of the Spanish Navy.

A US Marine Corps AV-8B Refueling High Above the Al Anbar Province of Iraq

ATLANTIC OCEAN (Sept. 10, 2019) Sailors perform aircraft maintenance in the hangar bay aboard the aircraft carrier USS Dwight D. Eisenhower (CVN 69). Ike, with embarked Carrier Airwing (CVW) 3, is underway conducting the Tailored Ship's Training Availability (TSTA) and Final Evaluation Problem (FEP) as part of the basic phase of the Optimized Fleet Response Plan.

Italian Air Force EF-2000 Typhoon aircraft during NATO Baltic Air Policing, Estonia.

010813-F-0718S-026. Base: Spangdahlem Air Base State: Rheinland-Pfalz Country: Deutschland / Germany (DEU) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE

MB-339CD of the Italian Air Force Flight Test Unit.

Jet fighter

American ground support personnel and Korean welcoming committee members stand by on the flight line to greet pilots from the 354th Tactical Fighter Wing. The wing's A-10 Thunderbolt II aircraft have just arrived at the base for Exercise Team Spirit '86. Subject Operation/Series: TEAM SPIRIT '86 Base: Chong Ju Air Base Country: South Korea

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