Military Aircraft Operations

A variety of military aircraft shown, including F-16s and F/A-18s, on airbases and during demonstrations, reflecting action and readiness with dynamic angles.

Texas Air National Guard F-16C at Natal Air Force Base, Brazil.
Texas Air National Guard F-16C at Natal Air Force Base, Brazil.
249 assets in this story
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A Belgian Air Force F-16A returns to base after a mission.
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040406-F-0848C-004. Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A-4N Skyhawk jet used for contracted target services by NATO, Wittmund, Germany.
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LEEUWARDEN, NETHERLANDS - APRIL 11, 2016: US Air Force F-15 Eagle takking off during the exercise Frisian Flag. The exercise is considered one of the most important NATO training events this year.
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240118-Z-NJ935-0306: U.S. Air Force Capt. Andrew Marshall, an F-15C pilot with the 550th Fighter Squadron, taxis his F-15C aircraft across a rainswept tarmac on a chilly January morning before taking off to nearby range space for upgrade training, Jan. 18, 2024 at Kingsley Field in Klamath Falls, Oregon. He and one other pilot are the last two who will receive the F-15C Instructor Pilot rating as the Air Force transitions away from the venerable airframe to the F-35.
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Six U.S. Air Force F-15 Strike Eagle fighters from Royal Air Force Lakenheaths 48th Fighter Wing arrived at Łask Air Base, Poland to begin deterrence operations on NATOs Eastern Flank, Nov. 27, 2022. As part of U.S. European Commands initiative to bolster collective defense posture and Allied integration, the Strike Eagles will take over the fighter mission from the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron. The 90th EFS will return to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska after a successful deployment in support of NATO's Air Shielding mission.
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A row of A-10C Thunderbolt II aircraft sit in a row at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Oct. 23, 2022. These aircraft flew from Moody AFB, Georgia, to take part in a Dynamic Force Employment operation which is designed as a way for Pacific Air Forces to exercise their ability to generate combat air power from dynamic force elements while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain these elements in geographically-separated and contested environments.
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DF-SD-03-06131. Subject Operation/Series: ALLIED FORCE Base: Aviano Air Base State: Pordenone Country: Italy (ITA) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE
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Su-35S jet fighter of the Russian Air Force taxiing during Exercise Aviadarts 2018.
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An F-15C Eagle taxis at Muniz Air National Guard Base in Carolina, Puerto Rico in support of North American Aerospace Defense Commands (NORAD) Operation Noble Defender (OND), 27 June, 2022. As a part of OND, which is a recurring operation, the Continental U.S. NORAD Region (CONR) coordinated and conducted joint operations with the U.S. Navy while concurrently launching jets from different locations across the United States' gulf coast and Puerto Rico. OND, is an integrated air and missile defense operation designed to ensure the defense and security of the northern and southern approaches to North America. This particular OND allowed NORAD units to exercise maneuvers designed to defend the southern approach to the United States from simulated cruise missile threats. NORAD is a bi-national Canadian and American command that employs a network of aerial, ground-based, and space-based sensors, air-to-air refueling tankers, and fighter aircraft controlled by a sophisticated command and con
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DF-ST-85-11856. Subject Operation/Series: CORNET COLT Base: Flesland Air Base Country: Norway (NOR)
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030812-F-6894B-004. Base: Fort Drum State: New York (NY) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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The F-14A Tomcat aircraft of Fighter Squadron 103 (VF-103) sit wing-to-wing on the flight line following their arrival at the air station. VF-103 has returned to Oceana following its deployment to the Persian Gulf region aboard the aircraft carrier USS SARATOGA (CV-60) for Operation Desert Shield and Operation Desert Storm. Subject Operation/Series: DESERT SHIELD DESERT STORM Base: Naval Air Station, Oceana State: Virginia (VA) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A U.S. Air Force B-1B Lancer, assigned to the 34th Bomb Squadron, Ellsworth Air Force Base, taxis through a clean water wash station at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, after arriving for a Bomber Task Force mission June 2, 2022. Bomber Task Force missions contribute to joint force lethality and deter aggression in the Indo-Pacific by demonstrating the United States Air Force's ability to operate anywhere in the world at any time in support of the National Defense Strategy.
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An F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 36th Fighter Squadron, begins to takes flight during RED FLAG-Alaska 22-1 at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, May 3, 2022. RF-A 22-1 is a Pacific Air Forces-directed field training exercise for U.S. and international forces flown under simulated air combat conditions primarily out of Eielson Air Force Base and Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska. (U.S. Air Force photo Senior Airman Megan Estrada)
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040721-F-0848C-005. Base: Elmendorf Air Force Base State: Alaska (AK) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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020215-F-4177H-007. Base: RAF Lakenheath State: East Anglia Country: England / Great Britain (ENG) Scene Major Command Shown: USAFE
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U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 112 perform pre-flight checks on an F/A-18C Hornet aircraft at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 25, 2022. Marines with VMFA-112 are performing unit-level training at Andersen Air Force Base as part of an Aviation Training Relocation Program. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Sgt. Booker T. Thomas III)
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Airmen from Yokota Air Base, Japan; Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, align various skillsets to execute the first-ever Air Mobility Command-to-F-22 Raptor aircraft-to-aircraft refueling from a Charleston C-17 Globemaster III to a JBER F-22 Raptor during Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-1 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Feb. 2, 2024. Nellis AFB served as the hub and command-and-control force element within the hub-and-spoke concept of operations during BE 24-1, with more than 10 geographically-separated locations serving as the spokes. During the exercise warfighters implemented all-domain combat-power generation from disaggregated basing locations throughout the western part of the U.S., while incorporating scenarios in distributed command and control, agile logistics, and tactical air-to-air refueling. Airmen also tackled agile combat employment, and the larger challenges of persistent logistics, by a
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An Aero L-159 aircraft of the Czech Air Force taking off, Florennes, Belgium.
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DF-ST-87-05170. Base: Hahn Air Base Country: West Germany (FRG)
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An F-16 Falcon fighter with the 366th Air Expeditionary Group is towed to its hangar, at a forward base in support of Operation ENDURING FREEDOM. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Country: Unknown Scene Major Command Shown: CENTCOM
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040901-F-0017C-092. Base: Kwang Ju Air Base State: Jeollanam-Do Country: Republic Of Korea (ROK)
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U.S. Air Force 1st Lt. Miranda Jones, 157th Fighter Squadron F-16 fighter jet pilot, assigned to the 169th Fighter Wing at McEntire Joint National Guard Base, South Carolina, conducts preflight checks at the Columbia Metropolitan Airport in West Columbia, South Carolina, September 15, 2022. The 169th Fighter Wing is temporarily flying out of Columbia Metropolitan Airport while the McEntire Joint National Guard Base runway undergoes construction.
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A pair of Royal Jordanian Air Force F-16's at Konya Air Base.
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A U.S. Air Force F-16C Fighting Falcon assigned to the 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, takes off during Weapons System Evaluation Program-East 22.08 at Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, May 17, 2022. WSEP is a formal, two-week evaluation exercise designed to test a squadrons capabilities to conduct live-fire weapons systems during air-to-air combat training missions.
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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 3rd Wing takes off during Polar Force 22-4 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, March 30, 2022. Polar Force 22-4 is a local training exercise primarily focused on Agile Combat Employment and builds on other regularly scheduled exercises such as Northern Edge, Pacific Iron, and Red Flag to support the mission of the U.S. Pacific Air Forces.
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More than 200 Airmen and 10 A-10 Thunderbolt II Warthogs from the 924th Fighter Group of the 944th Fighter Wing are working out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii, July 26, 2022, during the units participation in Rim of the Pacific (RIMPAC) 2022. Twenty-six nations, 38 ships, three submarines, more than 170 aircraft and 25,000 personnel are participating in RIMPAC from June 29 to Aug. 4 in and around the Hawaiian Islands and Southern California. The worlds largest international maritime exercise, RIMPAC provides a unique training opportunity while fostering and sustaining cooperative relationships among participants critical to ensuring the safety of sea lanes and security on the worlds oceans. RIMPAC 2022 is the 28th exercise in the series that began in 1971.
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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 90th Fighter Squadron returns to Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Dec. 5, 2022. The 90th Fighter Squadron was forward-deployed to Poland in support of the NATO Air Shielding mission. The NATO Air Shielding mission provides a near seamless shield from the Baltic to Black Seas, ensuring NATO Allies are better able to safeguard and protect Alliance territory, populations, and forces from air and missile threats.
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An Italian Air Force AMX fighter aircraft takes off from Decimomannu Air Base, Italy, during Exercise STAREX 2010.
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030321-N-6895M-503. Subject Operation/Series: IRAQI FREEDOM Base: USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71)
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Members of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels aerial demonstration team prepare to execute a practice run before they headline the 2022 Ellsworth Air & Space Show - Raider Country Open House, May 14 & 15. The Blue Angels' aircraft, the F/A-18 Hornet, is aircraft carrier capable and can be made combat ready in approximately 72 hours.
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Turkish Air Force F-16 during Exercise Anatolian Eagle.
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A U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptor assigned to the 90th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron lands at Leeuwarden Air Base, Netherlands to conduct agile combat employment (ACE) and integrate with the Royal Netherlands Air Force, Oct. 16, 2022. This integration marks the first time in history that USAF F-22 Raptors have operated out of the Netherlands and highlights the importance of our shared commitment to defend NATO territory. Continued collaboration and integration on ACE alongside our RNLAF counterparts and other NATO Allies improves the resilience and survivability of coalition airpower.
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A U.S. Air Force B-52H Stratofortress assigned to the 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron returns to Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, from a routine Bomber Task Force mission, Feb. 24, 2024. USINDOPACOM routinely and visibly demonstrates commitment to our allies and partners through the employment of our military forces, demonstrating strategic predictability, while becoming more operationally unpredictable to adversaries. Air Force
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A U.S. Air Force F-15 Eagle assigned to the 18th Wing from Kadena Air Base, Japan, lands at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, Jan. 26, 2022. The aircraft flew in to participate in the upcoming exercise Cope North 22. By strengthening alliances and partnerships CN22 helps create a networked security architecture capable of deterring aggression, maintaining stability and ensuring free access to common domains in accordance with international law. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Micaiah Anthony)
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German reconnaissance Tornado aircraft with locally developed reconnaissance pods and Afghanistan task force badge, Lechfeld Airbase, Germany.
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050905-F-5995O-017. Base: Gulport (ANGCRTC) State: Mississippi (MS) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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A U.S. Marine Corps F/A-18D Hornet aircraft with Marine All Weather Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA(AW)) 533 taxis the runway after landing at Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, Sept. 28, 2022. U.S. Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 121, VMFA-242, and VMFA(AW) 533 conducted live-fire missile exercise to increase weapon proficiency and enhance squadrons combat readiness in the air-to-air environment.
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An F-16C Fighting Falcon from the 482nd Fighter Wing, Homestead Air Reserve Base, Florida, taxis past Airmen from the 6th Civil Engineer Squadron at MacDill Air Force Base, Florida (AFB), April 22, 2022. The aircraft tested the Bak-12 aircraft arresting system during its annual certification. Due to its geographical location, the Bak-12 is a necessary asset on the flightline as MacDill AFB is a critical air mobility hub.
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050120-F-6446W-002. Base: Eglin Afb State: Florida (FL) Country: United States Of America (USA)
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Visit of Secretary Dirk Kempthorne to Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, where he toured facilities, viewed aircraft, and met with personnel of the Air Force's Air Demonstration Squadron, the Thunderbirds
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030202-M-5266H-007. Subject Operation/Series: ENDURING FREEDOM Base: Ahmed Al Jaber Air Base State: Al Ahmadi Country: Kuwait (KWT)
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Serbian Air Force upgraded MiG-29SM aircraft with its wide range of available weapons.
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Italian Air Force EF-2000 Typhoon during NATO Baltic Air Policing, Estonia.
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The pilot of a F-5E Saegheh I leaves its aircraft.
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The EMB 312 Tucano used by the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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A pair of Royal Canadian Air Force CT-155 Hawk training jets in flight.
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A Turkish Air Force F-16C Block 52+ taking off from Konya Air Base, Turkey.