AirForces Monthly Magazine -March 2015- 28 Pages of News! Briefings -1970's USS Midway

AirForces Monthly Magazine -March 2015- 28 Pages of News! Briefings -1970's USS Midway.

RAF Reapers
The RAFandrsquo;s MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicle force was committed to action over Iraq last October. Tim Ripley reviews its operations and contribution to the international campaign against the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant.

FORCE REPORT Russiaandrsquo;s Long-Range Aviation
Alexander Mladenov examines the current state, operations and inventory of Russiaandrsquo;s Long-Range Aviation (LRA) force, which last year intensified its global andlsquo;power projectionandrsquo; patrols.

GIGN Response andndash; Sniper in the Sky
Jean-Marc Tanguy lifts the veil on air assets supporting the French domestic counter terrorist officers who were called into action after the massacre at the Parisian offices of Charlie Hebdo in January.

GIGN Response andndash; Manhunt
Frandeacute;dandeacute;ric Lert details the GIGN response to the Charlie Hebdo attacks and how, with helicopters in support, the gunmen were pinned down at a rural printworks.

Strike Warfare Evolution
Lon Nordeen looks at describes the evolution and technical developments used in strike warfare.

Chinese Task Force
A rare visit to European shores by the Chinese Navy allowed Carlo Kuit and Paul Kievit of Bronco Aviation to get aboard the ships and look at the Task Forceandrsquo;s helicopter air assets.

AIRCRAFT PROFILE Joint Strike Fighter
Alan Warnes assisted by Dave Allport reviews the current status of the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.

EXERCISE REPORT Operation Thunderstorm
Yissachar Ruas reports from Israelandrsquo;s Ovda AFB where a short-notice air exercise took place between Greek and Israeli squadrons.

Wedgetail Warriors
Nigel Pittaway examines how the Royal Australian Air Force has become one of the worldandrsquo;s leading operators of airborne early warning and control platforms.

ZSU Modernisation
Vladimir Trendalovski reviews recent developments of new and upgraded aircraft for the Ukrainian Air Force.

BRIEFINGS
Carrier Air Wing Five As the US Navyandrsquo;s sole forwarddeployed carrier air wing, CVW-5 takes pride in being at the andlsquo;tip of the swordandrsquo;. Tony Holmes looks at its early operations during the Cold War.

Attrition
AFMandrsquo;s Dave Allport reports on the worldandrsquo;s latest military accidents.

Debrief
Reviews of recently published books on military aviation.