2017 Tanagra, Greece

Anti-ship capabilities provided by Greek Dassault Mirage 2000s are a vital NATO asset in the increasingly contested waters of the Mediterranean. Few squadrons in the alliance are assigned this over-water mission, making the jets a prized component in the defence of Europe’s southern flank. The French-built Mirage 2000 has been in Hellenic Air Force (HAF) service since the late 1980s, but upgrades are doubtful because of the country’s continuing financial woes.

2017 Axalp, Switzerland

Imagine a couple of F/A-18 Hornets flying in close formation, with afterburners screaming through a valley, vapor forming over the wings and fuselage, dispensing flares, with snow-capped rugged mountain in the background. That is one image that was etched in my memory for a long long time – after seeing it for the first time on an online watering hole for aviation photographers called Fencecheck.com. I never imagined myself traveling internationally to air shows around the world, but I had put that on my bucket list anyways.

2018 Farnborough, UK

Farnborough International Airshow 2018 | The Trade Show

With the previous airshow in 2016 infamous and remembered due to monsoon rainfall, the warm temperatures and clear skies were a welcome change this year. As the crowds descended upon Tag Aviation’s Farnborough airport, the advice was to keep a bottle of water handy, as the temperatures hovered around the 30 degree mark for the entirety of the event.

2018 Frisian Flag, The Netherlands

Exercise Frisian Flag 2018 took place at the Koninklijke Luchtmacht (KLu) – Royal Netherlands Air Force base at Leeuwarden between the 9th and 20th April 2018. Situated in the northern province of Friesland the base provides easy access to the northern ranges at Vliehors as well as the training areas over the North Sea, vital for air combat manoeuvres and in flight refueling.