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Royal Air Force retires iconic Cold War fighter jets

David Szondy February 5, 2019

A Cold War veteran bowed out today as the last eight Royal Air Force Panavia Tornado strike aircraft retired from active service after 40 years. The swept-winged multi-role fighters touched down at RAF Marham in Norfolk, England after flying back from RAF Akrotiri in Cyprus.

The Tornado served with the RAF for 40 years

Military

RAF Typhoon fighters carry first Mach-4 Meteor missiles on intercept mission

David Szondy December 10, 2018

RAF Typhoon Eurofighters have taken off for the first time on an active mission armed with the latest-generation Meteor air-to-air missiles that are capable of flying at over Mach 4 (2,967 mph, 4,775 km/h).

An RAF Typhoon equipped with Meteor missiles takes off from RAF Lossiemout

Drones

SkyGuardian drone completes historic transatlantic flight

David Szondy July 11, 2018

A SkyGuardian drone made history today by becoming the first Medium-altitude, Long-endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) to complete a transatlantic flight. The unmanned aircraft touched down at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire, England after a 24-hour flight from North Dakota.

The SkyGuardian flew for 24 hours and two minutes on its historic transatlantic flight

Aircraft

SkyGuardian drone to make transatlantic flight

David Szondy June 26, 2018

General Atomics Aeronautical Systems Inc (GA-ASI) is sending an MQ-9B SkyGuardian drone on the first-ever transatlantic flight of a Medium-Altitude, Long-Endurance (MALE) Remotely Piloted Aircraft (RPA) next month.

The MQ-9B will fly from General Atomics' Flight Test and Training Center in Grand Forks, North ...

Military

RAF recreates historic D-Day recon photo

David Szondy June 6, 2014

As part of the 70th-anniversary commemoration, RAF Tornado jets from II (Army Co-operation) Squadron (II (AC) Sqn) recreated that historic D-Day recon mission over Normandy, giving us a glimpse of how far aerial reconnaissance has come in three generations.

D-Day beaches recce photos from 2014 and 1944 (Photo: Ministry of Defence)

Drones

Details of successful first test flight of Taranis UCAV demonstrator revealed

David Szondy February 5, 2014

The UK's Ministry of Defence (MoD) and BAE Systems this week announced details of last year's first test flight of the Taranis unmanned combat demonstrator aircraft, which BAE bills as the "most advanced aircraft ever built by British engineers."

The Taranis test flight was at an undisclosed location outside the UK