Euro ghter EF2000 31+00 has received a
special paint scheme for the forthcoming
NATO Tiger Meet, which is being held in
Poland for the rst time. The jet – operated by
Germany’s Taktisches Luftwaffengeschwader
74 (TaktLwG 74) ‘Bavarian Tigers’, based
at Neuburg in Bavaria – is being called
the ‘Ghost Tiger’. It made its maiden ight
wearing the new design on April 16. NATO
Tiger Meet 2018 is being held at Krzesiny,
Poznañ, from May 14 to 25.Euro ghter EF2000 31+00 in its new ‘Ghost
Tiger’ livery. Mathias GrägelGerman Eurofi ghter Ready for Tiger Meet
Kuwait Buys
Super Hornets
Kuwait has placed an order with Boeing for
22 F/A-18E and six F/A-18F Super Hornets
in a contract worth up to $1.16bn. The
deal – announced by the US Department
of Defense on March 30 – includes
engineering development work, upgraded
radar warning receivers and armament.
The aircraft are expected to be delivered by
2022 and will eventually replace the Kuwait
Air Force’s ageing F/A-18C/D Hornets.Former RAF C-130J
for Blue Angels
A former RAF Lockheed Martin C-130J
Hercules is set to replace the US Naval Flight
Demonstration Squadron Blue Angel’s C-130T
support aircraft. The latter has been grounded
since a US Marine Corps variant crashed
in July 2017. Acquisition of the C-130J is
intended to avoid a gap in logistical support of
the ight demonstration squadron.McDonnell Douglas CF-188 Hornet
188776, the RCAF’s demonstration
team aircraft for 2018, has received new
markings that honour the 60th anniversary
of the North American Aerospace Defense
Command (NORAD). For this year's
season the demonstration will be own byCapt Stefan Porteous, who was
most recently assigned to 433 Tactical
Fighter Squadron at 3 Wing CFB
Bagotville, Quebec.Final Cruise for US Navy’s ‘Classic’ Hornets
The US Navy’s nal McDonnell Douglas
F/A-18C Hornet deployment was completed
when strike ghter squadron VFA-34 returned
to NAS Oceana, Virginia, on April 11. TheBlue Blasters Hornets departed Oceana in
January with Carrier Air Wing 2 aboard the
USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). During the three
months at sea, VFA-34 ew 653 sorties andracked up more than 1,044 ight hours. The
unit will be the last to convert to the F/A-18E
Super Hornet when it begins its transition to
the type later this year.RAAF C-27 Order Completed
The tenth and nal Leonardo-built C-27J
Spartan battle eld airlifter has been delivered
to the RAAF. A special ceremony marked
the occasion on March 18 at RAAF Base
Richmond, New South Wales, and the aircraft
has been assigned to 35 Sqn.
After check ights at Leonardo’s Turin-
Caselle facility in Italy, RAAF C-27Js were
own to L3 Aerospace Systems/Platform
Integration in Waco, Texas. As a primary
contractor for the RAAF, L3 undertooksystems integration for the C-27Js before
delivery to Australia.
Minister for Defence Marise Payne, and
Minister for Defence Industry, Christopher
Pyne, both attended the event at Richmond.
Minister Payne said: “The Spartan provides
exibility to defence operations, allowing us to
land at air elds that are smaller or unsuitable
for our much larger transport aircraft like the
C-130J Hercules and C-17A Globemaster.
The Spartan can carry up to ve tons of cargoand is capable of moving troops, equipment
and supplies; conducting aero-medical
evacuation missions and conducting airdrops.”
Although 35 Sqn currently operates the
Spartan eet from Richmond, it is due to move
to Amberley, Queensland early next year. “The
relocation to Amberley will allow the squadron
to work from facilities purpose-built for the
Spartan, and to be more responsive when
deploying across Australia and into the Asia
Paci c [region],” minister Payne said.http://www.aviation-news.co.uk 7NORAD Scheme for
Display CF-
The Hornet’s new livery was seen in public
for the rst time at 4 Wing/CFB Cold Lake,
Alberta, on April 3. RCAF/MSgt John Gordinier06-08_military_newsDC.mfDC.mfDC.indd 7 04/05/2018 11: