http://www.airforcesmonthly.com #359 FEBRUARY 2018 // 5
training organisation, as Nigel Pittaway explains.
84 FLASHPOINT: Malian
Air Force modernisation
Arnaud Delalande examines the slow
but steady build-up of the Malian Air
Force, a West African air arm that has
overcome great odds to tackle both Tuareg
rebels and al-Qaeda-linked militants.
87 ATTRITION
Dave Allport lists the world’s most recent
military accidents, including a previously
unreported loss of an MQ-1B Predator.
90 COMMANDER’S UPDATE
BRIEFING: Standoff weapons
Air Power Association President, Air
Marshal (Ret’d) Greg Bagwell CB, CBE
recounts the evolution of long-range strike
weapons, which play an increasingly
important role in modern air forces.93 BOOK REVIEWS
AFM evaluates some of the latest
offerings in aviation literature.98 COMING UP
See what’s featuring in your AFM next month.News by region
All the world’s military aviation news,
by region
6-7 Headlines
8-9 United Kingdom
10-12 Continental Europe
14-16 North America
18 Russia & CIS
20-21 Latin America
22 Africa
23 Australasia
24-25 Middle East
28-29 Asia PacificFeatures
3 Comment
AFM’s opinion on the hot topics in military
aviation.30 Taiwan’s maritime patrol
changeover
Roy Choo and Peter Ho detail the withdrawal
of the Taiwanese Tracker as the P-3 Orion is
declared ready for duty.40 Pushing the limits
Roelof-Jan Gort catches up with the Belgian Air
Component’s F-16 demonstration team and
finds out what it takes to be a ‘Viper’ showman.46 Farewell from Bavaria
Lufttransportgeschwader 61 was disbanded
at the end of 2017. Florian Friz visited the
unit’s Landsberg/Lech base during its final
weeks.48 Misawa’s Wild Weasels
Thomas Newdick interviews Colonel R Scott
Jobe, the commander of the 35th Fighter Wing
at Misawa Air Base, Japan, and learns how the
wing’s two F-16 squadrons prepare for their
demanding mission in the turbulent Indo-Asia-
Pacific region.60 A force facing the future
The Qatar Emiri Air Force presented a
glimpse of its growing ambitions during
celebrations marking the Gulf country’s
national day. Alexander Golz reports from
Doha.72 Russia’s tenacious
trainer
Alexander Mladenov reviews the current
state of the Yakovlev Yak-130 Mitten jet
trainer as it becomes established in Russian
service and gathers momentum on the
export stage.80 Turkey’s eye in the sky
Onur Kurç and Tayfun Yaşar look at the
Turkish Air Force’s Boeing 737 airborne early
warning and control (AEW&C) aircraft, which
has overcome early problems to patrol NATO
airspace at home and abroad.94 Britain’s unmanned
ambition
Tim Ripley describes the Royal Air Force
Protector project that will take the UK
remotely piloted air system capability
forward.