Combat Aircraft Monthly (UK) Feb 2012 torrent

Japan F-X competition puts F-35 in the frame; Switzerland goes for Gripen; RQ-170 down in Iran

PLUS! Special reports on NATO E-3 missions over Libya; Mexican Black Hawks and German Navy Sea Kings

FRONT LINE
Our hard-hitting regular column by Robert F. Dorr

ATLANTIC TIGERS, 53º SOUTH
The Fuerza Aérea de Chile (FACh) has relocated its F-5E/F Tigre III fleet to Punta Arenas — as Cees-Jan van der Ende reports from the world’s most southerly fighter base

POLAND’S HELIBORNE HORSEMEN
At the turn of the 21st century the Polish Army decided to return to its cavalry traditions and form a joint Army and Air Force unit — 25th Air Cavalry Brigade. Bartosz Bera and Krzysztof Zieliński join the Heliborne Horsemen

THE DRAGON’S WINGS
PLAAF expert Andreas Rupprecht brings us another exclusive report from China; detailing the small but powerful bomber force, its vital fleet of aerial tankers and dwindling number of archaic maritime patrol amphibians

SO THAT OTHERS MAY LIVE
Neil Pearson visits two vital US Marine Corps units that provide search and rescue support to both the military and local civilian agencies, employing two very different helicopter types

THE ITALIAN JOB
Giovanni Colla had the privilege to embed with the Italian Joint Air Task Force based at Forward Support Base Herat to analyze the hard work of the Italian AF and Navy within Afghanistan’s Regional Command West

AN AFFORDABLE FORCE?
Everywhere you look, the high cost of fighters is having a major impact on world air forces, big and small. With Switzerland having selected the Saab Gripen in preference to heavyweight competition Jon Lake evaluates the likelihood of a renaissance for the lightweight fighter concept

APACHE STRIKES FROM THE SEA
This first-ever offensive operation by UK Army Air Corps (AAC) Apache AH1 attack helicopters from a warship started in the early hours of June 4, 2011 and was the start of a two-month-long campaign against Libyan targets as Tim Ripley details

‘GRIZZLY’ BACK ON TRACK
Think of the A400M and delays, cost overruns and technical problems inevitably spring to mind. Airbus Military insists the A400M is still on course for a 2013 initial service entry and, more importantly, that it will be a very effective aircraft for its customers as Mark Broadbent discovers

CUTTING EDGE
Combat Aircraft’s monthly column reporting from the front line of aerospace technology, by David Axe