Alert 5

The Royal New Zealand Air Force (RNZAF) is bidding farewell to its venerable fleet of C-130H Hercules transport aircraft after six decades of service. The official retirement date for the five-strong fleet was Friday, Jan. 30th, 2025, marking the end of an era for the workhorse aircraft that have served New Zealand both at home and around the globe. To commemorate their service, the Hercules fleet has recently conducted flypasts over Northland and the central North Island, and has scheduled further flypasts over the South Island for Monday and Tuesday, next week.

Corporal Naomi James, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Continue reading “RNZAF C-130H Hercules retires after 60 years of service”

The Japan Air Self-Defense Force (JASDF) is deploying its advanced F-35A stealth fighter jets for a joint training exercise with the United States and Australia near Guam this February. This marks the first time the JASDF has dispatched the F-35A to the Cope North exercise, and is being called the “first gathering of F-35s from all three countries”.

防衛省・自衛隊ホームページ, CC BY 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons
Continue reading “Japan to deploy F-35A to Cope North for the first time”