Defense Air-to-Air 2016 Aviation Week Photo Contest Finalists
RAF Red Arrows Open America's Cup Sailing Event
Ron F. Richards, Petersfield, UKThe Reds provide close formation display at start of America's Cup qualifying at Porstmouth, England.
Frecce Tricolori Break RIAT Fairford
Stephen Wolf, Antony, FranceThe Frecce Tricolori are world renowned for their smoke, and I found myself perfectly positioned for the horizontal nine-ship break.
French AF Ramex Delta Mirage 2000Ns Break For Landing RIAT Fairford
Stephen Wolf, Antony, FranceThe French Ramex Delta display team made their last appearance at RIAT this year. Here the two Mirage 2000Ns are seen breaking for landing in some very damp conditions at Fairford, UK.
Nose To Nose With Polish Viper
Daniel Adams, New YorkA Polish air force F-16 Viper, fitted with conformal fuel tanks and painted in a special tiger paint scheme, as seen in the skies above RAF Fairford, UK. The Viper was arriving for The Royal International Air Tattoo, the world's largest military air show.
Eagle Eyed Eagle Driver
Daniel Adams, New YorkA U.S. Air Force F-15C Eagle pilot based out of RAF Lakenheath in England, in the air prior to arrival for the 2016 Royal International Air Tattoo.
Sky Full Of Eagles
Daniel Adams, New YorkAn F-15C Eagle is followed close behind by an F-15E Strike Eagle, both based at RAF Lakenheath in England, as they arrive for the 2016 Royal International Air Tattoo. RIAT is the world's largest military air show.
The Sky Is The Limit
Steve Whiston, Newcastle, WashingtonF-18's of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels flying team in a vertical climb.
Moscow, 2016
Leonid Faerberg, MoscowTen Sukhoi fighter jets (four Su-27, four Su-34 and two Su-35) fly in formation over Moscow's hippodrome during a rehearsal for the Victory Day military parade to celebrate the 71st anniversary of the victory in World War II in Moscow,
Dance With The Clouds
Alain Ernoult, St. Remy l’Honore, FranceA Dassault Rafale dances with the clouds.
Douglas A-4N Skyhawk
Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman IslandsBased at Wittmund in Germany and operated by Discovery Air Defence Services, providing dissimilar air combat targets for the Luftwaffe.
One Last Trip
Brent Beck, Rocklin, CaliforniaMy last cross-country training flight in the U.S. Air Force got off to a rocky start. We had a problem with our jet and I was worried we wouldn't be able to go. After an hour delay we had the problem fixed and we were on our way. The delay was fortuitous as it put us over Grand Junction, Colorado, near the end of the golden hour. Everything worked out better than I could have planned.
Desert Thunder
Brian Emch, Lancaster, CaliforniaF/A-18F Super Hornet entering Rainbow Canyon, Death Valley, California.
Low-level Intercept
Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman IslandsEF 2000 Typhoon of TLG 71 Richthofen low over the North Sea.
Polish Air Force F-16D Block 52
Alastair Robertson, Grand Cayman, Cayman IslandsPolish F-16D en route to the KLu Open day at Leeuwarden, Netherlands.
F-16 Viper Demo
Hayman Tam, Belmont, CaliforniaThis F-16 Fighting Falcon enters a high-G maximum performance turn during a demonstration at the California Capital Airshow.
Blue Angel Six Pulling Vapor
Hayman Tam, Belmont, CaliforniaBlue Angels Six extracts a cloud of vapor from the humid Hawaiian air as it pulls up in a climb during a performance at the Kaneohe Bay Airshow.
Thunderous Lightning
Aldo Wicki, Kerzers, SwitzerlandA Royal Navy F-35B Lightning hovering thunderously at RAF Fairford in England during its first ever appearance in Europe.
Thunderous Lightning
Aldo Wicki, Kerzers, SwitzerlandA Royal Navy F-35B Lightning hovering thunderously at RAF Fairford in England during its first ever appearance in Europe.
A Raptor's Wing Beats
Aldo Wicki, Kerzers, SwitzerlandA U.S. F-22A Raptor dominates the skies over southern Britain.
A Raptor's Wing Beats
Aldo Wicki, Kerzers, SwitzerlandA U.S. F-22A Raptor dominates the skies over southern Britain.
German Air Force 60th Anniversary Eurofighter
Aldo Wicki, Kerzers, SwitzerlandCelebrating the German air force's 60th anniversary, a brightly painted Eurofighter rocks through the gray skies.
U.S. Navy's Rolling Hornet
Aldo Wicki, Kerzers, SwitzerlandA U.S. Navy F/A-18D Hornet rolling gallantly with violent thrust.
Bad Guys
Roger Messick, San DiegoF-16 Aggressors.
Northrop F-5E/F Tigers Over Swiss Alps
Peter Lewis, SwitzerlandNorthrop F-5E/F Tigers, Swiss air force
On The Edge
Stuart Sanders, Nanaimo, British ColumbiaFlying the backup jet, 2016 CF-18 Demonstration pilot Capt. Ryan 'Roid' Kean pushes his CF-18 to the edge of the speed of sound during a very damp morning practice at 19 Wing CFB Comox, British Columbia.
Closed Pattern . . . Ram style
Stuart Sanders, Nanaimo, British ColumbiaA CF-18 from 401 TFS 'Rams' carries out an impressive pullup in the closed pattern after returning to 19 Wing CFB Comox, British Columbia, following a local sortie.
Nighthawk In The Closed Left
Stuart Sanders, Nanaimo, British ColumbiaCarrying a full QRA load out, a CF-18 from 409 TFS 'Nighthawks' in the lefthand closed pattern following an impressive low approach before landing at 19 Wing Comox, British Columbia.
Break, Break, Break!!!
James Haseltine, Omaha, NebraskaA three-ship of F-15C's from the 67th Fighter Sqdn. at Kadena AB, Okinawam split away from their formation and release flares, on Jan. 13, 2016.
Eagle On Eagle
James Haseltine, Omaha, NebraskaThe 173rd Fighter Wings flagship F-15C was painted in a stunning paint scheme to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the ORANG on June 23.
Eagle Rising
James Haseltine, Omaha, NebraskaAn F-15C from the 123rd Fighter Sqdn. from the ORANG in Portland, Oregon, climbs high over the training range and releases flares on Dec. 10, 2015.
Lightning In Two's
James Haseltine, Omaha, NebraskaTwo F-35A's from the 62nd Fighter Sqdn. at Luke AFB orbit high over the southern Arizona desert on Nov. 10, 2015.
Eagle Mountain
Evan Peers, Pollock Pines, CaliforniaThe Oregon Air National Guard's 75th anniversary jet makes a low pass into Hillsboro, Oregon, with Mount Hood in the background.
Phantom Pharewell
Richard Mallory Allnutt, Fairfax Station, VirginiaA pair of McDonnell Douglas QF-4 Phantom II aerial targets take off for a final public appearance, before they faced destruction a few weeks later during air-to-air combat training over the western desert.
Winning Photos From 2016 Contest
Photo Contest Home Page: Winning Photos, Bios, More Galleries
Defense Finalists: On The Ground
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