During it's first visit to Switzerland's capital, this C-40C had Gen. Daniel R. Hokanson, the Chief of the US National Guard Bureau, on board. The working visit focused on possibilities to enhance training cooperation between the different military service models the US and Switzerland persue. The talks seemed to have been bearing fruit, as 2024 saw a rise of US military helicopters visiting Switzerland for joint alpine mountain training. Thus, three US Army CH47's based in Wiesbaden (Germany) deployed to Payerne AB in May 2024, followed by two USAF UH-60's from Italy in October 2024.

Established in 1983, Aircalin is the international airline of New Caledonia, a french overseas territory. Over the years, the airline operated a nice mix of aircraft, ranging from SE-210 Caravelles, DHC-6 Twin Otters, ATR-42's, Boeing 737 and 767, plus Airbus A310, A319, A320 and A330. The first long-haul flight was inaugurated in 2000, serving Osaka with a single Airbus A310. As of December 2024, the airline operates two Airbus A320 and two A330-941 Neo, one of them being F-ONEO built and delivered in July of 2019. Congrats to the airline for the nice paint scheme!

Founded in 1970 by swedish company Salenia and Loftleidir Air Cargo, Cargolux became one of the best known, most successful and biggest cargo airline. In 1980, Cargolux received its 1st B747 freighter, which in due course became the only aircraft type operated by the airline. A total of not less than sixty-seven B747 of various versions were operated by Cargolux, with a total of 29 remaining in its fleet by December 2024, compromising of fourteen B747-800 and fifteen B747-400 like LX-SCV shown here. The cargo version of the -400 has - compared to the passenger version - a shorter upper deck.

Operated by Abyssinian Flight Services (AFS), founded in 1999, which is a private Ethiopian air charter operator based in Addis Ababa. Operating several Cessna 208 Grand Caravan aircraft, it provides international and domestic non-scheduled commercial air transport services around the Horn of Africa. One of AFS's customers is the UN Humanitarian Air Service and the WFP, flying relief workers and goods to Southern Ethiopia, as can be seen here on ET-AOF (built & delivered new to AFS in 2011, test registration N62173). In 2007, AFS also established Ethiopia's first private pilot training school.

Air Greenland became a DHC-8 operator in April of 2010, taking delivery of it's first two 2nd hand aircraft that month (OY-GRG & OY-GRH). The fleet grew to eight airframes by 2015, and a 9th DHC-8 (OY-GRR) was taken on strength in May 2023. As of December 2024, eight remain in service: OY-GRI was w/o after a landing accident in January of 2014. OY-GRM shown here is a 1996 built airframe previously flying for Mesa Airlines / America West Express as N434YV before joining Air Greenland in April 2014.

The AW189, the S-92 and the EC225 are the undisputed kings of ultra long offshore SAR operations. The data of EC225 EC-MCR shown here are impressive: the max TOW stands at 11'160 kg, of which 2'772 kg can be fuel (internal 2'044 kg, 2 x 250 kg in the main landing gear sponsons plus 2 x 113 kg in external tanks mounted fwd of the cabin doors). Equipped with floats, a dual hoist, a search and weather radar, an Electro Optical System (E.O.S) and a strong searchlight, the aircraft has a flight endurance of up to 5.5 hours and is thus well suited to perform 24/7 day and night SAR duties.

Founded in 2021 and starting to operate scheduled low cost passenger flights within Europe in July of 2022, Aero Italia as of November 2024 operates eight 2nd hand Boeing 737-800 aircraft. 9H-MDG seen here on approach to Alghero was built in May 2008 and has initially been operated by Japan Airlines / JAL Express as JA313J. Further stations were with Icelease as VQ-BDZ, then as SU-TMO with FlyEgypt, finally VP-CBS with Sahara Aircraft Leasing before joining the Aero Italia fleet in August 2024.

In 2019, Portugal became the 2nd country to order the brandnew and promising KC-390 transporter. Signing the 1st export contract for five aircraft, Portugal's KC-390 are to replace the country's aging C-130H Hercules fleet. The 1st Portuguese KC-390 serialled "26901" was delivered on October 16, 2023, with the 2nd one (pictured here) following on June 27, 2024. Besides a KC-46, some support C-17's and six F-15's from the USAF, "26902" was the only European Air Arm aircraft participating in CRUZEX 2024.

CRUZEX 2024 saw the participation of several Tankers from South American Air Forces, among them this KC-130H from Argentina. Of the 17 Argentinian AF C-130/L-100 Hercules operated over the years, only two are tankers (TC-69 and TC-70). The pair was also the last of an initial batch of ten (TC-61 to TC-70) delivered new to Argentina between November 1968 and May 1979. A civilian L-100-30 (TC-100) joined the fleet in late 1998, while five 2nd hand C-130B's (TC-56 to TC-60) were obtained from the USAF as from 1994. The 17th a/c, also an ex USAF C-130H, became "TC-60" (2.) in June 2023.

A total of 12 CN-295M were delivered new to the Brazilian AF between 2006 and 2009, of which "2800" (of the "ARARA" squadron) shown here was the first one. Desginated the C-105A "Amazonas" in Brazilian service, 11 remain in service with either the 1°/9°GAv "Arara" squadron at Manaus-Ponta Pelada or the 1°/15°GAv "Onca" squadron at Campo Grande. "2808" was written off after a landing accident at Surucucu (SWUQ) on February 27, 2016. An additional three SC-105 Amazonas (C-295MPA), specialized for SAR flights, joined the fleet between 2016 and 2020 (serialled 6550, 6551 & 6552).

As of November 2024, Chile is - besides Venezuela - the only South American country operating F-16's. In the early 2000's, the Fuerza Aérea de Chile ordered an initial 10 Block 50 aircraft under the "Peace Puma" FMS program. The order consisted of six F-16C (serialled 851 to 856) and four F-16D (serialled 857 to 860). "857" shown here on approach to Natal during CRUZEX 2024 was US FY # 02-6036 and was delivered to Chile in September of 2006, after having been used for initial crew training in the US as from around August 2005.

Asas de Socorro - founded in 1955 - is a christian-humanitarian flight service with the purpose of serving remote communities throughout Brazil. As of November 2024, Asas operates two Cessna 172's for basic pilot training out of Anapolis, where it's headquarter is also located. Having a brazilian ANAC Part 145 maintenance approval and calling a big hangar its own, Asas is well set-up to maintain it's five Cessna 206 and a single Cessna 210 aircraft. The latter two types are the ones carrying out the humanitarian flights from two bases further north. A Cessna 206, PT-MMS, is operated on floats.

US FY 160186, to Kuwait AF in 1977, becoming "807". As from August 1990, the Free Kuwait AF operated it out of King Abdul Aziz AB (Dhahran, Saudi Arabia) for a few month during the 1st Gulf War. Kuwait sold it to the Brazilian Navy in 1997, together with 19 other A-4KU and three dual seater TA-4KU Skyhawks. Redesignated to AF-1 in Brazil and operated by VF-1. This airframe is one of only five Skyhawks remaining in service with the Marinha as of November 2024, and participated in CRUZEX 2024 togehter with dual seater AF-1 "N-1021". The Skyhawks are based at São Pedro da Aldeia.

Delivered on September 27, 2024, "2859" pictured here is the 7th KC-390 for the Brazilian AF. The initial plan was to operate 28 KC-390's, but budget restraints due to the Covid pandemic forced the Government to reduce the number to 19. Less than 10 years after its maiden flight in February 2015 and first entering service with the Brazilian AF in September 2019, the type has a promising future, with a few former C-130 Hercules operators already opting for the state-of-the-art KC-390 instead of the Super Hercules. Note the two Cobham 912E air refueling pod systems under the outer wings.

One of 11 Dual Seater AMX built for the Brazilian AF, and only one of two later modified to A-1BM standard. Between November 2 and 6, 2003, "5654" pictured here during CRUZEX 2024 was part of an ultra long 8000 km roundtrip mission dubbed "Operation Princess of the Pampas". Undertaken by five AMX's based at Santa Maria, the formation met five F-5E's in Manaus, from where four of each a/c type conducted a bombing run on a clandestine airstrip close to the Columbian border. After the smoke had cleared, the airstrip, regularly used by Columbian FARC rebels and drug traffickers, was no more.

In total, the Brazilian AF received 56 AMX ground attack aircraft as from 1989. They were all manufactured locally and designated the A-1A (single seat version), of which Brazil got 45, while the dual seater became the A-1B (11 units delivered). In the early 2000's, Embraer was tasked with an upgrade program, eventually leading to at least 11 airframes being modified to A-1AM (nine airframes) and A-1BM (two aircraft). The fate of the AMX in Brazil is sealed, the remaining aircraft will be retired by 2025. Note the Litening pod under the fuselage of 5523, operated by the "Poker" squadron.

The Peruvian AF operates 20 Korean Aerospace KT-1. The 1st four were built in South Korea, while the rest were assembled in Peru by the SEMAN SAC workshops at the Las Palmas AB (Lima) between 2014 and 2016. Twelve aircraft wear an orange / white high visibility paint scheme of the KT-1P "Torito" for training purposes, while the remaining eight are KA-1P kept in the stunning camo livery depicted on 437. A recent online report suggests that by 2025, the Peruvian AF is ready and willing to start using them for counter-narcotics missions and against drug trafficking aircraft.

Supporting three Paraguay AF EMB-312 Tucano's during CRUZEX 2024 was this 2004 built Casa 212. It's the last of five taken on strength by the small Air Force, with the first four of the version Casa 212-200 already delivered in June and July of 1984 (serialled 2027, 2029, 2031 and 2033). All seem to remain in service at the time of upload and are under the command of the "Grupo de Transporte Aereo" (GTA), and assigned to the "Servicio de Transporte Aéreo Militar" (SETAM).

The Peruvian AF became a Hercules operator in 1972, taking delivery of 6 new built L-100-20 Hercules aircraft till 1981. As from 1993, six 2nd hand ex USAF C-130A's were handed over to Peru. Finally, two KC-130H formerly operated by the Spanish AF joined the Peruvian AF fleet in September 2020, among them "393" seen here (ex TK.10-10, code 31-53). "393" is actually the 2nd Peruvian Hercules to carry that serial (after C-130A, 57-0455, c/n 3162). Arriving here at Natal from a flight from Lima to participate - and to support the five Peruvian AF KT-1P's also taking part - in CRUZEX 2024.

N952JH has been built (remanufactured) in 2003, hence it's c/n in the 9000 range. It joined the LASD in July of 2011, having previously been registered N588AE. Supporting law enforcement duties, the helicopters are sometimes also called for rescue missions (SAR). As such, one AS332 is usually deployed to Barley Flat's during the day, an operating base in the mountains northeast of LA. However, being located at 5'600 ft AMSL, the weather did not permit the heli to reach the base the day this picture was taken, and therefore, it diverted to Brackett Field instead, standing-by from there.