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.

Often incorrectly reported as an Madagascar AF helicopter, 5R-MVF was for a few years operated by SONAVAM ("Societe Nationale d'Aviation à Madagascar"). Owned by the clan of former longterm president Didier Ratsiraka, the helicopter was used for who knows what. In 2002, when Ratsiraka and his relatives fled the country after having lost the 2001 presidental election, several SONAVAM helicopters were abandoned at Ivato Aeroport, slowly falling apart. Started life as "945" with the German Democratic Republic (DDR), then 93+52 with the Bundesheer and finally LY-HAX before becoming 5R-MVF.

After I-ROBS, I-TRGT is the 2nd AW169 operated by AirGreen and only had some 25 flight hours when pictured here returning to the HEMS base in Alessandria, where it was temporarly stationed. An AW139 is scheduled to take it's place in early 2025, and I-TRGT (built in 2024) will then mostlikely move to a new HEMS base in Sarzana/La Spezia. Four italian helicopter operators (AirGreen, Avincis, Elifriaulia and Alidaunia) share among them the contracts to maintain Italy's 40+ HEMS bases, operating a variaty of helicopters such as AW139, AW169, EC135, H145 and a few A109's.

This 1978 built Hercules was the 1st "civilian" L-100-30 delivered to the TNI-AU. It was initially assigned to Skadron Udara 31 based at Halim and around the year 2000 transferred to VIP Skadron Udara 17, also based at Halim. SkU 17 is tasked with supporting the transport of Government officials and operates another C-130H-30 serialled A-1341 (c/n 4870) in the same paint scheme. Some five Boeing 737's of different versions are also assigned to Sku 17, while the AS-332 helicopters previously operated by the squadron as well have been assigned to newly established Skadron Udara 45 around 2010.

In May 2024, the aviation unit of Trento's firebrigade replaced it's sole AS350 helicopter (I-TNAA) and a 2nd leased unit with two brand new H125's. Besides I-CRLT shown here, c/n 9584 was also taken on strength as I-MRLM. Trento is an autonomous province and maintains five helicopters of it's own, which it uses for various aerial work of public interest (SAR, HEMS, fire fighting duties, environmental flights, etc.). Both new H125 are equipped with a dual hydraulic system, externally visible by the slightly higher Main Gear Box and Engine cowlings versus the standard AS350/H125.

Having been under Soviet Union and North Korean influence since the late 1970's, Madagascar in due course started to operate a small fleet of various russian built aircraft and helicopters. Among them were six AN-26 registered 5R-MUG, -MUK, -MUL, -MUM, -MUN and -MUO. A 7th airframe - 5R-MUP pictured here - was delivered to the Madagascar AF in March of 1999 but was already withdrawn from use around 2005. The 1979 built aircraft is former CCCP-26672 with Aeroflot and RA-26672 with Kuban Airlines respectively.

In September of 1996, three former Canadian Armed Forces CF-5D dual seaters were delivered to Botswana (serialled OJ21 to OJ23), followed by two more in June of 2000 (OJ24 and OJ25). In addition, 11 ex CAF single seat CF-5's were also taken on strength by the Botswana DF, with deliveries happening in three batches: 5 aircraft in March 1997 (OJ1 to OJ5), another 5 in October of 1997 (OJ6 to OJ10) and finally the 11th in June of 2000 (OJ11). Canada operated 89 Canadair built CF-5's and 46 CF-5D's between 1968 and 1995, and OJ25 shown here is former CF-116D "116831".

The same month the first two new H145 were delivered to the Sécurité Civile in December of 2021 - among them F-ZBQN - a 2nd batch of two more were ordered. Then in January 2024, the French Ministry of Interior announced an order for 42 more H145, of which the SC will get 36, while the Gendarmerie Nationale will get 6. The Sécurité Civile maintains 23 helicopter bases spread throughout France and its overseas territories, using callsign DRAGON followed by the number of the département in which the base is located. Thus, F-ZBQN operates as Dragon 74.