Five military highlights for 2024 Farnborough flying display
With the upcoming Farnborough International Airshow just days away from starting, aircraft from across the world are already arriving for what is shaping up to be a spectacular show. From commercial airliners to military jets, aircraft of all shapes and sizes are soon to take flight against Hampshire’s historic backdrop, the birthplace of British aviation.
Taking place on every afternoon of the show, the daily flying display is fantastic opportunity to see a variety of aircraft in action; with the presence of military aircraft in particular a unique opportunity to see fast jets in a setting typically associated with business aviation. Here are five highlights to watch (and listen!) out for during the course of the week.
Royal Danish Air Force F-16
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
50 years after making its first flight in 1974, the F-16 Fighting Falcon is continuing to keep skies safe – most notably in Ukraine, with the US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken having recently confirmed that the type will be operational in the ongoing conflict this summer.
With the Royal Danish Air Force (RDAF) among the nations having recently donated some of its ageing F-16s to Ukraine, the RDAF’s former aerial ambassador – the F-16 E-191 – has now been replaced by this eye-catchingly-attired example. The ‘Dannebrog’ (meaning ‘Danish flag’) aircraft will celebrate not only the F-16’s 50th anniversary but also the RDAF’s inaugural appearance at the show.
“To be able to fly our flag with our new Dannebrog in the UK at the most international air show in the world is a proud moment for the Royal Danish Air Force,” commented RDAF captain Troels Dehli Vang. Denmark currently operates the F-16 alongside the Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II.
Qatari Emirati Air Force Boeing F-15QA
Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday
A year after the type’s airshow debut in Dubai 2023, the Qatari Emiri Air Force will be bringing one of the most advanced F-15 variants to Farnborough in the form of the F-15QA ‘Ababil’. Although the F-15 was first introduced in 1974, the eminently evolved F-15QA – featuring more powerful engines (two P&W F100-PW-229s), an advanced AESA radar, cutting-edge avionics, additional hardpoints, a new Head-Up-Display and single wide-area display for the pilot – make this iteration a force to be reckoned with.
The F-15QA forms the basis for the F-15EX and was itself based around the F-1FSA for Saudia Arabia, the first platform to integrate the F-15QA’s fly-by-wire control system. The Qatari Emiri Air Force originally ordered 36 units in 2017, with the foreign military sales contract with Boeing estimated to be worth over $46.13 billion.
RAF / USAF Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II
Monday, Friday
Although one of the biggest attributes of the Lockheed Martin multi-role F-35 aircraft is undoubtedly its stealth capability, all eyes were on the aircraft during its 2016 Farnborough debut – just weeks after touching down in the UK for the first time. This year, a Royal Air Force (RAF) performance on the Monday will be joined by a United States Air Force (USAF) example performing a flyby on the Friday.
With the platform capable of conducting air-to-surface, electronic warfare, intelligence gathering and air-to-air missions simultaneously, the F-35 is available in three configurations: the conventional take-off and landing F-35A, the S/VTOL-capable F-35B, and the F-35C carrier variant. However, it’s actually the third ‘Lightning’ to see RAF service (after the Lockheed P-38 and English Electric Lightning, with a static example of the latter on display around the corner at the Farnborough Air Science Trust Museum).
Turkish Aerospace Industries Gökbey
Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday
Another international airshow debut from Turkish Aerospace, the Gökbey (meaning ‘Sky Man’) is Turkey’s first indigenous multirole helicopter. Designed with civil and military missions in mind, the six-tonne, twin-engine, medium-lift platform was developed in response to growing market demand in collaboration with Turkish defence corporation Aelsan.
United States Air Force B-52H Stratofortress
Wednesday, Friday
Having last made an appearance at Farnborough International Airshow 2012, the B-52H Stratofortress is sure to turn heads at this year’s event as one of 13 aircraft the US military will be displaying this year. With its first flight occurring in 1960, before entering into service in 1961 with the US Air Force, it is the only variant in service today.
The B-52H had the same crew and structural changes as the B-52G with its most significant upgrade being the switch to TF33-P-3 turbofan engines. In addition, the ECM and avionics were updated, a new fire control system was fitted, and the rear defensive armament was changed from machine guns to a 20 mm M61 Vulcan cannon although this was removed in the 1990s. The final 18 aircraft were manufactured with provision for the ADR-8 countermeasures rocket, which was later retrofitted to the remainder of the B-52G and B-52H fleet.
All flying display participants are subject to operational requirements and weather minima. A full list of aircraft attending can be found here.
