Romanian Air Force

The Romanian Air Force (Romanian: Forţele Aeriene Române) is the air force branch of the Romanian Armed Forces It has an air force headquarters, an operational command, four air bases and an air defense brigade. Reserve forces include two air bases and three airfields.
As part of the International Security Assistance Force in Afghanistan, the Romanian Air Force currently controls the Kabul International Airport.
Around 2007, the Romanian Air Force employed 13,250 personnel

The Romanian Air Force modernized 110 MiG 21 LanceRs, in cooperation with Israel between 1993 and 2002. Today, 48 of these MiG 21 LanceRs are operational [1]. The Romanian Air Force also operates C-130 Hercules, An-26s transport planes and IAR-330 Puma helicopters. IAR-330 PUMA SOCAT helicopters have been modernized by the Romanian Aviation Industry in cooperation with Elbit Systems (Israel) for attack missions. The Romanian Air Force also includes native-made IAR-99 Şoim jet planes, in general only used for training of the young pilots. The remaining MiG-29s have been removed from service in 2003.
Due to the old age of the MIGs, the Romanian Air Force will acquire 48 Eurofighter Typhoon, Saab JAS 39 Gripen or F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters planes within 2010-2012. [2]. Seven C-27J Spartan tactical airlift aircraft have been ordered for delivery, all of them will arrive until 2012[3]
The current chief of the Romanian Air Force Staff , since March 2007 (after the discharge of General Gheorghe Catrina[4] ) is General locotenent Constantin Croitoru.http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanian_Air_Force

Swedish Air Force

The Swedish Air Force (Swedish: Flygvapnet) is the air force branch of the Swedish Armed Forces.
History
The Swedish Air Force was created on July 1, 1926 when the aircraft units of the Army and Navy were merged. Because of the escalating international tension during the 1930s the Air Force was reorganized and expanded from four to seven squadrons. When World War II broke out in 1939 further expansion was initiated and this substantial expansion was not finished until the end of the war. Although Sweden never entered the war, a large air force was considered necessary to ward off the threat of invasion and to resist pressure through military threats from the great powers. By 1945 the Swedish Air Force had over 800 combat-ready aircraft, including 15 fighter divisions.
A major problem for the Swedish Air Force during World War Two was the lack of fuel. Sweden was surrounded by countries at war and could not rely on imported oil. Instead domestic oil shales were heated to produce the needed petrol.

Austrian Air Force

The Austrian Air Force is a small but efficient air arm, formed by the Austrian Staatsvertrag signed in May 1955 by the USA, former Soviet Union, Great Britain, France and Austria. This was the premise for the full sovereignty of Austria and therefore the creation of the Armed Forces. There were some restrictions in the Staatsvertrag concerning armed forces. The most important for the Air Force was the so called Raketenverbot, which made it impossible for Austria to have A/G and A/A missiles till the early nineties. The Luftabteilung was created on 13 September 1955. Basic flying training for the Fliegerdivision began in December 1955 using Yak 11 Moose and Yak 18 Max aircraft which were given as a present by the former Soviet-Union. They were delivered in crates by rail in mid November 1955. They were assembled by Austrians with two Russian officers. The first flight with an Austrian roundel took place at 9 December 1955 at 10:01 am. The Yak's were used to train war experienced pilots as instructors. The Yak 18 came later to Linz-Hörsching for formation flying training. The regular training of young pilots started in March 1957 at Zeltweg with the Piper PA-18

The Austrian politicians hoped that the Air Force would receive a large number of aircraft from the USA (without any costs under the MAP), as the army got equipment and weapons. They were wrong. Austria had to buy its first aircraft consisting of PA-18, Zlin 126, Cessna 172/182, Vampire. Magister, Alouette II and S-55. Only Italy donated five Fiat G-46's. Until between 1958 and 1960 Austria purchased under the MAP (Military Assistence Program) 62 aircraft, but with no fighters.

Royal Netherlands Air Force

By Royal Decreet, the Royal Netherlands Air Force ( RNlAF )was installed on the 1st of July 1913. It started with a single leased 'Brik', an updated Farman biplane, one commander and three pilots. They operated from Soesterberg which is still one of the active airbases of the RNlAF. More aircraft arrived and the RNlAF made its start as a professional air force. During the First World War, the Netherlands remained neutral politically and was unable to obtain a large amount of aircraft. However, as lots of foreign planes made an emergency landing on Dutch soil, these aircraft were confiscated and bought. Consequently, at the end of the First World War, the RNlAF had obtained 71 planes, all different types by different manufacturers. With more active aircraft, there was also a need for more airfields. New airbases were build at Gilze-Rijen, Venlo, Vlissingen and at Schiphol.
In the Interbellum, the RNlAF was equipped with aircraft locally built by Dutch manufacturers like Spyker, Koolhoven and Fokker. From 1921 and on, the red-white-blue roundel was introduced, replacing the orange roundel

Polish Air Force

Polish Air Force (Siły Powietrzne Rzeczypospolitej Polskiej, Siły Powietrzne RP - Air Forces of the Polish Republic) is the air force branch of the Polish Armed Forces. Until 1 July 2004 it was officially known as Wojska Lotnicze i Obrony Powietrznej (literally: Air and Air Defence Forces, the name existing from 1990). It consists of 40,000 officers and enlisted personnel, distributed among 22 bases throughout Poland.
From 1 December 1918 to present an insignia of the Polish Air Force aircraft is the white and red checkerboard, in 1993 its order of colours was inverted.
Basic aircraft units in the Polish Air Force were traditionally called eskadra (escadre), bigger units, consisting of several escadres - dywizjon, which could create pułk (regiment) or brygada (brigade). There is some inconsistency with English terminology, because dywizjon is often translated as squadron, which is an equivalent of escadre

Hellenic Air Force

The Hellenic Air Force (HAF) (in Greek: Πολεμική Αεροπορία (ΠΑ), Polemikí Aeroporía, literally "Military Aviation") is the air force of Greece. The mission of the Hellenic Air Force is to guard and protect Greek airspace, provide air assistance and support to the Hellenic Army and the Hellenic Navy, as well as the provision of humanitarian aid in Greece and around the world.
During the period of monarchy (1911-1922) & (1935-1974) the force was known as the Royal Hellenic Air Force (HRAF), (Ελληνική Βασιλική Αεροπορία (EBA), Ellinikí Vasilikí Aeroporía).
The motto of the Hellenic Air Force is "Αίεν Υψικρατείν" (Aien Ypsikratein), Always Dominate the Heights, and the HAF ensign represents a flying eagle in front of the Hellenic Air Force roundel. The Hellenic Air Force is one of the three branches of the Hellenic Armed Forces.

In 1911 the Greek Government appointed French specialists to form the Hellenic Aviation Service. Six Greek officers were sent to France for training, while the first four "Farman" type aircraft were ordered.All of the six graduated from the Farman school in Etampes near Paris,but only four served subsequently in aviation. The first civiliaa Greek aviator who was given military rank was Emmanouil Argyropoulos, who flew in a Nieuport IV.G. "Alkyon" aircraft, on February 8, 1912.

Georgian Air Force

While Georgia's military has grown since its post-modern independence in 1991, its expansion has primarily been focused on its Army. The Georgian Air Force, approximately 1,000 personnel total in 1995, had grown only to approximately 1,350 personnel by the beginning of 2008. Purchases of additional and newer equipment were small.
The core of Georgia's air force centered on a small number of Sukhoi Su-25 attack aircraft. Georgia had been home to State Aircraft Factory 31, established in Tblisi in 1970, which manufacturered the Su-25 aircraft after 1984. While the Georgians were quick to assume control of the plant in 1991, it had ceased operations prior to then and much of the equipment removed. While the Georgians eventually assembled some of the aircraft that had been abandoned at the plant, they lacked even appropriate paint, operating them initially in whatever camoflage scheme they had been found in, or without a finish at all. Reports of a small number of Su-17 attack aircraft and Mig-21U fighter aircraft also appear, though these may have also been at Factory 31, unassembled. The Georgians were said to have kept in storage a number of unassembled aircraft found at the plant after independence. By 2001 the Su-17s were listed as still in inventory, but not operational by the International Institute for Strategic Studies' publication The Military Balance. A small number of Mi-8/17 helicopters were also impressed into Georgian service, likely in various states of operational readiness.

Hungarian Air Force

Leonard van den Broek, Four Aces Aviation Photography reports on the Hungarian Airshow 2007, held at Kecskemet Airbase on 11-12 August. Photos by Lucien Blok, Leonard van den Broek and Paul Mali, Four Aces Aviation Photography
Although the weather forecast wasn't very postitive for the day, the Saturday of the seventh Kecskemet Airshow started off quite sunny. Located some fifty miles southeast of Budapest, Kecskemet Air Base is home to the 59th Fighter Wing, Hungarian Air Force. The airshow promised to be a good opportunity to see some new Hungarian Gripens, as well as what's left of the old Soviet-built stuff. Some interesting neighbouring countries had been invited - even

Belgian Air Force

The first Belgian fixed wing aircraft were assigned to the "Compagnie des Ouvries et Aérostiers", a department within the Army which was formed on 31 October 1910. They received their first airplane, a Farman, on 5 May 1911 with the first flight also on this date. When Belgium got involved in the First World War, the military aviation branche consisted of 4 squadrons equipped with different types of Farman aircraft. In march 1915, the Compagnie was renamed as Militair Vliegwezen and had been expanded to 6 squadrons. Just before the outbreak of the Second World War the Militair Vliegwezen had three active Air Force Regiments flying Renards, Fiat CR42, Hurricanes, Gladiators and Fairey Foxes and Battles. During WW II, the Belgian Military Aviation was active as the "Belgische Luchtvaartsektie" within the Royal Air Force.

Portuguese Air Force

The Portuguese Air Force (PoAF) (Portuguese: Força Aérea Portuguesa, FAP) is the air force of Portugal. Formed on July 1, 1952, with the Aeronáutica Militar (Army Aviation) and Aviação Naval (Naval Aviation) united in a single independent Air Force, it is one of the three branches of the Portuguese Armed Forces and its origins dates back to 1912, when the military aviation began to be used in Portugal, later leading to the creation of the Army and Navy's aviation services.
Its Aerobatic display teams are the Asas de Portugal jet aircraft display team and the Rotores de Portugal helicopter display team