The first of three An-32s for the Prince Hashem Bin Abdullah II brigade is seen at its Amman-Marka base. The unit’s aircraft wear the SOCOM badge rather than an RJAF roundel.

Delays to the overhaul and modernisation of Serbia’s Mikoyan MiG-29 Fulcrum fleet have prevented the aircraft from formally rejoining the 101 Fighter Squadron, as they are still undergoing tests. An initial five are being upgraded in Russia to allow them to use International Civil Aviation Organisation standard navigation and communication equipment under a $50.1 million (£25.7 million) deal. The fighters are being returned to operational standard to maintain pilot proficiency before a new type is purchased. Pictured is MiG-29 Fulcrum-A 18101, one of the modernised examples in the new camouflage scheme with low-visibility insignias, participated in the airshow at Cenej airfield, some 50 miles (80km) north-west of Belgrade in Serbia on June 1, 2008.

Delivery of Canada's final pair of CC-177 Globemaster Ills completes the revitalisation of its armed forces' heavylift capability. Both of the new aircraft were delivered with LAIRCM in place, while the original two have now gone to San Antonio to have defensive systems installed.

The first two Lockheed Martin F-22A Raptors for the 49th Fighter Wing at Holloman AFB, New Mexico, arrived at the base on June 2, 2008, adorned with the 'HO' codes previously worn by the wing's F-117A Nighthawks. The aircraft will join the 7th Fighter Squadron (FS), which was reactivated on May 17 under the command of Lt Col Michael Hernandez. The 7th FS is due to be operational and combat ready with 18 F-22As from November 1, 2009 - it will later be rejoined by the 8th FS as additional Raptors arrive. Both will share their F-22As with an AFRC squadron.

Seen at Luni-La Spezia in May 2008 was the first AgustaWestland AW109N Nexus ([CS]X81679, c/n 22502), which the manufacturer has used as a test-bed for new systems since 2007. It is currently undertaking auto-pilot trials. The helicopter will eventually be handed over to the Guardia di Finanza, which will receive seven examples of the type.

The cause of the crash of Kalitta Air Boeing 747-209F N704CK at Brussels-Zaventem Airport on May 25, 2008 remains unconfirmed. The aircraft was carrying a cargo of 75 tons at the time of the accident.

Boeing unveiled the first 777 Freighter to the employees of its Everett facility in Washington on May 21, 2008. The programme was launched in May 2005 following a five-aircraft order from Air France and is based on the 777-200LR Worldliner. After completing the initial flight test programme the aircraft is due to be delivered to Air France in the fourth quarter of 2008.

Embraer delivered the 400th E-Jet at a ceremony held at the company's Sao Jose dos Campos headquarters in Brazil on June 5, 2008. The aircraft is destined for Republic Airlines. The milestone was achieved just over seven months after the 300th E-Jet was delivered in October 2007. Republic has the largest fleet of E-jets in service, with 76 Embraer 170s and 34 Embraer 175s in the colours of US Airways Express.

Making its debut at ILA 2008 was the Airbus A320 test-bed equipped with a PEM device.

New Greek charter airline Astra Airlines took delivery of its first aircraft on May 20, 2008, BAe 146-300 c/n E3206 on lease from Trident Aircraft Leasing of Jersey. The former FlyBe aircraft was painted in its new colours by Air Livery at Southend Airport, Essex. It departed Southend on May 20 (still as G-JEBE) for its delivery flight to Thessaloniki International Airport, Greece, where it became SX-DIZ.

On May 19, 2008 the Sukhoi Superjet 100-95 prototype completed its first flight at the Komsomolsk-on-Amur Flight Test Center at Dzemgi Airport. During the maiden flight the aircraft was followed by a Sukhoi Su-22 chase aircraft.

Dassault exhibited its Falcon 900 LX, fitted with winglets, for the first time at EBACE.

G200, serial number 200 (N910GA), was handed over to Gulfstream Aerospace by Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) on June 4, 2008. While the aircraft was built at IAI's factory at Ben-Gurion International Airport in Israel, like all G100, G150 and G200 business jets produced from June 2001 it will be outfitted at the Gulfstream Center of Excellence completion facility in Dallas, Texas. IAI produced 24 business jets in 2005, 58 in 2007 and this year is scheduled to manufacture more than 70, although the actual figure will depend on demand.

The Armed Forces of Malta (AFM) donated the first aircraft it acquired to the Aviation Museum at Ta'Qali on May 30, 2008. Agusta-Bell AB-47G2 AS7201 (c/n 225, ex 9H-AAE) was originally delivered to the Luftwaffe, and Germany later handed it and three others over to the Malta Land Forces (MLF). MLF's Helicopter Flight started operations from St Patrick's Barracks in Pembroke in 1972, before moving to Hal Far and then to Luqa. In the early 1990s, the helicopter flight was renamed Air Squadron and then Air Wing. Two of the other AB-47G-2s were sold on, and the retirement of AS7201 leaves just AS7204 on the books, although it has not flown for several years. The type will be replaced by the Eurocopter UH-72A Lakota in service.

The second CASA C-295M for the Forca Aerea Portuguese (Portuguese Air Force), 16702 (c/n 042), made its maiden flight from Seville on May 19, 2008. The C-295Ms for the air arm have a distinctive nose radome and a bulged observation window on the rear fuselage ahead of the cabin door. Portugal ordered 12 C-295Ms in February 2006, of which seven will be in the standard transport configuration, while the other five will be equipped as VIMAR maritime surveillance aircraft. Three of the VIMARs will incorporate the Fully Integrated Tactical System (FITS) developed by EADS, although all can be rapidly converted to carry cargo.

The Hrvatsko Ratno Zrakoplovstvo (Croatian Air Force) has recently taken delivery of three float-equipped amphibious Air Tractor AT-802A Fire Boss aircraft to augment the sole-surviving (wheeled) AT-802 previously acquired. A contract for the purchase of the three aircraft, appropriate training and support equipment was signed in Zagreb on November 28, 2007. This aircraft (894, c/n AT802A-0258) was the first to arrive in Croatia on March 2, 2008 and was used to train pilots in floatplane techniques. The other two joined it at Zemunik Air Base near Zadar on May 3, still wearing the temporary Spanish registrations EC-KJB and EC-KRZ. The aircraft are operated alongside Croatia's Bombardier 415s in the 855th Protupozarna Eskadrilla (Aerial Fire-Fighting Squadron).

An A160T hovering near Victorville, where the majority of the flight test hours have been accumulated by the fleet.
Boeing A160T Hummingbird A007 recently completed the latest phase of trials for DARPA with an unofficial endurance record.

Kampfhubschrauberregiment (KHR) 36 painted MBB Bo-105P1 87+38 in this striking special scheme to celebrate the 50-year association between German Army Aviation and the town of Fritzlar, where the unit is based. KHR-36 will became the first German unit to convert to the Eurocopter Tiger later this year.

The Super Dimona test-bed powered by a PEM engine appeared in the static at Berlin, having travelled overland from Spain. It is due to appear at Farnborough International later this year.

Falcon Air Services became the launch customer for the Eurocopter EC 135 Hermes VIP corporate helicopter at EBACE in late May 2008. It will take delivery by the end of this year for service in the UAE and Gulf area. Eurocopter launched the EC 135 Hermes at the NBAA convention at Atlanta, Georgia, last year.

Beechcraft 1900D C-GAAV (c/n UE-235) of Air Georgian Ltd was rolled out in new colours at Pearson International Airport, Toronto in Ontario on May 16, 2008. The aircraft was converted to a passenger configuration after having been used to carry cargo.

Patagonia Airlines' Grand Caravan CC-CTR went missing on an internal flight in Chile on June 7, 2008.

Cirrus exhibited a full-size mock-up of its six-seat personal jet, called 'The Jet', at both EBACE and ILA. The prototype should fly later this year, and orders for nearly 500 are claimed by Cirrus.

Boeing officially handed over the first EA-18G Growler to the US Navy at NAS Whidbey Island, Washington, during a ceremony held there on June 3, 2008.

SOCOM’s Little Birds can be armed with the Dillon Aero M134D Minigun or seven-round rocket pods. Alternatively, they can carry an external troop-carrying platform, as here.

Tornado F.3 ZG751 'HI' of 43 Squadron suffered a nosewheel failure on May 23, 2008 during ADEX 2008 at Rissala AB in Finland. The aircraft was quickly placed back on its undercarriage.

Выкатка первого C-130J-30 для ВВС Норвегии из покрасочного цеха завода "Lockheed Martin", 22 мая 2008 года. Проблемы с надежностью состоявших на вооружении норвежских ВВС старых C-130 привели к закупке четырех C-130J.
The first Lockheed Martin C-130J-30 Hercules for Norway was rolled out of the paint shop at Marietta, Georgia, on May 22, 2008.

Saab and Gripen International completed the maiden flight of the two-seat Gripen Demo from Linkoping on May 27, 2008. The flight occurred just over a month after the aircraft was rolled out.

Cathay Pacific Cargo took delivery of the first of six Boeing 747-400ERF freighters it has on order on May 23, 2008. The airline currently also has six examples each of 747-400BCFs, -200 and -400 freighters in service and outstanding orders for an additional pair of -400BCFs.

On May 13, 2008 Boeing delivered the 400th Boeing 737 to the International Lease Finance Corp (ILFC), the company having acquired its first example in June 1978. The aircraft, a 737-800, was destined for Travel Service based at Prague in the Czech Republic. The carrier currently operates 12 737s (including ten -800s) and has a pair of -900ERs and a single 787 Dreamliner on order.

On May 13, 2008 Boeing and GE Commercial Aviation Services (GECAS) celebrated the hand-over of the 300th Boeing airliner to the leasing company. The aircraft involved (G-XLAP, c/n 36539) is the first 737-96NER-W for the British Charter airline XL Airways. It arrived at Lasham, Hampshire, on May 14.

Истребитель Lockheed Martin F-35 будет строиться в трех вариантах: F-35A - для ВВС, F-35B с укороченным взлетом и вертикальной посадкой - для Корпуса морской пехоты и F-35C - для действий с авианосцев. На фотографии: первый полет F-35B.
Test pilot Graham Tomlinson completed the first flight of the F-35B on June 11, 2008.

Rafale M 16 of 12F overran the end of the runway at Lann-Bihoue on May 22, 2008, forcing the pilot to eject. The aircraft came to a stop about 330ft (100m) beyond the threshold after narrowly missing the ILS antenna array.