Military Jets Photography: 2013 09 20 and 21 NATO Days Ostrava

This year’s event of the NATO Days in Ostrava, had the smallest aircraft participants since its founding. This was a direct result of budget cuts by many member countries, the sequestration of the United States Air Force and due to the work schedule for NATO for 2013. Despite these facts, the organizers of the NATO-Days 2013 managed to pull it off. As usual it was the largest display in Central Europe of NATO armed forces. This year's focus was more on the ground displays than perhaps other years for reasons already noted. Several demonstrations of combat and rescue equipment, fire brigades, the Czech Border Guard unit and as well special army units from NATO countries.
The flying display matched the small static group of aircraft on the ground. Nevertheless, there were some highlights in the sky of Ostrava for the audience. One was the giant Antonov An-124-100 “Ruslan” transporter from Volga Dnepr Airlines. They demonstrated cargo loading in the static display area. The “Rulsan” is the worldwide workhorse for the NATO. No other aircraft (with the exception of the Antonov An-225) can carry more tones and bulky goods. Another highlight was the the Swedish Air Force Historic flight with two aircraft. The 50 year old Saab Sk 60A, and the legendary Saab AJS 37 Viggen (Thunderbolt).
There were two fantastic display teams at the Leoš Janáček Ostrava Airport. The Turkish Air Force display team “Turkish Stars” and the rarely seen Spanish Air Force helicopter display team Patrulla ASPA with their Eurocopter EC-120 “Colibri’s with a very dynamic presentation. They used lots of smoke in their formation and they did spectacular crossovers.
The flying display started with the Austrian Air Force Eurofighter Typhoon, followed by a flying display of the Czech Air Force's Aero L-159 Alca from the 212th tactical squadron. Some of the displays were similar to the air show in Sliac, Slovakia, in which Czech and Slovak Republics, celebrated their 20th anniversary.
An unusual display was the demonstration of in flight refueling of two Czech Gripen’s from a Swedish Air Force KC-130H “Hercules”. The well known F-16 Solo Display Team from the Royal Netherlands Air Force's orange F-16MLU performed well. The F-16 display was accompanied by a lot of flares, which the audience loved in Ostrava. The Centre of Aviation Training from Pardubice, had a nice fly-by with 3 x Zlin Z-142, 1 x Let L-410 and 2 x Aero L-39 Albatros. Another participant was the Slovenian Air Force's Pilatus PC-9M “Hudournik”. The Slovenian Air Force brought their aircraft directly from the Ramstein Rover 2013 exercise to Ostrava. Apart from the Swedish Air Force Historic Flight, there were other civilians in the flying display. A wonderfully restored Bell AH-1S “Cobra” operated by Heli Czech debuted at the NATO-Days. The Cobra wore the old camouflage of the United States Army used in the Vietnam War. A medical emergency demonstration was performed by an Eurocopter EC-135T2 which is in service in the Moravian-Silesian Region. It was certainly a helicopter lovers event. Immediately after the Cobra and the Spanish Air Force helicopter display team Patrulla ASPA the Belgian Air Force's Agusta A-109 took to the sky with a lot of flares. Followed by a hostage scenario with a Mil MI-171S dropping off troops and an assault of an Mil Mi-35V “Hind”. Both helicopters are from the Czech Air Force. The flying display ended with paratroopers jumping from a Mil Mi-171S.