We highlight some of the most notable national fleet retirements recorded in the 12 months since we published our last World Air Forces directory at the end of 2021.

Once combined, our selection of deleted entries – which cover eight aircraft types, drawn from three regions and all six of our directory role categories – total some 215 airframes.

Australia said goodbye to its F/A-18A/B “Classic” Hornets, being replaced by a planned 100 F-35As

Source: Commonwealth of Australia

Brazil withdrew its dozen Mi-35 attack helicopters from air force use, a little more than a decade after introducing the type

Source: Brazilian air force

The UK ended pilot and aggressor training activities with the Hawk T1; a handful remain with its Red Arrows aerobatic display team

Source: Typhoon Photography/Shutterstock

Germany’s air force ended three decades of A310 operations, with Canada acquiring one aircraft for spare parts

Source: Bundeswehr

The Royal Norwegian Air Force retired its F-16A/Bs after 42 years of service. Oslo plans to sell 32 of the aircraft to Romania

Source: VanderWolf Images/Shutterstock

The last 21 C160 Transalls, flown by France, Germany and Turkey (pictured), headed into history

Source: EvrenKalinbacak/Shutterstock

The French air force removed the last Mirage 2000C fighters from its fleet

Source: BeAvPhoto/Shutterstock

With six A400Ms now in use, Belgium stopped using its five veteran C-130Hs

Source: BeAvPhoto/Shutterstock

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Craig Hoyle joined Flight International in 2003, and has edited the now monthly title since 2015. He has reported on the UK, European and international military aviation sector for more than 25 years, and produces our annual World Air Forces directory.View full Profile

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