Locked On #394 | The best of aviation photography

A RAAF E-7A Wedgetail leads a formation of aircraft past the Italian Navy aircraft carrier ITS Cavour during Pitch Black in July. The aircraft, from clockwise, are: Indian Air Force Su-30MKI Flanker; German Air Force Typhoon; Italian Air Force F-35; RAAF Super Hornet; RAAF E-7A Wedgetail; RAAF Growler; Italian Air Force Typhoon; Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2, and Philippine Air Force FA-50ph Fighting Eagle. (Defence, CPL Samuel Miller)

This amazing image shows an Australian Army CH-47F Chinook from 5th Aviation Regiment preparing to insert 11th Brigade personnel into a training area, where they’ll assault on an ‘enemy’ defensive position as part of Exercise Austral Shield 2024 in northern Queensland. (Defence, CPL Michael Currie)

Craig Murray shot this Luftwaffe Airbus A400M (54+46) departing RAAF Amberley as ‘German Air Force 474’ to RNZAF Ohakea on 23 July. The aircraft was likely in the region for Pitch Black, the military exercise mostly taking place over the Northern Territory and involving 140 aircraft from 20 nations. The full-titled A4M138, 54+46 (MSN 138) was only delivered to the Luftwaffe earlier this year and is a four-engine turboprop transport aircraft that rivals the US-made Lockheed C-130 Hercules and Boeing Globemaster III.