A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon from Dannelly Field, Air National Guard Base, taxis into a hangar at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, Jan. 12, 2023. The replacement F-16 aircraft offers enhanced capabilities to replicate more advanced threats and provide more realistic training to pilots. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Ricardo …
Aggressors
First F-35A in Aggressors Paint Scheme Unveiled At Nellis AFB
Lt. Col. Brandon Nauta, 65th Aggressor Squadron commander, assumes command of the 65 AGRS during an activation ceremony at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, June 9, 2022. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Josey Blades) Here’s the first Aggressor Lightning II of the 65th AGRS (Aggressor Squadron). On Jun. 9, 2022, the U.S. …
Draken Will Provide Red Air Services To The Royal Air Force
Draken L-159s in formation in the United States. (Photo: Draken) Draken’s L-159Es will take over the aggressor role of the recently retired Hawk T1 fleet. The Royal Air Force awarded a six-year contract to Draken to provide aggressor aircraft to support the training of Typhoon and F-35B pilots, replicating the tactics, techniques and procedures of …
Draken International Acquires Soon-To-Be Retired F-16s From Netherlands And Norway
File photo of a Royal Netherlands Air Force F-16 landing during the recent exercise “Gioia Falcon”. (Photo: Author) The 24 Vipers will join the company’s fleet of fighter jets used for the Combat Air Force/Contracted Air Support (CAF/CAS) program in the US. Draken International announced last week two contracts to acquire a fleet of second-hand …
Aggressor F-35s Joined The Fight During First Next Generation Red Flag Exercise
An F-35 Lightning II from Hill Air Force Base, Utah, takes off during Red Flag 21-3 at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, July 23, 2021. Red Flag was created to increase interoperability, leveraging common perspectives against shared threats. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Miranda A. Loera) Red Flag 21-3 saw the participation of …
Top Aces Aggressor F-16 Flies For The First Time In The U.S.
The F-16A of Top Aces lands at Phoenix Mesa Gateway airport after its first flight in the USA. (Photo: Thomas Backus) The former Israeli F-16 flew from the Top Aces’s facilities at Phoenix Mesa Gateway airport and is the first 4th generation fighter flown by private “Red Air”. The Canadian company Top Aces performed on …
No, A U.S. F-15E Pilot Did Not Wear A “Russian Patch”: It’s Only A 492nd Squadron’s “Red Air” Patch
The F-15E pilot showing the 492nd Fighter Squadron’s Red Air patch. In the box: the same patch found in the auctions. (Photo: U.S. Air Force) The “incriminated” photo of an F-15E pilot with a “Russian Patch” was published by the RAF Lakenheath’s Facebook page in a post about the Exercise Point Blank currently in progress …
Red Flag 21-1 Kicked Off This Year’s Training Exercises Focusing On “Great Power Competition”
A B-2 Spirit Bomber, assigned the 393rd Bomb Squadron, 509th Bomb Wing, Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri, takes-off for a Red Flag 21-1 mission at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada, Jan. 26, 2021. Red Flag exercises are conducted on the massive bombing and gunnery ranges of the Nevada Test and Training Range. (U.S. Air Force …
Top Aces Receives Former Israeli F-16s To Be Used For Adversary Training With The U.S. Air Force
One of the F-16s during loading operations aboard the An-124. (Photo: Israeli Ministry of Defense) The Top Aces jets will operate out of Mesa airport providing the USAF with the first contracted 4th gen. aggressors. The Canadian company Top Aces received the first four F-16 Fighting Falcons, out of a total order of 29 aircraft, …
Tactical Air and Draken International Get Adversary Training Contracts
An F-5AT of Tactical Air Support in flight. In the box: a Mirage F-1M of Draken International takes off for a training mission. (Photos: Tactical Air Support/Draken International) About a week ago we reported about the contract awarded to ATAC on July 21, 2020 to provide adversary training at Luke and Holloman Air Force Bases …