Norway F-35 Deliveries To Begin in 2017

Norway is set to take delivery of six Joint Strike Fighters in 2017 and repeat the exercise every year until 2024, by which time it will have acquired its full fleet of 52 aircraft, the government announced in Oslo on April 26.
The government submitted a formal request to the Norwegian Parliament today for approval to purchase six F-35s for delivery in 2017 and also laid out its plans for the country’s biggest ever defense acquisition.
Further purchases remain subject to annual approval by Parliament.

defensenews

Los controladores aéreos avanzados del TEAR se adiestran con los helicópteros ‘Tigre’

Un destacamento de controladores aéreos avanzados (FAC) de la Brigada de Infantería de Marina se desplazó entre los días 22 y 25 de abril a la Base “Coronel Sánchez Bilbao” en Almagro (Ciudad Real) para incrementar su adiestramiento e interoperabilidad con el Batallón de Helicópteros de Ataque I (BHELA I) de las Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra.
El objetivo de esta colaboración fue facilitar la integración entre los pilotos de los helicópteros HA-28 ‘Tigre’ y los FAC del Tercio de Armada antes de su inminente despliegue en Afganistán. Durante estos días, los controladores aéreos avanzados recibieron diversas conferencias acerca de las capacidades de los helicópteros ‘Tigre’ y, a su vez, informaron a los pilotos del BHELA-I sobre los procedimientos de apoyo aéreo cercano empleados en la actualidad. Además, se realizaron misiones de apoyo aéreo cercano con el ‘Tigre’ simulando el escenario actual de Afganistán.
armada

Landing gear part found, is tied to 9/11

A piece believed to be from one of the airliners that hit the World Trade Center towers on September 11, 2001, has been found behind the site of an Islamic community center near ground zero, the New York Police Department said Friday.

cnn.com

550 Marines Move to Spain to Join AFRICOM

The Marine Corps will temporarily base 550 Marines as part of a rapid reaction force in Morón, Spain in support of U.S. Africa Command,

dodbuzz

Eglin AFB Marines fly first F-35B eight-ship

The US Marine Corps' VMFAT-501 training squadron, which is assigned to the US Air Force's 33rd Fighter Wing at Eglin AFB, Florida, launched its first F-35B eight-ship earlier today. The unit flew one mission and then conducted a hot pit refueling before going back up again.

Dave Majumdar-the-dewline

New USAF bomber evades sequester-imposed budget cuts

The US Air Force managed to mitigate the disruption caused by automatic sequestration budget cuts on its high-priority Long Range Strike-Bomber (LRS-B) programme, but the service has little flexibility to absorb further levies in the future.

flightglobal

Brazilian navy begins UAS evaluation

The Brazilian navy has begun to evaluate unmanned air systems for its missions. The two current options are the Elbit Systems Hermes 450 and Israel Aerospace Industries Heron 1, both of which are already in service in Brazil in other configurations.

flightglobal

Norway seeks green light for operational F-35 buy

The Norwegian government has confirmed plans to acquire up to 52 Lockheed Martin F-35A combat aircraft, and submitted a formal request to the nation's parliament for its first six operational examples.
The administration in Oslo has already committed to buying four conventional take-off and landing aircraft, to be delivered in 2014 and 2015 for use during training activities in the USA.

flightglobal

RAAF's A330 MRTT completes tanking trials with F/A-18 Super Hornets

The Royal Australian Air Force's (RAAF) A330 multirole tanker transport (MRTT) aircraft has successfully completed tanking trials with Boeing F/A-18F Super Hornets at an undisclosed location.

airforce-technology

RAF Waddington takes command of MQ-9 Reaper UAV operations in Afghanistan

The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has started command and control operations of its MQ-9 Reaper unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV) in Afghanistan from a newly constructed facility at Royal Air Force (RAF) Waddington in Lincolnshire, UK.
Flown by the No. 13 Squadron personnel using ground control stations (GCS) earlier this week, the move marks the first time the UAVs have been operated from the UK, more than five years after their acquisition for conducting intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions in Afghanistan.
To date, the UK has been controlling the RAF's five Reaper drones from the Creech Air Force Base in Nevada, US, following launch from an airfield within Afghanistan, as it did not have the capability to control them from home bases.

airforce-technology

Multifunction Advanced Data Link Flight Tested For F-35 Program

The Multifunction Advanced Data Link (MADL) waveform developed by Northrop Grumman Corporation was demonstrated in a Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II joint strike fighter program flight test, validating an eight-year development effort to advance communication among fifth-generation aircraft.
MADL is a high-data-rate, directional communications link. It allows coordinated tactics and engagement to bring significant operational advantages to fifth-generation aircraft operating in high-threat environments.
MADL is a key capability provided by Northrop Grumman's F-35 integrated communications, navigation and identification (CNI) avionics.
The F-35 CNI avionics flying onboard two Lockheed Martin F-35 aircraft established the MADL link between two airborne platforms for the first time. Data passed between aircraft via MADL was correlated with data from other F-35 sensors by Lockheed Martin's fusion system to form a simplified situational awareness picture on the cockpit displays.

spacemart

Warplanes hit rebels across Syria

Syrian warplanes launched air strikes on rebel enclaves across the country on Thursday, with at least 10 people killed in one raid on flashpoint town Qusayr near the Lebanon border.Areas of Damascus province, the northwestern province of Idlib, rebel-controlled Raqa in the north, Hasakeh in the northeast and Daraa in the south were also targeted.

spacewar

Iran Could Test an Intercontinental Ballistic Missile by 2015

A new Pentagon assessment of Iran’s military power maintains that in two years time, Iran could flight-test an intercontinental ballistic missile capable of striking the United States.
Iran could test such a missile by 2015 with assistance from nations like North Korea, China or Russia.

defense-update

US drones will continue to fly in Afghanistan after troop withdrawl

One of the major elements of Afghanistan’s air war will remain after most U.S. troops have headed home, the U.S. military command confirmed today. Armed drones, operated by the U.S., will remain over Afghanistan after 2014.

pakistankakhudahafiz

Defense Deal Does Not Include ‘Bunker-Buster’ Bombs for Israel

The massive new defense deal signed by the U.S. and Israel will not include the highly sought after “bunker-buster” bombs that Israel could use to hit Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.
Officially known as Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the bombs weigh about 30,000 pounds and are designed to penetrate earth and destroy deeply buried sites.

algemeiner

Pentagon sees Singapore's decision about buying F-35s by summer

Singapore has shown "tremendous interest" in the F-35 Joint Strike Fighter developed by Lockheed Martin Corp and will likely decide by this summer whether to buy the new warplane, the Pentagon's F-35 program chief said on Wednesday.

asiaone

Eurocopter demonstrates unmanned EC145

Eurocopter has unveiled an optionally piloted vehicle (OPV), based on its EC145 light twin, which has been in development since September 2011.

flightglobal

New Russian T-50 Fighter Jet to Enter Service in 2016

Russia’s fifth-generation T-50 fighter jet will enter service with the country’s armed forces in 2016, and not 2015 as was previously announced, President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday.

defencetalk

La fragata ‘Méndez Núñez’ regresa a Ferrol tras finalizar su participación en la operación ‘Atalanta’

La fragata ‘Méndez Núñez’ ha llegado hoy a su base en Ferrol, tras casi 6 meses de despliegue en la operación “Atalanta” de lucha contra la piratería en aguas del océano Índico.
Durante su participación en zona de operaciones, la ‘Méndez Núñez’ alojó al Estado Mayor multinacional de la Fuerza Naval de la Unión Europea (EUNAVFOR)

armada

El Mando Aéreo General dona un vehículo a la congregación Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles de Getafe

El pasado 19 de abril se realizó en las instalaciones del Centro Logístico de Material de Apoyo (CLOMA), ubicado en el Acuartelamiento Aéreo de Getafe, la entrega del vehículo microbús Mercedes 308-D a la Real e Ilustre Congregación de Nuestra Señora de los Ángeles.
La entrega del vehículo y su documentación la llevó a cabo en nombre del Ejército del Aire, el jefe del CLOMA, coronel Santiago Luis Peloche Ferrera, al hermano mayor de la Congregación, Fernando Parejo Tornero.
Este vehículo será destinado a reforzar los medios de transporte con los que cuenta la comunidad de religiosas Carmelitas de Camaná en Perú, que desde hace más de diez años desarrolla en ese país una gran labor social, orientada a la infancia y a ancianos con pocos recursos.
Esta comunidad religiosa mantiene abierto un comedor infantil en el que se reparten más de 250 comidas diarias, y que son financiadas por la congregación, mediante donaciones y aportaciones de particulares y empresas.
Con esta entrega el Ejército del Aire aporta su grano de arena a esta noble causa, poniendo de manifiesto una vez más las buenas relaciones existentes entre sus unidades instaladas en Getafe y las asociaciones, congregaciones y demás entidades representativas de esta localidad del sur de Madrid.

ejercitodelaire

INS Viraat can continue for another 3 years

The navy’s sole aircraft carrier INS Viraat can continue its service for another three years, the Lok Sabha was informed on Monday.
In a written reply, Defence Minister A K Antony said adequate safeguards are in place to ensure that navy’s operational capabilities are not compromised during the time a ship is under refit and repairs. He was asked whether the country does not have an aircraft carrier prowling the high seas.
thehindubusinessline

KAI to develop a dedicated version of its Surion helicopter for ROK Navy's Dokdo class LPH

Korea Aerospace Industries, Inc. develops the amphibious task helicopter for the Korea's Marine Corps will run. The Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA) announced on the 17th that it held its 66th defense project promotion committee and selected KAI as a priority negotiator for the development of the amphibious task helicopter system.
The project, totaling approximately 800 billion won is designed for securing the helicopter which is able to transport the armed forces, military equipment and supplies to improve the military's 3-dimensional high-speed landing operations performance.

navyrecognition

Russian spy plane spotted in Swedish strait

Once again a Russian spy plane reportedly flew through the international strip of airspace in between Sweden’s main Baltic islands of Öland and Gotland on Saturday. And one can certainly wonder what the hell is going on? Military sources told the Svenska Dagbladet (SvD) newspaper that the plane passed through the strait last weekend, which coincided with Sweden hosting a large military training exercise with the Baltic states, Finland, and the United States.

reinep.wordpress.com

Israel Air Force Intercepts Hezbollah UAV

The Israeli Air Force shot down a UAV launched by Hezbollah from Lebanon during the afternoon. The IAF identified the aircraft as it left the borders of Lebanon. Fighter aircraft and helicopters were launched towards the UAV to ensure that it was not an Israeli aircraft. After confirming that it was a drone, the commander of the IAF approved that the UAV be taken down by an F-16.
The current IAF decision was to shoot the UAV down above the ocean and not to wait for it to enter into Israeli territory, as occurred the last time that Hezbollah launched a UAV towards Israel. The UAV was shot down between five and six miles west of Haifa, at an altitude of 6,000 feet by way of an air-to-air missile. The IAF does not know what was the target of the UAV, or if it was armed.
israeldefense

US Navy plan would deploy carriers more frequently

Tens of thousands of sailors in Hampton Roads would deploy more often - but also, defense officials say, on a more predictable schedule - under a plan the Navy hopes to launch by the end of next year.
The plan would overhaul deployment cycles of aircraft carrier strike groups, which have been stretched thin during more than a decade of war in the Middle East.
hamptonroads

India rejects Israel joint UAV development offer

Reports that India has rejected an Israeli proposal to jointly develop a new version of the Heron unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV), made by Israel Aerospace Industries Ltd. (IAI). The rejection is an unusual event in Indian-Israeli defense relations. Israeli sources estimate the potential value of the project at several hundred million dollars.

globes.co.il

U.K. Airbus A400M Airlifter Costs Exceed Plan by $1.2 Billion

The Airbus Military A400M airlifter for the U.K. is now running over budget by 770 million pounds ($1.2 billion), according to the British Ministry of Defence.
There is also a cost overrun on a Thales SA (HO) Watchkeeper drone program and a Northrop Grumman Corp. (NOC) electronic system for aircraft, Philip Dunne, a minister for defense, told Parliament in written answers to questions.
The U.K. is acquiring 22 A400M transports to replace Lockheed Martin Corp. (LMT) C-130s, a program running 73 months behind plan, the National Audit Office said. The airlifter is scheduled to enter service with the Royal Air Force in 2015. Lead customer France should get its first plane by the middle of this year.
bloomberg

El Gobierno de Cataluña ya dispone de un informe sobre un Ejército propio para su Cataluña independiente

El CEEC, el Centro de Estudios Estratégicos de Cataluña, ha elaborado un informe sobre el futuro Ejército catalán, las Fuerzas Armadas propias con las que contaría el Estado independiente al que aspiran CiU y ERC según el pacto de estabilidad que ambas fuerzas políticas suscribieron para esta legislatura. El informe se defiende un modelo de defensa propio, partiendo de la tesis de que un modelo delegado “sería una traición a la larga lucha por la Libertad” de Cataluña, ya que no tendría sentido que una vez conseguida se dejara la defensa, que no es otra cosa que la garantía de existencia como Estado, en manos de otros. No se mencionan amenazas más allá de las que se ciernen sobre cualquier Estado occidental, aunque en la mente de todos están todavía las declaraciones del pasado mes de octubre de Oriol Pujol, en las que afirmó que la secesión de Cataluña "no la para nadie, ni siquiera los ejércitos, los tanques o los cañones". Se supone que se refería al Ejército español.
Uno de los apartados más llamativos del informe es el que, pese a reprochar a las Fuerzas Armadas españolas "una fuerte carencia de sensibilidad hacia las nacionalidades históricas como Cataluña", admite que en un principio la FDC (Força de Defensa de Catalunya) tendrá que nutrirse de personal procedentes del Ejército español cuyo alto grado de preparación sí reconoce.

republica.com

Edwards completes tests to extend KC-135

Known as "The Mighty War Wagon" of the Air Force, the KC-135 Stratotanker has proven to be the core aerial refueling capability for the Air Force for more than 50 years.
With the help of the 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards, along with a multitude of testers, the KC-135 Block 45 test team recently completed a series of tests in April to help extend the aircraft's service life for decades.

asdnews

Russian T-50 Fighter Jet to Start State Flight Test in 2014

Russia will start state flight tests of its fifth-generation T-50 fighter jet in 2014, United Aircraft Corporation’s President Mikhail Pogosyan told reporters on Tuesday.
defencetalk

China's second aircraft carrier will be "larger"

A senior officer with the People's Liberation Army (PLA) Navy said on Tuesday that "China will have more than one aircraft carrier."
Song Xue, deputy chief of staff of the PLA Navy, told foreign military attaches at a ceremony to celebrate the Navy's 64th founding anniversary in Beijing, "The next aircraft carrier we need will be larger and carry more fighters."

globaltimes

Russian Tu-22M3s carried out mock attack on Sweden

In the early morning on Mar. 29, two Russian Air Force Tu-22M3 bombers along with four Su-27 escorts carried out a mock attack on Sweden.
The Swedish Air Force did not scramble any fighters to escort the formation and only two Danish F-16s based in Lithuania were launched to shadow them.

thelocal

New nuclear cruise missile for USAF

The U.S. Air Force plans to arm the B-2A stealth bomber with a new nuclear cruise missile that is in the early stages of development, according to Air Force officials and budget documents.
The B-2A bomber, which is designed to slip through air defenses undetected, does not currently have a capability to deliver nuclear cruise missiles, a role reserved exclusively for B-52H bombers.
Under the Air Force’s plans, however, the new nuclear cruise missile – known as the Long-Range Standoff Weapon – will arm three nuclear bombers: the B-2A, the B-52H, and the next-generation Long-Range Strike Bomber.

blogs.fas.org

Finnish single-seat Hornets grounded

The Finnish Air Force’s F/A-18Cs have been grounded after problems were found on the powder cartridge of the ejection seats.
Tandem seat Ds are not affected as their powder cartridges come from a different manufacturing batch.
alert5

Israel developing unmanned aircraft to replace warplanes

Israel's air force is on track to developing drones that within four to five decades would carry out nearly every battlefield operation executed today by piloted aircraft.

foxnews

U.S. urges Netherlands to stick to F-35 order

Lt. Gen. Christopher Bogdan, the head of the Pentagon’s F-35 program, told the Dutch parliamentary defense commission in The Hague that the country should not reduce its F-35 order. “If you take airplanes out of the production line today, that will have a great impact on the price of the airplane,” he told the commission.

alert5

First of Two AW101 VVIP Helicopters Delivered to Turkmenistan

AgustaWestland announced the delivery of the first AW101 VVIP helicopter to Turkmenistan Airlines. The contract for two AW101 VVIP helicopters was signed at the 2010 Farnborough International Air Show.

defencetalk

BAE Systems Delivers BAE 146C Mk 3 Aircraft to the RAF

BAE Systems Regional Aircraft has delivered on time and on budget two BAe 146-200QC (Quick Change) aircraft that have been converted from commercial to military configuration for use by the Royal Air Force.
After a period of familiarisation and operational trials, both aircraft have now been declared as Released To Service (RTS) by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.
Known in RAF service as the BAe 146 C Mk.3, the two aircraft have been converted under a £15.5 million contract awarded to BAE Systems Regional Aircraft at Prestwick under an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) to augment tactical aircraft numbers, particularly the Lockheed C130 Hercules force, during the upcoming extraction phase of Operation Herrick, the current Afghanistan.

defencetalk

Los ‘Tigre’ completan con éxito sus cinco primeras misiones en Afganistán

Los helicópteros HA 28 ‘Tigre’ de las Fuerzas Aeromóviles del Ejército de Tierra (FAMET) han completado con éxito sus cinco primeras misiones en Afganistán, donde están plenamente operativos desde hace dos semanas en apoyo a las operaciones de repliegue del contingente español.
Los ‘Tigre’, que llegaron a Afganistán a finales del mes pasado, ya han llevado a cabo cuatro misiones de apoyo específico a las tropas españolas. En dos de ellas dieron protección a sendos convoyes de repliegue desde la Base de Apoyo Provincial (PSB) de Qala-i-Naw hasta la Base de Apoyo Avanzado (FSB) de Herat.
En su tercera misión realizaron labores de reconocimiento, mientras que la cuarta consistió en apoyo aéreo a una compañía en Chacable, bastión de la insurgencia al suroeste de Moqur.
Los HA -28 ‘Tigre’ operan integrados en la estructura internacional de ISAF, lo que implica que realizan misiones para las tropas españolas y para nuestros aliados en Afganistán
En este contexto, se ha llevado a cabo la quinta misión que ha consistido en apoyar al contingente de Lituania, encargado del Equipo de Reconstrucción Provincial (PRT) de Chaghcharán, en la provincia de Ghor, que limita al este con la de Herat. Esta ha sido la primera acción de colaboración con tropas internacionales.
La misión consistió en asegurar una zona donde iba a tener lugar la inauguración de una escuela para mujeres, con la presencia del ministro de Defensa de Lituania, Juozas Olekas; del embajador de Lituania en Afganistán, Gintaras Bagdonas; y del vicegobernador de Ghor, Mohammad Amin Tokhs.
En esta operación también participaron helicópteros de aeroevacuación médica HD-21 ‘Superpuma’ del destacamento HELISAF del Ejército español del Aire, que se preposicionaron en la PRT de Chaghcharán.


defensa

Ejercicio multinacional ‘Spanish Minex-13’ en aguas de Cartagena

Un total de doce unidades navales y dos aeronaves de cuatro países diferentes participan en el ejercicio multinacional ‘Spanish Minex-13’, que se desarrolla estos días en aguas de Cartagena y de Alicante, desde el 16 al 25 de abril.
El escenario en el que se desarrolla el ejercicio comprende desde Cabo de Palos al Cabo Roig, al sur de Torrevieja. Además, las agrupaciones navales han estado atracadas en Cartagena el fin de semana del 20 y 21 de abril.
El ‘Spanish Minex-13’ es un ejercicio avanzado de Guerra Naval de Medidas Contra Minas que organiza anualmente la Armada española. El objetivo de este ejercicio es poner en práctica los procedimientos comunes para la defensa contra la amenaza de minas navales.

armada

German NH90s Bound for Afghanistan

A Volga-Dnepr Airlines Antonov An-124-100 took off from Leipzig/Halle airport on April, 17th with the first of four NH90s the Bundeswehr is deploying for the first time to Afghanistan on board.

Nicholas Fiorenza-aviationweek

UK's first RC-135 Airseeker rolled out

L-3 Communications has rolled out the first UK Royal Air Force RC-135 Airseeker signals intelligence (SIGINT) aircraft, the US Air Force's intelligence chief has revealed.
"I was also, about three weeks ago, down in Greenville, Texas, at the L-3 facility with Big Safari [the USAF office overseeing the development of intelligence platforms], rolling out the first UK Rivet Joint," says Lt Gen Larry James. "Their chief of staff came down and we had a great ceremony there."
James says he expects the RAF aircraft to be an integral part of the "worldwide intelligence collection process" for both the UK and USA.
flightglobal

KAI to develop amphibious assault variant of Surion

Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI) will develop a variant of the Surion transport helicopter for the South Korean marines.
The Defense Acquisition Program Administration "has selected KAI as a primary negotiator for the development of the amphibious task helicopter system", the South Korean company said in a statement.

flightglobal

Força Aérea Brazileira contracts Saab for additional Erieye AEW&C upgrades

Saab has been awarded a contract modification to modernise the Erieye airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) mission system, installed onboard the Brazilian Air Force's (FAB) E-99 surveillance aircraft fleet.
Covering enhancements to the Erieye radar's operative capacity, the SEK325m ($50.7m) contract follows a SEK380m ($59m) award secured by the company for Erieye updates in February 2013, as part of the Embraer 145 AEW&C aircraft modernisation programme.
airforce-technology

Senegalese Air Force selects Embraer A-29 Super Tucano aircraft

Embraer Defense & Security has been awarded a contract for delivery of its A-29 Super Tucano light attack and advanced training aircraft to the Senegalese Air Force.
Announced at the recently concluded 2013 LAAD Defence & Security International Exhibition in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, the contract covers the supply of three A-29 Super Tucanos for border surveillance and internal security duties, and makes Senegal the fourth Super Tucano customer in the African continent.
Under the contract, a logistical support package for operation and installation of a training system for pilots and mechanics (TOSS) will be provided in Senegal, so as to bring autonomy to the air force in preparation of qualified personnel.

airforce-technology

Czech Air Force seeks to acquire two new transport aircraft

The Czech Republic Ministry of Defence (MoD) is set to submit a concept of the transport and helicopter to the government for the air force with an aim to procure two bigger transport aircraft in late 2013, the country's defence minister Vlastimil Picek has revealed.
Speaking on Prima television, Picek said the concept is currently being completed by the ministry as the existing C-295 aircraft is able to address only a portion of the air force's transport requirements.

airforce-technology

Australia unveils new full-scale model of F-35A JSF aircraft

The Australian Department of Defence (DoD) has introduced a full-scale model of the F-35A Lightning II joint strike fighter (JSF) to help study the impact of electromagnetic compatibility and interference on the aircraft.
Known as Iron Bird, the domestically-manufactured model is scheduled to be tested by the Defence Science and Technology Organisation (DSTO) under simulated electromagnetic conditions during the acquisition and through-life sustainment of the F-35 fighter.
airforce-technology

Patriot missiles to be deployed along Jordan-Syria border

US to relocate two batteries from Qatar and Kuwait in order to protect Hashemite Kingdom. According to the report, the decision came after Jordanian officials requested that the US assist in protecting and securing the kingdom’s borders.
timesofisrael

BAE 146 C.MK 3 AIRCRAFT DELIVERED TO THE UK ROYAL AIR FORCE

BAE Systems Regional Aircraft has delivered on time and on budget two BAe 146-200QC (Quick Change) aircraft that have been converted from commercial to military configuration for use by the Royal Air Force.
After a period of familiarisation and operational trials, both aircraft have now been declared as Released To Service (RTS) by the United Kingdom Ministry of Defence.
Known in RAF service as the BAe 146 C Mk.3, the two aircraft have been converted under a £15.5 million contract awarded to BAE Systems Regional Aircraft at Prestwick under an Urgent Operational Requirement (UOR) to augment tactical aircraft numbers, particularly the Lockheed C130 Hercules force, during the upcoming extraction phase of Operation Herrick, the current Afghanistan campaign.
baesystems

U.S. Air Force F-22s, F-15s pair with JASDF Eagle partners

A squadron of U.S. Air Force F-22 Raptors from Langley Air Force Base, Va., partnered with F-15 Eagle pilots from the Japan Air Self-Defense Force from Naha Air Base, Japan, for bilateral training April 5.
The training, the fourth of its kind since 2007, gave both U.S. and Japanese pilots the opportunities to integrate fourth and fifth generation aircraft in support of the common defense of Japan and the Asia-Pacific theater, as part of the Mutual Security Treaty between the two nations.
kadena.af.mil