USAF F-22s and Allies train together in Australian airspace during Pitch Black

The United States Air Force (USAF) F-22 Raptor made its debut at Exercise Pitch Black, Australia’s largest air warfare exercise. Deployed from Kadena Air Base, Japan, a contingent of six F-22s integrated seamlessly with a diverse array of allied aircraft, demonstrating the platform’s interoperability and combat capabilities.

A U.S. Air Force F-22A Raptor assigned to the 27th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron takes off for a local sortie during Exercise Pitch Black at Royal Australian Air Force Base Tindal, Australia, July 17, 2024. This year’s iteration of Pitch Black is the largest in the exercise’s history, and the scale of cooperation will help maintain a region that is secure, open, prosperous, and resilient. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Spencer Tobler)

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VMFT-402 begins standup at MCAS Beaufort

The U.S. Marine Corps (USMC) has taken a significant step in enhancing its training capabilities with the arrival of the first F-5N Tiger II aircraft at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, South Carolina back in May. These aircraft will form the foundation of Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT) 402, the service’s second adversary squadron.

A U.S. Marine Corps F-5N Tiger II with Marine Fighter Training Squadron (VMFT) 402, Marine Aircraft Group 41, 4th Marine Aircraft Wing, arrives at Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina, May 30, 2024. VMFT-402 will be the Marine Corps’ second adversary squadron and will officially be redesignated in Sept. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Kyle Baskin)

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RAF 14 Squadron drops historic nickname following complaint

A longstanding tradition at the Royal Air Force’s 14 Squadron has come to an end following a formal complaint. The squadron, formed in 1915 and nicknamed the ‘Crusaders’ after its involvement in operations over Gaza and Palestine during World War I, has been ordered to remove all references to the name.

Shadow R1 5(AC) Sqdn RAF Waddington this morning
Jerry Gunner, CC BY 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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VMFA-311 nears IOC milestone with F-35C

U.S. Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311 (VMFA-311) is on the cusp of declaring Initial Operational Capability (IOC) for the F-35C Lightning II, marking a significant milestone for the squadron and the U.S. Marine Corps.

U.S. Marine Corps Capt. Cassandra Touchstone, left, an F-35C Lightning II pilot with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 311, Marine Aircraft Group 11, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing, conducts pre-flight checks on an F-35C Lightning II aircraft before a basic fighter maneuver training flight at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California, July 12, 2024. During the flight, Maj. Timothy Potter, an F-35C Lightning II pilot with VMFA-311 and a graduate of the U.S. Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, commonly known as TOPGUN, instructed Touchstone to increase her proficiency in fighter maneuvers, or dogfighting. Touchstone is pursuing the air combat maneuvering qualification which enables pilots to conduct air-to-air combat training without an instructor present. (U.S. Marine Corps photo by Lance Cpl. Samantha Devine)

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