Air Guard F-15Cs sharpen skills alongside Marine F-35Bs in joint training

California Air National Guard’s 144th Fighter Wing (144 FW) recently hosted Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 (VMFA-211) for a joint training exercise focused on fighter integration. The F-35B Lightning IIs from Arizona arrived at Fresno Air National Guard Base on Jun. 7th, to train alongside the 144th FW’s F-15C Eagle fighter jets.

An F-35B Lightning II is refueled on the flightline of the Fresno Air National Guard Base, California, while parked next to an F-15C Eagle, June 8, 2024. F-35s from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 211 and F-15s from the 144th Fighter Wing conducted fourth and fifth generation fighter integration training June 7-9, 2024, to refine and sharpen their skills while completing required flight training hours.(U.S. Air National Guard photo by Maj. Jason Sanchez)

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F-22 Raptor surpasses 500,000 flight hours

The Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor, a symbol of American air dominance for over two decades, continues to rack up impressive milestones. Having recently surpassed a staggering 500,000 flight hours for the entire fleet, the F-22 remains unmatched in its combination of stealth, speed, agility, and integrated avionics. First deployed in 2005, this fifth-generation fighter continues to prove its worth as a cornerstone of U.S. air defense.

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U.S. Air Force and Navy SOF train for Joint Readiness in South Korea

The skies over the Korean Peninsula recently saw the arrival of a familiar sight for U.S. ground forces: the AC-130J Ghostrider gunship. Assigned to the 1st Special Operations Wing, this formidable aircraft arrived in the Republic of Korea (ROK) on Jun. 12th, to support an ongoing joint, combined exchange training (JCET) with US Naval Special Warfare Command personnel.

A U.S. Air Force AC-130J Ghostrider gunship assigned to the 4th Special Operations Squadron from Hulburt Field, Fla. taxis at Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea (ROK) June 12, 2024. The Ghostrider and its crews are participating in a regularly scheduled joint, combined exchange and training (JCET) event designed to positively affect the combat readiness of special operations forces (SOF) personnel in support of the mutual defense of the U.S. and ROK homelands. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jacob Cabanero)

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KF-21 program faces uncertainty as South Korea’s DAPA reconsiders cooperation with Indonesia

The future of the KF-21 Boramae, a next-generation fighter jet under development by South Korea and Indonesia, hangs in the balance. Seok Jong-gun, chief of South Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration (DAPA), has cast doubt on continued cooperation with Indonesia due to allegations of technology theft and financial difficulties.

Third and fourth prototypes of the KF-21 in flight
Defense Acquisition Program Administration's public work is used according to Korea Open Government License (KOGL) (KOGL Type 1 or KOGL Type 1), via Wikimedia Commons
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