Northern Lighting Exercise, 2020

Posted on | by Robbin Laird
09/21/2020

According to an article by Captain Joe Travato published on August 9, 2020 in the Wisconsin Rapids City Times:

Volk Field Combat Readiness Training Center is hosting approximately 50 aircraft and nearly 1,000 personnel from the National Guard, Air Force, Army, and Navy as part of the annual Northern Lightning Counterland training exercise, which runs Aug. 10-21.

Units from California, Idaho, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Virginia, and Wisconsin will all participate in the exercise.

Northern Lightning began in the early 2000s before expanding into a large-scale exercise in 2015. It became a biannual exercise in 2018 and 2019, and returned to an annual exercise in 2020.

Northern Lightning is a tactical level, joint training exercise replicating today’s air battle space with current and future weapons platforms. A variety of the world’s most advanced aircraft including fifth generation aircraft like the F-35 will participate in the exercise.

Volk Field CRTC is one of the premier training installations and airspaces in the country, thanks to its expansive airspace and the quality of the training the installation can simulate.

Northern Lightning is one of seven Air National Guard joint accredited exercises held at a Combat Readiness Training Center, and the installation’s reputation as one of the country’s finest training areas continues to grow.

Likewise, Northern Lightning has grown into a world-class exercise.

“We are excited to continue conducting our annual Northern Lightning exercise at Volk Field,” said Colonel Bart Van Roo, the exercise director. “This exercise will focus on offensive counter-air with simulated surface-to-air attacks, and the integration of multiple air platforms. Training in this manner is essential for readiness and enhancing partnerships.”

Van Roo said the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic necessitated some changes to the annual exercise’s structure, but the training will be invaluable.

“We’ve had to make some adjustments due to COVID,” he said. “Though we still have more than 50 aircraft and approximately 1000 personnel participating, far fewer will be staging out of Volk Field in order to mitigate public health risks. Even amid a pandemic the Air National Guard and our active-duty partners stand ready to complete whatever mission our country asks of us.”

Pilots and air crews participating in Northern Lightning can expect to operate in a contested environment with adversary aircraft, electronic jamming and simulated surface-to-air threats, and such training is critical to building readiness for the threats and missions the nation faces.

The Volk Field website added this information about the exercise:

VISION: Deliver a premier Air National Guard joint training environment replicating today’s battle space with current and future weapons platforms.

OBJECTIVE: Provide a tactical level, joint training exercise emphasizing user defined objectives resulting in tailored, scenario based, full-spectrum, high-end training.

FOCUS: Opposed Air Interdiction and Close Air Support against a highly integrated air defense system composed of relevant surface-to-air and air-to-air threats in a contested/degraded operational (CDO) environment.

MISSIONS: Offensive/Defensive Counter Air (OCA/DCA), Suppression/Destruction of Enemy Air Defense (SEAD/DEAD), and Close Air Support (CAS)

Emphasis placed on Joint integration of 4th and 5th generation assets from the Air National Guard, Air Force, Navy and Marines

 

 

A F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 10, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 10, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 10, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 10, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped for the day at sunrise by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group in order to be ready for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped for the day at sunrise by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group in order to be ready for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped for the day at sunrise by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group in order to be ready for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped for the day at sunrise by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group in order to be ready for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped for the day at sunrise by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group in order to be ready for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. They join F-35A Lightning IIs from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, F-16 Falcons from the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. They join F-35A Lightning IIs from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, F-16 Falcons from the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F-22 Raptor assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. They join F-35A Lightning IIs from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, F/A-18E Super Hornets from VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons from the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F-22 Raptor assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. They join F-35A Lightning IIs from the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, F/A-18E Super Hornets from VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons from the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group for take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group for take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
Col. Nathan Graber, commander of the 158th Operations Group, walks to his F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, to take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
Lt. Col. Michael Blair, a pilot assigned to the 134th Fighter Squadron, prepares his F-35A Lightning II, assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, to take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group for take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group for take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, are prepped by crew chiefs and maintenance personnel assigned to the 158th Maintenance Group for take off for training missions during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F/A-18E Super Hornet assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., takes off over F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. They join the 158th, F-22 Raptors from the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, F-16 Falcons from the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
A F-35A Lightning II assigned to the 158th Fighter Wing, Vermont Air National Guard, takes off for a training mission during the Northern Lightning training exercise held annually at Volk Field, Wisc., Aug. 11, 2020. This is the first time the 158th has participated in the exercise with the F-35s, which sees them working with F-22 Raptors assigned to the 1st Fighter Wing, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Va., F/A-18E Super Hornets assigned to VFA-151, Naval Air Station Lemoore, Calif., F-16 Falcons assigned to the Wisconsin National Guard, as well as T-38 Talons and L-159Es from Draken International acting as aggressor aircrafts conducting simulated combat missions in a joint-service environment. (U.S. Air National Guard photo by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell)
F-35A Lightning IIs assigned to the 134th Fighter Squadron, Vermont Air National Guard, sit on the flight line after a day of flying training mission at Northern Lightning 2020, Volk Field, Wis., Aug. 11, 2020. Elements of the 158th Fighter Wing deployed to the annual exercise that gives the wing and aircraft training in deploying and conducting combat missions in a joint environment, including F-22 Raptors, F/A-18 Super Hornets and F-16 Fighting Falcons that flew with them in the nearly month-long exercise. (U.S. Air National Guard photo illustration by Tech. Sgt. Ryan Campbell) (This image was created by blending a series of multiple exposures.)