Regionally allocated forces conduct maintenance regularly to maintain readiness and lethality, and participate in future training exercises with partners and allies.
AHB recently began a rotation in Romania to support Atlantic Resolve, a joint NATO commitment to build readiness and enhance the bond between ally and partner nations through multinational training.
(U.S. Army photo by Sgt. Gavin Lewis)
01.21.2019
The 480th Fighter Squadron went to Monte Real Air Base, Portugal for Flying Training Deployment with our NATO allies, the 301st Fighter Squadron, and the 201st Fighter Squadron.
MONTE REAL, 10, PORTUGAL
02.14.2019
Video by Airman 1st Class Chanceler Nardone
Exercise COPE NORTH 19 (CN19) is a Commander Pacific Air Forces sponsored multilateral field training exercise involving the United States Air Force (USAF), Japan Air Self-Defence Force (JASDF), and the Royal Australian Air Force (RAAF).
CN19 involves large force employment Air Combat Exercise with Dissimilar Air Combat Tactics and a Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief (HADR) exercise phase.
Held from 18 February to 8 March 2019 at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, an Air Task Group from the RAAF involving F/A-18A Hornet, E-7A Wedgetail, C-27J Spartan, KC-30A Multi-Role Tanker/Transport aircraft as well as combat support and medical elements have deployed for the Exercise.
CN19 involves more than 2900 personnel and approximately 100 aircraft and aims to increase the combat readiness and interoperability of the USAF, JASDF and RAAF.
Australian Department of Defence
February 25, 2019
In 2017, NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence saw four new deployments, bringing multinational battlegroups into Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania and Poland as a response to changing security environments along NATO’s eastern border.
As part of NATO’s enhanced Forward Presence in Latvia, Spain has deployed a heavy armoured unit abroad for the first time. Around 300 troops, 250 of which are from the Mechanised Infantry Brigade “Extremadura XI”, supported by Leopard tanks and Pizarro armoured vehicles, were stationed in eastern Europe for six months.
They constituted the second biggest contingent of the Latvian-based battlegroup led by Canada. The battlegroup has also been supported by troops from Albania, the Czech Republic, Italy, Poland, Slovakia and Slovenia.
This story follows three crew members of a Pizarro armoured vehicle and their day-to-day life. The film crew embedded with the Brigade “Extremadura XI” from the pre-deployment training until their multinational training in Latvia.
SPAIN
11.08.2017
A variety of aircraft participating in Red Flag 19-1 at Nellis Air Force Base.
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, NV, UNITED STATES
02.15.2019
Video by Airman 1st Class Olivia Grooms, William Lewis and Airman 1st Class Dylan Murakami
U.S. Air Force Gen. CQ Brown, Jr., Pacific Air Forces commander, visited Australia for the Avalon Air Show 2019, and met with key allied air force leaders.
MELBOURNE, VIC, AUSTRALIA
02.24.2019
Photo by Staff Sgt. Sergio Gamboa
The Royal Australian Air Force has deployed a contingent of approximately 370 personnel to Nellis Air Force Base in Nevada for Exercise Red Flag 19-1, which took place from 22 January to 15 February 2019.
Up to 6 F/A-18A Hornet aircraft from Number 77 Squadron, an E-7A Wedgetail from Number 2 Squadron, an AP-3C (Electronic Warfare) Orion from Number 10 Squadron were deployed on the complex, multi-nation exercise.
Personnel also operated a Task Group Headquarters; augmenting the Combined Air Operations Centre, Cyber capabilities; and establish a Control and Reporting Centre.
Established in 1975 as an internal exercise by the United States Air Force, Exercise Red Flag centres on the world’s most complex reconstruction of a modern battlespace and is recognised as one of the world’s premier air combat exercises.
Red Flag 19-1 also involved participants from the United States Navy as well as the Royal Air Force.
Training alongside allied nations is critical to the success of Air Force units on real world operations; helping develop further familiarity with foreign terminology, methods and platforms.
Australian Department of Defence
February 22, 2019
We will have a chance to interview Air Marshal Davies next month when in Canberra for the latest Williams Foundation Seminar.
Air Marshal Davies opened the airshow, an airshow which featured the announcement of the loyal wingman program, with his perspective on the key role of industry and partnering with the RAAF to shape a fifth generation air force.
In effect, the challenge is to shape an eco system for industry and the ADF to build out core capabilities in an integrated manner.
And to do so, clearly requires a reshaping of the industrial eco system.
The RAAF’s Chief of Air Force, AIRMSHL ‘Leo’ Davies has launched the next stage of the revolutionary Plan Jericho effort to transform the RAAF and wider ADF into a 5th generation force.
Delivering the opening remarks at the Defence & Industry Aerospace Conference on the sidelines of the 2019 Avalon Airshow on February 25, AIRMSHL Davies said the evaluation and consolidation of existing, and the development of new partnerships was key to realising success for the RAAF.
“As CAF, I have two main capability management responsibilities,” he said. “First, I need to deliver an Air Force today which is part of a joint force that is capable of meeting the full expectations of our government.
“Second, I have to design an Air Force for the future which is capable of prevailing in a rapidly changing strategic contest.
“While there can be little doubt about my apparent bias, when it comes to delivering preparedness now, I think the RAAF has consistently proven our ability to generate airpower, create the required effects, and successfully contribute to all aspects of our continued security.”
AIRMSHL Davies said although the RAAF was currently mid-way through the transition to a new airpower fleet, the RAAF can’t simply expect to buy its way into the 5th generation.
“The need to take a fresh look is what provides us with the opportunity to think deeply about the purpose and the nature of our partnerships, and to determine whether they also need to evolve in order to maximise our contribution,” he said.
AIRMSHL Davies defined those partnerships as including those organisations in research and development, in industry, other elements of the ADF, and international partner services.
“If you ask me to explain why selected partnerships is this year’s theme, it’s because I know that Air Force would not be able to realise the 5th generation potential timeline,” he said. “To prevail in the future, it will be essential to make the most of what we have built with researchers, industry, and our joint and international partners.
“The good news is we have great foundation in understanding that working together is helping you.”
AIRMSHL Davies also gave credit to the influence of commercial aerospace initiatives in assisting the RAAF to realise better results in sustainment.
“We have seen innovation from civil aviation that’s allowed us to optimise our sustaining, and to learn about impact on the environment,” he said.
“We were able to approach the maintenance, and realise that some elements need not be done by Air Force, and in fact, we realised that some elements should not be done by Air Force. All these new arrangements giving us the flexibility to create more uniformed expertise, to the war-fighting edge and back up.”
He said the advantages of a 5th generation Air Force won’t just be realised by the capabilities provided by the new systems being acquired, but will only be achieved when the ADF uses an integrated system-of-systems to create decisive, debilitating, and unexpected war fighting effects.
February 26, 2019
The photos in the slideshow highlight aircraft and participants at Avalon Air Show 2019.
Australian Department of Defence
February 2019.