06/30/2016: Aircraft from Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 9, embarked aboard USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74), conduct and air-and-sea-power demonstration with USS Stockdale (DDG 106).
Credit: USS John C. Stennis (CVN 74):5/17/16
Army Logisticians Conduct Weapons Training at Sea
06/27/201606/27/2016: JOINT BASE PEARL HARBOR-HICKAM, Hawaii – The crew of the 545th Transportation Company, 8th Theater Sustainment Command’s Logistical Support Vessel-2, the CW3 Harold C. Clinger, conducted weapons training miles of the coast of Oahu, Hawaii, May 16.
The Soldiers trained with M249 squad automatic weapons, M2 .50 caliber machine guns and the M203 and M320 grenade launchers to become more familiar with their crew-served weapons in a waterborne environment, where targets are further away and rolling conditions make stationary targets into moving targets.
Credit:8th Theater Sustainment Command:5/16/16
K-MAX Helicopters Arrive at MCAS Yuma
06/25/201606/25/2016: The Marine Corps’ first two Kaman K-MAX Helicopters arrived at Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Ariz., Saturday May 7, 2016.
The K-MAX will be added to MCAS Yuma’s already vast collection of military air assets, and will utilize the station’s ranges to strengthen training, testing and operations across the Marine Corps.
Credit: Marine Corps Air Station Yuma:5/7/16
F-16 Flying with F-35 at Luke AFB
06/20/201606/20/2016: F-16s fly with F-35s every day at Luke AFB.
In this video from the 56th fighter wing, one such flight is portrayed.
5/10/16
During our visit to Edwards AFB, we discussed the F-35 working with the F-35 with Lt. Col. Raj Chari:
Question: We discussed the so-called F-16 and F-35 dogfight with colleagues earlier today, what is your take on this amazingly blown out of context story?
Answer: My first week here that story came out. I found the whole thing amazing because it did not even involve a simulated combat sortie. We were going after some particular test points.
The F-16 was simply a test aid, not in a dogfight with the F-35.
The story was simply spun and used by those who like to spin stories.
Because this happened just after I got here, I reached back to the leadership to determine whether this would have a chilling effect on our pilot reporting and discussions and was given clear guidance that we were not testing in response to the press, we were testing to evolve the aircraft.
That was made very clear from the top down. We are looking for accurate test and evolution of the aircraft, not a managed press campaign. Somebody else’s distortions are not going to deter our discussions.
And really, discussing the F-16 with the F-35 would be like a horse cavalry officer discussing the tank during the First World War.
You know the tank can not jump across the trench like a horse does!
That is correct and absolutely irrelevant.
The USAF Chief of Staff has us focused on the target of dominance in 2035 and not just carrying the legacy approach and fleet forward. The F-35 is a big part of that forward thinking.
HMAS Perth First Deployment to the Middle East
06/15/201606/15/2016: Family and friends gathered at Fleet Base West, Rockingham to farewell HMAS Perth as she departed for the Middle East Region to relieve HMAS Darwin.
The Commander Australian Fleet, RADM Stuart Mayer, CSC and Bar, RAN and Commander Australian Surface Force, CDRE Lee Goddard, CSC, RAN were on hand and wished the ship’s company, led by Commanding Officer HMAS Perth, CAPT Ivan Ingham, AM, RAN safe passage.
This is Perth’s first deployment to the Middle East, the first operational deployment of an ANZAC Class frigate following the Anti-Ship Missile Defence upgrade and the first operational deployment for a Seahawk Romeo helicopter.
Perth’s maiden voyage is the 63rd rotation of a Royal Australian Navy Fleet Unit to the region since 1990.
Credit: Australian Ministry of Defense:6/8/16
Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron
06/15/2016: A CH-53E assigned to Marine Heavy Helicopter Training Squadron 302 (HMHT-302) conducting flight training over Marine Corps Air Station New River, N.C., April 27, 2016. Combat Camera captured aerial imagery while HMHT-302 conducted flight training.
Credit:Marine Corps Installations East Combat Camera (MCB CAMP LEJEUNE & MCAS NEW RIVER):4/28/16
Red Flag Alaska 16-2
06/13/201606/13/2016: According to a USMC story published on June 8, 2016, the Marines are participating in Red Flag Alaska 16-2.
Marines with Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 314, and Marine All-Weather Fighter Attack Squadron 242, from Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan, traveled to Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, to participate in exercise Red Flag-Alaska 16-2, June 2-17, 2016.
The exercise provides a realistic training environment and allows commanders to train for full spectrum engagements, ranging from individual skills of the pilots to complex, large-scale joint engagements.
“Red Flag-Alaska is a large force exercise where we train with U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army units,” said U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Gregory A. McGuire, commanding officer of VMFA-314. “We also have some coalition forces here, the Republic of Singapore Air Force and the Japanese Air Self-Defense Force, so it’s a big combined, joint, coalition exercise to work together with a very large number of aircraft to get to know each other; sharing tactics, techniques and procedures on how we would work together if we were called upon to serve in a big, kinetic fight.”
Red Flag-Alaska takes place inside the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, which is the largest instrumented air, ground and electronic combat training range in the world.
The range complex provides more than 67,000 square miles of airspace, including one conventional bombing range and two tactical bombing ranges containing 510 different types of targets and 45 threat simulators, both manned and unmanned. This capability supplies enough room and support for Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 to host a large amount of aircraft participation.
“The first Monday event is going to bring in the neighborhood of 70-plus aircraft airborne at one time,” said McGuire. “It is a lot of detailed planning and detailed organization between the elements, but it’s a great training opportunity for the squadron.”
The pilots will deal with issues such as language barriers and new aircraft in the sky as allies or playing as the enemy during the exercise.
“We just got here and did our coordination today,” said Capt. Steve Parks, pilot with VMFA-314. “It sounds like a great chance to work with the other units that are out here like the Japan Air Self-Defense Force and, of course, the U.S. Air Force, who is hosting the exercise.”
Training in a large scale exercise like Red Flag-Alaska 16-2 is a stepping stone for the pilots and maintenance crews of both squadrons to be more experienced and knowledgeable in large-scale combat operations. This allows the squadrons to be more effective in combat and reduces the risk of casualties.
The video footage highlights a Japanese Air Self-Defense Force C-130 and USAF C-130, E-3, and F-22s taxiing and taking off for Red Flag-Alaska 16-2.
Credit:Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson Public Affairs:6/8/16
Aussie Vietnam Veterans Return Home: The Repatriation of the Remains of 33 Aussie Servicemen
06/12/201606/12/2016: Two Royal Australian Air Force C-17A Globemaster aircraft touched down at RAAF Base Richmond on 3 June 2016 at 10.30am to return home to Australia the remains of 33 Australian service personnel and dependents, many of whom were casualties of the Vietnam War, from cemeteries in Malaysia and Singapore.
The Governor-General of Australia, His Excellency General the Hon. Sir Peter Cosgrove (Retd), AK, MC; Minister for Defence, Senator the Hon. Marise Payne, representing the Prime Minister; Chief of the Australian Defence Force, Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin, AC; and Chief of Army, Lieutenant General Angus Campbell, DSC, AM; joined family and friends for a military repatriation ceremony.
Australian Defence Force personnel from Australia’s Federation Guard and other units escorted the remains of the 33 Service personnel and dependants from the RAAF aircraft into a memorial service with family and friends, before the 33 hearses left RAAF Base Richmond.
The repatriation, being organised by the Office of Australian War Graves, is one of the largest single repatriations of Australian service personnel and dependents in our history.
On 25 May 2015, the Australian Government offered to repatriate 36 Australian service personnel and dependants from Terendak Military Cemetery in Malaysia and Kranji Cemetery in Singapore.
The families of 33 service personnel and dependents accepted the offer.
Credit: Australian Ministry of Defense:6/3/16