The F-16s of the 80th Fighter Squadron at Kunsan AB, South Korea, took to the skies recently to take on the F/A-18 Hornets of Marine Aircraft Group One’s VMFA-3M “Black Knights” as part of the annual Hollandia dissimilar air combat exercise. More than 150 marine air and ground crews deployed to Iwakuni, Japan, from MCAS Miramar in San Diego. Hollandia commemorates operations during World War II when the 80th FS “Juvats” shot down 33 aircraft in four days without loosing any aircraft. The exercise is set up to steadily increase the overall experience for each pilot, slowly raising the curve from one-on-one aerial combat to a final major exercise involving 10 Hornets and 16 Vipers.
Navy CCA Program’s Shape Coming into Focus
Oct. 17, 2025
In announcing its Navy Collaborative Combat Aircraft contract, General Atomics has provided some clues as to where the service is heading with its version of an armed, autonomous fighter escort. It will likely be quite different from the Air Force version.
