B-52 bomber crews from the 5th Bomb Wing at Minot AFB, N.D. but deployed to Andersen AFB, Guam practiced their combat skills during Koa Lightning, a US Pacific Command-led exercise, in which they flew four long-duration training missions from Guam to Hawaii. The exercise “pitted four F-15s against two B-52s escorted by four F-16s,” said Maj. Jim Jagodzinski, 23rd EBS mission planning cell chief. “The B-52s had targets to strike, and the fighters were attempting to ‘shoot’ them down.” The B-52s also coordinated with forward air controllers in Hawaii to deliver simulated Joint Direct Attack Munitions. The 18-hour sorties from Andersen to Hawaii required two KC-135s—from Air Force Reserve Command’s 434th Air Refueling Wing—to provide air refuelings, providing extra loiter time in the weapons employment area.
A semi-autonomous Collaborative Combat Aircraft drone shot down an air-to-air target in a Dec. 8 test supported by the U.S. Air Force, a notable milestone in the development of the loyal wingman-type drones that will join the fleets of the USAF, other American services, and allies and adversaries.
