During the latest Koa Lightning exercise, which featured B-52 bombers flying from Andersen AFB, Guam, to Hawaii, the bomber crews got to drop inert weapons on the Pele Bombing Range. TSgt. Steven Wilson reports that the aircrews received targeting information from joint terminal attack controllers on the ground. “Absolutely nothing beats dropping ordnance on a target in terms of training value, especially for our younger aircrews,” stated Col. Damian McCarthy, 36th Operations Group commander at Andersen. The bombers have been deployed to Andersen from Barksdale AFB, La.
Days before the New START Treaty is set to expire, experts, lawmakers, and former defense officials have varied perspectives on how President Donald Trump’s administration should proceed as it considers future arms control agreements with nuclear weapon states.


