Pacific Air Forces has started Cope Thunder 2006, an annual air combat training exercise that will run through Oct. 21. More than 1,000 active duty and Air National Guard airmen along with 87 aircraft will take part in PACAF’s largest air combat exercise, which is conducted out of Eielson AFB, Alaska, and nearby Elmendorf Air Force Base. This year’s exercises will focus on large force employment training as well as close air support, combat search and rescue, time sensitive targeting, and B-1B Lancer missions from overseas and continental US locations, according to Lt. Col. Eddie Osteen, director of operations for the 353rd Combat Training Squadron.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
