The 77th Fighter Squadron at Shaw AFB, S.C., just hosted Operation Iron Thunder, a four-day exercise involving aircraft from various states and countries. One phase of the exercise pitted approximately 85 “Blue air” aircraft against about 15 “Red air” aggressors as Blue tried to protect a target; the other phase reversed the situation. Participating aircraft included USAF F-15Es, F-16s, B-1Bs, an E-3 E-8C Joint STARS, and KC-135 tanker. USAF and the Royal Air Force each sent an E-3 AWACS, while the Navy provided F/A-18s.
The Air Force is requesting about $141 million for initial enlistment bonuses in its fiscal 2026 budget, while Space Force wants $13 million.
