The first Commando Sling of the new fiscal year has wrapped. Participating were some 80 airmen from the 14th Fighter Squadron, Misawa AB, Japan. The unit’s F-16s flew with and against Singapore Air Force F-5s. The Misawa airmen felt comfortable with their Singapore counterparts because “they think like we do,” having received much of their training in the US, said Lt. Col. John Pearse, 14th FS commander. However, he asserted it was “very good threat replication” because his F-16 force rarely gets to train against smaller aircraft.
The U.S. military is maintaining a beefed-up presence in the Middle East, including fighters and air defense assets, following the U.S. strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities June 22 and subsequent retaliation by the Iranians against Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
