Airmen with the 22nd and 23rd Special Tactics Squadrons “joined” the Navy for contingency training aboard USS Alabama in the Pacific Ocean. The weeklong exercise provided experience on an Ohio-class submarine like those being converted from ballistic missile platforms to ones that can deliver Tomahawk tactical missiles and serve as a platform for up to 60 special operations forces. The STS airmen, from McChord AFB, Wash., and Hurlburt Field, Fla., practiced various scenarios including rescue missions and launch of tactical unmanned aerial vehicles for reconnaissance.
The Air Force displayed all the firepower it has amassed on Okinawa in an unusually diverse show of force this week. IIn a May 6 “Elephant Walk,” Kadena Air Base showcased 24 F-35A Lightning II stealth fighters, eight F-15E Strike Eagles; two U.S. Army Patriot anti-missile batteries near the runway; and…