Forty-two 
aircraft from across the Air Force and the sister services flew strike missions and practiced air-to-air refueling this week during a phase-two operational readiness exercise, dubbed Sea Lion 11-05, based out of Shaw AFB, S.C. “We are in a good location geographically, with many different assets in close proximity, and the airspace and air-to-ground ranges to accommodate us,” said Maj. Cameron Nordin, chief of inspections for Shaw’s 20th Fighter Wing. “The integration of all the assets is exactly how we would fight; therefore, this is some of the best training for our airmen, as well as for other services participating.” Assembled for the May 2 exercise were: an E-3 AWACS, F-22s, F-15Es, active duty and Air National Guard F-16s, Marine Corps F/A-18s, and Air Guard and Air Force Reserve Command KC-135s. (Seymour Johnson report by Heather Stanton)
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
