Among the aircraft participating in the 81st iteration of Cope North, which concludes Feb. 19, are USAF B-52 bombers and F-16 aggressors, US Navy EA-6B electronic attack aircraft, and Japan Air Self-Defense Force F-2s and E-2s. US and Japanese forces have engaged in the annual two-week exercise, which stages out of Andersen AFB, Guam, since 1978. The B-52s are deployed to Andersen from Barksdale AFB, La., as part of a normal strategic presence rotation to the Pacific. The F-16 aggressor force is from Eielson AFB, Alaska. (From Andersen, Feb. 10 photo release, Feb. 11 photo release, and Feb. 15 photo release)
The Air Force has finished modifying and testing the new VC-25B Bridge aircraft that will serve as a temporary Air Force One, the service announced May 1. All that’s left now is to finish painting the jet before it starts flying this summer.