F-15Es from the 494th Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, Britain, flew to Kunsan AB, South Korea, last month for “buddy” training with South Korean air force F-15Ks. “I am amazed at how seamlessly we integrated the F-15Es and the F-15Ks into combat training,” said Capt. Titus Amundson, a 494th FS pilot. He and his Lakenheath colleagues exchanged tactics and critiques with pilots of the South Korean air force’s 38th Fighter Group. The F-15Es flew air-to-air maneuvers with the F-15Ks and USAF F-16s of Kunsan’s 8th FW. “Despite the language and cultural barriers, Buddy Wing proved to be a class act that has refined the capability for the USAF and [South Korean air force] to fly side by side in combat, if required,” stressed Amundson. The training took place July 19-21. (Kunsan report by 1st Lt. Trisha Eldredge)
The Space Force is preparing for significant growth to its procurement budget in fiscal 2027, and the head of the service’s largest acquisition organization said April 14 he is asking companies to invest now in facilities and production capacity so they’re ready to execute when called upon.