This week’s Max Thunder air combat training exercise in South Korea, which concludes Friday, includes the first-ever appearance of the Air Force’s 18th Aggressor Squadron in Korean skies. A contingent of F-16s from the unit, which calls Eielson AFB, Alaska, home, has been operating from Osan Air Base, acting as the primary “threat aircraft” during the USAF-South Korean air force drills. “Interoperability with US and allied forces versus a highly trained threat flying dissimilar aircraft enables our aircrew members to be battle-ready for a myriad of potential threats,” said Capt. Ryan Noonan, 18th AGRS chief of standards and evaluations. The unit’s F-16s are painted to resemble MiG and Sukhoi fighters and its pilots employ the tactics and maneuvers associated with those aircraft. (Osan report by Capt. Matthew Stines)
Shield AI has entered the increasingly crowded field of Collaborative Combat Aircraft, this week announcing its “X-BAT” vehicle that stands out from others by having both vertical takeoff and landing capability and supersonic speed.
