The newest iteration of Green Flag close air support training kicked off Monday at the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, Calif., and Nellis AFB, Nev., and will continue through the end of the month. Participants in Green Flag-West 10-03 include F-15Es from RAF Lakenheath, Britain; Canadian CF-18s from Royal Canadian AFS Bagotville, Canada; and Canadian Alpha Jets operating from Victorville, Calif. These aircraft will work to protect the soldiers, sailors, and marines embedded with Canadian Task Force 1-10 from opposing enemy forces in a 1,000 square-mile area during the three-week drill. Green Flag exercises are held about 10 times annually to provide realistic CAS training for airmen and soldiers preparing to deploy to Afghanistan and Iraq, including replication of irregular warfare conditions. (Nellis report by SrA. Ryan Whitney)
Boeing’s receipt of the 10th lot contract award for the KC-46 Pegasus this week leaves just three lots left to complete the Air Force’s buy of the tanker, although a further buy of 75 additional aircraft as a “bridge” to the Next-Generation Aerial-refueling System (NGAS) seems increasingly likely.