Members of the 77th Weapons Squadron at Dyess AFB, Tex., brought together various aircraft and joint terminal attack controllers for a first-of-its-kind exercise at Winston Field in Snyder, Tex., announced Dyess officials. B-1Bs and C-130s from Dyess, F/A-18s from NAS Fort Worth JRB, Tex., and JTACs from Nellis AFB, Nev., joined forces to clear and overtake an enemy-controlled airfield during the April 25 drill, according to Dyess’ May 1 release. “We are trying to mirror the way we train to the way we would actually fight a war,” said Maj. Timothy Griffith of the 77th WPS. In addition to the actual assets in the drill, participants simulated some capabilities like Army Rangers and C-17 airdrops of heavy equipment, states the release. This kind of training is “critical for the future of the Air Force because in the future, when we are serving alongside other branches and countries, we will know each others’ capabilities and we can work better together,” said Capt. J. Meinhard of Dyess’ 9th Bomb Squadron. (Dyess report by A1C Peter Thompson)
In the wake of a major Chinese military shakeup, the head of U.S. Space Command warned of China’s “breathtakingly fast” advances in space during visits to Japan and South Korea. Gen. Stephen N. Whiting’s trip to the Indo-Pacific is his first overseas visit since taking command of SPACECOM in January.