Aircrews and F-16s at Misawa AB, Japan, recently tested their ability to rapidly deploy and set up operations through a training deployment to nearby Kadena Air Base. Maintenance airmen and pilots with the 35th Fighter Wing on March 23 rapidly checked out and launched their aircraft in a simulated contingency operation as part of exercise Beverly Sunrise 16-03, according to a Misawa release. The operational readiness exercise included all squadrons at Misawa, with airmen going through the entire deployment process and packing cargo needed to deploy, according to Misawa.
The Space Development Agency added 21 satellites to its nascent data transport network in an Oct. 15 launch, the second mission in 10-month campaign to field 154 operational spacecraft.