Airmen at Misawa AB, Japan, tripled their normal sortie rate during a two-day surge exercise earlier this week. The 35th Fighter Wing rapidly launched its F-16s in a simulated combat environment April 4 and 5, according to a release. Each squadron’s mission rate increased from 20 to 70 sorties a day as the personnel worked 12-hour shifts and launched aircraft from 8 a.m. to midnight. In March, the 35th Fighter Wing practiced a rapid deployment to nearby Kadena Air Base as part of exercise Beverly Sunrise 16-03.
F-35As from the Vermont Air National Guard have deployed to Puerto Rico in recent days, continuing a major buildup of U.S. Air Force assets in Latin America aimed at combating drug trafficking and pressuring the regime of Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro.
