Approximately 200 airmen from Shaw AFB, S.C., and F-16s from Shaw’s 79th Fighter Squadron last week completed a Green Flag training exercise at Nellis AFB, Nev. The two weeks of training are designed to help prepare Air Force pilots and maintainers for upcoming deployments through realistic scenarios. They allow them to work with Army soldiers and Air Force joint terminal attack controllers. In this case, the Shaw airmen even had the opportunity to fly with B-1 bombers. “This is the capstone training event for both our pilots and maintainers,” said Capt. Patrick McGarry, 79th FS assistant director of operations. He added, “We simulate a deployed operations tempo, which helps maintenance gauge their readiness to operate as a deployed aircraft maintenance unit.” And the pilots have “an invaluable opportunity to practice communication with the JTACs and employment of precision weapons,” he noted. (Shaw report by SrA. Alexandria Mosness)
NATO Scrambles Fighter in Newest Response to Russian Drones
Sept. 16, 2025
NATO scrambled its first fighter Sept. 13 under its new plan to bolster its defenses against Russian air incursions that was put into place after an array of Russian drones flew into Polish airspace last week, the officials from the alliance’s military command said.