Air Force Reservists from the 701st Combat Operations Squadron at March ARB, Calif., and 710th COS at Langley AFB, Va., were amongst the US servicemembers who participated earlier this month in Bright Star 2009, a biennial multinational exercise hosted by Egypt. These airmen joined with air controllers from the militaries of the other participating nations to run an air operations center for the exercise, which took place from Oct. 10-26. It is the largest exercise of its kind in the Eastern Mediterranean region. The exercise opened with a strategic airborne jump of more than 300 soldiers from the 82nd Airborne Division, together with Egyptian, German, Kuwaiti, and Pakistani paratroopers. On Oct. 12, more than 1,000 Marines from the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit took part in an amphibious landing at Al Amein Beach in Alexandria. The militaries of Britain, France, Greece, Italy, and Turkey also participated. (AFRC release)
The two prototypes for the Air Force’s Collaborative Combat Aircraft program have started ground testing, Air Force Chief Staff Gen. David W. Allvin announced May 1, ahead of a planned first flight this summer.