Airmen of the 20th Fighter Wing at Shaw AFB, S.C., earlier this month participated in an exercise with pilot volunteers of the South Carolina wing of the Civil Air Patrol. This iteration of the frequently occurring Fertile Keynote exercise allowed Shaw’s F-16 pilots who protect the skies of the US Eastern Air Defense Sector against unauthorized air intruders to practice interdicting slow-moving, small general-aviation platforms flown by the CAP pilots in various scenarios, such as a small aircraft not responding to air traffic controllers instructions. “This training is critical for real-world, slow-mover intercept,” said Capt. Joe Palen, 20th FW air sovereignty alert assistant director of operations. Being able to go up against the small aircraft adds realism to the ASA training, he said. (Shaw report by SSgt. John Gordinier)
The Space Development Agency says it’s on track to issue its next batch of missile warning and tracking satellite contracts this month after those awards were delayed by the Pentagon’s decision to divert funds from the agency to pay troops during this fall’s prolonged government shutdown.
