The world’s largest combat search and rescue exercise has a new planning committee. The Air Force on June 24 activated Det. 1 of the 414th Combat Training Squadron at Davis-Monthan AFB, Ariz., which will be responsible for planning exercise Angel Thunder—the world’s largest combat search and rescue exercise. The exercise includes Air Force pararescumen and survival, evasion, resistance, and escape specialists, along with joint, multinational, and interagency partners focusing on real world and simulated scenarios. “They can walk away after being exposed to highly dynamic and challenging scenarios and learning those lessons so they don’t have to learn them in combat,” Maj. James Humphrey, director of operations for the new detachment, said in an Air Combat Command release.
The new defense reconciliation bill includes $7.2 billion for Air Force and Navy aviation accounts, almost half of which will buy more F-15EXs. While electronic warfare, drones, connectivity and airlift all get attention, the F-35 was conspicuously absent from the package, with no explanation given.