Royal Air Force Typhoon fighters deployed to the United States for two months of exercises and training, announced the British air arm on Wednesday. This deployment will include the British fighters’ debut next month at a Red Flag aerial combat training exercise at Nellis AFB, Nev., states the RAF’s Jan. 23 release. The Typhoons will initially spend several weeks developing tactics with F-22s at JB Langley-Eustis, Va., at Exercise Western Zephyr, reported the Bermuda Sun. “It is a big opportunity to test the capability of the aircraft and the pilots against the very best and develop tactics,” said Wing Cdr. Richard Wells, leader of 11 Squadron, according to the newspaper’s Jan. 23 report. The squadron’s Typhoons are on this deployment, the unit is based at RAF Coningsby. The Typhoons will then fly to Nellis for Red Flag 13-3, according to the RAF release. “This has been over six months in the planning and is the first time the RAF has deployed Typhoon to such a prestigious exercise,” said Squadron Leader Andy Chisholm, 11 Squadron’s executive officer.
Amid a high-profile recruiting crisis, Air Force leaders and experts have increasingly noted the challenging long-term trends the service will face in enticing young Americans to sign up—decreasing eligibility to serve, less propensity to do so, and less familiarity with the military. But while those same leaders say there’s no “silver…