According to Army Gen. Burwell Bell, getting adequate air training space—particularly for air-to-ground training—is a key issue for US Forces Korea. Burwell, USFK leader, told the House Armed Services Committee last week, “We do not have the ranges that I believe are required to ensure our competency day to day.” He said that USAF had access to ranges “until several months back” and was promised use of a new range. The new arrangement has met local resident resistance. Burwell maintained that he is “trying to resolve this” with South Korea.
Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, celebrated the beddown of its full complement of F-35s with a ceremony just weeks after the base received the last of its 54 fighters. The arrival of those F-35s in mid-April gave Eielson the Air Force’s second fully-equipped, combat-coded F-35 wing, comprising two fighter squadrons.…