The Air Force has decided to rename and recast the Cope Thunder exercise run by Pacific Air Forces in Alaska to provide “complimentary training on the same level as the current Red Flag exercise run by Air Combat Command out of Nellis AFB, Nev.,” according to an Air Force announcement Tuesday. USAF expects to develop “standardized and equal training capabilities.” There was no indication whether the new Red Flag Alaska—the first of which takes place next month—will be an annual or quarterly event. The last Cope Thunder took place last October.
The Air Force needs stealthy "Aggressor" aircraft to spar with its fighters, and adversary air companies can no longer offer enough of a threat, the Air Force's programmer told the Senate Armed Services Committee. AdAir is "not giving us what we need" at Nellis AFB and at the JPARC range…