NATO’s annual US-led Baltops exercise, involving 49 ships and some 60 aircraft from 17 Alliance and Partnership for Peace countries, got underway in the Baltic Sea late last week, officials announced. “This exercise represents an important opportunity for our forces, as allies and partners, to enhance our ability to work together and strengthen capabilities required to maintain regional security,” US 6th Fleet and Striking and Support Forces NATO Commander Vice Adm. James Foggo said in a June 4 release. B-52s flying from the Continental US will take part in repelling an assault-landing scenario in Sweden, as part of the maritime-focused exercise that runs Jun. 5-20. KC-135s from RAF Mildenhall, UK, are staging from Poland, to support the exercise, which is one of several taking place in the region in June. Exercise Noble Jump in Poland will mark the first deployment of NATO’s new Quick Reaction Force, according to officials. Air Force F-16s are also currently training there.
Roper: Air Force Shopping for ‘Skyshots’
Oct. 26, 2020
The Air Force is calling on small businesses to pitch new technologies the service can help nurture into “war-winning” capabilities, service acquisition chief Will Roper said Oct. 26. These “Skyshots”—something short of “Moon Shots”—would be comparable to USAF's flying car initiative: requiring sustained investment that companies might not be able…