Proposed changes to the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex near Fairbanks would open two exercise areas to low altitude training as low as 500 feet, according to officials at Eielson AFB, Alaska. “This will allow relevant training for pilots who will eventually employ these skills downrange in support of future air operations,” 353rd Combat Training Squadron Operations Director Lt. Col. Dennis Lincoln said in an April 9 release. The putative changes are part of overall efforts to update JPARC to meet the future training needs of fifth generation aircraft, such as the F22 and F-35. Flying is currently limited to altitudes between 5,000 feet and 18,000 feet in the Fox 3 sector, while the current hard-deck is fixed at 18,000 feet in the Paxon sector. Under the proposed changes both sectors would be expanded to 500-feet to 18,000 feet, with Paxon only being used at low altitudes during Red Flag Alaska or major exercises.
The lack of training ranges and airspace in Japan are making it difficult for U.S. aircrews to maintain readiness during the pandemic, the head of U.S. forces in Japan said. U.S. and Japanese aircraft and personnel need to leave the country for high-end training, often traveling to major exercise such…