Lockheed Martin F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter (JSF) and Dassault Rafale jets have begun flying joint exercises geared at enhancing fourth- and fifth-generation interoperability between the United States and France.
US F-35A and French Rafale fighters flying their first joint exercises geared at enhancing fourth and fifth generation integration, combat readiness, and fighting capabilities. Exercise ‘Atlantic Trident 21’ will also feature aircraft from the UK. (DVIDS)
Exercise ‘Atlantic Trident 21’, which will also feature aircraft from the United Kingdom, is being conducted out of Mont-de-Marsan Air Force Base from 17 to 28 May.
“The [first joint] flight was a part of the ‘Atlantic Trident 21’ exercise which is a joint, multinational exercise involving service members from the US, France and the UK, and is aimed at enhancing fourth and fifth generation integration, combat readiness and fighting capabilities, through conducting complex air operations in a contested multinational joint force environment,” the USAF said.
News of the first joint US-French sortie came days after four US Air Force F-35As arrived at Marsan Air Base in southern France on 10 May for training and regional reassurance operations. The USAF F-35As are from the 4th Fighter Squadron (an amalgamation of personnel from the active 388th Fighter Wing [FW] and the reserve 419th FW) normally stationed at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, while the French Air and Space Force Rafales are from 1/4 Gascogne Fighter Squadron, 113 Saint-Dizier-Robinson Air Base.
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