US, French, UK forces participate in first A2/AD training

The First Fighter Wing, based at Langley AFB in Virginia is hosting F-15Es, T-38s, F-22s, Typhoons from the RAF, as well as French Rafaels as part of the first Trilateral Anti Access/Area Denial exercise. The exercise runs from the 2nd to the 18th of December.

Approximately 500 personnel are involved, with the F-15s and T-38s playing Red Air, with AWACS and French and US tankers supporting the exercise.

www.jble.af.mil...

originally posted by: Zaphod58
The First Fighter Wing, based at Langley AFB in Virginia is hosting F-15Es, T-38s, F-22s, Typhoons from the RAF, as well as French Rafaels as part of the first Trilateral Anti Access/Area Denial exercise. The exercise runs from the 2nd to the 18th of December.

Approximately 500 personnel are involved, with the F-15s and T-38s playing Red Air, with AWACS and French and US tankers supporting the exercise.

www.jble.af.mil...

Are Anti Access / Area Denial Air to Air missions only?

a reply to: Forensick

No, a lot of them are air to mud.

a reply to: Zaphod58

OK, good news for the Typhoon then, I hope it will be doing A2G to build its capability. First four sent to RAF Akrotiri to give the Daesh the good news, not sure how many are bombing from Iraq but I think we missed the multirole capability of Typhoon (although the Tonkers have been doing a sterling job) whilst the Rafale has been doing it for some time.

a reply to: Forensick

A2/AD is one of those complicated fields. Both the Typhoon and Rafael are necessary in both the SEAD and air to air role.

For a real A2/AD exercise they'll eventually need to add in EW escorts, and potentially UAVs, ELINT, and SIGINT platforms.

a reply to: Zaphod58

What would the RAF use as EW since the ALARM is a gonner? I hope it isnt Allies like our ASW was until we woke up?

I know the US Growlers and Prowlers were in Libya - even Aus has Growlers. UK.....will the F-35 have it covered??

a reply to: Forensick

The F-35 has a pretty stout EW suite. Not as stout as the Growler though I believe.

a reply to: Forensick

As Sam said, the F-35 has a non-dedicated EW suite, but a decent one. It'll never do the job as well as a dedicated EW platform, but it'll suffice for a strike package.

I dont think the Tornado really did EW - it fired the ALARM which would hang on a parachute until the SAM radar was switched on again and then light up again!

It just does fast NOE so doesnt need it so I suppose any EQ suite in F-35 will be a bonus.

Loved watching them skimming desert in Desert Storm.

Move to 4:30 if you dont want to see what the RAF used to be! Tonkas, Jags and the Buccaneer. Check out the Aim-9 on the Jags, do any other aircraft carry them above the wings.....

a reply to: Forensick

The Typhoon has a pretty nice EW suite built by Selex.

a reply to: Forensick

The Germans and Italians both had the ECR variant of the Tornado. It didn't have any inbuilt jammers but it did have additional sensors for the detection and classification of radar transmissions.

a reply to: Donkey09

You have to love that school of thought. Both the Tornado and F-111 were thought to be too low and too fast to be targeted and fired on by SAMs. The US learned quickly that was not the case, and built the Raven to serve as escort and EW protection.