As more F-35s enter the field, training opportunities better prepare future F-35 pilots and maintenance crews. At Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma, air battle managers and mission system operators do not typically get the chance to command and control F-35s, but a two-week training in August by the 58th Fighter Squadron at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, gave them a more in-depth look into these operations. An air battle manager controls the air battle space by providing a bird’s-eye view that increases situational awareness. The ability of air battle managers and F-35 pilots "to understand each other's jobs helps to increase fighter lethality and overall mission success.” (Read more...)