Three U.S. Air Force F-35As were part of exercise Valiant Shield 2022 on the island nation of Palau in the Indo-Pacific. Valiant Shield 2022 is a biennial, U.S.-only, joint Field Training Exercise focused on integration between U.S. forces in relation to current operational plans. This training enables real-world proficiency in sustaining joint forces through detecting, locating, tracking, and engaging adversary units. 

During this year’s Valiant Shield, a U.S. Army Patriot missile defense system and an Air Force F-35A combined forces to mark the first time the Patriot connected with the lethal joint strike fighter for a live-fire drill outside of testing in the U.S. 

Two Patriot interceptors engaged the cruise missile surrogate target, or a drone built to look and perform like a cruise missile. The target was shot down just over 20 miles from the island at an altitude of 10,000 feet using radar data provided by an F-35A assigned to the 354th Air Expeditionary Wing out of Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.  

Interoperability, best described as the ability of military equipment or groups to operate in conjunction with each other, is a key capability of the F-35. The ability to extend the range that the Patriot can detect and engage threats provides an entirely new capability to the joint force and increases ability to defend a free and open Indo-Pacific. Patriot missiles down drone target from Palau with assist from Lightning II | Stars and Stripes