Approximately 15,000 U.S. service members, six U.S. Navy ships and 240 aircraft participated in a joint training exercise hosted by U.S. Pacific Air Forces on May 3-14 known as Northern Edge 2021 on and above the Joint Pacific Alaska Range Complex, the Gulf of Alaska, and temporary maritime activities area. NE21 is one in a series of U.S. Indo-Pacific Command exercises designed to sharpen the joint forces’ skills, provide realistic combat scenarios, and is an essential event for operational tests. The F-35As from the 53rd Wing at Eglin Air Force Base participated at NE21 and demonstrated how the F-35 plays a critical role throughout our integrated forces. Those F-35s tested with the F-15EX, which features upgraded computing, sensors and weapons, for a first look at large force integration. (Read more...)