U.S. Military Forces in Europe work closely with coalition forces from Croatia, Italy and Slovenia to execute Astral Knight 2019, at Aviano Air Base, Italy, and various locations across Europe
Astral Knight 2019, a joint-multinational exercise led by U.S. Air Forces in Europe, aims to demonstrate the defense capabilities of the U.S. integrated air and missile defense system.
Training will involve a combination of flight operations and computer-assisted scenarios.
The exercise’s goal is to enhance the command and control integration, coordination and interoperability of air and land capabilities and overlapping operations into the IAMD enterprise.
More than 30 USAF aircraft are participating to include F-35A Lightning IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, KC-135 Stratotankers and E-3 Sentry aircraft.
F-35A Lightning IIs and Eurofighter Typhoons from the Italian air force and Croatian MiG-21s join in the exercise as well.
U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 457th Fighter Squadron, Fort Worth, TX fly in formation alongside a 100th Air Refueling Wing KC-135 Stratotanker from RAF Mildenhall, England, during exercise Astral Knight over the skies of Italy, June 3, 2019. AK19 is a joint, multinational exercise which aims to demonstrate the integration, coordination, and interoperability of joint existing command and control at the operation and tactical levels. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau)
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