Raptor, Rafale and Typhoon train in contested airspace

USAF Photo The U.S. Air Force, British Royal Air Force and French Air Force carrying out a Trilateral Exercise from Dec 2 to 18, to sha...

USAF Photo

The U.S. Air Force, British Royal Air Force and French Air Force carrying out a Trilateral Exercise from Dec 2 to 18, to share and develop training, tactics and procedures, enabling interoperability among allies.

Hosted by USAF 1st Fighter Wing at Langley Air Force Base in Virginia, RAF Eurofighter Typhoon, USAF F-22 Raptor and French Dassault Rafale fighters horned their skills to operate in a highly-contested operational environment through a variety of simulated adversary scenarios.

The fifth generation F-22 Raptor fighter flew realistic combat missions together with the fourth generation Rafale and Typhoon.

The exercise simulated a highly-contested, degraded and operationally-limited environment where U.S. and partner pilots and ground crews can tested their readiness.

USAF Photo

The intent of the exercise is to gain an understanding of the logistics, support requirements, capabilities, tactic, techniques and procedures associated with the integrated operation of coalition fighters.

The adversary aircraft were simulated by the USAF T-38 Talon and F-15E Strike Eagle jets. French and British aerial refueling aircraft and U.S. Air Force Airborne Warning and Control System aircraft also supports the exercise.

USAF Photo

The exercise will help allied jets to develop tactics to counter S-400 and S-300 anti-access/area denial air defense system deployed by Russia in Syria.