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31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Jordan Mooring, 555th Aircraft Maintenance Unit F-16 Fighting Falcon crew chief, prepares to perform recovery operations on a U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron at Amendola Air Base, Italy, June 4, 2021. Six U.S. Air Force F-16C aircraft will be participating in Falcon Strike 21 (FS21), an exercise involving service members from the U.S., Israel, Italy and the United Kingdom to integrate fourth and fifth generation fighter capabilities in a large force employment event. The exercise is a multilateral military training exercise conducting air operations in a contested multinational force environment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder
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31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
U.S. Air Force Maj. Eric Broyles, 31st Operations Group international coordination director and F-16 Fighting Falcon evaluator pilot, sits in the cockpit of a U.S. Air Force F-16 before takeoff during Falcon Strike 21 at Aviano Air Base, Italy, June 4, 2021. Participation in multinational exercises like Falcon Strike enhance professional relationships and improves overall coordination with allies and partner militaries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ericka A. Woolever)
Photo by: Senior Airman Ericka Woolever
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31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
A U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcon assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron takes off during exercise Falcon Strike at Aviano Air Base, Italy, June 4, 2021. Participation in multinational exercises like Falcon Strike 21 enhance professional relationships and improves overall coordination with allies and partner militaries. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Ericka A. Woolever)
Photo by: Senior Airman Ericka Woolever
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31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
Four U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron participating in Falcon Strike 21 (FS21) fly in formation over Amendola Air Base, Italy, June 4, 2021. Six U.S. Air Force F-16C aircraft are participating in Falcon Strike 21 (FS21), an exercise involving service members from the U.S., Israel, Italy and the United Kingdom to integrate fourth and fifth generation fighter capabilities in a large force employment event. Exercises like FS21 provide a venue to train with other nations, build readiness, practice interoperability, and enhance enduring relationships. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder)
Photo by: Airman 1st Class Brooke Moeder
Falcon Strike 21, a multinational training exercise led by the Italian Air Force, will take place at Amendola Air Base, Italy, from June 7-15, 2021.
FS21 is a joint, multinational exercise with participants from the United States working with service members from Israel, Italy, and the United Kingdom, that optimizes the integration between 4th and 5th Generation aircraft, increases the level of cooperation in the F-35 logistics and expeditionary fields, and strengthens interoperability of allied and partner air forces during joint operations.
Aircraft planned to participate in the exercise include: U.S. Air Force F-35A Lightning II and F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft; U.S. Marine Corps F-35B Lightning II aircraft; Royal Air Force F-35B Lightning II aircraft; Italian Air Force F-35A and F-35B Lightning II, Gulfstream G550, F-2000 Eurofighter Typhoon, Panavia Tornado, AMX International aircraft, Alenia Aermacci T-346 aircraft, and MQ-1 Predator aircraft; and Israeli Air Force F-35I Adir and Gulfstream G550 aircraft.
USAF F-35 Lightning II aircraft will participate on the first day of the exercise only. The USAF F-35 aircraft are assigned to the 4th Fighter Squadron, 388th Fighter Wing, Hill Air Force Base, Utah. U.S. F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft participating in the exercise are assigned to the 555th Fighter Squadron, 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy.
In addition to enhancing combat readiness and strengthening bonds between allies and partners, Falcon Strike 21 provides participants the opportunity for developing capabilities in planning and conducting complex air operations in a multinational, joint force environment, leading to an advanced level of training for all participants. This includes a security environment where aircrews will have the ability to plan, brief, fly, and debrief at the same appropriate security level.
The information included in this release is subject to change with short notice due to the dynamic global COVID-19 situation.
For more information, contact U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa Public Affairs at +49 06371-47-6558 or email usafepao.pao@us.af.mil or usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.
