FILE PHOTO: An F-35 aircraft is displayed at Hill Air Force Base on Thursday, Oct. 26, 2017. Hill AFB confirmed its first case of COVID-19 March 20. (Photo: Spenser Heaps/Deseret News)
HILL AIR FORCE BASE, Utah (AP) — Combat aircraft and support personnel from Hill Air Force Base in Utah are conducting training in several European countries.
Hill officials said Friday the readiness exercise includes having F-35As land, refuel and re-arm with dummy munitions at forward airfields in Poland and conduct operations in Lithuania and Estonia on the same day.
Lt. Col. Maxwell Cover said Operation Rapid Force allows the Air Force to test the concept of using temporary forward bases in order to give U.S. commanders more flexibility while limiting an enemy’s ability to target a stationary force.
Officials said the exercise includes having a C-130 transport land at an airfield where personnel quickly set up equipment to transfer fuel to combat aircraft.
Meanwhile, other personnel inspect the combat aircraft and prepare them to take off again.