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“We know going into the future we have an adversary that knows how we operate, so we have to change the game,” Air Force Lt. Col. Ryan Ferdinandsen, who leads the 351st Air Refueling Squadron, told Defense One. “We can’t always operate out of (RAF) Mildenhall.”
A U.S. Air Force fighter wing based at nearby RAF Lakenheath is preparing for the arrival of its first F-35 stealth jet fighter for any future faceoff with Russia. According to Defense One, more than 50 additional F-35s are expected to follow by the end of 2023. A large hanger at the base will hold six F-35 simulators.
In Europe, US Air Force Brings Back Cold War Mobility Concept
The shift from countering terrorists to Russia is also bringing cutting-edge fighter-jet simulators.
RAF MILDENHALL, UK For the 100th Air Refueling Wing, pivoting away from counter-terrorism to great power competition means reverting to Cold War concepts such as highly mobile command centers.
Wing members tested their ability to move command posts among bases a concept now dubbed Agile Combat Employment, or ACE, during September s three-day Wolfpack exercise. They flew their command-and-control element forward to Ramstein Air Base in Germany, gaining “some redundancy, some dispersed capability,” said Lt. Col. Rich Winfrey, the Wing’s Chief of Plans and Programs. “We had not done that before, so that was new.”
Miller also spoke with top-performing Airmen from squadrons across RAF Mildenhall during a luncheon to understand the missions they accomplish.
“It’s a great moment when our Airmen get to show off what they do and brag about their mission and how they’re a part of it,” said Chief Master Sgt. Kathi Glascock, 100th ARW command chief. “For Secretary Miller to get as excited as he did with every Airman he talked to, it’s a huge win. It’s a definite morale booster and shows our Airmen how important they are to the mission.”
Acting Secretary of Defense Christopher Miller listens to base leadership during a visit at RAF Mildenhall, United Kingdom, Dec. 21, 2020. Miller toured the installation, engaged with Airmen and flew in a CV-22B Osprey aircraft flight simulator. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Joseph Barron)