AVIANO AFB - "ASTRAL KNIGHT" 2021

Il 21/05/2021 siamo stati ospiti del 31st F.W. presso la base di Aviano per assistere all’ultima giornata dell’esercitazione “Astral Knight” 2021 che ha coinvolto oltre che gli F-16 USAF del 555th F.S. operanti da Aviano, anche altri velivoli e mezzi dell’Aeronautica Italiana (F-35A), Greci, Croati, Sloveni e Albanesi.

Si ringrazia l’USAFE e l’aeronautica Militare Italiana per l’opportunità e la collaborazione accordataci.

ASTRAL KNIGHT 2021

Astral Knight 21 (AK21) is a U.S. Air Forces in Europe-Air Forces Africa-led event involving U.S. Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors working with service members from Albania, Croatia, Greece, Italy and Slovenia.

“[Astral Knight 2021] is USAFE’S exercise for integrated missile defense,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Richard Greer, 31st Fighter Wing AK21 exercise planner. “The [exercise participants] are linking all of their command and control nodes together to be able to show a combined radar picture.”

This integrated air and missile defense exercise will focus on defending key terrain, and scheduled training will involve a combination of flight operations and computer-assisted scenarios.

There are approximately 1200 Airmen from the U.S. Air Force, 250 Soldiers from the U.S. Army, 300 Sailors from the U.S. Navy, 150 airmen from the Italian air force, and 30 service members from Croatia participating in this exercise.

Participating aircraft includes the U.S. Air Force F-15E Strike Eagle, F-16 Fighting Falcon, HH-60 Pave Hawk and C-130J Super Hercules aircraft, Italian air force F-35 Lightning II aircraft, Hellenic air force F-16 Fighting Falcon and Emb-145 Erieye aircraft, and Croatian MiG-21 BisD/UMD aircraft.

This exercise aims to enhance the command and control integration, coordination and interoperability of air, land and sea capabilities, and overlapping operations into the integrated air and missile defense enterprise.

Astral Knight strengthens U.S. deterrence efforts and adapts through improving readiness and responsiveness while working to build a capacity to better effectiveness and interoperability. (Source: 31FW P.A.)

The 31st Fighter Wing Mission

The mission of the 31st Fighter Wing, Aviano Air Base, Italy, is to Deter through safe, secure, effective operations. Win the current fight and be ready to win the next fight.

The vision is to be U.S. Air Force’s PREMIER ASSIGNMENT for Airmen and families. Our Air Force’s most COMBAT READY go-to Fighter Wing. Airmen who RUN TO WORK and are PROUD of who they are and what they do, and a trusted ALLY.

The 31st FW maintains two F-16 fighter squadrons, the 555th Fighter Squadron and the 510th Fighter Squadron, capable of conducting offensive and defensive air combat operations.

The 31st FW also hosts the 56th Rescue Squadron providing a rapidly-deployable, worldwide combat rescue and reaction force response utilizing HH-60G Pavehawk helicopters. The 56th RQS integrates with the Guardian Angels weapon system and other special forces to support insertion, extraction and recovery of both U.S. and allied combatants. The squadron offers long-range rescue, humanitarian assistance, non- combatant evacuation and disaster relief capabilities for USEUCOM, USAFRICOM and NATO in peacetime, contingency and wartime operations.

The 31st FW also has the 57th Rescue Squadron leads, organizes, trains and equips Guardian Angel forces and combat support teams to conduct day and night personnel recovery operations in combat, as well as to provide combatant commanders with options to report, locate, recover and reintegrate isolated personnel. Additionally, the 57th RQS provides personnel recovery, combat search and rescue, civil search and rescue and casualty evacuation subject matter experts to fulfill USEUCOM, USAFRICOM and NATO security cooperation requirements.

In peacetime, the 31st FW prepares for its combat role by maintaining aircraft and personnel in a high state of readiness. The 31st FW also includes the 606th Air Control Squadron, capable of providing air surveillance, control and communications.

The 31st FW is the only U.S. fighter wing south of the Alps. This strategic location makes the wing critical to operations in NATO’s southern region.

(Source: 31st F.W. Public Affairs.)