Audio of this text is dropped at you by the Air & Area Forces Affiliation, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their households. Discover out extra at afa.org
Dozens of fighter jets gathered at Tyndall Air Pressure Base in Florida final week to kick off one of many service’s largest air fight workouts—whilst a lot of the federal government stays in shutdown.
Greater than 50 plane and 500 personnel are collaborating in Checkered Flag 26-1, which started Oct. 21 and runs via Nov. 6. USAF is flying F-16, F-22, and F-35A fighters, and the U.S. Marine Corps and Royal Australian Air Pressure are contributing F-35C and E-7 plane, respectively.
The 325th Fighter Wing at Tyndall is internet hosting the train, which focuses on integrating fourth- and fifth-generation fighters in air-to-air fight eventualities.
The wing stated in a launch that Checkered Flag encompasses a sequence of “giant pressure workouts,” through which dozens of fighters take to the air, with “blue forces” defending an goal and “purple forces” attacking it. Command-and-control and tanker plane present help.
One goal of the train trains is to coach Air Fight Command’s “Instant Response Pressure,” a job pressure meant to mobilize and deploy across the globe on a second’s discover, the discharge stated.
The train is concurrent with Weapons System Analysis Program 26.01, the most recent in a long-running live-fire train sequence that assessments air-to-air and air-to-ground programs.
“By combining Checkered Flag and WSEP, the U.S. navy saves sources and offers a novel coaching battlefield for quite a lot of joint personnel and gear,” the wing’s launch states. The 2 have been held collectively prior to now.
U.S. Marines assigned to the Marine Fighter Assault Squadron 311 (VMFA-311) put together an F-35C Lightning II plane for takeoff throughout Checkered Flag 26-1 at Tyndall Air Pressure Base, Florida, Oct. 22, 2025. Checkered Flag, one of many U.S. navy’s largest air-to-air workouts, is a bi-annual train integrating fourth- and fifth-generation airframes to reinforce mobility, deployment, and employment capabilities for aviators and maintainers, instantly supporting international energy projection. (U.S. Air Pressure picture by Workers Sgt. Charles Welty)
An F-22 Raptor plane assigned to the twenty seventh Fighter Squadron, Joint-Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia, taxis previous to takeoff throughout Checkered Flag 26-1 at Tyndall Air Pressure Base, Florida, Oct. 22, 2025. Checkered Flag, one of many U.S. navy’s largest air-to-air workouts, is a bi-annual train integrating fourth- and fifth-generation airframes to reinforce mobility, deployment, and employment capabilities for aviators and maintainers, instantly supporting international energy projection. (U.S. Air Pressure picture by Workers Sgt. Charles Welty)
U.S. Air Pressure F-35A Lightning II plane assigned to the ninety fifth Fighter Squadron taxi previous to takeoff throughout Checkered Flag 26-1 at Tyndall Air Pressure Base, Florida, Oct. 22, 2025. U.S. Air Pressure picture by Workers Sgt. Charles Welty
Throughout the federal government shutdown, troops have continued to report and the Air Pressure has carried out operations. Thus far, Energetic Responsibility troops have been paid, whereas civilians and a few Guard and Reserve personnel haven’t. Pentagon steering has been to restrict short-term obligation journey, however the steering additionally notes that excepted actions embody “coaching and workouts required to attain and keep operational readiness.”
Air Pressure items have participated in worldwide workouts reminiscent of Adamant Serpent, a particular operations-focused train with Sweden, and wing-level workouts like Noble Panther, hosted by the 325th at Tyndall earlier this month.
Checkered Flag is the primary Air Pressure-led main train to happen throughout the shutdown, nevertheless it does seem to have been scaled again from prior years, when greater than 80 plane participated.
This might be the final main Air Pressure train for some time, nevertheless, as workouts like Crimson Flag, Crimson Flag-Alaska, and Bamboo Eagle will not be scheduled to happen till February 2026 or later.
Audio of this text is dropped at you by the Air & Area Forces Affiliation, honoring and supporting our Airmen, Guardians, and their households. Discover out extra at afa.org