Air International — September 2017

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SCENE

Sentry Eagle goes

Fifth-generation

T

he evolution of aerial

warfare is a continuous

process driven by the

constant development

of its many components.

Today, evolution is

in overdrive, with

proliferation of  fth-

generation  ghter

aircraft entering service

with many of the world’s air forces. That

presents a challenge: integrating and

training their most critical component,

the human one, to exploit fully the latest

technology available.

Nearly a half century ago, a group of

American military professionals, with the

support of a small number in leadership

and decision-making positions, set out

to address the dire situation US aircrews

were facing in the skies of Southeast

Asia. Despite having superior aircraft and

weapons and what was thought to be

suf cient training, aerial combat was taking

a heavy toll. Those individuals realised that

technology alone was not going to bring

victory in the air.

Their initiative led directly to the

establishment of training programmes,

Exercise Red Flag being the prime example,

and  ghter weapons schools run by the US

Air Force and US Navy, the latter being the

forerunner to the modern-day Top Gun.

Facilities were modernised and granted

vastly expanded operating areas and ranges

to allow for more realistic air combat training.

Today, Oregon Air National Guard’s F-15C-

equipped 173rd Fighter Wing operates one

such facility at Kingsley Field near Klamath

Falls in the south of the state.

Aircrew training  rst began at Kingsley

Field in 1983 with the F-4C Phantom-

equipped 8123rd Fighter Interceptor

Training Squadron. In 1984, the 8123rd was

redesignated as the 114th Tactical Fighter

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Jim Dunn visited the 173rd Fighter Wing to witness air operations during

Exercise Sentry Eagle, this year with a touch of Lightning

The 172rd Fighter Wing

operates F-15C 79-

in this most striking of

colour schemes applied

in 2016 to mark the

75th anniversary of the

Oregon Air National

Guard. Dan Stijovich

Jim Dunn