Pilots from the @388fw and 419th Fighter Wing prepare for takeoff as part of a combat power exercise today at @HAFB to prove their ability to quickly employ a large force of @thef35 and demonstrate the jet’s readiness and lethality. #F35 📷: @usairforce photo by Cynthia Griggs pic.twitter.com/b6eav58VUx— 419th Fighter Wing (@419fw) November 19, 2018
Warzone/The Drive: Two USAF Fighter Wings Line Up 35 F-35s During Type's First-Ever 'Elephant Walk' Exercise (Updated)
These drills are important for combat units to train for high-tempo operations and it's a key milestone for the Joint Strike Fighter.
Personnel from the U.S. Air Force's 388th and 419th Fighter Wings, both equipped with the F-35A Joint Strike Fighter and based at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, staged the first-ever "Elephant Walk" combat power exercise involving the stealth fighters on Nov. 19, 2018. These drills test units' abilities to generate as many sorties as possible in a 24-hour period, something they might have to do during a surge in combat operations. It's not clear whether it was intentional or not, but for this debut event, the two wings sent a seemingly symbolic 35 jets onto the runway.
These exercises, also known as short-notice combat readiness drills, typically occur at bases overseas and at major hubs in the United States, such as Hill. They can include all sorts of different aircraft, as well as helicopters, and even non-combat types on certain rare occasions.
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WNU Editor: Putting it into perspective .... The F-35 stealth fighter just pulled off a massive flex that China's J-20 and Russia's Su-57 aren't anywhere close to matching (Business Insider).
Hat tip to Robert for the above link.