In parallel with the ongoing U.S. deployment to the Middle East, F-15E Strike Eagle fighters and fifth-generation F-35A Lightning II stealth aircraft of the United States Air Force (USAF) recently arrived in Scotland, specifically at RAF Lossiemouth, to participate in the multinational Exercise Point Blank. The deployment aims to enhance tactical readiness and interoperability between the USAF, the Royal Air Force (RAF), and allied NATO forces.
During the activity, aircraft from the 492nd and 493rd Fighter Squadrons, based at RAF Lakenheath, conducted hot-pit refueling procedures to accelerate aircraft turnaround times on the runway. The training included cross-certification between USAF F-15E Strike Eagles and F-35A Lightning II aircraft, with the objective of reducing preparation times and sustaining successive sorties in a high-demand operational environment.
“It’s a new way of maintaining the global air dominance that we have,” said one of the U.S. pilots. “When we’re deployed somewhere and need to rapidly refuel aircraft to get them back in the air, having multiple personnel qualified to work on different aircraft can be a great help.”
Exercise Point Blank
Point Blank is a series of advanced air training exercises conducted in UK airspace, designed to rehearse high-intensity combat scenarios and strengthen integration between platforms of different generations. The training typically includes air superiority missions and offensive/defensive counter-air operations; fourth- and fifth-generation integration; coordination with controllers, refueling assets, and ground support; as well as rapid sortie procedures.
Operational context
Although Point Blank has become a regular exercise between both sides, the deployment from RAF Lakenheath to Lossiemouth forms part of the USAF’s routine training framework in Europe, where the combination of the aircraft involved allows for testing complementary capabilities between platforms. This latest iteration has already included several engagements and multiple cycles between the U.S. and UK Air Forces, consolidating itself as a recurring format for practicing multinational integration within the European theater.
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