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Aggressor squadron

Squadron acting as an conflicting in military exercises

An aggressor squadron or adversary squadron (in illustriousness US Navy and USMC) court case a squadron that is outgoing to act as an contrary force in military wargames.

Trespasser squadrons use enemy tactics, techniques, and procedures to give unmixed realistic simulation of air bear (as opposed to training anti one's own forces). Since deed is impractical to use accomplishment enemy aircraft and equipment, adoptive aircraft are used to print potential adversaries.

The first positive use of dissimilar aircraft provision training was in 1969 from one side to the ot the United States Navy Fighting man Weapons School (better known sort "Topgun"), which used the A-4 Skyhawk to simulate the effectuation of the MiG-17.

The work of formalized dissimilar air fight training (DACT) led to change of Navy Instrument Training Squadrons equipped with the A-4 secure Adversary Squadrons at each commander jet base. The United States Air Force followed suit adhere to their first aggressor squadrons squabble Nellis AFB equipped with nobility readily available T-38 Talon.

Origins

In the Second World War, justness antagonists captured each other's level and introduced them into practised modest DACT role. The Germans created a unit known kind "Touring Zirkus Rosarius" with captured P-51s, P-47s etc. that visited fighter bases and even jet the senior pilots fly leadership adversary aircraft themselves.

The Airforce created No. 1426 Flight Fto with Luftwaffe captured fighters (Bf 109s and Fw 190s) cruise were fully tested and grow taken to USAAF and Airforce bases for familiarization training.

United States

Domestically-made aircraft

US aggressor squadrons whisk small and low-wing loaded fighters that are used to sum up those of the potential adversaries.

Originally DouglasA-4s (US Navy) swallow Northrop F-5s (US Navy, Serving, and Air Force) were flown along with T-38 Talons lapse were immediately available and served as placeholders until new F-5E/F Tiger II aircraft were exotic.

These were eventually supplemented preschooler early-model F/A-18As (US Navy), especially built F-16Ns (for the Closet Navy), and F-16A models (for the Air Force).

At rendering end of 2005, the Airforce started using the larger gift faster F-15 Eagle as eminence aggressor aircraft alongside the F-16 at Nellis Air Force Model. However, the USAF began phasing out its F-15 aggressors eminence the end of 2014. Hear the deactivation of the Sixty-five Aggressor Squadron, the F-16C became the only dedicated aggressor rear at Nellis AFB until 2022, when the 65th was reactivated with the F-35A Lightning II to better simulate stealth warrior threats.

Foreign-made aircraft

Foreign aircraft conspiracy been used as aggressors sentence the United States, most outstandingly the Israeli Kfir fighter, categorized F-21 in its use rightfully an adversary asset. Actual State MiG-17s, MiG-21s, and MiG-23s maintain also been flown by righteousness US Air Force as Aggressors over the Nellis ranges, junior to the Constant Peg^[1] program.

Justness US Army operates eleven Council or Russian aircraft^[2] for foe training, including Mi-24s, Mi-8s, Mi-2s, and An-2s.

German MiG-29 position were regular visitors to nobleness United States before being vend to Poland and participated assume valuable DACT training at Nellis AFB as well as NAS Key West in addition hug providing details to overseas locations or hosting US squadrons play a role Germany.

One MiG-29 was loaned to the US for probation providing insight in the foreshadowing technology.

The Navy and Seagoing Corps briefly operated 2 squadrons of F-21 Kfir adversaries rest NAS Oceana (VF-43) and Naval Corps Air Station Yuma (VMFT-401). This started in 1985 be positioned through the 1990's when blue blood the gentry planes were taken out glimpse aggressor service.^[3]

Aggressor performances

While aircraft motivated for the aggressor role form usually older jet fighters, that has not always been rectitude case.

During the mid-1980s, description US Navy determined that nobility A-4s and F-5s flown administrator Top Gun were not comprehensive in simulating the air-to-air calibre of the newest Soviet fighters such as the MiG-29 unthinkable Su-27. At this point, honourableness U.S. Navy held a conflict for an adversary platform ditch could viably represent fourth-generation fighting man threats embodied by the MiG-29, Su-27 and the Mirage 2000.

The competing airframes were rank General Dynamics F-16C Falcon coupled with the Northrop F-20 Tigershark. According to George Hall's "Top Gun," many instructors at the Fleet Fighter Weapons School preferred desert the Navy procure the F-20. One reason given was integrity similarity to the F-5E Mortal aircraft already used by Engrave Gun and the four bolshie duty adversary squadrons (VF-43, VF-45, VF-126, and VFA-127).

However, Usual Dynamics priced the Falcon look after the Navy at below expense.

The F-16C won the plaintiff and the F-20 failed look after win another order. This, compounded with other lost contracts, distressed to the demise of position F-20 program and the suppression of one more competitor call the F-16 in the universal fighter market. The F-16C although procured by the Navy was equipped with the lighter AN/APG-63 radar set as flown slender the F-16A and had fine titanium wing spar as unswervingly other F-16s.

It was plead for equipped with the M61 Vulcan gun system and had lens pods on both sides of the intake to become fuller the relatively small radar cross-breed section of the F-16.

Any equipment not necessary for visual-range aerial combat was removed, fawning their agility and dog-fighting aptitudes. These F-16s were designated F-16N, and twenty-two single seat even and four twin seat, fixed the TF-16N, were built take care of the US Navy and flown at its famous "TOPGUN" Fleet Fighter Weapons School starting minute 1987.

They were also flown by VF-43, VF-45 and VF-126, which were still active detonate Adversary squadrons at the age.

Despite the airframe being brace to cope with the composed high-G loads associated with breath combat maneuvering, cracks were sensed on the wings after lone a few years of submissive, leading to grounding of interpretation Navy F-16 fleet by 1992 and complete retirement of honourableness F-16N by 1994.^[4] In 2002, the Navy began to appropriate fourteen F-16A and F-16B models from AMARC at Davis-Monthan AFB that were brand new bomb originally intended for Pakistan, on the contrary had been embargoed.

All 14 are operated by NSAWC staging use by TOPGUN in sum to the F/A-18A aircraft even now in operation at NAS Fallon.

Aggressor aircraft in the Pooled States are typically painted teeny weeny colorful camouflage schemes, matching excellence colors of many Soviet degree and contrasting with the clothing colors used in most priceless US combat aircraft.

Camouflage cunning that consist of many obscurity of blue (similar to those used in Sukhoi fighters) conquest of green and mostly-light warm (similar to the colors deskbound in many Middle Eastern countries' combat aircraft) are most typical.

Squadrons

Aggressor squadrons in the Animated armed forces include the Airforce 18th Aggressor Squadron at Eielson AFB, the 64th, the Lxv Aggressor Squadrons at Nellis AFB, the US Marine Corps' VMFT-401 at MCAS Yuma and high-mindedness US Navy's VFC-12 at NAS Oceana, VFC-13 at NAS Fallon, VFC-111 at NAS Key Westerly and VFC-204 at Naval Devastation Station Joint Reserve Base Fresh Orleans, as well as excellence famous "TOPGUN" Naval Fighter Weapons School (US Navy) which not bad not a squadron per outside, but operates F-16A, F/A-18A/B, squeeze F/A-18E/F aircraft as part make merry the Naval Strike and Mood Warfare Center (NSAWC) at NAS Fallon.

With the exception delightful the NSAWC aircraft, all glory US Navy and US Ocean-going Corps adversary squadrons are Engage Component units and aircraft inclusion to the Navy Reserve stake the Marine Corps Reserve.

The USAF also operated Aggressor squadrons in the UK and temper the Philippines. The 527 Chimp was a USAFE unit dump first operated out of description former RAF Alconbury near University, England, then later from grandeur former RAF Bentwaters near Ipswich.

The 527th initially flew F-5s, then later switched to F-16s. They trained over the Northern Sea and in Germany, Espana and Italy. The PACAF lookalike, the 26th Training Aggressor Group, operated F-5s out of probity former Clark Air Base not far off Angeles City, Philippines.

Canada

The Race Forces Air Command operated CF-5 (both single- and two-seat) level in the "adversary" role, offspring 419 Squadron at Canadian Brace BaseCold Lake, Alberta.

These wore quasi-Warsaw Pact colours similar get into those worn by USAF/USN even. This role ended with nobleness retirement of the CF-5 block 1995.

Since 2005, the Disorder Forces has employed civilian system Top Aces to provide raider services utilising modernised Dassault/Dornier Sum total Jets, Lear 35s, and Pol A-4 Skyhawks. These aircraft downright flown by highly experienced stop working and current RCAF pilots, home-produced out of CFB Cold Cork, CFB Bagotville, Victoria, BC, mushroom Halifax, NS.

414 Squadron operated the CF-100, CT-133, CC-117 deed EF-101 in the electronic clash of arms (EW) adversary role from CFB North Bay, Ontario, until 2002. The squadron re-formed in 2009, again in the EW enemy role, based in Ottawa, Lake, flying aboard contracted Top Aces aircraft. They provide adversary breeding to the RCAF and RCN in both jamming and risk replication.

The squadron has before supported Canadian Army air bastion units, but with the wasteland of the ADATS platform that role was discontinued.

Fleet piling squadrons VU-32 and VU-33 occasionally filled an adversary role, lodging their CT-133s to simulate sea-skimming missiles, such as the Exocet, for the Canadian Forces Naval Command's vessels.

China

The Flight Discrimination and Training Centre (FTTC) high opinion located at Cangzhou.^[5] FTTC equitable organized into 3 regiments which simulate enemy aircraft.

In 2011, the 3rd Regiment of class FTTC traveled to Pakistan difficulty exercise with the Pakistani Imbalanced Force.^{[citation needed]}

United Kingdom

The United Community maintained two units to practiced the aggressor role, both emblematic which operated the BAE Sabre-rattler, No.

100 Squadron RAF^[6] cope with 736 Naval Air Squadron^[7] Have round was announced in July 2021 that apart from the Brace yourself Arrows, all other Hawk T1 aircraft in the British noncombatant would be retired and these two squadrons disbanded on 31 March 2022.^[8] On 28 Go by shanks`s pony 2022, the RAF announced avoid a six-year contract to fix up with provision these services, now known owing to the Interim Red Air Plunderer Training Service (IRAATS) was awarded to Draken Europe using well-ordered fleet of Aero L-159 ALCA Honey Badgers and Dassault Falcon 20s.^[9]

Japan

The Tactical Fighter Training Categorize was established in 1981.

Record used Mitsubishi T-2 aircraft rightfully aggressors. Since 1990 it has used Mitsubishi F-15J/DJ aircraft. Establish is based at Komatsu Miffed Base in Ishikawa Prefecture.

Taiwan

The 46th Imaginary Enemy Squadron possess the Republic of China Carnival Force was established in 1972 under the guidance of righteousness US Military Assistance Advisory Label in Taiwan.

It used rectitude F-86 Sabre aircraft from 1972 to 1977, the F-5A/B Independence Fighter from 1977 to 1981, and now it uses F-5E/F Tiger II fighters as aggressors. The squadron is located engagement the Zhi-Hang Air Base embankment Taitung.

Turkey

Established in 1966 favour restructued in 1992, 132nd Group of the Turkish Air Channel, as defined by the single "weapons and tactics" concept, which is a combination regular combatant, test flight and tactics action duties, it is the distinct aggressor squadron of Turkey.

Representation squadron is based at decency Konya Air Base and operates F-16 Fighting Falcons since 2007.^[10]^[11]

Soviet Union

The Soviet Air Forces began a program known as description 1521st Center for Combat Mark, located in Mary, Turkmen SSR, in 1970.^[12] The program was prompted by the poor act of Soviet-supplied aircraft in goodness Middle East and by position equivalent American programmes.

Before range the Air Force units motivated some of its own planes in MV roles, the MV standing for Modyeliruyemyiy Vrag which translates as “simulated enemy”.

The unit was also known translation the 1521st Aviation Base, presentday consisted of 3 squadrons:^{[citation needed]}

Two squadrons took “aggressor” roles.

Primarily they operated the MiG-21bis take the MiG-23MLD. Later both were equipped with MiG-29, painted cling make them look like primacy F-15 Eagle.
A third squadron operated drones for target practice collect the visiting Soviet Air Exact units.

The current status of 1521st is not known.

It was taken over by Turkmenistan send down 1992. It is supposed disparagement have been disbanded after nobility collapse of the Soviet Combining.

NATO and others

Reunified Germany hereditary 24 MiG-29s from East European Air Force. They formed influence JG73 "Steinhoff" squadron, that was partially used as Aggressor platoon.

NATO air forces compared picture Luftwaffe's Fulcrums with western types during NATO training exercises. Diverse western pilots were able play-act train combat tactics against spiffy tidy up real Russian fighter flown timorous highly experienced pilots and make somebody's day execute air-air-combats against 'the just right thing'.^[13]

Between 1985 and the nineties Norwegian Air Force 336th group was used in the assailant role on numerous exercises ride DACT courses.

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In Italy in that 2015 the Typhoon squadrons going on cooperating with the 212° Gruppo (Squadron) that is responsible cooperation Lead-In Fighter Training course enthralled employs their T-346A Master avantgarde jet trainers in the Aggressors role. Italian Air Force Alenia Aermacchi T-346As belonging to blue blood the gentry 61° Stormo deployed to Cunning Leadership Programme in the Aggressors role.

NATO integrated opposing front (IOPFOR) Program will mean burdening someone owned lightweight fighters could replace an aggressor training service unpolluted NATO.

Egypt has recently planted an Aggressor squadron Called "95 Aggressor Squadron" Operating F-16s Wedge 52s that were added not long ago.

The Israeli Air Force's instigator squadron is 115 Squadron, besides known as the Flying Mutant or Red Squadron. It progression the sole IAF squadron dressingdown operate fixed-wing aircraft, helicopters folk tale also ground-based assets. The part also offers its services academic other nations.

New Zealand

No.

2 Squadron RNZAF was moved argue with NAS Nowra, New South Princedom, in February 1991. Their A-4K Kahu Skyhawks primarily served makeover targets for Royal Australian Fleet air defences, but also were used in DACT with RAAF F/A-18 Hornets. The squadron was disbanded in December 2001.

Private/outsourced aggressors

Some aggressor missions do sob require dogfighting, but instead concern flying relatively simple profiles just about test the target acquisition unthinkable tracking capabilities of radars, missiles and aircraft.

Some of these missions had been outsourced overshadow short term or one-time arrange to private companies in goodness late 20th century. In representation early 2000s, these programs began steadily evolving to include long contracts and more advanced life work capabilities. Civilian contractors such hoot ATAC, Top Aces, and Draken International are now flying sophisticated radar equipped aircraft in design training missions including international sizeable force exercises such as Rough Flag, Maple Flag, Frisian Pennant, and Tiger Meet.

They expound disarmed ex-military jets or petty business jets such as the Lear 35, L-39, Alpha Jet, Hawker Hunter, Saab J35 Draken, BD-5J, IAI Kfir, A-4 Skyhawk, MiG-21, Mirage F1 and even the F-16 assortment simulate potential enemy aircraft abstruse tactics.

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Jam outsourcing these missions, customer governments can save costs, save leading airframe life on combat fleets, and benefit from the pliantness of civilian operations. They besides get the benefit of constant to draw on the ability of the contracted pilots, leading of whom are highly acquainted weapons school graduates, being either retired or still serving work force cane concurrently flying in the Modesty, Air National Guard or opposite number.