USAF awards $6.4bn for mock dogfighting services

[Ghost from above]

Interesting article on the procurement of aggressor contracts by USAF
This should give a good mix of aircraft types including the mirages that Draken have for Red Flag


The US Air Force’s (USAF's) Air Combat Command has awarded seven companies contracts worth a combined $6.4 billion to provide mock dogfighting and aerial combat training services over the next five years
The seven companies awarded contracts are: Air USA, Airborne Tactical Advantage, Blue Air Training, Coastal Defense, Draken International, Tactical Air Support and Top Aces

Full article here
https://www.flightglobal.com/news/artic ... es-461649/

[Supra]

Can't imagine who the eighth Company bidding was? Interesting to note elsewhere that the US Air Force announced in May 2019, that it would reactivate its own 65th Aggressor Squadron and for the first time since the aircraft entered service it will use eleven F-35A Lightning II as Aggressors.
More info' & pictures of ATAC Mirage F1's here... https://www.thedrive.com/the-war-zone/3 ... t-contract

[Sparts99]

Interesting that some older and low performance aircraft are used, Hunter, Jet Provost and Strikemaster, as well as more modern hardware.

[Supra]

That was my initial thoughts too, however (even though the title grabs your attention) there is clear intent further into the article to provide "aircraft for 10,000 close air support sorties annually in the continental United States to facilitate JTAC (Joint Terminal Attack Controllers) training. The USAF wants contractors with a mix of aircraft types for its fourth- and fifth-generation aircraft pilots to train against. All platforms must be able to carry government-supplied electronic countermeasures pods and infrared captive air training missiles"
Thus allowing the types you mention (MB-339 & L-159 variants included) to mimic Ground Attack, missile profiles, etc.

[teeonefixer]

I wonder if/when the UK forces will take this up ? Even though the "Black" Hawk fleet is due to go on for quite a few years yet, a number of issues (cost & pilot availability ?) must make this worth considering

[bizfreeq]

Hasn't that recently been looked at and then abandoned?

[teeonefixer]

Briefly, I believe.

[Vulcanone]

As far as I am aware ASDOT is dead and buried

[Ghost from above]

Good news that these aircraft will be back in the air.Bad news how to convince the wife I need a long trip to the States.

On the 21 July ACC has awarded ATAC, Tactical Air Support and Draken International contracts for Adversary Air Support. These total $433.6 million for 5,418 annual sorties of adversary air support at five bases over the next four and a half years.

Airborne Tactical Advantage Company gets two contracts worth up to $240 million over 4.5 years, if all options are exercised, They will field the F1 Mirage.

Tactical Air Support gets a contract worth $90.4 million and will field their F-5 Advanced Tigers.

Draken International gets two contracts worth $ 102 7 million and will field either Atlas Cheetah, Aermacchi MB-339s, MiG-21s, L-159s, A-4s, L-39s, or T-33 aircraft.

Full article here
https://www.airforcemag.com/acc-awards- ... r-support/