The Air Force is planning to build a new 9,000-acre Battlefield Airman training site on one of its existing bases to serve as the initial training center for some 10,000 airmen each year. Teams have embarked on fact-finding trips to find the perfect site, and, according to the Shelbyville Times-Gazette, one potential location is Arnold AFS, Tenn., home to Arnold Engineering and Development Center. The newspaper reports that the training facility could bring up to 800 more jobs and a $350 million economy boost to middle Tennessee. Officials from Air Education and Training Command at Randolph AFB, Tex., visited Arnold last month, gathering data for what the service is calling its Common Battlefield Airman Training site. (Read more about USAF battlefield airmen plans in our July article “Preparing for New Way of War.)
Due to the prolonged delay in deliveries of the Tech Refresh 3 version of the F-35 fighter, Denmark is pulling six of its TR-2-configured F-35 jets stationed in the U.S. back to home base in order to consolidate aircraft and get better training for its pilots and maintainers, the Danish…