(January 17, 2022 / JNS) The Israeli Air Force and the US Air Force Command have completed a joint international exercise, the Israel Defense Forces spokesman announced on Sunday.

Dubbed “Desert Falcon”, it took place at Uvda Air Base in southern Israel and included Israeli and US F-16 fighter jets, the IDF said.

“During the exercise, Israeli and American crews flew from wing to wing and trained for various scenarios and airstrikes. The exercise marked an important milestone for the strategic cooperation and operational readiness of the ‘IAF and the United States,’ the IDF added.

In October, the IAF hosted the international Blue Flag exercise at Uvda Air Base, where the Commander of the United Arab Emirates Air Force, Staff Pilot Major General Ibrahim Nasser Mohammed Al Alawi, made a historic visit to Israel to observe the proceedings. .

This exercise was Israel’s largest and most advanced to date. It included the IAF, Germany, Italy, Britain, France, India, Greece and the United States, and saw the first deployment of a British fighter squadron (from Eurofighter aircraft) in Israel since the country’s inception.