Draken International Supports Marine Corps Exercise Winter Fury

Draken partnered with BAE Flight Systems, who provided advanced electronic attack and flew alongside the Marine Adversary F-5 aircraft of VMFT-401 and FA-18 Super Hornets of VX-9. Together the Red Air organizations delivered large force packages that challenged the F-35B, FA-18, and AV-8B squadrons of 3d Marine Air Wing. Draken flew a total of 46 day and night sorties supporting the exercise and provided mission planners, mission commanders, range training officers, and controllers to assist in the adversary presentations.

According to Jeff Scott, Draken’s Director of Marine Operations, “Draken provides the professional threat replication with advanced radars and top notch pilots, not just metal in the sky, but a more threat representative adversary.” Draken is currently the only contract air provider approved to support the USAF Fighter Weapons School, and has supported 5th Generation training more than any other contract air provider, including F-22, F-35A, and F-35B aircraft from the United States Air Force, USMC and the Royal Netherlands Air Force.

Scott, a former USMC weapons school instructor, and F-35B pilot stated, “Draken uses former weapons school graduates and instructors from MAWTS-1, Top Gun, and USAF Fighter Weapons School as well as former and current Aggressor pilots from all of the services.” Draken is also currently the only contract air provider authorized to conduct unlimited maneuvering against the Department of Defense. “Draken flies the full spectrum of adversary support, including initial training units like the USAF F-35A training squadrons at Luke Air Force Base all the way up to USAF Fighter Weapons School, Red Flag events, and exercises like Winter Fury where radar and night capability are needed to replicate higher end threats. It was a pleasure supporting Marines and great to be a part of such an outstanding exercise,” said Scott.