In the U.S. Army, when soldiers practice simulated combat, they go up against an Opposing Force. The “bad guys” are known as OPFOR, or the red team. The U.S. Air Force has an OPFOR too: They call it ...

Sky view of U.S. Air Force F-16 Fighting Falcons from the 18th Aggressor Squadron providing adversarial force to air combat exercises during Red Flag-Alaska 21-2, out of Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska ...

The F-35 is no longer just the world’s most advanced fighter - it’s now flown as an aggressor jet by the elite 65th Aggressor Squadron. These top aviators simulate enemy tactics, giving U.S. pilots ...

First Reconnaissance Squadron T-38 Talon’s fly in a four-ship formation over California, June 30, 2025. The T-38 is a twin-engine, high-altitude, supersonic jet trainer used in a variety of roles ...

ABOARD A ROYAL AIR FORCE TANKER—High in the skies above Nevada, an F-35 jet carefully flies beside a tanker, trying to latch onto the plane to refuel. Three more U.S. Marine Corps F-35s follow, taking ...