ATAC to provide adversary air training to F-22, F-35 pilots at Eglin AFB

ATAC Mirage F-1 jets to challenge USAF F-22, F-35 aircraft at Eglin AFB under the contract that the US DoD recently awarded to them.

September 29, 2020 - Airborne Tactical Advantage Company LLC (ATAC), part of the Textron Systems segment of Textron Inc, announced today that it has been selected to provide Eglin Air Force Base with adversary air live training under the Combat Air Forces (CAF) Contracted Air Support (CAS) program. 

Under the award, worth up to $92 million, ATAC will provide adversary air live training to F-22 and F-35 pilots at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. The award provides for over 1,100 sorties per year for up to 4.5 years, which will be provided by ATAC’s fleet of Mirage F1 fighter aircraft and is expected to commence by January 2021. 

The award is the last of an initial round of 6 operating locations (OLs) the Air Force has selected under the CAF CAS program, with the Air Force stating its intention to eventually contract for such services at up to 22 OLs: 12 for adversary air and 10 for contracted close air support (CCAS). ATAC has now been selected for three of those adversary air OLs: Eglin Air Force Base, FL, Holloman Air Force Base, NM, and Luke Air Force Base, AZ. Additionally, ATAC was selected to provide CCAS training for U.S. Air Force Special Operations Command Joint Terminal Air Controllers (JTACs) under the same program. 

ATAC’s flight operations at Holloman AFB are scheduled to commence this month and at Luke AFB by the end of this year. 

“ATAC is excited to have been selected to provide adversary training at Eglin, Luke and Holloman AFBs, and we stand ready to serve additional future operating locations and customers as their needs evolve,” said Scott Stacy, ATAC General Manager.

Source, Image: ATAC