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Astral Knight 2021 to take place at Aviano Air Base in Italy
U.S. and Italian Air Forces aircraft consisting of F-35 Lightning IIs, F-16 Fighting Falcons, and a B-52 Stratofortress, fly in formation over the Adriatic Sea during Astral Knight 19, June 4, 2019. Photo by Joshua R. M. Dewberry/U.S. Air Force
March 30 (UPI) -- This year's iteration of the multinational air and missile exercise Astral Knight will take place at Italy's Aviano Air Base, as well as locations in Croatia, Greece and Slovenia, the Air Force announced this week.
Airmen, soldiers and sailors from the United States will work with service members from Albania, Croatia, Greece, Italy and Slovenia as part of Astral Knight 2021, the Air Force said in a press release.
U.S. Army Europe and Africa will provide soldiers and equipment to operate the Patriot surface-to-air missile system, according to the Air Force"s announcement.
"This exercise aims to enhance the command and control integration, coordination and interoperability of air, land and sea capabilities, and overlapping operations into the integrated air and missile defense enterprise," the release said.
Astral Knight 2020 took place last September in Poland, with participation from Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia and Sweden.