多架军用飞机今天开始抵达肯塔基州空军国民警卫队基地，准备参加本周末举行的“路易斯维尔雷鸣”（Thunder Over Louisville）航展。
该航展定于周六下午3点在俄亥俄河上空开始，将展示十几架旋翼机和固定翼飞机，包括：
- 美国空军 F-16 蝰蛇演示队
- 威斯康星州空军国民警卫队 F-35 闪电 II
- 路易斯安那州空军国民警卫队 F-15 鹰式战斗机
- 美国海军陆战队 V-22 鱼鹰
- 加拿大皇家空军 CT-142 Dash-8
肯塔基州空军国民警卫队第123空运联队的“大力神”飞行员兼航展协调员约什·凯特勒中校表示，其他亮点将包括由四架C-130J“超级大力神”组成的编队演示。
“我们将完成HALO跳伞演练，这是一种高空投下、低空开伞的场景，我们将从约10,000英尺的高度投放跳伞员，”他表示，“我们还将在当天的某个时刻进行带有干扰弹投放的防御系统演示，然后进行C-130编队飞越。”
在HALO跳伞期间，来自该联队第123特种战术中队的空勤人员将跳入俄亥俄河，展示他们在全球执行任务时所采用的各种技术。随后，特种作战人员将从隶属于第63战区航空旅的UH-60“黑鹰”直升机上执行水上渗透演练。
凯特勒说：“这些直升机将与我们的特种战术中队整合，演示部队的渗透和撤离。在这种情况下，他们将在大草坪正前方的水域进行表演。”
肯塔基州空军国民警卫队再次担任参加航展的军用飞机的主要基地，提供必要的维护和后勤支持。
Military aircraft began arriving at the Kentucky Air National Guard Base here today in preparation for this weekend’s Thunder Over Louisville air show.
The show, slated to begin Saturday at 3 p.m. over the Ohio river, will feature more than a dozen rotary- and fixed-wing aircraft, including appearances by the U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper Demonstration Team, Wisconsin Air National Guard F-35 Lighting II, Louisiana Air National Guard F-15 Eagle, a U.S. Marine Corps V-22 Osprey and a Royal Canadian Air Force CT-142 Dash-8.
Other highlights will include a four-ship C-130J Super Hercules demonstration by the Kentucky Air National Guard’s 123rd Airlift Wing, said Lt. Col. Josh Ketterer, a Hercules pilot and air show coordinator for the Kentucky Air Guard.
“We’ll be completing a HALO drop, which is high-altitude, low-opening scenario where we release parachutists from approximately 10,000 feet,” he said. “We’ll also do a defensive systems demonstration with a flare dispense at one point during the day, and then we’ll have a formation flyover in our C-130s.”
During the HALO drop, Airmen from the wing’s 123rd Special Tactics Squadron will parachute into the Ohio River using the same techniques they employ in austere environments during operational missions around the world.
Later in the show, the Kentucky Air Guard’s special operators will execute a helocast into the Ohio River from Kentucky Army National Guard UH-60 Black Hawks assigned to the 63rd Theater Aviation Brigade.
“Those helos will be integrating with our special tactics squadron, and they’ll be demonstrating the infiltration or exfiltration of forces,” Ketterer said. “In this case, they’re going to do it in the water, right in front of the Great Lawn.
“It’s a fun demonstration, and it’s tactically relevant.”
The Kentucky Air Guard is once again serving as the primary base of operations for military aircraft participating in Thunder, providing essential maintenance and logistical support, Ketterer said.
“We do love showcasing Louisville and the Kentuckiana area,” he noted. “We think the hospitality and the people here are second to none. We want to be excellent hosts and put on a first-class, world-class event.”
Maj. Taylor Hiester, a pilot for the Viper Demo Team, said he’s looking forward to Thunder, one of the largest single-day air shows in North America.
“In watching the air show,” Hiester said, “my hope is always that people feel just a little bit closer to the folks who are taking this airplane to bad places and keeping our enemies at risk around the world.
“I can’t tell you how much it means to serve in uniform in general, but to just be representative of everybody that serves around the world — I take it very seriously, and so does the rest of the team,” he continued. “So, when people walk away from the show, I hope they feel inspired to serve their community.”
This weekend’s show has special significance for one member of the Viper team, Capt. Chase Bennett, who grew up in Louisville.
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