An official website of the United States government
Here's how you know
A .mil website belongs to an official U.S. Department of Defense organization in the United States.
A lock (lock ) or https:// means you’ve safely connected to the .mil website. Share sensitive information only on official, secure websites.

News Search

AFSOUTH heads to Chile for largest air and space fair in Western Hemisphere

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Heather R. Redman
  • 12th Air Force (Air Forces Southern) Public Affairs

More than 65 Airmen from around the U.S. are scheduled to participate in a variety of activities during the week-long air show that includes aerial demonstrations, interaction with the local community, and subject matter expert exchanges with the Chilean air force.

“AFSOUTH has built relationships with our partner nations, like Chile, through the facilitation of exercises and exchanges throughout the past several years,” said U.S. Air Force Col. Mike Torrealday, Reserve Advisor to the 12th AF (AFSOUTH) Commander and AFSOUTH mission commander for FIDAE 2016. “It’s this relationship between Chile and the U.S., that AFSOUTH has cultivated, which led to us being invited to support FIDAE.”

Exchanges like those that will occur at FIDAE are conducted throughout the year across the U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility where Airmen are able to share best practices and procedures with their Chilean counterparts.  

Through this ongoing interaction, U.S. Airmen are able to promote interoperability with our partner-nation air forces throughout the Western Hemisphere.

“FIDAE is a great opportunity for Airmen to work hand-in-hand with the Chilean air force,” Torrealday added. “The air show also gives our Airmen a chance to learn new concepts and procedures from the several other air forces that are here and it also gives them the chance to interact and learn about the latest technology in air and space.”

U.S. Southern Command is a joint military command supporting U.S. national security objectives, in cooperation with domestic and international partners, in order to foster security, ensure stability, and promote prosperity throughout Central and South America, the Caribbean and the global community.

Air Forces Southern serves as the air component to U.S. Southern Command and is responsible for providing air and space capabilities in support of U.S. military partnerships across U.S. Southern Command’s area of responsibility.