Many factors have forced the USAF down the contract Red Air route.
It is hugely expensive to operate a front-line fighter purely in a permanent aggressor role when an almost equivalent task can be performed by a Contractor Owned Contractor Operated (COCO) aircraft suitable equipped with updated radars, ECM, ECCM and emulators - cost per flying hour, maintenance cost and aircrew and groundcrew overheads.
One of the first big crunch points for the USAF was the disbandment of the 24-aircraft 65 AGRS at Nellis AFB which operated the F-15C - there are multiple ongoing structural maintenance issues with the F-15C and funding was completely withdrawn for the 65 AGRS due to FY15 Budget cuts.
With a seriously ageing fighter force, anything that can be done to release a dwindling number of fighters back into deployable front line wings has to be done. The use of COCO aggressor aircraft is offset by costs savings in structural integrity modifications that would otherwise be incurred in trying to keep, for example, a larger number of F-15Cs/F-16Cs in service and of course a reduced military personnel establishment.
Draken got a foot in the door at Nellis AFB in 2015 to provide Red Air alongside the 64 AGRS which operates the F-16C.
https://www.505ccw.acc.af.mil/News/Video/dvpTag/Adair/
In 2018, Draken had their contract extended through to 2023.
http://www.drakenintl.com/blog/blog/...ir-ii-contract
There are always going to be a significant number of aircrew of the "right stuff" for this sort of role - particularly at the Lt Col and Col level who would either rather carry on doing this type of flying for as long as they are capable instead of advancement in the military in an ever increasing "desk" role or they have been forced to retire anyway under the US military "up or out" rules. However good an operator they are, not everyone can be a one-star or above.
Executive Team | Draken International
Management Team | Draken International
Aircraft Inventory | Draken International
The Draken A-4Ks have received upgrades to enable them to emulate the F-16MLU:
Douglas A-4 Skyhawk | Draken International
