Base starts flight training over Boise & Idaho City

F-15E Strike Eagles from Mountain Home Air Force Base started flight training today involving missions over Idaho City and Boise.

In addition, some of this training may involve flying over more urban areas in the Boise area starting Dec. 10.

Scheduled to run until Dec. 16, these training missions involve medium altitude flights, or about 15,000 feet, between both communities, according to a base spokesman. During other training missions, these jets typically fly at altitudes up to 20,000 feet.

These flights are an important part of aircrew training as they prepare for upcoming deployments to places like the Persian Gulf region, the spokesman added. It gives them an opportunity to "practice tracking and identifying simulated targets in terrain that realistically simulates" what they could encounter during these deployments.

In addition to flying close air support missions to protect U.S. and coalition ground forces in places like Afghanistan, the Strikes Eagles can also serve as airborne surveillance platforms using their onboard cameras.

Base aircrews will remain in contact with air traffic controllers at all times during these missions.