Combat jets have been streaking overhead near March Air Reserve Base this week.

“March Air Reserve Base is hosting a readiness exercise,” March ARB officials posted on Facebook Jan. 26, and the public should expect “an increase in aircraft … noise within the area during the exercise.”

“There are American, British and Canadian forces working alongside each other for this,” Riverside City Councilman Chuck Conder, a retired officer with the US Air Force, told City News Service. “A lot of units are involved, including those based at Nellis Air Force Base, which is home to Red Flag.” Red Flag entails intense air combat training.

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The public affairs unit at the base near Riverside said Friday afternoon, Feb. 2, “the exercise happening on the base … is not permanent and will be concluding soon.” Conder said he’d been told it would end Feb. 5.

Combat jet traffic volume increased beginning Jan. 27, with formations of two, four and six planes departing March multiple times daily and sometimes at night. There was a pause Thursday because of weather.

“They chose March as a forward operating base,” Conder said. “It’s just an exercise, a way of getting to know each other, how they work, because they may have to join up some place in the world.”

Conder said he has seen F-16s, F-15s and British Typhoon fighters. “They’re learning how to work together,” he said.

“It’s not just flying.” he said. “They’re learning how to do things in preparation for deployments. They would be responsible for setting up things the forces need across the board. There are many elements within the operation.”