Photo By Senior Airman Zachary Nordheim | U.S. Air Force Daniel Stricker, 325th Communication Squadron unit deployment manager,...... read more read more
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U.S. Air Force Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, visited Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, Oct. 30-31, alongside over 1,100 deployed service members and joint partners, for Checkered Flag 25-1.
Checkered Flag is one of the largest Department of Defense air-to-air combat readiness exercises and takes place twice a year in Tyndall’s Gulf Range Complex—one of the few U.S. ranges capable of supporting combat training and weapon testing at this scale and level of realism.
"Checkered Flag and exercises like it are essential for maintaining our combat readiness as a force," said Wilsbach. "It allows us to push ourselves, test our limits, and ensure that we are ready to face any challenge. I am beyond proud of the effort Team Tyndall and our mission partners have dedicated to this training to maintain the highest level of readiness.”
The Checkered Flag exercise has roots in the early days of air-to-air combat training, when pilots would engage in mock dogfights to test their skills and abilities. Over time, the exercise has evolved to include a wide range of training scenarios.
Aircraft participating in Checkered Flag 25-1 are also involved with the overlapping Weapons System Evaluation Program East. WSEP is an Air Force joint program to test air-to-air and air-to-ground live fire weapons employment for combat aviators and is executed by Tyndall-based mission partners from the 53d Wing and the 83d Fighter Weapons Squadron.
The training has also grown to host more than 60 visiting aircraft. This season’s iteration lasts from Oct 21-Nov 7 and includes joint combat aviators from the U.S. Marines and an Allied air battlespace management team from Australia. This type of sustained, dual-purpose exercise allows participants to strengthen interoperability and meet shared challenges.
“The Checkered Flag team provides our combat forces the environment and training necessary to stay ready for the modern fight,” said Col Christian Bergtholdt, 325th Fighter Wing commander. “That is no easy feat given our small footprint, but units walk away appreciating the intense and focused training opportunity we provide.”
The exercise is one of many, but functions as a prime opportunity to demonstrate and rehearse for complex, large-scale military operations.
Wilsbach’s first visit to Tyndall after assuming command occurred in late March of this year, allowing the ACC command team to see firsthand the strides the 325th FW is making in becoming the Air Force’s newest operational fighter wing, tasked to maintain readiness in support of national defense.
This recent visit allowed Wilsbach the opportunity to meet Tyndall Airmen and respond to their questions in a Wing-wide all call.
“We have to practice hard—the exercises we do on a daily basis should be challenging,” said Wilsbach. “I trust your leadership at every level to make calls on calculated risk. You all have the judgment and experience to make those calls. By taking risk, continuously evaluating ourselves, and getting better each time, we are going to be ready.”
| Date Taken: | 11.04.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.05.2024 12:57 |
| Story ID: | 484679 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 11 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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