Photo By Senior Airman Stefan Alvarez | A U.S. Marine Corps F-35C Lightning II from Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 311, Marine...... read more read more
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Roaring over Florida’s Gulf Coast, over 60 advanced aircraft participated in Checkered Flag 25-1 and Weapons System Evaluation Program East 25.01, as one of the Department of Defense’s largest air combat exercises. These events bring U.S. and allied forces together to sharpen combat skills for Great Power Competition.
From Oct. 21-Nov. 7, Tyndall Air Force Base, Florida, served as a proving ground where aircrew and maintainers worked together to load and launch live munitions, ensuring readiness to achieve and sustain air superiority in contested environments. Through live-fire scenarios, aerial combat, and joint exercises these combined operations push personnel to their limits twice every year.
“Our people – our Airmen – are what set us apart from our adversaries. Their professionalism, attention to detail and willingness to go the distance in training provides our force a competitive edge,” said Col. Christian Bergtholdt, 325th Fighter Wing commander. “By providing this exercise regularly, the 325th FW plays a crucial role in generating readiness, projecting unrivaled combat air power and developing expertise to face the challenges of Great Power Competition.”
Tyndall’s location along the Gulf Range Complex offers unique access to one of the vastest air combat training ranges in the country. Checkered Flag is a biannual exercise alongside WSEP and is the U.S. military’s largest air-to-air and air-to-ground superiority exercise focused on integrating fourth and fifth-generation fighters, allowing for critical multi-platform interoperability in an increasingly challenging security environment.
“Agile Combat Employment embeds rapid adaptability into everyday practice. Prioritizing ACE allows us to swiftly mobilize, repair, and launch forces in contested environments,” stated Gen. Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command. “By decentralizing decision-making, ACE empowers personnel at all levels to make critical choices, ensuring our team is prepared to act decisively when challenges arise.”
Checkered Flag and WSEP support the Chief of Staff of the Air Force’s call for Mission Ready Airmen by focusing on effective communication, collaboration and strengthening partnerships that drive innovation and enhance air superiority. A unique advantage to the location of this exercise is the space and ability to conduct live-fire test while simulating real world experiences for pilots and maintainers.
Wilsbach emphasized the need for ACC to execute challenging exercises to foster growth and improvement as a team, stating these exercises are not supposed to be easy.
“Readiness is the most important value that we in ACC can present to the combatant commanders,” explained Wilsbach. “For the Airmen at Tyndall Air Force Base, you’re doing exactly what we need you to do which is bringing on the F-35, rebuilding the base, doing Agile Combat Employment exercises, and being ready, if called, when the combatant commanders need us to help.”
The base’s personnel continue to focus on training, operational excellence, and preparing Airmen to face evolving threats as well as the demands of transforming the base into the Installation of the Future.
“In a very short amount of time, this is going to be the most modern air base in the world and there won’t even be another one close,” stated Wilsbach. “It’s not easy to do that, and that’s not lost on me. So, my words [for Tyndall] are, ‘keep doing what you’re doing,’ but really, that’s encompassed by a big thanks from me.”
| Date Taken: | 11.07.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.19.2024 12:10 |
| Story ID: | 485653 |
| Location: | TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: | 66 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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