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MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho -- The 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base concluded exercise RAGING GUNFIGHTER 25-1, which was conducted at various locations throughout the Mountain West subregion of the United States Oct. 21-31.
The annual operational readiness exercise tested the wing’s ability to generate combat airpower while continuing to move, maneuver and sustain the wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic and contested environment. This iteration also provided an opportunity for the wing to test the Air Force’s Units of Action (UoA) construct by separating the installation into two wings: a Deployable Combat Wing (DCW) and an Air Base Wing (ABW).
“The Department of the Air Force has directed that Combat Wings and Air Base Wings ‘sever’ to allow each type of wing to be focused on their respective missions,” said Col. Ryan Wick, deputy director of Operations at Air Combat Command. “In this separation, CWs will focus on warfighting readiness, while ABWs support the CW and operate the base throughout the competition, crisis, and conflict spectrum.”
Currently, Air Force wings have both in-garrison responsibilities and requirements to deploy forces and Airmen in support of Combatant Command operations. The UoA concept enables CWs to focus solely on areas like training, exercising and integrating its operations with the goal of achieving a higher state of readiness for Great Power Competition. By testing the UoA construct during RGF 25-1, the 366th FW was able to assess tactics, techniques and procedures, establish baselines and identify areas of improvement ahead of CW implementation.
The DCW was comprised of roughly 1,000 Airmen stationed at MHAFB from various Air Force Specialty Codes with each Airman bringing a unique capability to the wing, enabling the DCW to be self-supporting and focused on the assigned combat mission during exercise execution. The DCW had three layers: the command layer, the mission layer with mission generation force elements attached and a sustainment layer. This structure enabled the DCW to plan and execute Agile Combat Employment through an effective command and control structure.
Airmen not assigned to the DCW made up the ABW. The ABW’s focus was power projection platform readiness (defending the installation), supporting the DCW and operating the base. The ABW included a command layer with an A-staff made up of various staff functions and functional expertise, and a mission layer that could be tailored to specific installation mission and unit requirements.
The UoA construct is part of the 24 Department of the Air Force-wide key decisions to shape, refocus and reoptimize the Air Force and Space Force to ensure continued superiority in their respective domains while better posturing the services to deter and, if necessary, prevail in an era of Great Power Competition.
“As the Air Force’s lead conventional force provider, Air Combat Command is implementing the DAF’s way forward by ensuring its forces adapt and are ready to operate within this new construct and giving them the ability to train together as a team to be ready for immediate operations when they deploy,” said Wick.
While the locations of the first CWs and ABWs have not been decided, the 366th FW’s innovative culture and experience in testing, providing analysis and evolving Air Force-level concepts through exercises and experiments, made it an ideal candidate to test the UoA construct.
Generating combat airpower during the exercise was no small feat. With seven airfields in play at once, and eight airfields total, the 366th Fighter Wing team pushed more than 135 F-15E Strike Eagle sorties with nearly 160 flight hours. All of this was accomplished throughout hundreds of simulated contingency scenarios.
The 366 FW A-Staff also played a key role in maintaining internal and external relationships, informing and implementing wing commander decisions, generating recommendations and communicating with higher and lateral headquarters.
“RAGING GUNFIGHTER was the culmination of months of dedicated planning and collaboration. The exercise really tested our ability to simultaneously integrate, control, and maneuver air and ground forces over eight airfields in Idaho and Utah in a dynamic, fast paced scenario while defending and sustaining our forces in an austere environment,” said Lt. Col Andrew Swanson, chief of staff for the 366th Fighter Wing A-Staff. “This challenged our skills and resulted in the growth of innovation and a mission ready mindset for the Gunfighters.”
Through simulated contingency scenarios, they tested participants from civil engineering, medical, emergency management, explosive ordnance disposal, security forces and other AFSCs. From simulated improvised explosive device explosions and mass casualties to contaminated drinking water and adversary activity near entry control points, every Gunfighter played a role in ensuring mission success.
“I’m incredibly proud of the spirit and dedication of our Gunfighters throughout RAGING GUNFIGHTER,” said Col. Mike Alfaro, commander of the 366th Fighter Wing. “These Airmen of all ranks and specialties have gone beyond technical expertise to get after their respective objectives. Maintainers were problem solving to keep our aircraft continuously in the sky, the civil engineering team set up and maintained living spaces in record time, and the security forces team defended our multiple exercise locations. Whether participating in an exercise or supporting global operations, Gunfighters understand the environment they’re in and are empowered to get the mission accomplished.”
The 366th FW provided F-15E Strike Eagles and command and control, and the 388th Fighter Wing from Hill AFB, Utah, supported with F-35A Lightning IIs. Other participating units included the 52nd Combat Communication Squadron from Robins AFB, Georgia, and C-130s from the 19th Airlift Wing, in Little Rock, Ark
| Date Taken: | 11.25.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 11.25.2024 16:35 |
| Story ID: | 486125 |
| Location: | MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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