Subscribe
U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY – U.S. Air Forces Central’s Air Warfare Center just completed one of the most comprehensive multinational military training events in the region with the support of the host nation’s own AWC—the Advanced Tactical Leadership Course.
This annual seven-week program is not just another military exercise – it serves as the largest exercise of the year for the host nation and AFCENT Air Warfare Center in terms of participants, length and number of missions, honing in on tactical expertise, fostering international collaboration and preparing future leaders for the complexities of modern warfare.
“This isn’t just about flying missions; it’s about building trust and understanding among our international partners,” said Col. Andre Walton, 380th Air Expeditionary Wing deputy commander. "The challenges we tackle here ensure that when we are called to act together in real-world operations, we’ll be ready to succeed as a unified force. The strength of this exercise lies in its ability to replicate the complexities of modern warfare while fostering cooperation between nations.”
This year marks the 34th iteration of the course, with participants from 10 nations, including the United States, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and more. Each country brings its own assets and expertise, from F-16s and Rafales to intelligence and ground-based air defense systems, creating a truly integrated training environment.
“ATLC is unique for integrating GCC countries with NATO members,” explained Capt. James Scotto, AWC fighter branch chief. “The course takes advantage of a large section of airspace with liberal restrictions to create complex, realistic combat scenarios and the best training in the region.”
While the U.S. traditionally participates with aircraft, this year AWC members acted as white force members and instructors overseeing the academics of the exercise consisting of mission planning instruction, common fighter missions like dynamic targeting, combat search and rescue education, learning about the laws of armed conflict and more.
Over four weeks of flying, aircrews from diverse backgrounds tackle 16 missions, including a week of night operations with scenarios ranging from offensive and defensive counter-air missions to combat search and rescue, air interdiction and suppression of enemy air defenses.
While ATLC’s participants are already experienced in their fields, the course allows individuals to refine their tactical leadership skills and challenge themselves – the training designed to test leaders at every turn.
Students face tactical problems during mission planning and execution. Many of the scenarios introduce new threats or unexpected variables, forcing participants to adapt in real-time.
“This is where airborne leadership of the mission commander comes in, and how well they are able to direct their forces to still win,” Scotto said. “The more challenges they face in training, the better prepared they’ll be to execute dynamically during combat because they have already seen and conquered a similar problem set.”
Over the past two decades, ATLC has continually evolved to stay ahead of emerging threats.
“ATLC has improved many times over the 34 iterations to keep up with the modern threat and new technological advancements. The integration of real surface-to-air threats is a significant part of this evolution, since many participating nations have limited or no opportunity to train against these back home,” Scotto furthered. “ATLC is committed to incorporating the newest technology to help make our debriefs and instruction better, while presenting a modern, capable threat for the participants to fight.”
Beyond the tactical skills, ATLC is invaluable for the partnerships it fosters.
“America’s greatest asset is its strategic relationships,” Scotto emphasized, referencing the 2022 National Security Strategy. “We will never go to war alone and will be accompanied by our allies and partners around the world. The opportunity to train together is vital to learn each other’s capabilities and vulnerabilities so we can be ready to fight together when called on.”
With the Area of Responsibility remaining one of the most dynamic regions, the AFCENT AWC sees ATLC as much more than a training event—it’s a symbol of the significance of the enduring commitment of the United States and its partners to peace and security.
“This course reinforces a simple but crucial principle,” Walton said. “ … Our greatest advantage is our ability to work together."
| Date Taken: | 12.13.2024 |
| Date Posted: | 12.13.2024 00:52 |
| Story ID: | 487377 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 21 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, AFCENT AWC aids multinational exercise, by TSgt Jessica Smith McMahan, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
