Photo By Airman 1st Class Robert Nichols | A U.S. Air Force KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 91st Expeditionary Air Refueling...... read more read more
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U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY – The Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) launched Operation Agile Spartan 25.1, Jan. 26, 2025, across the Arabian Peninsula to evaluate the U.S. Air Force’s ability to react and respond to regional threats as a unified coalition force. As part of the exercise, the 379th Air Expeditionary Wing deployed multiple aerial refueling aircraft, KC-135 Stratotankers, to a forward operating location in support of U.S. Central Command’s theater campaign strategy.
“Our Airmen face new challenges every day in the AFCENT arena as they execute combat operations to protect our forces and defend our partners,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Derek France, Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central) commander. “The lessons they are learning and the relationships they are building alongside our partners will make us stronger together and be invaluable as the Department of the Air Force reoptimizes for Great Power Competition.”
Agile Spartan 25.1 served as U.S. Air Forces Central’s capstone Agile Combat Employment exercise to validate the ability to integrate with regional partners and generate combat air power in support of operational objectives. The intent of the exercise is to shift generation of airpower from large, centralized bases to networks of smaller, dispersed locations to increase survivability, complicate adversary planning and gain an advantage.
“We are using the KC-135 due to its enduring presence in the region and sustainment requirements,” said U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Alan M. Herbol, 91st Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron commander. “Due to its mission requirements, it is imperative that the KC-135 has the ability to survive and operate out of austere locations and unfamiliar fields. The exercise also provides an opportunity for our crews to develop their mission-ready Airmen mindset without the full support of a main operating base.”
Built in 1957, the KC-135 is the most prevalent aerial refueling aircraft in the Air Force. Carrying 200,000 lbs or 29,850 gallons of Jet-A fuel, it has a greater logistical imperative to employ at bases other than main operating bases.
“For this iteration of Agile Spartan, our planning spanned across each functional area and involved working closely with our regional partners,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Ryan Samolewski, 379th Air Expeditionary Wing Operation Agile Spartan detachment commander. “There were many challenges to operating at a location that we have never operated before. Our team worked through numerous logistical and operational contingencies and successfully demonstrated our ability to rapidly receive and launch KC-135 aircraft for the first time. Keeping the KC-135 in the fight is key to our operational objectives in the region.”
A vital component of the exercise, air refueling enables the ability to maneuver and mass forces to coerce or defeat the adversary where they are least prepared by increasing the range, payload, persistence and flexibility of air forces, said Herbol. With the potential future of conflicts, air refueling brings personnel, cargo and weapons to the fight via aircraft operating from multiple locations across a tyranny of distances.
“Tankers like the KC-135 empower the logistical arm of a proactive and reactive operational scheme of maneuver to increase the survivability of aircraft,” said Herbol. “They do this by generating combat airpower, creating flexibility for the combatant commander, and complicating our adversary’s ability to target our assets.”
In addition to the KC-135, the U.S. had a contingent of A-10 Thunderbolt II, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15E Strike Eagle, C-130J Super Hercules, HC-130J Combat King II and HH-60 Jolly Green II aircraft with a wide range of support personnel from nearly every deployed AEW supporting the Agile Combat Employment exercise.
| Date Taken: | 02.01.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 02.01.2025 07:18 |
| Story ID: | 489915 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 248 |
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