NOVEMBER 16, 2019 – Thousands of U.S. service members continually train here in AL UDEID AIR BASE, QATAR with regional partners to strengthen and reinforce the coalition’s defensive posture and ability to defend against regional threats.
Over the summer, U.S. Air Forces Central Command focused on adaptive basing, increasing and improving redundancy and resilience in its operational depth, relationship building with coalition, joint and partner nations, and improving interoperability across the command.
Training scenarios tested the transition of participating forces from steady-state operations to active combined defense of the region. Various command and control, combined and joint interoperability, as well as communication processes, were tested.
“The Airmen, Soldiers and Sailors showcased their capabilities and flexibility adapting to a complex scenario,” said James D. Jackson, a planner for training conducted the past two weeks. “Today’s security environment is complex, and it takes joint capabilities to achieve U.S. objectives in the region. Exercising those capabilities together is essential to operational cohesion.”
“This training ensures we don’t fall into a repetitive nature of operations and ensures that we are always showing a different picture, a different form of our operational capabilities to our adversaries,” said Canadian Brig. Gen. Alex Day, AFCENT Combined Air and Space Operations Center director.
One specific focus area was integrated air and missile defense, a critical element of being able to continue to operate and respond if an adversary attacks bases and coalition personnel and assets in the Middle East region.
“This exercise provides the 32d Army Air and Missile Defense Command staff and regional Air Defense forces training in a joint and coalition integrated Air and Missile Defense environment.”
The training allowed multiple partner nations to continue to work together, as they do in daily operations, with an emphasis on improving tactical air operations and strengthening military-to-military relationships.
“Our combined force is the absolute best at planning and executing a response to any malign or aggressive actions across every single domain,” said Lt. Gen. Joseph Guastella, Combined Forces Air Component Commander. “This exercise demonstrated our ability to work together, react with amazing speed, and bring decisive combat power to our enemies as a coalition.”
While this focused training event successfully finished, these collaborative efforts continue with daily execution of combined air, ground and sea operations to promote regional stability across the 20-nation area of responsibility.
Story by Senior Airman Hope Geiger
U.S. Air Forces Central Command Public Affairs