US F-16 fighters and airmen in Italy showed off their flexibility at exercise Agile Buzzard
US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Heidi Goodsell
US airmen based in Italy hit the road in order to show off their ability to rapidly deploy and equip F-16 fighter jets to keep fighting.
The drill, called exercise Agile Buzzard, was a demonstration of Agile Combat Employment, a concept that calls for the US Air Force to be more flexible and prepared.
US Air Force airmen and F-16 Fighting Falcons assigned to the 31st Fighter Wing rapidly deployed to Decimomannu Air Base, Italy, January 13-16, for exercise Agile Buzzard.
Agile Buzzard was one of the first exercises to incorporate elements from the developing operational concept known as Agile Combat Employment, or ACE.
This concept calls for forces to operate more fluidly in locations with varying levels of capacity and support. This ensures US Air Forces in Europe and Air Forces Africa are ready for any potential contingencies.
"Agile Combat Employment is a fairly new concept," said Maj. Michael Watts, 510th Fighter Squadron operations supervisor. "We take our aircraft somewhere without all the accommodations of our home station, but are still able to turn around our aircraft and ready them for combat."
US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Heidi GoodsellTraining exercises like Agile Buzzard enhance the wing's ability to take command and control of a region, as well as deliver lethal airpower more effectively and efficiently anywhere in the world. Additionally they are designed to enhance partner interoperability, maintain joint readiness, and assure US regional allies.
US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Heidi Goodsell"This exercise is meant to give us a chance to try this type of operation for the first time at a base other than Aviano," said Watts. "This is our opportunity to try ACE at a base we don't have everything we normally have and still be able to execute the mission."
US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Heidi GoodsellAs part of the exercise, maintainers practiced Integrated Combat Turns, or ICT, in which airmen refueled and loaded weapon systems onto fighter jets while engines were running. The F-16s later departed to conduct air-to-ground training, and redeployed to the 31st FW at Aviano Air Base.
US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Heidi GoodsellUS airmen and Italian forces were able to extend their joint operational war-fighting capabilities during Agile Buzzard through tactical training, the successful partnership resulting in progressive relationships in regional security and coalition operations.
US Air Force/Staff Sgt. Heidi Goodsell
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