Fast and Furious 48 hours of readiness in UK

By Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau , 100th Air Refueling Wing Public Affairs / Published April 25, 2019

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U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Christian Villanueva, 351st Air Refueling Squadron boom operator, refuels an F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April 24, 2019. The exercise was designed to emphasize the importance of combat skills effectiveness training and test 100th ARW and 48th FW Airmen on their ability to survive and operate in wartime conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

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Airmen from the 100th Air Refueling Wing and 351st Air Refueling Squadron discuss flight plans prior to takeoff during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise at RAF Mildenhall, England, April 24, 2019. The exercise was designed to emphasize the importance of combat skills effectiveness training and test 100th ARW and 48th Fighter Wing Airmen on their ability to survive and operate in wartime conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

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U.S. Air Force Capt. Jason Douglas, 351st Air Refueling Squadron pilot, looks over landing gear while performing a walk-around of a 351st ARS KC-135 Stratotanker prior to take-off during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise at RAF Mildenhall, England, April 24, 2019. Exercise scenarios were designed to ensure 100th ARW Airmen were fully prepared for potential contingencies in the wing’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

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An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, receives fuel from a 351st Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker at RAF Mildenhall during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April 24, 2019. Exercise scenarios were designed to ensure 100th ARW Airmen were fully prepared for potential contingencies in the wing’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau)

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An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, painted in the heritage colors of its World War II P-47 Thunderbolt predecessor, receives fuel from a 351st Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker at RAF Mildenhall during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April 24, 2019. The exercise was designed to emphasize the importance of combat skills effectiveness training and test 100th ARW and 48th FW Airmen on their ability to survive and operate in wartime conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau)

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U.S. Air Force Maj. Jared Alden, 100th Air Refueling Wing Command Post chief of C2 operations, and U.S. Air Force Capt. Grant Starkweather, 351st Air Refueling Squadron pilot, discuss flight operations during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April 24, 2019. Exercise scenarios were designed to ensure 100th ARW Airmen were fully prepared for potential contingencies in the wing’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau)

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An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, receives fuel from a 351st Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker at RAF Mildenhall during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April, 24, 2019. Exercise scenarios were designed to ensure 100th ARW Airmen were fully prepared for potential contingencies in the wing’s area of responsibility. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

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An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, painted in the heritage colors of its World War II P-47 Thunderbolt predecessor, flies next to a KC-135 Stratotanker of the 351st Air Refueling Squadron at RAF Mildenhall during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April 24, 2019. The exercise was designed to emphasize the importance of combat skills effectiveness training and test 100th ARW and 48th FW Airmen on their ability to survive and operate in wartime conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Brandon Esau)

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An F-15E Strike Eagle assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing at RAF Lakenheath, England, breaks away from a 351st Air Refueling Squadron KC-135 Stratotanker at RAF Mildenhall during the “FURIOUS 48” readiness exercise over the skies of England, April, 24, 2019. The exercise was designed to emphasize the importance of combat skills effectiveness training and test 100th ARW and 48th FW Airmen on their ability to survive and operate in wartime conditions. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Luke Milano)

RAF MILDENHALL, England --

The 100th Air Refueling Wing and 48th Fighter Wing completed a 48-hour readiness exercise, which included aerial refueling and limited night flying April 23-25.

Mission Assurance Exercise 19-01, designated ‘FURIOUS 48,’ brought the two wings together to work on combat skills and aerial refueling training. Airmen tested their ability to survive and operate in wartime conditions, as well as showcased their ability to generate combat airpower in a wide range of environments and scenarios.

Exercises like this provided both aircrew and support personnel at RAF Mildenhall and RAF Lakenheath the opportunity needed to maintain a mission-ready force capable of ensuring the collective defense of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization alliance.

The 100th ARW prepared 32 out of 32 KC-135 Stratotankers on time, and off loaded over 762,000 pounds of gas to over 90 receivers.

“This exercise was incredibly important to our collective ability to respond to contingencies in the African and European theaters,” said Col. Christopher Amrhein, 100th ARW commander. “We’re very thankful for the support we receive from the communities surrounding the bases, because without that support, we would be unable to train to maximum effect and assert ourselves as strategically forward-based assets in the U.K.”