RAMSTEIN AIR BASE, Germany -- U.S. forces partnered with U.K. allies in a Joint All-Domain Command and Control targeting exercise over international waters and airspace in the Baltic Sea region today. The event was designed to train U.S. and ally forces to integrate, operate, and communicate across all five domains of warfare (land, sea, air, space and cyberspace).
U.S. Air Forces Europe-Air Forces Africa supported the exercise with F-15C Eagle and F-15E Strike Eagle aircraft assigned to the 48th Fighter Wing, Royal Air Force Lakenheath, England; F-16C Fighting Falcon aircraft assigned to the 52nd Fighter Wing, Spangdahlem Air Base, Germany; E-8C Joint Surveillance and Target Attack Radar System aircraft assigned to the 461st Air Control Wing and the 116th ACW, Robins Air Force Base, Georgia, and KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft assigned to the 100th Air Refueling Wing, RAF Mildenhall, England.
Assets from U.S. Space Command, Special Operations Command Europe, U.S. Naval Forces Europe-Africa and U.S. Army Europe and Africa also took part in the exercise, alongside allies from the Royal Air Force. Additional intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance aircraft participated as well.
During the event, U.S. F-15 aircraft variants conducted training scenarios simulating Joint Air-to-Surface Standoff Missile (JASSM) employment tactics in the Baltic Sea region. The JASSM is a long-range, conventional, air-to-ground, precision standoff missile that is designed to destroy high-value, well-defended targets. This training enhances joint readiness and deterrence capabilities.
“This training helps all participating forces become more resilient, lethal, and effective,” said U.S. Air Force Gen. Jeff Harrigian, USAFE-AFAFRICA commander. “Working to refine vital data-sharing capabilities alongside our U.K. ally yields the unstoppable fighting force today’s security environment demands.”
The National Defense Strategy focuses on building relationships and interoperability to conduct operations across all combined and joint warfare domains. USAFE-AFAFRICA’s missions within the Baltic Sea region continue to focus on improving the ability to remain operational unpredictable, enhance readiness, and generate firepower inside an area that an adversary may believe to be protected through anti-access, area denial technology.
For more information on this training event please call +49 (0) 6371-47-6558 or e-mail usafepao.pao@us.af.mil. If after duty hours, please call +49 (0) 1624-25-5428 or e-mail usafepa.pastaffdutyofficer@us.af.mil.