US Air Force to hold multi-day readiness exercise across Middle East
The US Air Force will conduct a multi-day readiness exercise across the Middle East to test its ability to deploy, disperse and sustain combat aircraft across the US Central Command area, Air Forces Central said on Monday.
The exercise, led by the Ninth Air Force (Air Forces Central), is aimed at validating procedures for rapidly moving aircraft and personnel, operating from dispersed contingency locations, and sustaining missions with minimal logistical footprint, the command said in a statement.
The exercise will be carried out with host-nation approval and in coordination with civilian and military aviation authorities, it added.
The command said the training is intended to strengthen cooperation with regional partners and prepare US forces for flexible responses across the region, which includes the Middle East and parts of Central and South Asia.
“Our Airmen are proving they can disperse, operate, and generate combat sorties under demanding conditions – safely, precisely and alongside our partners,” said Lieutenant General Derek France, commander of Air Forces Central and the Combined Forces Air Component for US Central Command.
Air Forces Central said the exercise is designed to ensure US airpower remains available when required.
