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Mobility assets supports GRF in Exercise Swift Response

  • Published
  • By Master Sgt. Thomas J. Doscher
  • 18th Air Force Public Affairs
SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. --  Air Force airlifters and refuelers from 13 U.S. and international bases will support more than 5,000 U.S. Army Soldiers and allied forces in Europe during Exercise Swift Response May 27 to June 26.

Swift Response 16 is one of a series of exercises taking place in eastern Europe demonstrating U.S. and Allied capabilities and supporting assurance and deterrence measures in the region.

The exercise calls for two simultaneous, multi-national Joint Force Entry missions into Poland. C-17s from Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina; Joint Base Lewis-McChord, Washington; Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska; and Joint Base Pearl Harbor-Hickam, Hawaii, will drop Paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division's 1st Brigade from Fort Bragg, North Carolina, over Torun, Poland. They will be joined by approximately 1,000 paratroopers from the British 16 Air Assault Brigade and the Polish 6th Airborne Brigade over the drop zone.

The C-17s will be refueled enroute by tankers from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst, New Jersey; Fairchild Air Force Base, Washington; Travis Air Force Base, California; and McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas.

At the same time, C-130s from Little Rock Air Force Base, Arkansas; Dyess Air Force Base, Texas; The West Virginia and Missouri Air National Guards and Ramstein Air Base, Germany, will drop Paratroopers from the Europe-based 173rd Airborne Brigade over Swidwin in northern Poland.

"Swift Response is another example of the support 18th Air Force Airmen provide America's Global Response Force and our allies in Europe," said Lt. Gen. Sam Cox, 18th Air Force commander. "These airborne forces provide the President and combatant commanders with critical options when responding to crises all over the world, and supporting them is one of 18th Air Force's most important missions."

This is not the first time 18th Air Force has supported JFE exercises overseas. In November, multiple 18th Air Force units came together to drop more than 500 Paratroopers over Spain during Exercise Trident Juncture/Ultimate Reach. In July, C-17 and KC-10 units carried Paratroopers from Alaska to Australia for Exercise Talisman Saber. Most recently, Mobility Airmen supported Exercise Saber Junction at the Hohenfels Training Area in Germany.

Lt. Col. Patrick Ober, 18th Air Force Operations Plans Chief, said the command supports about two large airborne exercises per year along with monthly airdrop exercise including active duty, Air National Guard and Reserve units. He said both the large-scale and small monthly exercises are important to making sure tactical and strategic air crews can perform their part of the GRF mission.

"One of our primary missions at 18th Air Force is to support contingency operations to include airborne forces," he said. "Specifically, to support short-notice insertion of airborne forces anywhere on the globe. These type of direct delivery exercises of our airborne forces validate our processes and plans. In addition, our tactical airlifters are primarily tasked to support the airborne forces. These exercises train them on not just airdrop operations, but also short, unimproved airfield operations."

The Air Force and Army sides of the airborne mission have been working to close gaps in support in recent months. In early May, the 18th Air Force commander sat as a non-voting advisor on the Army Airborne Board at Fort Bragg. This was the first time an Air Force general officer was invited to participate. The board focuses on the doctrine, organization and training of airborne forces.

Cox said support to airborne forces is one of his primary focuses as 18th Air Force commander.

"This is a mission that has to be done right the first time and on a moment's notice," Cox said. "There's no time to play catch-up. That means we need to continuously train so that the process is automatic no matter where in the world we need to conduct this mission. We're dedicated to making that happen."

High-readiness forces which arrive early in a crisis can help deter or prevent conflicts. U.S. and Allied power can be projected quickly to anywhere on the globe as a result of 18th Air Force's capability for rapid mobility.

18th Air Force works closely with sister services and allies to provide airlift, aerial refueling and aeromedical evacuation to friendly forces across the globe.