Deployment to employment: The 2025 DLE showcases operational capabilities
A Royal Air Force A400M Atlas aircraft assigned to the RAF Air Mobility Force takes flight as part of the U.S. Air Force's first-in-a-generation 2025 Department-Level Exercise series at Andersen Air Force Base, Guam, July 17, 2025. During the DLE, the RAF joined the U.S. Air Force and other allies, including the Royal Australian Air Force, Royal New Zealand Air Force, Royal Canadian Air Force, Japan Air Self-Defense Force, and Republic of Korea Air Force, in exercising their airlift and aeromedical evacuation capabilities. The DLE encompasses all branches of the Department of Defense, Allies, and partners, employing more than 400 joint and coalition aircraft and more than 12,000 personnel across more than 50 locations spanning 3,000 miles. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Jade M. Caldwell)