Agile Reaper 23-1 wraps up successful ACE exercise in Guam, Tinian

Published March 15, 2023
By Airman 1st Class Julia Lebens
3rd Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs

ANDERSEN AIR FORCE BASE, Guam (AFNS) --

Agile Reaper 23-1, an Agile Combat Employment exercise that took place on Guam and Tinian, recently came to a close with a constructive and positive conclusion.

Airmen from the 673rd Air Base Wing and 3rd Wing at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, as well as other participating units from across the Air Force, made up a collective and capable group in the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing to execute AR 23-1.

Reinforcing strategic knowledge, the 3rd AEW achieved many successes throughout the exercise including an ACE playbook that will be used to define future ACE operations and strengthening ACE and multi-capable Airmen expeditionary skills across the staff directorates.

An F-22 Raptor assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, can be seen in the reflection of the sunglasses of Staff Sgt. Von Peoples, an F-22 dedicated crew chief assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Tinian International Airport, Northern Mariana Islands, March 3, 2023. AR 23-1 is the 3rd AEW’s effort to exercise Agile Combat Employment, rehearse capabilities in an operationally relevant environment and to provide air dominance, global mobility and command and control in the Indo-Pacific region. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Hailey Staker)

Romo, an F-22 Raptor pilot assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, fastens his seatbelt prior to a training sortie during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Tinian International Airport, Northern Mariana Islands, March 3, 2023. During the exercise, C-17s and F-22 Raptors assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron will conduct training operations in the Mariana Islands Range Training Complex. The MIRC is a geographic area containing a complex of military training ranges, and includes land, sea, and airspace on and around the islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and Farallon de Medinilla, as well as open ocean waters stretching north to Pagan and west to the middle of the Philippine Sea. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Hailey Staker) — Romo, an F-22 Raptor pilot assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, Kadena Air Base, Japan, fastens his seatbelt prior to a training sortie during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Tinian International Airport, Northern Mariana Islands, March 3, 2023. During the exercise, C-17 Globemaster IIIs and F-22 Raptors assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron conducted training operations in the Mariana Islands Range Training Complex. The MIRC is a geographic area containing a complex of military training ranges, and includes land, sea, and airspace on and around the islands of Guam, Rota, Tinian, Saipan, and Farallon de Medinilla, as well as open ocean waters stretching north to Pagan and west to the middle of the Philippine Sea. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Hailey Staker)

Romo, an F-22 Raptor pilot assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron, prepares to fly a training sortie while displaying an American flag during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Tinian International Airport, Northern Mariana Islands, March 3, 2023. While at Tinian, a deceased prior Army service member was returned to her birthplace, and the 3rd AEW paid their respects to her and her family by flying the flag in an F-22 Raptor and providing it to the family upon the member’s arrival. (U.S. Air Force photo by Tech. Sgt. Hailey Staker)

“I've told all the wing commanders, the Numbered Air Force commanders and PACAF that I expect them to take risk[s],” said Gen. Ken Wilsbach, Pacific Air Forces commander. “I expect them to expand the ACE envelope, I expect them to get better and better. They've got to be able to meet the mission taskings, all the communication, all that's required to be in the right place, at the right time, with your airpower. That’s why we have [F-22] Raptors at Tinian, so that they can practice those skills.”

Agile Reaper is a strategic and important exercise that is meant to rehearse capabilities in increasing survivability while generating combat power.

While exercising ACE, Tinian International Airport, Northern Mariana Islands, provided an environment where Airmen had to operate with only the supplies they had brought in, or could be provided by airlift resupply via a C-17 Globemaster III.

F-22 pilots assigned to the 525th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron and currently deployed to Kadena Air Base, Japan, also had the opportunity to exercise operating outside of a military installation in an operationally limited environment while at Tinian.

A photo of two maintenance Airmen backlit by a red light — Airmen assigned to the 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron prepare a 517th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III for departure during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2023. AR 23-1 is the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing’s effort to exercise Agile Combat Employment and allows personnel to rehearse capabilities to provide air dominance, global mobility, and command and control for the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan)

A photo of a C-17 filled with cargo and Airmen — Airmen assigned to the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing board a 517th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2023. AR 23-1 is the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing’s effort to exercise Agile Combat Employment and allows personnel to rehearse capabilities to provide air dominance, global mobility, and command and control for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan)

A photo of an Airman preparing to marshal a C-17 — Airman Dylan Block, 703rd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron crew chief, marshals a 517th Airlift Squadron C-17 Globemaster III during Exercise Agile Reaper 23-1 at Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, Alaska, Feb. 24, 2023. AR 23-1 is the 3rd Air Expeditionary Wing’s effort to exercise Agile Combat Employment and allows personnel to rehearse capabilities to provide air dominance, global mobility, and command and control for U.S. Indo-Pacific Command. (U.S. Air Force photo by Senior Airman Patrick Sullivan)

In addition, communications Airmen strengthened skills sustaining transmitting and connecting in a degraded environment, civil engineer Airmen overcame issues that came with operating in a hot, humid environment instead of an Arctic one, and so on. Andersen Air Force Base provided a hub, where additional aircraft and intelligence and logistical support was provided.

AR 23-1 was designed with a focus on exercising ACE, rehearsing capabilities in an operationally relevant environment, providing air dominance, global mobility, and command and control, and ensuring that the 3rd AEW is ready and capable of operating in a contested, degraded, and operationally limited environment.

“It’s a crawl-walk-run as we ruthlessly prioritize validating the ACE framework,” said Col. Kevin Jamieson, commander, 3rd AEW. “All of my expectations were exceeded. I thought this was a huge success and win for the team, especially bringing the 3rd AEW construct together and proving that this high-performing team could take this from concept to practice in just a few short months. I’m excited to see what we’re capable of in the next iteration of Agile Reaper.”

Whether in the cold, bitter inclement weather in Alaska, or in the hot, humid environment in the Pacific, Airmen stayed agile, ready to deploy, maneuver, and to project power.

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