BE 25-3 kicks off final phase in Air Force’s first-in-a-generation DLE

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  • 57th Wing Public Affairs
NELLIS AIR FORCE BASE, Nev. (AFNS) --  

The U.S. Air Force kicked off Bamboo Eagle 25-3 — Air Combat Command’s premier advanced training exercise designed to enhance multi-domain combat readiness and agility in a contested environment.

Air Force jet in sky

An F-35A Lightning II receives fuel from a KC-135 Stratotanker assigned to the 117th Air Refueling Wing, Sumpter Smith Joint National Guard Base, Ala., in support of an exercise Red Flag-Nellis 25-3 refueling mission over the Nevada Test and Training Range, July 24, 2025. The 117th ARW’s primary mission is to provide worldwide air refueling and airlift support, as well as intelligence, logistics and medical services. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

The exercise, hosted by the U.S. Air Force Warfare Center, marks the final stage in the Department of the Air Force’s Department-Level Exercise. BE 25-3 is one of five major exercises comprising the DAF’s DLE. The exercise is part of the first-in-a-generation DLE series, a new way of conducting operations in a contested, dynamic environment to build capabilities making a stronger, more lethal deterrent force.

“As part of the DLE series, this iteration of Bamboo Eagle demonstrates our ability to generate combat readiness while collaborating with combatant commands and the joint force.” said Lt. Gen. Michael Koscheski, ACC deputy commander. “Bamboo Eagle 25-3 builds on the tactical focus of Red Flag exercises challenging participants to operate in a combat representative environment.”

With over 100 participating aircraft operating from more than 15 locations, the exercise serves to challenge participants to generate combat airpower, sustain expeditionary bases and execute dynamic battle management in maritime-focused scenarios.

As DLE tests the DAF’s ability to conduct sustained, complex military operations in a rapidly evolving environment, BE 25-3 focuses on three key objectives:

Distributed command and control: Demonstrating sustainable mission-centric command, distributed control and decentralized execution to manage fielded forces effectively.

Airmen walks under plane.

Airman Alec Allred, a 335th Fighter Squadron crew chief stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North N.C., conducts a pre-flight inspection on an F-15E Strike Eagle in support of Red Flag-Nellis 25-3 at Nellis AFB, Nev., July 19, 2025. Pre-flight inspections help keep the aircraft mission-ready so the squadron can deliver critical support to joint air combat operations, strengthening multi-service cooperation and overall warfighting effectiveness. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Jennifer Nesbitt)

Follow-on mission generation: Testing the ability to deploy follow-on forces and generate sorties in contested environments while executing Agile Combat Employment to enhance survivability and combat power.

Joint maritime operations: Operating in a multi-domain maritime environment to address unique challenges and develop innovative solutions for airpower projection.

“Our Airmen and Guardians are the best in the world, and BE 25-3 is where they prove it,” Kocheski said.

Residents near participating locations across Southern California and neighboring regions may notice increased aircraft activity during the exercise period.