Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 concluded on August 9, 2024, marking a significant milestone in the U.S. Air Force’s preparation for potential conflicts in the Pacific theater. The eight-day exercise, spanning multiple locations across the western United States and eastern Pacific Ocean, involved over 3,000 service members operating more than 150 aircraft from nearly a dozen locations. This large-scale, joint exercise tested the Air Force’s ability to operate in contested environments with limited command and control, pushing the boundaries of its Agile Combat Employment (ACE) concepts.
The primary objective of Bamboo Eagle 24-3 was to evaluate a wing commander’s ability to generate combat air power while continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain the lead wing and subordinate force elements in a dynamic environment. This objective directly addresses the challenges that U.S. forces would face in a potential Pacific conflict, where vast distances and limited basing options are significant factors.
Major General Christopher Niemi, U.S. Air Force Warfare Center Commander, emphasized the exercise’s significance: “As an Air Force, we are learning that we are all going to be on the front lines. The USAF no longer has the luxury of projecting power from sanctuary bases. Airmen will be required to sustain the same operational tempo as before, but under the threat of large-scale enemy fires at a magnitude this nation has never seen.”
One of the key challenges addressed in the exercise was the need for fighter aircraft to conduct multiple air-to-air refuelings during a single mission. Captain Spencer Thompson, an F-35 pilot with the 34th Fighter Squadron, described the experience: “It’s been good training, but it’s definitely wild. It really does feel like you’re halfway to Hawaii out there.” These long-range missions required pilots to carefully manage their fuel consumption and coordinate with tanker aircraft multiple times during a single sortie.
Lt. Col. Ian Osterreicher, 34th Fighter Squadron commander, elaborated on the challenges: “For 20 years in the Middle East we got used to doing the same mission over and over again from a set location. Now it’s on us to provide our primary mission sets, dislocated, with little to no communication. Fly thousands of miles. Trust your tanker support is in the air for you to keep going. Talk to each other airborne and make it happen.”
The exercise introduced innovative concepts such as Contingency Support Elements (CSEs), small teams of 4-10 personnel providing specific support capabilities. These teams were rapidly deployed to multiple “spoke” locations, simulating operations on remote Pacific islands. Major Jacob Draszkiewicz, 621st Contingency Response Wing Executive Officer and 521st Contingency Response Element commander for the exercise, explained: “The 521 CRE can quickly generate CSE Teams to be dynamically tasked from the hub and sent forward to multiple spokes. The CSE Teams have been tailored to be as agile as possible for Bamboo Eagle, providing the most flexibility so they can be tasked across the spokes quickly.”
This hub-and-spoke model is crucial for operations in the Pacific, where established bases may be few and far between. The ability to rapidly deploy small, flexible teams to austere locations significantly expands the Air Force’s operational reach and resilience in the face of potential threats to established bases.
Air refueling operations proved critical in enabling these long-range missions. The 32nd Expeditionary Air Refueling Squadron, operating KC-46 Pegasus aircraft, generated a record-setting 101 sorties during the exercise. Major Andrew Doenitz, 32nd EARS commander, highlighted the importance of these operations: “We enable the joint force. Expanding our capabilities increases their lethality. We’re working this week on multiple connectivity initiatives, utilizing our resources and personnel in new ways to increase KC-46 effectiveness operating in contested environments.”
The 91st Air Refueling Squadron from the 6th Air Refueling Wing led air-to-air refueling operations on KC-135 Stratotanker aircraft, quickly integrating flying operations with the 384th ARS from Fairchild Air Force Base and 912th ARS from March Air Force Base. Together, they generated 67 total air-to-air refueling sorties over the eastern Pacific Ocean. This high tempo of refueling operations simulated the intense demands that would be placed on tanker aircraft in a Pacific conflict scenario.
Lt. Col. Raymond Roe, 91st ARS commander, noted the operational challenges: “We’ve accomplished a volume of flights at a pace that’s very abnormal to our day-to-day operations. We have 85 maintainers here producing a surge volume that is very antithetical to what we produce at home station. Given our minimal footprint, the prioritization of how they generate, or repair aircraft forces us to have a strategic outlook that we may not otherwise have to experience.”
The exercise also focused on the ability to operate from austere locations with minimal support. Maintenance crews faced significant challenges operating in these conditions, showcasing the concept of Mission Ready Airmen. Chief Master Sgt. Justin Wolfe, 34th Fighter Generation Squadron senior enlisted leader, emphasized the importance of this experience: “It’s building more effective warfighters who have critical thinking skills and know that no matter what, job No.1 is getting that aircraft off the ground and into the fight.”
The 19th Aircraft Maintenance Squadron demonstrated this capability by deploying a Maintenance Recovery Team to a remote location, successfully completing an engine change and returning an aircraft to service in under 24 hours. This rapid repair capability is crucial in a Pacific conflict scenario, where the ability to quickly return damaged aircraft to service could be the difference between victory and defeat.
Bamboo Eagle 24-3 also tested the F-35A’s capabilities in long-range, over-water flights. These missions challenged pilots to manage their fuel effectively for longer sorties, execute tactics properly in a “task saturated environment,” and operate with limited communication and support. The exercise pushed pilots to their limits, simulating the mental and physical strain of extended combat operations in a vast, contested battlespace.
The exercise incorporated realistic threat scenarios, thanks to the participation of Nellis-based Aggressor units. Lt. Col. Donald Davenport, the 64th Aggressor Squadron commander, explained: “We can formulate scenarios to make it work on our terms which is what a real threat will do. An opportunity that has never been done before.” The 65th Aggressor Squadron, as the Department of Defense’s only F-35A aggressor squadron, represented the most advanced professional adversary replication unit, providing training against current and future near-peer threats.
These realistic threat scenarios forced participating units to adapt to rapidly changing situations, much as they would have to in a real conflict. The unscripted nature of the exercise meant that units had to be prepared for anything, from sudden attacks on their bases to unexpected changes in mission parameters.
Colonel Kathleen M. Hasson, 305th Air Mobility Wing commander, highlighted the importance of this realistic training: “Over the duration of Bamboo Eagle 24-3, our Airmen have demonstrated what it means to be the greatest, most capable and lethal Air Force in the world. I am proud of the high standard our aircrew, maintainers and support personnel operated at. It showcased the readiness required now to project and connect the joint force globally and I have no doubt their continued commitment to excellence will ensure we are ready for what the future holds.”
The exercise also tested and refined the Air Force’s distributed command and control capabilities. In a Pacific conflict, traditional centralized command structures may be vulnerable to attack or disruption. Bamboo Eagle 24-3 forced units to operate with limited communication and make decisions at lower levels, preparing them for the realities of a highly contested electromagnetic environment.
General Ken Wilsbach, commander of Air Combat Command, underscored the exercise’s strategic importance: “This iteration of Bamboo Eagle was a valuable opportunity for our Airmen to test their skills and demonstrate readiness in the face of Great Power Competition. The performance and professionalism of all the participants was exceptional, and I am confident the lessons learned during this iteration will help us better meet the challenges we will face today and in the future.”
As the Air Force continues to evolve its training and operational concepts, exercises like Bamboo Eagle 24-3 will play a crucial role in ensuring that U.S. air power remains a decisive factor in any potential future conflict. The lessons learned and capabilities demonstrated during this exercise will undoubtedly shape the Air Force’s approach to complex, large-scale military operations in the years to come, particularly in the vast and challenging environment of the Pacific theater.
The exercise aligned with the U.S. Air Force’s ongoing efforts outlined in Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. David Allvin’s “Case for Change,” emphasizing the need for agile, adaptable forces capable of addressing emerging challenges in the security environment. General Allvin stated: “Today’s security environment requires us to be an agile, adaptable force capable of maintaining lethality in the face of a challenging and dynamic battlespace. Bamboo Eagle reflects that fact. The exercise challenges our team to operate in a contested, dynamic environment against high-end threats on short notice.”
As the U.S. and its allies continue to prepare for potential operations in increasingly complex environments, the ability to sustain air operations over extended periods and vast distances will prove critical. Exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 represents a significant step in the Air Force’s reoptimization efforts for Great Power Competition, demonstrating its commitment to maintaining air superiority and global reach in increasingly complex operational environments.
The challenges faced and overcome during Bamboo Eagle 24-3 – from multiple air-to-air refuelings and long-range missions to operating from austere locations with minimal support – all directly contribute to the Air Force’s readiness for potential conflicts in the Pacific.
By pushing the limits of current capabilities and forcing adaptation to new operational realities, the exercise has provided invaluable experience and insights that will inform doctrine, training, and equipment decisions for years to come.
As tensions in the Pacific region continue to evolve, the lessons learned from Bamboo Eagle 24-3 will be crucial in ensuring that the U.S. Air Force remains prepared to project power, sustain operations, and achieve mission success across the vast distances and challenging conditions of this critical theater. The exercise has not only tested current capabilities but has also pointed the way forward for future developments in tactics, technology, and training that will be necessary to maintain air superiority in the face of emerging threats and challenges.