Photo By Airman 1st Class Andre Bordlee | U.S. Air National Guard Airman 1st Class Skylar Piper, a weapons load crew member...... read more read more
DANNELLY FIELD, Ala. -- The 187th Fighter Wing, Dannelly Field, Ala., took part in Checkered Flag 25-2, Tyndall AFB, Fla., from April 29 – May 15, 2025. The exercise is designed to enhance air-to-air combat training against advanced threat aircraft in a contested environment.
Checkered Flag 25-2, a large-force exercise, saw the integration of joint operations with the Air Force, Navy, and Marines. The exercise hosted over 60 aircraft, including T-38 Talon, E-3 Sentry, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-15C Eagles, F-15E Strike Eagles, F-18 Hornets, EA-18G Growler, F-22 Raptor, F-35A, F-35B, and F-35C Lightning II. Additionally, more than 1,000 personnel from over 10 squadrons were involved in ground and air operations.
“This exercise simulates the challenges pilots might encounter in the face of a peer adversary, and the ability to experience several repetitions in a joint operations environment over the course of the three exercises is extremely valuable,” said Maj. Alan “Hammer” Pippin, 187th Fighter Wing Project Officer for Checkered Flag. “Additionally, there are a lot of moving pieces required to generate this many sorties. Without our maintenance and logistics teams, we could not have successfully completed our training.”
The coordination by the 187th Fighter Wing Logistics Readiness Squadron involved the movement of more than 70 short tons of cargo and over 150 personnel. The planning began in early January 2025, showcasing the Alabama National Guard’s commitment to agile combat employment in complex logistic environments.
“Logistics is the key in agile combat and can be an extremely complex issue with the movement of personnel and assets,” said Tech Sgt. Amira Tolbert 187th Fighter Wing Logistics Readiness Squadron Traffic Management Office. “We have an amazing team that is passionate about executing the mission and ensuring we have everything we need to operate effectively. The increased operations tempo away from home station with a minimum footprint provides us with vital hands-on experience needed to execute sustained combat air power in any environment.”
The 187th Fighter Wing concentrated on the crucial mission of air-to-air combat over the Gulf of America. This training scenario with combined capabilities will be paramount in joint all-domain operations and maintaining air superiority in a contested airspace.
| Date Taken: | 06.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 06.04.2025 16:42 |
| Story ID: | 499673 |
| Location: | ALABAMA, US |
| Web Views: | 75 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Ready, Set, Fly! Checkered Flag 25-2, by Capt. Michael Luangkhot, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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