Photo By Airman 1st Class Chelsea Arana | U.S. Air Force Airmen assigned to the 301st Munitions Squadron participate in...... read more read more
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BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. -- Eight teams from seven major commands (MAJCOM) gathered under the hot August sun in northern California to test their munitions expertise during the annual Air Force Combat Operations Competition (AFCOCOMP), Aug. 11-15, 2025.
AFCOCOMP is an annual competition hosted by the 9th Munitions Squadron that challenges aircraft armament systems specialists and munitions systems specialists with timed bomb-building exercises, simulating wartime contingencies that demand both technical sharpness and strategic problem-solving.
Since its inception, AFCOCOMP has grown to create a more realistic process, and to foster the growth of mission-ready Airmen. Through AFCOCOMP, teams from across the globe demonstrated that their warfighting capabilities are unmatched at delivering combat power quickly and effectively anywhere in the world.
“This competition evaluated crucial competencies taught throughout the career field and here at AFCOMAC,” said U.S. Air Force Master Sgt. Katelyn Disney, 9th MUNS production flight chief. “The knowledge, abilities, and communication skills of each team was tested when put under the pressure of time constraints and limited resources similar to a deployed environment.”
Events pushed teams through every stage of their craft; from assembling small diameter bombs to configuring full scale munitions. Airmen loaded, delivered, validated, and constructed under strict timelines, proving their ability to generate combat power on demand.
This iteration of AFCOCOMP had some unique additions that included the Guided Bomb Unit-56 Laser Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM), which adds more flexibility to the Air Force’s arsenal alongside the adverse weather Global Positioning System/Inertial Navigation System guided JDAM. The Air Intercept Missile (AIM)-9X and AIM-120 missiles were also added into the trailer loading and configuration event for the first time.
“One of the additions this year was the Helderman’s Hustle event, named after Chief Master Sgt. Casey Helderman, our career field manager.” Disney said. “This event tested the team's abilities to break down an air tasking order and assemble just over 300 munitions in the Theater Integrated Combat Munitions System (TICMS) and have them delivered to the 'flightline’ location in a 3-hour time frame.”
A new twist to the Agile Combat Employment event was to provide teams with the means to build munitions through alternate methods such as building bombs on a trailer, pallet, or dunnage. Though these methods are not conventional, they are used in austere locations where resources are limited and traditional bomb building methods may not be possible.
U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Clarance Cobb, 301st Maintenance Squadron team lead, expressed how Beale directly contributes to the Air Force’s ability to project power by challenging Airmen to showcase resiliency while instituting purpose. The 301st MUNS chose Airmen who had never seen munitions operate at this level before as their representatives for the competition. As a result, Beale’s AFCOCOMP was a unique experience that provided high-end training for the Fort Worth team. The environment was organized and made for a more efficient training ground.
“Seeing a base with fully functional facilities and equipment was refreshing and seamless,” Cobb said. “To expose them to this process and to bring it back to home-station will improve our process and hopefully this knowledge can be passed down to their peers as well. This real-world experience will prove to be invaluable for the Fort Worth team.”
At the end of a grueling but satisfying week of bomb building competition, the 5th Munitions Squadron from Minot Air Force Base, North Dakota, triumphed and took home the Sierra Trophy.
From the technical data to the nuances of local operating instructions, Beale’s AFCOCOMP is one of the most interactive ways to learn munitions. Airmen enhanced their capabilities by simulating deployment scenarios, maximizing limited time to build munitions with minimal equipment and operated outside of their normal order of operations. The competition, while challenging, was devised to equip Airmen with the warfighting capabilities they’ll need to ensure their readiness to stay ahead of any adversary.
| Date Taken: | 08.22.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 08.22.2025 12:19 |
| Story ID: | 546257 |
| Location: | BEALE AIR FORCE BASE, CALIFORNIA, US |
| Web Views: | 344 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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