Photo By Senior Airman DeQuan Simmons | U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Leo Kim, 555th Expeditionary Fighter Generation Squadron...... read more read more
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U.S. CENTRAL COMMAND AREA OF RESPONSIBILITY—U.S. and partner nation forces gathered Dec. 11, 2025, for a multinational exercise focused on defending the region against modern airborne threats.
The exercise, Blue Sands 26.1, brought these forces together for air, missile, and counter-unmanned aircraft systems defense training. This improved their integration, interoperability, and lethality.
“For Blue Sands 26.1, the 555th EFS brought persistent, flexible combat power to the fight,” said U.S. Air Force Capt. Santiago Garcia, 555th EFS pilot. “This exercise allowed us to demonstrate exactly what AFCENT stands for–coalition airpower that is ready, lethal, and seamlessly interoperable.”
The exercise pushed crews into realistic defensive situations, forcing them to rapidly identify, prioritize, and engage a variety of airborne threats.
“The ability to rapidly fuse threat data, classify targets, and coordinate efforts across multiple domains was a major win,” said Garcia. “This integration strengthens AFCENT’s posture and ensures we can defend high-value assets across the theater.”
Air-to-air refueling from KC-135 Stratotankers enabled around-the-clock defensive patrols. These patrols were crucial to the exercise. This not only extended coverage across areas but also reduced response times to missile and UAS threats.
As a whole, Blue Sands 26.1 strengthened integrated deterrence across the theater by giving coalition crews real-time experience against emerging threats. The exercise reinforced AFCENT’s commitment to ensuring U.S. and partner forces are postured to defend the region together.
“The biggest takeaway is that integrated deterrence works when we train like we fight,” said Garcia. “Blue Sands 26.1 proved that regional security is strongest when U.S. forces and our partners operate as one team with a shared picture and a shared mission.”
| Date Taken: | 12.10.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 01.10.2026 06:51 |
| Story ID: | 555969 |
| Location: | (UNDISCLOSED LOCATION) |
| Web Views: | 56 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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