TYNDALL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- U.S. and Royal Danish Air Force explosive ordnance disposal technicians enhanced their integrated combat capabilities during a field training exercise at Camp Blanding, Florida, Feb. 23-28, 2026.
The exercise, hosted by the 325th Civil Engineer Squadron’s EOD flight, placed participants in realistic, high-pressure scenarios designed to mirror the challenges of a contested operational environment.
The training also brought together EOD technicians from Moody, MacDill, Patrick and Lackland Air Force Bases. The core purpose was to provide technicians with training opportunities not typically available at their home stations and give them hands-on experience leading complex missions with minimal simulation.
"This training supports Air Force and Department of War priorities by deliberately aligning EOD readiness with the demands of great power competition and contested operations," said Master Sgt. Eric Jones, 325th CES EOD logistics section chief. "We built a progression that prepares Airmen to operate as integrated combat leaders in distributed, high-threat environments."
Jones said the exercise followed a "crawl, walk, run" methodology. The initial phase focused on weapon familiarization with the M4A1 rifle and M18 sidearm to build confidence and safe handling in close-combat situations. Technicians then progressed to a close-quarters battle (CQB) shoot house, using both blanks and live ammunition to practice positive identification and precision shooting near teammates.
The final three days culminated in a series of 10- to 18-hour sustained operations in a simulated contested environment. Participants were assigned leadership roles for both friendly and opposing forces (OPFOR), requiring them to plan and execute missions across a two-square-kilometer training area that included wooded terrain, a simulated main operating base, trenched frontlines and an urban complex.
A notable aspect of the exercise was the integration of modern threats and technologies. Participants learned to incorporate small-unmanned aircraft systems (S-UAS) into their operations while also reacting to enemy drones, a critical skill in today's battlespace.
Jones said feedback from participants highlighted the value of experiencing different operational roles. Many found acting as a security team member, ground force commander, or team sergeant provided new insight into the complexities of supporting an EOD operation.
“Working together with (Allied services) gives a lot of perspective on your own job, and also how other nations handle the same job,” said Royal Danish Air Force OR-5 (Sgt.) Peter Lythje, EOD technician. “We like to call it the EOD brotherhood… because we are living thousands of miles apart, but we’re still one brotherhood and we fight for the same things.”
The exercise's complex planning was streamlined by utilizing GenAI to build the foundational storyline and enhance mission specifics, which saved significant man-hours, according to Jones.
The training directly reinforced the Air Force’s Agile Combat Employment (ACE) and Mission-Ready Airmen frameworks by strengthening force survivability and ensuring EOD remains a combat-relevant capability within joint and multi-domain operations.
Jones said he hopes to build on the success of this exercise, with ambitions to make the joint training a yearly event that could expand to include other Allied EOD partners.
| Date Taken: |
02.27.2026 |
| Date Posted: |
04.15.2026 17:09 |
| Story ID: |
562822 |
| Location: |
CAMP BLANDING, FLORIDA, US |
| Web Views: |
59 |
| Downloads: |
0 |
PUBLIC DOMAIN
This work, U.S., Danish EOD technicians enhance combat readiness during FTX, by TSgt Charles Welty, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Subscribe
