EL CENTRO NAVAL AIR STATION, Calif. -- Shaw Air Force Base’s 77th Fighter and Fighter Generation Squadrons projected power forward to exercise Bamboo Eagle 24-3 at El Centro Naval Air Station, from Aug. 5-9.
Bamboo Eagle is a United States Air Force Warfare Center-led exercise that allows the 20th Fighter Wing and over 30 other participants to train for modern warfare and multi-domain, disaggregated high-end conflict.
The week-long Bamboo Eagle exercise commenced immediately after exercise Red Flag 24-3 at Nellis AFB, Nevada, which was a two-week event centered mainly on air-to-air combat. Unlike Red Flag, Bamboo Eagle emphasizes three core areas: distributed command and control, disaggregated mission generation and operations within a joint maritime environment.
“Bamboo Eagle exercises all-domain combat power generation from dispersed locations, actively providing the capability to take proactive and reactive maneuvers within threat timelines to increase survivability and combat power,” said Lt. Col. Daniel Trueblood, 77th FS commander. “The 77th FS and FGS are fulfilling needed roles at one of the many spokes within the area of responsibility, and we are doing all of this while also testing our skills against operations in a simulated combat environment within the Indo-Pacific region to prepare our teams for a counter-maritime fight.”
As the 20th FW is continuing to reoptimize for the Great Power Competition, its squadrons will continue to participate in exercises like Bamboo Eagle to identify shortcomings and make needed changes to ensure success in a world that continues to see unprecedented change.
“We are continuing to evolve, test and apply innovative techniques at exercises like Bamboo Eagle, which allows us to master required skills to ensure we are developing Airmen through advanced competitor-focused training and prepare us for high-end combat,” said Lt. Col. Jordan Kahn, 20th FW chief of A-staff.
In addition to training for near-peer competitors, exercise Bamboo Eagle was synchronized with the Air Force Force Generation model. This synchronization optimizes the 20th FW’s readiness ensuring force capabilities are mission ready when tasked to support Combatant Commanders. By focusing on a capabilities-based sustainable force, the USAF and 20th FW can better manage the balance between generating ready forces and their consumption in support of global operations while maintaining dominance in an ever-changing operational environment.