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AGILE FLAG 24-3
Exercise trains airmen to be multi-capable, mission-ready
By SrA Alexis Pentzer Wing and total force partners from the Air National
9th Reconnaissance Wing Public Affairs Guard to deliver combat air power.
Edwards AFB, CA. (AFNS) Additionally, air traffic control and combat
communications personnel from the 52nd Combat
The 9th Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA, Communications Squadron from Robins AFB, Ga.,
participated in Exercise AGILE FLAG 24-3 provided communications infrastructure and
throughout Southern California from July 31 to Aug support throughout various locations of the exercise.
11. This year’s iteration included the command and The 9th Communications Squadron worked
control Force Elements from the 23rd Wing, Moody alongside the 52nd CBCS and learned how to
AFB, and the 9th RW. exercise communications gaining practice in some of
Exercise AGILE FLAG plays a critical role in the challenges that they will face with potential
ACC’s transformation as the command evolves to deployments.
provide relevant, combat credible forces through the "The priorities for the exercise are effective
Air Force Force Generation (AFFORGEN) cycle. communication between all organizations,” said
This bi-annual exercise is a part of a certification Capt Michael Crotts, 9th Reconnaissance Wing, A6
process for ACC’s Expeditionary Air Base Force director of communications. "There's a lot of
Elements, testing their abilities before a different moving pieces in this exercise so ensuring
deployment. The A-staff was at the hub of that they were able to communicate at any given
operations and consists of the core personnel who set moment and if certain things go out then we can
up and receive the dynamic employment construct. pivot to another form of communication so that
The air staff is a cohesive team, accomplishing the chain is never broken.”
bulk of the command and control responsibilities to Preparing our Airmen comes with many
ensure that any follow-on forces can seamlessly plug challenges. To prepare Airmen to deploy, they must
in to generate combat air power. be trained to be multi-capable, mission-ready
During AGILE FLAG, the 23rd Wing and the 9 th Airmen. Mission-ready Airmen are trained to
RW tested their ability to generate air power while accomplish tasks that are outside of their core
continuing to move, maneuver, and sustain their specialty and are a cross-functional team with the
wing’s and subordinate force elements in a dynamic ability to operate independently in an expeditionary
and contested environment. environment to complete the mission.
Throughout the exercise, they commanded and “Always being ready, always being able to adapt to
controlled F-22 Raptors from the 94th Fighter whatever situation we come across is part of the
Squadron and F-35 Lightning IIs from the 34th exercise,” said SSgt Christian McClellan, 52nd
Fighter Squadron. They also integrated with the Air Combat Communications Squadron special missions
Mobility Command’s 621st Contingency Response supervisor.
SSgt Christian McClellan, 51st Combat
Comm Squadron special missions
supervisor, reviews antenna systems
during exercise AGILE FLAG 24-3 at
March Air Reserve Base, CA, in
August. During AGILE FLAG, the 5th
Combat Comm Gp from Robins AFB
delivered expeditionary
communications to support the
exercise.
(Air Force photo by SrA Alexis
Pentzer)
18 November 2024 Communicator
