LITTLE ROCK AIR FORCE BASE, Ark. —
Approximately 28 personnel from the 41st Airlift Squadron and 19th Maintenance Squadron recently participated in exercise Razor Talon 23-1 at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina; Marine Corps Air Station, North Carolina; and various locations throughout the southeast region from July 23-28, 2023.
RT 23-1 is an Agile Combat Employment focused exercise designed to test the 4th Fighter Wing’s ability to operate as a lead wing and integrate with mobility air assets to deliver combat air power all while operating from dispersed locations with contested logistics in a dynamic environment.
The 41st AS contributed three C-130J Super Hercules aircraft and joined forces with other mobility aircraft, fighter jets, and contingency response assets from the U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and U.S. Air Force to defend the lead wing against simulated ground and airborne threats.
Over the course of the exercise, the Black Knights tackled several mission objectives. They conducted contested theater airlift operations, dynamic re-tasking, and integrated force employment to support fighter aircraft movement and ensure the success of coordinated Mobility and Combat Air Forces operations.
Additionally, C-130 aircrew gained experience through exposure to integrated planning and employment, Link 16 operations, specialized fueling operations, and non-standard cargo loading operations.
This exercise gave Black Knights the opportunity to enhance Team Little Rock’s ability to operate with joint service partners and enforce sovereignty in the air domain while integrating with approximately 800 joint participants and 45 different aircraft from six commands.
“Overall, exercising like this exposes the seams in Joint operations and allows us to bring those lessons back to better our ability to operate with all mission partners,” said Capt. Russell Hunt, 41st AS pilot and RT 23-1 mission commander. “The ACE concept is impossible without a competent and trained Mobility Air Force.”
The intention of ACE exercises is to ensure that Airmen have the ability to adapt quickly and effectively to changing circumstances. In the face of ever-evolving global threats, exercises like RT 23-1 give Airmen and Joint service partners the opportunity to bolster their capabilities and deliver rapid global mobility in diverse and dispersed environments.
