Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

F-15E Strike Eagle and C-17 Globemaster III aircraft are used in a 366th Fighter Wing Agile Combat Employment (ACE) exercise at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. The exercise emphasized proper command and control of multiple aircraft over the course of five days of simulated scenarios. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ingold)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

U.S. Air Force Staff Sgt. Mihai Archer, 366th Force Support Squadron (FSS) operations manager, and Senior Airman David Olaya Mojica, 366th FSS fitness center journeyman, build a Single Pallet Expeditionary Kitchen (SPEK) on Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. The SPEK is a mobile, palletized kitchen that is designed to provide hot meals in austere environments. Building a SPEK was one of the many tasks FSS was tasked to do in Double Barrel 23-1. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

U.S. Air Force Senior Airman Kristopher Reed, 366th Logistics Readiness Squadron fuel distributor, stands guard at an entry control point on Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. Entry Control Point procedures are some of the many components that are included in Multi-Capable Airmen training. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

U.S. Air Force Airman 1st Class Zach Logson, 366th Operations Support Squadron weather journeyman, manually confirms weather data on Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. Weather Airmen can access hourly data on surrounding environments with digital micro weather sensors or record data by hand during limited communication capabilites. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

Airmen assigned to the 366th Fighter Wing (FW) and 62nd Airlift Wing walk to a C-17 Globemaster III at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. The cargo aircraft contained a 366th FW fuel truck that the Airmen used to refuel a F-15E Strike Eagle. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ingold)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

Airmen assigned to the 62nd Airlift Wing based at Joint Base Lewis-McChord unload an R-11 Refueler from a C-17 Globemaster III during an Agile Combat Employment exercise at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. The crew used the truck to bring fuel from the C-17 to refuel an F-15E Strike Eagle (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ingold)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

U.S. Air Force Airmen unpack aerospace ground equipment during an Agile Combat Employment exercise at Gowen Field, Boise, Idaho, Oct. 18, 2022. Gunfighters must be able to rapidly arrive in theater, establish logistics and communications with theater command and control, receive follow-on forces, generate missions and project combat power. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ingold)

Gunfighter lead wing executes ACE ops

Published Oct. 26, 2022
By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ingold
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --

The 366th Fighter Wing lead wing force elements conducted exercise Double Barrel 23-1 Oct. 17-21.

Lead Wing exercises are named based on the level of integration between the airbase squadron, command and control element, and the mission generation force element. A single component exercise is known as a pistol. double barrel combines two components and all three operating in unison is a cannon.

Double Barrel 23-1 tested the Gunfighter A-Staff’s ability to operate as an ABS with integrated command and control capabilities, refined operational competencies and increased the number of lead wing capable Airmen.

“The 366th Fighter Wing is prepared to deploy anywhere in the world during our available phase within ten days of the order to deploy,” said Col. Ernesto DiVittorio, 366th FW commander. “We can set up these bases within hours and have communications established within a matter of minutes.”

Double Barrel 23-1 began with the 366th Civil Engineer Squadron constructing a temporary wing operation center and the 366th Communications Squadron setting up command and control systems. The lead wing team then executed realistic training scenarios involving contingency response, aircraft command and control and agile aircraft refueling operations.

“The Gunfighters exceeded our already very high expectations,” said Lt. Col. Brandon Mackay, 366th FW chief of staff. “Intelligence was running at a high speed, the planning that took place was high quality and fast, and the execution by our ABS was strong. There were some challenges in communicating between Force Elements, but overall, we developed ways ahead for each barrier that we encountered. That is probably one of the greatest things that is coming out of Lead Wing and Agile Combat Employment operations, our Airmen are becoming more comfortable and proficient in solving problems in a rapid, high-stakes environment.”

Double Barrel 23-1 is one of the final tests of the Gunfighter A-Staff before their lead wing initial operational certification.

“We have another pistol in December and then a cannon in January before we get to our certification event, Agile Flag,” said Mackay. “These exercises are helping us build up a pool of trained warriors that are essentially leading the entire Air Force in changing the way we fight.”