Lead Wing drills down on ACE

U.S. Air Force Airmen move pieces during a game of Kingfish Agile Combat Employment (ACE) at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Nov. 2, 2022. Kingfish ACE was designed by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Troy Pierce, Headquarters Air Force airpower strategist, to teach Airmen about the logistical challenges of an Agile Combat Employment. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Lead Wing drills down on ACE

U.S. Air Force Maj. Kendahl Jackson, 366th Fighter Wing A33 chief of current operations, center, and Master Sgt. Cesar Zayas, 12th Air Force A4M superintendent, left, play a game of Kingfish Agile Combat Employment at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Nov. 2, 2022. Kingfish ACE offers Airmen the chance to work together through different simulations to enhance critical thinking capabilities and build experiences through the execution of an ACE. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Lead Wing drills down on ACE

U.S. Air Force Airmen play a game of Kingfish Agile Combat Employment (ACE) at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Nov. 2, 2022. The strategic war game was designed by U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Troy Pierce, Headquarters Air Force airpower strategist, to teach Airmen about the logistical challenges of an ACE. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Lead Wing drills down on ACE

U.S. Air Force Lt. Col. Brandon Mackay, 366th Fighter Wing chief of staff, writes on a white board before a game of Kingfish Agile Combat Employment (ACE) at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Nov. 2, 2022. Kingfish ACE offers Airmen the chance to work together in different simulations to enhance critical thinking capabilities and build experiences. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Lead Wing drills down on ACE

U.S. Air Force Capt. Paul Jamboretz, 12th Air Force studies, analyses and assessment officer, moves pieces during a game of Kingfish Agile Combat Employment at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho, Nov. 2, 2022. Kingfish ACE was created to introduce Airmen to the concept and challenges of an ACE. (U.S. Air Force photo by Airman 1st Class Krista Reed Choate)

Lead Wing drills down on ACE

Published Nov. 4, 2022
By Staff Sgt. Benjamin Ingold
366th Fighter Wing Public Affairs

MOUNTAIN HOME AIR FORCE BASE, Idaho --

The 366th Fighter Wing lead wing command and control Airmen participated in the Lead Wing Command and Control Course Nov. 1-4.

The LWC2C is a comprehensive tabletop exercise in game format conducted by the 705th Training Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida, to develop lead wing C2 skills in response to a simulated contingency scenario utilizing multiple areas of operation and Air Force installations.

The lead wing tabletop game is called Kingfish Agile Combat Employment, or ACE, and pays homage to the Tactical Airlift Control Elements using the Kingfish call sign during the Vietnam War. Kingfish Airmen opened and operated airfields in contested environments just like Airmen train to do today.

“You can’t teach Agile Combat Employment via PowerPoint,” said Charles Charlton, 705th TRS lead wing C2 deputy flight director. “ACE is very scenario driven and the interesting part of the game is the ability to have multiple scenarios that you have to employ ACE concepts and experience the outcomes.”

Gunfighters and Airmen on temporary duty to Mountain Home Air Force Base split up into two teams and were given a scenario and challenged to allocate resources across the Pacific Air Forces area of responsibility. Selected installation capabilities were determined by chance during the game to mirror the dynamic nature of a real-world contingency.

Teams were comprised of Airmen with diverse skillsets and experience levels in the Air Force and needed to come together rapidly to work effectively.

“This exercise has shown me that operating as a lead wing is a team effort,” said Airman 1st Class Brock Ledford, 366th FW command post junior controller. “In the beginning, I was put into a certain role, but as the days have gone on, I have been able to fill other roles when needed and it’s been good to learn the language of lead wing operations.”

Ledford said other benefits of the game were getting more comfortable operating with higher ranking Gunfighters and gaining additional knowledge about the operations of the 366th FW.

Realistic training opportunities like Kingfish ACE show the Gunfighter commitment to developing the nation’s most lethal lead wing and how the 366th FW is blazing a trail at the front of the Air Force’s shift to the ACE.